《Reincarnated Lord: I can upgrade everything!》


 Chapter 1: Heartbreak

    Shanghai, China.


    19:03 p.m.


    Screech!


    A sleek ck car screeched to a halt before a grand hall. The door opened, revealing an unassuming man neatly dressed in a tuxedo. Today he was in his best look, unlike his usual rough and unkept self.


    There were several luxury cars parked at every visible corner, and people garbed in crazily expensive attire could be seen everywhere. He couldn''t bepared to them, but shockingly, he was the reason they could gather.


    This unassuming man was none other than Asher, a half Chinese-half American and the mastermind behind the creation of the very first full-dive game that promised gamers an experience that would keep them spellbound.


    Asher lifted his head and gazed at the digital billboard in the grand hall, which disyed the name of his most renowned creation. On the epic 3D screen was the name ''Boundless''.


    Boundless was surely going to take the world by storm as it featured a realistic game y in a virtual world; yers could choose either to be adventurers, creating guilds and hunting beasts, or lords, building their territories from scratch.


    Both offered rich and fulfilling experiences.


    A smile graced Asher''s lips while the fingers of his right hand fiddled with a small ck box. The box was inside his pants.


    Today was the day he would finally propose to the love of his life. He had known her from a very young age and studied at the same college with her overseas.


    A warm feeling inside of him kept him anxious, but in a happy way after all; he had been in a rtionship with Lia for a long time.


    "I think it''ll rain soon. We should hurry up and go inside." Asher heard someone from the background say.


    As he walked into the hall, several people recognized him immediately.


    "Mister Asher, your seat has been reserved in the front row." A man said it respectfully, along with a gentle bow.


    Asher responded with a soft smile before proceeding toward his seat; He could feel the stares from several people seated in the grand hall. Tonight was the celebration of their overwhelming achievement, so both the workers of X Gamers, thepany Asher worked for, and their sponsors were gathered to celebrate before the grandunch the next day.


    Seeing the man, who looked to be in histe sixties, on the tform, Asher nodded before sitting down. That man was none other than the father of his Lia and the chairman of X Gamers.


    Oddly, Lia''s father smiled back, but Asher could tell it was forced. There was no genuineness in his eyes, and it didn''t escape Asher''s notice.


    With creases, Asher sat in the front row.


    Everything Choi Kang, Lia''s father said, went into one ear and out the other, as Asher was more concerned about Lia.


    "Why isn''t Lia here?" He muttered under his breath. Without dy, he dialed her number, but it kept ringing.


    Right at this moment, Choi Kang lifted up a wine cup. "A toast!"


    Asher looked at his hand and discovered he also held a cup of wine. He was so focused on Lia''s whereabouts that he didn''t even notice when he took the wine from the servers.


    Choi Kang nced at him.


    Asher frowned deeply.


    Also at this moment, a security man in a clean ck suit walked up to him. "Mister Asher, Miss Lia wants to speak with you outside."


    Asher swiftly followed the security man, and just at the exit, Choi Kang''s voice rang through the entire hall.


    "A toast to the achievement of a world-breaking invention and a union that would cement thepany''s ce at the top!"


    Instantly, the lights went up, illuminating a beautiful couple. A tall ck-haired man garbed in a navy blue suit linked his right arm with a charming blonde beauty whose emerald green eyes could easily capture the hearts of men.


    "It''s the sessor of the Chen group!"


    Gasps filled the hall, but it was different for Asher. His eyes shook as he beheld his girlfriend with another man. His eyes zoomed in on the engagement ring she proudly wore.


    "Lia.."


    Disbelief colored Asher''s expression.


    For a split moment, their eyes met, and he saw a subtle glimmer of affection that died out in the next moment. It seemed like she considered the options and came to a permanent conclusion.


    "Lia!"


    Asher snapped out of his shock and dashed forth, but two security men grabbed his arms. With the same momentum, they threw him out of the hall before he could cause a scene.


    The same security man that called him out walked up to Asher, who struggled with three other security men.


    "Mister Asher, your contract with X Gamers has expired. We are no longer in need of your service; please leave this premises." The man''s expression was cold and emotionless.


    ''Was this why Lia made me her boyfriend?''


    Lots of thoughts came after this, clouding Asher''s mind. Unable to put up a stand, he was tossed out to the sidewalk, and the gate shut against him. Just at that moment, droplets of water fell from the skies.


    Asher couldn''t believe what had happened, but the cold water droplets washed away his lingering disbelief to the cold-hearted reality.


    All the years he spent working to make sure this project was a sess ended with him losing his girlfriend to one of the top sponsors of the project and losing his job.


    This night was supposed to be the night all his dreams came true, but it became a nightmare.


    "Lia, why¡­?"


    His heartbroken voice drifted out as he walked on the sidewalk with slumped shoulders. All of a sudden, his sadness transformed into rage.


    "You want to enjoy my hard work, huh?" A cold glow shed through his eyes.


    ...


    A few minutester, a taxi stopped before the skyscraper. This was X Gamer''s headquarters!


    Since he was known by the security, no one stopped Asher until he finally reached a specific floor, which he named ''The Brain.''


    This was the control unit of ''Boundless''.


    Asher clenched his fist so tight that his nails pierced his flesh, but his eyes remained steady. He looked at his work, his greatest creation, and picked up the ck case he got from a supermarket and brought out a fire axe.


    Rumble!


    Lightning struck, reflecting his vicious eyes.


    ...¡­.


    Asher emerged from the roof after destroying nearly half of the memory unit. Panting heavily, he faced the receiver. A tall structure that receives signals from the satellite. The game was going to beunched in different zones. Each zone represented a country, so a satellite was needed.


    Turning to his right, he saw a digital billboard showcasing the image of an enchanting golden-haired elf.


    This was Liya, one of the main yer-friendly characters, which he created with Lia, his girlfriend, as the source material.


    Seeing a character he once loved, hatred boiled in his heart. Asher ignored the rumbling thunder clouds and heavy downpour hitting his weak frame. He went for the thick wires on the white structure.


    "ASHER!"


    Hearing that loud, piercing but familiar voice, Asher turned back and saw Chen Long, the man who took his girlfriend, standing at the door, pointing a cold ck object at him.


    "You destroyed everything!" Chen Long screamed like a deranged man. When he got the information that Asher left, he felt something was wrong, but he waste. This madman had destroyed a project worth billions!


    Asher turned to face him. "Thepany''s yours." He smirked.


    Chen Long chuckled. "At least I have the woman you''ve been chasing after for over a decade, but you lost everything, including your life."


    Bang!


    Asher looked down at his chest. He felt something warm gushing. Instantaneously, his vision became blurry.


    Lifting his head for thest time, he saw her rush out of the door, her eyes growing wider with each passing second.


    Maybe, just maybe, she felt regret.


    Thud!


    His body dropped to the ground.

 Chapter 2: Asher Ashbourne

    Wu~~


    ''It''s so cold!''


    Instantly, the sound of the gunshot that took his life shed in his head, causing him to sit up. Sweat beads could be found on his smooth, pale forehead. Asher first thought he was in the hospital, but as he looked at the fur-made quilt, his eyes dted.


    "What happened to my arms?" He muttered, looking at his thin, pale white arms. He could easily see the bluish-green veins beneath his skin. Looking around, he realized his clothing was simr to the ancient western-styled dressing that was dominant in Boundless!


    He slid out of bed and felt something caressing his shoulders. Clearly, this body wasn''t his. His hair was so long that it reached his shoulder des, and it was gray!


    This body, although sickly, was much stronger than his previous body.


    He nced at the ancient bed and the thick fur quilt. Despite all the protection, he still felt cold, and the source was the open window. Asher looked at the mural of a gray-haired man sitting on a stone-made throne while a mighty white-furred creaturey beside him.


    The visual impact of the size of the creature, which was almost as tall as a building even as ity down, made Asher stagger backward.


    Suddenly, his head throbbed, sending a painful reaction throughout his body.


    "Ah!"


    Asher screamed and fell on his knees. Memories of the owner of this body gushed into his brain. It came along with emotions, making him feel both pain, anger, regret, and finally helplessness.


    After what seemed like hours, Ashery on the cold floor, breathing heavily. The owner of this body was Asher Ashbourne, the bastard child of Baron James Ashbourne, the famous baron who died in a brothel on top of a woman.


    As if that wasn''t enough, his first son, Fredrick, didn''t rule for over a year before he was poisoned to death by Baron James second son, Thomas. Thomas also didn''tst more than a month before he was killed by a beast during a hunt.


    However, before then, he made sure Asher was slowly poisoned, and eventually, Asher died two months after Thomas death, allowing the soul of Asher from earth to possess his body.


    Asher felt all Asher Ashbourne felt. Being locked inside this room and only allowed to eat vegetable soup with ck bread was Asher Ashbourne''s life.


    He was even too weak to leave his bed and eventually passed away.


    Knowing all these, Asher''s eyes trembled. This was the backstory of the most pitiful lord character in Boundless!


    This character was created by another programmer, and the intention was to fill up the holes in the virtual world to make it more realistic. To put it simply, he became a character worse than an extra!


    Never did Asher think he would transmigrate into his game. He wanted to convince himself that he might be in some kind of nightmare, but the emotions he felt from Asher Ashbourne''s memories were stuck to his brain.


    Asher had to ept reality. He had reincarnated into the real-life world of Boundless and was a pitiful lord who could be killed by his surbordinates!


    Even worse, Asbourne''s fief was located in the wastnds, a destend that was always ravaged by monstrous creatures every winter, and if he guessed right, then in mere months it would be winter!


    Asher''s face grew paler.


    "I''m doomed. Of all the characters in Boundless, I had to transmigrate into the body of a pathetic noble!"


    While Asher ruffled his hair, the wooden door creaked as it was swung open and a tall, lean man walked in. His leather boots almost reached his knees.


    The moment Asher looked at the man''s face, he recognized him instantly. This white-haired man who also had well-trimmed beards, was the head butler, Kelvin. A 60-year-old man and also a bronze-ranked swordsman.


    Having a bronze-ranked butler wasn''t abnormal for a barony, but after Asher''s father, who was a silver ranked swordsman, there was no other silver-ranked swordsman, and the title of a baron was at risk of being taken away.


    It was better when Asher''s brothers were ruling, as they were both bronze-ranked swordsmen and had chances of bing silver-ranked swordsmen, but Asher wasn''t even an iron-ranked swordsman!


    He was an ordinary man! A sickly one at that!


    Upon seeing Asher on the ground, Kelvin eximed. "Lord Asher!" Despite being ignored by everyone, including the servants, Asher still had one person that took care of him, and it was Kelvin.


    If there were stats, his loyalty stat was maxed out.


    In Boundless, everyone must awaken a talent before they will be able to train, moving from ordinary to iron-rank, bronze-rank, silver-rank, gold-rank, and so on. Melee-typebatants trained the Battle Force, while range-typebatants like mages trained the Magi Force.


    Kelvin awakened a D-grade talent, so his peak was the gold rank, which was the rank of knights, but Kelvin was already 60, and he was still stuck in the bronze rank! This was due to theimpoverished barony.


    "I''m alright." Asher said to Kelvin, but he still found himself on the bed. While covering him with quilts, Kelvin admonished him.


    "Lord Asher, I know you''re worried about the state of the barony, but you must first take care of yourself."


    All of a sudden, his breath hitched as he recalled where he found Asher.


    It had been twelve years since Asher moved his limbs, and he was now twenty-two!


    "You moved!"


    He gasped.


    Gu gu!


    Asher''s stomach rumbled before he coulde up with a response.


    ...


    Asher sat on his bed, looking at the ck bread and steaming hot vegetable soup. Kelvin brought it for him after his stomach''s announcement.


    He couldn''t bring himself to eat it. It was almost to the extent that he almost threw up, and this was just at the sight of it.


    "Kelvin. I''m not eating this anymore. I crave for meat." As one of the spearheaders of creating Boundless, Asher was proficient in speaking like a medieval man, and he also knew all the nativenguages, especially Elvin.


    "Milord. I''ve kept this from you for a long time, but you''ve been restricted to only staying in this room and eating this specific meal."


    Asher''s eyebrows raised.


    "I''m thest remaining son of my father and direct heir to this fief, so who could give such orders?"


    [A/N: Please show this work some love with your powerstones!]

 Chapter 3: Ashbourne Lineage

    Kelvin pondered revealing this crucial information to his recuperating lord, but after a long time of deliberating and seeing Asher''s persistent stare, he puffed out and spoke:


    "Peter, the chief knight to your father and two brothers, is secretly ruling over the barony without the knowledge of the people. He ns to take over, and with most of your military captains and their men having fled to other baronies, the weaker few have submitted to him."


    Asher''s expression grew ugly. What was the reason for such pitiful transmigration?


    "What rank is he? Peak bronze?"


    Peter shook his head. "Peter has drained the gold in the family''s vault to obtain powerful Battle Force art. It propelled him to the silver rank in thest three months; it''s best we think of a way for you to escape and find allies."


    Asher lowered his head.


    There was no way for fifty bronze-ranked swordsmen to bring down a skilled silver-ranked swordsman, and he only had Kelvin!


    The owner of the body he possessed had once been a prodigy well known by nobles in the wastnd. He was so talented that even Count William Tigris betrothed his fifteen-year-old daughter, who awakened an S-grade talent that made her a mage to him.


    Asher could still feel the lingering emotions of the dead Asher concerning his affection and fondness for Liya Tigris, the Elvin girl. She was no doubt the most ravishing beauty he had ever seen in his life. Her mother was an elf whom Count William found in the depths of the forests during one of his great expeditions.


    After the racial war, other races were almost extinct, and this made Liya the centre of attention. She was both attractive and blessed with great talent!


    After he awakened this illness, which killed his mother instead of a talent, Count Tigris swiftly withdrew his daughter. His father, losing all hope, became a womanizer, and his brothers revealed their envious attitudes by not tending to him until they died.


    ''Liya again!'' Asher felt as if a sharp knife was lodged in his chest, and he couldn''t pull it out. He had never thought the Liya in this world would do almost the same thing to this body; it seemed like in any life, he was destined to be the one being dumped and cast aside.


    "My Lord¡­"


    Kelvin ced his hand on Asher''s back, concern flickering in his eyes.


    [Soulbinding sessfullypleted. Host, you have awakened the Lord Upgrade System. With me present, all things can be upgraded¡ªyour subordinates, territory, magic beasts, treasures, and equipment¡ªthrough methods of criteria fulfillment, quests, direct fusion, and much more.]


    Asher''s facial expression changed when he heard that female voice inside his head.


    Ttrring!


    [Upgrade Mission: Head Butler Kelvin had fulfilled the criteria to be upgraded to be a silver-ranked swordsman. Would you like to upgrade him? Yes or No.]


    ''Is this the said golden finger some protagonists have in novels? I never thought transmigration was possible, but even golden fingers are too?! Did those authors know about this and hide it from the world?''


    Asher''s expression brightened.


    As he lifted his head and saw Kelvin, an attribute panel appeared in his retina.


    [Name: Kelvin


    Age: 60


    Rank: Bronze


    Talent: Perfect Memory (C)


    Job: Swordsman


    Loyalty: 97]


    ''I knew his loyalty stats would be staggering.''


    With no lingering doubt, Asher clicked yes just by agreeing in his mind. In the next moment, a beam of light formed a cocoon around Kelvin. And in the same fashion of a caterpir stepping out as a beautiful butterfly, Kelvin emerged from the cocoon with all the wrinkles of age gone, his back straighter, and his aura much more astounding.


    A brand-new pair of gold-rimmed round sses that had no handle could be found on Kelvin''s nose, and his refined aura made him more like the head butler of a rich and powerful noble family.


    Asher was amazed that not just Kelvin''s rank was upgraded but also his physique, attire, and bearing. He was on a whole new level!


    He blinked, still astounded by the insane ability of his golden finger. If he could upgrade things, maybe there was a chance he would be able to salvage what remained of the barony. After all, that was the name of the system: Lord Upgrade System.


    "M¡­ My Lord!"


    Kelvin half kneeled and bowed his head. "You awakened!" His tone was revelling in shock and amazement. He didn''t know what sort of talent his Lord awakened, but it was certainly a high-grade one. For an unexinable reason, he knew the sudden burst of essence around him happened because of his lord.


    This was the system''s way of making sure people knew it was Asher, which would directly increase their loyalty and respect.


    Asher looked at Kelvin and smiled. Speaking about the system would simply be foolishness on his part, even if Kelvin''s loyalty had reached its peak.


    After the upgrade, he could see Kelvin''s loyalty had reached 100!


    There was no way Kelvin could be made to betray him, meaning he was safe around Kelvin.


    "Milord, how did you do that?" Kelvin asked humbly as he got to his feet.


    "I think it''s my talent."


    Asher moved his fingers around with a soft smile on his pale face.


    "Can you defeat Peter now?"


    "There''s a lot of information and experience that has remolded my muscle memory, so I should be as good as him, though I don''t think I can handle both him and his army."


    Having heard Kelvin Asher had a deep frown.


    "Where''s Sirius?!" Asher suddenly asked the moment his eyes crossed the mural.


    He recalled that the Ashbournes always had guardian pet beasts, which were from the family of wolves. The mighty beast thaty beside the man sitting on the throne was his pet beast! That beast was Shura, a mighty creature that once shook the immortal empire before the copse of the empire.


    Then, the Ashbournes were of high esteem, but now their mighty pet beasts were just pr wolves.


    Asher recalled that it had been two years since he had seen Sirius. Sirius was his pet beast, which was given to him by his father.


    "Peter chained it, your father and your brothers'' wolves are also in the dungeons. He has been trying to force them to submit to him."


    Asher''s eyes shed with a cold gleam when he heard that.


    "Take me there."

 Chapter 4: Pet Wolf Beast

    Tapk! Tapk!


    The feet of two men rang as they made their way through the narrow passage leading to the exit of Asher''s designated quaters.


    Knock! Knock!


    Creak!


    The wooden door swung open, and two guards looked at Kelvin before tilting their heads to the side and seeing Asher.


    Their eyes went dark.


    "He is not allowed to leave this ce," one said with a mean tone.


    Kelvin merely harrumphed, took a sudden step that was too fast for them to see, and hit their necks, knocking them out cold. As their bodies fell to the ground, he turned toward Asher.


    "My Lord. Let''s go on."


    Asher gave a nod and followed him.


    Those two guards were iron-ranked swordsmen, powerful enough to stop the former Kelvin, who was a bronze-ranked swordsman without much experience, but his upgrade took not just his rank but his overallbat rating to a much higher level.


    After those guards, they faced no one else until they were at the back exit of the small stone castle. Kelvin told Asher to wait so he could get a hood, so Asher crouched at a dark corner, watching maidservants and guards, who were supposed to be afraid of him, pass by.


    The guards barely had enough leather armor parts to protect their whole body, so almost all of them wore breast tes and held wooden spears.


    ''Are we going to fight a beast tide with that?! Some beasts in Boundless are taller than walls of great cities, and the wastnds are known to be the home of beasts, yet little is done to improve the military. No wonder the barony is declining.''


    While he waited, a maid carrying well-arranged clothes, which by looks were meant for the most powerful person in the castle, which is Peter, who has imed the title of baron, stumbled and crashed to the ground.


    Asher''s heart almost leaped out of his chest. The moment anyone found out he could move, Peter would kill him!


    As the maid arranged the clothes, she heard rushed breathing and turned toward Asher, who squeezed himself into a spot.


    "Lord Asher?" Her eyes went wide. Instantly, the system kicked in as Asher''s eyes met hers.


    [Name: Mary


    Age: 23


    Rank: None


    Talent: None


    Job: Ex-Young Lord Asher''s personal maid. Currently a castle maid.


    Loyalty: 70]


    Seeing her loyalty, Asher calmed himself. "Mary¡­" His soft voice fell into her ears.


    "Lord Asher. It''s actually you."


    "Don''t tell anyone you saw me."


    He whispered.


    Mary''s eyes grew wide.


    "Lord Asher... Are you leaving?"


    Upon seeing her shoulder''s slight trembling and her quivering lips, Asher knew she took him as the only hope of escaping the current ruler. No wonder her loyalty was still high. It was because he still lingered in her heart.


    "I won''t." Asher smiled. That smile boosted her confidence, and she got up and left. Even while leaving, she kept looking back to check if he would magically vanish.


    Not long after she left, Kelvin appeared with a hooded cloak. Asher swiftly put it on, covered his iconic gray hair, and they left the castle, his eyes stung. A mild throbbing pain came from them due to the contrast between the dim castle and the bright courtyard basking under the rays of the sun.


    "Keep a safe distance away from me," Kelvin said in a low tone, quickening his steps. Naturally, as the head butler, he attracted gazes from the citizens, and most of them weren''t polite ones, but they feared his power.


    "Give the baron''s bastard son his rightful position. He might be a cripple, but at least we''ll see food to eat!"


    From nowhere, a stone came hurtling toward Kelvin, but his heightened senses and quick reflex gave him the ability to catch the stone and crush it to dust!


    Having seen such power, not only the people but even Asher were shocked at Kelvin''s might.


    "You want to put your burdens on a man who struggles to stay alive? You that want the baron''s bastard son, why don''t youe out and give me good reasons?"


    Kelivn then turned to Asher after no one responded.


    Asher nodded and followed him.


    "That man was sent by Peter to draw you out so the people would see how unreliable you are and no one would oppose his rule." Kelvin whispered into Asher''s ear.


    Asher squinted.


    He had thought it was an innocent citizen who was unable to hold back anymore. After all, there were protests from where he came from.


    ...¡­


    "That''s Sirius."


    Asher looked at where Kelvin pointed, and he saw a skinny white wolfying close to the edge of the wooden cage. Therge wooden cage had two other wolves. One was quite big and had reached the bronze rank. It was his father''s wolf. The second was also quite big but a little smaller than the first, and it was Asher''s eldest brother''s wolf. It was also at the bronze rank but had a weaker aura.


    Sirius was just an ordinary wolf. Asher couldn''t train it before he fell sick.


    It''s been twelve years since then. These white wolves weren''t ordinary wolves found in the wastnds. They were called Pr wolves and had been with the family from the founding ancestor. Pr wolves had bear-like limbs and powerful jaws that had a stronger bite force than that of a jaguar. They could grow as big as a fully grown human at their peak!


    After the bonding ceremony, both Asher and his pet beasts now shared the same lifespan, and as his wolf grew stronger, he would also grow. They were bonded by flesh and blood. He was to be it''s master, and it was to be his guardian.


    Asher felt a pang in his chest, seeing Sirius like that. He could feel it wanting toe meet him but had fallen ill.


    The other wolves looked at him arrogantly.


    "Peter has been trying to subdue them but couldn''t, so he sent them far away from their home."


    "The Pr Wolves is an Ashbourne birth right; no outsider can ever change that." Asher said with an unshakable belief.


    ''You mentioned fusing. Can I fuse the other wolves to upgrade Sirius?''


    [Do you want to fuse two pr wolves to Sirius, your pet mount? Yes or No]


    Asher naturally clicked yes, and the other two bronze-ranked wolves were hurtled toward Sirius by an unseen force. The moment they hit Sirius, a ball of light enveloped them like a cocoon.


    As the light died down, a six-foot-tall and twelve-foot-long white wolf with thick limbs simr to those of bears had deadly curved ws that sank deep into the ground. The energy of a silver-ranked beast emanated from the majestic creature. It''s cold eyes were like those of a king of beasts. Calm yet murderously piercing.


    "Is¡­ that¡­ Sirius?!" Kelvin''s lips quivered.


    [Upgraded Beast: Pr Wolf King...]

 Chapter 5: Winter Is Coming

    Instantaneously, Asher''s muscles bulged up. He felt slight difort throughout his body for a split moment before it normalized. The slight increase of his muscles was quite noticeable, as previously he looked skinny and sickly pale, but now his bones were well covered with muscles, transforming him from a weak youth to a fit one.


    His face became more structured, and his eyes possessed the glint of a fearsome wolf. Although his strength wasn''t at the silver rank, he had risen from the ranks of ordinary men, skipping the iron rank and bing a bronze-ranked warrior.


    To rise in the ranks of any profession, practicing Battle Force Arts was crucial, but Asher''s butler had just watched the impossible happen. His lord had moved from a sickly man to a bronze-ranked warrior, and not just that, this advancement happened in one day!


    Sirius came and nudged its head against Asher''s chest, and he stroked it with a soft smile. "I''m d you''re back on your feet, buddy."


    Kelvin watched the reunion with a trembling heart. He did not know what kind of talent his lord awakened, but that talent defied all terms of understanding. He had read lots of history books, but this sort of talent had never been mentioned.


    With such ability, his lord could build a powerful army to withstand the beast tide this uing winter.


    .....


    Inside the stone castle''s dining hall, two identical men d in leather armor stood at the other end of the dining table, staring at a stout man seated at the head of the table feasting on a roasted pheasant.


    This brown-haired man was none other than the sole silver-ranked swordsman in Ash Town, Peter, chief guard to James Ashbourne, Fredrick Ashbourne, and Thomas Ashbourne.


    A row of three maids stood at his right, and another row stood at his left.


    "Alec, Alex, the famous sword and shield twins, what brings you here?"


    Alec, who had a bigger frame and a rectangr shield attached to his back, furrowed his eyebrows.


    "Winter ising, and with it a horde of beasts. We haven''t recovered from thest one; our walls are weak, most of our men have deserted, and the ones remaining are not properly trained nor well fed. And yet, you sit here all day eating!"


    Peter frowned. A whitish silver force billowed out of him, and his eyes also grew sharper, almost as sharp as literal des!


    "Don''t forget you are speaking to a silver-ranked swordsman."


    His voice dropped a few degrees.


    Alex, the one who had a heavy sword attached to his back, held his brother''s arm and took a step forward. "Sir Peter, we need to see Baron Thomas''s kid brother. We are rightfully supposed to speak to him, not you." Alex''s tone was calm, respectful, but blunt.


    "You want to see the brat who can''t even feed himself?"


    "On the contrary, I abhor to eat those ill-prepared meals anymore."


    The moment that voice rang, everyone, including the maids, turned to therge wooden doors. The doors swung open, revealing Asher on the back of a terrifying wolf. Just seeing him reminded them of the Ashbournes of the legends.


    "Is that the man you call sickly?" Alec raised an eyebrow.


    Upon seeing Asher, Peter threw the heavy dining table toward him and rushed toward the wall. Alex acted instantly as he unsheathed his sword and sliced the table into two while his brother was already at the back.


    His shield was before him. The table mmed his shield, but Alec perfectly withstood the impact.


    Asher was amazed by the twins, who acted like one flesh, but dealing with Peter was of utmost priority. At this moment, Peter had reached the wall and grabbed the sword hung on it.


    As he brandished the sword, a silver-zing force billowed out of him in the form of burning mes. The temperature of the hall increased instantly, but Sirius snorted, and the temperature dropped.


    Asher came down from his pet, and a glint shed through his eyes. An order was given, and Sirius acted swiftly. Itunched toward Peter, smacking the sword out of the experienced swordsman''s hands and ripping his chest open.


    Sirius also had a grudge toward this man that had been tormenting it for years. Peter stared at his chest and at Asher with disbelief.


    "I grew tired of eating ck bread and vegetable soup." Asher managed to say before Sirius chomped down.


    After watching Sirius devour Peter, the swordsman they all feared, Alec, Alex, and the maid half kneeled and bowed their heads at him.


    "Lord Asher!"


    Kelvin smiled and followed his Lord to the head seat. Asher sat down and looked at the hall. It did not have enough space to amodate the future size increase of his pet beast with the dining table and chairs. Good thing it was destroyed.


    "From now on, this hall will be called the sacred hall."


    Indeed, the sacred there means it was a ce for an Ashbourne lord and his pet beast. His surbordninates and vassals were allowed, but for a small amount of time. There would be no seat except his own.


    He got this from the mural in his room.


    As he sat down, Kelvin stood on the right side of his seat, and Siriusy before him. Judging by how it looked at Alec and Alex, it might still be hungry!


    Cold sweats soaked their backs.


    "Who are you?"


    Asher''s young, authoritative voice fell into their ears.


    "We''re your servants, Lord. Captains of your troops."


    [Criteria fulfilled. Both warriors aremander-level material. Would you upgrade Alex to silver-ranked swordsman and Alec to silver-ranked sheildman? Yes or No].


    Asher''s eye glowed. Commander-level materials, ording to Boundless, meant these twins had at least B-grade talents!


    Since they already spoke up for him before he came and deemed themselves his servants, Asher decided to upgrade them, as Kelvin had informed him about winter, which was dangerously close.


    When winter came, the depths of the wastnd would be too cold for the beasts, so they would run to warmer ces, and Ash Town happened to be the first human settlement between hordes of beasts and human civilization.


    Because of this, he needed a powerful army, and a strong army needed great leaders.

 Chapter 6: Upgrading The Sword & Shield Twins

    With an understanding of the perilous times ahead of his fief, Asher clicked the ''Yes'' option, and instantaneously, both men were covered in bright white light that blinded the sight of the maids, causing them to gasp.


    When the light died down, two men appeared. Alex, the swordsman, now had a streamlined body with a wider upper torso, which supported his muscr arms; his arms were equipped with powerful muscles to lift his heavy sword.


    The sword at his back was upgraded from iron rank to silver rank! It now possessed the image of a wolf on the hilt, and the de was as ck as a night without the two moons. His brown leader armor transformed into a gray gambeson and his forearms were protected by thick brown leather vambraces.


    A thick cloak with fur padding on the shoulder des appeared on him, along with leather boots that seemed to be made by the best shoemaker.


    All these were all silver-ranked equipment!


    Above that, his aura skyrocketed. His eyes had sharp gleams akin to those of a silver de reflecting under the sun. Beside Alex was his brother Alec, and his frame had grown bigger!


    He looked like a bear standing on its two feet! His muscles were bulging, and his face was stern and expressionless. The rectangr shield behind him had transformed into an iron shield, and the same went for his armor. His shield grew to almost 6 feet tall!


    His armor was simr to Alex''s, but instead of leather parts, it was hard metal!


    Upon noticing their current looks and strength, both men went on one knee and bowed their heads.


    "Rise."


    As they got to their feet, Asher locked eyes with them, and their panels appeared.


    [Name: Alex


    Age: 35


    Rank: Silver


    Talent(s): Telepathy (A), demaster (C)


    Job: Swordsman


    Loyalty: 95]


    [Talent description: Telepathy¡ªa unique passive talent that connects the minds of two or more persons, giving them the ability tomunicate without words and read each other''s external thoughts.].


    demaster: A rare melee-type active talent that increases the strength of a swordsman by 30%. This talent blesses the person with unnatural control and understanding over all sharp weapons, especially the sword.]


    [Name: Alec


    Age: 35


    Rank: Silver


    Talent(s): Telepathy (A), Strength Enhancement (D)


    Job: Sheildman


    Loyalty: 98]


    [Description: Strength enhancement is a passive talent that increases the person''s talent by two folds with every rank increase!]


    ''Both of them have two talents! These twins aren''t normal, and they would have rot here as bronze-ranked captians.''


    Asher breathed out softly.


    "I want a report on the state of my territory."


    Alec and Alex looked at Kelvin, who shook his head and turned toward Asher.


    "We have a force of 200 iron-ranked soldiers in their forties and a poption of a bit over 5000. Our walls are weary, and most of our soldiers are afraid of the next winter. There''s a high probability that they might flee to other baronies like the other deserters."


    Kelvin took a deep breath after taking a good look at Asher''s face.


    "The people are hungry and not protected from wild beasts, so their loyalty toward you is really low, milord. And finally, there''s a debt of 100,000 gold coins, of which we are to pay 5000 coins monthly."


    Asher closed his eyes. The state of his territory was the worst it could be. He had citizens that weren''t loyal to their lord anymore, a weak and untrustable army, walls that would crumble soon, and a massive amount of debt on his head.


    "Who borrowed such an amount of money?"


    Kelvin could detect a slight tinge of anger in Asher''s tone.


    "Your father and two brothers."


    "And what was it used for?"


    Kelvin cleared his throat upon hearing that. He shot the maids a nce, and they fled with relieved faces. Staying in that hall with a terrifying wolf was traumatizing. Especially after they watched it consume a man they''d served for years.


    "Your father borrowed 10,000 gold coins from the mercenary who goes by the name Baron Snow and spent it in brothels. He slept with three women every night and splurged on women of high ss in the city of Count Tigris. Two monthster, he borrowed another 10,000 gold coins. "


    ....


    Several minutester...


    "And Master Thomas, while being Baron, borrowed two thousand to start an expedition to reim our mines, but was killed by one of the abyss creatures. The money was wasted on his treatment and feeding the army until it finished."


    Asher looked at Kelvin.


    "What a proper way to inform me that your talent is perfect memory."


    Upon hearing that, Kelvin was stunned. "Milord, how did you know?"


    "Humph!"


    Asher''s snort made him retreat. Meanwhile, Asher did that to avoid further questions.


    "You mentioned mine. I never knew we had mines."


    "We do Milord, but it has been taken over by Abyss creatures." Alex replied respectfully but audibly.


    Asher squinted. He saw an opportunity in this. If his system had a space for criteria fulfillment, if his soldiers experienced a battle, wouldn''t they upgrade?


    ''I must first start by nurturing a strong army before looking into upgrading the territory, or else I might just make this ce a heaven for others to snatch.''


    Lifting his head, Asher gazed at his captians.


    "Gather your troops; we shall regain our mines tonight."


    Although Alec and Alex saw it as impossible, they decided to trust in the miracle he already did. After they left, Asher turned to face Kelvin.


    "I''m hungry. I also need a bath before I leave to reim the mines."


    Kelvin was beyond stunned. He couldn''t understand where his 22-year-old lord got this much confidence. This was the same ce his father avoided, his eldest brother feared after scouting, and where his second elder brother died!


    "Milord, sometimes overconfidence isn''t good. Abyss creatures are nightmarish beings able to rip a human into two with their bare arms. Leading our army there is sucidial."


    Asher smiled.


    He got to his feet and stroked Sirius''s head. The white wolf squinted, enjoying his caresses. "Trust me, Kelvin. I know what an Abyss creature is, but I also know that once we reim it, I''ll gain the people''s trust, and there will be jobs for the male citizens. More importantly, the army will never remain the same after this battle."


    A determined glow reflected in his eyes.

 Chapter 7: Green-Skins

    With an army of two hundred men who were already waning in strength and were only under him because they had no ce in other baronies, Asher went to the mines. On their way, he could hear their whispers as they gazed at his pet beast, Sirius.


    His presence meant little, but Sirius was the morale booster for two hundred men. Just the thought of them putting their trust in a beast and underestimating him made Asher shake his head inwardly.


    Asher turned his head toward his troop. All of them wore worn-out clothing and held wooden spears and shields made from the tall trees found in the mountains that surrounded Ashtown.


    His ancestors were wise to build the town in a ce strategically advantageous to them. For an enemy to attack them, they would have to climb the mountains.


    The thought of his enemies climbing thousands of feet made Asher chuckle.


    The town was located in a valley surrounded by tall trees, which led up to the thick mountain forests popted with beasts of different sizes and nature.


    After looking at his troops, Asher only saw an advantage in their discipline. A hundred of them were shieldmen, and the other hundred were swordsmen.


    Although they did not look frightening due to their attire, their united marching and strict formation were noteworthy.


    After resting at different spots, Asher arrived at the mines when the day had turned to night and two moons were high above the floating dark clouds. One was silver and the other was purple.


    Standing on high grounds, Asher looked down at the tents made from animal skins littered about. Hulking green-skinned humanoid beings with tusks protruding out of their lips moved about, d in nothing but animal skins about their waists.


    Only the females had a covering around their chests.


    He noticed some stood as watchmen and held the bones of beasts as their weapons. Although those bones weren''t sharp, Asher did not doubt the damage it could cause as a blunt weapon.


    "Lord Asher. They''re about 400 orcs in total." Alex unsheathed his sword, stabbed the ground, and leaned against it.


    "All those orcs, and you tell me there are only 400?"


    "He meant 400 capable of fighting. Not including those inside the tents." Alec responded to Asher.


    Right at that moment, an orc much bigger than the others wearing a garment made of wolf skin emerged from the biggest tent with a sizable, intricate silver iron ore in his hands. As he lifted it up, the other orcs began to yell and scream. They also lifted up their own.


    All they said sounded like gibberish in Asher''s ears.


    "This looks like some sort of ritual, so there should be none inside the tent. Especially those capable of fighting." Asher spoke with narrowed eyes.


    "They use our ore to summon and sacrifice it to their minotaur deity."


    Upon hearing that, Asher''s expression became solemn. "They have a stronger ranked entity than gold!"


    Alex shook his head. "I don''t think so. They simply take those ores into a cave and wait for their deity to eat his meal. They''re quite dumb up there, but when ites to strength, only bronze-ranked warriors can match."


    Asher then responded. "How will your men fare against four hundred?"


    "With me, my brother, and Sirius, we should be able to weaken the pressure, but they won''t survive a one-on-one battle, and they''re already twice our number." Alec responded with knit eyebrows.


    "Their number advantage makes it better for us. We''ll take advantage of the slope. Prepare the shieldmen at the front and the swordsmen behind. Once the formation of the shieldmen is broken, the swordsmen will take the stage."


    Alex and Alec were dumbfounded. Why would their lord say such things? How is twice the number better in any way?


    After the shieldmen arranged their triangr formation with their spears ready to pierce through their enemies, Asher turned to his wolf. "Inform them of our presence."


    Awoo!


    Awoo!!


    Sirius earth-shaking howl made the orcs turn. Instantly they sighted the huge white wolf at the top of the hill, and it was seemingly alone.


    Normally, only a few would go after it, but the orcs could perceive that the strength of this wolf was umon. And the second their leader mentioned using it as a feast, the orcs ran toward the hill. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a hundred orcs began to whistle, andrge, stout grey wolves came out of the other side of the forests.


    The orcs, along with their leaders, mounted the wolves and went after Sirius. Sirius purposely retreated into the hill where the orcs could no longer see it, causing them to increase their speed. They were shouting and making all sorts of sounds until the first batch arrived at the hilltop.


    The sharpened wooden spears of well-prepared shieldmen pierced through their thick skins, drawing blood as they were drawn out. Without dy, they took a step forward and thrust out their spears, nailing down the second batch.


    Instantaneously, 30 orcs were dead!


    The next group was over twenty, and the shieldmen opened up a space, forcing them into their circle. In no time, twenty orcs were pierced to their deaths. The formation was so destructive that Asher''s mouth almost dropped.


    Although they looked like the worst, the constant fight against beasts every winter had forged them to be keen warriors.


    Their skyrocketing morale plunged when the wolf-riding orcs arrived. The first wall of shieldmen broke as the orcs swung their bone clubs at such speed that some shieldmen''s shields shattered.


    "Sirius!" Asher, who stood at the back, bellowed.


    Siriusunched out, wing two orcs and their wolves. Its presence drew the attention of the wolf-riding orcs, and Asher ordered Sirius to lead them away with their mental connection. He then looked at the chaos going on at the forefront with solemn eyes.


    Alec stood at the front, leading his shieldmen. His yells broke through the sounds of shing, keeping the formation from breaking. "Sirius has created an opening; go from the right side now!"


    Alex nodded and led the swordsmen toe from the right instead of the shield men''s back. As Alex closed the gap, he leaped into the air and sung his sword, cleanly killing an orc. The orc''s body had not even touched the ground when Alex weaved through two more and flicked away the blood from his sword.


    "Three dead." He muttered under his breath.

 Chapter 8: Gold-Ranked Pet Beast

    While Alex went about harvesting lives with masterful swings of his sword, his men wielding swords and round shields came after him. They were much lighter than the Shieldmen, whose shields were almost as tall as they are.


    Seeing his brother moving through the orcs and leaving dead bodies in his trail, Alec got fired up. "Shields!" he bellowed, and the shieldmen around him ducked behind their shields, narrowly avoiding bone clubs.


    Alec dashed out of the formation and mmed his foot against an orc. The impact of a silver-ranked shieldman, especially one with a talent that increases his strength twice as much as normal,unched the orc backward.


    Alec used his shield to defend himself from the attack of another orc, and at the same time, he pierced through another orc at his right. "Ah!"


    He grunted heavily.


    As he pulled back his shield from the other, he spun, swinging his spear with so much momentum that the sound of the shaft hitting the other orc''s head went far.


    Thud!


    The orc fell.


    Alec looked back and saw his men were struggling to keep the formation as more orcs caught up. They had lost their advantage of surprise, so it was up to their skill and tenacity. "Where is Lord Asher?"


    He looked around and spotted Asher ahead of him. Asher, who was supposed to be at the back, was now before the slope, pulling his spear out of an orc.


    He was sweating profusely.


    Before Alec could panic, he saw his brother going toward Asher.


    After watching a soldier die under the brutal attack of an orc, Asher lost it. By the time he recovered, he was already standing above the orc with the spear of the dead soldier.


    Hu Hu~


    He breathed heavily.


    "Lord!" Alex''s voice fell into his ears.


    Asher turned and saw Alexing toward him. The intensity of viciousness in his men''s eyes had doubled as they saw him exact revenge on their fallenrade.


    "For Lord Asher!" Alex yelled with his sword raised high.


    "For Lord Asher!!"


    With their morale back on its feet, they fought till they had to chase the remaining orcs to their tents and thrust their weapons through them. Only a few female orcs were found, but no young orcs.


    This made Ashere to the conclusion that they fought against an orc army and not against a tribe, as he first thought.


    Nevertheless, the females weren''t spared.


    After all, what were they going to do with barbaric female orcs?


    While some soldiers ransacked the tents, others gathered the bodies of their dead, and after counting, Alec came to Asher.


    "We lost 30 men. 18 shieldmen and 12 swordsmen." Alec''s tone was heavy,den with the news of sorrow that also lingered in the depths of his eyes.


    Asher shut his eyes for a long while and opened them. "Prepare their bodies. We''ll bury them." He turned and left.


    "I did not see any sign of sorrow in his eyes. Is our lord going to be a heartless one?" Alec asked, but at the same time, it seemed as if he already had an answer. He turned and was about to leave when Alex called him back.


    Both of them traced Asher''s path and found him sitting by a tree with his head lowered. Unlike them, Asher felt more pain, which was why he found it hard looking at their corpses. Being a lord seemed easy when it was a game, and you knew those characters were NPCs, but here, he faced reality.


    The burdens of their deaths weighed on him.


    "I had a feeling he wasn''t what you thought." Alex said and was about to gofort Asher when his twin brother held his arm.


    "Don''t. He needs some time alone."


    Although Alec''s face remained expressionless, a gleam of recognition shed through his eyes. Asher was a young lord indeed.


    ....


    After a while, Asher returned to see his men camped around fire, roasting their breakfast. Although the skies were still dark, it wouldn''t be long before first light.


    Once the soldiers saw him, their chattering was quenched, like when a sword fresh out of the forge was dipped into water.


    "Lord Asher¡­" Alex stood up.


    "Where''s Sirius?" Asher asked with a hoarse voice.


    He saw everyone look behind him, so he too, turned, and what he saw was his pet beast standing tall. He could perceive the stench of blood from the wounds, deep and shallow, that could be found everywhere on Sirius'' body.


    It copsed before him, causing Asher to rush toward it.


    [Criteria fulfilled. Would the host like to upgrade Sirius, your pet beast, to be a Celestial Ice Wolf? Yes or No.]


    ''Yes.''


    Swoosh!


    As the light went down, all the soldiers were frightened out of their seats. The beast they gazed at was a 7-foot-tall and 14-foot-long wolf that had white fur and blue at the tail, w area, and in the middle of its eyes.


    A sudden cold breeze swept through everyone, causing their breaths to produce mists as if it were winter.


    Sirius'' gold rank aura suppressed the entire army. Should it choose to attack, then none of them would survive.


    The gulf between silver and gold wasn''t as small as a single rank difference. A gold-ranked warrior had officially be a knight! In Boundless, being a knight meant that the warrior would be recognized everywhere, and knights could sweep the battlefield like lords if not put in check.


    This made Sirius a knight-beast.


    Asher noticed Sirius'' blue ws and bent. The moment he touched it, his forearm became numb and began to hurt!


    "The ice in his name isn''t for a joke."


    In the next moment, his muscles and bones experienced another upgrade. Before the eyes of his soldiers, he grew more muscr, and his hair also grew longer. At this point, he looked like a warrior who had been training for decades.


    "What kind of overpowering talent does the Lord possess?" A soldier gaped.


    Unknown to him, another notification was before Asher''s eyes.


    [Your sheildmen have fulfilled certain criteria and are avable for upgrade. Would the host like to upgrade them to a bronze-ranked shieldmen? Yes or No?]


    [Your swordsmen have fulfilled certain criteria and are avable for upgrade. Would the host like to upgrade them to a bronze-ranked swordsmen? Yes or No].

 Chapter 9: Two-Faced Shura

    White light covered his men, chasing away the darkness for a short while before it died down. Before Asher stood a troop of 170 bronze-ranked soldiers garbed in leather armor, fur cloaks, andrger frames.


    Theirbined auras were inspiring, a stark contrast to their former selves. Their waning strength came back and even doubled, causing their muscles to bulge, but not crazily. Their old, ordinary weapons became newly forged bronze-ranked weapons!


    Although the shields were still wooden, they were capable of withstanding a fully grown orc''s full strike without slight damage.


    A smile crawled up on Asher''s face as he gazed at his upgraded forces.


    The soldiers were stunned. "Did Lord Asher do this?"


    Their shock wasn''t surprising to Asher. He beckoned for his captains and left for the cave mines, with Sirius following him like a loyal beast bodyguard. They stopped at the edge and looked at the valley, which was brimming with iron ores.


    "They''ve been mining all these years!" Alex gaped. He thought these orcs were brainless and the lowest of the lowest in the strength ranking of abyss creatures, but it seemed he was fooled.


    "We have two; what about the other one?" Asher asked solemnly.


    "It''s been mined dry." Alec responded heavily.


    Asher sighed. He rubbed his thumb against his index finger with closed eyes.


    He squatted and picked up an ore. "We canbine this ore with stronger and rarer ores to create powerful alloys." If we sell it, we can surely deal with our debt."


    He got to his feet and turned to his captains. "Do we have miners in the barony, or have they also fled?"


    "Most of the men in the barony are miners, and they haven''t fled, My Lord." Alex replied softly. He was treading carefully since Asher''s expression wasn''t pleasant.


    Asher''s expression lightened. "That''s good news."


    "My Lord!"


    "My Lord!"


    A swordsman who had been scouting the area ran over.


    Asher turned his head to the soldier, his right eyebrow raised in a questioning fashion.


    "The abyss creatures filled the caves with ores!"


    "What?!"


    Upon hearing this, Asher, his captains, and his pet beast made their way to the caves and saw that they were filled with iron ores. Only one of them had a few ores littered about, meaning the cave was recently cleared.


    "So they weren''t worshipping a deity; they were transporting ores to wherever their base is. No wonder there are no young orcs here."


    Alec was shocked, yet his facial expression remained serious, as if it didn''t function ording to his emotions.


    Since each upgrade would increase the ranks and looks of his troops equipment, Asher didn''t see any use for the ores concerning the military, but right now it would be really useful to start a trade with other nobles.


    He needed money to pay debts and import goods because his citizens wereining of hunger and thend was also bad.


    The wasnds didn''t just get the name randomly. Despite being an enormous region that could sustain an empire, it was deserted.


    The main reason was the corrupt force known as the Abyss Force that came from the depths of the wastnds, sweeping through the entire continent of Tenaria. This corrupt force had sucked life out of thend and also affected the once prestigious mages who ruled over Tenaria as overlords.


    Their reign hadsted for thousands of years, and they were the ones who created the first Battle Force user. However, after the appearance of Abyss Force, the natural Magi Force became corrupted, causing countless supreme mages to be insane, and like that, their number dwindled, allowing Battle Force users to reign in their stead.


    Due to this, mages, who were once as populous as the sand, became rare sightings.


    ...


    After a day''s journey, Asher and his troop came back to Ash Town with the corpses of some orcs as proof to the people. Seeing them marching gantly with the heads of the ferocious orcs, a huge crowd gathered, but they kept their distance because of the giant wolf their lord sat on.


    "Is that our new lord?" a woman asked a man.


    The man nodded heavily with gleaming eyes. He knew the next thinging was a notice for miners, meaning he would soon get a job and be able to afford a three-square meal!


    While the citizens were calming around the troop with several questions in their eyes, Asher took a good look at his town. The wooden houses weren''t something to write home about, as most of them had leaking roofs and some used nks as doors.


    Most of the people looked thin, and others were sick. Only a mere few looked healthy but still thin.


    The walls were made from mud and wood and had lots of cracks and damages, which they tried to fix with mud, but Alex knew that against the walls stood no chance against the beasts that woulde during winter.


    He sent the soldiers to rest in their camp and also slept in his small stone castle until the next day. As he opened his eyes, the first person that appeared was Mary, his personal maid. She was cleaning the mural, and it was then that Asher discovered no one had cleaned this mural for ages because he could now see a familiarity between that wolf and Sirius.


    Still, Sirius was much smaller.


    "Lord Asher. You''re awake!" Mary gasped.


    "I am." Asher responded with a nod as he walked past her and studied the mural. With the dirt and dust gone, he could now see a name.


    "Lord Zenas Ashbourne. The two-faced Shura. Duke of the North. Rider of the Saintly Lionwolf!"


    After reading the titles, Asher found himself faced with several questions, like: how in the world was this man a duke and he was a baron, the lowest noble in the ranking?


    And that word ''Saintly caught his attention because it meant this wolf was no mere pet beast; it was a terrifying Saint-Ranked beast!


    "Were the Ashbournes this great in the past?"

 Chapter 10: Moonlit Starhorn Cow

    Asher squinted to get a good look at Zenas'' face. In the mural, he was seated at the end of therge hall, which had thick round pirs, and because of his position, his image was small.


    When Asher saw his face, his right eyebrow raised. He had an uncanny resemnce to his father, James Ashbourne.


    His father began like a true Ashbourne and became a silver-ranked swordsman at age 30. His talent made him the next baron, but he turned about and killed the rest of the Ashourne, but not for any reason.


    Since he wasn''t the rightful heir, they sought to overthrow him, so he had to get rid of them, but this left him as thest Ashourne on the entire continent.


    His drastic rise was met with a pathetic fall when he began chasing after skirts and drinking himself to stupor.


    Asher knew the very cause of his father and brother''s deaths: They left the ways of the Ashbournes.


    Ashbournes were warriors. They deprived themselves of pleasure to be formidable warriors that brought bone-chilling fear to their enemies.


    While Asher was lost in thought, Mary left and returned. "Lord Asher, your meal is ready."


    "Mnn," Asher nodded.


    He went to the new dining room, which is much smaller but had arge window that gave him a nice view of his town. On the wooden table was a small meal, befitting middle-ss citizens.


    Kelvin stood beside the table with a wry smile.


    "It might look small, but the bread is freshly baked, and the milk is from our best cow."


    Asher snorted.


    "You don''t have to advertise food to a hungry man, Kelvin."


    After sitting, he took a bite of the bread, and his eyes brightened. "It tastes really good. So we have a skilled baker among the castle servants."


    Kelvin smiled. "Mary baked it. Although she''s young, she''s a great cook."


    "I see. How many servants are in the castle?"


    "Five, My Lord. Three cleaners and two cooks." Kelvin responded.


    "What about the others I saw in the former dining hall?"


    Asher looked into Kelvin''s eyes.


    "I sent them away. There is no need for excesses."


    "Good." Asher smiled.


    Asher took the cup of milk, and his taste buds jubted as the warm milk ran down his esophagus.


    When Asher was done eating, Kelvin ced his hand in front of his mouth and coughed.


    "What do you want to say?" Asher asked as he leaned back.


    "I''ve contacted a good friend of mine, Jon. He would sell the iron ore to the nobles on the high ins. We just have to pay him."


    "Let him sell the iron ores, and we''ll pay him. Take me to the farming sector."


    On the way, Kelvin felt much pressure due to the fact that Asher just agreed to his idea without questioning the loyalty of Jon. This went to show how much Asher trusted him, but it also put a lot of pressure on him.


    Even he trusted his friend; this was a big deal, so he would have to warn him.


    Outside the walls, Asher and Kelvin walked up to the farmers. There was a full sack of maize seeds, which they were about to nt. Theirst harvest was pitiful, but at this stage, such a harvest was normal.


    When they saw Asher, all of them fell on their knees. "Milord, what brings you to these lowly servants?" An elderly woman said it amicably.


    Asher smiled and squatted before her, causing her eyes to widen. "I came to see if I could help."


    "You want to farm?!" A male farmer gasped.


    "Maybe."


    "Lord!!" This time around, not only the farmers but also Kelvin eximed.


    "Hahaha!"


    Asher burst intoughter and got to his feet. While speaking to the elderly woman, he touched the ground and tried several ways for the system to bring up a notification concerning upgrading the soil, but nothing appeared.


    "Go on. I want to watch." He said.


    As a farmer opened the sack and Asher saw the small seeds, he got an idea. The moment he thought about it, a notification appeared.


    [Would the host like to upgrade these ordinary maize seeds by fusion? Yes or No]


    Without a second thought, Asher agreed, and the sack was covered by a burst of white light. When the light went down, everyone gasped.


    Therge bag filled with maize seeds had been reduced to a third of its quantity.


    Asher brought out a handful of maize seeds, and the resplendent golden seeds, two times bigger than the ordinary ones, glimmered before his eyes.


    [Bronze-ranked maize seeds: absorb mana and grow in all seasons, including winter. Can grow three times faster than ordinary maize seeds and produce fatter and sweeter corn.


    ''Three times faster!''


    This meant it would only take the maize a month to be fully grown!


    Asher lifted his head and saw the farmers staring at the seeds with glowing eyes. "nt them. In a month''s time, they''ll be ripe for harvest."


    The elderly woman had her doubts but held her tongue. She would prove him wrong a monthter and p out that arrogance. Although the maize seeds looked like they fell from the skies, she doubted that a maize would suddenly change its growth period.


    Asher then turned to Kelvin. "Don''t we have livestock?"


    ...


    After a short while, Asher gazed at a thousand wild cattle grazing the fields, one kilometer away from the town. Kelvin reported that Peter bought them with the few they had and reared them just to sell them for his gain.


    All the milk gotten from the cattle was Peter''s to consume.


    [Criteria fulfilled. Would the host like to upgrade 1015 cattle to the bronze rank? Yes or No.]


    ''Upgrade!''


    Swoosh!


    [Ivory-White Cow: Produces sweeter milk and is more docile.]


    Asher scoffed. ''Just sweeter milk?''


    He fused two cows, and when the light went down, a 1.7-meter-tall cow with white skin and beautiful blue horns with blue eyes appeared.


    Without being told, Asher knew this cow was a silver-ranked one!

 Chapter 11: Silver-Ranked Sterling Bulls

    [Moonlit Starhorn Cow: Daily intake of this silver-ranked cow''s milk for a week would increase a person''s strength by 100 catties. Reduces with continuous consumption.]


    Asher''s eyes glowed. Free hundred cattle just by drinking milk!


    His twinkling eyes veered toward the cattle, and without a second thought, he fused them all, reducing their numbers to 507. He spared thest one because it had no partner to fuse with. Seeing 500 tall mystical cows suddenly appear in ce of their ordinary cows, the herders were enveloped with shock.


    One could easily fit an egg in their open mouths.


    They looked at their thin canes and the size of the cows and were dumbfounded. Had their lord just transformed their cattle into beasts?


    Moonlit Satrhorn were famous for their milk and meat, which could attract the attention of nobles and big merchant guilds like a ma to metals.


    But, they were fearsome wild beasts that moved in great numbers, and only a few seeded in rearing them domestically.


    "Milord, won''t these beasts escape?" A herder asked out of fear. He couldn''t even muster the courage to threaten the mooing cows with his staff.


    "They won''t." Asher had faith in the upgrade process. It was done in a way that those who underwent the upgrade, man or beast, would know who had caused it.


    In a way, it increased their loyalty.


    While humans hadplex minds and could still betray, it was different for beasts. Their simple minds made them easily loyal and submissive to Asher.


    "I would like to taste their milk for lunch."


    The herders who were able to caress the Moonlit Starhorn cows after discovering they were shockingly more docile than the ones that had before nodded with big smiles.


    "Oh yes, I would love to have that one as meat. I haven''t eaten meat to my satisfaction for years." Although Asher''s soul entered this body recently, he still felt the same craving the dead Asher had. After all, it was still the same body, and the body craved meat.


    Everyone looked at where Asher pointed, and there they saw the cow that wasn''t merged.


    Why did it look like that cow was the fattest amongst the ordinary ones?


    Kelvin looked at Asher meaningfully.


    After leaving the side of the cattle, Asher went over to a fenced ce where there were about 100 bulls.


    [These bulls are too weak to mate with the cattle. Would you like to produce ten powerful bulls that would be able to subdue all 507 Moonlit Starhorn Cattle? Yes or No]


    Asher''s eyes widened.


    ''So you can say something other than the normal upgrade information!''


    [Yes. But I prefer being silent.]


    Asher could sense hints of pride in the system''s female voice, but there was still restraintced in her tone. It went to show that he was also the master in their rtionship. This conclusion brought his heart to rest.


    He didn''t want to be lord over his people and a ve to a system.


    A lord wasn''t meant to be a ve to anything!


    ''Upgrade the bulls.''


    Swoosh!


    The hundred bulls were smashed together, and the result was 10 six-foot-tall, muscr bulls. Their skins were silverish-white, and their horns grew bigger and longer. From domestic livestock, they transformed into imposing wild beasts!


    [Sterling Bull: A territorial beast that is 10 times stronger than ordinary bulls.]


    Upon seeing these fearsome beastsing toward Asher, Kelvin swiftly stood in front of him, drew his sword from the leather scabbard, and pointed it toward the beasts, but they still proceeded without a shred of fear.


    Each of them was in the silver rank, so one more silver-ranked swordsman whose aura was still shaky wasn''t enough to frighten them. However, they could also sense that Asher, who was smaller, was also a silver-ranked warrior, and his aura was hidden but terrifying.


    When they arrived, Asher swiftly pulled Kelvin behind him and stretched his hand out. Instantaneously, the bulls screeched to a halt and lowered their heads.


    "They were justing to pay respects, Kelvin." He smiled.


    ....


    By the time the sun rose to its peak, Asher finished his tour and returned to the stone castle. This castle was a disgrace to a noble, but he had to make sure the town was dealt with. He had hopes that in a month''s time there would be enough corn to feed people because he had fused all the maize seeds in the town and asked more people to go farm, promising them meat.


    More herders were hired to take care of the cattle and bulls, and they were also anticipating meat tonight. Without money, Asher could only resort to this method to make people work.


    Kelvin pushed the doors to the sacred hall open, and Asher walked in. He first spotted Sirius. The sound of the door woke Sirius up. Its ears twitched, and itzily opened its eyes.


    When it saw Asher, it went back to sleeping.


    Asher sat on his wooden chair and faced Kelvin, who eyed Sirius. The beast was growing into a behemoth, and right now, the castle was too small for it. They would have to start rebuilding, as Ashbournes do not sit without their pet beasts.


    It was some kind of unspoken ritual.


    "Milord, you should go visit your ancestral library while I tend to your meals."


    Asher nodded, and Kelvin left.


    Some timeter, as he kept staring into nothing, the emotions from Lia''s betrayal began to flood in. It also came with another concern the owner of this body. He was also betrothed to Liya, the golden-haired Elf Lady he designed after the likeness of his girlfriend.


    When they saw the innate talent young Asher Ashbourne had, Count Tigris quickly betrothed his daughter, who was 5 years older to him.


    Young Asher had already begun to nurture fantasies of marrying the beautiful Liya before his awakening crashed everything.


    The twelve years of pain gnawed at Asher Ashbourne''s heart until he died and earth Asher took over.


    "Heh¡­" A chuckleden with self-mockery left his lips.


    "Women." He gripped the armrest of his chair tightly. He got to his feet and left for the library so as not to drown in his thoughts.

 Chapter 12: Shura Blade Battle Force Art

    Asher wrapped his fingers around the knob of a wooden door and pushed it in. His eyes wandered over the small study, over the shelves with scrolls and books neatly arranged, over the odd stone table, and finally at the mirror.


    The sight of the mirror shocked Asher because mirrors were a rare sight. Only one nation in Boundless produces ss and has mastered the technique of creating mirrors, and that nation was far away from the wastnd.


    There was no way his father got such a treasured object.


    This must have been from the period of Zenas, as he was the greatest Ashbourne in Asher''s opinion.


    He walked into the room, running his fingers from one book to the other, one scroll to the other, while his eyes were fixed on his reflection on the mirror.


    It was the first time he got a good look at his new body.


    He looked like an 18-year-old young man with a chin as smooth as a baby''s bottom. He was already 22 but not a strand had popped out!


    He couldn''t say his face was the most handsome face to ever exist, but he was definitely handsome. His grey hair matched his dull golden eyes, and both prominent features were seamlessly fitted into his face.


    Looking at his face, Asher could see a warrior. His face wasn''t like that of a gigolo, despite being pale.


    His frame was also worth 8 stars. Looking at himself, d in white tunic tucked into his brown pants and brown boots, Asher smirked.


    His arms were muscr and not as thin as in his previous life.


    After admiring his looks, he looked at the stone table and saw a sunken palm print with foreign words etched above it.


    The words were foreign and not the normal Tenarianguage, but he could perfectly understand what was written.


    "Palm stained with your blood."


    His brows knit together.


    Asher leaned down and squinted. He discovered there was a tiny needle inside the sunken ce. After deliberating for a while, he put his palm, and it pricked him, but his expression remained the same.


    However, his teeth were clenched.


    Shortly after, there was a soft rubbing, and the mirror went in and slid to the side, revealing a dark, narrow passage with stairs leading downward.


    Asher descended and found a small space with a tome on top of a column and two longswords hung on the wall.


    The swords were sheathed in ck scabbards.


    Ashbournes were known for being able to wield two swords with both hands. They were ambidextrous, but Asher wasn''t. He just wasn''t right handed on both sides, no matter how hard he tried.


    On the tome''s cover was ''Shura de Battle Force Art''.


    The moment Asher set his eyes on the name, his heart skipped a beat. This was battle force art for a swordsman, and it must have been from Zenas, the very first Ashbourne.


    He flipped through the pages and saw different sword arts and how to train his body to match the insane requirements of the Shura de Battle Force Art. First he must swing his sword a thousand times in the dark hours of the day, when the two moons were at their peak.


    He was to attach stones to his limbs while training to build his strength, stamina, and speed.


    ''What sort of cruel man was Zenas?!'' Asher gaped.


    Although the methods were harsh, Asher was determined to train and be a swordsman. Having powerful troops didn''t mean he should allow himself to be weak and helpless.


    Asher took the swords and unsheathed them. They were the swords his father used. He could remember them in the hands of his father during his younger days.


    [Shura Twin des: silver-grade weapons forged by the best cksmith in Tigris county. The des are as dark and gleaming like ss because they were forged from a strange rock of unknown origins.]


    Upon seeing the description of the swords, Asher knew there was no way his father could pay to have a sword this unique forged. It was probably passed down from his father.


    [Host isn''t ambidextrous. Would the host like to upgrade the ''Shura Twin des'' by fusion? Yes or No.]


    Asher clicked yes, and the weapons were fused by a blinding light. When the light died out, a simple yet exquisite ck and silver scabbard with the sword''s hilt protruding out of it appeared in his hands.


    [Devourer: the gold-ranked product of fusing two inherited twin silver-grade swords. Can pierce and damage all equipment below the gold rank.]


    Shing!


    Asher unsheathed the sword from the scabbard, and the ck de appeared. The sword was almost leaving the boundaries of longswords as it was four fingers wide and three and a half feet long.


    As he swung it, Asher heard its subtle whistle as it tore the air. "Quite heavy, but I like it. With a gold ranked sword and a gold-ranked pet beast, I should be safe from any secret attack."


    Gu gu!


    Right at this moment, his stomach rumbled.


    Rubbing his stomach, Asher left his study with his sword and the time in both hands.


    "Good evening, Lord Asher."


    Said Mary as she saw him heading toward her. She stood right in front of his room, so it was no surprise they would meet.


    "Is my meal prepared?"


    "Yes, Milord." She lowered her head. She saw the sword in his hand and gasped. Was he about to start training again?


    She remembered when he used to train before falling ill.


    "Let''s go."


    He went to the dining room with the sword and tome. The first thing that hit him in the dining room was the aroma of the meals on the table. For the first time in a long while, this body perceived the smell of meat!


    Kelvin stood, neatly dressed and wearing a broad smile.


    "Your lunch is ready."


    Asher hurriedly sat. ''Finally! A meal a Lord deserves.'' While eating, he took the cup of Moonlit Starhorn milk, and as he drank it, a warm sensation spread throughout his body, nourishing his bones and muscles in afortable way.

 Chapter 13: Two Moons, A Thousand Sword Swings

    Kelvin examined the sword, which was beside Asher, with squinted eyes. Upon seeing the tome, his eyes went wide.


    "How did you get that tome?" He gaped.


    Asher looked at him with a raised eyebrow.


    "Haven''t you seen it before?"


    A wry smile appeared on Kelvin''s face. "Ist saw it in Jeffery Ashbourne''s hands."


    Asher''s eyes widened. "My grandfather was thest person to practice this Battle Force Art?!"


    "Yes. I wanted you to see the palm print and ask questions, but I never knew Sirius was already a gold ranked beast."


    Ashe leaned back. "So the prerequisite to entering that room is to nurture my pet beast to the gold rank."


    "It is." Kelvin replied respectfully. "After your grandfather and his pet beast died, the barony began to decline. A baron must have a gold-ranked knight to qualify as a true baron in the standards of the Eternal Immortal Empire''sws, and that was the same criteria for obtaining the family''s ancient art." Kelvin added.


    "So without a gold-ranked knight, I''m not recognized?" Asher asked with a frown.


    "The wastnds are abandoned, and we haven''t been able to produce anything worth trading, so the low ss nobles here aren''t recognized."


    "I see." Asher got to his feet.


    As he was about to leave, Kelvin stopped him.


    "Before I forget, My Lord,. Jon is on his way to the high ins. He should leave the wastnds in two weeks'' time."


    "I''ll await the good news." Asher smiled and left for the study.


    ...


    In the study, he sat behind the stone table after selecting a book that had what he wanted. As he opened it, his eyes paused on the heading.


    Eternal Immortal Empire''s Fall.


    ''If this world is exactly the same as the virtual game, then beyond the mountain range lie the ruins of the powerful races of the Eternal Immortal Empire.''


    Without knowing, Asher became absorbed in reading. Time kept moving, and by the time he reached thest page, the sun had gone down.


    He supported his chin with his arms while meditating on the information he got from the book. He had no idea of this backstory, but it was magnificent and mind-shaking. ording to the book, the Eternal Immortal Empire was the first empire to rise up after the fall of mages.


    There were several promising talents who stood on the side of their ruler, and among them was Zenas Ashbourne, known as the two-faced shura! He was the grand general in charge of keeping watch against the abyss creatures after their rise 500 years ago.


    After the sudden appearance of the abyss creatures, there was a great war that caused the disappearance of other races. Only a few of them remained, but the dragons and many mystical creatures had disappeared from the continent.


    The North, once a renownednd, kept dying until it finally became a wastnd, and void of any good.


    The Eternal Immortal Empire was greater than the other two empires, but internal strife split the once great empire into dukedoms and kingdoms. However, the capital of the Eternal Immortal Empire remained under the reign of the imperial family.


    Unfortunately, the nobles had rebelled against them and refused their orders, reducing their control solely to the capital.


    With all this information, the most striking thing to Asher was the size of the wastnds. It was three times bigger than the biggest dukedom and belonged to no one!


    Rightfully, it was the Ashbournes, but that was 500 years ago. The Ashbourne family had declined into a wretched state during the period and had lost ownership of thend, not because it was taken from them but because theycked the power to maintain ownership.


    The dukedoms had sold thend in parts, thereby demarcating it into several territories.


    "Even those who have no rightful ownership of thend are using it to enrich themselves." Asher frowned.


    Knock! Knock!


    "My Lord." A soft female voice broke Asher''s train of thought.


    He opened the door and saw Mary. "My Lord. Sir Kelvin requires that you eat and prepare for your training."


    "Requires? Training?"


    In the next moment, it dawned on Asher that he must have spent quite a lot of time reading. Especially when the size of the tome was considered.


    As he walked toward the dining room, he discovered Sirius wasn''t in the sacred hall.


    "Where is Sirius?" He turned to Mary.


    "It went to hunt."


    "Oh."


    He wasn''t bothered by Sirius going into the forest due to its rank. As a gold-ranked beast, it was a top predator for as long as it didn''t go beyond the mountains.


    .....


    Not long after Asher had his dinner and a small nap, he stood in a training field with Kelvin, Alex, and Alec standing outside the elevated stone tform. Asher looked at the two big, celestial-looking moons, ushering their lights at him. He wore a sleeveless white shirt and ck pants that weren''t as tight as the ones he wore during the daytime.


    The chill from the cold stones transferred from his bare feet to the rest of his body, and his hands were connected to the hilt of an exquisite sword, befitting a lord.


    "Attach the stones." He said it with determined eyes.


    Kelvin ascended the tform and tied the stones on his arms and legs. Each stone weighed about 20 kg.


    Asher grunted as he lifted his sword and swung it down.


    "One." Alex counted.


    Another swing.


    "Two."


    Another swing.


    "Three."


    ¡­.


    "600."


    "601."


    ¡­.


    "990"


    Asher could barely hear Alex as he panted heavily. Sweat had drenched his body so much that the surface of the stone tform was wet.


    His eyes were on his sword, even as his muscles were trembling.


    Hu Hu~


    He lifted his sword up, and it felt as if he lifted a massive stone. The weight made him stagger to the right before he regained himself.


    His vision was blurry, and he could barely see Kelvin, Alex, and Alec watching him.


    ''I can do it!'' Asher clenched his teeth. "C¡­ count!" he spat forcefully.


    With sheer determination, he did nine, lifted the sword with all his might, and swung it down thest time. The sword hit the stone tform, cleaving through it while he fell backward. Thest thing he remembered was his subordinates'' rmed voices.

 Chapter 14: Baron Snow

    "I don''t think he should train anymore; he already has an army." A muffled voice fell into Asher''s ears.


    "We should assign soldiers to guard him at all times. That way, there would be no need for him to train." Another voice rang, and it was clearer than the first.


    "Your Lord is an Ashbourne. Do not forget that Ashbournes aren''t like other lords." Another voice retorted, probably at the first two.


    "But he has been in pain throughout the night. He just got his peace this morning, and you expect him to start again tonight?!" The first voice this time around was so clear that Asher knew it was Alex speaking.


    "It''s the Ashbourne way." Kelvin solemnly responded.


    "What rubbish! We finally have a good Lord, and you want to kill him with traditions of the past?!" Alex''s voice rose a few notches.


    "Lower your voices." Alec''s deep, soft voice made Alex puff out. "Lord Asher has a talent that allows him to take something to the next level, so why hasn''t he done the same for himself?"


    Kelvin and Alex frowned when they heard that.


    None of them had any idea that Asher''s system focused on making him a greater lord and not making him stronger. The reason for his quick growth was his bond with Sirius, which, by the way, Asher was grateful for.


    "I''ll continue. There is no need to debate about it."


    Asher''s voice fell into their ears, causing them to look at him with shocked expressions.


    Asher forced himself to sit despite the pain. It felt as if his muscles were tearing when he moved!


    His arms, back, shoulders, neck, and abdomen hurt badly.


    Still, Asher wasn''t nning to give up.


    He had experienced his fair share of setbacks that cost him a lot. He wasn''t going to sit back and be at the mercy of others.


    "But My Lord..."


    Alex couldn''t continue as Asher raised his hand with the palm of his hand stretched out. This was called the most powerful noble magic, the power of silence. As ordinary as it looked, in the hands of a powerful lord, hundreds of thousands could be controlled.


    However, at a certain stage, the Lord needed to speak because of the raising of hands is for the gathering of a few.


    .....


    Days passed, and Asher''s routine became studying, touring his territory, and training at night. After training for a week along with daily intake of Moonlit Starhorn milk, he gained more stamina. Now, which was two weekster, he could swing his sword two thousand five hundred times with a weight of 25 kg on each limb!


    At this moment, Asher sat in his study with several open books on the stone table, yet he gazed into the air. To others, it would seem strange, but he was actually looking at Ash Town''s panel.


    [Town''s Name: Ash Town


    Town''s Tier: Tier two


    Poption: 4,800/ 5000


    Security: 35/100


    Loyalty: 25/100]


    In the period of two weeks, he watched the loyalty stat grow from 15 to 25! A big improvement since loyalty wasn''t that easy to acquire. Security was still low since it had to do with more than just the soldiers. The walls and the internal state of the town are also in consideration.


    Knock! Knock!


    Asher turned his head toward the door. "Open."


    When the door opened, he saw Mary standing outside. She bowed. "My Lord, there''s an urgent case that needs your presence at the sacred hall."


    "Urgent?" Asher furrowed his brows, got to his feet, and left for the sacred hall without dy.


    As he walked into the hall, he saw Kelvin standing at the left side of his chair, Sirius resting at the right side, his sword leaning against the armrest, and a woman standing in the middle of the hall facing the chair.


    When she heard the door, she turned and saw Asher. He looked so young that she tilted her head, expecting the Lord to be behind him.


    "Who are you?" Asher asked while sitting.


    The woman blinks. "You''re Lord Asher?"


    "I am. And you are?"


    "Jane. I served Mr. Jon, the merchant you gave ten boxes of iron ore." She replied while reeling in shock. Never in her life had she seen a Lord so young. In the high ins, young nobles of his age went about garnering fame as knight squires, participating in swordsmanship contests, parties, and much more, but not the tasking duty of ruling over their fief.


    "I remember Mr. Jon," Asher said.


    "Something happened while we were on our way to the border of the wastnd. A man who goes by the name Baron Snow interrupted our journey, and when we said the goods we carried belonged to you, he gave me this to give to the lord of Ash Town."


    Kelvin walked down to the woman and took the letter in her hand. There was a seal binding it!


    Upon seeing that seal, Asher dropped all doubts and ordered Kelvin to read it.


    "I, Baron Snow, havee to know that you have reimed your mines. Since you have done so, you shall hand over 80% to me because of your debts. Send this woman back to me with your reply, or I will kill the merchants and send my men to your small town."


    Kelvin trembled in rage.


    The exorbitant arrogance Baron Snow had to ask for 80% of not just a mere iron mine but one that had silver intricate meridians in them. And these mines wererge! Just the amount Jon had was enough to clear 30% of his debt!


    It was obvious that Baron Snow was using his might to oppress them. No doubt, Ashtown is seen as a chickenying golden eggs.


    Asher remained in control of his emotions. He knew the power of his system glowed brightly when there was trouble.


    "What is his name again?"


    "Baron Snow." The woman replied.


    "So the baron there isn''t his title?" Asher asked.


    "No."


    "I see. So my father''snd is now home to thieves. By any chance, do you know how many men he has?"


    "About 100 well-trained mercenaries who are now his loyal warriors and two silver-ranked swordsmen." The woman replied. She knew their number because she had stayed there for a couple of days.


    "How long does it take to get there on horseback?"


    "About five days."


    Asher turned to Kelvin. "Kelvin. Prepare what I need for a two days journey. Sirius and I are going to meet this renowned retired mercenary."

 Chapter 15: Tier Upgrade Quest

    Kelvin stood outside the stone castle, staring at his Lord, who sat atop Sirius. His sword was secured to his back. Asher also wore a thick fur coat, long enough to reach his shins, and this was due to Kelvin''s fears.


    "That''s the only horse we have?"


    Asher looked at the brown horse, which belonged to Peter, with a frown. It was merely a workhorse. Compared to the one Jane sat on, this horse had just bones and a little flesh.


    "Unfortunately." Kelvin replied.


    "Then I can''t allow anyone to follow me. This horse will drag me back. Tell Alec and Alex that I will be back in a few days."


    "But my lord, you can''t leave alone!" Kelvin bellowed and sighed as he watched Asher and Jane ride off. Jane''s horse looked so smallpared to the mighty beast Asher rode. She had to do lots offorting for the horse to amodate Sirius'' presence.


    On his way, Asher looked at the quest the system gave him after he decided to go meet Baron Snow.


    [Upgrade Quest: Rescue the merchants from Baron Snow''s cruel hands within 3 days.]


    [Reward: Your tier two town will be upgraded to tier three!]


    The time limit made him unable to bring an army because, if so, they would take about two weeks since the soldiers would have to walk.


    ....


    Afterjournying for two days with little rest, Asher saw the walls of Baron Snow''s camp. The walls were about 4 meters high and were made of tree trunks. It was a circr fortress in the middle of the in fields.


    The grass was sparse and ck instead of green.


    Asher looked to his side and saw Jane. She was barely alive after the journey.


    "Rest here. I''ll go in."


    Jane couldn''t even utter a word, so she weakly nodded and watched him leave.


    As Asher got close to the walls, he suddenly heard whistling. His ears stood up, and his muscles tensed. This was his first time doing something this dangerous, but he believed none of them here could harm him because of Sirius. Even a gold-ranked knight would have to retreat.


    The whistling sound got louder and so piercing that his eyes widened in the next second. At that moment, Sirius suddenly burst forth, and Asher saw an arrow swoosh past his cheek.


    His eyes constricted.


    He pulled out his sword, brandished it, and began to cut down some arrows while Sirius helped him avoid most of them. Upon closing the gap, Asher could hear their voices.


    ''Sirius, use your elemental powers.'' He gave a silentmand.


    Sirius smacked its right w against the ground, and thick ice spread out until it climbed the wall! Two bronze-ranked warriors who couldn''t escape on time were sted off the walls.


    "You attacked my merchants, and now I, Lord Asher Ashbourne, came in peace, but you shot at me before I uttered a word. Don''t you cherish your lives?" Asher spoke loudly.


    The mercenaries, however, looked vengeful for their men who fell from the wall, but Asher and his wolf didn''t look weak. A beast that could control elements wasn''t any mere beast. It was a mystical beast!


    Mystical beasts were known to be extinct, but right before their eyes, a man rode on one!


    If they sold this beast, they could leave the wastnd and live luxury lives in the high ins.


    "I don''t remember any merchants passing here with the name Asher Ashbourne attached to them." A man snickered.


    "Is that so?" Asher smiled coldly.


    "He goes by the name, Jon. You must remember him. I came here at the request of your leader, Baron Snow, who sent the woman, Jane."


    Asher watched the mercenaries whisper among themselves. The reason he was being cordial and not forceful was to investigate the state of the merchants. If they were dead, he would leave and take revenge on them another day, but if they were still alive, then his decision would definitely be different.


    "You''re allowed to enter, but the wolf isn''t!"


    Asherughed inwardly when he heard that.


    "I am a Lord. Tell your leader that I want to see him." Asher had delved deep into medieval times during the creation of Boundless. He even knew the tone to speak because he was the voice actor for some NPCs. Mostly Lords, Kings, and Emperors.


    He knew how to control his tone to be forceful yet calm. The confidence exuding from his voice made them overlook how young he looked.


    Some momentster, a big man with powerful-looking arms d in red that exposed his chest emerged on top of the wall.


    His snow white hair was as striking as the X-shaped scar on his forehead.


    "Kid, who are you? Where is Thomas?" His deep voice fell into Asher''s ears.


    "I''m here on behalf of my citizens. The dead have nothing to do with this."


    Baron Snow was taken back by Asher''s unperturbed tone. Many had shown fear at the sight of his frightening frame, but this young boy looked at him like he wasn''t any different from his men.


    Was it the wolf that gave him such confidence?


    He had torn apart beasts that size, so Asher''s wolf shouldn''t be any different. After all, his A-grade talent gave him a huge boost that transcended ranks!


    "Where is the woman I sent to you?" he asked.


    Asher frowned. He noticed Baron Snow wanted to dominate him in his manner of approach. It was subtle, but he could see it clearly. Baron Snow wanted to make a mockery of him by making him answer questions.


    A cold glow shed through his eyes.


    "Are my citizens alive?"


    Baron Snow chuckled. "I wanted 80% of the mines, but since a smalld like you can''t handle what remains, I''ll be going for 90%. Don''t think that wolf can frighten me, boy. I''ve torn a bear much bigger than that and given it to my girls to prepare stew."


    Asher looked straight into Baron Snow''s eyes and smiled. "I came for the merchants. Where are they?"


    Since Baron Snow wasn''t nning to back down, he wasn''t going to back down either.

 Chapter 16: Fearsome Ice Breath

    Baron Snow mmed the palm of his hand on the wall andughed out loud.


    "What a braved." He signaled one of his men with his eyes, and that man left. A few momentster, he returned with a rotund, fair-skinned man. Fair-skinned was used to describe this man because those who lived in the wastnd had pale skins.


    It was hard to see them looking rosy like this man.


    "That''s the Jon you asked for, and the rest of them are still alive, so...e sign." Baron Snow took a sheet of paper from the same man who brought Jon and waved it toward Asher.


