Chapter 388 - 384: Action

Chapter 388: Chapter 384: Action

The atmosphere inside Scorching Wind Castle had been oppressive for a long time, as if a dark cloud perpetually hung over the land.

Viscount Freddy had been in frequent communication with the Akutas Royal Family recently. He even found the time to personally visit the Royal Capital to seek their support, but so far, he had not been promised a single soldier.

The Crown Prince stated that he had already contacted the Star Sea Clan. As long as the two sides cooperated in their defense, they could surely hold off the forces of Duane and Count Kais for some time.

As long as they could get through this most difficult period, the tide of the war would turn.

CRACK!

An exquisite goblet was angrily smashed on the ground by Freddy, shattering into countless tiny pieces in an instant.

He had always been quick-tempered, and with such a serious problem on his hands, he had lost count of how many wine glasses he had broken. The servants beside him were so frightened they didn’t dare breathe too loudly.

"Lord, what did Eldrin say?" asked his Knight, Rico.

Freddy cursed angrily, "His Highness already sent someone to inform him to join me in resisting the enemy, but that bastard actually told me to withdraw my troops from Sentry Town first and compensate him with thirty thousand Gold Coins’ worth of Meteorite Iron and Mithril!"

"He’s blackmailing you!" Rico said. "We haven’t even settled the score with him for Baron Torre’s death, and now he wants his territory back!"

This war was very appealing to a Knight like Rico. If he performed well, he had a good chance of becoming the next Baron.

Freddy’s expression was grim. He naturally didn’t want to agree to the other party’s terms, but he still didn’t know what Duane and his forces would choose to do.

If the enemy chose to attack Scorching Wind Territory first, he would have no choice but to compromise with Eldrin to protect his assets, no matter how unwilling he was.

"Lord," the steward of Scorching Wind Castle entered and announced, "Sir Casio has returned."

Freddy’s eyes lit up. "Quick, bring him in!"

Soon, Casio walked in. He was about to bow and offer his greetings but was cut off by the Viscount.

"Quick, tell me, how did Duane respond?"

Casio knew how important this matter was to his Lord. It was also a mission he had completed successfully, earning him significant merit.

"Duane was reluctant at first. He wanted to capture Scorching Wind Port and use it as a foothold to push south. However, after I analyzed the pros and cons for him, he chose to accept your proposal!"

He phrased it this way, making his own contribution sound even more significant.

"Hahaha, good! It seems doing business with Duane all these years was useful after all!"

Freddy was suddenly overjoyed. He also praised him, "Casio, you did an excellent job this time. After this turmoil subsides, I will reward you handsomely!"

Casio bowed hastily. "Thank you for your praise, Lord!"

The Knight Rico, standing to the side, kept his expression unchanged, but a sense of wariness rose within him. He was determined to become the next Baron of Scorching Wind Territory.

However, when he remembered that Casio was only an Earth Tier Warrior, his wariness subsided a little.

"Lord, since Duane is attacking Duke Star Sea first, can we take this opportunity to push south a little to avenge Baron Torre?"

Freddy pondered for a moment. He actually had the same idea, but he considered that both sides belonged to Akutas. To not only fail to unite against a common foe but to attack each other instead... it wouldn’t look good if word got out.

"No need. We’ll just quietly watch and see how Eldrin fends them off."

Freddy said, "Although Duane has agreed to my proposal, we must still prepare our defenses. Rico, you will be in charge of the defenses around Scorching Wind Port. Casio, you will take a few teams to patrol the coast and set up outposts in places that are easy to land, to prevent any surprises."

Casio was thrilled. Although both he and Rico were Knights, defensive assignments had always been arranged by Rico. This time, he was finally leading his own team independently.

"Yes, Lord!"

Rico’s expression remained neutral as he readily accepted the assignment.

After the two had left, Freddy felt a wave of satisfaction. ’Heh, Eldrin, if you knew about this, would you come begging me for reinforcements? I wonder if you’d still be demanding that I return Sentry Town then?’

