Richard originally thought that wiping out the Hungry Wolves would cause a ripple, maybe even draw attention. But to his surprise, apart from a few neighboring gangs scrambling to divide up their turf and some minor chaos, nothing major happened.
Only when he picked up a newspaper did he discover the explanation: the NYPD Commissioner had just held a press conference proudly claiming that their long-term sting operation had finally dismantled the notorious Hungry Wolves gang. He praised his department's hard work, declared it a major win for public safety, and used the opportunity to request increased funding for the department.
Richard couldn't help but admire the man's nerve. Truly, a master of political maneuvering.
With the Hungry Wolves dealt with, Richard and Katherine left the old district behind. Thanks to the generous "donation" from the gang boss, they now had a villa. Naturally, there was no reason to linger in the slums.
Once again, thank you, Mother Nature.
The villa wasn't in an upper-class neighborhood, but the property was respectable. Backing up to a forest and with a river nearby, the environment was quiet and picturesque. The surrounding community was mostly middle-class.
After receiving his first big windfall, Richard began stockpiling resources and materials. The villa needed renovation—both for safety and for his own recovery. He planned to build an Elemental Field Array, which would restore his magic and injury, and provide a layer of arcane protection over the home.
In the Arcane cosmological model, all planes, worlds, stars, and matter are made up of elemental energy. Even in low-magic or non-magical worlds, it's possible to artificially create an Elemental Nexus, though the cost is high.
Richard didn't have the power or money to build a full Elemental Furnace or construct a permanent Elemental Pool, but he could establish a localized elemental field using leylines beneath the villa.
---
In the basement—
Click.
On a large stone platform, Richard inserted the final silver rod—etched with runes—into a leyline node. High-grade crystals linked the arcane nodes carved into the platform's surface.
At the four cardinal points of the array, he embedded gemstones the size of eggs—top-quality yellow topaz, sapphire, emerald, and ruby. Even though they were synthetic, they cost a fortune.
Each gemstone was carved into an eight-faceted prism, representing the four elemental forces—earth, fire, air, and water. Inside the gems, fine rune channels shimmered faintly with mana. Their craftsmanship was almost artful—natural, seamless, and beautiful.
Richard took a deep breath and channeled the last of his mana into the circle.
"Arcane Surge."
Hum. The air trembled.
Then, light—multicolored, radiant—rushed through the runic pathways. It converged on the center of the platform in a dazzling burst.
After a brief pause, the entire spell circle lit up.
The four elements activated—earth, fire, wind, and water. Even the ground beneath him gave a slight tremble.
Threadlike currents of energy began to gather. Richard closed his eyes and raised his staff. Slowly, he lifted into the air, suspended in a soft magical updraft.
"In my name—"
"Let the elements heed my call!"
A complex, three-dimensional spell array unfolded around him. In its heart, a golden rune shimmered—it was his personal sigil, pulsing with power.
Invisible energy gathered. Winds howled. Leylines surged. Colorful arcs of starlight filled the room—not true starlight, but condensed elemental energy so potent it shimmered like light itself. If compressed further, it would take liquid form: Elemental Water. But that would require connecting to a full Elemental Plane—something only possible with a dedicated Elemental Pool.
For now, the ambient energy filled the villa before slowly dispersing.
Richard lowered his hand, and the spell circle dissipated like mist.
The Elemental Field Array had been successfully activated.
The previously inert elemental energy in the area was now awakened, gathered, and locked within the bounds of the villa. The house had become a miniature Elemental Zone—something common in mid- and high-magic planes, but rare in a low-magic one like this.
In such places, elemental energy flows freely and can be absorbed with ease. In contrast, this world's energies were sluggish, latent. But now, inside the villa, the rules were different.
Richard could feel it immediately. The Elemental Zone might have been small, but it was rich with energy. It boosted meditation efficiency by 30%, reduced the cost and difficulty of casting, and most importantly—it began restoring his mana.
"God, that feels good…" Richard exhaled, his voice laced with satisfaction.
Abundant elemental energy was not only nourishing to spellcasters—it was essential to healing injuries like his. Already, he could feel his magic returning. His injuries weren't fully healed, but now he could cast up to 3rd-tier spells again. With continued recovery, he'd soon be able to use 5th-tier spells, and from there, true power would follow.
With some of his casting ability restored, his healing would accelerate even further.
At last, he had regained a meaningful degree of self-defense.
---
With the Elemental Zone active, Richard began setting up defensive and alarm wards. Gold, silver, copper, iron, gemstones, marble—they were scattered like rain across the villa's interior.
Fortunately, this was the modern era. Industrialization had its perks. With enough money, anything could be shipped to his door.
The downside? The cost. His hundreds of thousands in cash were burned through shockingly fast.
Still, it was worth it. The basic defense network was in place. Now, unless someone had special training, they'd subconsciously ignore the house altogether—and those who did notice couldn't approach without triggering alarms.
---
During this time, Katherine had been learning to control her powers. Once confident, she returned to her job as a reporter.
Even a Vanshee banshee needed to eat.
The photos she had taken during her escape not only earned her a full-time position, but also a commendation. The NYPD even gave her a reward—those photos had served as crucial evidence.
But while she had gone back to her normal life, her appetite had changed.
Every few days, she would come back to Richard's villa. And every time she arrived… A battle would erupt.
The effects of her Banshee nature became increasingly visible.
Her figure grew more exaggerated. Her curves fuller, her skin glowed with unnatural smoothness, and her legs—long and flawless—seemed sculpted from fantasy. Her eyes shimmered, and her charm intensified.
After each "visit," Richard would lie in bed, looking up at the ceiling, whispering:
"Richard, Richard… you're supposed to be recovering your strength. You're building a floating city. How can you let yourself get distracted? Starting tomorrow, you focus!"
---
The next day…
Nothing on the schedule.
Pile driving.