72: The crowd is surging, number one attacks!

Number One hid his aura, silently blending into the crowd, waiting for his brothers to create an opportunity for him.

He already felt that there were at least four powerful auras of the Arcane Envoy level present.

And he was merely an Arcanist.

Fighting above his level, and having to take on four at once.

If his brothers hadn't been there, this would have been a battle with zero chance of victory.

But thankfully.

There was still a turning point for everything.

Even if the chances of success were slim, even if the consequence of failure was instant death.

Since the day Number One was born, his heart had been filled with confusion.

He didn't know why he was born, nor did he know where he should go next.

A decaying piece of wood gained a soul for the first time, yet it did not understand the true meaning of life.

He had once floated downstream in a river and had also climbed to the top of a mountain to watch the clouds roll by.

But meaningless contemplation was, in the end, still meaningless.

Until.

He received a distress message from his brothers and resolutely came to Saintess City, using a Hellfire to rescue several companions imprisoned by Vivian.

Those calls of "Number One" and "Big Brother" made him feel the joy of being needed for the first time.

That's right.

For Number One, happiness was being needed.

Now, Otto's most important sister, Vivian, needed their rescue.

Everything was done voluntarily.

"Boom boom boom!"

In five locations across Reed City, deafening explosions simultaneously rang out.

What followed were five life auras identical to Meng Yun's.

Number One's thoughts immediately returned.

He knew this was his brothers betting their lives to draw away the enemy's forces.

"Dongyun, Solo, I'll trouble the two of you to go and check it out."

Otto sat calmly, issuing orders to the two S-rank Arcane Envoys.

Although sending out two S-ranks might leave Reed Plaza vulnerable, it was a necessary measure.

He knew that this was likely Meng Yun's diversion, and the real target might not be among them at all.

But what if?

Even if he took ten thousand steps back, as long as the Arcane Association wanted to maintain its image of justice and care for the people in the eyes of the world, he could not ignore the riots happening in the city.

This was Meng Yun's open conspiracy, played fair and square.

Even if Otto knew it was a trap designed to lure him away, he had to jump into it without hesitation, and even relish it.

"Citizens of Reed City, do not panic. I have already dispatched two Arcane Envoys to lead teams to suppress the unrest caused by the Saintess Church cultists.

I swear by the name of Otto, President of the Arcane Association—any evil will ultimately be brought to justice!"

"Long live President!"

"Hooray!"

"Damn, this old man is so damn charming!"

The onlookers cheered, their shouts like a mountain and a tsunami, creating a lively scene.

However, within the crowd, several gazes still flickered, seemingly sneering at Otto's hypocrisy.

The masses are unconscious and easily swayed by public opinion.

But they, under the guidance of the Saintess, had already seen through the dirty and terrifying true face of the Arcane Association.

They would ultimately become the pioneers of a new era.

Public sentiment was boiling like a frying pan.

They needed a fire.

"Hey, did you see that? There seems to be a flame flickering on the witch Vivian's body?"

"By the way, what kind of clothes is she wearing? Why doesn't the flame burn through them?"

"That's not the point, the point is the fire, the fire!"

"This fire... hiss...

How is it the same as the one on the neighbor's son?"

"Holy crap, they wouldn't be doing some kind of human experimentation behind the scenes, would they?!"

Such conversations were happening in various corners of the crowd, and they were intensifying, threatening to spiral out of control.

"Arcane Association! Give me back my son!"

At one point, an angry and desperate cry from a middle-aged woman suddenly erupted from the crowd.

This sound, amidst a chorus of praise, seemed particularly abrupt and earth-shattering.

With some people deliberately fanning the flames, this cry was instantly spread far and wide.

The commotion began.

Countless people started whispering to each other, wanting to understand what had happened.

Watching a spectacle will always be human nature.

Do you believe that by the end of the witch hunt, there will be an inch-thick layer of sunflower seed shells left on Reed Plaza?

And high up in the building, Otto had not yet realized what was happening beneath the seemingly peaceful stage.

He watched Vivian with her eyes tightly closed, still in excruciating pain even in a deep coma, a faint smile playing on his lips.

Such a beautiful and elegant young woman was like the most precious treasure in the world.

But now, under his command, and in front of everyone, she was being continuously incinerated by Hellfire, incinerated.

Indeed, beautiful things are more captivating and stir the heart more deeply when they are in the process of constantly breaking and collapsing.

Meng Yun.

Heh heh.

I wonder when you will arrive?

How can this witch hunt be perfect without Meng Yun?

He wasn't acting.

If Meng Yun didn't come, Vivian would truly be burned alive.

If he added one more spark, he could completely break the current balance within her body.

"My son was an apprentice at the Arcane Association. The day before yesterday, he was sent home, and they said he touched something he shouldn't have, and he was beyond saving, just waiting to die!

My son's body had the same blue-black flames as this witch!"

"Damn, the neighbor Old Wang's son is in the same situation!"

"Suffering terribly!"

"Damn it, I think this Saint... Witch Vivian, might not even be a bad person!"

"Exactly, they just want to maintain their rule and continue to deceive the world! Poor Saintess!"

These cries finally reached their peak when an unfortunate person with flames flickering on his body was pushed into the crowd.

"Otto! Explain!"

"Otto!"

"Explain!!"

"Otto!"

"Explain!!"

Scattered roars, organized by those with intentions, finally converged into a uniform, powerful slogan.

"Otto! Explain!"

High up in the building, Otto finally noticed the commotion in the crowd.

But he still didn't quite hear it clearly.

He looked down with interest, unconsciously stroking his white beard.

"Heh heh, already so impatient?"

"The protagonist hasn't even appeared yet, how can we burn the witch so quickly?"

"Plop!"

Someone threw an Arcane Missile, which precisely hit a pillar on the high-rise corridor, followed by a second, a third, and countless more.

In this world, although not everyone has the talent to become an Arcanist, a portion of people can still barely acquire the ability to cast Arcane Missiles. If such people are caught and sent to prison, they have a chance to escape their D-rank cannon fodder status. Of course, this also depends on whether the nearsighted Warden is in a good mood.

Countless Arcane Missiles engulfed Otto. With a mix of helplessness and slight anger, he cast a defensive Arcane, blocking all the attacks.

At this moment, he also heard the shouts from below the stage clearly.

Otto, explain.

Explain?

What did he have to explain to a bunch of commoners?

Being chosen to practice Hellfire was already a supreme honor.

Whose fault was it if they set themselves on fire due to lack of skill?

It was their own fault for not working hard enough!

Medical examination and diagnosis: foolish waste.

Playing along with them was already a great act of grace on his part. Explain?

Heh heh.

Otto didn't care, nor was he concerned.

Mere commoners, they couldn't stir up any trouble.

"Send a team of Arcanists to suppress them."

Otto waved his hand, giving the order.

Number One finally saw his chance.

He mingled in the crowd, moving towards the center of Reed Plaza.

Genuine Hellfire suddenly ignited from under the feet of the guard patrol.

Hellfire, to some extent, could ignore differences in strength.

Even an Arcanist could completely incinerate an Arcane Master.

Rustle.

In just the blink of an eye, dozens of Arcanists and Arcane Masters were licked and engulfed by the Hellfire.

"Ahhh—!"

"What is this!!"

"Help, help..."

The air was momentarily filled with a scorching smell.

Wails and screams were incessant.

"Clang—!"

No sooner said than done.

A black Wind Severing Sword thrust directly towards Number One's face.

With an S-rank melee expert's hidden strike, Number One had no chance of survival.