Divine Arts...

PFFT!

A longsword suddenly pierced the back of her skull, emerging from her brow; the Spirit Light in her eyes gradually dissipated.

After a slight struggle, Lady Annie's body finally lost all vitality and collapsed to the ground.

"HUFF... HUFF..." Dana, sword in her left hand, her right arm dripping blood, gasped for air, her face pale.

"I am a Knight, you know! Acting as if I'm not even here!"

Carl shook his head.

Had Dana not acted, he had planned to retreat to a Divine Domain Fragment for safety before re-emerging.

Fortunately, it hadn't come to that.

He raised his hand. Fire Sigil!

Flames enveloped Lady Annie's corpse and, amidst crackling sounds, slowly began to burn.

"Carl..."

Having bandaged her arm, Dana stood to one side. Her gaze flitted towards Carl, the atmosphere uncomfortably tense. Finally, she asked, "There seems to be a pyromancer causing trouble in the city. I need to check it out. What are your plans?"

"Plans?"

Carl pondered, "Leave Sigerno City."

He still had some loose ends, but given the current situation, he knew he had to leave as soon as possible.

"Leave?" Dana was startled, an inexplicable reluctance rising in her heart.

Knowing Carl's identity, she found it difficult to adjust, making the atmosphere somewhat uncomfortable.

After a pause, she spoke, "Yes, you were always planning to leave. Now is probably the best time. To... the Black Swamp?"

"Yes."

Carl nodded.

"Well..." Dana gripped her Longsword, forcing a dry smile, "Goodbye!"

"I'll go help with the chaos."

Without waiting for a response, she turned and walked into the distance, her retreating figure looking desolate, as if burdened by some sorrow.

Carl withdrew his gaze, intending to leave, but his eyes suddenly paused, falling upon the ashes where the flames had swept.

Lady Annie's body had been completely incinerated, yet a white Treasure Bead remained where she had fallen.

A Treasure Bead?

...

「The city wall.」

Earl Barro and the corpulent City Lord Terence stood side by side, looking towards the north city gate.

"Report!"

A messenger hurried over. "Merchant Cesar has led dozens of his private soldiers in a forceful assault on the south gate. The situation there is critical!"

"Cesar? The south gate?" City Lord Terence's expression turned frantic. "How could this be?" he asked. "Wasn't the north gate the one in chaos? What's the situation at the south gate now? Can it be held?"

Earl Barro's eyes narrowed. "Force their way through the north gate to draw our attention, then seize the south gate?" he mused. "A clever move, Cesar... Merchants only seek profit and know nothing of loyalty. It's always them who betray the kingdom."

"City Lord," he looked over, "send your men. With the city defense forces assisting, handling a few dozen private soldiers shouldn't be a problem."

Terence's eyes darted around. "Ah!" he exclaimed. "I don't have many men on hand. Sending them might not be useful. Better to let the knights of the Church go?"

The knights of the Church?

Barro's expression darkened.

Although they held noble status, they couldn't simply commandeer members of the Church at will. The other party was clearly shirking, unwilling to send his own guards.

He'd long heard this City Lord was a coward who cherished his own life above all else. He hadn't expected that even now, he wouldn't want to spare any of his guards.

How did such a man become a City Lord? How could such a person protect a city?

"HUFF..."

Exhaling deeply, Barro slowly nodded. "The knights of the Church have already gone to suppress the Spider Goddess at the northern gate," he said. "Let's have the people from the Royal City go."

City Lord Terence quickly agreed, "Good. The people from the Royal City are strong enough. Dealing with a mere merchant shouldn't be a problem."

"Master." At this moment, a short, stout man stepped forward from behind him and said in a muffled voice, "I can go."

Terence's face changed, and he bellowed angrily, "You fool! Flamut, you're just a branded slave! What right do you have to speak at a time like this? Step back!"

"Yes." The man named Flamut looked panicked as he quickly retreated.

"Hmm..." Earl Barro narrowed his eyes. "Terence," he said, "this man is interesting. He's not old, but he's already a peak-level Knight, isn't he?"

City Lord Terence scratched his head and said with a smile, "Yes. He has a trace of a special Bloodline and is naturally stronger than others, so he's quite capable. But he's incredibly stupid. I can hardly trust him without my supervision."

"Report!"

Before he could finish, another messenger rushed in, gasping for breath as he said, "East... the east city gate..."

"Speak up!" Earl Barro's expression changed as he strode forward. "What's happened at the east city gate?"

A gray mist seeped from the white Treasure Bead, entered the Divine Domain Fragment, and finally disappeared.

After losing the mist, the bead fell to the ground, its luster significantly dimmer.

This Treasure Bead wasn't perfectly round but oval. On closer inspection, its core seemed to hold a spider.

If one were to draw a comparison... It was like amber!

Source Material: 0.9

This unknown object actually contained 0.9 Source Material!

The Thorned Holy Crown, the Holy Nail, the Great Divine Grace—all are related to the Divine. The rapier is also similar to those worn by Attendants of the Divine.

This Treasure Bead, too, must be connected to the Spider Goddess.

Carl rested his chin on his hand, deep in thought.

Could it be that all things that provide Source Material are related to the Divine? That Source Material comes from the Divine?

Divine Domain Fragments... Could there be some connection between these two?

Carl picked up the Treasure Bead and observed it closely. Even without the Source Material, it was still a Magic Material.

Holding the bead, his perception of the external environment became more acute.

Increases perception?

The enhancement to perception was not significant.

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