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Chapter 771: I'm Just Following The Rules [Part 1]

"Boss, we got a good haul today!" A skinny man said with excitement. "Loitering around the borders of the City of Alabaster really yields great profits for us. We managed to get two Half-Elves, two Dwarves, an Elf, and three Beastkins. They will sell a lot on the black market."

A scar-faced man smirked after hearing his subordinate's reply. The Port City of Alabaster is a gathering place for the various humanoid races, so it was very easy to capture some of them as long as they traveled beyond its borders.

There were many slave traders, bandits, and mercenary groups that hunted these other races, for profits in the Black Market, along the borders of the city in secret.

Even though the punishment for kidnapping was the Death Penalty, none of them gave a hoot. For them, as long as there was quick cash to be made, all they needed was to move swiftly and retreat just as fast.

"The auction will be held in two days," the scar-faced man said. "Let's bring them to the underground headquarters. Make sure to erase our traces. I don't want the border patrols to get wind of our operation.

"Yes, boss!"

The scar-faced man was the leader of a bandit group named Wild Hounds.

They don't have a permanent place of residence, because they believed that no place was safe. The Wild Hounds would only visit cities where the Dark Traders were located because these cities were under the Black Market's control.

It was the safe haven for criminals, and most wanted people who had bounties on their heads would take permanent residence in these cities.

The group traveled for three days until they arrived at one of these hidden cities that had been dug inside a mountain.

This city was called Truedawn. It was the underground city that held the biggest auction house located near the city of Alabaster. Due to its close proximity to the city of Alabaster, only certified members of the Dark Guilds knew of its existence.

These members had powerful restrictions carved into their bodies to prevented them from leaking the city's location to anyone. The price of breaking this restriction was a very slow, and painful death.

It would not be an exaggeration to say that Truedawn was the strongest stronghold of the Dark Traders in the Western Sphere of the Central Continent. This was a very important city to the Dark Guilds and its defenses were second to none, resembling a formidable fortress, which used the geography to its maximum advantage.

Even if an army were to siege it, the Dark Guilds could easily defend it due to the powerful magical arrays that they had placed around the mountain.

"All of you get out!" the scar-faced man ordered. "Make sure to bring them to the underground containment area first. Skipper, I'll leave everything to you, do you understand?"

"Don't worry, Boss," Skipper replied. "I know what to do."

The scar-faced man snorted before taking his leave. He still had other things to do in the city, and would visit the Auction house after a few hours, so he left the captured "merchandise" in the hands of his subordinates.

A few minutes later, the scar-faced man arrived at a magnificent structure that was located at the center of the city.

"Brock, you're finally back," a middle-aged man wearing glasses greeted. "How was your haul? Did you manage to snag us a few elven beauties? They are quite high in demand right now."

Brock smiled before nodding his head. "I got one, and she's quite the looker. We also have two dwarves in their early twenties, but they are pretty at best. Nothing special."

The middle-aged man made a gesture, and Brock sat on the couch opposite him.

"We have noble ladies looking for good looking men," the middle-aged man commented. "Did you manage to get a few?"

"We caught two Half-Elves," Brock replied. "I'm quite confident that the ladies will love them."

"How about labor work?

"We captured a few Beastkins. They will do just fine."

The middle-aged man chuckled as he extended his hand. "It's always a pleasure working with you, Brock. With your merchandise, we will have over a fifty slaves in this auction."

Brock held the middle-aged man's hand firmly and shook it twice before letting go. "It's always a pleasure working with you, Sir. I just hope that the remuneration I will get from the Auction will satisfy me."

"How about Sixty Percent?"

"Sixty-five."

"Fine. You have a deal."

The middle-aged man chuckled as he adjusted his glasses. "The border patrols are getting more active as of late. Lie low for a while and don't come out of the city. You'll have plenty of cash to spend when the auction is over, so you don't need to hurry to get back to work."

Brock pondered for a while before giving the man a brief nod.

"Okay," Brock replied. "I'll stay and enjoy your hospitality, Lord Grayson. If possible, I'd also like to sightsee in the Aiur Empire for a few days."

Grayson smiled after he heard Brock's reply. "Of course. I will make the necessary arrangements for you and your men.

Grayson was a Marquis in the Aiur Empire, and one of the major backers of the slave trading in the west. Arranging for Brock's accommodation in his Domain was a very simple thing for him.

—–

Meanwhile at the underground area…

"Hurry up and start moving!" Skipper shouted as he used a wooden stick to strike the Half-Elf's back whose good looks made him feel insecure.

"He's at it again, that Skipper," one of the bandits said in disdain.

"Aren't you used to it by now?" a burly man asked. "He's always like that when he faces off against any good looking man. If not for his fear of the boss' wrath, he might have ruined the faces of all of the Elven Men that we've captured over this long while."

"Still, that Half-Elf is quite a catch. I'm sure that our lady customers will be pleased."

"Indeed. He will sell for a few thousands when the bidding starts."

The ragtag group of Elves, Half-Elf, Beastmen, and Dwarves, were tied up in special metal chains that prevented them from using magic.

This was the standard equipment that slave traders use in order to neutralize their captives. As long as they were wearing these shackles, they were no different from commoners who couldn't use magic.

When they arrived at their destination, all the demihumans were locked up. They would be appraised by the elders of the Auction House and, depending on the result of the appraisal, their initial bidding prices would be set.

"Get in!" Skipper kicked the back of the Half-Elf, sending him falling face first inside a prison cell.

"Skipper, don't step out of line! If that Half-Elf's face is injured his price will decrease," the burly man shouted. "I'm sure you don't want to make our boss angry, right?"

"So what?" Skipper sneered. "At most he will just have minor bruises. Do you think the Auction House doesn't have the ability to cast a healing spell on his face?"

The burly man snorted. "We'll see what the boss says later. If the Auctioneers complain to him later, you'd better prepare yourself for a beating."

Skipper shrugged as he gave the Half-Elf one last glance before leaving the underground room. Although his Boss might nag at him later, he just couldn't stop the urges to beat up the Half-Elf that made him feel inferior.

As soon as the bandits had left the scene, the Half-Elf slowly propped himself up from the ground and dusted off his clothes.

'Optimus, start to map this area. Make sure to give me as detailed a report as soon as possible.''

< I'm on it. >

Chapter 772: I'm Just Following The Rules [Part 2]

"Will he really be okay?" Lilith asked as she eyed the mountain in the distance. "That place is filled with hidden experts. No matter how strong he is, he couldn't possibly fight them all, right?"

Chiffon unwrapped a chocolate lollipop before placing it inside her mouth. She licked it for a few seconds before turning her head to the side to look at the Amazon who had a frown on her face.

"He will be okay," Chiffon answered with confidence. "I trust him."

Lilith frowned. When Willam told them that he found a group of slave traders hiding beside the borders of the City of Alabaster, the first thing she wanted to do was to beat them up and hand them over to the authorities of the City of Alabaster.

However, William said that he had a better idea. After telling the two women about his plan, their group split, and the Half-Elf went off on his own.

"You sure trust him a lot," Lilith said.

Chiffon nodded. "I do. He is my husband after all."

"Hey, can you tell me how the two of you met? I'm very curious about how you became Wiliam's wife."

"It's a long story. Do you still want to listen?"

Lilith nodded. "Yes. it's the perfect way to pass time."

She was really curious on how one of her sisters managed to marry the Half-Elf that had shaken the entire world due to his achievements in the Tower of Babylon.

Lilith thought that it would be a good idea to know more about William. That way, she would understand his character, which would greatly help her plan to bridge the gap between them.

'I need to know his likes and dislikes,' Lilith thought. 'That way, I can help my mother prepare the girls that match his preferences.'

The Amazon Princess was not ignorant and knew that men had varied tastes when it came to women. Some prefered mature ladies, some like shy types, there were others who prefered tomboys like Lilith, and some liked innocent looking girls.

Since the Amazons was a race of women, they could easily handpick the ladies in order to tempt the men who visited their empire.

This privilege was only given to the strong men that they had recognized as someone who possessed prized seed. Even though Prince Maximilian and Prince Jason were considered geniuses in the Kraetor Empire, the Amazons didn't give them much consideration.

For them, members of the Royal Families had a huge advantage when it came to cultivating experts. Amazons preferred those that had become strong through hardships, and didn't rely on their family's influences.

Only truly strong individuals would gain the right to have the Amazon women fawn on them and seduce them to become their partners.

Suddenly, a red bird descended from the sky and landed on Chiffon's outstretched arm.

"Will has safely entered their base," B1 reported. "He will start the operation in a few hours."

"Okay," Chiffon nodded. "Thank you, B1. Continue to monitor the surroundings, but do not alert them."

"Understood." B1 opened its wings and flew back towards the mountain to watch the enemy's movements.

