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Whether or not Lucia had enjoyed the dance, Luca wasn\'t sure. One thing was certain—he was nearly at his limit.

Seeing the gleam of interest still lingering in Lucia\'s eyes, indicating her desire to continue dancing.

Luca quickly made an excuse about not feeling well and managed to slip away.

The night was deep and inky.

Outside the City Lord\'s Mansion, the atmosphere remained lively.

The grand banquet had lasted well into the late hours of the night.

Many people had drunk far too much.

Cassman and Fred had their arms slung around each other\'s shoulders, Franklin and Bayou were loudly declaring their newfound brotherhood, and a few others were almost ready to perform the ritual of sworn brotherhood on the spot.

Thankfully, Count Ryan had anticipated this situation.

He had arranged for staff to escort everyone back to their respective lodgings, ensuring no one would embarrass themselves further by lingering.

After bidding farewell to the remaining guests, Luca stepped out of the banquet hall.

Breathing in the cool night air, he felt a rush of alertness and energy.

Despite having stayed in Riverfall City for so long, he hadn\'t had the chance to truly explore it.

With his departure scheduled for the next day, tonight was his last opportunity to take a leisurely stroll through the city and relax.

With that thought in mind, Luca wandered aimlessly through the city\'s streets and alleys.

Before long, he found himself back at the Mages\' Association.

The association hall was relatively empty at this late hour.

Most of the mages had gone to join the festivities, leaving only a handful of people inside, including Old Carl.

What surprised Luca even more was the presence of a towering figure standing beside Old Carl.

It was an older woman, appearing to be in her fifties. Her features were plain, and she wore a simple gray dress. But what stood out most was her impressive height—nearly three meters tall—and her incredibly broad, muscular build, which made her look almost like a giantess. The stark contrast between her and the diminutive Old Carl made for a comical sight.

The woman was currently berating Old Carl. Her face was flushed with anger as she gripped him by the collar, shaking him slightly as she shouted, "You think hiding out here at the association for a couple of days is going to solve anything, you old fool?"

"Tell me! Where did all the money from home go? Did you spend it on some mistress?!"

Old Carl looked like a scrawny little chick being held up by the scruff of its neck. He struggled to escape, but it was futile. He couldn\'t break free no matter how hard he tried.

Luca finally understood why Old Carl had looked so beaten up earlier.

It turns out it was all because of his wife...

The few people in the association hall were watching with amused expressions, making no move to intervene.

One of the men even cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted, "Auntie Lisa, I saw Old Carl heading to Orchid Street today, and he was talking to a young girl who looked no older than seventeen or eighteen!"

"You dirty old man! So, you were out there cheating on me!" The giantess\'s fury exploded at the news.

Her fan-sized hand swung directly toward Old Carl\'s face, the force behind it so powerful that it made a whooshing sound as it sliced through the air.

She was clearly a mid-tier professional and a warrior-type at that.

"Norka, you son of a—! So what if I took a little money from you?!" Old Carl ducked and dodged the incoming slap, his voice filled with grumbling complaints. Then, like a slippery eel, he wriggled free from Lisa\'s grasp.

Once his feet hit the ground, he moved with astonishing speed, sprinting towards the exit of the Mages\' Association.

While running, he continued shouting back at her angrily, "You old hag, you actually went all out on me! So what if I did go find other women?"

"The young girls in Orchid Street are way more tender than you—prettier, gentler, and far sweeter in their words…"

"Fine! Fine!" Lisa\'s face turned purple with rage as she let out a cold laugh. Suddenly, a fierce surge of energy burst out from her body. With a swift shadow step, she closed the distance between them in an instant.

In Old Carl\'s terrified gaze, she grabbed him and slammed him onto the ground with a resounding bang.

The sheer force made Luca feel as if the entire floor trembled slightly. The stone tiles beneath them cracked in a web of fractures.

Old Carl, nearly knocked unconscious, opened his mouth to curse again but didn\'t get the chance.

Lisa lifted her broad hand and began smacking him mercilessly on both sides of his face, leaving Old Carl wailing in pain. The sight was so brutal that even Luca couldn\'t bear to watch.

"The girls on Orchid Street are young enough to be his granddaughters, yet Old Carl\'s still willing to stoop so low!" The bystanders in the hall began discussing the scene animatedly, some even spitting in disdain at Old Carl\'s disgraceful behavior.

Luca, too, was perplexed. In his memory, Old Carl, while being greedy and cowardly, wasn\'t the type to lust after women.

What had caused this sudden change in the old man?

Someone in the hall who knew the backstory called out, "Auntie Lisa, don\'t listen to Norka\'s nonsense! Old Carl spent all his savings to help those orphans! He\'s just being stubborn and refusing to admit it, so take it easy on him—don\'t beat him to death!"

Hearing this, Lisa paused, but her fist, heavy with momentum, was already in mid-air.

Seeing her powerful strike about to land squarely on Old Carl\'s face—

A slender, icy hand suddenly reached out.

"Bang!"

The air exploded with a resounding boom as Lisa\'s fist, shrouded in energy, stopped mere inches away from Old Carl\'s nose. The sheer force caused the skin on Old Carl\'s face to ripple and tremble—it was clear she had meant to strike hard!

Luca withdrew his hand, the frost on his fingers dissipating, and smiled. "Auntie Lisa, this is all a misunderstanding. Old Carl\'s just being stubborn and probably felt too embarrassed to explain. Please, let\'s not resort to violence."

The onlookers stared in shock, their mouths agape.

