The sun has begun to set and the sky was red, a hundred men atop elemental Panthers arrived in front of the city gates. The guards at the gates couldn’t believe their eyes. Although they had seen many spirit animals, a horde of hundred spirit animals was a nightmare. If one could ride atop a spirit animal, their strength should be no less than that of the spirit animal. They were at a loss on what to do,

The city hall was in utter chaos, it was not just any hundred men, but they were atop of elemental panthers. Although these spirit beasts were only mid-grade, they were certainly above anything even the two large families possessed. What are they supposed to do? They couldn’t even assess if these were friends or foes. If they were friends it would be a good news. But what if they were enemies? What if this is the trump card that Yugimi possessed? Finally, the city hall elders and both the heads of families went out to see the uninvited guests.

The skinny men atop panthers were patient and waited for the arrival of someone to meet them, they had the discipline of elite soldiers. After a while, the city hall’s two elders and heads of two families came out of the city gates. But after seeing the appearance of these men, they suddenly understood which side they were in. The intel that there was someone that looked like a devil with Yugimi was verified. And now a hundred men looking like devil incarnates has arrived at city gates, it was not hard to deduce the reason.

There was no way they could compete with hundred experts! There was only a total of 40 expert magic users in the city and less than 10 spirit animal mounts. This time a true disaster has stricken upon them. They immediately sent a few men to gather all the experts in the city, they even sent men to the branches of larger clans in hope of getting their help. The national level clans had many experts protecting their assets in this city.

But before they could get a reply, the group of men in front of city gates made a move. Five Panthers jumped up high, their riders taking out wands and casting a spell each. 5 fireballs the size of footballs flew, lighting up the dawn. The fireballs were like flaming meteors they blasted the city gate into ruins. Many soldiers guarding atop of it was instantly burned to death and the few who survived that fell to their demise. The group of hundred marched through the city street. The man leading the group had a compass-like instrument which pointed to a direction, the castle of Snake skulls.

The news of the men atop of Panthers had already arrived in the Black Dragon mansion. Hearing the description of the men Robert felt a chill down his spine. The description was eerily reminiscent of the man that had tortured Riley to death!

“This is not good,” Robert thought, He loathed his decision of supporting war earlier. There was no way he could catch fish in this troubled waters, especially not when there were sharks in this waters.

But before he said anything, after hearing that the men were atop of panthers with different color stripes, Sophy immediately made a decision, retreat!

Being the daughter of the Black Dragon clan, she had a vast amount of knowledge. And she knew that elemental panthers were not present in the Kingdom of Lorvale. It was a species used for transport in the North Eastly Empire. Speed and endurance being their characteristics, they were not used by merchants but usually by the army! And if they were here it meant that either that North Eastly had invaded Lorvale or they were a group of rebels. Whatever their reason for arrival might me, it was not good for Goldfair city.

Either there might be a powerful army chasing after them or they will be chased away by the Lorvale’s army. Sophy had already had intel about the man with Yugimi and understood the situation.

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The goldfair city was going to fall into Snake skull’s hands. And although they wouldn’t dare to touch the Black dragon, these men were different. She hastily prompted Robert to prepare to leave and rushed to get into a carriage that was pulled by a muscular cheetah. The cheetah was double the size of a normal wild cheetah, it was a low-grade spirit animal!

Robert only took some of the golden spell books, the magic cells in the tubes his small instruments and his gun with him. Before he left he had ordered something which made Sophy frown. He had told manager Naoki to buy some small houses around the city and hide a gunpowder cannon in each of them, along with the gunpowder supply, cannonballs, and guards. Sophy had already ceased procuring gunpowder raw materials, but Robert reminded her again to dispose of anything left in the factory.

The carriage convoy quickly exited the city through the west gate. Manager Naoki has refused to leave as it was his duty to protect the assets of black dragon clan. The convoy had the personal guards of sophy and the hunting party that was put together by Naoki. The carriage other than that was filled with spirit stones and gold.

Spirit cannon sounds rang out from the city as the carriages traveled through the meadows.

Robert was sitting across Sophy in the carriage, the sweet fragrance of her expensive perfume filled the carriage.

“We are going to Greyston town,” Sophy softly said.

“Oh!”, Robert exclaimed. Greyston was a mining town and was sitting in the middle of a large trade route that carried many minerals and metals. Currently, Black Dragon clan controlled the town, and that was how Sophie was able to obtain the raw materials for the gunpowder without arousing suspicion.

Sophy then explained why she decided to retreat. When Robert heard about Yuuma, he asked Sophy about the appearance of Yugimi. She hasn’t seen him but the carriage driver had and explained him to Robert. And sure enough, it was the same man that had been the old man that killed Riley.

Robert let out a sigh. He had hidden the cannons in the city for selling them as a service later on to anyone whom the Lorvale will send to recapture the city. But now he had the chance to exact revenge for Riley by this too. Although he was unhappy to leave the city, the knowledge that the enemy that he needs to kill is nearby made him a bit happy.

Although he was retreating, for now, he was doing the right thing. He didn’t have the power to go against one of that man, let alone a hundred spirit animals and experts. He must increase his power level, his experiments had already cost him the valuable time that could have been used to cultivate and get powerful in the traditional manner.

It doesn’t matter much though, the traditional ways of cultivation were compatible with his method and he can switch between the two anytime. Also, the higher power level he had in cultivation, the chance of successful mass generation will increase.

Retreat for now and return for revenge. Robert said to himself.

Sophy was also thinking of a way to recapture the city. As a representative of one of the largest clan, it was also her duty to protect the city. But she was the same as Robert, powerless for now. She decided the Greyston town as the retreat point to enable the maximum production of the weapons that Robert made. If a group of hundred normal soldiers is equipped with this guns, she was sure that they could retake the city.

The carriage convoy traveled through the woods and reached the Greyston town. The only notable resistance in the path was a pack of wolves that attacked the convoy. But the guards that just happened to be on the lookout for something to vent their anger of leaving the city took this chance and furiously killed all those wolves.