Chapter 4: Fierce Battle at the Blue Tower

At Mels's command, Sol and Rek summoned their respective Summoned Beasts, making their position clear. The two elders hostile to Liyana knew today's affair would not end peacefully. Though wary of Sol and Rek's Summoned Beasts, they showed no sign of retreat.

Just as the conflict between the two elders and Mels's group was about to erupt, the battle between Fonkdo and the two middle-aged men had already been decided. Fonkdo, his left arm bleeding profusely, slowly walked back to Liyana. Holding his longsword, he respectfully said, "Miss, I have failed you, allowing you to be frightened." Mels couldn't help but feel admiration for Fonkdo, who ignored his own injury to show concern for Miss Liyana.

Regardless of how lowly Fonkdo's status might be, this loyalty alone proved he was a man of true steel, worthy of anyone's respect. Mels also realized Liyana's identity was definitely not that of an ordinary wealthy young lady.

Fonkdo was seriously injured, but the two middle-aged men he fought would never stand again. Seeing their near-certain capture of Liyana ruined by the sudden appearance of three youths, the two elders' eyes burned with vicious hatred. The elder with the Lion-Tiger Beast snarled at Mels, "Kid, we are from the Green Pavilion. Do you truly wish to make an enemy of the Green Pavilion?"

"Ah, you two are actually the renowned masters of the Green Pavilion?" Hearing the elder reveal their affiliation, Mels exclaimed in feigned shock, "This humble one deserves death a thousand times over! How could I have disturbed your esteemed leisure!" Mels bowed and scraped obsequiously toward the elder.

Watching Mels's fawning, servile demeanor, Liyana frowned slightly, her gaze filled with disdain.

"Hmph, at least you have some sense! If you obediently step aside, I won't hold your rudeness against you today!" The elder with the Ice Aura Bird, seeing Mels seemingly cowed by the "prestige" of the Green Pavilion, immediately put on a smug expression, waving his hand with a show of magnanimity to signal Mels and the others to stand aside!

"Yes, yes, yes!" Mels nodded and bowed repeatedly, simultaneously taking a step as if to move aside. However, before he could take another step, Sol suddenly said, "Boss, isn't the Green Pavilion a brothel? Why are you afraid of a brothel?"

"You just don't understand!" Mels stopped and turned back to Sol. "Look at their age; they must have been hanging around brothels for decades. Someone who's been a turtle for decades becomes a refined old turtle. Turtles are long-lived animals, you know? Showing them some respect might help us live longer too! So of course we should show respect to you!" Mels's roundabout insult immediately drew a burst of laughter from Sol and the others. Only then did Liyana and Fonkdo realize Mels and Sol were deliberately performing a double act to mock the enemies.

"You..." The two elders hadn't expected these kids, not even twenty years old, to be so vicious with their words. They were left speechless, their faces livid with rage.

Before the elders could retort, Rek angrily shouted, "You big-headed fool! Enough nonsense. This Young Master doesn't care if you're the Green Pavilion or a brothel. If you have the skill, let's see who's better!" As soon as he finished speaking, without waiting for the elders' reaction, Rek pointed his left hand at the elder with the Ice Aura Bird. The Soul Mage Melisde, who had been poised for action, immediately soared into the air, launching two arrow-like streams of black magic directly at the Ice Aura Bird.

Simultaneously, Sol didn't hesitate for a moment. As Rek attacked, Sol yelled, "Kerdos, take down that ugly beast!" At his command, the Steel Ape immediately charged toward the Lion-Tiger Beast with massive strides. Due to its enormous size and heavy armor, each of Kerdos's steps caused the ground to tremble, already intimidating the opponent even before the fight began.

"Green Pavilion is invincible, all who stand in our way shall die! Members of the Green Pavilion, hear my order: show no mercy!" Seeing Sol and Rek had already launched their attacks, the elder with the Lion-Tiger Beast steeled his heart. With a loud cry, he was the first to charge toward the Steel Ape. The elder with the Ice Aura Bird also rushed toward Rek, echoing the battle cry.

"Sol, Rek, be careful in battle!" Though usually free-spirited, Mels was very cautious during combat. Seeing Fonkdo seriously injured and Liyana's Angel Summoned Beast being purely supportive, he didn't join the fight. Instead, he positioned himself in front of Fonkdo and Liyana to protect them.

