Witch Troupe and the Undead

She can easily separate and control the dynamic elements, but she can't map them to specific runes. She's now considering that the runes for this thing might be a composite thing, and she's preparing to combine multiple rune sets together to see what happens.

However, that would require an almost exhaustive approach, which would be incredibly laborious. Not only are there many available combinations, but there are also a considerable number of new combinations hidden within those societies as secret knowledge.

Although Roach and Livia's research had stalled, Byrne was fairly satisfied with the current results and did not have an urgent need for further improvement.

The torrential rain gradually subsided, and a cold wind swept across the muddy plains. Chaotic footsteps crushed the remaining puddles on the ground, and soon, streaks of hot blood began to spread in the mud, accompanied by countless ice arrows falling from the sky.

Three sorcerers surrounded a magic cannon shaped like an incense burner, raising their hands high to guide the fire magic power, which had thickened due to the massive fire bombardment on the battlefield, into the incense burner. This created six layers of magic circles, with overlapping patterns resembling a giant hexagonal snowflake. Guided by the sorcerers, a beam of ice-blue light shot into the sky.

The quelled storm turned into a blizzard, and sharp ice arrows and blades fell from the sky, bombarding the entire battlefield like anti-infantry cluster weapons.

Strictly speaking, a magic cannon should be called a magic artillery. In essence, it is a spell amplifier and magic compression projectile weapon, which can amplify a sorcerer's small-scale magic by a hundredfold to the point that it can bombard the entire battlefield. Of course, it also has the function of amplifying less powerful magic to the point that it can destroy an army.

However, most of them can only amplify relatively simple spell configurations. The more sophisticated and complex the spell configuration, the more difficult it is to simply and directly amplify it proportionally. Therefore, magic cannons are also divided into two routes.

One is the "Ice Storm" type used by the Parliamentary Army, an AOE type used to bombard the entire battlefield; the other is the "Thunder" type magic cannon pushed out by the opposing governor's army, which resembles a tuning fork and releases high lethality and high precision strikes against small-scale and single targets.

"Boom!" The magic forces clashed in the sky, and the entire heavens and battlefield were stained with an ominous crimson. Dust and sand were swept up by the cold wind and lashed against the faces of the council soldiers. They had to squint to aim at the barbarian slave cannon fodder rushing towards them from afar.

These cannon fodder came from the unfortunate captives of the barbarians and the slaves their own tribes couldn't afford to feed. Their brains were destroyed with simple potions, making them disposable cannon fodder who felt no pain or fatigue, used to consume the ammunition they had.

"Boom!" A bolt of lightning fell from the sky, transforming into a storm of electric arcs that raged in all directions, engulfing at least one squad of infantry nearby. Silently, these lightly armed infantrymen were reduced to charred remains.

In this world, magic cannons are a powerful weapon against so-called "strong people," which also restrains those strong people from actually daring to act recklessly on the battlefield. When cutting down bandits and rebellious mobs, they can slaughter thousands or tens of thousands of people, but when facing an army... do you remember the characteristics of arcane magic?

Given enough boost, time, and manpower, apprentice arcane mages can channel the effects of legendary spells, and the magic cannon is the tool that allows apprentices to channel legendary spells at some cost (in an economic sense).

The secret essence of the furnace core released a massive magical aura as if boiling, which was transformed into an even larger and more condensed fire magic through a complex structure, making the cold wind on the battlefield even colder.

The water on the ground turned into ice and jagged ice spikes almost instantly as the cold wind swept through. Many barbarian cannon fodder fell to the ground or were impaled by the ice spikes. Before they could get up, the whistling "magic bullets" (normal bullets) pierced through their heads or bodies.

"Push the furnace up, that's about it." The knight, dressed like a peacock with its tail feathers spread, put down his monocular telescope and gave a look to his squire. In this world, there was obviously no such profession as a sniper, or even if there were, they wouldn't attack such a flamboyantly dressed target.

