573-579

Chapter 573: Snow

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Dazzling blade rays flashed.

Speckles of stars fluttered in the pitch-black room and the wall and ground before him were scarred by ferocious blade airstreams. Rhode nodded in satisfaction and flipped his wrists around. The weapons in his hands reverted into two daggers and slid back into their sheaths.

The effects were great, but not to perfection yet. There were still areas that needed to improve. However, Rhode had taken a liking to this new swordsmanship which confirmed his guesses and thoughts. He didn't need to consider how to create a swordsmanship. As long as the suitable stats were superimposed, the system would naturally create a swordsmanship that was suitable for him.

The corner of Rhode's mouth twitched and he couldn't wait to head back into the Fortress and practice with Canary and Bubble. Currently, they were the only ones qualified in strength to go through training with Rhode. And now, Rhode was imagining how they would react when they witnessed his newly created swordsmanship.

After the [Moon Shadow] and [Disillusionment] had fused, the values of the swordsmanship attribute in the Initial Stage were as follows—[Agility] had 7 points, [Flexibility] had 6 points, and [Explosiveness] had reached 8 points. This signified that as long as Rhode struck first, it would be extremely difficult for his opponent to counterattack unless the opponent was in the Legendary Stage. [Adaptability] had 5 points and although it wasn't too significant, it was more than enough for the four Holy Swords in Rhode's possession and there wouldn't be any problems for him to switch between weapons.

Clap clap clap. Soft claps sounded behind Rhode. He turned around and nodded slightly. At this moment, someone knocked on his door and Lize's voice sounded. "Mr. Rhode, are you asleep? Anne and I have brought you some food..."

Food?

Rhode was shocked to realize that his stomach had been empty for a long time. Although it didn't take long for him to annihilate the Ice Devil, he had immediately jumped into retrieving the system rewards and mission remunerations and didn't join in the celebration feast organized by the Greenery Town residents. Moreover, he focused all his attention on creating the swordsmanship and now that he had finally completed it, it was already night time. He had missed two meals in a row and spent a lot of energy racking his brains over modifying the swordsmanship. Although he wouldn't starve to death in a day without food with his physique, he wasn't a masochist, after all.

"Come in," said Rhode.

The door opened gradually and the two young ladies entered with a tray of food and wine. Their expressions changed instantly.

"Mr. Rhode, what happened?"

"Leader, did someone find trouble with you?"

No wonder Lize and Anne had such a misconception. After all, the room was filled with marks of blade strikes under the flame. Rhode gestured to the both of them. "I merely practiced my sword skill. It's nothing much."

"Sword skill?" Lize said with an odd look.

She scrutinized the no-longer usable room and let out a subtle sigh. Although they definitely needed to compensate for the damages to the room, it was still fine since nothing concerning had happened. Lize placed the tray of food on the table hurriedly and dragged a chair for a seat. At this moment, Anne's frantic voice filled the room. "Hey hey! Leader, what's this? What's this?!"

"Anne?" Lize glared at Anne with puckered brows and turned her gaze to where Anne was looking at. Then, even Lize was surprised when she saw that thing. "Mr. Rhode, what's that?"

Rhode wasn't the only one in the room when the two young ladies had entered. An azure, round water ball was suspended in the corner of the room. It was about the height of an adult and it was formed entirely out of clear water. A pure, adorable young girl of about 13 to 14 years old floated within the water ball. She had a naked human upper body and a lower body of a fish. Her azure long hair drifted in the water and strands of them draped over her shoulders and covered her precious feminine chest. Her large, quick-witted eyes looked on in fear after hearing Anne's scream and she swam forward within the water. Along with her movements, the water ball swiftly circled half the room before hiding behind Rhode. Then, the young girl peeped out at the two unfamiliar guests in uncertainty.

"This is my summoned spirit, Snow," Rhode introduced casually as he picked up a plate of food.

"Summoned spirit?" Anne and Lize exchanged looks with each other. However, they weren't that astonished because, after all, it wasn't anything new for Rhode to randomly summon some spirits before them. Furthermore, this young girl named Snow was much more normal than the uniquely peculiar Agatha.

However, after taking a closer look, apart from her lower body that resembled exactly like a fish, her fingers were webbed and her ears were similar to a pair of flipped pennant flags, drifting in the water. Besides, the area where her neck and face linked up was covered in scales. However, this appearance gave a sense of freshness. Moreover, when she hid behind Rhode, her startled expression was like that of a kitten and was truly adorable.

"Aiya, so cute... Anne wants to hug her," Anne rushed over instantly and sized her up from top to bottom with round, passionate eyes.

At the same time, her itchy hands touched all over the water ball surface and she turned to Rhode in some dissatisfaction. "Why didn't Leader summon such an adorable spirit earlier?"

"I only got my hands on her today."

Of course, Rhode wouldn't remain silent to Anne's 'false accusation'. The reason why he summoned Snow wasn't that he wanted to show her off to them. Creating spirits and summoning spirits were different. The former required a massive amount of 'usage' before accumulating enough EXP for growth. If he used her like the Holy Sword Card Deck or the Hell Hound when necessary, perhaps the time would never come for her to grow completely. Moreover, the amount of spiritual energy that such created cards consumed was limited. It would only require 5 points of spiritual energy every hour and it was less than the amount of spiritual energy that Rhode could automatically recover in one hour. Therefore, there wouldn't be any harm for Rhode to summon her by his side.

Of course, this young girl must also avoid certain situations. No matter what, she was no different from a child who had just been born. Her brain didn't have any memories or knowledge, and Rhode had to teach her everything. If Rhode didn't lead by example, she would become the model result of an incompetent Master.

"Today?" Lize looked at the panicky little spirit in astonishment. "Could she be the Ice Devil's..."

"Somewhat related... Yes, actually you can say it that way," said Rhode.

Of course, Rhode wouldn't explain the system mission reward so frankly to them. Moreover, Snow was the mission reward for annihilating the Ice Devil so it wasn't wrong for Lize to relate her to it. Lize finally understood why Rhode avoided the celebration feast after gaining victory over the Ice Devil. On the other hand, Anne continued to make a big fuss as she stuck her face to the water ball and stared at Snow. "Eh eh eh? Leader said that this adorable little fella is related to the Ice Devil? Will she also turn into a big monster like it?"

"Of course she won't. She and the Ice Devil merely live in the Water Plane of Existence. Hmm..." Rhode paused for a moment. "You can treat it as she has been sealed up before the Ice Devil was defeated. Now that the Ice Devil is gone, she has awakened from the seal and become my spirit."

"Ah. I see," said Anne.

Although Anne seemed to have been enlightened, Rhode was sure that she didn't understand it at all. But Rhode left it as it was because he knew that no matter how hard he explained, she still wouldn't get it. As Anne wormed her way into knowing Snow, Rhode turned to Lize.

"Lize, surely you didn't look for me at this hour just for this, right?"

"Eh?" Lize let out an awkward cough and nodded slightly. "Yes, Mr. Rhode. I've heard from Mr. Walker... A large-scale of the Southern Legion has assembled up north."

Chapter 574: Avoidance

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

The Reformist Party had made their decision. However, no one knew if they were frightened by the sudden emergence of 60,000 troops sent by Lydia, or they finally realized that they were heading down a dead end. They gathered the remaining troops of the Southern Legion and headed into Callenbach to defend against Lydia's attack and also 'protect' Callenbach City from being snatched away.

Of course, this decision was seen as a courageous one. However, to Rhode, the Reformist Party was like a group of crazy gambling addicts who had lost everything on the gambling table and were desperately trying to make themselves bankrupt. Although there Southern Legion had gathered about 40,000 troops, the outcome was still unknown if they managed to reach Callenbach to resist against the King's Party's 60,000 troops. However, among the 40,000 troops, there were 5,000 civilians apart from the military soldiers.

Yes, civilians.

The Southern Legion's strength had always been the weakest among all the legions of the Munn Kingdom. They were located in the South that was comparatively peaceful where there weren't other influences or threats apart from the Barbarians, unlike the North and East. For the Eastern Plain, their borders were connected to the Country of Darkness so the residents had been battling against the Undead Spirits for generations. Of course, such conflicts were settled privately and had never risen to the diplomatic levels. However, the intensity of the conflicts didn't weaken. Therefore, the battle strength in the Eastern Plain had always been one of the best within the Munn Kingdom.

It was also because the Eastern Plain had been putting themselves at risk for the safety of the Munn Kingdom, the King's Party had provided them extra care, privileges, and even allowed them to shut themselves out from the outside world. Even when it came to matters like mobilizing troops, the King's Party would still communicate with them beforehand. It was due to this reason that although the Eastern Plain always remained secretive within the Munn Kingdom, they had a strong influence where even the internal King's Party or the Reformist Party wouldn't dare to stir trouble with them.

As for the Northern Legion with borders by the Country of Darkness and the Country of Light, they had the most military troops stationed for defense. Therefore, apart from the Eastern Plains which had always been secretly in conflict with the Country of Darkness, the Northern Legion's strength could be termed as the worthy number one in the Munn Kingdom.

On the contrary, the South had only needed to deal with the Barbarians and some Undead Creatures that occasionally crossed the border. Furthermore, due to the mountain range that had cut them off, the Southern Legion had the least amount of troops with less than 80,000. Besides, the Southern Legion's strong suit was in the navy and not the ground forces. However, their battleships were worthless on land no matter how powerful they were.

In the ambush of the Paphield defensive line, the Reformist Party didn't yield their expected results. If it weren't for the plan that Baker proposed afterward which led to their success, perhaps they would've retreated after considering their failures. But now, since they had conquered Callenbach, the Reformist Party didn't need to spit out the meat that was already in their mouths. Facing the pressure of Lydia's army, all they could do was to grit their teeth and fight with all their pathetic lives.

The 40,000 troops was almost all the manpower which the Southern Legion could mobilize. Among them were troops who were hostile and objected the Reformist Party. However, the Southern Parliament had no time to be concerned about their thoughts at this critical juncture. So what if they disapproved of our doings? Their families are living in the city, so even if they disobey my orders, will they be able to abandon their families?

