Your Majesty's money, why don't you engrave my name on it?

His current state is by no means a misfortune; quite the opposite, it is an unparalleled stroke of luck. And the person who brought him this luck is now standing behind him, pushing his wheelchair.

Duncan wasn't going to hide—he knew he would never die like that.

Things unfolded exactly as he had predicted. Just as the force of the giant hammer was so strong that his nose was almost flattened, and Duncan's vision was starting to blur, a plain black gauntlet appeared in front of him.

The griffin failed to hunt and crashed into an indestructible cliff, behind which lay a vast mountain range as majestic as Corinthian Otto.

"Bang!" The steps beneath Raslaufer's feet could no longer withstand the pressure and shattered. Even so, Dople, who stood on them, remained as steady as a mountain, catching the giant hammer thrown from the air with one hand.

The surrounding dust rippled outwards like waves from the terrifying impact, and at the same time, a silence more terrifying than any commotion spread outwards.

It wasn't as easy as it seemed. A negligible pain shot through his arm and into his heart, but it didn't cause any change in Reslaufer's expression or limbs. He even had time to control the power from purgatory, preventing the green flames from engulfing the attacker.

With his right arm slightly bent, and a sudden burst of force, Raslaufer threw the giant hammer back at Nior. This attack was not as powerful as Goliath's long-prepared throw, but even so, Nior did not dare to catch it so easily. He quickly took two steps back, and with a loud bang, the giant hammer, which had flipped in the air due to its center of gravity, crashed into the street in front of him, leaving a shallow crater where it landed.

His weapon failed to stand upright, and after struggling for a moment, he finally collapsed flat on the ground.

“You…” Nior stared at Raslaufer, and if he wasn’t already old and his eyesight wasn’t failing, the man’s face seemed… somewhat familiar.

But was that possible? The helmet obscured his face in shadow, making it difficult for Nior to tell.

"Pick it up."

The man spoke, and at the same time, he stepped down the guild steps, approaching Nior step by step. Meanwhile, a deep emotion finally appeared on the face of this veteran pirate captain.

“It’s you! You’re still alive!” Nior shouted uncontrollably. “I remember you! Do you remember me?! That ship, that ‘ghost ship’ that came back from its voyage! Seventeen of us disembarked alive, but almost all of them are dead now!”

Reslaufer paused for a moment. He remembered it, and he had told that young light cavalryman about it when he was still in the Empire.

But... so what?

Nior seemed unconcerned by Raslaufer's reaction, and he said urgently, "Those people, after that, they went out to sea one by one, or at most three times, and then never returned to shore! I dared not sail again, so I prepared to go south to try my luck! You, I don't remember your name, but you probably haven't gone to sea again either, right? That's why I was able to see you again!"

Leslaufer stopped for the second time; he was now less than ten steps away from his opponent.

“Pick it up,” he said.

Nior's face, which had just become excited, turned pale and then bluish. He stared at Raslaufer for a while before slowly nodding.

He stopped talking. Now that things had come to this, some friendships could only be rebuilt when they ended.

Goliath's eyes were fixed on Raslaufer's movements as he bent his knees and slowly reached for the giant hammer on the ground. Perhaps because they were acquaintances, Raslaufer gave him a little more time. Only when Goliath's fingers actually touched the hammer's handle did he suddenly raise his black flame greatsword and slash straight at Goliath's face!

Although both belonged to Goliath, Nior's skills were far superior to those of Raslaufer's former enemy. Despite his imposing physique and large frame, he was exceptionally agile and immediately responded to Raslaufer's attacks. In just a few exchanges, it was impossible to discern who was stronger or weaker. As the greatsword and hammer crashed down through the air, Raslaufer finally found an opportunity to suddenly kick out, sending Nior staggering back several steps before he could barely regain his footing with the help of his weapon.

"My goodness..." Daisy's tongue was half sticking out, almost forgetting to pull it back. "Working with Old Lei is really different. Judging from this, does Old Lei still have a chance to beat him?"

Although it seemed that Raslaufer had the upper hand, his companions could see that Dople was struggling to cope—his arm was trembling. This slight tremor might not be noticeable on heavy armor, but the trembling of the tip of the black flame greatsword was unmistakable.

Beside Daisy, Mary saw more: Raslaufer's final movement and kick should have been more lethal, but in reality, he deviated slightly from the theoretical landing point, merely knocking his opponent back without exposing Goliath's weakness.

“You, you also benefited from that ship, didn’t you?” Nior was equally surprised by Raslaufer’s martial arts and strength, but it was not unexpected. “Yes… we all received a gift, and the sea doesn’t give us mercy for nothing. It’s like usury, isn’t it? It has to be paid back sooner or later.”

