Chapter 56: One Man Against a City
Liam gave a curt nod. "I killed Valerius Geryon, but The Astral Kingdom played me."
"Then you got what you deserved. There isn't a single decent soul in that kingdom," the Veiled Overseer remarked coldly.
"I didn't come here for a lecture. You tried to rescue Valerius Geryon before—I highly doubt it was out of some sense of shared faith, was it?"
The Overseer’s aura shifted subtly, a chill permeating the air. "You aren't very bright. Regardless of our reasons, speaking to me like that is a quick way to get on my bad side."
"Is a man like you really swayed by a few words? If so, I’ve clearly come to the wrong person."
The Veiled Overseer fell silent for a moment before asking, "Fine. Why are you here?"
"I’m going to attack the Capital City. My first target is Blackwind City."
Liam’s voice was flat, yet the declaration caused a look of sheer disbelief to flash across the Overseer's face.
"You aren't just stupid; you’re insane." A hint of mockery crept into the Overseer’s tone. "Even we, the Night-Walkers, haven't dared to march on the Capital City. What makes you think a mere mortal like you can pull it off?"
Liam offered a noncommittal smile. "Believe it or not, that’s your business. But I am attacking Blackwind City. That is a certainty."
"And you've come to ask the Night-Walkers for help?"
"No." Liam shook his head. "I’m attacking regardless of whether you help or not. I only came here to offer you an opportunity."
"An opportunity? Adventurer, has your own idiocy fueled this delusions of grandeur?"
The words had barely left the Overseer’s lips when his body dissolved into black smoke. In a blur of motion, he reappeared directly behind Liam and slammed a palm into his back.
-31,080!
A massive damage number erupted. A basic attack from the Shrouded Guardian had shaved off over thirty thousand HP in a single strike. By any standard, the damage was immense.
Yet, it was the Shrouded Guardian who looked stunned.
Liam’s health bar had barely moved—a negligible sliver, less than one percent of his total life.
Before the Overseer could even process the sight, a flurry of green numbers surged above Liam’s head.
+6,216
+10,000
+1,000
+2,000
The first came from the Blood-Thirsty Dragon Scale, the second from the Tears of the Life Goddess, the third from the Resurgence skill, and the fourth from the Ninefold Longbow. In a single second, Liam had recovered nearly twenty thousand health.
"Interesting." The Veiled Overseer’s eyes narrowed with newfound intrigue. "To find an Adventurer this powerful at this stage... you're a rare breed."
"Speak. What do you want from us?"
"I need Gear Evolution Scrolls and the Blessing of the Gods." Liam cut straight to the point.
The Overseer nodded slowly. "I have those. I can give them to you, but there’s a condition."
"Name it."
"You must take Blackwind City," the Overseer commanded.
The corner of Liam’s mouth quirked upward. His primary objective for visiting the Demon's Den was complete. Now, all that remained was the siege.
With that thought, Liam activated ten World Megaphones in rapid succession.
World Megaphone: I, Frost Monarch, am commencing an assault on Blackwind City. All players within the city must evacuate within thirty minutes. Those who remain will be shown no mercy.
World Megaphone: I, Frost Monarch, am commencing an assault on Blackwind City. All players within the city must evacuate within thirty minutes. Those who remain will be shown no mercy.
Liam didn't care if the Astral Kingdom saw it coming. It didn't matter. In the past, he feared imprisonment, but now he could simply use Instant Rebirth or respawn at the Novice Village. He was done playing it safe against the Kingdom.
The announcements sent shockwaves through the entire player base of the Astral Kingdom.
"Did I hear that right? Frost Monarch is attacking Blackwind City? Is he crazy, or am I?"
"Must be a hallucination. A player attacking a Capital City? That's suicide."
"This is going to be a hell of a show. Frost Monarch doesn't usually talk out of his ass. He’s actually doing it!"
In Liam’s private group chat, messages began to pop up like wildfire.
Berserk: ???
Ezekiel Asura: ???
Dreamfrost: ??!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Fenrir Pagoda: @Frost Monarch, you’re really going head-to-head with a Capital City? You’ve finally lost it.
Ezekiel Asura: I’ve already ordered the Asura Guild to evacuate. I’m just here for the popcorn now.
Liam glanced at the chat and sent a short reply.
"Evacuate as fast as you can."
Berserk: 1
Dreamfrost: 1
Fenrir Pagoda: 1
The hysteria wasn't limited to the chat. The Twilight of the Gods forums went into a total meltdown. Countless players debated whether he was serious, but the consensus was clear: Frost Monarch didn't need cheap stunts for clout.
He was really doing it.
SHOCKING: Rejected by the Princess, Frost Monarch Plans Revenge on the Castellan of Blackwind!
INSANE: The Sordid Affair between Frost Monarch and the Castellan!
Analysis: Can one man really take down a city?
The threads dominated the rankings. The news spilled out of the game and onto every major social media and short-video platform. Within twenty minutes, the entire gaming world was holding its breath, waiting for the assault.
Win or lose, a single player challenging a Capital City was unheard of. One man against a city—the sheer audacity of it left people breathless.
Meanwhile, players weren't the only ones reacting.
In the Castellan’s Manor in Blackwind City, Balthazar slammed a fist onto his desk, his face contorted with rage as the World Megaphone echoed through the halls.
"This Frost Monarch is completely lawless! He thinks he can just announce an attack and take my city? What does he think this place is?"
A withered, elderly man stood before Balthazar, trembling slightly as he spoke. "My Lord, he's just a clown. He isn't worth your concern."
Balthazar’s brow furrowed. "A clown? I'm not so sure. I don't know what happened between him and Princess Tiana, but the fact remains that he slaughtered nine Silver Grade generals from House Volkov."