But the Southern Parliament also knew that these soldiers were disobedient and therefore, they forcefully gathered 5,000 civilians into their arsenal. This decision had led the already beaten Southern civilians to more misery. Some of them had even reflected if supporting the Reformist Party was the right choice. After all, the Reformist Party had assured them that they would provide a better life and more freedom when they declared their independence. But now, the commodity prices increased, social order was in disarray, and they had even forced civilians into joining the military. Everything was too far off from what they had promised. Even the 'despotic rule' of the King's Party had never forced civilians into the military!

Besides, the Reformist Party had snatched up all the forces by the Southern wilderness border and the Barbarians had invaded the towns and villages around the border, causing grave damages and even deaths. However, the Reformist Party had no response to it because all they were doing now was to 'tear down the western wall and patch up the eastern wall'. Besides, the deaths of those lives in the border villages meant nothing to the Reformist Party. The Barbarians wouldn't dare to head straight into the bigger towns and cities, so the Reformist Party simply waited for the Country of Light's Parliament's reinforcements to chase them away afterward.

Rhode knew that ever since the Reformist Party decided on becoming independent, their fates were locked in. Perhaps in about two months, Rhode could take a stroll in Golden City and admire their corpses swaying in the wind in the forest.

But this had nothing to do with Rhode anymore.

After eliminating the Ice Devil, Rhode led the mercenaries back to their Fortress because he had something more important to resolve.

Lize loved to overthink. But this time, she was right. The growth of Starlight was too fast. In just a few months, Starlight had leaped from a mercenary group to a Guild and they had even participated in the Paphield defensive line. Moreover, there were also rumors spreading that Starlight had the reputation as the Munn Kingdom's number one Guild. Not only did this felt like a dream for Lize, but Rhode also felt rather worried.

The Guild is growing too quickly.

Fortunately, there were Rhode, Marlene, Canary, and Bubble holding down the fort and the mercenaries weren't overly proud of themselves. If not, the followers would lose their direction if their leaders were too proud. Currently, Starlight was rising and he thought of focusing on rebuilding their foundation to avoid a top-heavy structure and a state of unbalance in his Guild.

Rhode had been truly busy during this period. After leading the mercenaries to finish the Southerners in the Paphield defensive line, he immediately laid hands on the Ice Devil in Cranmore without returning to the Fortress. But at the same time, the pace in the Land of Atonement didn't stop. Although several matters within the Guild had been put on hold after Marlene's departure, the usual operations were no problem with Canary around. Canary would link up with Rhode whenever she faced important questions and the situation in Starlight was great.

With the addition of the Silver Libra Trade Association, the Keller Family, and the commercial flow, there were more visitors to the Land of Atonement—mainly civilians. Strictly speaking, the Land of Atonement was a land with an abundance of natural resources. The natural resources weren't exploited previously because there wasn't a powerful force like Starlight who could take control of the entire place. And now, Starlight had developed strongly and the Land of Atonement wasn't as dangerous as before. The Bandits living in the mountains and forests had been wiped out cleanly, so more visitors arrived in search for opportunities and wealth.

Of course, the visitors weren't only civilians. There were also mercenaries.

Lize couldn't understand why there were so many people who thought that Rhode's Starlight would become the number one Guild in the Munn Kingdom. This was only because she didn't give too many thoughts about it and consider the thoughts of most mercenaries. The mercenaries had chosen this occupation because money and honor were most valuable to them. As the saying goes, 'When the food is warm, the heart is lustful'. Once the mercenaries got used to these adventurous lives and obtained powerful strength, they wouldn't be easily satisfied like the prostitutes on the streets following the man who paid the most money for her services. Their desires were divided into two types. One type would be to build a new mercenary group independently and develop his own strength. The other desire was to rely on their own strength and skills to seek shelter from the nobles as private soldiers. If they were lucky, they might even become a noble's trusted aide and they could live a much more comfortable life.

It was due to this reason that Starlight had become in high demand for many mercenaries.

This was especially so after Rhode was conferred the Baron title by Lydia personally. Many of the mercenaries were envious because they knew that as a noble and a Guild Leader, Rhode would surely choose from his mercenaries to build up an army of private soldiers. If they could join Starlight earlier and perform outstandingly, perhaps they might get a chance to become his henchman, which was an extremely attractive offer.

Besides, unlike the senior nobles, Rhode was young, powerful, and had a strong backing. Everyone knew that the heir of the Senia Family had become the subordinate of Rhode in Starlight. The Senia Family was widely known in the entire Munn Kingdom and Marlene Senia was the number one magic genius in the Munn Kingdom. There were no doubts about Rhode's future since a character of such grandeur identity was willing to become his subordinate. Moreover, rumors were spreading that Rhode was a being in the Legendary Stage and there were also two more people in the Legendary Stage in his Guild. There were also rumors that the Country of Light's Parliament's Mist Sword Saint had been crippled when he stirred trouble with them.

A powerful noble who had strong backing and close ties to the noble families was sure to have a bright future. If the mercenaries were to follow and serve him, they might even have a chance to become a noble's private soldier, henchman, and trusted aide. This would be so much better than struggling in the wild for decades before finding a noble to take them in!

Rhode's Starlight had given the mercenaries a hopeful path and they wished to join him in achieving success.

However, things weren't that simple.

Shauna and Canary had gotten into some conflicts over it. As a past mercenary group leader, Shauna was elated to see that many mercenaries yearning to join their Guild and she even hoped that everyone could be accepted. However, not only did Canary deny her suggestion, but she also raised the bar for those applying into Starlight. According to the in-game terms, those mercenaries with levels lower than 25 could forget about joining Starlight. Fortunately, with the existence of the Sphere of Mystery, Canary and Mini Bubble Gum could create a suitable virtual dungeon to test the mercenaries. The failures were naturally asked to leave while those who succeeded but were covered in filthy stains were subjected to considerations. Only those who passed the test with flying colors had the rights to join the Guild.

Such a test wasn't worth mentioning if they were players. However, it was critical for the natives. According to Canary and Mini Bubble Gum's strict test level, 56 out of 500 mercenaries had passed, which was a rather decent result. Due to this reason, although there were a lot of mercenaries attempting to join the Guild, only a small number of them had successfully joined. There were less than 70 who managed to join up until now.

Shauna felt that Canary's standards were too strict. Although she understood the reasons behind them, Shauna thought that there must also be a certain number of 'lower-level personnel' within a Guild. If they didn't recruit some ordinary mercenaries, there would be no competitiveness. Of course. Shauna didn't know that Canary and Bubble were actually recruiting the 'lower-level personnel'. As for those that were eliminated, they weren't even worthy of stepping into their ranks.

This was only one of the conflicts in the Guild Fortress when Rhode wasn't around. "Hu... I'm finally back."

After regaining his senses from the dizziness of the teleportation, Rhode heaved a long sigh of relief as he gazed at the familiar dome on the high ceiling. A comfortable and heartwarming emotion emerged in his heart. After so many days of running about, Rhode was exhausted. Now that he had returned home, he could finally let loose. At this moment, a petite figure had extended its arms and scuttled towards him. "Rhode...!"

Christie dove into Rhode's embrace and hugged him tightly. The little girl lifted her head and her purple eyes were glinting with concerns and reluctance. Perhaps due to the short sprint, Christie's delicate body was trembling. Her breathing hastened and beads of sweat formed on her forehead. "... You're finally back... Rhode..."

"I'm back, Christie," Rhode greeted with a gentle smile and stroked her long hair lightly. Christie narrowed her eyes like a docile kitten, but, shortly after, she opened her eyes and tugged Rhode's clothes excitedly. "... Good news... Lapis'... Stone Construct... is completed..."

"Oh?" Rhode's eyes flashed with curiosity. He stood to his feet and patted her head. "Bring me there."

"Yes... Okay..." Christie nodded with a smile.

However, she didn't turn around immediately. Instead, she gazed at the floating azure water ball beside Rhode. Snow laid flat on her tummy and she widened her eyes to look at the little girl before her in astonishment. "... Rhode... Who is she...?" Christie asked curiously.

...

Rhode followed Christie to the alchemy workshop at the back of the Fortress. There was a loud clanging of tools and the messy alchemy workshop in the small courtyard that Marlene had avoided became much cleaner and neater with various alchemy materials laid orderly in a row on the table. Of course, it wasn't because Lapis suddenly knew how to tidy up the mess before her... Rhode had witnessed the Ocean Elves rushing about and tidying the alchemy workshop.

Rhode turned his attention to the enormous statue.

It was an entirely white, three meter tall Griffin Stone Construct, half-kneeling on the stone base and its eyes embedded with blue crystals emanated faint radiance. It looked up to the sky and displayed an imposing manner with its pure white wings folding gradually. The carved sacred words on its stone base made it look dignified while its swinging large tail appeared as though it was about to leap off from its base and spread its wings wide apart. Snow hid behind Rhode after spotting the frightening statue. After she was sure that it couldn't move, she carefully peeped her head out. But even so, she covered her eyes with her webbed hands and peeked.

"Not bad," Rhode nodded in satisfaction at the Stone Construct.

Before Rhode left the Fortress, he had told Lapis about his requirements for the Stone Construct. After all, the main purpose of the Stone Constructs was to handle the air troops of the Country of Darkness: the Gargoyles and Bone Falcons. This was why Rhode requested for the Stone Construct to appear as holy and powerful as possible. And now, it seemed that Lapis had fulfilled his request accurately. The Holy Griffins were a legendary treasure of the Light Dragon's mythology. Legend had it that the Holy Griffins had been by the Light Dragon's side to drive off the darkness. Afterward, due to the Light Dragon's idiotic behaviors which led to a drastic decrease in its strength, these legendary creatures had gone missing and no one knew if they had gone extinct or simply hidden. But now, since Rhode couldn't create the authentic Holy Griffins, their bootleg version would be good enough to scare off the Undead Creatures. But...

Rhode felt rather uncomfortable knowing that the Soul Cores used to activate these 'Holy Griffins' were the same attributes as the Undead Spirits. What exactly is going on...

Rhode lowered his head to Christie. "Did you design this?"