—-

After sunset, Truedawn City started to become lively as the guests they had invited arrived at the Auction House.

Most of them were nobles from the different Kingdoms and Empires in the Central Continent. There were also members of the influential families that could be considered Overlords in their own Domains.

Although there were a few Kingdoms and Empires that banned slave trading, the majority didn't mind it too much. This was why the slave trading business was the most profitable business in the Central Continent.

"Ladies and gentlemen, It's my pleasure to be your host in today's auction," a handsome middle-aged man who was in his early thirties said with a smile. "I'm sure that all of you are very eager to buy your new slaves, so without further delay, let the auction begin!"

The curtains behind the man rose and a beautiful Elf, wearing red clothes that highlighted her curves, was escorted to the stage.

Both of her hands were bound by manacles, so she couldn't use her magical powers to free herself from her captors. The men in the audience were captivated by her beauty and boldness.

"Our special artifact has appraised her as a twenty-two year old Elf," the auctioneer said with a smile. "Her chastity is still intact, which is good news for everyone. I wonder, who among you will be the lucky person to make her a woman?"

The handsome middle-aged man lightly pushed the Elf's back to make her step forward, so that everyone could take a closer look at her.

The Elf glared hatefully at the masked people who were looking at her like vultures that were about to descend to the sky and tear off her flesh.

"I like her eyes. I wonder how long she will have that defiant look on her face after I am done with her."

"I've decided. She will be my next conquest! Elven girls are the best."

"Breaking her will surely prove to be a challenge. Even so, it will be worth it."

Seeing that everyone was itching to cast their bids, the host of the auction raised his hand to get the show going.

"Bidding starts at five thousand gold," the handsome middle-aged man said. "Increment will be a hundred gold. Start the bidding!"

"Six thousand!"

"Seven thousand!"

"Seven thousand six hundred!

"Eight thousand two hundred!"

"Ten Thousand gold coins!"

In the end, the elven beauty was sold for thirty-thousand gold coins. After that intense bidding war, the next batch of slaves was presented one by one.

Humans, Dwarves, Beastkins, all of them were sold to high prices which made the owner of the auction house very happy.

Meanwhile, backstage…

A Half-Elf with red hair and green eyes hummed as he brushed his hair.

His hands were tied with manacles, and a black, slave collar hung on his neck. However, he didn't seem to mind it too much as he combed his hair properly.

His caretakers were looking at him in a weird manner because he looked so carefree. This was the first time they had seen a slave act this way and it was making them doubt their common sense.

"It's your turn," a lady in her late twenties said as she approached William. She then caressed the side of his face and her eyes were filled with greed. "Too bad, I can't join the bidding for you. I'm sure that you will be a good slave."

The Half-Elf didn't say anything and simply handed his comb to the lady.

"Take this as a souvenir," The Half-Elf replied.

He then allowed himself to be taken by the men to the stage, while humming a tune. The woman looked at his back in confusion. For some reason, she felt like the Half-Elf was making fun of her.

"Let's see how long you can keep that attitude of yours," the woman sneered as she followed behind the group. She didn't believe that the Half-Elf would still act pretentious after he was sold to his new master.

When the Half-Elf appeared on stage, the women's gazes locked on him instantly.

"The next slave to be auctioned is a Half-Elf. According to our special artifact, he is eighteen years old," the middle-aged man said. "He is quite healthy, and would definitely be a good addition to your collections, my ladies."

The middle-aged man chuckled as he started the bidding for the Half-Elf.

"Bidding starts at five thousand gold coins with an increment of a hundred. Let's start."

"Eight thousand!"

"Ten thousand!"

"Twelve thousand!"

Everytime a lady bid for him, the Half-Elf would look in their direction and give them a wink. His playful antics made the ladies go gaga over him and the bidding war blazed into an inferno.

"Eighteen thousand gold coins!" a lady wearing a cat mask shouted. "The Half-Elf is mine!"

The Half-Elf glanced at her direction and smiled. "I'm not yet yours. You have to win the bidding first."

"Nineteen thousand!" a lady wearing a bird mask shouted. "Hands off b*tch he's mine!"

Another lady wearing a panther mask joined the fray. "Twenty thousand!"

"Twenty one thousand!"

"Twenty-two thousand."

In the end, a three-way battle was fought over the Half-Elf as the bid rose to twenty five thousand.

The three ladies were seated on VIP seats, which meant that they were high-ranking nobles.

'Interesting, a cat, a bird, and a panther,' the Half-Elf thought with a smile. '

While the three ladies wearing masks glared at each other, an adorable voice spoke up and placed her bid.

"Twenty-two thousand one hundred."

The three girls simultaneously glared in the direction where the voice came from.

Seated on a couch were two girls. The taller one wore an owl mask, while the smaller one wore a tiger mask.

The lady wearing the tiger mask had long, pink hair, and even though they couldn't see her face, they assumed that she was no older than fourteen years old.

After a brief pause, the lady wearing a cat raised the bid once more.

"Twenty-five thousand!"

"Twenty-five thousand one hundred."

"Twenty-six thousand!"

"Twenty-six thousand one hundred."

"Twenty-eight thousand!"

"Twenty-eight thousand one hundred."

"Are you messing with me?!" the lady wearing a cat mask asked in irritation.

The young lady wearing a tiger mask looked in her direction and tilted her head in confusion. "No?"

"Then why are you only adding one hundred gold coins to all our bids?" the lady wearing a bird mask inquired.

"Didn't the auctioneer say that the increment should be a hundred gold coins?" the tiger-masked young lady answered. "I'm just following the rules."

The lady wearing a mask choked on her saliva because she didn't expect to hear the answer given to her by the young lady that was making things difficult for her.

"Girl, you're not breaking any rules, but can't you fight us properly?" the lady wearing the cat mask asked in irritation. "Just adding a hundred coins to our bid each time is disrespectful, you know?"

The young lady wearing the tiger mask nodded her head before placing another bid.

"Twenty-eight thousand one-hundred and one," the tiger-masked lady said. "There. I added one more coin. It's fine now, right? I exceeded the hundred increment rule."

Three girls who were duking it out a while ago almost spat out blood after hearing the young girl's reply. They didn't know whether to laugh or cry at the young lady's common sense.

Even the auctioneer could feel beads of sweat forming on his forehead. He had hosted many auctions in the past, but this was the first time that he had encountered a customer like the tiger-masked girl.

Suddenly, a heartfelt laughter erupted from the stage of the auction room.

William held his stomach as he laughed out loud.. He didn't expect his adorable wife to be capable of making people want to kill themselves just by saying a few innocent words.

Chapter 773: Say Hello To My Little Friends

"Y-You! Who invited you to this auction?!" the bird-masked lady shouted. "Are you making fun of us?"

The tiger-masked lady shook her head. "No. Don't worry. I have money. Do you want me to add two coins instead of one? Okay. Twenty-eight thousand one-hundred and two. There!"

The cat-masked lady was about to throw a fireball at the irritating little tiger, but the people serving her immediately stopped her from doing so.

The auctioneer knew that if this continued, their auction house would become a big joke to the people of the underworld, so he decided to step forward and handle the situation.

"Young Miss, if possible, can you take this bidding seriously?" the handsome middle-aged man asked. "You are making things difficult for everyone. I'm sorry, but if you don't bid properly, we will have no choice but to ask you to leave the auction house."

The tiger-masked lady pouted behind her mask as she shifted her gaze to the auctioneer who was looking at her with an unfriendly gaze.

"Didn't you say that the increment for each bid should be a hundred coins?" the tiger-masked lady asked back.

"Yes. I did."

"Then you're the one at fault. I'm just bidding according to your words."

"But, Young Miss, there is this thing called 'reading the mood'. Surely, you know about this thing, right?"

The tiger-masked lady shook her head. "No. You were the one who was in the wrong. If you said that the increment should be a thousand gold coins each time then I would have done that. However, you said the increment should be done in the hundreds. I'm just doing what you told us."

"But…"

"I am a paying customer. Customer is always right."

"But…"

"Just because you are older than me you think you can bully me? What kind of auction is this? Is this the way you treat your customers? Big Sister, that old man is bullying me."

"There there. Don't mind him. We should be more understanding of plebeians. Maybe he doesn't have enough money to buy clothes. Don't worry, I will give him a few coins later."

The auctioneer became speechless because he didn't know how to proceed. Not only was the young girl calling him out for the words he said, but the older one actually called him a plebeian in front of everyone in the auction room.

An awkward silence descended in the room. In a special VIP room overlooking the entire auction house, Marquis Grayson looked at this scene with a dumbfounded expression.

Even Brock, who had brought William to the auction house, couldn't keep the corner of his lips from twitching.

After recovering his composure, Grayson communicated with the members of the Dark Guild to politely escort the two ladies out of the auction house. He was sure that none of his guests would mind him sending the two girls away.