    "I would like to see all of them, and I hope for your sake that you haven''t touched the women."


    Baron Snow frowned as Asher''s words fell into his ears. ''This brat has the spines of a dragon.'' He said it inwardly. He meant that Asher was as confident as a dragon but had misunderstood his current position.


    "Bring all of them."


    Not long after that order was given, nine other individuals were brought out. Six of them, excluding Jon, were men, and the other three were women.


    Asher could see that, apart from being tied, none of them were harmed, but they looked starved.


    "Bring them out of the gates, and we''ll discuss other matters."


    "You brat!" Baron Snow bellowed and pointed at the merchants, who had glimmers of hope in their eyes.


    "Kill them."


    Shing! Shing!


    His men unsheathed their swords and approached them. "Boss, should we kill the women?" One turned to Baron Snow and asked.


    However, the answer he received was a mighty white wolfnding right before him! Sirius had closed the gap in that short span.


    None of them were able to react to its astonishing speed.


    Thud!


    The soles of Asher''s boot connected with the bandit head,unching him off the wall. Asher quickly unsheathed his sword and swung upward at the second man. The man swung downward to intercept, but the power behind Asher''s sword was beyond his imagination.


    The sword flew out of the man''s hand, and Asher shed his chest without thinking. He could hear Sirius dealing with the others.


    Asher took a step backward, watching the sword of the third man almost graze his nose. The moment the sword tilted downward, he closed the gap and thrust his sword through the man.


    He wasn''t able to pull it out when the fourth man swung his sword horizontally. Asher threw away the thought of retrieving his sword and went backward. The mercenary rushed him, swinging his sword while yelling.


    While Asher retreated, he could see Baron Snow staring at him with murderous intent.


    Thud!


    Asher heard a sound behind him, causing him to roll forward toward the first one that was attacking him. The figure behind him swung his spear so fast that hisrade, who was recklessly swinging his sword, couldn''t react to his throat that had been shed open!


    At this point, Asher had already picked up his gold-ranked sword and turned to his second attacker. It was a man of average height wielding a spear taller than him. His aura was that of a silver-ranked warrior.


    Asher gripped his sword''s hilt with both hands and closed the gap. He deflected the spear, as trained by Alec, and borrowed the momentum to spin. His sword reached the man, but instead of slicing through his flesh, it scraped a hard surface. Asher felt like he swung his sword against a metal.


    When he got a better look, he noticed there was a faint yellow barrier that slowly vanished from the man''s body.


    ''A talent!''


    His eyes narrowed.


    The spearman came again. His spear was moving like a snake. Asher swiftly recalled when Alec used the same move against him and stopped at his eyes. Had Alec not been a loyal subordinate, it would have been a good opportunity to kill him.


    ''My eyes are the target!''


    Knowing this, he titled his body and leaned backward. The position made him unstable, but as the spear was about to be retrieved, he grabbed it and swung his sword with every strength he could muster. His battle force sted out. It unleashed a red force that increased the sharpness of his sword by two folds.


    Swish!


    The spearman was shocked to see the cut in his abdomen. He spat blood and fell off the wall.


    Breathing heavily, Asher looked forward but didn''t see Baron Snow anymore. The man was on his way into his castle!


    He could see him and his guards getting close to the entrance of the castle.


    "Sirius!" Asher yelled.


    Awoo!


    Sirius jumped off the wall and raced toward Baron Snow. Before he arrived, ice sealed the gate to the castle, causing Baron Snow''s expression to sour. He never expected that the beast Asher had was a gold ranked beast.


    "You know, I''ve never killed a noble before." A dangerous light shed past his eyes. Almost instantaneously, he suddenly became a 2.5-meter-tall giant, took a guard''s spear, and hurtled it toward Asher.


    The spear tore through the air, whistling like a missile.


    Asher threw himself to the right, narrowly avoiding a spear that carried such a force that it could blow up a human head!


    When he stood up, Sirius was engaged in a fearsome battle against the giant man. No doubt, his talent shocked Asher to the core.


    He never thought there existed a talent that could make a man a giant.


    Sirius growled and wed Baron Snow, but he evaded. He picked up a stone and threw it. The stone mmed Sirius'' face so hard that its head turned to the left.


    His men tried attacking it, but their weapons bounced off Sirius'' fur.


    Consumed by anger, Sirius took a deep breath and breathed out a white mist everywhere. When the mist vanished, Asher saw himself standing in an ice fortress.


    Baron Snow and his remaining men became frozen statues. Baron Snow himself was frozen, trying to attack Sirius.


    Apart from Asher and the merchants who were trembling at the terrifying might of Sirius elemental powers, no one else outside the castle survived.


    "Sirius. You might have anger issues."


    Asher came down from the wall and patted his wolf. "Thest silver-ranked warrior must be inside the castle. Come, let''s find out what he''s doing inside there."


    A/N:Support with powerstones!

 Chapter 17: Count Tigris Schemes

    As Asher walked into the entrance, he saw two bronze-ranked warriors emanating green lights that shrouded their bodies and ran toward him. He immediately recognized the wind element as the source of their battle force.


    After ying several men, Asher no longer felt he needed to prepare to meet these men. His mind was calm as he walked toward them. The moment the gap was closed, Asher''s speed skyrocketed. He nced at the wall and dashed toward it.


    The entrance was long and narrow, so it didn''t take long for him to reach the wall and step on it. With that borrowed momentum, Asher flew above the warriors,nded at their backs, and swung his sword backward.


    He didn''t feel any resistance as his sword cut through their flesh. Both men staggered forward and spat blood.


    Asher''s eyes gleamed, but he continued moving forward at a calm pace. When he was almost out of the entrance lobby, he heard the sound of bodies hitting the ground.


    In those two weeks of continuous training, he didn''t only learn how to swing his sword a thousand times under gradually increasing weights, but he was also under tutge by Alex and Alec. The twins forged their lord to be a skilled swordsman.


    The next ce after the entrance was arge hall with long wooden dining tables and a throne dominating the middle of a semicircr tform that was connected to the wall at the other end. Right beside the throne was a woman holding a nocked bow.


    The moment she saw Asher, the arrow was let loose. The next ce Asher found himself was on the ground, reeling in shock and pain as the arrow lodged into the spot close to his shoulder and above his chest.


    He blinked, his eyes dting as a certain noise bombarded him from all sides. Thest silver-ranked warrior wasn''t a he but a she, and she was a sharpshooter!


    This was outside his calctions. He didn''t expect a woman to be among the mercenaries since he saw men so far.


    Roll!


    A voice screamed inside of him, and he rolled to his left. Right at that moment, an arrow lodged into the ground. It pierced through the stone ground!


    Neglecting the pain, Asher jumped to his feet, rushed toward a chair, and kicked it with all his might. The wooden chair flew into the air, heading toward the sharpshooter. The sharpshooter frowned, but to Asher''s astonishment, she leaped like a bird, stepped on the chair, and fired two arrows at him.


    He swiftly picked a chair, but the arrows pierced through the chair, grazing his arms.


    With clenched teeth, Asher spun and flung the chair with so much force that although the sharpshooter dodged, when the chair hit the wall, it broke and one of the legs hit her head from behind!


    "Ah!"


    By the time she regained her bearing, two more chairs were before her.


    Bam!


    One mmed her face, and the impact caused the woman''s head to tilt backward. It wasn''t over as the second mmed her torso,unching her to the ground.


    Asher got up from under a dining table and approached the woman. He looked down at her and found out there was no more breath of life in her.


    Breaking two chairs with her body might have been brutal, but either he survived or she did.


    He looked at his bleeding wound with an arrow stuck to it and puffed out. Adapting to the cruel way of life in Boundless wasn''t easy, but there were lots of burdens on him. If he refused to change fast, he would die.


    Sirius squeezed itself into the hall, prompting Asher to scowl. "Why didn''t you arrive earlier?"


    Sirius looked at him for a short while, came close, and sniffed his wound. "Don''t lick it; your saliva doesn''t have healing properties."


    Sirius removed its head, and Asher chuckled.


    "My Lord, you''re injured!" Jon had a panicked expression when he saw the arrow and bloodstain. Both he and those he hired to work for him gathered inside the hall.


    "I''m alright." Asher replied softly.


    Suddenly, he heard footsteps and turned to his right. From the corridor emerged over thirty women who, with just a nce, Asher knew they came from brothels.


    "What''s a beast doing inside here?!" One of them screamed.


    "Get your things and get out." Ashermands while frowning. Upon seeing the corpse of the silver-ranked sharpshooter, fear gripped the women, and they ran out of the hall without going back to get their belongings.


    Asher scoffed and proceeded to search the castle. When he entered Baron Snow''s room, he found a letter that had not beenpleted on a wooden table. There was a quill and ink beside it, meaning Baron Snow was writing this letter before he came out to meet Asher.


    "Sir Tigris, I have received the messenger falcons. I will proceed to investigate the mines in Ash Town and find out if they have truly reimed them and how. I hope you fulfill your promise of forging a breastte made with some of the iron ore and sending more men. While the Ashbourne barony will soon be yours, the mehearts, Tyre, and Scarlets are growing, and this will hamper your ns.


    I request you send more silver-ranked warriors."


    Asher stopped reading, as this was where Baron Snow stopped. Asher couldn''t believe his eyes. How could Count William Tigris sellnds to people to be barons and thene up with a scheme of cing bandits that would rob them?


    There was no doubt that his iron ores, which were worth thirty thousand gold coins, were now in the hands of Count Williams.


    Bam!


    He mmed the table. His hand left a palm print!


    "So they don''t have any stash of gold here, and my iron ores are gone." Asher''s expression became hard.


    He turned and saw a tall cage with a tall, white falcon, which had a metal cylinder case attached to its back by a golden belt.


    The bird was busy looking at him.


    Asher squinted.


    He grabbed the bird and ran out of the castle. He located their cages and found a hundred more messenger falcons with tworge carts and four brown horses.

 Chapter 18: Lord Asher Is Back

    One major problem during medieval times was the flow of information. As his territory kept growing, it would take days, sometimes weeks, and sometimes months for him to receive information, and this had been one of the burdens on his mind. If he had a messenger bird, he would have beenmunicating with Kelvin.


    With messenger birds, he would also be in touch with any future expedition team that would go beyond the mountains.


    Ttring!


    [Ding! Would the host like to upgrade these ordinary messenger birds through fusion? Yes or No. By fusing these hundred and one birds, you can get 10 bronze-ranked messenger birds.]


    ''Upgrade them.''


    A white glow consumed all the birds, and ten taller birds emerged. They looked like messenger birds trained by the best tamers. For birds of their kind, they could be considered majestic, and their strength made them top predators of the skies. Not even mountain eagles could threaten their lives.


    [Swift Peregrine Falcons. Bronze-ranked messenger birds capable of covering a distance of 3000 kilometers in a stretch. They are brilliant birds that need little training and are also capable of tearing apart any foes interfering with their missions.]


    Asher smiled.


    Ttring!


    [Upgrade Quest: Rescue the merchants from Baron Snow''s cruel hands. (Completed.)]


    [Would the host like to fuse Baron Snow''s territory with Ashtown during its upgrade? Yes or No.]


    Instant Asher gave a positive response, and before his eyes, the walls and buildings began to transform into white light. Some minutester, all that remained was a vast in with ice statues. Asher stared at the stunned Sirius and chuckled.


    In fact, Sirius wasn''t the only one wearing a stunned expression. Jon and his workers also had the same expression. How did an entire fortress vanish into thin air?


    "We''re leaving. Your carriages were taken away along with your horses and the iron ores, so you would have to use these carts."


    "Don''t worry, I''ll repay you for the loss." Asher said as he arranged the messenger birds on one cart.


    "Suffer loss? My Lord, you suffered the most. I work under a guild so I can get some loans to buy carriages and horses, but you lost a sum of thirty thousand gold coins."


    "It''s alright. I gained something out of this."


    Jon traced his line of sight to the messenger birds, and his eyes widened. "How did such exotic birds appear in this wastnd?!"


    Asher smiled. "Will you return to my town or head to the borders? You''re a few days away from leaving the wastnds."


    Jon looked toward the direction of the high ins and to the depths of the wastnd where Asher''s town was.


    "We would return to the high ins."


    The moment he said that, Asher saw his workers breathe out in relief, and joy spread throughout their faces. They must have been traumatized.


    "That''s a pity. We shall meet in the future then." Asher sat at the front of the cart and tugged the reins for the two horses attached to it to start moving.


    Jon knew Asher discovered he wanted to leave and have nothing to do with the wastnd after this experience.


    "Such a wise young Lord." He muttered to himself as he watched Sirius follow the leaving cart.


    Not long after Asher disappeared from their sight, Jane appeared on horseback. Upon seeing her, Jon left what he was doing and ran toward her.


    Jane was his niece, and he had been worried about her but couldn''t summon the courage to ask Asher.


    "Miss Jane, you''re alive!" Others gathered around her.


    "Did that barbaric lord harm you?" A female asked. It was because of Asher she was made to starve in a dark ce for days, so she naturally harbored a grudge despite being rescued.


    "Barbaric? Has he left?" Jane asked while looking around.


    "I told him we would return to the high ins to get another convoy, but I really don''t have ns on returning until we can pay for mercenaries to guard us." Jon replied.


    Jane''s eyes widened.


    "You broke the contract! I saw Golden Fragrant Maize and Moonlit Starhorn cattle in that so-called little and remote town."


    "What?"


    Everyone''s eyes went wide.


    "Jane, did you hit your head? You saw the rare Golden Fragrant Maize, the same silver-ranked maize that only grows in the Capital of Eternal Immortal Empire and Moonlit Starhorn cattle! Not one cow but a herd of Moonlit Starhorn cattle in the poorest barony in the wastnd. Have you forgotten that those cows produce the famous crystal milk that nobles mour for?"


    A female said, trying to make sure Jan knew what she was talking about, but when she saw Jane''s serious face, her expression fell.


    Jon''s expression grew ugly. He could not believe he just severed the connection between him and such a rich lord.


    "Uncle. What did you say to him?" Jane asked, unable to believe their chance to be the sole distributors of such precious goods was slipping out of their hands.


    "He already used the sentence ''That''s a pity'', and you know what it means when nobles say that." One man said with a downcast expression.


    Jane felt regret. Had she known she wouldn''t have rested but followed Asher here.


    .....


    Four dayster, Asher arrived before his town. Looking at it from afar, he could not recognize it. The walls were now made from thick tree trunks and were 5 meters tall! There were watchtowers at the four corners of the rectangr fortress.


    Even the surroundings of the town, which had transformed into a fortress, became filled with Golden Fragrant Maize nts, with a wide path that led to the gates in the middle. It''s been three weeks since the maize seeds were nted, and they had now grown taller than a human and had fruits that had the length of half an adult''s forearm!


    Just one was enough to feed two in the morning, and they wouldn''t be hungry till thete hours of noon.


    When Asher got closer, he spotted the same old woman staring at the corn with a wide smile on her face.


    The moment she saw him riding a cart and his wolf moving beside him, she fell on her knees.


    "Lord Asher!"


    Asher smiled. "I see you won''t doubt me anymore." He chortled.


    "Lord Asher is back!" A soldier stands on the alure, which is the walkway on the wall bellowed at the top of his lungs.

 Chapter 19: Jeffery Ashbourne

    "My Lord!"


    Alex came running out of the gates with ten other swordsmen behind him. They had been training in the camp when they heard the guard''s voice.


    Upon seeing the blood stain on the white cloth Asher used to tie his shoulder, Alex''s expression became ugly.


    "Why are you rushing out like I''m about to be killed?" Asher chuckled.


    He knew Alex was angry at his decision to go to Baron Snow alone, but that experience had matured him.


    "My Lord, you were gone for seven days! Why leave alone?!" Alex shared hisints, but Asher smiled softly.


    They looked behind the cart and saw the regal falcons looking back at them without much curiosity. They were more focused on the Moonlit Cattle far away.


    While the soldiers couldn''t see the cattle, the falcons could. Their eyesight was much sharper than humans.


    As Asher looked at the tall, sturdy walls, the panel of the fortress appeared.


    [Fortress Name: Ash Fortress


    Fortress Tier: Tier 1


    Poption: 4,800/10,000


    Security: 35/100


    Loyalty: 65/100]


    Asher smiled when he saw the loyalty stats. This meant no one was nning to flee to another barony! It was a good thing!


    And the town jumped tier three because he fused it with Baron Snow''s fortress.


    The moment he entered the fortress, Asher almost thought he was in a different ce. The buildings which weren''t habitable were nowpletely made of solid wood, the roads were wide and clean.


    Even people''s clothing received an upgrade!


    What stood out the most was the second, 4-meter-tall wooden wall that went around his castle.


    Although he couldn''t see how the castle looked now, from the distance it looked about two times bigger than before.


    There were two watchtowers, and they amodated four swordsmen.


    Suddenly, he saw people looking behind him, causing him to look, and he saw farmers bringing in corn!


    "I thought it would take one month?" Asher said to himself. He ordered a swordsman to take the cart into the castle''s courtyard and went to the gates with Alex always behind him.


    When he came out, he perceived a sweet aromaing from the maize that was being harvested. The aroma came from the corn!


    There was a faint golden mist in the air and it came along with an enticing fragrance, which made Asher understand why the corn was called.


    Golden Fragrant Corn.


    Asher approached the farmingnd, squatted, and took a handful of soil. After scrutinizing it, he discovered the soil was richer than before the upgrade.


    This meant that not only the buildings and people but even the soil upgraded!


    [Your soil has upgraded and is able to absorb mana from the mana veins deep in the earth core. Every yield from this soil will be from bronze-grade and above!]


    Asher''s eyes trembled. This soil was a gold mine!


    Just these corns alone would earn him thousands of gold coins but his citizens came first. He would start nning to sell to others once everything in the barony was in check.


    "Make sure Kelvin reports the yield."


    Alex nodded.


    Asher left the bustling crowd and returned to his castle. As he walked into the sacred hall, his lips curled upwards.


    It was three times bigger than before, and the dim ash stone walls, the tform where he sat, and Siriusying at the corner gave the hall the theme he always desired.


    Anyone who walked into this hall for the first time would be cautious even without him showing up.


    "Where is Alec?" Asher asked Alex as they left the sacred hall for the dining room. He was famished and needed to consume a proper steaming meal.


    "He went on patrol."


    "Did anything worth my notice happen during my absence?"


    "No, My Lord." Alex responded respectfully. As a veteran swordsman, he knew that Asher wasn''t the same as before.


    When Asher walked into the dining room, he discovered it had been transformed into a dining hall!


    Right at that moment, Kelvin walked in from the other door, and two maids came in after him. They carried trays from which an enticing aroma came.


    Asher''s eyes twinkled.


    "My Lord." Kevin bowed. He had been informed by a maid who was informed by a soldier, so he made sure Asher''s meal was prepared, regardless of his opinion.


    It was an offence to wait for the Lord to ask for food, so it was better to always prepare. Whether he chose to eat or not wasn''t an offence on his part.


    While Asher was expecting to fill his stomach another maid, Mary, came in with a roasted wild swine.


    A broad smile appeared on Asher''s face. If he paid Kelvin, he would have raised his sry for his thoughtfulness.


    While Asher was smiling, Kevin hid the slight panic that crossed his eyes when he saw Asher''s injury.


    However, inwardly, he swore to make sure Asher never went on such a dangerous mission alone.


    ...¡­


    Meanwhile, not so far away from the fortress, twenty men, well armed with leather armour and swords and seated atop a horse, escorted a carriage.


    Inside the carriage sat a gray-haired man and a ck-haired woman of eptable beauty. She wore a ck gown and sat opposite the man with her arms crossed.


    "With all the direct Ashbourne descendants dead, the title of baron rightfully belongs to the cripple." Aqu Tyre, Baron Tyre''s third andst daughter, said to Jeffery.


    Jeffrey scowled. "Can a cripple who can''t get up from his bed rule a barony? I, Jeffery, though also a bastard child, am still older than that cripple, so the barony rightfully belongs to me."


    "But none of them has ever seen you. Their loyalty will surely lean toward the cripple." Aqu retorted.


    "Aqu. I have hundreds of guards, arge manor, and thousands of farmers working under me. I can rule a barony, and your father is aware of that, which is why he betrothed you to me."


    Aqu looked out the window. "Before you cross your line, my father said you can only marry me when you be the baron of the Ashbourne territory."


    "Sir. We''re here!"

 Chapter 20: Greedy Desires

    "Sir. We''re here!" The voice of Zach, Jeffery''s chief guard, fell into their ears.


    "This shouldn''t take..." Aqu''s mouth fell open upon seeing the thick, tall wooden walls and soldiers patrolling on the alure. Even the watchtowers were manned.


    This structure did not match what she had in mind.


    "Is that golden, fragrant corn?"


    A gasp came from Jeffery, who stood by her side. His voice made her lower her gaze to the lush fields, and disbelief struck her again. How could a farm produce such a yield in this poor, abandoned barony?!


    Wasn''t this the same town that was ruled by Baron James Ashbourne, the man who was the topic of every noble family in the wastnd?


    The noble families had already excluded the Ashbournes, as not only did they not have a gold-ranked knight for over three decades, they had a bad reputation.


    The farmers were busy harvesting the corn, and a cloud of golden mist had formed over the farnds. Jeffery, Aqu, and their men could perceive the delicious scent of Golden Fragrant Corns.


    "When did this poor barony gain begin to grow gold from the ground?" Zack, the chief guard said with an envious gleam in his eyes.


    If this farm belonged to his lord, he would be the target of most wealthy families, as they would dly give him their daughters to marry so as to get ess to his lord. Not just that, but he would also be filthy rich.


    He etched close to Jeffery.


    "My Lord, this ce belongs to you, right?"


    "Of course it does." Aqu replied when she saw the distressed expression on Jeffery''s face.


    As they were about to go back into the carriage before the people spotted them, Jeffery saw the herders on their way back with a herd of Moonlit Starhorn cattle.


    Upon seeing the cattle and the Sterling Bulls behind them, he blinked several times. What was going on?


    Weren''t these silver-ranked livestock that he heard of in his stay in the high ins? It was said only high ss nobles like the count, marquis, dukes, and rich merchants could afford to train or buy the products of these livestock.


    The worth of this barony has just risen up by several folds just with the appearance of the maize and cattle. Forget being a baron; Jeffery was sure he could buy the title of a viscount if he had all these.


    "Let''s go."


    He entered his carriage when the herders began to look at them. Upon reaching the gates, the soldiers stopped them.


    Their eyes were emotionless as they gazed at Zack, who tried to threaten them by releasing a bit of his silver-ranked aura.


    "Who are you?"


    All of a sudden, a thick, reverberating voice rang from behind, causing Zack to turn. He saw a tall, muscr man who could be likened to a bear approaching him. The man wore an enviable gambeson with metal vambraces, boots with metal attachments, and a thick coat with fur padding at the shoulder des.


    A shield the size of a door and the height of an adult was on his back, and a spear was firmly gripped in hisrge hands.


    Zack frowned.


    "I''m Zack, chief guard and guardian of Lord Jeffery Ashbourne, the rightful lord of thisnd!"


    His voice went far. In the next moment, all the soldiers around him went on a defensive stance with their shields before them and their spears above the shields.


    Their eyes were cold, ready to enact Alec''s orders.


    The men around Zack wanted to pull their swords, but with spears pointing at them from all sides, they chickened out. They were just farm guards and fought thieves and sometimes wild beasts. They had never faced a true, battle-hardened army.


    "An Ashbourne?" Alec said softly.


    Jeffery opened the window and looked at Alec. "Tell your current lord that Baron James Ashbourne''s third son is here."


    Alec scoffed and revealed a little smile, shocking his men. For the first time in a month, he actually smiled, but this smile might not be for Jeffery''s good.


    ....


    Jeffery and Aqu sat in the dining room.


    Aqu looked at him. "When did your father build this?"


    "He didn''t. If he did, my mother wouldn''t have chosen to live with her family."


    Aqu frowned deeply. "So who built it? Your father''s sons are dead, and only the bastards are left. You did a good job erasing the other bastards, but that cripple was exempt."


    Right as Aqu uttered thest word, the double door swung open, and three maids trooped in. They had prepared a meal with the corn.


    They dropped the meals on the table and left.


    Aqu showed a disgusted expression when she saw that the meals weren''t served with silverware, and the hollowware wasn''t ceramic but wooden.


    "What rubbish is that? Do they want to poison me?"


    Jeffery also had the same expression, but when he saw the soft gleam on the surface of the milk, he was forced to take a sip, but that sip transformed into a voracious gulping! In no time he finished it and decided to take a spoonful of the shimmering golden corn.


    As he chewed, his expression grew bright, and he adjusted himself and began to eat. Aqu looked at him withrge eyes.


    "Jeffery, stop eating that! I said, Stop eating!" She yelled, and Jeffery wiped his mouth.


    "Taste it before you yell."


    Under Jeffery''s persuasion, Aqu finally took a sip, and her eyes went wide. It seemed like everything she took before this was rubbish. She could feel aforting sensation throughout her body, causing her to let out a joyful moan of satisfaction.


    "With this, your father and I will be the richest in the entire wastnd. Even richer than Count William Tigris if we y our cards right."


    Jeffery''s words painted a bright future in Aqu''s mind, a future where those nobles in the high ins would mor for her like flies.


    Before she went deep into her dreams, the doors swung open once again, and two men walked in.


    Upon seeing the young gray-haired man, Jeffery froze in shock.


    "Y¡­ You''re¡­"

 Chapter 21: The Ashbourne Guardians

    "I''m Baron Asher Ashbourne, lord of Ash Fortress, and you are?" Asher said in a domineering tone.


    Jeffrey frowned but wiped out his frown in the next moment. "Jeffrey Ashbourne, your elder brother."


    Kelvin frowned deeply due to Jeffery''sck of respect. How dare he not bow to his lord?


    Asher smiled. "An Ashbourne¡­"


    There were traces of disbelief lurking in his voice.


    "Aren''t you the cripple? How are you able to walk?!" Aqu gasped.


    "As you can see, I am no cripple, Miss Aqu Tyre."


    Aqu, though shocked that Asher knew of her background, remained calm externally.


    "Junior brother, I can see Father left a lot in your hands. Are you sure you can rule it alone?" Jeffrey said softly.


    Asher tilted his head.


    "What do you mean?"


    "You''re too young to rule a barony; don''t be offended." Aqu said thest three words with a tone that showed that she wasn''t trying to be nice.


    They obviously thought Asher couldn''t have been the one to make the wretched Ash town into this fortress with well-made houses and a stable society.


    Kelvin''s eyes narrowed.


    "Might be so, but the people don''t seem to bother."


    "Little brother, don''t let the resources of this fortress blind your eyes. This barony can only be ruled by a responsible Ashbourne. The others have failed, and I have proven to be the rightful heir by owning wheat farnds that require thousands of farmers and hiring hundreds of warriors. With me as lord, our name will regain honor."


    "Apparently, you came to take my title away from me, and you brought a few men? That''s insulting."


    Asher got to his feet, and his amicable expression became cold. "Leave."


    "Wrong choice." Aqu snickered, and in the next moment, ice crept up and locked Kelvin in ce.


    She got up, and cat walked toward Asher with an ice spike in her hand. "You don''t speak that way to a mage. Or have you forgotten barbaric warriors like you were once our ves?"


    Asher looked around him and saw ice spikes around his chair. If he made a little movement, the ice would pierce through his flesh!


    "Last I remembered, the Tyres have never produced a mage, and the water element is even stranger. The baron nobles of the wastnd all have an ancestral lineage of fire except my family¡­"


    Asher tilted his head to face the encroaching woman.


    "You''re not a true Tyre. Your elemental maniption made you special, but it doesn''t give you the right to threaten a baron."


    "Maybe. But it gives me the right to threaten young boys, and I consider you one." She smirked and lifted the spike.


    "You will hand over the title, or you won''t live to see my fianc¨¦ rule."


    Asher chuckled. "Your brain might be damaged, Miss Tyre, because you probably did not consider how you would escape my men."


    "She''s a silver-ranked mage. The only one among all the baronies. Even if you have ten silver-ranked warriors, which I doubt you do, Aqu would still kill them."


    "You''re mad!" Kelvin roared in anger. Aqu sealed his mouth with ice and presented a paper, which Jeffery brought out.


    Asher was to write on it, stating he had handed his territory over to Jeffery, sign, and put his seal on it.


    Asher was still calm as he looked at the paper. "Do you know the most powerful force of a true Ashbourne? It''s not his men or his power, but¡­"


    He smiled.


    Jeffrey frowned, and at that moment, the double door swung open. Arge, white wolf leisurely walked in and threw a nce at them.


    Upon seeing the gold-ranked magic beast, Aqu''s breath hitched.


    ''A bonded pet beast!''


    Her heart skipped a bit.


    Her father encouraged her that the Ashbournes had lost their heritage of their powerful guardian wolves, and this was what gave her, a knowledgeable mage, the courage to behave so audaciously.


    Jeffrey left his seat and shifted away.


    "H¡­ How is this possible?!"


    "Meet Sirius."


    Asher said with a deathly tone that sent shivers down Aqu''s and Jeffery''s spines.


    In the next moment, Sirius lunged toward Jeffrey and ripped him apart before Aqu''s eyes.


    She staggered backward and suddenly felt a presence behind her, causing her to turn back. Behold, it was the man who was supposed to be in his chair, surrounded by ice spikes.


    It was Asher!


    "You made a mistake, but to avoid problems, I won''t ask Sirius to kill you. Jeffrey is a threat, and he gave me the chance to eliminate him. I wouldn''t have done it if he did nothing wrong, as my conscience would judge me, but as for you. I''ll just make you what you called me."


    Aqu''s eyes widened.


    As she was about to thrust the ice spike into Asher''s chest, Sirius pped her with so much force that she hit the table, causing it to break into two.


    "Ah!"


    She screamed and fell to the ground.


    The ice melted, allowing Kelvin to move. "My Lord, why didn''t you kill her?"


    Asher nced at the unconscious woman without much expression. "Because I don''t want a war with Baron Tyre for now. But she called me a cripple, and I made her one. Send her back with a letter informing Baron Tyre that she threatened my life."


    Asher walked to the door and paused. He then turned back.


    "Also tell him not to keep my bird or I will be forced to send Sirius."


    After Asher left, Sirius followed him while licking its mouth.


    The moment Asher entered his room, he sat on his bed and looked at his shivering hands. He puffed out.


    "ying strong there was tough, Sirius."


    Asher looked at his wolf, whichy beside his bed, and looked elsewhere. It looked like Sirius wasn''t interested in listening to him.


    Having a mage cast a spell that could kill him in a second was frightening. It took lots of willpower to hide his fear and summon Sirius.


    He wasn''t as brave as his men thought he was, but he wanted them to think in that direction, as it was more positive.


    ''It''s thest time I will be receiving guests in the dining hall. From now on, I will receive all except an acquaintance in the sacred hall, and I also need to station guards there. No one should be able to reach me so easily.''


    Asher''s eyes shed with resolve.

 Chapter 22: News From the County

    A few days after sending the crippled Aqu back to her father, Baron Tyre, Asher waited for a response but got none. He was also waiting to see if Aqu neglected his threat and told Baron Tyre about his territory, but it seemed like the woman was too traumatized to speak.


    At the moment, he sat in his scared hall facing four individuals. Two stood at the front, and the other two stood behind and were more afraid of the giant beast lying by the corner.


    "Do not fear; it will attack unless I say so."


    Asher said to the man and woman who stood at the back. The man was well-built and muscr, looking like a cksmith. His hair was tied into a ponytail, and his moustache could win an award. Despite his rough appearance, his countenance wasn''t the same with Sirius in the hall.


    The woman beside him looked prettier than most women Asher had seen in his fortress, and her clothing looked much better than themoners but less than his. She was a tailor.


    Both individuals were apprentices. It was to be known that being an apprentice wasn''t as casual as it sounded. Apprentice-grade professionals could not be found everywhere, as they had to go through extensive training from either journeymen-grade professionals or master-grade professionals and then be an apprentice.


    Apprentices were bound by the tradition of leaving their masters to forge their own paths.


    These two came to the wastnds from the Intis Kingdom, but their team was devoured by the beast tidest winter, and they''ve been in the town since then, unable to return. It was almost a year since they were stuck here, and the duo had long adapted, especially Old West, the Forge Worker. Just a fancy name for a cksmith.


    His name was actually Dan. But since he always talked about the west, where he came from, he was nicknamed Old West.


    He and Lois had opened up shops in the town, and almost all the citizens knew about them.


    Before the tailor and cksmith were Alex and Alec. ording to the system, they weremander-grade materials, meaning they could one day lead an army of several thousand strong!


    "Mister Dan, I''ve heard of your fame."


    Asher shed a smile.


    Dan smiled widely.


    "Miss Lois, I heard you helped my men with their armour before I became baron."


    Lois smiled softly and bowed.


    When Dan saw this, he spoke: "But My Lord, I also forged spearheads for the soldiers for free, and I bought those steel!"


    "I know, and you spoke before I could appreciate you."


    "Humph!" Dan harrumped and crossed his arms.


    "I want to establish both of you. I want you to be focused on how to make the equipment of the military better while your trainees focus on helping the people."


    "Eh¡­ My Lord, we''re just apprentice-grade professionals; we can''t train anyone yet." Lois replied.


    "That''s not a problem."


    The moment Asher said that, a notification popped up in his retina.


    [Would you like to upgrade the tailor and cksmith from apprentice-grade professionals to journeyman-grade professionals? Yes or No.]


    ''Yes.''


    Instantly, Dan and Lois were transformed by a blinding light, and their appearances changed. Dan was now wearing an apron, the size of his muscle increased by a fold, his moustache became neat, and a heavy-looking hammer hung on his waist.


    Lois also had a simr transformation. And not only did they change, but their shops went through the same transformation.


    The knowledge inside their heads made them wander off for a long while. When they regained themselves, they went on one knee and bowed.


    "We greet Lord Asher!"


    "Rise." Asher said softly as he watched their loyalty rise from 45 to the 90s. Lois'' loyalty stat stopped at 95 while Dan''s reached 100!


    After the town''s upgrade, all the soldiers had a loyalty stat of 100, including the twins, and it was because a fortress gave more perks to the military than civilians.


    So now, Asher had a loyal army that would give their lives for him, and now, a cksmith who might break people''s bones with his hammer should he hear his lord is in danger.


    "I want a batch of apprentice-grade professionals before winter, so make sure you train them well. Dan, focus on studying their weapons and forge better ones out of our unique iron ore. Your new shop should have a st furnace so you can smelt them into fine steel."


    "A st furnace!" Dan''s eyes widened. Previously, he had a bloomery but a st furnace was a hundred times better. He heard only master-grade professionals in the high ins could afford to build it, but now he suddenly had one!


    "Lois, I also want more tailors, and make sure you focus on treating and making proper leather armour."


    "Yes, My Lord."


    They both responded and were given permission to rush to their upgraded shops.


    "Have you filled the positions of the dead?" Asher asked hismanders.


    Alec nodded. "Three weeks ago."


    "Good. What about the battle force art?"


    "We use the basic null elemental Crimson Wolf battle force. It should be able to work for every soldier." Alex replied.


    "I''ve asked Kelvin to give both of you the zing Battle Force Ar. It''s a powerful art given by my ancestors to the chief knights, and I took it from Peter''s room and wanted both of you to have it."


    Alec nodded while Alex couldn''t hide his smile.


    "Alex, you will take ten men and guard my castle. You shall also be my guardian knight until I find someone else."


    "Yes, My Lord." Alex bowed his head.


    "Alec, you will take care of the training and the overall state of the military. I''ll need a weekly update on everything."


    "Yes, My Lord."


    "You can leave."


    After the twins left, Asher exhaled and leaned backward. "Pretty sure none of them knows I don''t have talent. Without my golden finger, I might have been killed by Jeffery and his mage or fiancee, whatever she is."


    Boom!


    The double door swung open, and Kelvin walked in with hurried steps.


    "My Lord, Count William Tigris sent a letter to you!"


    "What?!"

 Chapter 23: Nubis Dukedom

    Asher stared at Kelvin with inquisitive eyes. "Count Tigris sent a message?"


    Kelvin nodded and gave him the rolled-up paper.


    Asher broke the seal and opened the letter. His eyes wandered over the paper, and he frowned deeply.


    "Since when did Count Tigris invite the Ashbournes for his daughter''s birthday after canceling the betrothal between us?" He asked Kelvin.


    "He has never sent an invitation."


    Asher narrowed his eyes. "It says here that his daughter just came back from the Eternal Hills Academy in Nubis dukedom and is now betrothed to the heir of Duke Nubis."


    The moment Kelvin heard that, he looked at Asher but couldn''t find a trace of anger in his eyes, but he could tell that Asher felt ufortable and didn''t want to be there.


    After all, that woman was once betrothed to him.


    It was more than Kelvin thought. The thought of Liya Tigris reminded Asher of Earth Lia, and it reopened the wound he had buried under piles and piles of work.


    "I won''t be attending."


    He handed the letter back to Kelvin, turned, and left.


    ...


    An hourter, Asher sat in his study reading a chronicle about the Ashbournes. His eyes drifted to the book concerning Nubis Dukedom, and he found himself moving toward the book, taking it and returning to his seat.


    As he read through it, he discovered the Nubis Dukedom was the Eternal Immortal Empire''s sacrednd for sharpshooters. They had forces so powerful that the entire continent of Tenaria acknowledges them to be the most powerful army of sharpshooters.


    The book went into specifics concerning the Dark Skies legion; it was made up of special sharpshooters who could cause havoc and destruction on battlefields. It went as far as saying one could kill a hundred!


    The Nubis Dukedom was thergest dukedom in the northern high ins.


    "So she left a cripple and got betrothed to the son of a powerful duke. How lucky." He scowled and closed the book that seemed to praise the Nubis Dukedom nonstop.


    Knock! Knock!


    He heard a gentle knock and turned his head toward the door.


    "You maye in."


    The door opened, and Kelvin walked in with a tray. On the tray was a cup of warm milk.


    "For strength, My Lord."


    After sipping a couple of times, Asher turned toward Kelvin.


    "What brings you?"


    "The letter."


    Asher''s brows furrowed, but he controlled his emotions by hardening his grip on the cup.


    "Go on."


    "It''s been years since Count Williams sent an invitation to the Ashbournes, and this asion is bigger than a casual birthday. Your presence is necessary in that gathering, or it might be taken as a show of disregard."


    Asher sighed.


    "It''s a big gathering, My Lord, and you can remain in a corner. As long as your presence is known, you''ll be out of the count''s eyes." Kelvin added.


    Asher looked in the mirror and saw his face. After looking at his frowning face for a while, Asher puffed out.


    "I''ll need a wheelchair. Do we have a carpenter in the fortress?"


    Kelvin ced his fist before his mouth and coughed. "I was a carpenter''s son and grew up in the trade before your father picked me at a young age. But what do you need a wheelchair for?"


    Asher got up.


    "I can''t tell the world that I''m no longer a cripple yet. Prepare a wheelchair and another that can support me on horseback. Also, what gift can we give to her?"


    Kelvin distinctively noticed that Asher didn''t want to say Liya''s name.


    "What do you suggest?" Kelvin asked.


    Asher scratched his hair. "I have no suggestions. That''s why I said we shoulde up with something."


    "By we, do you mean me?"


    Asher red at Kelvin and walked out.


    "Mary, bring my sword." He said to the maid while walking through the corridor.


    By the time he arrived on the training tform outside the castle, Mary was right behind him with his sword, neatly sheathed in the scabbard.


    Shing!


    He drew it out and began to swing it so fast that Mary''s eyes couldn''t follow. While moving around and swinging his sword, Asher''s mind went into a hyperstate.


    All of a sudden, he stopped his sword mid-swing and lowered it. ''I''ve got it!''


    He gave Mary the sword and walked out of the gates of his castle. Although Liya might have dumped him for someone better, he still wouldn''t go there empty-handed.


    "Isn''t that Lord Asher?"


    People began pointing at him with shocked and excited expressions.


    Eventually, Asher arrived before Dan''s shop. Right outside the shop, Dan was smithing something; it was in thest stages, but Asher only had a few days, so he couldn''t be patient.


    "Dan, can you make a thousand silver bracelets with the next batch of iron ore? If you can do more, do so."


    nk!


    Dan hit the hammer against the object and lifted his head. "My Lord, a thousand silver bracelets is no problem. Should they be in or, you know, pleasing to the eyes?"


    nk!


    "Pleasing to the eyes, and I need it in two days time."


    "That will be 15 gold coins."


    Asher''s eyes widened. "15!"


    nk!


    "My Lord, you want it to be pleasing to the eyes, and that''s much more expensive."


    "I''ll trade you two- weeks worth of Moonlit Starhorn milk for it." Asher said.


    Dan''s eyes glowed. "Deal!"


    For now, the milk wasn''t essible by the masses, but it was being distributed by soldiers two times a week. But no one could buy it.


    ....


    Two dayster...


    Asher stood in his study, well-dressed in his best attire. His pants were ck and his top pure white, without damage.


    He looked at himself for a brief moment, and then he took his coat and put it on.


    "You look great, My Lord." Kelvin smiled. He felt like a father looking at his son.


    "Finally, for the present."


    Asher said, and they both looked at the silver gleaming bracelets on the stone table. It was about 1078.


    They looked beautiful, but Asher wanted it to have more than just casual beauty.


    ''System, where are you?''


    Ttring¡­


    [Ding!...]

 Chapter 24: Windchimes Bracelet

    [Would the host like to upgrade these silver bracelets to be a silver-ranked magic bracelet?]


    [1078 silver bracelets avable for fusion.]


    ''Fuse.''


    Swoosh!


    When the light went down, only one bracelet was left on the table, but it wasn''t like the other ones. This bracelet had a in surface that looked absolutely normal, but five finger-long, thin silver chains connected it to emerald crystal leaves, which had a subtle glow.


    The crystal leaves had pulsing veins, making it look more mystical. All of a sudden, the leaves began to flutter in the air, and a cool breeze flowed into the room.


    Asher looked around with raised eyebrows. The breeze wasn''ting from the window, so it had to be from the bracelet!


    Ting! Ting!


    Soft, soothing chimes rang, filling the room with its magical tunes that seemed to have a calming effect over the mind.


    [Windchimes: A magical bracelet with an affinity with the wind element. The decorations chime ceaselessly, swaying on illusory wind. Although it doesn''t possess an offensive ability, it is treasured jewelery for princesses and queens.]


    Asher picked up the bracelet and saw small gleaming raindrops, some at the tip of the leaves, some in the middle, and some at the end.


    The bracelet was beyond doubt the most beautiful thing Asher had ever seen in his two lives.


    "My Lord, your talent must be a supreme grade one."


    Kelvin said it out of shock and awe as he gazed at the beautiful bracelet. No doubt, his lord could get the attention of any woman, including the daughters of dukes, with this bracelet alone.


    Supreme-grade talents were talents in the range of S to SSS, and it was audacious for Kelvin to make such bold ims when these talents were so rare that even empires with millions of citizens had less than a hundred.


    However, there was one talent above other talent grades, but no one after the fall of mages had been able to awaken such a peak-grade talent, but Asher suspected his system could be rated as a talent of that lost and forgotten grade.


    The Zenith Grade!


    "My Lord, don''t be offended, but why give her something this valuable? Do you intend to change her heart?"


    Asher looked at Kelvin.


    "If I must attend that party, I can''t appear with a useless gift. And I want her and her father to know that I''m not just in the past. I too can grow. Besides, with my talent, a silver-ranked item means little."


    He opened a small wooden box, put the bracelet in, and closed it.


    "Is my wheelchair prepared?" He asked Kelvin.


    Kelvin left and returned with a well polished wooden chair. "Sit, My Lord." He smiled.


    Asher examined the wheelchair and smiled widely.


    "Is Alex prepared?"


    "He is."


    "Let me go remove this attire. I''ll wear it on that day."


    .....


    After two weeks, Asher and Alex arrived at the capital city of the Tigris territory. He chose to move with Alex alone because he didn''t want to bring along bronze-ranked bodyguards, which would make people more curious.


    With Alex alone, they might suspect that he was the only silver-ranked warrior he had. And many would guess he carried Alex to protect himself, and with such thought he wouldn''t attract too much attention after presenting his gift.


    The gift should be the only outstanding thing about him.


    At this moment, Asher, dressed in the same attire he examined in his study, sat in a wheelchair and was pushed by Alex through a long, wide corridor.


    Magic candles lit up the corridor, illuminating the brick walls.


    "Prepare yourself, My Lord; you''ll meet different nobles there." Alex said, and Asher nodded.


    "I know."


    As therge doors were opened by two guards donning te armour, revealing the great hall, which was popted with individuals of different high ss standing. ording to rumours, the Ashbourens should be the lowest of the lowest, even lower than merchants.


    The second a man in a wheelchair entered the hall, he garnered attention. Many were looking at him, and when they saw his grey hair, they began to whisper to themselves.


    Asher wore a smile as Alex pushed him to the table where other neighbouring barons were. There were sumptuous meals on the table, but none of them ate. They all had one guard behind them, and those guards were silver-ranked warriors.


    A red-haired, fat man walked up to him. He wore expensive linen attire and had a gold-trimmed monocle resting before his right eye.


    "You must be Asher. James''st son, isn''t it?"


    "I am."


    "I am ud meheart." The man stretched out his hand with a friendly smile. Asher epted his friendly gesture and shook his hand.


    Just from the build and tone, he knew ud was a merchant and a wealthy one at that.


    "Asher Ashbourne, it''s a pleasure to meet a fellow lord."


    Asher smiled amicably.


    "You''re the cripple?" A harsh tone came from the side. Asher looked and saw it was the man sitting beside him. He hadn''t thought of looking at his side, so he never knew that Baron Cain Tyre sat beside him.


    The man had a bear-like frame, and the middle part of his beard was white.


    "My girl came to your territory." He said.


    "Oh?"


    Asher''s reply made him frown.


    "I thought Ashtown would be without a Lord. Who knew it would ept a lord in wheelchairs?"


    "Being in a wheelchair doesn''t mean I haven''t ruled my territory better than some. About your girl, I hope she enjoyed her stay."


    Asher showed his white teeth at the fuming baron.


    ud meheart chuckled. He was shocked Asher had this much confidence, but a lord''s confidence muste from his might.


    "You have a sharp mouth." Baron Cain said stiffly.


    "Thank you."


    "Hahaha," ud burst intoughter.


    Suddenly, sounds of melody came from the musicians, and silence befell the hall as the doors opened, revealing a charming blonde elf and a handsome man both wearing captivating smiles.


    Gaps filled the hall.


    The crowd cleared, allowing Asher to get a good view of Liya in her long white gown. Her beauty was breathtaking, and the man beside her was also handsome.


    ''de Nubis.''

 Chapter 25: Shocking Gift

    Everything seemed like a slow paced movie before Asher''s eyes as he watched the beautiful woman, who was once a petite young girl, move through the crowd and sit on the right-hand side of her father, William Tigris.


    William Tigris had sons, but they were worthlesspared to Liya. She was a mage with an S-grade talent, and she also formed an alliance between their family and the Nubis family. This feat couldn''t be replicated by any of his sons, who were just swordsmen.


    de Nubis stood before the long desk where Liya, her father, and her brothers sat and bowed toward William Tigris. "Father inw." He chuckled.


    Wim and most nobles burst intoughter, but their breaths went cold in the next second as de took a beautiful golden box from a servant and presented it before the Tigris family.


    Liya''s ocean blue eyes revealed hints of shock and anticipation. As her father handed it over to her, she opened the gorgeous box and saw a blue gem.


    "It was created by the best in the capital and custom made for a certain beautiful ice mage."


    He winked at Liya.


    Asher watched him take the gem and ce it in the middle of Liya''s palm. The moment it touched her palm, tiny chains came out and frost ws appeared on her fingernails!


    It looked like a bracelet and, at the same time, a unique type of gauntlet.


    "With that gauntlet, your magic output would increase by twofold."


    Gasp!


    Gasps filled the hall. Everyone could see that the item was a magical one, and it was of the silver rank. Silver-ranked magical items were extremely rare and about ten times more expensive than other items of the same rank because they were meant for mages.


    "Flower Swordsman¡­"


    "Commander Philip, son of General..."


    After de sat beside Liya, other nobles came up to present gifts, some to Liya, some to de, some to William, and a few to his sons.


    After a while, it was finally Asher''s turn.


    "Baron Asher Ashbourne, grandson of the Winter Shura and son of the Snow Swordsman!" The man calling names said with a loud voice.


    Upon hearing those names, everyone in the hall focused their attention on the man in a wheelchair being pushed by his bodyguard.


    No family, not even the counts, had such a powerful title. However, everyone knew it was befitting for the warrior nobles, the great Ashbournes, but their glory was now in the past. Asher''s father, James Ashbourne, was once the Snow Swordsman. Unfortunately, after his wife died, he became useless.


    When Liya saw the handsome young man in a wheelchair, her eyes trembled.


    Asher bowed his head and lifted it back up. "Wee back to the north, Liya Tigris."


    There was an undercurrent uproar when the nobles heard the word, the north. That was the glorious name of the wastnds once had.


    Alex walked up the stairs and ced a polished wooden box on the table.


    "Couldn''t you get any other box other than a wooden one? Is this what the Ashbournes have been reduced to?" A noble scowled.


    William Tigris peered into Asher''s eyes and took the box. Clearly, he did not want his daughter toy her hands on a mere piece of wood.


    "Maybe we shouldn''t open it in public to avoid... some problems," de said amicably.


    "Why is the Duke''s son helping him? We all opened our gifts in public; since he dared bring one, let him open it." Baron Tyre''s tone dripped with venom.


    William''s acute hearing caught hold of those words, and he gave it back to Alex.


    "Open it."


    Alex''s expression changed. Handing the present back to him was a huge p to his lord''s face, and this was done before several noble families. He could hear the soft giggles of noble women. They were obviously mocking his lord!


    Alex clenched his teeth.


    "Alex, open it."


    Asher''s calm voice fell into his ears, causing him to reign in his anger.


    As Alex opened it, a cool breeze gushed into the room, causing people''s hair to flutter gently.


    Swoosh!


    Chime! Chime!


    Soft, soothing chimes came seemingly from the four corners of the hall. The atmosphere changed instantly, and everyone''s eyes were glued to the bracelet that floated out of the wooden box and suspended midair.


    "A magical item that doesn''t need Magi Force to work!" Baron meheart gasped, his cup threatening to fall off his grasp.


    "It must have been locked in there for so long that it couldn''t help but float out after being freed. I apologize for the inconveniences."


    Asher said with a bow, but his words this time made the nobles unable to describe their feelings.


    Unlike de''s silver-ranked item, Asher''s was perfect for a woman. It was both captivating and brought a certain charm that would suit a woman, making her stand out among others.


    Many noble women already had a glint in their eyes.


    "Close it."


    Asher''s voice rang, and Alex closed the box. Even he was shocked at the kind of item his lord brought. A proud smile crept up his face as he dropped the box and descended from the tform without an ounce of respect.


    Asher and Liya''s eyes met, but there was no flicker in Asher''s eyes, for he realized something. He was meant to be much bigger than everyone here, and no heartbreak was strong enough to keep a knot in his heart.


    With the system, the might of the Ashbournes would return. This gift was the nudge that loosened the knot, allowing him to let go of the pain in his heart.


    Even while Liya gazed at him, he only maintained the same smile he had before Alex pushed him away.


    ....


    Several young nobles and prestigious swordsmen were dancing on the dance floor with their partners. de and Liya upied the middle, and many were dazzled by them, but when Liya''s eyes wandered about, she couldn''t see those peculiar golden eyes.


    The owner of those eyes was at the balcony at this moment looking at the massive city that was still bustling even when it was night!


    Asher squinted as he gazed down at Tiger City. In the middle of this great city stood a huge white tiger sculpture.


    "Alex, do you know why the Count family built that tiger?"

 Chapter 26: Against Slade Nubis

    Alex shook his head.


    Asher lifted his head and gazed at the two moons, which were as beautiful as marbles. "The Tigris family is a special family that has the lineage talent of morphing into a white tiger. When I was young, I heard my father talking about how William Tigris tore a bronze-ranked bear apart, and this was when he hadn''t transformed."


    Alex''s eyes widened.


    "Liya is the only one who didn''t inherit the talent, but she awakened a much better one because of her mother."


    "So the rumors of Count William having an elf for a wife were true," Alex said.


    "It is. Her mother is even older than Count William, if I remember correctly. Elves have longer lifespans and can still remain young even after a hundred or two years."


    Alex''s brows furrowed. He couldn''t understand how his Lord knew about all this. This information did not sound like something Count William would announce to the public. Little did Alex know that Asher spoke from the knowledge he had about Boundless, the online game.


    But it coincided perfectly with this world.


    The uncanny simrity baffled Asher each time he thought of it.


    Asher turned his head to the north, where his territory was.


    "There you are; I''ve been looking for you, Ash."


    Liya walked into the balcony, her white dress and hair fluttering. A soft, barely audible but noticeable chiming fell into Asher''s ears, causing him to turn his head, and the first ce his eyes went to was her wrists.


    The atmosphere changed with her presence.


    This time around, both Asher and Alex were truly amazed at the mild but noticeable ability of the bracelet.


    Alex swiftly excused himself.


    "You''ve grown to be a beautiful woman." Asher said while looking at the radiant young woman.


    "You also transformed from being short-tempered to being surprisingly calm." She smiled.


    Asher smiled and turned to face the city. "You''re a powerful mage, and your mother is a priestess. This city is the safest ce a man can be in the wastnds."


    Liya giggled.


    "I actually wanted to be a swordsman and train with you, but our fates were different."


    Asher nced at her.


    "We grew up."


    Liya''s eyebrows furrowed for a moment, but she exhaled. Asher had indeed grown up, and with that, they''ve grown so far apart that she couldn''t read anything about him. No one knew how he got such a bracelet, which could only be found in auctions.


    If it was in an auction and Asher bought it, someone might have known, but his territory wasn''t wealthy enough to buy the bracelet without facing a financial crisis.


    So it remained a mystery.


    Asher, the outspoken and innocent boy, had grown to be a very mysterious man.


    "Do you want to remain a lord of that little town?" She suddenly asked a question that made Asher frown.


    "It''s my duty."


    "You''ll die there once winteres. This winter won''t be like the others, Ash. Traces of abyss essence have been found in the depths of the wastnd. Only Tigris County is safe, and that is because of my mother''s sacred domain spell."


    "Even if the entire north is consumed by a beast tide, I and my citizens will be fine."


    Liya blinks several times.


    "I thought you could think rationally now."


    Right at this moment, de walked into the balcony. "Little Lord of the Little Town, it''s been a long time."


    Asher frowned. He vividly recalled someone saying something like this when he was younger.


    "I guess you''ve forgotten me. I''m the one that made a bet with you that I''d marry Liya. I bet it was amusing to you then since she was betrothed to you, but now, I just wasn''t betrothed to her; we are now engaged."


    de held Liya''s hand and showed Asher the ring.


    "Oh? I think it was in the invitation letter, but I forgot about it. Also, I became a cripple, and Liya would never wed a cripple, so I lost twelve years ago."


    Creases formed on de''s forehead. Asher''s reply sounded nonchnt. The pain he sought wasn''t there, and since it was absent, he didn''t get the satisfaction he wanted.


    And so, he wrapped his hand around Liya''s waist.


    "You should leave your little territory ande stay here or you won''t live to see the next year."


    "Thanks for the advice."


    de snorted. A gleam shed through his eyes, and his gold-ranked force spread out, but Asher remained unfazed.


    Liya nudged him. "Stop."


    She said it softly.


    "Don''t get consumed with the pride of being a lord because you''re not capable of being one. You were just picked because you were the only one avable."


    "de!"


    Liya raised her voice as de was too blunt and harsh.


    "A man that is down needs fear, no fall, but he that is at the top..."


    Seeing that Asher wouldn''t continue, de snickered. "All you have now is your sharp mouth. You''ve lost once because of this same overconfidence, and you''ll lose once again, and this time it won''t be like before."


    "Alex."


    Alex came and pushed Asher out. de gazed at him coldly until he vanished from sight. Although de was considered a talented young noble in the entire northern high ins, he still saw Asher as a threat, and it was just because of one thing.


    Asher''s confidence.


    Where in the world did ite from?


    ...¡­


    The next day, William sat in his study with his chief guard and his butler.


    He turned his head to his chief guard. "What do you think of the cripple?"


    "He''s no threat. But his personality is rming; however, no noble will be willing to be his ally because there is nothing to gain from such


    "Is that so?" Wim hummed deeply.


    "The only thing that stood out was his bodyguard. He looks young, but he must be a talent that would rot in that godforsaken ce."


    Wim rubbed his chin. "Watch him. I want to know how he got that treasure."


    Knock! Knock!


    "Who is it?" the butler asked.


    "There''s crucial information about Lord Asher that I need to ry to the Lord."

 Chapter 27: Assassins

    "What information?"


    Wim asked the guard who was allowed in.


    "Baron Asher is no longer in the capital."


    "What?!"


    None of them could believe the man they were plotting to spy on had long left the capital, and the Ashbourne territory was so far that no one could remember the way after 12 years. And true to their thoughts, most of the path was like a desert.


    There were no forests, for almost all greenery had been eaten up by the abyss essence''s dark energy.


    While they were baffled, far away from the Tigris City, two horses with two riders could be seen.


    Asher looked at the wheelchair in the cart pulled by Alex''s horse and chuckled. "I might not have a need for that anymore."


    "What do you mean, My Lord?"


    Alex lifted his head to look at the scorching sun, which had made even the golden sand radiate heat, and looked at his hand before turning to Asher.


    "After this, Count William might not invite me for any gathering any longer, and the Dukes don''t even know I exist."


    "I see."


    After the brief chat, they continued their journey at a moderate pace. Asher considered being monitored, so he made sure he left early, and their speed at the start had been fast, but once it became noon, they had to slow down or lose their strength.


    Where they were was like a desert. Asher could only see sand dunes for miles, but this ce was once fertile ground withkes and forests.


    When he was 10, he remembered looking through the carriage and seeing the northern red oak trees, and the road used to have sparse grasses, but now the sand had covered the road and it was just golden sand for miles.


    "My Lord, do you see that?"


    Alex pointed at a small blurry thing in the distance.


    Asher squinted but still couldn''t see it clearly, so he urged them to go closer at a faster pace. When they got there, he saw a young woman with cuts all over her body. Her clothes had torn parts, and it seemed like she fainted from either losing lots of blood or the scorching sun had sapped her strength.


    Asher lifted his head and saw light footsteps that came from the distance, stopping where shey. It was her footsteps that were once deep, but the sand had covered the depth, making it light.


    In the next few hours, it would be gone, and the woman might also be buried under the sand.


    "What should we do?"


    Alex turned his head to Asher.


    "Check if she''s alive."


    Alex nodded and dismounted, and as he approached the woman, Asher heard the sound of the system.


    Ttring¡­


    [Abrupt Quest: Survive the assassins. (0/5)


    [Reward: Awaken a random talent.]


    ''Assassins!''


    Asher''s eyes fell on the woman once again. "Alex, draw your sword!"


    The moment his voice fell into Alex''s ears, he swiftly drew his sword, and the woman who seemed to be dead sprung up, thrusting her rapier at his chest while in a kneeling position.


    ng!


    Alex deflected the rapier and staggered backward due to his unbnced posture. At that moment, four silver-ranked men burst out of the sand and ran toward Asher with their weapons drawn.


    Asher quickly reached out for his waist, only to realize his sword wasn''t there. He was to be a cripple, so he couldn''t carry his sword!


    Swoosh!


    He rolled away from his horse, and an arrow grazed the horse.


    Thud!


    Asher fell on the ground and rushed for the cart. Alex had already left the woman, racing toward the four men.


    He intercepted two and rolled forward, avoiding their des. Still on his knees, he swung his great sword backward, cutting through the assassin''s leather armour!


    The other two closed the gap. One wielding twin daggers leaped, and the other swung his broad sword. Time seemed to slow down, and Alex realized these assassins were highly skilled. They certainly weren''t hired by a low-ss noble.


    Bam!


    Asher appeared behind the man wielding a broadsword and mmed his foot against the man''s back. This gave Alex temporary relief, and the sharpshooter swiftly released an arrow that grazed Alex''s left cheek.


    However, Alex was out of the death trap and swiftly dispatched the assassin, wielding two daggers. After cutting down the assassin, Alex faced the assassin wielding a broadsword and the woman with the rapier.


    While fighting, he located the position of the sharpshooter but couldn''t do anything as these two assassins were on his toes.


    Silver light suddenly emanated from the woman, and her power increased spontaneously. Before he could react to her sudden speed burst, she had already pierced his shoulder.


    Her expertise was speed, and she was clearly faster than him.


    Alex clenched his teeth and held the rapier. He swung his sword so fast that the air whistled, and it cut the woman!


    He pulled out the rapier and flung it at the other one. It pierced through his chest, and he fell backward.


    Alex fell on his knee. "That rapier was poisonous!"


    He gasped.


    "Lord Asher!"


    He lifted his head and saw that Asher had brought down the archer.


    Asher looked at his dying bodyguard and saw a notification.


    [Survive the assassins. (5/5) Completed.]


    [Would you like to upgrade your silver-ranked swordsman Alex to a gold-ranked sword knight before the awakening process begins? Yes or No.]


    ''Yes.''


    Swoosh!


    This time, Alex emerged as a 7-foot-tall man with bigger arms and a sword two times wider than before. He was d in chainmail and steel chest tes that only covered his chest, steel vambraces, and poleyns that had sharp edges over his knees.


    His boots were also made of fine steel, and those parts that did not have steel were protected by chainmail.


    A round steel helm that had an opening so small that it seemed like the helmet had no opening for the eyes covered his head.


    Alex looked like a dreadful knight, and the silver cape with the symbol of a roaring wolf marked him as an Ashbourne knight!


    Standing at an impressive height of 7 feet, Alex had no doubt transformed into an intimidating warrior on the battlefield.


    Thud!


    He fell on one knee.


    "I greet the Lord."


    [Ding! Your awakening willmence in 5... 4... 3... 2... 1¡­]


    Thud!


    Asher copsed.

 Chapter 28: Blood Shura

    Wu Wu~


    Asher first cleaned his face with his right palm before his dull golden eyes could see the light of the sun after two weeks!


    Although Asher had no idea, he had been unconscious for two weeks. After the system counted thest number, he nked out and is just waking up today, yet it seemed as if not one second had passed.


    Ttring¡­


    [Ding! You have sessfully awakened a talent.


    [Host: Asher Ashbourne]


    Age: 22


    Rank: Silver


    Talent: Blood Shura (SS)


    Job: Lord]


    [Talent description: This is an active talent that grants the individual connection to his ancestors, entrapping him/her in a state where they lose all emotions and be a true Shura. When activated, you are the master of everybat method known to those before you. [Can only be activated at the sight of your blood when cut.]


    Alex read the description several times, yet he couldn''t understand what kind of talent this was. Howeer, when he remembered the talent that made Baron Snow a giant, his bewilderment was lowered to an extent.


    For all he knew, this talent would be terrifying since he would instantly be a master of both martial arts and weapons, but the part about losing emotions got him worried, and the activation made it seem like a defensive mechanism, which meant the system also saw this talent as a dangerous one.


    ''What would Count William think when he sees that 12 years after he saw my family as trash, I awakened the talent of the same grade as the Founding Emperor of the Eternal Immortal Empire?''


    With a soft smile, Asher sat up and put his feet on the ground.


    Some momentster, Asher walked out of his room and found two maids whispering in the corridor. The moment they saw him, they froze and bowed their heads.


    "Inform Kelvin that I am awake."


    After saying that, he left them.


    "So they''re talking about Alex''s new look, huh?" His eyes twinkled.


    Outside the castle, he found Alex on the training tform training the castle guards. Those on the castle walls watched the castle guards lined up, trying to pick up the sword Alex lifted with one hand and plunged into the tform floor.


    Alex stood on the tform with crossed arms. All the soldiers admired his amour and impressive stature, but his massive sword amazed them more than anything. They couldn''t believe Alex could lift it with one hand.


    After weighing the sword, they discovered it weighed about 1000 kg!


    And this was what a man could swing with one hand.


    Asher looked at the helmet with furrowed brows. He saw it as ufortable, and the eye space limited vision, but Alex lookedfortable wearing it.


    Not only had Alex''s rank upgraded but also his knowledge in the zing Battle Force Art; his body was also being upgraded to human limits, and he was also given memories that had made it seem like he had been wearing that armor for decades.


    Because of Alex, Asher would be recognized as a baron in the entire Tenaria.


    "Lord Asher!"


    The soldiers on the castle walls half kneeled. Their voices made Alex and the castle guards realize Asher''s presence, and they also half kneeled.


    "Go on."


    He said it with a smile.


    Right at that moment, Kelvin came out of the castle.


    "My Lord, I''m d you''re finally awake. We have a situation that needs your presence."


    Asher turned to look at Kelvin. "I just woke up, and there''s already a problem."


    "Actually, it''s been here for three days now. My brother and I went on an expedition a week after our return, and we brought wild horses and wild chickens, but we were also attacked by some barbarians three days ago when we were on our way back."


    "Babarians." Asher muttered as he looked at Alex and then at Kelvin.


    "Have you questioned them?"


    "Yes. They are from arge tribe with about 3000 people, and we have their chief." Alex said.


    Asher''s eyebrows raised.


    "You have their chief?"


    "Yes. Their chief is a skilled sharpshooter and injured Alec, so I brought all of them so you would decide their fate." Alex said.


    "You didn''t kill them immediately. Why?" Asher asked, and Alex began to scratch his helmet.


    Kelvin cleared his throat. "Alex was ready to massacre all of them, but Alec was against it. He wanted you to decide after interviewing the barbarians."


    "I think you will know the reason Alec spared their lives after meeting them, My Lord."


    Kelvin said.


    "Bring them to the sacred hall."


    .....


    Inside the sacred hall.


    Asher blinked when he saw the chief. It was a woman!


    At first she had a stubborn expression, the same for the four that came with her, but the moment they saw Sirius before him, their stubbornness vanished like the morning mist before the rising sun.


    Their gazes toward him became one of reverence, and without being forced, all of them fell on their knees and kowtowed.


    "What are you doing?"


    "Paying respect to the great wolf rider." Eritrea Wolf, chief of the great white wolf tribe, said in fluent Tenarianguage.


    "Wolf Rider?"


    "The great wolf rider died centuries ago, but you must have been reborn and forgot your memories."


    Asher scoffed inwardly. While this barbarian cheif might be beautiful, she was certainly humorous to think he is some myth.


    Had she seen the Ashbournes in their prime, it would have been an amusing situation. In the end, this was to his advantage.


    "What is your name?"


    "Eritrea Wolf," she replied.


    "Why did you attack my men?"


    "We thought they were spies from the Raging Bear tribe."


    "I see."


    Asher leaned back. He locked eyes with her, and her panel appeared.


    [Name: Eritrea Wolf]


    Age: 28


    Rank: Silver


    Talent: Perfect Shot (A)


    Job: Sharpshooter


    Loyalty: 82]


    [Talent description: This talent gives the individual 70% uracy when using the bow.]


    [Ding! You have found anothermander-grade material to start your regiment of sharpshooters.]

 Chapter 29: Half Elf

    Upon seeing her talent grade and what her talent could do, Asher leaned back and allowed several thoughts in his mind.


    "Great Rider, we ask that you help our tribe. The Raging Bear tribe is gathering their forces, and I cannot defeat a man who is a rank ahead of me and has defeated my father."


    Asher looked at Eritrea and smiled softly. One of the major issues of his territory was poption, and a poption of 3000 would increase the avable workers and also increase the number of his forces.


    "What would I get in return for helping your tribe?"


    "The tribe has always belonged to the rider."


    Kelvin smiled.


    "You will hand over your tribe to me." Asher raised an eyebrow.


    "You saved the tribe during the great beast tide, and it has been yours since then. We chiefs ruled in your stead; your right still stands."


    Eritrea moved some hair strands behind her ear, exposing the pointy tip. The moment Asher saw it, his eyes widened.


    ''A half-elf!''


    At this point, her talent began to make more sense to him. It also increased his interest in making her his subordinate.


    "I see. Kelvin, make sure they''re fed and well clothed. We''ll leave for their tribe in two days'' time."


    "Yes, My Lord."


    After Eritrea left the sacred hall, she felt one of her friends grab her wrist tightly.


    "Don''t worry, we''re safe." She assured the other woman with aforting smile.


    "You are all archers?"


    Upon hearing Kelvin, Eritrea replied, "Yes."


    "Your lord, what is his name?" A woman asked.


    Kelvin turned his head and saw the pink tint on the cheeks of the woman beside Eritrea. He chuckled inwardly.


    "His name is Asher Ashbourne, and he is the Lord of this fortress. It''s best you address him as Lord Asher and not the great rider."


    "Lord Asher¡­" The woman muttered to herself.


    "Are you going to return our weapons?"


    Eritrea closed the gap between her and Kelvin.


    "No."


    "But we are loyal to the rider."


    "He is Lord Asher, not some rider."


    Eritrea frowned. "What I speak of is not some mere myth."


    "If you don''t have something to prove it, do not expect me to believe my Lord is some reincarnation of some ancient hero. I''ve watched him ever since he was born."


    "Watching over him doesn''t mean you know everything about him. There might be something that has happened to him that you have no idea of. Things that are invisible are hard to believe in."


    Kelvin looked at the ck-haired woman, who was no doubt a beautiful young woman who had a trait of Elvin charm and squinted.


    ''She has a strong character.''


    He said it internally.


    The next day, Eritrea met Asher in the dining hall during the morning hours. d fully in leather armour, she looked both elegant and remarkable.


    Her long hair was cut short, and it made Asher raise his eyebrows. Although she looked better with a shorter hair length, he was still curious.


    "Why did you cut your hair?"


    "The maids suggested it."


    "Oh? You can sit."


    She pulled the chair opposite him and sat down.


    "Tell me about the Raging Bear tribe."


    As they conversed, Asher discovered the Raging Bear Tribe had a gold-ranked chief who brutally killed her father and ughtered their forces with his two silver-ranked sons and elite army of warrior barbarians.


    Apparently since the Wolf tribe had lost most of their males, the Raging Bear wanted the women as spoils of war, but the women shockingly disyed their might as sharpshooters and slowed down their progress mostly through ambushing the Raging Bear Tribe''s forces.


    The Raging Bear tribe was a tribe of cannibals that were known for their despicable plundering and atrocious acts of making women from other tribes their ves.


    Knowing that there was a tribe in the mountains that enjoyed eating human flesh made Asher rmed.


    .....


    The next day, he gathered 50 strong men riding 50 tamed horses, Alec, Eritrea, and the remaining barbarians, and they journeyed into the mountains.


    Two dayster, they arrived before the wolf tribe. There were lots of tents made with animal skin littered about a vast space.


    They were built in such a way that the main tent was located at the center, and it was a bit bigger than the others. Their walls pretty much had no defensive ability as they only marked their territory.


    When the barbarians, most of them putting on fur clothing, saw a man on a huge white wolf, their eyes trembled and they began to fall.


    First, the guards who manned the gates fell to their knees, and that same scene yed out until Asher reached the chief tent and came down from Sirius'' back.


    He looked at the crowd of young and old gawking at him like he fell from the sky. His eyes locked on the women wielding bows and the men wielding axes and shields.


    Just like Eretria, they were all fit. Alex and Alec had to do a strict selection to get the best men to be soldiers before he came, but there were fit people everywhere. Despite their rough life, they looked stronger than a bull.


    That was obviously an exaggeration.


    "Is the great rider still alive?"


    "Did hee to save us from the Raging Bear Tribe?"


    "The great wolf is really huge."


    While they talked, Asher was led into the chief''s tent, and he sat down.


    Eritrea and Alec stood before him. His forces were garrisoned outside the tribe.


    "Alec, examine the terrain."


    "Yes, My Lord." Alec turned and left, leaving Asher and Eritrea alone.


    "Summon all your forces."


    She bowed her head and left to do exactly what he said. Asher could see a faint relief in her eyes because he had taken her position. She must have been at wits end trying to give hope to a depressed tribe, but his appearance instantly restored their lost hope, and she knew it would, which was why she quickly brought up their problem.


    He looked around. There were different animal heads, and behind him was a fur mat where the chief slept. It was big enough to amodate about five individuals.


    He got up and walked toward the unique bow he saw hanging above the bed. The moment he stretched toward the bow, the curtain opened, and Eritrea walked in.


    "L... Lord Asher..." Her eyes grew wide.

 Chapter 30: Preparing For Battle

    Asher froze; his fingers had already grazed the bow, and his right foot had trespassed and was now in the fur bed.


    He retrieved his hand and calmly turned to face her properly with his hands sped behind him.


    She wore an amused expression that only made him feel awkward internally, but he refused to let it show. "Lord Asher, I have gathered the tribe''s forces."


    "That was faster than I expected."


    Eritrea chuckled softly. "That bow belongs to my father; do you want to...?"


    She knew Asher wanted to examine the bow, and it was funny when he retrieved his hand while trying to hide his shock and y calm.


    Knowing he wasn''t some ice cold lord made her feel close to him.


    Even after she spoke, Asher only nced at the bow, so Eritrea had to walk past him, take the bow, and give it to him.


    "Here."


    Asher nced at her and veered back to the bow. The bow had no string, and while the grip was made of wood, the upper and lower limbs were made from the bone scythes of a White Furry. Just looking at the holes that were burrowed into the sturdy bones, Asher felt impressed.


    White Furry were beasts that appeared during winter, and they were at least bronze-ranked. They usually came inrge numbers and were nocturnal beasts that attacked during thete hours of the night.


    "It''s a good bow."


    Eritrea smiled and stretched her hand to show him the name etched on the grip. "That''s my mother''s name. My mother isn''t from this tribe, and ording to my father, she had once met a true elf, and he trained her to be an elite Elvin archer.


    After the tribe acknowledged her skills, my dad had the men gather these bone scythes and create a unique bow just as the elf had shown her, but most of the bows were kept since no sharpshooter proved to be powerful enough to draw it continuously except my mother."


    Asher noticed she was too close to him, and he took a silent step back.


    "Looking at the design, the bow is made for both long range and close range battles. It''s a noteworthy concept."


    Asher turned to the exit.


    "It''s time I see those waiting for me."


    .....


    Outside the tent, Asher found arge, disorganised crowd. He was shocked to see the number of armed warriors before him.


    "How many are here?" He asked Eritrea.


    "I800. 1600 axemen and 200 sharpshooters."


    "Are all the capable people in your tribe recruited into your forces?"


    Eritrea nodded.


    "I had to make sure we''re ready to face the Raging Bear Tribe, but most of them just entered the iron rank, and the Raging Bear tribe has countless warriors that have gone through wars."


    Asher furrowed his eyebrows. To him, most of them were simply cannon folders, but this battle would bring out the gems, and those gems are the ones who would be upgradable.


    He would filter the extras from there and add those with at least D-grade talents to his army, thereby building an army of elite soldiers.


    D-grade soldiers had a solid guarantee that they could ascend to the gold rank, but those of lower talents could only settle for less.


    He turned to his left and saw women armed with bows lined up more neatly than the men, who had most of the number. They were disciplined and experienced, and this was Asher''s judgement from the aura he perceived from them.


    Cumtively, the barbarians'' clothing had almost nothing to do with protection, and Asher knew he couldn''t do much about that. From the little he studied, he knew the system had a structure for his forces, and even the growth of themander-grade soldiers was different from the ordinary-grade soldiers.


    "The great rider has returned!!"


    A loud voice reverberated, and everyone fell on their knees. Some even began to cry as they saw Sirius walk out of the tent''s back.


    Eritrea pursed her lips as Asher shot her a nce.


    "Warriors of the White Wolf tribe, I am Asher Ashbourne, son of the Snow Swordsman and grandson of the Winter Shura. I have no idea if I might be this great rider you speak of, but I''m certain that I would help defend you from those cannibals."


    "Hoo!"


    "Hoo!!"


    "Hoo!!!"


    Their voices shook the earth.


    Asher watched the excited army without much expression on his face. At that moment, Alec rode into the gathering on horseback.


    Thud!


    He dismounted and bowed.


    "My Lord, we''ve surveyed the terrain."


    Asher nodded.


    "What is your suggestion for this uing battle?"


    Asher called for him toe closer, and Alec came closer. He came to Asher''s right and whispered into his ear.


    Asher nodded softly. "Our first step to defeating those inhumane beings is by first reinforcing our defence. We must protect our old and young from the reach of those cannibals, and only by helping this man here can we do it."


    After some more words, Asher convinced them to help Alec make the wall solid.


    Asher spent time monitoring the construction during the day and at night. He got minimum sleep as his men and the barbarians were always at each other''s throat for the smallest things. He had to be the mediator.


    Over the course of a few days, Eritrea had woken him up over a dozen times to settle issues.


    At the end, a good wall that had an alure was built, and it brought both parties closer. Asher sat on a stone and received reports from Alec and Eritrea while sharpening his sword dutifully.


    The two moons hung high above the clouds, spreading their light to the entire town, while beyond seemed like a forest of darkness.


    "My Lord, do you have to sharpen your sword by yourself?" Eritreained.


    "I do. Ashbournes are not like other nobles. By tradition, we do the work, especially when ites to being a warrior."


    Asher responded solemnly.


    Tapk! Tapk!


    An Ashbourne soldier ran toward them, holding tight to a fire torch and spear. The sword on his waist dangled.


    "My Lord, they''re here!"


    ...........


    A/N: Please write some reviews so the story can have a rating. Thanks in advance,

 Chapter 31: War [1]

    After a night of waiting, the barbarian forces found in the forests refused to attack, causing the soldiers to grow weary. By the time they started sleeping, it was already veryte, and Alec couldn''t do anything about it.


    He was also a bit tired.


    He looked at a watchtower and saw Eritrea tenaciously watching the forests for any movement.


    Puffing out, he leaned against the wall and peered at the forest. It was now the early hours of the morning, and their sight was impaired by dew.


    Suddenly, Eritrea picked up the horn hung by the wall of the watch tower and blew it. As the sound drilled into the ears of those that slept, jolting them awake, she yelled.


    "They''re here!"


    "Witch!"


    Alec heard an angry voicee from behind the covering of the dew, and in the next moment, hundreds of barbarians wielding axes and shields stormed out of the dew, rushing toward the wall.


    Alec looked at his right and left, and when he saw the fifty Ashbourne riders on their mounts and ready to ride into battle, he grew calmer.


    He picked up his spear, smacked a barbarian sleeping by his side, and then picked up his shield.


    "So they didn''t attack because they wanted to builddders!"


    Alec ground his teeth in simmering anger.


    "Throw thosedders down!"


    He yelled.


    The barbarians began to scramble toward nearbydders to push them away. Alec tookrge strides toward adder, lifted his feet high, and brought it down with a great force that mmed thedder off the wall.


    Four men climbing it fell along with it.


    While the warriors were trying to stop the raging bear forces from breaching the walls, the sharpshooters reaped lives! Eritrea quickly became a nightmare to them, as her arrows never missed a target.


    In a matter of minutes, twelve had been struck down by her arrows, and four narrowly survived but were injured.


    After a while, the raging bear barbarians, who had stained themselves with the blood of animals, finally breached the walls, ensuing a battle on the allure. Alec faced two barbarians with a solemn expression.


    The reason for his solemn expression wasn''t these bronze-ranked axemen before him but that the raging bear axemen were overpowering their forces.


    His men had to ascend the walls to help.


    As he thought, the first barbarian dashed toward him, cleaving upward. Alec casually deflected the heavy swing with his shield, pierced his spear through the man, and flung him toward the other, causing them to fall off the wall.


    He grunted.


    The sound of his foot hitting the wooden floorboards as he dashed toward the barbarians that had cut down two wolf barbarians fell into their ears. They turned toward him, but it was already toote.


    Alec''s spear swooshed out like a dragon, slithering through the skies.


    In an instant, it had pierced their bodies several times, and Alec continued running toward others, leaving the dying men in shock of their own demise.


    Upon seeing Alec''s outstanding feats, Eritrea left the tower and began to shoot three arrows at once! Her aim dropped just a bit, but her kill count rose exponentially.


    Still, they were against an army of 1000 iron-ranked axemen, 200 bronze-ranked axemen, and 10 silver-ranked heavy axemen, among whom two were the most prominent.


    They were Madman and IronTooth, the chief''s sons!


    After mming a man off the wall, Alec looked at the crowd still heading toward the wall and exhaled heavily. His men were the pirs that kept the barbarians back a little, but soon all hell would be let loose, and this was due to the sight of a foreign war machine that gave Alec a bad premonition.


    He watched some barbarians put a huge stone in the spoon-like part and lit the stone on fire, then IronTooth shed a rope, and the boulder was let loose to Alec''s shock.


    He did not believe that a stone that big could ever fly that high.


    It fell and destroyed several tents.


    Asher, who sat by his wolf, got to his feet at the sight of the destruction. Before he could make sense of what was happening, another boulder crashed into a tent, and it began to burn.


    He knew no one inside that tent would survive.


    ''How did a barbarian tribe in the depths of the mountains build a catapult?!''


