The adventurers weren't happy with Gary's behavior. Jane in particular was very vocal while looking at his behavior. Her face told everyone he didn't like his attitude and it was justified.
"Guess genius comes with loose screws and lazy asses." Jane snorted. "The least he could do is help."
Gary who could clearly hear her ignored her as if her words didn't affect him in the slightest, his eyes forward.
Jane put the attitude on and then when he went away, she sighed dreamily, glancing at the other young man.
Slightly long dark hair, sharp jawline, and icy crimson eyes.
'That mysterious boy… so tight-lipped and composed. Tall, good posture, and barely shows a hint of emotion… and yet he's so cute.' Jane started fidgeting as she closed her eyes and placed her hands on her chests.
Ellie noticed her and interjected. "Thinking about that traveler again, huh?"
Jane nodded, cheeks reddening further.
Ellie sighed dramatically. "Unrequited love. If you're going to marry, marry someone strong. Ordinary men come home with second wives especially guys like that."
Jane didn't seem to hear a word.
"Come to think of it," she blurted suddenly, "he might be secretly strong. Maybe he's a knight!"
"A knight?" Ellie stared at her in disbelief as if she was looking at the mentally insane. That wasn't just a title—it was a mark of the truly powerful, a line that separated superhumans from ordinary people. Even they were considered knight-level, and at this stage, only a tiny fraction of fighters could challenge them in a real battle.
Mike, the rookie archer usually trailing behind Jane, burst out laughing. "You're not exactly subtle, young sister. We don't like women like that."
"And what do you know, 22-year-old virgin?" Jane shot back.
Mike went silent.
"Corre's gone ahead," Ellie said, rolling her eyes.
It was then—
Shuang!
A thunderous roar erupted from the castle.
Stones—huge and small, some the size of houses—rose into the air around its towers. Panic struck instantly. Screams tore through the streets as those who were scouting the town scattered, diving for cover just as rocks and massive shards of debris rained down.
Ard was one of the few that remained upright, mostly because he already knew he won't get hit. Calm and collected, he gazed at the sky, his crimson eyes piercing through the danger and obstacles.
Around him, in the next second, the heavy rocks and debris had made impact shattering houses. Pieces of the rocks and debris hit Albert's torso who happened to be pissing at a distant tree at the time, which turned him into a donut.
Some more weren't that quick and suffered some wounds. In an instant, agonizing wails filled the air as the shower continued for at least three seconds.
Most were more lucky, as they stayed within the defensive formation.
As shards and rocks rained down, the knights raised their swords. Power surged through their limbs as they struck, slashing incoming debris at blinding speed. Thanks to their formation, none of them were injured—nor were those protected behind them, including us.
The advance crew wasn't as fortunate, but they were skilled and experienced enough to save themselves. They were warriors for a reason. Gary, for instance, didn't even bother drawing his sword or aiding a comrade. He relied solely on his footwork, weaving effortlessly between falling rocks before slipping beneath a bridge for cover.
After the three seconds. The dust in the air started to subside.
Looking at the aftermath of the scene before him, Ard didn't change his expression. This was because that was just the beginning.
Through the settling dust, we lifted our heads while coughing and saw a human figure floating in the air, descending slowly from the castle.
He had blond hair, blackened veins crawling across his face, and pitch-dark eyes. Horns jutted from his forehead. Dressed in simple linen, he was holding someone by the neck—a knight, legs kicking weakly in the air.
Then in the silence, a sharp crack rang out. The body went limp.
Woosh!
The next second, he flicked his wrist.
The body was hurled across the air, crashing into the town square—smashing against stone before slamming hard into a carriage.
"What the hell is that?"
"Who is that?!"
Shock and terror rippled through the crowd as the figure descended, an almost suffocating aura rolling off him, thick with demonic miasma.
"Th-That's… the baron. Lewis von Jian…"
Faller whispered in horror, as if he had seen a relative turn to the dark side.
"Lord Lewis!"
Right now, the demon who has descended looked like man in his thirties in aristocratic attire with blonde hair and streaks of black veins on his face, lifting one hand as if amused by the scene and faces spread out before him.
He wasn't finished!
"Demons!" One of the scouts inside a house cried out in alarm as he escaped outside in a hurry.
Just as he cried out, someone pounced onto him.
In a blur, powerful hands slammed him against the ground, crushing his neck with a sickening crack, before slamming his head onto a cracked pavement.
In the next instant, another person walked out while gripping the neck of another scout with one hand while the other had a heart that had been gouged out. The scout died with a despairing look on his face.
In the next second, more of these individuals emerged.
They looked like ordinary people, but they weren't.
They weren't just fast and strong. They were the evil incarnates! These people were human turned demons! And soon, more appeared circling around the humans scattered across the town and those in the defensive formation.
The demons clearly seemed more than ready for some good time.