Unexpectedly, Mels's behavior led the Green Pavilion members to mistakenly believe he was the weakest of the three. Among the remaining five Green Pavilion members, aside from the two elders fighting Sol and Rek, the other three simultaneously lunged at Mels.

Of these three, the weasel-faced young man wielded a longsword, a bald man used two short swords, and a tall, thin man brandished a silver spear.

"Heh heh, the most arrogant one is also the weakest. Let this Young Master teach you a lesson!" The weasel-faced young man leaped into the air as he closed in on Mels, his longsword aimed straight at Mels's heart. The other two middle-aged men approached Mels rapidly from left and right on the ground, attempting to defeat him with a pincer attack. "Hmph, the weakest?" Mels snorted coldly, uttering these two words as if mocking himself. A flash of silver light appeared in Mels's empty left hand, and a gleaming Soft Sword stood poised against the wind. Before the three Green Pavilion members could clearly see the sword's length or style, it had already followed Mels's sword technique, striking toward the young man in the air. Striking later but arriving first, defense turning into offense—this change happened in an instant. Just as the two Green Pavilion subordinates on the ground inwardly cried out in alarm, Mels's soft sword had already bypassed the weasel-faced young man's defensive range, striking his soft ribs like a venomous snake.

Ah! As Mels withdrew his soft sword, a shower of blood like rain and the young man's shriek of pain erupted simultaneously. This lecherous man's luck had truly hit rock bottom today. First, he was struck in the face by Liyana's whip, suffering excruciating pain. Now, wounded by Mels's sword, even if he didn't die, he'd lose half his life. It seemed this was the consequence of his unbridled lust.

"Young Master!" Seeing their young master wounded by Mels in an instant, the two Green Pavilion subordinates could no longer focus on attacking Mels. They had to halt their assault to first rescue the lecherous young man falling from the sky.

How could Mels let go of such a perfect opportunity to defeat his enemies? With his left hand holding the soft sword and his right hand gripping a long saber, his sword technique was subtle and flexible, while his saber technique was fierce and forceful. Having identified the man with the two short swords as his second target, he charged forward without hesitation.

While Mels achieved his initial victory, the battles involving Sol and Rek were raging fiercely. The elder fighting Rek, like Rek himself, wielded a Tiger-Back Broadsword. Rek was using Sarikat's Thunder Saber Technique to fight the elder to a standstill. Meanwhile, the Ice Aura Bird and the Soul Mage had flown into mid-air, one using ice magic, the other dark magic, launching attacks against each other. Silver ice energy and black demonic energy intertwined back and forth, blossoming like fireworks in the sky.

The battle between Sol and the other elder was far more spectacular than the fight between the two Summoned Beasts. Sol was proficient in fire, wind, and water magic, while the elder was a mage accustomed to using thunder and earth magic. The two stood apart, continuously attacking each other with various spells. It seemed their victory would only be decided when one of them exhausted their magical energy!

Mels remained single-minded. No one understood his brothers' capabilities better than he did. Earlier, seeing the two Green Pavilion elders only using primary to intermediate-level Summoned Beasts, he was already certain his two brothers wouldn't be defeated in a short time. Therefore, he could focus entirely on dealing with his own opponent.

Mels charged straight toward his second target, left sword and right saber in hand. As he ran, he kept shouting, trying to suppress his opponent's morale first. Just as he expected, upon hearing his unpleasant shouts, the man with the short swords was momentarily confused about why Mels was acting this way. Consequently, the enemy not only fell behind in terms of morale but also found it difficult to concentrate on preparing for the fight due to this mental distraction.

Seeing the timing was ripe, Mels slowly swung his left sword in a downward arc. When the sword tip neared the ground, a silvery-white gaseous mass appeared at its point. The moment Mels raised the sword to point at the enemy's chest, the gaseous mass extended several meters forward, attacking the enemy's chest like a spear.

Wolf Wind Sword Technique—Lone Wolf Seeking Prey! Skete's signature technique appeared in Mels's hands, its power undiminished. The man with the short swords never expected a youth under twenty could wield such an advanced "Qi-Gathering Sword"!

