Millfall's main forces were on alert within minutes of news of the 3rd-stage basilisk's movement.
Many powerful local magicians were in the area of The Rocky Gorge, seeking to profit from the basilisk hunt and unable to join the local resistance at this moment.
Without the presence of many level 5 Acolytes in the city, the group of soldiers commanded by Christopher Hogan's brother met with the strongest members of the Symons family on the side of the city where the beast was expected to arrive.
Arriving at where Arthur Hogan was, Viscount Symons immediately approached the soldier.
"What is the situation, Arthur? Why are we being attacked when your parties should be hunting it?"
Arthur looked at the Viscount and said. "I don't know. Strangely, it decided to attack us like this. But beasts are beasts. We can't predict everything they can do."
"Then how do we deal with it?"
The soldier from the provincial capital replied. "We will fight it, of course. This basilisk should be almost at the mid-level of the 3rd stage. The two of us should be able to keep it entertained long enough for it to lose its strength, or at least until our men return from The Rocky Gorge.
The group that informed us of the basilisk's movement is already on their way here. So our hope is to hold on until they arrive."
"Okay. So let's keep it entertained and prevent it from destroying the city." Viscount Symons muttered, agreeing with Arthur's plans.
"Anyway, I didn't expect to meet him like this. I was in the capital recently and thought I'd pay you a visit... Who knew you would come here?"
Arthur greeted the nobleman, an old acquaintance of his through his younger brother's position as Commander of the army post in Millfall.
"We'll talk business later. Right now, we'd better focus on that creature." Arthur pointed to the sky as he saw the body of the 3rd-stage basilisk appear on the horizon.
Viscount Symons looked in the direction the 3rd-stage soldier next to him had pointed out, narrowing his eyes as he saw the magnificent beast from afar.
Such a beast was valuable in any condition, alive as a mount or dead, as food, or even as a source of ingredients for various types of consumable and non-consumable items.
Such beasts were difficult to tame or kill for people like him and Arthur.
One would have to overcome the power of such a beast by far to tame it as Vicente had done. But even if one had the magic stones to give them the necessary mana difference, the beast would have to be in a state of submission when the seal was placed on it.
If something like a crushing defeat didn't happen before the one-sided seal was used, the beast might even commit suicide to avoid being tamed.
In short, it wasn't so easy to tame a beast. Several conditions had to be met, and power wasn't enough. Sometimes, the beast's consciousness had to recognize the power of the one who could become its master. In other cases, it wasn't necessary, but other requirements could get in the way of a magician's domination over a beast.
Even though they were 3rd stage magicians, the two men watching the basilisk didn't have mounts of that rank at their command.
That was the reality for most magicians in this world. Most people at the 2nd stage would have at most 1st stage beings under their control, while those at the 3rd stage would have 2nd and 1st stage beings under them.
Only a few had creatures of a similar or higher stage as their mounts.
When they saw that basilisk, they couldn't help but think about it until they saw what was on the creature's back.
As the basilisk approached the city and gradually lowered its height, the two and all the men at the entrance to Millfall would soon notice someone on the back of the beast.
"What? Is there a man riding the basilisk?" Arthur was the first to cry out in surprise.
As far as he and his party knew, the 3rd-stage basilisk in The Rocky Gorge was supposed to be a wild, masterless beast. How could anyone ride it?
But that was the reality, and no one could say otherwise. Someone was riding that beast!
While these men between levels 4 and 5 and the two Mages there watched the beast strangely, Vicente stood behind Bart's back and looked down.
"It looks like we got some attention, huh?" He looked at the magicians watching him, a mask on his face hiding his expression of doubt.
Vicente wasn't afraid these people would do something against him and Bart. This basilisk would have been a danger as long as it was a wild beast, but now it was a tame mount, something completely different.
The kingdom's cities allowed tame mounts and beasts to circulate within their borders. They had their rules, and their owners had to make them obey those laws, or the state could persecute them.
Tame beasts, however, were completely free to enter and leave a town like Millfall. Vicente knew this and was relaxed about these people.
Even if they had hunted the basilisk or were against Bart, that was in the past, and now they didn't have any arguments to act against it.
However, with so many people watching his arrival in Millfall, some of Vicente's plans had to change!
'After today, Scarlet Syndicate will no longer make things easy for me and my group. With Bart on my side, Brody fucking Wright won't make it easy for us. He will use everything he has to limit me...' Vicente's eyes narrowed as he saw the Viscount and Arthur's group closer and closer.
'I should visit the Scarlet Syndicate.' He decided, feeling it was time to settle his affairs with this local underworld group.
Keeping this decision in mind, Vicente soon focused on the men of the royal army, jumping off Bart's back as this beast landed 200 meters away from the group of armed humans with ugly looks on their faces.
"Friends of the royal army, nobles of Millfall, do not fear. This beast is my mount. It is no threat to Millfall!" Vicente said in his mana-distorted voice so that everyone there recognized him.
"Cesar!"
"This is Cesar Mazzanti!"
"He's level 3 already? Hell, how does that bastard grow his mana?"
"He's a genius. No one knows the level of his talent, but considering his power, he must have a talent beyond green."
Several Acolytes commented among themselves while the Viscount looked at Vicente, seeing Cesar face to face for the first time.
'So, this is the young leader of the Mazzanti family? It looks like he's quite impressive.' He saw how foolish his son was to make trouble with such a person and felt a little of the magical aura around Vicente, which was very strong for a level 3 Acolyte.
Then Arthur stepped forward. "Cesar Mazzanti, your words are insufficient to convince us. Can you prove you are the master of this beast? I find it hard to believe that an Acolyte could tame it!"
