The executives of the four major factions in Liqueur couldn’t believe what they were seeing. They hadn’t bothered to count, but an overwhelming number of their members had gathered. The streets were so packed that some were even forced to climb onto rooftops to find space. That’s how densely they were gathered. Their opponents were Infinite Bank, Solver Keter, and Stella, the Empress. The Infinite Bank’s combat strength remained unknown, but everyone knew how strong Keter and Stella were; they had more than enough power to crush them. That was the consensus among the faction leaders. The only variable was the Infinite Bank’s true power, yet the first obstacle they faced wasn’t what they had expected: it was actually Keter. The Infinite Bank and Stella hadn’t stepped in yet, but thousands were already struggling against Keter’s archery. Gulag the Blood-Drinker, one of the executives of the Black Forest Path, roared at his subordinates, “You dumb bastards! If you can’t block the arrows, then dodge them! Just dodge! What’s so hard about that?!” But no matter how loudly he screamed, the number of men falling to Keter’s arrows only continued to rise. He wondered if his subordinates were too stupid to dodge, but that couldn’t be. The members were desperately trying, but they still couldn't manage to avoid the arrows. Keter was single-handedly holding off thousands. He unleashed arrows at the enemies swarming from all directions from the rooftop of the Infinite Bank. He wasn’t just nocking a single arrow like a normal archer; he shot seven at once, but he didn’t have any preparation or finishing movements. Keter shot one thousand two hundred sixty arrows per minute. There wasn’t even a sense of aiming. It was as if he simply fired wherever people were standing. Yet despite that, his accuracy neared ninety percent. Sure, the arrows didn’t kill on impact, but that wasn’t the point. What mattered was that they practically never missed. The secret was the magnetism Keter embedded within the arrowheads. He had imbued the outer mana shell with magnetic properties. They weren’t quite targeted arrows in the strictest sense, but they couldn’t be dodged with mere reflexes as the arrows responded to the metal gear worn by the enemies, curving in flight to follow them. And even with this godlike display, the Liqueurians were still inching closer to the Infinite Bank. The Liqueurians, driven mad by frenzy, did not fear even Keter’s overwhelming display of divine power. They charged recklessly, determined to land at least one stab. “Hahaha! I blocked it! That’s all it is?” At last, some managed to block Keter’s arrows. Now, they were only a leap away from climbing up the walls of the Infinite Bank. A dagger pierced one of them right between the brows. It was Dork’s dagger. The Flying Thunder Swords were waiting for those who broke through Keter’s rain of arrows. However, Dork could only control three daggers. Three weapons alone could never hold back thousands… except there were more than three of them. “Damn it, what just passed me?!” “Arrows, then this? You’ve got to be kidding me!” They were kitchen knives—ordinary knives used in any kitchen. However, they were so fast that one could only see their afterimages. By the time one realized that what had struck them was a kitchen knife, it was already too late. These were the true Flying Thunder Swords of Joyray, the original master. A dozen kitchen knives whirled through the air, blinding and deafening the faction members swarming the bank. The sound was like hissing steam, or a serpent’s tongue flickering. Whenever that sound reached their ears, blood sprayed. Unlike Dork, who aimed at vital points like the forehead or abdomen, Joyray struck at arteries and tendons, crippling his targets through blood loss and mobility. They had forced their way through Keter’s arrows, only to be stopped once more by the Flying Thunder Swords. Though not as fast as Keter’s arrows, the blades were too erratic to dodge or deflect. At a glance, it looked as if the three were holding back the horde with ease, but that wasn’t the case. They had killed or incapacitated nearly a thousand members, but there were still thousands left. On top of that, the main force that was hiding in the rear finally emerged and charged, as if they were waiting for Keter to tire. ᴛhis chapter is ᴜpdated by 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙡✶𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙚✶𝙣𝙚𝙩 Keter, seeing this, muttered, “Nice thinking, huh? I took a hit there.” There were two types of strategies: one that the opponent didn’t notice, and one that they noticed but couldn’t stop. Keter had used the first, inflicting heavy damage and buying time. The allied factions now responded with the second. Even if Keter had known the main force was lying in wait, there was no way he could have spared his strength. But that didn’t mean they had beaten Keter. The main force had been reserved for the Infinite Bank itself, not for him. This meant Keter had forced them to play their trump card too soon. Perhaps it was a coincidence, perhaps it was design. A deafening roar shook the city as the ground quaked outward from the Infinite Bank. The quaking that shook the battlefield could not have been natural. After all, what kind of quake neatly avoids the Infinite Bank? The ground buckled and split, heaving upward. On its own, such shaking posed little threat to the Liqueurians. At most, it would knock them off balance for a moment. But everyone knew this was not the end. A deeper vibration rumbled from beneath the ground, and it was anything but ordinary. The ground trembled in resonance, and then… … bronze, silver, and gold coins began spewing out of the ground. No Liqueurian was foolish enough to rush forward and grab them. Not that they could, even if they wanted to. The coins rising from underground did not obey gravity. Each floated like a living organism, drifting upward before beginning to cluster together. The Liqueurians did not simply stand by and watch. Whatever it was, they