The surrounding Aetherbinding practitioners were stunned, their faces filled with disbelief.
No one had imagined that Chris would dare to kill Iron Fist’s Mr. Keaton.
Among those most shocked was Oriana.
Her face was frozen in a daze, unable to comprehend how Chris had grown so powerful.
After killing Mr. Keaton, Chris turned to Oriana and said, “Oriana, come with me.”
Oriana nodded without hesitation.
Aethelgard was far too dangerous. For a lone woman like her, traveling alone was nothing short of a death wish.
—
A few days later, aboard a passenger ship.
Chris, Oriana, and Lindsay Windson stood on the deck.
Having rescued Oriana, Chris planned to take her back to the Artisans’ Guild to reunite with Emily.
Curious, Chris asked Oriana, “How did you get captured by those pirates?”
Oriana sighed and replied, “A lot happened after we parted ways…”
After splitting up with Chris, Oriana had embarked on her own journey to find Emily.
She ended up losing her way, wandering aimlessly until she stumbled into Sunnyvale.
There, she was captured by the Iron Fist pirates and enslaved, destined to be sent back to their base.
Thankfully, Chris intervened and saved her en route. Otherwise, she didn’t dare think about what might have happened.
Hearing Oriana’s story, Chris sighed heavily.
Aethelgard was a brutal world where the strong preyed on the weak. There were no laws like on Earth-only constant peril.
One misstep, and death was certain.
The fact that Oriana had survived this long was nothing short of a miracle.
—
A few days later, the passenger ship sailed into the Azure Ocean.
The vast blue sea stretched endlessly, dotted with countless islands of various sizes.
Suddenly-
Boom! Boom! Boom!
A fleet of small ships, each flying skull flags, sped toward them.
“Pirates!”
“They’re Iron Fist pirates!”
“These Iron Fist pirates are ruthless. We’re doomed this time!”
Panic erupted among the passengers as the pirate ships closed in.
Chris and Oriana exchanged a glance.
It was clear these Iron Fist pirates were after them.
A few days ago, Chris had killed Mr. Keaton and rescued Oriana.
They hadn’t expected Iron Fist to retaliate so quickly.
Oriana, her face pale with worry, said, “Chris, what should we do? They’re after me. You and Lindsay should escape while you can-I’ll stay behind!”
Though Oriana knew Chris was strong enough to kill Mr. Keaton, the Iron Fist was one of the four major pirate factions in Sunnyvale. Their power was immense, with more than a dozen Solstice-level practitioners among their ranks.
No matter how strong Chris was, he couldn’t possibly take on the entire Iron Fist.
Chris smiled calmly. “Don’t worry, Oriana. No matter what happens, I’ll protect you.”
Lindsay Windson chimed in, “That’s right, Miss Silverstone. You can trust Mr. Shelby to handle this.”
“This…” Oriana hesitated, unsure of what to say.
At this point, all she could do was place her hope in Chris.
—
The pirates soon boarded the passenger ship.
Without hesitation, Chris gripped his Dragon Slayer and charged into the fray.
Screams echoed as one pirate after another fell to Chris’s blade, their bodies collapsing into pools of blood.
“Kill him! You dare slaughter our men? You’re dead!”
With a furious roar, a Solstice-level practitioner lunged at Chris.
Chris smirked coldly.
With a swift motion, he swung his blade.
Crash!
The Solstice practitioner was sent flying, his body hitting the ground with a sickening thud. He lay lifeless, his breath extinguished.
The sight of Chris slaying a Solstice-level practitioner with a single strike left the remaining pirates paralyzed with fear.
They stared at him, too terrified to advance.
“Retreat!”
“Fall back, now!”
Within moments, the Iron Fist pirates scattered, fleeing in all directions.
Though they had repelled the attack, Chris knew Iron Fist wouldn’t let this go.
—
Meanwhile, on Iron Fist Island.
Iron Fist Island was the faction’s headquarters, a place entirely controlled by its members.
Inside the grand hall, Hartless Iron, the Hall Master of Iron Fist, sat on a throne, his face dark with fury.
Hartless Iron was not only the Hall Master but also the only son of the faction’s founder.
For years, his father had been in seclusion, leaving Hartless Iron in charge of Iron Fist’s operations.
Gifted with immense talent, Hartless Iron had reached the Solstice level at a young age.
However, he had one particular vice-his insatiable desire for women.
Any woman who caught his eye was taken by force.
When he heard that Mr. Keaton had captured a stunning beauty, Hartless Iron personally ordered her to be brought to him.
But to his outrage, the woman had been rescued, and Mr. Keaton killed.
Enraged, Hartless Iron roared, “How dare someone steal my woman! I’ll kill him! Spread the word-no matter the cost, find that brat and bring me the woman!”
With his orders, Iron Fist’s forces mobilized, their sole mission to hunt down Chris and reclaim Oriana.
—
By this time, Chris and his companions had arrived at a coastal city.
The area was filled with Aetherbinding practitioners. Chris’s goal was clear-to buy a ship.
Knowing Iron Fist was on their trail, he realized traveling on passenger vessels was far too risky.
Soon, Chris spent around ten thousand Essence Stones to purchase a small boat.
The group boarded the vessel and set sail once more.
—
Hours later, they arrived at a small island.
Initially, they intended to stock up on food and fresh water.
But upon stepping ashore, they were greeted by a gruesome sight.
The island’s buildings lay in ruins, and corpses littered the ground.
Chris and the others grew increasingly tense.
Lindsay Windson, her face pale, whispered, “What… what happened here? How did everyone die?”
Oriana spoke up, her voice trembling. “I’ve heard of something like this before. In Sunnyvale, there’s someone called the Blood Demon. The Blood Demon cultivates by draining the blood of living people. Wherever he goes, he leaves a trail of death. The victims’ blood is completely drained, turning them into dried corpses.”
Chris glanced at the bodies on the ground.
Sure enough, the corpses had been drained of all blood, leaving behind lifeless husks.
Rage burned in Chris’s eyes.
The Blood Demon’s actions were inhuman, a crime against all decency.
Such a being deserved nothing less than death.