Published at 9th of July 2026 6:54 am

Chapter 1833: Free City of Davos

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As one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world, Davos did not care where one was born.

If they had coin, obeyed the law, and didn’t cause trouble, they would always find a place there.

Half the city came from somewhere else, anyway.

The ship had docked at one of the southern piers of the harbor. The moment Adam caused a commotion and doomed the Stryker Pirates, he slipped into the bustling streets of Dock Borough, weaving past sailors, merchants, and laborers before crossing into the adjacent district.

The South Borough was Davos’ gateway to the world by land.

Located near the city’s southern gates, it was where caravans arrived and departed in an endless stream of wagons, merchants, travelers, and beasts of burden.

Unlike the rough waterfront of Dock Borough or the wealth and opulence of Blue Borough, South Borough was practical and busy. Its streets were lined with inns, warehouses, caravan yards, smithies, and merchants catering to travelers.

When Adam arrived at the Trade Road, the main thoroughfare cutting across the city, he found a crowded district filled with opportunity, travelers from distant lands, and the promise of journeys yet to come. Though it was late into the night, the place was still bustling with activity.

Adam was mesmerized.

The Trade Road flowed through South Borough like a river of people. Humans formed the majority of the crowd, but they were far from alone.

Broad-shouldered dwarves walked slowly beside heavy wagons, their braided beards swinging with each step. Elves with ageless faces moved through the chaos with grace, while half-elves drifted between groups as naturally as fish through water.

Here and there walked half-orcs, some clad in leather armor, others dressed as merchants or caravan guards. Halflings darted between larger folks carrying parcels nearly as large as themselves, while gnomes argued loudly over matters known only to gnomes.

The further he looked, the stranger the crowd became.

A dragonborn merchant with scales the color of bronze haggled with a dwarf caravan master. Sailors from distant lands, desert traders from the south, fur-clad hunters from the north, and adventurers from every imaginable race passed one another without earning so much as a second glance.

This was truly the Free City of Davos, where Magi and Paladins of every imaginable race mingled beneath the same sky. In many cities, a newcomer might be stared at for being different. But here, one truly had to be extraordinary to stand out at all.

Just as Adam was admiring the sights around him with a silly smile on his face, he suddenly felt a stinging pain in his right hand. His expression twisted into a grimace as he grabbed his right wrist with his left hand.

On the back of his right hand, the Brand of Evil suddenly flared to life!

A devil? Inside Davos?!

The thought stunned Adam.

He quickly weaved through the dense crowd and arrived at a nearby alley.

Back in Tron, he had experimented extensively with the Brand of Evil. After repeatedly trying to remove it through both physical and spiritual means, he had come to the conclusion that this was not the power of a devil, but the power of Hell itself.

Otherwise, it would have been impossible for the Lotus to fail to deal with it.

Govax was merely a Mana Seed Magus. How could a spell cast by someone like him prevent the Lotus from neutralizing it?

After studying the mark for decades, Adam deduced that the Brand of Evil was not a curse that caused every evil creature in the vicinity to attack him. Rather, it acted as a beacon to the powers of Hell.

The crimson sigil marked Adam’s flesh and soul, broadcasting his existence to nearby devils.

Back on Tron, he had used the mark on many occasions to draw out the devils that had gone into hiding. For some reason, the mark was irresistible to them — especially the weaker ones. When they sensed it, they felt an instinctive urge to hunt him down.

Adam did not think the mark would start acting up inside Davos.

Fortunately, years of study had not been wasted. Though he had never found a way to remove the Brand of Evil, he had discovered a method to conceal himself from those drawn to it.

Without hesitation, Adam willed the Faceless Mask to alter the flesh on the back of his hand. At the same time, he retreated to his spirit sea and commanded the Lotus to bury the mark on his spirit body under a thick layer of fog.

The process took a few moments. The instant it was complete, he turned and bolted out of the alley.

Only seconds later, an alluring woman arrived where Adam had just been standing.

A pair of polished horns curved from her forehead, and a slender tail swayed behind her. Her complexion was rosy, and long purple hair cascaded down her back. She came to an abrupt stop, her eyes sweeping across the narrow alley.

A deep frown formed on her face when she found it empty. She looked around in confusion, as if searching for something she had been certain was there only moments ago. Then, with one final glance, she turned and disappeared into the bustling crowd.

Adam ran through the crowded streets, bumping into several people along the way without sparing them a glance.

His mind was in turmoil.

Not only had he discovered the presence of a devil within the city, but he had also used magic to alter his flesh. No matter how faint the mana fluctuations produced by the Faceless Mask, he couldn’t help but feel anxious.

After all, he knew nothing about the laws and regulations governing magic in Davos.

What if there were spells that could trace mana? What if the City Watch was already searching for him? What if the devil had sensed more than she should have?

The question chased him through the street like hounds.

So he kept running. He crossed bustling avenues, quiet residential lanes, and districts that gradually changed character as the night wore on. The crowds thinned. Lanterns flickered in the darkness. Somewhere in the distance, the first rays of dawn began to paint the horizon.

Still, Adam ran.

Only when his legs felt like lead and his lungs burned with every breath did he finally slow to a stop. By then, the sun was close to rising.

He had crossed the entirety of South Borough and was now deep into Trade Borough. Bent over with his hands on his knees, he gulped down mouthfuls of air before finally lifting his head.

In front of him stood a tavern five stories tall. A wooden signboard hung above the entrance, marking the establishment. It simply read:

The Rabbit Hole.

The sign creaked gently in the morning breeze while warm golden light spilled onto the door.

Adam stared at it for a long moment.

The tavern seemed to be calling out to him.

Without much thought, he stepped inside. He barely had any time to take in the interior before a gentle yet distinctly manly voice echoed in his ears.

"You look like you could use a drink, lad."

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