The Devil’s Cage

The morning star [Calga’s Crush] had quite a reputation in Edland City, especially when the Ourin Church was just annihilated.

The death of its original owner elevated its reputation even further because its new owner was Kieran.

The young man who recently shook the entire Edland City, claiming that he had gotten the inheritance of the Griffin Church and almost wiped out the entire Ourin Church single-handedly.

So, when [Calga’s Crush] appeared, the well-informed Hounds knew who came.

Though, most of the Hounds were still focusing on their old opponents, the Knights who were freed from the bindings, but not all of them.

The four traitorous knights swiftly retreated and joined the Hounds’ side.

They glanced over at the three remaining Knights with mocking gazes before turning to the figure who jumped through the breach on the top with angry eyes. They couldn’t help but lift their mouths to help form vicious grins.

For the four traitorous knights, their mission had already ended at that moment.

Despite the fact that they couldn’t exterminate the entire roster of the association knights, when compared to the previous numbers, the three surviving knights were as good as dead.

However, the true extermination and almost exterminated had a difference, not only in terms of reputation but also in their rewards.

Once the traitorous knights thought about their rewards from the elders being discounted because of Kieran barging into the scene, their hearts were filled with killing intent towards Kieran.

Though, someone else’s killing intent was stronger than all four of them combined.

Melanie’s aura had dropped colder when she saw Kieran barging in unannounced.

“2567, do you have a death wish? Or do you think I won’t dare to kill you?” She shouted.

“Of course not!” Kieran shook his head.

He would never doubt her killing intent for him, just like he would never doubt the notorious Twenty Hounds of the Elder Council.

Melanie and the so-called observer was different.

Most of the time, the observers were nobodies but Melanie?

The countless streams of blood and bodies behind her trail already informed the others on how they should behave before such a terrifying woman.

However, such a person put up a “gracious face” most of the time when she faced Kieran.

Kieran’s vigilant nature had no choice but to doubt Melanie’s purpose.

In fact, when Melanie decided to show up in that intriguing time and place, she had filled Kieran’s heart with doubts.

The Head Hound of the Elder Council would appear inside a branch church of the Sant Relic Association just to meet a person that would be invited to join the Hounds?

Coincidentally, this Head Hound had just dragged the leads of the mythical and legendary items into the situation.

Judging from common sense, whether the leads were true or false, a brutal interrogation or slaughtering would occur yet Melanie didn’t do anything.

Not only did she not do anything, but she also gave up after Kieran showed a little deterring force and even tolerated Kieran time after time.

If the way Melanie acted was without an ulterior goal, Kieran would be the first to doubt it.

As for the possibility of Melanie falling for Kieran at first sight or was fond of him, Kieran wouldn’t mind thinking of it if he had a handsome charming face that could woo hundreds of girls.

But without such given circumstances, Kieran could try to guess her real purpose and it wasn’t all that hard.

Who were the enemies of the Elder Council?

The Saint Relic Association!

Especially when an opportunity that could attract both sides to a single place, her goal was very obvious.

Not only did Melanie want the non-existent Yggdrasil fruit, but she also wanted to set up the association along with it as well.

Of course, the Saint Relic Association thought similarly as well.

Kieran who had been observing all along on the sides was clear about the methods both sides used.

Both sides sent spies to infiltrate each other and didn’t even care about others dying.

This allowed Kieran to have a more directive perception of both organizations.

Therefore, he didn’t walk over to the three remaining knights that he had just saved but stood under the breach on the roof where [Calga’s Crush] had broken through.

A spot right in the middle of both parties, neither close the knights nor the Hounds.

The spot in the middle felt like it was stating Kieran’s plan that he had all along, though right now, the plan had to change.

The Knights of the Saint Relic Association had died in a large number. It was a definite occurrence after Kieran had realized Melanie’s plan and didn’t put a stop to it.

Kieran did not wish to see a powerful Saint Relic Association and likewise for the Elder Council as well.

Kieran was happy to see both sides maintaining a similar level of power and if both sides could suffer an even greater loss, it would be even more in Kieran’s favor.

Why would the Yggdrasil fruit appear in the first place?

Other than attracting the attention of the organization that Kieran couldn’t openly investigate, wasn’t it to provoke the council and the association into a fight like this, completely messing up the situation so that it would increase the success rate of completing his main mission?

Now was the chance!

While the Knights of the association had been crippled, they would have scruples to face the council’s Hounds in their prime but what if the council’s Hounds were crippled too?

Both sides were mortal enemies from the start, adding up the new grudges onto the old hatred, it would be almost certain that a new “war” would break out.

As long as Kieran could cripple the Hound’s forces…

Huu!

Kieran took a deep breath as he turned to the Hounds and stuck his back to the knights.

“The three of you, leave now!” he said.

He wasn’t loud but was enough for everyone to hear it clearly.

All the others were instantly stunned, the Hounds and the Knights, all eyes were looking at Kieran in shock and astonishment.

None of them dared to believe what Kieran had just uttered.

The Hounds started to sneer and mock him while the Knights were grateful for his courageous act.

“No, we can fight together!”

The female knight of the three said out loud instinctively, followed by her comrade’s nods. They reached out to their weapons and wanted to stand with Kieran.

“Stop!” Kieran halted them.

He didn’t turn back but slowed down his tone and said, “You need to deliver the message to the higher ranks of the association of what happened here. The incident today was what your enemies had been plotted for a long time, other than the enemies before your eyes, there are still a lot of the Elder Council’s men out there. So, I need you three to combine your efforts, break through the encirclement and bring the message out.”

The grateful knights were instantly moved when they heard what Kieran said.

Regardless of how much more men were waiting for them outside, which one of them was comparable to the Twenty Hounds?

The Knights stared at Kieran’s back and felt an unknown brilliance shining on the young man’s body that they had just met.

It was the brilliance that the Knights had started to forget.

“Sir 2567…”

“Leave now! It is the time to settle the score between Griffin Church and the Twenty Hounds, none will interfere!”

The female Knight’s words were interrupted by Kieran’s angry growl but none of the three knights were displeased by the loud words.

They stared at Kieran’s back, swiftly lined up in a row and saluted with a Knight’s salutation at Kieran together before turning away and running outside.

“Stop right there!”

A couple of Hounds growled and wanted to give chase but were forced back when [Calga’s Crush] roared past them.

“You. Shall. Not. Pass!”

Kieran uttered each and every word clearly while wielding a morning star in each of his hands.