"And since we don't know how to repay it, we can only run away, run until it catches up. You're the same... you can't escape either..."

“I don’t understand what you’re saying.” Raslaufer swung his sword, and the trembling tip instantly became perfectly steady. He was about to step forward again to settle the score with his opponent. But at that moment, a commotion arose from the street not far away: another group of people was approaching.

Most of these people were wearing priests' robes, with priests from the Church of Serac being the majority, but there were also many from other churches, making up about 60% of the total.

"Stop! Everyone stop! Please listen to what we have to say!"

Chapter 587 Lovisa

Thin-soled leather boots scraped against the thick carpet, stopping just before the last note of the music faded. Ahead of the newcomer, a woman in a pale-colored dress had just finished playing an obscure accompaniment to an opera from East Inassis. She didn't turn around, but it was clear she knew someone was standing behind her.

“Ms. Richter,” the family guard bowed to his mistress, “as requested, I bring you updates on the situation regarding the Mercenary Guild:”

"As per your request, the Northlanders, the defecting mercenaries, and the garrison have joined forces, but Duncan has not compromised. He has prepared a large number of siege weapons, while the rats have prepared thousands of human bombs."

“…Somewhat unexpected,” Lovisa Richter pressed another key with her finger, but without any real meaning, “So what about Nior? What did he do?”

"He tried to attack Duncan directly while the two were arguing."

"So, things should have gone according to plan four?" The woman turned her head to the side. "Because I didn't hear the roar of siege engines or any loud explosions."

According to her plan, this would only mean that Duncan had been killed on the spot by Nior, and the enemy would immediately fall apart and surrender to the garrison with ease.

This is not the best outcome. These people are still alive and will inevitably cause trouble in the future. Even if we recruit and incorporate them all, it will be the same—but at least we can reduce some losses today.

However, Lovisa noticed the guards behind her bowing to her again: "I'm sorry, mistress, it's not plan four. In fact, you didn't expect this situation."

"Hmm?" She stood up abruptly. It was clear that she wasn't wearing anything to match her long dress, but rather leather trousers and boots more suited for riding and fighting. "You mean, Duncan survived? But isn't that Plan Five? You should be following my instructions, not standing here."

“No, not Plan Five, madam,” the Richter family guard said, still somewhat dazed. “Neither Nior nor Cliff had a chance to stir things up. The assassin who stopped them was someone they knew, and…something they were very wary of. Nior fought him one-on-one and seemed to be at a disadvantage.”

Nior? He's at a disadvantage?

Recalling Goliath's imposing physique, Lovisa realized for the first time that words could actually be combined in this way—Cliff, the most likely person to stop him, and his Bonebreaker Legion had already sided with her, so who else could…?

"Reslaufer." This process of elimination doesn't take long to reach a conclusion.

Yes, it's him.

"He actually has such strength?" Lovisa still found it hard to believe. "The previous information showed that he was already a very senior Dople. If it were anyone else, they would either be dead or crippled long ago, and should have been on the decline by now. How could this be?"

“Madam, you must have been paying attention to the news in the Eastern Inassassins region before. In the Kingdom of Wenzel, King Henning, who had just completed the suppression of the rebellion, restarted the hunt, and Reslaufer was the champion of that hunt. I think he is far from declining.”

The guard didn't tell Lovisa how Raslaufer had caught Nior's terrifying hammer with one hand, otherwise the mistress would probably have discovered that her previously flawless plan was now completely useless.

If this happens, he will be the first to suffer – as a guard serving a family, the most important thing is not what to do right, but what to do.

"What's the situation now?" "The church has intervened and seems prepared to act as a peacemaker to quell this conflict."

A disdainful smile appeared on Lovisa's lips: "What a pipe dream. Do they really think they can interfere with things just by talking and talking to their gods?"

What both sides need most is gold coins and a voice. Unless the priests are generous enough to give up their share, peace will never be achieved.

But if they really get completely involved, the subsequent developments become somewhat unpredictable.

“Where is that sir?” she asked. “Isn’t he also a priest? Has he sent a message?”

Scheinhailig's involvement in this matter was not a spur-of-the-moment decision or a display of any grand ambition. Lovisa only realized this when she was preparing to inherit his business. Behind Scheinhailig in the past and behind her now, an unseen hand was manipulating the threads, controlling their every move.

The other party was not hidden in the darkness; on the contrary, he had a legitimate identity. But it was precisely because of this that Lovisa was puzzled as to why the churches would suddenly take such action—wasn't this contrary to their interests?

