[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-city-of-desire-kingdom-building":3,"chapter-city-of-desire-kingdom-building-city-of-desire-kingdom-building-chapter-534":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","City of Desire [Kingdom Building]",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1846654,2449,"Chapter 536: In Green Depths Thick With Woven Haze","city-of-desire-kingdom-building-chapter-534",534,"\u003Cp>He flashed in front of me like a ghost before swinging his dark blue saber at me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It is fast. Extraordinarily fast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I reacted instantly and swung my rapier toward it with a Quick Slash and Mauling Strike.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I even activated the Rapid Strike a fraction of a second later. I needed every advantage I could make to fight the most powerful enemy I had ever fought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clang!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Our weapons clashed, and I tried to block his weapon with Quick Parry, but he broke my skill and shook me such that the rapier nearly flew out of my hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since I had leveled up, nobody managed to shake me like this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Garzong, the strongest of all my guards in raw power, was merely able to shake my hand a little.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The thing is, I didn't hold back as I do with my training. I know this enemy is dangerous. I threw everything I owned at him, but his attack broke it all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I quickly moved back with Blitz Steps to manage the force and looked ahead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only to see him in front of me with his saber slashing toward me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Fuck!' I cursed but didn't panic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead, I became calmer, and an aura came out of me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It didn't come out like a blast, but gently. It constructed a dome, covering him within.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As it did, I activated the Lord's Presence and focused on its power on him through the aura. At the same time, I merged the aura into my offensive skills and swung my rapier toward him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My head begins to hurt from using the aura to enhance many skills.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suppressing him with aura or just enhancing my skills fighting him would have been better, but seeing the difference in power. I don't want to take that chance despite the cost.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unlike the last enemy, I had fought. The aura didn't stop him but changed his expressions and body language.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bandit leader's expression became serious, and his body language no longer radiated confidence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clang!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Our weapons clashed, and I felt the shock in my hands once more, but not enough to force my rapier from my hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Aura is an amazing thing, but it is not going to save you,\" he said and attacked again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, he became more robust and faster, with his blue saber becoming hard to follow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I leaned into the aura and pressed it for more power as I swung my blade to defend.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clang!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I stopped the attack, nearly taking a step back, but that was just the beginning. Abruptly, he appeared to my left and attacked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rip!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I moved to dodge but wasn't fast enough, and he was able to cut across my shoulder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The cut was small, but it began to bleed rapidly. This red-haired orc used anti-clotting skills during the attack. Seeing that, I attacked the skill with my aura.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Immediately, the pain in my head jumped even more, but I didn't stop and broke the skill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time, I turned and moved my blade to defend against his attack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This bastard is very experienced. I am sure he has fought against those with the aura.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clang, Rip, Rip!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I defended successfully, but suddenly, the next strike cut me across the stomach and the next one below the chest, targeted where the armor wasn't covering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I broke the bleeding skill with the aura before moving to defend against the attack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clang!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I succeeded and dodged the next one before getting cut on my left shoulder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My class is Valorous Lord of Courage at Lv. 34. It provides me with fantastic power. With it, I could fight with those above my level.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I would have done a little better if I had spread my attribute points like a warrior, but I did it as a lord.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When I used my aura, even Jon couldn't defeat me, but this man had injured me, which is enough to understand his skills and power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I could feel the power of his class with my aura. It is as powerful as the general Lord Class.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In a way, it is surprising to find a bandit with such a powerful class, but also not. Given the kind of power, he is projecting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His every move is deliberate and without wasted movement. He is precise and fast and shows great control over his body and skills.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I have not heard of him, but he is a formidable enemy who could kill me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He will not kill me. I am far too valuable for that. He wants to capture me, and that would be a fate worse than death. I would be a puppet, and I am not just saying that figuratively.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There are skills, spells, and methods that could thoroughly brainwash someone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suppose I am right about the people who hired them. Then, I cannot let myself get captured. It would be a fate worse than death, and I will die rather than let myself get captured.