Whether it was because Freddy put too much faith in Duane’s character or because he was simply too simple-minded, he didn’t doubt Duane’s promise in the slightest.

「Mountain Village」

After two years of development and reconstruction, the area was now filled with warehouses and new houses, home to several hundred new residents.

A large training ground had also been cleared in the center of the village. This was where Lune, Ross, and the others usually trained the Militia.

At this moment, shouts echoed continuously across the training ground.

After two years of training, the original batch of Militia had long since been transformed. Aided by supplies from Black Forest Island, many had even successfully broken through to become Basic-level Warriors.

"War is upon us! I want every one of you to give me one hundred and twenty percent!"

On the training field, Lune scanned everyone with a gaze as sharp as a hawk’s.

Any soldier his eyes fell upon would feel their heart clench. During past training sessions, many of them had felt the sting of Lune’s whip.

He had already learned of the situation from Brison. Although Duane hadn’t sought him out yet, he knew the men of Mountain Village were about to go to war.

And that, of course, included himself.

"Today, we train defensive formations!"

He raised the long whip in his hand and then cracked it fiercely. The sharp, piercing sound jolted everyone to attention. "Groups of twenty! Form an anti-arrow formation!"

The two-hundred-man troop immediately moved. Most of their movements were clean and efficient, without a single wasted motion. They completed the change in formation in a matter of breaths.

Dozens of Shields were raised high, forming walls of Black Iron Wood. Any Archers or other troops would be protected behind them, shielded from the enemy’s Arrows.

However, in the process of changing formation, some still lagged behind.

Lune let out a cold sneer, coiling his long whip in his hand as he walked toward the few who were fumbling in a panic.

Everyone held their breath; they all knew Lune was about to start whipping. The foreheads of the few who had failed to perform the maneuver correctly were already beaded with sweat.

But just then, the sound of galloping hooves made Lune stop in his tracks.

He looked over. The rider was coming from the east. ’Could it be?’

"Sir, Lord Ross sent me to inform you that the Lord is on his way to Mountain Village!"

’He’s here.’

Lune’s heart stirred. ’Duane coming at this time must be about the war.’

"Continue your training! If any of you embarrass me in front of the Lord, it’ll be more than just a few lashes!"

Lune barked out the warning, then vaulted onto the cavalryman’s horse and galloped toward the mountain forest.

He hadn’t gone far before he saw Duane approaching.

His pupils contracted violently, his gaze locking onto the mount beneath Duane.

The oppressive aura washing over him made him tense, and the horse beneath him grew frantic, trying to flee.

Duane had brought Big Cat to Mountain Village.

"Lune, you’ve done well. I didn’t expect you to have built a road all the way to the shore."

Duane’s voice snapped Lune back to his senses. He quickly straightened his back and thumped his right fist against his chest in a salute. "Greetings, Lord! Mountain Village welcomes you!"

Duane nodded. "Let’s head back to the village first."

"Yes!"

Lune reined in his horse, and once Duane had moved ahead, he fell back a horse’s length to follow behind.

After a moment, he couldn’t help but ask, "Lord, this Demon Beast you’re riding is...?"

The corners of Duane’s mouth turned up slightly as he smiled. "His name is Big Cat. He’s a Level 7 Demon Beast I contracted a while ago."

"Level 7?"

Lune trembled inwardly. Seeing Big Cat’s profile made his heart shudder; it was hard to imagine he would ever be this close to a Level 7 Demon Beast.

He gazed at his Lord’s back atop Big Cat, his heart filled with nothing but reverence.

Under Lune’s guidance, Duane went to the training ground for a brief inspection.

The soldiers, who had been ready to put on a good show for their Lord, were so frightened by the aura Big Cat deliberately released that their formation had already fallen into disarray.

Although Lune berated them, the pressure from a Level 7 Demon Beast was enough to make even him tremble, let alone ordinary soldiers.

