............Aarav nodded, his expression hardening with worry. "First, we need to ensure the city’s immediate safety. We must also gather intelligence on these seven individuals and their possible connections. If they have allied with others, we need to know."Galen hesitated, then continued, "There's more, my Lord. After Archbishop Deniel freed me from their trap, I fought those six individuals. I thought I had the upper hand, but I miscalculated. I ended up having to kill them."Aarav's eyebrows lifted in surprise. "You killed all six?""Yes," Galen confirmed. "But before I could catch my breath, I encountered another enemy. A powerful, mysterious man who had the same aura as the seven. I believe he was their leader. His energy attacks were vicious and full of dark power. It was like fighting a storm made of shadows and hatred."Aarav’s expression grew graver. "This leader, what did he look like?"Galen's eyes narrowed as he recalled the encounter. "He was dressed in street punk s

............"Brace yourselves!" Thaddeus Lumara called out, warning his men to keep their stance steady and resist the pressure.He could see the strain in his men's eyes, but he also saw their unyielding spirit. They would not let the Moonshroud Family break through, not as long as they had breath in their bodies."Booomnn....Bammn....Craassh....!!"The battle raged on, the street filled with the sounds of clashing steel, magical explosions, and the unending clash of willpower. The Lumara Family stood firm, their barriers shining brightly even as they began to show signs of wear.Thaddeus Lumara was beginning to wear himself out, and he saw that his men couldn't hold much longer as they were out of Half-Divine Tools to deploy the barriers. He just hoped they could hold on a little longer.Morn, sensing the last struggle of the Lumara family defenders, redoubled his efforts. "Press the attack!" he roared. "We break through now, or not at all!""Booomnn....Craaackk...!!"Each barrier

............"Captain, what's the situation on the battlefield?" Aarav asked, his voice cutting through the distant sounds of conflict.Captain Ramesh Chauhan's expression grew more serious. "My lord, the Everglen Family launched a surprise attack. They hit the heart of the city before we could fully mobilize. We've managed to push them back a bit, but it's cost us a lot. Many civilians were caught in the crossfire."Aarav clenched his fists, anger rising. "This shouldn't have happened. We need to restore order immediately. Where are their main forces concentrated?""To the north of here, near the old market district," Ramesh replied. "They're heavily fortified, and there are a lot of them. Our scouts report they have some new kind of pet beasts that have been tearing through our defenses."Aarav nodded, his mind racing. "We need a strategy to break through their lines and deal with those beasts. Gather your best men, Captain. We're going to hit them hard and fast."Ramesh saluted. "

............"Whooosh....Zappp...Boommm...!!" Suddenly, dark clouds gathered ominously above him, swirling and churning with otherworldly might.With a swift motion, Aarav raised his hand towards the sky in a commanding gesture."Zappp...Craaack....!!" As if answering his call, a bolt of lightning crackled from the dark clouds, resembling hungry dragons."Zaaappp....Booommn....!!" The bolt rushed towards the oncoming beasts with ferocious intensity, striking them with precision and force."Howl...Boommn...Thud...Thud...!!" With each strike, the beasts howled in pain and confusion, their once formidable charge now quelled by the power of Divine Retribution."Hahaha... this is fun. I never thought I'd be able to wield Thunder itself," Aarav muttered to himself as he lowered his hand. The thunder stopped, and the dark clouds receded."What a roasted scent... but these should not be edible, right?" Aarav joked as he looked at the street, where the bodies of dozens of beasts lay charred b

............The air was thick with the sharp smell of burning energy, and a dense cloud of dust and smoke rose from the large crater where the dark ball had exploded. Debris rained down around him, clattering noisily to the ground."Whoosh... Bam...!!"Isolde Moonshroud and her men lay scattered across the battlefield, some groaning in pain, others completely still. The ground beneath them was scarred and cracked, showing the immense power that had just been unleashed. Aarav's Blade of Light still shimmered with an ethereal glow, though it had dimmed slightly after the intense clash.Aarav looked over at Isolde, who was struggling to push herself up from the ground. Her face was pale, and her eyes were wide with shock and fear. The confidence and anger she had shown earlier were gone, replaced by a look of helplessness."Is this the extent of the Moonshroud Family's power?" Aarav asked, his voice cold and mocking. "I expected more."Isolde's hands trembled as she tried to summon m