Armipotent

Christopher returned to his workshop after handing the weapon. He swept the non-existent sweat on his forehead as he entered his room. "Huh…. That was close. I am not confident that I can leave with one piece if that guy decides to fight me."

"Who will fight you? Who's crazy enough to fight you?"

Chris was surprised to hear the voice in his room. He turned toward the voice and found his friend holding his booze. "What are you doing in my workroom? I have told you many times not to bring your drink to my workshop!"

Gortham ignored the nagging, squinting his eyes at his friend. "You haven't answered me yet. Who's crazy enough dares to fight you?" Albeit Christopher was weaker than him, his friend was still Demi-God Rank. It was just that Christopher had dedicated his life to smithing instead of fighting.

"Who else? The young man you wronged." Christopher shrugged. "I met him outside to deliver his commission since he has paid and given the materials to me."

"What!?" Gortham slammed the table as he could not believe what he heard. "Why would you give him the weapon? Ah, that's right. It was the recycling of the dragon scale, right? Why are you helping our enemy?"

Christopher gave his friend a side glance. "Our enemy? Your enemy, not my enemy. Also, it's your greed that forces him to be your enemy. I know you are capable enough to suppress the council. None of them are Demi-God Rank; your voice is more influential in the council. It's hard, but not hard enough for you not to be able to change the council's voice. None of them wanted to be your enemy in this tower."

Demi-God Rank was the cap rank for one to enter the Ancient Rank Dimensional Tower. That meant the Demi-God Rank was the highest rank in this tower, and Gortham was the only Demi-God Rank in this city. That was the reason why the Virandal Empire was willing to sacrifice one of their nobles as soon as the act was caught instead of trying to save them. The Virandal Empire sacrificed one noble and three hundred people of an elite group that was caught by Guild Master Gortham.

"I just want to know his actual class and bloodline, that's it. What made him that strong to be able to fight one rank above him. I did not expect he would react so extreme like that." Gortham replied in a low voice as the guilt took over him.

"Hah, you just don't expect that someone like him would dare to oppose the whole city instead of obediently following the council, right? Do you think you could use the council so you can see his window status? I know your tricks, Old Gorth, but I am afraid you are making one of the worst decisions in your life." Christopher shook his head.

"Hahh…." Old Gortham let out a sigh. "I am not planning to force him. If he refuses to follow the protocol, then I will suppress the council to gain his trust. However, he has done something that even I can't help him….." Gortham told Christopher what happened to the Young Lord of the Mistovel Family.

Christopher spurted out the water he had just drank. He looked at his friend's face to make sure it was not a lie, then the blacksmith laughed. "You and that Young Lord deserve it. You guys should indeed not cover someone else's thing." He then touched his eyes and lips while his face scrunched. "I can imagine how hurt it was."

"I am here, hoping you would console me, Christ. You just made this look worse than it was."

"Why do you think I decided to be a blacksmith instead of following your path? I have grown tired of all the fights and schemes. I just want to have a simple life with my new passion. Please don't involve me in your silly thing, Old Gorth." Christopher shook his head. "Also, tell me honestly, Old Gorth. That guy is not from our branch in Akasian, right? I don't recall we have someone with a Dragon Bloodline aside from the Mistovel Family's kids."

Since things had gone wrong, Gortham no longer hid Ying's identity. He shared everything, including the fight that happened during the Epic Rank Garden's raid.

"He has a Dragon Familiar and also a cat familiar that can swallow a whole Myth Rank. Then he had a skeleton, a group of thirteen skeletons that could deal with three hundred people. Then he is also so strong himself, being able to take down one rank above him. I just want the information about his details. I don't have the intention to take his dragon. That's it; I don't want to be his enemy."

"Fool!" As soon as Christopher found out that the man was from outside the other starter cities, he could not help but curse his friend. "I don't think he's not just capable of taking down one above his rank but might be several ranks above him. As I said, I don't think I can win against him if I fight him. He had a dragon bloodline, and even without the Dragon Bloodline, he was capable of taking down one rank above him. So can you imagine if he also activates his dragon bloodline to fight? What if he can transform into a real dragon? Are you confident you can beat him?"

"Damn! I came to the wrong person! Not only do you not console, but you are also scaring me now." Gortham finished the whole booze before storming out of the workshop. Of course, he was aware of his friend's concern as well.

*** ***

Starter City #4

The war between the Tang Empire and the Divine Church had become more intense lately. The Divine Church started to fight back, and both sides lost their forces. However, it was more apparent that the Divine Church was on the losing side.

The information that the Tang Empire had two Legend Ranks had spread to the other factions. That was what made the Divine Church lose the war. In the last few days, The Divine Church stopped their activity outside the starter city and holed themselves up in their own region.

Divine Church

Saintess Marisha's bloodshot eyes read the report in her hand. She had used all means, without asking for reinforcement, to go against the Tang Empire. She thought as long as she could avoid the two Legend Ranks, then they should be fine. The Tang Empire was a faction from a new world, after all. However, she later found out that the Tang Empire had dozens of Myth Ranks and several Primordial Ranks. She quickly realized that the Tang Empire might be stronger than the force she brought.

The Divine Church's force only had one Legend Rank and two Primordial Ranks. Adding salt to the injury, her Chief Priest, the only Legend Rank on her side, suffered a heavy injury after a fight against the rabbit beastmen. Things quickly went awry as soon as they got rid of the Emperor of the Tang Empire.

The last measure she could think of was to make peace with the Tang Empire. However, she was humiliated instead. The Tang Empire agreed to the meeting, but when they arrived in front of the Earth's territory, she was forced to wait at the gate for hours. Later, the Tang Empire told her to go back, declaring war once more on the Divine Church to avenge their dead Emperor.

It surprised her how a mere Ancient Rank could have those many strong subordinates. At this point, she could not think of anything but ask the help from the main church for help.

Suddenly someone barged into her room. She looked up and saw her escort knight, Captain Ruben, enter the room in a hurry. "What's wrong, Captain Ruben?"

"The Holiness Bishop has come!"

Saintess Marisha immediately stood up, tidying up her messy clothes and hair. The stress got into her lately. As soon as she finished fixing her attire, a group of three entered his room. She recognized the person in the middle with the holy attire, The Holiness Bishop.

The Holiness Bishop had a long white hat extending down with a white cloth mask covering the face. "I heard My Saintess is in trouble." The Holiness Bishop's voice was serene and calming.

*** ***

Tang Shaoyang followed Wrath and Greed to get to the settlement. He decided to stay outside the starter city and figured out what to do next while reflecting on his mistake this time.

[Human greed is boundless. Even siblings try to kill each other for an inheritance, so you don't have to blame everything on yourself, and you learn from your mistakes.]

Rosalie, The Flame Empress, tried to comfort him from what he had gone through. There was some truth, brothers by blood would kill each other for the inheritance, so even the people he saved might stab him in the back for something he possessed. A young dragon was enough temptation for that.

"But still, this could happen because I am too arrogant. I am being overconfident and naive to trust the people I just met. I—" Before he could finish his words, Wrath's voice interrupted him. "We have arrived, Master."