139 THE GIGA CODEX
"He's Bogarth from House Cergontyn," Petunia explained. "They own most of the pharmacies in Sodom City. That's why even their guards are strong—they're dosed with medicine that enhances magic."
"Pharmacists, huh?" Leo mused, glancing at the group. "Which one's a player?"
"Just Bogarth," Petunia replied.
Bogarth, arrogant and self-assured, radiated power. His magic aura revealed him to be a mid-tier Svad, a level well above his guards.
"Get her!" Bogarth barked.
The guards surged forward, but they didn't get far. A volley of powerful magic missiles slammed into them, scattering them like ragdolls. They struggled to rise, only to be knocked down again by a rain of sharp, enchanted stones.
Leo stood firm, his magic brimming with precision and power. His spells had grown exponentially stronger since advancing to Tier 3 Svad. Yun-Yun helped him refine his techniques further, making them devastatingly effective.
One guard groaned, "His magic is too strong…"
Bogarth snarled, his pride wounded. "A spellcaster, huh? Let's see how you fare against a battle-mage!"
With that, he charged toward Leo, magic swirling around him like a storm.
Players in this world, especially the novice mages, like to specialize in their magic. Some specialized in spell casting, casting their powerful spells behind a wall of guards, while others like Bogarth specialized in physical combat. Calling himself a Battlemage.
Bogarth roared as he swung his massive mace at Leo, the sheer force behind it enough to shatter a building wall. But to his shock—and the horror of everyone watching—Leo caught the mace mid-swing with his bare hand.
Leo didn't even flinch. His grip on the weapon was unyielding.
"Idiot," Leo muttered, ripping the mace from Bogarth's grasp as if it weighed nothing and tossing it aside. The heavy weapon landed with a resounding crash, far out of reach.
Bogarth stumbled back, his eyes wide with terror. "Demon… You're a demon!" he screamed, his voice trembling.
Whispers rippled through the onlookers who had hidden in the rubble and shadows. Recognition dawned on their faces, and someone gasped, "That's the Demon of Gullee! He's already killed a dozen of the strongest heirs from the major families!"
"Thanks for the fucking introduction," Leo said coldly, his sharp gaze sweeping over the crowd.
They recoiled in fear.
Bogarth's bravado faltered, but he still forced himself to speak. "I don't care who you are. You don't mess with a Cergon—"
Before he could finish, a golden dragon-like aura erupted around him as Leo's hand clamped around his neck. Leo lifted him effortlessly off the ground, his strength overwhelming.
Although Bogarth's magic tier was likely higher than Leo, it didn't matter. Leo's power came from the strongest Body Transformation Sutra and the latent strength of the Incubus demon.
Bogarth's strengths were pathetic in comparison.
"He's… He's really a demon! Don't mess with him!" someone in the crowd cried.
"Don't kill me!" Bogarth begged, his arrogance replaced by desperation.
Leo's voice was calm but carried an edge that silenced the air. "Petunia, settle the account with him."
A notification popped up in Bogarth's interface: Black Pink requests a trade.
"What's going on?" Bogarth stammered, still dangling from Leo's grasp.
Petunia stepped forward, her tone icy. "Hand over everything in your System."
"You're robbing me?!" Bogarth sputtered, panic flashing across his face.
Leo's grin was sharp, almost predatory. "Isn't it obvious? In this realm, might makes right. That includes taking what we want—or killing you if we fucking feel like it."
Bogarth's courage crumbled entirely. "Fine! Fine! Just don't kill me!" he cried, frantically accepting the trade request.
Items Transferred:
Potion of Healing ×5Potion of Mana ×5Antidote to Tier 5 Svad Poison ×3Temporary Strength Increase (50%) ×5Mini-map ×2 – Displays the surrounding area within a 50-meter radius, extendable with additional maps.
Once the transaction was complete, Leo released Bogarth, who crumpled to the ground. Gasping for air, he scrambled to his feet and backed away.
"You'll regret this!" Bogarth spat, his voice hollow with fear. "You'd better watch your back. I'll be back!"
Leo didn't even look at him. "Remember to bring me more suckers to farm."
Bogarth and his guards didn't need to be told twice. They quickly fled.
Leo pointed toward the gathered onlookers, his voice cold and commanding. "Do you want to stay here and end up as sacrifices?"
At his words, the crowd scattered, fear overtaking their curiosity. Within moments, the area around the holy stone was deserted, leaving only Leo and his companions.
"Did you learn anything from the stones?" Leo asked, glancing at Yun-Yun.
"I'm certain now—this stone holds the Giga Codex, it's not false," Yun-Yun replied, her eyes sharp with understanding. "But its knowledge isn't in the carvings on its surface. Where could it be?"
"Maybe the magic is inside the stone?" Petunia suggested.
Leo shook his head. "I already checked. There's no magic within the stone itself."
Petunia frowned. "We can't linger here forever. More players will show up, and they might not be as pathetic as Bogarth and his lackeys."
"Then we take the stone with us," Leo said decisively, opening his magic storage and transporting the stones inside.
"No!" Yun-Yun shouted, alarmed. "You can't uproot it! You might sever its magic!"
But it was too late. The stone vanished into Leo's storage, and an awkward silence hung in the air.
"Erm... sorry," Leo muttered, scratching the back of his head.
Before anyone could respond, a brilliant light erupted from the ground where the stone had been.
"There's something glowing beneath the stone!" Petunia exclaimed.
Yun-Yun rushed forward to inspect it, while Leo activated his control panel to scan the source of the glow. To his astonishment, streams of flowing magical code appeared in his interface.
Without hesitation, he copied the data.
Yun-Yun, after meticulously studying the magic, straightened up. "There's something hidden here."
Leo crouched down to inspect the area. Beneath the recently removed stone, he uncovered a faintly glowing crystal, its surface etched with intricate runes.
His eyes widened in surprise.