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n789 At the Stake

n789 At the Stake

nJenna observed Rabbit Chasel, who increasingly resembled Gehrman Sparrow, and carefully asked, “What do you need this time?”

nOne of the later volumes of The Great Adventurer? Or something else?

nLuckily, few people knew about her messenger, and Rabbit Chasel didn’t deliver messages frequently. Otherwise, Jenna would have to consider providing different knowledge.

nRabbit Chasel lowered its paw holding the revolver and said in a thoughtful tone, “Get me a pair of boxing gloves that a rabbit can wear.”

nWhat kind of request is that? Lumian said with a chuckle, “I don’t remember Gehrman Sparrow ever wearing boxing gloves.”

nThis imitation doesn’t quite fit the persona!

n“True, but Gehrman Sparrow has Blazing Danitz. I need my own Danitz. I want to develop one in our community,” Rabbit Chasel explained earnestly. “Danitz uses boxing gloves.”

nFor a moment, Franca, Jenna, and Lumian didn’t know how to respond.

nAfter several seconds, Jenna nodded and said, “I’ll have a pair custom-made for you. Mm, normal Rabbit of Knowledge size, not your size?”

n“That’s right.” Rabbit Chasel raised its right hand, blew on the small revolver’s muzzle, satisfied.

nBut… this gesture isn’t fitting for the current scene… Franca noticed that Rabbit Chasel was still an immature Rabbit of Knowledge, mimicking and repeating much without truly mastering it.

n…

nIn the darkness of Banamo Port, only a few street lamps with candles flickered. Pirates gathered in bars, drinking heavily or going upstairs with women, enjoying pleasures unavailable at sea.

nWith the Newins gone and the unknown adventurer disappeared, the pirates gradually put the incident behind them. After all, everyone felt embarrassed; no one would ridicule another.

nAs pirates, they knew they might die in a storm, during a robbery, or in a mutiny on their next voyage. Dwelling on past problems was meaningless; indulging in the present was the only option.

nOf course, they also talked about the unknown adventurer’s strength and what had happened inside the Newins, wondering why Admiral Deep Sea fled in such a hurry.

n“I think that adventurer was waiting for Admiral Deep Sea!”

n“Does he want to recreate Gehrman Sparrow’s great feats?”

n“Pui! Son of a bitch. What great feats? We’re pirates!”

n“He succeeded but didn’t completely succeed? He defeated Admiral Deep Sea but let him escape?”

n“Is he close to the power of the Kings?”

n“What’s happening on the sea? Every so often, a powerful adventurer appears! There was that Louis Berry before, too.”

n“…”

nDisguised as a non-pirate, Mason mingled in several bars, listening to the pirates discuss recent events, hoping they’d start a fight.

nOn his way to the next bar, Mason turned into a quieter alley and saw a figure standing ahead, seemingly waiting for him.

nThe figure had black hair and blue eyes, with sharp features and a handsome face. It was the same unknown adventurer who had challenged all the pirates in Banamo Port and forced Admiral Deep Sea to flee.

nMason suddenly heard his heart pounding and blurted out, “I’m not a pirate!”

nLumian strolled forward and smiled. “I have a task for you.”

nHearing this, Mason relaxed a bit and carefully said, “What can I do for you? I’m not sure if my abilities can meet your needs.”

nHe feared that while completing the task might be easy, the aftermath could be problematic-pirates might hack him to pieces once the adventurer left.

nLumian said bluntly, “It’s a simple and secret task. Keep an eye on Banamo Port. As soon as the Newins returns or you spot Great Shark Jörg and his men, summon my messenger immediately.”

nHearing “messenger,” Mason was suddenly struck by a thought.

nHe remembered his last task: summoning a terrifying messenger through a ritual!

nUnable to control his expression, Mason asked in slight terror, “Are you Lumian Lee, sir?”

nThe master of that terrifying messenger?

n“Perceptive,” Lumian replied, not too sincerely.

nMason connected the recent events in his mind: Was the reaI purpose of that task to bring Lumian Lee to Banamo Port?

nAnd Lumian Lee’s goal was to deal with Admiral Deep Sea, Howl Constantine, for the Lost Newins?

nMy spiritual intuition was partly correct; the ritual indeed brought something bad to Banamo Port, though it didn’t turn into a catastrophe…

nLumian continued, “The payment is 5000 verl d’or.”

