Night Ranger

__

TL: There was an issue with the ranks. Half-Legend now 4th rank. (Everything at the end of the chapter.)

_________

Marvin was unaware of everything that just happened in Thousand Leaves Forest.

He was hurrying south toward River Shore City.

On his way there, he saw a lot of people walking on the main road, all apparently trying to leave River Shore City.

They seemed to be in a panic. Some even had luxurious clothes but they were still walking on foot.

There were even some City Hall officials among these people. When Marvin had appealed for help from River Shore City’s City Hall before, many of these had treated him with contempt.

‘It happened indeed… River Shore City’s purge of the higher-ups.’

Marvin pondered as he continued along.

River Shore City’s great changes had happened somewhat earlier than before in the timeline, possibly also because of his influence.

This had to do with the City Lord of River Shore City appearing at an earlier date.

This City Lord was a Half-Legend Witch on equal footing with Hathaway, a peak 4th rank class holder.

But she didn’t have Hathaway’s good luck; she wasn’t a Seer. Just as she was about to become a Legend, the Universe Magic Pool shattered. Though she withstood the willpower check caused by the chaos magic rippling through her body, her growth was afterwards forever stopped at level 20, unable to level up.

If not for River Shore City being one of the starting points for players, with its countless ”Golden Generation” players with heroic builds appearing one after the other, River Shore City might have been destroyed in a monster attack.

...

Marvin entered River Shore City and found out that the current city was a lot drearier than before his departure. There weren’t many people on the main street, its emptiness giving a depressing feeling.

In fact, River Shore City’s previous prosperity was somewhat fake.

A large amount of dirty trades existed, and the City Hall was colluding with all kinds of contemptible nobles and merchants, helping them profit from the ordinary people.

A vast amount of wealth circulated among a small number of people, and various kinds of unreasonable forces were running amuck. Gangs were often battling each other, resulting in deaths in the slums.

Many youths could only choose to become low level cannon fodder in a gang because they were unable to make a living otherwise.

These dark corners hid under the thriving facade. Only when you entered the depths of the city at night would you be able to feel that sickening bloody atmosphere.

But this situation had already greatly improved.

Because the City Lord Proxy was removed. River Shore City’s true owner had come out of her Wizard tower, ending her three year seclusion.

Her strength had consolidated at the 20th level, the Half-Legend boundary, and she began to govern her territory again. She was only a Viscount, making her title on the lower end in the South Wizard Alliance.

But it was unrelated to her strength. It was only because River Shore City was a small territory. If she had wanted to open up new lands in the wilderness for the Alliance, a Countess rank would be suitable.

In short, after this City Lord came back out in public, the general atmosphere in River Shore City improved.

Even the previous Dark Sweet Poison incident seemed to have been brought under control by the Wizard Regiment and the Silver Church’s knights.

People talked on the streets about the source of the plague. Silver Knight Gordian was the name that was the most often mentioned.

Apparently it was because Gordian contributed the most in the capture of the the plague followers who were spreading the Dark Sweet Poison!

And Masked Twin Blades was also mentioned repeatedly.

When Marvin heard it, he couldn’t help but smile.

In his reply to Anna, he had mentioned having Agate and Amber disguise as Masked Twin Blades and kill a few evil people in River Shore City, and then deliberately leaking the news.

Anna had apparently already put it into action, or else there wouldn’t be so many rumors about Masked Twin Blades in River Shore City.

His Region Myth had already raised by one point.

Moreover, it was leaning toward the positive side. People no longer thought of Masked Twin Blades as that cold killer who single-handedly eliminated the Acheron Gang. Neither did they consider him the criminal who ruthlessly killed everyone in Miller’s house. It changed a lot, into an enthusiastic person performing chivalrous acts everywhere.

This made Marvin very pleased.

...

”So most of the public opinion was something you spread yourselves? Describing Miller as a rich and wicked merchant who was also part of an evil cult? Portraying Masked Twin Blades as a hero?” Marvin asked.

In a secluded alley, he met with the Phantom Assassin Kyle Amber once again.

Marvin had left him in River Shore City to watch Toshiroya, that noble who was said to have come from some northern city. He apparently had been aiming at White River Valley for a long time.

Information has always been the most important. Sometimes, understanding a bit more about your enemy would increase your chances of success manyfold!

Amber shook his head. ”I found a destitute and dejected Bard. This guy’s mouth was very cheap, but he was pretty eloquent.”