"Yes," Christie stuck out her chest proudly and nodded with might. "I've done a lot... of research... Asked the Cleric Big Sisters... and designed this..." Christie gazed at Rhode in uncertainty. "... Does Rhode... like it...?"

"Of course. I like it a lot, Christie," Rhode revealed a genuine smile. He could see that Christie had changed. Her life had become much more fruitful and she was no longer the young girl who was shunned by others. She had the ability to do what she really wanted to do. Although she was still physically weak, Rhode believed that if she continued to maintain such high spirits and confidence to lead a blissful life... It would be enough.

But...

"Where's Lapis?" said Rhode.

"Sister Lapis... Is still busy..." Christie pondered for a moment before answering. Then, she picked up a light iron rod by the wall and tapped on the door lightly. Shortly after, Lapis' frantic voice sounded from inside. "Eh? Is it Christie? Is anything the matter? Ah, w-w-wait... Wait a moment! Just a moment! A moment!"

Boom! Rhode looked up at the billow of smoke soaring into the sky before turning his gaze to the embarrassed Lapis before him. He once again experienced what it meant that the leopard can't change its spots. It was the exact same scene when he arrived here with Marlene back then. The only difference was that the Ocean Elves had cleaned up her mess for her. "Ah, Sir Rhode. When did you come back... No wonder Christie rushed out so hurriedly... Sorry to let you see me in this..."

"It's okay, Lapis. I'm not here to poke fun at you," Rhode gestured and interrupted her awkward explanation. He let out a cough and looked at the Stone Construct. "I've heard from Christie that the Stone Construct has been fully completed?"

"Yes, Sir Rhode," said Lapis.

Speaking of her profession, Lapis wiped off her awkward and embarrassed expression. She lifted her head and went through the details with Rhode. "I've worked according to your request to use the Soul Cores to activate the Stone Construct and they passed the testing phase. If they are used for normal battles, they can last for about two days. If you wish to use them for all-out battles, they can last for about a day as the energy of the Soul Core would be depleted. It will take 10 days to recharge before getting back into action."

10 days is kind of long.

Rhode knitted his brows. He knew that the air troops of the Undead Army were a troublesome bunch. If his Holy Griffins were only capable of this standard, he wouldn't have an easy time dealing with them. However, Rhode knew that there were no other choices. Although the Undead Army's Gargoyles were also alchemic creatures, the source of their strength came from forcefully stripping souls from living creatures and fusing them into the lifeless Gargoyles. However, it wasn't possible for Lapis to carry out such cruel methods and Rhode couldn't take it too far under Lydia's watchful eyes.

"How many have you built in total?" asked Rhode.

"Currently, only one, Sir," Lapis revealed a helpless expression. "Although we were able to design the Stone Construct quickly thanks to Christie, I spent a lot of time experimenting with the Soul Cores and testing its power consumption. I only managed to resolve all the problems until a few days back..."

"I understand," replied Rhode.

Lapis appeared somewhat uncertain and apologetic, but Rhode wasn't as tense as her. As a person who had crossed over from earth, Rhode knew that everything was the toughest in their creation stages. However, once the technical problems were resolved and they received a set of the production process and sufficient materials, it wouldn't be a problem for mass production.

"According to this speed, how long do you need to create all the Stone Construct?"

"Hmm..." Lapis pondered for a while. "One every five days. Sorry, Sir Rhode, although the Ocean Elves are helpful in many aspects, this is the only thing that..."

"This isn't your fault, Lapis. You should also take care of yourself. Take it slow." Rhode knew what Lapis was about to say. However, Rhode couldn't resolve this problem by himself. No matter what, he didn't have the channel to search for a group of alchemy apprentice to assist Lapis. Although sculpting could be completed by artisans, the structure of the alchemy spell and the core embedding could only be done by Lapis. Moreover, she was also responsible for concocting the potions for the Guild... Rhode honestly believed that he was like a Southern Slave Owner who treated an Alchemist Master like Lapis as a slave...

But now, there wasn't any solution to this problem.

Rhode shook his head and threw this thought to the back of his head. Then, he took two steps back and gazed at the Stone Construct. "Alright, Lapis, let me see its powers."

"Yes, Sir," Lapis nodded and retreated swiftly. Then, she retrieved a beautiful, polished gem from her pocket and held it in her tiny hand. She shut her eyes and a magical radiance burst out from her hand.

"...!" The statue emanated a white flowing brilliance and the two blue gems shimmered glaringly. It let out a sharp cry and pounced toward Rhode in a white bolt of lightning!

Chapter 575: Lapis' Conundrum

The Holy Griffin expanded its wings and dove down with its extended razor-sharp claws. Clang! A sword emerged in Rhode's hand and he struck off the Holy Griffin's attack. It bellowed fiercely and sprung backward, at the same time, lashing its long tail forward. Rhode waved his sword and drew a mysterious arc in the air to sweep the attack away. Then, he brandished forward and a spiritual blade ray struck the Holy Griffin. The powerful impact propelled it to the ground, but it quickly flipped over and regained its stance.

"Not bad." Rhode nodded in satisfaction.

Of course, he didn't intend to pull out all the stops against the Holy Griffin. If he did that, the Holy Griffin would surely turn into worthless trash instantly. However, this didn't mean that it wasn't powerful. Instead, it was because Rhode was too strong. If the Holy Griffin was able to keep Rhode busy for a long time, it would mean that it possessed at least the strength of the Master Stage. However, even Lapis wasn't capable of creating such a high standard Construct.

Rhode had figured out the basic functionalities of this Stone Construct. It had high defense and there weren't any signs of damage from Rhode's strikes. Not only that, but it also had high flexibility to climb to its feet instantly after collapsing to the ground. Although it had a body made of stone, it was as nimble as a living being. Alchemy was a truly mystical thing.

The Holy Griffin's strength was between level 25 to 30 and it alone definitely couldn't threaten the Undead Army at all. Low-level alchemic creatures like the Holy Griffin needed to form groups in order to pose a threat. Rhode compared this Holy Griffin to the air troops of the Country of Darkness. No matter if it was the Gargoyle of the Bone Falcon, they weren't individually powerful and the Gargoyle was at most level 20. However, due to the unique Undead Alchemy of the Country of Darkness, they would have the upper hand against the Holy Griffins.

But there were also disadvantages. The material used to create these Gargoyles were ordinary and crude while the Holy Griffins that Lapis had created used first-rate rocks. Due to this reason, the Gargoyle had horrible defenses where Archers that had entered into the Elite Stage could easily eliminate them.

On the contrary, the Bone Falcon didn't have physical bodies and were more of spiritual presences. The Bone Falcons were also the best scouts for the Undead Army where they could conceal themselves using their almost transparent bodies. Besides that, the unusual connection between the Undead Creatures and the Undead Mages could allow the Undead Mages to receive intelligence as though through a scanning radar. Not only that, but the Bone Falcons' attribute could also allow them to ignore physical attacks where they would only be damaged by magical attacks and equipment.

Due to this unique feature, the Bone Falcon was considered one of the higher-tier troops in the Undead Army. As they weren't as easy to create as the Gargoyle, only the Generals and Commanders held the rights to use them.

If Rhode were to compare them to airplanes, the Gargoyle would be a fighter plane while the Bone Falcon would be a spy plane. If the Holy Griffin could be mass-produced, Rhode wouldn't have a problem against the Gargoyles. However, it was still too difficult for the Holy Griffin's current attacking form to gain the upper hand against the Bone Falcons.

"Are there no other ways for them to be equipped with elemental attributes?" said Rhode.

"Sorry, Sir Rhode..." Lapis lowered her head. "The powers of these Soul Cores were too weak. I've tried my best to make it move on its own and it consumed all the powers of the Soul Core..."

"I understand, it's not your fault." Rhode patted her shoulder and he realized that this young lady had changed a lot. Although Lapis wasn't a beauty like Marlene, Gillian, or Celestina, she was still a lovely young lady. But now, Rhode could only see her haggard face. Perhaps due to overworking, Lapis' pale skin had become deathly pale and her cheeks had become thinner. Moreover, there were obvious, bruised dark circles under her eyes. Although Lapis had covered them up using makeup, she couldn't cover the fatigue on her face.

Rhode let out a sigh inwardly. He had been out for so many days and he had shown the least concern for this Alchemy Elf before him. Lapis had a reserved personality and usually wouldn't speak much. Moreover, she seldom took initiatives and often only heed orders from Rhode. Even when she faced difficulties, she seldom spoke about them too. Although Lapis didn't mention, Rhode could read from her beaten face. She must have suffered a lot for completing the mission that Rhode had given her. Although her head was filled with the alchemy knowledge of the Behermes and she possessed the abilities of an Alchemist Master, even the top scientists couldn't fiddle with the nuclear reactor unarmed. Lapis had been really busy because of Rhode and Starlight and not for herself.

There weren't any mining players providing materials in this world and Rhode had a hard time spending money to purchase alchemic materials. Starlight had also just been established and wasn't wealthy, so it wasn't possible for him to splurge. After all, apart from spending on Lapis' research and creation, maintaining this large guild also required a huge sum of money. Although Starlight had a stable income through the collaboration with the Silver Libra and the mine excavation sold to the Keller Family, the amount of gold was merely enough to maintain the guild and fortress. Moreover, there were many instances where Lapis couldn't purchase the materials that she needed even when there was sufficient money and she had to make do with what she had. As for the materials to create the Holy Griffins, Rhode didn't purchase them. Instead, they were retrieved from the Keller Family through their mining agreement.

"Lapis," Rhode said and she lifted her head hurriedly. "That's all for today. We will be having a feast tonight and everyone including you must participate. From today onward, temporarily leave the tasks on your hands and have a break."

"B-But, Sir..." Lapis widened her eyes in uncertainty. "We finally managed to... What if..."

"Don't worry, we're not in that much of a hurry and your health is more important. Although I know that you're an Alchemist Master and you have a way to monitor your health condition, it won't be good for your mental health for living in an overly tense life. From today onward, take a break for a while."

It wasn't unreasonable for Rhode to say this. Although Lapis was an expert in alchemy, she couldn't possibly torment herself all day. Even though she might be enjoying it, her health would surely take a toll. Rhode didn't understand the difference between an Alchemy Elf and a normal human being, but overexhaustion was never great for no matter what race. Besides, as one of Starlight's most important members, Rhode didn't wish to squeeze her dry.