    Upon seeing the destruction, the wolf axeman fought with increasing rage, but more boulders kept falling. All of a sudden, IronTooth pointed at Eritrea, and a boulder flew toward her. Even if it couldn''t hit her, part of the wall would be destroyed, and she would be caught in the disaster.


    Boom!


    Dust rose.


    Smoke covered the vicinity, and sounds of people coughing could be heard.


    "Go."


    IronTooth pointed at the destroyed part of the wall, and Madman led the troop toward it. While Madman led almost a thousand remaining men toward the walls, IronTooth ordered for the catapult to be set tounch another stone.


    Suddenly, as the catapult had been set, a spear came from nowhere and struck a crucial part of the machine, causing the spoon-like part to be put under pressure. It broke instantly, and the stone broke the lower part.


    IronTooth almost went mad at the sight of this. This machine was plundered by his grandfather from an old ruin beyond the mountains! It was the machine that made them a terror to all the mountain tribes, but this machine, which his tribe almost worshipped as a god, had been destroyed!


    The destruction didn''t affect Madman and his bloodthirsty troops, whose eyes were on the prize of taking their spoils, which were women and any valuable thing in the tribe.


    To their shock, one man emerged from the smoke holding a long spear and a heavy shield.


    Madman smirked at the sight of this.


    However, a huge creature suddenly came from the man''s back, and a man sat atop this great beast.


    Behind him was a force of 50 horse riders.


    "Is that the great white wolf and the legendary rider?!"


    Madman''s eyes trembled as it met with Sirius'' cold blue ones.

 Chapter 32: War [2]

    Shing!


    Asher brandished a spear as Sirius dashed toward the enemies. His men were behind him, their spears ready to pierce through the bodies of these ruthless cannibals that had in many of the wolf barbarians whom they had just befriended.


    As they closed the gap, Alec ran after them with the rest of the wolf barbarians while massaging his right wrist. Hurtling that spear across such a distance strained not just his wrist but also his shoulder, but the battle was still on.


    The barbarians gave him an axe, and his speed shot through the roof as he now had a weapon. Alec was like a super soldier, racing past the sturdy barbarians and even closing the gap between him and the horse riders!


    And this was while he carried a heavy shield and a one-handed axe.


    His eyes narrowed when he saw a golden glow sh through Madman''s body, transforming him into refined gold! The barbarian leaped high, bringing his two-handed great axe down on Asher''s head!


    ''The audacity!''


    Reeling with anger, he flung his axe through the air, and it collided with Madman''s axe, causing Madman to somersault backward and crash on the ground.


    Alec saw Asher nce at him.


    Turning his head away, Asher raised his spear and thrust it through a barbarian who tried to cut Sirius. He flung the barbarian against others, spun his spear, and skewed another target. Behind him were his men, aggressively cutting down the barbarians, and those they left behind were attacked by their allies, the wolf barbarians.


    By the time Madman got to his feet, a great wolf was running toward him, and it wed through his metal skin, ripping him apart. Madman''s metal skin talent was no match for Sirius'' sharp ws. In just one strike, a powerful silver-ranked axeman was in!


    Asher jumped down from Sirius'' back and hurled his spear into a barbarian. He drew out his gold-ranked sword and brandished it.


    Clutching the hilt tightly, he dashed into battle, cutting down barbarians without mercy. Those who saw their fellow humans as meat weren''t humans in his eyes; they were cruel beasts!


    Suddenly a silver-ranked barbarian threw an axe toward him as he engaged a huge barbarian. Asher sensed the attack and leaned to his right. He rolled backward, avoiding a blow from the huge barbarian, and flipped to his feet almost immediately.


    Swoosh!


    The silver-ranked barbarian leaped into the air. As hended, the earth beneath his feet and around him imploded. He dashed toward Asher with a great shout andunched several strikes, but Asher neatly evaded them while watching out for the huge barbarian.


    "I will chew your bones!"


    The silver-ranked barbarian roared as he once again struck the ground, causing another explosion that made Asher cover his eyes to avoid dust entering his eyes.


    Asher rolled to the side, evading a strike from the huge barbarian, and he intercepted the silver-ranked one, then pushed him back and kicked his chest. Asher''s training made him more agile, stronger, more disciplined, and more aware than other warriors of his rank.


    Training in the night and sometimes with blindfolds had made his ears a powerful weapon, which was why even when the huge barbarian was out of his sight range, he could still monitor him.


    All of a sudden, an arrow struck the silver-ranked barbarian''s forehead, killing him instantly. The moment he died, Asher rushed toward the huge one, but before he could swing his sword, the head of the huge barbarian flew into the air!


    "Apologies, Lord, but this one was mine."


    Alec said while looking at the corpse.


    Asher chuckled and turned. He saw Eritrea about one hundred meters away. She waved at him and focused on helping others along with her sharpshooting sisters.


    Asher continued his battle along with Alec, not far from him. They could hear the sound of horses whilebating their enemies.


    "Die you mad barbarians!"


    Those on his side began to shout as they saw they were on the winning side.


    After ying a barbarian, Asher ducked as an axe flew over his head. He sprung up and pped the barbarian with the back of his hand, and before the barbarian could recover, an arrow struck his chest, right at his heart.


    It was Eritrea.


    She ran alongside him with a soft smile. "I guess you were what we needed to win."


    Just as those words left her lips, a loud sound echoed.


    Bam!


    Asher flew almost two meters into the air, blood spurting out of his mouth and trailing him to his fall.


    The dramatic turn of events shocked Eritrea to her bones. The empty spot before them distorted, and Iron Tooth appeared with blood stains on his axe.


    "I''ve been waiting for you." He said to Asher''s still body and then turned to Eritrea. He proceeded to lick his ck lips.


    "And you."

 Chapter 33: War [3]

    Eritrea averted her gaze from Iron Tooth to where her Lordy, disbelief lurking in her eyes. "A¡­Asher¡­"


    Iron Tooth pointed at Eritrea. "Restrain her. Now that my brother can''t im her anymore, she will be my ve."


    He spoke to the fifty two-handed bronze-ranked axemen who were directly under hismand. These were people Eritrea thought she would face alongside her Lord, but unknown to her, Iron Tooth had another talent more than the one that gave him an iron tooth; it was invisibility!


    As she was about to engage them, Asher suddenly raised his hand and cleaned off the blood on his lips and chin.


    Eritrea turned and saw him looking at the palm of his hand stained with his own blood.


    "You''re still no¡­"


    Iron Tooth froze as Asher slowly got to his feet. His actions were slow but terrifyingly calm and coordinated so much that it made goosebumps pop all over Iron Tooth''s body.


    However, his body hairs stood on their ends when Asher lifted up his head, revealing his glowing, pure white eyes.


    He began walking toward them. Walking changed to jogging, and the moment he grabbed his sword, he burst into full speed.


    "Leave her, kill him!" Iron Tooth roared.


    Asher saw dozens of bronze-ranked warriors filling the space between him and Iron Tooth.


    Upon closing the gap, he lowered his body. A red light burst out of him, and he shot into the air,nding in their midst.


    Before those around him could swing their swords, Asher had sliced them and gone for the next target. He was exceptionally fast.


    Before Iron Tooth could create enough distance, Asher was standing in the center of his men, all of whom were in.


    His eyes trembled.


    Once again, Asher burst into a hot chase, his eyes fixed on Iron Tooth. Even after ying fifteen, his speed is still at its peak!


    Iron Tooth took two one-handed axes and dashed toward Asher. He was tired of running from a littled with a chin as smooth as a newborn''s bottom.


    With a great leap, Asher''s knee mmed Iron Tooth''s jaws,unching him into the air. Still midair, Asher swung his sword with all his might andnded with a soft thud. He stood on his two feet while Iron Tooth fell, his eyes still wide open in shock.


    Still, there was not a flicker in his ice cold expression.


    Boom!


    Sand and grass flew into the air, followed by a collusion with the rest of Iron Tooth''s men. The moment he met the first man, Asher swung his sword, and it cut the man''s axe into two! The second came from behind, but Asher spun round, cutting both him and the man whose weapon was destroyed.


    Not even a secondter, he kicked the damaged axe toward another warrior. It struck the warrior''s chest, and before he fell, he saw Asher''s white, chilly eyes in close range!


    Thud!


    He fell.


    By the time Asher lowered his sword, forty-nine bronze-ranked axemen were in. Only one remained, and he kneeled before Asher with his axe thrown away.


    "I surrender."


    The man wept, praying that Asher wouldn''t strike him down.


    "Lord, he''s unarmed."


    Asher heard Alec''s voice from behind.


    "I know."


    Asher turned his head, and Alec saw those pure white eyes, glowing ever so softly, and the hairs on his neck stood up.


    Asher blinked, and his eyes reverted to normal.


    "Tie all those that surrendered. They''ll work in the mines."


    Alec nodded.


    Asher walked past him. He noticed everyone, including his own men, was looking at him with fearful gazes; only Sirius was concerned. He could feel it through their bond.


    "I''m okay."


    He rubbed Sirius'' fur as he went straight to the chief tent. When he was far from the eyes of his men, he muttered under his lips.


    "I felt like Zenas."


    A gleam crossed his eyes.


    He didn''t understand what happened, but in that state, he felt he could kill 100 silver-ranked ande out unhurt, but exhaustion and depleted stamina would be his death.


    He was still a silver-ranked warrior and not a knight whose capacity had been boosted substantially. For a knight, a hundred silver-ranked warriors were no threat. But that was only true when the knight was properly armed.


    Alex had the power to bring down all of Ashbourne''s forces, including his brother, not just because he is a gold-ranked knight but because he wore a set of gold-ranked armor.


    .....


    Some timeter, Eritrea and Alec stood inside the tent, staring at their lord, who sat on the chief''s wooden chair.


    They still couldn''t put away what they saw on the battlefield.


    "My Lord!"


    They had kneeled and bowed their heads.


    "Rise."


    "Both of you have reached the requirement for me to upgrade you. But I didn''t see the chief you mentioned, Eritrea. So¡­ Where is he?"


    While Eritrea was bewildered by what he meant by upgrading them, she cleared her throat and replied, "He sent his sons so he should be in his tribe. They''ve sent many, almost all of his forces-"


    "We''ll head there once the sun goes down."


    Asher interrupted her with a firm response.


    Eritrea smirked. "As you wish."


    Ttring¡­.


    [Ding! Criteria for upgrade met. Your forces and yourmanders are avable for the next upgrade.]


    [Would the host like to upgrade his silver-ranked Shieldmen captain, Alec, to a gold-ranked sentinel? Yes or No]


    [Would the host like to upgrade his silver-ranked sharpshooter captain, Eritrea Wolf, to a gold-ranked marksman? Yes or No]


    ''Upgrade them.''


    Swoosh!


    Light shone inside the tent, and outside the tent, the soldiers gathered were also bathed in blinding white light, basking the tribe in a luminous glow.


    When the light vanished, Alec and Eritrea appeared before Asher''s eyes. Alec grew up to 8 feet tall, and his frame grew sorge that the tent became small for him. He was d in body-fitting chainmail armor with metal tes at vital spots. His shield alone was as tall as Asher and as big as a door.


    His shield was made entirely from metal!


    The amount of metal on Alec''s body was enough to equip four men, and the weight was terrifying! He also had a round helmet simr to Alex''s. The eye holes were very small, but he didn''t seem to be ufortable.


    A tall metal spear was in his hand. The tip of the spear grazed the roof of the tent! And a short sword was strapped to his belt.


    His cape billowed gently.


    "My Lord!" His voice was like a thunderp, causing Asher''s eardrums to quake.

 Chapter 34: War [4]

    Asher turned his left. When he saw the beautiful marksman d in a silver long-sleeved gown that went just below her knees, he was taken back. Above the dress made solely for a warrior was a silverminar chest te with no metal protection for the back.


    Her boots and her knee guard were made from pure steel, and by her hip was a quiver filled with arrows. In her right hand was the White Furry bow!


    In addition to her new armor, Eritrea''s looks and shape were also upgraded, just like Alec and Alex. She became more beautiful and endowed. To Asher, it felt like his system not only increased their strength but also brought them closer and closer to the peak of their designed look.


    Unlike Alec, she had no helmet.


    After absorbing the information and feeling the changes in her body, Eritrea''s eyes twinkled, and she went on one knee, her head respectfully lowered.


    "I willingly and wholeheartedly ept to be your servant on this day."


    Asher smiled a bit.


    Neigh!


    The sounds of horses neighing made Asher and his upgradedmanders rush out of the tent, and Asher held his breath. He had forgotten that the entire army was included in the upgrade.


    His 50 horse riders had all upgraded to be 50 silver-ranked heavy cavalrymen. They were d in mail armor,nces, swords, and a different kind of helmet that had a crest, from which red plume fell down to their waists!


    Their dark gray armor and fluttering red capes gave them a frightening appearance. Not only the warriors but their horses became muscr and bigger. They were also d in mail armor and had horseshoes.


    These 50 were like 500 because of their imposing appearance and daunting aura.


    [debreaker Calvary: A special heavy cavalry troop, trained to be nightmares to infantries, light and heavy alike. They are the debreakers and the terror of allnd forces.]


    Asher turned to the middle and saw 300 axemen d in imposing leather armor with round shields and silver axes neatly arranged on their backs. They had all upgraded to be bronze-ranked axemen and a powerful infantry.


    After them were another special troop. All 200 of them were women dressed like Eritrea and holding White Furry bows!


    They were as beautiful as they were imposing. Unlike Eritrea, these ones have hoods that hide their faces, and their lines were as neat as the debreaker Calvary.


    [BoneStrike Rangers: A special troop of sharpshooters with unique bows that can hit a target 350 meters away with uracy. Although they specialize in long-rangebat, they can adapt to close-rangebat due to the dual use of their weapon and training style.]


    Asher had admiration for the system as he gazed at this special troop. None of them removed their hood or gasped at their new looks because the system had given them enough experience for them to feel like they''d been like this for decades.


    Instantaneously, Asher had a troop of 550 elites!


    "Your father''s efforts weren''t in vain."


    Asher turned and said to Eritrea, whose eyes had puffed up. The young woman just saw her mother''s dreame true and even beyond what her mother would expect, and she, her mother''s only child, was their leader.


    Ttring¡­


    [Eritrea''s loyalty has risen to 100].


    Asher smiled inwardly.


    "Tonight, we end the reign of those cannibals!"


    "Hoo!"


    .....


    Several men stood and sat around arge bonfire in the middle of a small tribe. The Raging Bear tribe was not massive. They had a total poption of 6,000 with an army of almost all the capable males. Almost all of their warriors had gone to war to gather the females of the wolf tribe. Their chief had once battled the chief of the wolf tribe for an elfdy but failed.


    When the Wolf tribe became weak, they prevailed, and now he had eyes on his nemesis daughter. Perhaps the child of a woman with Elvin blood could be a mage. This was Lugard''s dream.


    With a mage, he would subdue all the tribes in the mountains and be king.


    Right now, he sat in the head seat with powerful guards around him.


    "I''ve grown tired of drinking from the skull of that girl''s father. Where is she?!" Lugard suddenly yelled, interrupting the festival. The dancers stopped, and silence reigned.


    Whispers fell into Lugard''s ears, causing his eyes to turn red.


    "Shut up!"


    "I want fifty men to go to that tribe and see what is going on."


    His eyes danced about, scanning the dancing women where the surviving captives of the tribes they destroyed were. Most of the women were dead after being put under hardbor and ruthless beating.


    The Raging Bear tribe was a warrior tribe that did not believe in marriages. To them, women were ves to satisfy their every need, which was why once they''d exhausted the ones they captured, they would go hunting for another.


    Only the male children grew well.


    Suddenly, the sands began to jump, and not long after that, they felt the earth beneath their feet tremble.


    "What''s going on?"


    As the trembling grew louder, Lugard felt something was wrong. "Fetch your weapons!" He yelled and dashed toward his tent.


    The women scrambled. Now they were not in chains, they fled for their lives.


    When Lugard emerged with a formidable mace, he saw an imposing army of metal men on horseback with a huge white wolf, which had a rider.


    The sight wasn''t what he expected.


    "Who are these ones that havee to interrupt my great n?!" He bellowed.


    Due to a record of continuous victories, Lugard had lost the sense of apprehension and fear. "Kill these intruders!"


    His men roared and rushed toward the calvarymen, and then the biggest horror in Lugard''s life disyed before his eyes. His elite men were torn apart with a mere swing from Sirius.


    In mere minutes, Sirius killed 50 axemen and left the rest to be ughtered by the debreaker Calvary. The sound of their powerful horses neighing and theirnces piercing through men fell into Asher''s ears as he led his wolf toward Lugard.


    Before Lugard would disy an unpredictable talent, Asher gave Sirius an order.


    His wolf mmed the ground, and ice encased Lugard, sealing him in an ice that would take decades to melt.


    Boom!


    The ice shattered.

 Chapter 35: War [5] End

    Boom!


    The ice exploded outward, hurtling ice shards everywhere. Asher''s eyes narrowed as he watched a steaming man walk out with a ferocious glint in his eyes.


    "Boy, I''ll roast both you and your beast!"


    He roared.


    Asher saw him inhale, causing his chest to inte, and all of a sudden, a fiery light shone from the middle of his chest to his inted cheeks.


    In the next moment, a torrent of mes poured out of the man''s mouth. His mouth was like a me thrower, and the mes seemed to increase as it got closer to him.


    Sirius intercepted the mes with its ice mist breath. Both elements collided, causing an explosion and a thick cloud of mist that hampered Lugard''s vision.


    When he almost came to the conclusion that Asher was dead, he saw a shadow emerging from the thick white fog with a weapon resembling a sword in his right hand.


    Lugard brandished his mace and watched as the man ran toward him with an excited smirk. He could visualize himself smashing Asher to pieces.


    When the gap between them closed, Asher went on his knees and slid under his horizontal strike. Grunting, Lugard turned, and at that moment, a wolf emerged from the fog and bit down. Its massive teeth and ws tore Lugard apart.


    Without gold-ranked armor, he was defenseless against Sirius'' weapons, which were his teeth and ws.


    "Good boy."


    Asher got to his feet. He hung his sword on his shoulder and watched his men cut down the cannibalistic barbarians. He noticed a debreaker soldier was giving others to others, making them work as a strong unit.


    This made Asher squint.


    [Name: Lambert


    Age: 41


    Rank: Silver


    Talent: Physique Enhancement (B)


    Job: debreaker soldier


    Loyalty: 100]


    [Talent description: Physique Enhancement is an active skill that increases the individual''s overall capability by two folds in a duration of 10 minutes.]


    ''A B-grade talent has been with me all this while!''


    He gasped. A B-grade talent, though not as noteworthy as an A-grade talent, was still crucial to the growth of his elite army. B-grade talent could grow to be amander of a thousand strong men of war, while an A-grade talent would eventually lead ten thousand strong if his army ever grew to that size.


    All these were still far away from him, but Asher was excited to find Lambert, a hidden talent!


    He quickly checked the panels of others, but none of them even had a C-grade talent.


    ...¡­


    After some time, Lambert rode toward him with two other debreakers, and they dismounted and kneeled.


    "Lord Asher, we''ve conquered the tribe and have taken no male prisoners."


    "Arise. What is the total number of women and children?"


    Lambert stood up when Asher gestured for him to rise.


    "There are 200 women and 130 children; most of them are below ten."


    "Just that?"


    "We discovered they sacrificed most of their children for feasts. Their bones are piled up in the valley down there." Lambert pointed behind him.


    In the depths of his tone lurked rage and scorching fury toward the Raging Bear tribe.


    "Keep some men to lead them back. The rest of us will return to the wolf tribe."


    "Understood, My Lord."


    After that, Asher and 20 debreakers rode back to the wolf tribe, where Asher ordered Sirius to stop anyone from entering his tent and went to sleep. He was exhausted after a day of riding and fighting, yet there were matters that needed his attention, but he wasn''t in the right state to deal with them.


    He had to fight, mediate, order, listen, advice...


    His work was seemingly endless, and his territory was still in the infant stage. Before he slept, a face came into his mind. It was Kelvin''s face.


    ''I just hope he''s able to handle all the cases in the fortress.''


    ...¡­.


    The next morning, Asher faced Alec and Eritrea, who were both looking refreshed after the upgrade, but he had bags under his eyes. He did not have the privilege of an upgrade that would wash away exhaustion.


    "My Lord, the total report of the battle is out." Eritrea paused and looked at his face, waiting for his go-ahead signal.


    "Go on."


    "We took 300 captives who surrendered, and we recorded our losses to be 500, reducing our forces from 1800 to 1300."


    "I see. How much did I upgrade then?"


    "500, My Lord."


    "Remove the rest from the army. Those that are not eligible should be taken to the working sector."


    Asher turned to Alec.


    "Inform Kelvin to handle them."


    Alec nodded.


    "Is there anything else?"


    "Ehm!"


    Alec cleared his throat.


    "There''s nothing else."


    "Then you can leave."


    They turned and left.


    On their way through the tents, Eritrea turned her head to Alec.


    "Lord Asher should be in his twenties, but he had no wife or concubine."


    "He had a bad past with a woman. Apparently they called off a betrothal after he was deemed useless."


    Eritrea''s eyes twinkled.


    "That was a good thing, in my opinion. They would have chained our Lord, killing his talent to be a great lord before it even showcased itself."


    Alec nced at the female marksman and shrugged.


    "The woman in question is an elf. Men mor for elves."


    "An elf!" Eritrea was shocked.


    "Elves still exist?! My father said, "Though many thought my mother was an elf, she was just a half-elf, but with a purer heritage than me."


    "Will, they still do, but they are rare. I heard Count Williams find her in the wilderness, living a peaceful life."


    "You''re busy talking about elves when we''re all discussing Lord Asher''s dreadful state. Did you see those white eyes? It was as if your soul wasid bare before him."


    Alec and Eritrea turned and saw a bonestrike ranger. It was Eritrea''s close friend and the same woman who was eager to know more about Asher.


    Eritrea turned to Alec.


    "That should be his talent."


    "But he mysteriously increased our strength and size and made us much more powerful in an instant. Isn''t that his talent?" The ranger asked with an innocent blink.


    "Perhaps-"


    Alec''s words were stuck in his throat as he touched the white ke on the ranger''s head and looked up. Snowkes were falling from the skies.


    Winter had arrived!


    ************


    End of Volume One.


    ***********


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 Chapter 36: Upgrading The Fortress To become A Magnificent Stronghold

    After journeying with a great poption through the forest for three weeks, Asher finally got to his fortress on the first day of the fourth week. They had to cater for the poption of the old and the young, which was while they took so much time returning to the fortress.


    In this period, the mountains were now snowcapped, and the depths of the wastnds were colder than ever. Soon, beasts would find it ufortable and leave their habitations to human habitations.


    A great battle wasing, one against deadly beasts, and it was like a heavy burden on Asher''s shoulders.


    On their way back, Eritrea told him about his fame as the rider in the barbarian tribes, and by epting it, he would be able to gain their trust and increase the number of his citizens. However, he was still on the sidelines.


    Such an idea had its disadvantages.


    What would happen if they found out he wasn''t the great rider?


    It was different from Eritrea, whom he had informed severally that he wasn''t the rider, but she kept insisting that he had lost the memories of his past life.


    Finally, after weeks, he saw the high wooden walls of his fortress and the vast corn and wheat fields, which still flourished despite the thick snow. This was the benefit of a nt that depended on mana.


    Asher looked at the 1200 old and young from the wolf tribe, 800 strong men and women who weren''t epted into his army, and the 600 and something captives from the raging bear tribe and his troops.


    50 debreaker cavalrymen.


    200 Bonestrike Rangers.


    300 bronze-ranked axemen.


    The poption stretched for a long distance, and they were all looking at the fortress with different thoughts in mind.


    When they got closer, the gates of the fortress opened, and five riders emerged.


    "My Lord!"


    All of them jumped down, kneeled, and bowed their heads. At the front was Kelvin, and behind him was Alex. The others were not popr faces.


    "Arise."


    When Alex stood up, he couldn''t believe the huge man was his brother. Alec smiled and poked Alex''s breastte.


    "I''m bigger now."


    His voice shook Alex''s ears. Alex''s lips twitched, but there was noeback from him because Alec looked like his father with such a size and mature look.


    "I''m pretty sure your sword is nothingpared to the weight of my shield. Do you want to lift it?" Alec asked his twin brother.


    Kelvin, who rode beside Asher at the front, heard the brothers banter and smiled. "Your forces look imposing, My Lord."


    "Thank you for thepliment, Kelvin. Right now, I need a warm bath and some days of rest."


    "And that is what you shall have, My Lord."


    The irritation on Asher''s face vanished. "You''re the best butler; I would have increased your sry if I paid you."


    Kelvin''s lips twitched.


    There was awe and shock in the eyes of the people as they saw the imposing cavalry and the graceful sharpshooters. Both troops made some citizens eager to join the military, but their Lord had put a rule that one must first awaken a D-grade talent.


    Asher did this because D-grade talents had a chance of entering the gold rank and bing a knight!


    Because of thisw, voiced by Kelvin some weeks ago, many were eager for their children to be ten and undergo the natural awakening that would decide their fates. As prestigious soldiers who would die for hisnd or working as a farmer, miner, and in other upations.


    "Lord Asher, I see that the barbariandy has transformed into a refined young woman." Kelvin took a nce at Eritrea and looked away.


    "She''s worth being nurtured." Asher said with a gentle nod.


    "She''s also capablepanion, My-"


    "I''m not interested in that for now, Kelvin." Asher interrupted instantly.


    "I understand."


    ...¡­


    As Asher entered his room and dropped his sword on his desk, he heard the sound of the system. His eyebrows raised.


    Ttring¡­


    [Ding! You have increased your poption to over 8,000, and after a battle, your military has grown by leaps and bounds. You have hit a hidden criteria for an upgrade. ''Win a war without losing any of your men.'']


    [Reward: Upgrade your Tier 1 fortress to be a Tier 1 stronghold.]


    [Initiating upgrade¡­]


    Rumble!


    Asher fell on his butt as the ground began to shake. He looked up and saw the ceiling going higher and higher. Before his naked eyes, a chandelier with magic candles appeared in the center of the ceiling, and his room grew to about three times the previous size!


    His bed became king-sized. The quality of the wood, mattress, or whatever he slept on was more than doubled.


    His desk transformed from a casual one you could find in a mercenary guild to one of those that were in the manors of rich merchants and castles of high-ss nobles. The body of the table glimmered due to how polished it was.


    Asher looked at the neat stone walls. Before, his castle was made from casual stones, but now it was made from whitestones. A special stone was found in the western part of the high ins, and the stones were neatly cut.


    He caressed the wall and found out it was as smooth as a brick wall!


    As he went toward the window and opened it, his eyes widened. His room was high off the ground, his castle was now a three-story building! Not only that, but the castle walls were also made from whitestones and were thicker and sturdier.


    His courtyard grew wider. There was now a quarter for his castle guards and horses. He could spot two carriages made from top-grade wood, and the carriages were meant to carry a noble. He had seen many of these in the county when he went to Liya''s party.


    However, all of these paled inparison to the broadenednd and more housing for his citizens. Their houses now had roof tiles instead of wood for the roof. The roads were wider and paved with cobblestone.


    The defenses of the stronghold''s walls increased by several folds. It was now a 10-meter stone wall with thick round watchtowers and a gate strong enough to withstand the full strike of any silver-ranked entity.


    Knock! Knock!


    "Lord Asher! Something has gone wrong with the fortress!"


    Asher heard a knock and a yell from behind his door.

 Chapter 37: Growth in Wealth

    The moment Asher opened the door, Kelvin quickly asked. "My Lord, are you the cause of the changes in the fortress?"


    Asher smiled.


    "I should be."


    He walked out, and Kelvin followed him. While walking through the corridor, Asher marveled at how spacious it was. The whitestones gave the castle a brighter shade, seemingly dissipating its dark history.


    He saw some rooms a good distance away from him and opened them. Each of the rooms was bigger than his room before the upgrade!


    "One room should belong to you, Kelvin. It''s time you maintained a good distance with the maid''s quarters. And the others should be for my personal guards, when I form them."


    Kelvin smiled. He was tired of their giggles and baseless gossip that always disturbed his sleep. He couldn''t remember how many times he would barge into their area and order them to sleep, but to no avail.


    Asher looked at his right, at the numerous windows, and saw his courtyard. The ground was paved with cobblestones, and there were towers attached to the corners of the castle, and soldiers manned them.


    Some guards were following farmers who brought in the Lord''s quota on carts. Asher''s eyes zeroed in on the different kinds of meat, pork, beef, chicken, and some magical beasts and species that filled three carts and were pushed by the maids to a different part of the castle.


    "Kelvin. Since when did we have all these?"


    "After you left, I went to Hebron Town to sell some of our products while hiding where they came from. I exchanged some with wealthy farmers who did not have enough money."


    Asher raised a brow. Hebron Town was one of the hotspots for merchants in the meheart territory. Hearing this made Asher consider the awkward name his stronghold had.


    Ash Stronghold?


    Meh!


    "What was your price?"


    He asked after pushing his thoughts aside.


    "1 silver coin for one corn and 10 gold coins for a catty of Moonlit Starhorn milk."


    Asher turned to face his butler and crossed his arms, but there was a hidden excitement in his eyes. "So apart from the food, we also have money?"


    "We do. There are 10,000 gold coins in our treasury, and the maids are taking the food items to the undercroft."


    Asher chuckled softly.


    "Where you sold the corns, can they nt them?"


    "No. We have discovered that except for our fields, no other field can support their growth, and I also boiled the corns. The fragrance was more enticing that way."


    Asher burst intoughter at Kelvin''s cleverness.


    As Asher walked down the staircase with a proud smile, he recalled something. "What about the people''s quota?"


    "Alex delivered themst week, and this week, I n for Eritrea to do the same."


    Asher nodded.


    "Good," he said.


    When he came down, Asher went straight to the left and saw that the small maid quarters had been upgraded to berge servant quarters for both maids and servants. The arrangement of the doors was neat, and though the design was simple, it was also wless.


    After the servant quarters, he visited the kitchen and armory andter left the servant floor to the highest part of the building, which was the lookout room located at the spiral roofs of the castle''s watchtowers.


    "My Lord."


    A Bonestrike Ranger saw him and bowed.


    "You got here so quick?"


    "No. I actually found myself here, and I found myself ustomed to this station."


    "I see." Knowing this was the doing of the system, he finally understood how Kelvin, the guards, and the maids behaved more normally than him. He had been thinking about how they easily located the undercroft and the treasury, but he now understood that the system had imprinted a blueprint of the castle into their minds.


    It was the same for the citizens. Although they were amazed and knew this was the doing of their Lord, they still had a mystical knowledge of everywhere they needed to know so as not to get lost.


    Asher the Lord was the only stranger in his territory!


    He took the sharpshooter''s position and looked at his stronghold. From this high spot, he could see his stronghold, even to the first walls!


    He could see barbarians with mining tools hopping on carts, which were heading for the mines. Some joined the farmers, some did animal husbandry, and a few went to learn upations like sowing, forging, and so on.


    His eyes rested on the umting snow on rooftops, the streets, and the walls. "We''re a month in. The depths should be almost inhabitable." He muttered to himself.


    ....


    A few hourster, two men stood behind Kelvin, who stood before the mighty doors that hid the sacred hall behind them.


    "Sir Kelvin, are you sure we can go in there? I heard the Lord''s pet beast is always in there." The first man said.


    "Drop your fear and you''ll be fine."


    "What about me?" The second asked, trembling badly.


    "The same. If you dare urinate in there, you''ll surely die."


    The hairs on the man''s neck stood up.


    "Maybe we should-"


    Before he couldplete his words, a heavy sound echoed as the doors were slowly opened.


    They saw a 7-foot-tall knight d in chainmail armor with an absurd sword attached to his back. "The Lord has agreed to see you both."


    He then gestured for them to go in.


    The first man peeked and was shocked to see such a massive hall, but apart from the man on the chair at the other end, he saw no giant beast as the rumors had it.


    "It''s not inside." He said to the second man.


    The second man stopped trembling and exhaled heavily.


    "Let''s go," Kelvin said with an unnoticeable scoff.


    Both men followed him in. The moment they crossed the door, they turned to their right because the creature there was impossible to ignore.


    It was a huge white wolf thatid down with its eyes closed. As if Sirius could sense them even in its sleep, its ice-blue eyes opened, striking terror into both men''s hearts.

 Chapter 38: Diamond-Ranked Eggs!

    As Sirius stood up, both of them fell to their knees and watched the mighty beast stare at them without making any other move.


    They could literally hear their breath and heartbeats. Sweat poured out of their bodies, yet their bones felt so cold that they seemed to be made from solid ice.


    Kelvin paused in the middle of the hall. "What are you doing?"


    When they heard Kelvin''s voice, they looked at him, and that reduced their fear a bit. However, in the next moment they remembered Sirius, and their eyes veered right back to the wolf, but Sirius was back to sleeping.


    It was as if he never stood up.


    "Are you done kneeling for my beast?"


    Asher''s voice rang. He leaned against his right hand, staring at his fearful citizens.


    "Lord Asher." They came close and kneeled.


    "What is the matter?"


    "Ahem! I¡­ It''s about the 5,000 wild chickens your men brought from the forests."


    Asher looked at Kelvin. He was shocked to hear about the number of chickens but couldn''t disy his shock before his citizens.


    He recalled Kelvin making mention of it once, but that information had grown vague in his mind.


    "What happened to the chickens?"


    "Nothing happened to them, My Lord. We just¡­"


    "Speak." Asher insisted with a frown.


    "My wife has been talking about my neighbors cattle and the farmers'' enhanced seeds. Sir Kelvin made me and my friend in charge of the chickens, but they''re too ordinary. We want special chickens."


    Asher raised an eyebrow.


    Alex chuckled softly while Kelvin coughed.


    "That''s the reason you came?"


    Upon hearing Asher''s tone, both men trembled.


    "You''ll be rewarded for this. Why hasn''t this entered your mind, Kelvin?"


    Everyone was baffled by Asher''s response.


    "Lead me there."


    Asher stood up.


    .....


    Asher stood in a massive wooden shelter looking at thousands of feral Kadaknath chickens. These chickens were found in the Ash Mountains and were jet-ck. They looked like warrior chickens and were much stronger than other wild chickens. Domestic chickens were weaklings to these forest survivors.


    Their meat was richer than that of domestic chickens, and their eggs were also richer and bigger than that of domestic eggs.


    Cluck! Cluck!


    They went about their business, eating and walking about. Many of them paid attention to Alex because of his armor. The rest of them (Asher, Kelvin, and the poultrymen) seemed inconsequential in their eyes.


    "What a bunch of proud little birds."


    A hen red at Alex, causing him to point at it. "Did that hen understand what I just said?"


    "Stop fantazizing." Kelvin retorted with a serious face.


    "My Lord, these are their eggs."


    When Asher saw the thousands of eggs, he casually picked one, and a thought popped into his head.


    Instantly¡­


    [Ding! Would the host like to fuse 1000 eggs, thereby producing an upgraded version? Yes or No.]


    ''Yes.''


    Swoosh!


    Before everyone''s eyes, a thousand eggs vanished and became one egg that was two times bigger than normal and shimmered like a reflective ss.


    [Hexakad Queen egg: Consuming this egg would increase the strength of an individual by 500 catties and also increase lifespan by a few years while strengthening the bones. Effects reduce with continuous intake.]


    Asher gulped.


    500 catties was beyond his wildest imaginations! This meant this egg before him could instantly give him 300 kg worth of strength, and he would have eaten a lot before it lost its effects. This was a fast way to increase both his strength and that of his army before the beast tide.


    While examining the egg, he noticed it had ayer of ss-like protection over it. The ss-likeyer had hexagons, which had tints of deep gold. It made the egg look regal.


    Asher instantly cracked it and poured the slightly viscous content into his mouth, including the golden yolk. Almost instantly, a change urred inside of him.


    A strange heat burst out from his stomach and spread to the rest of his body.


    Feeling the internal changes, Asher clenched his fists, and during the process, his knuckles made loud popping sounds.


    A broad smile graced his face.


    "Good. Really good!"


    Seeing him so excited, Alex and Kelvin felt like tasting that egg.


    Without dy, Asher returned to the chickens.


    [Sensing host''s intentions to fuse all the chickens to produce five diamond-ranked chickens? Yes or No.]


    ''Diamond-ranked!''


    ''Yes!''


    Swoosh!


    When the light died down, five 1.2-meter-tall Kadaknath chickens appeared. They had goldenbs, golden wattles, golden eyes, and golden chest feathers, but the rest of their bodies were jet-ck.


    [Hexakad Hen Queen: A territorial diamond-ranked wild beast that cany 100 eggs weekly. Its eggs and meat are a delicacy and are good for the body.]


    As if knowing what he desired, the Hexakad chickens separated andid a heap of 100 eggs each!


    The poultrymen were stunned and salivating when they saw the beautiful work of art these mighty chickens justid.


    "Make sure you separate them. Kelvin will handle the distribution and sales of the eggs. But that will beter. For now, my men just fought a war. Make sure they''re rewarded and also send some to my castle."


    "Yes, My Lord."


    The poultrymen were excited. What would their wives say when they saw these mighty hens?


    After Asher left, Kelvin shipped 90 eggs to the castle, left 10 for the poultrymen, and took 400 straight to the military camp.


    There he called for the assembly of the leaders, and surprisingly, Alex was there.


    "Aren''t you supposed to be guarding Lord Asher?" Alec asked him with a in expression.


    "He has Sirius." Alex replied with a straight face.


    "He just wants the present Sir Kelvin gathered us for." Lambert scowled, causing Alex to rush him, but Lambert skillfully evaded.


    Eritrea crossed her arms, and her focus was on the basket covered by a cloth. She lifted her gaze to Kelvin.


    "When are you opening it?"


    "Why is she so serious?" Alex asked Lambert in a soft tone.


    "She lost to Big Brother Alec in a duel."


    Alex lifted his head and saw Eritrea staring at them with an unreadable expression.


    "Lord Asher has ordered me to share these eggs ordingly, and the rest belongs to the lower ranked soldiers."


    Kelvin removed the cloth, revealing the dazzling eggs before their eyes.

 Chapter 39: Another Ashbourne?

    "Are these magic stones?"


    Eritrea asked as she got closer to the basket.


    "Magic stones are just stones infused with mana. They''re basically useless, but this is the egg of a diamond-ranked beast, the Hexakad Hen Queen."


    Gasp!


    All themanders sucked in cold air. Their actions weren''t because of the name of the beast; none of them had ever met or read about a Hexakad chicken before, but the rank sent chills down their spines.


    A diamond-ranked chicken would no doubt be a delicacy.


    "Lord Asher did this?"


    Eritrea''s breath hitched as she held one egg. It felt cold.


    "Yes. This is Lord Asher''s doing. He also assigned me to distribute to the four of you. So¡­"


    After Kelvin distributed, Lambert''s expression became ugly. He held five eggs, but Alex and Alec held ten eggs each. Eritrea also had 10, and Kelvin left 10 in the basket, stating it was for him.


    Lambert knew Alec and Alex were his superiors, but he refused to ept Eritrea having ten eggs.


    "Why does Eritrea have ten eggs and I have five?!"


    Kelvin looked at him.


    "Did I say I''m done distributing the eggs?"


    It was then Lambert looked at the basket properly and discovered there was still an extra 5 added to the 10, which was Kelvin''s.


    "How did I not see that earlier?"


    Alec snorted and left, causing Lambert to scratch the back of his head.


    Some timeter, Kelvin distributed 300 eggs to the military and gave the rest to more important citizens, like Lois the tailor and Dan, the cksmith.


    When he returned to the castle, he found Asher in his study, writing with an ink pen. "Kelvin, you''re done with the distribution?"


    "I am, My Lord."


    "Good."


    Asher rolled up the letter, picked up the Ashbourne seal, and pressed it into hot candle wax before sealing the letter.


    "I heard there''s now a vige called Silver Leaf."


    "Yes, there is, My Lord. Silver Leaf was created by the miners in order to ease the stress of always returning to the stronghold after a day of hard work."


    "Who is the head of the miners?"


    "Ark. He''s a 54-year-old man with a family of five. He''s also an experienced miner who has survived a copse three times."


    Asher raised an eyebrow.


    "I guess he has a lucky charm. Very well, this letter will inform him of my arrival, so hand it over to the information department to send a messenger falcon."


    "I will."


    Kelvin took the letter with a soft bow.


    "Oh, before I forget, I''m renaming this stronghold. From now on, it won''t be known as Ash Stronghold but Nineveh."


    "The stronghold of Nineveh sounds great, My Lord."


    Asher chuckled.


    "Have it pasted on the newsboards all over the stronghold."


    "It will be done, My Lord. My Lord, when are you leaving for the silver leaf vige?"


    "In a day or two."


    After the discussion, Asher and Kelvin went their separate ways.


    Asher had a sumptuous lunch with lots of eggs, and his strength increased by 2000 catties! After the meal, he left for his room and found Mary cleaning up. She had cleaned the room after he woke up but was here again to clean even when no one had touched a thing since herst clean-up.


    "Mary."


    Hearing her name, she turned and bowed immediately.


    Asher sat down on his bed and kept looking at her in a way that made her shiver. She subconsciously took a step back, causing Asher to tilt his head.


    "I never knew your mind would be so dirty at such a young age."


    He chortled.


    Mary''s cheeks flushed.


    Asher removed his boots and pointed at the Ashbourne records on his desk.


    "Get me that book and a cup of warm milk."


    Mary gave him the book, left to get the milk, and returned after a short while. Asher averted his eyes from his book, took a sip and examined his personal maid. He had seen other maids, and Mary looked like a malnourished childpared to those her age.


    He wasn''t kidding when he used the word ''child.'' Mary didn''t even look like someone who is a year older than him.


    He remembered her to be a proactive individual who stood up for him even against other nobles. She was daring and was quite a knowledgeable little girl back then. Mary was brought by his father from beyond the Ash Mountains.


    His father told him she was an abandoned child who was badly wounded, and till date, no one hase in search of her.


    After thinking for a long while, Asher discovered what made her so audacious and willing to give her ideas back then. It was his trust.


    After he woke up, he had never acted like someone who knew her, and that must have made her shrink away.


    "No wonder you had that look when you saw me hiding." Asherughed bitterly.


    "What did you eat this morning?"


    Mary''s lips trembled.


    "Have you eaten?" His voice grew colder.


    "I¡­ have¡­" She nodded like a chicken, but a part of her wasn''t happy and roared out in anger.


    Gu gu!


    Her stomach rattled.


    Asher stood up. His frame easily towered over hers.


    "What about your lunch? Don''t lie to me."


    Asher held her hand and dragged her straight to the kitchen and met the cook, who was in his 30s.


    Upon seeing Asher, the cooks and other maids present bowed.


    "Why haven''t you fed her?"


    The cook''s eyes widened.


    Other maids looked at themselves. They could not believe Mary dared to report to the Lord. Such audacity made them furious, but they decided to hide it.


    Kelvin was too busy handling matters even during Peter''s reign that the cook was left in charge, and during that period, Mary became the object of bullying. She was to do whatever they wanted to be fed.


    Seeing their faces, Asher realized the reason Mary fell back when he just possessed this body wasn''t just because she stumbled. The weak youngdy was starving! Naturally, she would have little strength and stamina.


    "Men!"


    When the maids and the cook heard that, they began to plead for mercy, but Asher''s expression remained cold. He didn''t employ them, so their actions weren''t surprising considering the man they served before him.


    "Send them to Sirius; he should be hungry."


    Even his men and Mary trembled at Asher''s cold verdict.


    [Ding! The host haspleted a hidden quest: ''Rescue Mary Ashbourne from oppression in the castle''.]


    Asher''s eyes shook.


    ''W¡­ What?!''

 Chapter 40: Imposing Riders

    Swoosh!


    A bright light engulfed Mary for a few seconds, and when it vanished, a tall, beautiful, pale-skinned woman with long gray hair that reached her back appeared. She wore a long-sleeved ck gown and boots.


    Looking at the gray-haired woman who had simr golden eyes, both of which were prominent traits of an Ashbourne, Asher faltered.


    "You¡­!"


    Mary took a deep breath and tried closing the gap to exin what the system made her know, but Asher was still reeling in shock that he pointed at her. "Stop."


    Mary was no doubt a bastard child of his father, but the man lied to his son and even made his stepsister his personal maid, all because she wasn''t a true Ashbourne.


    Ture Ashbournes had gray hair and golden eyes. While Mary had a bright, vigorous golden pair of enchanting eyes, Asher had dull, cold, and unreadable ones that somehow suited his pale skin, making him seem like a man with a dark past.


    "My Lord, I can-"


    "Lord?" He spat and stormed off.


    Mary quickly followed after him, pangs of fear mming the walls of her heart. A part of her wanted Asher to wee her, but the other part knew that was just a fairy tale. Asher was never close to any of his siblings, and to make it worse for her, this reveal destroyed his childhood knowledge.


    All he knew was ripped apart in a mere second.


    "Write to Kelvin. I want to see him immediately!"


    At the end, Asher struggled to hold back his anger, but the man he spoke to could feel it.


    Boom!


    The doors to the sacred hall were pushed open by Asher alone, and he walked into the hall. Sirius felt his emotions and growled at Mary, forcing her to halt at the door.


    It walked toward her with increasing growls, causing Mary to take steps backward.


    "Asher, I didn''t know!"


    The moment she yelled that, Asher paused. ''Leave her.''


    He ordered Sirius through their mind link.


    Sirius turned away from Mary, allowing her to enter the hall.


    She went on one knee and bowed.


    "Kelvin knew nothing about this."


    When there was no response, she raised her head and saw Asher staring at her with hollow eyes.


    After a short while, Kelvin entered the hall with Alex, and upon seeing the gray-haired woman on one knee, their eyes went wide.


    "Kelvin, do you know who she is?"


    "Mary."


    Kelvin''s instant response made Asher chuckle softly. He knew Kelvin couldn''t betray him or do anything to harm him because his loyalty was at its peak, but he still felt angry that he had been sending his sister and having her cook for him while she starved.


    His anger stemmed from the pain he felt.


    "My Lord, back then your father just returned from an expedition that took him four years. It was the reason why he wasn''t present when you were born, and when he arrived, I saw a three-year-old girl in his arms. Although she didn''t have the Ashbourne traits, I suspected she was his daughter, but after making her your personal maid and years passed, I decided to let it go."


    Asher stood up.


    "From today¡­"


    Kelvin looked from the corner of his eyes and saw Asher''s guards already had their hands on their sword hilts, including Alex!


    "... You cease to be my butler and shall be my Grand Advisor!"


    The tension in the air just vanished in a way that baffled everyone.


    However, there was turmoil inside Kelvin.


    "Mary Ashbourne, I will grant you a-"


    "I don''t want anything. I just want to keep taking care of you."


    Asher cocked a brow.


    "That''s not the ce of an Ashbourne. You''ll ride with me to Silverleaf Vige tomorrow."


    He stood up, patted her shoulder with a small smile, and left without another word.


    Kelvin exhaled as he watched Alex follow Asher.


    "We need to talk."


    Later that day, Asher found himself on his bed looking at the chandelier. ''I can''t believe the man I call my father goes about producing children on a whim. I don''t see why his death atop a woman is shocking.''


    He slept off after a while.


    By the time he woke up, the sun was going down.


    Creak!


    The door opened.


    Asher''s eyes narrowed. He reached out for his sword, and as he turned, he saw Mary with a tray. On the tray was a steaming cup of hot milk.


    "How did you know what I wanted?"


    He took the cup.


    Mary smiled. She was more afraid Asher would question her for entering without knocking.


    "You do know that both the Ashbourne males and females were warriors."


    "I don''t want to swing swords and get all sweaty."


    Asher turned his head toward her.


    "But you get sweaty cleaning."


    "That''s different."


    Asher chuckled.


    "Asher, I want to stay in Nineveh." She said it softly.


    "Do you think I''m driving you away from my sight?" He turned to face her.


    Mary nodded.


    "Well, I was, but it will be safer for you here. However, you''re stilling with me. The people need to know their Lord has an elder sister."


    [Name: Mary Ashbourne


    Age: 23


    Rank: Iron


    Talent: Mythical Eagle Wings (B)


    Job: None


    Loyalty: 95]


    [Talent description: With this active talent, the individual can summon a pair of golden-brown eagle wings, which would be able to aid flight and also act as a shield].


    "Have you seen your talent?"


    Mary nodded.


    Swoosh!


    Wings sprouted out of her back, and she pped them softly. Asher felt a gentle breeze caressing his face.


    "Have you tried to fly?"


    Mary shook her head.


    When she saw Asher look toward his window, fear gripped her.


    Fortunately for her, someone knocked on the door.


    Knock! Knock!


    "Lord Asher, the moon is out. It''s time to train."


    It was Alex.


    ...


    Several kilometers away from the stronghold of Nineveh, the sounds of neighing horses could be heard. A group of 10 riders on muscr pitch-ck horses stopped before the ruins of the Raging Bear tribe.


    They all wore hats that looked simr to strawhats, and their armor was made of different parts of several beasts.


    All 10 of them looked imposing.


    "Wasn''t there a tribe here a year ago?" The one that seemed to be their leader asked with a gruff tone.

 Chapter 41: Execution

    "There was a barbarian settlement here indeed. Although it''s almost been a year, I remembered seeing them devouring raw flesh like madmen; it''s not a sight I can''t forget." A female voice rang.


    Should one look at the ten, they would not be able to recognize the owner of that voice due to the special kind of armor they wore.


    They were well d to resist both the cold and protect their bodies, and in turn, it hid their shapes, especially that of a woman. Unless they removed their hats and the clothes covering their noses and mouths, no one could differentiate any of them.


    "It must have been destroyed by another tribe; it''s not like a tribe like that could have any allies, considering their¡­ tastes." Another spoke. It was a male this time.


    Geriant, their leader dismounted, walked into the tribe, and burrowed an ice shard from the thick snow.


    "A mythical beast."


    He said it with a twinkle in his eyes.


    Mythical beasts were ancient creatures that once roamed thends before the war of the races 500 years ago. These beasts possess a deep connection to mana, causing them to awaken magical elemental abilities and dreadful powers.


    Amongst them, the dragons were the most powerful, but they were also a terror to other races. During their reign, only mages could protect towns and cities from bing the hunting grounds of a dragon.


    Those proud beasts garnered hatred, but there was nothing other races could do until the racial war¡ªa war that drove all the races into madness as they sought the supremacy of Tenaria.


    Ever since that war thatsted a hundred years, almost all the races except humans, who could reproduce abundantly, slowly went extinct. Fairies that brought abundant flourishing to thend, dwarves and halflings that built great castles, cities, magnificent pces, and highways that stood the test of time, elves, the most beautiful and magical race that stood at the peak of magic.


    "It''s a fresh battle. Not more than two months." Geriant said and looked into the forest. "They were also not small that left."


    "We''ve spent a year searching for a mythical beast only to find traces of it at the exit of the mountains. This is absurd!" The woman grinded her teeth and rode after the others as they began tracking.


    Deep into the night, they found the deste wolf tribe and found it also abandoned.


    .....


    Thud!


    A bronze-ranked Ashbourne soldier fell on his knees. With his blurry vision, he scanned hisrades who were unconscious and spat a mouthful of blood.


    It was high noon, and the sun was beyond the clouds, illuminating the forest. It cast the shadows of the trees toward the small mining vige that had about 600 workers. A few minutes before now, ten horseriders came and defeated all the soldiers who tried to defend the town.


    This soldier was thest man, and it was only a punch that put him in his current state.


    "You''re quite strong, aren''t you? Well, tell me. Who is your leader?"


    The soldier lifted his head and stared at the pale-skinned brown-haired woman, who, though good-looking, had a cruel smirk on her lips.


    She alone defeated 10 bronze-ranked shieldmen without drawing her sword! It was then the man realised she had to be a gold-ranked knight!


    Not even a silver-ranked warrior could defeat 10 bronze-ranked shieldmen d in full-body bronze-ranked armor.


    "Each of you is wearing bronze-ranked equipment from head to toe, so your leader must be very rich. Haha, he even has lots of people mining for him, so there''s a big possibility that he is a lord."


    "If you know that I serve a noble, then why did you still attack us?!" The man spat.


    The woman chuckled.


    "Why should we fear barons in this wretched wastnd? Your lord might be rich, but I''m pretty sure he doesn''t have enough power to frighten us or this ce would have been well guarded."


    Upon hearing this, the soldier''s eyes trembled.


    His heart sank as the woman lifted her leg and mmed his face.


    Walking past the unconscious soldier, the woman looked at the trembling barbarians under watch by her fellow mercenaries and entered a house.


    Inside the house sat two men and a white-haired man on his knees. One was huge, and the other had an athletic build. The huge man''s skin had a tint of silver, and he was at this moment, casually chewing an iron ore!


    The woman looked around and saw two boxes of iron ore had been consumed already!


    "Will you stop eating and gather enough for us to leave?" She spat.


    The slim man who had blonde hair turned toward her. "We''re not leaving."


    "What?!"


    The blonde pointed at Ark White. The white haired man.


    "He said their Lord ising today. Apparently, he''ste."


    The woman raised an eyebrow and sat on the cold forge. This building was a forge, and Ark White was the only cksmith in Silverleaf vige and also the head of the vige.


    Geriant hummed deeply.


    "Who is your Lord? Baron me heart? Baron Tyre?"


    "He''s Baron Ashbourne."


    "Pft! Isn''t that the name of the lord who died on top of a whore?" The female mercenary chortled.


    The blonde, however, frowned.


    Geriant furrowed his eyebrows.


    "How can your lord hire this many miners? You don''t have the resources for that." The blonde asked, but Ark remained silent.


    Bam!


    The door burst open, and a mercenary walked in with a woman in his grasp.


    "Sir Geriant, look what I found in the woman''s restaurant."


    He lifted his hand, revealing a Hexakad Queen egg.


    Upon seeing the design of the egg, Geriant stood up. The woman and the blonde were stunned.


    Geriant took the egg. "It''s the real one." He said it with disbelief.


    "Where did a meremoner get the egg of a diamond-ranked beast?" The blonde frowned deeply.


    There were too many oddities that made him feel apprehensive.


    "She got it from a stronghold called Nineveh. The chickens are there!"


    Everyone''s expressions changed. Ark looked at the woman''s face and saw bruises and swellings. Her clothes were almost ripped apart, and she was sobbing silently.


    Her husband was none other than the second man given charge over the chickens in Nineveh.


    "My Lord won''t forgive you for this." He ground his teeth.


    "What did you say?" Geriant turned to face him.


    "I said Lord Asher will hang you for raiding, beating, and humiliating his citizens!" Ark roared with red eyes.


    Geriant smiled.


    "Execute this one in public. I don''t believe any baron in the wastnd has a force powerful enough to subdue us. I mean, which wretched baron, apart from Baron meheart, can pay more than two gold-ranked knights?"

 Chapter 42: Against An Actual Gold-Ranked Knight

    Ark was dragged out of the house and toward the middle of the vige.


    "Sir Geriant, these soldiers are all equipped with bronze-ranked equipment!" A mercenary said while brandishing a bronze-ranked spear he took from an unconscious soldier.


    The blonde frowned.


    "Geriant. I don''t think it''s a good idea to remain here. There are many things that point out that we might have encroached into a powerful noble''s territory."


    "I just need the purest ore; the refined ones in that forge will be enough for me to enter the diamond rank. Then, no noble except Count Williams can threaten us."


    "We haven''t reported back to the Lord who hired us. The mythical beast is our priority, not this." The blonde frowned deeply.


    "Just a little time, Ramsey." Geriant said deeply.


    "You worry too much. The three of us are veteran knights able to mow down a force of a hundred silver warriors of these wastnd lords. What''s there to fear?" The woman said.


    Ramsey looked at her with furrowed brows.


    "We still haven''t located the chickens. That chicken is about 25,000 immortal gold coins! That''s enough for us to live luxury lives for several decades."


    A friend of theirs voiced his opinion.


    Geriant unsheathed his greatsword, and when he was about to behead Ark before the crowd, Ark''s forearms and hands suddenly transformed into metal, and he cut the ropes binding his wrists with brute force.


    As he was about to make a run for it, Geriant mmed his fist against Ark''s face, causing the miners to yell, but the woman and Ramsey''s aura suppressed them. However, the barbarians were already raging.


    Geriant lifted his sword and was about to plunge it down, but a voice drifted into his ears.


    "Do that, and I will make sure you live to regret it."


    That voice made everyone turn to their right, where Asher sat on Sirius'' back. Ten castle guards were behind him, and Alex led them.


    They were walking into the town square.


    "Lord Asher!"


    Asher looked at his citizens, and his ashen expression became worse than it already was.


    "You, who are you?"


    He faced Geriant, ignoring other mercenaries.


    An arrow flew toward Asher the moment he asked that question.


    Swoosh!


    ng!


    Alex deflected the arrow from reaching Asher and brandished his sword. His eyes met with the female mercenary who shot the arrow for a brief moment before he turned his head toward Asher.


    "These men are clearly not our allies, nor do they have respect for people. Let me deal with them."


    The moment Asher gave the go ahead signal, Alex smiled.


    Seeing him approach, the six mercenaries rushed toward him with their weapons, ready to taste his blood. Alex dug the tip of his right foot into the soil and suddenly burst forth with an outstanding speed that caught all six men off guard.


    All Ramsey saw were sword lights, and hisrades, who had passed through thick and thin with him, fell to the ground with grievous sword wounds on their bodies.


    "I took down the one at the entrance. I also took down this six. Hmm, I guess there are three more to go." Alex pointed his sword toward Geriant.


    Geriant eyes had already narrowed into slits.


    The female barbarian drew an arrow and released it at Alex, who was running to engage Geriant. Mid-run, it was impossible to evade such a fast-moving projectile, but Alex swung his sword, urately deflecting the arrow!


    A bright red light enveloped him like a surging heat.


    It made his ck sword turn red-hot.


    ng!


    Him and Geriant shed.


    A shockwave blew outward, causing the hair and clothes of everyone to flutter.


    When they separated, Alex swiftly kicked Geriant''s chest, then followed up with a horizontal swing with both hands wrapped around his sword''s hilt! He could feel his sword cutting through the air like it was slicing through warm bread.


    A silver light engulfed Geriant, and he retreated.


    Before he could adapt to the fast-paced battle, Alex suddenly executed a fast movement and appeared behind him. Alex looked at the few drops of blood on his sword and flicked it away.


    The female mercenary staggered backward, shock filling her eyes.


    "Stripping Lord Asher''s men of their equipment is an insult and a p to the Lord''s face, and it was done by lowly mercenaries without honor!"


    Alex closed the gap and swung his sword, spilling blood. The woman still couldn''t believe it as she staggered backward and fell watching her leader still looking at the cut on his abdomen.


    Ramsey went on his knees.


    "You''re donning full gold-ranked armor." He said it in resignation.


    "Spare him." Asher''s voice rang from behind.


    "We''ll need to interogate-"


    He couldn''t finish speaking when Ramsey transformed into a human-sized bird and mmed Alex away with his broad right wing.


    He red at Asher and pped his wings to take off, but a few meters into the air, a rope grabbed his leg and pulled him down.


    The moment he crashed, Alex wrapped the thick rope around his gauntlet, lifted his sword, and brought it down on the bird''s neck.


    Thest thing Ramsey heard was the number.


    "10!"


    Leaving the dead beast, Alex came before Asher and kneeled on one knee.


    "I''vepleted the task, Your Lordship."


    Hearing thest part made the corners of Asher''s lips curl up a little.


    "Your Lordship, thank you for saving our lives." Ark fell on one knee despite the pangs of pain. He easily learned from Alex.


    Asher dismounted and came to lift him up.


    Patting his shoulder, Asher said, "It''s my duty."


    [Ding! You have rescued your new vige from the tyrannous hands of 10 ambitious and greedy mercenaries.]


    [Reward: Upgrade to a tier 1 bastide town]


    Boom!


    The wooden structures became made of stones. The streets were paved, houses transformed into stone houses with roof tiles, and they were symmetrically organized. In the center of the bastide was a round empty space that had a pool dominating its middle.


    On the other side stood arge smithy. It was Ark White''s Forge!


    By the time the light came down, a 3-meter-tall wall had surrounded the bastide town with fortified wooden gates.


    Surrounding the bastide were canopy trees with silver leaves. They made the ce look kind of sacred and cut out from the rest of the mountains.


    ''I guess those mercenaries were not worth upgrading Alex. I wonder why?''


    Curious Asher checked their panels and figured out while the female mercenary, Ramsey and Geriant, seemed to be gold-ranked knights; they were actually just at the border, meaning they had tasted a bit of the power but hadn''t been fully transformed.


    Because their powers suddenly boosted and made them stronger than their silver-rankedrades, they came to the conclusion that they were gold-ranked. However, before a true gold-ranked who had inherited decades of knowledge, they stood no chance.


    "Your Lordship. We have been expecting your arrival." Ark White said with a soft bow.


    His etiquette made Asher curious about him, so he decided to check Ark White''s panel.

 Chapter 43: Polar Wolf Pup

    [Name: Ark White


    Age: 54


    Rank: Bronze


    Talent: Hands of Steel (C)


    Job: cksmith


    Loyalty: 100]


    [Talent description: Hands of steel is an active talent that transforms the bones and flesh of the individual into pure steel.].


    ''Bronze?! This man has to be hardworking to have been able to push himself to be a bronze-ranked cksmith.''


    The image of Ark rose in Asher''s mind.


    "Ark White, it''s a pleasure to meet the man who has been handling the affairs of my town without pay. I''m deeply honored."


    He smiled softly.


    "It''s no honor, my lord; it''s the duty of a patriotic citizen. Besides, the pay I receive from mining is enough."


    Asher raised both eyebrows.


    "You also mine?"


    "Oh no. My sons do."


    "Ah! And you forged all this equipment I see everyone with." Asher said, looking at the mining tools almost all miners had. They were brand new, and he could see the silver-intricate meridians pulsing, although many didn''t notice it.


    "You tter me."


    "My Lord, I found the mounts of those greedy fellows."


    A castle guard brought ten ck and muscr horses, which were neighing aggressively. Other castle guards had to help the first man hold their reigns.


    Grr!


    Sirius unleashed a low growl, and instantly the horses became quiet.


    [Would the host like to upgrade these 10 iron-ranked horses to be 10 bronze-ranked horses? Yes or No.]


    ''Yes.''


    Swoosh!


    When the light died down, 10 slightlyrger horses appeared.


    "Fuse them."


    Asher said, and a light mmed all of them together, causing a brilliant glow that almost blinded everyone''s eyes.


    Asher opened his eyes and saw a tall ck horse d in silver armor. It looked regal and had a proud bearing, which made Asher scoff lightly.


    [ck Horse King: A powerful horse able to trump over other mounts in and out of a battlefield. It is a loyalpanion and a lifetime friend of a great knight. Hard to tame.]


    "Alex, that''s your special mount... if you can tame it."


    Apetitive light zed in Alex''s eyes, and he approached the horse with deep, precise steps. Such an impressive mount was the pride of a knight, and with it, he would one day be known in the entire wastnd.


    With great dreams, Alex swiftly closed the gap, but the horse evaded him.


    Mary, who was just entering the town, giggled at the sight.


    She was asked to stay back when Asher and Alex noticed something was off.


    "That''s Mary Ashbourne, my sister."


    Asher introduced causing gasps. Mary froze on her horse, but it kept moving until she arrived beside Asher.


    Hu~~


    She exhaled.


    "Let''s go in, Your Lordship."


    "Lordship, huh?" Mary smirked at Asher.


    Before they came, she was the one educating everyone in the castle that Asher had to be addressed as ''Your Lordship'' from now on because, ording to her understanding, he was a Lord himself and not the same as the Lord of servants. Merchants could also be addressed as ''My Lord'', but a true lord must be addressed as ''Your Lordship.''


    "You did good."


    Asher gave her the praise she sought, and they dismounted.


    Thud!


    The sound of Alex mming the ground hard fell into their ears along with the jesting of the castle guards.


    "You''ll kill him."


    Mary said to Asher.


    "He''s resilient enough. If he wants a special horse, he has to earn it."


    "But you can make it easily obey him."


    Asher shrugged and walked into the forge.


    Mary nced at Alex in pity before she also went in.


    .....


    After a while, Asher stood at the same ce he once stood after battling the orcs and watched miners move in and out of the mine.


    Beside him was a dishevelled Alex who had a victorious smile.


    "What did you name your mount?"


    Asher turned his head toward him.


    "Night."


    "Night," Asher muttered softly.


    He shrugged and walked through the mines. ording to Ark, what he saw was just the entrance of the mine; the tall hill some distance away was filled with iron ore!


    And Ark knew about this because his talent also allows him to sense ores.


    With Ark''s special talent, he could go around trying to find more mines, but Asher didn''t want to be an abusive lord.


    Right now, he needed a way to trade these ores for money. His system had already prepared armor for all troops, special, unique, or normal. Special-tier troops were undoubtedly stronger than normal troops, but normal troops had greater numbers.


    As for unique, it was still in the dark, but the system had informed him about it.


    While walking, Ashher and Alex left the mines and explored the silver leaf forest.


    "Alex. I n to send Mary to the Sacred me Academy to study. I want her away from here because we would soon face oppositions both from the beast tide and nobles who would be greedy for what we have."


    Alex simply nodded.


    Asher puffed out and looked at the skies. "Mary will be able to learn a good upation there."


    ...


    When the sun went down, Asher sat under the trees with Mary. She dutifully sang lubies that slithered into Asher''s ears, soothing his heart, which was filled with many things. They both leaned on Sirius, who had been subjected to being their couch.


    The wolf didn''t seem to care as it closed its eyes, seemingly fast asleep.


    Just as Asher was about to shut his eyes, he discovered the strange fog that enveloped the ce.


    "Mary, stop singing."


    His eyes sharpened.


    He held his sword hilt and began to walk forward. His boot sank into the snow-covered ground, leaving a deep trail behind him.


    After a while, Asher squatted and squinted at the footprint of a beast. It was a really small footprint.


    Frowning, he traced his steps back.


    All of a sudden, Asher paused and looked at his right. He saw the forelimb of a giant beast. A true giant beast!


    He lifted his head in that same shocked state and saw a massive head looking at him from above. A pair of blue eyes stared right back at him. Apart from the head and the forelimbs, the other part of the beast seemed to be made of wood and grass, and he couldn''t see past its waist due to the thick fog.


    Whoosh!


    The mighty beast vanished along with the sudden fog.


    Asher saw a small, furry creature walking toward Mary and Sirius.


    "Is that a pr wolf pup?!"

 Chapter 44: The Beginning

    Few days went by after that incident, and while Mary sessfully bonded with her female pr wolf, Asher still couldn''t forget what happened that day. He had to inquire from Kelvin if there was anything special about that ce, and Kelvin told him that there was a cave there where all the Ashbournes that ruled were buried.


    It was no wonder the mountains were given the name Ash Mountains.


    It was a tomb for Ashbourne Lords.


    After training for several nights and sleeping over it, Asher could finally live with the fact that there were indeed some mystical elements still existing in their current world. There was no way a creature that big would appear, and everyone in the vige, including Mary, who was just a dozen meters behind, wouldn''t see it.


    "Your Lordship, are you okay?"


    Standing on the alure of Nineveh''s walls and basking under the sun''s warm radiance, Kelvin turned to his Lord.


    "I am."


    Asher replied solemnly.


    They were looking at the departing convoy. It was a carriage and twenty bronze-ranked swordsmen, who were to guard the carriage until it was out of the wastnd.


    "Will she be okay over there? She really wants to stay with her only remaining rtive."


    Asher adjusted his coat as a misty breath left his lips.


    "She''ll be better there. There she will learn the ways of the high ins and bring it back to teach us. I''m nning for the future, Kelvin."


    "Forgive myck of foresight."


    Asher patted his shoulder.


    "It''s notck of foresight, but you were blinded by concern for our family."


    Asher looked at Kelvin, who still donned his butler attire proudly. The 60-year-old man came to him and rejected the offer to be his grand adviser. ording to Kelvin, he was from the lineage of butlers who had served the Ashbournes, and it was a duty much more noble than being an adviser.


    When the convoy vanished from sight, leaving only the vast white in, Asher turned and looked at the mountains.


    While reading the Ashbourne records, he saw a map of the wastnds, and this stronghold was at the end of it! The ash mountain was a wall that divided the wastnds from the beyond. Where the stronghold is was a part of the mountain that went inward, like a natural gate of this naturally formed wall.


    He finally understood that the Ash Town was built to stop whatevery in the beyond, also called the destnds.


    ording to the Ashbourne records, the destnds was a harsh environment for humans, but it was a paradise for rare resources, barbarians who were naturally stronger than a typical human, and the rest of the unknown.


    While the writer was warning not to encroach, Asher only saw a vastnd, as big as the entire Eternal Immortal Empire that has never been conquered. If an iron mine, which was a recourse that nobles killed themselves over, was at the borders of the Ash Mountains, what theny in the destends?


    And it was better to incorporate the tribes and civilizations there into his growing territory than those in the high ins.


    While they descended from the wall, Asher began to speak.


    "Can you find a trustworthy physician? We don''t have priests, and we need a way to tend to the sick and wounded, or people will keep dying."


    "On the next trade, I''ll move to Hebron Town myself and inquire."


    Kelvin replied.


    They boarded a carriage that went straight to the castle. The first thing that caught Asher''s eyes upon alighting from the carriage was his castle guards being subjected to a new training style introduced by the man supervising them.


    The supervisor was none other than Alex!


    "What''s this?"


    Asher asked with a raised brow.


    This was the first time he had seen them training. All of them were in their leather armor and battled against each other with swords and shields. They formed two teams.


    All of them were swordsmen.


    "Your Lordship!!!"


    Upon seeing Asher, they fell on one knee and bowed their heads while roaring his name thunderously. The vigour in these men was infectious.


    "Arise."


    They stood up in unison.


    Then, Alex approached Asher.


    "I''ve decided to start training the castle guards. We protect you, so we must stand out above other troops, but that''s not the case. A single debreaker can wipe the floor with five of my men and get away with it."


    Asher shook his head helplessly.


    "Give us the chance, My Lord. I can train these men to be a fearsome force that can only bemanded by you. We are your personal force, and we cannot disgrace your name."


    Seeing the determined look in the eyes of the soldiers, Asher nodded.


    "As you wish."


    With that, he went into his castle.


    ...¡­.


    Night.


    The cold air blew through Asher''s room while he was fast asleep.


    All of a sudden...


    Knock! Knock!


    "Your Lordship!"


    "Your Lordship!"


    Asher sat up his forehead lines with creases. "Who?"


    His voice was a bit deeper than usual.


    "It''s Kelvin. There''s a sighting of the beast tide!"


    ''Beast tide!''


    Asher swiftly left his bed, grabbed his sword, threw a jacket, wore his boots, and opened the door.


    "They''re here? I don''t hear any sounds."


    "A scout saw something concerning them and reported back. He says he can''t exin it, but you need to see it."


    "Where is Alex?"


    "He''s outside waiting for you with 10 castle guards."


    ...¡­


    Thud! Thud!


    Twelve horse riders and a wolf rider trampled on the snow as they ran through the ins with solemn expressions.


    Asher gripped the reins tightly as he gazed at the mountains in the distance.


    Shortly after, the scout led them to a valley. Asher looked down and saw corpses syed about. They were the corpses of several beasts.


    "What could have done a thing like this?" Alex asked a question no one had an answer to.


    "That''s what I want you to see, Your Lordship." The barbarian scout pointed at the center of the massacre, and they saw a different being.


    It was not a beast.


    It was a¡­

 Chapter 45: Abyss Knight

    Neigh!


    Alex turned to his men, whose horses were expressing their difort by neighing loudly. He looked at his own horse, which still had a calm state of mind.


    The cold northwind of the night tousled Asher''s hair, but it brought no stench, causing his brows to knit.


    "This ughter happened not too long ago," he said, peering at the red-skinned humanoid creature in the midst of the dead beasts.


    This creature wore ck armor and had a massive sword plunged into the ground. The blood of beasts stained the sword, but Asher''s keen eyes noticed that all the beasts were killed by that sword, and there was no damage to the creature''s armor, so what killed it?


    "Your Lordship, that is an abyss creature. The species is called ogres." Alex said solemnly.


    Ogres were known for their disaster-level strength and brutality. Not even Orcs were their match when it came to personal strength, and the force Alex felt from this ogre made him feel cautious, even though it seemed to be dead.


    "What''s wrong with you?"


    "Nothing."


    "That''s a lie!"


    The high-pitched tone made Asher look back, and he saw a soldier ring at the scout.


    "What is it?"


    "Your Lordship, this scout is hiding something."


    The castle guard grabbed the barbarian scout, revealing a small red vein before the barbarian scout freed himself and tried to create a safe distance, but other guards left their horses and pinned him down.


    His leather vest was removed, and the sight of his torso made everyone distance themselves except Asher, whose eyes narrowed.


    "He''s corrupted!"


    "Let me kill this thing, Your Lordship."


    Several guards offered, but Asher remained silent.


    "What do you think is the cause?" He asked Alex.


    Alex looked at the barbarian, who had fear written over his face and turned his back. Right there, at his left shoulder, a ck wound was found. It was the source of the corruption.


    "He was attacked, probably by an arrow."


    Asher''s eyebrows knit together.


    ''That means-''


    Swoosh!


    An arrow came out of nowhere, heading for Asher, but Sirius deflected it and growled at the top of the hill on the other side of the valley.


    "We''re not alone, shields!"


    Alex roared, and the castle guards lifted their shields above their heads; one covered the barbarian, but it seemed as if something snapped in the barbarian, causing him to lunge toward the soldier like a lion.


    Luckily, Alex''s sword was right at the barbarian''s back. He pierced through the scout and pulled out his sword.


    Unlike other kills, he felt sympathy for the scout.


    The scout wasn''t an enemy; he was forced to be one.


    Swoosh! Swoosh!


    Instead of arrows, the next thing that came flying down the hill were purple me balls!


    Boom!


    A soldier was sent flying backward when a me ball hit his shield.


    Asher skillfully dodged a meball by rolling forward. As he got back to his feet, two more meballs came for him. Grinding his teeth, he unsheathed his sword, unleashed his battle force, and everything around him seemed to slow.


    Badum Badum!


    He could hear his heartbeat. Each beat resonated with the gentle pulse he felt from the air. This was the second stage of his battle force technique. Since it was a blood element battle force, it focused on maximizing his current strength.


    His adrenaline was consciously activated!


    He leaned to the side and swung his sword upward with the entire strength of his body, causing the meball to scatter mid-air. As his sword came down with reducing momentum, he gathered his strength again and unleashed another sh that destroyed the second ball.


    Fire sparks flew about, but it couldn''t even burn his furry coat because the red light, which was his battle force, acted as a shield.


    Asher saw Sirius helping the soldiers.


    ''Sirius, go up!''


    He ordered.


    Awoo!


    As Sirius covered a short distance, it suddenly stopped and began to growl. The hairs on its body stood up as it turned back.


    The blood of the beasts all flowed into the ogre, causing its fingers to twitch.


    "Your Lordship, it''s alive!"


    A castle guard shouted.


    Before their very eyes, the ogre they thought dead got back to its feet and roared so mightily that their hair fluttered backward.


    Alex held his sword with both hands.


    "Your Lordship, it would be advisable you leave with Sirius and get reinforcements."


    Alex wasn''t joking; they were facing a being beyond their rank. From its aura, they knew it was much stronger than a gold-ranked entity.


    The ogre was a diamond-ranked warrior!


    Roar!


    It roared as Alex ran toward it.


    Bam!


    When their swords shed, Alex was flung twenty meters away, tossing and rolling on the uneven ground.


    "For Nineveh and Lord Asher!"


    Asher''s castle guards roared and dashed toward the ogre.


    All it took was a single swing, and a bronze-ranked loyal soldier lost his life. Asher''s eyes trembled.


    Awoo!


    Sirius shed with the ogre. Its ws cut through the ogre''s metal armor, but it received a blow that caused shockwaves.


    As Sirius staggered backward, Alex was already behind the ogre. He shed its back, rolled to the front from under its legs, and was about to deliver another sh when it kicked him away.


    Asher stood there, watching the battle with two minds. Go or run.


    If he ran, there might be a chance to gather forces and fight back, but how much more would he lose? And who knew what level the ogre would be if it absorbed the blood of Alex and Sirius?


    ''Ashbournes, do not fear!''


    He charged himself. However, the moment he saw a me ball hit one of his men, Asher did not need to mentally charge himself as anger took over.


    He sprinted toward the beast while me balls exploded behind him. Upon arriving at the intense battlefield, he stepped on Sirius,unching himself several feet into the air.


    Channeling all his force into his sword, Asher swung down, but before his sword touched the ogre''s head, itsrge palm covered by a metal gauntlet mmed him into the distance.


    Boom!


    His back mmed a hill, and the edge of a rock opened a small cut at his right cheek. His vision was blurry, but he could see Alex falling to his knees and being mmed to the side with Sirius fighting intensely despite the sword wounds.


    At that moment, he felt a sting more piercing than the paining from his bones. Asher lifted his hand, touched his right cheek, and stared at his blood-stained palm.

 Chapter 46: New Troop

    A man in a ck garment hit his wooden crooked staff against the ground with a light force, and he became visible.


    His beards fluttered gently as he watched his ve warrior oppress Asher''s men. His eyes were on the wolf, for he hungered for its corpse. He averted his gaze from the battle that would soon end toward Asher, who was silently looking at his palm.


    "Another foolish lord that wants to encroach into the destends."


    He lifted up his staff and was about to cast a spell when Asher lifted up his head, revealing a pair of cold white eyes.


    The mage was rmed by the radiating force erupting from Asher, so he pointed his staff, unleashing a ball of mes.


    Asher nonchntly leaned to his right, and the ball of mes hit the hill. While looking at the mage, Asherbegan to spin his sword. The speed of the de moving at such intense speed slithered into his ears and also made the mage stunned.


    He was certain Asher wasn''t as good as Alex when it came to swordfighting, so how was he able to perform such top-tier spinning? In fact, it had left a casual spin. He could only see afterimages of the sword, and this was while Asher was walking!


    Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!


    Three balls of mes hurtled toward Asher. Upon seeing theming down from the sky, Asher burst into a hot sprint. He easily evaded the mes and scaled the hill right to the top before the mage could run far.


    When the mage turned his head and saw Asher, he said some words, and mes formed a beast that dashed toward Asher.


    Asher lifted his sword, piercing through the beast''s head, causing the body to burst apart.


    He heard a whimper and turned to see Sirius had fallen.


    Asher looked at the ground and mmed his foot against a protruding stone. His force broke the protruding part of the stone, and Asher swung his sword,unching the stone like a projectile.


    It carried so much momentum that it pierced through the mage!


    Swoosh!


    Asher turned and leaped into the air, shing his sword downward. The ogre deflected the strike, but instead of flying away, Asher absorbed the force andnded steadily.


    The ogre dashed toward him; it''s battle skirt dancing about. Having noticed it, Asher slid under the ogre, cutting its thighs and unleashing a swift, deadly cut at its back without turning.


    The ogre staggered forward. It bore the sharp battle force ripping it from the inside and turned to attack, but Asher was waiting for this moment.


    He thrust his sword, piercing through the ogre until the tip came out of the other side.


    The ogre gazed at Asher''s white eyes and made sounds, but as Asher pulled out his sword, it fell and kept growing weaker until it died.


    Its metal armor was no match for the sharpness of Asher''s gold-ranked sword, and his unusual expertise and overwhelming mastery subdued the ogre without giving it a breathing space.


    In the shura state, Asher was too fast. There was no time to ponder his next move because he was leagues beyond his enemies'' battle knowledge.


    [You have experienced an intense battle against a member of the Abyss Worshipers Cult and came out victorious, though at cost.]


    [New upgrade and troops avable.]


    [Ding! Would the host like to upgrade Alex, the gold-ranked sword knight, to be a diamond-ranked grand sword knight? Yes or No?]


    [Ding! Would the host like to upgrade your gold-ranked pet beast, Sirius, to be a diamond-ranked beast knight? Yes or No?]


    ''Upgrade them.''


    Swoosh!


    As the first light came down, the entity that caught Asher''s attention was the 12-foot-tall white beast, which had sky blue markings on its head and body. The Tenaria word on its forehead meant ''Knight!''


    Sirius looked like a behemoth, and the fur around his neck was growing to look simr to a lion''s mane. Its ws and teeth were so powerful that not even Asher''s castle would survive an attack from Sirius!


    With each breath, the temperature dropped.


    Sirius was now strong enough to kill the ogre with a mere p!


    Looking at the muscr, well-built beast that still looked fit and agile despite its size, Asher felt impressed.


    No doubt, it was a beast knight!


    The second light died down, revealing a 7-foot-tall silver-armored knight. The knight had a thick coat, blue loincloth, a helmet that had wings on the side, a crest, and a blue plume that came down to his waist level.


    His sword grew bigger, and the de became silver. It had an emerald gem at the end of the hilt and pulsing meridians on both t sides.


    Alex looked at the sword in his hand with different emotions. He marveled at the things the system had put into his mind and adjusted his body to. The capabilities of a diamond-ranked knight were beyond his previous understanding.