Duane patted Big Cat on the head, telling him to retract his aura, then praised the soldiers, "Your mental fortitude is not bad. At least you weren’t scared into running away."

He wasn’t doing this just to show off; he wanted everyone to know that their Lord could conquer even a Level 7 Demon Beast. This battle could not be lost.

Duane immediately added, "For the foreseeable future, I’ll be leaving Big Cat here in Mountain Village. Training against him every day should yield better results."

The soldiers were stunned on the spot, not knowing what to feel.

Lune, however, nodded repeatedly. The soldiers’ performance had just made him uneasy, but he hadn’t expected the Lord not to reprimand them.

"Please rest assured, I will personally ensure they practice diligently and temper their courage!"

After watching the training for a while, Duane inspected the granary. Once Ross and the others arrived, the group gathered in Mountain Village’s meeting hall—a newly built, spacious wooden house.

"Lune, Ross, let me introduce you. This is Conrad, an Earth Tier Warrior who has newly joined Black Forest Island."

Lune and Ross’s expressions turned solemn. For their Lord to bring an Earth Tier Warrior here at this time clearly meant there was a mission.

Conrad smiled and greeted them, "I’ve heard of you both on Black Forest Island. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you!"

Lune and Ross quickly returned the greeting.

Duane waited for the three to exchange pleasantries before continuing, "Lune, you will remain in charge of managing Mountain Village. Ross, you’re responsible for defense. Conrad, for now, you will only be responsible for the twenty-man squad newly brought from Black Forest Island. Get them familiar with joint combat tactics alongside the soldiers of Mountain Village."

"Yes!" the three men replied in unison.

Duane looked at Lune. "You have followed me for over three years now. For the past two, I’ve supplied you with Intoxicating Honey Wine for your cultivation. What is your strength now?"

Lune looked ashamed. "Thank you for your gift, but I have yet to break through. I feel like... I’m just a little bit short."

Duane nodded slightly. "In that case, I’ll give you a hand."

As he spoke, he began to cast his Blessing Magic.

Lune was enveloped in the light of the Blessing, a warm and exceptionally comfortable feeling spreading through his body.

At first, he didn’t understand, but he soon realized the effect of this Magic.

He discovered that the Fighting Qi in his Seven Seas had begun to liquefy, drop by drop...

"Lord!"

Lune shouted excitedly, "I’ve broken through!"

Duane couldn’t help but smile. "Not long ago, before my wedding, Kaelon entered the Celestial Tier with my help. You are the second."

Lune thumped his chest heavily. "Thank you for your gift!"

This scene left Conrad and Ross, who were watching from the side, completely stunned.

’The Lord actually has such an ability? He can help someone break through to the Celestial Tier?’

Conrad’s heart surged with excitement.

He had originally wanted to join the Holy Radiance Court, but he disliked the way Severus and Orisien conducted themselves, which was why he chose Duane instead.

Duane possessed an ability similar to that of the Holy Radiance Court, and he didn’t even charge an exorbitant fee for it.

’It now seemed this was an incredibly wise choice.’

He secretly clenched his fist, believing that as long as he served Duane faithfully, he too would one day receive the same treatment as Lune.

Just then, Duane added, "After this war is over, I will send you to Black Forest Island to train for a while. There is a place in the Secret Realm that enhances the cultivation of Celestial Tier Warriors."

He smiled. "I’d also like to see whether you or Kaelon will be the first to reach the Shooting Star Level."

Duane’s words sounded a bit like he was dangling a carrot before the war.

However, his next move required the proactive efforts of Lune, Conrad, and Ross, so it was necessary to motivate them.

He continued, "It’s not just Lune. Conrad, Ross, you all have a chance!"

The three of them dropped to one knee in unison and declared, "We swear to serve you to the death!"

Duane quickly gestured for all three to rise. "Then, I have a mission for you."

Lune’s heart burned with passion. "Please, give us our orders! We will complete it!"