Eileen seemed oblivious to the commotion around her, walked straight to the bar, and tossed out a few silver coins: "Boss, five glasses of ale, five servings of gray bread with roast meat, and three clean rooms."
Her tone was indifferent, as if the news that shook the continent was nothing more than gossip among neighbors.
Mark and the others sat around a greasy table in the corner, accepting the cheap beer that the owner served them.
Enzo took a big gulp, then choked on the rough texture and winced: "Pah! This stuff tastes like horse piss compared to the ale at the Grizzly Bear Tavern! Damn it, those bastards from the Enlightenment Society are like ghosts that won't leave you alone!"
“As expected.” Ellen picked up her glass but didn’t drink. Her gaze seemed to pierce through the tavern’s filthy windows, landing on the wasteland outside the wall, shrouded in the distorted halo of the magic array. “The Enlightenment Society’s high-profile targeting of the Holy City this time means they certainly don’t intend to remain dormant.”
"The pressure on the Earthly Divine Kingdom has increased dramatically. Once that mad dog Balg comes out, and with Rita, that time thief, also getting involved... the border of the Demon Realm will be more lively and more dangerous than you can imagine."
Her voice wasn't loud, but it carried a cold, realistic quality that brought Enzo's complaints to an abrupt halt.
"Whether it's exciting or dangerous, we're already here," Mark said in a deep voice, his fingers unconsciously tracing the rough edge of the ceramic cup. "We'll deal with whatever comes our way."
The little buddy on his shoulder seemed to sense his determination and gently nuzzled his neck.
Monica set down her almost untouched glass, her sharp gaze sweeping over the seemingly rough adventurers in the tavern, whose eyes kept glancing at their table of unfamiliar faces:
"The most urgent task is to replenish supplies and then leave this town as soon as possible. This place is a mixed bag, and being well-informed also means a greater chance of trouble."
Although everyone in this tavern appears to be human, Monica, who comes from the Bellucci family, knows that many of the villages and humans near the border of the Demon Realm are not actually followers of the Holy Light or other former gods.
On the surface, they worship the mainstream gods, but in reality, they secretly support the abyssal demons on the other side of the demonic border.
Even though the Holy Light Church's legions have swept through this area several times, they still cannot completely eradicate these inherently greedy and wicked individuals.
Anna nodded in agreement: "Yes, I feel like the atmosphere here is off. Besides the demonic energy, there's also a... very faint, sweet and fishy smell in the air, like..."
Before she could finish speaking, the heavy wooden door of the tavern was slammed open with a loud bang!
A guard covered in blood staggered in, half of his leather armor shattered, revealing deep claw marks that exposed bone. The edges of the wounds were an ominous, dark purple, and wisps of black smoke were rising from them.
He was terrified and screamed hoarsely:
"Demonic...monsters! Rift...the watchtower east of town! Magic circle...something tore a hole in the magic circle! A horde of 'Shadowclaw Beasts' crawled in! They...they're eating people! Captain Ralph and the others...they're all finished!"
The tavern fell into a deathly silence; you could hear a pin drop.
All eyes were focused on the dying guard, and then even greater chaos erupted!
Some screamed, some grabbed their weapons and rushed out, while others shrank into a corner, their faces pale.
Eileen's eyes instantly sharpened like knives, and her languid expression vanished.
She suddenly stood up, a barely perceptible starlight flickering at her fingertips, quickly sensing the flow of magic in the air.
“To the east… the magic fluctuations of the magic circle are abnormally weakening… it’s not a natural breakage…” she muttered to herself, her brows furrowed. “It’s like it was forcibly torn apart by some… force with a strong corrupting divinity! Let’s go check the situation first. If it’s not the Enlightenment Society causing trouble behind the scenes, then helping Emerald Stone Town resolve its problems isn’t out of the question.”
Of course, if the Enlightenment Society had already begun to extend its reach to the borders of the Demon Realm, she wouldn't take Mark and the others on such a risk.
Even with all the Star Moon Black Gold mother-child coins in hand, Ellen understands that if the true masters of the Enlightenment Society were to attack her, she wouldn't be able to break through the situation as easily as Alfonso.
"Divine corruption?" Monica's expression hardened. She stared at the guard's wounds, the light of her Appraisal spell flashing rapidly deep within her pupils. "It's definitely not an ordinary monster! The Shadowclaw Beast is just a low-level monster; the damage it caused couldn't possibly leave behind this kind of magical fluctuation. My appraisal results only show that the wounds were caused by some special being!"
"Damn it! We just got here and we've already run into a big one?" Enzo roared, lava patterns instantly spreading across his arms, red light surging beneath his skin, and the scorching heat distorting the surrounding air. He gripped the heavy warhammer firmly in his hand. "Who the hell is he? Anyone who dares to eat people in front of me, I'll smash them to pieces first!"
Mark's heart sank.
Divinity again?
Anything related to divinity is difficult to deal with!
He instinctively reached for the cross necklace on his chest, feeling the cold metallic touch on his fingertips.
His mind flashed back to the terrifying sweet hell of Maple Leaf Town, the clash between the three divine phantoms in the royal tomb... Every encounter with this level of power meant a near-death experience.
He glanced at the little creature on his shoulder. The little guy seemed to sense the threat as well, and its seven-colored wings opened slightly, emitting a low "mumu" sound, no longer the usual soft and sweet sound, but a wary buzzing sound.
"Don't be impulsive!" Eileen's voice carried an undeniable authority, instantly suppressing Enzo's agitation. "The situation is unclear; rushing out recklessly is suicide! Come with me, let's check the situation at the town wall first!"
Without the slightest hesitation, she drifted towards the back door of the tavern like a wisp of smoke.
Mark's team of four followed closely behind. Although Enzo was irritable, he knew what was important and kept up.
Rushing out the back door, the chaotic streets were sparsely populated, with panicked residents scattering in all directions.
The pungent, rotten smell in the air grew even stronger, mixed with sulfur and blood, making one want to vomit.
On the east side of the distant town, the protective magic array barrier, which should have been emitting a stable, soft glow, now has a shocking crack, as if it had been torn apart by a giant claw!
Thick, dark green pus flowed from the edges of the crack, constantly eroding the radiance of the magic circle.
Near the rift, several shadowy figures, moving with ghostly speed, were wreaking havoc!
That was the "Shadowclaw Beast" the guard had mentioned.
They resemble leopards but have no physical form, as if they were formed from swirling ink. Their limbs are sharp energy claws, and each pounce brings a piercing sound and splattering blood and flesh!
Several members of the town guard were desperately resisting against the broken walls and ruins, but their weapons had little effect on the Shadowclaw Beast. Instead, they were constantly being torn apart by the dark purple claw shadows, and screams filled the air.
Even with the priest's holy light blessing their weapons and equipment, it seemed they couldn't do much damage to the monsters that were originally their natural enemies!
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