321-328

Chapter 321: Crisis

Translator: AtlasStudios Editor: AtlasStudios

It was already dusk when Rhode came back.

After watching today's competition, besides ordering Old Walker to finish his 'mission', he also went to the Royal Library in Golden City. He was hoping to find a clue about Celia and Celestina's identity. When he fought with Carody, the relationship between them was completely beyond what Rhode had expected. Through his instinct, he felt that their relationship was not normal, and it was as if they were hiding something. He had read all the books regarding angels and demons this afternoon, but he couldn't find any clues connected to Celia or Celestina. However, Rhode didn't give up. Instead, it incited his interest even more. As there were no records of them in the Royal Library, which had the second most detailed description of the angels and demons in the continent, second only to the Temple of the Country of the Law. Then, neither Celestina nor Celia's existence was really a mystery.

Of course, the reason Rhode was investigating their identity wasn't only out of curiosity, but also because he had to. As an existence that once lived in this world, each summoned spirits had its own uniqueness, past, history, and memory. Only after understanding that would he be able to unleash its full power. There were summoned spirits better at offense, and those better at defense. There were summoned spirit that liked war, and those that liked peace. If he was unable to understand their past and identity, then if they evolved in the future and met powerful opponents, the summoned spirit might also negatively act on the owner's orders. Just like before, Rhode could feel that Celia was actually very reluctant. On the contrary, Celestina did not put 'low life' into her eyes. If he ordered them to destroy a village, Celia would definitely oppose it, while Celestina would enjoy it.

Any choice had its two sides.

Although Rhode also could force them to tell him about their identity, that would create a gap between the summoner and the summoned spirit. In the worst case scenario, it was even possible for the summoned spirit to choose self-destruction to escape this bondage and Rhode definitely wouldn't choose to do this kind of thing. This matter was more of like a test to him. A test of whether the summoner cared about the summon spirit. Only by passing this test would summoner be qualified to get the summoned spirit's allegiance.

"Sigh.."

As Rhode entered the hall, he sighed. At the same time, he shook his head. After reading through the files for the entire afternoon, he felt that his whole body was aching. At this moment, a small body embraced him, Christie looked up and smiled at him.

"... Rhode... Welcome back..."

"I'm back, Christie."

Rhode gently smiled back at Christie. He stretched out his hand and patted her head. When he looked up, Lize was holding a storybook as she walked towards him.

"Welcome back, Mr. Rhode. Did everything go smoothly?"

"Not bad."

Facing Lize's question, Rhode nodded. He looked at the empty hall and spoke.

"Where are the others?"

"Anne was still sleeping, she said that she wanted to sleep until dinner time. The others are resting in their own room... As for Marlene, she has gone out. She said that she'll be back at night."

"Marlene?"

Hearing until here, Rhode was surprised.

"Where did she go?"

"This... There's a girl called Ms. Ellenson who invited her for an afternoon tea. She said that she's Marlene's best friend in the academy."

"Is that so..."

Hearing until here, Rhode nodded and asked.

"Do you know where did she go?"

"This... I'm not too sure."

Hearing Rhode's question, Lize helplessly shook her head. At this time, Christie lifted her head.

"... I know where she went... That girl called Ellenson said..."

"Oh?"

Hearing until here, Rhode and Lize glanced at each other, then both looked at Christie.

"Where did they go?"

"... From what I have heard, that girl told the coachman to go to a place called Barbero Street..."

"Barbero?"

Hearing until here, Lize tilted her head, but she couldn't recall any place with that name. It was no wonder; before she left Golden City, she never wandered off anywhere. Most likely, the number of streets she knew in Golden City could be counted on her fingers. Considering this, she was no different than those country bumpkins.

Instead, when Rhode heard this name, his expression quickly sank.

"Christie, are you sure?"

"... Umm, yes... that girl said so to the coachman... she said that it's Barbero Street.."

Having said that, Christie reached out and gestured, as if she were mimicking something. However, compared to this, Lize was even more surprised. She did not know that Christie's hearing was actually so good. At that time, Ellenson wasn't even close to them, and she had also deliberately lowered her voice, so Lize couldn't hear what she was saying. She did not expect that Christie was actually able to hear it. She was planning to say more, but after seeing Rhode's expression, Lize was surprised.

Currently, Rhode's expression was really bad.

Although he usually looked indifferent, but it was easy for people around him to notice that Rhode's face wasn't actually expressionless. It was just that many times, he didn't convey his emotions through expressions. However, right now his expression could be said to be very obvious.

Unlike Lize and Christie who didn't know anything, Rhode knew what kind of place Barbero was.

When there was light, there was always darkness. It was also the same in Golden City. It's true that Munn Kingdom remained stable under Lydia, but it was nonsense to think that everyone was kind-hearted. Among tons of apples, there would always be some that were rotten. It was the same in the Golden City. The noble here lacked enjoyment and depravity, and Barbero Street was the best place for those nobles who were lost. There, they could enjoy and indulge like wild beasts. It was a place filled with sins and sweet depravity.

In the game, Lydia had cleared up this place in the end. However, in the middle of this quest, Rhode had realized just how terrible this place was. Because the game was rated G, there were some sensitive details that were concealed, but just the tip of the iceberg was enough to make people shiver. However, it was nothing compared to the partying and drugs in Rhode's previous world.

So when he heard this place from Christie's mouth, Rhode's heart immediately sank. From his understanding towards Marlene, he didn't think that she was the type who would like to enjoy depravity, and he could hardly imagine it. He even wondered whether Marlene knew about this place because Barbero Street was also a taboo among the nobles, and only nobles who really belonged there were qualified to know its existence. For other nobles, they were only vaguely aware that there was such a place, but they were not clear about its specifics.

But Rhode was sure that the people who knew about that place definitely wren't something good.

"When did they leave?"

"Probably... an hour ago."

Lize was surprised by Rhode's seriousness. She recalled carefully and replied. Then she looked at Rhode uneasily.

"Mr. Rhode, is there any problem?"

"I'll go and see the situation."

Rhode did not explain the matter to Lize. He only reached out and patted Christie's shoulder. Then, he sorted out his clothes and looked down.

"Lize, don't tell anyone about this matter. I'm going to find Marlene now. Take care of the others and don't allow anyone to leave. Do you understand?"

"I, I understand, Mr. Rhode."

Lize replied uneasily. Although she didn't know what had happened, she still noticed that something was wrong. Rhode nodded to the both of them and left.

Damn it!

Rhode left the mansion with a very gloomy expression. He could be sure that there was definitely something wrong. Marlene wasn't that type of girl, and even Christie wouldn't go out with just anyone. Marlene was usually a serious and assertive person. Since the other was able to invite Marlene out, then she definitely had a relationship with Marlene. However, no matter how Rhode thought of it, he couldn't figure out why someone dared to kidnap Marlene in Golden City. Did they really not know just how powerful the Senia family iswas

But now wasn't the time for Rhode to think about this.

Rhode took a deep breath, trying to calm down. Soon, a list of all the members of the mercenary group appeared before him, Rhode effortlessly found Marlene's name and selected it. After that, an inverted triangle representing the position coordinates appeared before him and pointed towards a group of building in the west.

God bless.

Seeing this inverted triangle, Rhode felt relieved. Then, he activated his shadow flash without hesitation and quickly flew towards the coordinates.

Chapter 322: Night Chaos

Translator: AtlasStudios Editor: AtlasStudios

"Hnn..."

Marlene opened her eyes.

The light of the setting sun had illuminated the room. She looked up, and her head felt a splitting headache. She wanted to reach out and hold her forehead, but soon noticed that her wrist felt tight. She discovered that her hands and feet had been bound by chains. She was tied up in a luxurious, soft bed. Although she looked unusual, she felt powerless and unable to move. It was even difficult for her to move her body. She wandered and stared at the surrounding. She didn't know where she was and what was happened currently. This made her a little bit surprised, anxious, and worried.

"Ara, sister, you finally awake?"

At this moment, Ellenson's voice sounded. Marlene frowned as she heard her voice. When she saw her, Marlene was completely shocked.

The person who appeared before her was indeed Ellenson, but she was no longer wearing the dress she wore previously. Instead, she was wearing a transparent tulle skirt and a bizarre butterfly mask that looked unusually strange. In addition, she didn't wear any clothes. She just stood there while looking at her with a teasing gaze. When Marlene saw her, her face was red, and she hurriedly turned her head.

"Ellenson, why are you wearing something like this? What are you trying to do? Your joke has gone too far!"

"So scary~"

Upon hearing Marlene's criticism, Ellenson chuckled. She elegantly placed her hand on her lips, showing a well-groomed lady-like gesture that gave off an enticing charm. At this time, Marlene felt that something was wrong. The Ellenson she knew was not such a person. In the past, she would not even dare make such a joke to her. She was a lively girl but was actually quite conservative. It was impossible for her to stand naked in front of her shamelessly.