“I’m sorry, madam, there’s no news,” the guard shook his head. “Perhaps he tacitly approved it…”

What was tacitly approved? The guards themselves were not sure. Perhaps it was tacit approval of religious intervention, as long as the two sides eventually separated; or perhaps it was tacit approval that Lovisa could take more drastic actions, with the incited priests merely a prelude.

Their ambitions are likely far greater than imagined, so a single independent garrison is nothing compared to their ultimate goal: complete control of Ironforge.

The guard was alarmed by his own assumption; he was more inclined to believe that the other party preferred the first approach. However, Lovisa's thoughts were exactly the opposite of his.

But she is the one in charge here.

“Since that’s the case,” the woman sneered, casually pulling open her long skirt to reveal her neat military uniform underneath, “bring me my sword. Now it’s time to add fuel to the fire.”

"But you..."

"No, I must be there in person. I am the one who needs all the shock, cheers and adoration, not Nior, not Cliff, not my colleagues or that good-for-nothing Lord of Ironforge, understand?"

"Although the current lord of Chentiebao is not involved in affairs, we, the various sects, cannot stand idly by now that you two have put on such a large show!"

Meanwhile, the priests were still lobbying both sides, trying to persuade them to put away their deadly weapons. Even a blind man could see that if these two sides really went to war, regardless of which side won, the biggest losers would definitely be Ironforge and its inhabitants.

They must step in, even if they cannot persuade both sides, they must at least act as a referee to keep the conflict within a certain threshold.

Look at those rats! We can't just let them blow this place up, can we?!

Chapter 588 The Spark

"Heinrich, His Excellency Heinrich has arrived!"

"And Lord Brandon!"

Seeing that the priests' persuasion had limited effect, someone came up with the idea of ​​inviting the demon scholar and his disciple here. After all, a man's name carries weight, and the arrival of this man, who had once saved the entire Ironforge from demons, caused the tense situation to ease somewhat.

Reislaufer and the others nodded to Heinrich, and then the scholar stood impartially in the middle, slowly suspending himself in the air. After a series of rigid arguments urging both sides to stop, he stated his conclusion:

"Gentlemen, after the last demonic invasion, we all understand that Ironforge is one of the nodes where the demons are preparing to invade the material world. Under such circumstances, we should try our best to reduce conflicts and not give them any opportunity! The reason why such chaos has occurred this time is that there are demons lurking among us and causing trouble!"

"Therefore, I hereby call on both sides to temporarily cease hostilities and hand everything over to me and my disciples for investigation. We will give you all an explanation within one week!"

Whether it's interests, traditions, or anything else, they all become trivial compared to the abyss and demons. As soon as Heinrich said this, the situation visibly calmed down, and even Nior and Cliff had to give face to the demonologist.

After all, otherwise... could it be that you are a cult member?

"I also agree with Lord Heinrich!" Just then, a magical fluctuation suddenly came from the distant city wall, and the voice, amplified by a megaphone, reached everyone's ears with perfect clarity, "I am Lovisa Richter, captain of the Cold Iron Guard, and I hereby agree—"

Just then, a beggar who had just been shoved with two round iron balls was thrown off a carriage of unknown origin. With a slap from behind, his eyes went blank, and he stumbled and swayed toward the side and rear of the Ampiri group.

His clothing was similar to that of many other members of the rat colony, and he initially went unnoticed. Some of the rats even tried to call out to him, hoping to bring him closer to them. However, the beggar completely ignored them, as if he hadn't heard a sound around him, and continued running straight ahead.

"Wait, we don't have someone like that!" The rat king in the swarm realized. "Quick! Drag that bastard back! What's he trying to do?!"

Three or five large rats swarmed out and chased after the beggar. But instead of pursuing him, they made it seem to Nior and the others that they intended to take them down with them!

"Scatter! Scatter immediately!" Someone shouted from the Cold Iron Guard behind the Ampiri, and several crossbows were raised in an attempt to stop the rat swarm from getting closer.

But it was all too late. The "sphere" on the beggar's body was not something he could control. A flash of red magic appeared in his eyes, and the next moment he leaped forward. As the crossbow bolts turned him into a pincushion, the smoke bomb in his arms exploded!

Just as the two giant rats were about to grab him, they managed to dodge in time and were immediately engulfed in the explosion, and the bombs on their bodies were also detonated!

The street in front of the Mercenary Guild was transformed into a true hellscape by a series of explosions. This, in turn, acted as another trigger, instantly dragging the already tense parties into a chaotic battlefield!

