The brutal battle between the forces of Ravenfell and the cultists raged on. Except this time, there was an entire army of otherworldly serpents involved. They fought side by side with the Magi of the city, slowly but surely overwhelming the ocean of intruders.

From the Northern Quarter to the Uptown Quarter, from the Downtown Quarter to the Market Quarter, and finally, the Harbor Quarter, several summoning gates had opened in these five districts.

The Army of Serpents had descended through these gateways and begun their slaughter.

Yet, amid it all, one glaring inconsistency remained…

Ravenfell had six districts, the last one being none other than the Corvid Quarter. Yet, Adam had never made any arrangements for that particular district. He hadn't left behind any strands of his hair in that area. Perhaps, even he did not know that he had overlooked it.

Something foul and insidious was at play.

But none of that mattered now. He wasn't here. Now, the key factions of the battle of Ravenfell consisted of the city's forces, the Cultists, and the serpents of the Coil.

Several hours had passed since the battle had begun. Cold corpses were strewn around in streets and alleys, blood flowed past them in sanguine streams, and the once-tall buildings and structures now lay in ruins.

As for the residents of the city… no one knew their current status. It was hard to tell how many of them might have survived this brutal battle despite taking shelter in reinforced underground bunkers.

Raidon had just heard the ominous news from the person on the other side of the communication shell. After that, he received no response whatsoever. The battle on the other side must have gotten too brutal for the person to divert his mind to communicate through the shell.

The Captain of the Black Legion was unable to believe what he had just heard.

"Lord Commander and that Mana Core Magus have… disappeared?" He muttered under his breath, his voice shaky. "How can that be possible?! Where did they go?!"

All around him, the Magi of the Black Legion, alongside the elite Magi from several aristocratic families, were locked in bloody combat, fighting shoulder to shoulder with the newly summoned Serpents of War.

The moment the serpents arrived, it was as if a second wind had swept through their ranks, reigniting their fury.

But Radion was drowning in a sea of fear and nervousness. He constantly worried about the well-being of his Lord Commander. The Dark King's survival was of great importance to Ravenfell!

Suddenly, the towering doors of Council Keep behind him opened with a loud creak.

Raidon's heart skipped a beat, and his grip around the twin blades subconsciously tightened. He immediately turned around and got ready to fight. Clearly, he was not in the right state of mind at the moment.

When he turned around, he was greeted by the cold, stoic face of an elderly man. He was muscular and stocky in build, with a presence that radiated quiet strength.

Behind him were a dozen Magi, all at the peak of the Mana Liquefaction Rank, clad entirely in black. The only parts visible were their cold, unblinking eyes and the crests on their foreheads. All of them radiated an aura of lethal danger.

Daniel Ranzenberg first scanned the battlefield. When he saw the sea of serpents ripping into the cultists and drowning them in fangs and venom, his eyes flickered with hints of… relief.

Finally, he shifted his attention to Raidon and said, "You're the Captain of the Black Legion?"

Raidon immediately put away his twin blades and straightened his back. Then, he thumped his chest armor with his right fist and respectfully answered, "Yes, Councilor! I am Raidon of the Black Legion."

Despite the clash of blades and the explosion of spells taking place in the background, Daniel Ranzenberg remained unfazed. He calmly studied the injured Captain and indiscernibly nodded.

"Any word from your Commander?"

Raidon's eyes trembled. "My Lord, he… he has disappeared…"

Daniel frowned. Before he could ask a follow-up question, Raidon continued, his words taking him by shock.

"…Along with an enemy Mana Core Magus."

The frown on Daniel's face deepened.

Just what the hell is he thinking? He thought to himself.

Even he knew the importance of Adam's survival. The Dark King was the symbol of hope for the city of Ravenfell. As long as he was alive and his serpents fought alongside the brave warriors of the city, there was hope, no matter how slim.

But now, for the Dark King to suddenly disappear from the city, that too with an enemy Mana Core Magus… just what kind of ridiculous notion was that?

Even Daniel, who had always held Adam in high regard, couldn't help but wonder if the youth had bitten off more than he could chew.

The stoic Councilor scanned the battlefield once again, his gaze lingering on the Serpents of War. Several tense moments later, he spoke again:

"As long as these serpents remain, it means he's still alive."

But where could he have gone? With a Mana Core Magus, no less…

That thought only remained for the briefest of moments before he turned to Raidon and started giving orders.

"You, take a dozen of your best men and follow me."

Without even waiting for the man's response, Daniel turned around and glanced at the two Mana Vortex Magi, as well as other powerful experts of the city, standing behind him.

"Hammon, I'll leave main command to you. Take control of the city's forces and ensure a seamless integration with Adam's serpents. Send word to any surviving Mana Vortex Magi and gather them here. We'll begin by retaking the Downtown Quarter and push outward from there."

The elderly Councilor, Hammon McLeod, nodded. "Understood."

Though he was still shaken by the betrayal of Taron Norwood and the bloodbath that had ensued in the council chamber upstairs, he remained composed, as befitted someone of his rank.

"And you…" Daniel turned to the newest Councilor, Halbert Dawson, and said, "Gather all the Herbalists from your guild. Immediately start tending to the injured Magi. And do it now."

Dawson nodded, his body trembling. "Y-yes."

Daniel intently looked at the Herbalist, then turned to his old friend and said, "Hammon, keep an eye on him."

Then, without another word, he turned away and strode straight into the heart of the battle. Behind him, two dozen of the most elite Magi of Ravenfell followed, their steps steady and resolute.

Raidon finally gathered some courage and asked, "My Lord, are we going to look for the Lord Commander?"

"He can take care of himself," said the stoic Councilor.

It wasn't that he didn't care about Adam, but because he truly believed the youth was capable enough to get out of his predicament alive, even if he was fighting against a Mana Core Magus. He didn't think the Dark King was a stupid youth who truly bit off more than he could chew.

Raidon gulped nervously. "Then… where are we headed?"

Daniel's eyes gleamed with a cold light. He drew his sword, and in that instant, the shadows around him deepened, thickening like a living entity. His lips parted, and in a flat, emotionless voice, he muttered:

"To the Benton Estate."

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