"You sure invited some interesting nobles, Lord Grayson," Brock commented after Grayson finished giving his subordinates his orders.

"Well, we get some weirdos from time to time," Grayson replied as he cleared his throat. Although there had indeed been a few incidents in the past auctions, there was nothing that could compare to what he had seen today.

Grayson then communicated with the auctioneer and gave him the order to continue the auction. All of the guests he invited were influential people and he hoped that all of them could turn a blind eye to this unexpected turn of events.

William shook his head helplessly when he saw the masked Lilith and Chiffon being escorted out of the VIP seats.

"I apologize for this small mishap," the auctioneer said after wiping the sweat on his forehead with a handkerchief. "Let's continue the bidding."

Just as the ladies were about to throw their bids, the Half-Elf stepped forward.

"No," William stated. "This farce ends here."

Before anyone could understand the meaning behind his words, the Half-Elf casually broke the shackles that bound him.

William then turned towards the auctioneer and reached out his hand to grab him.

"Stop! I order you to kneel on the floor!" the auctioneer ordered.

The slave collar on William's neck glowed once, and the latter ceased all actions.

The auctioneer breathed in a sigh of relief as his face contorted in anger.

"Kneel! I order you to kneel!" The auctioneer pointed at William. In order to prevent any mishaps, he was given some authority to order the slaves that were wearing the slave collars inside the auction house.

"Okay." William smirked. "Since you want to kneel that badly, I will let you kneel."

Before the auctioneer could do anything, William appeared behind his back and pressed his hand on the middle-aged man's shoulder.

"Go ahead and kneel," William ordered as he pushed his hands down.

Immediately, a strong pressure descended upon the auctioneer which made his body collapse. The Half-Elf held him in place, forcing him to kneel on the ground.

William then glanced at the surroundings and gave everyone a devilish smile. He then raised his hand and tore the slave collar off his neck, as if it was just a piece of paper.

"I came here to do one thing, and one thing only," William stated. "And that is… to make all of you regret your decision for coming here today."

Several portals appeared all around the auction house and the smile on William's face grew wider.

"Say hello to my little friends," William sneered as dozens of monsters flooded out of the portals. The bodies of the guards that were present in the auction house shuddered because they clearly felt the strength of the monsters that were coming out of the portals around them.

Brock's and Lord Grayson's faces paled when they, too, realized that the auction house had been invaded by Centennial and Millennial Ranked Beasts.

Only one thought appeared on everyone's head and that was to…

"Run!"

No one knew who said that word, but it was more than enough to snap everyone out of their daze. The auction house immediately descended into chaos, as everyone ran for their lives.

William's loud laughter echoed behind them as the monsters in his King's Legion tore the entire place apart.

Chapter 774: Wait! Don't You Know How To Count?!

"Just where did these monsters come from?!"

"Stop talking and just run to the exit!"

"Where are the Elders that protect this place?! Why aren't they doing anything?!"

"Doesn't this place have any defenses? Why is it being overrun by monsters?!"

"Truedawn City focused its defense on an outside invasion, not an invasion from within. If you value your life, stop talking and just run!"

Complete pandemonium had erupted inside the auction house as hundreds of monsters flowed out of the portals in droves.

"Dammit!" Lord Grayson hurriedly opened the secret passage in his personal VIP Room. Although Truedawn City had experts protecting it, most of them were Adamantium and Black Ranked Warriors.

There were only two Saint-Ranked warriors in the whole city, however they were only at the initial stages of the Saint Rank, so they were only as strong as Millennial Beasts in their middle stages.

Brock followed behind Lord Grayson and escaped through the secret passage, along with the Marsquiss' bodyguards. Since the monsters were rampaging inside the city, his safest option was to follow Lord Grayson till they reached the base of the mountain.

"Remember, only incapacitate the members of the Dark Guilds and members of the Underworld," William ordered his legion via telepathy. "As for the rest of the people, herd them towards the exit. There will be a surprise waiting for them outside."

The Monsters gave William an affirmative reply as they wreaked havoc around them. They were not mindless beasts that wantonly killed people.

As William was about to pursue the Big Bosses of Truedawn City, he heard a call from behind him.

"Will!" Chiffon called out as she ran towards him.

Lilith was not far behind with a dumbfounded expression on her face. Although she had heard that William could control a monster army, this was the first time that she had seen it in action.

The powerful aura of the monsters made her realize that all of them were high-ranking beasts. Although they were only of the Centennial and Millennial Rank, thousands of them appearing all at once would give any major force in the Central Continent a big headache.

"It's going to get a bit messy in here, Chiffon," William said as he patted her head. "Do you want to fight alongside me?"

Chiffon nodded. "Un!"

William kissed her and the pink-haired girl turned into particles of light, which flew towards the gem on his chest.

Soon, a golden flame appeared on William's forehead and his aura became more powerful.

Lilith, who watched this scene, became slack-jawed because she could feel Chiffon's power emanating from William's body.

'H-How can this be?!' Lilith gasped in shock. 'He can merge with the Deadly Sins?!'

As a member of the Seven Deadly Sins, Lilith was quite knowledgeable about their circumstances. There had never been any written record of someone who could use the Divinity of the Seven Deadly Sins by merging with them.

It was completely unheard of!

William gave the dumbfounded Amazon Princess a side-long glance before flying out of the action house's broken roof. Optimus had already placed markers on Lord Grayson, Byron, and Skipper.

The Half-Elf had no intention of letting any of them go, so he left the scene after giving his Kings Legion some reminders.

"Hello, little girl," Psoglav said as it appeared beside Lilith and grinned at her. "William said that you specialize in finding treasures. He asked me to raid the treasury of this underground city. Do you want to cooperate with us?"

Lilith was quite familiar with Psoglav because she had seen the Demonic Dog knock them out one by one during the fight against the Dryad.

"Sure, but I want a seventy-thirty split," Lilith replied. "I get 70, you guys get 30."

"Sixty-forty, or no deal." Psoglav replied. "We get sixty, you get forty. William said that if you refuse, he will not take you to the Forbidden Ground to play."

Lilith was about to reject the offer, but after pondering for a bit, she realized that going to the forbidden ground would yield greater treasures compared to the underground city.

"Fine," Lilith said through gritted teeth. The Amazon knew that she needed to work together with William in order to earn some brownie points. As long as she got her share, getting the smaller piece of the pie was acceptable.

—–

At the Lord's Mansion located on the north end of the City…

"Damn! How could you do this to me, Brock?" Grayson complained as he collected the valuable items in his treasury. "Why did you bring that menace to the underground city?!"

Brock's face had already turned ashen. It never crossed his mind that the Half-Elf that he had caught not long ago was a wolf in sheep's clothing. When he had captured William wandering the borders of the City of Alabaster, he thought that he had struck the jackpot.

Elves and Half-Elves had always been in demand in the Black Market, so getting those races would definitely give him a good sum, once they were sold in the auctions. Not once did he think that instead of bringing in a sheep for the slaughter, he had actually invited a calamity inside their stronghold.

Now, all the ringleaders of Truedawn City were trying to escape like wild ducks that had heard the sound of gunshot.

They knew that even if they mobilized their forces to defend the city, it would be all for naught. Everyone was busy trying to escape with their lives, and had already thought of abandoning the city.

"We should leave, My Lord," one of Lord Grayson's bodyguards said. "The Monster Army is almost here. Right now, their numbers have already increased to tens of thousands. This is the end of Truedawn City."

Lord Grayson clenched his fist in anger, but there was nothing he could do but flee. However, just as he was about to lead everyone to the secret passage that would take them to the base of the mountain, the roof above their heads crumbled.

When the dust settled, everyone in the room stared at the newcomer that had appeared and was looking at them with a teasing smile.

"Who are you?!" Lord Grayson. "Why are you doing this?!"

William ignored the Marquis as he waved his hand.

Several energy balls, the size of bowling balls, slammed into the bodyguards that were standing beside Lord Grayson.

The guards were caught by surprise. The next thing they knew, all of them had slammed against the wall and their vision was turning dark.

"Only the two of you are left," William said. "Ah! Don't even think about bribing me with money, lands, position, or women, like third rate villains. That won't work on me."

Lord Grayson almost choked because that was exactly what he was planning to do. He could tell that the red-headed teenager was strong. All of his guards were of the Black-Rank and all of them were sent flying before they could even do anything.

This just showed that the Half-Elf was stronger than them, so he had no choice but to try his luck and do his best to negotiate.

"Young man, everyone has a price," Lord Grayson replied. "I can give you anything you want. I am a Marquis of the Aiur Empire. Regardless of what it is, I will give it to you!"

"Really? Will you give me anything I want?"

"Yes!"

