Chapter 46: 18-Year-Old Male Warlock

Chapter 46: 18. The Male Sorcerer

The battle within the manor began to reach a stalemate, and the Duruchi soldiers started to suffer minor casualties.

The five Dacous nobles charged in, breaking the deadlock. The Duruchi mercenaries and family guards had never encountered such a formation before.

A Reaper Ballista was set up, and its point-blank grapeshot swept through the ranks, mowing down a whole swath of people. The lucky ones were shot dead instantly; those who survived began to wail in agony.

A team of artillerymen ran out onto the roof of the manor building. A few disarrayed Duruchi attempted to assemble a Reaper Ballista, but Alisha had been observing the battle from the sky. Seeing the situation on the roof, she summoned a searing amber spear and struck four of them from a tricky angle. Terrified, the other Duruchi dropped what they were holding and fled, but perhaps realizing their mistake, they ran back to continue the assembly.

Alisha grew angry. She hung her staff on her saddle, dove down in another swoop, rolled once on the roof, and cast the spell *Claws of Fury*. Her hands transformed into sharp claws, and she began to tear into the Duruchi in close-quarters combat.

The Duruchi mercenaries and family guards within the manor began to waver. Some dropped their weapons and tried to flee through the side gate, only to be driven back by the Calamity Chariots that had been waiting there for some time.

Dacus flipped off his Frost Lizard, hung the Drum of Resurgence on his lower back, drew his Messer, and charged into the building. Bayne and Flane much flanked him on the left and right, while Wirt and Rain covered the rear.

The big man led the Frost Lizards to continue the slaughter within the manor. These weaklings, born and raised in underground breeding chambers, were exceptionally excited and manic upon seeing blood for the first time.

There were few Duruchi left inside the building, only a few scattered servants, though it was unclear what they were running around for.

The five Dacous nobles cleared several windows facing the rooms within the manor, slaughtering the crossbowmen inside. They then charged into a room. Sensing danger by instinct, Dacus ducked, but it was no use. He felt his soul being scorched and his body filled with agony. The five nobles roared and screamed in pain, cursing all the while.

The family guards inside the room charged at them. Dacus’s eyes bulged as he gritted his teeth, attempting to overcome this soul-wrenching pain. Channeling his inner detective, he drew the flintlock pistol from his right leg holster, cocked the hammer, and fired directly at the male sorcerer. The lead ball flew true, striking the sorcerer in the ear. It tore off half an ear, interrupting his spellcasting; the sorcerer collapsed, clutching his ear and screaming.

Relying on sheer willpower, Bayne and Flane overcame the pain and engaged the family guards in combat. Wirt, however, fell to his knees wailing, his fists clenched, cold sweat pouring down his face.

Rain, wielding a rapid-fire hand crossbow, took down two family guards at close range. When his quiver ran empty, he leaned down, snatched the rapid-fire hand crossbow from Wirt’s waist, and roared at him, "Stop fucking lying there!"

The *Heart-Piercing Bone-Carving Curse* cast by the mediocre male sorcerer only lasted about twenty seconds. Had Marequis, Moras, or Annasara been present, the five Dacous nobles would have been dead on the spot.

Bayne, using his Messer with one hand, took down family guards one by one. After all, he was a martial arts master in Duruchi society, ranked among the top twenty, even with one arm missing.

Flane was uninjured this time and began hacking away with his Messer. Rain emptied his quiver again, then tossed the hand crossbow to the ground and began fighting with a serrated longsword.

Dacus hauled the kneeling Wirt up and gave him a hard slap. Regaining his senses, Wirt joined the fray with a knight's war hammer. In moments, all twelve family guards were down; Bayne had personally taken out seven. Rain cursed as he rushed forward and kicked the one-eared sorcerer in the face.

"Don't kill him. We need evidence, remember?" Dacus said, wiping blood from his face.

Bayne spun his Messer, performing flourishes as he paced around. Seeing a family guard still struggling on the ground, he stepped up and delivered a finishing blow.

The battle in the manor was over. Although the mercenaries knew that surrendering meant death, they could no longer hold out. They dropped their weapons and knelt on the ground with their hands raised.

Kallion drove the Calamity Chariot into the courtyard, a struggling Duruchi bound to the vehicle with steel chains. An impatient beastmaster kicked the prisoner before jumping down from the chariot to soothe the now-calmed dinosaur.

Edmond led two squads into the building, surrounding the family guards who stood in front of Wirt's brother in a large room.

The five Dacous nobles entered shortly after. Alisha's black silk dress was stained with blood; her hands had returned to normal, though her fingernails were still caked with flesh and blood. She looked at Dacus and gave him a smile.

"Lord Dacus, I was wrong! I was wrong! Please, spare my life!"

Dacus said indifferently, "And what do I get out of that? Hmm?" He then glanced up at the chandelier on the ceiling to ensure no assassins like the Kaine were lurking there, before adding, "You really went all out, didn't you? Quite the spectacle."

As he spoke, Dacus pulled out his flintlock and began reloading.

Wirt's brother pressed his hands together in front of his chest, pleading, "My Lord, I was wrong, truly wrong. Forgive me just this once."

Dacus continued loading his ammunition, curling his lip. "You *were* wrong. You were wrong because you should have attacked from the start instead of hesitating. What were you playing at?"

He raised the flintlock, aimed, and fired. The lead ball struck a shield, causing the guarding family guard to stumble as the projectile embedded itself in the wood. After firing, Dacus continued reloading.

Wirt's brother could no longer maintain his act. He shouted furiously, "You people of the House of Calamity are too much! You have ruled Krakalond for too long! Let's fight to the death!"

Before he could finish, a family guard's head exploded. Dacus had hit him.

"Whoa, what the hell are you talking about?"

The group of family guards rushed forward, but most were cut down almost instantly. Only Wirt's brother remained standing.

Dacus took out the Echo Drum and began to beat it slowly, his voice stretching into an operatic aria: "Ah~ now the story approaches its climax, and our Avenger shall take a brand new step forward!"

Rain looked back and saw Wirt staring blankly at his brother. He waved to Edmond and began to retreat.

"Now, our Avenger has arrived at the center of the stage. What magnificent performance will he present to us next?"

Dacus continued to beat the Echo Drum, the rhythm growing more intense, as if a curtain were about to rise.

Only then did Wirt snap out of it. He grabbed his knight's war hammer and walked toward his brother.

Wirt's brother seemed to want to say something more, but he never would, for his skull had been shattered.

Wirt dropped the war hammer, found an empty spot, and sat down, staring at the floor.

The drumming stopped abruptly at its crescendo.