Chapter 524: Avish’s Ceasefire Terms

Charlot was not so arrogant as to believe that, having just ascended to the Saint rank, he could challenge a pinnacle Saint of the twenty-third rank.

As Gareth had once said, it had been a very long time since Charlot had engaged in a proper duel. After Emilia Mecklenburg dealt with Monteblanc, Charlot turned his attention to the Saints of the New Continent. Armed with nothing but his bare fists, he charged at them.

Few of the New Continent Saints could withstand a full-force strike from Charlot, who moved with an almost divine speed. Within seven moves, he had forced six Saints to retreat, and one unfortunate soul had his head shattered by Charlot’s attack.

The unfortunate Saint from the New Continent fell onto the deck of the Radiant Holy Kingdom, a legendary warship, whose planks suddenly transformed into a massive maw, swallowing him whole with a horrific chewing sound.

Only then did the New Continent’s Saints truly comprehend the terror that was Charlot. Hastily, they grouped themselves into formations of three to five. However, after Charlot’s ferocious assault, his subordinates took to the skies to join the battle as well.

Charlot, newly ascended to the Saint rank, had not yet fully stabilized his strength. Though his earlier attack appeared invincible, it was a superlative performance that consumed at least thirty to forty percent of his Blood Glory.

When his subordinates entered the fray, Charlot did not continue fighting. Instead, he stepped back, slowly channeling Blood Glory to recover his strength, stabilize his power, and fully digest the benefits of his Saint rank ascension.

Upon reaching the Saint rank, Charlot had condensed a significant number of Extraordinary Ability Runes.

While the extraordinary rank represented raw power, the true measure of combat strength lay in the mastery of extraordinary abilities.

After his ascension, Charlot poured all his energy into enhancing Swiftstep Technique, until the technique could absorb no more. Hesitant for a moment, he redirected the remaining energy into a skill from the Adonis Clan—the Flame Dragon’s Roaring Bullet.

Ascending to the Saint rank allowed one to fly, vastly expanding the battlefield and reducing the importance of close combat. The demand for long-range attacks had risen sharply.

Charlot urgently needed a long-range offensive ability.

The Flame Dragon’s Roaring Bullet from the Adonis Clan was his most cost-effective choice.

As the runes for Flame Dragon’s Roaring Bullet continued to condense, they reached the skill’s limit at eighteen runes. Charlot, after a brief pause, redirected his remaining ascension energy into Insight, elevating the ability to ×12.

Charlot felt a twinge of regret—if he had more energy, he would have chosen to enhance his Bloodflame Aura Gun.

Taking a moment to sense the wind in the sky, Charlot felt an unprecedented exhilaration. Within him, Blood Glory revolved in a wondrous rhythm, generating a continuous, unyielding force that seemed to defy the pull of the earth.

On Earth, humans relied on tools to achieve flight.

This reliance had driven many to pursue extreme sports like bungee jumping, skydiving, and wingsuit flying. Yet none of these artificial means compared to the true flight of this world’s Saints, who wielded their boundless energy to defy gravity and soar freely.

Charlot, however, harbored a slight fear of heights. Earlier, in the heat of battle, he had not noticed it. Now, with no support or protection around him, he felt a faint sense of unease.

Juno Arthur had yet to act. As the strongest of Byron and Charlot’s mentor, he maintained his dignity by refraining from joining the fray. However, the rest of Charlot’s Saint-rank subordinates had joined the battle, including Menielman Soumet. The New Continent’s Saints resisted for barely ten minutes before another fell.

At this moment, the other two chairmen of the New Continent Conference, Avish and Mocher, also took to the skies, temporarily stabilizing the battlefield.

As soon as Avish ascended, he was intercepted by Cresto. The two exchanged more than ten moves without a clear victor, prompting Avish to roar in frustration, “What is happening?!”

A New Continent Saint shouted back, “It’s Charlot Mecklenburg! He’s returned—and he brought reinforcements. Monteblanc has been trapped on that ship, and the rest of us have been slaughtered!”

Avish was stunned. Just as they were on the verge of conquering Black Phoenix City, the Duke of Mecklenburg had returned. If it had been only Charlot, it would have been manageable. But he had brought a group of formidable Saints and somehow trapped Monteblanc. Avish knew Monteblanc’s strength was only slightly inferior to his own. If Monteblanc had been trapped, escape was impossible.

After pressing for more details, Avish finally grasped the situation. He shouted, “Charlot Mecklenburg! We’re willing to withdraw, as long as you release Monteblanc!”

Charlot responded with a cold laugh, refusing to dignify the offer with a reply.

The leader of the New Continent seemed delusional—did he seriously expect to leave unscathed? And to trade their departure for Monteblanc’s release? Absurd.

Meanwhile, the other chairman, Mocher, was engaged by Menielman Soumet. He was both surprised by the prowess of the Empire’s First Rose and deeply unsettled by her strength. When he saw Avish also entangled in a fight with an equally skilled opponent, his heart sank.

Mocher knew that Black Phoenix City still housed a contingent of Saints.

The only reason the New Continent had been able to suppress Black Phoenix City was because the three chairmen of the New Continent Conference, all at the twenty-third rank, outmatched any of the Saints in Black Phoenix City.

But now, with Monteblanc trapped and Avish and himself occupied by opponents of equal strength, the addition of Black Phoenix City’s Saints would leave the New Continent’s forces with no chance of escape. While the Saints might manage to flee, ordinary troops would undoubtedly be captured.

Mocher was unaware that Charlot, in his fury, had already issued orders to reject any surrender.

Using an ability, Mocher left behind a phantom to deceive Menielman and approached Avish, forming a temporary two-on-one against Cresto.

With unmatched combat experience, Cresto withdrew preemptively. As Menielman charged forward, Cresto rejoined her, and together, the Empire’s First Rose and he suppressed the two chairmen of the New Continent.

Though Mocher regretted missing the chance to ambush Cresto, his main goal had been to speak with Avish. In a low voice, he said, “This is bad. We can’t keep fighting. Once those in the city come out, we’ll be annihilated.”

Avish’s face was grim as he replied, “I already proposed a ceasefire, but they refused.”

Mocher said, “We’ll have to make greater concessions.”

Avish, though deeply resentful, knew Mocher was right. Raising his voice, he declared, “Release Monteblanc! We’ll cede fifty cities and sign a non-aggression pact!”

At that moment, Monteblanc let out a blood-curdling scream. Emilia Mecklenburg had finally begun her “feast.”

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