    It was at this moment that Alex understood how stupid he was thinking he could hold back the ogre and how insane it was that Asher killed it so swiftly.


    Aplete diamond-ranked gear was about 3000 sacred gold coins!


    One had to know that a sacred gold coin could be exchanged for three immortal gold coins, which are used in the Eternal Immortal Empire. This meant Alex''s gear was 9000 immortal gold coins!


    Alex had never felt so powerful in his life.


    Swoosh!


    He leaped 7 meters high andnded on the top of the hill, causing fire sparks. Now that he was a diamond-ranked knight, his zing battle force, which he practiced with his fire meridians, was beginning to produce small fire effects.


    For example, staring into Alex''s eyes for a prolonged period could make one feel as if their eyes were on fire!


    At his current rank, his strength was easily over 8000 catties!


    And the strength gained from the Moonlit Starhon milk and the Hexakad chicken egg wasn''t included!


    A punch could shatter an unreinforced wall; a kick could kill a human; a yell could shake the eardrums of those below his rank.


    Such power could cause pride, but the sight of Sirius was enough to keep Alex humble. What was 8000 cattties before a beast that was two times that weight and could freeze a castle?!


    "Your Lordship." Alex jumped down and went on his knees.


    Asher shook his head.


    He then looked at his castle guards. Three of which were dead, four had lost a limb or two, and three were badly injured.


    [Would the host like to double upgrade his remaining 7 bronze-ranked castle guards to gold-ranked Shura Vanguard Swordsmen? Yes or No?]

 Chapter 47: Beast Tide

    ''Double upgrade! Do it!''


    Before Asher''s eyes, a white light engulfed his men. He gazed at the procedure with squinted eyes, waiting to see if the system could regenerate some of his men''s missing limbs.


    Swoosh! Swoosh!


    The light eventually left. And like when a box covering a package was opened, the actual thing inside was revealed. The reveal of seven Shura Vanguard swordsmen left Asher gobsmacked.


    All of them grew up to 6 feet with not even an inch less. Because of the double upgrade, they skipped the silver rank andnded in the gold rank!


    All of them wore silver half-te armor with chainmail underneath. They wore a thick coat and a gemstone button at their neck. Their armor wasn''t as shining as Alex''s, but it was also made from refined steel. A blue loincloth wrapped around their waist down and had an extension at the front. The extension had an exquisite embroidery of a wolfhead.


    Their helmets had proper eye holes with wings at the sides but no crest, as that was special to themander. But while they had no crest, their helmets had dark blue plumes.


    The plumes just stopped at their necks, so they weren''t as long as Alex''s. All seven shura vanguards had a metal aspis shield on their left hand. The shield was big enough to offer adequate protection but not too big to hamper their swift movement, nor did it make them too light.


    Strapped to their waists were four finger-wide swords, forged by an unknown cksmith, but when a vanguard unsheathed his sword from the scabbard and brandished it, Asher saw the mastercraft in that work.


    "Your Lordship!"


    All of them went on their knees. The sound of their metal armor and chainmail making sounds due to their movements fell into Asher''s ears, but to him, it sounded like progress. Looking at the buff valiant gold-ranked sword knights under hismand, Asher didn''t know what to feel.


    But one thing was true.


    His military powers were powerful enough for him to contend with any baron in all of Tenaria.


    [Shura Vanguard: The King''s Guard! A special personal troop possessed with the spirit and blood of the shura, making them weapons of destruction on a battlefield and walking walls of defense while protecting their Lord. They are the Lord''sst line of defense.]


    "Take our dead. We''ll give them a befitting burial."


    Asher gave an order, and the vanguards swiftly carried it out.


    After they left, Alex came up to him. "Your Lordship, that mage was just a silver-ranked mage. How could he produce a diamond-ranked abyss knight?"


    Asher pointed at the corpse. "It was through blood sacrifice. It''s a spell that is done with the corpses of hundreds of thousands to produce an abomination much more powerful than the rank of the mage. That silver mage lost control over that abyss knight, but its purpose was to destroy the tribes around, or Nineveh was the target all along."


    "I see."


    Alex nodded.


    "Should we leave the corpse here?"


    "No. We''re taking him to Nineveh. I need him to get answers from Eritrea."


    After some minutes of silence, Alex turned and looked at Asher''s calm expression. A scene of a white-eyed man shed through his eyes, causing him to clear his throat loudly.


    "My Lord, what happened to you earlier?"


    Alex wasn''t like Alec. While Alec didn''t question Asher, Alex wanted to know. He was more free with Asher and would asionally give his opinions, even when Asher didn''t ask for them.


    "Ashbournes are sometimes associated with the Shura. Have you never pondered about that?"


    Alex''s eyes widened upon hearing that.


    "I thought the shura was a certain species of fearsome beast! No one told me it''s a lineage of fearsome warriors."


    "Kek." Asher chuckled.


    "My Lord, you killed a diamond-ranked ogre when you''re a silver-ranked warrior. You''re a monster!"


    "I''m still human."


    Asher shed a casual smile, patted Alex''s shoulder, and walked away with his hands sped behind him.


    "We ride for Nineveh!"


    Alex yelled, causing an invisible shockwave that made Sirius look at him. His men were also stunned at how loud his voice was.


    Thank goodness they were far from him.


    Everyone mounted their rides and began their journey back to the stronghold.


    As the wind blew against Asher''s face and the snow fell on his head, he couldn''t help but grunt softly. While his men were filled with strength and their powers were even increased by several folds, he had grown weary.


    He was only able to keep pushing himself due to his willpower.


    p! p!


    That sound made him look up. It was a messenger falcon.


    Upon seeing it, Asher regretted not carrying one along. That way he could have easily sent for reinforcement.


    "Alex, remind me that I have a neww for the army. Do not forget."


    "Yes, Your Lordship."


    Asher nodded and received the messenger falcon. After the bird perched on his forearm, he took the rolled-up letter in the cylinder strapped to the falcon''s back.


    A cold gleam zoomed past his eyes after he was done reading the letter.


    "What is it, Your Lordship?"


    "Silverleaf has encountered a beast tide."


    Alex''s eyes widened.


    They haven''t found a proper captain for the bastide, and the security there wasn''t much; after all, the entire army wasn''t more than 700 strongmen and women.


    "Let''s ride for Silverleaf."


    The group made a U-turn, and after journeying some distance back, they followed a small passage in between two hills. Silverleaf was located inside the Ash mountains, some kilometers away from Nineveh, but since they were closer, it wouldn''t take them much time to reach there.


    Wu~


    The cold wind blew against Asher''s face as his hair fluttered. A picture of Mary''s wings shed through his mind, making him wish for an elite air force, but that was still far away.


    ...¡­


    Silverleaf Bastide.


    "Don''t let them cross the walls!" A bronze-ranked shieldman bellowed as he thrust his spear through the eyes of a white-furred creature, which had bone scythes for forelegs, a long body, two normal hind legs, and a bushy tail.


    The head of this beast looked simr to that of a cute cat, but once they opened theirrge, sharp-toothed mouth, fear would take hold of their prey, who would usually be stunned because these creatures have a habit of only revealing their heads.


    These beasts were the infamous White Fury!


    *******


    A/N: We''re still three reviews short!

 Chapter 48: Defeating The Tide Of White Fury Beasts

    At this moment, a hundred of them, crazily famished due to leaving their hunting grounds for days, were aggressively attacking Silverleaf.


    "Reinforcements are on their way! Don''t let these beasts cross these walls, or our families will be in danger!"


    Some distance away from the bronze-ranked soldier who kept yelling to boost everyone''s morale, Ark White, panting, looked into the darkness.


    ''Lord Asher, where are the reinforcements?''


    "Move!"


    An Ashbourne shieldman pushed him aside and plunged his spear into the mouth of a White Fury, which Ark didn''t notice as he was deep in thought.


    "For Lord Asher!"


    The soldier bellowed, pointing his spear at the skies.


    "For Lord Asher!"


    "Hoo!"


    They yelled as one even from their different positions and mmed their huge shields into the alure and pointed their spears at the beasts. Every shieldman had a determined look in their eyes.


    Sweat dripped down their studded leather armor, and their strength was already dropping at a fast rate, but they held on.


    With decades of training inputed in their minds, these men were like warriors who had seen the other side of life and had no fear of it.


    After an unknown period of time, Ark saw a silver-ranked White Fury, much bigger than the others race for the walls. It just appeared out of the darkness and had its eyes on the people on the walls.


    Looking at those bone scythes that mercilessly pierced the soil, Ark shivered.


    However, seeing how it ran with such speed that made no sense, Ark discovered it wasn''t racing to devour them, but¡­


    Grr!


    Just as he thought!


    A huge white beast with ancient blue markings lunged out of the darkness and mmed the white fury''s head against the ground. All it took was a stomp, and the beast that would have wiped them out was killed!


    Seating atop the beast was a gray-haired man.


    Wu~


    Sirius breathed out frost, turning twenty white fury into ice statues instantly. After Asher and Sirius'' sudden arrival, a group of seven valiant-looking knights led by a bigger knight entered the horde, reaping lives like they were harvesting nts.


    A swing was so powerful that a white fury would be cut into two!


    The bigger knight was worse. He was so fast that it seemed as if he was a phantom. Fiery sparks followed him everywhere he went as he cut down three to five white fury with each swing!


    The Shura Vanguards followed his trail. They causally pped several White fury away with their shields, cut through the supposed powerful bone scythes with their powerful gold-ranked swords, and stomped some to death.


    Each and every one of them was like walking catastrophes.


    Wu~


    With every step, Sirius would breathe out an ice mist, turning several white fury into statues. By the time it reached the wall and growled, the white fury fighting soldiers fled but met their end at the des of the vanguards.


    "Lord Asher!"


    "Lord Asher!"


    Upon hearing the soldiers shouting, the citizens of the town followed. They came out of their homes, from their hiding spots, to see their Lord valiantly sitting atop his powerful pet beast.


    No one knew Asher was so exhausted, he could fall off Sirius.


    His bones were aching, his heart was beating so loudly that it felt like it would burst, andstly, his limbs felt heavy.


    He couldn''t wield his sword properly, so he chose not to draw it and let Sirius take care of everything.


    ...¡­


    Last night seemed like a dream to Asher as his dull golden eyes greeted his room''s ceiling. As he sat up, popping sounds rang from his bones even until he stood up and stretched.


    His white tunic felt tight for some reason, causing him to look at his torso. He removed his top and looked at his big chest with wide eyes. Below that were his abs, so perfectly built that he couldn''t help but doubt if this was still Asher Ashbourne''s body.


    Although the sword scars from his training didn''t magically vanish and his body grew bulkier, he felt his speed had also increased and not reduced.


    Asher couldn''t help but flex his muscles and chuckle.


    He turned to have a nce at his back. The small glimpse excited him further.


    Even though he couldn''t be directly upgraded, Sirius gave him a leeway to benefit from his system.


    He folded his fist, and a red light billowed off his body. This was his battle force!


    Before it lingered around his skin, but now it could spread out when he willed and not because of his emotions.


    ''I''m now a gold-ranked knight''


    The corners of his lips curled up.


    Knock!


    "My Lord."


    Knowing it was Kelvin, Asher allowed him toe in. As Kelvin stepped into the room, he saw Asher''s new physique and chuckled.


    "I bet you''ll be able to get thedies, Your Lordship."


    Asherughed.


    "That will be far in the future. For now, I don''t see the profit of having a wife."


    Asher took the cup of milk from the tray Kelvin held and downed it.


    "The profits are obvious, Your Lordship. You get to sire more Ashbournes and keep the lineage alive."


    "Mary''s there for that."


    "But her offspring have no direct right to the title until you give her that chance. Your Lordship, I know you''ve had a rough time with women in your younger days, but not every woman in the world is Liya."


    Asher puffed out.


    "I know."


    His eyes shed with earth Lia walking into the grand hall with another man while also proudly showcasing her engagement ring.


    Bang!


    Echoes of the gunshot that took his life seemed to ring in his ear, causing him to crush the wooden cup.


    "Your Lordship. You can show such before me but not before others."


    Kelvin softly reprimanded Asher as he picked up the pieces and put them on the tray while Asher sat on his bed.


    "I understand."


    "Eritrea is waiting for you with information about the abyss worshipers."


    Asher lifted his head when he heard that.


    "She''s where?"


    ********


    [A/N: Support this story with your reviews!]

 Chapter 49: The Beast Tide Is Coming

    Boom!


    The doors of the sacred hall opened, and Eritrea walked in, fully d in her armor. When she reached a certain area, she went on one knee and bowed her head.


    "Goodmorning, Your Lordship."


    Then she lifted her head to gaze at her young lord.


    "Arise."


    Asher spoke softly.


    Eritrea got to her feet and sped her hand behind her.


    "I heard you encountered the Abyss worshipers."


    "I did. We encountered a mage and an abyss knight."


    "I see the result of that." Eritrea looked at the gant knight d in the most eye-catching armor in the stronghold. He could no doubt be in the most handsome-looking armor in the wastnd, and he stood at Asher''s right side.


    She also turned to look at Sirius, but the feeling she got from looking at Sirius was fear. Sirius, despite also being at the diamond rank like Alex, was leagues ahead of the knight in strength.


    Beast knights were nightmares. Their bones had be materials able to be forged, making them a walking ton of gold, but above that, their skins were also almost imprable by even some diamond-ranked equipment!


    One diamond-ranked knight stood no chance against a beast knight on the basis that the knight did not have a game-changing talent.


    "Do you know about them?"


    "I do, Your Lordship. The abyss worshipers have made a total of ten tribes extinct in the past three years, and at first, we did not know why they kill so many people and do nothing with their properties, but with time, my father and other chiefs found out that what they''re doing is called the Grand Preparation."


    "Grand Preparation?"


    Asher raised an eyebrow.


    "Yes. They kill in preparation of the second awakening of the abyss army, which would conquer the world. All the members we''ve met are all mages with sometimes two or three abyss ve warriors, but there are some that use humans, and the number is usually quiterge."


    "You mean they also enve people."


    Sensing Asher''s ill feeling toward that ve word, Eritrea posed a question. "But my lord, many human lords enve people."


    "Doesn''t make it right. There will be no ves in my territory, only those subjected to hardbour for a period of time."


    Alex looked at Asher. He was as stunned as Eritrea at Asher''s distaste toward very. In Tenaria, very was amon thing, but it wasn''t publicly epted, so it was done in secret, but there was no force against them.


    Only the Everad nation publicized their ve trade. In fact, it was their economy!


    "The Grand Preparation is done by spilling as much blood as they can. The more they spill for sacrifices, the closer the time for the eventual awakening of the grand abyss army."


    "The abyss army was defeated by all the races 500 years ago. How are they now able to resurrect?"


    "I don''t have an answer to that, My Lord. But the mage you killed was a two-blood star mage, meaning he has spilled the blood of two hundred people to honor the grand preparation."


    Asher frowned deeply.


    "How did you know this?"


    "There''s a tattoo on their chest. It''s like a blood sun. The great white wolf n, to which our n paid monthly quotas, was annihted by one of those mages, but he was killed in the end. He had 20 blood sun tattoos."


    ''2000 lives!'' Alex gasped in his mind.


    "And how many people were in thatrge tribe?"


    "20,000. He wiped them out."


    Alex felt his bones grow cold because of the ruthlessness of these madmen known as the abyss worshipers.


    "And they are in the destnds. Why the destnds, why not here or the high ins?"


    "I don''t know, My Lord. Maybe because the destnds is divided, filled with lots of tribes always at each other''s throats for one benefit or the other. Here, there are nobles ruling over vastnds and officials. A united force would nub this threat at the root, but we barbarians won''t stick our necks out for those outside the n."


    "I see."


    Eritrea took a step forward.


    "My Lord, with the raging bear tribe and my tribe gone, the next ce to attack would naturally be your territory. In the depths of the destnds, there are powerful tribes that even these abyss worshipers don''t mess with for the time being. I advise you to stop leaving the stronghold."


    "You expect me to stop leaving the stronghold and send you instead. You want me to cower behind walls I built for the protection of my people?... No."


    Asher stood up and looked down at Eritrea.


    "An Ashbourne does not hide behind walls. Our founder carved out a dukedom for himself out of and filled with vicious barbarians and beasts of all kinds, and I will do the same to bring back that glory. If he hid behind a wall, your tribe might not have survived the attacks of the millions of beasts he yed."


    "But, My Lord-"


    Asher raised his right hand.


    "Now that we know the abyss worshipers are a threat, fortifying the defense of Silverleaf Bastide is our first priority. Inform the debreakers and their apprentices that they shall follow me to the bastide along with half your troop."


    Eritrea bowed.


    She was happy that she would be fighting beside her lord once again but didn''t reveal much of her delight on her face.


    "Tellmander Alec that his lord summons him."


    Eritrea nodded and left after a bow.


    "She''s wise for a barbarian."


    Kelvin said as he walked into the hall.


    "I had a feeling you were eavesdropping." Asher smiled a bit.


    "The debrakers have increased their numbers to 100 strongmen. Fighting beasts will be a good way for them to smoothen their edges and grow stronger."


    "Certainly." Asher replied.


    ...


    Some dayster...


    Ark White stood on the wall of the bastide and watched the soldiers from Nineveh troop into the town. The rest of them formed a snake line that continued even into the depths of the forest path they came from.


    While he weed the powerful troops, Asher and his vanguards were before a sacred part of the silver forest.


    Asher looked in the distance, at the hill where he saw that miraculous sight. From that, that day he named that ce the Prwolf Sanctuary, and Kelvin had marked it.


    p! p!


    A messenger falconnded on his forearm. After reading the letter, he exhaled heavily.


    "The beast tide ising."

 Chapter 50: Trading

    After the camps were prepared, ns to handle the beast tide began.


    Throughout the first day they arrived at the bastide, a tower was under construction at the peak of the nearest mountain, which was a few hundred feet above the ground.


    The ash mountains weren''t known for their height, but the length is what made them more recognized.


    It was a natural wall sealing away the other part of the world.


    Also, ording to Ark White, there was a huge chance they would find more mines in this mountain.


    The next day, the tower waspleted, and two Bonestrike Rangers were stationed there as lookouts. Their job was to light up a fire to inform the others before the beast tide arrived at the bastide. If they were taken unawares, there would be lots of damages, and Asher didn''t want to lose even one elite soldier overck of foresight and adequate nning.


    At this moment, Asher was with Alex, Eritrea and Lambert in a tent.


    "Your Lordship, the debreakers are prepared. Our horses are fed, and the men are ready to fight at any moment."


    Lambert reported. He held his helmet in his right hand while his red cloak gently caressed his steel boots.


    Asher nodded.


    Lambert looked at the knights in the tent with mes burning within his eyes. One day, if he trained his men well enough, they would be blessed by their lord and would rise to be knights also!


    Then, they would also look impressive.


    The blue loincloth, design, and plume contrasted with the red that the debreakers had. Their armor color was dark silver and not as bright as that of the Vanguards. Although both forces looked impressive, Lambert knew one Shura Vanguard could wipe the floor with him and five of his men!


    While Lambert had ambitions, Eritrea wore a calm expression.


    "Your Lordship, my troops are also prepared to fight at yourmand."


    "Good. The snow had heaped so much that I believe the cavalry can''t perform at their best if we are attacked now. Because of that, I n for the cavalry to be deployed at a closer range to save their strength."


    "I understand." Lambert nodded.


    While they were nning for the beast tide, something else was going on far away from Asher''s territory.


    ...¡­


    A white-haired man garbed in a thick coat over his white tunic and brown pants rode a horse beside a huge man d in mail armor. The horse Alec rode was like a monsterpared to the me-steed Kelvin rode.


    mesteeds were horses that were used for transportation because of their stamina. They were also capable of being used for war, but they weren''t the ideal war horses for a cavalry. Kelvin purchased these kinds of steeds from Hebron Town.


    Behind him were carts and aiding the horses to push them.


    Kelvin looked at the vast field with few crops and workers littered about. Turning, he saw a manor with walls around it. At the gates were guards with tall spears and leather armor.


    They rode through the snow-cleared path toward the gate.


    "Halt. Who are you?" A guard asked while shooting extra nces at Alec, whose face was hidden by his helmet.


    "I''m Mr. Morrison, and I came to supply the 10 bags of Golden Fragrant corn your master asked for."


    "Oh, I''m sorry, Mr. Morrison, you can go in."


    The gates were opened, and Kelvin was allowed in.


    As they went in, Alec turned his head toward him.


    "I feel he knows who you are."


    "He does."


    Alec grunted in displeasure.


    "I see."


    Inside the walls, they saw several female and male servants, but most of them were females moving about, doing one thing or another. It was winter; the time of nting hade to an end, and their harvest was being stored.


    This was Jordan Zebulun''s manor. Jordan was one of the wealthiest farmers in the meheart barony, and most of the food requirements of the barony were provided by him. Kelvin got to be connected to him because of the silver-ranked items he traded at Hebron Town.


    Obviously, the man had ns of nting the Golden Fragrant maize seeds, unaware of its steep requirements. A mana-veined field or a mana-clouded field.


    Asher was close to the Ash Mountains, where mana was still pure, and with the constant upgrades, his fields were now mana veined so they could grow gold-ranked corns that did more than the silver-ranked ones, but those corns were not for sale.


    Apart from farming, Jordan Zebulun also did animal husbandry and had lots of cattle, which Kelvin knew his Lord needed to increase the poption of Moonlit Starhorn cattle; however, there were some dangers involved.


    Leading anyone directly or indirectly toward the stronghold wasn''t a good idea until they had established a robust foundation.


    "Lord Jordan, Mister Morrison is here!"


    A rotund man came out of his manor with quick steps.


    "Mister Morrison, I was worried for your safety. I''m d you''re here. You know the wastnds can be a dangerous ce for such exotic goods you carry."


    Jordan said with a face full of smiles as he saw the maize seeds being offloaded.


    "Indeed."


    Kelvin dismounted.


    He led Jordan to a cart and opened a box that had lots of iron ore. Jordan swiftly recognized the silver meridians and gasped.


    "Silver intricate ores!"


    Kelvin smiled.


    "Your men still wear leather armor. With these ores, you could entice cksmiths to work for you to increase their expertise while also taking advantage to produce good armor for your men."


    "A wonderful idea!"


    Jordanughed boisterously.


    "How many boxes do you have?"


    "20 boxes."


    Jordan''s eyes grew wide.


    "Also¡­"


    Kelvin led him to a different cart and showed him Hexakad eggs. Upon seeing the eggs, Jordan couldn''t close his mouth for a long time. His eyes twinkled several times.


    "Mister Morrison, you must be from a very powerful merchant guild."


    Kelvinughed it off.


    "One Hexakad egg is 10 gold coins. I have 100 here; are you able to buy them all?"


    "Calcte everything. Nothing is leaving this ce!" Jordan dered.


    He wasn''t boasting, as everyone in the barony knew Jordan was rich enough to be a baron, and some rumors even said he had sent a letter to the imperial family in order to be given the title of viscount!

 Chapter 51: Tough Kill

    After some time, Jordan stood at the gates and watched Kelvin leave with bags of gold coins filling the carts, which were once filled with goods.


    Kelvin was heading straight for Hebron Town to purchase the needs of the stronghold, which were sugar, salt, and so on.


    Sugar and salt were expensive and could only be purchased in Hebron Town and the county.


    A man garbed in a ck coat walked out of the gate and stood beside Jordan with crossed arms.


    "That''s the merchant. He doesn''t look like one that is from the high ins."


    "He says he''s a native but now works for a merchant guild, but I know that''s a lie."


    Jordan replied solemnly. His smiles and jovial expression had vanished, and what remained was a man Kelvin had never seen.


    "If you had such resources under your grasp, you could gain the alliance of other families and take down the mehearts before the imperial family sends your reply, which will be no doubt a positive one."


    "Your troops, are they ready to track down these men?"


    "Keke, they were trained for this."


    "Inform Count Tigris that I am grateful for his support with the gold coins I gave them. I''ve gotten what I want. Once I nt these 10 bags of Golden Fragrant maize, all of the wastnd and even the high ins will troop into my territory to buy."


    Jordan''s eyes gleamed. He could see piles and piles of gold coins.


    "The hexakad eggs will do better. Do you know what eggs that can increase lifespan will do to the minds of the rich and wealthy? Even the poor will mor for it." The man said.


    Jordan nced at him but said nothing. Those hexakad eggs were the most precious, and to him, only for his personal consumption.


    He had heard that one hexakad egg can make amon man many times stronger.


    "Count William owns 50% of those eggs. Don''t let greed consume you." The man cautioned as if he noticed Jordan''s intentions.


    "50 is enough for me. Just do your work as you''ve been doing. Be back before nightfall. This is winter, and we don''t know when those beasts will devour the territory of that cripple and spread into ours."


    ...¡­


    Neigh!


    A horse neighed as the convoy journeyed through thend, which was just white snow, for as long as they could see. This was the difficult part of the journey, but once they passed this area, they would be at peace.


    But it would take two days to cross this vast in.


    "Why is it so cold?!" Alec grumbled and took off his helmet.


    "Duke Zenas once yed a fire elemental abyss creature in this area hundreds of years ago, and it''s usually very hot. Without the snow, you would have not been able to move with your armor on."


    Trot! Trot!


    Alec stared at the figures on the horizon.


    "What''s that?" A man garbed inmoners'' clothing stood up from the cart and asked with furrowed brows.


    When the figures got closer, they discovered it was a group of ten men onrge brown horses d in light leather armor. The horse riders wore masks that only had holes for their eyes.


    Rumble!


    The ground trembled.


    Alec walked to the back of the convoy with his spear. He pulled his shield from the bottom of thest cart and mmed it against the snow-covered ground.


    Despite his wordless threat, the riders still charged on with increasing speed. When the gap reduced to a hundred meters, they lifted their javelins andunched them at Alec.


    Swoosh! Swoosh!


    The javelins made a beautiful curve, descending on Alec.


    Alec snorted.


    He went on one knee and protected his body by cing his shield above him. At that moment, a horse rider seized the opportunity to close the gap and made his horse step on Alec''s shield with the aim of breaking Alec''s bones.


    After all, the power, weight, and speed would be too much for Alec.


    Those thoughts proved to be just mere thoughts, as with a great roar, Alec sprung to his feet, flinging both the horse and the man away!


    Snow rose into the air, following after the falling rider and his horse.


    His shocked expression was captured in Alec''s eyes.


    Boom!


    Both the man and his horse crashed. The man couldn''t survive his horsending on top of him, and the horse, whichnded with its head first, broke its neck and also died.


    Alec thrust his spear, and it bent toward the right, convincing the second rider that Alec had missed, but the spearhead suddenly tilted inward, striking the rider''s neck before he could think!


    "He''s a knight!"


    Cedric, the man who spoke to Jordan, bellowed with an rmed tone.


    Trot! Trot!


    Before they knew it, a silver light shed on Kelvin''s skin as he rode into the battlefield and cut a rider!


    Alec held the tail of a horse and pierced the rider through his back!


    Boom!


    Suddenly, a forceful wind mmed Alec, and he found himself crashing some meters away. Grunting, he got to his feet.


    He saw Cedric staring at him from a distance of 10 meters.


    All of a sudden the man''s chest inted, his eyes shed with a blue light, and then a burst of azure wind came out of his mouth. It was like a horizontal mini hurricane!


    Bam!


    Alec found himself several meters away once again.


    He grunted deeply and mmed the snow, causing the ce he hit to sink.


    Cedric blew another burst at the ground. Itunched him into the air, straight toward Alec. Still midair, Cedric blew another windburst at Alec.


    Boom!


    The snow flew into the air.


    Out of the snow came a soft silver gleam.


    Shing!


    When Cedric realized what it was, it was already toote, as the spear was right before his eyes.


    Thud!


    Cedric''s body dropped from the sky.


    After pulling out his spear, Alex discovered the remaining riders were gone.


    "Your Jordan must have hired these bandits. Their silver-ranked leader has a very irritating talent that made him a tough kill."


    Alec''s deep voice rang.


    "I expected him to do something." Kelvin replied.


    "It was thest time I would be going there, so I had to make sure I got enough coins."


    Amongst themoners, a man garbed in a white apothecary garment breathed out. He was afraid before, but now he was excited. Imagine working for a master who had a gold-ranked knight?!


    Kelvin went to a cart, brought out a cage that had a falcon inside, and turned to Alec.


    "I''ll send a letter to Lord Asher."


    .....


    Silverleaf Bastide.


    Smoke could be seen rising from the top of a mountain. Bonestrike Rangers and the Silverleaf guards were rushing up the walls while some debreakers mounted their steeds.


    Alex''s tent was opened, and Alex instantly fell on one knee.


    "Your Lordship. The first wave is here."

 Chapter 52: Great Ovok Herd

    Tapk! Tapk!


    The sound of Asher''s boots tapping the stairs that led to the top of the wall announced his presence to his men, causing them to bow as he passed.


    Alex was right behind him. The grand sword knight''s right hand was on the hilt of the short sword by his waist.


    Once Asher arrived at the wall''s walkway, he looked into the distance. "What horde are we expecting?" He spoke with a soft tone.


    "A massive herd of ovoks, and they''re over a thousand of them passing through the valley."


    "A thousand ovoks!" Asher''s eyes grew wide.


    Ovoks wererge creatures, taller than a 5-foot-tall adult human, that had traits simr to bison, rams, and oxens. Large herds of ovoks were usually found in this part of Tenaria centuries ago but migrated to the destnds and were only seen in this part of the world during winter.


    Usually, some adventurers and mercenaries would camp in the wastnds to hunt beasts for their exotic fur, but because of the rumors of the predicted great danger, they all deserted.


    The horns of these ovoks were so thick and strong that swords, spears, and armor were most times fragile before them. A knight stuck in a stampede of ovoks was deemed dead.


    "No one has the authority to shoot an arrow or do anything to disturb these beasts. They''ll be peacefully passing by, and we shall only watch them. No matter how delicious an ovok meat is and how you drool, do not even throw a stone!"


    Asher''s humorous warning made some soldiers chuckle.


    Eritrea walked up to him.


    "Your Lordship, the meats of ovoks are worth arge amount of gold coins. Should people know you rear a horde of ovok, they''lle moring for their meat and their hide."


    Asher looked at the ranger with one raised eyebrow.


    "How did you know about this?"


    Eritrea smiled.


    "My father took me to the destnds once. Thatnd is popted with different tribes with different civilizations, mostly adapted from extinct races. Ovok meat isn''t so rare over there, but you have to trade for it with lots of weapons."


    Asher nodded.


    "Ovok meat is indeed a delicacy loved by nobles, but they have an aggressive temper and are very defensive toward any threat to the herd. Our forces are too few that we would hunt for them. No matter how strong a silver-ranked soldier is, once he is surrounded by ovoks, he will be stabbed to death. My men might have an advantage because of their high-ranked armor, but they''re too few."


    "What about your vanguard?"


    Alex asked.


    "Alex, you are too eager to taste an ovok. The vanguards are ourst cards should anything go wrong. I can''t have them exhausted when we might face a horde of hungry carnivores next."


    Eritrea giggled while Alex snorted at her.


    It seemed like the two were always against each other.


    Some minutester, Asher watched a herd of ovoks emerge from the forest, walking toward the bastide wall. Apparently, the path they came out from was located at the right side of the bastide, so they would go around the bastide to continue their journey.


    The first ovok lifted its head and looked at the armed men on the wall before shaking its head and moving on.


    "The silver-ranked ovoks there are over a hundred."


    Eritrea gasped.


    "And there are over a dozen gold-ranked ovoks. We''re lucky, there isn''t a diamond-ranked ovok, or it would have destroyed the bastide rather than going around."


    Alex said.


    He knew beast knights had a certain level of pride, and the ovok wouldn''t be any different.


    Looking at the bearded ovoks, Asher rubbed his palms together and expelled hot air from his mouth.


    There was silence on the walls as the soldiers even controlled their breathing as they watched the herd walk out of the forest inrge numbers. Soon, the only thing they could see were ovoks!


    Some were even 6-foot-tall!


    Asher looked at the ovok that came close to the wall with creases on his forehead.


    "What''s it doing?"


    "I don''t know."


    He replied to Alex.


    Not long after, the Ovok began to move, but at that moment, a mighty roar shook everyone''s eardrums!


    Asher''s expression changed, but it was already toote.


    Boom!


    The sound of the ovoks bursting into a hot run was like the echo of arge drum. Instantly, a stampede began!


    Boom! Boom!


    Some hit the wall, their horns scrapping the wall and causing small damages that were slowly growing!


    However, that was just the beginning. Due to the ovoks hitting their bodies against the wall, some couldn''t react on time and fell off the wall!


    Some soldiers reacted on time to hold theirrades, but Alex wasn''t part of them!


    Upon seeing Alex crash on the field and being swallowed by the stampeding ovoks, Asher''s eyes widened.


    "Alex!"


    He leaned against the wall, but Eritrea pulled him back.


    "My Lord, you''ll also fall!"


    Asher pulled off his coat, grabbed a shield from a nearby shieldbearer, and jumped off the wall to Eritrea''s shock.


    Thud!


    The moment hended, he mmed the heavy shield against the ground close to the wall and mercilessly cut the head of an ovok close to him. The beast crashed, causing others to stumble.


    Looking back, Asher saw Alex struggling to get on his feet. Due to Asher''s interference, the beasts left that area, so the bruised and battered knight was able to struggle up to his feet.


    Thud!


    Eritreanded with a rope, instructed Alex to hold onto it, and turned toward Asher, who used all his might to keep the shield in ce. asionally an ovok''s horn would m the shield, and he would grunt.


    "Your Lordship, let''s go."


    Eritrea approached Asher and touched his back.


    "Your Lordship, it''s a¨C!"


    Whatever the soldier who screamed wanted to say was cut off as a mighty force mmed the shield, and all Asher could hear was ringing sounds.


    He didn''t know where he crashed.


    Hu~


    The moment he opened his eyes, he saw an ovok''s hoof about to smash his head. Quickly, Asher rolled to the side, grabbed an ovok''s mane, and flung himself to its back. All this quick movement that had no back thought was due to adrenaline, as he wasn''t nning to die like his elder brother, Thomas Ashbourne.


    Turning his head, he found a piece of Eritrea''s clothing in an ovok''s horn!


    "Eritrea!"


    Asher yelled at the top of his lungs.

 Chapter 53: Building A Wall

    Although the rumbling sounds of hundreds of hoofs hitting the ground fell into his ears, Asher wasn''t distracted from his search for Eritrea.


    He quickly found her some meters ahead, and when the ovok he mounted reached there, he grabbed her arm, brought her to the ovok he mounted, and leaped off the ovok with a weak, bleeding Eritrea in his grasp.


    Thud!


    Theynded close to the wall. Asher looked at the panting ranger, who was bleeding from her right leg.


    Roar!


    Upon hearing the roar again, Asher turned and saw a snow white bear that had ice spikes protruding out of its limbs and back engaged in a fearsome battle against an ovok. The bear had already killed five big ones and was about to kill the sixth one.


    "A deste winter bear!"


    Asher gasped.


    "Your Lordship."


    Eritrea said weakly, causing Asher to realize the danger of the ovok, which had prepared to skewer both of them with itsrge horns. Asher carried Eritrea in princess style, took two bold steps, and mmed his foot against the ovok''s head, cracking the steel-like horn that guards the skull!


    Thud!


    The beast copsed.


    It was dead!


    Asher was ready to jump for the rope when a huge white creature jumped over the wall andnded with a dreadful growl that sank into the bones of every ovok.


    Immediately, ice spikes burst out of the snow-covered ground, mutting as many ovok that were in that area. Those who couldn''t stop themselves were impaled by the spikes, and the others quickly followed the forest instead of the path close to the bastide''s wall.Sirius red at the gold-ranked winter bear, which also looked back at it without an inkling of fear.


    The bear opened its mouth and unleashed a reverberating roar.


    Sirius turned to properly face the bear and revealed a bit of its fangs.


    In the next moment, Sirius closed the gap and didn''t bother evading the bear p, as it just bounced off his fur.


    Sirius looked down at the bear and slowly lowered his head while it let out a growl that grew deeper and deeper. The snow under the bear began to crystalize into pure ice.


    Swish!


    All the soldiers on the wall saw swift movement, and the bear lost its head.


    .....


    The next day, after the morning dew had been licked out of the air by the sun''s heat and radiance, Asher stood outside the bastide looking at the badly damaged walls.


    The horns of the ovoks had badly damaged the stone wall to the extent that Asher was sure that a full-powered blow from one of his vanguards would bring the wall down.


    Speaking of his vanguards, all seven of them were around him. After yesterday''s incident, no shura vanguard allowed him out of their range. Alex and Eritrea were still healing from the damages, while he, although injured, still needed to do his work as a lord.


    More waves wereing; if he should leave these walls like this, Silverleaf would fall.


    "Hopefully, Kelvin got someone skilled in apothecary." He muttered to himself.


    Since the system wasn''t nning on upgrading the town anymore, he could only go with fusion, meaning his men would start getting stones to start a wall, which he would fuse to get a stronger wall.


    He wasn''t nning to make this ce more than a mining town because the location wasn''t conducive for expansion. The space is limited, and around this ce was a sacred ground.


    The Prwolf sanctuary.


    A ce that was the tomb of all Ashbourne rulers and the birthce of their pet beasts.


    Later, Asher met Eritrea and Alex.


    Alex was healing fast and would be okay in a few days, but Eritrea would need a week to be healed.


    After he made sure they were alright, he went ahead to monitor the soldiers and miners as they all began to build a wall, but not out of rocks but ice and snow!


    Sirius was the most important element of the construction because of his ice ability.


    After the blocks were molded, he would use his powers to reinforce them, making the ice blocks stronger than normal.


    Asher had to first spend a couple of days teaching Ark how to create a mold for the blocks, then he diligently monitored the workers until it was almost two weeks!


    Alex and Eritrea were properly healed at this point, and while Alex joined in the construction, Eritrea did scouting.


    By now, the destnds were as frigid as a freezer, and beasts that couldn''t adapt would die while those that didn''t want to die would run toward the wastnds.


    Asher wondered how the tribes there survived, and Eritrea said their homes were built in a way that they could store heat.


    There, mes were in almost every part of their activity, and their meals would be so hot that she promised Asher''s tongue would be damaged for weeks!


    But the elves once dominated the destnds, back when it was just the endless north. Asher wondered how they handled the cold.


    He needed to know because he would soon be moving into the destnds and he would have to figure out a way to handle winter.


    Currently, Asher stood on a in field, clothed with a fur coat over his casual attire.


    His arms were crossed as he gazed at the ice wall that had been built around a third of the bastide. They were now constructing the remaining side.


    Once the ice wall, which was made one meter taller than the stone wall, waspleted, Asher nned to fuse them and see the result.


    p! p!


    A messenger falcon perched on his arm. Looking at the wolf''s crest on its chest, he knew this falcon was a special one reserved to send messages directly to him.


    And only Kelvin had ess to it.


    While reading through the letter, he came to know that they had gotten what they needed tost the stronghold throughout the winter. Kelvin also informed him about the physician and the amount of gold currently stored in Nineveh''s Treasury.


    Suddenly he heard hurried footsteps toward him and lifted his head to see it was Eritrea who had a distressed look.


    "My Lord, the rangers at the tower are in an unfavorable situation."


    Asher''s brows furrowed.

 Chapter 54: Pride Of Beasts

    "What happened to them?"


    Eritrea showed the letter in the palm of her hand. "They were ambushed by mountain lions in the deep hours of the night."


    Asher''s eyebrows furrowed even further. Without those soldiers at the mountaintop, they would be blinded to an iing wave of beasts. That would prove catastrophic, as Silverleaf might fall and he would lose a good portion of his men and maybe his own life.


    Eritrea went on one knee.


    "I request to go rescue them."


    Asher looked down at her.


    "Take 10 rangers with you."


    "Mn,"Eritrea nodded.


    She stood up, turned, and left withrge strides.


    .....


    Wu~


    Wu~


    The cold wind caused Eritrea''s coat to flutter. She held onto the mountain and looked down. Below her were 10 other rangers, and they were about 400 feet high!


    Sweat beads coated her forehead, and she bit her lower lip. After checking the state of her rangers, she continued her climb until she got to the mountaintop, and with a soft grunt, she lifted herself to the t top, breathing heavily.


    Not long after, the 10 rangers appeared at the top.


    Grr!


    Eritrea swiftly nocked her bow and aimed in the direction she heard that cat-like noise. Not even a minuteter, a mountain lioness walked out from behind the tower. She looked bony, a visible sign of her days spent without food.


    Upon seeing them, the mountain lioness licked her lips.


    Following the mountain lioness were 15 other lionesses, prowling in the uneven mountain top. The first lioness dashed toward the rangers, causing Eritrea to unleash an arrow that struck the lioness right in the eye!


    Other lionesses dashed out. Five rangers went on one knee and positioned their bows horizontally, while the other five stood behind them with their bows vertically positioned.


    Swoosh! Swoosh!


    Their arrows moved like white phantoms as they tore through the air. The force of one arrow took a lioness'' forelegs off the ground, as right at that moment, three more pierced its abdomen, causing it to tumble backward and fall.


    The moment a ranger shot an arrow, she would swiftly nock the second one, aim, and fire. Bronstrike rangers specialized in aiming. They were built to deliver sure kills, not aimless firing in hopes of a kill.


    While this style would normally make an archer inefficient in a massive battle, the bonstrike rangers were an exception. They had mastered this art to the extent that one bonstrike ranger couldunch 30 arrows in a minute at their peak state!


    But to achieve this, a bone-strike ranger had to be a marksman, which was the knight version of a sharpshooter.


    Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!


    Before the rangers could kill the fourth lioness, Eritrea had killed eleven and even delivered the killing blow to the fourth lioness the other rangers wanted to kill.


    The mountain lionesses had thick skins; their skins were so strong that a casual arrow wouldn''t go deep, which was why the rangers had a tough time, but Eritrea''s arrowheads were of the gold rank, so each of her arrows pierced through their thick skins, and yet Eritrea wasn''t satisfied with killing them with one arrow.


    For this reason, all the lionesses she killed had about four or five arrow holes in their bodies.


    She approached the tower and discovered the rangers were not inside; instead, it was another lioness.


    Grr!


    It lunged at her almost immediately. Eritrea swung her bow at the Lioness, and it pierced through the Lioness''s neck!


    The impact stopped the lioness midair, and it fell on her.


    Thud!


    A small dust fog rose up, and a grunt rang from within. Other rangers ran in and pushed the lioness off Eritrea before helping her stand up.


    "You killed a silver-ranked beast at such close range." A ranger gasped.


    Eritrea simply patted her body, checked her bow, and turned to distance.


    "Spread out and search for them. We need to return before nightfall."


    After saying that, she moved out alone while the others went in pairs. While searching the mountain, Eritrea found a cave. At the mouth of the cave, she squatted and gazed at the deep human-sized footprints on the snow.


    Squinting, she looked into the cave.


    ''They should be in there.''


    ....


    Eritrea was shocked to discover that the cave was just the mouth to a big cavern that even had stgmites that twinkled softly. Cold kept disappearing the deeper she went.


    After a while, she heard sounds of fighting and dashed toward the location. By the time she arrived, Eritrea found the two rangers they were searching for fighting against a cave lion pride.


    Cave lions were rare beasts with an aggressive temper and dangerous fangs. Two canines protruded downward, and another two went upward.


    One bite was all a cave lion needed to kill a human.


    Upon seeing her rangers fighting for their lives, Eritrea picked an arrow from the quiver strapped to her waist, stepped on the wall, and leaped over them. Midair, she released three arrows at once, and as shended, she rolled backward, narrowly evading the ws of a lion!


    The lion''s ws sank into the stone ground!


    As Eritrea got to her knees, she had already nocked her bow with another three arrows!


    Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!


    The lion and two lionesses that were about to lunge for her had arrowtails dancing on their foreheads as they slumped to the ground, ushering deep, dull sounds that echoed in the cavern.


    Hu~


    She breathed out.


    "Commander!"


    The rangers bowed as she got to her feet.


    "Where''s your falcon?" Eritrea asked.


    Both rangers lowered their heads.


    Eritrea shook her head and led the rangers out of the cavern to the tower where other rangers had gathered.


    "Commander, you found them."


    "I did."


    Eritrea looked at the darkening skies and continued walking toward the cliff.


    At the cliff, she looked down with a solemn expression. Other rangers felt something was wrong, so they also went to the edge and saw the beasts prowling in the forests, heading toward Silverleaf Bastide.


    "Are those¡­?"


    "Carnivores."


    Eritrea replied in a solemn tone as the breeze whipped her hair about.

 Chapter 55: Upgrading The Wall

    Just beyond the forest was a in snow field, and she could see small figures working around the ice wall, lifting ice blocks, pushing snow to the bottom of the wall, and many other things.


    The height was too much for her to identify who was who, but she guessed her lord was there.


    She looked back at the forest and finally verified that the wolves had already identified the soldiers who were working on the wall as prey.


    She didn''t know how big these wolves were, but if they could have this size from the position she looked from, then they must be quite big.


    "Light the fire!"


    The rangers in charge of lighting the fire ran toward the tower only to find the firewood frozen. This was due to a part of the wooden tower that was destroyed by the mountain lions, and the cold had gotten to the wood.


    Both of them went on their knees, and firesparks appeared in the palm of their hand before growing into small me balls. This was their talent. It was a weak fireball, as small as an egg, and it would not increase except they somehow became diamond-ranked rangers.


    They lit the fire after thawing the ice with several tires.


    ....


    "Your Lordship, look, Eritrea must have reduced those in charge of the tower."


    Alex pointed at the smoke billowing off the mountaintop, and when Asher saw it, he smiled.


    Knowing Eritrea had seeded, the mood of the soldiers went up.


    Asher looked at the wall, which was alreadypleted, and nodded softly.


    "Your Lordship!"


    Alex''s voice went up.


    Asher looked at what he pointed at and saw another smoke billowing into the clouds. His expression changed.


    The skies were already darkening, but the subtle sounds and growls he heard from the forest were different from the usual sounds, and with his senses focused on the forest, he immediately picked up that they were about to be attacked by flesh-rating beasts.


    "Pick up your weapons! Into the town!"


    Alex, whose sense was even sharper, bellowed, his voice reaching the ears of almost everyone in the town.


    Unfortunately, those in the town weren''t the only ones who heard him.


    Boom!


    The wolves sprinted out of the forests; their dull golden eyes, spiky white fur, andrge builds intimidated the soldiers who weren''t even expecting it.


    Yet, despite the ferocious sight of ravenous wolves drooling at the sight of them and exposing their deadly fangs.


    There were over 400 wolves!


    Swoosh Swoosh!


    The rangers tried to hold them off, but Asher knew they were at a disadvantage.


    Shing!


    Alex drew his mighty sword.


    "Shuras, protect the Lord!"


    He dashed off with two Shura Vanguards while five surrounded Asher. By the time Alex was close to the wolves, he saw someone run past him and behead a bronze-ranked wolf, put a brutal stop to the second one with his foot, and pped the third with his left hand.


    All this was done in seconds!


    And it was his Lord.


    Asher!


    Alex swung his sword upward, dividing three wolves in one go, then he causally grabbed a wolf and flung it at the horde.


    "Your Lordship!"


    Asher plunged his sword into the chest of a wolf, faced Alex, and turned back to face the wolf he killed. "Don''t move forward, move backward."


    Alex turned his head back and discovered the many wolves had closed the gap and engaged the soldiers and miners who weren''t properly armed. Only a few soldiers were armed, and they were already doing their best to kill as much as they could.


    Around Asher was a clean zone, as no wolf that came near survived the des of the vanguards. They were so powerfully strong and skilled that not even silver-ranked wolves could get past them.


    They had to make sure no wolf sneak attacked their lord.


    "Fall back!"


    Asher yelled.


    "Fall Back!!" Alex yelled with a much louder voice that those close to the walls could hear.


    While running backward, Asher saw a wolf running his way. However, a shura vanguard ran from behind him and collided with the beast, mming it aside.


    Asher averted his gaze and sheathed his sword since he might not have a use for it.


    Arge number of wolves chased after them, and those at the gates were waiting for them to enter before they closed it, but Asher and Alex knew it was impossible. The wolves would also enter.


    "Shut the gates!"


    Asher bellowed.


    Not even a minute after the gate was shut, Asher reached the wall and leaped.


    Bam!


    He grabbed a spot that was purposely left. He built this in case his men needed to climb the walls when danger arose. It was a temporary design that would vanish after the ice wall was fused with the damaged wall.


    Without a second more to adjust, he began climbing swiftly. While Asher and his men climbed, Alex was on the ground cutting down wolves that wanted to lunge toward the climbers.


    "You had to go hunting at the wrong time, Sirius! You should have waited to greet your brothers!"


    Alex scowled.


    After Asher and the others had climbed the wall and jumped to the other side, Alex leaped over the wall andnded on the other side.


    He quickly ran through the second gate, and it was shut.


    He saw Lambert put on his helmet and grab hisnce. He was fully equipped with his sword sheathed into his scabbard, which was strapped to his waist, and a dagger at his back.


    [Would the host like to fuse the ice wall and the stone wall to produce an upgraded version, Reinforced Ice Wall? Yes or No.]


    ''Yes!''


    Swoosh!


    It was as if a wave of white light mmed the ice wall, and it mmed the stone wall. Instantly, the ground trembled a bit, and the wall surrounding the town was transformed.


    The wall grew to be a 5-meter-tall wall that was 4 meters wide and had an azure texture. It was as if the wall was carved out of bluestones and ced around Silverleaf town.


    An externalyer of ice coated the wall, making it almost impossible to climb.

 Chapter 56: Great Thunder Bow

    While climbing the staircase to the top of the wall, Asher could barely hold back his growing smirk. At the top of the wall, he looked down at the wolves that were trying to sink their ws into the wall but couldn''t even make shallow marks and chuckled.


    He looked at his right and left and saw his archers ready to fire. Their bows were fully drawn, and they were ready to rain arrows on these wolves, which once had the upper hand.


    "Fire."


    Swoosh! Swoosh!


    Whimpers and pain-filled growls came from the wolves as they fell to their deaths, while some wounded ones tried to escape but were struck down by an arrow urately piercing their heads, necks, or other vital parts.


    "Kill them all!"


    Soldiers roared as they watched the wolves run back toward the forest.


    Awoo!


    Suddenly, a fierce howl shook the air with shockwaves, and a wall of ice spikes rose up from the other end, sealing the wolves escape route into the forest. Sirius emerged from the forest, shaking its head gently. Its thick white fur shook majestically as it looked down on its kind with ice-cold eyes.


    "Kill!"


    After the bonestrike rangers spent a long time shooting, the gate opened, unleashing the debreakers for the first time. Their morale was high, and their cloaks fluttered in the northwind as they rode their horses with theirnces ready to y their prey.


    The powerful neighs and tremors brought along by the 100 cavalry strongmen frightened the wolves, but some tried to fight back, yet it was futile. A sweep of thence was all it took to pierce through a wolf''s thick skin.


    Sirius walked through the ughter, looking from side to side, but didn''t touch one wolf.


    "Seems like Sirius must have filled his stomach."


    Alex chuckled.


    Some hourster, the battle was concluded, and a few soldiers went about dragging corpses into the town for skinning and preservation of the meat. During this period, they got lots of meat, which made the miners excited.


    From the first wave, they had been eating so much meat that they knew when people in Nineveh heard of it, they would be filled with envy.


    Asher left the wall and stood at the gate to wee Eritrea and her rangers.


    Upon arrival, Asher took a step and embraced her. "You did good."


    He said it sincerely.


    "I¡­ I was just doing my duty, My Lord."


    "I deem it necessary to reward you for the idea of the second fire. It was like you knew we would not understand the first one."


    ''I actually saw you people jubting and returning back to working on the wall.'' Eritrea said inwardly. Her eyes gleamed at the mention of reward.


    Asher had scanned his troops, and none of them had filled the criteria for an upgrade, but he felt they were close. As for his Vanguards? They would not exceed the gold rank except they had a talent grade higher than D grade.


    Grades determined how far any individual would go, be it a lord, adventurer, mercenary, ormoner. This was the reason why most of Silverleaf''s soldiers were unable to upgrade anymore. Their talent could only take them to bronze rank.


    For this reason, Asher was more selective when it came to picking his soldiers. He had already set a requirement of having a D-grade talent to join any of his special forces. As for ordinary forces, having an E-grade talent was allowed but definitely not F-grade, as that would only allow the warrior to reach bronze rank, and to Asher, it was negligible.


    He wanted an army of at least silver rank upwards. That way, his forces would be feared throughout the entire continent. A wall couldn''t be built instantly; it had to be built brick by brick, the same for droplets of water, which would cut through stone.


    Consistency was key. If he wanted to grasp his dream of having the most feared forces in the entirety of Boundless, he must bear the pain of having few men for now.


    Asher took Eritrea into Ark White''s forge, where hundreds of bone skeletons were heaped. There was also the tendon of a once powerful ovok that died at the hands of the bear beside the heap.


    ording to the system, ovoks had a tendency to possess lightning affinity because of their habitation, and since it was dormant inside of them, Asher decided to have this prepared tendon added to improve Eritrea''s bow.


    Maybe the dormant lightning element would be active.


    "How would you like to have a more powerful bow?"


    Eritrea''s eyes grew wide.


    Alex''s jaws almost dropped, but he looked at his diamond-ranked sword and sighed in relief.


    "Give me your bow."


    Asher said.


    Eritrea quickly handed it over to him.


    Asher dropped the bow on top of the heap, and a notification popped up in his retina.


    [Ding! Sensing the host''s intentions. Would you like to upgrade the white furry bow to a diamond-ranked Great Thunder bow? [Yes or No?]


    ''Yes.''


    Swoosh!


    When the light came down, a bow that looked like it was made from golden bones appeared. It was borately forged in such a way that it had two bowstrings, which were meant to be drawn together.


    There were symbols of lightning on the bow''s upper and lower limbs, while the grip, which was carved to bnce the fingers, was properly wrapped with a soft cloth.


    As Eritrea caressed the bow with so much love flowing from her eyes, Asher and Alex shook their heads.


    "Why don''t you try it?"


    Ark White came out of the inner room. "I do hope it won''t be inside this room, Your Lordship?"


    Asher chuckled.


    They went out, and Eritrea aimed at a strawman, 200 meters away.


    Swoosh!


    Poof!


    The arrow burst through the strawman''s forehead, traveled over 250 meters more, and pierced the wall. Blue crackling spread within a small radius and subsided, but the soldiers around that vicinity distanced themselves from the arrow that was able to pierce the reinforced ice wall that gold-ranked knights couldn''t damage easily!


    The lightning made them a lot more scared.


    Lambert approached the wall and looked at the beautiful markswoman walking over with a brand new, eye-catching bow.


    "Was this you?"


    He touched the arrow, and a sudden current traveled into his veins. Lambert could only hear the shouts of soldiers as his body dropped to the ground. His mind was in a dimension of its own, but his body was trembling and shaking badly.


    "Take that arrow away from his hand!"


    Eritrea yelled.

 Chapter 57: Returning to Nineveh and Meeting Nero Alex

    After Lambert was paralyzed, Asher saw potential in ovoks tendons and even sought to make armor out of their skins for the archery troop.


    Maybe he was on his way of creating the very first unique troop after a few months of his arrival in Boundless.


    Asher came to the conclusion that unique troops had to be troops with an affinity over an element. They didn''t need to be able to control lightning, as long as their arrows could cause a simr effect. Although weaker than the destructive force of true lightning, it was a game changer on a battlefield.


    If a strong, veteran soldier like Lambert could be on the ground without the ability to control himself, Asher thought of the possibility of his enemies convulsing on the ground. At that point, they were at his mercy!


    At this moment, he sat behind a table, writing on a piece of paper.


    He was writing to Kelvin to prepare for their arrival and also inform Dan and Lois that he would be having a meeting with them concerning the creation of new armor for the bonestrike rangers.


    There was always a chance to alter the advancement to produce a different version of the chosen troop.


    Since he had about 700 strongmen and women in total, he decided to station 50 here in silverleaf. Silverleaf was solely for mining, and the miners had to be protected or their loyalty would slowly drop until there was rebellion.


    As of now, their loyalty stood at its peak.


    When he was done, he sealed the letter with the Ashbourne seal and sent one of his special falcons out the window.


    With his hands sped at his back, he watched the falcon disappear into the dark skies.


    ''Wasn''t this winter supposed to be the worst there ever was? The beasts we encountered are fewer than those in the records, and there''s no sight of an abyss worshipper or an abyss creature. Turns out all those rumors might have been lies.''


    Asher turned, took two steps and halted.


    ''But a noble family like the count family believed it. Even de, son of a duke, also believed it.''


    A gleam shed through his dull golden eyes.


    "Alex!"


    Creak!


    The door was opened.


    "Yes, Your Lordship."


    "You will stay in Silverleaf with two vanguards for thest month of winter."


    Alex frowned but bowed his head.


    ...


    The next day, Asher left Silverleaf with his troops.


    Some dayster, they arrived at Nineveh, and the soldiers were weed by their families and other citizens. From atop his wolf, Asher looked at children that stretched their hands toward him with gleaming eyes.


    He was no doubt their idol.


    They were so enamoured about him that they didn''t fear Sirius, unlike their parents.


    All of a sudden, a kid who had curly ck hair dashed out of the crowd and stood before Sirius. "I want to be a soldier, Your Lordship!"


    His eloquence and courage caught Asher''s attention, and so he leaned on his wolf.


    Silence fell like a nket over the street.


    "Your name, youngd?"


    "Nero Alex, Your Lordship!"


    "How old are you?"


    "I''m ten!"


    "There''s no need to shout,d. To be a soldier isn''t easy, but since you''re so brave, I want to know, is your father a soldier?"


    "He is your personal bodyguard, Your Lordship." Nero answered in a softer tone.


    "Ah, so your father is Alex."


    Right at this moment, a woman rushed out of the crowd and covered the boy''s face.


    "I apologize for the disturbance, My Lord. He doesn''t know what he''s saying."


    The woman said.


    "I''ll grant him the right to join my personal troop if he awakens at least a D-grade talent."


    The woman''s eyes went wide. She knew her husband recently began to receive a pay of 20 gold coins monthly, and the pay of other vanguards was 10 gold coins.


    One had to know that 10 gold coins had automatically made them wealthy enough to feed for six months without a problem, and her husband received twice that in a month!


    The future was bright as long as her husband''s connection to Asher was kept, and once the stronghold grew and beautiful gowns were produced or imported, she would surely be the finest dressed woman in Nineveh, but all this was nothingpared to her son gaining the lord''s favor at just 10!


    If he didn''t mess up, he was bound to be greater than his father.


    It all came down to Nero''s awakening.


    Tomorrow he would officially be 10, and the awakening might be on the first day, second day, or even thest day before he became 11, so Nero had one year.


    However, the boy was so excited that he hoped he would awaken the next day.


    "You gave him so much hope."


    Eritrea said as they continued moving.


    Asher just smiled.


    ...¡­.


    Inside the dining hall, as Asher ate his delicious meal, Kelvin walked in with a piece of paper.


    "What is that?"


    "It''s the bill for your workers, My Lord. You have to pay 300 miners since the others are on hardbor, and you also have to pay your men so they can get Golden Fragrant coins, grains, and meat for their families."


    Asher dropped his spoon and looked at Kelvin in such a way that the man had to cough away his embarrassment.


    "You''re doing this because you''ve seen the amount in the Treasury."


    "No, Your Lordship. The reason is because you have to pay your citizens, and those working within the castle walls are included."


    Asher ground his teeth at Kelvin''s thick skin.


    He mmed both hands lightly on the table and breathed out.


    "Okay. Tell me how much it is again."


    "For each miner, 20 silver coins; each soldier, 2 gold coins;manders have a higher pay; and you also have to pay Dan and Lois, who are always researching to produce something new for the army."


    "What kind of absurd amount is that?!"


    "But you orchestrated this to entice people to work."


    "That was then, not now, Kelvin. Scratch that absurd payment and make it affordable. We have roads to build and more professionals to pay. That can''t happen if we are going to splurge like that when we haven''t even established a stable trade."

 Chapter 58: Shura Bolts! Deadly Weapon of War

    Not long after Asher addressed the matter of payment, he was summoned to the sacred hall due to the arrival of two professionals, Lois and Dan.


    Asher sat on his stone chair, looking at the journeymen professionals who gazed right at him with a burning excitement in their eyes.


    "Why are you both so excited?"


    "The ovok skin. Given adequate time, I can make enough for the bonestrike rangers, and if I''m lucky, I might activate the lightning ability in it."


    Lois said.


    "You know about their dormant lightning ability?"


    Asher raised an eyebrow.


    "I do, Your Lordship. Ovok studded leather armor is famous in the high ins for its sturdy defense and ability to paralyze them that attacked those who wear it. However, it''s so rare that master tailors had to hire mercenaries to go hunt for them, and even then only a fewe back alive."


    Asher chuckled.


    "We have hundreds of them in the wastnds right now. We don''t have a tamer, or else I would have tried taming them."


    "Have you tasted their meat?"


    Dan''s eyes twinkled.


    Asher turned his head toward him. "I can see she''s happy with the thought of creating good armor. What are you happy for?"


    Dan smiled.


    "I created a weapon for you, Your Lordship."


    Asher narrowed his eyes. "A weapon?"


    "Yes, a weapon that would help you fight effectively on horseback. It''s solely for that purpose."


    "Where is it?"


    Dan led Asher and Lois out of the castle to his forge, and Asher watched him bring out a rectangr box with the blunt wooden ends sticking out of one side.


    Asher drew out one of them and realized it was a javelin built with enough weight that it felt bnced in his hands. It wasn''t too long, like a spear or as short as a sword.


    "I call them Shura Bolts. Each of them weighs about 300 catties and is thick enough to pierce through a one-meter-thick wall if thrown with adequate force. With this weapon, you''ll be able to bring down your foes from a hundred yards away."


    "I see."


    Asher spun the javelin and slid it back into the box.


    "Where did you get this whitewood?"


    He caressed the body of the box.


    "It''s from Silverleaf town. I discovered those silver leaf trees have traits, which is why I call them Silver Iron Trees."


    "When did you go to the bastide?"


    "To visit my friend, Mr. White."


    Asher pulled out a javelin once again and admired the design and hard work Dan had put into crafting them.


    As he swung the javelin with force, Dan''s spine went cold. He could not follow the speed at which the Lord swung the javelin, and he also felt it just grazed his nose, but it was just the wind that went along with the javelin!


    "With this, I can go hunting."


    "Certainly." Dan responded, pleased that Asher was in love with his work.


    "During your study of the debreaker''s armor, have you gotten a blueprint?"


    Asher turned to face Dan.


    "No, Your Lordship. That armor is so borate that I don''t think my master can get a blueprint in just one month."


    "But it''s been over a month since I gave you that order."


    Dan, not knowing what to say, scratched the back of his head.


    "I think you need to work with Ark to produce a result soon."


    Dan bowed his head.


    ...¡­


    Time trickled by until it was night. Under the two moons and a slightly silent stronghold, Asher stood on the training tform, flexing his limbs, which were bound to weights.


    Opposite him stood Alec with his mighty shield.


    Beside him was Lambert holding his mightynce with both hands. Both of them had solemn expressions as they gazed at Kelvin, who approached Asher with a knife.


    Their aim?


    To face Asher in the Blood Shura state!


    Around the tform were seven gold-ranked knights. The famous Shura Vanguard swordsmen.


    "My Lord, you don''t have to try learning how to control the shura state."


    Kelvin whispered to Asher.


    "But if I don''t, there''s a chance I might kill you in the future."


    "Your Lordship!"


    Kelvin hissed and puffed out.


    "As you wish. At least, no matter how crazy you get, the troops here can subdue you." He said tofort himself.


    Swish!


    He cut Asher''s palm and swiftly ran away from the tform.


    Asher looked at the blood dripping from the palm of his hand and felt something clouding his mind.


    "Get ready!"


    Lambert tightened his grip around hisnce''s hilt, and his eyes dted. Alec monitored Asher''s breathing to know when the transformation had taken ce because Asher was currently looking at his palm, so his head was lowered.


    On a closer look, one could see that Lambert was emanating an aura so fierce that it could match Alec''s! This was because his talent was currently active.


    Swoosh!


    Before Lambert could react, the cold, chilling wind blew against his face, lifting his hair up. His brain couldn''t even register what was going on when a fist struck his abdomen with so much force that he found himself in the air right before the pain came.


    Bam!


    As Lambert crashed, Asher threw three punches toward Alec, but he blocked all them with his shield. His spearshed out, sweeping and thrusting with air-tearing speed, but Asher was able to avoid all these as if he were walking in his garden.


    His cold, pure white eyes that never blink were locked on Alec, seemingly calcting a good chance to attack.


    To catch him off guard, Alec unleashed his battle force and mmed his shield at Asher''s chest. Asher flew backward until he reached the edge of the tform. There, his feet seemed to glue to the ground, and he cracked his neck.


    Boom!


    The stone under Asher''s foot imploded as he burst forth with the greatest speed they had ever seen.


    Bam!


    An earthshaking punch struck Alec''s helmet.


    Boom!


    Alec flew seven meters back and crashed on the ground. He still slid a few more meters beforeing to a gentle halt.


    Asher massaged his knuckles as he descended from the tform.


    "Hoo!"


    The Vanguards swiftly took a battle stance, pointing their swords at him.


    Asher tilted his head.


    "Can you stop me?"


    He asked in a disturbingly honest tone.


    "Your Lordship¡­"


    Kelvin suddenly closed the gap and touched Asher''s shoulder.

 Chapter 59: Winter Isnt Over

    Apparently, a dozen or so gold-ranked knights couldn''t stop him in his blood shura state, and Asher figured that out two nights ago.


    The only thing Asher remembered from that night was when he found himself pointing a sword toward Kelvin.


    Every other person was knocked out but not killed. It seemed like even when he was an emotionless shura, he could vaguely determine between enemies and allies, but if there was one thing he had discovered, it was that cutting himself or relying on his blood shura state was a big mistake.


    It was too dangerous to be controlled.


    It could only be hisst card.


    Asher sat in his study, reading quietly as he had been doing for two days now, when someone knocked at his door.


    "Your Lordship."


    Kelvin''s voice rang.


    "Come in."


    Kelvin opened the door and walked in. "We have set up the apothecary shop, and the man is still waiting for your arrival."


    Asher nodded, but his eyes were still on what he was reading.


    "My Lord?"


    "Kelvin, why do you think this winter''s tide was so weak?"


    Asher asked out of the blue.


    Kelvin adjusted his gold-rimmed spectacles and coughed softly. "I have no idea. This is supposed to be good news, Your Lordship. We only recorded wounded soldiers and not one death; this is the best winter, especially in our current stage."


    Kelvin saw that although Asher listened to him, his heart was still set on figuring out what went wrong or what he wasn''t seeing.


    "Your Lordship, winter will soon end. You should host a celebration for the entire stronghold and make them more devoted to you, their lord. As you grow, you won''t be able to see everyone, so it''s best to cultivate a close rtionship with these people because they are the foundation, and as the foundation, they will let others know of you in the future."


    Asher averted his eyes from the book that had a depiction of gloomy clouds and an army of terrifying beings toward Kelvin.


    Bam!


    Exhaling loudly, he shut the book.


    "Send a letter to Alex."


    Alex said and left.


    He couldn''t be the one with the pessimistic vision. Asher massaged his forehead as he went into his room and sat on the bed while staring at the mural.


    "Zenas."


    A picture shed through his mind.


    It was an image of Zenas d in dark golden armor pointing his sword at his enemies from the top of his giant wolf, the great Shura!


    If there was one iconic thing about this picture that might have been an effect of his talent, it was Zena''s and Shura''s pure white eyes.


    He massaged his forehead harder.


    ''I need to rest.''


    Asher puffed out as hey on his bed, looking at the ceiling and praying for sleep toe.


    ...¡­


    ng! ng!


    Boom!


    Bam!


    Swoosh! Swoosh!


    All sorts of sounds, some came with trembling and some were subtle as it tore through the air.


    Asher found himself on a mountain. It was foggy, but the roars of war led him to the cliff, and from there he saw thousands of green-skinned creatures, both short and tall, skinny and stout,unching a great attack on a wall he knew all too well.


    It was the wall of Nineveh!


    Asher''s eyes widened.


    His heart pounded against his chest as he watched his men valiantly fight back, but the horde were slowly creeping in, weakening his men, and in the next moment, the gates were broken and the horde dashed into the stronghold.


    Suddenly, Asher found himself behind a dozen guards who were using their shields and spears to kill as many creatures as they could.


    Neigh!


    The sound of a horse made him turn. It was Lambert and his cavalrymen sprinting toward the gate with such great momentum that they seemed like a force of a thousand cavalrymen.


    Their red cloaks danced in the billowing northwind as they raced through the passage opened by the shieldbearers into the massive horde outside the stronghold.


    Asher looked at the rumbling ck clouds that hovered ominously over Nineveh, and his eyes shook.


    ...¡­..


    A pair of dull golden eyes snapped open, and Asher sat up, sweating profusely. White mist appeared with each exhale.


    He closed his eyes and clutched his quilt tightly.


    "Just a nightmare."


    "Where''s Lord Asher?!"


    A loud voice from the corridor fell into his ears, causing him to lift his head.


    "I''ve been knocking, Sir Kelvin." A voice, probably from a vanguard, responded.


    Bam!


    The door was mmed open, and Kelvin walked in with a vanguard whose sword wasn''t in his scabbard.


    "Nineveh will soon be under siege, Your Lordship."


    Kelvin had an expression that spoke volumes of how he thought himself foolish to have ignored the signs and even wanted his lord to do the same.


    "What are we facing?"


    "An army of abyss creatures. I believe these are the ones that went into hiding in the mountains."


    ...¡­.


    Some minutester, Asher could be seen wearing his vambraces while walking through the corridor, toward the exit of the castle.


    "Alec and Eritrea are positioning the army for defense."


    Asher''s eyes gleamed. "No. I shall ride with the debreakers into their army and ughter every one of those beings before they hurt even one citizen."


    Boom!


    The huge castle doors were opened, and a cold wind hit Asher''s face. Looking up, he saw ck cloudsing from the north. It kept rolling and rolling and Asher knew it wasing for Nineveh.


    These creatures that wereing were abyss creatures, and their numbers were staggering, or else they wouldn''t have caused this phenomenal effect.


    This was the abyssal curse.


    The endless north had been reduced to the wastnds and the destnds, which were also known as the beyond because of this curse.


    All five shura vanguards mounted well-fed horses, which were d in mail armor and followed Asher, who mounted Sirius.


    Asher went to the top of the wall and looked at the horde of goblins that covered a vast part of thend, growling as they made their way toward Nineveh.


    "Winter definitely isn''t over."

 Chapter 60: Gold-Ranked Abyss Knights

    The goblins, most of whom only wore loincloths to protect the lower part of their bodies, ran toward the walls with their curved short swords raised high.


    Behind the thousands of goblin fighters were massive goblins d in armor and wielding huge weapons that weighed quite a lot, judging by how it opened the snow as they dragged it on the ground.


    Some of them that slung their weapons on their shoulders left deep footprints on the snow-covered ground.


    The smallest goblin was about half the size of an adult human, while the biggest was about 5 feet tall but was very stout.


    They weren''t muscr but had a massive amount of thick flesh, especially at their abdomens.


    "Make sure no one is outside their homes!"


    Below the walls, Kelvin was giving orders, and his voice fell into Asher''s ears.


    "Your Lordship, we don''t have many arrows."


    Eritrea reported solemnly.


    "There was no proper time to recuperate, so I understand. Just keep shooting until all the arrows are exhausted. Then, the debreaker will be the knife that delivers the final cut."


    "Ready yourselves!"


    Alec roared, and fifty shieldmen mmed their shields and spears on the ground while three hundred axemen mmed their axes against their shields.


    "Hoo!"


    "Beat your weapons so those wretched creatures will know who they''re about to face!"


    Boom!


    Thebined sound made by 350 soldiers shook the wall.


    Alec''s cloak billowed as he turned his head and looked at the goblin army that were racing toward the wall with ravenous eyes.


    Alec looked like a giant amongst men as he stood before his men. The height difference was staggering.


    "Fire!"


    Eritrea''s voice cut through the air like the cry of an eagle, and 200 rangers lifted up their bows, nocked an arrow, and drew it until the bow was fully curved.


    Swoosh! Swoosh!


    Arrows tore through their air, their tails dancing in the wind as they made dazzling curves and struck goblins that were 400 yards away from the walls.


    As Eritrea drew her great thunder bow, azure lightning crackling along the bowstring and gathered at the arrowhead of the three arrows, she nocked.


    Swoosh!!


    There was a light shockwave that made the hoods of rangers beside her fall off, revealing their stunned faces.


    Three arrows crackling the lightning traveled a distance of 700 yards and pierced through the head of a five-foot-tall goblin wielding a mace. The first arrow struck its forehead, and the other two plunged into the eyes.


    The moment the goblin fell, a lightning shockwave exploded outward, paralyzing a dozen goblins instantly!


    A perfect aim at a distance of 700 yards was absurd for a gold-ranked markswoman, as it was the shooting range of a diamond-ranked sniper.


    Eritrea was only able to do this because of her special diamond-ranked elemental bow.


    Before the goblins could react, Eritrea had released six more arrows. Three after three!


    She targeted the massive goblins, which were at least silver-ranked warriors. Should any noble in the wastnd see that there was a markswoman who could shoot down silver-ranked warriors like flies, they would have done all in their power to bring her over to their side.


    Eritrea was like the famous war machine, the trebuchet!


    She kept releasing arrows after arrows, with each taking a life and paralyzing those around for a period of time.


    A short whileter, her right hand went to her thigh, but she couldn''t find any arrow in her quiver. It seemed as if she snapped out of her reverie of continuous ughter and averted her eyes from the battlefield to her empty quiver.


    ''Arrows!''


    Turning to her left, she saw other rangers taking arrows from arge wooden quiver ced beside them. It was then she realized that there was one not too far away from her.


    Others distanced themselves since her shots could be quite distracting.


    As she raced toward the quiver, arge hook came from below. It came with such speed that Eritrea knew her head hade into contact with it, so she slid under it, swiftly got to her feet as if she had done it a thousand times, and nocked an arrow.


    Right at this moment, she looked down and saw that the hook wasn''t an attack, but it was a ropedder!


    She took a dagger and began to cut.


    Bam! Bam!


    The ground shook, causing her to turn her head in the direction where the trembling came from, and she saw Alec running toward her.


    Upon arriving at Eritrea''s position, Alec cut the rope with one swing and continued running. He kept cutting the ropes, causing dozens of goblins to fall to the ground.


    Eventually, a goblin warrior reached the top, and with a swing of his deadly spiked mace, the bronze-ranked shieldmen scattered, but none of them were severely injured.


    "Ugly!"


    Alec roared.


    The goblin turned to face him.


    It exposed its yellow, sharp tooth and dashed toward Alec. The scrap armor it wore made nking sounds.


    Alec raised his shield to block the goblin''s downward strike. When the strike rebounded, causing the goblin to stagger, Alec ceased the opening to thrust his spear.


    ng!


    Still, the goblin managed to deflect it.


    Right at that moment, more goblins entered the alure from anotherdder.


    A big hand cleared them away and entered the alure with ravenous, reddish eyes. It brandished the massive de that looked simr to a cleaver and dashed toward Alec, who fought against the first goblin warrior.


    Alec tightened his grip around his weapons and engaged in an intense battle with both warriors.


    His spear danced about, searching for opportunities to deliver a swift kill while his shield protected him from their weapons.


    Alec fell on one knee and protected himself from their united strike.


    Bam!


    Shockwaves spread outward, and the stone beneath his feet cracked at the dreadful sheer power these goblins had.


    It was at this moment that Alec was absolutely certain that these goblins were gold-ranked abyss knights!


    He clenched his teeth.

 Chapter 61: Upgrading All Troops

    Thud! Thud!


    Asher ran toward the scene, stepped on a small goblin, and flew over 3 meters before executing a clean horizontal cut deep into the cleaver-wielding goblin, staining his sword with its green blood.


    The goblin let out a weak roar and swung its cleaver at Asher, who leaned back and watched the cleaver fly past his face.


    He sensed a goblining from behind, so he flipped his sword and positioned it in reverse. Then he plunged it into the small goblin behind him before retreating as the cleaver-wielding goblin kept shing at him aggressively.


    Pish!


    Alec''s spear pierced through the goblin, and he flung it off the wall into the horde with a deep, loud grunt.


    ng! ng!


    The sounds of weapons shing, grunts, and yells fell into Alec''s ears as he bowed his head toward Asher.


    Asher looked at the mace-wielding goblin, which Alec had killed first beforeing to his aid, and nodded.


    Boom!


    The wall trembled, causing Asher and Alex to look below. They saw huge goblins hitting the gate with their weapons.


    The rangers, who were now surrounded by shieldmen, focused on shooting down these goblins, but their bronze-ranked strength wasn''t able to allow their arrows to prate through the thick skins of the gold-ranked goblins.


    "Tri formation!"


    Alec lifted his head and yelled.


    Immediately, the sheildmen and axemen began to form a formation of three men with their backs joined as they faced their partners blindspot and began cutting down goblins with increasing intensity.


    A shieldman was about to thrust his spear when a sudden chill struck his bones, causing him to groan in pain. Goblins swiftly took advantage of it and swarmed him until he fell!


    Alec wanted to rush toward the scene, but Asher held him back and told him to look around. In the same pattern, their forces were falling one after the other. Sheildmen, axemen, and even the treasured rangers!


    "It''s their force."


    Realization dawned on Alec.


    The Abyss Force was like a virus, and it was eating up the soldiers'' Battle Force, mostly due to their depreciating stamina.


    "This is what happens to cities without priests. Tell them to unleash their battle force to their limits. They''ll be able to weaken the spread. I and the debreakers will take it from here."


    Asher swiftly left after saying that.


    Neigh! Neigh!


    A hundred debreakers neatly arranged themselves while being fully d in their heavy armor. Theirnces were facing the ground, and their cloaks billowed upward, ever so gently.


    Their horses neighed softly, seemingly eager to rush into battle.


    Fifty of these cavalrymen were true debreakers, while the other fifty were bronze-ranked soldiers recruited into the troop. For now, they were apprentices and will only be a debreaker squire at the silver rank, while squires will be knights at the gold rank.


    Asher walked up to this elite troop awaiting hismand.


    A jet ck horse was right before the troop, mounted with a saddle that would make riding morefortable for Asher.


    By the side of the saddle was a white box with the ends of a dozen javelins sticking out.


    Beside the jet-ck horse was Sirius.


    Sirius was now 12 feet tall! There was no way he could mount Sirius and expect to fight properly.


    He would only throw javelins, and Asher wasn''t interested in doing only that.


    This was the time to sharpen his battle skills and sense of warfare before his domain expanded.


    Upon mounting the horse, Asher pulled out a javelin from his back and pointed at the gate.


    "Open it."


    Boom!


    The moment the gate was opened, the debreaker cavalry charged forth.


    Rumble!


    Asherunched the javelin at the biggest threat at the gate, and the javelin nailed the goblin to the ground, causing a smallmotion that gave the debreakers the upper hand.


    "Kill these beasts!"


    "For Nineveh!"


    "For Lord Asher!"


    While yelling, the debreakers thrust their borately forgednces, piercing through goblins as they rode on their muscr horses.


    They moved as one; those the first row missed, the second row would mow them down, and those the second row missed, the third would dly do them a huge favor and skewer the goblins.


    The hooves of a hundred armored horses with armored riders atop them shook the eardrums of the soldiers on the wall.


    Like a sharp knife, the debreakers moved through the horde, cutting down the goblins without mercy.


    True to their name, no de that met them remained intact. They were superior des and a terror to allnd forces that moved on two feet.


    Ahead of them was Asher, with his sword flickering left and right, harvesting the lives of green-skinned creatures. Some of them were trampled by his horse.


    A scrawny goblin ran toward Asher and lifted its cleaver. Asher leaned forward, urging his horse to run faster, but before he could get close to the goblin, a white figure raced past him and tore the goblin apart in what seemed like a split second!


    Since Asher did notmand Sirius to use his ice because it might havesting effects on their soil, Sirius decided to go old-fashioned. Teeth, ws, and body!


    The ultimate weapons of a wolf.


    Awoo!


    It raised its head toward the sky and howled like never before.


    With a stomp, the ground sunk!


    Seeing Sirius was going toward the right, Ashermanded the cavalry to move toward the left.


    While they made the U-turn, Asher saw a goblin warrior charging toward him.


    Asher leaned toward the other side, and his horse also followed. The goblin swung its giant cleaver but missed Asher; however, it did not miss Lambert''snce.


    "Kill them all!" Lambert bellowed ferociously.


    Two hourster, Asher atop his horse stared at the few dozen goblins running away.


    His clothing waspletely soaked in his own sweat, and while it was ufortable, a bubbling sense of joy was slowly sprouting from the depths of his heart.


    "Victory!"


    Lambert raised hisnce.


