43 The Fall of Jean Prio (2)

In the middle of the Grand Alley, the biggest route used by merchants in Helios, dozens of acolytes and merchants were watching the scene in awe.

Jean Prio and two of his acolyte subordinates were staring at Drake and his sentinel subordinates with hatred.

"You can't just arrest me on a whim! Although the sentinels possess authority in Helios, you can't just arrest an innocent man in the middle of-"

"Jean Prio, you have been accused of 34 crimes, depicted by 8 different acolytes who have given their testimonies. You have used forbidden blood rituals six years ago, killing 238 citizens of the Porfield Kingdom, and covering your lies with a supposedly [Blood Imp] you killed. Average people would have believed you, but I know for sure that you never encountered a blood imp, who has gone extinct for centuries. Furthermore, a Blood Imp indeed is a rank 1 magical beast, but it always travels in horde. Even magi would have trouble dealing with Blood Imps, not to mention a rank 1 acolyte like you"

"What? That's not-"

"Four years ago, you have used the authority of Helios to strengthen your household. While it isn't forbidden, the fact that you used a plague to deal with your enemies is a crime in itself. You have killed 1238 citizens of the Porfield Kingdom, and turned a Town into a ghost city by your actions, allowing goblins to invade the Kingdom"

Drake continued to list over a dozen crimes that Jean Prio committed, some of which he had indeed done, some of which Drake had invented out of nowhere. But since Jean Prio's past was so dirty, who would people believe? Drake Moonlight, the new General of Sentinels who had bested the infamous Franklin, or Jean Prio, who was known for his overbearing temper and cruelty?

Jean Prio gave up on defending himself at some point. After glaring at Drake, knowing very well that he couldn't escape being framed for crimes he had done in the past, and some he had not committed, he decided to fight.

Even though Sentinels possessed authority, they couldn't just attack them on a whim. The reason was simple: they didn't have the strength to enforce their authority. He started to cast a spell: [Negative Shadow Bolt]

But before he could chant the incantation and visualise the spell matrix, five crossbow bolts hit his hands, legs and belly. At first, people thought that it was nothing. After all, all acolytes possessed some kind of defensive means: protection gloves with above-average resistance, chain mails and such things that weren't heavy to wear yet still provided as much protection as a heavy armour meant for a knight.

Although they were costly, it was worth it. Crossbows were powerful, but they were not enough to threaten an acolyte…Or at least, this was the bystanders' point of view before Jean Prio's limbs were pierced and his body sent flying on a wall, crippling his movements.

"ARGHHH"

A scream reverberated throughout the Grand Alley.

Obviously, the crossbows were not average, and so were the knights who had shot these bolts.

'Peak knights? They seem even stronger…'

This was everyone's analysis of the situation.

[Beep! Bolts have a piercing power of 15 degrees on average]

It was on par with an average rank 1 acolyte's spell!

It didn't make any sense!

[Name: Alfred – Human Male

Age – 38 years. Rank: Knight

Status – Healthy.

Attributes:

Strength – 3.4 (+1.6) | Dexterity – 2.1 (+0.5) | Constitution – 3.8 (+2.0) | Internal Energy – 10.7

Skills: Grand-knight level Sentinel Swordsmanship (Proficiency: Beginner), horsemanship (Proficiency: Advanced), Tracking (Proficiency: advanced), Persuasion (Proficiency: Advanced), Shadow Crossbow Art (Knight-level, Proficiency: Expert)

Perks: Barbarian Runic Tattoo – Ghost Deer (+2.0 constitution, +1.6 strength, + 0.5 dexterity)]

[Name: Rey– Human Male

Age – 49 years. Rank: Half-Grand Knight

Status – Healthy

Attributes:

Strength – 5.2 (+2.0) | Dexterity – 2.7 (+0.2) | Constitution – 4.5 (+2.0) | Internal Energy – 16.0

Skills: Grand-knight level Shadow Great Sword Art (Proficiency: Intermediate), horsemanship (Proficiency: Advanced), Tracking (Proficiency: advanced), Persuasion (Proficiency: Advanced), Northerner Blood (Resistance to cold: 10%), Knight-level Original Shield Mastery (Proficiency: Advanced)

Knight Killing Technique – Blazing Fist, Cleave.

Perks: Barbarian Runic Tattoo – Earth Bear (+2.0 constitution, +2.0 strength, + 0.2 dexterity)]

Using the resources Drake was provided by General Liu Bu, Drake performed the Blood Runes surgery on his subordinates. He was now the leader of the [Fifteen Dragon Wings], the unit that swore an oath of loyalty to him in exchange for the strength he provided them with. 5 of them were excellent crossbowmen, but Drake went further by purchasing a Grand-knight level swordsmanship and a knight-level crossbow art to his unit of sentinels.

Each one of them had strength on par with peak knights, except for Rey, who was now as strong as a Half-grand knight. Alfred Deep was also a strong newcomer, with tracking expertise and crossbow mastery far exceeding the average. The whole team shared their savings and bought the best crossbows from dwarven smiths, and this was the result of their purchases, training and blood runes.

Extraordinary might.

Seeing their leader get sent flying over two meters and nailed down to a wall while screaming an agony, the two-acolyte subordinated to Jean Prio started to cast [Fireball] and [Earth Spike] respectively. Crossbowmen with peak knight strength were indeed as strong as rank 1 acolyte, but it came with a downside. It took about three seconds to recharge the crossbow. And a spell incantation lasted for this much.

However, three wind blades came out of nowhere and cut their arms.

It was Drake's newest spell: [Wind Blades], an attacking spell that was definitely above average, qualifying as an enhanced spell.

It summoned three blades made of elemental wind particles, that dealt 17 degrees of damage each.

"Alfred, go forward and shackle these troublemakers with the red steel shackles. Rey, take three men and confiscate the rebelling criminal acolytes' belongings! As the FIFTEEN DRAGON WINGS, WE WILL MAKE SURE TO PUNISH THESE CRIMINALS"

For the first time in Helios' History, sentinels had showed enough potential to enforce their policy in the city, a decrease the corruption of merchants and acolyte minor factions. Fear, relief, Joy, Sadness, Hatred…All kinds of emotions were directed at Drake and his unit, who had somehow shattered their common sense.

However, it was the beginning of the [Fifteen Dragon Wings] series of achievements.

As for the Prio Household, news about a flaming knight called Allan Moonlight would soon spread as he successfully ambushed the Count Prio's main army, piercing the ranks of so-called elite Prio soldiers by charging and killing them all. There were no prisoners this day, no mercy. All of them died, including the Count Prio himself.

The tales of Viscount Allan Moonlight, wielding an enchanted claymore of the Fire Church, soon spread throughout the kingdom. A few weeks later, Viscount Allan would be promoted to Count by the King himself, in awe of the Moonlight Household's rise of success.