In the outer city of Extreme City,
The incessant clanging of construction echoed through the air. As long as there was light in the sky, the citizens of the Dead Sea would not cease their labor.
Though the intensity of their work remained largely unchanged, their faces now bore smiles.
They were building homes for themselves, working diligently for their own futures.
As they witnessed their houses rise from mere foundations to tangible structures, the people of the Dead Sea realized that their sweat could indeed yield rewards, akin to farmers awaiting the bountiful harvest of autumn.
In recent days, they willingly engaged in seemingly futile tasks, such as helping others build their houses.
"Let's gain experience by assisting others; that way, our own homes won't turn out so shoddily. How generous of me!"
"Hey! Is there anyone else who needs a house built? I'm offering my labor for free!"
"It's you who mistakenly installed the wrong wooden plank, causing one of the windows to be smaller than the other."
Numerous citizens turned their gazes toward the source of the voice and indeed found that on the white house, the two symmetrical windows had one that was noticeably smaller.
The sight irked those with obsessive tendencies, prompting an urge to tear it down—how unsettling!
Children hopped about, exploring their peaceful little town, which had distanced itself from the desolate sands. Their faces radiated joy.
Once gazing up enviously at the wealthy district, they now found their dreams within reach, thanks to the help of their lord brother!
"If we live here, we no longer have to worry about magical beasts suddenly appearing at night."
"If only such days could arrive sooner, perhaps my parents wouldn't have had to perish at the hands of those monsters..."
"Don't speak such dismal words; let's rather hope our lord brother returns soon!"
The intense heat from the sky captured the children's attention, abruptly interrupting their conversation.
The citizens of the Dead Sea, in unison, looked up.
Their expressions shifted from confusion and curiosity to shock and fear, their pupils widening in alarm.
A massive fireball meteor streaked across the sky, leaving behind a long tail of flames, growing larger in the eyes of the onlookers!
It was heading straight for Extreme City!
Boom——!
The destructive force unleashed by magic wreaked havoc at the periphery of the outer city, a wave of fiery destruction sweeping through, leaving charred remnants in its wake.
This sudden assault shattered the dreams of the Dead Sea citizens, thrusting them into grim reality.
The impact sent civilians flying, leaving them to gaze around in despair, their physical pain momentarily numbed.
They were at a loss, yet it felt almost habitual.
Did they truly deserve to exist in a perpetual state of fear and anxiety?
"The magic scroll's positioning turned out to be flawed; could it be the unstable turbulence from the Void Sea? What a troublesome place."
Lanwei's figure emerged, swiftly descending from the distant sky to the vicinity of the outer city.
Clad in a brown robe and riding a magical carpet, he surveyed the chaos below from a lofty vantage point.
The scroll in his hand crumbled to ash—having just invoked the formidable **Meteor Storm**, a spell classified under military-grade offensive magic.
Lanwei had not intended to reveal himself; he planned to make a painful sacrifice, using several advanced magic scrolls for a cleansing ritual, thus allowing the citizens of the Dead Sea and the nobles to meet an abrupt end without interference from the taboos.
Unbeknownst to him, all the nobles of the Dead Sea had already perished.
He instinctively regarded the newly constructed city as a residence chosen by the nobility.
"Well, since precise targeting is unfeasible, a random cleansing will suffice; I won't let you people ruin my prospects and future!"
Lanwei activated another magic scroll, the parchment glowing as it rapidly formed a magic circle in the sky, a meteor slowly taking shape and plummeting down!
However, this time, the newly formed magic circle was shattered by a sword that appeared out of thin air.
"Who dares to wreak havoc at the Dead Sea border?"
Shanoya sensed the magical disturbance and immediately leaped from the castle terrace, racing toward the outer city.
Gazing at the devastated remains of what was once a city, the cries of terrified children echoed in her ears, igniting a fire of wrath within the knight's heart!
"My son Connie died here; both the nobles and the commoners must pay for his burial! If you fallen ones wish to remain uninvolved, do not interfere, or beware the consequences from the Sacred Codex!"