There must be something wrong with it!

Thinking of here, Marlene's heart sank, then she opened her mouth.

"Dirs... Ahhhhhhh!!"

However, Marlene was unable to finish her chanting, because at this time the chains that bound her wrist had sparked out electricity and froze her body. It was as if she was hit heavily by a whip. Under this strong stimulation, Marlene shook her body up and down. Afterward, she could no longer chant.

"Elder sister, don't be so anxious, it's not good~"

Ellenson walked to Marlene's side and reached out her hand. She gently stroke her face, while Marlene looked at her gloomily.

"Anti-magic shackles... Ellenson, what do you want to do?"

"What do I want to do?"

Under Marlene's sharp gaze, Ellenson didn't seem to be shaken by it. Instead, she lightly smiled and asked her back.

"How could I possibly do things that harm Sister? I just hope that Sister will be able to enjoy this supreme happiness just like me... This is my hospitality to you, dear sister. Do you like it? I thought that Sister would definitely resist at the very beginning, so I used this method. But I can guarantee that my Sister will like this feeling just like me. My master is very gentle, elder sister, you will definitely enjoy it."

"Master?"

Hearing her words, Marlene frowned. At this moment, a man opened the door and entered the room. He was dressed in expensive, well-made noble clothes. His skin was pale white just like the nobles of the south. His pale chestnut hair was divided into two sides. His sharp face reminded people of animals, such as wolves or hounds. Not to mention, just being watched by his narrow eyes made Marlene feel as if a venomous snake crawled over her body.

"Oh, Master, you are finally here!"

Looking at the man who just appeared, Ellenson happily smiled. She ran towards him and embraced him. But seeing that she was naked, it made Marlene felt uncomfortable. She frowned and looked at herself. Thank god, she was still wearing her previous clothes. It seemed like Ellenson wasn't trying to do the same to her.

This made Marlene feel relieved for a while, but soon she quickly looked towards that man vigilantly.

"Who are you?!"

At this time, Marlene finally realized that she had encountered a great problem.

As the sole successor of the Senia family, no matter whether she was willing or not, she knew most of the young nobles of the Munn Kingdom. Whether they were talented people or wastrels, Marlene knew that befriending those nobles was also considered a necessary lessons for her as a successor of the Senia family. However, she had no idea who the man in front of them was. He was a total stranger to her, but it was really weird because, in the Golden City, there were no noble she didn't know.

Who is this man actually?

Thinking until here, Marlene immediately became nervous. She was not stupid; the successor of the Senia family didn't only have powerful magic power and pretty face, but also had keen insight. It was not strange for a man to show up here, but a man who she didn't know? That was definitely a problem. At least, it meant that this man wasn't a noble in the Munn Kingdom.

Then what did that mean?

"I'm just an unknown person, dear Ms. Marlene."

Facing Marlene's question, the man graciously answered and smiled. However, in Marlene's eyes, he looked just like a scorpion.

"I guess you can't tell me your real name."

Marlene coldly snorted, not seeming surprised by his answer.

"But do you know what are you doing? Ellenson is the only daughter of the Nancy family. If her family knows... No matter who you are, I'm afraid nothing good will happen to you."

"Oh, I'm so scared, Ms. Marlene."

Hearing Marlene cold response, the man only whistled. After that, he lightly clapped and sarcastically smiled.

"As expected of a genius; even after you fell into such a state, you are still able to maintain a calm and arrogant attitude... It's really great to see that you are such challenging prey... but I don't think you need to worry about Ellenson."

Having said that, the man turned around and looked at the naked girl before him.

"Ellenson, come and tell Ms. Marlene over there. What is our relationship?"

"Yes, Master."

Hearing the man's voice, Ellenson's eyes lit up. She bowed before him and looked up.

"I am Master's slave. I am Master's most loyal slave. Master, will you please give me rewards? I have done what you said. Now I can't hold it anymore..."

Ellenson crawled on the ground like a dog. She looked at the man before her with expectations and eagerness. She totally looked like a pet dog who was trying to gain the owner's favor.

"Master, see, I've been so... I've been so eager, I beg you, please give me a reward..."

"Ellenson, what are you talking about!! Get a grip!!"

When she heard Ellenson speak, Marlene was shocked. She stared blankly at the girl, who was opening her legs wide, acting vulgar like a prostitute, and was completely speechless. The scene before her really shattered her impression of Ellenson. She never thought that the cheerful girl she once knew would actually pose in such a debauchery gesture and say such filthy words.

"It's useless, Ms. Marlene."

The man stretched out his hand and patted Ellenson's head, which immediately received a satisfying response from her.

"Right now, Ellenson has completely become my pet. Just look at her—she looks very happy, right? She doesn't have to think about anything. She just needs to listen to my orders to feel this supreme happiness. She has never felt such a feeling before... Of course, it's not like she didn't resist in the beginning."

Having said that, the man strangely smiled. He walked towards Marlene and took out a bottle of potion. Seeing the man's gesture, Marlene's expression turned gloomy. She didn't move her body to escape from his sight. Instead, she looked at him with a cold and sharp gaze.

"So scary~"

The man calmly enjoyed Marlene's gaze and didn't withdraw from it. He stretched out his hand and poured the potion into Marlene's mouth. When he let go of his hand, Marlene coughed up heavily, but her gaze towards that man remained unchanged.

"But I don't hate it... it's more interesting to see a proud woman lowers her pride. Soon, you will understand the meaning of my words. But now... I'm going to give a reward to my pet first."

The man turned around to look at Ellenson. Aware of his gaze, Ellenson was pleasantly surprised.

The night fell.

As the temperature in the room gradually rose, combined with a thick and sweet fragrance in the air, Marlene bit her teeth. She opened her eyes and looked at the ceiling in front of her. Her body had gradually become weaker and weaker. In addition, her body also became hotter and itchy. This feeling had began to spread around her body. Now, Marlene couldn't even lift a finger. Just one movement was enough to shook her body. Marlene was certain that the potion she had taken was affecting her body, but she still kept her sanity. Marlene knew exactly what this man wanted to do. Although she never had experience in this area, it did not mean that she was completely ignorant about it. The man intended to conquer her by doing this, and as long as she could no longer endure the suffering and gave in, it would be his victory. However, Marlene did not intend to let the other party succeed so easily. Although she lost her magic power, her self-control as a mage still played its role.

But even so, the moaning sounds that echoed in her ear still interfered from time to time.

"Ah... ah..."

Although her voice wasn't loud, it still clearly echoed in her ears. She closed her eyes and tried to maintain her sanity, using her strong will to isolate all this off. But even so, her heart was still filled with pain and sorrow. Especially when she heard the familiar voice was pleading, she felt as if she had been stabbed.

"Ah...!!"

Finally, the sound stopped.

"Such a good kid. Don't you think so, Ms. Marlene?"

The man gently stroked Ellenson beside him and looked at Marlene, who was tightly tied to the bed. Marlene's face still showed cold and serious expression, but at that moment her pale face flushed and her chest was undulating. She stared at the man in front of her angrily, and a flame of anger blazed in her eyes.

"As expected of a young miss of the Senia family; you're on a totally different level compared to this thing."

Seeing Marlene, who was indifferent, the man shook his head and looked at Ellenson.

"Did you know that this kid also resisted at first and screamed loudly? However, she soon changed her mind.

You also will change once you experience it... Are you ready to enter this whole new world?"

"... In your dreams..."

Marlene clenched her teeth. She felt suffocated, and her body was burning hot. She used up all of her strength in order to say those words.

"You are really stubborn."

Hearing his response, the man frowned. Although he admired her insistence, gradually, he started to feel somewhat unhappy.

"It seems like it is time for something new."

Then, the man took out a circular gem and placed it before Marlene's eyes.

She instinctively wanted to turn around and close her eyes. However, the heat on her body quickly spread and slowed down her movement. Before she was able to turn her head, her eyes looked into the color of the gem.

The brilliance of the gem flashed through her eyes. Her eyes, which were originally clear, had turned completely blank.

Chapter 323: Butterfly Dream

Translator: AtlasStudios Editor: AtlasStudios

It's here.

Seeing the small, quiet building before him, Rhode frowned. Judging from the coordinates of the location, there was no doubt that Marlene was inside and had never moved. This was definitely not a good sign. He looked up and glanced at the sky. At this moment, the last glimmer of the setting sun had gradually disappeared from the horizon. The night was coming. The trees, springs, roads, and buildings were enveloped in bright red color.

With the passing of this light, darkness came and Rhode's voice disappeared at the same time.

He finally succeeded.