nThe task is indeed simple, and I likely wouldn’t be discovered by the pirates. The reward is generous… If I refused, knowing the task details might bring trouble… After weighing it for over ten seconds, Mason said, “No problem, I think I can handle this task.”

nLumian nodded slightly, paid a 1000-verl d’or deposit, and turned to leave the quiet alley.

nWatching Lumian’s figure disappear into the darkness, Mason silently repeated his name, “Lumian Lee, Lumian Lee…”

nMason finally remembered where he had heard the name: on a wanted poster aboard a ship!

nThe poster described Lumian Lee as a survivor of a sacrificial ritual to an evil god that destroyed a village, severely corrupted by the evil god.

n…

nIn Trier, in the prison district, at the Rois Comprehensive Execution Ground.

nReturning to Trier for two days, Franca, feeling ready for the Demoness of Affliction advancement ritual, decided to proceed.

n007’s lead on the Mirror People came from an ore scholar of the Trier Cave Association. The Purifiers had planned to investigate all the association’s ore scholars, but one had mysteriously disappeared before they could visit. Recently, someone had seen her in Underground Trier, suspected to be Palia, a Mirror Person.

nFranca looked at the stake and sighed sincerely, “When I became a witch, I wondered if I’d end up burned at the stake. Who knew, I have to tie myself up here.”

nAs she spoke, she took out the brown-red wooden suitcase given by Demoness of Black Clarice from the Traveler’s Bag and unlocked the metal clasp.

nNext, she retrieved a red wine glass, crushed the crystalline ice containing potion ingredients, and poured in Flower-Faced Bat blood and human blood from a seriously ill person. Both were dark red, and when combined, they turned almost black.

nShe then added the Flower-Faced Bat’s head, a Two-Tailed Black Snake’s gallbladder and tail tip, and ten drops of Enfinitas Eucalyptus essential oil.

nAs the ingredients were added, the dark red blood in the glass turned pitch black, with occasional nauseating green bubbles.

n“It’s like a cup of untreated sewage,” Lumian commented honestly.

n“Dammit! Shut up!” Franca grew more disgusted as she looked at the Demoness of Affliction potion.

nShe handed the potion to Lumian and lightly jumped onto the stake, tying herself up with Jenna’s help.

nDuring this, Franca muttered, “Damn, this feels so weird…”

nShe adjusted her mindset for several seconds and nodded to Lumian, “I’m ready.”

nLumian handed the potion to Jenna and extended his right palm.

nA ball of crimson-white flames flew out, landing on Franca, who immediately felt pain. Her body instinctively wanted to dodge and contract, but the ropes held her firmly.

nJenna quickly jumped to her side, one hand holding the ropes and the other bringing the potion to her mouth.

nFranca forced herself to gulp down the pathogen-like dark-green potion.

nWhether from the flames or the potion, her head quickly grew hot, and her mind became fuzzy from the heat.

nShe involuntarily recalled past pleasures, including her own experiences and the feedback from her partners.

nAt that moment, Franca was both the giver and receiver of pleasure, drowning in it from body to soul, almost dissolving like spring water.

nHer thoughts drifted, her will sank, and her self was lost in various intense pleasures.

nHowever, the pain accompanying those pleasures kept her slightly conscious. It was the mental resistance and spiritual conflict with Gardner Martin, the emotional gap with Jenna, as if they could never truly unite body and soul…

nThe extreme pain from the burning flames on her body was like invisible threads pulling her self and consciousness, making her sway like a kite in a storm, not completely out of control.

nSwaying, Franca instinctively cursed in her mind:

nDamn, it hurts so much!

nThis ritual is trying to kill me, isn’t it?

nCough, cough, hot smoke in my throat and lungs, so uncomfortable. Am I dying…

nDammit, I can say I smell good now, like food, the scent of roasted meat…

nLumian, Jenna, and Anthony stood before the stake, watching Franca’s body gradually turn black and her expression twist beyond beauty.

nEven Lugano, ready to provide medical help, felt a bit heated, their minds wandering with certain thoughts and urges.

nFacing this horrifying scene, they had inappropriate desires.

nFortunately, it wasn’t severe and was bearable.

nAfter several more seconds, the crimson flames on Franca’s body turned pitch black, then into crystalline ice shards, falling off in pieces.

nThe shards took the charred skin with them, revealing Franca’s new, tender, and glistening skin underneath.

nEven with his Ascetic’s endurance, Lumian instinctively looked away.

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