Caught completely unprepared, though he barely managed to react, attempting to dodge this fatal blow by moving his body, he was a step too slow. The sword energy pierced through his body, leaving a deep, bloody hole in his shoulder. Although Mels had the chance to sever the man's left arm, he chose only to wound him. Clearly, deep in his heart, he was still unwilling to kill his enemies.

Within just a few minutes, Mels had launched two attacks, defeating two of the three enemies. Such prowess not only terrified the Green Pavilion members but also greatly shocked Fonkdo and Liyana.

Liyana's earlier injury to the lecherous young man was entirely due to his lust-clouded mind and her surprise attack. Fonkdo's battle against the two weakest among the Green Pavilion members ended in a hard-fought victory at the cost of an arm—a pyrrhic victory at best. Originally, both of them, seeing Mels hadn't summoned his Summoned Beast, shared the Green Pavilion's assumption that Mels's combat ability was far inferior to Rek and Sol's. But witnessing Mels's not only superb martial skills but also unique combat tactics, their initial underestimation instantly turned into astonishment and doubt.

However, facing victory, Mels acted as if it had nothing to do with him. He didn't pursue the injured Green Pavilion subordinates nor assist Rek and Sol. Instead, he sheathed his soft sword back into his belt, swaggered back to stand before Fonkdo and Liyana, and said to the beautiful young woman, "Miss, your Summoned Beast must be a healing/support type, right? I think you should have her treat this big brother's injuries first; that's more important." Hearing Mels's reminder, Liyana seemed to snap out of a daze and nodded repeatedly.

"Lisha, quickly treat Brother Fonkdo's injuries." Liyana turned and spoke to the little green angel behind her.

At her words, the little angel immediately nodded, flew in front of Fonkdo, and emitted a soft green light. Within this gentle radiance, the wound on Fonkdo's arm gradually healed. A few minutes later, when the little angel stopped using her magic, although Fonkdo's arm couldn't move freely yet, the bleeding had stopped and the swelling had subsided.

"Wow, that's amazing! It's even more effective than a Grand Mage's healing incantation!" Mels exclaimed excitedly, seeing Fonkdo's injury recover so quickly.

When he withdrew his gaze and noticed Liyana's strange look, he scratched his head sheepishly and said, "I've never seen a real healing-type Summoned Beast before. I only heard Second Uncle describe what they look like, so I was so surprised. Sorry for the spectacle."

Hearing Mels's explanation, Liyana understood he wasn't from a Summoned Beast family; he just possessed extensive knowledge about Phantasm Beasts.

"Aren't you going to help your friends?" Liyana blinked her bright, large eyes at Mels.

"You mean them? Don't worry. They're deliberately slowing their attack pace because they're afraid I can't handle those scoundrels, ready to support me at any moment. Actually, they're much stronger than me!" Mels waved his hand dismissively, explaining to Liyana while also praising his brothers.

"Sol, Rek, the beauty is getting impatient! You've played enough; wrap it up quickly. Remember, don't take any lives!" Mels turned and shouted to his two brothers.

His words once again left Liyana and Fonkdo bewildered.

In the Kaxiu Continent at this time, human life was the cheapest thing! Except for a few major nations where laws restrained people, in the chaotic southern lands, whenever a fight broke out, deaths were inevitable. Everyone possessed a Summoned Beast. Although not everyone had a combat-type Summoned Beast, even the lowest-level Summoned Beast possessed combat power beyond what fragile humans could withstand. Moreover, ordinary people's control over their Summoned Beasts wasn't strong, often leading to accidentally killing enemies in battle. Many warriors even used challenges to defeat others' Summoned Beasts to promote the evolution of their own. Over time, battle and death had become an inseparable relationship.

Killing one or two people was the most ordinary thing for a Summoned Beast Warrior! Now, the highly skilled Mels was actually asking his companions not to harm lives during battle. This alone greatly surprised Liyana and Fonkdo.

Sol and Rek completely agreed with Mels's approach. Upon hearing Rek's loud response, he feinted a move, leaped back out of the combat circle, and said to his opponent, "We have no deep-seated hatred. Why not stop here?"