The man retracted his gaze and looked out the window. Then, he looked back towards Marlene, who was laying on the bed. Currently, she was no longer resisting like before. She was blankly staring at the gem on the man's hand like a puppet. Her originally beautiful red eyes had lost its light. Seeing this scene, the man finally felt relieved. With the help of this Dream Gem, he finally conquered Marlene. This wasn't an easy task for him; as a genius mage, Marlene's mentality was very strong. Even though she was drugged, it was not easy to completely eliminate her defense. But in the end, he was still successful.

"Look at me... Ms. Marlene..."

The man looked at Marlene's eyes and said. Hearing his voice, Marlene slowly tilted her head and looked at the man. She had completely turned into a puppet and had long lost her consciousness.

This is really interesting.

Looking at obedient and well-behaved Marlene, the man smirked. Before, she was such a proud young lady, but now she looked extremely cute. He could no longer endure his desire and wanted to eat her up. Thinking that the genius mage of the Munn Kingdom was going to become his plaything, he sneered. After that, he came to Marlene's side and shook his thing towards her.

"Right now, I want you to listen to my orders... Understand?"

Hearing the man's order, Marlene looked at him. After a while, she nodded.

Very good, just like this...

Seeing the girl before him, the man could no longer contain himself, but he still forced himself to endure. Everything had to be done gradually. If he was too impatient, the effect would not be too good...

At this moment, he finally noticed that someone was patting his shoulder.

"Eh?"

When he turned around, a fist had already landed on him...

"Boom!!"

Rhode's fist fell into the man's face with precision, its strength was enough to force the handsome man to fly backward. Followed by the scattering of blood and teeth, the man screamed. His body was slammed into the wall behind. This sudden attack made the man completely overwhelmed. He blinked and struggled to stand up. When the man opened his eyes and to see exactly what happened, a glimpse of red light flashed in front of him. Then, he felt an incomparable sharp pain from the bottom to the top, sweeping his body in an instant.

"Ahhhhhhh!!"

Bright red blood flowed between his thighs and spattered around. His thing was quietly lying underneath his feet and gradually shrinking like a dying caterpillar.

At this moment, the man could no longer withstand the extreme pain. His eyes rolled backward and then he collapsed to the ground.

"Master!! Master!!"

Seeing the man's pitiful state, Ellenson screamed and rushed towards him. However, when she had just stood, Rhode's fist had already landed on her stomach. Afterward, she lost her balance and fell to the ground.

Rhode was finally relieved. He looked at the surroundings and walked towards Marlene. He pointed his sword forward and broke the shackles that chained her. Even so, she was still staring blankly at the front as if to her, Rhode didn't exist. Even though her gaze fell on Rhode, but it didn't seem like she was looking at him.

"Hm?"

Rhode was surprised when he noticed that Marlene was acting strangely. He came forward and gently patted her face, but she had no reaction. Well, saying that she had no reaction didn't seem to be correct. Because when Rhode's hand touched her face, her body trembled and she moaned. Her body was moving strangely, both of her hands were stroking her body, her legs were rubbing on each other, and her face was blushing. Right now she looked very enticing and charming.

"Damn it!!"

Seeing this scene, Rhode frowned. He clenched his teeth as he waved his sword.

A blazing light flew from the sword and hit the ground. Soon, the ground was filled with burning flames and a figure appeared.

"Ara, Master, you finally found Ms. Marlene? How is her condition... It doesn't seem to be very good."

Gillian's figure emerged from the flame. After seeing Marlene condition, her ears slightly moved. She came to Rhode's side and carefully observed Marlene. Not long after, she finally found the cause.

"It seems Marlene has taken an aphrodisiac. Such a despicable method. I can't believe that people still use this kind of method; it really is shameless.."

"Do you have the antidote?"

Hearing Rhode's question, Gillian didn't immediately reply. She came closer and carefully looked at Marlene. After that, she lowered her head and kissed Marlene's lips.

"Uu... uu..."

Sensing Gillian's touch, Marlene showed an unexpectedly intense reaction. She immediately reached out her hands and embraced Gillian. Inside the room, the sound of her heavy breathing and tongue sprawling around could be heard. After a moment, Gillian lifted her head, licked her lips. Marlene looked as if she hadn't yet felt satisfied; she reached out her hands while showing an unprecedentedly ecstatic expression as if she were craving for something.

"How is it?"

Rhode frowned and asked.

"The situation is very bad."

Gillian licked her lips and looked at Rhode with a smile. However, her eyes didn't seem to be smiling at all. Clearly, even to the usually cheerful Gillian, this situation was also difficult to resolve and this point was proven after Rhode's heard her answer.

"Although at this point of time, I should suggest that since Ms. Marlene is under the effects of an aphrodisiac, you should quickly sacrifice yourself to help her... It's better for you to enjoy it yourself rather than giving it to others after all... and I really do want to say so too, unfortunately, whether it's from your point of view or Marlene's, I suggest not to do so. I don't know where that person got this potion, but I'm sure that it's not an ordinary aphrodisiac... It's the Fragrance of Seduction."

"Fragrance of Seduction?"

Hearing until here, Rhode was surprised and Gillian replied him with a nod.

"It doesn't work like ordinary aphrodisiac where it will only stir up one's sexual desire. Although strictly speaking it was also some kind of aphrodisiac, but it's stronger than the ordinary ones... Simply saying, if she did 'you know what I mean' with a man... Then her body will keep remembering the taste of it and she will turn into the man's slave."

"What you mean is..."

Facing Gillian's answer, Rhode's face sank.

"That's right, it's just as Master has thought. Although it will release Marlene from her suffering, she will turn into a puppet that's obsessed with sex and be completely obedient to you. She will no longer have any self-esteem. Simply speaking, even if you tell her to be naked in the street and role play, she will definitely not refuse. Frankly, besides lust, there will be nothing left on her mind. Except wishing for your caresses and hugs, there will not be any purpose in her life."

Hearing Gillian's answer, Rhode turned around and look at Marlene. After the kiss with Gillian, she could no longer endure. She was putting her hands in between her legs. At the same time, she opened her mouth and kept breathing rapidly.

"Then what will happen if she continues to be like this?"

"She will not die, but the feeling will remain. Since it's a demon's potion, the effect cannot disappear easily like the one in your previous world. Depending on the purity, it might even affect Ms. Marlene for her entire life... However, by that time, I think she will already lose her sanity..."

Hearing until here, Rhode clenched his teeth.

It seemed that the matter was more troublesome than he had thought.

After that, Rhode carefully searched the man's body, but he couldn't find anything concerning the antidote. In the end, he could only summon Celestina and hope to get some information out of her. Fortunately, Celestina didn't let him down.

"Indeed, I have heard something about the Fragrance of Seduction, and I do have the antidote."

Celestina proudly lifted her head and smiled.

"Since it's made by us demon, although this potion doesn't work on me, it's really quite lethal to a lowly creature like a human..."

Celestina looked at the man who laid unconscious in the corner and coldly snorted.

"Lowly creature."

As she spoke, Celestina heavily stomped on the 'thing' that laid in front of the man. Followed with a bang, the soft yellow slimy thing got wrecked by her high heels. The liquid splattered on the carpet and exuded a stench. Then she raised her hand and threw a small bottle of potion to Rhode.

"How to use it?"

Rhode took the potion and asked. However, Rhode didn't expect that Celestina actually flustered when she heard his question.

"... This... Do I still have to explain it, Master? You're not stupid, right... It's already written there... This antidote effect is to remove the toxicity by reversing the drug's properties, it means... you need to drink this potion and then..."

"...."

Celestina didn't finish her words, but Rhode already understood what she meant. He looked at the potion before him strangely. Gillian who was standing on the side suddenly laughed.

"This is not so bad, right, Master? Isn't this our goal? The storyline really does have to be developed in accordance with the old-fashioned harem way for it to be interesting. Fufufu... Since we have found the antidote, then I won't stay here for long... I will bring these two back first, and I hope you and Ms. Marlene can enjoy."

Gillian walked towards the fire portal while laughing. She stretched out her hands and soon, Ellenson and that unconscious man floated in the air. They were surrounded by the flames and disappeared without a trace. Gillian looked at Rhode with encouragement and made a V gesture. Then, she walked to the portal and disappeared. At this moment, Celestina was gazing at Rhode strangely, then she reverted back to a card and disappeared into the air.

The entire room had turned silent.

Rhode turned around to look at Marlene who was laying on the bed.

Right now she was moving her body intensely. Her forehead was full of sweat, her face was flushing red, and her dress had long fallen off, showing her pale white skin. She was still staring at the ceiling blankly as she moaned, her hands were rubbing hardly between her legs and her voice was getting louder as her movement got more intense.

"Ah... ah... not enough... I want more... Ahhh!!!"

