Chapter 496: Tonystark Town's Labyrinth Transformation

After the Mecklenburg fleet’s quartermaster conducted a round of purchases on the island, the residents of Aegean Island finally calmed down. After all, those willing to spend money on purchases were generally less intimidating.

The truly frightening ones were those who didn’t spend money.

And even more terrifying were those who neither spent money nor wanted to buy anything at all.

Charlot, accompanied by Andreas and Argon, wandered around the port for a while. The natural terrain of this harbor was impressive, capable of accommodating even a massive warship like the Dolmabahçe. However, since there were few ships traveling between the Old Continent and the New Continent, the port wasn’t very large. Only a portion of the terrain had been developed into docks, with a maximum capacity of ten ships at a time. The port was neither bustling nor populous, not even when compared to Fars or Ingrima ports—or even Cappadocia, for that matter.

After a brief walk, Charlot suggested visiting some of the other smaller towns nearby.

Temple Robin chatted with Charlot, Andreas, and Argon for a while and found himself developing a favorable impression of them. Charlot carried an air of mystery, Andreas exuded the refined temperament of an old noble family scion, and though Argon barely spoke, he projected a sense of depth and composure. Robin was now convinced that they had no intention of invading Aegean Island.

Still, he couldn’t shake his curiosity about the ghost ships. Hesitantly, he asked, “There’s something I’ve been wondering about. Would it be inappropriate to ask? Why are there so many ghost ships in your fleet?”

Although legendary warships were intimidating, they didn’t evoke the same dread as hundreds of ghost ships.

Charlot smiled faintly and replied, “Originally, my fleet didn’t have any such things. Not long ago, we encountered a ghost fleet and had a battle with them. These ghost ships are my spoils of war.”

Robin was taken aback. He hesitated for a moment before deciding to believe the explanation. Between the possibilities of someone commanding hundreds of ghost ships or defeating a ghost fleet, he found the latter slightly easier to accept—it was less unsettling for the living, at least.

The thought of a necromantic overlord hiding within the fleet just outside Aegean Island was not something he wanted to entertain. To the common person, such an entity might as well be an evil god.

Robin wiped the sweat from his forehead and said, “Your fleet is truly formidable.”

Charlot smiled gently. “I think so too.”

Robin felt another pang of curiosity—what exactly was Charlot planning? A fleet this powerful was enough to topple a mid-sized nation. However, he wisely chose not to voice his question.

The first curiosity involved life and death. The second was merely out of interest. He didn’t want to provoke Charlot, even though this "Level-Five Chief Clerk" seemed harmless.

Robin led the trio to Tonystark Town.

The moment Charlot stepped into the small town, he realized someone had turned it into a labyrinth.

Most people couldn’t detect labyrinth transformations. For instance, Baron Leo had failed to notice anything unusual about the Machubi Fortress. But to higher-ranking individuals or saint-level figures, the spiritual traces of a labyrinthified city were impossible to hide. Charlot was not only a high-ranking figure but someone whose spirituality had been heightened several times over after confronting both evil and divine gods. Moreover, he wielded the power of labyrinths himself. The crude labyrinthification of Tonystark Town couldn’t possibly escape his notice.

In fact, Charlot could sense that the labyrinthification of this town was far inferior to his own first attempt at transforming Machubi. He even suspected that the "master" of this small town could manage nothing more than a basic "disorientation" technique.

To Charlot, this labyrinth was riddled with flaws.

He even tested infusing his own labyrinth power into the town and met almost no resistance. It was akin to a girl weakly resisting an overenthusiastic suitor, her rejection lacking conviction.

The residents of this town seemed calmer than those in other towns. Although some had hidden themselves, there were already people walking along the streets.

From afar, some of the townspeople cast curious glances at Charlot and his companions.

Charlot maintained a warm and friendly smile, even greeting some of the townspeople. He turned to Robin and said, “I deeply regret causing so much panic on the island. How about this: tonight, I’ll send people over to host a banquet. Food and drinks will be on us, and all the island’s residents are welcome to join. Perhaps this will help ease the tension. What do you think?”

Robin hesitated but ultimately agreed.

After a circuit around Tonystark Town, Charlot found an excuse to avoid visiting the other five towns. Together with Andreas and Argon, he left the port and returned to the Radiant Holy Kingdom.

Charlot instructed Andreas, “Tonight, take two hundred wriggling demons and host a grand dance party with the residents of Aegean Island.”

Andreas couldn’t help but ask, “Do we really need to care about these islanders? Most of them are just ordinary people and of no use to us.”

Charlot smiled. “I know they’re ordinary. That’s precisely why I want to ease their fear caused by our presence.”

“Besides, the previous labyrinths have been extremely difficult. I have a feeling the fifth one won’t be so simple either.”

“I’ve already started attempting to labyrinthify Tonystark Town. I believe there will be a response soon.”

“I’m quite looking forward to the changes in this small town…”

Charlot’s words trailed off as an awkward expression crossed his face.

Argon, who had remained silent all this time, finally showed some curiosity. “What’s wrong?”

Charlot replied sheepishly, “The labyrinth transformation just completed.”

He ascended to the top of the tallest ship tower, gazing at Aegean Island in confusion. The previous four labyrinths had grown progressively harder. The third one had led him to face the labyrinth of Yishemierlen Palace and a ghost fleet of thousands. The fourth had kept him trapped for over a month.

Charlot had assumed the fifth labyrinth would harbor even greater hidden dangers. Yet, all he’d done was tentatively test the waters, and now the feedback confirmed that Tonystark Town was already labyrinthified.

How could this be?

Andreas joined him at the tower and asked, “Are we still hosting the banquet tonight?”

After a moment of hesitation, Charlot replied, “Yes. Proceed as planned.”

“I still have a feeling this labyrinth won’t be as simple as it seems.”

“It might wait until I let my guard down to reveal its strange and treacherous nature.”

That evening, hundreds of sailors and wriggling demons descended upon Aegean Island to host a bonfire banquet with the residents. Initially, the locals were cautious, but upon seeing the otherworldly beauty of the wriggling demons, all apprehensions melted away. Practically every young man on the island flocked to the event...

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