Rek's intention was to avoid unnecessary fighting. However, the elder mistakenly thought Rek was mocking his incompetence. Enraged, he charged at Rek while shouting, "You bastard kid! I swear I won't be human if I don't kill you today!"

Seeing the enemy's fierce momentum, Rek knew today's matter couldn't possibly end peacefully. So, he stopped wasting time on pointless talk. Parrying the elder's overhead slash with a backhand swing of his saber, he shouted to the Soul Mage Melisde, "Power slumbering in my heart, forbidden seal placed by the gods, under the gaze of the Creator God Mafa, I beseech the release of the seal! My most loyal servant, my most powerful strength, guided by my spirit, proven by my blood pact, you and I—assimilate!"

After the battle with the Sand Worm on the great plains several months ago, Rek had become proficient in assimilating with his Summoned Beast. Under Sarikat's guidance, through arduous training, Rek had raised the synchronization rate between himself and the Soul Mage to over eighty percent!

Conventionally, assimilation required a synchronization rate of at least seventy-five percent. Rek's current ability allowed him to assimilate with the Soul Mage at any time. However, since the synchronization rate hadn't exceeded ninety percent, many more powerful dark magic spells were still unusable.

When Rek's body stopped moving and a large amount of black gaseous energy emerged from his torso to protect him from attacks, the Green Pavilion elder knew his chances were slim today! As the Summoned Beast assimilation incantation echoed, the elder abandoned all offense.

He couldn't understand why this youth, not even twenty, could use a high-level Summoned Beast he himself had dreamed of for fifty years. At this moment, he repeatedly asked himself: was this a dream, a nightmare?

As a white mist emerged from the top of Rek's head and entered the Soul Mage's black mist, and as the originally smoke-like Soul Mage gained a clear visage, a powerful aura of magical energy instantly filled the land.

"Dark space of the soul, open for me. Release the power of the demon god, unveil the root of sin. In a world eternally devoid of light, guided by my will, destroy everything! Million Soul Arrows!" As the Soul Mage chanted the incantation in a gloomy voice, countless ethereal figures holding bows and arrows gradually appeared floating in the air around his black form.

Following the movement of the Soul Mage's finger, all the ghosts aimed their black arrows simultaneously at the Ice Aura Bird and the elder. The moment the Soul Mage's finger gently lowered, the arrows in the ghosts' hands flew toward the unfortunate Summoned Beast and elder like a torrential downpour.

Resistance was feeble, almost useless. An assimilated Summoned Beast's power increased dozens to thousands of times compared to its pre-assimilation state. Although Rek had deliberately reduced the magic's potency, the elder was still struck by six or seven arrows, while the Ice Aura Bird was almost transformed into a "porcupine"!

Watching the incomparably powerful Soul Mage floating arrogantly in the air, Liyana and Fonkdo were speechless with shock. The little green angel trembled all over, hiding behind Liyana.

"Rek, I told you not to go overboard, and you still used assimilation! Hurry up and revert!" Mels said to Rek with great dissatisfaction.

Just as everyone's attention was focused on Rek's assimilated Soul Mage, an angry shout came from the other side: "Explosive Flame Divine Sundering Array!" As Sol violently thrust both hands forward, the magic array triggered by Sol's full mobilization of magical energy was like heaven collapsing and earth splitting.

Centered on Sol, flames shot skyward from a hexagram array on the ground. Countless fireballs crazily flew toward the Lion-Tiger Beast and the Green Pavilion elder, launching an "indiscriminate" assault. The attack lasted nearly three minutes before the flames gradually subsided.

Looking around, there was almost no intact ground left around the Lion-Tiger Beast and the elder. Miraculously, this man and beast were still alive, but not a single patch of their skin remained unscathed!

"Sigh, these two idiots!" Mels covered his face, speaking with distress.

"You two bastards! Fighting like that is worse than just killing them!" As Sol and Rek ceased fighting and recalled their Summoned Beasts, Mels roared, angrily scolding his brothers.

"Boss, sorry. But the new magic the Third Fortress Master taught me is really powerful! It felt absolutely awesome!" Though Sol apologized verbally, he couldn't hide the pride in his heart. It seemed he had used the unfortunate Green Pavilion elder as a live practice dummy to test his newly learned magic.