William smirked. "Then give me all your storage rings and storage bags. I will only count to ten. If those items are not in my possession, I will be taking them by force."

"One…"

"Two…"

"Five…"

"Eight!"

"Wait! Don't you know how to count?!" Lord Grayson cursed out loud. He then hastily threw his storage rings and storage bags at the floor in order to appease the Half-Elf that was emitting killing intent towards them.

Lord Grayson was trying to buy time so that he could activate the long-distance artifact in his possession. But, he would need at least four seconds to activate it.

Time that the Half-Elf didn't plan to give him.

William snapped his fingers and an icicle spear jutted out of the ground, hitting the artifact that was hidden in Lord Grayson's left chest pocket.

The artifact was destroyed instantly, and the Marquis cried out in pain after getting stabbed in the chest.

Lord Grayson took a few steps back while pressing his hand over the wound on his chest. He looked fearfully at William who was walking in his direction.

"N-No! Don't kill me!" Lord Grayson pleaded. "Have mercy!"

"You don't deserve mercy," William said with contempt. "What you deserve is death."

William stomped on the ground and several ice spears pierced Lord Grayson's, and Brock's body, seriously injuring them.

Suddenly, ice spread outward from their wounds, slowly covering their entirety in ice.

In the end, only their heads were left untouched. They looked at William in horror because no matter what they did, they couldn't break free from the icy prison that had trapped them.

"Don't worry. I will not be the one to end your lives," William smiled evilly. "I will let the slaves that you captured deal with both of you. I'm sure that they will give both of you the VIP treatment that you deserve."

Brock stared at William with unwillingness and regret. If only he hadn't captured the Half-Elf in front of him due to greed, his lifestyle might have remained unchanged. Now, it was too late.

He knew that if the slaves get their hands on them, He and the Marquis would suffer a very long and painful death.

Chapter 775: I Don't Care Who You Are, Who You Know, Or Where You're From

Several members of the Dark Guilds lay on the grounds moaning in pain. They were the warriors that the Underworld had dispatched in order to deal with the monsters that had suddenly appeared inside the Auction House.

What they didn't know was that they weren't only dealing with a few monsters. When they realized that they were up against thousands, it was already too late to run away.

Although William had ordered his Kings Legion to incapacitate the members of the Dark Guilds, he didn't tell them to simply knock them unconscious.

The order that the Half-Elf had given them was this.

"You can do whatever you want, as long as they're still breathing. Don't touch the buyers in the auction house, just chase them towards the exit of the city. Everyone else is fair game."

Because of this, the Monsters didn't hold back. Some of them broke the warrior's arms and legs, others tore them off their bodies.

Psoglav thrashed his Dark Whip around his surroundings, while gnawing on a dismembered arm that belonged to an Adamantium Ranked Warrior who had attacked him earlier.

"Hah, so troublesome," Kasogonaga said as he walked beside Psoglav. The rainbow-colored anteater didn't join the fight and simply observed the carnage around him. "Turning this place upside down doesn't pose any kind of challenge. All the enemies are weak."

Psoglav chuckled as it brandished its whip to grab a warrior who was about to run away. It then slammed the warrior to the ground repeatedly until the latter fainted.

"It's not that the enemies are weak." Psoglav corrected. "We just became stronger."

Psoglav then stomped on the warrior's legs, and hands, breaking them completely. If it didn't accompany William in his journey, it might have never climbed the rank that it had now.

Any of the warriors that the Dark Guilds had dispatched was strong enough to kill his former self. Now, he could trample all of them with ease.

"True," Kasogonaga agreed.

After it had escaped its icy prison, its rank had degraded. If not for William, clearing out the magic crystals in the Kyrintor Mountains, the rainbow-colored Anteater would have definitely remained trapped in time, unable to awaken from its slumber.

"Almost all the residents have evacuated," Psoglav glanced at its surroundings. "Time for the next phase of the plan."

"Can we really trust that Amazon?"

"Relax. Aethon, B1, and B2 are raiding the treasury alongside her. Those birds have a good memory and that girl will not be able to play any dirty tricks while they are around."

"I hope you're right," Kasogonaga replied.

——

"Do I look good?"

"Chirp!"

"How about me?"

"Chirp!"

The two dumb birds were wearing golden necklaces on their bodies like gangsters.

"Oh this ring looks good on my claw," B1 said in appreciation. "How about you Aethon? Do you want some?"

The little Wren shook its head as it chirped at the two dumb birds who had decked their bodies out with various accessories.

Lilith who was busy removing the various traps in the treasury could feel her face twitching. This was the first time she had seen birds act in this manner.

'They're like William,' Lilith thought. 'A bunch of posers!'

The four of them had fought their way towards the treasury and knocked out all of the guards that blocked their way.

Lilith had gotten a bit of understanding as to what the two birds were capable of, and it unnerved her.

When facing opponents, the birds would fire magic missiles that came from those so-called "Lollipops" that she was seeing for the first time in her life.

When the charges of the lollipops run out, they would hurl bottles of acids at their enemies that were strong enough to melt steel.

If given the choice, Lilith didn't want to face these birds in battle. Not only did they hurl all kinds of dangerous items at their enemies, they also insulted and cursed them with vulgarities.

She became speechless when the red bird, B1, even cursed one of the Black-Ranked Warriors up their thirteenth generation. The man had gone insane and attacked B1 with the intention of perishing together.

Unfortunately, the Dumb Bird was now a Pseudo-Centennial Beast, and was strong enough to slap the assailant away with its wing.

"Oi! Keep those hands moving!" B1 glanced at Lilith who would stare at their direction from time to time. "We still have a dozen more locations to visit. Put your back into it!"

"That's right," B2 commented from the side.

"Oh, this tiara will look good on our Chiffon. Let's give this to her later."

"Indeed. Our Chiffon is the best."

"Chirp!"

Lilith was very tempted to hurl the treasure chest she was trying to unlock at the two dumb birds and bury them with its weight.

Fortunately, she was able to stop herself in time.

'Just you wait,' Lilith thought as the lock in her hands broke apart. 'I'll make William pay for this.'

—-

"Achooo!"

William rubbed his nose while watching Chiffon smash the treasure chests using Sharur. Unlike Lilith, who had the ability to unlock any kind of traps and chests, the pink-haired girl opted to use the Smasher of Thousands to forcefully bash the treasure chests that were stored in the warehouse of one of the Big Shots of the City.

Most of the members of the Dark Guilds had been dealt with. After their rampage ended, the members of William's King's Legion started to pillage the entire city.

The Requiem Antz that had transformed into lobsters and crabs diligently took everything of value back to the Thousand Beast Domain. Even the tables and chairs didn't escape their grasp!

< Will, the nobles and other non combatants that escaped have all been captured by the border patrols that encircled the mountains. >

"Good," William replied. The Half-Elf then sent his legion an order to double their pace in clearing out the items inside the city. He planned to ransack it to the ground and leave nothing for the army of Alabaster who had arrived to assist them in their operation.

A few hours ago, Chiffon and Lilith had gone to the City of Alabaster to make their report. The Amazon Princess went straight to the embassy of the Ares Empire and asked them to help her communicate with the various forces in the city.

At first, the Army of the City was skeptical about her claims. However, after knowing that she was the Princess of the Ares Empire, they thought that listening to her report was the least that they could do.

However, when she told them that there was a slave trading city near them, everyone went bonkers and pressed her for more information.

Since the city was a gathering place of the different races, they hated slave traders to the core. Once Lilith had told them that there was an underground city that sold slaves near their territory, they decided to mobilize their troops to surround the mountain, in order to purge the bastards from their Domain once and for all.

"Don't you know who I am?!" a captured noble screamed at the top of his lungs. "I am a good friend of the Prince of Rinoa! You can't touch me!"

"I am the daughter of a count! Get your filthy hands off me!"

"Release me! You mongrel, release me!"

A burly Tigerkin who was over two-meters tall had his arms crossed over his chest as he watched his men tie up the nobles that had escaped from the mountain.

Due to the commotion that had happened inside the city. All the defenders that were keeping a lookout for outside forces, hastily entered the city to check what was happening.

The Army of Alabaster used this opportunity to storm the front door and lay an ambush, capturing everyone that was headed to the exit.

They couldn't believe that an underground city was built so close to their city. If not for the Angray Birds that led them to the hidden entrance, they would have overlooked it completely.

"Commander, we managed to capture over five hundred nobles, as well as a thousand slave workers," a Half-Elf reported.

The anger in her eyes was evident. If not for the strict discipline that had been imposed on them by their Commander, she might have already started killing the people who dared to break the taboo of their Domain.

"Take two hundred men and scout the interior," the Tiger-kin ordered. He then grabbed Skipper, who had also been captured by his subordinates, by the neck and stared into his eyes hatefully. "You will guide my men to free the slaves that you have imprisoned. Do you understand?"