Lapis lowered her head and her cheeks flushed. Then, she nodded slightly. "Okay, Sir Rhode."

At this moment, there was some screaming outside the workshop. Rhode knitted his brows and Lapis took two steps back in fear while Christie tugged onto Rhode's sleeve and gazed at the door worriedly.

Suddenly, Anne's voice sounded. "Who are you people? What are you doing here? Leave right now, or don't blame me for whatever happens to you!"

Christie shivered and muttered softly. "Again..."

"Again?" Rhode sulked and turned to Lapis. "What's going on? Did those people caused trouble here before?"

"This was what happened, Sir Rhode." Lapis hesitated for a moment before answering with stutters. "After you left, a group of people came to the Fortress... I don't know where they heard about me concocting potions for the guild and what they want to do... But I heard from the Ocean Elves that they..." Lapis paused awkwardly.

Rhode frowned and focused his attention on the words that Lapis had said. "When was the last time they came to the Fortress?"

"About more than a month ago..."

"Did they enter the alchemy workshop?"

"N-No, Sir Rhode. Thanks to the mercenaries that you arranged for protection, those people didn't manage to enter the alchemy workshop. But they haven't seemed to give up yet..."

"Did you inform Bubble and Canary?"

Rhode had always been the one headhunting and he didn't expect that there would be people coming to his turf to snatch his precious men. They must be sick of living! After hearing Rhode's question, Lapis hesitated for a moment and shook her head hopelessly. "Miss Bubble and Miss Canary have been busy and besides, those people only occasionally cause a fuss and didn't do anything... So..."

Bam! A loud explosion boomed and Rhode swept a glance to Lapis and Christie before heading for the workshop exit. Shortly after, Rhode saw Anne furiously standing in the middle of the empty. She smashed her steel shield on the ground and created a large hole in the ground. Standing before her was a dozen men looking at her with disdain. Rhode narrowed his eyes. Those people weren't wearing mercenary leather armor. Instead, they were clad in a red and white striped uniform.

Could it be that these guys...

Rhode walked toward Anne slowly. "Anne, what happened?"

"Ah, Leader, you're finally here!" Anne turned to Rhode hurriedly and pointed angrily at the men before her. "Those people are so annoying! Anne has followed Leader's instruction to stand guard at this place so nobody can enter. But these people forced their way through here. Anne didn't allow them to enter and those bastards say that we're a bunch of barbarians... Anne is furious!!"

Rhode turned to face the group of men. Then, he let out a snort and lifted his chin. "How interesting. When did the Alchemist Association learn to headhunt like a bunch of sneaky thieves?"

"You —!" Two of the men were about to point at Rhode with their fingers and suddenly, a skinny middle-aged man who appeared to be their leader extended his arm to stop them. He wore a golden-framed spectacle and his thin long face resembled that of a disgusting smirking wolf. The man let out a sneer and stepped forward leisurely with his hands behind his back. He lifted his chin and looked at Rhode in contempt. "So, you're the leader of these mercenaries? Young man? You seem much easier to handle than your barbaric men. Since you're aware of who we are, then I can tell you frankly... We, Alchemist Association, thinks that the Alchemist concocting potions for your guild is a wanted criminal who has escaped from our association. Therefore, I, in the name of the Alchemist Association, ask that you hand the person over immediately!"

Criminal?

Rhode squinted and scanned the man before him. "Alright then, you mentioned that my man has committed a crime. I do want to hear what crime was it exactly."

"You don't have the rights to know about this." The man sulked instantly and let out a burst of strange laughter. "Anyway, we have sufficient evidence to prove it. Now, I request that you hand over the person immediately, Young Man. I guess you're also clear of the consequences for going against us, the Alchemist Association. If you insisted on not handing the person over, we will find the overlord for assistance and they will dispatch garrisons to capture the criminal... I think, as a guild Leader, you don't wish to end in that predicament, right?"

"Scram," a deep voice echoed in his ears.

A shimmering radiance flashed before the man's eyes and a roaring storm that rose from the ground struck his body like an iron hammer. He flung to the back like a ragdoll and crashed heavily on the ground. As he lifted his head miserably, a shadow flitted by and Rhode emerged beside him. Then, an ice-cold, pitch-black sword blade pressed against his neck. "I shall gracefully grant you three minutes to get out of my Fortress," Rhode said with a calm expression and tone. "I don't care who you are. You're still nowhere near to behave atrociously in the Land of Atonement. Leave. Right now."

The man gulped his saliva and glared at Rhode with gritted teeth. "... And what if we don't?"

The corner of Rhode's mouth twitched. "Then... all of you will stay here forever."

Chapter 576: Mysterious Swordsmanship

Rhode's voice was as calm as the afternoon breeze, but the men felt an incomparable chill shooting up their spines. Their expressions turned ashen and they sucked in a deep, cold breath in unison. The middle-aged man gulped his saliva as Rhode's razor-sharp blade dangled around his throat and the ice-cold murderous intent felt as though an invisible wild beast pressuring his body. He could even feel its claws pushing on his chest and just a little more force would puncture his chest without resistance.

"Scram," said Rhode once more.

The middle-aged man crawled to his feet and held his throat with lingering fears. He gaped and glared fiercely at Rhode, but no words came out of his frightened self. In the end, he let out a snort and fled with the other men in red and white striped uniform hurriedly.

Rhode sheathed his sword and puckered his brows after the group of men disappeared around the corner. His concerns for Lapis had lessened all this while and he didn't expect that this group of stubborn people would take action this quickly.

But Rhode wasn't mindful about offending them.

"Anne," Rhode turned around. "Inform Randolf and Joey to dispatch some trustworthy men to guard the alchemy workshop 24/7. Other than the Ocean Elves and mercenaries, no one is allowed into the workshop. If anyone dares to barge in, I allow them to take action on the intruders. Also, inform Joey to send his men and investigate the background of those people and the purpose of their arrival. Inform me immediately once he receives any information."

"Yes, Leader," Anne nodded and ran off quickly. Rhode shifted his gaze to Lapis and Christie standing by the alchemy workshop entrance. Christie revealed a delightful smile and waved back to Rhode while Lapis lowered her head worriedly. Although Lapis's actions seemed nothing more than a reserved behavior of an Alchemy Elf, Rhode sharply detected that Lapis had turned pale and judging from her rubbing her robe anxiously, he could see that she was rather tense, or even frightened.

Rhode swept a meaningful glance at Lapis and said nothing. At this moment, two glaring rays shone from above and two familiar figures emerged beside him.

"Rhode, welcome back."

"Leader, you're finally back."

The brilliance dispersed and Mini Bubble Gum and Canary appeared. Canary looked at Rhode with her signature gentle smile while Bubble pouted and glared. "Where have you been for so long, Leader? Big Sister and I were almost bored to death spending time with the bunch of NPCs. Leader, can you think of something challenging for Big Sister and I to accomplish? We won't mind heading out for adventures with you because if this continues, we are really gonna be bored to death!"

"Bubble," Canary warned.

Bubble had run up to Rhode and gesticulated while expressing her resentment. However, as soon as she picked up the pace, Canary's interruption triggered Bubble's reflex to shut her mouth and step back reluctantly. But even so, the little girl had no intentions of giving up just yet. She turned to Canary grumpily. "That's the truth, isn't it, Big Sister? Leader went to clear a dungeon by himself and left us with those boring NPCs. He also made Christie busy with designing the Stone Construct and I don't even have a playmate. Leader, when will the bunch of idiots from the Country of Darkness slaughter their way here? Might as well we... uh... uh...!"

Canary cupped her hand over Bubble's mouth swiftly and she presented her usual smile to Rhode. "Don't worry, Rhode. Bubble is just feeling a little lonely. In fact, all these while she has been getting along well with the mercenaries and there weren't any problems. I guess she was a little moody because she hasn't seen you for a while."

"I can understand that," Rhode shook his head helplessly. Although Canary and Bubble were the reason why he could leave the Fortress and roam about for adventures freely, come to think of it, he was indeed rather cruel to both of them. Even though Rhode's influential range had expanded to the entire Land of Atonement, the territories which Canary and Bubble were able to move about in were extremely limited. Due to the system restriction, they couldn't possibly go shopping in the streets of Deep Stone City. Although Rhode had arranged several matters for them to handle, girls would still be girls and they would still have desires of their own.

"Don't blame yourself, Rhode."

Canary was surely ranked among the best for being able to read Rhode's emotions. "We are all clear of our identities and Bubble was only grumbling a little. Fortunately, we know that we're not humans and are only phantoms. But isn't this a good thing? We're still better than those robots in Hollywood movies where they don't even know their true identities and treat themselves as humans... right? Bubble?"

"Uh... uh... uh!!"

"You see, Rhode. Bubble doesn't object, right? Since we don't mind, you shouldn't be feeling guilty... Bring out that spirit which you used to charm your way with girls. Anyway, you didn't feel any pressure no matter which girl you bedded with, isn't it? So why are you feeling guilty now? Could it be that you've grown?"

"Uh...! Uh...! Uh...!"

"But... If you really feel sorry, I wouldn't reject your advances, okay? By the way, you do remember the secret relaxation method that we used to have when we were together, right? As a reward for me helping you manage the Guild, I guess you wouldn't reject this little request from me, right?"

"Uh...! Uh...! Uh...!"

"It's up to you, Canary, but..." Rhode pointed forward. "... You are gonna kill Bubble if you continue to cover her mouth."

"Eh?" Canary looked down curiously and smiled before releasing her hands. Bubble broke free from her struggles and no one knew what would happen to her if Canary let loose of her hands a few seconds later. "Big Sister, you're too much! I almost died!"

"Eh? Will we still die?"

"You..." Bubble fumed and brandished her little fists in objection like an angry kitten.

"Alright alright. Now isn't the time to fight," Rhode extended his arm between both of them. "I have something which I need your help."

The same old, silver-whitish mirage extended to the limitless skies. Rhode stood idly and gazed at both of them. Canary and Bubble looked back with questioning gazes. "Leader, are you sure about that?"

