45: Rifle Mage

Of course, this also owed much to the spell model Avilan had improved, which gave the Shadow Bullet greater penetrating power.

Avilan called mage-types like the Wild Demonfolk Rifle Mages. This, too, was a form of magical technology.

The success of it all made Avilan even more interested in magical technology. He also realized that if he could think of it, then perhaps the others who had crossed over from "Myth" might have thought of it as well.

So Avilan had no intention of killing Fox. Since Fox was the chief of the Fox Clan, he naturally knew much about matters on the national level. Perhaps Avilan could obtain plenty of important information from him.

Fox followed closely behind Tian Ye, and everything he saw and heard along the way filled him with dread.

The weapons and equipment in Oldwood Fortress were simply outrageous. Nearly everyone wore armor. Leaving aside the craftsmen required, where did they get such vast quantities of iron ore?

Fox could never have imagined that Avilan's Despair Fortress possessed something as heaven-defying as an Ore Well. No one needed to mine it; it automatically supplied the necessary ore every day.

"Your subordinate pays respects to the Supreme Exalted One." Tian Ye dropped to both knees, pressing his face tightly to the ground as he offered Avilan the utmost respect.

Fox naturally understood the meaning of such a gesture, but he did not kneel. Instead, he performed a noble's shoulder-touching salute.

After all, he represented not only the Fox Clan, but the entire Munk Kingdom.

"Hello, Mr. Fox." Avilan sat in the seat of honor and spoke with a smile.

"Greetings, great and esteemed sir." Fox bent forward and returned the salute.

"I heard that the Piten Tribe's actions this time were instigated by you, sir?" Avilan asked with a pleasant smile.

Fox immediately broke out in a cold sweat, unsure how to answer. Then Miuo strode in, clad head to toe in armor and radiating an imposing aura. He still carried the stench of blood, clearly having just come down from the battlefield.

"Reporting to Lord Avilan, all the old, weak, sick, and disabled left behind in the Piten Tribe have been dealt with. Not a single one was allowed to escape." Miuo dropped to one knee in salute.

"Very good."

Avilan smiled and nodded. At the same time, he noticed that this battle had successfully raised Miuo by one level. Thinking of Aranda, who was already level 42, Avilan gradually understood why they liked killing so much.

It was not for blood sacrifice offerings, but for killing monsters to level up.

Fox drew a sharp breath. He had never imagined Avilan would be so ruthless. Not only had he eliminated all the able-bodied members of the Piten Tribe, but he had slaughtered the entire tribe.

But when he saw Miuo, his expression changed slightly. He suddenly remembered where he had seen this Catfolk before—except that he had now evolved into a Catman.

Though his appearance had changed somewhat, his scent could not deceive. Many beastmen looked rather alike, and scent was the only way to identify one another.

The little chieftain of the Catfolk who had defected back then had now evolved into a Catman and had even pledged himself to this terrifying mage before him.

"Lord Fox, I invited you here today because I wish to make a deal with you." Avilan waved, signaling Tian Ye and Miuo to stand to either side.

"Oh, a deal?" A sharp gleam immediately flashed through Fox's eyes as he asked with great interest, "What sort of deal?"

"I heard that your clan and the Raccoon Dogfolk do not get along, and clashes often occur between you. I imagine you have a great need for weapons and equipment. You have seen my army's weapons and equipment, haven't you?" Avilan said with a smile.

Fox instinctively shot Miuo a glare.

The Fox Clan and the Raccoon Dogfolk were both enormous groups within the Beastman Kingdom, and both were known for their intelligence, with many subordinate clans beneath them.

However, most people who did not know better believed they were the same race—the so-called foxes.

In fact, both assumptions were wrong. Raccoon dogs were canines. Because they resembled raccoons, they were sometimes mistaken for the Raccoon Clan, but raccoon dogs and raccoons differed in their tails, number of toes, and fur color.

The two had always been on bad terms, but only true beastmen knew this. Outsiders did not even know how to tell them apart, much less that they were hostile toward each other.

"That is merely a minor conflict between our two clans." After glaring at Miuo, Fox replied elegantly.

"Oh, then that is for the best. I had intended to sell a batch of weapons and equipment to the Raccoon Dogfolk as well. It seems this deal has promise after all." Avilan replied with a smile.

Fox's face turned ashen in an instant. He had already seen the Wild Demonfolk's equipment. Even if the equipment sold to the Raccoon Dogfolk was somewhat inferior, it would still create an overwhelming equipment advantage. Compared to human nations, the Munk Kingdom mainly used leather armor.

This was because the Messiah Great Forest did not produce iron ore, while the beastmen in other regions mostly occupied barren lands that had even less iron ore. On top of that, the Elves had joined with other races to impose metal controls on beastman nations. Purchasing ore and weapons in large quantities was extremely difficult, and the prices were outrageously high. This was also why the Munk Kingdom had always been suppressed by the Eternal Night Duchy.

Their weapons and equipment were inferior.

"May I ask how many sets of weapons and armor you can sell?" Fox asked with restraint.

"That naturally depends on how much your side can take. However, due to the Noyin Committee, the price will be somewhat higher." Avilan said with the look of a profiteer.

Fox had long been prepared for a higher price. One could even say he had grown used to it.

The Noyin Committee, formally known as the "Anti-Beastman Export Control Coordinating Committee," had been secretly established one hundred and fifty years ago after the Elf Race gained continental hegemony. Its purpose was to curb the development of the beastmen, who had been competing with them for dominance at the time. Since its headquarters were located in the Noyin Republic, it was commonly called the "Noyin Coordinating Committee."

The Elf Race had nearly gone mad in its efforts to suppress beastman development. Their control over weapons and ore, along with large quantities of food, had prevented the beastmen, who had lain dormant for one hundred and fifty years, from returning to their peak. Instead, they had only grown weaker and weaker.

"Mm." One hundred and fifty years had left Fox unable to speak of the "Noyin Coordinating Committee" without both hatred and helplessness.

Fortunately, over the past decade or so, many Human Race nations had been corrupted by the beastmen and had begun secretly smuggling prohibited goods to them, resolving the beastmen's urgent needs.

"I need to inspect the goods before determining the price." Fox was an old fox himself, so he naturally would not agree at once.

"Of course."

When Fox followed Avilan to the warehouse in Oldwood Fortress, the massive iron doors rumbled open, revealing a warehouse filled with brand-new armor. Fox was left dumbstruck.

The armor was stacked neatly on shelves. Despite the enormous warehouse, there was not the slightest disorder. Upon entering, the first thing one saw was the weapons section, divided into two-handed heavy weapons and one-handed heavy weapons. The armor section was even more complex, mainly divided into high-end armor and low-end armor. There was comparatively little high-end armor, but most of it was exquisite, chiefly enchanted armor. Next came ornate armor that did not compromise defense. This type of armor was favored by royal families in many nations and was often bestowed upon meritorious generals.