Skipper gasped for breath as the Tiger-kin strangled his neck. Only when he was about to lose consciousness did the Tiger-kin throw him to the ground.

"Go," the Tiger-kin ordered. "Save our brothers and sisters from this hell."

"Yes, Sir!" the Half-Elf saluted before dragging Skipper towards the underground city.

The Tiger-kin watched until their backs disappeared in the distance. He then eyed the people that they had captured with a feral gaze.

"I don't care who you are, who you know, or where you're from," the TIger-kin said in a voice that was laced with killing intent. "There is only one thing that all of you should know. Everyone here will be punished according to our laws. There will be no exceptions!"

The faces of the nobles paled after hearing the Tiger-kin's words. They knew that the punishment for the slave traders was death, and many years of imprisonment for the slave buyers.

Their only hope was for their family members to come and bail them out. But, even then, the price they had to pay as compensation would amount to no less than a million gold coins. If their families couldn't pay this amount, they would be imprisoned for an indefinite amount of time.

The Tiger-kin snorted as he ordered his men to be on high alert. He didn't know what caused these people to flee from the underground city.. All he knew was that whoever was responsible for dealing this deadly blow to the slave traders, would be the friend of the Port City of Alabaster for life.

Chapter 776: Dream An Impossible Dream

Barracks located inside the Port City of Alabaster…

"It's my honor to meet you, William Von Ainsworth," the Tiger-kin Commander, Whitefang, said with a smile. "I didn't think that the most famous member of the young generation would not only enter our Domain, but help us rid ourselves of a thorn that was growing right under our nose. We are truly grateful for your help."

"The pleasure is mine, Commander," William replied. "I couldn't possibly turn a blind eye to these bastards who are harming the lives of our people. My only regret is that I can't wipe them all off from the face of the Central Continent."

White Fang looked at William with admiration. There had been some merchants from the City of Alabaster that regularly visited the Tower of Babylon.

When they heard that William had kicked the ruling families that promoted slave trading from the tower, the Half-Elf's name had been the talk of the town for the past few weeks.

Most of them wanted to get the chance to meet the red-headed teenager, but due to their duties, they couldn't leave their posts.

Fortunately, he visited their Domain and even helped them with the slave traders who were active near their borders.

White Fang's Vice Commander, Haleth, the beautiful Half-Elf with blonde hair and green eyes, looked at William with a beet-red face.

"Sir William, are you planning to stay in the city?" Haleth said in a voice that was laced with adoration. "If you don't mind, I can be your tour guide during your stay. Commander, can I ask for a vacation leave? I would like to guide Sir William around our territory."

White Fang glanced at his subordinate's pleading gaze and chuckled internally.

"I never thought I'd see the day when our pretty Haleth would act like a lady," White Fang teased. "You've always acted like a tomboy when you're with us, but as soon as Sir William arrives in our city, you become all lady-like again. What kind of sorcery is this?"

"Commander!" Haleth glared at the burly Tiger-kin who was grinning at her.

White Fang then patted his chest and gave Haleth the "Leave this to me" wink, which made the Half-Elf's already red face even redder.

"Commander, we came here to the city to re-supply our food rations," William said with a smile. "At most, we can only stay here for two days before we resume our travels."

Disappointment flashed across Haleth's face when she heard that her idol was planning to leave the city in two days. However, this expression only lasted for a brief moment before she returned to her normal state.

"Two days? What's the rush?" White Fang asked. For him, Haleth was like a little sister. He thought that since William was also a Half-Elf, Haleth and him had a lot in common, since both of them were Half-Elves.

"There is a place that I need to visit, and I want to go there as soon as possible," William replied. "However, since this is a rare opportunity, I can stay for another day or two to see the attractions of the City of Alabaster."

White Fang nodded in understanding. He then thought of a way to use this short period of time to pull some strings in the background. Although it might be a longshot, it was quite possible that sparks would fly between the two Half-Elves if he gave both of them a little push.

'I didn't think that I would play matchmaker in this manner,' White Fang mused as he glanced at the two Half-Elves that were smiling at each other.

After thinking things through, he decided to give Haleth a chance and decided to give her a few days off.

"Haleth, from today onwards, you will be Sir William's tour guide," White Fang ordered. "This will be your mission, so make sure that you accomplish this mission at all cost!"

"Y-Yes, Sir!" Haleth stuttered as she gave White Fang a salute.

Chiffon and Lilith looked at the overly excited blonde Half-Elf whose face had reddened once again.

"Sir William, since you will be staying here for a few days, please, allow me to take you to the best inn in the city," Haleth proposed. "I promise that you will not be disappointed."

William smiled and nodded his head. "Thank you. I'll be in your care. Please, lead the way."

"Understood!" Haleth unconsciously saluted William out of habit which made White Fang burst in laughter.

After that brief episode in the Barracks, Haleth led William, and the two ladies accompanying him, to the inn called Shaking Nut Tavern. The medium-sized inn was located not far from the city center, which made it the ideal place to stay if you were a traveler.

"How many rooms do you plan to have, Sir William?" Haleth asked as she gave Chiffon and Lilith a side-long glance.

Both girls were exceptional beauties in their own right.

Lilith had a valiant appeal, and her sun-kissed skin was radiating with youth and energy. Since she was a warrior, her body was fit and no excess fat could be seen anywhere. She also had curves in the right places, which made the men they met along the way turn their heads to look at her in appreciation.

Chiffon, on the other hand, stood out because of her cuteness. Her small height, and her overall appeal makes people want to give her a hug. Even Haleth found it hard to resist the little girl's innocent charms.

As part of the army that managed the safety of the City of Alabaster, Haleth's observation skills were second to none. She could tell if one was an evil-doer with a glance, and this ability of hers had allowed the patrolling army to capture suspicious individuals before they could even manage to do their nefarious deeds.

"Two rooms," William replied. "One room with an extra large bed."

"I see…," Haleth nodded her head in understanding. "We'll do that then."

After observing Chiffon and Lilith for a while, she found out that there seemed to be a distance between Lilith and William. This made Haleth a little happy because for her, the one with the highest threat among the two girls was Lilith.

With that said, Haleth couldn't help but feel envious at the special treatment that Chiffon received from William.

The way the red-headed teenager held the young lady's hand, as well as the way he looked at Chiffon, made her jealous. It was very obvious that William truly cared for her, and Haleth wished that she could take the young lady's place.

Of course, this was only in her mind. For her, William was the idol of all Half-Elves. A man that wouldn't turn a blind eye to the evil of the world and would use force to mete out justice to those who deserved it.

William was like the moon in the sky during night time. He seemed so close that one could reach out to hold him, and yet, those same hands wouldn't be able to hold anything.

'Hah, who am I kidding? This is impossible,' Haleth side as she tried to curb the fantasy that was starting to play in her head. 'Get a grip, Haleth. You should face reality. Don't dream an impossible dream.'

Using all of her willpower, she did her best to push down the budding feelings in her heart. For now, she would treasure these precious feelings. Haleth knew that after William left the City of Alabaster, the chances of meeting him again would be very slim.

Since that was the case, she would just do her job and guide him properly.. That way, these beautiful memories of seeing her idol would remain in her heart, till the end of time.

Chapter 777: There Is Nothing I Can't Steal

The first rays of sunlight peered through the window and hit Lilith's face. The Amazon Princess opened her eyes and slowly propped herself up from the bed.

She then walked towards the window and opened it to admire the City of Alabaster, which was hailed as the biggest trade city in the western part of the continent.

"I wonder if he's still asleep," Lilith thought as she extended her senses to the room next to her.

Although it was barely audible, she heard the sound of a sleeper's breathing in William's room. Clearly, the Half-Elf was still asleep, and it made Lilith shake her head helplessly.

"The two of them only stopped at dawn," Lilith muttered. "It is understandable why they are still both asleep. I guess they will wake up around noon."

Lilith then washed her face before leaving her room to eat at the inn's tavern. She had visited the City of Alabaster once in the past, but it had been a few years since then. That time, her Mother assigned her to go in her place to supervise the building of the Amazon embassy in the port city.

Although it was called an Embassy, it was more of a warehouse used by the Amazons to store the products that they had bought from the merchant ships that frequented the city. Also, the City of Alabaster was a place where the different races mingled together.

It was a good place to find strong individuals that they could invite to the Ares Empire in order to strengthen their bloodline.

The Amazons were granted by a special blessing of their Goddess, Astarte, that allowed them to give birth to children with the special bloodline characteristics of their father. Naturally, Amazons that were born with this strong bloodline, could also pass their ability to their daughters.

This was why the Amazons liked to invite the talented prodigies of the influential Clans who had special bloodline talents, exclusive to their families.

Lilith and her two sisters were born from such a union.

