Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

While he was in the air, Locke spotted several pedestrians holding plastic bags containing the ketchup bottles.

He also spotted the bottles in several open-air restaurants.

To Locke, these people seemed possessed.

However, Locke was aware that his chances of stopping the spread of the ketchup was extremely low.

The moment he entered the academy, Locke encountered Tristan.

“Locke, I was just about to call you. Let’s go get a meal together, I found this killer dish that I’m sure you’d like as well…”

Locke’s heart skipped a beat upon hearing those words.

Upon closer inspection, Locke noticed that Tristan was carrying several ketchup bottles in his paper bag!

Locke frowned and immediately explained the truth of the matter.

“Oh my God… But we didn’t feel anything wrong when we ate it..” Trista stared at the ketchup bottles in shock.

Locke could not help but commend Armstrong’s chemical genius.

Upon arriving at the principal’s big tent, Locke noticed that there were several instructors there as well.

Their mouths were full of ketchup.

“Kid! Come quickly! This dish is to die for. I’ve lived for so long, but this is the first time I’ve ever eaten something this delicious!” Hobrick held a piece of bread covered with ketchup in his hand.

Locke rubbed his temples…

Tristan immediately explained the ketchup issue to the other lecturers.

“This can’t be true, can it? I’ve been researching poisons for over twenty years. There shouldn’t be an issue with this ketchup…” A very experienced medical instructor exclaimed.

The chief physician sitting next to Hobrick noticed how serious Locke’s expression was, and he immediately summoned his Battle Beast to examine the ketchup.

A dozen or so minutes later, he slammed his table and shouted, “Oh no! The poison inside can seal a Beastmaster’s mana core! Don’t eat anymore of it!”

Everyone present turned pale with fright. They immediately put down the food in their hands.

They began to examine their own mana cores.

Just as Locke had mentioned, they felt as if their mana cores were covered by a thick, viscous substance, that had made it difficult for them to exert their mana.

Some of the instructors could no longer summon their Battle Beasts!

As for those who had managed to summon their beasts, they could only maintain the summon for a couple of minutes at most.

Hobrick muttered to himself, “We’ve been had…”

The chief physician Carter had already finished investigating the poison.

He said to everyone, “This poison is very special. It has no color or smell, and is very difficult to detect. As far as I can tell, it is a combination of man-made poison and Battle Beast poison.”

“Can it be neutralized? Can you develop an antidote?”

Carter sighed while shaking his head. “The person responsible for this poison is undoubtedly a genius…”

“It is precisely because of this that it will be very difficult to develop an antidote. It will take several days for me and my researchers to develop an antidote for the man-made component. However, the same could not be said for the Battle Beast component. We will need to get rid of the Battle Beast responsible! Regardless… I’ll do my best.”

Following this, Carter immediately contacted a few of his disciples and headed towards the laboratory.

The instructors in the tent were ashen-faced.

“Oh God…”

“Wouldn’t this mean that my career as a Beastmaster is over?”

“I can’t believe I still want to eat that ketchup, even though I’ve already learned the truth of the matter…”

“Damn it! Who’s the b*stard responsible?”

The knowledgeable Hobrick was very calm. He closed his eyes and began to think. He was trying to figure out who had a grudge with the academy, to the extent that they had resorted to such vile tactics.

“Based on my investigations, the Trent family in Gold City is inextricably linked to this matter…” Locke sat on a chair and looked at the bottles of ketchup before him.

According to Rosetti, the ketchup’s addiction would take place only after two tries. Fortunately, Locke had only take a single bite of it.

“Oh?” Hobrick was surprised.

After all, the Trent family rarely interacted with the Holy City.

All he knew of the Trent family was that they were human traffickers.

‘Why are they targeting the Holy City, then?’

This question was on everyone’s minds.

Hobrick stood up. “Everyone, listen up! Don’t panic! This is only the start of their plan! Announce this matter to the academy and make the ketchup a forbidden substance! I’m going to contact the City Hall!”

…

In the Trent family’s meeting room in Gold City the next day.

“Master! I have news from my subordinates. The current situation in the Holy City is developing just as you’ve planned. They’re addicted to the ketchup. Most of the Beastmasters have already fallen for it!”

“That’s right. My subordinates also mention that the addicted Beastmasters have already abandoned their position as Beastmasters. They’ve emptied their family savings just to obtain a few bottles of ketchup…”

“More interestingly, the people in the City Hall have already made the ketchup a prohibited item… Even so, the citizens are rebelling against their mandate, and they’ve even beaten up the policemen who tried to confiscate their ketchup!”

“Hahaha… Many Beastmasters have already lost their ability to summon Battle Beasts. The Holy City would fall from its grace soon!”

“This is all thanks to young master’s foresight! This is truly an ingenious invention. We managed to cripple the Holy City’s forces without even shedding any blood!”

Barrette also cast an appreciative glance at his only son. “Before long, the Trent family will become a great noble family whose influence spans across two cities! Once Alice confers us the title of Count, all of you will receive a huge reward!”

Armstrong laughed and said, “It was God’s will that inspired me to develop this poison. It won’t be long before we invade the Holy City. Once that happens, a good show will definitely ensue…”

Beside the door of the meeting room, Alice, who was wearing a tulle, listened to each and every one of their words with great excitement.

She was ecstatic!

She was certain that Locke had fallen for the ploy.

‘Locke, I’m going to cut off your head with my own hands! Hahaha…’ She laughed wildly in her heart. Due to how hard she was clenching her fists, her fingernails had cut through the skin of her palm.

“Hmm, but how exactly are we supposed to make the Holy City submit to us? This isn’t a war, so we shouldn’t attack the city, right? Not only does it violate the law, it’s not like we have a particular target anyway…” One of the subordinates asked.

After taking a sip of coffee, Barrette responded, “My son and I have already discussed this matter. We won’t need to resort to violence…”