Chapter 164: - The Grand Cross Intervention


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    At the sound of themanding voice, all eyes turned to Lionell, the Knight Grand Cross. Standing at an intimidating 2.2 meters (7.5 feet) tall, Lionell''s mere presence demanded respect and sent shivers down spines. As Princess Alora''s personal bodyguard, his clear voice cut through the tension, carrying a hint of menace. It was easy to see why he was so feared; it took real courage and undeniable strength to face him.


    "Give him the titanium bars," Lionell said firmly.


    "But, Sir Lionell, a titanium bar is a valuable material. It''s impossible to craft anything significant with it in just 48 hours. It will be wasted, and someone else might use it more wisely, especially since he might not even make it to the second round," the cksmith protested.


    "There are no rules stating otherwise, or are you nning to tarnish thispetition with your baseless reasoning?" Lionell retorted.


    "Yes, Sir Lionell... that''s my fault," the cksmith conceded, trembling as he ced a few titanium bars into Broken''s hands, seemingly terrified of what Lionell might do if he did notply.


    Broken epted the titanium bars without hesitation, offering a slight bow in gratitude before turning to regard the imposing figure. "Thanks, Sir Lionell," he said and then walked


    away.


    Lionell then turned and walked away, his imposing presence still lingering in the minds of those who had witnessed the scene. Many remained frozen in ce, processing the encounter with the formidable Knight Grand Cross.


    Broken walked back to his workstation, carrying all the necessary materials. He couldn''t help but reflect on the events.


    "I didn''t notice Lionell when I first met Princess Alora," he muttered to himself. "But it seems he''s quite strong, judging by the distinctive armor he wears."


    He remembered Freya''s tales about Princess Alora''s incredible strength, especially her two Knight Grand Cross bodyguards. These knights, he recalled, were just one rank below the elite Imperial Knights, who guarded the king. Their numbers were so limited that even in a vast kingdom like Dissidia, you could count them on one hand.


    Compared to yers, the Knight Grand Cross could likely be equated to those above level 200, with enhanced stats, high-grade sses, and perhaps even unique-grade sses.


    The hierarchy of knights is a carefully structured system reflecting different levels of experience, skill, and responsibility. It isposed of several distinct grades: Page Knight, Squire Knight, Knight Bachelor (standard Knight), Knight Commander, Knight Grand Cross, and at the highest echelon, Imperial Knight.


    Page Knights, the youngest of the ranks, are typically aged 8-15. They serve as apprentices to seasoned knights, learning the basics of knighthood such as horsemanship, weaponry, and court etiquette.


    Squire Knights, generally aged 16-20, build upon this foundational knowledge. They take on more involved knightly duties, such as guarding castles, escorting nobles, and apanying their knightly mentors on various adventures.


    Once a squire has proven himself to be a capable knight, he can be knighted as a Knight Bachelor or simply a Knight. These knights take on the critical responsibility of protectingnds and manors, operating as the backbone of their respective domains.


    The next rank is Knight Commander, who bears greater prestige and is tasked with leading armies into battle and serving as personal advisors to their lords ordies.


    Ascending higher, the rank of Knight Grand Cross is the embodiment of knighthood''s pinnacle. They are entrusted with the most crucial assignments, such as leadingrge armies, undertaking special missions, overseeing the construction of fortifications, and serving as personal bodyguards to their lord ordy.


    At the apex of the hierarchy stand the Imperial Knights, the most powerful and revered. These knights lead entire armies into battle, govern vast tracts ofnd, and act as the right hand of their lord ordy. They are expected to be the ultimate embodiment of knighthood, and their word isw. The more Imperial Knights a kingdom possesses, the stronger and more powerful it is perceived to be.


    The Kingdom of Dissidia was proud to host two Imperial Knights and five Knight Grand Cross, each admired and respected for their unmatched strength and heroic feats. Even though Lionell was a Knight Grand Cross, his skills already outshone those of the top five yers in Immortal Legacy—a testament to the power of a high-tier knight. Rumor had it that an Imperial Knight could single-handedly take down thirty top Immortal Legacy yers. However, there was one major drawback for these formidable knights: they could die, while yers had the advantage of respawning upon death.


    "The Dissidia Kingdom is the most powerful kingdom in the Southern Continent. But I fear their strength might not be enough whenpared to kingdoms in other continents, especially when ites to High-Elves and possibly Demons," Broken thought. He understood that this issue was far beyond his current concern and focus.


    Broken immediately refocused on his work; he had to finish the Royal Hammer within the allotted 52 hours. It was a daunting task, given the limited time. He knew that if he worked non-stop and maintained high concentration, he could achieve his target.


    He quickly got to work, pouring all his focus into the task at hand. "Fortunately," he muttered with a slight smile, "all the materials provided are already processed-smelted and ready. This will save a considerable amount of time. However, the quality of the materials is low- grade." Pausing for a moment, he continued, "But I can''tin because everyone has the same disadvantage."


    As he began his task, everything around him seemed to blur. It felt like he was working alone in his own world, his attention solely on the project before him.


    "Whoa... looks like there''s been quite a bit of excitement here," Max eximed as she noticed Knight Grand Cross Lionell descending onto the arena. "How about we find out what happened?"


    The duo walked closer to the area where materials were being distributed to the participants.


    "Sir Lionell really descended into the arena to ensure today''spetition runs smoothly," Morbitmented. "He is highly respected in the Dissidia Kingdom. His dedication isn/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    remarkable."


    Morbit and Max then approached Broken, who had recently caused quite a stir in the


    material-picking queue.


    "Why don''t we interview someone who certainly caused quite amotion at the start of thispetition," Morbit suggested with a chuckle.


    "Sure," Max replied enthusiastically. "You never know, we might discover a dark horse with a great performance in thispetition." She nced around, feeling the excitement in the atmosphere. "All these faces are quite impressive."


    "Broken," Morbit began, "can you tell us what kind of item you are working on?"


    But Broken was so engrossed in his work that Morbit''s question seemed to go unheard. Max spoke up. "I think he''s very focused; I bet he''s working on something really big?" Broken raised his face and noticed the two hosts, who seemed overly cheerful and had inadvertently disrupted his focus. Why don''t they just leave? he thought to himself.


    "Do you have time for a little interview?" Morbit asked.


    Broken slowly shook his head. "Sorry, but I really don''t think I''m suitable for that sort of


    interview. Let me get back to my work." With that, he refocused on his task.


    "Oh, sure," Morbit said, "you can continue your work without any distractions."


    The two hosts then walked away from Broken. "I''m really amazed by some people who are somitted to their work," Morbit remarked.


    Max nodded in agreement. "Yes, everyone is trying to secure those five crucial spots to advance to the second round, so I''m sure they''re all working really hard and giving their


    best."


    Almost immediately, a barrage of negativements exploded during the livestream, condemning Broken''s behavior for refusing the interview.


    "What makes him think he''s so important? He''s not even famous!"


    "What a joke! You can tell he''s an amateur just by looking at his face."


    "Someone should tell this guy toe down from his high horse!" "Acting like he''s too good for an interview? Yeah, that''ll get him somewhere..."


    "Give me a break! He''s obviously not worth interviewing."


    "Another one thinking they''re too good for the rest of us!"


    "Just because you don''t want an interview doesn''t mean you''re better than everyone else!"


    "If he thinks he''s so great, why doesn''t he just win a prize and shut up?"


    "This guy has no idea what he''s talking about. Clearly an amateur."


    "What an arrogant jerk! He won''t win any prizes for sure."