She was the middle child, and held far more freedom compared to her sisters. This allowed her to travel the land whenever she wanted, and only return home when she missed her family.

The Amazon Princess was about to order her breakfast, when she saw a pretty Half-Elf with blonde hair and green eyes enter the tavern.

The moment Haleth entered, she immediately saw Lilith and approached her with a smile.

"Good morning," Haleth greeted.

Lilith smiled and gave her a brief nod. "Good morning. Have you had breakfast yet?"

"No. I came here early because I thought that all of you would already be awake… is Sir William still sleeping?"

"He is."

A look of disappointment flashed in Haleth's eyes, but it only lasted for a brief moment.

"Why don't you join me for breakfast?" Lilith proposed.

"I'll take you up on your offer then," Haleth replied with a smile.

After ordering their food, the two ladies chose a table in the corner of the tavern. Since it would take a while before their food was served, Lilith decided to ask the army officer a few personal questions about herself.

It was quite easy for her to tell that the Half-Elf was very interested in William, so she decided to tease her a bit.

"Do you like William?" Lilith asked as she propped her chin over her open palm.

"W-Was it that obvious?" Haleth stuttered. "Oh, no! Did Sir William notice it as well?!"

Haleth covered her face in embarrassment. She thought that she did a good job hiding her feelings, but looking at the confident smile on Lilith's face, she knew that her cover was blown.

"I think he did," Lilith replied. "Between you and me, I think he has the mindset that all girls will fall in love with him because of his good looks."

Haleth blinked once then twice before the meaning of Lilith's words dawned upon her.

"Sir William is like that?" Haleth inquired in a hushed tone. "Is he some kind of narcissist or something?"

Lilith smirked. "A bit. Fortunately, he's not the type that would look in the mirror and say 'I'm so good looking. I guess I'll just marry myself!'"

The two girls stared at each other for a few seconds before chuckling at the same time. A minute later, both of them managed to reign in their laughter and continue their chat, while they waited for their food.

"I didn't know that Sir William has this side to him," Haleth said. "For me, he's someone unreachable. But, after hearing your words today, it made me realize that despite his legendary status, he's still Human."

"Half-Elf," Lilith corrected. "He's only half Human. Just like you."

Haleth smiled as she eyed Lilith. "You're an Amazon, right?"

"Yes," Lilith replied.

"Then, are you interested in Sir William?"

"I'm only interested in his seed. We prefer to give birth to the children of strong men."

Haleth's expression was tinged with curiosity as she pressed on with more questions.

"Do Amazons know the meaning of love?" Haleth inquired. "I mean, you are a matriarchal society, so men didn't have much power in your domain. I've heard stories that Amazons treat the men like slaves. Is this true?"

"Nonsense. Although women hold the power in our Empire, we don't mistreat men," Lilith answered. "They are treated with respect because Amazons only give birth to the child of the strong. This has been our tradition since ancient times, and will remain the same in the future.

"As for love… There are Amazons who also fall in love. We're not that strict when it comes to these things, but they are a small minority. "

Haleth smiled. "Have you ever fallen in love, Lilith?"

"No."

"Not even once?"

Lilith shook her head. "I've seen many men, but for some reason, I don't feel any strong attraction to them."

Haleth nodded. "Then what about Sir William? Do you not feel attracted to him?"

Lilith was about to say no, but suddenly remembered the time when William confronted her because she stole the Collar of Wister from Princess Sidonie.

Back then, William's eyes looked so cold and the pressure that he had given her made her unable to breathe. Because of this, she returned the collar to him, without putting up a fight.

She could still remember that incident like it was only yesterday. William's light-green eyes, which looked so warm and tender whenever he looked at his wives, had been as cold as a blade that was sharp enough to pierce her soul.

That was the first time someone looked at her in that way, and it left a lasting impression on the Amazon Princess.

"I guess he's not half bad," Lilith answered. "Still, don't get the wrong idea. I'm only after his seed, and have no intention of falling in love with him. I'm just doing my duty as an Amazon."

Haleth sighed after hearing Lilith's words. She knew that this was part of Lilith's heritage, and the culture had been ingrained deeply in her bones. Even so, she felt that it was such a shame for someone as strong-willed as Lilith to not experience what love was.

"I wish with all my heart that you experience what love is like, Lilith," Haleth said.

"What are you? Some kind of hopeless romantic?" Lilith smirked. She had seen many girls like Haleth. Girls who dreamed that they would find their prince charming and live happily ever after.

Unlike the Half-Elf, Lilith didn't believe in happy endings. Although she was a Princess, she wasn't looking for a Prince.

'Love only makes people weak.' Lilith thought.

"Then, what if you fall in love?"

"Like I said, that's not happening."

Haleth shook her head as she lightly tapped the table using her fingertip.

"Just humor me," Haleth stated.

She was very curious about what kind of answer Lilith would give her after she had asked the Amazon a question.

"What if you fall in love, and the man you love already has a lover?" Haleth inquired. "What will you do if that happens?"

The Amazon Princess gave Haleth a mischievous smile before answering her question.

"If I really fall in love with someone, and they are already taken, then there's only one thing that I can do and that is to steal them." Lilith replied. "Silly girl. There is nothing in this world that I can't take."

The Amazon glanced in the direction of the staircase and saw William walking down the stairs, while holding Chiffons' hand. The two chatted with each other, and the tender gaze that he gave the pink-haired girl was vastly different from that cold, and indifferent look that he had given her back then.

The smile on Lilith's face widened as she looked at the two lovers, who were still unaware that she was looking at them from the corner of the tavern.

'Yes. There is nothing I can't steal,' Lilith mused as she looked at the Half-Elf who only had eyes for his wives.. 'Not even your heart is safe from me.'

Chapter 778: Do I Look Amazing Enough For You To Surrender Your Seed?

After breakfast, Haleth took William, Chiffon, and Lilith for a tour around the city.

As the trade capital of the West, it had many shops and boutiques that catered to people of all ages.

There were also many specialty dishes that came from all over the world, which made Chiffon very happy. The little glutton sampled as many as she could, including snacks and desserts, which made Haleth wonder where all the food that she had eaten had gone.

"Chiffon, you've been eating since we've left," Health said anxiously. "Are you sure you're going to be fine? Sir William said that you'll be staying here for two days, so you don't have to force yourself to taste everything."

"Big Sister, I'll be fine," Chiffon replied before taking a bite of a croquette that William had just bought for her. "No matter how much I eat, I won't gain any weight."

"H-How envious. I can't eat as much as you, or else my figure will be destroyed," Haleth said enviously. "In the future, you should eat moderately, Chiffon. What will you do if you suddenly become fat and Sir William won't like you anymore."

Chiffon almost dropped the croquette in her hands in panic. She then looked at William with an anxious look, which made the red-headed teenager chuckle.

"Don't worry, even if you become a little chubby, I won't mind." William patted the pink-haired girl's head. "So, eat as much as you want."

"Will it really be okay if I become as fat as Mama Adephagia?"

"… Y-Yes."

Chiffon smiled as she happily bit into the croquette in her hands. Ever since she had lost her mother, the Goddess of Gluttony had treated her like a real daughter. Because of this, Chiffon and Adephagia were really close, and was also why the Goddess of Gluttony went out of her way to make her daughter happy.

William watched his little wife eat one croquette after the other with a smile. But, deep inside, he vowed that he would not allow Chiffon to become as fat as the Goddess of Gluttony, who even threatened to sit on his head if he ever made Chiffon cry.

Lilith watched this scene with a calm expression as she strolled the city with her three companions. What the three didn't know was that she was also talking to her Patron Goddess, Mammon, as they explored the sights and sounds of the City of Alabaster.

"Lilith, the Forbidden Ground is a dangerous place, but it also holds great opportunities," Mammon said. "When you venture inside it, pay attention to your surroundings. The Dryad that you faced is nothing compared to the Monsters that reside inside it."

"Are there Myriad Beasts inside the Seventh Sanctum?" Lilith inquired. She had heard that the Forbidden Ground were dangerous places, but she didn't know how truly dangerous they were.

"Myriad Beasts are the least of your worries," Mammon answered. "Although I can't tell you exactly what you can encounter inside the Seventh Sanctum, know that utmost caution is required. I know that you and William plan to look for treasures, but do you really think that it is going to be that easy? If both of you think that way then I can only say that the two of you are naive."

Lilith nodded. "I will do my best to be careful. Thank you for the reminders, Your Excellency."

"Good. also, tell that Half-Elf that he shouldn't be too overconfident when he enters the Forbidden Ground. There are places where brute strength will not be enough to save him."

"Understood."

—–

Four hours later…

William rented a medium-sized boat, and all of them went on a boat cruise. They even visited a small island two miles away from the port, and stayed there for lunch.