    Those on the walls and the cavalrymen began to rejoice with smiles on their faces, but Asher''s own was dubbed by the bodies of his men lying lifeless on the ground.


    [Ding! You have aplished a great victory by defeating the abyss creatures that have brought terror to the wastnds. For such a great feat, all your troops have been deemed worthy of an upgrade!]


    [Would the host like to upgrade his gold-ranked markswoman, Eritrea Wolf, to be a dreadful diamond-ranked sniper?]

 Chapter 62: Massive Upgrades

    [Ding! Would you like to upgrade your gold-ranked sentinel, Alec, to be a diamond-ranked Guardian? Yes or No]


    [Your troops are avable for upgrade!!]


    [Would the host like to upgrade the remaining 300 axemen and shieldmen into a powerful silver-ranked infantry troop, Silver-Wolf Infantry? Yes or No?]


    [Would you like to upgrade the remaining 180 rangers of the special troop, Bonestrike rangers, to be a unique silver-ranked troop, ThunderStorm Rangers? Yes or No?]


    [Notice: All the materials obtained from the ovoks except their meat will be used for the upgrade of the archery troop.]


    [Ding! Would the host like to upgrade the special troop, debreaker Calvary, to be a troop with 50 gold-ranked knights and 30 silver-ranked squires? Yes or No?]


    ''Upgrade all!''


    Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!


    Beams of blinding light shone, piercing through the gloomy darkness, and reformed troops revealed themselves as the light went down.


    The first ones Asher saw were the debreakers. Their armor had been upgraded from chainmail to half-te armor with chainmail underneath. Their formidable 2.5-meter-longnces were hoisted up, and their cloaks, now made from better material, billowed softly.


    Their shoulder pauldrons became bigger, and the structures of their helmets changed. It gave them more breathing space as it became structures in a way that were tiny holes at their nose to their mouth region, but their faces were still hidden.


    At their waists were long swords neatly sheathed in scabbards, and at their backs were six javelins attached in a nted angle so as not to hurt their mounts. This new addition gave the cavalry the ability to inflict serious damages before they even engaged with their enemies. Their steeds were also covered with an extrayer of te armor, boosting their defense!


    These knights had transformed into moving fortresses. Their red plume and red cloak with the daunting design of their helmet made them a force to be terrified off just by looks alone. No doubt, the debreaker cavalry was a troop meant to bring destruction to battlefields.


    Behind the 50 gant knights were their squires d in chainmail and leather amour beneath the chainmail. They also had red plumes attached to their helmets but no crests, which would have identified them as official knights.


    Their looks were imposing but could not bepared to the knights.


    Now that Asher had 50 cavalry knights, the squires could be increased to 150! Each knight would have 3 squires to manage his equipment, which was much, by the way, and also learn as he trained.


    Neigh!


    "Your Lordship!"


    80 full-armoured men went on one knee and bowed their heads. The sound of their united movement was like the dull beat of a giant drum that was behind the mountains.


    "Your Lordship!!"


    Asher turned to the others.


    His eyes were drawn to the magnificent sight of 300 silver-ranked warriors wielding huge rectangr shields that had the image of a wolf moulded into them. The silver shields matched their grayish-white heavy armor, and their helmets covered their heads fully. It was designed in such a way that only those wearing it knew how they could see the outside world.


    Short white plumes billowed off the helmets of 300 7-foot-tall warriors, and their even taller, thicker spears had a small triangr g with the head of a wolf close to the spearhead.


    The gs billowed gently.


    The 300 Silver Wolf Infantrymen were monstrous. Just by looking at their heights, a causal human army would think they were going against orcs, but unlike orcs, these soldiers had been filled with the knowledge of decades, and their bodies adjusted to be able to bear almost all kinds of pain any soldier would go through on a battlefield.


    Their voices quaked the clouds as they mmed their shields against the wall in unison.


    "Hail Lord Asher!"


    "Hoo!"


    Asher''s ears trembled.


    At the left end of this magnificent troop was a 9-foot-tall half-giant who dwarfed the impressive troop that filled Asher with overflowing confidence. However, just a look at this half giant d in such thick armor that would surely weigh several tons, Asher was gobsmacked.


    His spear was about 11 feet tall, and his shield was a staggering 8 feet!


    There was no denying it. This man was a human behemoth.


    Asher could only pray this was where Alec''s growth would end, or only God knew the amount of food Alec would consume in one day.


    In meters, Alec was 2.8 meters tall!


    A sweep of his spear would kill a dozen men, silver or gold-ranked. Asher had not seen this happen, but just by looking at Alec''s strength and knowing about his second talent, which would always double his strength, stacking them with each rank upgrade, Asher concluded that Alec was the strongest soldier in his army.


    Alex might be way more skilled, but Alec had enough tenacity and stamina to eventually win the battle.


    The man''s arms alone were bigger than Asher''s thighs.


    Yet he also went on one knee and bowed deeply.


    Despite the upgrade and his overflowing strength, his loyalty did not drop. Asher did not want to figure out if loyalty could dop after reaching 100, or it might mean his death.


    This was the reason he made sure Sirius was always upgraded at every chance he got.


    Finally, Asher looked at thest troop. The unique grade troop!


    His eyes dted as it took in the sight of 180 female sharpshooters d in leather armor, which had a belt that went around their abdomen, making it more t. On their shoulders was scale te armor that went down to their wrists.


    The leather armor was over their simple yet eye-catching ck gowns, which stopped at their knees. Below their knees were leather boots with a dagger strapped in. The rangers had the longest boots, and they were made from pure ovok leather, the same with their leather top armor.


    Their heads were covered by a ck hood, and the structure of their bows changed. All of them became ''Thunder Bows'' and had Tenaria wordings that would light up with an azure light once they drew the bow.


    The bow string was made from the ovok''s lightning tendons, and their armor was lightning resistant.


    The same was true for their leather gloves, so they couldn''t be harmed by the lightning coursing through their bows and arrows.


    At the right end of this beautiful troop was theirmander, the enchanting pale-skinned diamond-ranked sniper. The only sniper in all of Nineveh and maybe the entire wastnd!


    Her boots were made of pure steel right up to her knees, her arms were also adorned with pure steel tes, and the same shining silver steel was on her body. It was a chestte!


    Her short raven hair caressed her shoulders gently as she stood atop the bulwark, the tall part of the alure that acted as a defense in order for soldiers not to fall. The wind whipped the skirt part of her ck gown about.


    Her ''Great Thunder Bow'' was firmly gripped in her hand. By her thigh was a quiver filled with arrows, and her eyes were fixed on her Lord.


    "Great rider."


    She whispered with a small smile.


    The same infatuated look in her eyes could be found in the eyes of every Thunderstorm Ranger.

 Chapter 63: Losses and Gains

    Seeing Asher, seated on his horse in the middle of a battlefield with his giant wolf behind him, its blue eyes piercing through the dim, almost dark ce, the Thunderstorm Rangers lost themselves in the stunning juxtaposition.


    "The Thunderstorm Rangers greet the great rider!"


    Their feminine voice fell into Asher''s head, causing his bright expression to fall.


    Great rider again!


    "After those things!"


    Lambert roared and rode along with his 80 strong after the trails of the few green skins that fled. The rule of sparing a soldier that surrendered isn''t applicable for abyss creatures.


    As Asher moved through the gate into his stronghold, he saw Alec and Eritrea at both ends of the other side staring at him with deep respect.


    When Asher got in, he looked at the stronghold and was shocked to find green skins dead on the rooftops. Some buildings were even damaged.


    He was so focused on the bigger picture that he forgot some goblins were bound to cross due to their number advantage.


    "How many citizens did we lose?"


    He questioned in a solemn tone.


    "None, Your Lordship."


    Kelvin walked out from the side, his attire stained with blood of green skins and his sword still exposed, indicating he was still in a mindset that expected an attack.


    "The war is over."


    Alec''s voice was so deep that Eritrea raised an eyebrow.


    "You killed them all?"


    Asher was clearly surprised that Kelvin and a few civilians who slowly gathered behind him were able to keep the people safe.


    "We did."


    Kelvin looked at the people wielding pitchforks and shovels and nodded at Asher.


    "Make sure their families are abundantly rewarded, and they shall be paid monthly by the Lord''s house for a year."


    Upon hearing that, tears coated the civilians eyes, and some of them even went on both knees, bowing and crying.


    "It''s alright. You did a brave thing. As for you, Kelvin... You have a week off duty."


    Kelvin bowed deeply.


    "Thank you, my Lord."


    Asher nodded.


    "To the castle then."


    ...¡­.


    Asher walked through the castle''s hallway, Kelvin coughed and leaned close to him.


    "I can''t take a day off when your territory is still in its infancy. I shall take my rest at the grave, not while I can still work."


    Before Asher coulde up with a response, he pushed open the doors of the sacred hall and gestured for Asher to go to his stone throne.


    "There are matters that need your immediate attention, Your Lordship."


    With a soft exhale, Asher sat on his throne.


    "We are all here because of the effect of the horde on our farnds, right?"


    He looked at Alec, Eritrea, and Kelvin. Before they could respond, more individuals walked into the hall.


    It was Dan, Lois, and the olddy in charge of the farmers of Nineveh.


    "Your Lordship, their blood has been spilt on our soil. Ournds are already dead." The olddy shook her head.


    "Really?" Asher cocked a brow.


    "She''s not wrong, Your Lordship. The effects of the que clouds have begun. People are showing signs of illness, and if not treated, we might count huge losses."


    Lois said.


    ''I thought she would always be in her shop. Hmm, she''s a patriotic citizen indeed.'' Asher said in his mind. His eyes veered to Dan next.


    "Your Lordship. This war will slow down my progress because three of my apprentices went out to help Sir Kelvin, and now none of them wants to work again. I''ve trained those men for months!"


    ''The selfish one. I''m not surprised.''


    Asherzily leaned against his right arm but caught Kelvin ring at him, causing him to sit uprightly. He respected Kelvin so much that, although hidden, Asher saw him like a father figure.


    It was a feeling that came from the old Asher and corrupted his own soul.


    "Well, I have recruited a physician, and his shop has already been built. He''ll be able to attend to the injured because we''ve funded him well enough to start creating potions beforehand. He also has apprentices, so I''m sure we won''t count any deaths this year."


    After exining that, he turned to the old woman.


    "Thosends are mana-veinednds. Mana is the source of all forces, and the abyss force is not more powerful than it, so our nting season will only be dyed by a month or two. With the quick growth of our seeds, we shouldn''t have a problem with this. Before I forget, inform my butler to hand over the 12 bags of wheat he purchased. We need to start making our own bread from our own wheat."


    The old woman''s eyes shone.


    "You can all leave."


    Alec escorted them to the door and shut it with a hand. This was something two gold-ranked vanguards had to do, though not with all their might.


    "Your Lordship¡­"


    Eritrea''s soft voice rang as she went on one knee. "... We lost a total of 90 soldiers."


    Those that lost limbs and were badly wounded were healed by the system, but those that were dead couldn''t be brought back to life. However, if the wounded were included, the losses would have been enough to bleed Nineveh''s security.


    Asher leaned back. His expression was unreadable, but hismanders knew Asher felt the loss severely.


    "Compensate their families."


    His solemn voice echoed in the hall.


    "We shall do as you say, Your Lordship," Alec and Eritrea said in unison.


    Shortly after, they left.


    Asher looked at the sacred hall''s lofty ceiling, and a notification appeared.


    [Ding! Your stronghold is avable for an upgrade. Would the host like to upgrade Nineveh from tier one to tier two? Yes or No?]


    ''Yes.''


    Swoosh!


    A white light swept through the stronghold, expanding its borders, fixing destroyed buildings, and creating more. The great hall, which was known as the sacred hall, expanded even more. Nineveh now spanned 20 kilometers square and had amodation for more people.


    [Stronghold''s Name: Nineveh


    Stronghold''s Tier: Tier two


    Poption: 8,060/ 15,000


    Security: 69/100


    Loyalty: 100/100]


    The white radiance washed away the blood that the people were about to clean and restored brilliance to the stronghold as the dark clouds also faded away. The corpses upon the farnds were swept off by the radiance, and thend was purified of their dearth.


    The sound of the rejoicing civilians and soldiers reached the skies of Nineveh.


    [Ding! Would the host like to upgrade his butler, Kelvin, from the silver rank to be a gold-ranked sword knight? Yes or No?]


    Asher lowered his head to face the white-haired man.


    "You''re not dying anytime soon."


    ...¡­


    In a building inside of Nineveh, a woman wept as she looked at the state of her 10-year-old son. Hey on the bed with a deathly pale skin and hollow eyes.


    Suddenly, she lifted her son and dashed out of the house straight toward a soldier walking by.


    "Save my son; the Lord promised to make him a knight!"

 Chapter 64: Talents

    Throughout that night, the woman kept pacing about even when the physician was attending to her son. Unable to handle her fears anymore, she went to another shop where a man was in charge of collecting money to send letters to Silverleaf town through the messenger falcons.


    That night she sent a letter to Alex, her husband.


    A dayter, Asher paced around his castle with his hand sped behind him. He looked at his brown leather boots with different thoughts breezing through his mind as he walked.


    Justst night before sleeping, he read the Ashbourne records, and this time about Zenas''s life. It turned out that Zenas came from a vige called Ash Vige, a ce close to a volcanic mountain and home to a fabled red dragon.


    Zenas proved to be a splendid warrior and was taken into the royal knight academy of the Eternal Immortal Kingdom, back when it was just a kingdom. Zenas became one of the oath knights of the king, sworn to be the king''s sword and annihte all that was against his rule.


    Later on, Zenas came back to that same vige after hearing the news that the dragon had annihted it. With his troops, he fought and killed the dragon, eventually causing the mountains to grow dormant, and a year after that, the very first Ashbourne pet beast was found.


    The wolf that came from beyond.


    The very first creature that made humans curious about what was beyond the Ash Mountains.


    Today, Nineveh stands on the same ground that the Ash vige that existed centuries ago once stood.


    He was in the birthce of his first ancestor!


    After reading thatst night, Asher couldn''t exin his emotions.


    ''The first knight that yed a dragon, pioneer of the beyond, and duke of the endless north.''


    Asher''s eyes flickered.


    Both the wastnd and the unknown destnd, otherwise known as the beyond, were given to Zenas as a reward for dutifully serving his lord, and due to his loyalty, his lord was at peace giving him such an exorbitant piece ofnd.


    "Your Lordship."


    Asher turned to face the one who called him.


    It was a vanguard.


    He bowed.


    "My Lord, Kelvin requests your presence at the sacred hall. Therge amount of mana caused by the war forced many to awakenst night, and they gathered at the sacred hall."


    Asher raised an eyebrow.


    Not toward what the vanguard said but due to realization. The once small stone castle had grown so big that he didn''t know when people were trooping into his castle. It must have been because he was in the garden, an exclusive region located at the right side of the castle.


    It wasn''t far from the gate before but with the upgrades, it had long left it''s previous position.


    With a fast pace, he made his way through the courtyard into the hallway, straight toward the sacred hall.


    Boom!


    "Bow the knee! Lord Asher has arrived!" Five vanguards at both ends of the hall mmed their boots against the ground and bellowed heavily. They could hear the sound of Asher''s boots, and the murmuring of the children and their parents was unweing.


    Instantly, silence fell, and the civilians went on one knee with their heads bowed.


    Asher walked into the hall, looking left and right at the children and their parents. They were not more than 9 ten years old that awakened, and their families came with them with expectant faces.


    Clearly, the reason why they were here was because they yearned for their children to be a member of his personal troop, or they would have enlisted the children in the military camp and awaited their children''s results.


    "What about Alex''s son? I''d reckon he''ll awaken a manageable talent at worst."


    Asher whispered to Kelvin as he took his seat.


    "Talent isn''t based on your affection toward the said individual, My Lord. These ones here are great talents."


    "Where''s Sirius?"


    "He went to hunt, Your Lordship."


    Asher tapped his fingers on the stone armrest after hearing that.


    "Arise."


    The people arose.


    "Why isn''t Nero here?"


    He asked while wearing an unreadable expression.


    Judging by these people''s excitement, there was something he might not know.


    "He might note, Your Lordship."


    A woman replied, then continued. "My son awakened the ability to turn the nails of his right hand into ws! He''ll be able to rip apart your enemies."


    Asher felt the urge tough but held himself; however, he came to understand that despite these people''s loyalty to him, they didn''t show each other the same amount of love.


    Humans were still humans at the end of the day.


    "What can his ws do? Can it cut through a stone?" Kelvin asked. He adjusted his spectacles and looked into the book in his hand.


    "It can make w marks on a piece of hardwood."


    Kelvin opened the page until he got to where he wanted.


    "That''s an E grade talent. He won''t be able to cut through a good silver-ranked armor at his peak. Next."


    His voice was emotionless and calm.


    Asher looked at him.


    He knew Kelvin wanted to achieve something with this.


    Teach him patience.


    Because right now, he was already bored of this. None of these people had B grade talent or the system would have alerted him.


    "Bring Nero and his mother here."


    He said it with a slight hint of authority this time around.


    "Your Lordship, Nero is blind. He''s of no use to you," the same woman said, causing Asher''s expression to change.


    Looking at the expression on other people''s faces, Asher knew these people all knew about it, so they brought their children to rece him!


    "What?!"


    Asher turned to Kelvin.


    "Did you know about this?"


    "I did. I also know you are fond of the boy and it would affect your mindstate, so I made sure you had no idea about it. You just fought a war, and you don''t need any news that will¡ª"


    "Enough, Kelvin."


    Although Asher''s tone wasn''t high, Kelvin knew he was angry.


    His eyes swept through the hall, and the woman who spoke hid her face, but she could feel his gaze piercing through her like a hot iron.


    All of a sudden, footsteps were heard, causing everyone to look through the door into the hallway.

 Chapter 65: Dreath Sight. A Dreadful S-Grade Talent

    Alex, d in his imposing armor with the blue plume that fell down from the top of his helmet dancing about behind him, walked into the hall with a small 10-year-old on his shoulder.


    Alex walked to the middle of the hall, brought the child down, and went on one knee.


    "I have returned, Your Lordship."


    His voice was deep and solemn.


    Asher noticed that Alec and Eritrea also entered the hall but stayed behind the civilians.


    Suddenly, Nero also kneeled and bowed his head.


    "I can still be a knight, Your Lordship."


    Asher raised an eyebrow.


    "The blind can not be amongst the lord''s personal troop or any troop at all." Kelvin replied rigidly.


    Alex looked at him and lowered his head.


    "The criteria is... did you awaken?"


    Asher leaned forward, itching to check the boy''s panel, but hesitated to keep things interesting for a little while.


    It was impossible for Nero to be normal, despite the circumstances.


    ording to the game storyline, Nero joined the academy in the sacred me academy and became a knight so powerful that only top yers could be tutored by him.


    Asher never knew that the famed Nero was the son of Alex. Who would have known that the boy''s sword talent came from his father, a man whose name was never heard because he had died a bronze-ranked captain in the little ash town?


    But what Asher didn''t know was Nero''s talent.


    Was it the same talent?


    A talent that could make Nero, a boy from the wastnd, one of the strongest knights in the continent of Tenaria would not be a casual one for sure.


    "I did."


    Alex looked at his son. Nero''s eyes had lost their original ck iris, for they were now dull gray! He knew Nero awakened something, but why did it have to be at the cost of his sight?


    Upon hearing that, Asher stood up and walked down to Nero. He stretched his arm while looking at the boy.


    Without the need to even instruct Nero on what to do, Nero grabbed his palm and got to his feet.


    That action shocked everyone in the hall, including his father, Alec, Eritrea, and Kelvin.


    Asher looked into Nero''s eyes.


    [Name: Nero Alex


    Age: 10


    Rank: None


    Talent: Dreath Sight (S)


    Job: None


    Loyalty: 100]


    [Talent description: ''Dreath Sight'' is a passive talent that grants the individual 360 vision and heightened pulse readings of living and non-living butes with a curse of seeing only in a world of Dreath, a ce thatcks the emotions of pigments. The talent grade has been reduced because of the curse]


    Asher raised an eyebrow.


    ''A passive S-grade talent!''


    "Let''s go to the training tform. I will only ept one child, and anyone who defeats Nero can take the spot. I believe your children can beat up a blind child."


    ...¡­.


    Under the clear sky and the watch of the guards on the castle walls, ten 10-year-olds faced off against each other. None of them had their eyes on Nero. He was the weakest in their eyes.


    Normally, all this wasn''t needed as Asher was the lord and his word wasw, but he too wanted to see the oue of this.


    To him, all of those that were here gathered to make sure he saw Nero''s talent in action.


    "Ha!"


    The boy with the w talent yelled as he brandished his ws and lunged toward another boy. That one''s talent was also an E-grade talent that would switch his eyes for an eagle''s anytime he wanted.


    "What are you doing? Take out the blind one!"


    The boy dodged the attack and yelled out in fury.


    The one with the w talent ignored him and wed at the bow''s clothes, ripping it apart. Frightened, the boy with the ripped clothing turned tail and fled the tform.


    The fight continued until the one whose right hand could form ws and the other whose feet could transform into stone remained. Both of them looked at Nero, who stood close to the edge of the tform with crossed arms.


    "Get down or you''ll get injured!" Ben, the one with ws, threatened.


    "There''s no need to pity the weak. Only the strong are able to be Lord Asher''s knights!" Torah, the one with stone legs, dashed toward Nero.


    Unbeknownst to him, in Nero''s vision, the entire world was white. As Torah ran, there were ripples produced from his feet as it hit the ground, and Nero could both see and hear them.


    Everything around him, both the castle guards that were on the walls, were clearly depicted in his vision. There were ripples that left their mouths and tranted into words that fell into his ears.


    One had to know that silver-ranked warriors had to focus on their senses to hear those soldiers at the top of the wall, but because Nero''s talent heightened his senses passively, he could both hear and see everything in a better quality.


    He easily leaned to the side, narrowly but intentionally evading Torah''s kick at that precise moment. He could see the connection of Torah''s other feet to the ground, and he located the weak point.


    And this was without even looking at Torah at all.


    His eyes were locked on Asher and his father.


    "I am not blind."


    He whispered beforeunching a swift kick toward the leg that supported Torah''s body.


    Bam!


    Before Torah could fall, Nero held his cor and let him drop gently. There was a smile on the youngd''s face as he could see the expression on everyone''s faces all at once!


    Immediately after Torah''s fall, Ben closed the gap, delivering a ruthless swipe that Nero dodged by lowering his body and springing back up as fast as his body could move.


    Bam!


    His fist mmed Ben''s chest, and he saw the ripples.


    Bam! Bam!!


    Heunched three more blows and watched Ben fall to his knees with a red face.


    Turning back toward Asher, he smiled and kneeled.


    "Does my talent interest you, Your Lordship?"

 Chapter 66: Cynthia, Ashers Personal Maid

    Nero joined the vanguards as the newest member after that day. He was to train alongside them until he was ready to be made a soldier.


    Asher knew Nero would be a soldier faster than any other person because of his talent. It already gave him the best battle sense there is, and with training, his body will be able to follow, and together, Nero would be a feared force.


    Asher wasn''t nning to make Nero a casual soldier. His ns for the youngd were a lot bigger than just joining the vanguard; Nero was on his way to be Asher''s special knight.


    A knight who would be sent on missions when the main troops are in a tight spot. To Asher, Nero was a de that he would make sharper than Alex.


    At this moment, he looked out one of the windows in his castle, down at Nero, who was undergoing training. With the Moonlit Starhorn milk and Hexakad eggs at his disposal, Nero had nothing to fear as he was trained mercilessly.


    Should any other kid who was sent to apply to the main army see this, they would shrink away.


    But Nero had the willpower.


    Asher heard a sound behind and turned toward the door.


    "You maye in."


    A maid walked in with her hands entwined and her head slightly lowered. She had blonde hair, a good bearing, and eptable looks. To be the lord''s personal maid, the said maid had to be a cut above the others in many things¡ªlook above all.


    This was mostly because most lords had an affair with their personal maids, and they wouldter be their concubines, but ever since Cynthia took Mary''s position, Asher had never made one move at her, nor did he even look at her more than needed.


    "Is there a problem, Cynthia?"


    Asher cocked his head.


    "You''ve been in your study sincest night; I was worried and came to check on you. Your supper, breakfast, and lunch have grown cold. You have missed three square meals, Your Lordship, and this will not be of positive effect for your health."


    "Prepare another lunch then."


    "It''s already prepared. Miss Eritrea hunted a wild deer that was used to preparing a steaming pot of pepper soup."


    "Eritrea?"


    Asher looked out the window toward the barracks but couldn''t see themanders. Only soldiers are moving about and training.


    "Also, Sir Kelvin said I should remind you that the pain endurance test ising up tonight and you should prepare."


    Asher''s brows furrowed.


    The pain endurance test was a prerequisite to harness the blood battle force of the shura art and enter the next stage of mastery, but that test required an Ashbourne, running through a 10-meter-long thornvine blockade.


    Those vines would cut his flesh open because he would have to do it with only pants and no shoes.


    Not even his pants would save him from bleeding all over.


    What made Asher frown was the fact that Kelvin knew what would happen when he bled, or was he depending on the diamond-rankedmanders in the stronghold?


    Hismanders were indeed stronger than other diamond-ranked knights. And if Sirius was included, they might be able to stop his rampage.


    However, Asher couldn''t make up his mind.


    He needed to go through the test to advance, but his talent was a huge wall he would have to deal with.


    Unfortunately, there was no way to deal with his talent.


    Once there was a cut, he was a threat to all.


    These were the disadvantages of powerful talents. For example, Nero lost his normal sight to possess such powerful talent while he lost his freedom to bleed.


    After much thought, he sighed heavily.


    "I''ll be there soon."


    ...¡­..


    Time passed by until the sun came down and the moon took it''s ce in the sky.


    Asher looked around him. He was several feet below the ground surface. This was the castle''s dungeon, and right now, he stood here with hismanders on the other side of the passage, fully armed.


    Sirius was also with them, but it had concern in its eyes. For the first time, the coldest one was the most emotional.


    "It''s okay, buddy. I''ll be alright."


    After encouraging Sirius, he looked at the purple thornvine found on the southern part of the ash mountains. The thorns were hard, long, and naturally sharpened.


    They were in between him and hismanders.


    Before themanders was Kelvin.


    "Your Lordship, thanks to the physician, we have applied the potion that would increase the pain felt from each cut by multiple folds. However, that same potion will make sure your injuries don''t leave eternal scars."


    Asher looked at Kelvin with a raised eyebrow.


    Should he be happy that there is some potion applied to the thorns that will increase the pain?


    "Get ready to run."


    "One."


    "Two."


    All themanders shivered.


    The Ashbournes were cruel to themselves.


    "Three!"


    Asher burst forth with an intense speed and entered the thornvine. He clenched his teeth as it ripped open his flesh!


    His pants were reduced to rags by the time he was 4 meters in.


    His eyes were focused on the other side, as he didn''t want to see his blood.He kept moving with sheer willpower, but each step opened several cuts. Blood dripped from his palms, arms, chest, back, legs and even some cuts on his head, yet his eyes were still focused on the other side.


    Asher had never faced this much pain in his life.


    It felt as if his soul was leaving his body!


    "Ahh!"


    Screaming with bloodshot eyes, he pushed the vines apart, but since the passage was narrow, it was hard to force them out of the way because they would surelye back. Thornvines had an stic trait that made it hard for them to break, and since Asher couldn''t use his gold-ranked power in the test, breaking them was impossible.


    By the time Asher was 6 meters in, Alex had to take a step, but Kelvin stopped him.


    "You do not interfere with the Ashbourne ritual. This is one of the things that built the great Ashbournes of the past."


    "But he''s covered in blood!"


    Eritrea''s voice was several pitches higher than normal.


    "That is not the problem right now."


    Alec said as he brandished his spear and pointed toward Asher. Sirius began to growl softly, and the others turned to face their Lord.


    Eritrea''s eyes widened.

 Chapter 67: Great Ashbourne Dukes

    Kelvin''s expression grew solemn as he watched Asher growl even louder as his eyes turned pure white. As it glowed, snowkes appeared from nowhere and formed a cyclone around him.


    "What is going on?" Alec asked as this phenomenon wasn''t in their ns.


    Before their eyes, the snow cyclone became thick, and its range grew bigger and bigger until it was snowing heavily in the dungeon, shocking them greatly as Asher was in no way a mage.


    However, all of them couldn''t be indifferent to the force they felt as a battle force from Asher. A battle force that could cause elemental effects was beyond their knowledge, but Kelvin seemed to remember something.


    Eritrea was also shocked by the sight because it was the exact description of the great rider. He was known by the barbarians as the man who could rule over the winter and control the rain, yet he was just a warrior.


    As if her thought provoked something.


    Rumble!


    Large droplets of rain began to fall from the ceiling, sttering on the paved ground.


    "Is that still Lord Asher?"


    Alex had to ask as Asher was now walking through the thorn vine without showing any inkling of pain, whereas his flesh was still being cut open. His eyes glowed brightly, and his fist was balled up so tight that Alex didn''t doubt Asher wanted to hit all of them.


    The moment Asher came out of the thornvine, Sirius caused ice to rise up from the water umting on the ground and locked him in one spot.


    Right at that moment, Asher found his consciousness in a valley. He saw a shadowing from the other side and squinted. When the individual emerged, Asher was taken aback.


    He had gray hair and golden eyes.


    His frame was bigger than Asher''s, as he was about 7 feet tall with broad shoulders and two swords strapped to his back.


    He looked like a man in his mid-twenties and wore a warm smile. Proving he wasn''t an actual human, a white glow could be seen glistening above his skin.


    "Asher."


    He smiled softly.


    "A bastard child with the strong blood of an Ashbourne, I had no idea this day woulde after I abandoned my ce."


    "Abandoned."


    Asher scrutinized the face of the young man.


    "You''ve clearly not visited the tombs before. I''m Atticus Ashbourne, thest great duke of the north and of the ins of the Bashan basin. I am the reason Ashbourne fell. I am the reason we lost ournd. I am the reason you are suffering to bring back the honor of our name, and I am here to tell you that you have failed the pain endurance test."


    Atticus was brutally honest to the core, and he still wore a warm smile that Asher wanted to wipe off his face.


    "You''re the reason we fell?"


    Asher couldn''t make heads or tails of what this man was saying.


    "Of course. The greatness of the Ashborurnes threatened the imperial family, so when my mother was fighting the rebel nobles, they sold us out, and she was killed. I, facing the attacks of several forces at the young age of 19, had to seek a breakthrough, and so I went to Bashan, the famed destends none of those before me went to."


    Swoosh!


    The valley seemed to be wiped away by a fierce eastwind and they appeared in the destends! For the first time Asher''s foot was in this fablednd, whether this was physical or spiritual, he did not care.


    He saw a man on a giant wolf racing into the destnds.


    Atticus, who stood beside him, pointed at the wolf rider.


    "That was me. The barbarian girl that leads your troops should know me as the great wolf rider."


    At that moment, Asher finally reacted.


    "You left your people to be a hero for barbarians!"


    Atticus didn''t react to Asher''s tone.


    "No. I came to find help, but I lost myself in the glory. I was just 19. When I decided to go back, it was alreadyte, and I spent myst years wiping out abyss creatures in the mountains until I died. At least, it allowed Ash Town to survive until you came."


    "The dukedom had millions, but now we don''t even have ten thousand people."


    Atticus chuckled upon hearing Asher''s words.


    "Ashbournes needs a ruler who will rise from the ashes like our founder Zenas did. Waking up to rule millions doesn''t make you as strong as those who toiled to grow their domains from scratch."


    Asher puffed out.


    "How in the world am I able to speak with you?"


    "Well¡­ The spirits are never dead, just the flesh. Hehe, what I meant to say is that your talent is what opened up this medium and also gave us awareness of the state of the territory. We are watching through your eyes, Asher."


    "We?"


    The moment Asher asked that question, he saw Atticus look behind him with a broad smile. Asher looked behind but saw no one.


    "You can''t see them. You should be happy you met me, the weakest and the greatest failure of our lineage. Had you met Zenas, you might have killed the leaders of your troops, and he would have been trashing you."


    "Wait, I have¡ª!"


    ...¡­.


    Bam!


    Eritrea blinked several times as Asher punched the solid ice with so much force that the sound kept echoing. Cracks spread from the ce his fist first hit to the rest of the ice.


    It shattered in the next second.


    When they expected a fight, his eyes suddenly returned to normal, and Asher looked at them, but his mind was still reying the conversation he had with Atticus.


    "Your Lordship!"


    Everyone kneeled before the bloodied man, who had shocked them massively.


    For the first time, Asher recalled what happened in his shura state.


    He chatted with a man who had died over a century ago!


    As frightening as that was to his lingering morden part of him as this proved spirits existed, Asher was more concerned about his talent.


    It wasn''t as simple as it seemed.


    This talent connected him to all the great past rulers, those who made their name known in one part of the world or the other. He alone wasn''t just ruling over the Ashbournes, but all the Great Ashbourne Dukes with him!


    This realization marveled and also pressured Asher.


    Did this mean he would meet Zenas in the future?


    That ice-cold Zenas that yed a dragon at his youth?!


    About that, he needed to know about other powerful rulers, and instead of searching the records, he would go straight to the tombs!

 Chapter 68: A Housekeeper

    After a short while, Asher regained awareness over his surroundings and discovered that from his shins down were inside water. The water was pure and untainted, but what was more puzzling was that some droplets still fell from the ceiling!


    This marveled him.


    This sort of battle art was almost nonexistent in all human domains. Battle force arts build a connection of elemental meridians. The warrior could choose the nodes at his lungs, and he would practice wind elemental battle force but wouldn''t be able to control the wind like a mage.


    For the Ashbournes, their art diagram was the nodes of the heart, meaning their element is the blood element, but it did not mean they could control blood outside their bodies without a breakthrough in battle instincts.


    But, looking at the flooded dungeon, Asher knew Atticus Ashbourne must have gotten such art from the destnds, but how he was able to start training another art and not damage his internal system puzzled Asher.


    "Your Lordship, are you alright?"


    Kelvin moved through the water toward Asher.


    "I guess I am."


    The words that left Asher''s mouth and his bloodied state did not match, and worry remained in the eyes of his subordinates.


    "We need to tend to your wounds, Your Lordship. You passed the test."


    Asher''s lips twitched when he heard Kelvin say that. ording to Atticus, he failed the test, but Asher knew he would always fail the test because the moment he bled, even without seeing it, he would surely enter beast mode.


    Maybe there was a way to control his switch in the future.


    At this moment, the pain from all the cuts came at once, causing Asher to grimace.


    With a loud groan, he bent his body and began to breathe heavily. His face became crimson as if it were filled with blood.


    "Get the physician now!"


    Alex dashed out while Eritrea and Kelvin helped Asher out of the dungeon with Alec behind them.


    When they reached the stairs, Alex had to carry Asher until the third floor, where Asher''s room was.


    The castle entered a state of emergency all because of Kelvin''s constant orders that never seemed to have an end even after the physician came.


    The next day, Asher sat on his bed reading Silverleaf''s reports. Since he wasn''t able to move much, Kelvin kept him busy with dealing with the stronghold''s daily affairs.


    Knock!


    "Your Lordship?"


    Knowing it was Kelvin, Asher allowed him in, and the white-haired man d in his butler attire walked in with a tray.


    He approached Asher and dropped the tray on a wooden stool beside the bed. Asher took the cup filled with Moonlit Starhorn milk, which he had gotten slightly addicted to, and took a few sips.


    The soothing warm sensation had vanished sincest month, but he still enjoyed the taste. The milk was truly amazing.


    "Where did you find Cynthia?"


    He suddenly asked.


    "Her grandmother is the head of the farmers, so I found her in your fields. Her looks were rough then but better than most of her peers, so I began to prepare her after Mary''s identity was revealed."


    Asher looked at Kelvin.


    "To make her look so like she came from the high ins, you must have fed her with the best of our yields."


    "I did. Your personal maid must be eptable to her lord. Or isn''t she eptable?"


    Asher chuckled softly and looked out the window. .


    "She does look pleasing to the eyes."


    "Then I have done my job well."


    Asher raised both eyebrows. "I found out that my brothers had affairs with their personal maids."


    Kelvin adjusted his spectacles and cleared his throat but did not speak.


    "I won''t sire heirs with her."


    Asher said in the next moment. He turned to Kelvin, who remained silent and cocked his head.


    "You don''t seem convinced."


    "Well, I don''t because your father said something simr and he impregnated three personal maids in a row and had them moved to Hebron City in the meheart territory and brother, Thomas did the same."


    "Ah, I see."


    Kelvin smiled, and Asher also looked at him and smiled, then began to chuckle.


    "Cynthia is a special maid. Her looks are not what qualified her to be your personal maid and the second in charge of the servants, but her talent."


    A glow shed through Asher''s eyes.


    "She has talent?!"


    Kelvin nodded.


    "She does. She''s able to move things with a thought."


    ''Telekinesis!''


    Asher trembled. He couldn''t believe that he was looking at Cynthia with a wed mindset and didn''t think about checking her panel.


    "She''ll be able to do better than those without talents."


    Kelvin said.


    "How old is she?"


    Asher asked with interest in his tone.


    "27 years old."


    Right at that moment, someone knocked on the door.


    Knock!


    "Your Lordship, your breakfast is ready."


    A female voice fell into their ears.


    "Bring it in."


    Upon receiving Asher''s response, Cynthia brought the meal into the room and bowed to Asher.


    Then she nodded to Kelvin.


    "Sir Kelvin." She said respectfully.


    [Name: Cynthia


    Age: 27


    Rank: Iron


    Talent: Telekinesis (D)


    Job: Baron''s Personal maidservant


    Loyalty: 100]


    [Talent description: With this talent, an individual will be able to move objects with their minds.]


    Cynthia''s talent being of D grade did not mean Telekinesis was of the group of D grades, but the grade in which Cynthia awakened was a weaker version.


    [Ding! After months of dedication to being a perfect maid, Cynthia has fulfilled a special criteria, and her years of toiling under the sun in fields have also fulfilled another criteria. She is now avable for an upgrade.]


    [Would you like to double upgrade your iron-ranked maid, Cynthia, to be a silver-ranked housekeeper? Yes or No?]


    ''Yes.''


    Swoosh!


    A blinding light instantly formed a cocoon with Cynthia inside. A few secondster, the light vanished and a woman with healthy pale skin, locks of silky blonde hair cascaded down to her waist, and her attire changed.


    Frommon maid attire to one fitting of a housekeeper. Over her white tunic was a brown leather sleeveless vest high with a V-shaped end.


    Her ck skirt flowed down to her feet but didn''t cover her ck leather bootspletely.


    She looked neat, elegant, and smart.


    "Your Lordship."


    Her tone had control, and her eyes were filled with knowledge and experience.


    ¡­..¡­..


    Far away from Nineveh, a rotund man caressed his short beards as he stood in the balcony of his manor looking at the snow atop the roof of the houses that spread far.


    This was Hebron City!


    The wealthiest city ruled by a baron in the wastnd.


    "Lord meheart, we shall journey to the Ashbourne territory tomorrow."


    A voice came from behind.


    "Good." ude meheart replied and waved for the individual to leave.


    "What happened to that cripple?" ude muttered to himself as he looked at the clouds.

 Chapter 69: Ashbourne Tombs

    A fair-skinned woman walked into the balcony with a frown on her face. "I heard you are preparing to go visit that wretched, cursed ce."


    ude turned toward her. "You heard right."


    Creases formed on the woman''s forehead. "What could possibly be enticing in the small town of a cripple who Baron Tyre has sworn to kill if he somehow escapes death this winter?" The woman almost yelled as she stared at ude with a red face.


    "No beast has been spotted around my domain, and it''s the third month of winter. Winter is almost over, and not even a fly came out of the beyond into my territory. Last year, we recorded 100 deaths, and this year, which was supposed to be the worst as proimed by the soothsayers, we recorded no death, not even an injury."


    ude averted his eyes from his wife toward the far north. "I have a feeling something has changed."


    "But Rutherford Tyre will surely visit that cripple''s territory with his troops because that cripple dared to cripple his daughter." His wife retorted.


    "That young man made a grave mistake, but I''m not going there to save him. Ash town is already a graveyard by now."


    ude knew surviving winter with just one silver-ranked swordsman was almost impossible. He knew that the Ashbourne soldiers knew how to handle winter with other means, but they had run out of means, or else Thomas would not have been pleading for help before his death.


    Two years had passed since he visited Ash Town, and then he could see that they were running out of resources. The small domain could not produce any meaningful export that would make them thrive. Depending on trading winter beast furs only kept them afloat.


    Their farnds yielded poor harvests, and the mines, which once gained the attention of all barons, had been hijacked by abyss creatures. No one wanted to go against abyss creatures, so they forgot about it till today.


    "I''ll leave with Nics."


    Nics was one of the five gold knights serving ude meheart. Known for his powerful talent that made him stronger than other gold knights, he was the right candidate for this journey.


    .....


    Three days passed by in a blink of an eye.


    Asher, who, due to the fast healing rate of a knight and the administrations of the physician, was fully healed of his shallow wounds and now rode a horse. Behind him were the walls of Silverleaf Town, and before him was Silverleaf Forest.


    On his right was Alex, and on his left, Alec. The vanguards were behind them, looking about as their horses walked toward the forest. They were heading for the mountains, and Asher had been expecting this day from the second he learned about his connection to the Ashbourne ancestors.


    Neigh!


    Alex controlled his horse and looked at his brother''s docile one. "Are you supposed to ride a horse? I''m certain that your weight is slowly killing that horse."


    The vanguards were about tough but shut their mouths when Alec nced at them without a readable expression.


    "It does its work just fine." Alec said.


    Alex snorted at his brother''sck of humor.


    Only the sound of their mounts and the nking of their metal armor tes kept their ears busy until they reached the mouth of the tomb. Two stones that protruded from both sides of the tomb''s mouth were carved into mighty wolves that looked down.


    To Asher and his men, the wolves were looking right at them.


    Boom!


    A dull sound came from the tomb. It was faint because what they heard was an echo.


    "Mr. White didn''t hear wrong. There''s a disturbance in there."


    Alex first dismounted.


    "It''s possible the cause might be a beast."


    Alec swiftly thought of the worst oue and tightened his grip around his spear.


    With furrowed brows, Asher walked through the entrance into the cold, dark pathway. His boot leaving reurring echoes the further he went.


    After walking for a long while, they began to perceive a repulsive smell, which caused Alex to wrinkle his nose.


    "Is that the smell of cor¡ª"


    Boom!


    A sudden wave of heat that came from the small passage leading to the west hit them, and along came a bad stench that almost forced Asher to release all he ate for breakfast. He covered his mouth with his coat and fastened his pace.


    They saw etchings on the wall above each tomb they passed, but none of them were able to gain Asher''s attention because they were of no use to him.


    Therefore, he continued until he reached a massive cavern. Four huge human statues stood at different ces, and right at the opposite end was a bigger statue. The heads of wolves that were connected to the wall were above the statues.


    Asher recognized the one closest to him. It was Atticus Ashbourne!


    Below his statue were words written in old Tenarianguage. None of his men could read it, but Asher could.


    The Old Tenarianguage was rare in this era, but it was the famednguage of mages. In thisnguage lie the tricks to magi force.


    Unfortunately, only mages had the ability to decipher the intricacies of the old tenarianguage.


    "What does it say?"


    Alex asked softly. He felt oppressed by the gazes of these five figures.


    "Grand Duke Atticus Ashbourne, great wolf of the north, lord of winter. Became a ruler at 19 and died at 65."


    Asher''s eyes went to the next sentence.


    "His famous words were, "The insatiable devouring beast of this world that will never be in is war."


    His eyes flickered.


    "Your Lordship, this statue is a female. We had a duchess in the past?!"


    A shura vanguard said in shock as he pointed at the statue opposite Atticus.


    Asher walked over.


    He looked at the statue of a woman who wore beautiful, lifelike armor.


    "Duchess Ariel Ashbourne, dread knight of the north, conqueror of the emerald ins, war queen, the great blood knight. Became a ruler at 29 and died at 39."


    Her titles alone captured the attention of everyone in the room.


    But her death age on the other hand...

 Chapter 70: Volcanic Eruption

    All those terrifying titles were umted in just 10 years!


    Something didn''t add up to Asher.


    There was more to these people''s story that he was itching to know about. Even Atticus, who called himself a failure and the reason for their fall, was treated like a deity in the eyes of barbarians. He also found and learned a new art that was probably higher than the shura battle force art.


    Tilting his head downward, his eyes wandered through her famous quote, and it made him feel that truly, Ariel Ashbourne was truly a powerful ruler.


    "What''s her quote?"


    Alex asked softly.


    "A beating heart can bring both joy and pain. Depends on who has the heart."


    Rumble!


    Debris fell from the cavern''s roof as it began to tremble tremendously. Asher quickly followed his men as they ran toward the exit with various thoughts about the cause of this trembling in their hearts.


    Boom!


    Arge sound rang.


    It came from outside the cavern, and along with the sound came a severe tremor that caused some vanguards to fall.


    Increasing his pace, Asher followed Alec and Alex, who were at the forefront until they came out of the tomb. Asher turned his head to the right and his eyes trembled.


    Massive balls ofva were erupting out of the mouth of a volcano that had been dormant for centuries! The balls wreaked havoc in the forest, incinerating the trees and openingrge craters.


    But this was just the start as moltenva flowed down from the volcano, melting the snow and ice that had been umting for almost three months!


    Boom! Boom!


    While Asher watched this horrifying scene, one massiveva bomb able to destroy a building fell toward them.


    Alex leaped into the air and split the boulder into three parts with swift swings of his sword.


    Bam!


    Hended heavily, his boots left a deep print on the snow.


    "Your Lordship, we need to leave."


    Both he and Alec said at the same time.


    Asher turned toward the direction of the Silverleaf bastide and back to the active volcano.


    "There was no prior knowledge about this. The civilians in Silverleaf have to be evacuated immediately!"


    "But your safetyes first."


    Alex insisted.


    "Shuras."


    "Your Lordship!"


    All seven gold-ranked knights who were on their mounts responded in unison.


    "Head for Silverleaf. Protect the town for as long as you can."


    "Understood!"


    [Ding! New upgrade quest.]


    [Upgrade Quest: Save your small mining town fromplete destruction and protect the legacy of the Ashbournes from being consumed by fire. This can be done by killing the cause of the eruption. KILL THE DRAKE!]


    [Reward: Gain powerful materials to upgrade yourmanders'' equipment.]


    "Your Lordship!"


    Alec eximed.


    Asher climbed his horse, ignoring the concern on hismanders'' faces. "Both of youe with me. I know what''s causing this problem."


    Alex and Alec were bewildered. Could there be another cause that was not natural? It was hard to think of what could cause the eruption and how their lord knew about it, but even with their doubts, they followed Asher.


    Asher held the reins tightly as his horse dodged theva bombs that were constantly erupting from the volcano''s mouth.


    Boom!


    The sounds of the hugeva bombs hitting the ground, trees, and sometimes animals were loud enough to distract anyone. And as if that wasn''t enough, molten magma was flowing down the volcano, heading for the ground.


    Hot ash was already rising up, and they were running straight into it!


    A dark shadow shed past him, but Asher caught it from the corner of his eye.


    Shing!


    He drew his sword.


    Yet he wasn''t fast enough as a scaly creature jumped out of the hot ash fog and swiped its ws at his mount.


    His horse screamed and fell face down, throwing Asher off. He tumbled to the ground and stood up the next moment.


    All of a sudden, a long tail came from his back. Asher caught sight of it on time and swung his sword at it.


    ng!


    His sword bounced back, and he staggered backward. As he held his aching wrist, Alex came from his right and swung his sword at the creature. He could still spot it even in the dense fog.


    To Alex''s shock, his sword also faced a fearsome resistance but managed to leave a shallow cut. But the creature did not take the cut lying down. It mmed his horse with its powerful tail covered in thick ck scales.


    Boom!


    Alec appeared out of nowhere and mmed his shield into the ground. A fierce gale cleared the fog around them, exposing the 6-meter-long creature covered from head to tail in thick scales. It had eyes that looked like boilingva and its ws scorching hot.


    Those ws had killed his horse, and its tail killed Alex''s!


    Even though the drake was the lowest member of the dragon family, it was still much more powerful than other creatures at its rank.


    It lunged at them.


    Asher swung his sword upward, and the collusion propelled him 10 meters backward.


    ng!


    Alex pierced the drake''s right foreleg, causing it to scream. Alec quickly thrust his spear tond the killing blow, but the drake''s scales turned dark red, and his spear made sparks as it hit the reinforced scales.


    It turned and wed at Alec, but the agile knight easily evaded the w swipes.


    All of a sudden.


    Boom!


    Ava bombnded before him. It came along with a force that flung Alex 12 meters backward, and he crashed on his back.


    He grunts. Just as he was about to get back up, he saw the drake burst out of the fog above him, about to remove his head, but it suddenly halted right before his face.


    It''s scalding hot saliva sttered on Alex''s helmet. His eyes met the drake''s fearsome eyes before the man who held its hail dragged it backward.


    "Come back here!"


    Alec roared.


    His muscles pressed against his armor as he dragged the creature weighing over 16,000 catties toward him.

 Chapter 71: Sacred Rank Drake Terror Shield & Bloody Fire-Tipped Spear. Alecs New Weapons

    The drake twisted its body midair and opened its mouth to chomp down on Alec.


    Alex grunted and mmed his fist against drake''s head, causing it tond on his left side.


    He pulled his spear and shield out of the ground and turned to face the beast that just recovered from the blow.


    Instead of being aggressive, it became cautious and circled Alec. All of a sudden, Alex burst out of the fog and mmed the drake, forcing it toward the left.


    Bam!


    Alec hit the drake''s face with his shield. The impact threw the beast into the air, and Asher also came out of the fog, sliding on the ground.


    His sword facing the sky.


    The drake''s underbelly, which was protected by thick leathery skin, wasn''t able to deflect the gold-ranked sword.


    A weapon below its rank.


    Pish!


    The drake roared. It struggled to rip off Asher''s face, but he kept evading, though narrowly.


    Alec closed the gap and pierced his spear through the drake''s back before it got to Asher.


    Yet the beast, still alive, lunged toward him. Alec quickly used his shield, and it wed his shield, carving open deep w marks on the diamond-ranked shield!


    Swish!


    Alex came from the other side and beheaded the beast with an upward swing of his sword.


    He flicked off the bloodstains while breathing roughly. White mist came out of his mouth as he took off his helmet and fell on his buttocks.


    His sword was casually ced beside him.


    Asher sheathed his sword and looked at the creature that gave two diamond-ranked soldiers and one gold-ranked swordsman such a tough fight.


    Dragon breeds were indeed one of the apex beasts on the Tenaria continent.


    He veered toward the volcano and noticed it had abruptly stopped spitting moltenva and shooting out huge balls of fire. Though they were already covered by the hot ash, it had little to no effect on them.


    "My battle force had no effect on that beast."


    Alex said while his brother checked the damage on his shield. Such damage would require a master-grade cksmith to repair, but Nineveh only had one journeyman and another quasi-journeyman, and that was Ark White.


    Their limit was the gold rank.


    "Did this beaste from the beyond?" Alex asked while staring at the mountain horizons.


    "I''m certain it came from the depths of the volcano that suddenly became active. All these mountains were once active volcanoes and had mythical beasts like this drake and several more powerful ones like dragons of the legends."


    Asher replied with an exhausted yet calm tone.


    "Dragons!"


    Alex''s eyes widened.


    "So the ash mountains were once a wall of fire. It had to be protecting something." Alec suddenly said.


    Asher turned toward him.


    "It was indeed a natural wall that spat mes. It was the dividing line between humans and other races from the lost era, but those races were crafty enough to build ships that could fly, and so they eventually connected with humans despite nature having the opposite ns."


    "So elves came from the beyond and built nations on our side."


    Alex said.


    "Dwarves, beastmen, fairies, name them. Well, this part of the world has richernds and a more weing climate than where they lived. But nature proved it knew best because war eventually erupted between all races because of Tenaria and only a few of them were able to run back to their formernd while the others died on this part of the world.


    Humans are only able to survive because of our rate of reproduction. That alone stopped us from going extinct like other races."


    Alec and Alex looked at Asher with deep respect. Their lord was so knowledgeable and wise. Such a lord wasn''tmon.


    Asher approached the beast while speaking. "From them we learnt how to harness the power of magi force, produce our own priests, and learn otherworldly crafty things like teleportation portals, skill books, scrolls, and tomes. But most of that knowledge has been lost, which is why that era is called the lost era."


    He went on one knee and grabbed the drake''s head.


    [Host is now focused.]


    [Ding! You have sessfully killed a once slumbering mythical beast with the aid of your two subordinates.]


    [Rewards: Calcting¡­.]


    [Ding! A reward material has been found: the head of a drake]


    [Ding! A reward material has been found: Blood of a drake.]


    [Would the host like to use these materials to upgrademander Alec''s shield and spear to be sacred-ranked weapons of war? Drake Terror Shield and a Bloody Fire-Tipped Spear? Yes or No?]


    ''Yes.''


    Swoosh!


    A white light merged the drake''s head and Alec''s shield. At the same time, the blood of the drake floated out and covered Alec''s spear.


    In no time, the transformation was done and Alex, Asher and Alec stared at a rectangr shield that had the lifelike image of a drake''s head in the middle of the shield. The shield now had sprinkles of dark gold, scarlet, and ck on its silver body.


    Beside the shield was a crimson spear with an even more bloody spearhead that made it seem the spear had been soaked in blood for centuries. The small white rectangr g that was close to the spearhead transformed into a ming g!


    Alec quickly grabbed the shield and the spear. He suddenly felt a profound sensation coursing through his body; it was not something he experienced physically.


    The air whistled as he performed a sweeping move with his spear, leaving trials of mes that rapidly followed after the spear!


    "Is that head there for nothing?"


    Alex asked as he approached the shield in his brother''s grip.


    All of a sudden, the eyes of the drake snapped open, and it also opened its mouth, unleashing hot ash.


    "Ah!"


    Alex screamed and clutched his face that almost peeled off due to the heat. Out of anger, he reflexively threw a solid punch toward the shield, only for a force to repel him, throwing him 5 meters backward.


    He couldn''t believe a weapon did that to him.


    Then what about an actual sacred-ranked knight?

 Chapter 72: Nightmare Sword

    ''System, can I use the scales to upgrade Alex''s equipment?''


    Asher asked while looking at the corpse.


    [I thought the host wanted to hand it over to the tailor to boost her experience and upgrade her in the process. But if you have changed your mind then it shall be so.]


    [Would you like to use the drake''s scales to upgrademander Alex''s sword? Yes or No?]


    ''Do it.''


    "Come try hitting my shield again. With your sword this time around."


    Alex knit his eyebrows and tightened his grip around his sword''s hilt, ready tounch an attack at Alec''s shield. He was the stubborn type and refused to believe just a shield could bring him, a diamond-ranked knight, to his knees!


    The snow beneath his feet sank as he gathered his force. Just as he moved, a brilliant white light coated his sword. It was so bright that he and his brother squinted until their eyes were barely visible.


    Bam!


    The sword struck the shield.


    Alec found himself 4 meters away. His two feet left deep prints on the earth, right from where he once stood to his current position.


    His cold expression broke as his eyes widened in shock.


    Alex, on the other hand, looked at the brand new sword in his hand. The entire de seemed to be made from hard scales, and the edges had the color of iron that was almost at melting point!


    The heat alone was frightening.


    [Nightmare: A sacred-ranked sword formed with a key material, the scales of a powerful beast known as a drake, a subspecies of the dreadful dragons. Capable of burning and cutting anything except the owner.]


    Alex swung the de a few times and smiled broadly.


    This upgrade was different from the other type of upgrade, where both the soldier and his equipment would be upgraded. This one was solely for the weapon, and the owner would have no prior knowledge about him wielding it, so the shock and awe were tenfold higher than when their ranks were upgraded.


    Sacred-ranked weapons were treasures nobles in the wastnd would exploit all their forces to gain; no matter the means, they must have it.


    However, this was far from Asher''s mind. He was more interested in the heart of the drake because he was preserving it for Sirius.


    Alec and Alex now had sacred-ranked weapons, powerful weapons that could wound Sirius badly and even kill him. While he trusted the twins and believed they would die to protect him, a lord should not be without other cards.


    A lord needed wisdom more than power, or even his power could enve him and he would end up dead.


    After digging out the heart, he discovered it was shriveled. All the blood, including the one in the heart, was sucked away, but there was a small crimson crystal in the heart pulsing gently.


    He removed his coat and wrapped the heart.


    "Your Lordship, how do we leave?"


    Alex stood behind Asher, who was on one knee facing what remained of the drake''s corpse.


    "On foot."


    Asher responded.


    Alex nodded.


    Alec approached them with his horse. "My Lord, there''s a mount for you."


    As Asher looked at the horse, his ears trembled, causing him to look toward the south.


    "That sound¡­"


    "It''s the sound of horses."


    Alec said, his voice several folds deeper than Asher and Alex''s.


    "Heeyah!"


    A man on horseback burst out of the forest with other riders behind him. The man had ck hair with some gray on the sides. Concern was etched in his face as he dismounted, and upon closing the gap, he went on one knee.


    "Your Lordship, I am d you''re safe."


    "Arise."


    Ark stood up. Other riders who were the shura vanguards brought spare horses.


    Asher averted his eyes from them. "How is the town?"


    "We only saw the destruction but did not experience it." Ark responded.


    "That''s good."


    Asher smiled.


    He thanked his stars that the eruption was caused by a beast and wasn''t a natural one, or they would have faced losses. This was one of the reasons why mages were important assets to a noble household.


    A water mage would have conjured water to stop the molten magma.


    "I want you to check that volcanoter. I hope there won''t be signs of it bing active in the future, and I also want to know how much was destroyed."


    "Will you stay in silverleaf or head back to Nineveh, My Lord?"


    "I''ll head back right away."


    "Then I shall send the report through the falcons."


    Asher patted his shoulder and mounted a horse.


    "Alex, cut a good portion of that drake''s meat and give it to Mr. Ark. He''ll need it for the kind of work he''s doing."


    The soldiers chuckled, but deep within their eyes, they hungered for that meat.


    Who didn''t know all the subspecies of the dragon kind?


    As fearsome as dragons were, their meat was a delicacy and would sometimes mutate those who ate it.


    Upon hearing that that huge amount of meat was a drake''s meat, Ark White had moist eyes.


    He couldn''t believe his lord was so generous to give such treasured meat to a mere cksmith like him.


    "I''ll head for Silverleaf first. Two vanguards will protect this meat, and others will return with a cart to transport it to the town."


    "Yes, Your Lordship!"


    ...¡­..


    A few dayster, Asher arrived in Nineveh. As he entered the castle gate with his men, he saw Kelvin, Cynthia, and other servants at the entrance into the castle.


    They knew of his presence from the moment he arrived at Nineveh''s gates.


    When Asher dismounted, all his servants, including Kelvin, went on one knee.


    "Wee back to your castle, Lord Asher."


    "Arise."


    He said with a soft tone while approaching them.


    When he was close, Cynthia smiled at him and bowed her head.


    "Where is Sirius?"


    .......


    Far away from Nineveh''s walls, a troop of 100 silver-ranked soldiers on horsebacks d in bronze-ranked leather armor protected two exquisitely built carriages that spoke volumes of how wealthy the owner is. The crest on the carriage was the same on the soldiers'' armor.


    It was the image of a ming shield.


    A man d in te armor rode beside the carriage. He was Nics, the gold-ranked knight and leader of the troop.


    "My Lord! There''s something you need to see."


    ude opened the window and looked out. "Is it the reason we are slowing down?"


    Nics nodded.


    ude frowned.


    He opened the door and came down. His slightly vexed expression changed to horror the moment he saw a massive beast feasting on the corpse of a horned bear, a beast that was from the beyond. Yet this terrifying gold-ranked beast that had an imprable defense was food for this mighty white wolf!

 Chapter 73: A Magnificent Stronghold

    When the wolf lifted its head and looked at them, ude took several steps backward. His men struggled to fight back their fears as they held their weapons tightly, ready to fight for their lord if that beast attacked.


    "If that beast enters our domain, we will record losses in thousands." Nics said to ude.


    He unsheathed his longsword.


    Their imposing determination and will to fight vanished like a puff of smoke when Sirius stood up. It was lying on all fours before, and yet they were stunned at its size, but the moment it stood up, fear took hold of ude''s soldiers.


    "That''s not a gold-ranked beast. It''s a diamond-ranked beast knight!"


    Someone from the troop bellowed in fright.


    Nics tensed up. His n was to escape with his lord, and that was only by sacrificing his men. At least they would be able to dy the beast for some minutes.


    Grr!


    Sirius, who was 300 meters away, growled. It stomped the ground lightly, and small ice spikes erupted from the ground, causing ude''s soul to almost leave his body.


    A mythical beast!


    In Boundless, beasts that could control elements were called mythical beasts, and mythical beasts were about 10 times stronger than other beasts of the same rank.


    This meant that Sirius could handle 10 diamond-ranked knights with unremarkable talents ande out with little or no damage.


    Such a beast would certainly annihte them all.


    Forget their small convoy; all the domains in the wastnd, except the county, would be in danger if they did not unite on time, gather all their troops, and even hire mercenaries.


    ''Sirius, you have but a little time to appear before me!''


    Sirius''s eyes widened, and it howled toward the sky before running off. In a blink of an eye, it had disappeared into the horizon, leaving the convoy frozen in deep fear.


    "It''s heading toward the Ashbourne domain."


    Nics sighed in relief.


    "We''re also going there. Maintain a safe distance and watch out for that beast."


    His men couldn''t believe the words of their lord.


    Didn''t he see that beast?


    Although they would never have followed the wolf out of their own ord, they were servants of their lord.


    "Move!"


    Nics said with a loud voice and kicked the belly of his mount.


    After some time when the sun was at its peak, Nics saw a tall, blurry wall at the horizon, causing him to squint.


    The closer they went, the clearer the image. At a certain point, he was sure that a mighty wall was ahead of them, but that thought changed when he discovered it was a huge fortress!


    A fortress made of white stones!


    When was such an expensive and massive fortress built in the depths of the wastnds?


    He spotted farmers outside the walls, examining their crops. It baffled him that corn was growing so well in winter!


    And these corns were eye-catching. They were deliciously golden colored and fat!


    By the look of things, the corn would soon be ripe for harvest.


    By the time they were just 200 yards away, the reflective surfaces at the top of the wall caught his attention.


    "What in the world? Are all those men wearing te armor?"


    A soldier gasped.


    Nics was more shocked than his men because he discovered that these men weren''t just wearing te armor. They wore silver-ranked armor.


    All of them!


    "Where in the world are we? Where is the beast?"


    ude''s men began to ask themselves questions.


    Knock! Knock!


    "My Lord!"


    Nics knocked on the carriage door so hard that ude swiftly opened it, thinking they were in grave danger.


    "Have you seen the beast?"


    He asked hastily but received a greater shock as the sight of the magnificent stronghold ahead of him graced his sight.


    "When did this happen?"


    He gasped.


    ude came down and looked at the solid structure with slightly parted lips. Such magnificent walls could not be built without alerting other nobles, and this was because whitestones were mostly located in the high ins.


    Transporting such an amount would definitely alert others.


    "My Lord!"


    Nics pointed at the gate while holding his sword''s hilt tightly. ude saw about 11 riders on horses heading toward them. Their cloaks billowed in the wind caused by their speed, and the hooves of the horses kicked up snow.


    The farmers were looking at ude and his men with myriad thoughts.


    "Get ready to meet them." ude cleared his throat and put on an amicable smile.


    He could see dozens of sharpshooters on the towers aiming at them. No doubt they would release the arrows once he made a wrong move.


    When the 11 riders arrived, ude and his men were shocked to see the individual that led the 10. The figure wasn''t like that of a man.


    The moment she removed her hood, their eyes narrowed.


    Naturally, with the upgrade, Eritrea''s Elvin bloodline traits became more prominent, and one of the eye-catching traits was her looks. She was a beauty worthy of more than just a second nce.


    d in her military attire, she looked even more heroic and appealing.


    "Are you lost?"


    Eritrea tilted her head.


    Nics was offended at her words, so he red at her, but ude smiled softly.


    "Perhaps. We were on our way to the domain of the Ashbournes. I thought it would be here, but I was wrong. Could you please point us in the right direction?"


    "You want to see Lord Asher with a troop of a hundred? That''s an interesting visit."


    ude chuckled softly.


    "It''s winter; the beasts beyond the mountains are a threat to a fat man like me. And to prove that we saw a mighty beast head toward this direction."


    Eritrea raised an eyebrow.


    "So you hired a hundred mercenaries and clothed them in the same armor with the crest?"


    "The man you speak to is His Lordship, Baron ude meheart, lord of the great Hebron City!"


    Nics interrupted with a fierce tone.


    The debreakers behind Eritrea revealed a glimpse of their gold-ranked zing force causing blood to drain from Nics'' face.


    "They''re all¡­"


    "Knights." udepleted it with his heart pounding against his ribcage.

 Chapter 74: Otherworldly Meals

    "This is the Nineveh Stronghold, the domain of Lord Asher Ashbourne. I shall inquire from our lord first before you are granted the right to see him."


    Eritrea spoke when she saw their shocked expressions.


    ude''s ears rang.


    "How did that small dying town transform to this in just two years?!" ude''s eyes shook.


    He couldn''t fathom how that cripple could have 10 knights ande to the count''s banquet with a silver-ranked bodyguard and no other force.


    Both he and other nobles had underestimated Asher severely.


    No wonder only 10 of them came so proudly.


    Right at this moment, ude suddenly realized that the quality of armour these men behind Eritrea wore was beyond silver rank!


    His heart trembled.


    To make it even worse, he couldn''t discern the quality of Eritrea''s armor because he had never seen such high quality gear in all his years.


    But it was clearly higher than the gold-ranked armor.


    If that was the case then...


    ude suddenly felt the calm afternoon breeze vanish as he realized the woman before him might not be a gold-ranked knight but a diamond-ranked knight!


    As he followed them, ude began to fear that his heart couldn''t handle the grandness of this stronghold. This ce looked like the capital city of an earl, just a fortified version.


    The houses were of high standard, the people mostly had clothes made from beast skin. It protected them from the cold, and they had enough to make appealing clothes, especially due to Lois and her apprentices doing their jobs to bring new and fashionable styles.


    Although some wore linen, fur coats and jackets were always worn above them.


    From his carriage window, ude looked at the paved road with mixed feelings. When they were close to the castle walls, he heard the sounds of hundreds of men, causing him to look toward the other side.


    He saw a wall that blocked the northern part of the stronghold. It was a military camp.


    Ashbourne gs were mounted at several ces atop the wall, and sharpshooters d in attire simr to Eritrea''s were on the wall''s walkway.


    ...¡­.


    Boom!


    The doors of the sacred hall were swung open by two shura vanguards, revealing the grand hall''s interior to ude meheart. As ude took some steps into the hall, he sensed a presence at the left end of the hall. Instinctively, he turned his head, and behold, it was the mighty beast lying on all fours and a man squatting before it.


    Beside the man was a beautiful blonde woman d in a ck gown that flowed right down to her knees.


    There was a strange-looking meat in between the young gray-haired man and the beast, and it seemed like the beast wasn''t interested in eating the strange-looking meat, but the man was trying to coerce it into eating.


    ''That beast!''


    The young man suddenly turned, revealing his handsome, pale face.


    At the same time, both of them raised their eyebrows.


    "It''s you!"


    ude gasped.


    Asher got to his feet, and Cynthia gave him a cloth to clean his hands.


    "Baron ude, this is truly a surprise."


    He said while cleaning his hands.


    "Indeed. You never introduce yourself as the ruler of this powerful stronghold."


    "And you didn''t introduce yourself as the richest baron in the wastnd and the owner of BrightSkies Merchant Guild."


    They both chuckled softly.


    "It''s been a long time since the banquet. You added more weight,, and it seems like you also cursed your legs."


    ude spoke with smiles in his eyes.


    ''Smooth talker. A befitting trait of a merchant who bought his title.


    Asher said in his mind.


    His smile broadened, and he walked up to ude.


    "I''ve been eating well. After all, I have to make up for all the years Iid on the sick bed."


    The confidence and slight hint of authority in his tone were all captured by ude. Internally, he was stunned by the way Asher carried himself.


    Like a true noble that had power.


    He didn''t act like a man his age.


    "I''m d someone came to visit me. Come, I was just about to go eat lunch since my pet beast doesn''t want to eat."


    ude took a nce at the wolf that was using its head to push the strange meat away.


    "That''s your wolf?"


    "It is. He''s quite stubborn, I''d say."


    Asher beckoned for ude to follow him as he walked out of the hall.


    They went to the dining hall and sat.


    In less than a minute, maids trooped in with meals that had such great aroma that ude had to look twice. When he scrutinised the freshly baked bread before him, his eyes flickered with a shocked gleam.


    The moment he took a bite, a fabulous sensation caused throughout his body, humbling his pride in eating the best delicacy amongst all barons.


    "What is in this?!"


    He asked while chewing the delicious bread.


    "My goodness, this is¡­"


    ude couldn''t exin the explosion of goodness inside his mouth and his body''s reaction. He felt like he was gaining strength and life just by eating this bread!


    What sort of sorcery is this?!


    Asher slowly ate a meal prepared with Golden Fragrant Corn with a smile while he watched ude lose all decorum. The rotund man was clearly a lover of food, and he proved just that by tasting almost everything on the table.


    Before Asher''s eyes he finished five specially prepared loaves of golden bread, drank an entire jug of Moonlit Starhorn milk and cleaned his te of corn meal.


    As the maids took the tes away and served them tea, ude finally regained his bearing.


    "Ahem. You should open a restaurant."


    He said it with all sincerity.


    A meal was all it took to lower this baron''s walls. He didn''t even act like he was speaking to another baron and had to put up his guard.


    "There are restaurants all over the stronghold." Asher chuckled. He knew ude meant restaurants in other domains.


    ude looked at his skin and sighed, longing for more food.


    "Take the tea. It was prepared with the milk of a Moonlit Starhorn cow."


    ude raised his head.


    "What did you just say?!"

 Chapter 75: An Alliance

    Asher smiled and took a sip of his tea. ude did the same, and he felt a familiar sensation that was several folds weaker than the one he felt when eating the golden bread.


    Still, wasn''t the Moonlit Starhorn milk the said milk that increases strength by several hundred catties with constant intake?


    Heposed himself as he figured out Asher''s hidden intentions of informing him about this.


    "You want to trade with my merchant guild?"


    Asher smiled.


    "You got the bait. Nineveh is growing, but with constant expansion, what we once managed isn''t enough for us anymore. You''re capable of supplying what we need, and I am capable of supplying you iron ore, beast fur, and much more."


    "That reminds me. I saw different kinds of exotic beast fur that would cost quite the amount of silver on the bodies of your citizens. Do you have more of that White Fury beast fur?"


    "As much as you can carry. I also have Deste blood wolf furs and Ovok skins of bronze, silver, and gold ranks."


    A gleam shot past ude''s eyes when he heard that.


    The kind of beast fur found in the destnds was a rarity on the high ins, and due to that, ude saw this opportunity as one saw a treasure chest spilling with gold coins.


    A gold-ranked ovok''s skin is worth about 100 gold coins! And this was just an ovok, an herbivorous animal.


    The worth of the deste bloodwolf skin was twice that amount, and this was because of the stories that usuallye with donning such an exotic beast fur.


    Nobles in the high ins loved such amodity.


    Right now, he trades salt and sugar, and they have made him the wealthiest baron in the wastnd, but it also brought many eyes to his territory.


    Asher was now trying to make him sell goods that would definitely attract more eyes, but he wasn''t worried.


    After all, based on what he had seen, Asher had a force so powerful that other forces would have to y the friend game so as not to be trampled on.


    "What about the iron ore?"


    "We have over 1000 boxes filled to the brim with silver intricate iron ores. These ores are used by many cksmiths to make their equipment able to harness battle or magi force. By simply using the Ten Thousand Hammer Refining Art, an apprentice-level cksmith can smelt it."


    ude raised an eyebrow.


    "You have quite the knowledge." ude chuckled.


    He cleared his throat and adjusted his posture before speaking: "Selling all these, especially the iron ore, would attract eyes, and you clearly want to stay hidden."


    ude paused at a critical junction.


    Asher smiled.


    "What do you propose then?"


    "An alliance. It will be nice to have a powerful hidden ally."


    Asher cocked his head. "Is that so?"


    "What are the terms of the alliance then?"


    ude stroked his beard.


    "I am to send help if your domain is under attack, and you shall do the same. This alliance is to protect ourselves from external forces who might be greedy for what we are about to export to the world. Now, I''m going to be in the spotlight, and I don''t have the power to protect my territory from powerful forces that might want the iron ore, but you do."


    "So this alliance will protect us both." Asher said.


    "Exactly."


    "Don''t you think revealing my secrets should be added?"


    Asher smiled amicably.


    ude chuckled. "Spilling is ruining my advantage as the sole buyer and supplier. It will be foolishness on my part, but if you deem it necessary, then by all means it should be included."


    ....


    In the same dining room, Asher and ude looked at Kelvin, who wrote down all the rules, duplicated them, and gave them to read.


    "The alliance is official."


    Both men shook hands.


    After some other discussion, Asher led ude and his knight to the military camp.


    They sat under an open structure and looked at the 30 strong debreaker cavalrymen racing through the field.


    Asher called this sightseeing, but he was indirectly showing ude a little glimpse of his might.


    When ude and Nics discovered all the knights were gold-ranked knights, he almost fell off his seat.


    30 Knights!


    This young man was growing to be as powerful as the count William Tigris!


    "All of them have gold-ranked armor too!" ude eximed.


    The mystery around Asher was so thick that it seemed to be a fog that hid Asher within. There were lots of secrets, but ude wasn''t interested in encroaching as long as Asher was already his ally.


    The debreaker came before Asher and stopped. They dismounted and fell on one knee.


    "Your Lordship!"


    Asher turned to ude''s knight.


    "I see the fire in your eyes. Do you want a spar?"


    Nics cracked his neck.


    "You might have a great number of knights, but none can win a one-on-onebat against me."


    "Is that so?''


    His confidence made Asher curious.


    "Well then, what do you think of some entertainment, Lord meheart?"


    "Go on."


    ude also had a confident tone that made Asher raise an eyebrow.


    "Let''s go to the pit."


    A debreaker said with a small smile that was hidden by his helmet.


    After a short walk, they arrived at the pit. The pit was a 300-yard-long space that was 2 meters lower than the other surfaces.


    A brick wall was built around the edges so as to prevent andslide and ruin their treasures training and sparring spot.


    Several soldiers were sparring in the pit while fifty Silver Wolf Infantrymen were refining their spear techniques under Alec''smand in a different area.


    "Is that a remnant of the giant race?"


    ude asked.


    "He isn''t, but he has a trace of their bloodline."


    "Just a trace, and he''s already that big. How big were the actual giants?" Nics gasped.


    "Well, from 15 feet to 21 feet tall."


    "His Lordship is here!"


    All of a sudden, Alec''s voice rang.


    Boom!


    The heavy infantry mmed their spears against the ground and went on one knee. Other soldiers also followed.


    This disorderly ce instantly became silent and orderly.


    "Arise. Where is Nero?"

 Chapter 76: A Bet

    "He''s at the dorms, Your Lordship."


    "Go get him; someone wants to spar with him."


    The moment Asher said that, there was a sudden cold air that swept through the pit; even Alec looked at the people with Asher, searching for the man that would spar against Nero.


    Ever since Nero joined the army, he had grown from being the one to be thrashed about to the one thrashing.


    And this was just in a period of weeks!


    Alex had made sure he went with the team in charge of keeping the stronghold''s surroundings safe and killed lots of beasts in the process. His exploits were famous in the stronghold, and the reason for his fame was his young age.


    Currently, he was now a silver-ranked dual swordsman, and the upgrade had increased his height to 1.6 meters! Though ten, he looked like a teenager with a lean yet muscr physique.


    Throughout the night he had been refining his sword skills, which was why he was asleep while others were training.


    Nics jumped into the pit and stood like a tall spear while his hand rested on the hilt of his sheathed sword. His eyes were sharp and his breath steady.


    While the soldiers were whispering to each other, Alex and Eritrea arrived behind Asher and bowed their heads before lifting it back up.


    "Where have you been, Alex? You could have missed a crucial moment. I want to see your son''s growth."


    Asher said, causing Alex''s eyes to narrow.


    "Nero''s going up against him?"


    Eritrea pointed at Nics, and Asher nodded.


    "Indeed."


    "That man should be in histe forties or early fifties. He must have gathered enough experience as a gold-ranked knight, and no matter how much Nero trains, he can''t beat that."


    Alex said it with a crisp tone.


    "Is that your judgment on your own son?"


    "It is, Your Lordship."


    Alex responded.


    ude chuckled softly.


    "Nics is a recognized name in the Dukedom of Mormont. He was a sellsword who fought for many lords and came out alive. Such a remarkable swordsman is an asset, and I made him my subordinate. So far, no other knight has matched him in terms of battle instincts and strategic knowledge."


    Eritrea and Alex frowned while Asherughed softly.


    "Unfortunately, thisd has a talent that also makes him remarkable."


    "Ad?!"


    ude''s eyes went wide.


    Swoosh!


    A figure screeched to a halt at the edge of the pit. It seemed like he would fall into the pit, but he was strangely stable.


    Thud!


    He fell on one knee.


    "You called for me, Your Lordship."


    Nero could no longer be recognized by someone who saw him weeks ago. His height and frame had increased abundantly, with perfect muscles to add, thanks to the system''s love for perfection. His ck curly hair, like the type his father had, had also grown to the level of his shoulder des.


    He wore leather armor with metal padding at his thighs, chest, and arms.


    "That''s your opponent."


    Asher pointed at Nics.


    As Nero took two swords from the weapon rack to face him, Nics turned to Asher.


    "My Lord, you want me to face an inexperiencedd? He won''t even survive 10 strikes!"


    From his tone, Asher knew the knight felt insulted.


    "Defeat Nero within 10 strikes, and I''ll give you one Moonlit Starhorn cow."


    ude coughed vehemently while eyeing his knight. Without another word, the knight went back to his position and faced Nero, who was already swinging both swords.


    "Comed. Let''s be done with this."


    Shing!


    Nics drew his sword and held it with both hands.


    He cocked his head when he noticed Nero''s eyes. ''What''s with his eyes?''


    Bam!


    Nero dashed toward him, swung his right sword upward, and without wasting the next second, swung his left sword horizontally, aiming for Nics''s abdomen.


    "Is that all?"


    Nics scorned.


    He swiftly took one step backward to create space and then swung his sword upward. As it went up, it hit the left sword, deflecting it, and then hit the right one.


    Grunting, he followed up by using his shoulder to hit Nero''s unprotected chest, but to his shock, Nero let go of one of his swords, grabbed his shoulder pauldron, and forced him forward.


    In the next moment, Nics saw Nero''s knees heading for his face!


    It all happened in the spur of the moment that it took the veteran knight by surprise.


    He pushed Nero''s knee out of his way but did not expect to see Nero''s other leging from behind.


    Bam!


    Nics staggered backward and stopped. He cleaned his nose and looked at the youngd, who casually picked up his swords.


    ''What in the world? He''s not even looking at me yet I feel his eyes are everywhere!''


    Nics frowned.


    "I see you are more than you look. Again!"


    Nics dashed toward Nero.


    When Nics closed the gap, he suddenly divided into two and swung from both angles!


    The crowd was shocked, but ude had a smug smile.


    Taken off guard, Nero tried to deflect, but his strength couldn''t match Nics''s strength, so he received shallow cuts on his arm.


    Bam!


    Nics mmed his chest,unching him 5 meters backward. Nero first crashed on the ground but somehownded on his feet the next moment.


    He breathed out heavily.


    ''Two Gold-ranked knights, huh? The ripples from the left one is weaker though.''


    He dashed forward.


    Seeing this, Nics shook his head. A cerulean light billowed out of both of him, himself and his clone and he stomped the ground, causing his force to billow out with more intensity.


    His force attribute was water.


    "Your Lordship, this looks impossible."


    Eritrea said.


    "Five strikes are exhausted. Will Nero survive the next five?" She looked at Asher with flickering eyes that clearly expressed her worry.


    Asher remained silent.


    His hands were sped behind him as he looked at the battle.


    "7 strikes are gone." He finally said.


    Nics frowned as Nero was still evading his attacks, and he was close to thest one.


    All of a sudden, Nero dashed toward him, joined his two swords into one, and just as he was about to execute a thrust that Nics had prepared to deflect, Nero suddenly unleashed his battle force.


    zing Battle Force Art!

 Chapter 77: Battle Skills

    ng!


    Nics deflected it still.


    However, Nero followed up with continuous shes that seemed to never d. Sparks flew from their swords, and both Nics were going back!


    The sight was hair-raising.


    With a fiery red light above his skin, Nero fought against two knights at a high speed yet stood his g.


    With a full view of the battlefield and his opponts, Nero, who had be searching for an advantage, finally found one by carving out a scario for the advantage.


    And the scario was bringing Nics and his clone close. One on his left and the other on his right.