On Earth, those magnificent jewels, jewelry, feathers adorning helmets, and gold are merely decorative items, or even amplifiers of explosive power. But in this world…

The mithril and gold on the armor, arranged to resemble the profile of a goddess, along with the gems adorning the shoulder armor, belt, and wristbands, the gold-carved winged helmet, and the scarlet cloak with fur trim—each piece could likely provide the wearer with a level of protection comparable to tank armor plates. Of course, compared to real armor, this magical protection could be countered and removed by the opponent, and could only withstand a limited number of attacks.

Unlike armor, which is meaningless to fire more shells or attack if it can't be penetrated. "Furnace ready!" The furnace-type magic cannon was forcefully pushed to the front line by its servants. This weapon was heavy and sluggish, belonging to the magic weapon system of the previous generation. However, it was just right for this enemy who was good at ranged attacks.

"Get ready!" As the "Furnace" was activated, a large number of scarlet dim light spots began to fall on the battlefield. These were the corpses of the completely killed elemental spirits, and the squeezed fire magic formed a distorted heat curtain that pushed forward in front of the cannon fodder. As a result, many people found that their ammunition could not penetrate this heat curtain at all.

The launched magic bullets suddenly shattered in mid-air due to rapid thermal expansion and contraction, while the conventional wooden arrows would be directly ignited, making them an effective solution against ranged weapons—of course, now that everyone has switched to metal arrows, they are not so easily ignited or melted.

The noble knights were far more skilled in warfare than these council lords. After studying the magic bullets, they concluded that these bullets were extremely crudely made and could be easily broken into large quantities and made highly unstable by these old-fashioned magic cannons.

"Ready, mount up!" The knights climbed onto their warhorses one after another. Unlike before, they reduced the weight of their weapons. After all, the enemy lacked heavy armor (without a superhuman physique, they couldn't carry heavy armor), so there was no need to use armor-piercing spears.

The reduced weight was entirely transferred to their warhorses. The armor was thickened to withstand the blades of slicing bullets. Even if some wounds were left, as long as the horse's leg was not severed, they could be healed with magic potions. On Earth, these warhorses would basically only be killed for meat if they were injured, but here, as long as they were not killed on the spot or their entire leg was severed, they could be quickly healed with magic potions.

In some countries, they have even developed something similar to an auto-injector for warhorses, which automatically injects them with berserk potions, damage tolerance potions (reducing pain and accelerating bleeding), and stamina regeneration potions (accelerating physical recovery, as well as wound healing and blood production).

The knights lined up in dozens of neat "lances" and held extended slashing swords. These heavy swords, which were similar to the length of a short spear, were specifically designed to cut down infantry, but charging head-on with the opposing knights would be suicidal (they were not long enough or capable of penetrating armor).

These knights slowly steered their warhorses, carrying the cannon fodder in the rear, and once they were within charging range, they would launch a powerful charge, crushing those "rioters" who dared to attack the port city into the sea behind them!

Chapter 133 The Evolution of War

As the heavily armored knights drew ever closer, almost every council infantryman felt their palms sweating and their weapons becoming less reliable.

"Change to slicing rounds!" the sergeant in charge shouted, pulling open the cover above the receiver to reveal a groove about a finger's width wide. One end of the groove was a shiny crystal contact plate. He quickly filled in a milky-white wooden-cased round.

This ammunition is hexagonal prism-shaped, without a projectile, and has multiple vertically arranged crystals embedded in the center.

Almost every slicing bullet has a different pattern of embedded crystal chips on its surface. Due to cost control, they are all made from scrap materials such as "shattered magic crystals". Therefore, the length, width and thickness of the crystal chips are uneven, and the width and power of the vacuum blade released after hitting the target are also uneven.

"Fire!!" One after another, the slicing projectiles pierced through the heat curtain created by the "furnace," abruptly bursting into flames in mid-air.