"Yes, this is also my first time having Melisde use a high-level attack spell! It's truly as powerful as the Chieftain said! Haha..." Rek said with equal excitement.

Looking at this pair of idiot brothers, Mels was at a loss for words. After a long moment, he finally said, "You two idiots had a lot of fun, didn't you? Let me practice my new martial arts too!" Mels raised his iron fists and gave them a solid thrashing.

Although Mels didn't like taking innocent lives, he felt genuinely happy and proud of his two brothers' progress in martial arts and magic. It was more of a playful scolding than a serious lesson.

Watching the three youths roughhousing in front of them, Liyana and Fonkdo were speechless for a long while. They racked their brains, trying to think of anyone they knew, but couldn't figure out where these three youths had come from, possessing such high combat abilities! Judging by their earlier performance, they didn't even seem to realize how much combat power they truly had, treating battle as nothing more than an amusing game!

"Thank you so much for your help. The Blue Tower people have been defeated by you. How do you plan to deal with them?" Fonkdo took a few steps forward, cupping his hands respectfully as he addressed Mels and the other two.

"Deal with them? Let them go on their own. Surely you don't expect us to escort them home, do you?" Mels stopped chasing the other two and turned to face Fonkdo.

"This... this might not be appropriate. They are from the Blue Tower. If we simply let them go, I fear they will soon return with reinforcements to attack you all, so..." Fonkdo said worriedly, carefully observing Mels's expression.

"Enough. We can't just kill them all. They've already lost their ability to fight, and I don't want to kill them. Besides, by the time they go back and bring reinforcements, we'll be long gone. Just let them go!" Mels replied to Fonkdo.

Just as Fonkdo was about to try persuading Mels to abandon his pointless kindness, Liyana suddenly spoke up, "Brother Fonkdo, there's no need to say more. These people were defeated by them, so they have the right to decide their fate!"

With these words, Fonkdo could only step back without another word, though a trace of deep concern still lingered in his eyes.

Regardless of what Fonkdo thought, seeing that Liyana agreed with his view, Mels approached the only middle-aged man among the seven Blue Tower members who was still in one piece and said, "Take them and go. If you want revenge, come after us. My name is Mels. Remember that." He then walked back to his two brothers, leaving the middle-aged man unsure how to respond.

Fonkdo watched as Mels let the group of Blue Tower members go. Though he was unhappy about it, there was nothing he could do. Now seeing Mels and the others conversing with Liyana, the loyal man said no more and went to fetch two horses that the Blue Tower members had ridden, replacing the two dead horses pulling the carriage.

Meanwhile, Mels and the others had exchanged names with Liyana, and Liyana was particularly interested in them.

"Brother Mels, so you're also planning to go to the Fijinando United Kingdom?" Liyana said to Mels.

"That's right. We're heading to Bormak to set sail," Mels nodded.

"That's wonderful! Since you're also going to Fijinando, why not travel with me? I can pay you to be my bodyguards. Is that okay?" Liyana said with a hint of pleading.

After hearing Liyana's words, Sol and Rek both thought Mels would agree immediately, but to their surprise, Mels thought for a moment and said, "We have other matters to attend to, so we can't travel with you."

Hearing Mels's response, not only was Liyana very disappointed, but even Sol was taken aback. Sol pulled Mels aside and whispered, "Boss, why not travel with this beauty? Even if you're not interested, I certainly am!"

"Idiot, don't say anything more. Just trust me, I know what I'm doing!" Mels didn't explain, only speaking half-jokingly.

Although Sol didn't know what Mels was planning, his experience since childhood told him that Mels wouldn't act without reason. So, though he felt unwilling, he didn't argue further.

Afterward, Mels and the others chatted with Liyana for a bit longer. Once Fonkdo had the carriage ready, they quickly waved goodbye. Although Mels and his friends couldn't ride in the carriage, they had seized three fine horses from the Blue Tower members. With transportation secured, the three of them felt much more at ease.

Back by the roadside, eating their earlier dry rations, Sol kept his head down, sulking. Sensing Sol's dissatisfaction with his decision, Mels put down his food, nudged Sol lightly, and said, "What's wrong? Do you really like that woman that much?"

"Go on! You know the answer. I like anything beautiful in this world," Sol said discontentedly, turning his head away.

