[{"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-565":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},1846685,2449,"Chapter 567: Artin Kalos","city-of-desire-kingdom-building-chapter-565",565,"\u003Cp>Jon Sands\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I inhaled, feeling the air's weight fill my lungs, and then exhaled slowly and deliberately. I shifted my aura with the rhythm, a subtle ripple that responded to each breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The trick is synchronization.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had to use each breath to release and absorb the aura, which is much more difficult than it looks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To me, my aura is like moonlight in the starless night. It is faint but everywhere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It is hard to gather it in a stream, but that's what I am trying to do. It isn't easy to bring it out of my body in a controlled stream.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn't think control of the aura would be this hard. Experiencing it myself, I have a newfound respect for him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He used to practice it at every free moment, between meetings, in the evening, and at dawn, and even while traveling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For the past two days, two and a half since it is evening, I have been trying to practice in every free moment I have, but it is incredibly tiring, and I have shown nearly negligible progress.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn't even practice for five minutes before I got tired.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, I have to push through.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I have seen first-hand the things aura could do. On the island, it had saved us and crushed us.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even in the latest battle, Lord Silver's resilience was nothing short of remarkable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That artifact would have claimed his life without question if he hadn't possessed an aura. His mastery of the aura—a testament to his unwavering discipline and strength—gave him a fighting chance and ultimately ensured our survival.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It is that trait that made me follow him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I pushed myself until I couldn't support it anymore before collapsing on the floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wanted to last at least five minutes but couldn't even achieve that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I hope things will be better after we return home. Lord Silver said there would be someone to teach me there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He said they are a master of it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn't tell me the person's name, but I could already guess who it was. She is the one teaching Lord Silver in secret and also instructs Stone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They have kept her secret, but I am his bodyguard. I noticed things, even when they were secretive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, it is hard to believe, and I still have my doubts about whether she is that person or if he is referring to someone else.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I rested for a few minutes before getting up and leaving the room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I have to meet with Lord Silver. He said he had a job for me, but I was curious and didn't ask.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, I reached his suite, and the guards opened the door for me. I entered and saw him sitting in the living room with Miss Margaux.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Judging by the way he's dressed, he must be heading to the party.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There is a party every night. Yesterday, it was at the headquarters of the enchanter's guild, and today, it was at the palace of the King of Ilazad.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Lord Silver,\" I greeted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Jon, you have come right on time. This has just come for you,\" he said, pointing at a wooden box in front of me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It is a big box, the size of my hand. Made of wood, with delicate work done on it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Daggers?\" I asked, and \"Yes,\" he nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The last battle had damaged my daggers. I gave them for servicing the day we came to the city and had been using a temporary pair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I am surprised. They finished it in two days, whereas it usually takes over a week because they were not normal daggers but triple-enchanted ones.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Top of their grade, at that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I appeared by it and opened the box. What I saw were not my old daggers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"T..this?\" I asked with my voice shaking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I hope you like them,\" he said with a warm smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the box lay two black daggers, their sleek forms seemingly carved from polished obsidian-like bone, exuding an aura of elegance and menace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They are dark as night, with swirling patterns carved across them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These weren't just enchanted weapons—they were far beyond that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These were half-artifacts, tools of immense power. Not only were they more potent than any enchanted weapon, but they also required no regular maintenance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were insanely expensive and nearly impossible to acquire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only a handful of artisans worldwide possessed the skill—and the audacity—to create such masterpieces. Owning even one symbolized unparalleled power and prestige; having two was nothing short of extraordinary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I love them,\" I replied, taking them into my hands. They feel good.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I am glad,\" he said before his expression turned serious, and he slid the envelope toward me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Go to this place and find the man of this name,\" he stated, sliding the envelope toward me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I opened the envelope and read it before turning to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What do I do if I find him?\" I asked. I want to know whether to kill him or meet him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, killing wouldn't come easily. Legend has it that Archimage City instantly detects such acts, conjuring a cage around the culprit when the deed is done.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Trapping them until guards come to apprehend them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Do nothing,\" he replied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Nothing?\" I echoed, confusion evident in my voice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Just find him and come back,\" he replied, his tone calm but firm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Alright,\" I said with a nod before turning to leave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A few minutes later, I was seated in the carriage, the rhythmic clatter of wheels against the cobblestone roads accompanying me as we moved steadily toward the destination.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I glanced at the slip of paper in my hand. The address wasn't complete—just a vague mention of Halis Market on the city's eastern side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The driver filled in the blanks for me. \"It's a small weapons market,\" he said casually.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The carriage took the Lightway, speeding through the elevated paths that cut across the sprawling city. Even so, it was over an hour before we arrived at Halis Market.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It's not small,\" I muttered as I stepped out, taking in the scene.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The market stretched farther than I'd imagined, with at least a hundred stores visible from where I stood. Judging by the twisting alleys and corners, even more shops were likely hidden beyond the turns.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It is small for Archmage City,\" replied the driver with a smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I shook my head and walked toward it. When I reached the entrance, I stopped and looked around.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn't have to look for long before I found the people I wanted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I walked toward them. The porters and helpers were standing in the corner, talking with each other, but they turned toward me when they saw me coming.