Chapter Fifty-Three: Amanda Crescendi

“What an opportunity!”
In the instant the little beggar's expression turned sorrowful, excitement flashed in the eyes of the leading youth. He silently growled in his heart, swiftly stepping forward with his left foot, his right foot following close behind to kick toward the beggar’s right hand, which held the dagger.

The beggar was quick to react, gritting his teeth as he thrust the dagger toward the incoming foot. But when he saw the faint red glow on the youth’s foot, his eyes instantly filled with shock.

Bang—

The foot, tinged with red light, collided with the jet-black, gleaming dagger. In the next moment, the beggar boy, along with his dagger, was sent flying by the kick. The leading youth’s face suddenly changed, staring in disbelief at his foot, which had been pierced.

“What a powerful dagger! It actually managed to break through my battle aura!”

The youth looked at his bleeding foot, his eyes full of astonishment. He murmured, unable to help himself, gazing at the beggar’s dagger in shock, mixed with a fiery greed.

“Hmph—”

The beggar grunted, forcing himself to endure the fresh surge of pain. He managed to crouch on the ground, staring at the youth’s bleeding foot, his own eyes brimming with astonishment. He hadn’t expected the dagger to pierce through battle aura; he had thought he was finished.

“Heh, I never expected to stumble upon such a treasure!”

The leading youth bared his teeth with a dry laugh, disregarding his injured foot. Instead, he tore a piece of cloth from his clothes, twisted it into a soft whip, and approached the beggar.

“Aha, I didn’t expect to witness such a marvelous drama!”

Suddenly, a lazy voice echoed unexpectedly in the silent alley. A boy of about ten appeared beside the beggar, cradling three small beasts in his arms. He placed a pill into the beggar’s mouth.

“Who are you?”

Seeing the boy nonchalantly slip a pill into the beggar’s mouth, the leading youth’s eyes narrowed sharply, his voice low. He began searching for an escape, but judging by how the boy had leapt so easily from the rooftop, he knew escape was impossible.

“Ha, don’t be so tense. I have no intention of killing you, but I don’t want to keep someone useless around either. Tell me, is there any reason I should let you live? Hmm, can you give me one reason not to kill you?”

Wang Luo stretched lazily, smiling as he looked at the anxious youth whose eyes darted about, speaking at a leisurely pace. Yet his words sent a chill through the youth’s heart.

“No answer? Then I’ll have to take action. The three little beasts in my arms aren’t vegetarians, you know!”

Seeing the youth’s face twist in struggle, yet remain silent, Wang Luo patted the beasts in his arms and continued speaking. The three beasts cooperated, baring their teeth and growling fiercely, though their appearance was more adorable than threatening.

“I can choose to pledge myself to you. But if you lack the ability to command my loyalty, I’d rather die than serve a worthless man. As Sir Qilu once said, ‘Eighteen years later, I’ll be a hero again!’”

After a moment’s hesitation, the leading youth spoke up, his gaze fixed on Wang Luo, awaiting his response. Though young, he had traveled with a bard to many places, his ambition great, but his talent for cultivation poor. His burning passion had nowhere to flow, locked within his heart.

“Oh? Would this suffice?”

Wang Luo drew out a card, infused it with a trace of magic, and watched the youth’s reaction with mild interest. Internally, he cursed Qilu: Just because you crossed over earlier than me doesn’t mean everything has to belong to you. Even your words are credited to you now...

“Forty-one million gold coins!”

Seeing the number on the gold-storage card, the leading youth was dumbstruck, unconsciously murmuring. His gaze returned to Wang Luo, filled with shock and a barely concealed excitement, for he remembered a story that had recently been circulating.

“You’re the one who wreaked havoc at the Mercenary Guild, owns three advanced magical pets, and finally drew out a Sanctuary-level expert?”

Having had the pill forcibly placed in his mouth by Wang Luo, the beggar seized the moment to absorb its healing power. Hearing the youth’s words, he abruptly opened his eyes and stared at Wang Luo in amazement. The protagonist of that tale was the dream of nearly every young boy.

Wang Luo paused briefly, nodded, and looked at the youth with growing interest. He hadn’t expected the youth to remain so composed in the face of death, to think so clearly, and even deduce his identity.

“Amanda swears absolute loyalty—uh, may I know your name, sir?”

Seeing Wang Luo nod, the youth no longer hesitated. He knelt on one knee to pledge allegiance, but midway realized he didn’t know Wang Luo’s name, and asked with an embarrassed expression.

“Never mind, you can skip the whole loyalty thing. Just don’t resist and accept this.”

With a thought, a complex blood-red rune flew from within Wang Luo, drifting slowly before Amanda. Without another word, Wang Luo shot the Blood Soul Seal into Amanda’s forehead. There was no resistance; it fused easily into Amanda’s soul, swiftly spreading to his blood, bones, and skin. Wang Luo instantly felt a complete control over Amanda.

Of course, Amanda—who hadn’t even reached the rank of a first-level warrior—was utterly unaware of any of this. Delighted, he took the pill Wang Luo handed him and began to meditate to heal his wounds. Wang Luo, meanwhile, turned his attention to the newly awakened beggar.

Seeing Wang Luo look at him, the beggar opened his mouth, wanting to speak. Glancing at Amanda, who was meditating, he swallowed his words, his body trembling with excitement as he choked out two words.

“Master!”

“What’s your name? How many members of the King family are still alive?”

Ignoring the beggar’s filthy state, Wang Luo personally helped him up and asked, his mind recalling the gentle woman he saw upon awakening in this foreign world, and all that had happened since.

“Kesindi has lived with his grandfather since childhood. Aside from him, I have never met any other family members.”

The beggar, Kesindi, replied. Wang Luo clearly sensed the sorrow in Kesindi’s tone when he mentioned his grandfather. While comforting him, Wang Luo continued to ask about the family, and the three beasts, who loved stories, listened quietly as Kesindi recounted his tale.

Kesindi was thirteen years old. He vividly remembered an event from when he was three. That night, his grandfather had intended to take him home to the family, but for some unknown reason, he abruptly turned around and led Kesindi away. That night, Kesindi rode a magical teleportation array for the first time.

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Azure Dragon in Another World 53_Chapter Fifty-Three Amanda Kesindi update complete!