The fire element's effect not only didn't reduce the power of the slicing bullets, but actually increased them considerably. The originally colorless vacuum blades turned into a dull red, and the high-pressure air blades carried away the air heated to near ionization by the heat curtain, turning it into streaks of dark red light blades.

In the void, magnificent spider lilies bloomed, each petal taking away at least seven or eight lives. Although these flowers bloomed near the heat curtain, they also caused the knights who were ready to charge to rein in their horses and stop, and begin to observe the situation again.

"Keep firing!" Each soldier was issued only a small number of slicing rounds, but fortunately, the ammunition looted from fallen friendly forces ensured that the survivors had several slicing rounds in their hands. The continuous bursts of crimson flowers resembled a wall of fireworks erected on the battlefield.

The flying blades of light, the splashing molten sparks, and the golden trajectories of the piercing bullets intertwined, making it seem a bit too gorgeous and deadly even in a magical world.

"The cannon fodder is almost used up. Shut down the furnace and charge!" Under the influence of the life essence injected by the knight, the warhorses strode forward, gradually accelerating despite their heavy armor.

One after another, "lances" trampled across the still-burning plains, their hooves encased in iron boots crushing the corpses and bones of the barbarian cannon fodder, and shattering the icicles that crisscrossed the battlefield, as they charged toward the spearmen at the forefront of the council army.

"Fire! Fire! Don't let the knights get close!" Those spearmen were just simple-trained guys. They could hold off light cavalry that were fast and only equipped with leather armor and sabers, but they couldn't withstand the charge of these biological tank-like heavy cavalry.

"Whoosh!" The magic bullet whistled past his ear, causing Knight Commander Evans to instinctively lower his head slightly. This action indicated that he had indeed suffered a great loss at the hands of these infantry crossbowmen.

However, the enemy's ammunition has clearly been depleted to a considerable extent. If it were before, the defensive spells on the vest and his own armor would have already begun to activate, and would be making a crackling sound like popping peas.

The magic bullets would shatter upon impact with the protective spell, forming a burst of light, but this time only a very weak barrage of bullets covered the area, with less than three magic bullets shattering the protective spell per second on average.

Knight Commander Evans felt the icy aura emanating from the "Mirror of the Moon" placed close to his chest weaken, thus judging how much energy his protective gear had left.

Protective magical items also cost money to buy, and charging and repairing them also cost a lot of money. This is why the knights are not willing to charge into the Council Army's barrage of attacks. Even if the horses and knights are safe, the magical items and potions they consume don't just fall from the sky!

"The last hundred yards..." For the warhorse that had already activated the "Speed" magic on its vest, it was only a second. The knight commander released the buckle of the slashing sword and merely raised the blade, which was pointing diagonally at the ground, slightly. He felt the vibration and huge impact from the grip.

With his arms activated by superhuman strength, he gripped the long pole tightly with his elbows, holding the part closest to the blade to prevent the weapon from slipping from his hand. The tremor he had just experienced indicated that he had charged into the enemy ranks. For knights who had activated speed magic, it was impossible to see the scenery rushing past on both sides at high speed, and the narrow field of vision of their T-shaped wing helmets was also insufficient to observe the situation on both flanks.

One after another, the "lances" cut into the formation like sharp blades. The spearmen were cut to pieces without even being able to provide any resistance. The fact that they did not collapse and run away on the spot was not because they were brave, but because they had no time to react to fight or run away when faced with the knights who appeared in front of them like phantoms.

Human beings' "fight-or-flight response" when faced with danger means that before their minds are even processing the conflicted thoughts of the previous few seconds, their bodies are already being sliced ​​open along with their breastplates by the heavy slashing sword.

"It's a meat grinder..." Byrne observed the battlefield through his monoculars. The vanguard of the Parliamentarian army was like a piece of soft, rotten wood. They couldn't even escape, let alone stop the enemy. They were slaughtered by the "cavalry." Meanwhile, the crossbowmen behind them were still trying to load and crank the handles to fire bullets.