”The most important thing was that this man had no bottom line. As long as there was money, he would do anything.”

”Moreover, what he spread was the truth.”

Marvin nodded. The Phantom Assassin did a great job.

But he was more concerned about something else.

”What about Toshiroya? And the Lynx team,” Marvin asked.

He hadn’t forgotten that when he was trying to recover his territory, the Lynx team repeatedly tried to trap him!

Cat Verne got the Disciplinary Knights to attack him after the battle with the gnolls at White River Valley!

As for Toshiroya, this guy clearly had the same intentions as Miller. He definitely had a hand in that Gnoll attack.

Regardless of his reasons, trying to harm what Marvin was protecting would only have one outcome!

And that was death!

He’d endured it before because he wanted to clearly understand who was behind the Lynx team.

Now it was time to act.

...

Amber’s intelligence work in River Shore City was exceptional.

He immediately told Marvin the information he found out.

As expected, the day of Marvin’s departure, a lot of changes happened in River Shore City!

The true City Lord cracked down on the Proxy, and began to start a series of purging decrees.

More than half of the City Hall Officials were discharged, and one third was expelled.

Furthermore, these people got all of their property seized!.

The chief of the Wizard’s regiment had set out this time, coordinating with River Shore City’s guards and Disciplinary Knights, and along with the support of the Silver Church.

Everything was done in a rush.

This City Lord’s decisiveness could clearly be seen.

The people Marvin previously saw on the main road were those nobles and City Hall’s officials. They were expelled from River Shore City and had no choice but to think of a way to earn a living in another territory.

Then, there was the large scale hunt for the plague followers. This played a major role in containing the spread of the Dark Sweet Poison.

The Dark Sweet Poison had just begun to bring troubles before it was immediately stopped. Marvin naturally had a role in this. If he hadn’t killed that smart plague envoy, it wouldn’t have been this easy for the higher ups of River Shore City.

During this time, a strict night curfew was set up through the city. All of River Shore City was shrouded in a stifling pressure.

This was a peak Wizard’s deterrence. Even if she wasn’t a Legend, her power was enough to intimidate everyone in River Shore City.

At that time, the poorer one was, the more relieved they felt. Their lives were finally protected.

And Toshiroya was also affected by this purge.

Due to his background, River Shore City’s City Lord didn’t seize his assets and only banished him.

But from what Amber knew, this guy hadn’t immediately left the city after being banished!

He was apparently staying in an area near the city in a small temporary camp, secretly plotting something.

Because Toshiroya’s group had an expert able to see through invisibility, Amber didn’t dare to get too close, so he couldn’t get the information concerning Toshiroya’s plan.

He only knew that the camp was located inside on a ledge in a hill between River Shore City and White River Valley!

...

”It’s actually near White River Valley.”

”This guy truly has evil intentions.”

A killing intent flashed through Marvin’s eyes as he continued, ”What about that Lynx team?”

”The Lynx team has been arrested by the City Lord as an example for colluding with many officials.”

”Now, the six members are all imprisoned in a cell in the north of the city,” Amber quickly answered.

”A cell?” Marvin frowned.

Toshiroya’s move gave him a bad feeling.

But he couldn’t go alone to look for him right now.

He needed to find a way to find out what that guy really wanted!

...

North of River Shore City, Black Water Prison.

Two guards pushed a small youth inside.

The sky was too dark to make out the youth’s appearance.

”What did this guy do?” the man in charge of registrations asked.

”He violated the curfew. The sky is dark but he was still running blindly on the streets. Did he really think that the recent martial law was a joke?” the guard helplessly said.

This youth had a terrified expression on his face, probably afraid of what would happen.

”Minimum of one week. 7th cell.” The person in charge of registration took a glance at the youth and felt that he wasn’t a threat, immediately letting him in.

Ten minutes later, the cell was locked. Marvin was locked with several sturdy men in a very small cell.

”Yo! Newcomer…” A man naked above the waist and with tattoos all over displayed an unsightly smile. ”You look very charming.”

From another corner of the cell came a wretched laughter.

A sharp voice said, ”Mondin, don’t use too much strength, that last newcomer died the day after you played with him.”

”Many of us didn’t have the chance to taste him;”

”Start easy this time. Let this boy live a few days.”

The tattooed man laughed out loud, ”Fuckin nonsense.”

”Hey boy! Come lick the great me…”

He hadn’t finished his sentence when a heavy fist landed on his face, followed by the sound of teeth shattering!

The cell instantly fell into silence!