"Yes," Rhode nodded firmly. And this time, even Canary puckered her brows curiously. She sized up Rhode from head to toe and shook her head. "My words may sound harsh to you, Rhode. It's true that your leveling speed is fast and we can see that you have reached level 40. But... Frankly speaking, do you really want us to pair up and fight against you alone? This isn't anything fun and I don't know what you're thinking, but no matter what, you won't be able to take a blow from us."

"Of course. The conditions are also limited," Rhode gestured. In fact, he wasn't that sick of a masochist to do this without any particular reasons. "Only combat techniques allowed and spells are prohibited. Both of you should have them, right?"

Although Canary and Bubble were spellcasters, Rhode knew that they had unique combat techniques of their own. As a holder of the Wind and Fire double elements, Canary had once mastered the "Ninth Heaven Phoenix Dance" swordsmanship to compliment with her elemental powers. On the other hand, Bubble had mastered the "Crumble Thunder" fisticuffs. However, unlike Canary, this little rascal learned it because she was genetically violent. Even if she was a Cleric, she must also become an incomparably violent one.

"That's for sure. But, Rhode, what do you want to do?"

"I suddenly feel like practicing." The corners of Rhode's mouth twitched. Although he had been to this world for so long, his player mentality hadn't been abandoned. But he wasn't able to display this side of himself before Marlene, Lize, and the others. However, it was entirely different before Canary and Bubble because they were also top players like him and they could understand how rare it was to create a swordsmanship. Even though Rhode's new swordsmanship hadn't been perfected, he hoped to polish and modify it with this combat exchange. Besides, Rhode was curious to see their reactions when they realized his new swordsmanship.

"Alright then," said Canary unhesitantly.

If it was only an exchange of combat techniques, they wouldn't possibly kill Rhode in a fatal blow even with their strength. Canary swept her backhand to the side and a sword made of pure flames emerged in her hand. Meanwhile, Bubble chuckled, clenched her tiny fists, and two marks of sacred symbols in the shape of semicircles flashed across her fists.

"This is what you asked for, Leader. Heh heh. Back then I couldn't defeat you and since you have presented yourself to me now, don't blame me for not holding back!"

Rhode looked on calmly at Bubble's taunts and extended his right arm. A holy radiance burst out and a spotlessly white sword appeared in his hand. He pointed the sword forward.

At the next moment, he disappeared in a flash.

The sleek, spotlessly white sword blade shimmered and streaked across a trail of starlight in midair. The glaring trail exploded and hundreds of earth-shattering stars blasted down at Canary and Bubble.

Bubble and Canary didn't need to avoid such an attack and they could defeat the enemy with a swing of their hands. But now, since they were only limited to using swordsmanship and fisticuffs, they couldn't save themselves from the dire situation using their favorite spells. Canary brandished her flame sword and struck out a scarlet wave of an inferno. Then, she drifted backward like a creepy paper doll and escaped from the net of earth-shattering blade rays. At this moment, the vast stars that shrouded the entire world above them shrunk in the blink of an eye and were replaced with the dazzling brilliance of spiritual blade rays striking at Canary.

"Heyah!" Bubble darted forward.

She brandished her right fist and deflected the blade ray. However, Rhode's momentum didn't stop. He flipped his wrist around and drew a crescent blade ray.

"Hahaha, is that all you got, Leader?" Bubble revealed a proud smile.

She kept her left hand and smashed the ground with the other. Boom! An explosive aura erupted from the ground under her feet and resisted Rhode's attack. Bubble adjusted her stance and was about to strike out her left fist when she let out a questionable squeal and rolled backward swiftly. A shadow had flown past above her and brushed her long hair. After dodging the ambush, Bubble stood up and pushed her crossed arms upward instantly.

Clang! The immense collision shook her feet and the powerful recoil deflected the sword shimmering in spiritual radiance. But at the same time, the shadow flew out from the ground and struck for her chest.

"Bubble, careful!"

Canary emerged in a violent gust and her flame sword collided with the mysterious black viper. Surging flames burst out from her blade and spread toward the shadow. However, the shadow didn't avoid the flames. Instead, it flipped around and fled swiftly to strike out a ghastly trail of spiritual blade ray. At the same time, the countless stars that filled the sky shone brightly as though they were warning for an incoming wave of attack.

What is happening?

Canary and Bubble were aghast.

Chapter 577: Fantasy Daybreak

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Starlight coalesced and crashed toward them. A vast sky full of stars interwoven into a large net and their only hope was to retreat. The sneaky shadow watched for its opportunity and followed its sinister tracks to seal their path of retreat. The young ladies leaned against each other's back. Bubble lifted her clenched fists while Canary raised her flame sword.

Shing! Suddenly, an X-shaped blade ray struck from the side as the young ladies charged forward. Rhode flitted by like a ghost and pierced his twin daggers to their throats silently. If it wasn't for the trail of spiritual blade rays streaking across the air, perhaps they wouldn't have noticed Rhode's ambush.

However, Bubble and Canary weren't ordinary humans. Although they could only battle with combat techniques due to Rhode's limitations, their strength of level 85 as phantoms of the Sphere of Mystery shouldn't be belittled. Besides, as the strongest players of Starlight, they wouldn't be defeated that easily.

Bubble swung her backhand and a violent airstream rose from the ground, blocking Rhode's attack like an invisible barrier. Canary pulled back her flame sword before thrusting forward. Then, she cloned herself into nine presences which scattered in all directions. The loud explosion boomed and scarlet flares splashed, devouring everything in its path.

Cough cough...

The flares dispersed and Rhode crawled to his feet. The [Ninth Heaven Phoenix Dance] was indeed first-rate in explosiveness and AOE range where Rhode didn't even dare to duel with Canary using just swordsmanship in his flourishing phase. Moreover, he wasn't even half of what he used to be where perhaps he would be a goner if Canary went all-out. But this wasn't a real duel to begin with, so Rhode pulled himself together quickly after feeling a little disappointed.

Canary and Bubble looked on curiously and in astonishment. Then, Bubble darted over and stared at Rhode. "Leader, what swordsmanship did you use? What swordsmanship was that? Why was it so strange?!"

"Interesting, eh?" Rhode twitched his brows proudly and sniggered inwardly. The reason why he chose to display his newly incomplete swordsmanship before them was for them to understand and appreciate its might. If they were mercenaries, perhaps they would simply gawk at its formidable strength. As the saying 'the layman looks at the external while the insider looks at the technical aspects' goes. Rhode didn't need any more plain praises. Instead, he needed opinions from experts.

Although Canary and Bubble were spellcasters, this didn't mean that they weren't experts in close-combat techniques. Bubble's 'Crumble Thunder' fisticuffs and Canary's 'Ninth Heaven Phoenix Dance' swordsmanship had reached the S grade in mastery. Even though the penalty for swordsmanship was higher for the spellcasters than the Spirit Swordsmen, the fact that they were able to reach S grade in mastery proved that they had rich experiences.

"It's indeed interesting..." Canary nodded in agreement. After experiencing the might of this swordsmanship personally, she understood its value and purpose.

Judging from the surface, this new swordsmanship was simply just a nimble Shadow Clone Technique. If that were the case, it wouldn't be accepted by their discerning eyes. After all, there were too many swordsmanships that involved the Shadow Clone Technique and Rhode's [Dark Dance] and Canary's [Ninth Heaven Phoenix Dance] were two of them. Moreover, there were some spells and magic that could create phantoms and illusions. Therefore, if Rhode's new swordsmanship was purely focusing on the Shadow Clone Technique, it definitely couldn't pique their curiosity. And now, the reason why Canary and Bubble were so interested in this swordsmanship was that of the incredibly strange battle experience.

The Shadow Clone Technique mainly relied on extreme speed, or perhaps a unique spatial attribute to create. The main advantage of the Shadow Clone Technique depended on the instant ambush which fazed the enemy into being unable to grasp the authentic presence. Higher-level Shadow Clone Techniques could even allow the clones to attack with the same amount of strength with the user. Canary's [Ninth Heaven Phoenix Dance] was a representative of this swordsmanship. When she unleashed this technique, eight clones split out from her true self and possessed equal strength.

Such a Shadow Clone Technique was the hardest to resist, but there were also obvious flaws with it. Phantoms were phantoms, after all and would be destroyed once they were attacked. This was the same for this level of Canary's Shadow Clone Technique. Although the damage of the [Ninth Heaven Phoenix Dance] was incredibly destructive in a flash, her clones would disappear immediately after. If Canary kept cloning eight more of herself to attack, it would consume her a lot of spiritual energy.

However, Rhode's strange swordsmanship gave an entirely different impression from other Shadow Clone Techniques.

Even though Canary and Bubble were in a disadvantageous situation when Rhode attacked, Bubble launched her 'Crumble Thunder' punch to deflect Rhode's attack. Then, Rhode took advantage and struck out a blade ray arc. However, everything that happened afterward was out of their expectations.

Ordinary Shadow Clone Technique sought victories using speed. However, Rhode's swordsmanship did the very opposite. After Bubble deflected Rhode's attack, he dashed away in a flash and retaliated with a shadow attack. But strangely, after Canary emerged and blocked it, the 'Stars Orbit' that should have been gone erupted once again and struck toward Bubble. This was where both of them were gobsmacked.

It felt as though Rhode had used another swordsmanship technique after he cast the 'Star Attack' and amazingly, the 'Star Attack' didn't launch as though it was due to internet lag. It could be said to be a coincidence if it only happened once. However, both of them faced similar attacks thereafter too. Rhode seemed to launch his attacks using the delay in time differences where he could quickly launch two attacks at once before retreating and just as the enemy focused their attention on dealing with Rhode's third round of attack, the hidden fourth round of attack exploded and dealt damage to the enemy mercilessly.

Due to this reason, Canary and Bubble had a hard time during the battle. They had never seen such an aggressive swordsmanship that relied on capturing the essence of time differences. What's worse was that the young ladies couldn't figure out Rhode's position when they were attacked simultaneously from three different directions. This was an extremely rare occurrence for them.