The firing mechanism of the magic crossbow bullets is completely different from that of gunpowder firearms on Earth. It is more similar to electromagnetic railguns. The bullets themselves do not provide energy; the energy is provided by batteries.

Furthermore, the transmission of magic relies on rune strings drawn on the crystal plate and the casing, and the material of the rune strings is "gem dust," which means that it is in a powder state and is sealed into a whole by the hardened glue used in the foot pack.

To avoid wear and tear on the projectile during loading, the loading port is located in front of the entire power supply assembly, which is equivalent to the electromagnetic railgun's battery being tightly connected together, while the ignition acceleration unit is distributed throughout the entire receiver.

Therefore, all known normal burst-fire methods are ineffective against this firing principle, including simple revolver firing. This is because the contact points between the receiver or barrel and the cylinder will inevitably rub against each other during rotation.

Magic does not support the transmission of electricity over a distance. Once the rune contacts break, the entire gun is rendered unusable—because a repair apprentice is absolutely incapable of drawing a new rune set on top of an old one without causing any problems.

Rather than comparing it to the difference between a gunpowder pack and a bullet, it's more like a chip. Once the transistor circuitry inside is physically worn out, the chance of repair is zero. And because of the mechanism of the rune string, it must maintain physical contact throughout the process.

Any slight mechanical wear would cause the entire rune system to collapse and become unusable. Otherwise, Roach would not have left at least a 2-millimeter gap between the launch slot and the rune string, otherwise the runes would have worn down and caused the entire weapon to be destroyed and explode on the spot.

Even on Earth, no one would be foolish enough to use a rotating wheel to power an electromagnetic weapon, because the battery's electrodes also rub against each other. When the battery is already outputting ultra-high voltage and high energy, it will generate a lot of heat. If you add frictional heat, the electrodes will probably be sparking and flashing all the way when it starts spinning, and it will melt down after only a few shots.

If non-contact power transmission means that the voltage is sufficient to break down the air or protective gas, then during rotation, even if the distance is increased, the arc will still connect the two ends and continue to discharge. This will not only waste a lot of energy, but also cause the track to remain energized. Unless the diameter of the wheel is large enough, it is impossible to block the generation of the arc by increasing the resistance through increasing the distance.

Therefore, the method of using sensing rune sets, which can transmit magic power over a certain distance, cannot be used on this weapon mechanism.

Earth has various simple and easy-to-use safety systems, shape memory metals, relays, and other means and components to maintain rhythmic output. However, Roach couldn't find similar principles and materials, such as a metal that "generates heat under certain magical conduction and automatically deforms when the temperature rises to a certain level."

That makes things easier. We just need to use this as a spacer between the rune strings. It transmits magic, generates heat, transforms and breaks, cools down and recovers, then transmits magic again, generates heat, transforms and breaks again.

For this reason, crossbowmen, lacking the means of rapid fire, were of no use against the melee troops rushing towards them, except for making a last, meaningless resistance with their short swords. Soon, the battlefield began to collapse. However, on the coastal highlands, Bourne's backup plan was already in place.

It wasn't anything fancy; just some newly erected counterweight catapults, each containing a metal cylinder resembling an ear of corn. As the soldiers cut the ropes, all the cylinders were launched over the knights' heads. Then, as the mages activated the runes inside, a dense barrage of magical projectiles rained down from the sky.

The barrage of bullets swept through the knights' formation, and the knights who were chasing the crossbowmen fell like wheat being cut down. These bullets were not ordinary bullets, but upgraded versions.

Not only was the green glass in the warhead replaced with jade fragments, but the inner core was also replaced with high-grade explosive crystal, achieving the power of the "armor-piercing grenade" that Roach had planned to upgrade.

