Villain Awakening: Rising to the Strongest Dragon God-Chapter 69: The Hound Of Justice

The smell hit Nika first. Greenspire’s particular blend of progress and decay. His sharp green eyes moved through the city even from the gates.

The buildings still remained tall and awe-inspiring with housing structure that allowed merchants, craftsmen, and laborers to live in the same place.

The roads seemed to have expanded significantly, what Nika remembered as

packed dirt and gravel was now made of neatly adjusted cobblestones that made transit a lot smoother than before.

The roads were barricaded on both sides as well. This must be the administration’s attempt to prevent even more stampede accidents where pedestrians usually get trampled by mad horses and their even crazier riders.

"Ahh .. Greenspire," Nika muttered, taking a whiff of its rather unclean air while he watched the hordes of poverty-stricken people on the sides of the streets.

Some were hidden in the cracks between refurbished buildings like vampires hiding from the relentless sun.

Nika shook his head. Even a province that was under the mighty and honorable Draelor Ignisar couldn’t defeat the shackles of poverty that consistently plagued the entire structure.

But–

Greenspire wasn’t like most provinces.

It was more like free-state due to the guild that was located here, allowing adventurers a place to just unwind and prepare for more life-threatening endeavours.

Even as he walked by, Nika’s eyes grew soft in compassion. He wished he could just make all of it go away.

He really hoped he could as he took the lead while the rest of his party, Lyssa and Garran followed behind.

"It looks really different and it’s only been a few weeks," Lyssa spoke with a sharp tone. Her eyes were bright and as excited as ever.

A coarse voice came from behind her."It’s the deceit of change," Garran walked slowly, his entire frame still cloaked but this time, his crimson hair was visible.

Walking by an alley, Nika’s ears tingled. "Hmm," he stopped to pay close attention. He noticed a few muffled voices and then crying and soft pleas.

As if by muscle memory, he instantly took the turn and entered the dim alley.

What he witnessed in the alley was three men in simple adventurer clothes standing over a fourth who stayed curled on the ground like an armadillo while he kept mumbling pleas.

One of the men pulled his leg back and slammed it into the fourth man’s chest sending him crashing into the adjacent wall.

"Stop it, you bastards," the words came out even as the space shifted. Nika’s expression stung with detest even as the density of the air around increased.

All three men turned in his direction. The eyes of the first two twitched even as the white of the third one’s blade was brandished.

Immediately he entered the alley, Nika had sensed the capabilities of the men almost instinctively.

Two of them were drake level. Foundation tier at best. But the third one, the one with his blade drawn, radiated stronger power. Drake level pushing toward wyrm transformation.

Nonetheless, Nika approached them without a care in the world, visible strands of golden-white mana streamed upwards from his body.

The weaker duo stumbled back with trembling hands even as the one with his blade drawn stayed rooted with a blank expression.

The man let his blade return to his scabbard before he spoke with visible irritation.

"Let’s go," he waved for the other two to follow. Afterall, it would be stupid to do otherwise. Only a child born yesterday wouldn’t recognise Nika Crowley. The adventurer who had taken these parts like a storm.

The man tipped to have never failed a single commission whether it be breach sealing, ruin expedition or even just general excursions.

The famed "Hound of Justice," wasn’t one to be trifled with.

Nika stopped right in front of the fourth man, watching as the others disappeared further into the alley.

Powering down. He looked at the man on the ground who was battered and beaten beyond recognition.

"Ly–" he didn’t speak further when Lyssa arrived by his side. She crouched close to the beaten man without question. Slashed her hand causing blood to well as she placed the blood over the forehead of the casualty.

In the next second, a blood-red magic circle appeared like a halo over the man and just like that, each of the man’s wounds closed up, damaged bones could be heard snapping in place as his injuries retracted like they were never there.

The man’s eyes snapped open as he crawled back towards the wall immediately he saw Lyssa’s blood-shot eyes and fangs.

"Calm down. You’re safe," Nika spoke walking in front of Lyssa whose hand had turned ghostly pale to near transparent.

Crouching in front of the man. Nika watched as the man inspected his own body in confusion.

"My friend here–" Nika spoke, while he turned to Lyssa who still had a vial of blood in her mouth.

"--healed you," he completed with a smile.

"You’re welcome stranger," Lyssa said, winking at the man and sending him a floating kiss while Garran watched without a shred of interest.

"I-I-I-I’m grateful," the man stammered, finally retaining some composure.

"So what’s your name," Nika asked.

"I’m Harold. Harold Height," he answered a lot more coherently.

"So...Harold," Nika spoke before he was immediately cut off.

"I owe them money. But I’m good for it, I just need time," the man responded solemnly like he could read Nika’s mind.

"Hmmm," Nika grunted as he looked at the man. "Can you fight?" he asked flatly.

Harold nodded frantically.

"Then meet me at Woodcreak after noon. I might have something for you."

Nika spoke while he stood and stretched a hand to assist the man.

Harold’s face brightened for a split second as he finally recognized who he was speaking to.

"Thank you," he said quietly, taking Nika’s hand and getting on his feet.

Nika’s face brightened even as the sun dramatically radiated on his rear.

"See you at noon."

—--

Emerging from the alley Nika turned to Harold who simply nodded and walked away towards the direction the party was initially coming from.

The party walked through some narrow passages with Lyssa and Garran still bantering about the changes when the street opened up.

The morning light hit Nika’s face differently after emerging from the shadows, and he blinked against the brightness slightly.

Then he saw it.

The structure rose three stories above the administrative quarter, dominating everything around it. Stone and timber constructed in a way that spoke of wealth and control.

Wings extended from different directions of the fortress designed by someone who understood bureaucracy afterall this was dragon land.

The glass windows glowed, bouncing orange light around giving the structure an ethereal feel.

Nika stood for one more heartbeat, taking in the building that represented everything the Continental System was supposed to be.

It was neutral grounds with professional standards. Protection for those who moved goods and knowledge across territories that wanted to kill each other.

The morning sun gleamed off windows and stone, and carved letters above the main entrance announced exactly what this place was.

THE CONTINENTAL GUILD.