"Fool! If that woman were really that simple, would I stop you from going?" Mels suddenly said.

"What? What do you mean, 'that simple'?" Sol was finally intrigued by Mels's words and turned to press for an answer.

"Heh heh, haven't you noticed? Earlier, when we were robbing the carriage, do you remember how harshly the lady spoke when she called Brother Fonkdo back to the carriage?" Mels said.

After hearing Mels's words, Sol said dismissively, "What's so strange about that? She's a lady, of course she can speak harshly to her subordinate."

"Right! That's exactly the point. Since she's speaking to her subordinate, of course she can be arrogant, even throw a tantrum! But did you notice? When we gained the absolute upper hand in the fight, and I asked her to use her Summoned Beast to heal Brother Fonkdo, she actually addressed her subordinate as 'Brother'! And she deliberately showed concern for Brother Fonkdo multiple times, putting on a gentle and caring act.

Think about it. If she truly cared about her 'brother,' would she need me to remind her to heal his injuries? Most importantly, when Fonkdo was receiving treatment, I saw a different look in his eyes—it wasn't gratitude, but fear!

Secondly, the direction she came from was clearly opposite to ours, but when I said we were going to Fijinando, she said she was going there too. Do you think anyone would take a detour to their destination? So, I believe she was just looking for an opportunity to get close to us!" Mels laid out his thoughts completely.

"Get close to us? What do we have that she needs? Or does she have some ulterior motive?" Rek chimed in from the side.

"I don't know about that, but if I can avoid it, I'd rather stay away from such a woman! That's why I said we had other matters to attend to! Heh heh, but we do have a fool and a lecher here who thinks I ruined his fun!" Mels said, winking at Sol.

"Boss, how could I think as much as you? Besides, I don't think you ruined my fun! But now that you mention it, listening to you, it's better to stay away from that woman. What a shame, though—she really is a beauty!" Although Sol inwardly agreed with Mels's approach, he still showed great interest in Liyana.

"Haha... a lecher is a lecher. Even if it's a rose with thorns, you still want to touch it!" Rek laughed loudly at Sol.

Such words immediately sparked another fierce war of words. Amid the youths' arguments and laughter, the three of them set off again. This time, with horses to ride and riding hard, Mels and the other two finally reached the nearest small town—Five Mile Town—before sunset.

Five Mile Town was an ordinary small village, covering about three to five square kilometers with a population of only around a thousand. However, because it was located on the official road from the Chaotic Country to Fijinando, the town had quite a few facilities, including two inns—one in the south and one in the north.

By the time Mels and the three arrived, the sun was setting. Days of travel and the hot weather had taken their toll on the youths, and all they wanted now was to find an inn quickly and enjoy a good meal.

"Boss, let's find a place to rest soon. I'm really tired," Sol urged again as he saw Mels dismounting and walking slowly.

"Alright, alright, let's find a place first," Mels said, pulling his curious gaze back to Sol. After asking for directions to the northern inn, the three eagerly headed toward the street corner.

The town was, of course, very small. A single street took only a few minutes to walk. Just as the three turned the corner toward the Yunlai Inn, they saw a crowd of commoners and merchants gathered in front of the low-built inn.

"Boss, it looks like something's happening," Sol said after craning his neck to look, addressing Mels.

"Hmm, Rek, you hold the horses. Sol and I will go see what's going on." A youth's heart is always full of curiosity, and Mels was especially interested in everything happening around him.

Mels and Sol squeezed through the crowd with difficulty. They saw two thug-like men and a man around fifty years old, dressed like an innkeeper, standing at the entrance, loudly berating a thin, small boy lying on the ground.

"Uncle, what's happening here?" After observing for a while and still not understanding the situation, Mels asked a middle-aged man beside him.

"Ah, the innkeeper says the boy ate without paying and insists on beating him up. But he's just a kid who only ate two hard buns and drank a cup of cold tea. The innkeeper is really too stingy and harsh!" the middle-aged man replied.

"Oh, I see. Why isn't anyone intervening?" Mels asked again.

"Intervene? Who dares? Didn't you see how fierce those two thugs look? In my opinion, the innkeeper is deliberately picking on that boy," the middle-aged man said resentfully.