"What is that dress that Chiffon is wearing?" Haleth asked while pointing at Chiffon who was wearing a one-piece pink swimsuit with a frilly skirt. The pink-haired girl was letting the waves wash over her feet. Clearly, she was enjoying this weird sensation of the sand slipping past her feet.

"That's called a swimsuit," William said.

"One-piece swimsuit?"

"Yes. A swimsuit. Do you want to wear one?"

"I think I'll pass." Haleth shook her head. She was a conservative type, and someone that didn't want to show a lot of skin to people. This was why she preferred wearing her uniform even though she acted as the tour guide for William's group.

"That swimsuit looks interesting. Can I try wearing one?" Lilith asked.

"Are you sure?" William asked back.

Lilith nodded. "Yes. Since we're the only people on this island, I don't mind giving it a shot."

William observed the Amazon from head to foot. As an Amazon, Lilith's clothes showed a lot of skin, which made the red-headed teenager nod his head in approval.

"Okay, give me a second," William replied. He then pretended to look at the contents of his storage ring while Optimus bought a two piece bikini from the God Shop.

After a minute, William passed the two pieces of clothing to Lilith which made Haleth blush like there was no tomorrow.

"W-Wait, isn't that just underwear? Haleth asked. "Sir William, please, don't tease Lilith."

William wagged his finger at the beet-red faced young lady. "That is not underwear. That is a two-piece swimsuit."

Lilith glanced at the swimsuit in her hands before glancing back at William. She then went to the boat in order to change her clothes, leaving the slack-jawed Haleth behind.

"Will, let's play," Chiffon said as she pulled William towards the water.

Haleth watched as the two started to frolic and splash water at each other. Chiffon's childish giggles reverberated in the air, which made the pretty Half-Elf sigh in envy.

She wished that she could do the same with William, but unfortunately, she didn't have the courage to wear skimpy clothing.

Suddenly, something appeared at the corner of her vision, and the pretty Half-Elf turned her head to the side.

She couldn't help but gasp at the Amazon whose lean and toned body made her jealous.

'H-How can she show herself like that in front of a man?' Haleth couldn't believe what she was seeing.

William also noticed Lilith's approach and the latter gave the Amazon an appraising gaze before giving her two thumbs up in his heart.

'Indeed, a beautiful girl will look good in anything they wear,' William thought as he eyed the Amazon who was walking towards him with a confident smile.

Lilith's skin was lightly tanned, and the red swimsuit highlighted her body perfectly.

William had long gained some kind of immunity when it came to beautiful women because all of his wives were beautiful. Not only that, he had also seen them in their birthday suits.

Although Lilith wasn't as beautiful as Princess Sidonie, and Celine, her appeal was more than enough to make any man wish that she was their girlfriend.

Also, the regal warrior aura that she radiated and the confident smile on her face made her a bonafide headturner. Even William had to admit that Lilith was an exotic beauty that was different from his wives.

"Well, how do I look?" Lilith inquired.

"You look amazing," William replied honestly.

"Do I look amazing enough for you to surrender your seed?"

"On second thought…"

Lilith chuckled when she heard the Half-Elf taking back his words. She clearly saw the appreciation on William's face, and for some reason, it made her happy.

The Amazon Princess wasn't someone who actively sought the recognition of others, but William's reply was enough for her to feel confident about herself.

'So, he finds me attractive as well,' Lilith thought. 'Too bad the two of us are not alone on this island.'

Lilith glanced at Chiffon who was also staring at her body. The Amazon thought that the little girl would feel inferior because Lilith was more sexy than her.

However, no trace of jealousy or envy could be seen in Chiffon's innocent gaze. For a brief moment, Lilith even felt a sense of peace in the pink-haired girl's eyes as she appraised her from a distance.

Lilith was not aware that Chiffon had been able to throw away all of her insecurities after she had become William's wife. The little glutton knew that William loved her for who she was, so she stopped worrying about competing with his other wives.

Although her chest wasn't as big as Celine's, and her face wasn't as beautiful as Princess Sidonie's, Chiffon no longer cared.

After William and Chiffon were satisfied with looking at the eye candy before them, the two decided to head back out to the sea to swim.

Lilith felt competitive and joined the two, and the three of them swam far from the shore… leaving a pitiful Half-Elf to stand alone at the beach, all by herself.

Chapter 779: Entering The Forbidden Ground

Two days passed, and it was now time for William's group to resume their journey.

Haleth and a few of her subordinates escorted the three of them until they arrived at the border of their Domain.

"Sir William, please visit us again," Haleth said as she gave the Half-Elf a salute. "That goes for Chiffon and Lilith as well. I'd be happy to become your tour guide once again.

William smiled and nodded his head. "I'll take you up on that offer, Miss Haleth. We will be passing by the City of Alabaster on our return trip, so I look forward to seeing you again. Once again, thank you for your hospitality. Our short break here in the city washed away the fatigue of our journey."

After saying a few more parting words, William summoned Raiden, his Dark Qilin, which surprised Haleth and her subordinates. Bidding their final farewells, the Qilin rose up to the sky and flew southwards.

As the scenery sped past them, William, Chiffon, and Lilith noticed the subtle changes in the terrain.

They noticed that, as they neared their destination, the Flora and Fauna on the ground was getting sparse.

An hour later, William and the girls saw a giant purple dome in the distance. Tendrils of lightning snaked across its surface, and a purple mist covered its interior.

As they drew closer, all of them felt like a weight was pressing down on them. Even Raiden's speed slowed, and their altitude slowly decreased with each passing second.

"Lilith, if you still want to back out, feel free to speak your mind," William said. "Once we enter that thing, I can't guarantee your safety."

"I already made up my mind," Lilith replied. "I'm going with you."

Since the Amazon had already decided, William didn't try to dissuade her. He only ordered Raiden to land near the border of the purple dome, because they planned to enter it on foot.

Flying inside the Forbidden Ground was a disaster in the making. Not only would they not know what lay ahead, the Dark Qilin's presence might also attract the Overlords of the Domain. This would only make things difficult for William and his group, so he decided against it.

The Half-Elf firmly held Chiffon's hand as they passed through the purple dome. Lilith followed behind the two as she raised her guard to the fullest.

When they entered the domain, the purple mist was so dense that they could only see a meter in front of them.

Suddenly, William reached out to hold Lilith's hand, which caught the Amazon completely by surprise.

"Visibility is close to zero," William said with a serious expression on his face. "We need to stick together. If we get separated in this mist, we might have a hard time finding each other."

Lilith nodded in understanding. She knew that what William said was right, so she didn't reject his offer. As the three of them walked side-by-side, all of them expanded their senses outwards.

They didn't know how long they walked, but after William looked at his status page, he found out that they had already been walking for two hours.

Optimus had activated the system's compass, so the Half-Elf was sure that they were walking in a straight line.

Finally, after almost three hours of wading inside the purple mist, they finally broke out of it, and found themselves in what seemed to be a forest, whose trees extended several meters towards the sky.

Various roars, howls, shrieks, and other sounds permeated the forest, which made William, Chiffon, and Lilith tread lightly as they explored its depths.

The Half-Elf had asked Optimus to do an extensive scan of their surroundings, but just as they had anticipated, it didn't work. The map only showed the places that they had walked, leaving a vast expanse of black on William's status page.

< There is a powerful law that permeates this Domain. Be careful, Will. >

'Understood.'

Suddenly, something caught William's attention and his first action he did was to summon Stormcaller and throw it behind him.

The sound of metal hitting metal spread throughout the surrounding area as William and the two girls by his side wore a grim expression on their faces.

A four-meter tall green Mantis, eyed the three of them with its viscous eyes. The Half-Elf raised his hand, and Stormcaller freed itself from the Mantis' claws.

"Sh*t," William cursed when he saw that the Mantis in front of them was not an ordinary beast, but a Myriad Beast in its initial stages.

Even Chiffon and Lilith couldn't believe that the first creature that they ran into inside the Forbidden Ground would be a Myriad Beast that had been stalking the three of them. If not for William's heightened senses, they might have fallen to a sneak attack from this silent killer who had reaped the lives of those that had dared to enter the Seventh Sanctum in search for treasures.

The three immediately took out their weapons in preparation to fight, but something unexpected happened.

Just as they were about to duke it out with the Mantis, William's face paled when he sensed a few more presences behind them.

Sure enough, when William turned his head to look behind him, three more Green Mantises appeared in his vision. The four mantises then sprang towards them, leaving William no choice but to grab Chiffon's and Lilith's waists and activate the skill Lightning Strider.

This skill allowed William instantaneous travel at the speed of lightning, completely evading the four Mantises that had planned to slice the three of them in half.

Having lost their targets, the Green Mantises looked in the direction William had escaped, but none of them pursued him. They only glanced at each other and clicked their mandibles in frustration.

