The group featured fifteen experts in the liquid stage and three cultivators in the solid stage. It was a force that could make entire guilds escape in fear.
Only large organizations and families had the manpower to deploy such a fearful force. Those cultivators didn't even try to hide their identity. Most of them came from the Crystal City, while others wore robes that featured the Sailbrird family's symbol.
Noah and the others instantly forgot about the Rats. A significant threat had appeared in front of them. The event seemed almost coincidental, but they soon noticed a familiar leaf in one of the solid stage cultivator's grasp.
"I didn't know that the Crystal City had such a close relationship with the magical beasts," Noah taunted the group. "You make deals with them. You accept their help. What's next? Do you also fornicate with them?"
His sharp words masked his anxiety. His mind grew cold as Noah evaluated the power of his enemies. He had to admit that the situation appeared quite grim.
"How can a mere hybrid even understand our greater purpose?" Charles said as he crushed the leaf in his grasp. "Defying Demon, you have caused enough trouble. It is time for you to meet your punishment."
Noah didn't answer. His mind had entered a pure battle mindset. He had no words to waste on those fanatics.
The robes of the members of the Sailbrird family didn't escape his sight. Noah instantly connected them to Ethan Sailbrird, and a silent curse filled his mind.
That was different from the past. Noah had faced many attempted assassinations in his life, but his battle prowess had always been superior to his assailant. However, he had to admit that his group fell short against that force. The Crystal City and the Sailbrird family didn't underestimate them. Their effort was almost overkill.
'Tricks won't help me here,' Noah thought as special darkness flowed out of his black hole and activated Miss Void's spherical diagram. 'I need to use all the resources and techniques accumulated in the past centuries.'
Miss Void's spell allowed him to touch the layer between the two dimensions, and his aura immediately started to expand it. Noah began to create his Shadow Domain but prepared for a tough battle.
"I'm actually a human," King Elbas said as an arrogant smirk appeared on his face.
The Royal seemed happy that Noah's enemies had sent such a threatening force against them. He took their seriousness as proof that he was an existence worthy of respect.
"Do you still carry our oath?" Charles asked. "The Crystal City will give you a fair trial if you didn't remove our mark."
"Oh, no," King Elbas replied. "That oath was terrible. I only wanted to point out that I was a human."
Don and Jordan couldn't help but release a short laugh, but their expression quickly turned cold. It was clear that the Crystal City wouldn't attack only Noah, so they had to decide how to divide those enemies.
"I can take care of the woman," Jordan said. "The blonde seems set on Noah, so one of you has to handle the other. Which one of you wants the solid stage?"
Charles had brought a second solid stage cultivator from the Crystal City, and she seemed stronger than Percival. Jordan had decided to handle one of the greater threats and leave everything else on Don and King Elbas.
Noah was the main target of that assassination, so Charles would take care of him. He seemed even stronger than the woman, but Jordan couldn't do anything about that.
"I have always wanted to test myself against a solid stage cultivator," King Elbas said. "The monkey here should be more than enough for the other liquid stage."
"I'm part monkey," Don said. "You will only fail if you try to use that as an offense. Every hybrid in the Legion takes pride in their origin."
"If only I could dissect all of you," King Elbas replied as he shook his head.
"You might want to survive this battle first," Don added before focusing on the weaker troops behind the three solid stage cultivators.
Percival felt underestimated. He would understand if the hybrid in the liquid stage was to pick him as his opponent, but having to fight a human in a lower stage was too much, in his opinion.
Defying Demon had offended the Sailbrird family, so it made sense for Charles to be his opponent. Cassandra was stronger than him, so Jordan was a perfect match for her. Yet, King Elbas seemed the weakest of the group, so Percival felt the need to vent his anger.
"Do you know what this is?" Percival said as he pointed at the symbol on his chest. "This is the mark of an organization capable of deploying rank 8 cultivators. Lord Ethan will turn my guild into an official force of the Sailbrird family after this mission. I don't want this achievement to come after defeating a mere sacrificial lamb."
"Sa-," King Elbas began to speak, but his arrogance didn't allow him to repeat those words.
His aura expanded, and countless inscribed items came out of his space-ring as he shot a hateful glare toward Percival. His figure turned into a golden beacon as weapons, shields, and much more showed their presence in the outside world.
A golden shield filled with runes covered his figure. More runes appeared on his skin, and his crown started to radiate a blinding light that bent the matter in the environment to his will.
Tens of swords floated behind his figure. Spears, arrows, and large ballistae joined that array of weapons, and golden flames soon began to burn on their sharp edges.
Two massive golden puppets straightened their position in front of him. A third golem then appeared behind him and placed its hand on the ground so that King Elbas could step on it.
A few fiery beast-like creatures filled the ground in front of him. They began to chant roars that echoed King Elbas' arrogance and spread it further through the environment.
All those items were peak middle tier inscribed weapons. Their number surpassed the hundred, and more of them continued to come out of his space-ring. There was no end to King Elbas' creations.
"What the f-," Percival began to say, but King Elbas snapped his fingers, and his puppets spewed a wave of golden flames that interrupted the expert.
King Elbas' attack marked the beginning of the battle. Don gibbered as he slammed his fists on his chest. A long cry eventually came out of his mouth, and the ground morphed to create a giant armor around his figure.
Don then threw himself at the group of liquid stage cultivators, and his armor exploded before they could even launch attacks. A storm of metallic and rocky shards filled the sky as Don shot toward the now divided experts.
Jordan's wings came out again, and she slowly rose in the sky without moving her gaze from Cassandra. The expert from the Crystal City followed her, and the two created a battlefield above their companions.
"I heard you use swords," Charles said as he straightened his forefinger and middle finger. "I wonder if your sharpness can leave a mark on my individuality."