The-Chrysanthemum-Codex：Ash's-Ascension

Chapter 12: Night Ambush

St. Ironspire City's Seventh District was situated at the intersection of the southern slums and the eastern noble quarter. It was a place where commoners and lower-ranking nobles lived side by side. The area was a maze of intricate alleyways and crumbling buildings, notorious for its high crime rate. Thieves, beggars, and other unsavory characters were plentiful—too afraid to venture into the noble district, yet finding little profit in the slums. As a result, the Seventh District became the most poorly policed area in all of St. Ironspire City. By nightfall, the streets were usually deserted.

As Ash made his way through the district, the strong alcohol he had consumed earlier began to take effect, leaving him feeling dizzy and disoriented.

Meanwhile, hidden in a shadowy alleyway, Chris crouched alone, clutching a note in his hand. It had been handed to him earlier by a beggar, informing him that Paru, the man who had humiliated him, would be walking home alone.

Chris felt a surge of excitement; he had indeed found Ash! At the same time, back at the Krisen Estate, Chalman was relaying his cunning scheme to his father, grinning with satisfaction.

Chris carefully stowed the note in his pocket and quietly removed his Artifact, transforming it into a metal short rod. He fixed his gaze on Ash, who was drunkenly stumbling closer, and whispered, "Waterlight Wave!"

A faint blue water bolt shot from his rod, aimed directly at Ash.

Ash had indeed consumed far too much that evening. The strong spirits of the Roland Empire had a delayed but potent effect. While he hadn't felt much upon leaving the banquet, the effects were now hitting him full force, leaving him lightheaded and unsteady.

"Damn it, women... Ah, Master, you've really cursed me!" he muttered. Suddenly, without warning, the Chrysanthemum Codex's energy stirred, rushing through his body and instinctively shielding the back of his neck.

"Heh, what’s the Codex up to?" Ash chuckled drunkenly.

In that instant, the water bolt struck the back of his neck.

"Ow!" Ash staggered and collapsed to the ground.

The impact jolted him, immediately sobering him up. He gingerly touched his neck—luckily, though it hurt, it wasn't a fatal blow!

The Chrysanthemum Codex had saved his life!

From now on, no more heavy drinking, he vowed. Alcohol only leads to trouble! Ash quickly got to his feet, the Codex's energy surging through his body, spreading to his limbs. He began to move rapidly, evading potential attacks, his sharp eyes scanning the alley for the source of the bolt.

But he didn't have to search long—Chris, shocked at the failure of his attack, had already blurted out in surprise, "How are you still standing?!"

It wasn't entirely his fault; the sight before him was utterly baffling. Imagine a sharpshooter firing a sniper rifle at an unsuspecting target, only for the bullet to hit its mark yet leave the target unharmed—anyone would think they were seeing things!

Hearing Chris's voice, Ash sneered, "Hmph, Chris, show yourself!"

Chris emerged reluctantly from the shadows, glaring at Ash. "What kind of protective artifact do you have? How are you unscathed?!"

Seeing that his opponent was alone, Ash halted, a grin spreading across his face. "Chris, how dare you attack a descendant of a Titled Dou Saint without cause? Aren't you afraid the Holy Church will have you burned at the stake?!"

"Afraid? Of course I'm afraid!" Chris steeled himself, a sinister smile creeping across his face. "But as long as I kill you, no one will ever know about tonight!" With those words, he clutched his Artifact, beginning to chant an incantation in a strange, rhythmic language.

Ash scanned the alley, noting that Chris was indeed alone—no backup in sight.

This was a golden opportunity! Ash had been eager to test his strength, and here, a first-level magic warrior was practically offering himself up. The recent skirmish had proven that the first stage of the Chrysanthemum Codex's energy could withstand a sneak attack from a first-level magic warrior. But what about his offensive power?

With this thought, Ash watched Chris's movements carefully, a sly smile playing on his lips. "Chris, do you think you're the only one with an Artifact? Come forth, my Ram Horn Hammer!"

The Artifact flew from Ash's pocket, transforming into the Ram Horn Hammer in his hand. With a casual flick of his wrist, a green light flared from the hammer.

Chris was stunned, his incantation cut short. "It was you! You stole Chalman's Artifact? My God, you forced the Ram Horn Hammer to recognize you as its master?!"

Forcing a level-three Artifact to recognize a master—this was a hallmark of a ninth-level Dou Saint!!

"Dear Chris, didn't your mother ever teach you? Never lose focus in battle!" With a flash of the Codex's energy, Ash lunged forward, hammer raised, aiming for Chris's shoulder.

As the Codex's energy fused with the Artifact's own power, Ash's speed and strength surged, elevating his combat abilities.

Ash relished the sensation, his acute sense of numbers estimating that the Ram Horn Hammer had boosted his power by about ten percent. However, it was clear that the Artifact held even more potential—potential that Ash's current level of Codex energy couldn't yet unlock.

The hammer connected with Chris's shoulder, sending him crashing to the ground with a scream.

Ash shook the Ram Horn Hammer, dissatisfied with the outcome. "Hey, Chris, are you dead? If not, get up. That wasn’t enough. You were too slow, too surprised. It doesn’t count—let’s go again!"

He kicked Chris sharply. "Get up, damn it, and fight me!"

Chris groaned, his shoulder throbbing painfully. Gritting his teeth, he struggled to his feet, shrouding himself in Dou Qi before shouting, "Paru, I'll expose you as a thief to the Holy Church—you’re finished!"