Soon, the four mantises leapt up into the trees and hid themselves once again. They would patiently wait for their next prey to come and ensure that none of them would be able to escape their grasps.

Such was the life inside the Forbidden Ground.

Only the strong would survive and the rest would end up as prey.. Although the Domain hid untold treasures within its vast lands, one must have sufficient strength in order to take those treasures and make it out of the Seventh Sanctum with their lives.

Chapter 780: Meeting An Old Acquaintance Inside The Forbidden Ground

A streak of lightning flew through the trees as William looked for a safe place to land.

Soon, his gaze landed on an area that he deemed to have no wild beasts laying in wait in order to ambush them. Although he wasn't sure if his hunch was correct, he could only try it for now. Flying randomly around the Forbidden Ground was not the best choice that they could make right now.

William sighed as the effect of the Lightning Strider skill faded. This was one of the trump cards that he could use to escape, and travel across the land with the speed of lightning.

Although it wasn't as convenient as Soleil for instant transmission, it was more than enough to escape the pursuit of five Myriad Beasts who intended to kill them without mercy.

"Are the two of you alright?" William asked as he looked at the two ladies, whose complexion had turned pale.

"I feel dizzy, Will," Chiffon said as she held her head with both hands.

William pulled the pink-haired girl against him and gently patted her head. "Sorry, I didn't have the time to warn the two of you about my plan."

Lilith, on the other hand, weakly leaned on a tree and puked. Unlike William who was already used to instantaneous movement, the Amazon Princess felt nauseous, and was unable to stop herself from emptying her stomach, due to the discomfort that she was feeling.

Fortunately, as the sin of gluttony, puking was not an option for Chiffon. Even so, Chiffon still leaned weakly against William's body as she allowed the dizzy sensation to pass.

While the two girls tried to get-over their discomfort, William extended his senses throughout their surroundings. The ambush of the Green Mantises made him realize how dangerous the Forbidden Ground really was.

Although he could have used his Heroic Avatar to deal with their enemies, it had a very long cooldown. William didn't plan to use it unless it was a last resort.

After a quarter of an hour, the two girls were able to recover enough to continue their exploration of the Seventh Sanctum with William.

As they walked, the Half-Elf asked the Amazon Princess if she could feel any treasure near their surroundings.

"Actually, I've been sensing a very rare treasure in that direction," Lilith said as she pointed towards the Northwest. "Although I don't know what kind of treasure it is, I'm pretty sure that it is extraordinary. My only concern is that there is a possibility that this treasure might be guarded by a powerful beast.

"At the very least, the Beast protecting it should be at the peak of the Millennial Rank. there is also a possibility that the one guarding it is a Myriad Beast."

William weighed his options, whether they should go in the direction of the treasure or continue to wander around their location.

'With Optimus' mapping system weakened, we will have a hard time finding the Hall of Thunder,' William thought. 'The only thing we can rely on is Lilith's ability to find treasures. If the Hall of Thunder has treasures inside it, there is a high chance that we will stumble upon it as we go treasure hunting.'

After weighing the pros and cons of his decision, WIlliam decided to give it a try.

'Optimus, place trackers on Chiffon and Lilith,' William ordered. He was afraid that they would get separated if something unexpected happened as they journeyed towards their destination.

< Understood. Trackers have been placed. >

After the trackers had been successfully placed on the two girls, William asked Lilith to lead the way. However, as an extra precaution, William decided to summon B1, and B2, to scout ahead.

When the two dumb bird appeared, both of them instinctively felt that they were in a very dangerous place. Because of this, they decided to be extra cautious and kept each other within eyesight.

With Lilith leading the way, and the two birds telling William about the dangers in their path, they were able to detour around the powerful Beasts that lived in groups.

After two hours of walking, William, Chiffon, and Lilith came upon a small clearing.

At its center was a blood-red tree that was three meters tall. A single golden fruit could be seen hanging from one of its branches. Even from his hiding place, WIlliam could sense the powerful life force that was coming from the fruit.

He had a feeling that if ordinary beasts were to eat it, their ranks would immediately sky rocket to the Peak of the Millennial Rank.

William would have definitely taken the fruit if not for the four beasts that were sleeping beside the tree.

The Half-Elf cursed internally after he saw the information of the Beasts after using his Appraisal Skill.

—-

< Black-Striped Terror Rat >

– Vengeful Rat Beast

– Threat Level: SSR (Low)

– Myriad Beast

– Cannot be added to the herd

– The Black-Striped Terror Rat is known for its vengeful attitude. If anyone were to offend it, this beast would not rest until it had killed those who antagonized it.

– This Beast usually form groups with other Black-Striped Terror Rats. When more than five individuals form a group, they will be able to trigger their Racial Ability, Primal Rend, which is strong enough to severely injure a Myriad Beast of a higher tier.

– This race also had the special ability called "Trace". Once they have planted this skill on their target's body, they would be able to find their location without fail for the duration of a month. Unless you don't want to be hunted down by these savage, and vengeful creatures, stay as far as you can from them.

—–

William could feel a headache about to descend on him after he realized that all four of the giant rats in front of him were Myriad Beasts.

Even Lilith who liked treasures had a grim expression on her face as she watched the rats from afar.

Chiffon, on the other hand, had a more simplistic attitude when it came to the golden fruit on the tree. The little glutton was thinking about what the fruit would taste like when it was eaten.

The Half-Elf then shifted his attention to the fruit and used his appraisal skill. He was very curious about what kind of fruit would entice four Myriad Beasts to guard it.

—

< Golden Blood Fruit >

(95% Ripe)

– This fruit will automatically detach itself from the tree once it has reached maturity.

– When this fruit is eaten by a creature when it is 100% Ripe, it will allow that creature to undergo a special transformation.

– If this is eaten by a Beast, it would gain a massive upgrade in its overall strength, and undergo Beast Evolution. If that Beast has a special bloodline then their bloodline powers will be fully unlocked after their evolution.

– if this fruit is eaten by a Human, it will allow that person to break through one tier in their ranking. Meaning, if this was eaten by a Saint in his or her initial stages, he or she would have the strength of a Myriad Beast in its Middle Stages.

Those with special bloodlines will get their bloodline abilities enhanced by 100%

– If this fruit is eaten by a creature when it is still not fully mature, it will only give them a strong boost in their physique, but they will not undergo evolution. They will also not be able to unlock the hidden bloodlines in their bodies due to the fruit's immaturity.

—-

'I see, that explains it,' William thought. 'These Giant Rats are aware that the fruit is not yet fully ripe, so they decided to guard it in turns to prevent others from snatching it.'

With Optimus' help, William was able to detect at least a dozen more beasts that were lurking around the clearing.

The Half-Elf was sure that when the fruit dropped off from its branch, a bloodbath would occur.

"Should we snatch it?" Lilith inquired. "I am confident that I will be able to take the fruit if I am at least ten meters away from the tree. The problem is that I'll probably be torn to shreds once those rats discover me."

William shook his head. "The fruit is still not ripe. It will detach itself from the tree when it reaches maturity. Also, there are some opportunists like us that are aiming for the fruit as well. Aside from those four rats, there are other beasts that are lurking around it. If we do something funny, all of those beasts will become our enemy.

"Also, those rats will be able to trace you if you try to steal the fruit from them. If you don't mind being chased by four crazed and vengeful Myriad Beasts then feel free to give it a try."

Lilith sighed as she looked at the fruit with regret. Treasures were good, but what good would they be once you're dead?

William was about to tell the two girls to leave the beasts to fight against each other, when he felt a familiar presence headed in his direction.

The Half-Elf became confused because it had been a very long time since he had met this creature. Also, from the looks of things, this creature had finally crossed that threshold and stepped into the Myriad Rank.

William stood in front of the two girls and made a gesture for them to not do anything.

Before they could even ask what was going on, they heard a pair of footsteps walking in their direction. A minute later, a young man, who seemed to be in mid-twenties appeared in front of William's group.

"Fancy meeting you here," the young man with brown hair and eyes said with a smile. "This is truly unexpected, don't you think?"

William was still unsure of the young man's identity so he decided to test the waters to confirm if his hunch was right.

"Are you His Excellency, the Diabolical Hell Ape?" William inquired.

The young man smiled and nodded his head.

When the Half-Elf last saw the Diabolical Hell Ape, it was still in the Southern Continent. Also, back then, the powerful beast didn't have the capability to take human form. Seeing this old acquaintance of his inside the Seventh Sanctum made William both happy and worried at the same time.

"Are you now human, Your Excellency?" William asked another question. The Half-Elf could still remember that when he asked the Diabolical Hell Ape for help, it said that it would only help him if he helped it become human.

This time, the young man shook his head.

"Not yet," the Diabolical Hell Ape replied.. "However, if I get that fruit, I will be one step closer to reaching my goal. Will you help me, William?"