attacked first. Ordinary coins were solid, but they couldn’t withstand weapons infused with aura. Normally, they would break, shatter, or be cut apart. Yet these coins remained unscathed. Instead, the aura itself was shattered. A Liqueurian stared dumbfounded at his sword, its edge ruined. “Wait… This thing’s getting bigger!” The coins erupting from the ground seemed like they were forming random clusters, but they suddenly began to take on a clear form. The bronze coins became twelve-meter-tall colossi, the silver coins became three-meter-tall soldiers, and the gold coins became two-meter-tall knights. The four bronze colossi radiated an overwhelming presence, so much so that merely looking at them was suffocating. Still, the Liqueurians weren’t the type to cower just because the enemy was big. “Hahaha! So this is the Infinite Bank’s secret? What is this, a children’s toy? Looks fun enough!” Their massive size made them easy targets. The Liqueurians swarmed them like hornets, weapons flashing. Keter, watching, paused his attacks. Not because he was tired, but because he was astonished, not by their immense size and mass, or by the sheer fortune it must have cost. “This… is truly unexpected.” What impressed him was… Keter could sense Ein from the bronze giants, the silver soldiers, and the golden knights. Ein was the perfect fusion of aura and mana, flawless and without weakness. If that kind of power was present not in living beings but in golems made of coins… The outcome of this battle was clear. “It’s the overwhelming victory of the Infinite Bank.” And reality soon followed. A bronze giant swung its sword. The strike was slow, but the sheer mass and the pressure wave it created were enough to sweep away the Liqueurians. Their only weakness was that they were defenseless against the enemies at their feet, but this was covered by the silver soldiers and golden knights. They were practically massacring the Liqueurians. Though smaller than the giants, the silver soldiers were still three meters tall, but they weren’t sluggish. Their swordsmanship was neither ornate nor dazzling, but it was steady, efficient, and fast. And with Ein infused in their blades, no defense held. Weapons shattered, one after another. “So this is the power of the Infinite Bank…” These were golems made of money. That alone was unusual, but they also defied all conventional mechanisms. Normally, golems usually needed a power source, typically a magic stone. Yet these colossi were made entirely of coins from head to toe. There was no external power source, but they moved seamlessly and naturally. The secret lay in Ein, which was their life and strength. What Keter was fascinated by was how the Infinite Bank could imbue Ein into mere coins. Even I, in my previous life, never attained Ein completely… and yet the Infinite Bank wields it as if it were nothing. Not even the hidden main force of the allied factions could stand against them, though every one of them was at least a four-star warrior. “This doesn’t sit right. This makes Liqueur look weak.” Even if Keter had already crushed their spirits earlier, watching the Liqueurians swept aside by the Infinite Bank’s colossi irritated him. But there was nothing he could do about it; Ein was that powerful and absolute. Nothing else—not mana or normal aura—could stand against it. Only an Aura Laser could scratch it, and only the authority of a seven-star Prime could truly challenge it. But here, there is no Prime. Well, technically, there is, but… Keter glanced at Joyray. He hadn’t noticed it during his last visit to Liqueur, but after honing his skills in the tournament, he could clearly sense it: Joyray had reached the realm of Prime. Joyray… if you had used your authority, the Infinite Bank wouldn’t even have needed to intervene. He wasn’t blaming him. Keter knew such power could not be wielded lightly. In any case, the battlefield was being cleared. The Infinite Bank had gone all-in, and its money-born colossi multiplied endlessly, driving back the Liqueurians. Even the most crazed of them could not keep their fighting spirit against these indestructible beings infused with Ein. “Damn it! Retreat! Strategic retreat!” The first to flee were the beggars. As they usually fought with bare hands or staffs, they stood no chance against the colossi. However, some lunatics were swinging their swords at the ones trying to retreat. “Cowards worse than sewer rats! Where the hell do you think you’re going? Charge! Charge! Don’t you dare run with your balls still attached!” The Evil Bandits, whose lives were worth no more than their deaths, blocked their escape, forcing them back. “What do you guys know? You guys have nothing but your balls! Die!” The Sandmen might submit against the colossi, but they were more than confident against the Evil Bandits. The Sandmen struck back immediately. After all, they were never true allies. This coalition had been nothing more than a temporary convenience to kill a common enemy. This kind of situation was happening all around. Those who wanted to retreat clashed with those who wanted to fight. It wasn’t a matter of persuasion through words—each side tried to force their will onto the other through strength and violence. “Mmm. Now that’s more like Liqueur.” Keter wiped the sweat from his brow. “For the first time in a while… I’m actually sweating.” It was just a single drop, but it was still something. He was nothing but fresh during the Sword of the South Tournament. "Things will probably sort themselves out even if we just leave it alone, but still...." He stroked his chin. He had restored the tension between the four major factions, and ensured the Infinite Bank was now their undeniable ally, yet ending it here felt like a loss. After all, when would these lunatics ever gather again? It would be a waste to simply let them go. The four great factions of Liqueur would never again meet all in one place. “Ahem.” Keter cleared his throat, drew in a deep breath, and shouted with all his strength: “Attention! I have an important announcement to make!”