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For the people at the bottom of Black City, even filling their stomachs was a luxury. Any expense unrelated to food was a shameful waste.

But that didn't change human nature.

Once people had enough to eat and drink, they all wanted something more.

Iron Fist Abe was no exception.

Wine!

Brewed from grain.

In Black City, it was an absolute luxury. Now, though, jar after jar sat on the table, ready for him to drink his fill.

"Wonderful!"

A wine jar thumped heavily onto the table. Abei's face was flushed as he roared,

"This wine really hits the spot!"

"Of course." His deputy, Rice, said with a grin, a piece of roast meat in his hand,

"Little Hender had someone buy it specially in Vitri City. It's good stuff even over there."

"Chief," someone below asked, looking up,

"I heard Hender's made something of himself?"

"Haha..." Abei burst into laughter, his spirits lifted. He was even happier than he'd been after drinking the good wine.

"That's right."

"He apprenticed himself to a distinguished knight. The knight has no children and is raising him as his heir."

"Great!" Rice, his deputy, cheered loudly.

"When Little Hender becomes a knight one day, we'll have somewhere to turn when we leave Black City."

"Mm."

Abei nodded slowly.

These people were his crew in Black City now, and they could help his son after they left.

They were his own people, and he could trust them.

"Come on!"

"Drink up and eat!"

"Black City may be a rough place, but if you work hard, you can get plenty of things you can't find outside."

"Exotic Beast Meat, weapons, armor, even Fire Seals..."

"Right."

Abei took a sip of wine.

"Over the next few years, brothers, put in the effort and get more Exotic Beast Meat sent over. I want my son to become a knight as soon as possible."

"When the time comes, you'll all get your share of the rewards!"

That was also why he had stayed in Black City all this time.

For the people at the bottom of Black City, leaving was nearly impossible.

But for people like Iron Fist Abe, leaving Black City wasn't difficult. Staying, however, let them reap plenty of benefits.

"Haha..." Everyone laughed and chimed in,

"Definitely, definitely."

"Once I get out, I'm going to find a nice, soft bed and sleep in it for days."

"You've got no ambition. What's so great about a soft bed? If you're looking for something soft, you should find a soft woman!"

"Haha... If it's a woman, do you think you'll still be able to get back up after a few days and nights?"

"You think I can't?"

The room erupted in laughter and jokes.

Iron Fist Abe hugged a wine jar and slumped back, drunk and drowsy, his mind hazy as he drifted between sleep and wakefulness.

Suddenly.

"Thud..."

A muffled sound came from outside.

He struggled to blink, still not fully alert, when more than a dozen streaks of cold light shot in from outside the room.

Several figures followed close behind, rushing in and launching a vicious attack.

In the blink of an eye, several companions he'd known for years, men who were like brothers to him, lay in pools of blood.

Even his deputy, Rice, was in dire straits, surrounded by several attackers.

Huh?

"How dare you!"

With a roar, Iron Fist Abe sprang to his feet and slapped the table.

*

*

*

Aya had come prepared.

Perhaps she wanted to use this chance to make Karl see her in a new light. She'd brought more than a dozen helpers.

Besides Eve Dorn, who'd come last time, she'd also brought along a black-haired man.

And Xiao Nan.

There were three Knight Squires alone. In terms of numbers, they were already a match for Iron Fist Abe's side.

"Attack!"

Aya leaned forward, her gaze cold. With a single step, she appeared inside the estate, behind one of the patrolmen.

Her wrist flicked, and a dagger shot out, slicing across the man's throat.

No one who'd survived in Black City this long was harmless. Aya was no exception. She killed without even blinking, as if she were slaughtering a chicken.

"Pfft!"

Blood sprayed.

The others attacked as well, rushing toward their assigned targets and quickly taking out the people on the perimeter.

Eve wielded a pair of short swords, while the black-haired man's weapon was a curved saber. Both fought with deadly precision.

Mm...

Watching the scene, Karl fell into thought.

Compared to the Knight Squires from the Patrol Hall, those who lived in Black City fought with far more viciousness.

Not to mention one-on-one.

Even if it was one against two or three, his pampered colleagues from the Patrol Hall probably wouldn't be a match for the people here.

In the blink of an eye, the group had charged into the heart of the estate. Aya waved, and the people behind her followed.

Then,

the group raised their arms, revealing Wrist Darts, hand crossbows, and other weapons. They carefully approached the windows and took aim.

Then they pulled the triggers.

"Thwack!"

"Whoosh, whoosh..."

"Pfft!"

In an instant.

A dozen or more powerful bolts pierced into the room. Accompanied by a string of screams and thuds as people fell, Aya's group charged in right behind them.

"Kill!"

"Die!"

"Clang..."

One side had rested and come prepared; the other was groggy and caught off guard. When they clashed at close quarters, the fight was utterly one-sided.

Xiao Nan held a wooden shield in his left hand and an axe in his right, roaring as he attacked his opponents with wild abandon.

He was born with tremendous strength.

By Karl's estimate, Xiao Nan was probably as strong as he was now, on par with many who'd been Knight Squires for years.

After one charge, three men were already down at his feet, and he'd drawn most of the attention in the room.

Eve and the black-haired man didn't say a word. Taking advantage of the chaos, they worked together to surround a Knight Squire.

Their coordination was seamless, clearly the result of long practice. One attacked head-on while the other provided support from the side, every strike aimed at a vital spot.

Archers provided support as well...

"Pfft!"

The curved saber sank into the opponent's chest.

One down!

After the brief chaos, the others in the room had also recovered and roared as they counterattacked.

The people of Black City were used to killing, and they fought with terrifying ferocity.

Even when they were slashed several times, or struck in a vital spot, they would grab their opponent before dying and try to take them down with them.

Not a single person chose to flee.

It was simply unbelievable!

Calling these people human was a stretch. They were more like beasts whose bloodlust had overtaken their reason.

"How dare you!"

With a roar, Iron Fist Abe slapped an incoming arrow aside and grabbed a man, slamming him viciously into the ground.

His strength was terrifying. He smashed a living man weighing more than a hundred pounds into a bloody mess.

"Chief!"

Rice, his deputy, shouted as he fought off his attackers.

"It's Aya!"

Aya?

Iron Fist Abe's eyes clouded with confusion, then he remembered the name he'd been hearing so often lately.

That little girl?

How dare she?

"Looking for death!"

With a roar, the ground beneath Iron Fist Abe's feet shattered. He shot forward like a cannonball.

His target was Aya, at the edge of the crowd.

"Get out of my way!"

Xiao Nan tried to intercept him, but Abe sent him flying along with his shield with a single punch.

As for Eve and the black-haired man, they exchanged a glance and abandoned Iron Fist Abe, rushing toward his deputy, Rice.

As long as they killed Rice and joined forces with the others, Iron Fist Abe wouldn't stand a chance, no matter how strong he was.

As for Aya...

They'd been invited to deal with Iron Fist Abe. They hadn't promised that Aya wouldn't get hurt.

"Get out of my way!"

"You're not getting away!"

Iron Fist Abe barreled through everything in his path, taking several sword blows as he chased after Aya, who was trying to escape.

He was astonishingly fast. In just a few breaths, he charged out of the courtyard—and saw Aya stop ahead of him.

Aya wasn't the only one there.

"Iron Fist Abe?"

Karl watched him, then raised his left hand.

Fire Seal!

"Boom!"

A ball of flames roared forth.