As Marlene moaned, her body began to twitch again in the bed. Until then, Marlene seemed to have felt satisfied by the thrilling pleasure. But soon, she began to take more action. Clearly, she was not satisfied yet.

Rhode opened the bottle and drank the potion. Soon, a strange cold sensation spread all over his body in an instant. Even Rhode couldn't help but feel a chill as he walked towards Marlene. Then, he got closer to look at the woman before him.

He never actually looked at Marlene at such a close distance, which was why he had never seen such a tantalizing and charming side of Marlene. In Rhode's impression, Marlene always looked serious and sometimes arrogant. Although she smiled from time to time, but...

Marlene's moaning sound stopped Rhode's thought. He took a deep breath and lowered his head to kiss her.

"Um... mmm..."

Facing Rhode's surprise attack, Marlene instinctively struggled. But soon, she stopped struggling. Rhode's tongue touched her lips and easily penetrated in. His tongue lightly sprawled against Marlene's soft tongue. She responded fiercely to Rhode's kiss and moved her body as she issued a sound. Rhode could felt a sweet fragrance was emitting from her body. It was rich and intoxicating.

Clearly, this kiss was way longer than the one he had with Gillian. Whether it was Marlene or Rhode, both of them seemed to be intoxicated by it. When they finally separated from each other, Marlene's eyes gradually lit up. Her hands that were originally underneath were stroking up, clumsily trying to undo Rhode's clothes.

No matter how tempting she might seem, she was still a virgin, after all. Seeing Marlene's clumsy, awkward look, Rhode smiled. Then he reached out his hand to pin down Marlene's hands and swiftly undressed her.

Her pale white skin was revealed. As Rhode appreciated the sight before him, he lowered his head and whispered something to Marlene.

"Although the way things developed now isn't quite right, but I still want to say... From today on, you are my woman."

"Uh... hmm..."

Marlene blankly stared at Rhode as if she were thinking about the true meaning of his words. However, at this moment, Rhode already placed his head between her thighs.

Afterward, the thrilling sensation shrouded her body.

Chapter 324: Magical Night

Translator: AtlasStudios Editor: AtlasStudios

The night sky had shrouded everything in darkness. The city lights of Golden City entered from the window and illuminated the originally dark room. Under the faint light, two bodies were clinging tightly to each other. Amid the undulating motions were softy, hasty, and rhythmless breaths and moans. A rich aroma of a young girl permeated the room as the both of them were completely lost to their intoxication.

It was really alluring.

Rhode couldn't help but lick his lower lip as he saw Marlene's current appearance that was totally different from the usual. From a man point of view, the effect of this medicine was indeed not bad at all. He even thought of asking Celestina for a few more bottles in case he needed it. If not because of the troublesome side effect, this potion was quite good. However, considering its side effect, it was another matter.

Right now, Marlene was already in a deep sleep. She closed her eyes as she fell into Rhode's embrace. Looking at her current appearance, she looked just like a virtuous and quiet young miss, but only Rhode knew just how wild she was just now. Frankly, he didn't expect that Marlene would be that fierce. Although he knew that it might be because she was under the drug's influence, but he really didn't expect that the usually serious and calm Marlene would have such an unexpected side, so he was also unable to control himself. Since she was the one who invited him, naturally he couldn't refuse. Even though it was peaceful now, but looking at the wet sheets and red marks on her pale white skin, it could be seen just how intense they were before. Thinking until here, Rhode couldn't help but chuckle. At the same time, Marlene frowned as if she could perceive Rhode's action, but soon, she once again fell into a sweet dream. Currently, Rhode could still see the traces of pain on her face, and the scratches on his back had proven it. Even now, remembering it, he could still feel the stinging pain on his back. He knew there was no way a girl who had lost all her senses and had completely obeyed her instinct to desire would be able to control herself. That's why he could only bear the responsibility. Although he was already mentally prepared, but facing her crazy request, he was almost exhausted. Even now, he still felt somewhat tired. Clearly, the previous 'fierce battle' from before was a very heavy physical activity for him.

As expected, it was too much for a young miss like her?

Thinking until here, Rhode shook his head. Marlene was currently sleeping under him. Perhaps, it was too intense and had drained too much of her energy. Her eyes were closed as she slowly breathed. Soon, the redness on her face gradually disappeared and her condition seemed to have gotten better. It looked like she had recovered, but he still couldn't confirm whether she had returned to normal or not. Not to mention, the 'detoxification method' that Celestina told him was rather skeptical. No matter how he saw it, this situation was very similar to third-rate martial arts novels in the roadside stalls that were once popular a few decades ago, where the main male heroine would force himself on the female heroine in order to get her. Those novels were set in ancient times, after all, but as for now... Although Dragon Soul Continent was not a really modern and open-minded society, but according to his understanding towards Marlene, she shouldn't be acting like the female heroine in the martial art novels who followed the three obediences and the four virtues teaching and said things like "Since you have had my body, now I'm yours..." after she woke up.

But from Rhode's point of view, he already thought of Marlene as his woman. Although judging from the previous situation, it was critical and unavoidable, but in the end, it was still him who took the advantage of her and not somebody else. So naturally, he should be the one who took responsibility. Of course, he wouldn't bear responsibility with a woman he had a one-night stand with, because it was voluntary behavior from both parties. Whether or not the other party had thought of the consequences, she herself had already agreed to his request, so there was no sense of responsibility that could be said. A one-night stand had nothing to do with responsibility in the first place. But in Marlene's case, Rhode couldn't put her in the same position as those women who were drunk for a variety of reasons and wanted to find someone to comfort them.

After Marlene woke up, he had to face this problem. There was also no need for him to escape, after all.

"Is this okay?"

Rhode frowned as he stared at Marlene's sleeping face. At that moment, he could feel that the cold chill he felt after drinking the potion from before had entered her body. And now, Marlene's face was no longer as flushed as before and her temperature had almost returned normal. At least the antidote seemed to work just fine since her fever had gone away.

However, it was still hard to say whether it had achieved the desired effect.

Although for the sake of insurance and since he had done it already, it was better if he did it a few more times. Frankly, Rhode also wished to do it several times more, but the potion that Celestina gave him had also affected him. Originally, facing such a virgin lady, there wouldn't be any problem doing her until midnight. However, this time, he felt a little exhausted. He could do it once again, but he would turn into a fool who passed out after doing it. He could also feel that the cold chill on his body had disappeared, so it was meaningless even if he continued.

"Forget it. Let's stop here."

Thinking until here, Rhode shook his head and stood up. He wore his clothes back and looked at Marlene. Currently, she was sleeping in the bed quietly, but it was still unknown as to whether she had been cured or not. Although Celestina vowed that it worked just fine, there were many things that couldn't be solved with just self-confidence. The only thing he could do now was to wait and see how it went.

Even though from a certain point of view, it wasn't a bad thing even if the antidote didn't work, since Marlene would become his most faithful slave. Such a beautiful girl—there would be many people who wanted to imprison her. As for Rhode, his desire towards this aspect was also very honest. Or else in the game, he wouldn't have formed an 'intimate' relationship with Canary.

Having sex was okay, but losing one's mind in exchange for it was too much. Judging from the seriousness of this matter, if Marlene had lost her mind, her control over magic spells would most likely also decline. Marlene, the genius mage of the Munn Kingdom would be no different as ordinary mages. In Rhode's case, he also didn't wish for Marlene to become a puppet. After all, her charms laid in her confidence and arrogance. If she lost it, she wouldn't be Marlene anymore, but a complete stranger.

Frankly speaking, Rhode liked the girl who smiled confidently at him, sometimes complained about his decisions, but still followed his command and took the initiative to take the responsibility when it was necessary. That was better than a pet dog that could only wag its tail in front of the owner.

The problem hadn't yet been completely resolved, or it should be said, what had been resolved before was only the beginning. Now, what Rhode needed to face was the problem that would later arise.

Thinking until here, Rhode sighed. He reached out to dress her, then he carried her up and walked to the window. Under the moonlight, Marlene was sleeping sweetly like a kid in Rhode's embrace. She showed a cute, innocent, and charming smile, making Rhode couldn't help but feel mesmerized. He stretched out his hand and gently stroked her long hair. Feeling Rhode's touch, Marlene narrowed her eyes like a sleeping cat. She turned around and once again fell asleep. Seeing this scene, Rhode couldn't help but tilt the corner of his mouth and smile.

If the antidote worked and Marlene woke up, how would he explain this matter?

Although Rhode had decided to take the responsibility, but what about Marlene? Would she agree to become his woman? Or did she have another plan in mind? All of these were unsolved mysteries for Rhode. After all, Rhode had never thought of Marlene as a prospective partner, so naturally, she rarely cared about these issues. What's more, Marlene was the heir of Senia family. So it was impossible for her marriage to be decided by herself and it was very unlikely that she would give up her duties. Her family would always back her up, but at the same time, it was also the responsibility that she had to shoulder. Moreover, these responsibilities needed to be shouldered by her alone. That was why Rhode couldn't help but consider this issue.

