Extraordinary Voyage-Chapter 696 - 598: Night of the Blood Mist

Ilya Kingdom, Royal Capital Viana.

Evening time.

Boom! Boom!.. Boom!...

Outside the inner city wall that separates the noble district from the civilian district, the slightly chaotic sounds of artillery continue to roar. Smoke, flames, and shouts transform this ancient city into a chaotic battlefield.

Clang——

As the city’s alarm bell tolls, more and more Viana citizens pour into the streets, most of whom are farmers who lost their livelihoods outside the city, factory workers, and urban poor... wielding various weapons, they gather before the gates of the inner city.

Just as Isabella anticipated, in the Kingdom’s Third Level, farmers and city-dwellers are the main forces, and crucial to this effort to overthrow the royal tyranny.

"Personal freedom, equality of rights!"

"Down with the nobles and the King!"

"The people are the masters of the nation!"

The passionate and vibrant shouts echoed through half the district.

The catalyst of all this was the discovery of a small starved corpse outside the inner city wall a few hours ago, but this was not an isolated case. The crowd initially gathered to protest, and after being "ignored" as expected, quickly turned into an armed uprising under the incitement of certain individuals.

Enough is enough!

No one cared at that moment why this group of people, oppressed and indignant, hastily staged an uprising, could have "companions" continuously providing them with firearms, cannons, and adept artillerymen who appeared like retired veterans, teaching them how to operate these weapons.

Unlike the perilous New Continent, at least in the Kingdom Mainland’s cities, acquiring a quality firearm was very difficult.

Even these untrained civilians could unleash the basic attack power of these gunpowder weapons.

The level of the riot escalated instantly.

However.

The towering inner city wall, a military defense facility constructed before the rise of the Ilya Kingdom to fend off foreign enemies, was exceptionally thick and sturdy, with merely one side hosting 20 24-pound cannons.

This does not include the Royal Guard, which is the kingdom’s elite, and the well-trained private armies of traditional nobles, among which a large number of Extraordinaries are present.

It can be said that ever since the Royal Family began to draw core Extraordinaries to consolidate their power years ago, ensuring the basic stability of major cities, this place became the strongest fortification of the Royal Family’s power.

Facing these "rabble" who recklessly besiege the city, the guards on the wall mercilessly dealt them a heavy blow.

The untrained civilians, even with equipment aid, on what grounds could they combat the most elite troops of the kingdom? Moreover, the Royal Guard still held a fortified city.

Yet the reality seemed magical, as this siege was conducted with remarkable form.

Outside the gate, a group of experienced veterans dismantled nearby structures, constructing a proper defense.

Lousy civilian gunners were gradually replaced by retired veterans and some robust young men, and more and more brand new heavy artillery, seemingly found from nowhere, was dragged over and set up behind the defensive works for counter-battery firing against the cannon fitted with wood overlays on the city walls.

In the fight for freedom and against oppression, the morale of the citizens remained high as they kept chanting "personal freedom, equality of rights" and shooting towards the city wall -- every bit of achievement would elicit considerable cheer among them.

The fierce battle raged up front.

While at the rear of the battlefront, most commercial aristocrats donned hunting outfits and gathered here with their extraordinary attendants.

The capitalists, commanding all production materials, attained leadership of the "rebel army" easily due to their extraordinary power, economic strength, political skills, and cultural knowledge.

In fact, many members of the rebel army were from their factories as workers. It was unrealistic to have them charge and fight, but waving flags and rallying morale was effortless.

This pampered group of commercial aristocrats was naturally not possible to lead from the frontlines; "rebel army" naturally followed the lead of their trained private soldiers and recruited veterans, even elite pirates under the Pirate King had covertly joined the battle.

Upon hearing the frontlines echo with chants of "personal freedom, equality of rights," everyone smiled, seeming to genuinely agree with it.

Indeed, they all genuinely endorsed the slogan, decided upon in their meetings, affirming that everyone is born equal, yet the class of capitalists holding all production materials is even more equal!

"Mr. Pickman, the battle started at four in the afternoon and has lasted for two and a half hours, the sun is about to set; shouldn’t the siege pace be accelerated?

Civilian resistance against royal tyranny is merely a display for subsequent plans in other cities. Allowing the war to develop unchecked might lead to them finally being defeated by the Royal Guard, which is not impossible."

Earl Wright, unimpressive with short mustache, glanced at the pocket watch in his hand, slightly bowing to a lanky, hunched, man in black beside him.

"Judging by the decline of the ’Tempest Tide’s’ aura originally, under normal circumstances there should be a week to half a month of time, but almost time for the final offensive."

The man in black took off his hood, revealing a pale face and snow-white hair.

Others could not feel it, but due to the Extraordinary Senses of ghouls towards life aura, it could clearly discern that the once-grand but gradually weakening aura akin to sunset had abruptly ended yesterday.

