Semua Bab Demon's Evolution: Bab 641 - Bab 650

Seeing this desperate assault, I barked out a command, my voice laced with steel. "Load the larger gemstones!"The soldiers, their faces grim but resolute, scrambled to obey. They heaved massive blocks of gemstone into the towers, their movements fueled by a mixture of fear and determination. As the gemstones settled into place, strange humming sounds emanated from the towers, their intricate symbols glowing with an eerie light. The blue orb of energy at the heart of each tower pulsed, then shifted, transforming into a menacing crimson."Now watch the real power of the tower," I muttered, a hint of grim satisfaction in my voice.With a loud roar, the tower unleashed a torrent of red energy. The crimson orb shot skyward, then shattered, raining down a barrage of searing beams that seemed to target every monster scaling the walls.The soldiers, who had braced themselves for a brutal hand-to-hand encounter, were stunned into silence by this sudden display of power. The hundreds of monst

"Roland," I began, my voice carrying a hint of weariness from the long journey, "go find Richard and tell him I'll be meeting with the City Lord shortly. Also, remind him to load the first batch of ingots onto the caravan heading to Ice Demon City. It's time for us to return home."A flicker of something akin to excitement, a rare sight on Roland's usually stoic face, danced in his eyes at the mention of "home." It was understandable. He, too, must yearn for the warmth of family after a month spent on the road. And I, myself, ached for the familiar embrace of my mother and the laughter of my siblings, faces I hadn't seen in what felt like an eternity.The thought of my mother, her brow perpetually creased with worry, tugged at my heartstrings. I could almost picture her, pacing anxiously in our home, fretting over my supposed absence. When I had to feign Riel's absence, she would often seek me out, her eyes searching for reassurance in Ethan's form. I would have to offer her hollow c

But now, looking at Agnus's eager face, his almost manic glee at the prospect of me building more towers, I saw the truth. The merchant wasn't exaggerating. There was disdain in my heart as the truth about Agnus settled in. This man wasn't incompetent, he was a coward. The injuries he'd claimed to have sustained from the monsters? Likely a fabrication, a convenient excuse to avoid the dangers that lurked beyond the city walls. While the people of Vermillion suffered, he'd been hiding, playing the role of the wounded victim.The old man was terrified, consumed by a primal fear of death, a fear that extended to the very monsters he claimed to have fought. Agnus, despite his sixth-circle power, was likely no match for those creatures. Age had eroded his strength, leaving him with the power of a fourth-circle mage at best.His offer, his desperate plea for me to stay and oversee the tower construction, suddenly made sense. He needed someone to protect him, someone to shield him from the

And with Richard's ambitious plans for Vermillion City, the demand for gemstones was only going to escalate. More towers meant more power, and more power meant a voracious appetite for the precious stones. The future looked bright, but it also presented a challenge – how to meet the ever-growing need without compromising safety or sustainability.The unique compensation system in Ice Demon City, where earnings were directly tied to productivity, fueled this surge in demand. It was a system that rewarded hard work and dedication, creating a culture of ambition and drive. If one could outpace their peers, they could earn significantly more, a powerful incentive in a city where opportunity was abundant.It was no surprise, then, that the mines were overflowing with eager workers. Even Mason, the city's architect, had been forced to take a break from his grand designs to personally recruit more men. The demand was simply too great to ignore.Mason led me through the bustling market, his

The scouts and Gazelle exchanged glances, a silent amusement flickering in their eyes as they watched Lance. His smile, a thin, almost predatory curve of his lips, held a secret they couldn't fathom. They chuckled softly, a low rumble of mirth that died quickly in the tense atmosphere. Little did they know, that smile wasn't born of confidence, but of cold, calculated knowledge. Lance knew exactly who would fall, and who would be left to mourn."Gazelle," Lance's voice was a low, commanding rumble, "the moment they cross the valley's threshold, unleash the traps. Let them taste the earth before they even know what hit them." His gaze swept over the assembled troops, a sea of steel and determination. "Knights, cavalries, form a wall! Deny them escape! Let them know this valley is their tomb!" He turned to the archers, his eyes burning with a fierce light. "And you, my archers, your arrows will sing a song of death. Aim for the heart, aim for the eyes, aim for the soul!"A chorus of a