However, their strength was stronger than Rhode after all, and they had sufficient experience to deal with such changes in the situation. Canary saw that the situation was far from assuring and she blasted an AOE [Ninth Heaven Phoenix Dance] to eliminate Rhode's swordsmanship.

"This swordsmanship is astonishing, Rhode. Where did you learn it from?"

Although Canary had defeated Rhode effortlessly, she knew that she had the upper hand in the level differences. If she was the same level as Rhode and the mastery of her [Ninth Heaven Phoenix Dance] hadn't reached the S grade, perhaps she would be overwhelmed by his attacks.

"Make a guess. I'm sure that you'll be surprised," Rhode twitched his brows proudly and turned to Bubble. "How do you feel?"

"It's amusing, strange, and decent. Leader, this swordsmanship is alright for PVP, but is still lacking in terms of PVE," Bubble gave a short answer that hit the nail on the head.

There were two kinds of battle techniques for players: PVP and PVE. PVP focused on control while PVE required vast AOE damage like Canary's [Ninth Heaven Phoenix Dance]. However, even though Rhode's new swordsmanship was rather advantageous during battle, his AOE damage wouldn't be as high as Canary's technique when he faced thousands of enemy.

"Indeed. I don't know where you got your hands on this swordsmanship, but this feels really fresh and fascinating," Canary looked at Rhode with a curious expression and shook her head. "Although this is only the start, I'm curious to see the might of this swordsmanship when it reaches its highest mastery."

"Me too." Rhode shrugged. "It's still incomplete in its Initial Stage, as you can see."

"Incomplete?" the young ladies exchanged doubtful looks with each other. After all, the swordsmanship that players learned in the game were perfectly complete and the only difference was the level of mastery. Therefore, even if players couldn't master the swordsmanship, the final stages of the swordsmanship would be available for their references to aid them in building up the swordsmanship. It felt similar to the Talent Trees where Rhode couldn't build on them if he didn't know what awaited him in the endpoint. He nodded firmly to their doubts. "That's right, this is a swordsmanship that I created—Fantasy Daybreak. What do both of you think?"

"You created it?" Bubble jumped and glared with widened eyes. "You said that you created this swordsmanship, Leader? Are you sure?"

Not only Bubble, but Canary also revealed a look of amazement. It was because they knew that players couldn't create swordsmanship at all!

Rhode quickly explained the 'Sword Creation Points' and the 'Swordsmanship Creation System' to them and they were just as interested as him.

Fantasy Daybreak.

Just as Canary had thought, this swordsmanship mainly relied on time differences to launch attacks. However, it wasn't only as simple as that. Since the [Fantasy Daybreak] was a swordsmanship specially designed for the [Holy Sword Card Deck], Rhode must make full use of his Holy Sword arsenal.

[Starfall] was responsible for frontal combat while [Succubus] was in charge of blockade and support. [Garcia] and [Madaras] were used for ambushes—they complimented one another and formed an inextinguishable triangle loop. Rhode's attacking swordsmanship also unfolded upon relying on this triangle. With the unique Shadow Clone Technique of the [Fantasy Daybreak], Rhode could easily switch between the three points of 'A', 'B', and 'C'. He could launch an attack from 'A' and dodge to 'B' while coordinating with the clone in 'A' to pincer the enemy. Once the enemy counterattacked, Rhode could sneak to 'C' and leave behind a clone before returning to 'A'. After Rhode had returned to 'A', his clone in 'A' would disappear and be replaced by his true self.

In other words, if Rhode could capture the rhythm, he could continuously switch between the three points with his clones. This way, the enemy would be trapped by his three different attacking styles like prey that had sunk into a bottomless swamp. The [Fantasy Daybreak] had 5 points in [Technique] which allowed Rhode to switch over from the three different attacking styles freely. He could choose to attack aggressively before retaliating and ambushing or also choose to ambush and launch an aggressive attack after the enemy counterattacked. Three different battle styles could be interchangeable and linked up. This was the most powerful aspect of the [Fantasy Daybreak].

However, there were also flaws to this swordsmanship. After all, it had only just been created and there were many areas needed to improve on. Besides, Canary's performance had proven that this swordsmanship lacked powerful means for retaliation against AOE attacks. Although there were differences in their levels, there would be no purpose in a swordsmanship if it could be destroyed in a single AOE blast. Besides, Rhode was still figuring out the three different tempos. His ambush had failed due to his failure to grasp the critical rhythm and in the end, Canary blasted him away after Bubble captured his true self.

Rhode was extremely confident in this swordsmanship, especially after he had creating it after carefully calculating its attribute values. He realized that this swordsmanship turned out similar to his expectations after creating it with the help of the 'system'. Although he didn't know how the system managed to do it, he was still the one benefiting from it. Besides, if Rhode could familiarize with the attack patterns, he would have much more varieties once his [Holy Sword Card Deck] was completed.

"It's so late already," said Rhode with a sigh.

The reddish color of dusk had painted the sky when he walked out of the mirage. He had discussed with Bubble and Canary for a long time about the new swordsmanship. Got to say, it was much more efficient to have the help of two capable, trusted aides who truly understood his thoughts. In fact, Rhode might even carry on the discussion till midnight if he wasn't feeling fatigued from the long journey back to the Fortress.

"Alright then, I'll make a move now to see what that bunch of idiots are doing. Leader, Big Sister, see you around," Bubble waved her tiny hand and left, leaving Canary and Rhode behind on this vast grassland.

As Rhode turned his gaze away from Bubble, an aromatic smell assailed his nostrils and he felt two soft, ample objects pushing against his arm. He turned around and saw Canary's gentle smiling.

"I didn't expect something this great to happen to you, Rhode. Creating a swordsmanship is something that the players have thought about for a long time. It's awesome that we have a chance to do it. Alright, in order to celebrate..." Canary slid her slender, fair fingers down Rhode's top and teased between his legs. Then, she looked up with a crafty smile. "... You get what I mean. Rhode? You're finally back after a long time and you should make up for it, right?"

"Of course." Rhode felt the hot blood rolling and flowing in his body. He embraced her slender waist and his unsettled right hand fondled her soft buttocks. Canary trembled slightly and revealed a flushed, alluring expression. Then, she whispered. "Here... or somewhere else?"

"Let's..."

Suddenly, a crisp, loud voice sounded. "Ah! Leader and Sister Canary, you're both here!"

Canary stepped back grudgingly and maintained a distance with Rhode while he retracted his right arm and shook his head helplessly. At this moment, Anne was waving her right arm and scampering hurriedly as though she didn't sense the awkward atmosphere. She grumbled breathlessly. "Really... Leader, where... have you two been. Anne... Anne has been finding you... For a long time... If it wasn't for... Bubble... who said you're at the Training Ground..."

"Is anything the matter, Anne?" Rhode expressed a look of 'apology' to Canary before turning to Anne. Anne nodded and said sternly. "Of course, Leader. There's a group of men who came to our Fortress and they look similar to the group that you've chased away. They requested to meet you!"

"The same group of people? Can't you just chase them away?" Rhode puckered his brows.

He didn't have a favorable impression of the Alchemists. Although they were indeed an arrogant bunch who looked down on the mercenaries and noble families who weren't established for a long time, they actually had the rights to do so. After all, not everyone could easily recruit an Alchemist Master like Rhode. Even though Alchemists were unarmed and defenseless, many military teams, Guilds, and even murder associations had to maintain a good relationship with the Alchemists to receive alchemy potions and Constructs. However, even though the Alchemists were highly regarded in other regions, Rhode didn't give a damn about them, especially after they had daringly stepped into his territory to snatch his man...

"No no, Leader," Anne quickly shook her head and denied. "This group of men dressed similarly, but they seemed more pleasing to my eyes. Oh, by the way, their leader was a white-bearded old man. I'm not too sure of his name... But he seems really powerful."

"White-bearded old man?" Rhode sulked slightly and nodded after exchanging glances with Canary. "I'll head over now."

Chapter 578: Lapis's Worries

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Shortly after, Rhode met the group of men which Anne had mentioned standing by the Fortress entrance.

Indeed, judging from their appearance, they seemed like the bunch of idiots that had tried to barge into the alchemy workshop. They were dressed in the same red and white striped robe and a hat with a wide brim which only Alchemists wore. However, Rhode quickly detected the differences between them and that bunch of idiots. This group of men was slightly older at about 50 to 60 years old while the oldest man of the earlier bunch was at most over 30. Besides, these Alchemists gave an impression which was more in line with what most people had of them—cultivated and refined in manner. Compared to them, the bunch of idiots was more like uninvited bandits.

Due to the previous conflicts, the mercenaries weren't that friendly against uninvited guests. They encircled the Alchemists with weapons in hand while the Alchemists watched on silently without any grumbles or resentment.

However, Rhode wasn't too mindful of this. Instead, the senior that stood in the front of the group caught his attention. The tall and sturdy senior had a long white beard that extended to his waist. He wore a golden-framed monocle over his right eye and carried a thick, hardcover golden book under his armpit. He resembled those NPC scholars who would appear in hero games and guide adventurers who had lost their way. However, Rhode's heart sank slightly as soon as he spotted him.

"I didn't expect this guy to be here." Rhode knitted his brows and turned to Canary. "Canary, I'll leave them to you. Although the Alchemist Association won't stir trouble for no good reason, it must be regarding something difficult since they sent this old fellow here. Help me 'receive' them and I'll be right back."

"Where are you heading to, Rhode?" asked Canary.

"I'm gonna look for Lapis," Rhode perked up his eyebrow. "I think she must be hiding something from me. Got to say, I didn't expect that she kept such a secret... I'm rather curious to see what else other than the Behermes Lapis is keeping a secret from me."

As soon as Rhode entered the alchemy workshop, he spotted Lapis sitting by the corner nervously, as well as Christie and the little mermaid. Got to say, Christie indeed had a unique charm. Rhode discovered that his spirits had favorable impressions of her. Not only Gillian and Celia, but even Celestina with the vicious tongue seldom commented about Christie. Celestina dared to mock anyone before Rhode, but she always remained opinionless about Christie. It was the same for Snow. She was a newborn summoned spirit who had just been created in this world and was filled with curiosity and fear. Ever since Rhode had summoned her, she had never left Rhode's side at all and had always hidden from others including Anne and Lize during their way back to the Fortress. Although Anne and Lize had constantly showered Snow with smiles and care, she still wasn't willing to interact with them. On the contrary, Snow and Christie only looked face to face with each other and they had gotten so close together as though they were sisters who didn't meet for years. Although Rhode didn't know how Christie interacted with the little mermaid who couldn't speak, he felt fortunate that he could hide from the little mermaid and meet up with Canary and Bubble to discuss his new swordsmanship.