But either way, he had already made up his mind.

Chapter 325: A Girl's Heart

Translator: AtlasStudios Editor: AtlasStudios

Marlene frowned, then slowly opened her eyes.

She narrowed her eyes as she was dazzled by the bright morning sun. She reached out her hands to cover her eyes. She was still in confused state and didn't know what was going on. But soon, she seemed to realize something and hurriedly got up.

"What am I..."

She subconsciously looked around, but she only saw plain curtains, white sheets, and clean walls. Her surroundings could be said to be unfamiliar, yet they also felt familiar. Seeing the piles of books that laid on the side of the tables, she quickly realized that she was in her own room.

What's going on?

Marlene shook her head. She still remembered what she had encountered yesterday. Ellenson had changed, there was a strange man, and her situation at that time...

"You've woken up?"

At this time, a familiar voice suddenly sounded. Hearing this voice, the girl quickly turned around and saw Rhode who was quietly watching her while sitting in a chair not far from her.

"Mr. Rhode?!"

Seeing Rhode's figure, Marlene couldn't help but scream. She was perplexed; she couldn't figure out what was happening and what kind of situation she was in. She only remembered that when she accepted Ellenson's invitation for evening tea, she was drugged. Later on, she met a strange man who said he would turn her into her slave and gave her a strange potion... Thinking until here, Marlene's heart couldn't help but sink. Although at that time, she already resisted, but the effect of that strange potion was too strong. She even thought of biting her own tongue to commit suicide. However, back then, it was even difficult for her to speak, so she didn't even have the strength to bite her tongue. It seemed like that strange man had taken out a beautiful gem and she didn't remember anything afterward...

Now, she was actually in her own room. But why was Mr. Rhode there?

Marlene was puzzled. She frowned as she was trying hard to recall what had happened. Then, she vaguely remembered something. She seemed to have done something... something... something... very embarrassing!!

"It seems like you are surprised?"

Just as Marlene was trying hard to recall her memories, Rhode's voice once again sounded. This time, Marlene gave up thinking, she looked at Rhode and nodded.

"That's right, Mr. Rhode. If I remember correctly, I was supposed to be in a mansion, with a strange man... and... and..."

Having said that, Marlene wasn't able to continue. She was a girl, after all; naturally, she would be too embarrassed to say that she was drugged. Moreover, she still couldn't figure out her current situation. If she woke up in that strange mansion or lying naked in a prison, she might still understand what was happening. However, her current situation was so strange and she couldn't even relate the things that happened.

At this moment, Rhode's voice echoed.

"I know that you're confused, so let me explain..."

As for how to explain this matter to Marlene, Rhode had already found the answer along the way. Concealing this matter was impossible since both of them had done it and Marlene was a virgin. She would have noticed the anomaly once she recovered. It was better to tell her the truth to prevent her from having silly thoughts, rather than hiding it and made her felt uncomfortable. Certainly, he also knew that it was also not a very good choice. Marlene had a high status, and her first time was also supposed to be a precious thing. For it to be taken away without her permission, Rhode, of course, could understand her feelings. Even though the relationship between them wasn't bad, but he knew that there was still a distinction in this case. In the best case scenario, she might have a good impression towards him and accept it. If that so, then it would be a happy ending. But in the worst case scenario, Marlene might not have any feelings towards him and even if she accepted his explanation, she would still end up suspicious and worried if there would be a second time. She would also be very awkward around him. If that happened, then Marlene might choose to distance herself... or even cut off any relationship between them.

If that happened, Rhode would be very disappointed. Since he had the sense of responsibility, he would accept the consequences of the things that he had done. Evading the problem wouldn't solve anything.

Rhode also didn't know for sure what happened to her before that, so he could only explain the matter according to his point of view, including what he had done to her. Of course, when he mentioned this matter, Rhode didn't make any excuses. Since it was the fact, he didn't think that there was any need to explain unnecessary things. But Rhode was also relieved after he read the information regarding Marlene's current condition from the stronghold system. It was a relief that the detoxification method worked. Looking at her eyes, there also didn't seem to be any side effects.

Marlene silently sat on the bed while listening to Rhode's explanation. Her face was flushed red and the look in her eyes was somewhat complicated. At this moment, Marlene was already very sober and remembered 60%-70% of what happened last night. Although her memories were still fuzzy, but the feeling of becoming one with Rhode was deeply etched into her memory. Not to mention, it was also her first time; even if she had lost her self-consciousness back then, she still instinctively remembered what happened. Moreover, hearing Rhode's explanation now, her face had gotten even redder and she lowered her head in panic.

"This is what happened."

When Rhode finished his sentence, he stood up.

"Anyway, I must apologize to you first, Ms. Marlene. After all, although the matter was unavoidable, but I still took the action when you were unconscious. If you feel any resentment or dissatisfaction towards me, I understand and will accept it."

Having said that, Rhode paused. He looked at Marlene who was lowering her head, not knowing what was she thinking.

"I know you must be feeling really confused. Please have a good day for today. If you have anything to talk about, we can wait until you're fully recovered, and you don't have to participate in today's competition... As for those two people, I have already ordered Gillian to imprison them. I'll deal with them when I get back."

"Alright, Mr. Rhode.."

Right now, Marlene's couldn't think straight anymore. She lowered her head and couldn't even look at Rhode in the eye. She even hated herself for remembering what happened last night. Although she wasn't conscious back then, but with these vague memory fragments inside her head, she still could remember the crazy things she did. Thinking about the shameless act she did in front of Rhode last night made her not know what to say. She couldn't even clearly hear what Rhode said before and just instinctively answered.

She was feeling extremely awkward.

Only when she heard the sound of the door shutting did she slowly lift up her head and look at the surrounding. After making sure that Rhode had left, she finally felt relieved. She once again laid on her bed and covered her eyes while looking out the window.

What happened? Why did this happen? She didn't know. She gently pressed her lower abdomen, and she could feel a little pain and discomfort around it, which had proven what Rhode said before. So, I really did it with Rhode last night...

Thinking until here, Marlene couldn't help but shake her head and close her eyes. After a while, she sighed.

Even she didn't know how she should react.

But she knew one thing: she was not angry.

Originally, she was worried that she was defiled by that strange man. However, after listening to Rhode's words, her worries immediately disappeared and she felt really relieved. Afterward, she just felt awkward and embarrassed, but she didn't feel the slightest disgust towards Rhode. On the contrary, after hearing Rhode's words, she only had one thing in mind.

That's great...

Even she didn't know the reason why she would think that. Great? What's great about it? Was it great because she was not defiled by that strange man? Or was it great to be able to become one with Mr. Rhode?

The more she thought about it, the more she felt confused. She didn't have to look in the mirror; she could already feel just how red her face currently was.

At this time, another question popped out on her mind.

Then, how does Mr. Rhode feel about it?

Chapter 326: The Match against Purple Lily

Translator: AtlasStudios Editor: AtlasStudios

The bustling crowd filled the arena.

Barter leaned against the chair while crossing both hands. He closed his eyes as he heard the noise that echoed beside him. His subordinates were sitting around, drinking, and laughing. It looked like they didn't even put this sacred competition in their eyes. Seeing his subordinates' behavior, Barter also didn't plan on stopping them. He only closed his eyes, waiting for the next battle.

Although Barter was a crude person, as a veteran mercenary that had experienced life and death many times, he had never underestimated his opponents. Even if the audience was cheering on them, saying that Starlight only won because of luck, Barter still couldn't fully agree with this statement. Indeed, the arguments that circulated in those taverns seemed convincing, but he believed his instinct more. When he met Rhode the first time, he felt a strange and dangerous aura around him. Rhode was like a lofty, proud, and powerful wolf lurking in the dark, waiting to unleash a fatal blow on careless prey. That kind of person definitely didn't win just by relying on luck.

Let me have a taste of your strength.

The horn sounded. Barter opened his eyes and stood up.

"Alright guys, keep your spirit up! This is Purple Lily's first battle; if those b*stards eliminate us, I shall pound you guys into minced meat! Understood?"

"Yes, Boss!!"

Hearing Barter's words, the others immediately raised their hands and replied loudly. From their actions, it was really hard to imagine that they were the elites from one of the strongest mercenary groups. Judging from their performance, they looked more like a group of bandits who were going to be mobilized for robbery.

Only the ugly girl who quietly stood behind Barter didn't answer him. She took a white mask and put it on her face. After organizing the daggers and knives on her waist, she followed Barter quietly like a shadow and left the lounge.

Barter originally thought that this battle would be a very difficult and decisive battle.

At least, he thought so.

