<h4>Chapter 60: Race For The Throne</h4>


    "Ray! What was the response? Did you get the permissions you required?" Alex stood over the doorway of a nd room.


    The room was an office for the chief, surrounded by documents on a table and a wooden chair in the middle.


    Ray responded with a slight smile, looking into Alex''s eyes. "I won''t say I got all the results I expected, but I can say the results are positive."


    "And how so?" Alex asked, taking a seat in front of Ray.


    "I have conditional rights regarding this attack. If the vige were to be attacked, I''m allowed to use my abilities to protect it. Not only that, but I can also hire a temporary army or mercenaries if the vige were to face such danger. Though there is one small catch..."


    "And what is that?" Alex inquired, his fist clenched, concern evident on his face.


    "We need to prove that the threat I mentioned is real. If I can prove the existence of an attack, it means I would get more funds and full authority over my territory," Ray exined, a slight look of concern on his face.


    "And what if you can''t prove it?" Alex asked with a concerned expression on his face.


    "In that case, I will have to willingly submit my resignation to any authority over the throne or any inheritance from the kingdom," Ray said with a smile, but it was clear from his looks that he was taking a significant risk for the vige.


    "Always pulling things onto your own back... so like you," Alex chuckled, appreciating Ray''s determination despite its recklessness. Their friendship had been forged since childhood.


    Alex and Ray had grown up together. While Ray hailed from a royal bloodline, his daily routine involved learning history, politics, andbat. Alex, on the other hand, was the single-born son of the Ironheart family, bound by duty to produce the kingdom''s strongest fighters. His family swore loyalty to protect the royal bloodline.


    Ray and Alex would often meet during theirbat training sessions, sharing the same teacher and martial arts. Despite the weight of responsibilities and the harsh realities of life, they found sce in each other.


    Ray, born into the royal family,cked the cunning and talent disyed by his siblings, demonstrating little interest in the throne. During training breaks, he always asked Alex about the world outside the castle, eager to know what it was like to talk to new people and make new friends.


    The concept of living in luxury was foreign to Ray; he was a bird longing to soar in the sky, not to be confined in a golden cage. Alex, understanding this sentiment, shared simr feelings, having glimpsed the world beyond the castle walls.


    Years passed until an unfortunate day arrived. After the battle against the Elvain Empire, the king suffered an incurable injury, and his days were numbered, each second bringing him closer to hisst breath.


    To prevent power imbnces and future conflicts, the king devised a n to determine the new heir to the throne. Normally, the eldest of all descendants would be given the right to the throne, but the council expressed concerns about the firstborn.


    Rumors circted that the king''s eldest son was a spoiled, indulgent man with a penchant for alcohol and women. His susceptibility to temptation or maniption posed a significant risk to the kingdom''s stability.


    After countless debates and proposals, an agreement was reached between the council and the king. They decided to implement a test to identify the rightful ruler of the nation. Each of his seven princes and princesses was assigned a random territory in the kingdom.


    They were strictly forbidden from assembling armies or plotting against each other for the throne. Within six months, the territory that prospered the most would dere its ruler as the next heir to the throne.


    Even after ensuring all forms of impartiality and fair chances, favouritism still found a way into the equation. Among the seven descendants, if there was one person the council harbored animosity towards more than anyone else, it was Ray.


    Born into a royal bloodline, Ray''s humble nature and interactions withmoners won the hearts of countless people. Simultaneously, they earned him numerous enemies among the nobles and the council. This resentment against Ray led to some behind-the-scenes machinations, resulting in his being assigned a neglected and remote territory on the vige borders.


    The majority votes against Ray; the king could only watch as favoritism yed a role in his otherwise fair-standing n. Ray was aware of this, but he simply didn''t care. For him, this was the life he always wanted, the freedom he had dreamt of. However, unbeknownst to him, even in this unfavorable situation, three individuals wanted to see him as the king of the nation. One of them was his friend, Alex.


    ...


    [In Present...]


    ...


    "So, considering the risk you''ve taken, what''s your next move?" Alex inquired, a warm smile on his face, reminiscent of their old days.


    "I don''t have many options," Ray replied, crossing his arms with a serious expression. "Even if the vigers are willing to assist us in battle, they simplyck the strength to face an army."


    "While you''re formidable, Alex, tackling an advanced-tier beast alone is a stretch. ording to Ben, there were two of them, with one even at the peak of the intermediate tier," Ray contemted, weighing the possibilities.


    "You''re right. I can hold my ground against a peak-advanced-tier beast, butsting more than five minutes is uncertain," Alex concurred.


    "That''s why we need to hire mercenaries from adventurer guilds to assist us," Ray dered with a straightforward expression. "We''ll use all the funds we have to post amission for silver-grade mercenaries in the adventurer guild."


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    Adventurer guild ranking:


    Bronze Grade: Equivalent to 1 Normal tier beasts (Very weak)


    Silver Grade: Equivalent to multiple normal tier beasts.


    Gold Grade: Equivalent to Advanced tier beasts.


    Crystal Grade: Equivalent to peak advanced tier beast.


    Obsidian Grade: Equivalent to intermidiate tier beasts.


    Valleia Grade: Equivalent to king tier beasts.


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    A/N:


    New Weekly Target :-


    1) 50 Power Stone= 1 extra chapter at weekend.


    2) 15 Golden Ticket= 1 Extra chapter at weekend.


    3) 10+ members on discord= 2 Extra ch on weekends.


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