    He deflected Nics''s thrust and led the sword to the other one!


    It happed in a split momt.


    Pish!


    The sword pierced through the armor of the clone!


    And his right sword was a few inches away from the true Nics''s neck!


    The youngd was breathing heavily as he stared at the shocked knight with a victorious smile. There were lots of shallow cuts on his body, but the joy of this victory overshadowed the pain.


    Nics couldn''t believe his eyes while ude''s eyebrows knit up.


    "Who is that boy?"


    "A soldier." Asher smiled.


    ......¡­


    A weekter, Asher and ude were walking toward the gates of Nineveh, where his carriage and his m were waiting for him.


    "You should op an academy. I''m sure many nobles would want to sd their m here to be proper knights."


    ude said.


    "That might be a n for the future."


    "Sacred me Empire earns arge amount of revue from their academy, and I think you can too. With the quality of knights you have here, you''ll surely attract nobles."


    Asher smiled in response.


    "I''ll be awaiting the paymt." He said, looking at the carts and carriages filled to the brim with goods. Most of them were filled with boxes of iron ores and beast furs, while the remaining had gold fragrant corn and some hexakad eggs.


    After exchanging goodbyes, ude left with his convoy while Asher watched from atop the walls of Nineveh.


    Tpak! Tapk!


    Kelvin approached him.


    "Do you think he''ll pay and not expose us?"


    "I showed him Nero for a reason, Kelvin. The paymt should be here in a few days."


    "I see," Kelvin responded.


    "Kelvin, I''ve had this in my mind for a week now. My ancestors. What were they like?"


    Kelvin looked at Asher with a slight curl at the corner of his lips.


    "You mean the great ashbourne dukes? All of them were war lords, great rulers and¡ª"


    "That''s not what I want to hear." Asher interjected him.


    "What made them great? Was it just their outstanding willpower, or was it something more than that. Why were only four of them great and the rest just basked in their glory?"


    Kelvin breathed out.


    "They didn''t bask in the glory of the four, Your Lordship. They had their own names, but  of them shook the world."


    "They could barely shake the wastnds."


    Asher spat with a cold tone.


    "Not all of them were like your father and brothers."


    "I see."


    Asher began to walk away, so Kelvin followed him, walking two steps behind Asher.


    "Well, the four had something that made them differt from other Ashbourne Lords, and it was more than the intsity of their training and intelligce."


    Asher looked at him.


    "What was it?"


    "It was their pet beasts and their ic battle skill."


    Wh Asher heard that, he recalled the appearance of snow and water wh he saw Atticus in what seemed to be a trance.


    "Each of them reached a certain stage called epiphany, and it birthed terrifying battle skills that gave them powers beyond other warriors. Your first ancestor was bad at naming, so he named his battle skill ''Stab'', and yet that single word brought terror into the hearts of his foes.


    As simple as the name was, not ev a force of a thousand saint-ranked knights would live to tell the tales if he used it against them."


    Asher blinked a couple of times.


    "You''re serious?"


    He was in disbelief.


    "I do not tell you folklore, My Lord. Lord Torah, who was Lord Zas grandson, also mastered a battle skill called ''Blood Pace'' that made him the fastest knight on Taria, and all this was through harnessing the power of the shura art. He was able to elerate his blood flow and speed up everything internally to produce swift and lethal attacks.


    He became legdary, like his grandfather, but that same skill killed him."


    "So some skills are dangerous to the one who mastered them."


    Asher said.


    "You don''t master such skills; it is born. Same as you don''t choose your talt. Only the skill scrolls made by mages are optional. There you can choose the skill you want, but battle skills are not like that."


    "I see. What about Ariel?"


    "The dread knight. She was a fearsome warrior who was deemed to have be as powerful as Lord Zas. Her battle skill allows her to control the blood inside of others. It was so powerful that ev her allies feared her, and she died early. ording to historians, Lady Ariel Ashbourne would have made the Ashbourne name a royal name."


    "Ability to control the blood of others! There''s no way anybody will be able to fight against her!" Asher gasped.


    Kelvin chuckled.


    "I believe you shall grow to be greater than them. Also, the second thing that made them unique was that their pet beasts were able to control dual elemts."


    Asher almost stumbled wh he heard that.


    "What?!"


    Awoo!!


    Sirius'' pain-filled howl rang throughout the stronghold at that momt, causing Asher''s expression to change.


    "Your Lordship! Something is happing to Sirius!"


    A shura vanguard on horseback bellowed.


    "What!"


    ...¡­


    Some minutester, Asher, whose expression was as ugly as it could get, walked through the hallway toward the sacred hall withrge strides.


    He could feel Sirius''s pain through their bond.


    "Op those doors!"


    He roared at the vanguards, and they quickly pushed the door op, revealing the sacred hall from which great howls came.

 Chapter 78: Sacred-Ranked Dual Elemental Beast

    Asher rushed into the hall and saw Sirius howling. Its eyes were closed, and it curled itself up as steam left its fur.


    The temperature of the hall was so high that Asher had to remove his coat, and yet he was sweating. Sirius  fur kept falling off, causing Asher to yell.


    "What''s happing to him?!"


    "This began a short while after it ate the meat." A vanguard responded, and it was at this momt that Asher realized that Sirius was going through mutation!


    Sirius got to its feet and mmed its body against the wall with so much force that it seemed as if the foundation of the castle was affected.


    "Get ropes!"


    Asher and his vanguards had to tie thick ropes a Sirius to keep him still, but ev the strgth of nine gold-ranked knights was no match for Sirius'' sheer power.


    They were dragged to and fro as Srius kept damaging himself. Seeing blood drip down from its mouth, Asher knew Sirius might kill himself before the mutation was over.


    "Kelvin, call Alex and Alec!"


    Although Eritrea was also a diamond-ranked warrior, her strgth wasparable to that of a gold-ranked knight. Some minutester, Alec, Alex, and fifty knights from the debreaker troop rushed into the hall.


    At this point, Asher and his vanguards were just holding on with their willpower, for their strgth had be depleted.


    Wh Alex, Alec, and the fifty knights held the rope, Sirius couldn''t move as it wished anymore, but it had already wounded itself badly.


    The walls of the hall had web-like cracks, and deep w marks could be se on the floor.


    Grr!


    Sirius growled deeply and turned to face the people holding it. Just as it was about to lunge for a knight, Asher bellowed.


    "Sirius. Stop!"


    Sirius turned its head toward Asher. Its growl grew deeper and deeper, but wh Asher began to caress its leg, Siriusid down and allowed him to caress its face.


    Before their eyes, all its fur fell off, and new ones grew out with such speed that the naked eyes could see it happing!


    As the fur grew back, Sirius also grew bigger, and his canines came out of the confines of his mouth. The structure of his skull also changed to adjust to his new set of deadly teeth, and his ears became sharper. Bright red markings appeared on his fur.


    On its forehead was a  circle that had a straight line that ran down to its nose. One red mark was on one side of the cheek and another on the other side. The markings on the sides of its body were red above and blue below.


    The most promint new feature was the fur that umted at its shoulders. They were like circles, simr to the ic symbol of mes, and from them visible orange mes billowed off! The same for the lower part of its legs.


    Sirius sapphire eyes gained a deep amethyst shade. A look, and one would feel like it stared right into their souls.


    Snap! Snap!


    The ropes snapped on their own, and the 5-foot-tall beast got to its feet. It shook its majestic body and retracted its gleaming ws.


    Its imposing figure alone mounted lots of pressure on Asher''s m.


    "A dual elemtal sacred-ranked beast."


    Asher smiled broadly.


    All of a sudd and intse pain hit him. It felt like something was eating his bones from the inside.


    Thud!


    Asher fell on his knees.


    "My Lord!"


    "My Lord!!"


    The voices of his m fell into his eyes, but he just couldn''t gain control over himself.


    His muscles were squirming, and his heart was beating at a slow pace. Each beat seemed to take years!


    His muscles inted and contracted; the process continued like this until he lost consciousness.


    Wu~


    "Ha~Ha~"


    Asher sat up, panting heavily. To him, it seemed like the pain had just left and he regained himself, but to his shock, he was on his bed.


    "My Lord."


    Cynthia, who was dutifully wiping his head with a warm towel, bowed her head.


    "What''s going on? Wasn''t I just in the sacred hall?"


    "Your Lordship¡­ Y¡­."


    "What?"


    Asher turned his head toward her.


    "It''s the next day, Your Lordship."


    "The next day!"


    Creak!


    Kelvin walked into the room and shut the door behind him. "Your Lordship."


    He bowed.


    "Congrattions on bing a diamond-ranked swordsman, My Lord. Your father would be proud, if he were alive."


    ''Diamond-ranked!''


    Asher looked at his muscr arms, which were a little thinner than before and raised an eyebrow.


    Looking down, he also discovered that his inted muscles had all reduced. They became tight and hard, so hard that Asher was marveled.


    He could tell there was so much explosive power in these ordinary-looking arms.


    "Now that you''re a diamond-ranked knight, you can visit the imperial family and raise your title to that of a viscount. That way¨C"


    "There''s no need for that, Kelvin. News flies fast, and despite the power of our army, our greatest disadvantage is our poption. It must be increased if we want to expand, and the best ce to increase it without the knowledge of the feudal world is by conquering the destends."


    Kelvin''s eyes wided.


    "Your Lordship. We might counter some lost races and abyss worshipers."


    "That would be better."


    "I see." Kelvin nodded, th gave a signal to Cynthia. Knowing what Kelvin meant, she left the room after telling Asher that his breakfast would be ready soon.


    "Your pet beast is now a dual elemtal beast. You''re now among the ranks of those with dual elemtal pet beasts. Congrattions, My Lord."


    Asher got to his feet, wt to the window, and looked at his domain. The brilliant rays of the sun bathed the beautiful stronghold, and people wt about their duties happily. Seeing the peace and orderliness, the corners of his lips wt up.


    "Ice and fire. He''s now fit to be the guardian beast of this stronghold."


    "Indeed." Kelvin responded. His eyes glowing with pride as he looked at Asher''s back.


    He remembered wh he was just a kid, and now he was a powerful young lord about to show the world his brilliance.

 Chapter 79: Ash Mountain Pass

    After thest week of winter, Jordan Zebulun stood outside his manor watching his workers prepare the fields for nting. His eyes were filled with the vision of being the sole distributor of gold fragrant corn in the tire wastnd.


    Although the attempt to kill his suppliers did not work, he believed they would not dare return again. After all, there was nothing a merchant feared more than his life being at risk.


    This was the third month of the new year, and he had marked it as the month his rise began.


    "My Lord, there''s news from Hebron Town!"


    A servant ran up to him.


    "What is it?"


    "Baron meheart invited the rowned families in the barony to a feastst night, and the news of gold fragrant corn and hexakad eggs is all over the ce! The corn is already in the market, and people are rushing after it to prepare the meal; many called it otherworldly."


    Jordan''s face crumpled.


    "That shrewd merchant!!"


    He screamed at the top of his lungs.


    His workers were rmed and turned to look at their master.


    "Sd posters all over the barony. Tell cksmiths that I have ough¡ª"


    "It''s toote, My Lord. Baron meheart has invited all the cksmiths to the grand hall this morning, dering that he would sponsor all of them. He revealed boxes upon boxes of silver intricate iron ores. The rare iron ore that has intricate silver meridians!"


    "Shut up!!"


    Jordan held the servant''s cor and roared. He felt like the servant was mocking him right to his face.


    "Lock this man up. He dares to interrupt his master."


    "Bu¡­"


    The servant was unable to speak as guards picked him up and took him away.


    Meanwhile, Jordan felt like ripping his hair out of his scalp. He kept clching and releasing his hands until he couldn''t hold it anymore and wt about destroying the bags of corn.


    While he was destroying them, a guard ran up to him.


    "My Lord, that man said that the corn is not for nting. They can only grow in fields that have mana veins."


    Jordan lifted up his head and looked at the guard.


    In the next momt, he began tough hysterically. As he recalled the amount he spt on the goods, tears spilled from his eyes, and he lunged for the guard, but the man skillfully dodged.


    "Find that merchant, find him, and kill him and his tire family!!"


    Wh he finally calmed down and knew it was all over, he heard footsteps.


    "Get lost!"


    He yelled.


    "Last time I recall, a casual farmer who isn''t yet a lord cannotmand the emperor''s messger."


    Jordan''s eyes wided.


    He lifted up his head and saw a man dressed in the most good-looking attire he had ever se in his life. The man had one hand at his back and the other held a sealed letter.


    His long hair was neatlybed and oiled.


    Thud!


    Jordan fell on both knees. "I apologize for myck of proper temperamt."


    "Indeed. Your temperamt is not befitting for a lord, but since the emperor finds favor in you, he has granted your wish. You have the seal to raise your own troops and are no longer under Baron ude meheart. Arise, Viscount Jordan Zebulun."


    A fiery light ignited in Jordan''s eyes as he took the seal.


    "The Emperor thinks highly of you. Do not let him down."


    The messger turned, and as he was walking, a portal appeared and disappeared along with him.


    Wh Jordan thought of therge stock of food in his undercroft and his gold, he knew hecked just one more thing.


    A strong troop!


    And he didn''t want to train farmers andmoners but go and buy ve warriors. Troops trained by cruel ve traders. These troops were found in one ce on the tire contint.


    Everard Kingdom!


    ...¡­..


    On the walls of a small city, Rutherford Tyre faced the vast expanse of snow with his adopted daughter, the water mage, who was crippled.


    She sat in a wheelchair.


    "That brat should have died by now."


    "I still want to see his corpse," said Aquilia.


    "He would be in the belly of a beast already." Therge man replied with a soft chuckle.


    Aquilia''s eyes flickered.


    "He might not be dead."


    "Oh?" Rutherford raised an eyebrow. "Why do you say so?"


    "He had this wolf that was quite strong."


    "You mean that cripple has a pet beast?" Rutherford frowned.


    "Cripple? I saw him stand up."


    "What?!"


    A fierce light shed through Rutherford''s eyes.


    "So he deceived me and other nobles at the banquet. That cri¡­ That little lord made a fool out of all of us!"


    He turned and walked away.


    While descding from the stairs, his lips curled up.


    "The bastard child of that womanizer is more than he seems."


    He smirked coldly.


    "We shall meet soon."


    "Don''t forget Baron Scarlet is visiting today!" Aqu yelled from the top of the wall, and Rutherford nodded.


    "I did not forget."


    .......


    Nineveh Stronghold.


    Asher was on the training tform swinging his sword. He attuned himself to the sound of the edge of the de cutting through the air. His eyes were closed as he moved about, thrusting, shing, and parrying fluidly.


    This was the first week of the third month of the year, and in the next two weeks, they would ter the next season, spring!


    The season of nting.


    Livestock, especially cattle, would see ough fields to graze.


    After he performed thest swing, he lowered his sword and brought down the blindfold.


    "You''re getting better."


    Kelvin said with a smile.


    "Thanks for theplimt, but wh is the logistic team going to be prepared for the expedition?"


    "You''re leaving with 00 Silver Wolf heavy infantrym, 0 Thunderstorm Rangers, and 80 debreakers. We need to make sure they''re all well fed and their tts are prepared. It will take more than the time you gave us."


    "I''ll give you three more days, and th we shall march for the Ash Mountain Pass. It''s time to see the famous destnds."

 Chapter 80: The Bandit Fortress

    Two weeks after discussing with Kelvin, Asher was now on his way to the Ash Mountain Pass, having left ev Silverleaf town far behind. He left Kelvin in charge of his domain, and Sirius was the guardian.


    It was fast ough to move from Nineveh to Silverleaf in just one day, and it was able to kill ev apany of 0 diamond-ranked knights without a scratch, so his domain was in safe hands.


    Asher rode his horse in the middle of his troops. Ahead of him were the debreakers and Thunderstorm Rangers, and behind him were 500 m. 00 were silver-ranked infantrym, and the remaining 300 were recruits, which Asher had to bring along to boost his forces.


    Behind the heavy infantry was the logistic departmt with several carts and horses.


    Beside Asher were hismanders, Alex, Alec, and Eritrea.


    "We shall reach the Ash Mountain Pass by nightfall." Alec said after checking a map that was made by Atticus Ashbourne.


    "Is there anything we need to know about the Pass?"


    Asher turned to Eritrea, who rode at his right. She was close to him and seemed to take pleasure in being able to help him at any time.


    She was loyal to the extt that it could be called obsession, and Asher simply took it to his advantage.


    People like her could not be swayed no matter what.


    "We have to pay the fees."


    "What fees?"


    Asher raised an eyebrow.


    "Barbarian bandits. They''ve be there for decades now and take fees from every tribe that wants to cross the Mountain Pass."


    "They should not be a problem."


    Nero, who rode beside his father, said.


    "Oh?" Asher turned his head toward the youngd. "Why do you think so?"


    Nero was stunned. He didn''t expect a question for what he said, and with everybody looking at him, he felt a bit shy.


    "Uhm¡­ We''re much stronger than them."


    "How do you know that?" Asher asked again.


    Nero blinked.


    "I don''t believe that they are stronger than your army, My Lord."


    Asher cocked his head.


    "Is that so?"


    "It is, Your Lordship."


    Asher smiled.


    "Thed''s got a sweet mouth." Lambert chortled while Alex patted his son''s shoulder.


    All of them could see Asher favoured Nero, but instead of showing it by giving him gifts, he did it by throwing one challge after the other, always pushing both his physical and mtal capability to the limit.


    "We shall camp before the Ash Mountain Pass tonight, and a small squad will scout ahead. I want prior knowledge of what we are going to face. Like Nero said, we are definitely stronger, but if they drop stones on our heads, th our strgth will be buried under stones."


    Wh they got to a good area, Alec got the go ahead from Asher.


    "Halt! We are going to camp here!" Alec''s voice shook the eardrums of every soldier, causing them to grimace.


    They began to set up tts, and the cooks also took the chance to start cooking before the skies would turn dark and the soldiers would need to be fed.


    Asher helped his vanguards set up his tt. Once they were done, he washed his hands and unfolded his sleeves.


    "Jon, bring the ropes! Move those legs!"


    "Jessey, hit that wood properly!"


    "Wh are they going to be done? I can already smell the meat."


    "Hahaha!"


    "I knew you should have joined the scouts, Landon. Your nostrils would have be an asset!"


    Boisterousughter and the loud voices of his m littered over a vast space fell into Asher''s ears, causing him to chuckle inwardly.


    Alex and Nero walked up to him.


    "Your Lordship, who is going to infiltrate the bandit fortress?"


    Eritrea had giv them full details about the bandit based on thest time she crossed, and that was before her father died. Based on what she said, the bandits built a fortress on the mountain, and they had two gold-ranked leaders as of th.


    "Eritrea, you, Nero, and me. We just need to capture two and ask some questions before the main army reaches their location."


    "As youmand." Alex bowed his head.


    Asher walked a and evtually arrived where the Thunderstorm Rangers were. Their tts were ready while the m still struggled and bantered, and they were seated on logs, of which Asher had no clue wh they were cut.


    Eritrea stood before them, her hands folded as she calmly spoke to them.


    While speaking, she felt someone was staring at her for quite a prolonged period of time, so she raised her head.


    "My Lord."


    Her lips parted.


    "I''m just here to watch."


    He smiled.


    Not ev up to t minutes, he found himself staring at Lambert''s m. They were busy watching two of their m brawl while cheering andughing.


    Shaking his head, he walked away and found the Silver Wolf recruits taking turns to try and lift up Alec''s shield. Appartly, a good number of the heavy infantrym brought the shield and gathered the recruits.


    This was called the initiation.


    After watching several recruits fall to the g, panting like people that were saved from a near-death experice, Asher returned to his tt.


    Not long after, meals were served, and it was Eritrea who served Asher. He sat with Alex, Nero, Alec, and Lambert outside his tt wh Eritrea came with his meal.


    Although bewildered, Asher took it and suddly noticed the gazes his m were giving him.


    "What?"


    "Ahem!" Alex cleared his throat. "It''s nothing of importance, Your Lordship."


    Lambert was just as shocked as Alex, but Alec and Nero were eating their meals.


    Asher dug in.


    ......¡­..


    Finally, the skies became covered in darkness, and the two moons did not grace the skies with their presce.


    The night was thick, like a ck cloth wrapped a the world.


    Only the campfires at differt spots lit up the camp of hundreds. Some figures could be se mounting horses outside the camp.


    "Let''s go." Asher''s voice rang.

 Chapter 81: The Bandit Brothers

    Eritrea led them some kilometers away from the camp, and they began to climb the mountain, heading for the wood wall about 30 feet above the g.


    Eritrea was the first to reach the top, and she leaned against the wall so as to avoid being se by the bandit watchm on the wall with torches that had fierce orange mes billowing off them.


    Her agility was higher than the others, which was why she was able to get to the top before them.


    Asher and Alex arrived second and pulled Nero up.


    Asher looked up. He saw the shadows of m chatting with low voices at the top of the wall.


    "Have you gone inside before?"


    He questioned Eritrea.


    She shook her head. "Look there."


    Asher looked below, toward the far east, and he saw a bonfire below the mountain, right in the middle of the Ash Mountain Pass, and some figures were seated a the bonfire.


    "Those are the ones that collect the fees."


    "Find a route inside and do not alert any watchm." Asher ordered.


    Before Eritrea could go search for a route, they saw carts being pushed toward the gates, and a gleam shed through Asher''s eyes.


    They closed the gap and moved beside the carts while making little to no noise at all so as not to alert the man controlling the horse that pushed the cart.


    Wh they were close to the gate, Alex picked up a stone and flung it over the 6-meter-tall wall.


    Bam!


    It hit something, most probably a barrel filled with water, causing the bandits to look toward that direction.


    This gave Asher and the others the advantage to sneak into the fortress and hide behind straws meant for the horses at the stable a few meters to their left.


    Asher looked a. "I''ve counted 67 m."


    He said after a short while.


    "I counted 79."


    While the adults spoke, Nero closed his eyes tightly. He expanded his scope and perceived the ripplesing from every living creature in the fortress, including those asleep and those awake.


    "We should check the¡ª"


    "37." Nero interrupted Eritrea.


    "37?" His father cocked his head. Nero''s talt was still odd and not easy to understand, no matter how much the boy exined it, so he was stunned to see his son call out a number higher than their assumption.


    Ev though Nero could see a him, was it that good that he could know how many people were inside the fortress with his eyes closed?


    Alex had no idea that Nero didn''t only have knowledge about the number of bandits, but their locations, their faces, and ev the map of some parts of the fortress!


    "Two m leads this bandit group, and they''re both in there drinking and eating with five wom attding to them. Two are massaging their shoulders, and thest one is feeding them."


    Nero tilted his head as if he were hearing something. "They''re happy about some raid."


    Asher, Alex, and Eritrea looked at the youngd with impressed expressions.


    "37 people. Good, let''s go."


    As they turned back to move, Nero suddly paused. "Captives. I can see them."


    "We''lle rescue themter!" Alex almost raised his voice, but it rose up a bit.


    "What''s their situation?" Eritrea asked.


    "They''re from ns. I can hear the name Bashan from an old woman¡­" Nero''s eyes wided.


    "She and the others are from the destnds! From a small vige affiliated to arge n called the Bashan n."


    Upon hearing where they were from, Eritrea looked at Asher. These people would offer them better knowledge about the destnds, and by saving them, they might gain favor in the eyes of their vige chief.


    "I''ve spok with my brother. He''ll lead the troops here." Alex said, grabbed the hilt of his sword, and brandished it.


    Shing!


    Asher slowly unsheathed his sword.


    "Change of ns. The troop will be here shortly. Our n is to rile up oughmotion and make sure those captives see us before the main armyes."


    "You want to make them see us risking our lives, and th the army would appear if things get critical." Eritrea was gasping. Her Lord was truly shrewd.


    This n would make him gain the loyalty and gratitude of the barbarian captives.


    Swoosh!


    Alex leaped several feet high andnded heavily in an op space.


    Boom!


    His force billowed out of him, forming what seemed to be a cloak with tdrils caressing the g.


    Before a bandit could exim, Alex swung his sword. Killing the man and leaving a deep scorch mark on the g. The bundles of straws behind him were set aze. Attracting more bandits toward Alex.


    Swoosh!


    An arrow coursing with electricity pierced through three bandits and also released shockwaves that paralyzed !


    At this momt, Asher suddly realized how foolish he was to hide diamond-ranked warriors from mere iron, bronze, silver- and gold-ranked m. And throughout the camp, there were only two gold-ranked knights.


    They were the reason why he was careful.


    How could just two knights subdue all the tribes that once dominated the mountains?


    He had be careful concerning their backers, but the captives were worth taking the risk.


    While swinging his sword with ease, he walked through the camp but paused wh the gold-ranked knights came out of their tts.


    One of them had a bear-like frame. His beard was the biggest and the most unkempt Asher had ever se, and the man firmly gripped a thick, strangely shaped cleaver, probably gott from arge abyssal creature since humans did not forge such weapons.


    Beside him was his twin brother. He had the frame of a cheetah. He was slim and had long limbs, but Asher could sse explosive bursts of power in that seemingly ordinary, weak body. He held a long spear.


    Eritreaunched six arrows toward them. The big one deflected it, though he slid backward while the thin one evaded the arrows.


    Eritrea dashed past Asher,unching three more arrows, which the brothers deflected, fighting as one.


    Asher frowned as he examined the brothers.


    There was something off about them. Something really off that made him feel uneasy.


    Was this the reason why they were feared?

 Chapter 82: Shura Madness

    First of all, how was it possible that just two knights could stand against a diamond-ranked sniper? Especially the ones that were upgraded by his system.


    "Ah!"


    A bandit yelled as he came from behind Asher. Before he could bring down his sword, Asher grabbed his arm and mmed him from over his shoulder to the g. He plunged his sword into the man''s chest, pulled it out, and faced his next oppont without flinching.


    Swaying left and right, he confused the next bandit for a short momt. Not willing to let go of that opportunity, he spun his wait,unching a fierce kick that st the bandit  meters away. He collided with another bandit, and they both crushed a wood building.


    Not a sign of life came from where they fell.


    After dealing with the bandits, he turned back to Eritrea''s battle. She kept a safe distance whileunching arrows at these m, but neither of them were hit. At this point, Eritrea''s pride was affected.


    She closed the gap almost instantly, slid under the attack of the thin man, and punched the big man right at his lower abdom!


    She swiftly pulled out an arrow and pierced it into the thighs of the thin one, causing him to grunt deeply.


    "You¡­!"


    The big man stretched his hand to grab her, but Eritrea suddly sprung up like apressed spring. In the process of somersaulting midair, she nocked two arrows and fired through the big man''s back!


    Thud!


    Eritreanded elegantly and moved some strands of her hair behind her ear.


    The thin one suddly cut his palm and ced it where on his brother''s wound, causing Eritrea and Asher to frown. Nero and his father were busy fighting and taunting as many bandits as they could.


    The rest of the bandits formed a circle with Asher and Eritrea in their midst. Almost 80 bronze and silver-ranked m with differt weapons were slowly croaching, but their presce didn''t match the fearsome aura rising from the twins.


    Knowing they might turn into something troublesome, Asher stepped on a bundle of straws, leaped over arge distance, and was about to pierce through the twins wh three arrows came for him. Eritrea countered the arrows with hers, but Asher, who deviated andnded a meter away from the brothers.


    Boom!


    A fierce gale caused dust to rise and his hair to flutter.


    Before his shocked eyes, the twins merged to form a massive hulking figure. Asher could see the line in the middle of their faces, showing that although they merged, both m still had minds of their own!


    Looking at the figure who could match Alec in height and beat Alec in size, Asher swiftly closed the gap and shed at the man''s left leg.


    His de cut the bandit leader''s leg, but the wound healed up almost instantly. Bam!


    Asher was mmed  meters away. The bandits wided the circle but did not take the opportunity to attack Asher.


    They left both him and Eritrea for their leader.


    Fwoosh!


    Eritrea''s hair blew backward as the bandit leader, who was some meters away, was now in front of her!


    The speed did not match his absurd size.


    Eritrea narrowly evaded hisrge palm and was about to create some distance wh a spear was hurtled toward her from the back.


    Eritrea leaned to her right. She turned in the next momt and shot an arrow, which pierced through the bandit leader''s palm. That arm was paralyzed, but he could still move!


    He appeared before her wh his foot was almost before her. Eritrea jumped with all her might andnded some meters away.


    Unfortunately, shended in the midst of the bandits, and they lunged at her from all sides. Since their leader had a tough time dealing with her, they had the privilege to take her as their prey.


    Seeing Eritrea''s dilemma, Asher dashed toward her. He stepped on the bandit leader''s right thigh, jumped over his head, rolled on the g, and swung his sword at a bandit.


    Asher mercilessly ughtered the bandits until he found Eritrea fighting in the midst of bandits. She was still able to stand her g, and bodies were piling up a her. Her arrows could be se embedded into the bodies of the corpses, and though she breathed heavily, her eyes were as sharp as an eagle''s own.


    A bandit came from Asher''s right with a spear, but Asher held the spearhead and looked at the stunned bandit. He reversed it and killed the man with his own weapon before removing the spear and hurtling it toward a bandit that wanted to attack Eritrea from behind.


    Just as he was about to approach her, a piercing whistling sound fell into his ear.


    "Your Lordship!!"


    Eritrea screamed, causing Asher to turn.


    Ssh!


    Blood stained his face!


    Asher looked at the sharp triangr spearhead right before his eyes. It came out from the body of his personal bodyguard, Alex!


    With a heavy grunt, Alex was about to pull out the spear wh Asher stopped him. Pulling out the spear would cause excessive bleeding, and that would mean death.


    The physician was at the camp, so he had to make sure Alex got there fast.


    He took Alex''s sword from him and cut his forearm.


    Having se Asher''s action, Eritrea aided Alex and began to run for the fortress gate. Although Nero was confused as to why they left their lord behind, he had to obey Eritrea''smand.


    "Lord Asher is still there!" He yelled.


    "Run or you might not make it out of that gate."


    Eritrea''s grave tone st shivers down Nero''s spine. While following them, he looked back.


    As the blood flowed down, Asher walked toward the bandit leader with two swords in his hands. For the first time, he was about to dual-wield like his ancestors.


    His eyes turned .


    Instantaneously, everything about Asher changed. He swung both swords at a speed that only those who were really proficit with dual-wielding for decades could and took a battle stance with his left sword up and the right one down.


    "Hahahaha! I have killed  diamond-ranked beasts, ! But I like it wh my prey is fierce."


    Two voices came out of the bandit leader''s mouth at once.


    Boom!


    The rocky g imploded as Asher shot forth, appearing right before his eye. The bandit leader swung his cleaver downward with a boisterousughter, but to his shock, instead of dodging, Asher shed with him and didn''t slide ev one inch back.


    The intsity of force billowing out of him was unnatural.


    It felt as if many terrifying knights were looking at him through those glowing  eyes.


    Before the bandit leader could ev blink, Asher shed his abdom and kicked him with so much power that the big man slid 4 meters back.


    For the first time since he got this unparalleled talt, he felt pain!


    That feeling alone brought fear.


    As Asher calmly walked toward him, footsteps fell into his ears causing him to tilt his head toward the right. From the corner of his right eye, he saw dozs of bandits rushing over.


    "Ahh!"


    Nero who cut down a bandit at the gate heard screams causing him to turn. What he saw made him unable to move as fear veloped him.


    In what seemed to be an instant, corpses were littered a his lord. Bodies fell like flies and all he could see was sword shes and not ev his lord moving!


    Forget him, ev the bandit leader was filled with horror.


    "Nero move!"

 Chapter 83: Captives

    A bandit flew past the bandit leader, and he picked up the dead man''s spear and threw it at Asher. Although Asher was facing three bandits, he still ssed the spear and wt to his knees. The spear flew past him and struck a barrel filled with water.


    Boom!


    As the water burst out, something clicked inside of Asher. Right at that momt, other barrels exploded, and the water ran toward Asher.


    Upon seeing this, the bandit leader rose to his feet and threw his cleaver toward Asher. The cleaver spun through the air, heading toward Asher at breakneck speed.


    But Asher didn''t n on evading this time a.


    He spun his swords, and the water followed his movemt!


    As he swung upward, the water transformed into a giant water sword! It mmed the cleaver out of the way and hit the bandit leader before he could ev blink.


    Boom!


    The force oped a hole in the mountain, and rocks fell on what remained of the bandit leader. The remaining bandits were froz in shock.


    Bam!


    The momt Asher mmed his right foot against the g, the water rose up with great momtum and sted the bandits toward the fortress walls!


    Boom! The fortress walls broke down, and the water washed the bandits down 30 feet!


    At this momt, Eritrea, Alex, and Nero just got to the bottom of the mountain, meaning they were in the wide Mountain Pass.


    Only for them to hear the sound of gushing water.


    The bandits on the pass were alerted and ran toward them, but the bodies of theirrades fell from the mountain along with a great amount of water, stunning them.


    "He''sing."


    Nero said while looking up.


    Eritrea and Alex looked up. They only saw darkness, causing them to knit their eyebrows.


    Thud!


    A silhouette fell from above andnded behind the fifte bandits who came from the pass, his  eyes piercing through the night, locked on everyone, allies and foes.


    Hearing that sound, the bandits turned to face a 6-foot tall man wielding a broadsword, too big for him to handle, yet he held it properly and a longsword in the other hand.


    They were about to attack wh their hearts suddly ceased, causing their eyes to wid as they slumped to the g and were lifeless shortly after.


    The sce caused Eritrea and Nero''s faces to go . Alex, though heavily injured, had a better expression.


    He removed Eritrea''s arms from a his shoulder and chest and proceeded to kneel.


    "Your Lordship."


    The man he spoke to found his spirit in a valley, looking at a beautiful red knight standing at the top of a hill with her back facing him. Two longswords were strapped to her waist.


    He squinted.


    The Dread Knight!


    Without being told, he knew that woman was Ariel Ashbourne, the dread knight and only female that ruled over the Ashbournes!


    She tilted her head a bit toward him so he could see a small part of her side profile.


    "You are not ready, Asher."


    ....


    His  eyes became normal, yet those words kept ringing in his mind.


    Was it about him being a ruler or using her battle skill?


    Clearly her battle skill was so powerful that he killed fifte iron and silver-ranked warriors without moving a muscle.


    Whatever it was, her words drilled into his core.


    She was just the second; what about Toras and ev the great Zas? What would they tell him th?


    "Your Lordship."


    Eritrea and Nero wt on their knees.


    Their voices broke Asher out of his reverie.


    He looked at his two swords in his hands. Now it felt strange to hold two swords. In fact, he wasn''t sure he could properly swing the longsword in his left hand.


    This gave him a bigger impression of how great the Ashbourne Dukes, who reached the apex of this style, were.


    Clop! Clop!


    The hooves of horses hitting the rocky g fell into their ears. The debreakers slowed down and bowed.


    "Your Lordship!!"


    "The battle is over. Go up and check if the captives are alive." Asher said with a deep, solemn tone as he found a nearby rock and sat.


    Eritrea and Alex looked at each other. They could tell Asher''s mood had changed.


    Asher remained like that until Alec and few others arrived and Alex was st to the physician.


    "Your Lordship, the captives are in a proper state to speak with you." Lambert reported while holding his helmet in one hand. Thence was in the other.


    "Mnn," Asher grunted.


    After a short walk, he arrived at the gathering of about 0 people seated on logs. Their clothes were made from beast skins. He spotted a gray-haired woman holding a staff in their midst.


    Wh they saw Asher, their eyes were filled with gratitude and a slight fear.


    After all, they saw more than Asher wanted.


    "Perhaps you are the reincarnation of the great wolf rider?"


    Asher blinked.


    He did not expect these people would know Atticus. It now dawned on him that Atticus was indeed a rowned figure in the destnds, and these people were from the destnds!


    "You''re all from the destnds."


    Asher sat down with two shura vanguards behind him.


    The imposing metal m awed the barbarians.


    "We''re from the Bashan basin." Katarina retorted with a soft tone.


    Asher raised an eyebrow.


    "I''m talking about the ce beyond the pass. It''s the¡ª"


    "It''s called the destnds by you ounders, but it is actually called Bashan. Bashan is an outrageouslyrge basin, young man, and it''s not deste."


    Her gtle yet reprimanding tone made the vanguards re at her.


    Asher on the other hand chuckled.


    "I see. Th your n is the ruling n of thisrge basin."


    Asher knew that the destnds, also known as the Bashan basin had and space of 300,000 kilometers square. It was bigger than the dukedom of Nubis and Mormonts!


    "Not at all. He''s just a proud man that wants to someday rule over the basin."


    Asher chuckled.


    "I see."


    "I''d assume you''re the chief of this fearsome troop."


    "I am."


    "You''re too young to be a chief."

 Chapter 84: The Centrak Horses

    "Indeed. That is why I''m not a chief but a lord."


    Silce reigned, and the captives looked at the old woman anxiously. They could tell she was slowly getting to Asher''s bottom line, and their saviour would quickly turn to be their killers if things were not restructured.


    "What do you want?" Katarain asked.


    "I want a trade, but if things get out of hand, I have an army to protect me."


    Katarina slowly narrowed her eyes.


    "I believe an ounder lord like you must have heard of the n''s powerful horse, the very reason that the Bashan n has the strongest cavalry in the southern part of the basin. You want the Ctrak Steed for your cavalry?"


    Asher squinted. "The Ctrak steed?"


    "They have heavy-muscled bodies, dwarfing all the horses I''ve se throughout my life. The ctrak''s hide is also thicker than any other, with defsive horn-like protrusions along their legs and for the males, adoring their heads.


    These powerful horses can only be found in the Bashan n, and they have all be domesticated and are not for trade because they are prized possessions of the n and are for their warriors solely."


    Katarina exhaled.


    "You can''t get a ctrak unless you do it the hard way." She concluded.


    Asher twined his fingers. "You just told me about a mount that I could use to form a powerful heavy cavalry, and th you suddly ded up saying I can''t trade for it. You want me to fight the Bashan n."


    Katarina chuckled.


    "I never said that."


    "You did not have to. But I have no ns of fighting any n if we can coborate in peace. War is ast option."


    Asher got to his feet.


    "As you can see, I have hundreds to feed and cannot afford more mouths, so... tell me one thing that will make me amodate you."


    A gleam shed through Katarina''s eyes. Perhaps she was wrong about Asher''s leadership capability. Although he was young, he was as decisive as a mature ruler.


    "I know a chief who will be willing to trade ctraks with you."


    Asher, who was about to walk away, turned back.


    He smiled.


    "Good. You''ll lead us there by sunrise."


    They retreated back to the camp, and Asher wt into his tt. He was already making ns in his head about what he would trade to get some ctraks. He had se the character disy of the ctrak steed before he transmigrated into the realistic version of Boundless.


    It was until Katarina began to describe it exactly as it was writt in the descriptions that he remembered. Ctraks were indeed treasured, high-quality mounts, but he never knew it was hidd in Bashan.


    And a Ctrak had a nature-giv armored body. Their hides were thick, and the horn-like protrusions made them a great nightmare to other cavalries.


    Once he changed the debreakers horses for the Ctraks, it would officially birth an abominablend force that would match the elite forces of apex powers in Taria.


    This would make him a step closer to bing a great Ashbourne lord, regaining their honor and surpassing their peak!


    The tt curtain oped, and a blonde-haired woman walked in with a washbowl. "Wee back, My Lord." She said it with a soft,forting tone.


    Asher turned toward Cynthia.


    "Where have you be? Eritrea had to serve me because you were not in your duty post."


    Cynthia bowed her head.


    "I was supervising the meals before they were served, and Miss Eritrea was persistt, so I made the mistake of allowing her."


    Cynthia replied with her head lowered.


    Asher approached her and tilted his head before taking the towel in the washbowl to clean his face.


    "I will need your clothes, Your Lordship."


    "I''ll sd them to youter." Asher said as he waved his hands dismissively. Many things had happed today, and he needed some time alone to ponder.


    Thinking alone helps him sort things out and also makes him calm. It was a habit he developed in his college years, and it helped him in the creation of Boundless.


    "Kelvin kept that in your luggage. He wanted you to see them for yourself, but you hav''t oped it since we left the stronghold."


    Asher looked at where Cynthia pointed and saw a leather pouch.


    He knew that Cynthia was trying to redeem herself, for she felt he was angry at her.


    He walked over to the pouch, loosed the rope, and poured the contt on his palm. Fiery red gemstones came out.


    These were fire elemtal stones!


    They were found in the exact spot where the drake slept.


    Asher counted 5 stones.


    As rare as these stones were, only mages and master-grade apothecaries could use them. Aside from that, the stones were almost useless.


    "Wh will you eat?" Cynthia asked.


    "At first light."


    Creases appeared on her forehead, but she bit her lower lip, bowed, and left the tt.


    Asher dropped the stones and wt straight to his bed. He stared at the ceiling for some time before he fell asleep.


    .......


    A pair of dull gold eyes oped and saw a thick fog had covered everywhere. He looked down and saw snow!


    "Am I in a dream?" Asher cocked his head. "I''m clearly not in a dream, or I would not have asked myself that question. But if this isn''t a dream, where am I, and why is there still snow?"


    "You''re in the spirit domain, and also in the past."


    Hearing that familiar voice, Asher turned to the 7-foot-tall man who had his arms crossed with a small smile on his face.


    It was Atticus.


    "It''s you."


    Atticus raised an eyebrow wh he heard Asher''s tone. "My mother cast you out of your space, and I knew you would feel bad, so I came to courage you, but you don''t seem to acknowledge this grace I chose to give."


    "Apologies."


    Asher bowed.


    Atticus approached him and patted his shoulder. "Impressing the dread knight won''t be possible at your level. Her idol was Lord Zas. Any other was inferior. Why do you think she had no frids?"


    "I did not exist in her time, Lord Atticus. But she referred to me as Asher. She did not acknowledge me as an Ashbourne."


    Asher said solemnly.


    "You have pottial, and I''m here to guide you so you won''t make the same mistake as I did. None of them are happy with you going into Bashan because they think you''ll d up like me, but I believe Bashan has more than the high ins put together."


    "What am I going to face at Bashan?" Asher asked.


    "Death."


    Atticus'' response made his eyebrows furrow.


    "If you want to conquer, prepare to handle crises and deaths and not flip like you did. Your talt grants you ess into the spiritual world. Don''t y with it before you wake up and find out you''ve ughtered every breathing thing. Lessons will be gradual, but for now, I want you to have a glimpse of my battle skill."

 Chapter 85: Blood Awakening

    The sce a them changed, and Asher standing beside Atticus saw a man training at the mountaintop with a huge wolf, a little bit bigger than Sirius lying not too far away. The stars adorned the dark skies, and it seemed like they watched the man swing his des with great mastery.


    A the man were several boulders that were set in a way that it seemed like a naturally formed formation that had existed for decades.


    Asher squinted.


    "That''s you!"


    "Yes, that''s me. I was 9 th. I had spt t years in Bashan, gained fame, discovered mysterious barbarian tribes with unique abilities no noble in the high in has ever countered, and saw some races we thought were extinct. I had to train to survive since I wanted to walk a lonely path back th, and this was wh I created my own battle skill."


    Atticus looked at Asher.


    "Blood Awaking."


    "Blood Awaking¡­" Asher muttered.


    Right at that momt, the young Atticus began to increase his pace. The speed at which he moved and swung his sword gradually increased and kept increasing, but there seemed to be this air of calmness lingering a him.


    It greatly contrasted the intsity of his movemts.


    "Blood Awaking grants me the ability to see..." Atticus paused and took a deep breath.


    Swish!


    At that momt, the young Atticus cut a boulder into three parts, neatly sheathed his sword, only to unsheath them and cut the boulder behind him.


    "It gives you the ability to see weak spots of your opponts, whether living or rocks. Your blood flow experices a sudd change, and you kick start it by executing a flurry of strikes. Th, like diving into the water, your mind ters a strange state where the ws of your opponts have scarlet markings."


    Atticus smiled and continued.


    "At first I did not understand that my battle skill had be born, it was until I faced Khan."


    Swoosh!


    An eastwind blew the sce of him training away and they saw a sce of him facing a  lion that stood on two legs! It wore metal pauldrons, vambraces, a loincloth, shin guards, and held a great two-handed axe.


    "Beastm are still existing?!"


    Asher gasped.


    "Of course they are."


    Beastm, though they talked, behaved, and looked like humans in some things, still did not lose their animal parts. The same way they could walk and run on two feet, they could also revert to running on all fours should the need arise.


    This was true for the bear folks, cat folks, and many others, but maybe not the elephant folks.


    Both fighters stood in the midst of bodies, staring straight into each other''s eyes. Their killing intt was ough to suffocate a diamond-ranked knight!


    ng! ng!


    Sparks flew as the sword and axe shed continuously. The tempo of their battle was slowly increasing, and Khan''s strikes were heavy, unrestrained, and ferocious while young Atticus yed the defce card.


    "I was 30 here, and I came to fight for a human n who were oppressed by the Snow lion n. Khan was the best warrior in that region, feared by all ns, but I saw him as a means to sharp myself. It was either I die trying or seed."


    ng! ng! ng!


    At this momt, the speed was extremely high, and both fighters were at their toes. A mistake could cost their lives, and it was th that Atticus activated his battle skill. Asher saw strings of red lines connecting Khan''s elbow to Atticus'' left sword and Kahn''s thigh to the right sword.


    Asher''s eyes trembled because he noticed those spots were left op in that small span. Based on Khan''s attack, those spaces would only grow wider until they shed.


    Atticus swiftly unleashed two sword strikes that hit those spots. Khan growled in pain, anger, and shock as he discovered he had be struck. He forced himself tounch another attack, but Atticus was already seeing the line connecting to Khan''s neck, so he slid under Khan''s axe, sprung to his feet, and swung his sword backward.


    Asher expected Khan''s head to fall off, but Khan''s body turned to pure adamantine!


    Instead of killing Khan, Atticus faced a rebounce of force that affected his joints in that arm!


    The sudd turn of evts threw Asher off.


    "Talts are the most unpredictable and most dangerous weapon in a battlefield. I honestly don''t like it." Atticus said coldly.


    "But¡­ It still can''t overthrow true, unrestrained power."


    "The next move is called synergy!"


    Swoosh!


    Right at the momt, young Atticus'' eyes gained a  hue and water droplets began to fall from the skies like it was raining heavily.


    Khan''s expression showed his shock.


    Young Atticus spun his sword and executed a swift horizontal sh without ev looking at Khan. Where his sword ded, the water took over and formed a massive de that sted Khan into the distance.


    Atticus stared at the azure water de as it dissolved, and it stopped raining heavily. As it drizzled, he sheathed his sword and began to slowly walk away.


    Long after young Atticus was gone, Asher and Atticus stood there in silce. It was actually Asher who was the silt one.


    "What was that?"


    He asked with a soft tone.


    "It''s called synergy. Water and ice are two differt things, and although they can appear out of the other, it doesn''t make them the same elemt. My wolf, Sky, is a dual elemtal pet beast skilled in water and ice. Synergy gives us, the masters of our pet beast, the grace of wielding our beast''s elemts."


    Atticus looked at Asher.


    "You don''t know about this?"


    Asher shook his head.


    "Hav''t you be reading the tomes of our past?"


    "I''ve be reading the Ashbourne Records."


    "That''s just a book about our first ancestor."


    Atticus replied.


    Asher turned to face him.


    "So wh my talt activated, I somehow gained the ability to use your synergy!"


    Atticus nodded. "It shows how terrifying your talt is. I don''t know what sort of talt you awaked because the Ashbournes were known for our ambidexterity talt. Only you and your sister, Mary, awaked a differt talt, and both of you are not of noble birth."

 Chapter 86: Dreamer Of Dreams

    "I know. My mother was a ve who my father bought with his coins. I understand that''s the reason I was always ostracized by my family. After all, I was a bastard child and, even worse, the son of a ve."


    Atticus remained silent as he looked at Asher''s solemn countenance.


    After a short while, he exhaled.


    "And you''re better Ashbourne than he was. The hope of the family is on your shoulders, not his, and I think your talent is greater than our hereditary one. Although it is a good talent, it doesn''t have half the advantage your talent has."


    Atticus looked at the horizon.


    "With your talent, you can take synergy to a whole new level. Our first ancestor was only able to control lightning; Toras could control fire; my mother could wield the wind; I could wield water, and through your talent, you can tap into our synergies."


    He took a nce at Asher.


    "You don''t understand what this means. Only mages can bend elements to their wills, conjure things through spells and do even greater but warriors have a restricted use of the elements. Even at the peak, it is still restrictedpared to the mages, but synergy allows us, Ashbournes, to wield elements in their raw forms."


    Asher took a deep breath.


    "That''s the reason you can summon the rain?"


    "I did not summon the rain. I just needed water so I called it forth. The downpour happens around my radius, so it''s not actually raining."


    "What about your mother?"


    "Her synergy allowed her to control the wind. At a certain stage, she was able to fly for a short period of time."


    Asher''s eyes went wide. All these sounded like things of the old to him. Such power was long gone, but before him was a channel to ess them once again.


    "Enough talking. You need to master the art of meditation because that''s the only way to open your mind. Through meditation, you can achieve synergy and gain a deeper understanding of the ''Shura de Battle Force Art''.Only meditate after training and one more thing. Intensify your training, your swordsmanship is weak."


    ....


    Asher opened his eyes and sat up.


    Just then, Cynthia walked into the tent with a tray floating before her. "Your meal is ready, Your Lordship."


    Asher looked at her. "I''m not hungry¡ª"


    Gu gu!


    His stomach rumbled, causing him to raise both eyebrows while Cynthia smiled. She was getting worried that Asher was refusing his meals.


    "I prepared soup with the meat of a crystal-horned deer."


    Asher took the bowl and looked at the soup. "Where did you get a crystal-horned deer?"


    "Miss Eritrea hunted it. She said the crystal-horned deer is a delicacy, and you would certainly love it."


    "Did you confirm it?"


    Cynthia nodded.


    "It''s as good as she imed."


    "I see."


    Asher took a spoonful, and his expression lightened. "It''s good."


    After saying that, he continued eating until the bowl was cleaned up before he gave it back to Cynthia, who stood there the entire time watching him with an excited heart. Nothing pleased her more than her Lord dining on her meal voraciously.


    Some timeter, when the sun had risen, Asher sat atop a horse moving northward with the rest of his army. They moved at moderate speed because of the logistic department and the infantry.


    On their way, Asher kept asking Katarina questions, and he figured out that the Bashan n was going through an internal war!


    The chief that she wanted him to meet was at war with the head chief of the tribe. The Bashan n has onerge n, three medium ns, and ten viges. Katarina was the head of a vige under Chief Adam, who led the war against the head chief Beowulf.


    Asher saw this as a great opportunity. Since Eritrea reminded him on time that weapons were the best items for exchange in the destnds, he had gathered enough weapons from his cksmiths and it woulde in handy during this war.


    ording to Katarina, Adam would be in dire need of weapons since he was going against therge n, the two other medium ns, and 4 viges.


    What excited Asher the most was that the Bashan n had quite the poption.


    And so, after two weeks of journeying through the Bashan basin, the famous and fabled destnds, they finally stepped foot in the Bashan n outskirts.


    Asher sat on horseback, staring at the vast ins. From this high spot, he could see the ns littered across the in. Grasses were already growing, and the snow had vanished from the face of the earth.


    Beside him were Katarina and Eritrea. His vanguards were also on their horses but were spread out.


    "You''ll both go with me to see Chief Adam."


    "Yes, Your Lordship." They both responded.


    Two weeks was enough for Asher to make Katarina his subordinate. Funny enough, Katarina had a strange yet high-graded talent.


    [Name: Katarina


    Age: 74


    Rank: Bronze


    Talent: Dreamer (A)


    Job: Counsellor


    Loyalty: 74]


    [Talent description: Dreamer is an active talent that grants the individual the ability to be a dreamer of dreams, meaning the individual can have dreams about the future or past.]


    "Did you have any dreams?"


    Asher asked.


    Katarina looked at him with wide eyes.


    "How did you know about my dreams?"


    Asher chuckled.


    "Did you have any?"


    "No."


    "I see. Let''s go see Chief Adam then."


    .....


    The sun was high in the sky.


    Upon seeing Asher and his entourageing from afar, the barbarian soldiers d in beast-fur attire yelled.


    "Ounders!"


    Before Asher crossed the three hundred-yard mark, riders came out of the n''s gate heading toward them. Seeing the imposing statures of the centraks, the vanguards began to see their horses as weaklings.


    They wouldn''t stand a chance against those mighty centraks!


    At the forefront of the barbarian riders was a big man wearing a beast skull that covered half of his head, and a bear skin ran down from his head to his back like a thick cloak.


    His thick cleaver dangled beside this mighty centrak horse, and when he sighted Katarina, the woman they took as their soothsayer beside Asher, his eyes narrowed.

 Chapter 87: New Mounts

    Asher examined the jet ck horses that had long manes and feathers before their hooves. The horses had small bone-like spikes protruding from their thick, muscle packed foreleg and more on their hind legs. The bone spikes at their legs were situated at their joints, making them more lethal!


    The one Adam rode on had four protrusions on its head. It was situated from its nose and ended close to the eyes.


    Unlike other horses they had knife-like fangs for normal teeths and dark blue eyes that were almost hidden under the leather armour used to protect their heads.


    These horses were no doubt, apex grade horses and those nobles in the high ins would not know what hit them when their cavalry would go head on against a heavy cavalry that had centraks as warmounts.


    "Lady Katarina." Adam''s voice was so thick and heavy that Asher''s ears trembled softly.


    "Chief." Katarina bowed her head, but it became a minor problem when neither Asher nor Adam bowed to each other.


    Adam furrowed his brows while Asher raised a brow.


    "Who is the ounder?"


    "This is Lord Asher, descendant of the great white wolf, lord of a domain beyond the mountains, and the man who saved me and the vigers."


    Adam raised both brows. He did not expect Asher to own this sort of introduction, but what caught his attention was the utterance of the great white wolf.


    "Thisd is a descendant of the great wolf?" Adam cocked his head.


    "I am." Asher replied while wearing a small smile.


    "He''s here to trade with you, Chief."


    "A trade? I''m happy to trade as much exotic beast fur as you want, but I''ll exchange for proper weapons."


    Katarina coughed.


    "Let''s speak inside."


    ......¡­..


    In the camp, while Asher, Katarina and Adam were inside the chief''s tent, the barbarian warriors gathered round to gaze at the eye-catching tall men d with metal from head to toe. Their right hands were on the hilt of their swords and their left hand did not leave their shields.


    Their exquisite armour and imposing aura made them seem like warriors from the sky before the eyes of the barbarians, all of whom wore leather and beat fur clothing. Only a few had some parts of te armour.


    When a barbarian tried to take a step forward, a shura vanguard shot him a look. Although the vanguard''s helmet hid his face, the silver-ranked barbarian warrior who was one of the captains of Adam''s forces froze.


    He could feel the vanguard''s piercing gaze.


    Meanwhile inside the tent, Adam couldn''t believe what Katarina just said.


    "We don''t trade the centraks, you know this, Lady Katarina."


    What amazed Asher was the level of control Adam had over his emotions. When he was shocked, solemn, angry or neutral, his tone remained the same.


    It made him perplexed and something inside of him told him this should be rted to Adam''s talent.


    And talents that gave such restrictions had to be a supreme grade one!


    This meant Adam was to be taken more seriously. Even if he was a gold-ranked warrior, he could pose a threat or even kill a diamond-ranked knight depending on how dangerous his talent is.


    "We shall give you two steel swords and a steel shield in exchange for one centrak." Eritrea who had been silent all this while finally spoke.


    Adam turned toward her. He had been scrutinising this beautiful young woman who remained calm all this while. From the results, he ascertained that she was an incredible sharpshooter.


    "Well forged steel swords?" His eyes revealed a gleam.


    "Of course. Go get one." Asher said to Eritrea.


    After she left, he turned to Adam. "I heard you are currently at war against another chief and you have a disadvantage in numbers and weapons. I can supply you weapons and great food that would greatly strengthen your men."


    "Food?" Adam raised an eyebrow while wearing a baffled expression.


    "I have an egg that can make your men gain 300 catties worth of strength permanently. They don''t have to lift stones, they don''t have to train for weeks, all they have to do is eat and grow stronger."


    "Is this a joke?" Adamughed softly as he turned to face Katarina.


    "He speaks the truth, Chief."


    Adam wiped off his amused expression and got to his feet. "Do you have this egg?"


    Right at that moment, Eritrea walked in with a barbarian carrying some things behind her. Since no shura vanguard would be allowed in, a barbarian servant had to do it.


    Eritrea presented the fine steel sword before Adam but he was more interested in the magical egg Asher talked about.


    Asher brought out a wooden box from the leather sack, and as he opened it, ten hexakad eggs, glimmering softly as their splendour overwhelmed the room, were revealed.


    "These are the eggs of a diamond-ranked chicken. It can not only increase your strength but it can also lengthen your lifespan."


    Adam took one. He looked at the delicate egg that had a uniquely designed shell.


    Without warning, he opened it and gulped the glistening, viscous liquid inside. As it flowed down his oesophagus, a warm sensation spread throughout his muscles, bones, and organs. It was like his internal system was dancing!


    All of a sudden...


    There were changes in his muscles and he felt lighter.


    He walked out of the tent, straight to the training ground and mmed his fist against a boulder. Boom! His fist was a few inches deep. It also left cracks.


    Adam could tell his strength had definitely increased!


    "I''ll take two centraks for one egg."


    "Deal."


    One must know that one hexakad egg costs 10 gold coins, while one centrak in the market would cost 50 gold coins! It did not mean the hexakad was less than the centrak, but the demand made things different.


    Horses had continuous use and were warmounts but the eggs could be consumed immediately, and the effect didn''t die after eating one.


    If it were so, the price of a hexakad egg would have increased by several folds.


    However, if it came to auctioning, the egg would sell for a much higher price than the centrak.


    It all depended on the market, and right now, it was all to Asher''s advantage.


    "We have 100 eggs avable for trade. Should we trade it all here or trade half?"


    Eritrea whispered into Asher''s ears.


    "Where do you think we shall find such an opportunity after now?"


    Asher averted his attention from her.


    "I have 100 hexkad eggs."


    "Give me all."


    Adam led them to a field where there were almost a thousand centraks littered about. Some were running, some sleeping, some looking at the ground, and others did much more.


    As the barbarians brought out the centraks, Asher would select the one he wanted and reject those that weren''t appealing. When the selection was done, he looked at his 200 mighty centraks, all waiting for their riders with an excited expression.


    Time to create a more formidable cavalry. A terror to allnd forces!

 Chapter 88: Troop Talent Awakening Steles

    "Bring the scarlet maned one." Adam ordered and his men went into the field. Some minutester, they came out with a tall, dreadfully handsome centrak with pitch ck body and burning red mane and feathers at its feet. It looked like an emperor of horses and had a certain air around it as it walked toward them.


    "That''s a diamond-ranked centrak. It''s a gift."


    Asher was stunned.


    How could Adam gift him a warmount worth over a thousand gold coins for free! The bone-like protrusions that came out of the red maned centrak''s knees were twice as big as the others, making it deadlier than others.


    No matter how Asher looked at it, this warmount is worth more than everything he brought here to trade with.


    "The red mane makes it a cursed creature. No one in Bashan would ride that horse because of that." Katarina whispered into his ears.


    ''I see.'' Asher nodded inwardly.


    Adam still had to cough out 100 more centrak horses when he saw the number of weapons avaliable and the ''Golden Fragrant Corn.'' After the trade, Asher had 300 powerful gold-ranked horses!


    Both him and Adam stood outside the chief''s tent, looking at the barbarians scrambling for boiled corn. Once it was out of therge pot, there would be a small squirmish, the winning side takes all and the losing side would wait for the next batch.


    In a twinkling of an eye, their view of Asher had a turn around. Instead of being cautious, they were trying to be his friend. Especially Chief Adam.


    He could envision his n rising to be stronger than the head n if he continued this trade with Asher.


    "Lord Asher, do you trade such fine armor?" Adam looked at the vanguard, who had remained standing all this time. Their backs never bent, neither did they do any other thing apart from giving intimidating looks at those that tried to approach Asher.


    He yearned for such fine equipment and discipline in his military.


    "Can you afford it?"


    Asher nced at him.


    Adam squinted, though it was hard to see him squinting since he had not removed the bear skull and fur since they met.


    "Lady Katarina informed me of your arrival five months ago."


    "What?"


    Adam raised both brows.


    That was the exact time he came into Boundless! This was the third week of the sixth month.


    "What did she say?"


    "Let me recall... She had that vision when the war between Beowulf and I began. She said someone ising to unite the n, a man who canmunicate with the spirit but in his wrath, he might bring destruction and ashes of sorrow."


    "And how do you know that''s me?"


    Adam went inside his tent and brought out a rolled up animal skin. "Open it." He gave it to Asher.


    When Asher unflured it, he saw a spitting image of his face on the animal skin. It was painted an unknown ck substance but Asher knew that was him.


    "She drew this?"


    "Yes."


    Asher lifted up his head and looked at the old woman who was chatting with children with Eritrea by her side.


    "Unfortunately, I won''t bow the knee to you. I have vowed to never bow to anyone again."


    Asher smiled.


    "I see."


    After chatting some more, Asher went to the camp with the centraks.


    ......¡­.


    With his hands sped behind him, he watched his cavalrymen tame the ferocious centraks and mount them. It was like giving a white tiger wings to fly.


    The new mounts transformed the debreaker cavalrypletely. They looked so mighty and terrifying, and Asher was itching to increase their numbers to 300 instantly!


    Neigh! Neigh!


    His lips curled up.


    "Your Lordship."


    Alex walked up to him with a red maned centrak. It had been equipped with a fur padded saddle, mail, and te armor. It even had well refined horse shoes.


    Looking at the horse, a name came into Asher''s mind. "I''ll call you Bezerk."


    Neigh!


    He smiled.


    A small stool was ced by the horse''s side and Asher stepped on it before mounting Bezerk. Atop Bezerk, he looked at everyone and held the reins tightly.


    The moment he kicked the abdomen and yelled, "Heeyah!"


    Bezerk sted off, leaving a trail of dust and grass. It ran out of the camp into the ins.


    "Your Lordship!"


    His vanguards made their horses run after Asher but their ordinary mounts could not even beat a normal centrak not to mention the fiery maned emperor horse.


    Asher smiled, exposing his white set of teeth as the wind whipped his hair about and made his coat flutter. As Bezerk increased its speed, Asher leaned down, urging it to run even faster.


    Suddenly¡­


    [Ding! Host has received a new quest.]


    [Upgrade Quest: Conquer all the Bashan ns in one week]


    [Reward: Troop steles.]


    [Host, these steles will appear in each troop barracks and shall grant each member of a troop a new talent that will groom a more powerful army. Grade of troops have been opened. Normal grade troops will be granted E ranked talent steles. Special grade troops will be granted D ranked talent steles. Unique grade troops will be granted C ranked talent steles.


    Terror-grade troops will be granted B ranked talent steles. Guardian, Nightmare, and Champion troops are sealed.]


    This was a revolutionary upgrade of his military troops. He would not need critical selection before amoner could be a soldier because the stele would grant them another talent that would make them suitable for that troop!


    But he could only gain this great advantage if hepleted the task before a week.


    The time limit was really small but he had to make do with it.


    "Slow down, boy."


    He leaned back and drew the reins. Not with full force or both he and Bezerk would fall but he slowly increased the pressure until Bezerk stopped and began to walk.


    He steered his warmount back toward the camp. At this point, he was already kilometres away.


    ''I need to send scouts to other ns.''

 Chapter 89: Betrayal

    Two dayster, Nero and two Silver Wolf recruits garbed in clothing simr to the barbarians walked into one of the viges affiliated with the Bashan n. While walking through the gate, Nero was busy receiving the survey of the vige to get a map as quickly as possible.


    The Silver Wolf recruits walked beside him and were acting like normal barbarians. Since their faces were obviously more refined than the barbarians, they had to wear beast skulls to cover their heads.


    The beast''s skull covered their forehead to their nose.


    Nero wore the skull of a wolf while the recruits, who were bigger than Nero in size, wore cave deer skulls. "400 people are in this vige. Most of them are women and children; the adults must have left for the war."


    He said softly.


    "If they had taken all the men, then it means we were right. They''re about tounch an attack on Chief Adam''s faction." A recruit said with a solemn expression.


    "All the six viges under the head n have a total of 4000 people left. This one is the smallest, and all of themck men, so you must be right. We should leave."


    Nero said and turned.


    "Shouldn''t we inform Lady Katarina to leave that n since it would be under siege at any moment?"


    "Maybe." Nero replied.


    They easily slipped out of the vige without the guards suspecting anything.


    .........¡­


    High noon. The rays of the sun cascaded down the white clouds, and Nero squatted on a hill, staring at a fortified n about a mile away. The n had tall wooden walls and guards equipped with cleavers and shields patrolling.


    Nero ced his hands on the ground. He could see the gentle pulses released from the earth''s core and began to hear sounds from the n when all of a sudden his eyes seemed to teleport and he could see everything in a medium-sized n. The poption was already over 4000, and he could see warriors almost at every corner.


    In the town square, some people were tied by hand and feet.


    "Ah!''


    Nero groaned. He could feel mild pain in his eyes and head due to crossing his limit. Scanning the town from a one-kilometer distance was simply too much for his current rank.


    They did not trust their disguise enough that they would bravely walk into a n filled with warriors and centrak riders.


    "4,700 people."


    He said it with gritty teeth.


    "What would happen to the remains of Adam''s n?" A voice rang.


    "Chief has ordered for the men in that rebel''s n to be sold off and sent to the mines. With their scouts here, there''s no way they''ll see the attacking."


    After he heard that, Nero opened his eyes.


    "The missing warriors are already heading for Chief Adam''s n!"


    "We need to report this to the Lord." A recruit spoke with an rmed tone.


    They swiftly left the hill without anyone in the n, knowing that their ns had been revealed to an outsider.


    By noon, Nero and the two other recruits arrived at the outskirts of a vast in where hundreds of white tents could be seen a couple hundred meters ahead of them.


    Clop! Clop!


    Two debreakers on their majestic centraks rode toward them with one javelin in their hands. Seeing the debreakers and knowing they couldunch that javelin over a distance of 300 yards, Nero and the recruits quickly removed the skull masks and fur cloaks and raised their hands while slowly approaching. §®???$??£¤?$


    "Nero?" A debreaker tilted his head.


    "It''s me."


    "You looked like an actual barbarian, Lad." Another chuckled.


    Nero smiled.


    These dreadful soldiers on their frightening steeds were leagues above other troops. He respected them because even his uncle''s troops would be at risk when facing them, especially with their new warmounts.


    "Where is His Lordship? We have urgent news."


    ......¡­..


    "Chief!"


    Adam heard a loud cry, causing him to jump off his bed and dash out of the tent with his cleaver in his hand.


    Swoosh!


    A projectile flew past him and struck his tent. He turned and saw the projectile was an arrow and it had mes that were spreading on the tent!


    He grabbed a warrior. "Get my wife to lead the women and children out of here. Go now!"


    He pushed the warrior toward the direction he had to go and dashed for the gates.


    The closer he got to the gate, more arrows went over his head, burning tents and sometimes piercing a warrior.


    All of a sudden,va bombs came hurtling down, causing explosions thatunched people dozens of meters into the air.


    Screams and yells filled his ears. There wasmotion everywhere as those who couldn''t fight tried to escape while the warriors were rushing toward the gates but couldn''t see their enemies.


    However, when Adam saw theva bomb, he knew who they faced.


    Head Chief Beowulf''smander, Buba, the right-eyed me thrower!


    Adam climbed to the top of the wall and looked at the vast army of thousands on the n field. It was clear that they had in his scouts, or he would know of their arrival beforehand.


    Barbarian sharpshooters were at the front firing arrows nonstop while the main infantry and cavalry stood a couple meters behind, waiting for their turn.


    Just behind the sharpshooters was Buba, a 7-foot tall, broad-chested man with long brown hair and two crisscross shes on his face, one of which took his left eye, arge cleaver strapped to his back, and fiery veins protruding against the flesh on his forearms.


    He wore a red linen tunic that had no sleeve, ck slightly bogus pants, and fur boots. Their boots were made of fur tied with ropes around their legs.


    His forearms had veins that seemed to haveva following within. When it glowed bright,va bombs would form in the palm of his hands, and he wouldunch them with a deep grunt.


    The army was slowly approaching, and Adam realized that his army was still disorganised.


    Seeing this, he took a breath so deep that his chest erged. Just as he was about to activate his talent, he saw his wife being dragged to the front of Buba''s army!


    "I know you can destroy hundreds with your mighty roar. Do me a favor and roar this once." Buba mocked as he took hold of Adam''s wife''s hair and lifted the woman up with one hand.


    "Do it and watch as your gift kills your wife!"


    "H¡­ How?" Adam''s lips trembled.

 Chapter 90: Attack On The Bashan Clans

    Clop! Clop!


    80 debreakers with 7 shura vanguards, Alex and Asher galloped through the vast ins with solemn expressions. When they finally reached the n, what Asher saw was arge amount of ck smoke leaving a n that was engulfed in mes.


    The n had been transformed into a sea of mes!


    The mes reflected in Asher''s golden eyes. He couldn''t believe the n that had over a thousand warriors was reduced to this in just a few hours!


    "This is¡­!" Alex gasped.


    "How were they able to move thatrge poption in just a few hours? It should have taken days." Asher dismounted and looked at where the trail stopped.


    What he did not understand was why Adam''s n, after all they gained from him, were defeated so easily. Unknown to Asher, some vige heads under Adam had been bribed and had sent their men to infiltrate the camp and abduct Adam''s wife with the wives of Adam''s captains.


    Not only that, but all of the captains were poisoned, and while some died straight away, a few lived but were too weak to fight.


    All Beowulf had to do was make those Adam never expected would betray him to turn against him. Due to that, the names and positions of the scouts were revealed.


    It was aplete sabotage.


    Even Adam with all his mighty strength could not see his wife in the hands of the ruthless Buba and still jump into battle.


    "What are we going to do, Your Lordship?"


    Alex asked.


    Asher lifted his head. "Since Katarina chose to stay with Chief Adam temporarily, she was also abducted and I cannot hold my hand when my subordinate is in the clutches of some barbarians."


    He got to his feet and turned.


    "We ride for the barbarian viges. Kill those who oppose and spare those who surrender. Send a message to Alec. Tell him to lead the infantry to the south; we shall cover the north and meet before therge n."


    Alex smiled. "As you say, Your Lordship."


    "debreakers!"


    Asher bellowed.


    "Hoo!!"


    Rumble!


    The earth trembled as the elite army rode through the fields, straight toward the closest vige. Asher only saw one ally an that was Adam. Others were to be conquered.


    Some kilometers away, a short man who had ck and white hair on his head stood on the wooden walls looking at the female servants, centraks, and goods that were led into the vige by able-bodied barbarian warriors.


    The warriors wore leather armour with beast fur over it. All of them held tall spears and round wooden shields. Around their right arm was a golden ring.


    These warriors were Head Chief Beowulf''s gold-ringed warriors! The most powerful troop among all troops in the Bashan ns.


    Now, he had a huge number of 200 gold-ringed warriors under hismand!This gave him the power to conquer small settlements and make a n form himself.


    Obed stroked his beard as he examined his gains.


    "I''ve lost 120 men to support Adam. If I had known this was what I was missing, I would have joined the Head Chief right from the onset."


    He looked at the me torches lit up around the vige and dreamed of his glorious future.


    All of a sudden, there was a subtle trembling that people began to notice as it refused to stop. Before they knew it, the small stones on the ground were jumping, showing that the rumbling was getting worse!


    Obed frowned deeply.


    "What is going on?"


    He looked at the distance.


    "Chief!"


    "Chief!!"


    Two riders on horsebacks galloped toward the vige while waving the torches in their hands.


    "Riders!"


    §Ô-?&¦Á???%?-§à§á%-


    One of them yelled.


    They were at the horizon so Obed could only hear the sound of the wind.


    "Are they yelling?"


    A warrior beside him asked.


    "Riders!!"


    The men yelled as they got closer.


    This time Obed only heard it as a whisper.


    "Riders?"


    He raised an eyebrow.


    Rumble!


    Right at that moment, a long line of heavy armored cavalry emerged at the horizon. They had no torch, so he couldn''t see their faces, but the little light from the moon allowed him to see their silhouettes.


    The debreakers lifted up their javelins and threw them into the air as they galloped toward the vige. The javelins made a beautiful arc mid air and one impaled the warrior beside Obed.


    His eyes grew wide.


    It was then that he saw the visage of the fearsome cavalry.


    "Ounders!"


    Swoosh! Swoosh!


    Javelins flew through the air. Some gold-ringed warriors lifted up their shields, but the javelin shattered the shield and pinned them to the ground.


    Upon seeing the death count on his side, fear took over Obed. He couldn''t fathom the sort of men that could kill gold-ringed warriors so casually.


    These were the most feared soldiers!


    Yet they were killed like chickens.


    "For the Lord!"


    Lambert roared as he brandished hisnce.


    The cavalry formed a V-shaped formation with Asher at the forefront. Asher saw some soldiers trying to shut the gate, so he picked up a javelin andunched it. It tore through the air, struck the man, and pinned him at a building 10 meters behind!


    Both his strength and that of his men were astronomical!


    "Kill the ounders!" The head of the gold-ringed warriors yelled and his men formed a wall.


    Unfortunately, when he shed with the debreakers, none of his men were spared from their deadlynces.


    He watched as his men''s bodies were flung away and the dreadful-looking metal men that had long red plumes swaying behind him surrounded him, their centraks neighing furiosuly.


    Asher, Alex and the Shura Vanguards leaped off their horses andnded on the walls.


    Shing!


    Asher unsheathed his sword, deflected the spear strike of a barbarian, and threw him off the wall before shing the second one, who never saw the strikeing.


    He turned left and right and saw that his vanguards were cutting down the barbarians with ease.


    Turning, his eyes met Obed''s. Obed was retreating toward his tent while looking at them with trembling eyes.


    "Someone tell me where these men came from!" He yelled at a soldier with all his might.


    To his shock, Asher jumped down the 4 meter tall wall andnded without reacting to the height!Shocking him even more, seven vanguards and a bigger knight allnded behind him.


    "What sort of¡­!"


    "I want him."


    Asher pointed his sword at Obed.

 Chapter 91: Meditation

    Nightmare, Alex''s sword unleashed a bright red glow that illuminated his armor.


    Before Obed could react, Alex had closed the gap, cut down his men and was currently pulling out his sword from thest gold-ringed warrior.


    Fear crept into his soul. It was like ck tentacles drilled deep into his white soul, turning it ck and filling it with so much fear that Obed''s bones grew cold. He could feel it as if literal ice was inside his flesh!


    Asher swung his sword over his shoulder and approached the vige chief with his vanguards right behind him. Obed took two steps back as his instincts yelled at him to run but as he turned his head, he saw the triangr tip of the 7-foot-tall knight''s broadsword before his neck!


    Gulp!


    The man swallowed.


    All of a sudden, before Alex''s eyes, the man burst into sand and began to move away. Asher couldn''t believe his eyes but he still ran after the moving sand.


    Some meters behind was Asher, whose brows were knit together. Upon seeing that Obed would eventually escape their grasp, he grabbed a me torch on a wooden stand and threw it into the air.


    "Alex!"


    When Alex saw the torch in the sky, he quickly understood what Asher wanted him to do. He caught the falling torch andunched it with greater force.


    It made a beautiful curve and fell on the moving sand.


    Instantly, it transformed back into a man. It was Obed.


    He gritted his teeth at the burn mark on his shoulder. "Ounders! Coming here was the worst mistake of your lives! I''ll watch you all get ughtered!!"


    He yelled at the top of his lungs.


    His response was the soft metal sounds made by the Alex and the vanguard''s te armour as they approached him in silence. In their midst was Asher, who wore no expression.


    "Surrender or die."


    Asher said coldly.


    "I surrender. I surrender so I can watch Head Chief Bewoulf ughter you all!"


    Obedughed sardonically.


    "I see."


    Asher smiled.


    "I never nned to keep any leader alive after all. A stubborn one like you nheless." He turned to Alex and gestured toward Obed.


    Upon seeing that Alex was about to kill him, Obed''s eyes widened. "What are you doing? I can plead on your behalf to the chief! Wait¡ª"


    Alex dragged him away while Asher walked straight to a dead gold-ringed warrior and removed the ring. After essing it, his eyes widened.


    "This is actual gold."


    His men''s eyes grew wide when they heard that.


    No matter how rich their Lord was, he couldn''t give every warrior gold rings, especially ones this big.


    "Therge n must have a gold mine or they''re filthy rich." Asher muttered to himself.


    "Find their storehouse. We''ll eat and ride to the next vige at first light."


    "As you wish, Your Lordship."


    The vanguards lowered their heads.


    Some timeter, Asher stood in the vige square looking at those who surrendered. The number of women was higher than the men, but to Asher, the women were of lesser use than the men who had been trained to be warriors.


    He''ll only need to send them to the mines to break their souls and then entice them with the favours of the stronghold and benefits of serving him.


    As for the women?


    The great and tasty life he would bring into the destends would make them his loyalists. They were not as strong hearted as the men.


    After examining them, Asher located the one with the weakest heart. A young girl who was already sobbing.


    When he squatted before her, her breath hitched.


    ?!???§ñ-?%§ß#§Ñ&§â@§ä¦Å§ñ-??!§à¦Ô§Ô$¡é*¦Å


    "Where did youe from?"


    "G¡­ Gath Town."


    "It''s a medium n loyal to therge n," Alex said.


    Asher nodded.


    "What about your family?" Asher lifted the girl''s chin, causing her to stare into his golden eyes.


    "T... T... They''re still there."


    "So you were taken from them?"


    She nodded.


    "Make sure she''s well fed. We''ll return her to her family."


    Asher stood up and was about to leave when other girls began to rush toward him, only for the shura vanguards to hold them back.


    "I can tell you more than her!"


    "I''ve seen our chief''s gift!"


    "I...."


    Asher smirked but refused to look back.


    "Get as much information as you can and also keep the end of our bargain. Feed them from the vige''s storehouse, but don''t starve the vigers too."


    Asher whispered to Alex and left.


    Before he went to sleep, he got enough information. Head Chief Beowulf had a powerfulmander named Buba. Apparently everyone feared the man who was rumoured to have one eye.


    He also figured out through some warriors that chose to speak that Adam was betrayed. This vige once supported Adam''s n, but now they were against him and that therge n had a mage!


    It was because of the mage that they could take everyone in the n. Mages had the ability to open portals to any destination as long as their magi force was enough. But to transport thousands, there had to be a teleportation formation or tform.


    The tform was probably burned alongside the town.


    In the end, none of them had good information about Beowulf.


    By the time Asher had slept for two hours, his eyes snapped open, and he got to his feet.


    He picked up his sword and left the vige to the outskirts. There he began to swing his sword while the cold night breeze caressed his face.


    Each swing was slow yet memorable.


    After a long time, he began to swing his sword aggressively. His shes were swift, lethal, and ethereal. Each swing carried a beautiful ethereal light as the de reflected the moonlight.


    Asher remained there and continued training until his muscles were trembling before he fell to his knees, crossed his legs, and began to meditate.


    Badum! Badum!


    His hurried heartbeat drummed in his ears. Patiently, he waited and finally flowed into a state where his mind seemed to have opened the door to a different realm.


    All the strikes he had done reyed in his mind. His state of mind was so calm that his ears picked up the sound made by the grass!


    A glimpse of the grass des swaying shed through his mind eye, and it was followed by a swift sh.


    Finally, he opened his eyes.


    The first thing his eyes met was bright white clouds and the sun hung high in the sky, casting its light down on the world.


    ''It''s already morning!''


    "His Lordship is awake."


    Hearing that, he turned his head back.


    .......


    A/N: I won''t be able to post the second chapter until theter part of the day. At least before reset.

 Chapter 92: Attack On Gath [1]

    Gath City.


    One of the medium-level powers, second only to therge n. This populous, prospering small city was the food house of almost all the Bashan ns, except for Adam''s n, which depended on using their hunts to bnce their small harvest.


    Here, there were lots of farnds, livestock, and a nearby forest richly popted by wild beasts, which were prey for barbarian hunters. Unlike those outside the destnds who had established a refined agricultural regimen, the barbarians were sorelycking, which was why only a few could indulge in it.


    The walls of this small city were made with trees that had trunks as wide as a grown man''s waist and were 6 meters tall! At the tip of the wooden wall were spikes that would damage those who would try to climb into the alure.


    Most of the warriors here were gold-ringed warriors who were well fed and equipped with te armor to protect their vital parts like the chest, shins, shoulders, and head. Some of them were shield and axe infantry, while the rest were centrak cavalrymen.


    Since the arrival of the Ashbourne heavy infantry a night ago, the city had retrieved all their civilians, and soldiers now patrolled the walls regrly.


    There was an impasse that could shatter at any moment. Both sides were silent, causing the unseen tension to slowly increase.


    It was slowly intensifying the anxious thoughts inside the heads of those who were afraid or concerned. Those that were concerned the night the infantry arrived had graduated into fear as the next night approached.