Ash raised an eyebrow, amused. He had already prepared for this eventuality. "Dear Chris, enough with the threats. Shut your filthy mouth and fight!"

Chris, filled with rage, shouted, "Damn you, I'll kill you! Waterlight Wave!" Another water bolt shot out as Chris tried to put more distance between them—a standard tactic for a low-level magic warrior.

As the water bolt approached, Ash swung the hammer, striking the blue wave with a heavy thud. The bolt shattered, leaving Ash momentarily winded but otherwise unharmed.

He immediately closed the gap between them, delivering another hammer blow that sent Chris sprawling.

Standing over Chris, Ash grinned, "So, figured out my level yet?"

"Humph, you’re just a first-level warrior. How could you force a level-three Artifact to recognize you?" Chris unknowingly divulged the information Ash wanted, still puzzled over how Paru had accomplished such a feat. Then it clicked—Paru must be playing dumb, hiding his true strength!

Ash released Chris and said, "Alright, let’s go again. And let me warn you, if you don’t fight back with everything you’ve got, I’ll beat you until your own mother won’t recognize you!"

Chris, battered and bruised, got back up, only to be beaten down again and again. This brutal cycle continued until his face was swollen, his bones fractured, and he could no longer stand. Finally, Ash was satisfied.

The battle had proven that the first stage of the Chrysanthemum Codex's energy was on par with a first-level Dou Qi, though Ash lacked refined techniques. He had the power and speed, but his combat skills were still lacking.

"Paru, please, don’t kill me!" Chris was terrified, unable to comprehend how the Saint Rudolf family’s disgrace could suddenly wield Dou Qi. If he had known, he would have brought more people...

But regrets had no place in the world of the Dou Saints. Ash planted his foot on Chris’s head once more, a wicked grin on his face. "Kill you? No, no, I don’t kill. But I do have another, much more interesting way to deal with you."

Ash was a thief, not a murderer. While he knew that killing Chris here and now would be the safest way to keep his secret, he couldn’t bring himself to end a life in cold blood.

But that didn’t mean Chris was off the hook.

"Dear Chris, let me teach you something—nobles should know how to use the law to protect themselves. Like this!"

Ash coughed twice, then collapsed beside Chris, ruffling his own clothes and smearing dirt on his face. With a terrified shout, he cried, "Help! Murder! Chris is trying to kill me!"

Chris stared at Ash in bewilderment, unsure of what he was planning.

Ash’s voice echoed loudly through the deserted alley. Though their earlier battle hadn’t drawn any attention, his cries for help finally reached the ears of a nearby city guard patrol.

"What’s all this shouting about? It’s the middle of the night... By the gods, it’s two noble sons!"

Seeing the guards, Ash scrambled to his feet, feigning panic. "Brave soldiers, save me! I’m Paru of the Saint Rudolf family, and Chris, the son of the Finance Minister, tried to kill me! Thank the Dou Saint, a masked Dou Saint swooped in and saved me just in time. Praise be to that mighty warrior!"

Chris lay on the ground, completely dumbfounded by Ash's performance.

The guards were visibly troubled. They were just ordinary soldiers, and now they found themselves caught between the sons of two powerful and influential families. Any wrong move could see them on the wrong end of a fiery judgment.

Ash patted his chest, taking deep breaths to steady himself. He then pulled out a handful of silver coins from his pocket and discreetly handed them to the soldiers—coins that he had just pickpocketed from Chris earlier.

"Brave soldiers, your timely arrival saved my life. Thank you, and please convey my gratitude to the Holy Church."

The cleverest of the soldiers accepted the silver with a grin but was still hesitant to take on the responsibility. "Young master Paru, you are a descendant of a Titled Dou Saint, and Chris is accused of attempting to kill you... This is a matter best handled by the Holy Church."

"Indeed, would you be so kind as to escort me to the St. Ironspire Cathedral to see the priests?"

"At your service, young master! Men, let's escort these two to the St. Ironspire Cathedral. By the way, what happened to the masked Dou Saint?"

Ash gazed up at the stars, a look of admiration on his face. "After defeating Chris, the masked Dou Saint saw you coming and took off into the night sky. Forgive me, I was so startled—I'm known to be unable to cultivate Dou Qi, so seeing such a powerful Dou Saint was a bit overwhelming."

"No need to apologize, young master Paru. We also admire the power of the Dou Saints. It's a shame we didn't get to see the masked Dou Saint ourselves..."

Chris finally found his voice, despite missing several teeth. He tried to shout, "He's lying! It’s—"

"Please be quiet, young master Chris," the soldier interrupted coldly. "You are accused of attempting to murder a descendant of a Titled Dou Saint. Your actions will be judged by Father Ferdinand himself!"

Ash nodded, adding, "Exactly. I’m moved by your integrity, brave soldiers. Also, please help me search him for any evidence that might prove his intent to kill me."

"At once, young master!" The soldiers quickly began searching Chris, and it wasn't long before they found a note—the same one Ash had noticed earlier while pickpocketing Chris. It read, "After the banquet, Paru will walk home alone and will definitely pass through the Seventh District..."

"Why didn’t I destroy it when I had the chance?" Chris groaned in despair.

Ash's eyes lit up. "Brave soldiers, you heard that. Please remember this moment and testify on my behalf! By the ancestors of the Rollin family, Chris, you’ve shown these soldiers just how despicable you are!!"