"I came here to fulfill a friend's final wish."
"Oh? And what would that be?"
"My old friend passed through Risel City two months ago. Unfortunately, during his visit, he lost a rare magic node diagram that he had acquired through great risk in his adventures.
At the time, he was in a rush to return to his family and couldn't search for it. Later, during an expedition to an ancient ruin, he suffered critical injuries and passed shortly after returning home.
He had retrieved a very unique magic node diagram from that ruin, but it was only half of the complete diagram, fitting precisely with the half he had lost."
After finishing, Li De shrugged slightly, his tone carrying a trace of melancholy.
"My friend spent his entire life trying to decipher the secrets of that ancient ruin. This magic node diagram was the key to it all.
Unluckily, just half a month after I arrived in Risel City to look for it, those damned beastmen launched their invasion.
These past few days, I've been searching tirelessly for the lost diagram. Unfortunately, the thieves who stole it were killed in the chaos of the beastman assault.
All I can do now is investigate the homes of wealthy merchants who might've acquired it."
Even as he spoke and saw that the guards' wary eyes hadn't changed in the slightest, he didn't mind. Instead, he spread his hands openly.
"You may not believe what I say, and I don't particularly care if you do or not. But after meeting City Lord Andabella, I've decided to change my original plan."
Andabella furrowed her brows, her silver eyes filled with suspicion.
"Lord Ezreal, what do you mean by that?"
Behind her, the soldiers who had emerged from the street corners had already drawn their swords, awaiting their city lord's command.
This damned pretty boy, they'd been itching to smash his face in from the start.
"I'm thinking, perhaps City Lord Andabella would be willing to help me recover my friend's lost treasure."
"Hmph! City Lord Andabella is far too noble to help you search for some trinket, especially not now, while the beastmen are invading!
Milady, I believe he's a beastman spy. We must not let him go!" The captain of the guards glared at Li De with fury in his eyes.
Andabella's gaze remained locked on Li De. "Lord Ezreal..."
She hadn't even finished speaking when, a blinding light suddenly flashed across the sky, followed by a deafening rumble.
The ground shook violently.
A thunderous explosion echoed like the collapse of heaven itself. All of Risel City instantly fell into a strange and grim atmosphere.
Andabella's already weary expression turned completely pale. She bit her lip hard and turned toward the source of the explosion behind her.
From that direction, blazing fireballs lit up the sky, along with a burst of multicolored emergency flares, used only in moments of mortal danger.
The moment the gathered soldiers saw the signal, their faces drained of color.
Panic and terror flooded their eyes. Their courage was devoured by the demon of fear rising within their hearts.
"The… the wall collapsed?!!"
"Damn the beastmen! They, they actually blew up the city wall!!"
"It's over. Everything's over…"
Li De's expression froze at the sight. All the words he had prepared were stuck in his throat.
I swear, I've got something to say, but I don't even know if I should…
He had just begun laying his plans. He hadn't even cast the net, and these damn beastmen already flipped the entire table?!!
Screw this, what the hell kind of husky madness is this?!
Andabella no longer had the slightest interest in dealing with Li De. She drew the cross-shaped longsword at her waist, her silver hair whipping loose behind her. Her eyes turned ice-cold.
Her voice, when she spoke, was chilling enough to freeze the soul.
"Sound the horn, fight to the death."
Her lips pressed tightly together, her gaze resolute and unshakable. The pride returned to her pale face, the pride etched into her very soul and bloodline.
She would live or die with this city.
Fight to the death.
At those words, the soldiers who had been panicking in the streets froze for a brief moment. Then their composure returned, and the panic in their eyes slowly faded.
Looking toward the graceful figure in the Blood Cloak, a fire of determination rose within their hearts.
If Lady Andabella wasn't afraid of death, how could they retreat?
Fight to the death.
Risel City's highest battle order.
As long as even one man remained standing, no retreat was allowed.
This was the soul that had been passed down in Risel City for thousands of years.
Andabella didn't even glance back at Li De. She led several dozen black-armored soldiers, marching with cold, unyielding steps toward the battlefield.
Whooosh…
At that moment, in Li De's vision, only the crimson Blood Cloak remained, fluttering in the night sky.
Just as dazzling and striking as the first moment he laid eyes on it.
---
Woooooooo~
Less than a minute later, an indescribable war horn echoed throughout all of Risel City.
Tragic. Harrowing.
Two words inexplicably surfaced in Li De's mind.
"Humans became the rulers of the Glory Main Plane for a reason.
Though they are weak, greedy, and full of flaws, when they fight for their beliefs, they fear no enemy of any race."
He suddenly thought of the scene when Grote faced a vampire ambush. That northern warrior had never taken a single step back from beginning to end.
Northern warriors, fearless, unyielding.
At this moment, how could the warriors of Risel City be any different?
Hundreds of thousands of brutal beastman troops had already sharpened their blades outside the city, waiting for a massacre.
Now that the city's natural defenses had collapsed, in this coming battle, barring a miracle, none of those who just left were likely to return alive.
That included the proud lady city lord, cloaked in the Legendary grade Blood Cloak.
And yet, they still followed her, or followed the beliefs in their hearts, into war.
These were warriors worthy of respect.
Li De gave a deep glance at the now-empty street, then turned and, without ceremony, kicked open the tightly shut gates of the manor in front of him.
As the doors flew open, a massive wolf head appeared before his eyes.