Such projectiles were so expensive that they were not intended for use on crossbows. Instead, they created these airburst shotgun shells, which were charged and used by mages, not ordinary people.

Because there is enough time for charging and preparation, even apprentices and low-level war mages can charge these airburst shrapnel shells. It has to be said that Byrne's invention may have successfully brought the war mages of this world into the era of "artillery".

Although crossbows have to consider factors such as cost and the charging and releasing capabilities of the crank, if you position it as an "artillery," then that's not a problem. Use expensive materials to cast the projectiles and propellant, and then use skilled sorcerers to fire and operate them, manually injecting enough magic power.

Of course, just like artillery, a ceremonial field needs to be set up in advance to charge the ammunition and install "sensing rune sets" that are equivalent to fuses.

"It seems to be working well. Let's retreat to the port." After seeing the Knights' forwards completely destroyed, Burn signaled his men to begin retreating to the port, preparing to rely on the city's defenses to continue the fight. It now seems that his sudden idea was quite effective.

The armor was obviously not designed to increase the protection of the back and top, and of course, these parts were unlikely to be attacked by the enemy's heavy weapons when the knight charged.

Therefore, when the airburst shrapnel fired a dense barrage of Type 2 magic bullets, hitting their exposed necks and backs as they lay prone on horseback, the remaining all-around defensive magic was insufficient to protect them from such a dense barrage.

Scorching smoke spread across the battlefield, where knights lay dead and struggling, while their warhorses, in contrast, were still quite healthy, restlessly pacing around their masters.

Due to the arcane mage's charging rate and control, some of the magic bullets were launched into the sky and then fell freely, becoming "unexploded bombs" scattered haphazardly on the ground. Of course, these magical weapons were not as dangerous as gunpowder weapons and could be detonated again.

"..." General Hudson rubbed an unexploded ordnance between his fingers, his expression grave. "These mobs really know how to come up with all sorts of new weapons, huh... Emerald warheads..."

Even covered in mud and grime, the emerald green bead still radiates a magical emerald green glow, and can be recycled again simply by injecting new magic.

"Send the order to surround the port. It's time to get those warships on board." The general abandoned his plan to completely wipe out the mob. If the enemy had such weapons, the casualties from a direct assault on the port would be almost unbearable.

In fact, he had just lost about a quarter of the Knights' manpower, a loss that would give the governor a heart attack. Each of these knights was raised with gold almost equal to their body weight.

They have to learn various martial arts and train from the age of 7 until they master their first extraordinary martial arts skill. The warhorses and weapons consumed in the training and combat experience require a lot of money. Finally, the enchanted armor and magical items they wear also cost money.

If it weren't for the thriving trade of the Hot Sands Province, which connects with several countries and forces in the southwest of the mother continent, it would be impossible to support such a luxuriously equipped knightly order. Just look at the fact that the Thunderbird Knights, who are known as the guardians of knowledge and have close ties with sorcerers and alchemists, have equipment that is not as luxurious as theirs, even though they get their equipment at a low price.

"At least 100 people were injured or killed, with at least 20 lords dying directly, and the rest seriously injured," the adjutant reported. What he didn't mention was that the seriously injured knights mostly had broken spines and a large number of shrapnel fragments remaining in their bodies. Even after being healed with potions, they would hardly be able to engage in any strenuous activity.

Whether it was the church pastors, herbalists, or potion makers, their military careers were all doomed. They could only be guaranteed to live, and it would take a huge price to restore their normal mobility.

Basically, these knights can only have children in their families for the rest of their lives, pinning their hopes on the next generation and heirs. However, the good news is that the damage to their warhorses, weapons, and armor is not too great. After all, the damage is mainly in areas like the back, without affecting the enchantment layers and the various magic gems embedded in them, so the cost of repair is not high.

If a knight's warhorse is his wife, then an enchanted suit of armor is his father. A father may not be able to save your life on the battlefield, but a well-made suit of armor can. In fact, for a knight, a horse is something he can do without, but armor is something he absolutely cannot do without.