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rip, Clang, Rip!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was thinking that when another cut appeared on my body. This time on my back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I destroyed the skill immediately. After doing it so many times, I could do it instantly. However, it hurts my head badly when I do it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I have no choice but to break these skills. If I did not, I would bleed out, that will lead to weakness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Which I absolutely can't have.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He appeared behind me, and I turned before swinging my blade toward him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The aura may be straining, but because of it, I could see and feel his every movement, even the small movements that were indiscernible to the eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It lets me predict his movements before he even makes them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If I hadn't had that, I wouldn't have been defending and dodging the attacks that he had been making, but that is not enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I am still getting injured, but without it, I would be dead. Still, I need to stop getting injured and start injuring this orc.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When I heard my thoughts, I wanted to laugh. Our difference is huge, and it would be really hard for me to defeat him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I don't have to defeat him. I only need to survive him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With enough time, my people will gain the edge, or at least make it costly enough for them that he will think about retreating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mercenaries are like that. They will only fight until they think there is a chance of winning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They will not hesitate to escape if they see no chance to win.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clang!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I defended the attack when another attack came, not by the enemy in front of me but by a shamanic spell.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without caring about the strain, I pushed my aura against the spells.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I know how nasty the shamanic spells could be. I had practiced a few times against them, and it was a good I did.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Given the number of shamans, the enemy had brought. I can't depend upon the protection I have. I need to be proactive and deal with them as they come.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rip!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While I successfully defended against the spell, I failed to protect against the attack of the orc in front of me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another cut appeared on my waist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He attacked again immediately, and at the same time, I felt the shaman attack—not just one, but two of them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I defended against them, but it put so much strain on me. That I had started to bleed from my nose and also a new place on my chest as the saber cut me again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I needed to grit my teeth to push the aura into it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had just done that when I felt the shamanic spell again, and I defended and got cut across the stomach, and the cut was more serious, deeper.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'I need to do better!' I screamed at myself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I am getting cut at every attack. If this kept happening, even if he didn't land a hit, these cuts would be enough to weaken me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That would be bad.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I am fighting him because I am pushing myself every second. If I become weak, even so slightly, it will be the end for me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rip, Rip, Clang!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Time passed as more and more cuts began to appear on my body under the intense attacks of the orc and the shamans.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I could be doing better. I began to wonder how others were doing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I am so focused on my battle that I cannot look at any other fight. However, I see Jon now and then, and he doesn't seem to be doing well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I could ask Margaux telepathically, but I don't want to distract myself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clang!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, I was able to defend myself against the attack after taking tens of cuts, which are now covering every part of my body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clang!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A moment later, I defended against another or three as the shamanic attacks were still targeting me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The headache had worsened as I used the aura more and pushed it further. I started to bleed out from all my orifices because of the sheer strain of it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But as the seconds passed. I am getting used to this strain and learning to use the aura better.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It is hard, and I want to stop every second and let the sweet oblivion take me, but I can't. If I stopped, the others would die, and the lives of hundreds of thousands would be in jeopardy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I understood clearly that once I was captured, the enemy wouldn't have problems capturing my cities.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I can not let that happen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So, I pushed myself more despite feeling the level of pain I had never felt before. It's the only way I can do my duty to protect them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Experience the journey before anyone else. Support me by SUBSCRIBING to and enjoy aMonth's Worthof Advanced Chapters. Become a Free Member for Character Arts and other stuff.\u003C\u002Fp>",1658,"2026-06-09T06:55:00.676Z",1,"novelbin.me","45e535b78b5ea46d18078f71441b1ef587b79e344f1c130a119ebd4dac27aecf","city-of-desire-kingdom-building-chapter-535","city-of-desire-kingdom-building-chapter-533",917,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fcity-of-desire-kingdom-building-cover.jpg"]