But when he walked out to the ring and saw the lineup, he immediately frowned.

Rhode, Anne, Lize, Joey, Lapis, and Randolf who were standing before him. Even though they didn't express it, but almost everyone could discern the problems.

Gillian and Marlene weren't there.

What happened?

Barter frowned. Everyone knew just how important those two mages were in this competition. If it wasn't because of Marlene and Gillian, then Starlight would have been eliminated from the start. That's why when they were training, he warned his subordinates to be careful of those two girls. But now, they actually weren't participating? What happened?

Are the two of them exhausted because of the first battle?

Barter shook his head. This statement wasn't too convincing. He watched their battle against Sky Sword, they looked as if they had defeated those elites easily. Especially Carter—he seemed to have been fooled by that wolf-eared girl and got played around like a puppet. He was defeated so easily, there was not even any chance for him to struggle.

So what's going on here?

At this moment, not only Barter, but the audiences also noticed the oddity. Various loud noises immediately enveloped the entire arena. Many of these people had not been able to watch the first battle. They only heard the story of Gillian and Marlene from their friends. They also wanted to witness their magnificent magic battle with their own eyes.

Reality was indeed cruel. Gillian and Marlene's absence had made them felt disappointed. It was as if the audience was expecting famous stars at the concert, but the ones who appeared were third-rate stars.

Such a disappointment wasn't a very good experience for them.

Of course, Rhode noticed their dissatisfaction, but he couldn't do anything about it. He also didn't want this to happen, but the incident Marlene encountered yesterday had destroyed his plan. Although they had arrived safely yesterday, Marlene was still unable to unleash her power stably. In addition, she just recovered, so it was not a good thing to force her to fight.

As for Gillian, she didn't come because she was guarding that pair of scums. The truth, when he had castrated that b*stard, he had already figured out his identity. That person couldn't be easily provoked, but what made him surprised was that he actually dared to harm Marlene.

It seems that they can't wait anymore.

Thinking until here, Rhode finally realized why Marlene's personality was different from hers in the game. Carefully thinking about it, if the same incident happened and no one saved her, then Marlene would have fallen into their trap and it would be naturally unacceptable for her. So it would not seem strange if she set a mercenary group with only female members and discriminated against men.

But if so, then the potion should have controlled Marlene's body and soul. How did she escape from that? There's no way that there would be another person like him who was able to get the antidote from a high-level demon, right.

Well, he was only curious about it.

Although Rhode made them drink a potion made by Lapis to put them asleep until tomorrow, he still told Gillian to guard them for insurance. Since they were the biggest culprit of this incident, as long as they were in his hand, everything would be alright. However, if they escaped, it was going to be a big problem.

Between conspiracies and competition, Rhode naturally knew which one was more important.

Now, he couldn't help but face the current awkward situation.

Even though Rhode's main goal was the Liberty Wings, but it didn't mean that he didn't put Purple Lily in his eye. Barter's 'Executioner's Greatsword' was very powerful and couldn't be blocked by just anyone. He couldn't even guarantee that he could block it in short range battles because his swordsmanship style wasn't fit for melee attacks. In addition, his subordinates, the 'Snow Woman', Paris and the 'Storm', and Hayman weren't easy to deal with either. Without Gillian and Marlene, this battle was basically a gamble for him... and that was naturally not something that he liked.

Frankly, even Lize and Anne couldn't concentrate on today's battle. Yesterday, Rhode came back really late, and Gillian helped him hide some part of the truth. Everyone only knew that someone wanted to harm Marlene and Rhode had saved her. As for the details, they weren't clear about it. Even so, they still couldn't let this matter go. Lize was Marlene's childhood friend and best friend, after all. They both had a good relationship; naturally, she was really worried about Marlene. Although Anne only knew Marlene for a while, the relationship between them was also good. When she heard that someone wanted to harm Marlene, she was really furious and even wanted to pound the other party into minced meat. Lapis also felt uneasy and didn't know what to do. Everyone felt a bit panicky. Even if Rhode himself was calm, there was no way everyone could be like him. Moreover, the second battle was in the morning, so he also couldn't find the time to resolve this matter. He could only bite the bullet and act according to the flow.

Damn it.

Thinking until here, Rhode clenched his teeth. His head hurt thinking that he needed to abolish his original plan and come up with a new plan. Fortunately, it was not his first time encountering such a problem. There were many times where he had to work hard in order to organize and cooperate with the team in order to successfully conquer a dungeon. However, on d-day, there were always people who couldn't come because of various reasons, forcing him to modify the original plan. So for him, it was not much of a trouble,

As for the results, he could only see how it would turn out.

Right now, there was a lot of discussion on the sidelines. However, the horn sound echoed without any disturbance. As it sounded, the original noisy arena turned quiet. Then, the mercenary who served as the referee raised his hand and gestured both sides to start.

A burly, eye-catching figure walked onto the stage and everyone couldn't help but catch a glimpse of him.

Barter strode to the ring. He was holding a huge sword and smiled as he walked to the center. He waved his hand and his greatsword suddenly flew up to the sky, heavily landing in the ring. At the same time, Barter held the hilt with one hand and raised his head. With a proud smile, he looked at Rhode. Then, he turned his head to the referee.

"I want to change the rules... I want a brawl!"

Hearing his words, everyone was shocked, but soon, they understood Barter's intentions. Rhode also frowned; naturally, he knew what Barter was thinking about. Clearly, he must have investigated Starlight beforehand. From the time he walked to the ring, Rhode already figured out his intention. He wanted to gain the upper hand and win this competition.

Not to mention now, Marlene and Gillian weren't here. As for the others... Lize and Anne weren't even Barter's opponent, let alone the others.

Then...

Thinking until here, Rhode looked up.

It seems, this time, I can only rely on myself.

"Lize."

Rhode made a decision and quickly waved his hand. Hearing that Rhode had called her, Lize quickly walked to his side.

"I will go first; you guys should make some preparations... If I can't beat him, make sure to back me up. Until then, Anne, you shall go first and Lize will be the last. Also tell Randolf to prepare, understood?"

"Yes, Mr. Rhode, I understand."

Hearing until here, Lize was a little bit surprised, but in the end, she still nodded and turned around to inform others. Rhode glanced at everyone and nodded. Then, he walked to the ring while holding the sword.

"Hey, kid, you finally came."

Looking at Rhode's figure, Barter said while smiling wryly.

"I thought that you would back down. Since you look like someone who only knows how to plan petty tricks from behind."

"I'm still a man and a man cannot back down, after all."

Rhode's face sank; he knew that Barter was intentionally mocking his girly face. If this were Marlene and Gillian, he wouldn't have to face this pointless provocation. But since the opponent had seen through his weakness, then he had no choice but to give it a go.

"Great! A real man! I like it!"

Hearing Rhode's reply. Barter laughed and gave him a thumbs-up. This made Rhode, who tried to face him, seriously feel somewhat helpless. He had heard the rumor that the leader of Purple Lily was lacking common sense. But only when he faced him did Rhode finally realized that it wasn't as simple as lacking common sense.

"But I'm going to say this first: I won't give up victory."

Rhode bent his back and looked at him indifferently. He took out his sword, coldly glared at Barter, and said, "Me too. Let's see if you have the strength to defeat me!"

Facing Rhode's cold glare, Barter laughed loudly. Then, he flipped his right wrist and lifted up his heavy sword single-handedly

Not only that, he stretched out his left hand and pulled out part of the hilt behind his right hand.

Swoosh!!

The greatsword that was originally about tens of centimeters thick was divided into two and the ends of the sword were linked with chains. The sword looked dim and dull, like an old weapon that had been buried in the ground for long.

Executioner's Greatsword.

In the game, this greatsword was one of the favorite weapons of a Great Swordsman. It gave extremely high damage, but its requirement for strength was relatively low. Before the player's attributes were sufficient to use a highly demanding weapon like the Mountain Sword, the Executioner's Greatsword was a very good transition, not to mention its special ability to divide into two. That meant its damage would be doubled. Certainly, because most players in the game weren't able to use any martial arts techniques, it was impossible for their right and left hands to move flexibly, so when they used this weapon, at most it would just add a little bit more damage.

However, to the real owner of this sword, there wouldn't be any problem in using it.

The Executioner's Greatsword was able to increase physical attack by 30%, defense by 100%, and had one-third chance for a critical attack. All of these attributes were troublesome for him, but fortunately, he had the Composition Adornment.

Thinking until here, Rhode lowered his body as he locked sight with Barter. Barter could feel the fighting spirit that radiated from Rhode at this moment. He smiled as he held up his sword with both hands and crossed them in an X-shaped symbol.

The entire arena was silent.