Aside from those with special bloodlines, ordinary warhorses cannot be passed down through generations. However, armor is often used by three or four generations in rotation. Therefore, the investment knights make in their armor is all for the purpose of using it for several generations of their family.

Conversely, after a knight's death on the battlefield, each country was required to use strict military law to ensure that the knight's armor and weapons could be returned to his family. When negotiating peace with the enemy and paying ransom, armor, warhorses, and weapons were also included in the negotiations.

At least during the era of aristocratic wars, few nobles would refuse to return the other's armor, because it could easily lead to an endless war of hatred with the opposing family that would last for over a century, the cost of which was far greater than the armor itself.

"Man cannot grow out of the ground"—this was the consensus between Bourne and General Hudson, and they both made the same judgment about the war situation: the war, or rather the all-out war, would end in two or three months.

The governor could no longer afford such a huge loss, and they would definitely choose to compromise. The council had also suffered a great deal of financial and material losses, and based on his understanding of those chamber of commerce managers, they would definitely choose to take what they could get.

Merchants, after all, prioritize securing their profits, but Byrne felt that the governor had suffered such a huge loss, and the compromise was merely to avoid royal interference. Once he recovered, these merchants would face their demise.

However, Bourne had already achieved his goal.

"Your Highness: The task you entrusted to me has been completed. The report on the 'Roch Livia Heavy Crossbow' and related ammunition can be found in Appendix II and Appendix III. The Hot Sands Council expects to reach an agreement with the Governor in the coming months, but in my judgment, they will be completely annihilated by the Governor within two to four years..."

Bourne then wrote about some of the shortcomings of the Parliamentarian army, as well as his impressions of new weapons and tactics on the battlefield, and then gave a grand praise to the princess's "octagon" system.

Because after he actually served as the Speaker and Military Advisor of the "Freedom Council" for a period of time, he really missed the Octagon. More than once, he saw those guys who were frantically complaining that weapons were too expensive, that the commoners made too many demands, that military spending was too high, and that they didn't want to conquer big cities. He wanted to invite them to the Octagon to explain the pros and cons.

"A council without an octagon is nothing but a bunch of insects!" Bourne concluded at the end of the letter, then suggested that the princess should form a new-era knightly order and an affiliated "magical combat force" based on the experience of the council's army.

The entire force is composed of arcane mages and magic crossbowmen, all equipped with magical and alchemical gear. It is even suggested that a small number of magical beasts and large alchemical constructs could be used in this force.

"In this way, when you sit on that ruby ​​throne, no old noble will dare to raise any objections." After writing the last line, Byrne sealed the letter. He was almost done with his business here, and he had no intention of dying with these short-sighted and weak fellows.

Chapter 134 New Inventions

The magic pump's operating speed had been reduced to the preset value, and the jealousy magic in the entire outer city had been drained. Without the support of the original sin thorns, the houses and buildings collapsed and withered at an alarming rate, thus exposing the jealousy ritual nodes in the entire outer city.

Desiccated corpses hung from Y-shaped wooden frames, their bodies covered in large patches of rotting fibers, with thorns deeply embedded in their flesh.

"Human sacrifice?" Roach glanced at the shelves, his brows furrowing slightly. The deeper they went, the more cruel and blasphemous the Great Sin Ritual became. The Greed Ritual was at least a blasphemy against the dead, and the Wrath Ritual was nothing more than a large-scale gang fight that broke out in the slums, with traces of indiscriminate killing everywhere.

However, in the Sloth Ritual, the entire street is frozen in time; in other words, everyone is a sacrifice frozen in amber of time, from which their magic is continuously drained. The Envy Ritual is clearly also a way of using living people as sacrifices to anchor the magic of Great Sins; it's just unknown whether all Great Sin Ritual are like this.