    A great number of white tents lined up on the hilltops, spreading along the ins. Over 200 tents could be seen, and soldiers d in thick armor were moving about doing one thing or the other.


    Unlike the barbarian warriors, their armor hadyers. From their tunics to their gambeson to the chainmail and finally the te armor.


    Each silver-ranked armor weighed so much that a strong ordinary man would copse after ten steps, yet these men walked about like it wasn''t a burden.


    Inside arge tent in the middle of the Ashbourne camp were the military officials, frommanders to captains. Alec was the acting general.


    They sat around a round table facing Alec, who came in with a letter from their lord, Baron Asher Ashbourne.


    "His Lordship is inquiring about our progress.". He said after a soft sigh.


    "It''s almost the second night since we camped here, but we haven''t made any move. The longer we tarry, the more prepared those barbarians will be!" Nero said with a slightly raised tone.


    "The city is built in a valley, which is naturally to our advantage, but those walls cannot be easily scaled. And they would surely meet us in the field with their cavalry."


    A captain said with a solemn expression.


    "The interpretation of that message is that His Lordship knows we haven''t attacked Gath. Your brother is connected to you telepathically, if I''m not wrong. If so, then he could have asked through him, but he chose to send a letter."


    While Eritrea spoke, she looked at everyone''s faces to make sure they understood her.


    "You''re saying¡­"


    "He wants progress by the time he''s done with the other city. We''ve only conquered three viges, and he has brought down seven in three days!"


    "He has the debreakers!" A captain retorted.


    "Repeat that to your lord when he asks for Gath and we do not deliver it to him." Eritrea retorted with a stronger yet calmer tone.


    Fear seeped into everyone''s bodies as they remembered Asher''s pet beast.


    A singlemand from their lord and they would be beast food!


    "We shall march for Gath at nightfall. Prepare your men." Alec said.


    Everyone lowered their heads and left one after the other. Finally, only Eritrea and Alec remained.


    Alec looked at the beautiful sniper while she looked at the hulking man.


    He smiled.


    "You broke their fears with that of our lord. Good strategy."


    Eritrea was stunned.


    Did she just see Alec smile?!


    "My troops fail to understand their power. They''ll always consider a cavalry a superior force that they cannot go against."


    He continued without paying heed to her expression.


    Eritrea shook her head as she recovered from her shock.


    "Well, the centraks are fearsome mounts created solely for war. It''s normal for them to have fear. After all, they haven''t faced such before."


    Alec hummed.


    "Marching to the wall will cost severe losses on our side. We need to force them out of their city and let theme to us."


    "You want to use the hill to our advantage?" Eritrea smirked. She was pleased with the idea, but the method of doing it was unknown.


    "How ca¡ª"


    see-more-MVLeMpYr


    Before she could conclude, Nero walked into the tent.


    "Uncle, I know how we can force them out."


    "You were eavesdropping?" Alec''s deep voice made the youngd shiver.


    "Let him speak."


    Eritrea said while looking at Nero.


    "Speak. What''s the idea?"


    "Burn everything in their fields."


    "What!!"


    Bothmanders eximed.


    "That will affect the vigers. You want Lord Asher to rule over people that will hate him?!"


    Nero faced his uncle.


    "They''ll hate him no matter what we do. But we know about our Lord''s abilities and the products in Nineveh. I doubt these people won''t sing his name after a month or two."


    "Thed is smart. If we burn down the field, we shall be able to capture the city and starve therge n. Then, they''ll be forced toe out and fight rather than hiding inside their walls."


    Eritrea said.


    "I see. Set it aze by nightfall."


    Nero smiled when Alec gave themand. After a bow, he left with Eritrea. Both of them were quite close, and the reason was because Eritrea usually sided with and cared for him.


    Despite how stubborn and insensitive Nero could be sometimes, he always made sure he considered Eritrea.


    "You had guts eavesdropping on Alec. You could have been punished." Eritrea knocked Nero''s head and smiled as he rubbed his head.


    "I want His Lordship to help me. It will take me a long time to be a knight. Only by garnering a huge achievement will I gain his attention and maybe he would make me a knight."


    Nero said with glowing eyes.

 Chapter 93: Attack On Gath [2]

    Hours went by, and the sun finally went down, giving up its ce to the two moons. The celestial moons hung above the clouds that seemed to be struggling to hide the unmatchable beauty of the moons. The ever-floating white clouds looked mesmerizing tonight, but the calmness they brought to those looking at the sky was destroyed by the ck smoke billowing upwards.


    "Chief! The farms!"


    A loud sound forced Chief Gath of Gath and his captains out of the tent where they made their ns. Gath wore a battle skirt that was over his knees. It was made from a bear''s fur.


    Apart from the battle skirt and his fur boots, no other clothing could be found on the body of this 6 foot, 9 inch tall man whose skin also had the sheen of silver.


    His skin tone was actually silver in color, and not only that, as his bulging muscle and throbbing veins packed so much power that not even a knight could not withstand a blow. reading-here-on-MVLeMpYr


    Just one blow!


    It went to show how powerful Gath, ruler of Gath, was. He had long gray beards that were braided, and they reached his abdomen, swaying softly as he walked.


    His palms wererge enough to cover an adult human''s head, and unlike other barbarians, there was no scar on his body.


    Before he could question the warrior that called him out, the billowing smoke caught his eye. Seeing the location they wereing from, he and his captains ran to the walls. Only to see their farms had transformed into a sea of mes!


    Gath looked at the hilltops and saw the ounders assembling themselves. Their armor, height, and united aura were daunting, but at this moment, Gath''s fury had reached its peak.


    Previously he wanted to take his time and call reinforcements so they could ughter the ounders, but burning his farms was over the line.


    This would also damage the soil!


    It was just early spring, and his fields that just recovered from the cold would be scorched!


    "This is not eptable! " Ascalon roared. He was the right-hand man to Chief Gath and Gath''s advisor.


    For a barbarian, he was strangely good-looking. As good-looking as a man whose heritage wasn''t from the destnds. Ascalon had short snow white hair, white brows, pale skin like a man from the wastnds, and an eptable height of 5 feet 9 inches.


    He was twenty years younger than the 62-year-old Gath, yet he was also a barbarian warrior who was famous among all the Bashan ns.


    "They burned our farms!" Some other person yelled.


    Gath squinted. "Ready the centraks. It''s been a long time since I battled alongside my son."


    The captains were shocked. Ascalon''s lower lip fell, causing his mouth to be open wide.


    Powerful men like Gath, Adam, Buba, and finally, Beowulf had not shown their full capability for a long time. Buba, who was famous for his carnage, only threwva bombs now.


    There was barely any thrill after they had conquered all that was around them, but the Ashbourne forces had made one of these legendary warriorse out of his shell.


    "Kill those ounders!"


    "Awoo!"


    "Awoo!!"


    The warriors howled like wolves, so loud that Alec heard it!


    "I guess we sessfully provoked them. " He said calmly.


    Eritrea nodded while Nero smiled broadly.


    "Shields!" Alec bellowed.


    Boom!


    Five hundred men mmed their heavy shields against the ground, causing a mild tremor that those on the city walls felt.


    "Spears!"


    The soldiers brandished their spears and pointed the tip toward the city.


    "Prepare your minds. Now is the time we seize this barbarian city. You all are moving fortresses, recruits or not. That is the ideal vision of a heavy infantryman. We are the human wall of Nineveh. We are the Silver Wolves!"


    "Hoo!"


    Alec pointed his spear at the city, and as he activated his spear, mes billowed off the g and also covered the triangr tip.


    "For our Lord Asher, for the glory of the Ashbournes, for our honour, Advance!"


    Boom! Boom! Boom!


    In sync, the infantrymen began to march with the rangers right behind them. They were not hitting their legs against the ground, but their very weightbined as one shook the earth. This troop were earthshakers!


    "Are they marching into the mes?" Ascalon raised an eyebrow.


    Gath chuckled softly as he watched the impressive army marching toward the intense sea of mes. To him, there was no way they would magically float above the fire or walk through it.


    "So they''re going to kill themselves." A captain said.


    "Maybe, maybe not. Mount your centraks and open the gates. They''re not stupid. If they''re marching into war, then they are not nning to die in the mes they started." Gath said after a brief thought.


    The gates opened, and riders on centrak backs came out in droves. From one, they grew to a hundred, two hundred, three hundred!


    Eventually, 800 riders emerged from the gate!


    All of a sudden, Alec halted their horses at a critical spot and went down alone. When he neared the fire, he mmed his shield against the ground, and the eyes of the drake snapped open. It opened its mouth and absorbed the mes.


    Not only the barbarians but even his own men were amazed. Nero''s eyes glowed.


    Only Lord Asher could produce a weapon like that.


    "They''ve lost their advantage!" Gath bellowed and pointed his spear at the Ashbourne forces.


    "Attack!"


    Rumble!


    800 warriors on their muscr centraks kicked the bellies of their horses, causing them to gallop toward the Ashbournes. They saw it as foolishness for Alec to suck the mes when his men were in a disadvantageous position.


    When they entered the ce the mes once upied, Eritrea bellowed.


    "Fire!"


    Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!


    Lightning arrows left the bows of a hundred Thunderstorm Rangers. The arrows were shot toward the skies, made a beautiful curve, and fell straight on the barbarian riders.


    It was to be known that each Thunderstorm Ranger fired three arrows!


    Pish!


    A barbarian warrior was struck on his chest. His te armour was like a thin piece of paper before the lightning arrow that pierced right through him, killing him and his horse while the pulse st paralyzed those riding close to him.


    About five riders and their horses fell.


    Before they knew it, over two hundred riders were down! Few were killed, while most of them were paralyzed.


    "What kind of arrow is that?!" Ascalon, who was still on the wall, asked himself. Their fearsome cavalry had almost a hundred dead!


    The Ashbourne forces began to retreat while Gath gave another order.


    "Spread out!"


    When they distanced themselves from each other, Alec, who remained in that same spot, had a little, almost unnoticeable smirk.


    "Release it."


    He muttered as the riders were upon him.


    The drake opened its mouth and unleashed the mes it swallowed along with hot ash and even more fire; this one was almost scarlet.


    Screams filled his ears. The mes were able to hit more targets as they spread out, and the hot ash blinded them. Some began to collide.


    "Father!"


    Ason bellowed, and he suddenly morphed into a massive creature. It''s amber eyes that had a tint of crimson pierced through the hot ash and locked on the Ashbourne soldiers.


    "Ounders!!"

 Chapter 94: Attack On Gath [3]

    In the same spot Ascalon once stood, there was a 6-foot-tall snowwhite eagle that had crimson marks across its eyes. The scary-looking eagle pped its wings and shot into the sky. With each p, a mighty gale was blown down, gradually clearing the hot ash until the barbarian cavalry could see.


    When Eritrea saw therge creature, she lifted up her Great Thunder Bow, nocked three arrows, and slowly tracked his pattern.


    Unfortunately, Ascalon saw her and swiftly closed the gap. He was heading for the Ashbourne army at a high speed.


    Swoosh!


    Eritrea released the arrows. Crackling with lightning, the arrows traveled through the air with great velocity. The azure lightning crackling on the body of the arrows reflected in Ascalon''s amber eyes. He opened his beak and released a white, icy mist that collided with the lightning arrows, causing an explosion mid-air.


    Ice and fog spread outward, and Ascalon burst out of the fog, his wings folded as he dived down toward the troops.


    Eritrea rapidlyunched arrows. Her rangers left the cavalry to the infantry and focused on Ascalon. The dark night looked quite stunning from the view of the valley, as one could see hundreds of blue lightning arrows heading for a huge eagle.


    Seeing the lightning arrows, Ascalon frowned. He transformed into his human form midair and pushed his hand forward. Almost instantly, 100rge ice spikes fell from the sky!


    "A mage!"


    Eritrea''s eyes widened.


    "Rise!"


    Ascalon reverted into his beast form and spoke in a deep, reverberating voice. A dense fog gathered around the Thunderstorm Rangers. It was so dense that their clothing became slightly damp.


    In the next moment, earth spikes burst forth from the earth!


    "Ah!"


    Hearing the cries of her rangers, Eritrea''s eyes trembled. These were her sisters!


    She had already lost 30 to the Abyss creatures; she wasn''t going to lose more to some white-haired mage.


    Eritrea swiftly nocked five arrows and channelled all her battle force into the bow. The lightning runes on the bow lit up, and it began to crackle. The crackling became so intense that it spread to the rest of her body!


    Luckily she wore the ovok armor, so she wasn''t harmed by the powerful elemental force.


    Crackle!


    Ascalon, who flew toward the sh between the infantry and the barbarian horseriders, sensed the sudden change and turned hisrge eagle head.


    "Mage or not, you''re still a rank below me!"


    Eritrea ground her teeth and released the arrows. The impact threw her several meters backward, tossing and tumbling on the ground while Ascalon looked at his chest in shock.


    The moment Eritrea released the arrow, he found holes in his body. The arrows were long gone!


    They had pierced through him and vanished into the distance!


    "That¡­!"


    He fell from the sky.


    "Ascalon!" Gath bellowed.


    He turned his horse and raced toward the falling eagle. He threw his spear, and it pierced through the armor of a soldier fighting 20 meters away from Alec. The soldier never expected the spear, but he still fell on his knees.


    Another soldier rushed toward him, but the man had already lowered his head. He died on his knees, holding the spear.


    Alec saw it happen.


    He watched the man he had been training before meeting Asher fall, but there wasn''t a ripple in his eyes.


    ''The insatiable beast that can never be in is war!''


    That saying from Duke Atticus Ashbourne echoed in his head as he approached the soldier.


    He looked about and saw the fierce sh going on before locating Gath on horseback. The man had in three more silver-ranked Ashbourne soldiers, and this was those he saw him kill.


    Alex looked at the spear in his arms and breathed out. His muscles tightened and his eyes narrowed.


    His eyes followed Gath until the chief reached where Ascalon fell.


    As Gath dismounted, he saw his bleeding mage and son and turned to get a warrior that would take Ascalon out of the battlefield when he saw Alec walking toward him.


    "Pick up your spear and face me, Chief Gath of Gath."


    Gathughed furiously.


    "Do you think... Your size makes you a threat?!"


    Swoosh!


    He executed a thrust, but Alec blocked it.


    Alec spun his spear and pped Gath''s head before he could block it. The force sent Gath staggering to his left.


    Gath shook his head and ground his teeth. Heunched a sudden, sweeping strike, but Alec dropped his shield and pped the attack off with his hand!


    Gath frowned. Something was amiss.


    Alec spun his spear and mmed the bottom against the ground, causing web-like cracks that kept spreading until they reached Gath''s foot. He obviously wasn''t interested in instantly ying Gath.


    "R¡­ Run¡­ They''re diamond¡­"


    Ascalon''s broken words fell into Gath''s ears toote.


    He thrust his spear toward Alec, executing the five phantom strikes, and the true one came for Alec''s eyes, but Alec grabbed the spear''s tip and nodded.


    "You fought well."


    His ming spear closed the gap faster than the eyes could see. At this moment, Gath realized what Ascalon wanted to say.


    He was actually against a diamond-ranked knight!


    Pish!


    .........¡­.


    First light. The skies were still dark, but it was morning, and some Ashbourne soldiers could be seen walking about a battlefield.


    hosted-on-MVLeMpYr


    Just before thest Centrakpany fell, the battlefield was flooded with 1000 barbarian shield and axe infantry, but when Alex showed them their dead chief, they all surrendered.


    However, the forces under hismand also had losses.


    He stood at the top of the wall in a ck tunic top and ck pants, his long hair swaying in the cool morning breeze as he watched his men fish out the dead Ashbourne soldiers.


    To his left was Eritrea, who had bandages on her arms, a result of her bowunching her away. And to his right were Adam and Katarina.


    "What did you say about not bending the knee to His Lordship?" Katarina said with a soft tone.


    Looking at the battlefield, Adam sighed.


    "For possessing such a general and such valiant troops, I chose to bow... to His Lordship."

 Chapter 95: Desolate Slayers

    Alec turned his head to face the others. "I have words from my brother. His Lordship has conquered Gad and is on his way here. Prepare for his arrival."


    There was a certain pressure that came up in the hearts of the officials, including Adam. Knowing that Asher, the young man he would not bow the knee to, had conquered several viges and a Gad, which was also small city, he trembled within.


    That youngd was more than just a lord; he was a warlord!


    A fearsome one at that.


    Gath had a poption of 15,000 barbarians, Adam''s city had 18,000, and Gad had 12,000. After ying 800 centrak horseriders and 200 shield and axe infantrymen, Gath had about 14,000 residents.


    Alec also cut down those who resisted, so the poption was a little lower than 14,000. As for Adam''s city, which is known as Gallim, the residents were split.


    6,000 were here, most of whom were warriors while the rest were in Bashan city, probably being forced against their wills to work.


    Since his wife was locked up in Bashan, Adam was eager for Asher''s arrival. Because then they would march up to therge n.


    As of now, Asher had over 30,000 barbarians under captivity. All that remained was the main Bashan n, and he had three days remaining.


    "How are we going to tell him about our losses?" Eritrea asked. She lost a staggering number of 40 Thunderstorm Rangers and still hasn''t recovered from losing them. They were her sisters. She grew up with most of them.


    But... This also showed the destructive might of a mage.


    "A hundred Silver Wolves died with honor on the battlefield, and I shall tell him as it is." Alec''s cold, detached tone made Eritrea frown.


    Alec shot her a nce and walked away.


    "Is he always like that?"


    Adam asked while looking at Alec''s departing figure.


    "No. Alec has been fighting for Ash Town long before Lord Asher became lord. He cares but barely shows it."


    Eritrea sighed.


    "But what''s the use of caring if those you care for have no knowledge about it?"


    Adam asked while staring at Eritrea.


    .....


    Sunset.


    The beauty of the setting sun and orange clouds were almost unattractive to the inhabitants of Gath. Soldiers would be seen moving about, preparing for their lord''s arrival, and before anyone knew it, a soldier shouted.


    "His Lordship has arrived!"


    It was a soldier on the walls.


    Hearing that, the troops assembled themselves, and the gate was swung wide open. Alec, Eritrea, Nero, Adam, and Katarina went to the top of the wall and looked into the distance. They could see a long line of men d in dark silver armor.


    Their long plumes and tattered red cloaks billowed as they rode at a moderate speed. As they rode their majestic centraks, they looked imposing, even though their numbers were fewer than what Aec expected.


    Before this imposing troop were Asher, Alex and the vanguards. They looked even more imposing than the debreakers. Their curved blue plumes danced softly, and their cloaks were undamaged.


    Asher wore a white fur coat and rode on his regal steed, Bezerk.


    When they entered the small city, Asher saw all his troops andmanders half kneeling with their heads lowered.


    Shockingly, he found Adam and 1000 barbarian warriors amongst them. And they were not the only ones.500 out of the remaining 800 axe and shield barbarian infantrymen were also submitting to him.


    This was the first ce he had seen the barbarians submitting before even advertising what he could bring to them.


    "We greet His Lordship!!"


    Their voices fell into his ears.


    "I did not expect to see you." Asher made his horse approach Adam.


    "I was humbled." Adam replied without a hint of pride.


    The right corner of Asher''s lips curled up a bit.


    [Ding! Amander-general-grade material, Adam of Gallim, has submitted to you. You are now his Lord. Would you like to upgrade him to be a diamond-ranked knight? Yes or No?]


    [Ding! 1,500 barbarian footmen have submitted to you. Criteria for upgrade and integration have been fulfilled. Would you like to incorporate and upgrade the barbarian footmen to be a part of the Ashbourne army? Yes or No?]


    [Ding! You have conquered Gath. One more n remains. Your reward is at hand.]


    ''Upgrade all of them.''


    Swoosh!


    A great light appeared as usual, and when it died down, Asher saw the Silver Wolf infantrymen had increased from 400 to 900! All of them 7-foot tall with tower shields, exquisite half-te armor, and chainmail underneath with blue loincloth as a form of decoration. The loincloth bore the Ashbourne sigil.


    These 900 Silver Wolf Heavy infantrymen were a magnificent sight that would make wastnds lords tremble in their castles. They were like an ancient force that came out of hibernation and were out to conquer!


    There were 20 g bearers in the troop, and all of them had thicker metal tes, making them sturdy and more gant than the others.


    Their tall tower shields that were easily over 100 kg formed an actual wall! Asher could hardly see or even imagine his enemy troops prating such a powerful infantry troop.


    But that wasn''t all.


    Right beside them were the upgraded version of Adam and his men. They wore silver te armor over brown leather armor. The silver breastte had intricate designs of raging mes, and it connected to the pauldrons and helmet.


    The helmet had two eye holes, and the part covering their nose to their mouth had aminar pattern. The helmet also had t sides that came outward, protecting their neck from critical strikes.


    Mountain cleavers inside their leather scabbards were strapped to their brown leather waist belts, and they held frightening halberds, which were about the same length as the spears wielded by the Silver Wolf infantry.


    Metal tes were strapped to their thighs, just above their ck leather pants, which could be seen. Their knees, the front and back, were protected by metal knee guards, and there were brown leather boots protecting their legs. -exclusive-content


    The part of the boot that covered their feet was made of refined steel!


    [New Troop (light infantry): Deste yers].

 Chapter 96: Ancient Roar

    Adam stood on the right side of the Deste yers troop. d in refined, adamantine armor with intricate adornments of gold patterns at the edges of his te armor.


    Adam looked like a ck knight that emerged from the unknown. The upper part of his helmet protruded like a face cap, and the lower side covered the other part of his face, except for his eyes. Gold patterns adorned the edge of the opening for his eyes.


    His thick brown gambeson could be seen through the spaces left by the te armor. Most particrly the gap between his shoulder guard and the vambraces.


    A blue cape that had golden lines at the edges fluttered behind him, and the couter, which is the armor that protects his elbows, had the image of a wolf head.


    The same but bigger was on his right pauldron.


    His ''Mountain Cleaver'' upgraded and became the ''Great Mountain Cleaver'' and it was attached to his back. The cleaver was too big to be carried on his waist without damaging the belt.


    When everyone set their eyes on the ck armored knight whose blue cloak and a darker shade plume billowed, they sucked in a breath of cold air.


    This was a diamond general knight d in a full set of diamond-ranked armor!


    The effects of his upgrade were noticeably more pronounced than those of Asher''smanders. Commanders were capable of leading fearsome troops but were limited to the number of 1000, while Generals were able to lead 10,000 men. This meant as amander had 10 captains below him, so did a general have 10manders under him.


    Asher noticed the wind causing everyone''s cloaks to billow and looked at Adam with one raised brow. "Do you practice a battle force connected to the wind element?"


    "I do, Your Lordship."


    Adam fell on one knee and lowered his head. There was a palpable sense of reverence in his tone as he had experienced the upgrade. Such miraculous ability was beyond the horizons of his understanding.


    He even had decades of knowledge and battle experience of being a diamond-ranked knight!


    Adam knew his muscles had expanded, but his strength was more than the expansion, meaning he could do over ten times what the previous him, who was a gold-ranked knight, could.


    "Arise."


    When Adam got to his feet and looked at his Lord, a panel appeared in Asher''s retina.


    [Name: Adam


    Age: 50


    Rank: Diamond


    Talent: Ancient Roar (S)


    Loyalty: 95


    Job: Ashbourne General]


    [Talent description: Ancient roar is a primal talent that can be traced to the very beginning of existence, back when the power of sound existed among men. With this talent, an individual can destroy both living and nonliving with a mighty roar].


    Asher took a step back.


    Didn''t this mean that by just unleashing a war cry, Adam could cause mass destruction?!


    "What is the worst your talent has done?"


    Adam had creases on his forehead as he struggled to understand the meaning of Asher''s question.


    "He means, what has your gift done?" Katarina said with a soft chuckle. In Bashan, talents were known as gifts, which exined Adam''s misunderstanding of Asher''s question.


    "Broken down walls, split an ovok stampede, killed one hundred men instantly, cleared 200 yards of every grass and tree it had."


    Asher blinked.


    "You killed one hundred men with a roar?" Nero cocked his head in disbelief.


    "May I?" Adam looked at Asher.


    "Give him space!"


    Ashermanded, and everyone created a 300 yard space.


    Adam took a deep breath. He faced the sky and roared with veins protruding from his neck, but it was hidden by his armor.


    brought-to-you-by-MvLeMpYr


    Instead of seeing a gale blowing upward, what Asher encountered was a forceful st that knocked him, who was almost 370 yards away!


    Bam!


    Asher found himself against the wall. All his soldiers were scattered; some were blown over the wall, houses copsed, and even the ground beneath Adam''s feet cracked and sank.


    Adam stopped, cracked his neck and let out a deep growl that rattled everyone''s eardrums. By the time he looked around, he was shocked.


    Now that he was a diamond-ranked knight, his talent performed several folds higher than before but at the cost of such destruction.


    When he saw Asher groaning and massaging his shoulder, Adam fell to his knees and lowered his head.


    "Your Lordship¡ª-"


    "Rise. It was my mistake, not yours."Asher interrupted him. He saw many of his men groaning. Some were bruised because they crashed into buildings.


    Luckily the debreakers were outside, or that ident would have cost them some centraks and maybe few riders.


    That loss would have been steep.


    He looked back and saw Bezerk emerging from a copsed building. It shot Adam a hard look but was also apprehensive.


    "Where is the one that caused all this in the first ce?" Alex said, looking for his son.


    After some time, they found him in the fields. He was the lightest and therefore the one who was affected the most.


    "I thought the wind would go straight up." Nero grumbled.


    "My roar moves in two ways. The first one is just a forceful flow out of my mouth, and the other is likemanding the air around me to do my bidding. The roar is like an order."


    While Adam exined, Nero could only hear ringing sounds. The volume of the roar hit him badly, and the same was for the other troops who were also silver-ranked.


    "We shall rest for the night. Have the apothecary and his apprentices attend to those in pain. We''ll leave once they''re healed."


    ...¡­.


    Inside the lord''s tent in the Ashbourne camp, Eritrea and Katarina stood before him.


    "Although we lost some of our elite soldiers, we gained a lot, Your Lordship."


    Eritrea, d in her armor with her hood over her head, sped her hand behind her.


    "Oh?"


    Asher leaned back and tilted his head. "Isn''t their poption our main gain?"


    "It''s not. We gained 8000 ovoks."


    Asher sat up.


    "8000!"


    Ovoks were such a delicacy that once he could start rearing them, nobles would pay thousands of coins to purchase from him!


    And that was just one part. What about creating an Ashbourne Ovok Archer troop?!

 Chapter 97: The Lords Death

    Asher could vividly imagine the power of the rangers once they rode on Ovok backs. Their mobility would increase, as would their lethality, and they could be deployed swiftly to execute tasks no matter the distance.


    It would also reduce the pressure on the logistic department.


    Since the Thunderstorm Rangers were going in the path of lightning, why not upgrade them to the peak of it? After all, the Mongolian Horse Archers were a famous force back in those days.


    Since ovok was a type of deer, one that was muscle-packed and was also the reason the rangers could summon lightning, it was a great idea to join both of them to produce a great troop.


    Especially now that the troop awakening stele would soon be activated. ording to the knowledge of the game, once a lord ss yer got a stele, it would build a barrack where that specific soldier can be trained and equipped as a novice.


    This means that not only would the stele grant an individual a new talent that allows her to reach the peak of a Thunderstorm Ranger, it also built special barracks that were meant for that troop.


    If he used the stele now, the Thunderstorm Rangers would have no space for the ovok mounts. It would just be an addition that granted them no specific gain except mobility.


    It was now or never.


    Because once the steles came, his army would begin to increase.


    "What else?"


    "There''s also arge amount of food in their storehouse, able to feed over 40,000 for two months if rationed properly." Katarina said.


    "Good. The people need to be fed before we can send for meat and grain from the stronghold. That shouldst us until I''ve established myself here in the Bashan basin."


    Asher entwined his fingers and supported his chin.


    Both women bowed.


    "I had a dream, Your Lordship."


    All of a sudden, Katarina spoke when Asher''s mind revolved around creating the Ovok cavalry. His brows rose.


    "Oh? What is it about?"


    Katarina turned to Eritrea, and the femalemander took the clue and excused herself.


    "I saw you battle against Chief Beowulf and died in the peak of battle. Your death killed the strength in your men, and they were brought down. Head Chief Beowulf knows about you and your impressive cavalry, so they had set up a trench trap filled with all manners of sharp woods marred with venoms that can kill a man in a short amount of time."


    Asher frowned when he heard that.


    "Chief Beowulf killed me?" -official


    He looked into Katarina''s eyes.


    "Yes, he will. Your sword broke when battling against him. The strike came straight for the section between your shoulder and your neck. You bled to death before Alex came to your rescue."


    Asher looked at his gold-ranked sword resting at a corner.


    Indeed, that sword rank was below the level of people he now faced. It was a ticking time bomb without him knowing.


    He was busy thinking of how to empower his troop and forgot he would also need to be properly equipped.


    "Thank you."


    Asher got to his feet, approached the old woman, and patted her back.


    Katarina smiled.


    "Also, where have they dug the tench?"


    "The north of the city faces a vast in, and they have dug three trenches. It will be better to send your footmen to battle."


    "I see."


    Asher rubbed his smooth chin.


    "But I was just about to make the Thunderstorm rangers a cavalry. Is that a wrong decision?"


    "No, Your Lordship. But this battle should be reserved for your footmen. The Thunderstorm and the debreakers will interfere after the wall has been breached."


    Katarina said it with an amicable tone.


    "Alright."


    Asher nodded while wearing a warm smile. He was obviously happy to see Katarina''s worth.


    When Katarina was close to the exit, she suddenly paused. "Your Lordship? Do you know anyone with the name Mary?"


    Asher turned to face her.


    His brows knit together.


    "What did you see about her?"


    Katarina chuckled softly. "Nothing."


    A few minutes after she had left, Asher kept staring at the exit. He knew Katarina would not just ask a carless question if she had no direction of where it would end.


    Either she heard about his sister since she was the one that made everyone address him properly or she saw Mary.


    It seemed like after Katarina uttered that name, a strange feeling sprouted from the depths of his heart. Did he hate her so much that he did not send one letter to her after three months?!


    This was the fourth month, and it would soon end, but yet he had no intention of doing so; he had even forgotten about her.


    While thinking, Asher sat on his seat and looked at the interior of his tent, but his eyes were hollow.


    As he recalled Mary''s care and efforts to get close to him, a soft smile broke out on his face.


    He had Cynthia prepare his writing materials and began to write a letter. By morning, there was lots of waste, and these papers were imported from the high ins and were crazily expensive.


    After exhausting the papers, he went to use animal skin.


    By the time the sun had risen, he was done.


    "Alex."


    "You called, Your Lordship." Alex walked into the tent with a steady gait.


    "Send this to Nineveh. Tell the messenger that I want it sent to my sister."


    Hearing thatst word made Alex raise a brow because it sounded strangeing out of Asher''s lips. Nevertheless, he took the rolled-up animal skin, bowed, and left.


    "Your Lordship, Commander Adam requests a meeting with you." The voice of a vanguard fell into Asher''s ears.


    "Let him in."


    Adam d in his heavy armor walked in and stood before Asher. He went on one knee and lowered his head.


    "I greet His Lordship."


    "Arise and speak. What brings you here?"


    "I only came to inquire of His Lordship... When do we march for Bashan city?"

 Chapter 98: New Cavalry: Stormbringers

    Later that day, Asher brought the remaining 60 Thunderstorm Rangers and selected 60 muscr ovoks withrge, dangerous-looking horns.


    The ovok had two sets of horns; the first set was shorter, while the second was much thicker and longer. About the length of an adult''s arm, including the hand.


    Other soldiers looked at them with curiosity. Adam, Alec, Alex, Lambert, and Katarina were all present while Nero was asleep since he usually trains at night.


    "What is His Lordship trying to do?" Lambert asked.


    "Create another cavalry." Alec responded with crossed arms.


    "What?!" Lambert''s eyes widened.


    Asher watched Eritrea calm and mount an ovok before adjusting herself. She looked quite amusing as she struggled to decide where to hold, and it was the same thing for the others.


    [Ding! System has detected that the host wants to form a terror-grade troop: Stormbringers! Would the host like to upgrade the Thunderstorm rangers to be a troop of gold-ranked marksmen, Stormbringer cavalry? Yes or No?]


    ''Do it.''


    [Warning! Host, the cost of this will appear if youplete the quest.]


    ''I know.'' Asher knew for every soldier who would gain a soldier-specific talent, he would pay an amount of coins, bronze, silver, gold, or even tinum!


    This was the rule that was made to restrict lord-ss yers from creating too many soldiers for one powerful troop stele. The price would make them unable.


    He knew terror-grade troops would surely cost a few gold coins for one soldier! But their strength was worth the price.


    ''Proceed.''


    [As you wish.]


    Swoosh!A blinding light covered the troop, but instead of the usual white, the one had a slight tint of gold!


    When the light died down, behold, 60 beautiful golden-brown war mounts with rangers whose armor now looked like the scales of a dragon appeared before his eyes. They wore a green tunic below the scale armor, and their hood also changed from ck to green.


    A garment that had a round opening for the necks of the Ovoks was draped on the warmounts. The green garment had the sigil of the Ashbournes, and there was an azure jewel pendant on the necks of every Ovok.


    Lightning could be seen within.


    All 60 ovok almost glimmered.


    The Stormbringers were created to show both beauty and valour. They were appealing to the sight, unlike the other troops that were quite frightening.


    Theirrge bows hung on one side of the ovok while the quiver, filled with arrows, was on the other.


    A twinkle shed through Eritrea''s eyes when she looked at her pure white warmount, which had crystal horns. It also had blue veins at the foot that crackled with lightning and blue hooves.


    No doubt, this was a herbivorous mythical beast!


    Eritrea''s eyes became moist as she gasped.


    "Wee, Stormbringers. We march at dawn."


    ....


    A ck bird flew below the white clouds, its wings spread wide as it looked at therge Ashbourne army marching for the great Bashan city with a poption of about 20,000!


    Strangely, the eyes of the bird were pure white, and it seemed like a mirror.


    On the 12-meter-tall walls of Bashan, a white-haired man that had lots of wrinkles on his face shut his pure white eyes, and when he opened them, his eyes became normal. MVLeMpYr-hosted


    "They''reing." The man said to the one-eyed warrior beside him.


    "How are they arrayed?" Buba asked.


    "Their cavalry is at the front. It seems they have two different cavalry, and the second one is quite strange." The man frowned as he spoke.


    "Oh? It still won''t make them see tomorrow''s sunrise. Inform the Chief that our guests are here!"


    Buba chuckled. He grinned as he looked at the horizon.


    Maybe it was time they expanded towards the territory of the ounders. Certainly, their soldiers couldn''t be as resilient and able-bodied as a barbarian warrior.


    300 Barbarian archers mounted the wooden wall and were waiting for Asher''s forces.


    Buba tightened his grip around the hilt of his cleaver as the Ashbourne cavalry suddenly retreated and two ferocious-looking footmen troops took the frontline.


    The Silver Wolf spear and shield infantry were at the front while the Deste yers, an infantry equipped to y, were behind them.


    Their armor reflected the sunlight as they marched in unison.


    To Buba''s shock, the Silver Wolf Infantry and the Deste yers went around the trenches. It was like they could see it with their two naked eyes!


    Seeing that the trenches were of no use, he bellowed.


    "Kill those ounders!"


    As the archers began to shoot, he came down from the wall and mounted his centrak. Behind him were 1200 gold-ringed centrak riders, the most elite barbarian force!


    As Buba was about to give an order, an archer fell from the wall andnded in front of him. An arrow was stuck to his chest.


    Buba frowned.


    "What is¡­"


    Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!


    More arrows struck the barbarian archers, and there were lightning sts that caught those close by. In a span of a few moments, their archers had a pitiful number remaining!


    For the first time, Buba felt apprehensive. What kind of archers did those ounders have?


    Rumble!


    As the barbarain cavarly rode out of the city, Alec bellowed.


    "Shields!"


    Instantaneously, the 900 infantry assumed a formation with the Deste yers behind.


    Rumble!


    As the barbarians closed the gap, Buba sighted Asher behind his forces, looking at him with a rxed expression.


    ''I''ll like to see that expression after I decimate you all.''


    "Kill these soft skins!"


    With their cleavers raised, they closed the gap, but the moment they collided with the silver wolf infantrymen, what Buba expected did not happen. Instead, he saw some centraks and their riders tumbling over.


    Some were skewed and thrown away from the centrak backs.


    "Split!"


    Upon hearing that order, the silver wolves opened a wide passage, allowing Centrak riders to flood in before closing it up.


    The centrak riders and their centraks faced a brutal massacre.


    They were cut down by the dreadful halberd wielding troop, the deste yers!Buba''s centrak was pierced so he jumped off and shed his cleaver at a soldier. The soldier blocked the strike with his shield.


    Buba was shocked to see a mere silver-ranked soldier was able to block his attack and only take a few steps backward.


    Instead of the Ashbourne soldier''s shield splitting apart, his cleaver was chipped!


    "What sort of army is this?!"


    He gasped.

 Chapter 99: Field Battle

    Five Ashbourne soldiers closed in on Buba with their spears ready to pierce through him. They were about to thrust their spears when Buba leaped out of their midst and threwva bombs midair before hended.


    Boom!


    All five soldiers flew several meters backward.


    Buba formed a biggerva bomb, looked at the soldiers around him, and began tounchva bombs toward them. He mmed the palm of his hands into the ground, and the earth split open with magma spurting out!


    The crack seemed to be controlled as it evaded the barbarian warriors and focused on Asher''s men. With magma spurting out, Asher''s men began to give up their positions and retreat.


    Their high-ranking armor and equipment were of no effect against magma.


    All of a sudden, it seemed like just one man was about to change the tide of the battle, but to Buba''s shock, all the magma were instantly absorbed the moment Alec appeared to the forefront of his troop.


    Buba couldn''t believe his eyes as the sculpted beast head on Alec''s shield opened its mouth and absorbed all the magma from the earth.


    Behind Alec was a chaotic battlefield. Deste yers, Silver Wolves, and Centrak riders shed with all their might, their weapons shing and producing sparks. Some were dragged off their horses, some were killed alongside their horses, but the Centrak riders noticed their weapons were weak against the Ashbourne soldiers'' armor.


    Two riders on Centraks ran ahead of Buba and swung their cleavers at Alec. Seeing this, Alec took some steps forward, thrust his spear, and pierced through the one on his right. He swung his spear in the next moment, and it mmed the second rider off his centrak.


    Their horses ran past Alec.


    He killed the second man with a decisive thrust to his chest before proceeding toward Buba. Buba cracked his neck and shed a confident smirk.


    When Buba closed the gap, he swung his cleaver, but Alec blocked the strike and took a step back. Buba''s smirk widened, and heunched ava bomb that should explode once it hit Alec''s shield, but all he saw was smoke.


    Alec''s shield absorbed it!


    A gleam of greed shed through Buba''s eyes. Such weapons would make him greater than he already is. With that weapon, his fame would spread to the big ns.


    Buba closed the gap, and as he struck downward, he saw Alec was pushing his shield forward. A loud sound rang as the weapons collided and a ripple sted outward,unching Buba over 20 meters away.


    All that was with a little push?


    His red right eye shook.


    powered-by-MvLeMpYr


    Alec executed a strike to Buba''s shoulder, but his spear''s shaft suddenly bent and the head spun. Buba, who was now on his feet, leaned backward, yet the spear''s tip grazed his neck, leaving a scorch mark!


    Bam!


    Alec mmed his shield against Buba''s feet, causing the fearsome warrior who had imposed terror into the hearts of thousands to scream.


    Without a shred of mercy, Alec mmed his elbow, protected by the couter, a metal te against Buba''s chin. The impact sent Buba crashing 15 meters away, his body battered and bruised by the unfriendly ground.


    Where did such a warriore from?


    How is it that Alec treated him like a novice warrior?


    He was a gold-ranked barbarian knight!


    "Ahh!"


    Buba screamed out of anger. A spear pierced the ground right before his face, and he lifted his head to see Alex looking down at him. Alec''s helmet prevented him from seeing his face.


    "You burned people''s viges and raided their homes but I chose to give you an honorable death. You should be grateful."


    Alec''s bone chilling voice rang.


    Buba red at Alec.


    His right hand trembled, and heunched a punch packed with liquid mes that ended up hitting Alec''s spear. Alec was fast enough to defend himself with his spear''s shaft.


    Alec took three steps back and scowled.


    He lifted up his spear and was about to kill Buba when warning bells ranged in his mind. His instincts were screaming at him to lift up his shield, and he quickly did so.


    He turned to his left, and in that moment, a spear struck his shield.


    Sparks dropped to the ground while he was almost sent to the ground!


    Alec lowered the shield and saw a barbarian wearing a fur jacket that exposed his chest, running toward him. The barbarian had chains wrapped around his forearms, and on his chest was arge crisscross scar.


    Behind him were almost 3000 gold-ringed infantry!


    "Hahaha! Tamar!"


    Bubaughed boisterously, got to his feet, and wiped his mouth. Tamar brandished his spear, leaped into the air, and thrust it toward Alec''s face.


    Midair, a lightning arrow pierced through his chest and scorched him ck!


    There was a shockwave of fear that spread throughout the battlefield as some traced the arrow to the hooded sniper on the back of a beautiful warmount. She lowered her great bow and turned to the 60 Stormbringers behind her.


    "It''s time."


    Rumble!


    They raced toward the battlefield, leaving Asher, Alex, and the shura vanguards, who were watching over the battlefield from a high spot. Behind them were the elite debreakers, neatly arrayed and waiting.


    Swoosh! Swoosh!


    Lightning arrows entered the battlefield, tilting the advantage toward Asher''s side once more. Not even the barbarians'' great numbers could change it.


    Meanwhile, Buba began to take backward steps as the death of the second in charge registered in his mind.


    "Where are you from?" He just had to ask where this abominable army came from.


    Their might was like that of the legendary ns known to have either gone extinct or hidden from the world.


    Adam shook his head and readied his spear for the men rushing for him. With a sweep of his spear, over a dozen were cut down, and he could see that Buba seized this opportunity to run.


    The earth imploded as Alec leaped andnded right before Buba. Before he could act, a ck figure cut down those in his path with great speed, grabbed Buba''s neck, and lifted him with just one hand.


    "Where is my wife?!"


    It was Adam!


    Buba couldn''t believe this was the same Adam he knew. Now, the former chief donned an exquisite heavy armor that Buba could only dream of.


    "Your wife? She''s the head chief''s new maid!" He sneered and suddenly paused before speaking once again. "He personally gave the order for us to capture her so he could make her his maid. It would serve as a warning to others. I can''t imagine what you feel."


    Buba gathered ava bomb in his hand and Alec, thinking Adam was engulfed in his emotions to see it was about to interfere when...

 Chapter 100: Mysterious Talent

    "Who is that?"


    Alex pointed at a man on the back of a jet ck Centrak that was leisurely walking out of the gate with slow steps. He was the only barbarian they had met who wore aplete set of heavy armor with a helmet that had a short red plume.


    On the right pauldron was the sigil of a crimson lion head.


    It was clearly aplete knight set, which wasn''t from the destnds.


    The man had a broad figure but wasn''t over 6 feet tall. His arms and legs were thick like pirs of muscles hidden behind metal tes. He held two great axes that seemed to weigh a lot judging by how his mount moved.


    An elite troop of 100 barbarian guards also d in armor that was a mix of leather and te armor, riding on armored Centraks were behind him. All of them held great axes.


    All 100 of them were the great warriors of the n, people whose generations started with the first chief of Bashan. All of them were barbarian knights!


    Their duty was to protect the head chief and always stay in the shadows until their appearance was required.


    Even Adam thought this hidden guard troop had gone extinct.


    When Asher looked, he saw the man point his axe toward him, and the small elite cavalry ran toward the battlefield.


    "debreakers!"


    Asher unsheathed his sword and kicked the belly of his regal mount.


    Rumble!


    Along with 80 debreakers, 7 vanguards, and his personal bodyguard, he rode down the high in toward the chaotic battlefield. While heading down, Asher saw Beowulf fling a great axe toward Adam, who held Buba in the air.


    Alec, who was close by, was about to approach Adam, but when he heard the sound of the iing axe, he turned. By the time he raised his shield, the axe had already arrived.


    Bam!


    For the first time, Asher saw Alec tossing and tumbling on the ground until he was over 100 yards away from where he once stood!


    Alex''s eyes narrowed, and he tightened his grip on his broadsword. That destructive collusion made Adam turn. His eyes met Beowulf''s.


    The man that first traded his son with beastmen and now took his wife.


    "Beowulf!"


    Adam roared.


    Boom!


    This-is-a-MVLeMpYr-special


    The earth split open, and dust fog rose, clouding the sight of many. Adam mmed Buba into the pulled-out Great Mountain Cleaver and walked toward the approaching cavalry.


    From walking, he began to jog, and from there, he burst into full speed. Adam stomped on the ground, leaping high into the air as he swung his cleaver at Beowulf.


    Beowulf swung his other axe upward to meet Adam.


    They collided.


    A violent ripple sted outward, causing amotion for Beowulf''s guards and instantly crippling Beowulf''s mount.


    The Centrak crashed, and Beowulf walked away from it without a ripple in his eyes. His gaze was locked on Adam, who also got up from half kneeling.


    "It''s been a while, old friend." Beowulf suddenly said.


    Adamughed bitterly. "Indeed."


    He spun his cleaver and pointed the tip toward the ground.


    "We may have fought together to conquer the scattered settlements and recreate the ns, but you are no longer a brother. Power has corrupted you so much that you resurrect the hidden guards with a bunch of jackal beastmen! The same that almost annihted our n!"


    Adam roared, causing a fierce reaction as the earth cracked. Arge amount of dust rose up but Beowulf remained in one spot. Not even the violent wind could push him back.


    "You discovered. Remove your helmets."


    Beowulf ordered, and the hidden guard troop removed their helmets, revealing their beast heads. They were indeed jackals, and Adam knew when he got close enough to examine them. Most beastkins had inverted knees and weren''t much different from their lower rtives.


    This meant that although they could stand, speak, and even do much more, they could still revert to running on all fours and devouring primitively.


    The jackals exposed their fangs, but Beowulf lifted up his hand.


    "Go."


    He pointed at the Asher''s men.


    Rumble!


    They split apart as they passed Adam and joined back after they had all past him. Adam didn''t bother stopping them, as he brandished his weapon and assumed a battle stance.


    "You shouldn''t have humiliated my wife."


    He closed the gap and delivered a ferocious strike on Beowulf. Before the cleaver could touch Beowulf, the head chief leaned to the other side and mmed his head against Adam''s helmet.


    Their helmets shed, and Adam staggered backward.


    By the time he regained his control, he saw a great axe, the sharpened edge gleaming as it came down on him.


    Adam swiftly delivered an upward strike to counter it.


    ng!


    Bam!


    His knees mmed the ground, and he felt his right arm was about to dislocate from his shoulder. Beowulf turned the t side of his axe and hit it against Adam''s chest,unching him over 100 yards away.


    "You still don''t stand a chance."


    Groaning, Adam got to his knee while breathing roughly.


    Roar!


    Several explosions urred, but as it hit Beowulf, it was like his roar was nothing more than a gentle breeze.


    "Old friend¡­ do better!"


    Bam!


    Beowulf mmed his knee into Adam''s chest. Shockingly, Adam grabbed his knee, lifted him up, and mmed Beowulf behind him.


    A crimson light shed past Beowulf''s eyes and he punched Adam so hard that his armor almost caved in. This was something he couldn''t do before Adam mmed him against the ground!


    He threw another punch to Adam''s face, causing the man to fall on his knees once again. His vision was blurry, but he could make out the figure of Beowulf walking toward him.


    "I first made her toil in my fields before ordering her to stand on the walls. She can see you now."


    Adam looked at the wall, but his blurry vision did not allow him to see far.


    "Hey!"


    A loud voice made Beowulf turn to see the twinmanders walking toward him.


    Alex stomped the ground, leaving fiery sparks as he flew into the air and swung his sword downward. Beowulf blocked the strike only for Alec''s spear toe from another angle.


    After Beowulf grabbed the spear, Alex punched his face and delivered a kick as a follow-up. Two crimson lights shed through Beowulf''s eyes, and he grinned.

 Chapter 101: Your Chief Is Dead

    The moment the crimson lights faded from Beowulf''s eyes, he turned to face the sword and spear twins.


    Roaring, he shed with both of them, his strikes filled with powerful ferocity and also relentless.


    Each strike was so powerful that formless ripples spread outward when his axe collided with either Alex''s sword or Alec''s spear and shield.


    To the twins'' shock, they were being pushed back by one man.


    Alex frowned. He closed the gap when Beowulf faced his brother and pierced his sword right through Beowulf''s abdomen!


    He pulled out the sword and his brother delivered another strike from the front, piercing his spear through Beowulf''s chest.


    As Alec pulled out his ming spear, Beowulf, whom they expected to fall, took a step forward and struck down!


    His axe struck Alec''s shield but while it did not damage Alec''s shield, the force pulled Alec''s arm out of his shoulder!


    Instantly, he lost control of that arm.


    Beowulf followed up with a sweeping strike but a sword hit the axe down.


    Shockingly, Alex discovered his strength was far lesser than Beowulf''s!


    Before he could think about how this sudden increase, a hidden guard threw Beowulf''s other axe toward him, and he delivered an upward strike.


    ng!


    Alex''s sword flew out of his hand!


    Alex ignored the paining from his wrist and stepped on Beowulf''s axe. He then punched Beowulf''s face.


    This time around, he saw the crimson gleam that shed past Beowulf''s eyes.


    Beowulf let go of his left axe and their fists collided! Alex''s knees mmed the ground, digging deep into the soil as he groaned in pain.


    All of a sudden, a thick hand wrapped around Beowulf''s neck from behind and they both crashed to the ground.


    Alec''s body locked him while trying to snap his neck but his strength was losing against Beowulf''s!


    All his life he had never met anyone this strong. So strong that the strength he was proud of paled before it.


    ''Kill him!'' A voice screamed in Alex''s head.


    Groaning deeply, Alex got to his feet, grabbed his brother''s spear and thrust it into Beowulf once more.


    "Ahhh!"


    Beowulf''s eyes turned bright red and he broke out of Alec''s hold and headbutted Alex, causing the swordsman to stagger backwards.


    Suddenly, Adam having regained himself ran towards the battlefield instead of his wife. He dashed past Alex and shed with Beowulf.


    your-chapter-source


    Both of them were aggressive, executing one domineering strike after another, but Adam was slowly losing.


    Asher lingered around, cutting down barbarian warriors and itching to interfere but Katarina''s vision was of concern to him.


    Eritrea and Lambert were in an intense battle against the hidden guard cavalry so they could not help.


    However, Asher knew if Beowulf won, the morale of his troops would go down and he would lose.


    But at this rate, he would lose a diamond ranked knight. He wanted to retreat and ren but two things bugged him.


    Would Beowulf recover?


    His mysterious talent had made him a terror to three powerful diamond-ranked knights and it might be worse if they were allowed to ren.


    Maybe Beowulf would die but that was a risk Asher wasn''t willing to take.


    His eyes went to the Shura Bolts and he narrowed his eyes.


    He made Bezerk run towards the battlefield of the diamond-ranked knights that caused destruction 100 yards around them. As Bezerk ran, his speed soared.


    Meanwhile, Asher held a Shura bolt. He understood after watching the battle that Beowulf had a talent that makes him stronger with each hit!


    The only way to bring down a man with an immensely powerful talent is to kill him instantly!


    But his diamond-ranked knights were not able to. Three diamond-ranked knights upgraded by the system were not able to even push Beowulf back despite their polished skills.


    Spinning the bolt, Asher calcted the distance and once he entered their zone, heunched the bolt with all his light!


    Pish!


    It pierced through Beowulf''s armor from behind and half the length of the bolt came out from the front.


    Adam, who was already weary, froze as he stared at the javelin protruding out of Beowulf''s chest.


    Beowulf looked at it and his vision wavered.


    Ceasing the opportunity, Adam delivered the final cut and the head chief dropped to the ground.


    Asher approached the scene on his mount and looked at Beowulf''s corpse with a glint in his eyes.


    Lord Atticus Ashbourne was right; talents were really dangerous.


    Even in years toe, he would always remember Beowulf. Such a man was meant to be a terror on a battlefield, a legend that would shake the world.


    Too bad he was against him.


    On the other side, Lambert and his men turned after shing with the hidden guard cavalry. They lost no man but the hidden guard lost 10!


    This was because the equipment of the hidden guards couldn''tpare to the thick armor the debreakers and their warmounts wore.


    "For Lord Asher!"


    He yelled.


    As they and the hidden guards galloped toward each other, arrows came from nowhere, hitting some members of the hidden guards and tossing them over their mounts.


    By the time they shed with the debreakers, 30 had fallen. The rest were decimated by the debreakers. Their cleavers were destroyed by the debreakers''snces and some of them were stomped on!


    Lambert turned his head. He saw the Stormbringers galloping away to help the Infantry once again.


    Although just 60, they were terrifying.


    "Your chief!!"


    All of a sudden, Asher''s voice rang. It was the first time Eritrea heard Asher''s voice in such a loud volume.


    It was both dominant and intensely deep.


    "Your chief is dead!!"


    Asher bellowed once again. This time around, the barbarians saw their chief in the hands of Asher, who rode his regal horse.


    Asher raised him high with one hand.


    Seeing this, the barbarians began a massive retreat and Asher''s men chased after them, taking advantage of the opportunity to reduce their numbers.


    "Retreat!" Asher bellowed.


    There were still troops and men that could fight inside that city. If his exhausted men entered there, he would have severe losses.


    Finally, he turned to his woundedmanders and his general.


    "Call the physician!"

 Chapter 102: Dwarven Ore

    By the time the battle concluded, the setting sun cast a bright orange on the sky. Just below it were the ever-floating white clouds, which seemed to be growing darker.


    The orange light caused long shadows, round about the white tents pitched at the main gates of Bashan city.


    Soldiers d in armor sat in circles, eating and chatting while some patrolled the outskirts of the city to make sure no one was able to leave.


    Even the farnds had been abandoned for fear of being killed by the Ashbourne soldiers.


    Only a few soldiers in the Silver Wolf Infantry and Deste yers Infantry lost their lives, while many of them were wounded.


    Because of the Deste yers, the pressure on the Silver Wolf Infantry was reduced, cutting down the army''s losses.


    In turn, since the Silver Wolf Infantry had shields, they protected the Deste yers.


    In the lord''s tent, Asher sat down with Beowulf''s twin great axes on his table, Gath''s mountain cleaver and the crimsonnce of the chief of Gad.


    With him were Katarina, Eritrea, and Lambert. The others were resting after being attended to by the physician.


    "Beowulf''s axes are diamond-ranked weapons. They''re too exquisite to be forged by barbarian cksmiths."


    Eritrea ran her fingers through one axe''s handle and lifted up her head. "They''re dwarven forged."


    Katarina smiled.


    "Dwarven forged?" Asher raised an eyebrow. He lifted up one axe and examined the design more thoroughly.


    Indeed, they weren''t forged by humans; no wonder they could stand a chance against Alex and Alec''s sacred-ranked weapons and only have chipped parts.


    Normally, such an intense battle should have broken the axe or at least destroyed the des.


    "She''s right. Those axes are from the old dwarven ruins found by the big ns centuries ago, the same for the armor. They''re not made from steel but dwarven ore."


    Upon hearing that, Asher took his sword and swung it down on the axe.


    ng!


    His sword had a chip! NovelFire-article


    Seeing this, he knew what Katarina saw in her dream was the truth. He would have been a corpse if he fought against Beowulf with his sword.


    Turning, he attacked the armor, and the sounds made him frown.


    "It''s not made entirely out of dwarven ore like the axe."


    "You can send it to the cksmiths to forge you great armor. I believe the amount of dwarven ore smelted to forge these axes should be enough to forge all parts of your armor." Eritrea looked into Asher''s eyes.


    She could already imagine her lord looking more valiant in a knight suit of armor.


    "One of these great axes weighs over 1500 kg; it should be enough dwarven ore to forge a full suit of armor and a better sword."


    Katarina suggested.


    All while they encouraged Asher to forge armor, Lambert studied the 8 and a half-foot longnce.


    The main part was dark scarlet and it had a ck handle.


    "It''s for you. I shall award you this great weapon for your achievements in leading your men with the aid of Eritrea and her troops to annihte those beastsmen. First, give me yournce."


    Asher quickly merged bothnces and it became a 9-foot-longnce with two sharp edges. One at the end of the handle and the other at the tip of thence.


    It also became a diamond-ranked weapon right before the eyes of others.


    "Who shall we give the cleaver?" Asher moved on while Lambert was still agape at the treasured weapon in his hands.


    "I suggest we give it to a captain of General Adam''s group."


    Eritrea said and Katarina nodded.


    "I''ll keep it to reward a great deed. As for now, the Deste yers just increased in rank and that''s enough for the time being."


    Asher rejected their proposal.


    ........


    The next morning, "Your Lordship! News from Bashan elders!"


    Asher walked out of the tent with knit brows and a hurried pace.


    The sun had hid itself from the world, and the moons hid behind the clouds, encasing the world in darkness.


    He expected to see the messenger but what he saw was the captains of Beowulf''s army with me torches and their households paying obeisance to him.


    "We surrender."


    Had Asher rushed in with his men, they would have fought to theirst breath with the hope of winning but instead Asher surrounded them, cut off means of transport, cut off their ess to their farms and livestock and kept everyone in fear.


    After hours, the elders sumbed to pressure and decided toe and surrender to Asher. After all, he did kill their chief.


    [Conquer all the Bashan ns in seven days. (1/1)]


    [Reward unlocked.]


    [Host, you can fuse all the ns and viges together to be a great city.]


    [Ding! Would the host like to upgrade the Bashan ns to be Ashkelon, the great city of Centraks! Yes or No?]


    After a brief talk, Asher went to the head chief''s tent and a notification popped up in his retina.


    [Host, shall I begin?]


    Asher chuckled. He could sense excitement lurking under the system''s voice. It was definitely happy that he was expanding.


    ''Proceed.''


    Right at that moment, the earth shook, causing him to stagger.


    Boom! Boom! Boom!


    Bright light burst out of the ground.


    It was the troop steles!


    They all hovered above him, emanating different colored lights.


    [From this day, Ashkelon, great city of Centraks, shall be the home of the fearsome debreaker troop stele. A terror-grade troop! All soldiers are granted B-grade talents: de Cavalier!]


    [From this day, the ruined White wolf tribe shall be resurrected to be the home of the elite Stormbringer troop stele. A terror-grade troop! All soldiers are granted B-grade talents: Storm Cavalier!]


    [From this day, Nineveh, the great stronghold shall be the home of the resilient Silver Wolf troop stele. A special grade troop! All soldiers are granted C-grade talents: Silver Footman.]


    [From this day, Nineveh, the great stronghold shall be the home of the monstrous Deste yer troop stele. A special grade troop! All soldiers are granted C-grade talents: Deste Footman.]


    [From this day, Nineveh, the great stronghold shall be the home of the unbeatable Shura Vanguard troop stele. The strongest terror-grade troop in your possession! All soldiers are granted B-grade talents: Royal Guard.]


    Swoosh!!


    All the steles except the debreakers'' flew towards their destinations and the city''s construction began.


    Rumble!

 Chapter 103: Ashkelon, Great City Of Centraks

    Walls rose up from the ground, around 30,000 kilometres square! The 18-meter-tall walls had a smooth exterior and round watchtowers at critical junctions that offered an archer the ability to spot those approaching the city from all angles.


    After the walls rose up, buildings began to change. From tents and wooden houses to standard stone buildings, but the road was unpaved.


    Ashkelon had three gates: the main gate, the east gate, and the west gate. On the pirs of each gate were ck gs with the white image of a wolf head.


    The wolf opened its mouth, revealing its sharp teeth.


    The design of the city was the opposite of the stronghold; lots of residential buildings were everywhere.


    The head chief''s tent copsed and a manor rose up in its ce. The manor was called the lord''s manor and Asher found himself in the meeting hall, where he would attend to the affairs of Ashkelon.


    The hall had square pirs and there were three stairs before the stone throne. At the armrests of the stone throne were sculptures of wolf heads.


    His gs were hung on both sides of the hall. Candlesticks attached to their stands, which were screwed to the wall, illuminated the dark-themed hall.


    [Ding! You have extended your domain into the Bashan basin by creating your first city.]


    [Hidden questpleted.]


    [Reward: Commander Lambert is avable for an upgrade.]


    Asher blinked. Lambert had always looked like an average soldier, mainly because of how he first started.


    He didn''t stand out like the othermanders but had great leadership skills. This was the reason he was able to make the debreakers a cohesive force.


    As he walked out of the hall, he looked at the appealing courtyard thatcked the military theme Nineveh had.


    Unfortunately, he had no time to explore this manor as his army was before him, all neatly lined up.


    To his utmost left were the Deste yer Infantry numbering 999; they lost one man. After the Silver Wolf Infantry numbering 850, they lost 50. Not because they were weaker but because they were the ones that broke the barbarian momentum.


    It was normal to have casualties.


    After the Silver Wolf were the debreaker cavaliers and their warmounts, all 80 of them alive and all were knights!


    The troop was in need of expansion to show their true might.


    The next were the Stormbringers and there were 60 of them. All appealing markswomen on equally attractive mounts.


    Silver Wolves had white plumes, Deste yers also had somewhat white plumes, but it leaned towards being gray. debreakers had red and long plumes, while the Stormbringers had none.


    In total his force has increased to 1,189 elite soldiers!


    Theirmanders, Alex, Alec, Lambert, and Eritrea were ahead of their troops while his sole general, Adam stood ahead of them.


    All of them half knelt with their heads lowered.


    "Congrattions to Ashkelon, your lordship!!"


    As usual, they had more knowledge about the city than him. He had to explore but they were given knowledge freely.


    "Arise."


    "You fought well. We shall all have a feast tonight! Prepare to have your stomachs filled with Ovok meat!"


    "Yes!!"


    There was an uproar, which made Asher chuckle.


    ...¡­..


    Some timeter, he entered the barrack created by the awakening stele and saw a few debreakers riding on the grassless field. They wore no armour and were just racing.


    Asher went straight to a stone building that stood taller than all other buildings.


    When he arrived, he saw a line of people standing before Lambert and some debreakers, fully d in their heavy armour.


    "His Lordship has arrived!"


    "We greet His Lordship!!" Everyone, civilian and soldier, all half-knelt.


    Asher waved his hand. "Arise." find-more-stories-on-NovelFire


    He climbed the short stairs and faced the crowd.


    "It''s time to reward you fully, Sir Lambert of Ashkelon. Get your warmount."


    Stunned, Lambert got his mount and came before Asher once again.


    [Should I proceed with the upgrade? Yes or No?]


    ''Yes!''


    Swoosh!


    When the light died down, what appeared was an imposing cavalier d in golden armour. The armour seemed like it would be made for adornment but it was much stronger than refined steel.


    On both sides of the helmet were red wings and the image of the Ashbourne sigil was on his bulky pauldrons. Finally, his height and size experienced an increase as he could now match Alex in height.


    Beside him, his mount was also d in a red garment with golden te armour above it. It also had red wings bigger than the one on Lambert''s helmet on the metal te that covered the steed''s chest. His plume became bigger and gained a darker tint, making it seem like horsehair dipped in blood.


    A fearsome aura billowed off Lambert. He was now a diamond-ranked knight!


    "I''m forever grateful to you, My Lord!" Both he and his mount bowed.


    Asher chuckled.


    There was an uproar in the crowd as everyone had watched the transformation. Even other debreakers were envious.


    The barbarians who were now clothed in linen like people from the other side of the Ash mountains gasped.


    The upgrade made houses for them and in those houses were the basic amenities, clothing included. Seeing the neatly sewn tunics, pants and boots, the barbarians swiftly dumped their fur clothings.


    "How many came to join the cavalry?" He asked Lambert.


    "I selected 420, out of 1000. All of them are at least bronze-ranked and few are of the silver rank."


    "I see."


    All those gathered were once Centrak riders but after seeing the magnificent city appear before their eyes, they scrambled to serve under this mysteriously powerful ounder.


    "Begin."


    "Begin!" Lambert bellowed.


    First, one barbarian walked into the building and Asher received a notification.


    [Ding! Would you like to make the Ashkelon civilian a debreaker Cavalier? Cost 10 gold coins! Yes or No?]


    Asher became frigid.


    10 gold coins!


    It seems like he would have to make lots of money or there would be a great problem.


    It was time to focus on starting a trade with the nobles on the high ins of Tenaria and the big ns in the depths of Bashan.

 Chapter 104: 500 Cavaliers

    After Asher gave the go-ahead, the civilian walked into the building and walked out shortly after, d in thick dark silver half te-armor.


    The red plume and his cloak billowed softly as he slowly descended from the stairs.


    Every other person gazed at him like he was a gold mine. The new debreaker Cavalier spun hisnce, fell on one knee and lowered his head.


    "Your Lordship."


    His calm and steady tone appealed to the others, making them yearn to be cavaliers.


    "Lead him to the Centrak den to select his mount." Lambert said to a soldier, who then led the new soldier away.


    "Proceed. The space within is wide enough to ept 10 people." A soldier checked the space and gave a new order.


    ...¡­.


    An hourter, Asher stood on a wooden tform with Lambert and some debreaker captains by his side.


    His hands were sped behind him as he stared at the new debreakers lined up before him with their Centraks.


    The new talent wasn''t the same as the usual talent people awakened. This talent was called a troop talent and it makes civilians soldiers in an instant.


    The talent inputs knowledge and expertise of that specific troop into the said civilian, thereby reforming them to suit the troop.


    Not only were they given armor and information but their bodies were reformed to match the skills of the troop.


    For example, the requirements for height for a debreaker Cavalier were lower than those of a Silver Wolf Infantryman.


    Staring at 79 knights and 421 squires, Asher felt he had finally surpassed the level of a baron.


    All 500 of them were the pride of a lord. A heavy cavalry showed the wealth and power of a lord in Boundless. Having five hundred cavaliers all d in gold and silver ranked armour would shock even Count William Tigris!


    Still, Asher couldn''t sh with the count because he had an elite 10,000 strong heavy cavalry!


    His forces could sweep through the wastnds in one month but because of dying soil, the wastnd wasn''t appealing to any lord.


    Looking at his valiant force, the loss of 4,210 gold coins hurt a little less.


    After leaving the debreaker barrack, he returned to the manor. He walked into the meeting hall and sighted Katarina, Eritrea, and Adam.


    "What brings you here?"


    He asked and sat on his throne.


    All of them lowered their heads.


    "Your Lordship, I came to report the spoils of war." Katarina said, causing Asher''s eyes to twinkle.


    "I want to hear them."


    Katarina opened a beast skin. "A total of 4000 Centraks from all ns. 30,000 Ovoks, 5000 weapons of all kinds and a gold mine. These were our major gains."


    "So there was a gold mine."


    Katarina nodded. "Indeed. It''s a few kilometres away from Ashkelon, but it''s not actually ours. Beowulf offered his fellow humans as a trade to the actual owners of the gold mine."


    Asher squinted.


    "The owners of the gold mine are the Jackal n. There is a small mining vige 10 kilometres away, right where the mine is and it belongs to the jackals."


    Asher''s brows furrowed even more.


    Fine, he had the high-quality mounts that no noble in the high ins had and he would soon start trading ovok milk, which was famous for being the best in the whole of the northern high ins, which was the domain of the Eternal Immortal Empire, which had split into several parts.


    Dukedom of Nubis, Dukedom of Mormonts, Intis kingdom, and the Evergreen Dukedom, which was destroyed by Ariel Ashbourne centuries ago.


    Now, lower-ss nobles had split up thend and Count William was amongst them. Evergreen Dukedom was a neighbouring territory to the Ashbourne Dukedom and when they rebelled against the imperial family, the Ashbournes brought them down first.


    As a former vassal to the evergreen dukedom, Count William naturally feared the Ashbournes and now that his territory was at the border of the river that separated the wastnds from the high ins, the nobles in the wastnds had to pay taxes to him.


    In a way, he had made the entire wastnds his fief.


    Asher thought so because all the lords in the wastnds were his vassals! novel-hosted-NovelFire


    Nevertheless, he needed that gold mine. Now that his troop required gold coins to grow and his domain also needed money to flourish, gold was his number one priority.


    "Have you sent your scouts?" Asher turned to Eritrea.


    She blinked. "I¡­ I haven''t."


    It was clear she was hearing of this right now.


    Asher could see that so he didn''t push further.


    "We have detained someone who could scout without moving an inch. We just need to get him to submit."


    Adam said.


    "Who is it?" Asher raised an eyebrow.


    "A man who can see through the eyes of a raven."


    "Does he have a family?"


    Katarina nodded.


    "Give his family a dozen Hexakad eggs and have them visit him. If he refuses to submit, tell him that he shall mine for the rest of his life if he refuses to work for his new lord."


    "My Lord, he''s an old man." Katarina coughed.


    "Then he has a few years to work."


    Asher''s calm reply made her choke. Her view of Asher being too young had changed a long time ago but it had just solidified that Asher was even more capable than a 30 something year old man.


    He knew when to be cold.


    "Your Lordship, I have spotted some civilians that are suited to join my troop. I came to ask for permission to¡ª"


    "You don''t need to ask for permission, Eritrea. As long as they''re willing to join, then by all means they can. The number of Stormbringers is too small to bring out the might of the battalion. Lambert has increased his troop to 500; I would like you to do the same."


    Eritrea lowered her head.


    "I understand."


    Asher turned to the others.


    "Any other matter?"


    "When are we going to return to Nineveh?" Eritrea asked.


    "After a proper rest. We shall leave with 10,000 civilians. You and Katarina should convince them about Nineveh. If that is all, you are all dismissed."


    Shortly after they left, Asher went to the walls of Ashkelon and looked at the vast, endless ins that stretched and stretched until they met the mountains.


    This city was gifted to rear livestock and he could imagine it bing a major hotspot in the future because then, this city would have been upgraded until it became magnificent and there would be several rare livestock that would attract nobles and merchants from all over the continent.

 Chapter 105: A Feast

    Deep into the night, Ashbourne soldiers gathered around a bonfire, chatting and drinking. This was the only time Asher allowed them to take rum.


    When it was time for battle, the only liquid they took was water and no one dared to sneak out to drink rum or they would be sentenced to 10 years of hard work and that meant spending 10 years in the mines!


    In their midst were headless, featherless chickens, two times bigger than an average chicken being roasted.


    Some soldiers watched the chicken drippings fall from the chickens that had been roasted golden into the fire.


    Over 100 chickens were being roasted and behind them were Ovoks, also pierced through with iron rods and turned around by soldiers to make sure it was roasted properly.


    The abundance of meat caused a cloud of fragrance to envelope nearby houses, disturbing the nostrils of the inhabitants.


    All the soldiers gathered in the lord''s manor and the nearby houses were hundreds of yards away.


    While the meat was being roasted, behind them were women preparing soup inrge pots for those who might not be satisfied with the meat alone.


    Asher watched the massive feast from one of the windows of his manor. Since the windows in the meeting hall were long and wide and had no ss covering, he could be easily spotted.


    From up here, he could see Eritrea giggle as she chatted with the othermanders. Like her, Lambert was also in a boisterous mood, the same for Alex.


    Alec''s expression was still the same while Adam ate alongside his wife.


    The wind blew Asher''s hair upward as he smiled at the sight.


    All of a sudden, a soldier sighted him. He swiftly informed those around him and lifted up his cup toward Asher.


    "To His Lordship, Great Baron Asher!"


    "To Lordship!!"


    Hisrades echoed.


    Others turned toward the window, including themanders but saw no one.


    Eritrea''s eyebrows knit together.


    "Was he there?"


    "He''s been there for quite a while." Alec replied with a crisp tone.


    "I personally think his Lordship needs a partner. If he doesn''t want a wife, a concubine would be fine." Lambert suddenly said.


    "Do not let him hear that." Alex whispered.


    "Why?" Eritrea tilted her head.


    "His Lordship has a bad past with a woman, an elf. She''s the daughter of a count and quite beautiful, ording to the rumors."


    Everyone looked at Alex.


    Alec shook his head as his brother went about talking about something that happened when Asher was 10.


    "I''ve seen the look in that young lord''s eyes. He''s not a man to hold on to such a trivial thing when there isnd for him to conquer. He''s a warlord, not a broken man."


    None of them had any idea when Katarina appeared and pped Alex from behind.


    Meanwhile, in the meeting hall, Asher sat on his stone throne with his hand supporting his chin.


    His vanguard was also given a break so he was the only one in the hall. While sitting there, his mind ran at a crazy speed, calcting all that he had gained, and he would move on after this.


    Asher knew a lot about Boundless and it was so identical to the game he created that he began to think what he might have created might have been a portal to this world.


    His greatest fear was yers spawning out of nowhere, thinking they were ying a game.


    The relief he had was that he crashed the game before dying.


    Turning, Asher saw a map on the wall. It was quiterge.


    "I did notice this." He muttered and approached it.


    This was the map of the Bashan basin! He saw the Ash mountains to the south of Ashkelon, the ck Iron Mountains to the extreme east and the Dragon Lair Mountains to the north.


    Then a river, which was named the Azure River on the map, upied the west.


    All sides of the basin were protected. Mountains on three sides and a river on the remaining side.


    In between Ashkelon and the Ash mountains was the ''Deste Forest,'' the ce where the beasts that emerge during winter came from.


    The army passed through the forest after they left the mountain pass.


    Before the Ash mountains, he saw Nineveh and a wide path paved with cobblestone, wide enough for 10 war horses to run side by side, came from the stronghold''s main gates, connected to Silverleaf Bastide, moved through the Silverleaf forest, through the pass, and connected to Ashkelon''s main gate.


    There was now a road for his citizens! This would make travelling easier and people from Nineveh could easily visit those in Silverleaf and those in Ashkelon.


    The same for people in Silverleaf and Ashkelon.


    Asher also noticed that there was a small fort at the location of the White Wolf tribe. Written above it was: Stormbringers'' barrack.


    He blinked.


    "So that''s where their stele built the barrack."


    The barrack was after Silverleaf and the Pr Sanctuary but before the Ashbourne tomb.


    However, the distance between the barracks and the tomb was over 30 kilometres!


    Vertically, it was shorter for Silverleaf, while horizontally, it was much longer for the Stormbringer barrack.


    Asher noticed only ces that he was lord over were on the map. Other ces only had dots and names over them.


    He spotted a red dot close to Ashkelon and above it was written: Were Jackal mining town?


    After a while, he walked out of the hall.


    ...


    Sitting cross-legged on his king-sized bed, Asher, garbed in a ck tunic and ck pants, regted his breathing with closed eyes.


    As he finally entered the peaceful state, he found his spirit in a valley, staring at a crimson-armored knight.


    He could see her vibrant golden eyes from the space in her helmet.


    It was Lady Ariel Ashbourne!


    "Lady Ariel."


    Asher lowered his head.


    "What is your ambition, boy?"


    Asher took a deep breath. He felt pressured being under her scrutinizing eyes.


    "To be a great lord."


    "That''s too vague. Itcks the spark. All Lords want to be great. The question is, What does it mean to be great?"


    Asher frowned.


    "You have no ambition?" Ariel tilted her head.


    "I do."


    "Speak then. I''m listening." Her cold voice fell into Asher''s ears.


    After a short while, she sighed.


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    "You''re just another lord."


    A fierce wind came from nowhere and as it got more intense, Asher''s eyes flickered.


    "I want to make my name known. Etch my feats in the annals of history. Be more than just an Ashbourne Lord. To surpass the family name and not be glorified in their shadows."

 Chapter 106: Ariel Ashbourne

    The wind calmed.


    "What did you say?"


    Asher took a deep breath. "Most rulers have been under the fame and glory of the four great dukes of centuries. In the world, you four are remembered. I don''t want to always be glorified because of the things done in the past."


    These were words from his heart.


    As a man from earth who knew a lot about Boundless, Asher knew he had to go through the Ashbourne ways but he wanted to be more than that. yers had the right to build their own nations and he wanted that for himself.


    He wanted to grow beyond the level the great dukes achieved. His unspoken goal was to surpass the unsurpassed Zenas and to be known by his own name. To be the one that surpassed the legendary Zenas and opened up new doors for the Ashbourne name.


    "Such great ambition with such little willpower." Ariel said it in a tone that was neither insulting nor appreciative. It was calm and almost emotionless.


    "I gave you a response."


    Asher replied with a simr tone.


    Ariel cocked her head. "You want to surpass the great dukes. You want to be more than you are... well, you must first be an Ashbourne lord of our level."


    "I know."


    When Asher was expecting to be ejected out of her space since their conversation seemed to have reached an end, Ariel suddenly removed her helmet, revealing her beautiful face that was graced with a little smile.


    "You did well."


    Asher was taken aback. He couldn''te up with any words as he watched Ariel float toward him and ce her right hand on his shoulder.


    "I have seen your military officers and those capable of standing in your court and I am impressed. I was furious at you for heading into the destnds but not even our first ancestor Zenas expected the appearance of Ashkelon."


    She pursed her lips.


    "Building your domain in and that has never been conquered by any high in lord wasn''t a n I nor any of your rtives might have thought about. But I am more impressed with your ability to instantly take things to the next level. Such a talent must be at its peak."


    Asher smiled. He didn''t n on making her know it was the work of the system.


    "You have several diamond-ranked knights and over a hundred gold-ranked knights. Such might should make you a viscount but there is one thing about Lord''s that you fail to understand. You might not have known about it because of how you grew but it''s not toote."


    Swoosh!


    A fierce gale blew and the environment changed. Asher found himself standing alongside Ariel on a hill, looking at the great battle in the valley below.


    It was a battle that involved hundreds of thousands.


    "Look over there."


    Asher looked at where she pointed and saw a female red knight dancing on the battlefield. A swing of her de took a life and not once did she miss a kill. Right behind her was a huge wolf that did a dozen times worse.


    Asher saw a cavalry led by a ck armored knight heading toward the red knight. When they were close, the eyes of the wolf and that of the red-armored knight turned white and she stomped her right foot on the ground and then swung the other one like she was about to deliver a kick.


    Asher saw aire together to be visible. The fierce coalesced wind mmed downward, splitting the cavalry and ying a hundred in an instant!


    As if that wasn''t enough, she leaned forward and breathed out a burst of wind, sorge that men and their horses were disorganized; some fell off their horse, some fell with their horse, but though no one was killed, their charge in shambles.


    The red armored knight brandished her swords and shed with the ck armored knight, who had grown to 12 feet! Strangely, his armor and great sword increased along with his size.


    Such a gigantic man made Asher suck in a breath of cold air but the small, less than 6-foot-tall woman shed with the 12-foot-tall ck armored knight.


    A visible ripple sted outward, sweeping away thousands of soldiers! The fact that the red armored knight could sh swords with the ck armored knight stunned Asher greatly.


    She was swift while the ck armored knight was quite slow but still, the red armored knight couldn''t move past his defenses.


    Their battle force pulsing in their veins produced the catastrophic might both lords'' unleashed.


    Asher was sure only one of them could bring down the walls of his stronghold and ughter everyone within.


    "That was my battle against a marquise, a vassal of Duke Nubis the III. He was a fearsome knight, known as the Monster Knight, while I was known as the Dread Knight. Our battle was told off throughout the continent but while I got to hear it, he was 6 feet under."


    Asher blinked.


    "You killed him."


    "My pet did. I was just nourishing my battle experience."


    Her half-hearted tone made Asher grow cold. Such a fearsome warrior and she didn''t seem to take him seriously.


    "The fact that you did not kill your opponent with one strike or two doesn''t make you weak or at the same level. A good warrior takes his time to learn and improve at every chance he has because you shall one day meet near death and only your experience can save you. Killing instantly narrows your battle experience."


    "How did you know what I was thinking in this direction?" Asher turned to face her.


    "Your question said it all."


    Asher turned back to the battlefield and saw when the marquise plunged his sword into the ground and the earth split open. The rift swallowed thousands but she simply blew her men away, only allowing the marquise men to fall.


    "That was a knight skill he got from a magic scroll. It''s called Earth Divider and it''s a saint-ranked skill."


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    As she spoke, Asher saw that the entire valley was destroyed by the skill, and many, even some soldiers from the Ashbourne side, fell to their deaths.


    The scene vanished and they reappeared in a deste valley.


    "Now, boy, how good are you with the sword?"


    Before Asher could reply, Ariel''s swords had left her scabbards.

 Chapter 107: Hidden Shadow Guards

    ng!


    Asher shed with her. He ground his teeth, took a step back and saw another swording down on his head. Asher inhaled and swung his sword upward. The swords shed but he wasn''t free yet.


    His eyes went down, following the second sword that approached his abdomen.


    Asher thought hard on what to do. Left with no other choice, he chose to go back but Ariel followed up with another powerful horizontal sh.


    Left with a small space, Asher bent inward, narrowly evading the sword. All of a sudden, he felt a throb in his heart and that disorganized his internal flow.


    It seemed like the world turned upside down and by the time he opened his eyes, Ariel''s sword was before his neck.