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I stopped beside them, and a shiny red coin appeared in my hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This is for any person who points me toward Artin Kalos,\" I said and looked at each of their faces as the numerous expressions crossed on their faces.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That's him.\" replied a young half-elf, pointing toward a store owner before moving his hand to get the coin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Slap!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Didn't I tell you I have lie-detecting skills?\" I said as I slapped his hand away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anger flashed in his eyes, and he took a step toward me before he was pulled back by his short friend, who had said something to him that made a spark of fear appear in his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I walked away, knowing they didn't know the man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I went to another group and another before I started asking the storekeepers, but nobody seemed to have heard the name.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, I kept asking around as I explored the market, which isn't small at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I hope I will find him. I don't want to use grey guilds. Those people keep records of everything, including the record of the person asking for information and selling that information.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Information is a lucrative business. I know it, well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was a low-level thug that grey guilds employed occasionally to spy or intimidate before conscripting me to fight against the undead invasion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Minutes passed, and I asked tens of people, but not a single one seemed to recognize the name.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hun!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was walking and asking when I felt someone following behind me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It made me serious, but I kept walking as if I hadn't sensed him, and soon, I walked out of the market into the area with fewer people before stepping into the dark alley.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Immediately, I turned and saw a raven-haired middle-aged man. He was human and looked to be around fifty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He is of average height and has an average face, and there seemed to be nothing remarkable about him except for his weight. He is fat and doesn't look like he could fight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked harmless, but those eyes of his didn't give me a good feeling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I have experienced enough things to trust my instincts when they warn me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes?\" I asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn't reply. Instead, he came at me at such speed that I didn't think was possible for a man of his weight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was cautious and reacted fast. Bringing my daggers in my hand, only to see him in front of me and throwing a naked punch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I looked as if he was mad. He was more powerful than me, but a naked punch against the blades was a mistake. I am sure he could see the blades they are.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They will sever through his advantage, but he didn't seem to have any fear toward them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was thinking about that when I saw something. It made my eyes widen in deep shock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A faint green gauntlet appeared above his fist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anyone looking at it would think it is a skill. No, it is not; it is a method.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An aura method.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man's control is so fine that I couldn't feel even the slightest of his aura, but I know its aura.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing it, all the hope I had disappeared. There is no way I could win against him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wanted to avoid the attack. Seeing it, but I know, even with my speed. I won't be able to dodge it. The only way to defend it is to attack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So, I did.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I slashed my blades toward him with Night Slash and Precise Strike and activated Crushing Dagger to strengthen it further before activating my aura.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For the first time since he appeared. I saw a ripple of emotion appearing in his steady blue eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn't think about it and focused on the aura. I am trying to force it into my skills.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When he taught me the exercises, I asked Lord Silver how I should incorporate aura into my skills.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He said I don't have enough control, but I should force the aura into my skills if I ever found myself in a bind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It is hard, but I pushed into it with everything I have. Some of it went inside, increasing the power of the attack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clang!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My dagger clashed against his first, and I felt shock before I was thrown back and crashed hard against the wall. Hearing some of my ribs cracking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Who the fuck is this guy?' I thought. I should have asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I thought he would be a merchant or something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since Lord Silver was always trying to bring those people to the city, I never thought I would be searching for a powerhouse at this level.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man was no beginner—at least Level 40, possibly closer to Level 50.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His mastery over his aura was evident, each movement sharp and precise, demonstrating fine control that only comes with experience and a deep understanding of one's power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I groaned in pain and was about to get up when I found the man in front of me, and he had my neck in his hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Why are you looking for Kalos?\" he asked, gripping my neck with his aura gantlet, but not hard enough I wouldn't be able to speak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I have been asked to do it,\" I replied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"By who?\" he asked. \"Find out yourself,\" I replied, and he pressed my neck harder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn't hide my tracks. When Lord Silver asked me something, he specifically asked me to be stealthy. When he doesn't, it means he wants to show my face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It's why I only hid it with my cloak. I didn't even use the skills.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You know, I could break your neck quite easily,\" he said. \"I know, but you won't. The moment you do, the tower will know,\" I replied confidently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, I do not feel as confident as I sound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This man is powerful. I am not his match; not even Lord Silver or Stone could match him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"There are ways around it,\" said the man with a smile appearing on his face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It made me shudder deep inside me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"There always are, but there will be a price to pay if you do it,\" I replied, and this time, I was completely confident.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lord Silver and others will take revenge. They might not be able to do something to him right now, but I am confident they will in the future, and it won't be very far away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He pressed my neck even harder. Near breaking level before letting go.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I took a slow, deep breath and looked ahead. I saw an empty alley; the man had disappeared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Fuck!\" I cursed and messaged my neck before leaving the alley and thanking the gods for that monster for not killing me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Subscribe to to read more than20Advanced Chapters, Character Art, and Maps.Become aFree Memberand enjoy the Character Art, Maps, and other interesting things.\u003C\u002Fp>",2277,"2026-06-09T06:55:02.855Z",1,"novelbin.me","7f0f013cf78a69fa76522538e53d7d5bf7f9b5e6564714d6f8146a2f858849c5","city-of-desire-kingdom-building-chapter-566","city-of-desire-kingdom-building-chapter-564",917,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fcity-of-desire-kingdom-building-cover.jpg"]