"The Seven Sins Ritual," Livia suddenly spoke up. "It's very complex. Each ritual requires progressive enhancement and requires... um... a lot of sacrifices." She gave a general overview of the ritual. After observing the four ritual sites, she could already determine what the foundation of this massive, complex sin ritual was.

Although one could guess from Roach's name that he was related to the Seven Deadly Sins, considering the world's understanding and the special nature of the rituals, even Livia couldn't be sure. The Seven Deadly Sins Ritual was definitely based on the Seven Deadly Sins, but what was based on the Seven Deadly Sins wasn't necessarily the Seven Deadly Sins Ritual. It could also be the "Hall of Sins Ritual" or the "Pillar Demon Ritual," or even the more advanced "Twin Ritual of Sin and Punishment."

Livia had been speculating that it might be a twin ritual of sin and punishment or a pillar demon ritual, but after seeing this jealousy ritual site, she ruled out both possibilities.

The Pillar Demon Ritual uses several living people who embody the seven deadly sins as "pillars" to absorb the immense power of the original sins, transforming them into "Original Sin Demon Lords." In other words, it elevates people to the status of "Demon Lords" and then uses the power of the Demon Lords to bypass limitations that humans cannot achieve, transforming the mystical spells into something akin to a blessing or favor.

Considering the massive barrier enveloping the capital, Livia initially guessed that it might be this ritual, transforming the surrounding ritual site into a "sin domain" similar to a divine realm, because both the previous wrathful sin domain, which altered the terrain and spatial structure, and the later indolent sin domain, clearly exhibited this characteristic.

“Hmm, this isn’t a Pillar Demon,” Livia said, pointing to the corpse hanging on the Y-shaped wooden frame. The reason why no Pillar Demons were found in the previous three areas was because the Pillar Demons were likely in a sealed or restrained state, hiding in some secret area.

However, the fact that this sacrificial ritual site is right in front of us, yet we don't see the Pillar Demon that should theoretically be present, means that this is not the basis for the Pillar Demon ritual.

"Without the Heavenly Punishment Pillar, it's not the Twin Sin and Punishment Ritual." The Sin and Punishment Ritual is a relatively normal major sin ritual. It uses the conversion between sin and punishment, corresponding to each other, to strengthen the magical power through a cycle. It is also a kind of secret ritual that can support the huge ritual field of the royal capital. However, there is no Heavenly Punishment Pillar here, which means there is only sin and no punishment. So the final answer is only the Seven Sin Ritual.

However, the Seven Sins Ritual is a lower-middle level ritual spell within the Original Sin Ritual. Livia didn't quite understand how those Great Sin Mages could use such a relatively low-level ritual to complete such a large barrier and ritual spell. To give an analogy, it was as if she had seen someone start a 10,000-ton destroyer with a motorcycle engine.

Without the cover of thorns, the jealous demons whose bodies were wrapped in withered thorns could no longer hide. However, they had no intention of rushing forward. Almost as soon as the two sides met from a distance, they covered their faces and fled, like an extremely shy person.

The outer city is divided into three areas. Roach and his group entered through a side gate, so they were in one of the two standard residential areas. There was no road leading to the inner city, so they could only follow one of the three roads encircling the city, cross an inner city canal, and head to the inner city market area located on the other side of the water gate.

The ease of river transportation led to the proliferation of trading posts and caravans along the river, naturally providing ample opportunities for consumption and enjoyment. Therefore, it corresponds to "lust" or "desire arising from primal physiological needs," or more accurately, the sins derived from this desire, rather than desire itself.

For example, the brothels and gambling dens that cater to sailors and caravan guards are themselves sinful. One must pass through the sin realm of desire to enter the sin realm of gluttony in the inner city, which is the territory of the noble residential area.

"Bingeing" does not only represent the pursuit of food, but also the pursuit of unrestrained and endless desires. At the same time, it also represents desires that exceed normal physiological needs—which seems to fit in with the aristocratic class.