It was not that the audiences had suddenly learned how to appreciate civilization, nor that they could finally comprehend what it meant to be friendly competition. It was just that they felt an unprecedented pressure and impact when they both arrived in the arena. The audience behind Rhode could feel the coldness in the air. The whistling wind blew like the north wind, cold enough to freeze everything. The audience behind Barter was also no better. If Rhode gave off a cold feeling, the feeling that Barter gave off was like being buried alive. Their bodies felt heavy and they felt they couldn't breathe, like a fish on the shore, unable to make a sound. It was as if there was a huge mountain above them. If they dared to make a noise, then that mountain would fell upon them and turn them into mincemeat.

"Holy, holy spirit..."

Seeing this scene, Kavos and Shauna couldn't help but hold their breaths. They were once mercenary group leaders, after all. Naturally, they were more knowledgeable. As they felt the chill in the air, they realized what was happening before them.

It was a Sword Intent!! It could only be used by Swordmaster who had reached the peak level!!

They looked at Rhode who was standing in the ring unbelievably. Although they knew that Rhode was amazing, but many times, his battles were often done by his summon spirits, so they had the impression that even though Rhode's swordsmanship was very strong, but it was stronger combined with his strange summoned spirits. They usually focused their attention on Rhode's summoned spirits and unconsciously neglected Rhode's swordsmanship. They only guessed that Rhode's swordsmanship level was close to the Swordmaster level or had just entered the Swordmaster level.

Until today, when Rhode unreservedly demonstrated his strength before them. They were surprised to find out this young man wasn't the kind of genius who would have a promising future, but one who already finished the road. To be able to show such a strong sword intent that broadly influenced everyone meant that Rhode's swordsmanship level was completely beyond their imagination. Even Hiller, the leader of Burning Blade mercenary group, had the strength of a Swordmaster, but he still hadn't reached the point where he could display a sword intent.

Thinking until here, both of them glanced at each other. They felt really lucky and happy to be able to serve under such a strong man. Surely their future would be unthinkable...

Very well!

Faced with such an overwhelming;y cold aura, Barter smiled. He was very happy because he could actually fight with such a powerful opponent. He only expressed his attitude, but he didn't expect that Rhode would respond to it unreservedly and he was really satisfied by it. In that case, he didn't have to communicate verbally with him anymore.

Barter narrowed his eyes. He looked at Rhode from the gap of the two swords before him with a serious expression.

Rhode could feel a strong aura coming from Barter, just like a mountain's. No matter how cold the wind that blew past him was, he still didn't move an inch. This showed just how strong Barter was.

At this moment, the referee who had long stood between their sword intents could no longer tolerate this strange feeling and escaped to the side. Then, he lifted his right hand and swung it down.

Swoosh!!

Rhode's figure instantly disappeared. Barter shouted while lifting both of his swords and thrusted them to the ground.

The ground shook, and an intense vibration echoed through the entire arena. The solid slate was also shattered under this powerful force. The cracks quickly spread around and the whistling air crossed over. The X-shaped sword aura aimed toward the sides of the ring, sharp cracks spurring along the way like waves and scattering in all directions.

At this moment, a red light flashed. Then, it turned into a flash of lightning, piercing towards Barter's eyes.

Chapter 327: Test

Translator: AtlasStudios Editor: AtlasStudios

"I really didn't expect..."

Viktor tightly held the handles of the seat while watching the battle before him intensely.

It wasn't that Viktor wasn't aware of Barter's improvement. Usually, he wasn't particularly smart and wasn't sensitive towards politics, and his political wisdom could be said to be the worst among the leaders of the four major guilds. But despite this, Purple Lily's reputation had never dropped. It was because of Barter's tyrannical strength. Judging from his strength, it could be said that he placed first among the four major guilds.

So it's not strange for him to reach the peak of Swordmaster level.

But that dark-haired young man actually displayed powerful sword intent that was no weaker than Barter's. This made Viktor very shocked. Even though Rhode had demonstrated his strong swordsmanship skills in the battle with Mobis, he was only a little bit surprised by it. Since he was a major guild leader, he had traveled a lot for many years and had seen many kinds of geniuses. Although some people thought what Rhode had done was difficult to achieve, but to Viktor, it wasn't uncommon. Hhe knew that in the Country of Law, there were a lot of elite troops among the Temple Guardian Knights and most of them were in their 20s, but they were all very skillful. Each of them had a Master level strength, and these young people were recruited from the temple believers to protect the balance and jurisprudence of the continent. Their numbers weren't much, but there were at least 500 people. So even if Rhode's performance was eye-catching, for people with broad insight, his ability was not that terrifying.

However, the fact that Rhode had reached the peak of the master level meant that his ability was on another level. Just another step, he would have broken through the mortal limit and entered a legendary level, but it would be very difficult to achieve. For ordinary people, breaking through the master level was already extremely hard. But for those talented geniuses, it wasn't that difficult as long as they persevered. Just like him, he had been stuck at the master level for about five to six years. He had tried to go further, but he still couldn't become one with his swordsmanship and display the sword intent. Only the people who had reached this level could understand just how difficult it was to break this bottleneck, as if one was trying to fly to the sky while carrying heavy shackles.

However, this young man actually did it.

Thinking until here, Viktor gazed at Rhode oddly. This young man was still in his early 20s, but Barter used 25 years to achieve it. It could be seen that this young man might become another legendary figure in the Munn Kingdom...

In fact, Viktor's guess wasn't exactly right, because what Rhode had shown was only a facade.

It was no wonder that Viktor would think so; according to how normal people think, a swordsmanship level was linked to the person itself. But Rhode was different. As a player who had the game system, his swordsmanship level and attributes weren't linked to each other. In other words, even if Rhode had the strength of a peak level swordmaster, but his attributes were at the elite level, although it was possible for him to use master-level swordsmanship, he still couldn't use it for too long, let alone a peak master-level swordsmanship skills.

Certainly, in theory, if Rhode had more skill points to invest in the Dark Dance swordsmanship, he would be able to break the mortal limit and use a legendary level swordsmanship, which was Soul Flash. Unfortunately, with his current physical condition, even if the enemy would definitely die once he used it, his condition wouldn't be any better and he might even lose his life if he wasn't careful enough.

Of course, he definitely wouldn't do such a stupid thing.

However, this flaw did exist and currently constrained him.

Especially in this current battle.

The giant sword thrust forward like a landslide. Rhode's figure was fleeting, but Barter didn't stop. Instead, he shouted and the giant sword in his hand swept away both sides. Followed by this action, the sand that got swept by the wind formed into two sandstone dragons. At this moment, a red light once again flashed. Rhode's figure suddenly appeared beside Barter and Rhode's sword was pointed at him.

It's coming again!

Not only Barter, even the surrounding people thought the same thing. Rhode's bizarre swordsmanship was really troublesome. In fact, when the two sides began fighting, the audiences had seen that Barter's sword had almost hit Rhode many times, but his figure always disappeared as the wind blew. Every time they thought the young man was dead, he quickly appeared in a location no one expected. They yelled and yelled the first few times, but after the battle had been going on for almost ten minutes, the people who fussed at first had begun to calm down. Their eyes even felt a little bit tired because Rhode's speed was too fast; he appeared on the left, but he suddenly jumped to the right. When the crowd's eyes followed him to the right, they discovered that he suddenly appeared once again...

The audience that sat on the sidelines couldn't even follow Rhode's movement, not to mention Barter, who was among them. Frankly, he couldn't even see Rhode's movement. However, he's not panic. For people like him who had reached the peak of master level, what the opponent did was unimportant. All he had to do was to do his best.

And... there's no and.

The crowd only saw Barter keep waving his two great swords and thrusting them. Even Rhode had no way of dealing with him.

"Is, is this really okay?!"

Lapis bit her lip and looked at the ring in panic. When Rhode's afterimage split into two, she nearly screamed and fainted. Luckily, there was Lize beside her. Seeing that Lapis almost fainted, she immediately supported her. Otherwise, Lapis would have fallen unconscious already.

Even so, she still felt exceptionally nervous as she watched the battle before her. Every time she saw Rhode's afterimage get 'killed' by the other party, her heart couldn't help but whirl. This kind of feeling wasn't really good. So later, Lapis simply closed her eyes and didn't continue to watch. However, after hearing the screaming sounds from the audience, Lapis couldn't help but opened her eyes. Finally, she arrived in the loophole once again.

"Tsk tsk tsk, you cannot be that timid, Lapis."

Unlike Lapis, Anne kept staring at the battle in front of her. From a certain point of view, Barter's aura was similar to Anne's. They both like melee combat and decided victory based on strength. They liked that kind of hot-blooded battle. Seeing the current battle was already enough to make Anne feel eager to fight Barter for 185 rounds.

"Both sides are only testing each other. They haven't really started fighting yet. If you're frightened just because of this, then you won't be able to stand the next attack."

