Overlord: Welcome the Birth of the King

As soon as the words "Eight Fingers" were uttered, the air grew eerily still.

"I warned you—don't spout nonsense."

The voice came from a black-robed figure standing at the back, low and firm, breaking the silence.

"Heh, I didn't say anything," the thief replied, gripping his dagger tightly, his gaze icy.

Hearing this brief exchange, Lyle knew his suspicions were correct. Their true target wasn't money—it was him.

The so-called "Eight Fingers" was an underground organization with eight criminal branches, its influence extending throughout the entire kingdom of Re-Estize. Behind it loomed the shadow of the kingdom's nobility.

The Re-Estize Kingdom did not outlaw the slave trade, leading to a web of crimes including child trafficking, slavery, brothels, and widespread bribery.

Lyle remembered that in a year or two, Princess Renner would propose the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act, dealing a significant blow to "Eight Fingers."

This act, calculated to perfection, was one of Princess Renner's few successfully passed reforms. It was astounding—such a law, tied to countless vested interests, had actually passed.

A princess, isolated in the palace without followers or allies, had garnered overwhelming support through sheer cunning and manipulation. The benefits and leverage gained from the act even influenced the Baharuth Empire, allowing her to challenge the Bloody Emperor in their geopolitical games. No wonder she was regarded as a "Monster."

In the open field,

the situation grew tenser.

Lyle held a dagger in his left hand while his right hand reached into his item box, retrieving a freshly purchased Level 1 Magic Arrow scroll.

"You're bold. We're not far from the central square and the Adventurers' Guild. Aren't you afraid that if I scream, none of you will escape?"

Lyle raised his voice deliberately, trying to draw attention from nearby onlookers.

"You can scream louder if you want."

"But let me remind you, shouting won't help. No one will hear what's happening here."

A deep voice suddenly came from behind him.

Lyle's heart tightened as he turned, spotting a ten-centimeter-long wand-like object in the black-robed man's hand.

At the same time, his attribute panel displayed new information:

[Skill Detected: Silence, Requirements: Basic Mage Profession, Levels 8–14. Current conditions not met…]

The moment he saw the message, Lyle realized what the black-robed figure held—a Short Wand.

Short wands were magical tools that could be thought of as enhanced versions of magic scrolls. While scrolls were single-use, short wands stored a spell for multiple uses.

In the world of YGGDRASIL, short wands were considered more cost-effective than scrolls, though they came with a class restriction. For example, a short wand infused with Holy Light could only be wielded by faith-based casters, while one imbued with Fireball required a mage.

Scrolls, on the other hand, lacked such restrictions, though high-level Talent Holders could bypass this limitation on short wands.

In this world, short wands were significantly more expensive than scrolls, given their status as full-fledged magical items.

Upon realizing that his opponent was a magic caster wielding such a tool, Lyle's mind raced.

"Give up, kid!"

The masked thief gripped his dagger and lunged at Lyle with alarming speed, his silhouette becoming a blur.

Realizing the gravity of the situation, Lyle knew he had no choice but to gamble. Without hesitation, he threw the Magic Arrow scroll at the thief.

The scroll glowed briefly before activating.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Three glowing, attribute-neutral arrows materialized and sped toward the thief.

Simultaneously, a prompt appeared on Lyle's attribute panel:

[Skill Detected: Magic Arrow, Requirements: Basic Mage Profession, Levels 1–7. Current conditions not met…]

[Class "Genius" Activated! Requirements met. Spend 1 skill point to learn?]

Lyle didn't wait to see the result of the arrows. He immediately turned and charged at the mage. As the system prompt appeared, he mentally confirmed the skill acquisition.

[Skill: Magic Arrow (Level 1)]

Cost: 5 MP

Description: Summons three attribute-neutral arrows to strike enemies. Each additional MP consumed adds one arrow, up to ten arrows.

"You've chosen the wrong opponent, boy."

The black-robed mage chuckled mockingly as Lyle rushed at him.

"Acid Spla—"

"Magic Arrow!"

Lyle was faster. Before the mage could complete his incantation, three glowing arrows shot forth, hurtling toward him.

The mage's expression turned to shock beneath his hood.

"How? You're a faith caster! How can you use magic-based spells?"

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

The arrows streaked through the air toward their target.

"Shield Wall!"

In a panic, the mage conjured a transparent barrier just in time to block the arrows.

Boom!

The arrows collided with the barrier, dissipating both their energy and the shield's magical power.

"You've angered me, boy…"

The mage's face twisted in fury as he raised his wand to retaliate.

But before he could act, Lyle was already upon him.

"Impossible! How are you this fast?"

Mages typically relied on maintaining distance to stay safe in combat. Yet Lyle had closed the fifteen-meter gap in moments.

"Quick Slash!"

The dagger gleamed in the air as it struck at the mage's neck.

However, a burst of white light emanated from the mage's robes, blocking the blade with a muffled thud. The light dimmed but held strong.

"A magical artifact…" Lyle muttered, his eyes narrowing.

Still, the mage had no time to celebrate. Lyle gripped the dagger tightly and forced it downward. The dim light flickered and vanished.

Slash!

Blood spurted out as the dagger tore through the mage's throat, splattering Lyle's clothes.

[350 Experience Points Gained.]

"Idiot," Lyle growled.

The mage had underestimated him, relying too heavily on his artifact. The result was a fatal mistake.

"YOU BASTARD! I'LL CUT YOUR LIMBS OFF!"

A furious roar sounded from behind.

The thief, having survived the scroll's arrows, charged toward Lyle, his dagger glowing with a dark purple hue.

This time, his footsteps were eerily silent.

Is this a thief skill? Or some artifact? Lyle wondered, spinning to meet the new threat.

The purple-glowing dagger was already inches from his face.

Clang!

Lyle instinctively parried with his own blade. The weapons collided with a sharp metallic screech.

The thief stumbled back a few steps, his eyes flashing with surprise.

Lyle glanced down at his dagger, noticing a crack where the blades had met.

Yet, his expression softened, becoming almost amused.

"I've figured it out," he said, a wry smile forming.

"You're weaker than I am."