"We cannot afford to be careless. We are at a critical juncture for the throne's succession. We cannot screw this up now."
The old man bowed deeply. "I understand. I will see to the preparations."
In the Thorne Manor within the Astral Capital, Grand Marshal Alistair Thorne listened to the announcement with a look of brief confusion that quickly melted into a smirk.
"Kaslow, it seems our opportunity has arrived."
A middle-aged man stepped out from behind a decorative screen. This was Grand Chancellor Kaslow. If any outsider had seen this, they would have been floored; the Grand Marshal and the Grand Chancellor were supposed to be bitter rivals who had spent years trying to tear each other down.
"All that planning, and finally, a breakthrough," Kaslow mused. "King Abraham probably never imagined that his attempt to leash Frost Monarch would become the catalyst for the man’s rebellion."
"The only question is how far he can actually go."
Alistair Thorne’s smirk widened. "How far he goes depends entirely on us, doesn't it?"
"A third of the civil officials in Blackwind are your protégés, right?"
"As it happens," Alistair continued, "my influence in the city runs even deeper. Half of the military officers report to me."
The two men shared a dark, knowing laugh.
"In that case, let’s give the Frost Monarch a little push. We’ll see how King Abraham reacts to this."
After sending out the Megaphones, Liam ignored the chaos he'd caused. He marched straight to the gates of Blackwind City.
A massive crowd of players had already gathered in the surrounding area. To many, Liam was already the undisputed strongest player in the Dragon Empire server. While other servers had their own legends, here, he was the peak.
Guild leaders and high-ranking players had flocked to the scene, willing to pause their leveling just to witness the madness.
"How are we doing this?" Barney panted as he ran up, Monty the Berserker Warrior trailing behind him.
Monty’s tag read: Great Sage Monty.
Liam looked at them and spoke in a low voice. "Stay back. Once I take Blackwind City, the Night-Walkers from the Demon's Den will likely make their move. This is going to escalate into a National War."
"Barney, focus on helping Monty kill as many Night-Walkers as possible. There should be Attribute Point rewards for it."
Liam knew his actions would likely trigger the war between the Astral Kingdom and the Demon's Den prematurely.
"Wait," Monty asked, "does that mean we’ll be on the opposite side as you?"
Liam nodded. "Technically. But don't worry about me, and I won't worry about you. Just kill the Night-Walkers. Barney, make sure Monty gets the final blows. His AP gains are the most efficient."
Though they understood the plan, worry was etched on their faces.
"Don't worry about me. I have my own reasons for doing this."
"Alright. Just give us a shout if you need anything."
Liam nodded, then paused. "Where’s Specs?"
"Him? He’s in a bit of a spot. He’s trapped in some Secret Realm and can’t get out."
Liam frowned. That hadn't happened in his past life. Had his rebirth caused a butterfly effect? He hadn't even interacted with Specs yet. Perhaps destroying the Novice Village and releasing the Draught-Bringer had shifted the game’s trajectory enough to catch Specs in the ripples.
"Fine. I’m starting. Keep your heads on a swivel."
"Got it."
Liam stepped forward, the eyes of thousands fixed upon him. Everyone held their breath.
At the city walls, the City Guard stood in tight formations, weapons drawn. The air was thick with tension.
"Frost Monarch!" a middle-aged officer shouted from atop the battlements, his expression cold. "Attacking a Capital City is treason. Withdraw now while you still have a chance. The consequences of provoking the Astral Kingdom are not something you can survive."
Whiz!!
An arrow cut through the air. Liam fired a shot from extreme range, the projectile slamming squarely into the officer’s forehead.
CRITICAL HIT!
-421,080!
The massive damage number caused the surrounding players to suck in a sharp breath.
"Four hundred and twenty thousand damage with one arrow? Is that even legal?"
"Holy sht... what is there even to say? I ground my ass off for a Level 15 Elite set and did two AP quests, and my attack power is barely two thousand."
"Two thousand? I'm Level 17 and I'm sitting at fifteen hundred. We're both Archers—how is the gap this big?"
Liam remained unmoved by the chatter. After that first shot, he began to rain down arrows with mechanical precision.
System: You have slain a Blackwind City Guard. Since you have not completed your Class Advancement, you cannot gain experience points.
System: You have slain a Blackwind City Guard...
The notifications scrolled by in a blur. The battle for Blackwind City had officially begun.
[City-Wide Announcement]: Due to the malicious assault by the player 'Frost Monarch,' Blackwind City has issued a Bounty Quest. Kill Frost Monarch!
The quest appeared in the logs of every player in the vicinity.
Bounty Quest: Kill Frost Monarch
Objective: Kill Frost Monarch 10 times.
Penalty: None.
Reward: +100 AP per kill, 1x Level 20 Black Iron Set.
The rewards sparked a wave of excitement. A hundred AP was equivalent to twenty levels for a normal player, and a full Black Iron set was top-tier gear at this stage.
However, no one moved. The image of that 420,000 damage crit was still fresh in their minds. A few were tempted, but they decided to wait until the city’s defenses softened him up.
Up on the walls, the City Guard opened fire. A dense carpet of arrows blanketed the sky. With that much volume, dodging was impossible.
Liam didn't even try.
The City Guards were Level 50 NPCs with attack power exceeding five thousand. Since Liam had negligible armor and the guards possessed innate armor penetration, the incoming damage was effectively True Damage.
-5,012
-5,019
-5,111
A stream of damage numbers rose from Liam’s head. A single volley from dozens of archers shaved off a tenth of his health.
But then, the Blood-Thirsty Dragon Scale flared. Liam instantly recovered over seventy thousand HP. A split second later, his own arrows found their marks, and his health bar snapped back to full.
The advance reading chapters on have reached 12chapters. Thank you for reading!
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