Hearing this, Mels understood who was right and who was wrong. Without saying another word, he began sizing up the thin boy. The boy was about the same age as Mels and the others but much thinner, likely from a poor family.

Though thin, the boy's build was well-proportioned. His face was dirty, but if washed, it would surely be quite handsome. However, what caught Mels's eye wasn't the boy's appearance but the long sword strapped to his back! A silver scabbard, the sword was five feet long but only two fingers wide. The hilt was adorned with jewels and made of gold, with a lion's head carved from gold at the pommel—its mouth wide open, mane bristling, so lifelike it seemed to contain the soul of a fierce lion.

Seeing such a treasure, Mels immediately understood what the innkeeper was after! By now, the situation on the scene had changed. Under the innkeeper's orders, the two thugs pounced on the boy like wolves and tigers, trying to seize the sword. The boy clenched his fists, his eyes flashing with an intimidating light.

Mels initially thought the boy would strike back and injure the two thugs, but even after the sword fell into the innkeeper's hands, the boy still didn't retaliate.

"Hmph, you ate a meal for free, so consider yourself lucky I'm taking this worthless sword! A bastard like you with no parents, get as far away from me as you can!" The innkeeper, having gained an advantage, acted as if he were the victim. However, he didn't expect that the word "bastard" would instantly enrage a youth who had intended to watch quietly.

Just as the innkeeper spat a thick glob of phlegm at the boy on the ground and swaggered back toward the inn, a figure flashed out from the crowd. A strong, powerful arm immediately landed on the innkeeper's shoulder.

"You little brat, what do you think you're doing?" Seeing that the person holding him back was yet another half-grown kid, the innkeeper glared with his triangular eyes, his fat body trembling as he spoke viciously.

Needless to say, the person holding the innkeeper back was Mels. The usual smile was gone from Mels's face, replaced by a livid expression consumed by anger.

"Remember, everyone has parents. Only a bastard who insults others carelessly is the real bastard!" With that, Mels's left fist shot out furiously, striking the innkeeper squarely in the face.

The force behind Mels's angry blow was something a village innkeeper couldn't withstand. With a howl of pain, the innkeeper was sent flying backward over ten meters, five or six teeth flying out along with a mouthful of blood. By the time he hit the ground, he was barely breathing.

Mels didn't even spare a glance for the innkeeper's miserable state. Reaching out his right hand, he gracefully caught the precious sword mid-air, then pulled a silver coin from his pocket and tossed it on the ground, saying, "This is for his meal. If anyone else has a problem, come find me!"

The rapid turn of events left the two thugs dumbfounded. It took them a moment to remember they should capture Mels to avenge their master. However, before they could step forward, a hand gently tapped each of them on the back.

"Bastards, your opponents are us!" Sol and Rek said almost simultaneously, and their fists flew almost at the same time. The only difference was that Rek's punch was enough to put his thug out for half a month, while Sol's punch left him writhing in pain himself.

"Ah... damn it! Dumb Ox, why do you guys just wave your hands and send them flying, but when I try, I end up crouching down myself?"

Sol, crouching on the ground and frantically clutching his right hand, said to Rek. In contrast, the big man he had punched was looking around left and right before collapsing on his own.

"That's because you're stupid! You don't even think about what you're actually good at, yet you try to learn how to fight with your fists like us! You can only clasp your hands together and chant a bunch of messy incantations, and even then you're lucky to land a hit on anyone!" Rek mercilessly retorted to Sol.

At that, Sol immediately jumped up from the ground, pointing at Rek's nose and saying, "Don't your so-called mage's summons also require chanting incantations? I really don't understand how someone like you, who knows nothing about magic, can even control a magical-type summon!"

"Heh heh, that just goes to show I'm a natural!" Rek raised his head high, shamelessly boasting. After that, the argument between the two of course grew louder and louder, seemingly endless.

Mels, however, paid no attention to what was happening behind him. He turned and walked over to the thin young boy, handing him the precious sword and saying, "Take it, this is yours!" The boy looked at Mels, then at the sword, his eyes suddenly flashing like lightning, staring straight into Mels' eyes. In that moment, Mels was startled to realize that what he was facing wasn't a person, but a sword—a divine sword, unsharpened and unedged, yet chillingly cold to the bone!