They patiently waited another day, and with no movements from the Royal Palace, the long-prepared "uprising" couldn’t be restrained any longer.

Turning back to face the group of commercial aristocrats behind him, he revealed a regretful expression:

"It’s a pity, you all refuse to transform yourselves into powerful ghouls."

On his other side, Viscount Jerome chuckled softly:

"Hahaha, Mr. Pickman! There’s nothing to lament about, we’re all devout followers of the ’Cold Monarch’.

See, apart from appearances being slightly different, what essential difference do we actually have?"

Ghoul Pickman in black paused slightly, quickly realizing:

"Oh? That’s right, it’s the same thing! It’s just a different way of eating people, hahaha..."

This group of humans might even be more aligned with the "Ghoul King’s" power of [Greed].

Although his words were blunt, the surrounding circle of commercial aristocrats could only awkwardly agree, simply because he was the Crowned Demon from the continent’s heartland—the Ghoul, "Taunting Tunnel Forager" Pickman.

The Demons in this world have vast power differences even within the same tier due to their inherent racial traits. Therefore, humans give a title to those Demons that reach a certain level of threat, as a form of acknowledgment of their strength.

And this strength at least needs to be on par with the Kingdom Guardian’s!

On the pilgrimage path, anyone without backing had been beaten to death with an iron rod, and it was the same principle here. Although living in the Old Continent, Pickman’s days were quite comfortable under the protection of a Demigod.

And today, the Ghoul clans will become the new masters of this land and humans!

The black-robed Ghoul lifted its head, Tier 4’s overwhelming power covered most of the Inner City District, pressing heavily upon the Royal Guard’s hearts, causing tightness in the chest, heart palpitations, sweat streaming down... their combat effectiveness immediately dropped by more than half.

This was not only assisting their side but also probing once again after confirming the Kingdom Guardian’s aura had disappeared.

Take this opportunity.

The Rebel Army, which had been suppressed to the point where they could hardly raise their heads, was unaffected and launched a counterattack.

Half an hour later, as dusk approached.

With a "boom" echoing, dust flew into the air.

"Oh!"

"The city is breached!"

"Charge! Don’t let the King and those aristocrats escape!"

No orders were needed, large numbers of the "Rebel Army" swarmed into the inner city through the breach.

The Crowned Demon "Taunting Tunnel Forager" Pickman muttered to himself:

"Looks like that old thing really can’t go on anymore."

He looked up at the dim sky overhead:

"But actually, it doesn’t matter anymore."

Viscount Jerome, as one of the leaders, held up a blood-red scripture with high spirits:

"Lord Pickman, you’ve worked hard, gentlemen, let’s all move forward together."

With a wave of his large hand, a group of powerfully-energized Ghouls, covered in moss from the cemeteries, filed out in the darkness.

Jerome, originally just a poor Wizard Apprentice, had relied on the "Ghoul Ceremony" bestowed by the ’God of Mysterious Cold Bones’ Mordician to command a vast Ghoul Legion.

Especially this elite force, the "Moss-skinned Corpse Hunter" unit, numbering two hundred. Each Ghoul was as powerful as a Tier 2 Extraordinary, capable of smashing through any obstacle like a siege hammer in Jerome’s hand.

Meanwhile, the previously hidden large number of military human extraordinaries followed behind Wright.

Clearly, there were also distinct factions within this emerging class about to seize the victory.

Thud.. thud.. thud...

As the group of hundreds entered the Inner City District, it had already turned into a blood-soaked inferno.

How could there be any sense of civilization in an armed rebellion, the "Rebel Army" immediately turned into mobs, and instinctively began to loot, kill, and burn.

"No! Help!"

"I don’t want your tenants anymore."

"..."

Apart from the commercial aristocrats’ prearranged hunting personnel, even the true rebels had already forgotten their initial ideals of "personal freedom and equality of rights" by now, wildly plundering while burning all the land deeds in the aristocrats’ mansions.

Viana’s night sky was almost completely blood-colored.

The large regiment led by the Crowned Demon, Earl Wright, and Viscount Jerome charged straight into the Royal Palace without hesitation.

However, as they followed the breath of life to the brightly lit main hall of the Royal Palace, they encountered no guards.

Bang——

The palace door was pushed open violently.

In the spacious main hall, King Henry II stood holding a gold scepter, but on the throne sat an unrecognizable old man with white hair and a skeletal frame.

The only two people in the hall both looked at the group of uninvited guests.

Although aged to the point of skin and bones, the elder’s eyes emitted a cold light like two sharp swords that stung everyone present, finally settling on Ghoul Pickman:

"So you’re the one hiding in the dark supporting them? Finally willing to reveal yourself? Not a waste of my remaining days.

If I deal with you, the rest are just clowns jumping around.

Since the situation has reached this point, even if these descendants are foolish, as long as they’re willing to pay the price, I believe the throne can still be preserved."

While speaking, he had already crushed the shield talisman on his neck.