The little mermaid hovered in the air and looked through her water ball curiously at the white paper on the desk. Meanwhile, Christie revealed her rare, excited side as she drew on the white paper. Both of them were so engrossed that they didn't notice Rhode's presence. On the other hand, Lapis jumped off her chair and peeped at Rhode with uncertainty and a pale complexion, like a child who was afraid of her parents reprimanding her for failing a test.

Rhode let out a bitter laugh inwardly as he observed Lapis' behaviors. He beckoned to Lapis for a talk in the room. Lapis hesitated for a moment before dilly dallying her way there. She was behaving as though she was about to step into an execution ground.

"Have a seat." Rhode closed the door and gazed at the bewildered Lapis. He didn't expect that this young lady who appeared to be reserved and often trembling with fear had actually hidden a secret from him. He was too surprised by this...

Lapis nodded with her conditioned reflex and sat on the chair over cautiously. However, before she had even adjusted her posture properly, she quickly stood to her feet and gazed at Rhode like a puppy who was about to be abandoned by its owner. "S-Sir Rhode, I didn't mean... mean to hide it from you... I..."

"Alright, Lapis, calm down." Rhode felt somewhat amused as he gazed at the frantic young lady. It seems like I must pay more attention to Lapis in case she gets headhunted by others.

Come to think of it, it was actually hilarious that the Alchemist Master of the Behermes Royal Family actually has such weak mental qualities. If Rhode could transform Lapis' attributes into values, perhaps her 'determination' points didn't even have 5 points.

"I'm not blaming you. No matter the problem between you and the Alchemist Association, you are still a part of the Guild and the Alchemist Association must be daydreaming to think that they can simply snatch anyone away from me. So just relax and tell me what exactly is going on. Why are the people of the Alchemist Association here for you?"

"..." Lapis finally heaved a long sigh of relief. She hopped back on her seat and rubbed her hands together before gazing at Rhode worriedly. "Sir Rhode... You won't chase me away... Right?"

"I won't." Rhode felt angry and hilarious at the same time and he was left speechless by this pitiful Alchemist Master. After all, most Alchemists were required to go through events for growth and their temperament, character, and willpower would be polished from them. However, Lapis was different. If it weren't for the opportunities and coincidences, she wouldn't have received the Behermes' Alchemy knowledge and alchemy techniques in the Master Stage. It could also be said that they had fallen into her lap and even though she held skills in the Master Stage, her way of thinking was still that of a little apprentice.

However, this wasn't the problem that Rhode was mindful about. He was more concerned about when Lapis began to 'fool around' with the Alchemist Association.

After Lapis had been assured that Rhode wouldn't chase her away from the Guild or shut her in afterward, she laid down the burden and explained everything to Rhode in full details. Actually the entire situation wasn't that complicated. After Rhode had left the Fortress and headed into Paphield, a visitor from another region came to the alchemy workshop and hoped that Lapis could concoct a potion for him. Lapis was curious about his request, but even though she was cowardly, she wasn't foolish. Her alchemy workshop was the Guild's property and it shouldn't be used to help outsiders concoct potions and create Constructs. However, that man was sincere and persistent. Not only did he fork out huge sums of money as remuneration, but he had also revealed his identity: the visitor was a member of the Alchemist Association and he came to the Fortress after he had heard about Lapis. Not only that, but he also told Lapis that if she could help her concoct the potion, he would write a recommendation letter for her to join the Alchemist Association.

This was also the point that had caught Lapis' attention. After all, even though she possessed alchemy skills of the Master Stage, she was still an apprentice in status. If Lapis could be recommended by someone and enter the Alchemist Association to be 'recognized' as a true Alchemist, it would undoubtedly be a dream come true for her.

"So, have you agreed?" Rhode said with twitched brows.

He knew that Lapis wasn't a firm person and that her true status was only an apprentice. However, he didn't take these matters to heart because, firstly, he had been occupied with other matters and Lapis' 'apprentice' status wasn't something within his considerations. Secondly, Rhode didn't know that status was something important to her. So what if Lapis was an 'apprentice'? She was an Alchemist Master who had the authentic skills, so why must he be bothered about the false reputation?

Got to say, Rhode's thoughts were indeed somewhat biased. When one had reached the high standards which Rhode had accomplished, false reputation was no longer important. The true Alchemist Masters in the game mainly lived in the faraway mountains and forests with strange personalities and were unconcerned about fame. No matter how skillful Lapis was, her mentality was the same as ordinary humans who thirsted for fame and recognition to stand on a bigger stage... Which wasn't a crime at all.

"N-No!" Lapis waved her hands frantically. She lowered her head and trembled in fear. "I didn't know what I should do too... Sir Rhode, I have thought of discussing this with someone, but Miss Canary and Miss Bubble weren't around most of the time... As for the others... they couldn't help much... Besides... Besides..."

"Besides what?" said Rhode.

"Besides... That man said... If I can become an approved Alchemist, I can apply for some free alchemy materials from the Alchemist Association... That way, the Guild's alchemy equipment can be..."

"..." Rhode let out a long sigh.

After going through all these, it seems like I'm still the one responsible...

Indeed, Rhode knew that there was such a rule in the Alchemist Association and the higher the level of the Alchemist, the more free alchemy materials the Alchemist could receive. It was only reasonable that Lapis couldn't resist this temptation. After all, even though Lapis could create alchemy equipment and concoct potions in the Guild, most of them were extremely basic in conditions. Even Rhode wouldn't be willing to if he had to do things simply and thriftily forever. Moreover, Lapis had a lot on her shoulders and the modification of the Stone Construct itself could waste a whole lot of her time and energy. It was also related to the lack of sufficient materials in Rhode's hands.

"This isn't your fault, Lapis..." Rhode let out a bitter laugh and patted her shoulder. "Alright, lift your head. I guess the situation isn't that simple, right? Although I'm not too pleased that you've made a decision without permission, this, after all, is my responsibility. If the situation of the Guild wasn't this terrible, I'm sure you wouldn't have chosen such a solution... You're not the one at fault. Lift up your head, Lapis. I guess you're not only worried about this, right?"

"Yes..." Lapis wiped the corners of her eyes lightly and lifted her head. "Although it is also partly because of this... But, Sir Rhode... I'm afraid..."

"You're afraid?" Rhode puckered his brows slightly. "What are you afraid of?"

"T-The potion..." Lapis's expression turned pale once again and she stuttered in uncertainty. "That man... asked me to concoct... a bad potion..."

"Is it poison?" Rhode's heart skipped a bit. If that was true, the situation would be troublesome.

"I-I don't know," Lapis shook her head and tears rolled down her cheeks. "That man told me that it was to test my alchemy skills. The recipe and materials were provided by him while I was only responsible for completing it... A-Although I didn't know what the potion was, the composition of the materials used seemed to be something immoral... I don't think it will poison someone to death, but it might trigger a serious illness to weaken someone..."

"..." Rhode knitted his brows as he had vaguely figured out the truth of the incident. "Lapis."

"Yes... Sir."

"Is that bottle of potion difficult to concoct?"

"Yes... Yes, Sir," Lapis pondered with a frown and nodded firmly. "Ordinary alchemy techniques will not be able to complete it because the timing and content of the materials must be captured perfectly. Besides... the potion also required some knowledge of the Behermes Family in order to concoct."

Rhode nodded. "Got it, Lapis. Don't leave the alchemy workshop for now and stay with Christie and Snow. I will get Anne and Lize to accompany you. Don't worry about the Alchemist Association because you have me, Canary, and Bubble around."

Lapis cheeks flushed and lowered her head shyly. Since Rhode was aware of the reason, there was no further purpose for him to stay here. He told Christie and Snow to stay put and look after Lapis before heading back into the Fortress.

As Rhode was about to enter the Fortress, Joey rushed over hurriedly with sweat pouring down his face. "Ah, Boss, I finally found you. I thought of looking for you in the workshop and I didn't expect to meet you here. But that's fine too..." Joey let out an awkward cough after remembering his purpose of finding Rhode. "By the way, do you remember telling me to dispatch my men to tail the few men in flowery clothes and see what they're up to in the Land of Atonement? Heh, those Alchemists are a bunch of idiots. They weren't even aware that they were being followed at all. If you didn't get us to track them only, our brothers would've..."

"Get straight to the point," Rhode interrupted harshly.

The young Thief let out an awkward laugh and continued. "Uh... Although those idiots weren't on high alert, they weren't that foolish to spill the beans. Our men followed them for a while and managed to acquire some information... According to them, those people are here because... because..." Joey displayed a face of disbelief. "They said Lapis poisoned someone from the Alchemist Association."

Chapter 579: Tit For Tat (1)

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

When this remark came out of Joey's mouth, almost everyone who heard it displayed the same expression as him. He rolled his eyes ridiculously and wrinkled his nose as though he had tasted something horrible. This proved that even Joey refused to believe such nonsense. Lapis would surely be placed at the top of the list for being the most harmless person in the entire Guild. Moreover, Joey had been with Randolf and Lapis for a long time and he knew better than anyone else what sort of a person Lapis was. If they claimed that Lapis dared to poison someone to death, then the others would surely be homicidal maniacs.

"Continue," said Rhode.

Rhode had almost figured out everything regarding this matter. Fortune favored the fool and it was fortunate that they had looked for Lapis of their own accord. If that was the case, Rhode was confident in handling this situation.

Joey looked at Rhode's uninterested expression and he pulled himself together to continue his report. "We haven't investigated the specific situation, Boss. But those people seem to be grumbling that an important person in the Alchemist Association had gotten into trouble and they blamed it on us." Joey pouted in disdain. "I also heard that those bastards were extremely arrogant. Boss, you have chased them out of the Fortress and they still blabbered a bunch of nonsense. They said something about getting the overlord to resolve the situation for them and that we, mercenaries, are a bunch of unreasonable barbarians. They also said that... Uh..."