Behind Duncan, siege engines roared like never before, while ahead of them, pirates, guards, and heavy cavalry charged, clashing with the rat swarm and Duncan's mercenaries. The priests, already disoriented from the sudden bombardment, were now disregarding everything else; some rushed to treat the wounded, while others were simply swept up in the battle.

What distinction is there between friend and foe? Anyone who attacks you is an enemy!

"How could this happen? How could it have turned out like this?" The poor demonologist was completely dizzy. He didn't understand how things had developed to this point, nor did he know what he should do at this moment. His disciple, Brandon, was a little more clear-headed than him, but only a little. He and several priests from Serac threw themselves into the effort to rescue the wounded, but soon, for some inexplicable reason, they were caught in a chaotic battle with a small group of rats and a few pirates. Not only were the wounded they had just rescued unable to be saved, but several priests were also injured.

Seeing this, Heinrich instinctively prepared to rush over to help his disciple, but at that moment, a large, hairy hand quietly reached out from the shadows and grabbed the arm of the demon scholar who was about to cast a spell.

"Who is it?!" The sensation, so different from that of a human, made him instinctively want to retaliate, but his attack missed its mark. What came into view was an equally furry, ugly face—it was a...bear goblin?

“Just call me Beast,” the goblin bared his prominent canines at the demon scholar. “I know who you are. Don’t waste your energy here. Come with me.”

It was clearly inappropriate to say that his disciple was still inside, so Heinrich gritted his teeth and asked, "Which side are you a mercenary on? Where are you taking me?"

There were mercenaries from two different factions here, and he needed to figure out what they were up to first. But the goblin's answer only confused him more:

“I’m not on either side. I was ordered by Count Doule of the Kingdom of Wenzel to infiltrate Ironcastle to investigate—didn’t you just say it was a demon? I’ve found her. Come with me.”

There really is a demon? Even Heinrich was taken aback for a moment, but his expression quickly hardened at those words: "Go! Take me there immediately, we must end this farce!"

"That was... a beast?" Daisy rubbed her eyes, watching the two people hand Heinrich a bottle of alchemical potion and then disappear into the shadows. "Didn't he not come?"

"The answer is obvious, he's here!" Mary clicked her tongue and didn't have time to say anything more, rushing into the battle with the mercenaries. Angreta also intended to rush in, but this time Daisy was quick enough to pull her back.

"My goodness, Princess, please don't go inside! We'll just use some magic to help you out. If anything happens to you, Old Lei will slaughter this place!"

Daisy's casual remark made Duncan's ears twitch slightly, but he immediately called out to the two girls, "You two are spellcasters? That's great, could you do me a small favor?"

"See that road? Make a path, no matter what! As long as we can capture the walls on both sides, we can use the real heavy machinery up there—do you know what that means?"

"Uh...we can win?"

For the first time, Angelita and Daisy saw the burning flames of war within the rolled-back eyes of this man who had lost even his limbs: "No! That means we can fucking take over the entire Ironforge—we'll be the second Richard the Great!"

Chapter 589 One Man's Enemy

A massive fireball roared overhead, but all Reislaufer could see were the steel and flesh ahead. The Broken One, forged by Vondahl for him, truly lived up to its name; any enemy who dared to stand in his way, whoever they were, would surely perish here.

Even the Ampire people, who are equally battle-hardened and even claim that "everyone is a Dople," are no exception.

The Black Flame Greatsword deflected the layers of spears thrusting towards him, freeing Dobul to make his move. As the battle blade forged from hell iron flashed with a dark light, the soldiers who had been relying on the length of their weapons to keep their distance from him all clutched their necks and chests and fell to the ground, filling the crevices of the street bricks with their blood.

Nior roared and swung his giant hammer at Raslaufer again, but the latter only blocked the unavoidable attack. More often than not, he blended into the chaotic battlefield and into the ranks of the Ampiri.

Unless Goliath has the guts to accept his men being smashed to pieces along with Leslaufer, he would never arbitrarily unleash his brute force—this is not Ampire, where the loss of any comrade cannot be recovered or replaced in time.

But others think differently.

"Charge! Charge!"

Cliff's Bonebreaker Legion roared and charged forward relentlessly, crushing the surrounding swarms of rats that tried to advance under their hooves. But it wasn't just the enemy that was crushed; the Cold Iron Guard and the Ampiri, who couldn't escape in time, were also swept up in this torrent of only a few hundred people.

Cliff didn't care; he only had one target in his eyes: Dubler, who was currently charging around in the army!

He commands the most expensive and powerful units! He is the most authoritative chapter leader in all of Eastern Inassassins, and his chapter is the most expensive! He deserves respect!

That's nothing but a nobody who thinks he can stand on equal footing with them just by risking his life—today, he must die here!