Someone sucked in a sharp breath and exclaimed, "He actually blocked it! If I\'m not mistaken, isn\'t this kid only Silver-grade?"

Even Lisa herself was taken aback.

She hadn\'t used her full strength in that strike, but it wasn\'t something a low-level professional should have been able to block.

Moreover, judging by his demeanor, it seemed completely effortless for him.

This young man\'s strength… It\'s far greater than the rumors had suggested!

"Thank you, young man. I understand now." Auntie Lisa\'s face softened with a slightly embarrassed smile. But in the next second, her expression turned fierce again as she grabbed Old Carl by his ear, her demeanor reverting to one of ferocious anger.

She roared, "You old coot! What\'s the big deal about telling people you\'re out there helping others?!"

"Like hell I want to say it! What\'s it to you?" Old Carl rolled his eyes stubbornly, still refusing to back down. Auntie Lisa looked so frustrated that she seemed to be questioning why she\'d ever married such a stubborn old man in the first place.

After a moment, Old Carl turned his attention to Luca. He jumped up and clapped Luca on the shoulder.

Hands on his hips, he let out a hearty laugh. "Well, kid, you actually managed to stop one of Lisa\'s punches. I knew I didn\'t misjudge you back then! I owe you one this time. If that crazy woman\'s fist had landed, I\'d probably be lying in the hospital for the rest of the month!"

[Ding! Old Carl\'s favorability towards you has increased by 500!]

"It\'s nothing, really." Luca smiled and shook his head, brushing it off as no big deal.

Back when Old Carl had gifted him an Iron Staff, it had been a substantial gesture of goodwill. Tonight\'s intervention was just his way of returning the favor.

With that, Luca turned and began walking away without lingering any further.

Watching Luca\'s retreating figure, something seemed to click in Old Carl\'s mind.

Just as Luca was about to leave the street, Old Carl\'s voice echoed from behind, carrying across the distance.

"Hey, kid! There\'s a blacksmith named Luke in Southwind City\'s western district who owes me a favor. If you need equipment, go find him. Tell him I sent you, and he\'ll get you what you need—no charge. And make sure you visit Riverfall City whenever you get the chance."

Luca didn\'t turn around but waved a hand in acknowledgment.

[Ding! You\'ve triggered the quest "Visit Blacksmith Luke"!]

[Reward: One piece of designated mid-tier equipment!]

After leaving the association, Luca made his way to Franklin\'s clinic.

Since he\'d be leaving the city tomorrow, he wanted to tidy up Franklin\'s place as a parting gesture.

The clinic was dimly lit, so Luca activated a few glowstones, which brightened the space a bit.

But due to the clinic\'s lack of visitors over the past few days, a thin layer of dust had settled on the floor.

Various items were scattered everywhere, leaving almost no clear path to walk through.

Franklin had always been notoriously messy, and Luca could only shake his head helplessly at the sight.

With a low-tier spell, "Dust Cleanse," he swept away most of the dirt and grime, making the clinic look somewhat presentable.

After a quick glance at the dim, empty street outside the clinic, Luca\'s expression turned calm and collected. He spoke softly, as if addressing the air itself, "I\'m surprised you have the guts to come back. The entire Emerald State is searching for you, and yet you dare return to Riverfall City."

Outside, a light breeze stirred the dust on the deserted street. Not a single soul was in sight.

It seemed as though Luca was speaking to himself.

But in the very next moment, a pitch-black shadow suddenly expanded, spreading out in an instant.

In the blink of an eye, the entire clinic was shrouded in darkness, forming a black barrier around it!

It was a high-level restrictive secret art!

"So, this is how the Nightmare Cult welcomes its guests?" Luca\'s eyes glimmered with a cold light, but he remained utterly unflustered.

Outside, the distinct sound of high heels clicking against the ground echoed through the air.

Shortly after, a tall figure emerged from the shadows, the light of the glowing stones reflecting off her serpentine earrings with a chilling gleam.

Gazing at Luca, who appeared calm and composed despite the situation, Tia\'s expression grew complicated. "I hope Mr. Luca doesn\'t take offense. This barrier is merely a precaution."

"After all, you must understand, the Nightmare Cult\'s current situation is quite… dire."

As her words faded, Luca\'s mental energy picked up multiple presences around the clinic—figures in purple robes.

They lurking in the shadows, their gazes locked onto him with an intense fervor.

Luca let out a derisive laugh. "You brought this on yourselves."

The Nightmare Cult has been responsible for the deaths of who knows how many people over the years.

It\'s only fitting that you\'ve ended up in this wretched state. He couldn\'t care less about their plight.

Had it not been for the fact that these people were still useful to him, he would have turned them in long ago.

Hearing Luca\'s mocking tone, the Nightmare Cultists\' faces contorted with fury.

This bastard still had the nerve to talk! If it weren\'t for him somehow taking control of Jormungandr, how could the Nightmare Cult have been reduced to its current predicament?

One of the deacons barely managed to suppress his rage, speaking in a cold, harsh voice, "Luca, enough with the pointless chatter. You know why we\'re here. If I find out you\'re trying to play us, you know exactly what will happen to you!"

Luca didn\'t want to waste time arguing with them.

He shifted his gaze to the silver bracelet on his wrist and said calmly, "How much longer are you planning to play dead? Do you really want me to beg you to come out?"

The silver bracelet shimmered with a faint, ethereal light.

"Ahhh, please don\'t be mad, Master~ I\'m coming out right now!" A deliberately coquettish voice echoed in everyone\'s ears.