Brody's words left not just his knight, but even Sean, stunned. Sean had prepared for combat, those earlier words a last-ditch bluff—yet Brody was actually considering retreat? The sudden shift left the air tense, awkward silence hanging between them.
The knight, torn between loyalty and Jessica's bribe, finally snapped, "No, My Lord! His witchcraft is powerful—your urge to flee is his doing! Beat him now, ruin his banquet, and the problem vanishes."
"You're right!" Brody snarled, rounding on Sean. "You enchanted Jessica, now me? Never! Attack!" He barked at his men, "No guilt—tomorrow I'll buy enough indulgences for the Light to forgive us all!"
His thugs cheered, eager for the rare thrill of beating a noble.
"Wait, that's as baseless as Sylvanas calling someone worthless!" Sean tried to reason, but Brody cut him off, sealing his ears with battle douqi—a common soldier's trick to block battlefield screams and distractions, relying on flag signals for commands instead.
No use talking now. Time for force.
"Ram!" Sean shouted to Leviathan upstairs, pulling Lodin and Balor into the shop.
From their douqi, Sean deduced: Brody (Bronze Middle), his knight Bruno, Bronze Middle, and thugs (no douqi). Windsor can handle Brody—his combat experience outweighs Brody's raw rank. Bruno's the threat.
Leviathan, currently Level 20, Bronze Lower with Flame Burst, might struggle. Sean accessed the System, boosting the imp to Level 13 (Black Iron Middle). Now, activated Flame Burst would push Leviathan to Level 23 (Bronze Middle)—hidden upstairs, charging for a surprise.
Windsor stepped forward alone, Douqi flaring. Brody hesitated—Everyone said he was Black Iron Lower at the Count's banquet. Were they wrong?
"Bruno, deal with him. I'll teach Sean a lesson," Brody ordered, charging for the shop.
"With pleasure, My Lord." Bruno advanced, spinning his iron rod to spark flames, confident in his Bronze Middle rank over Windsor's apparent Bronze Lower.
But a searing magic pulse hit first.
"Magic attack!" Bruno yelped, too late. Leviathan's charged Incinerate—a swirling red inferno—crashed down, centered on the knight.
"Boom!"
Bruno stood at the blast's core, barely holding with douqi, his magic-resistant bracelet glowing faintly. His thugs weren't so lucky—several flew back, vomiting blood, unconscious.
Bruno's armor smoldered, body trembling, but he pulled a vial of Holy Light Potion from his pouch—a mid-tier potion from Yorn's cathedral, requiring weeks of prayers and indulgences to purchase. Jessica's "kind" smile flashed in his mind, and he downed it in one gulp.
Divine light wrapped him, healing burns and restoring douqi. With a roar, he charged for the shop, intent on the mage in the window.