Joey came to an abrupt stop. He gazed at Rhode awkwardly and coughed to clear his throat. "That... That's about all, Boss."

Rhode swept a glance at Joey. He knew what the other party had said about them judging from Joey's attitude, but he had no intentions of looking into them. The current problem was much more important than the senseless lies and slanders.

"Good, continue to monitor those guys and see if they have left the Land of Atonement. It would be for the best if they were tactful enough to get out of this place on their own. But if they don't... You should know how to teach them a lesson. Our Starlight Guild isn't specially here for them to cause a ruckus."

"Got it, Boss, I'll get going now!" Joey jumped on his feet and saluted swiftly before leaving Rhode's sight.

Rhode shook his head hopelessly and continued to head into the Fortress.

At the same time, the Alchemists who were walking in the Fortress were awed by the scenery before them.

Unbelievable.

The white-bearded senior sat down at the glittering drawing room and gazed at everything before him with amazement flowing from his eyes. As a high-level personnel in the Alchemist Association, there were no doubts that he had heard rumors about Starlight and their mysteriously strange Guild Leader. The senior had treated all the rumors as interesting anecdotes and didn't expect that he would personally witness everything himself.

The doubts that the senior had about Starlight were gone. Alchemists were craftsmen of art and he recognized the true formidability of this mighty Fortress. Not only was it grand on the surface and easily guarded, but it also had a vast, powerful ritual circle enveloping the entire fortress. Although the senior didn't know what exactly the ritual circle was, he was sure that it wouldn't be as simple as launching fireworks once the ritual circle was activated.

"Amazing..." The senior turned his gaze away from the tall arrow tower outside the window and mumbled under his breath. It was unbelievable that this place here was just a barren landscape few months ago. Even with the help of Mages and Alchemists, it shouldn't be possible to build this towering Fortress in a matter of months. However, the intelligence the Alchemist Association gathered had always been accurate. In other words, this young man named Rhode had truly built this massive Fortress in a few months.

How did he do it?

This was an interesting subject for the senior. However, he didn't have the time to research about it now. The troubles in the Alchemist Association were huge and also implicated Starlight, which was rising in the Munn Kingdom. Due to this reason, the senior led his team here for an investigation just to be cautious. It seemed that his decision was correct. The fact that this Fortress was built in a few months proved that the Guild Leader had powerful strength and strong backing. If that was true, it wouldn't be smart for him to go head to head with him.

And... his subordinates.

The senior lifted his head and gazed at the graceful presence standing by the window. Although this lively and adorable lady appeared to be in her teens, he sensed the immense spiritual energy gathering around her clearly. He also saw the energy flow of the Three-rings Inner Circle that represented the three levels of spells, which proved one point: this young lady was a Grand Mage who had entered the Legendary Stage.

If it was said that this Fortress had astonished the senior, then this young lady had left him shell-shocked. A young lady who was barely the age of 20 was a Legendary Grand Mage. The senior had never seen this happen before and now, she was the subordinate of this young man?! What kind of backing and trump card does this man, who has a subordinate in the Legendary Stage, have?

At this moment, the senior was incomparably glad that he had made this wise decision. The reason why he chose to lead the team was because he lived in the Golden City and he knew that Lydia and the King's Party were interested in this newly established Guild. Furthermore, after considering that the heir of the Senia Family in the Munn Kingdom and Lydia's sister were in this Guild, things would get troublesome if the Alchemist Association didn't handle the situation appropriately.

Although the Alchemist Association and the Church were continental institutions, the strength of the Alchemist Association was nowhere near the Church. After all, the Church had the backing of the Twin Dragons of the Country of Law, while the Alchemist Association had ordinary humans. Besides, the King's Party and the Senia Family didn't need to operate with considerations to the Alchemist Association even when they had impressive magical and alchemical technologies. This was why the senior stayed cautious and it proved that he had made a wise choice.

Simply judging from the Fortress and the young lady, he knew that this young man wasn't as simple as the rumors had described. He couldn't possibly be only a noble and there were rumors spreading that he might be from an ancient family with such strength and techniques. Not only that, but the strange Ocean Elves had also left the senior astounded. As a knowledgeable Alchemist, he had heard about the Ocean Elves. They were creatures that lived in the Water Plane of Existence and seldom interacted with humans, not to mention coming to the main Plane of Existence to work for humans. However, he had already spotted a dozen Ocean Elves tidying the Fortress neatly and willingly, which also proved another point. No matter who the Guild's backing was, they were powerful enough to communicate, interact, and even sign contracts with the creatures in the Plane of Existences.

The senior puckered his brows once again... After that incident, all the investigation had pointed at Starlight and a lot of them in the Alchemist Association's internal department thought that this Guild was no big deal at all. But it seemed that this Guild wasn't as simple as it looked. They also heard that the Country of Light's Parliament had stirred trouble with the Guild, which ended with Mist Sword Saint crippled and he couldn't even remember who he was... The senior prayed that they wouldn't become the second Light Parliament...

The senior was deeply worried and sick at heart. If this incident was related to Starlight, the Alchemist Association might face an unprecedented calamity, which wouldn't be a good thing for them, who were on the decline.

As the senior knitted his brows worriedly, the heavy wooden door opened and an unfamiliar young man's voice sounded. "Everyone, welcome to Starlight Guild."

The senior lifted his head and narrowed his eyes. A thin, young man clad in a black robe stood by the door. He had a full head of black long hair just like the rumors and an exquisite face like that of a young lady. The young man looked at his guests without any changes to his expression as though his face were carved from a rock.

What a difficult guy.

The senior sighed inwardly. Then, he pressed down the creases in his attire and stroked his white long beard, lifting his head and standing to his feet. He nodded at the young man with a smile. "Hi there, Mr. Rhode. I'm Dasos Bell from the Alchemist Association. This time, I represent that Alchemist Association to discuss matters with your Guild."

Of course, I know who you are.

Rhode let out an inward sigh.

Dasos Bell. One of the personnel with the highest authority in the Alchemist Association of the Munn Kingdom. Any players who learned alchemy couldn't avoid his tests when leveling up. Rhode had also learned alchemy due to his Spirits Swordsman identity and had no lack of fights with this old man. However, after coming to this world, Rhode didn't spend any effort upgrading his alchemy levels after randomly recruiting an Alchemist Master and didn't meet this old man at all.

However, even though Rhode thought of it this way, he didn't express it on his face. He gestured to Dasos and nodded. "Please take a seat, Master Dasos. I've heard that you're a very popular person in the Alchemist Association."

Dasos forced out a bitter smile. Even though it sounded like a polite greeting, the senior couldn't figure out if Rhode was being polite or sarcastic due to the tense atmosphere and his aloof expression. However, Dasos had long passed his prime of youth and he didn't mind even if Rhode was really mocking him. He sat down and gazed at Rhode sternly. "This was what happened, Mr. Rhode. This time, We, Alchemists, came to your Fortress to seek your cooperation on something important... If it is possible, I hope we can discuss about it privately."

Rhode twitched his brows before snapping his finger to Canary who was admiring the scenery from the window. Canary turned around, swept a glance at them, and nodded with a smile. "Alright, Rhode, I will go check on Christie."

"I'll leave it to you," said Rhode.

Canary nodded to the Alchemists and left the drawing room. At this moment, Kasos was incredibly stunned. He had seen through Rhode's strength—he was only in the Master Stage. But even so, this young man actually commanded a Grand Mage in the Legendary Stage so easily and she didn't dislike it at all. Powerful beings had strong feelings of pride and were rarely ordered about. However, the young lady accepted his orders so willingly... This wasn't something that ordinary nobles could accomplish.

Could it be that they have an intimate relationship?

This thought flashed in Dasos' mind for only a second. After all, he didn't come here to gossip. He lifted his head and looked at Rhode solemnly. "This was what happened... Mr. Rhode. About half a month ago, the Chairman of the Alchemist Association, Volta, fell ill and went into a comma. It was due to this that the entire Alchemist Association turned into utter chaos..."

Before Dasos finished his sentences, Rhode's sneer interrupted. "This is really interesting, Master Dasos. If I recall correctly, there should be three Vice-Chairmen in each organizational branch of the Alchemist Association. Even if the Chairman had fallen ill, the entire Alchemist Association shouldn't stop its operations. If the Alchemist Association is really that unorganized and fragile, perhaps it would've been completely destroyed during the Third High Cliff Campaign."

Dasos' expression stiffened slightly as soon as he heard the term 'Third High Cliff Campaign'. However, he pulled himself together quickly and nodded with a smile to Rhode's subtle ridicule. "Indeed. It's just as Mr. Rhode has said. If the Chairman had simply fallen ill, the situation wouldn't have ended up in this plight now. After our investigations, we have concrete evidence to prove that the Chairman didn't fall ill due to the infection of diseases. Instead, he was poisoned by someone."

Dasos twitched his brows and scrutinized Rhode silently. However, he was disappointed to see that Rhode remained unaffected even after hearing this news as though it had nothing to do with him at all. Well, that was actually the truth. Rhode adjusted his posture to a more comfortable spot on his seat. At the same time, he interlocked his fingers and gazed at the senior nonchalantly. "That's interesting, Master Dasos. If I recall correctly, you said you're from the Alchemist Association, right? So shouldn't your Alchemists... be knowledgeable about creating antidotes?"

"Just as you've said, Mr. Rhode," Dasos nodded. "If it were an ordinary poison, the Alchemist Association could surely get rid of it. However, this poison is incredibly unusual and we've tried all methods, but to no avail. All we could do was to temporarily slow down the invasion of the poison to the bloodstream. According to our investigations, the concocting methods for this poison is extremely rare and ordinary Alchemists can't achieve it."

"So?" Rhode sat up straight. He knew that this was the true, crucial moment.

Dasos didn't respond immediately. Instead, he reached into the fold of his top and retrieved a small crystal potion bottle and placed it on the table. The senior looked up and stared at Rhode. "I think Mr. Rhode must be familiar with this."