Chapter 229 - 194: Act 1 Complete, Reward Settlement: The Knight Stands at Attention

Time has no real meaning during a voyage through the Net Path.

「Three days later in the Real Cosmos.」

After the Punisher flew out from the orbital port of the Lelag World, a border world in the Imperial Administrative Region, with a few pursuers in tow, a complete Imperial Knight Legion was already lying in wait.

Annihilating a small contingent of the Space Dragon Race was effortless for a proper Legion.

It was also after the Punisher docked at the port that the system’s faint blue text materialized in Reinhardt’s line of sight.

[Story Mode · Act I, Completed.]

[Interlude Event · Part Three, Evacuate Kemola, Completed.]

[Interlude Event · The Daughter of the Death Star’s Request, Completed.]

[The Cosmos is a grand stage, and also a bloody gladiatorial arena. When these uninvited guests arrive in the Ash Soil Star Zone, the already fragile balance between the five major powers seems to be heading toward the brink of collapse...]

[Although the Vengeful Angels project is classified as top-secret at the Legendary level within the Imperial Administrative Region, every battle you’ve fought has violated its confidentiality requirements.]

[The Gamu Fleet of the Space Dragon Race would never have imagined that after finally escaping the Void Battlefield, they would be met with a welcoming gift from you personally the moment they arrived in the Ash Soil Star Zone.

Seven Pure-blood Centurions and eleven Pure-blood Warriors were killed in action, along with two Elemental Dominators.

You really should have seen the priceless look on the commander’s face aboard the Gamu Flagship when he received the battle report from Kemola.

’Bastards! Idiots! We fought the Demons for three grueling months and didn’t lose this many elites! And you’re telling me *this* is how many died just to blockade Kemola?!’]

[Calculating Rewards...]

[You have obtained: Power Armor Upgrade Components x2, Gun Upgrade Components x3. May the God of All Machines protect you.]

[Heart Steel Layers increased: 500.]

[Giant Devouring Current Layer Number: 19,080]

[Physical Enhancement Coefficient: 19.080]

[Heart Steel Goliath Giant current permanent Physique enhancement: 57%]

While five hundred Heart Steel Layers wasn’t much for Reinhardt now, the additional 3% Physique from the Goliath Giant felt like a faint, warm current flowing slowly through his veins.

As the Punisher entered the orbital port of the Lelag World, Reinhardt’s Second Mighty Power—Bloodthirsty Madness—finally consumed the last of his stamina.

The others in the cabin were shocked to discover that Reinhardt’s Knight Power—an aura that had constantly roared like a storm within their Knight Perception—suddenly plummeted in intensity. Like a snuffed-out candle, it dwindled rapidly, only stopping when it had fallen to the level of a Two-star Official Knight.

Raphael, having participated in the Verne campaign, knew about Reinhardt’s Mighty Power Traits.

But everyone else was, without exception, stunned.

Manon’s brow furrowed. Thinking Reinhardt had suffered some hidden injury, he quickly rose to his feet and asked with concern, "Sir, your power..."

Before Reinhardt could answer, Raphael’s expression grew solemn. His usual gentle demeanor vanished, replaced by an unyielding sternness. He used Telepathy to address the others. ’In my capacity as Team Think Tank and Combat Priest, I order you: what you have seen today must not be mentioned to anyone outside of this group. Understand?’

Since this concerned a weakness in Knight Reinhardt’s Knight Power, Manon gave a solemn nod and remained silent.

The others also understood the gravity of the situation and gave Raphael a slight nod.

Irenia looked thoughtfully at Reinhardt, but no one knew what was on her mind.

The battle that had erupted in the atmosphere of Lelag World ended quickly. The pursuing members of the Space Dragon Race were swiftly annihilated by the assault of the Imperial Knight Battle Group.

Then, the voice of the Battle Group Commander came through the Punisher’s Radiant Beacon.

"This is Aulus, Battle Group Commander of the Raptor Battle Group. By order of the Grand Governor, we are stationed at Lelag World to receive you. But first, I need to confirm your identities.

Please open your ship’s hatch. My men are already on their way."

A short time later, a squad of ten Official Knights entered the Punisher’s cabin via a boarding ramp. They were clad in blue-and-white-painted Anti-Magic Steel Armor and possessed the strength of the Four-star Military Rank.

Their Anti-Magic Steel Armor was equipped with jump packs, but these were not true Power Backpacks, nor was their armor the more advanced Power Armor used to equip the Vengeful Angels.

It was the most common type seen among Imperial Knights.

The captain leading the squad held a Knight’s Broadsword. As he stepped into the cabin, the acrid stench of blood made his brow furrow. His gaze swept the room.

One Combat Priest, one Technician Soldier, one Alchemically Transformed Person with a classified identity, and three Imperial Knights.

The only addition was an unidentified female Wizard. The number of personnel was otherwise consistent with the manifest they had received.

But...

The moment the gaze of the Four-star Military Rank Official Knight leading the squad met Manon’s, his originally imposing demeanor vanished without a trace.

He snapped to attention.

Then, he and his squad performed the standard Imperial Knight chest-thumping salute. In a slightly apprehensive voice, he carefully inquired, "Sirs, your general status is consistent with our authorized information.

However, we require an explanation for the unidentified Wizard. We must report back to the Battle Group Commander."

As he spoke, his heart pounded as he took in the blood-soaked deck of the Punisher and, not far off, the Space Alien. It had been carved into a limbless trunk, yet the aura of Extraordinary Power it still emitted was enough to make him shudder.

’Didn’t the Battle Group Commander say we were just supposed to be receiving a small Imperial Knight squad returning from a mission?’

’What the hell is this?!’

’An unidentified Tier Two Wizard.’

’A Technician Soldier with the Earth Knight Military Rank.’

’A mysterious Alchemically Transformed Person with a classified identity.’

’A Combat Priest with a gaze that could pierce your soul and a frighteningly solemn expression.’

’Two Imperial Knights, one Seven-star and one Six-star Military Rank, with the unmistakable, overwhelming aura of veterans from some elite formation.’

’He’d never seen such a lineup in his entire life!’

’If these people were enemies, he feared... even the one thousand men of his Battle Group combined couldn’t stop them!’

’And especially that ’rookie’ in the Power Armor... The model was so expensive he’d never seen anything like it, and it was caked in the blood of a Space Alien. At a glance, he only seemed to have a Two-star Knight Military Rank...’

’Divine Emperor above, you’re telling me this guy is only a Two-star Knight?! Not even the village idiot would believe that!’

’Every single person on this ship would be a major figure in any Imperial Battle Group. In his Raptor Battle Group, any one of them would be second only to the Battle Group Commander himself.’

’But.’

’But this whole ship of VIPs... they were all waiting for that Two-star ’rookie’ to speak.’

When the Four-star Military Rank Knight from the Raptor Battle Group met Reinhardt’s gaze, he saw a man who had just stepped off the battlefield. The brutal aura clinging to him, thick with the undissipated stench of blood, made the Knight’s body tremble slightly.

He straightened his posture even more and hurriedly explained, "Please, don’t misunderstand. We don’t doubt your identities, but Lord Governor ordered us to verify who you are after completing the rendezvous!"