"What?!!"

When Lapis heard Anne's answer, she couldn't help but screamed.

They are just testing each other!?

Even Lize was a little surprised when she heard it. It was no wonder; among them, Anne's strength was the strongest. If it was magic, Marlene might be the first, but physical attack was Anne's specialty. Unlike Marlene, who had limited combat experiences, Anne was a mercenary with a lot of combat experience, not to mention a unique sense of intuition and keen observation. So in just a glance, she could see that both parties hadn't yet unleashed their full force and was only testing each other's limit.

After they gradually figured each other out, the next attack would be a fatal blow.

Thinking until here, Anne couldn't help but get excited. She widened her eyes as she watched the battle. She was waiting for that moment to come.

It's almost time.

This time, Rhode once again fled and dodged Barter's attack. The opponent's counterattack was indeed troublesome. Although Rhode could be sure that Barter couldn't keep up with his speed, but he was different from Mobis. Mobis was the scheming type; naturally, he would thought more about it. He hadn't yet reached the peak level, so his responses were more sensitive. It could be his strength, but it was also his weakness. Barter had reached the peak level and was a typical fighting madman. Although Rhode's speed couldn't confuse him, it was difficult for him to find a gap to attack.

It can't be helped.

The longer this fight got dragged on, the more it would be unfavorable for him. Rhode's body wasn't strong enough to withstand Barter's attack. Even though he hadn't felt tired yet, Rhode was very clear that if he couldn't change the situation soon, even without Barter's attack, he would surrender like a dead dog.

Since that's the case, there's only one solution.

Thinking until here, Rhode's eyes flashed. He flipped his left hand, and soon, a card appeared.

Chapter 328: A Bet

Translator: AtlasStudios Editor: AtlasStudios

Boom!!!

The greatsword heavily thrust down and issued a deafening sound. The people who heard it couldn't help but shiver. However, Barter suddenly stopped. He looked at Rhode who stood quietly before him. Rhode was holding the hilt, about to draw his sword. It gave people a strange feeling, as if the battle from before was just an illusion because, in fact, the two of them hadn't even started yet.

"Not bad, interesting."

Barter grinned as he looked at Rhode.

"You are really interesting, kid. But with your ability, it should be difficult for you to beat me, right."

"We'll find out after this fight."

Rhode frowned and replied with an indifferent expression. At the same time, he also felt a little hesitant. He had fully understood Barter's fighting style from the previous test he conducted. As expected, the Executioner's Greatsword had a great power, but it also had a big gap in its attack. Although the wind force that got swept together could compensate for this gap to some extent, it was useless in the face of an opponent with an equal footing. It was a pity that Rhode's physical attributes were still at the elite level, which was why he was still unsure of whether he could survive this attack. Usually, he wouldn't mind taking this risk; by relying on the composition adornment and his combat experience as a once high-level spirit swordsman, there wouldn't be a problem in defeating Barter.

However, defeating a person who was twenty levels above him wouldn't be easy. The loss percentage would be much higher than the gain.

Rhode was sure that he could defeat Barter, but he was worried about what would happen later on. After defeating Barter, he would definitely be injured heavily. Under such a condition, it would be difficult for him to defeat the other four. Of course, he could choose to give up and leave the rest to Lize and Anne. However, he still couldn't fully be reassured, nor did he want to waste his most precious combat power for the sake of upcoming battles.

But if he lost, there wouldn't be any upcoming battles.

"How about this, kid?"

While Rhode was lost in thought, Barter suddenly looked at him and said, "Let's make a bet."

"A bet?"

Hearing Barter's words, Rhode was taken aback. He narrowed his eyes, calmly and carefully gazed at Barter, waiting for him to speak. Seeing it, Barter smiled and nodded as he continued to speak.

"Yes, a bet... let's bet in our victory."

Rhode frowned. Although the way Barter spoke had always been senseless, Rhode was sure that he hadn't yet finished his words, so Rhode only quietly listened. As expected, he soon continued.

"If you can defeat me, then Purple Lily will immediately forfeit and give the victory to you... I think my words are clear enough."

As soon as this statement was made, everyone was surprised, including Rhode.

"Really?"

Rhode asked while staring at him and hearing Rhode's inquiry, Barter proudly nodded and smiled.

"Yeah, I never go back on my words. Forget about your unnecessary hesitation and fight like a man!"

Hearing Barter's reply, Rhode hesitated for a while, but he quickly nodded.

"Alright, I accept the bet... I hope you will not regret it, Mr. Barter."

"Let me see whether you have the strength to make me regret it!"

Barter swung his sword.

The two greatswords were lifted up high. Soon, the ground trembled and an invisible and surging sword intent appeared from his burly body as he shouted. He crossed his swords and aimed it straight towards Rhode.

Earth Strike!

This guy is being serious!

Rhode was surprised by this attack, but he didn't back down. Instead, Rhode activated Shadow Flash and jumped at Barter as fast as lightning. The bright red sword flashed by like a meteor.

"Come!"

Facing Rhode's attack, Barter shouted. However, the swords in his hands didn't stop sweeping forward. Followed by this movement, the ground was shattered and sharp stone flakes flew around. They seemed to move under the command of two greatswords, marching forward, and colliding with Rhode's Fury Meteor attack unreservedly. Soon, an explosion echoed and the dust filled the air. However, Barter didn't stop at all, the greatsword in his left hand flung backward and moved forward. This motion set off turbulent waves on the ground. Its original solid slate had turned into a mess and burst out into ripples under the pressure of Barter's attack. The corrugated ripples turned into a solid pillar in an instant, then slanted forward like branches blown by the storm.

This scene couldn't help but make people felt excited. Barter's attack broke out like a surging wave and gave off a sense of oppression that no one could resist. Just by standing there, he had already given off an aura of a king, that the earth was his people and territory.

However, even if it was the earth, there was still an element that could counter it.

"—————!!!"

A crisp sound suddenly echoed.

The surrounding dust instantly dissipated under the strong wind. The Spirit Bird spread its wings as it looked at the scene on the ground. Under it, thunder and lightning flashed.

What is that?!

Looking at the translucent, shining, giant bird, everyone was awestruck. They looked at the Spirit Bird suspended in the mid-air unbelievably. Under the sun's rays, the Spirit Bird reflected a gleam of golden light, the color of its long slender tail phantasmagorical. It looked like a legendary messenger that had come to deliver the God's will.

It was staring at Barter, flapping its wings with force.

Although judging by its strength, the Spirit Bird didn't seem to be Barter's opponent, but as an elemental creature, its control of elements was of course much higher than Barter's. Followed by its movement, a whirlwind mixed with lightning roared out. It formed a roaring tornado and heavily hit Barter's Earth Strike. The sharp stone flakes were instantly blown off by the tornado. Before it was able to display its power, it had already been smashed by the lightning that was hidden inside the tornado. In a blink of an eye, the 'army' under Barter had been swept away. It was as if the stone pillar that had been blocking this tornado was made of just dry vines.

"Haaa!!"

Barter wasn't stunned as he saw the Spirit Bird's appearance like the others were. He had investigated Rhode beforehand and heard about his strange fighting technique. But it was his first time witnessing it.

That's why facing this Spirit Bird's attack, Barter only shouted. He rejoined the two swords and held his swords with both hands, heavily smashing the incoming tornado.

At this moment, the tornado was split into two. The sword intent that emerged from Barter's body collided with the thunderbolt that was hiding inside the tornado. Currently, the strength of a high-level swordmaster was unveiled. The power that it displayed couldn't help but made the audiences stunned.

RAWR!

Suddenly, a roaring sound echoed. Everyone couldn't help but shifted their gaze towards the burning flame that emerged behind Barter. Not long after, a black, giant hound appeared from the flame. As it opened his mouth, the flame enveloped its entire body and it charged straight towards Barter. Flames were spilling out of the Black Hound's teeth, turning into a surging wave, aiming at him.

"Such a petty trick won't work on me!"

Barter didn't seem surprised facing such a sudden attack. He only coldly snorted, then turned around as he split his sword into two and swung his right hand. The sword in his right hand immediately flew out, penetrating through the flames attack and piercing the Black Hound's body.

It seems the report is indeed correct.

An explosion sounded.

An explosive blasted out from the wounded Black Hound and the burning flames covered the entire ring. The burning flames and hot air swirled up to the sky and formed a fire pillar.

Everyone was dumbstruck. They were staring at the ring, but they couldn't comprehend what was happening in it.

They didn't notice that a shadow had flashed.

Barter lifted up both of his swords and tore apart the sea of flames that had been surrounding him. At this moment, he saw a shadow flash through the corner of his eyes. He found that Rhode had suddenly appeared beside him.

Rhode's bright red sword was sheathed once again.

Storm Slaughter, activate.