The scroll in Lanwei's hand flared to life once more, conjuring multiple magic circles, determined to overwhelm the opponent and swiftly eliminate any witnesses.
An A-class fire elementalist had already entered the ranks of the continent's powerful, revered wherever they went.
Lanwei, unconcerned with the expenditure, lavishly squandered his precious magic scrolls, the threat growing immeasurable.
Janet's agile figure appeared, restraining Shanoya, reminding her,
"Shanoya, you exerted considerable effort against the siren last time; you haven't had enough rest yet!"
Shanoya was acutely aware of her condition; curiously, after directly confronting the meteor magic moments before, she felt no discomfort.
A warm current was soothing her turbulent energy—was it the mysteriously manifested leg band?
Shanoya glanced curiously at her thigh, where the comforting warmth seemed to radiate from.
"I'm fine, no need to worry. Janet, have you noticed? He intends to kill everyone here, yet he is oddly avoiding us, the most suspicious ones."
The knight's observation jolted Janet into realization.
Indeed, this magician came seeking vengeance for Connie, yet the most likely suspects were clearly themselves, the taboos.
Could these commoners and nobles have been the ones to eliminate Connie's loyal steward?
"Though the reason remains unknown, his actions appear aimed at silencing witnesses!"
With this deduction, Janet called out to Lanwei in the sky,
"The Dead Sea nobles you seek, the Pigan barons and their ilk, have long perished in the monster siege!"
Receiving this news, Lanwei paused, flicking his fingers to cast a **Detection Light**.
The flare-like orb descended into the wealthy district, revealing it to be barren, void of any life signs.
Yet, his meteor magic did not cease; it directly targeted the outer city, as Lanwei's gaze fell upon the panicked, trembling citizens, akin to gazing upon insects!
"Does he truly wish to silence the commoners as well?!"
Janet could not fathom his intentions, yet her expression had turned cold.
Lanwei's gaze flickered toward the two taboos, his immense spiritual energy allowing him to detect numerous hostile presences emanating from the lord's castle.
He had no desire to oppose these troublesome entities, but since he had arrived here, he was naturally prepared.
"This is **Angel's Eye**, a Level Seven Codex magic. You fallen taboos, if you do not wish to draw fire upon yourselves, refrain from reckless actions!"
With the disappearance of an extremely rare magic scroll, the head of a celestial being appeared above Extreme City.
The head was the size of a watermelon, its blindingly pure radiance seeming to manifest divine sight, appearing gentle yet exuding a holy authority.
Janet was suddenly overwhelmed by the oppressive presence of a nemesis, knowing that should she unleash her powers, she would face immediate backlash!
These rays could exacerbate her loss of control, punishing her with the very flaws of the taboo power!
Yet, strangely, Shanoya felt... fine?
Her astonishment grew toward the power of the leg band; it not only quelled the threat of losing control but even countered the influence of the **Angel's Eye**!
However, the mysterious runes on the leg band were gradually fading.
"Janet, you take the civilians and disperse, while I will hold him off; trust me!"
...
In the carriage where Chu Yan was seated, it was rolling along with a rhythmic "gurgle."
After days of travel, he could finally faintly smell the stench of rotten seafood wafting from the Void Sea.
Passing by a secondary outpost, Chu Yan was astonished to find that the stationed personnel had all been rendered unconscious by magic.
A jolt of panic surged through his drowsy spirit.
Though these sentinels were akin to "security cameras," prone to malfunction at critical moments, they could not be blatantly negligent.
Outsiders could not openly employ magic to attack these guards.
"Is this the only main road leading to the Dead Sea border? Have Connie's parents arrived?!"
He hastily boarded the carriage, setting off once more.
Upon reaching the outpost closest to Extreme City, he found the stationed personnel in a deep slumber.
The direction from which the sea breeze blew carried with it waves of magical energy!
"Aunt Nancy, use magic to take me there quickly!"