Dursley

Meanwhile.

In the Lower City, there was an underground casino called "Blood Roulette."

Its entrance was an inconspicuous wall; only by activating the correct mechanism could one enter.

The interior hall was spacious and dimly lit, with a complex layout. Roulette wheels, dice, cards, chips, and other gambling equipment covered the tables. All kinds of patrons stood or sat around them, erupting into cheers or curses from time to time, making the place extremely noisy.

The air was thick with the mingled scents of tobacco and alcohol.

Outside a VIP room deep within the casino.

Evan waited nervously.

The heavy door opened from within, and a man dressed in black stepped out.

"Lord Dursley has returned. Go in."

Evan met his gaze for only an instant before the powerful aura in those golden eyes frightened him into lowering his head.

"Y-Yes!"

"Lord Delair, I'll go in right away!"

Delair had been one of the first underlings to follow Dursley into the Bloodfang Gang, serving Dursley loyally ever since.

After Dursley rose to become the Bloodfang Gang's leader, this underling's status had risen accordingly.

Though his strength had not even reached Rank 1, he held a high position within the gang, effectively serving as Dursley's deputy.

Only after that intimidating presence gradually faded away did Evan breathe a sigh of relief.

Strange. Delair never used to feel this terrifying.

When Delair had spoken just now, Evan had somehow felt so suffocated that he could barely breathe, as if the thing before him were not a man but a horrifying monster.

I must just be too nervous...

...I hope Lord Dursley will spare me this time.

Thinking this, Evan carefully pushed open the heavy VIP room door, which was decorated with exquisite relief carvings.

The room's decor was luxurious and tranquil, utterly unlike the noisy atmosphere of the casino hall outside.

A massive chandelier lit by magical crystals hung from the ceiling, casting a soft yet bright glow. The surrounding walls were covered with carefully painted artwork, while even the floor was laid with broad carpets made from animal hides.

Behind a desk crafted from rare wood sat a middle-aged man with a gloomy gaze.

He was not tall, but his build was exceptionally sturdy. Simply sitting there, he exuded an air of danger.

A scar ran across the man's left eye, making him appear even more ferocious.

"Tell me. What happened?"

"Why is Moni's tavern still open?"

For some reason, Evan felt that the man's aura was even more savage than before when he heard the question.

His legs gave out on their own, and he dropped to his knees, crying out without daring to raise his head.

"My lord, please listen to my explanation."

"We were about to force him out of business. Following my orders, the brothers went to cause trouble in the tavern every day."

"Five days ago, Moni's daughter, that little bitch Rena, somehow hired a mage! And he was a Rank 2 mage! Without saying a word, he drove off all the men I sent!"

"According to the brothers' secret observations, that mage has been appearing at Moni Brothers Tavern frequently lately. He was most likely hired to protect them!"

"With a mage stationed at the tavern, the brothers don't dare cause trouble there."

Evan was one of the Bloodfang Gang's five lieutenants, a Rank 1 warrior.

The Bloodfang Gang thugs who had previously gone to Moni Brothers Tavern to smash its doors and cause trouble were Evan's men.

When Evan first received the order to harass a tavern and force it to close down and leave, he had not thought much of it.

After all, they were merely ordinary people. If he sent some underlings to make trouble for a few days, the tavern's business would most likely be ruined.

More than one business operating in Greenport Lower City had been driven away by Evan this way.

He was very practiced in such methods.

At first, everything had gone smoothly. With Bloodfang Gang thugs causing trouble from time to time, the tavern had soon been forced to close and could no longer serve customers normally.

However, Evan's plan had been disrupted by Pete, whom Rena had invited.

A mage—and at least a Rank 2 mage—was beyond what those thugs could handle!

Hadn't [Arcane Missile] taken them out one by one with pinpoint precision?

More importantly, mages were not people one could easily offend.

For the Bloodfang Gang thugs, causing trouble at the tavern was simply following orders in exchange for a reward.

But what if they truly angered that mage, and he held a grudge against them and decided to retaliate afterward?

Those low-level thugs had joined a gang to bully others, not to risk their lives!

For a time, no one dared step forward to be the first sacrificial lamb.

No matter how Evan tried to rally them, his thugs found all sorts of excuses to refuse.

With no other choice, Evan could only come to the Bloodfang Gang's headquarters—the underground Blood Roulette casino—to seek help from his boss, Dursley, the leader of the Bloodfang Gang.

"That's it?"

After listening to Evan's trembling, tearful account, the middle-aged man—Dursley—scoffed.

"A mere Rank 2 mage scared you all this badly?"

"As expected, worthless trash from the bottom can't even handle such a trivial matter."

Evan had grievances he could not voice and tried to defend himself. "But, my lord, none of my men are even Rank 1 professionals. Of course they're afraid that Rank 2 mage will retaliate..."

Dursley waved a hand, cutting him off. "Stop."

"I don't want to hear you babbling this nonsense."

"I'm asking you this: if I replaced all your men with Rank 1 professionals and promoted you to a Rank 2 warrior, could you get this done for me?"

Evan froze.

What had he just heard?

All his underlings would be replaced with Rank 1 professionals?

And he himself would be promoted to Rank 2?!

The words left him unable to react.

As Evan remembered it, the Bloodfang Gang had more than a hundred members, yet only five Rank 1 professionals in total, plus their leader Dursley, a Rank 2 warrior.

That level of strength was already enough to run rampant through the Lower City.

He had more than a dozen men under him!

If they could all reach Rank 1, wouldn't they directly rule the Lower City?

As though he had anticipated Evan's reaction, Dursley said disdainfully:

"You ignorant piece of trash. You're fucking embarrassing me. Making them all Rank 1 professionals is enough to scare you?"

"Open your dog eyes and take a good look. What rank am I now?"

Trembling, Evan raised his head and saw that Dursley's body was covered by a thick layer of "aura shield." Traces of blood-red showed through the flowing transparent energy.

"Battle Aura Protection!"

This was the clearest mark of a Rank 3 warrior. Their battle aura had grown dense enough to burst out through their body and form a shield around them, greatly reducing all kinds of damage.

"Let me tell you, the Bloodfang Gang is no longer what it used to be."

"Are professionals difficult to come by?"

"That's because you fools don't understand the true essence of power!"

"I have already gained the favor of a truly great existence. Rank 1, Rank 2—those are effortless matters!"

"Hurry up and bring all those useless underlings of yours here. That great existence will grant them true power!"

Dursley announced with a savage laugh.

"Dominating the Lower City is only the beginning!"

"From now on, the Bloodfang Gang will become Greenport's uncrowned king!"

"Those big shots in the Upper City will all kneel down and lick my boots!"