    "You are a lord with a great mind, one fit to rule but you forget that strength doesn''t belong to your men alone. Without a strong body, you won''t survive poisons and assassinations, and don''t tell me you have the vanguards, the most elite troop Ashbournes had ever trained, because there are assassins that can evade them."


    Ariel sheathed her swords and leaned closer.


    "How do your men stop an assassin with the talent to move through shadows? They won''t even see himing but they will see your corpse."


    Asher looked into her eyes.


    "Again."


    He brandished his sword.


    Ariel smiled, unsheathed her swords, and they began another round. Sparks flew as they shed, each time Asher failed but got back to his feet.


    He could see that Ariel wasn''t even serious and that pushed him to his limits with every round.


    ng!


    They shed.


    Asher pushed her back only for her to spin and her sword stopped before his abdomen. Looking at it, he ground his teeth harder.


    Ariel chuckled.


    "Do you know the problem?"


    Asher shook his head.


    Ariel touched his sword and looked at his face. "It''s your weapon. You don''t have the same talent as me so you can never wield two swords like I do. Your physique leans more toward a longsword. This sword is too long and two big. You don''t feel the weight but it affects your battles outside your knowledge."


    Asher looked at the de of his sword with furrowed brows.


    "Sometimes, size doesn''t mean power."


    Ariel sheathed her swords.


    "I see."


    All it meant was that the sword the system fused was necessarily meant for him. The system was focused on his territory and the people but paid little attention to the lord. Topensate for this, the system allowed him to awaken a talent that connected him to his ancestors.


    They would help him in ways the system could not.


    "Secondly, you are too strong for a casual diamond-ranked knight. The strength of an average diamond-ranked knight is 8000 catties but your strength might be over 20,000 catties.


    One must know that 8000 catties was about 4800 kilograms and 20,000 catties was a stunning 12000 kilograms!


    "All that strength is wasted in one swing. While powerful, it''s useless if the target is not hit. That should be enough for now."


    Knowing she was about to leave, Asher quickly spoke up.


    "Lord Atticus spoke to me about synergy. How do you think I can attain it?"


    Ariel shook her head.


    "A battle skill must first be born before you''ll be able to master synergy."


    "How is a battle skill born then?"


    "By training and training and training until it bes you. For example, I mastered mine at 31 and it was during meditation. I gained understanding of the blood and could control others, forcing them to either fight on my behalf or kill them from within."


    Seeing the light in Asher''s eyes, Ariel chuckled.


    "This is nothingpared to uncle Toras battle skill, which allows him to move much faster than other knights in the same rank. He could move faster than the eye could see and was able tounch a thousand javelins before you could take ten steps."


    Hearing this, Asher was once again reminded how lofty his goal was. When would he be able to beat these legendary figures?


    It looked so far away.


    "What about our first ancestor?"


    Ariel looked straight into his eyes. "His battle skill has the simplest name. Stab. However, he had stabbed through an entire stronghold and disintegrated a hundred thousand strong abyssal army, of which there were 1000 imperial-ranked knights leading them."


    Asher''s breath ceased. His eyes narrowed till they became slits.


    "That''s why we don''t even dare to breathe loud before his presence."


    ...


    His spirit returned back into his body, and his eyes opened.


    Fire burned brightly within his eyes. Hispetitive spirit was fired up.


    With the strength the Ashbournes had, they should have built a strong kingdom for themselves, but their loyalty to the imperial family restrained them.


    Yet, that same family betrayed them during the rebellion.


    After taking a deep breath, Asher sat cross-legged, inhaling and exhaling at well-timed intervals.


    .....


    "Where is his Lordship?" Katarina asked Cynthia as they walked through the hallway.


    "I think he should be in his room. He asked not to be disturbed."


    Katarina frowned. She looked around, and the entire ce was deste; only the flickering candles gave life to the hallway.


    "It''s too silent."


    Unbeknownst to both women, there were more than two shadows depicted by the lights from the candles!


    Both women kept talking as they walked until they reached Asher''s room. Cynthia pushed open the door, peeked and saw Asher meditating.


    "We can''t disturb him. We should return tomorrow morning."


    Katarina nodded.


    As they left, the shadows separated from them and entered through the gaps under the door.


    The cool night breeze flowed into the room, and all of a sudden, Asher''s sword, which was by the bedside, was grabbed by a ck fur covered hand, and it vanished.


    Creases formed on Asher''s forehead. Though subtle, he could hear footsteps that almost seemed illusionary.


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    Was this his mind?


    Suddenly, he opened his eyes and, behold, ten figures d in ck were around him, all wielding daggers.


    Jackal n''s Shadow Guards!

 Chapter 108: Life & Death Scroll

    Asher opened his eyes and saw three creatures standing on two legs. At the end of their fingers were sharp ws that were highlighted in Asher''s eyes along with their short golden daggers.


    Their eyes were as dark as night and they were dressed from head to toe in ck.


    Apart from these three, Asher could see more from the corner of his eyes and in total, there were ten of them.


    Ariel''s voice rang in his head.


    His first thought was to go for his sword, but as he turned his head, the biggest of the assassins removed his mask, revealing his fur-covered face, two wolf-like ears, and a pair of cat-like eyes.


    "You have two options. Surrender to the Great Jackal n or perish." He brandished his dagger to threaten Asher even more.


    Asher knew they would not allow him to stand up, as that would make it harder to easily eliminate him. To make it worse, the three before him were diamond-ranked assassins and the others were well-trained gold-ranked assassins.


    Assassins were known for being able to kill those of higher rank. It took decades to train an assassin and they were a special troop that many noblescked. A gold-ranked assassin could eliminate a diamond-ranked knight, and a diamond-ranked assassin could eliminate a sacred-ranked knight, mage, priest, swordsman, and any other profession.


    And he was surrounded by ten!


    "Where do I sign?"


    The jackal smirked, revealing his canines. "You don''t need to. We have a life and death scroll that will bind you. All we need is your blood."


    The moment Asher heard that, a gleam shed through his eyes. He had been considering forcing his way to the hallway or hoping his men woulde but both of them had huge cons.


    One, in forcing his way, he might be killed, while the second was that his men might nevere.


    The head assassin brought out an animal skin and gave it to the one by his left.


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    "Our Lord''s blood is already here. All we need is yours." The second assassin said as he approached Asher.


    Asher gave him his arm and the assassin, instead of opening a small cut on one of Asher''s fingers, sliced his palm!


    He groaned deeply but quickly pulled his arm back before his blood touched the animal skin.


    "Hold him." The head assassin ordered.


    The seven gold-ranked ones pinned Asher and stretched forth his arm.


    Asher looked at his bleeding palm and his expression began to harden. In the next moment, his eyes changed, and his feet sank into the stone floor!


    The assassin who wanted to ce Asher''s palm on the animal''s skin noticed he could no longer move the palm forcefully. When he turned, his eyes met a pair of cold white eyes boring deep into his soul.


    Asher''s expression was so cold that one could see the contours of his jaws because of his clenched teeth.


    Boom!


    All of a sudden, the air in the room became fierce and sted the seven assassins away. It formed a transparent cocoon with Asher within.


    Before their eyes, Asher began to levitate.


    Just as the head chief was about to act, his second in charge plunged a dagger into his throat, causing his eyes to grow wide as he fell.


    The second in charge looked and saw Asher''s hand stretched toward him. Fear took hold of the jackal.


    Asher swung his palm and the jackal lunged toward the next assassin, defeating and killing him in mere seconds and by the time he turned to the gold-ranked assassins, he found them lifeless.


    Bam!


    Wind left the ball and wrapped around the assassin''s neck, lifting him into the air.


    "You mere beast. Go home and tell your lord that I will being." It seemed like two voices were speaking from Asher''s mouth, one male and the other female.


    Thest thing the assassin saw before he vanished into darkness was Asher''s cold white eyes drilling into his soul.


    After the assassin left, Asher crashed to the ground as his eyes returned to normal. Without being told, he knew Ariel was the one he linked with, which was why he could use her synergy but it felt weird for her to speak through his mouth.


    Boom!


    As he was recovering from the fall, the doors swung open. Nero, leading Alex, and the othermanders rushed into the room only to see their lord on his knees.


    Corpses surrounded him.


    "Your Lordship!" Eritrea paled while the others were shocked beyond belief.


    Thud!


    Instantly, they all fell to their knees and lowered their heads.


    "I want another room prepared for me." Asher said it softly, got to his feet and went to the open window. From there he looked down at the feast, which wasing to an end as many soldiers had gone back to rest.


    "How was the feast?"


    "Your Lordship¡­" Alex''s voice trembled. His lord was almost assassinated by beastmen and yet this was the first question his lord asked.


    "Were you injured?" Eritrea asked softly.


    "Just a little cut. It would have been a problem if Kelvin were to see it, though." Asher chuckled but reality hit him hard.


    Sending all his men, including his protectors, to a feast was stupid and it was more stupid to expect that they would be able to protect him all the time.


    "From today, the Shura Vanguards and theirmander are prohibited from leaving their lord. Except a directmand."


    Alex nodded.


    Others, which were Alec, Adam, and Lambert, couldn''t utter a word.


    "Nero. You did well." Asher smiled at the young swordsman.


    [Ding! Upgrade Quest: Conquer the Jackal mining town without sustaining a single loss (0/1).]


    [Reward: The gold mining town will be avable to be upgraded to a keep.]


    Some timeter, Ashery on a bed in a different room and his hand was being treated by the physician and his female apprentice. Both of them felt pressured to be under the sight of their lofty lord.


    At the opposite end of the bed stood Alex.


    Just behind the physician and his apprentice was Katarina.


    "You summoned me, Your Lordship."


    "Yes. Have you given the prisoner''s family the hexakad eggs?"


    "Yes."


    "Have they visited him?"


    "I nned for them to visit him tomorrow."


    "Change that. Bring him here."

 Chapter 109: Stormbringers Rain of Destruction

    Boom!The double doors of the meeting hall were pushed open by two vanguards that stood outside the hall. Their jobs were to open the door and stop those who were not permitted to enter.


    As the door swung open, Katarina and a man who was a few years younger than her walked into the hall. The man, Uriah, looked at the young lord seated on the stone throne, looking down at him without an expression.


    Two Shura Vanguards were on each side of the hall, standing valiantly with their shields to their left and their other hand resting on the hilts of their sheathed sword.


    When they reached the middle of the hall, Katarina whispered to the man. "Kneel."


    After saying that, she went to Asher''s right side, lowered her head toward him and faced Uriah.


    The creases on Uriah''s head multiplied as he frowned deeply but after weighing the odds, he chose to kneel but said nothing.


    "I see that you chose death."


    Asher''s first sentence did not match what he expected.


    Didn''t the man want his talent put to use?


    "You have quite a big family. A wife, two sons, six grandsons, and some servants... Asher reminded him of what was at stake before he would give his final verdict. He did not n to spend his time trying to convince one man, especially not after he was almost enved to beastmen!


    His mood at this moment was vtile.


    "What do you want me to do?"


    Uriah asked.


    Asher leaned forward.


    "I want to know the situation in the mining town and their numbers."


    "I shall do as you have asked but you will let me go after that."


    "I will. After all, there are many that need the diamond-ranked eggs that increase lifespan and nourish the bones, easily making someone as old as you as strong as a man in his mid-fifties. With more intake, you could one day punch through rocks and run as fast as a young adult in his prime."


    Asher got to his feet.


    "That''s all. You may leave."


    At this point, it was hard for Uriah to take one step. All that Asher said kept echoing in his head, sprouting imaginations of a future he had never dreamed of.


    ''It''s a lie.''


    He shook his head.


    While he left the mansion, his eyes wandered about, exposing his growing curiosity. From a city made with wood and beast fur, it had transformed into a stone city. The difference between this city and the former was like the heavens to the earth.


    Ashkelon was magnificent for Uriah to behold.


    The Lord''s mansion was built on a hill produced by the system''s interference with the terrain. Because of this, this three-story building stood above every other building in Ashkelon and a road paved with cobblestones was built on the slope that went down to the city.


    Currently, Uriah stood just outside the walls of the mansion, with Katarina standing by the open wooden gate.


    "When did all these happen?"


    "When you were in prison."


    Uriah''s lips parted. He couldn''t understand how a city this huge could be built in less than one day and even if it could, there was no way those great walls that surrounded Ashkelon were raised in less than a day.


    Something was definitely odd with that lord.


    Could it be that he wasn''t lying earlier?


    "Have you tasted what he talked about?" He turned to Katarina.


    "Tasted. I have eaten abundantly and I will eat more tonight." She chuckled. Truely, something was wrong because, though he paid little heed earlier, it seemed like Katarina was not just looking younger but her face was radiant.


    Her eyes were clear and the wrinkles on her forehead were fading.


    Before Uriah could ask more questions, Katarina turned, and a shura vanguard shut the gate.


    Sighing, Uriah found his way to his house only to see his family''s new house. It was ten times better than the rubbish he built and was proud of.


    It was his grandson that opened the door and the boy held an attractive golden yolk in his small hand.


    As he entered the house, he saw the rest of the family dining on boiled eggs. The eggs gave off a fragrance that made Uriah''s stomach rumble.


    ....


    Rumble!


    Ahead of 60 Stormbringers riding on the vast grassy ins were Alex, Asher, four vanguards, and Uriah riding Centraks. Though it was morning, the skies were still dark.


    Finally, they arrived at a hill and looked at the mining town brightly lit up by me torches. Asher could spot Jackal watchmen walking about with swords and shields, while some held torches.


    A raven flew andnded on Uriah''s shoulder. His white eyes became normal.


    "The mine is in the center of the town but they''re all asleep. Only the watchmen are awake."


    "Any human captive?"


    Asher asked in a tone that made Uriah''s spine grow cold.


    "I did not see any."


    "Good."


    Asher then lifted up his hand. Seeing his raised hand, the stormbringers grabbed their bows and took arows from the quivers.


    The moment Asher brought down his hand, three arrows from each strombringer were shot into the dark sky.


    Swoosh! Swoosh!


    The arrows began to fall from the sky into the town. The moment it struck, there would be a lightning st. In the process, the me troches torched the buildings, starting a fire that was continuously empowered by the rain of arrows.


    Before Asher''s eyes, the town turned into a sea of mes.


    "Don''t kill all of them. I want a message sent to their great n."


    Eritrea nodded.


    Rumble!


    She and the other markswomen rode down the valley,unching arrows at some jackals that escaped the town walls. Some watchmen tried to fight back but their shields were shattered by the power of one lightning arrow and it pierced through them.


    Puchi!


    Scorched, they fell.


    The Stormbringers moved around the town, shooting down those that rushed out, either to fight or to run. All of a sudden, one jackal rushed out of the town, some parts of his body on fire.


    Eritrea raised her right hand and her soldiers stayed their hands. They rode past him.


    Filled with fear, the jackal did not know he was spared as he ran and ran until he disappeared from sight.


    "Kill the remaining."


    Eritrea ordered. She was bent on making sure the Jackal n paid for trying to assassinate her lord.

 Chapter 110: Ashkelon Guard Troop

    Soon, the mes billowed up into the skies and Asher and his troops watched the town from when it was set aze to when it burned so much that they could feel the heat.


    The stormbringers could be spotted returning to the top of the hill, all sweating profusely.


    "You chose to annihte the small town." Uriah muttered but Asher heard it.


    "From the moment they sent assassins and tried to enve me into a contract that would make me a ve lord all the days of my life, the line had been crossed. I shall wipe that n off the face of the Bashan basin."


    Uriah trembled inwardly.


    "But they have fierce footmen, numbering in thousands."


    Asher scoffed.


    "You seem not to understand the name of your city. It is called the great city of Centraks and the owners of those Centraks are the debreakers. 5000 footmen will be trampled by them."


    "These are beastmen, Your Lordship, not humans!"


    Asher slowly turned his head to Uriah.


    Right at that moment, Eritrea and the Stormbringers arrived.


    "You fear them."


    Asher suddenly said.


    "Your Lord¡ª"


    Asher lifted up his hand, issuing an order of silence that not even a prestigious mage dared object to. This was called the ultimate spell. Themand of a Lord!


    "I happen to know that the Bashan n sacrificed 10 barbarians. 5 men and 5 women every month to these Jackals. For such to happen, your lord must either fear them since he was under your counsel or he has been enved, which is more likely."


    Uriah couldn''t retort.


    Asher made Bezerk take a few steps toward Uriah and lean forward. "You were all ves, ignorant of reality. You were all fooling yourselves, thinking you were freemen."


    Uriah smiled bitterly and lowered his head.


    "We had to submit before true power and you will too. The great city you have built is just for them to inhabit because they will surelye; beastmen are not humans; they are twice as strong, armed with ws as sharp as a refined sword; they are several folds more agile and aggressive."


    "Yet... they shall all die."


    Uriah furrowed his brows as not even a flicker of fear shed through Asher''s eyes.


    [Ding! Conquer the gold mining town without sustaining a single loss (1/1).


    [Reward Unlocked.]


    Bright white light burst forth from the ground, swallowing the mes, and a keep appeared on the hill that was on the other side. The tall tower had 5 meters thick and 15 meters tall walls!


    The keep had a long backcloth with the image of a wolfhead. It looked deste yet epic as it stood there, the dark skies casting a solemn background for the solitary tower.


    As they got close to the keep, a voice rang from within, and the keep''s gates were pulled open. When it opened, Asher saw warriors d in silver helmets and silver breasttes above exquisitely made chainmail. They wore light brown leather pants and steel boots.


    Their helmets had protruding iron crests and red cloaks billowed behind them. Their armor had a simple style, not asplicated as the ones worn by special and terror-grade troops but their physique was quite impressive.


    A look, and Asher knew they were all barbarians because their helmets had a T-shaped opening, exposing the eyes, nose, mouth, and beard the barbarians were famous for.


    They had longswords strapped to their waist belts and round shields attached to their backs. The image on the shield was the head of a howling wolf.


    "It''s his lordship!" One Ashkelon Guard turned his head back and yelled. It seemed like he was informing those inside the keep.


    The sound of footsteps fell into Asher''s ears. Not long after, 22 Ashkelon Guards half kneeled before him.


    "We greet His Lordship!"


    "What troop is this?"


    Before the soldiers could respond, the system''s notification appeared in his retina.


    [Ashkelon Guards, a normal grade troop equipped to be the city guards of the great Ashkelon.] [Host, this garrison has been created to defend the city and they are under General Adam.]


    ''You created a garrison for Ashkelon because it had no troop stele, apart from the debreakers?''


    read this on m _v _l _e _m _p _y _r


    [Yes. The barrack is now in the city and to transform one civilian into an Ashkelon Guard, you shall pay 1 silver coin.


    Troops were expensive and the reason was because the troops he gained from the system were the best of the best. They had decades of knowledge, top-tier armor and weapons, along with powerful physiques.


    And all he needed was 1 silver coin to get a ready-made soldier, while the normal route would take decades of training before the trainee would be a capable warrior and yet they still needed to enter the field to gain experience.


    [Host, Ashkelon has 67,000 civilians. This means you will need over 6,000 Ashkelon Guards for a proper security percentage.]


    The moment Asher saw that, he realized he had not checked the city''s status panel. He had to return first in order to check it.


    However, the sight of the Ashkelon Guards both impressed and satisfied him.


    With the keep here, he would call for builders to build an outpost kilometers away from the keep in order to inform them when the jackals wereing.


    But Asher had faith those jackals would not being anytime soon once the assassin ryed his information and the one they spared also ryed his. He wanted to buy time to digest his gains and prepare to engage them in battle.


    After ordering the Ashkelon Guards to keep their eyes on the gold mine, Asher returned back to Ashkelon after a short while. The distance from Ashkelon to the mine was just 10 kilometers, and it was a few minutes'' journey on horseback.


    Back at Ashkelon, Asher visited the northern part of the city, which was behind the lord''s mansion and he saw another barrack beside the debreaker barrack and the Ashkelon Guards''s stele built a simr transformation building, a building that looked simr to a tower.


    At the gates of the barrack, he met Adam seated on a stone grinding hisrge cleaver. Behind Adam were thousands of young and adult barbarians chatting inside the barrack.


    "You''re here." Asher chuckled.


    Adam shook his head. "You''re the mysterious force that transported us here and we also heard your voice. You told me that I would be the general of this troop and they would be my men. I could not disobey your orders and leave so I had to wait."


    Asher blinked.


    ''System!''

 Chapter 111: Claude Flameheart In Peril

    "How many gathered?"


    Adam stood up and looked at the crowd through the gate.


    "4000. More are stilling."


    "Oh?"


    Asher turned to look back as Adam looked behind him several times. He saw more civilians heading for the barracks with small luggages. They must have gotten the nudge from the system.


    Asher and Adam walked into the barrack. As they strolled around, civilians kept paying respects to him, and he responded with soft smiles.


    While looking at the civilians, Asher discovered that most of them were in their mid-thirties and mid-forties. Some were the ones deemed useless by the barbarians because they did not have strong physiques, which barbarians respected.


    Some of them had not even married, as the able-bodied ones had married two or sometimes three wives. Besides, the rule of the strong having it all reigned supreme in the Bashan ns.


    Those who were farmers struggled to even have a woman to themselves and live peacefully without a strong warrior snatching her away.


    The rule was too barbaric for Asher, who came from modern earth, but it had given him lots of men who wanted to change their fate.


    "How many are we going to recruit?"


    Adam turned toward Asher.


    "About 4000. I n to bring about 10,000 or more civilians to Nineveh, and the debreakers will slowly increase until they hit 1000."


    stay updated with m,v,l,e,m p _y,r


    "Oh? 4000 Ashkelon Guards are already enough to protect the city from external threats and also keep the internal peace. But the city is big enough for 300,000 to live in. The remaining poption is too little for such arge city."


    Asher patted Adam''s shoulder.


    "This is the beginning; do not rush. The lives of these men are important, and the loyalty of the city is also in the dark. We must make sure they stand solidly behind us beforeunching wars to conquer more, or there will be a rebellion that will tear the city from inside."


    Adam had a sudden realization after Asher said that.


    All Adam knew were their old ways of rampaging through thends and gathering people so they would work for them and do much more.


    When the gate was locked and the civilians began to enter the transformation building, Asher chuckled inwardly.


    Kelvin would be extremely pissed at him due to the disappearance of coins from the Treasury.


    Recruiting 4500 Ashbounre Guards cost him 4500 silver coins, which was equivalent to 450 gold coins. At least it was cheaper than the debreaker recruits.


    The cost of each debreaker was equivalent to 1000 Ashbourne Guards!


    Also, while the debreakers began at the silver rank, the Ashbourne Guard recruits began at the bronze rank.


    Both troops were obviously not in the same league.


    But one had the advantage of numbers while the other did not. This was the sole disadvantage of high-grade troops.


    But when their strengths were considered,cking numbers wasn''t much of a disadvantage.


    Finally, when the sun had emerged, thest of the citizens came out of the transformation building, now as an Ashkelon Guard.


    All 4500 of them stood tall, their shields on their left and their other hand on the hilts of their swords neatly sheathed in their scabbards, supported by their waist belts.


    This was the first time Asher had ever gazed at 4500 strongmen that belonged to one troop.


    Their uniform armor, discipline, andbined aura struck him without reserves. He felt awe at the sight of the mighty Ashkelon Guards.


    "On your knees before the authority, Ashkelon Guards!" Adam''s voice resounded.


    Instantly, the 4500 city guards half kneeled and mmed their right fist against their chests with their heads lowered.


    "We greet His Lordship!!"


    Their voices reverberated like the waves of the sea, crashing down on Asher''s ears so much that he had to pin himself to the ground or he would stagger backward.


    This was the magnitude of their aura.


    Asher did not know why. But the system''s military taste was just too magnificent. He was indeed fortunate to have a subordinate as obsessed with perfection and military might as the system.


    "Arise."


    They got to their feet. Looking at them standing up like men that had trained all their lives and had fought several battles, Asher couldn''t hide the growing smirk that graced his lips.


    This was another elite troop.


    Even though they were just a normal grade troop and Ashkelon''s garrison, they were the best in their category. United they could go against stronger troops, and with the aid of the wall, Ashkeon was in safe hands.


    He could now leave without being worried.


    For now, the Jackals would not attack for the confidence he felt from Ariel strengthened his heart.


    Even if they attacked, the Ashkeon Guards would be able to defend the city until he came with forces from Nineveh.


    ...¡­.


    Hebron City.


    ude meheart walked through his hallway with hurried steps with his bodyguard behind him.


    He had just returned from Nineveh yesterday, which was the second day of the new month. They were in full-blown spring, and the crops in Nineveh were ripe for harvest.


    Having known the fast growth period of Nineveh''s crops, he made sure he was there during the harvest, and because of that, he gained lots of fresh products from Kelvin. Golden Fragrant corn, Hexakad eggs, and over 30 bags of milled golden wheat, a rare product caused by the rich fields.


    All that the golden wheat produced was ten times better than the normal ordinary wheat. This gave a great advantage in the market, and ude couldn''t lose that because he was already making progress in the high ins.


    Not only that, but he also purchased 1000 boxes of iron ore, and in exchange, he gave them gold coins, spices, and all that Ninevehcked. Mostly good fish, salt, and sugar.


    He was in a delightful mood before sleepingst night, but the news that came to him this morning was horrifying.


    Jordan Zebulun was now a viscount with a fierce army of ve warriors and had also made an alliance with Baron Scarlet and Baron Tyre to conquer his territory.


    They had already conquered Hebron Town during the night!

 Chapter 112: Back To Nineveh

    When the doors opened and the knights in the hall saw ude, they lowered their heads and waited for him to take his seat.


    "What happened?" ude asked the knights seated on the long rectangr table.


    "Behind our backs, Jordan has sought a noble title from the imperial family and has decided to build his territory on the ruins of ours." Nics said solemnly.


    "ording to our scouts, he has an army of 2000 iron and bronze-ranked bull warriors, 500 silver-ranked armored bull warriors, and 5 heavy armored bull knights. Baron Scarlet has also gathered a force of 1,500 iron- and bronze-ranked soldiers, 300 silver-ranked soldiers, and 2 knights.


    While Baron Tyre has gathered a force of 1000 iron- and bronze-ranked soldiers, 200 silver-ranked soldiers, 2 knights, and a mage."


    ude frowned deeply.


    "A total of 5,500 men, 9 knights, and a mage." He muttered.


    "Indeed. Our garrison in Hebron Town could not stand a chance against their might, and before we got the news, it had fallen. They''ll be marching for the Silver Castle as we speak, which means in a week''s time, Silver Castle will be under siege, and once it falls, this city is next."


    Nics pointed at a map spread on the table.


    "What are our numbers?"


    ude turned toward him.


    "We have 400 strong silver-ranked warriors, 1000 able-bodied bronze-ranked men, and 4 knights in the city; the other 3 are in Silver Castle. Lark, Felix, and Stefan were brought down in Hebron Town."


    "There were 1000 strong bronze-ranked men and 100 silver-ranked men in Hebron Town. How were they not able to hold the town for one night?!"


    "Their mage is the reason." A knight responded.


    It was at this moment that ude registered the appearance of a mage into the picture. He suddenly felt cold.


    He had mage friends, but most of them lived in the county, as these parts were too corrupt for them. They would be more prone to bing corrupted without the presence of a priest to purify the domain.


    "Can we hire sellswords?"


    "Unfortunately, we were only able to hire 500."


    "The others are afraid." Another knight said what Nics avoided uttering.


    "What is the state of our garrison at the Silver Castle?"


    "We have three knights, 500 archers, and 500 light infantry. They should be able tost for some days with the advantage of the walls." Nics said reassuringly.


    "I''m not certain about that. The bull warriors Viscount Jordan has under hismand; I have met them once in the high ins. A baron bought 100 of them. They are muscr warriors that have undergone brutal training to be a frighteningnd force and are also adept at sieges. Viscount Jordan bought the best ve soldiers."


    ude gripped his table hard.


    He was a merchant who became lord. He wasn''t like Baron Victor Scarlet or Baron Rutherford Tyre, both of whom were given their titles because of their battle merits.


    However, he prided himself on his influence and wealth, but Jordan was more cunning than him.


    "For this to escape my spies, it means there are higher powers behind them." ude said solemnly.


    "I''m suspecting Count Williams."


    Nics said.


    "Not just that. The imperial family is the actual brain behind this. They know I and the others became lords without their seal, so they''re using Jordan to cause a rife and watch us destroy ourselves, and the lord they chose will rule instead."


    ude''s reveal made his knights stunned.


    "If we deploy our garrison, the city loses its defense, but if we don''t, Silver Castle will certainly fall." ude stroked his chin.


    Get thetest from m-vl-emp _yr.


    "Send a messenger falcon to Baron Ashbourne. Inform him that his ally is in need of aid."


    "You want us to send such a unique bird to that wretched ce? Why don''t we send it to the county, seeking aid from the mages?" A knight asked. His brows knit together.


    Nics turned to the knight.


    "These unique birds that are much better than the ones in Tigris County are from that wretched ce."


    "What?"


    ....


    After a month and an extra week of receiving news from Ashkelon, informing him of their lord''s return and the massive poption that wereing with him, Kelvin stood at the top of the main gate, looking at the poption that formed a snake without end.


    All of them were on the road.


    Before the crowd of civilians were a thousand silver-armored soldiers marching with the Ashbourne g raised high, and behind the crowd of exactly 17,000 people were another 1000 silver-armored soldiers, wielding dreadful halberds.


    Their cloaks had matching colors, the same for their armor, so it seemed as if they were the same troop split into two.


    Ahead of the great poption were Asher, Alex, Alec, Nero, and the vanguards on the backs of centraks. In the crowd, there were countless ovoks, hundreds of centraks, and beast fur on their backs.


    Asher looked at his stronghold with a broad smile on his face the moment he spotted Kelvin''s silhouette.


    It had been two months since he was away and five months since his sister left for the Sacred me Academy.


    Adam stayed back in Ashkelon as their general, while Katarina was in charge of the administrative affairs in his stead. She was the city lord and would report all that urred in the city to him. While Eritrea and her troops stopped at their barracks.


    He nned on sending the other 70 Thunderstorm Rangers to the Stormbringer barracks to be cavaliers, while the 100 infantrymen left by Alec would be sent to the Shura Vanguard barracks to be his personal army.


    It was time to expand his personal elite force.


    He looked at the paved road beneath the hooves of his mount and smiled. It was because of this road they were able to transport 17,000 people in a bit over one month.


    When Asher arrived at the open gates, he saw hundreds of people screaming and bellowing at their return.


    Upon seeing this with Kelvin standing at the front with a professional smile, Asher chuckled.


    "You did this?"


    "The people came out of their own volition."


    "I see." Asher chuckled, dismounted, and embraced Kelvin, who smiled broadly as he patted the young lord''s back.


    "You should not do this in public. You''re a lord." Kelvin whispered, but Asher paid no heed to him.

 Chapter 113: Upgrading the Stronghold

    Awooo~~!A great howl fell into Asher''s ears as he broke the hug. He turned and saw Sirius running toward the gate at its best speed.


    Seeing the mighty beast, 17,000 barbarians scattered, running helter-skelter, so much that even the soldiers couldn''t stop them.


    "It''s the great wolf!"


    They screamed.


    Asher lifted his hand, and when Sirius was before him, it lowered its head so his hand could rest on its head.


    "How have you been?"


    He muttered as he caressed Sirius. Before the fearful eyes of the barbarians, the giant wolf went toy down and close its eyes. It made soft sounds.


    While caressing Sirius, Asher''s smile grew wider and his expression got brighter. Hismanders knew it had been a while since Asher showed such sincere happiness, and they felt quite warm seeing their lord looking happy.


    Kelvin, who wanted to bring up the topic about the state of the wastnds, kept silent.


    All of sudden, Asher felt something was wrong with the crowd, and when he looked, he saw the barbarians all on their knees.


    "It''s a great rider."


    "It''s him."


    "The great rider is still alive."


    "He''s reborn."


    They kept speaking with low tones; their expressions held disbelief and great doubt, but those expressions were breaking away from the reality before them.


    Without being told, Asher knew his territory loyalty would not reduce because of the new poption but increase!...


    After the 17,000 were settled, Asher walked into the sacred hall with high expectations.


    [Ding! Poption has exceeded limits. Criteria for another upgrade have been fulfilled.]


    [Host, would you like to upgrade your stronghold to be an Epic City stronghold? Yes or No?]


    Asher raised an eyebrow. see NovelFire,em,pyr for more


    ''Epic City Stronghold?''


    ''Go ahead.''


    Boom!


    It was as if the foundations of the stronghold were shaken, causing everything and everyone in the stronghold to tremble. Some people fell, some were scared silly, some even picked up weapons, while some fled for their homes.


    Asher held a wall to support himself, but the wall seemed like it was falling at the same time it wasn''t. A white glow burst out of the wall, then the floor, and then the ceiling.


    The blinding white light blinded Asher with pure whiteness. When he regained his sight, he found out he was on his knees, and he stared at a polished marble floor.


    The sacred hall did not increase much in size, but it increased by several folds in quality. His throne had a better structure, and the tform around it was pure white. It was whiter than the walls of the hall, which had long ck gs.


    Looking at his stone throne, which befitted a high-ranking lord, Asher could not help but smile. On the walls behind the throne was a giant sculpture of a wolf''s head, and below were symbols of elements.


    It was the four elements that were the foundation of Boundless: fire, water, earth, and air.


    Blood came from water, metal came from earth, and lightning could be found along with fire.


    There were ceiling to floor windows on the right side of the sacred hall and from there sunlight peeked into the hall. These windows were covered by ck gs, and this made the white wolf head more distinct.


    [Epic City Stronghold''s Name: Nineveh


    Epic City Stronghold''s Tier: Tier One


    Poption: 25,000/50,000


    Security: 85/100


    Loyalty: 98/100]


    ddened by the status of the newly upgraded stronghold, he looked out the window and was shocked at the height of the castle. It had grown to a five-story building, and this was when the tallest building in the stronghold was a two-story building.


    Not only that, the castle was not made of stones but bricks made by masons. It now had a magnificent structure with the Ashbourne g running down from the top to the middle parts of the castle. It was slowly resembling a pce.


    The stronghold looked magnificent. All the streets were paved, and all the buildings had proper roof tiles. The most amazing part was that it had shifted the fields inside the walls, and the walls received an upgrade that made Asher''s lips part.


    It was now 25 meters tall, and the alure was wide enough for ten war horses to run side by side, and it could amodate troops of thousands. At some intervals, there were massive round pirs that held the wall in ce, and at the top of these pirs, the alure, there were massive war machines.


    Catapults!


    These catapults were bigger than the movable ones and were mounted on the walls. Asher could count five catapults!


    This was a stronghold that would stand against any imposing force that wanted to prate into the destnds, and seeing its current state, Asher''s confidence grew.


    With more upgrades, this stronghold would be impregnable!


    He left the window for the hall''s exit.


    Walking through the hallway, which looked three times bigger than before, Asher began to look and marvel like he was a stranger.


    He couldn''t imagine what Mary''s expression would be when she returned and saw that the mere stronghold she left was now a pseudo-pce.


    The walls were so polished that it was almost reflecting like a mirror!


    His maids kept greeting him until he left the castle doors into the courtyard. The moment he came out, he saw the walls of the Shura Vanguard barrack and went toward it.


    To his shock, he found his men on Centraks, standing in a neat formation before Alex.


    Their heavy armor had a bright silver color that wasplimented by their dark blue cloaks and long plumes. Yet Asher noticed a difference.


    There was now a crest on the helmets that curved forward and backward in a fan shape, and arge amount of horsehair was inserted into that crest, making the plumes heavier than usual.


    From their backs, it looked like the mane of a lion!


    Their shields were discarded for twin swords that hung at their backs. Both them and their mounts were heavily protected by te armor.


    The lower part of their helmet had straight metal lines like the bars of a burry gate. It protected their faces but also allowed proper breathing.


    Over a hundred of them, best of the best, stood there, their eyes like sharp swords.


    [Ding! Hidden Questpleted.]


    [For upgrading your first territory to be an Epic City Stronghold before the duration of a year was exhausted, your personal troop stele has been upgraded.]


    [New Troop: King Swordsmen. A Guardian-grade troop! Each and every King Swordsman has all awakened talents that would make them the greatest forces under yourmand: Ambidextrous Fighter.]

 Chapter 114: Ashbourne BloodBlades

    Asher almost lost his decorum the moment he saw the grade of this troop, but he held himself.


    What this meant was that each and every soldier would eventually be saint-ranked armored swordsman knights!


    He trembled.


    If he could nurture them properly, they would be a dreadful force known throughout the Tenaria continent.


    "It''s His Lordship." Nero nudged his father, who gazed at his dream toe alive. He had always dreamed of leading armored swordsmen but training such a rare troop was a bleak dream. Swordsmen had a pitiful durability, but armored swordsmen were several folds more durable; unfortunately, they were hard to train.


    Hearing his son, he turned his head toward the gate and saw Asher walking in.


    Before he could speak, the King Swordsmen, over 100 of them, had their Centraks bow toward Asher while they lowered their heads.


    Asher smiled.


    "Arise, my swordsmen."


    For the first time he spoke more than just arise, and it made Alex''s confidence in the power of his troop soar.


    At their right pauldron was the crest of a howling golden wolf head. It was an ornate, a symbol of authority and rank to the swordsmen, but it could also be removed, stripping the swordsmen of their duty should they break military code.


    These King Swordsmen had received decades worth of training that made them able to give their lives for their lord without batting an eyelid. They were almost cut out of the world, as they would only train, live, and die inside the castle.


    They could only be ordered by theirmander despite the circumstances, and theirmander could only act when the lord had given him an order.


    The King Swordsmen could not go to a war thatcked the presence of their lord, as they were meant to protect him for the rest of their lives.


    All 109 of them were gold-ranked sword knights.


    Asher approached one of them, grabbed his sword, and pulled it out. Before Alex could understand what Asher wanted to do, Asher swung the sword toward the swordsman by the one he pulled the sword out of.


    The swordsman''s breath didn''t even shake, yet his eyes were strangely fast enough to follow the movement.


    But he wasn''t built to respond to attacks performed by his lord, so he remained passive until the sword''s tip stopped right at his Adam''s apple.


    "Impressive restraint." Ashermended.


    The swordsman nodded.


    After admiring his personal troop, his eyes went toward the 10-year-old silver-ranked dual swordsman, who must have been waiting for an upgrade.


    [Host has intentions to upgrade Nero?]


    ''He''s amongst the King Swordsmen troop. Why doesn''t he look like the rest of them?''


    [He''s greater. He''s the greatest talent you have, and his best position is the position of a Bloodde.]


    Asher raised both brows.


    Blooddes were extremely skilled professionals whose only job was to be by the lord''s side. They were literally everywhere the Lord could be found.


    Blooddes were ancient warriors that diminished after the forgotten era. They were introduced by beastmen and were copied by the other races.


    Some powerful nobles might still have Blooddes, but Ashbournes had pet beasts, so no Bloodde had ever been found since the Ashbournes became a noble household. Read exclusives on NovelFiremp _y,r.


    A Bloodde had to enter a contract that once the lord dies, they also die. This made them different from casual bodyguards.


    Asher did not think that was what Alex wanted for his son.


    ''Is there no other option?''


    [The option of making him a King Swordsman is still open, but it would never allow his full potential to reach its peak.]


    Seeing Asher looking at Nero for a long time, Alex was puzzled. Nero was excited, as he expected an upgrade, but it was taking too long.


    "Have you ever heard of a Bloodde?"


    Alex''s eyes widened, and he fell on one knee.


    "I will be honored to be your Bloodde!"


    [Ding! Would you upgrade Sir Alex to be your Bloodde? Yes or No?]


    ''What?! He''s already amander!''


    [He can stillmand as a Bloodde.]


    Asher frowned deeply.


    "I was speaking to Nero. Do you know who a Bloodde is?"


    Nero shook his head.


    "They''re warriors whose lives are connected with their lord. Once the lord dies, they die. Their duty is to protect the Lord at all times. Your father is married; I can''t have him be my Bloodde because he will have to leave my side to tend to his wife¡­"


    "We can both be your Blooddes. When he is not by your side, I shall be there, and when I am not there, he shall be there."


    Nero suddenly spoke.


    Asher looked at Alex.


    "Like I said, it''s my honor."


    Asher didn''t know what to say. 100 percent loyalty wasn''t just numbers; it made people do crazy things, and in this case, a father and a son were about to be Ashbourne Blooddes.


    [Alex and Nero are avable for upgrade. Would you upgrade Alex and his son, Nero, to be your Blooddes? Yes or No?]


    Asher hesitated.


    ''Yes.''


    Swoosh!


    Crimson rings appeared around the white, blinding light that swalloed both father and son. On the other hand, Asher felt dizzy, as if he had lost a good amount of blood.


    When the light died down, two figures appeared. One was about 7 feet tall, while the other was almost 6 feet tall. Both of them wore dark silver armor, which had a thick convex chestte.


    The chainmail underneath their thick, dark silver armor, which looked like it was made out of mythril ore, could be seen at the gaps at their elbows and necks.


    Theyer of armor they donned was both amazing and stunning, yet they had only blue cloaks and no crest nor plumes on their helmets, which only revealed their eyes.


    There was a bloodstain mark on their right pauldron and on the right eye part of the helmet. Alex hung his broadsword, weighing over 2000 catties on his back, while Nero sheathed two longswords on both sides of his waist.


    The solemn aura they exuded flooded the barrack. Their presence was so daunting that no one could ignore them for fear that they might strike at any moment.


    .....


    Inside the sacred hall, Asher sat with his Blooddes at his sides and his pet beast lyingzily at the left end of the hall.


    Boom!


    The doors opened and a man, a silver-ranked soldier from the meheart territory that came after there was no response from the falcon, walked into the hall.


    He had seen the sudden changes and was shocked for hours.


    The current state of the stronghold made him almost not want to return to meheart domain. And he once prided in!As he kept walking, one of the fearsome-looking knights that had bloodstains on his armor focused on him.


    "Kneel before the authority and Lordship."


    His voice was tender, like that of a teenager, but the undertone carried so much dread that the soldier''s knees became weak.

 Chapter 115: Flameheart Crisis

    The meheart soldier did not believe he stood before a baron or was in a domain that belonged to a baron. Not even his lord, known as the richest man in the wastnds, could build such a magnificent stronghold,rge enough for tens of thousands to live in.


    In his lord''s barony, he was among the 500 silver-ranked warriors and was treated with respect. But silver-ranked soldiers that had more robust auras were like the sand. Almost every soldier was a silver-ranked soldier!


    He had crumbled, but his greatest shock came with Asher''s return. He saw thousands of silver-ranked soldiers donning impressive armor entering the gate. It wasn''t just hundreds anymore, but thousands!


    Where had this paradise been all this while?


    The most unbelievable thing was that the lord of this stronghold was so young that he might be of the same age group as his first son.


    "Greetings, Lord Ashbourne."


    He went on one knee and lowered his head. His heart palpitated at the sight of the Blooddes, and he could feel their sword-like gazes boring into him.


    Just when he thought this was the worst, he turned and saw a giant wolf, the same wolf that causedmotion, looking straight at him, and it yawned softly.


    That was a bad sign.


    It meant the wolf was either hungry or bored; neither of them were to his advantage. If it was hungry, then he had to watch his words, or he might be the wolf''s lunch, and if it was bored, they could still toss him over for it to have fun, ripping him apart.


    The soldier felt dread. The wolf wasn''t an ordinary giant wolf because no ordinary wolf had mes billowing off it.


    "I hear you came from Baron meheart''s domain. Is that true?"


    Asher cocked his head.


    "It is. I came bearing the terror of my lord. His domain has been invaded by an alliance of three noble households. The Zebuluns, the Tyres, and the Scarlets. They have gathered a fearsome force of strongmen, over 5000 in numbers, and have taken Hebron Town."


    Asher leaned forward.


    "What?"


    He turned to Kelvin, and his headbutler nodded.


    "You did not send me any letter."


    "You were on an important expedition. I could not disturb you with other pressing matters." Kelvin responded calmly.


    Asher turned away from him.


    "What is the situation of your lord?"


    "As of two weeks ago, when I left, House Zebulun had not changed their strategy. He has camped his forces around the castle and has cut off every means of food supply. It''s been a month, and Silver Castle may notst much longer."


    Asher''s brows knit together.


    "I haven''t heard of this Zebulun before. Is it a new house?"


    "House Zebulun is under the lordship of Jordan Zebulun, the man who sent men to destroy the convoy and hijack all we had after we had traded with him. ording to some sources, he received approval from the imperial family and has bought troops of ve warriors."


    Kelvin spoke.


    "These ve warriors are powerful. Strong enough to bring down our forces with little casualty. In a month, thest city might fall."


    Asher leaned back and exhaled softly.


    "Return to your Lord. Inform him that his ally is on his way."


    With a radiant face, the soldier hurriedly left the hall, while Asher remained looking at the doors with a in expression.


    He rose to his feet.


    "You should have informed me, Kelvin. The mehearts are our only source of trading without attracting attention to ourselves. If he is gone, we are exposed."


    "I considered the matters at the destnds, but I shall not make this mistake again."


    Asher turned to face him.


    "What do you think about this war?"


    "For decades there has been peace in the wastnds, and this war will afford you the opportunity to consume them all before the world realizes."


    "So you did not care for our ally?"


    "He is to be your vassal."


    "Probably, but do not hurry. Count Williams won''t watch me swallow the wastnds without acting, and this situation is beyond him; the imperial family is also involved."


    After saying this, Asher began walking toward the exit alongside Kelvin. His Blooddes were behind him, walking so silently that their footsteps couldn''t be heard, and yet they weighed quite a lot!


    "This attack is just a medium for me to strengthen the alliance between me and Baron meheart. While he holds the front for me, I shall expand in the destnds."


    "That is a wise choice, Your Lordship, but there is no need to ignore the wastnds. It belongs to your ancestors and is rightfully yours."


    Asher chuckled and patted Kelvin''s shoulders.


    "In due time. I have a count on my neck and his daughter''s fiance; the son of a duke is not a friend of mine. de Nubis is petty; he wille when he sees a little spark of my rise."


    "Let us first defend Baron meheart, and I shall destroy Viscount Zebulun. He has no roots, and it will also cause a deeper rivalry between the count and the imperial family."


    Impressed by Asher''s view, Kelvin smiled.


    "As you wish."


    "Good. I shall leave for the meheart domain with my personal troop alone since they have the best mobility, but before then, is cksmith Dan at his forge? I want to discuss forging my own armor set."


    ...¡­..


    nk! nk!


    Not far from the city square, which was several hundred yardsrge and paved with white stones, where hundreds of people walked about, a forge could be seen, and the forge had a space outside where a cksmith could smith weapons.


    Right now, Dan, the big bearded journeyman-grade cksmith, was mming his hammer against a metal. His dirty tunic was soaked in his sweat, and his leather apron, which was brand new when Asher upgraded him, was like something that he had worn for decades.


    All of a sudden, a boot stepped on his table, breaking his concentration, causing him to look up in anger. His eyes reflected the image of a metal helmet that had what seemed like actual bloodstains on the right eye part.


    Instantly, all the hairs on his body stood up.

 Chapter 116: Clash Of Barons [1]

    "Master Dan. It''s been a while."


    A voice rang behind the Bloodde, and upon recognizing the tone, cksmith Dan fell on one knee and lowered his head.


    "I greet His Lordship."


    "Arise. Have you gained the armor blueprint?"


    Dan nodded.


    "I have, Your Lordship. We can now make a full te armor as intricate as the one donned by your infantry troops."


    "What would it take?"


    Asher walked out of Alex''s back and leaned by the wooden beams supporting the forge. He and his Blooddes wore cloaks, so they just looked strange, but since there were Deste yers in the city square, the people weren''t frightened.


    As of now, Nineveh did not wee guests, adventurer guilds, or any other organizations like merchant guilds, so odd people were easily noticed.


    "To make 10plete silver armor sets with the weapons, I and Ark would have to work together with my apprentices for two weeks. Luckily, these armors are made from refined iron ore that has silver meridians, which makes it more durable than normal steel."


    "I see."


    Asher crossed his arms.


    He casually ground his teeth and pursed his lips.


    "Two weeks for just 10 armor sets is not worth it. However, my aim wasn''t for you to make armor sets for soldiers, as I have another way to do that. I wanted you to gain experience from it and grow. You and Ark are my chief cksmiths and will spearhead the creation of our unique armor."


    Dan raised an eyebrow.


    "I did learn a lot and will be a senior grade cksmith in a year''s time, but what does, My Lord, mean by our own unique armor?"


    Alex opened the sack he carried and dropped two, two-handed great axes on the table. The moment Dan touched the axes, his eyes shone.


    His fingers trembled.


    "Is this¡­"


    "Dwarven ore. The same ore that gave dwarfs the edge in war. An ore that surpasses mythril ore and the Adamantine ore we humans pride ourselves in."


    Dan''s muscles bulged as he lifted one great axe and marveled at the creation.


    "Not only that, but it wasn''t forged by human hands. How is this thing still existing?!"


    "There are more. After the racial war, no human stepped foot into the destnds again, but there lie the ruins of those races, their technology, and their secrets. This is just the beginning."


    When Dan came out of his shock, he turned toward Asher.


    "You want the entire Ashbourne troops to don armor made entirely out of dwarven ore? That''s impossible!"


    "I have no such ns." Asher chuckled and looked right into Dan''s eyes. "I want something stronger. Possibly an alloy made from dwarven ore and another simrly powerful ore."


    Dan gasped at his Lord''s lofty ambition.


    "To produce such armor, you will need thousands upon thousands of senior grade cksmiths, hundreds of master grade cksmiths, and tens of saint grade cksmiths."


    "It''s gradual, Dan, not instantly."


    Asher smiled.


    "For now, I want armor. Use both axes to make armor for me and my war horse."


    "It will be difficult." Dan replied.


    "Is it possible?" Asher asked.


    Dan frowned deeply.


    "Maybe with Ark''s help. But it will take a while."


    "I see."


    Asher stopped leaning against the beam, pulled the cloak''s hood over his head properly, and walked away until he entered an ordinary-looking carriage and left.


    After he left, Dan went into his room behind the inner forge, brought out a wooden box under his bed, and took a worn-out paper scroll. He opened it and looked at the blueprint of an armor neatly sketched on it with bright eyes.


    A confident smile graced his face. "His Lordship will be amazed when I''m done with this."


    Meanwhile, Asher had his reasons for not forging a weapon. All his ancestors followed one path, and many of them seeded as great warriors, even his great grandfather and father, but he was the only Ashbourne whose soul was from a different world.


    Longswords were indeed perfect for him, but the kind of longsword that suited him wasn''tmon. It was a longsword with the trait of a great sword. It wasn''t as big, but it had a good amount of weight to keep him bnced.


    However, he had not seen such a weapon, and he would have to constantly be there if Dan would forge a sword for him.


    Unfortunately, his presence was needed somewhere else.


    ...


    Boom!


    The doors of the courtroom were pushed open by ude''s guards, and Nics, ude''s chief knight, walked into the hall with a solemn expression.


    "Silver Castle has fallen for two days now, and the army of the alliance is upon us."


    "It''s been a month and three weeks, and we have been waiting for an ally that hasn''t even sent back a letter to reassure us!" ude''s regent, who was his wife, scowled while facing her husband.


    "Our messenger came back a day before Silver Castle fell, and he said he met Baron Asher in person. He spoke greatly of the stronghold and their might, and since Baron Asher has given his word, he would surely arrive."


    ude said softly.


    His wife and some wealthy individuals in his domain that were in the courtroom trembled.


    "We are about to be ughtered by ves!"


    "Gather our men; we shall hold the walls. Try to recruit more mercenaries. Promise them 10 gold coins each."


    ude ignored them and spoke to Nics.


    "As you wish, your lordship."


    Before Nics could leave the door, a messenger rushed in.


    "Your Lordship, the alliance army is at our horizon."


    The news almost made many wealthy friends of ude faint.


    He went to the walls and looked at the great army marching toward his city with different gs raised high. All this while Count William Tigris had not said a word despite sending letters to him.


    ude watched them pitch their tents, preparing to attack them.


    "They would definitely attack by nightfall," Nics said.


    "Since it hase to this, give me a sword. Let me defend my city."


    ude''s eyes shed with ruthless gleam.

 Chapter 117: Clash Of Barons [2]

    Eventually, the skies became dark. It was nightfall!


    The walls of Hebron City were bright, as several me torches could be seen a few meters away from each other.


    While ude stood on the walls, looking at the tent, themanders of the noble houses also stood in the midst of their tent and looked at the walls of Hebron City, the wealthiest city in the wastnds.


    "Finally," Arnon chuckled.


    He stood in between Jazer, a sword-wielding knight, and Bozrah, a mace-wielding knight. Arnon was a vemander and the leader of Jordan''s troops. Jazer was House Scarlet''smander, and Bozrah was House Tyremander.


    Bozrah had a huge figure; he was 1.9 meters tall and led the Tyre Infantry, an infantry known for their veins of steel. Men of the Tyre domain had big statures, causing the Tyre Infantry to be the most fearsome in defence.


    All of them held 1.8-meter-tall shields that were 1.1 meters wide and 10 centimetres thick! Their spears were also longer and heavier than usual. They wore scale armor. 1000 were armed with spears and their famous tower shields, while the 200 silver-ranked warriors were armed with iron hammers.


    House Tyre troops were known to be more aggressive than the troops of other lords in the wastnd.


    Apart from House Tyre''s troops, House Scarlet had a neat sword and shield infantry, all equipped for a siege. Although the soldiers were nothing too special individually, they had a fearsome battle art that made their attacks scorching!


    But these two mighty troops respected the bull warriors. The bull warriors had bull horns protruding from both sides of their helmets, and the horns also protruding from their dual axes. All of them, from bronze to gold-ranked, wore te armor!


    They were a pure attack unit, designed and trained to cut down their foes without restraint and caution. Because of them, thousands in Hebron Town and Silver Castle were ughtered.


    "Lord Zebulun has ordered us to bring the meheart household to him by tomorrow morning. So we won''t stop attacking until we break through that gate." Arnon pointed at the gate with a smile.


    "How do we deal with the archers?" Jazer asked.


    "Kill them." A female voice rang from behind. Themanders turned and saw the water mage in a wheelchair. A maid was behind her.


    "How?" Bozrah folded his arms. All of them, including the vemander, knew that mages were of great importance in battles, and Aqu had proved herself. She was the reason they had little losses and more kills.


    Themanders respected her.


    Aqu looked at the sky. "Can''t you feel it? It''s about to rain."


    A water mage was several folds more powerful during thete hours of the night and when it rained. Knowing that both advantages were going to be on her side, Aqu felt more than excited to utterly destroy the meheart domain, and once the spoils are divided, she could have enough to seek the powerful priest in the Tigris county so she could be healed.


    Hearing that, themanders looked at themselves and chuckled. "Even nature is on our side." Jazer burst intoughter.


    Aquilia smiled.


    "Offer them the chance to surrender and save themselves unwanted sorrows. They have one hour to respond."


    Aquilia said, and Bozrah, being of the same house with her, agreed without dy.


    "Call the messenger."


    Some time passed, and the four leaders of the army watched the messenger return. After he told them that ude wasn''t ready to surrender. Aquilia giggled.


    "What a foolish lord."


    On the other side, ude looked at the enemy''s tents and frowned. "Why haven''t they attacked?"


    Nics also frowned but he could note up with a reason why they were still waiting. Could it be that they had siege weapons?


    That was impossible!


    Not even his lord could take one of those through the border or he would be attracting Count Williams'' eyes.


    Suddenly, the wind became cold.


    ude looked around and finally looked at the sky. His expression sank.


    "It''s about to rain."


    Nics'' eyes widened.


    "Shields! Get all the shields in the armoury to this ce!"


    Instantly, soldiers began to run down the wall but on their way, the wind got fiercer and colder. In the next moment, a water droplet sttered on ude''s face.


    As he turned back to the fields, he saw that the alliance army had sent the Scarlet troops toward the walls.


    "They were waiting for the rain."


    He gasped.


    After searching the alliance army, he found Aquilia behind the Scarlet army. She was protected by Tyre Shieldbearers.


    At this point, it was hard to give orders. If the archers dare to shoot, they would lose their defence and would be victims of the mage''s spell.


    More droplets fell from the sky and not long after, a heavy downpour began. By the time ude waspletely soaked, Aquilia lifted up her hand and muttered a few strange words.


    Finally, she spoke in the new Tenaria tongue.


    "Fall."


    Boom!


    Almost instantly, ude looked up and saw threerge balls of ice falling from the clouds.


    Boom! Boom! Boom!


    His men were mmed off the wall; some managed to resist but the second ball crushed their strength. As more fell from the skies, meheart soldiers were reducing rapidly in numbers.


    Only the knights and the silver-ranked soldiers could stand the attack but still, some silver-ranked soldiers that were not careful also fell.


    "To the walls!"


    Jazer bellowed.


    He and his men dashed toward the wall with imposing momentum that rose and rose the closer they got to the wall. Some of them were withdders, long enough to scale the 12-meter-tall walls!


    When they reached the wall, ice stopped dropping from the sky, allowing them to ce theirdders and climb.


    Rumble!


    "Do you hear that?" Aqu turned to the horizons with furrowed brows. She could feel a great piercing auraing from the north and it was fast approaching with undeniable momentum.


    "Hear what?" One of her bodyguards raised a brow.

 Chapter 118: Clash Of Barons [3]

    The trembling got milder and milder until it vanished, causing Aquilia to be even more confused. She was sure there was a tremoring from the north a while agobut it mysteriously stopped.


    Just as she was about to turn her head toward the walls of Hebron, silhouettes appeared at the horizon.


    "What''s that?"


    Aquilia knit her eyebrows.


    Rumble!


    Lightning struck, revealing the visage of 100 King Swordsmen, two Blooddes, and their lord, d in his usual thick coat that had white fur padding at the shoulder. He was the only one who did not wear a helmet.


    But his warmount, which looked bigger and more muscr than the mounts of the others, made him more eye-catching. They and their mounts were soaked by the heavy downpour but their soaring aurawasn''t drowned by it.


    "Cavarly!"


    Aquilia''s eyes trembled.


    "It''s the count''s men!" One of her bodyguards eximed.


    "No¡­ It can''t be."


    Seeing the cavalry proudly standing at the horizon, watching the battle like it was some y, ude felt his heart grow several folds heavier.


    None of them could identify Asher''s troops because of the ferocious warmounts and exquisite armor, while Asher was too far for them to recognize his face.


    Shing!


    Asher unsheathed his sword from the scabbard and pointed it toward the alliance army. Upon seeing this, Bozrah led the Tyre Shieldbearers and the Silver-ranked mace wielders toward the north. They swiftly built a shield wall with Bozrah at the forefront.


    "It''s just 100 cavaliers. My troop is built for them." He grinned and mmed his shield against the ground. The moment he did that, his skin transformed and matched the color of his shield. Not only did his skin transform but even his clothing turned to steel!


    He grinned, revealing his steel teeth.


    "March!"


    Boom!


    The shieldbearers took a step forward. They were built to crush other units in battle and just 100 cavaliers wasn''t enough to bring down 1000 shieldbearers and 200 iron hammer wielders.


    "Advance!"


    Arnon pointed at the walls of Hebron. The scarlet''s were almost making it to the top of the wall; it was their turn to breach the gate. 1000 bull warriors and their captains dashed toward Hebron, ignoring the cavaliers that were on the horizon.


    After all, 100 cavaliers could not change anything in a battle of thousands of heavy infantry.


    Asher''s horse began to walk and from walking it began to jog and not long after it began to gallop. Right beside him were the Blooddes and behind him were the King Swordsmen.


    "Spears!"


    Asher heard Bozrah bellow and a thousand heavy shieldbearers tilted their spears toward them.


    Asher brandished his sword.


    400 yards


    300 yards


    200 yards


    100 yards


    50 yards


    Asher and his troop collided with the Tyre shieldbearers. The King Swordsmen didn''t even bother swinging their swords as their gold-ranked horses shed with the 10-centimeter-thick shields and sent both them and their bearers tossing and tumbling. Their shields crumpled!


    Instantly, the metal wall was broken. The force of the impact with the Centraks took the lives of hundreds even before the King Swordmen unsheathed their swords and began to reap lives like they were cutting down grass.


    It was a painful thing to sh bronze and silver-ranked soldiers d in iron or bronze-ranked armor against gold-ranked knights fully d in gold-ranked armor.


    Bozrah was also mmed away but his shield only had holes. He spat out dirt and got to his feet. After shaking his head, he looked at Asher. Asher, who first mmed him, pulled out a javelin andunched it toward him.


    Bozrah was fast enough to raise his shield but he could have never known about Asher''s absurd strength and the speed of Bezerk.


    Puchi!


    The javelin pierced through the 15-centimeter-thick shield and pierced into his chest, right through his chestte.


    Instantly, amander was down!


    Bozrah fell to his knees but before he could fall face t, Asher pulled out his javelin and ced it back into the box. As he swung his sword, a crimson crescent radiance, which was his battle force, would fly out of the sword, cutting through the 10-centimeter-thick shields and reaping lives.


    The 200 iron hammer wielders prepared their iron hammers when they saw that the shieldbearers had fallen. Unfortunately, the King Swordsmen were too fast. Before they knew it, they had shed.


    They faced 10 King Swordsmen. The King Swordsmen sliced through the iron hammers and killed the soldiers before they could react to the scene of their thick iron hammers being divided like it was butter.


    The rest of the troop followed Asher as they made a U-turn, heading back for the Tyre troop.


    Aquilia''s eyes shed with fury and she muttered the same spell. Icicles fell from the sky but Asher''s men cut through them and the divided icicles fell on her father''s men!


    "Lord ude, they''re fighting for us!"


    ude turned to look and saw the remains of the Tyre army fleeing for their lives. In a short amount of time, over a thousand men had been reduced to dozens!


    Such overpowering might have caused ude to tremble.


    All of a sudden, Aquilia began to cast a spell with a loud voice. Her face grew paler as she lifted up her hands, muttering unknown words while her eyes flickered with deadly lights.


    The water droplets began to merge together and transform into living creatures!


    Transparent water cobras!


    These serpents were 2 meters long and they lunged toward Asher and his men. Alex leaped from his horse,nded in the midst of the water snakes and plunged his nightmare sword into the ground.


    The edges unleashed a bright glow and his fiery battle force sted out in full force. It was like fiery tendrils that extended from him. Each one of them was about 3 meters long!


    Instantaneously, all the water cobras burst into mist, causing Aquilia''s eyes to tremble.


    "How¡­ in the world¡­ Was that possible?"


    She stuttered.


    She had drained all her magi force to cast that spell, a spell that would even bring down Hebron and yet one man vanquished it.


    Clip Clop!


    As Asher and the King Swordsmen rode toward her, she finally recognized his face!

 Chapter 119: Clash Of Barons [4]

    "Asher Ashbourne¡­"


    She gasped.


    His eyes trembled further as she watched the man, whose aura was like that of a mighty wolf, galiantly ride toward her with his sword drawn.


    Knowing that they were still charging, Aquilia''s bodyguards built a shield wall while trying to move the frozen mage away but the King Swordsmen met them. Sounds of her men being mmed into the distance by the centraks fell into Aquilia''s ears.


    When she looked around, only King Swordsmen on Centrak backs could be seen moving for the army behind her. Her bodyguards, the elites in Tyre domain, were defeated by the horses, not even the soldiers.


    She couldn''t believe it.


    Did Count William find favor in Asher once again?


    Where did he get such powerful mounts and soldiers from?


    Questions kept sprouting in her mind until Asher and his Blooddes were before her.


    "You''re Lady Aqu, daughter of Baron Rutherford, I presume."


    Asher spoke with a deep yet calm tone.


    He believed his personal troop was enough to deal with the rest of the alliance army, giving him time to chat with the only mage in the wastnds.


    "You remember me."


    "Of course. You''re the first mage I met who came to my domain, ate my food, and almost killed me. If I remember correctly, you came with a man who imed to be an Ashbourne."


    Aquilia chuckled.


    "You''re just too proud."


    Asher cocked his head and raised an eyebrow.


    "Perhaps. I''ll work on it and be humble."


    He said it with a little smile.


    Aquilia looked into his eyes.


    "You will still have the mind of a boy!"


    Swoosh!The 6-inch-long ice spike hovering behind her wheelchair flew out, heading for Asher''s neck but a sword shattered the spike and stopped right before her throat.


    It was one of the Blooddes.


    She didn''t even see when he left his horse and how did he know about her n?


    "How?"


    Nero simply looked at Asher and back at the mage.


    "You should die."


    His young yet dreadful voice made Aquilia gulp. This is the second time fear has hit her this strongly. The first one was when she met Sirius.


    "She''s still valuable. With her, I can get to her father. Baron Rutherford will not let his daughter, a mage, die just like that."


    "As you wish, My Lord."


    Nero lifted his sword and mmed her with the handle, knocking her out.


    Meanwhile, the rest of the alliance army had noticed the absolute destruction of the Tyre troops, causing Arnon to lead the remaining 1000 bull warriors and 5 knights toward the King Swordsmen.


    With the incapacitation of the water mage, meheart archers began to shoot down the Scarlet soldiers while those that had climbed up the wall faced the meheart soldiers led by meheart knights.


    The first 1000 bull warriors went up to the gate with a ram but some arrows came from the top of the wall and shot some of them down.


    On the other hand, Arnon dashed toward the King Swordsmen with his men. When the gap was almost nonexistent, Arnon leaped into the air, aiming to cut down the King Swordsman before him.


    To his shock, the King Swordsman left the reins, leaped off his horse with his swords drawn and shed with Arnon.


    A shockwave blew outward.


    The King Swordsmannded on his foot while Arnonnded on one knee. His eyes narrowed.


    The King Swordsman''s battle force billowed out, causing Arnon''s eyes to grow wide.


    ''A knight!''


    At this moment, Arnon looked at the others. All of them were so skilled that his men looked like clumsy, weak men that were unable tond a single hit.


    The King Swordsmen were cutting down his men without even one of them falling or being wounded by a bull warrior.


    Arnon turned back to face the King Swordsman, who slowly approached him. It was clear that the swordsman was taking his time.


    Despite both of them being in the gold rank, Arnon knew he was no match. Even their mindsets were far apart.


    Arnon got to his feet and removed his helmet, revealing a mark in between his eyebrows. The mark suddenly became red and a fiery beam shot out!


    By the time Arnon stopped, he saw the King Swordsman 10 meters away. The swordsman was on one knee and coughing but there wasn''t any serious damage.


    The swordsman got to his feet and dashed toward Arnon.


    "It''s toote."


    Arnon snickered.


    The mark became red again and unleashed another beam. It was hot enough to melt metal and destroy buildings but the durability of a gold-ranked armor was beyond Arnon''s current power. Talents grew more powerful as the talent holder grew in ranks.


    Arnon''s eyes went up and he saw the King Swordsman swinging his sword downward. Out of instinct, Arnon raised his axes.


    The collison brought his knees to the ground and the King Swordsman''s boot mmed his face!


    His sword swooshed forth.


    Puchi!


    "Fall Back!"


    When Jazer saw that Aquilia was captured, Bozrah was dead, and Arnon had just been killed, he bellowed at the top of his voice and began to run toward the camp to get a horse and flee.


    Their enemies were too strong for them to put up a front while retreating.


    "Kill them all!"


    meheart soldiers bellowed at the top of their lungs. The gate was opened and they flooded out, running after the scarlet soldiers.


    As Jazer ran, he saw the King Swordsman from the corner of his eyes. They were heading for the camp!


    His heart sank.


    When the King Swordsman had reached the camp, they turned around and formed a wall.


    "Surrender or die."


    Alex roared from where he was with his lord yet his voice reverberated throughout the battlefield. The King Swordsmen dragged the reins, causing the centraks to neigh loudly, lifting their forelegs off the ground.


    Before Jazer could make up his mind, his men were beginning to fall to their knees and drop their weapons.


    ''Where did this troope from?''


    Jazer said inwardly as he fell to his knees and slowly dropped his sword. All their progress was brought to shambles in one night by just 100 cavaliers!

 Chapter 120: Clash Of Barons [5]

    meheart soldiers surrounded the alliance army; Asher was already at the gates with his Blooddes.


    As he rode into the city, soldiers looked at him like he fell from the sky.


    ude hurriedly came down.


    "Lord ude, It''s been a while."


    Asher shed a smile.


    He dismounted, approached ude, and patted his back. "I never knew you could fight."


    udeughed softly. He was a merchant, a man that barely wielded weapons but when the situation called for it, he had no choice but to take a weapon and bring morale to his men.


    Nheless, his talent, which was ''Camouge'', allowed him to survive the war.


    Or else Aquilia would have killed him. He was the number one target and once he was dead, his men would surrender but because he was able to camouge, Aqulilia couldn''t spot him and sent down icicles randomly.


    "Let''s head to my manor."


    ...¡­


    Several people sat in the courtroom with amicable expressions. The moment Asher''s men began to ughter the alliance army, a messenger had reported to them, causing their expressions to change.


    They all thought it was one of Count Williams'' elite troops.


    Tapk! Tapk!


    The sound of several feet tapping the ground fell into their ears.


    In the next moment, the doors were pushed open and ude walked in with his chief knight, Nics. The court members turned to the other side with great expectations but the man they saw was a young, beardless man with healthy, pale skin.


    His chin was as smooth as a baby''s bottom and his dull golden eyes were akin to a fearsome wolf''s.


    Behind him were two knights. At the sight of them, all the court members felt cold for reasons unknown to them.


    "Is he a general from Count Wiliam?" A court member whispered to ude''s wife, as he had never seen someone like Asher before. His bearing was too regal for him to be a casual captain of a 100.


    "Gray hair, golden eyes, bearing of a wolf¡ªwhich house does these details point toward?"


    She responded with a crisp tone.


    The man''s eyes widened.


    "Ashbourne."


    At this moment, Asher arrived at the seat directly opposite the head seat and sat down.


    ude also sat.


    "This is Baron Asher Ashbourne."


    No one could talk as the presence of the Blooddes shut their mouths.


    What made them even more fearful was that after the Blooddes walked in, they all felt there were eyes everywhere.


    Being scrutinized so deeply from every side brought terror to the court members.


    "Lord Asher, It''s a pleasure to finally see the youngest Ashbourne ruler." A court member ttered.


    Asher raised an eyebrow.


    "I am not the youngest Ashbourne ruler. Duke Atticus, son of Duchess Ariel Ashbourne, has that title."


    The moment Asher said that, the air froze.


    Everyone looked at themselves.


    Duke? Duchess?


    "Forgive them. Only a few know about the centuries-old history of the Ashbournes." ude chuckled, trying to cover up for the wealthy folks who were only concerned about their safety.


    His house was just decades old. Compared to the Ashbournes, the mehearts were not even worthy to be ants.


    "You''re saying their history is older than the counts?"


    ude turned to his wife.


    "It is."


    "I presume you are more familiar with my father, Baron James Ashbourne, and how promiscuous he was."


    Some coughed.


    "I want to show you something, Lord Asher. It might be to your liking."


    ude changed the topic.


    "Oh?"


    ude''s words caught Asher''s attention.


    No longer interested in entertaining these people who were typically afraid of his Blooddes, Asher left with ude.


    The moment the door closed, a court member got to his feet.


    "That youngd saved us?" He said it in disbelief.


    ude''s wife got to her feet, opened the other door and walked into the balcony. From there, they sighted the imposing King Swordsmen on their mounts galloping into the city. The quality of their war mounts, armor, and top-tier discipline took the words out of the woman and the court members'' mouths.


    "That''s the troop of Baron James'' bastard son?!"


    A court member gasped.


    "Don''t let him hear that." ude''s wife snapped at the court member. She was very protective of her husband''s interest, and though it looked as if she was always against him when it came to the Ashbournes, it was because of her dark past with Asher''s father, Baron James Ashbourne.


    Since then, her view of the Ashbournes had been twisted and it was the only thing that made her raise her voice at her husband.


    Her eyes flickered.


    Baron James had cut down her uncle in a tournament battle to win gain Count William''s favor.


    Her uncle was a skilled knight but the Ashbournes had the blood of great legendary knights running through their veins.


    He couldn''tst against Baron James'' dual-sword technique.


    Since then she loathed the Ashbournes and was happy for their downfall but that same family had saved her husband''s domain from being conquered and it was from the young lord she spoke badly about.


    ''This Asher might be what the Ashbournes have been waiting for. Isn''t he the same boy that Count William rejected and cancelled the betrothal with his precious elvin daughter?''


    .....


    Asher walked into a fairlyrge room that had nothing except a weapon on the body of an armored knight statue. The armored knight was built entirely out of Obsidian stones and had a reflective sheen.


    It had a waist belt that wasn''t carved out of stones and attached to the waist belt was a sword. The scabbard hiding the sword''s de seemed to be made from the horn of a great beast.


    It had the same color as the statue.


    Just looking at the snowke obsidian-colored scabbard, which had a sharp tip capable of doing the work of a sword, Asher wondered how dangerous the sword sheathed into it would be.


    "This sword is called the ''Mortal de.'' I bought this sword from Nightfire, the kingdom of mysteries. I''ve gone there once and I bought this from an auction house for 10,000 sacred gold coins and yet no one has been able to use it."


    Asher raised an eyebrow.


    "Why?"


    "It kills every knight who tries to draw it."

 Chapter 121: Clash Of Barons [6]

    "How?"


    Asher approached the sword. He looked at the hilt long enough to be wielded by two hands and marvelled at the design.


    "They say the sword was forged with the blood of a mythical beast, named EL. It''s a sword that hassted for hundreds of years and the spirit of the beast attacks those that try to draw it out of the sheath. I lured a hundred knights, enticing them with ownership of this sacred-ranked sword. Some diamonds and even a sacred knight came.


    The sacred knight died, the diamond knights also perished and after 20 gold-ranked knights died, the others refused to try."


    Alex and Nero were shocked.


    "Your Lordship, we shouldn''t be in this room."


    Alex took a step forward but Asher dismissed him with a casual wave of his hand.


    "He said if I try to draw the sword, the spirit of the mythical beast will kill me but I don''t n on drawing it."


    ude was taken aback by Asher''s words.


    Before his eyes, Asher unstrapped the sword from the leather belt and swung it a couple of times with the scabbard on.


    "Impressive sword."


    Asher smiled.


    He deftly spun the longsword and delivered a thrust toward the obsidian statue. The sword opened arge hole through the obsidian statue, a statue madepletely out of stone several times stronger than the hardened bricks used to build Nineveh''s walls!


    "Even without unsheathing the sword, it''s still a powerful weapon."


    Asher caressed the horn scabbard with flickering eyes. "This horn is also a precious forge material. This sword must be crafted by a saint-grade cksmith. I don''t think any cksmith of a lower grade would use such precious beast knight parts, especially the horn for a scabbard."


    Alex and Nero looked at themselves. There was concern in their eyes as that sword seemed like a cursed weapon but they couldn''t do anything except advise their lord.


    "Your Lordship¡­"


    "Mortal de. To have such an unseemly name, it must have a past."


    Alex held his tongue since Asher currently spoke to ude.


    "Oh, it does. The unknown cksmith that forged it left some words on the scabbard."


    Asher examined the scabbard and saw it. Small, tiny words written on the scabbard!


    One had to know this was a diamond-ranked material! To inscribe such tiny words so neatly on it spoke volumes of the capability of this unknown cksmith.


    "Forged by a mortal to power a mortal and y the yers of mortals. A nemesis of immortals and terror to the creatures of the depths."


    When Asher said thest word, he lifted up his head.


    "It was made 500 years ago."


    He knew this because, from the writing, the cksmith wanted something gone and the only thing that came from the depths and were known to rise and rise again¡ªan army that did not have an end¡ªwere the abyssal creatures!


    "It was found 250 years ago, and since then it has no wielder."


    ude said.


    Asher ran his finger from the hilt to the tip of the sword. The scabbard only had a sharp, pointy tip, meaning it could only be used for stabbing like ance.


    He wrapped his fingers around the hilt and he swung it over his shoulder.


    "I appreciate your gift."


    ude chuckled. He knew it was a sword that no one could wield except those of higher ranks but those people sought weapons of their ranks. However, he believed it might find use in Asher''s hands; after all, the young baron was a mysterious fellow.


    After a day of rest, ude sent letters to Baron Scarlet and Baron Tyre while Asher and his King Swordsmen rode for Zebulun''s territory. He was bent onpletely destroying Jordan Zebulun, first for being an unfaithful man with whom people could trade and, secondly, because he was an ally of both the imperial family and count William.


    Jordan was a shrewd man and Asher would use his cunningness to Count William.


    ....


    "What''s that?"


    A farmer lifted up his head from the field and pointed at the distance. It wasn''t snowing anymore and thend was dry, which was why he could see the dust cloud on the horizon.


    Other farmers, both men and women, stood up.


    "Is it Lord Jordan''s troops?"


    "Can they raise that amount of dust?" Another retorted with a question.


    All of a sudden, they heard the sound of horns from the walls; it was from Jordan''s soldiers.


    "Into the gates!"


    Some bull warriors rushed out and stood by the gates.


    Instantly, some wise farmers began to run toward the gate, while the dull ones followed only after they heard the sound of hooves hitting the ground.


    It was an attack!


    Someone dared to attack their lord!


    Asher''s hair billowed in the wind as he closed in on the walls. The Mortal de was in his right hand and his feet were on his mount''s back. The same for his Blooddes and 50 King Swordsmen.


    "Ready yourselves!"


    He bellowed as arrows were shot from the walls toward them. After deflecting three arrows, Asher leaped off his horse, flying over 5 meters andnding on the wall''s walkway. He swung his sword horizontally, mming down three archers.


    A bull warrior at his right swung his axe downward but Asher deflected it and mmed his fist against the warrior''s face, throwing him off the wall.


    Some archers faced him and he began to deflect their arrows.


    Swoosh! Swoosh!


    His Blooddesnded. Nero unsheathed his twin des and moved like a phantom as he cut down any breathing thing on the left while Alex faced the right. The King Swordsmen alsonded, unsheathed their swords, and began to attack those close to them.


    Asher held his sword in such a way that the tip pointed downward as he walked on the walls. His men were taking care of the soldiers so hecked those to fight.


    Thud!


    A small dust rose up as he jumped down the wall andnded on the ground. He stood right before the gate and faced apany of bull warriors. They charged toward him.


    The first one received a kick thatunched him backward with a force that took 10 others with him! Asher spun his sword, dodged a bull warrior''s strike and swung his sword, unleashing a semi-circr crimson light that took down 5 bull warriors.


    All of them were silver-ranked!


    The number of silver-ranked warriors Jordan had showed how wealthy he was.


    Boom!


    Asher unleashed his battle force. His speed and strength increased, causing him to cut down thepany before his men began to jump down the wall.


    Asher turned to Nero.


    "Open the gates. Alex,e."


    Nero went for the gates and as he opened them, the other 50 King Swordsmen rode in.


    Meanwhile, Asher and Alex followed a different path and vanished.

 Chapter 122: Clash Of Barons [7]

    Inside Zebulun''s manor.


    A soldier d in armor knocked at a locked wooden door.


    "My Lord!" He said it with a raised voice. His lord had partiedst night with women and those who were attracted by his title and shining future.


    After filling his stomach with wine, he was so deep into slumber that the sound of the horn could not startle him out of thend of dreams.


    The soldier had been knocking for a while but received no response.


    Another appeared in the hallway. "The manor has been invaded; break those doors!"


    The soldier went back and mmed the door with all his might.


    Boom!


    The lock broke and he staggered into the room and found his lord sleeping with his limbs stretched out.


    His mouth was slightly open as he snored. The sound of the door being broken down made him jolt and sit up.


    "My Lord, the manor is taken."


    Jordan could not understand what his bodyguard said until they had lifted him and led him to the hallway.


    Then, the sleep in his eyes vanished.


    "What''s happening?!"


    "Arghh!"


    A scream fell into his ears, causing him to look back.


    "We were suddenly attacked. They have breached the walls and are invading the manor."


    Jordan''s eyes widened. After a month of nning and keeping sober, he finally partied for a week, boasting about his victory, which indeed was in his grasp.


    Hebron Town and Silver Castle were down; all that remained was the capital of meheart territory, Hebron City, which would have been conquered while he enjoyed himself in his party.


    But what was this he was hearing?


    Some men had breached his wall and the defence of his manor?


    Where were all theseing from?


    "Unhand me and speak!" He bellowed, and his bodyguards left him.


    "My Lord, a powerful troop has invaded our walls and..."


    Thud!


    They heard something drop, and footsteps fell into their ears.


    Two men appeared at the end of the hallway; one was fully d in armor, which made him look dreadful, while the other was dressed like a lord.


    He wore a white tunic, ck pants, boots, and a coat.


    But the weapon in his hand was more eye-catching than the tall, armored man''s broadsword.


    Upon seeing Jordan, Asher knew he was the man he sought.


    "Kill them! Kill them!!"


    Jordan pointed at Asher and Alex and yelled at the top of his lungs.


    "That''s him?"


    He clicked his tongue in disappointment.


    Alex, knowing what to do, ran past Asher and the three thuds echoed.


    Alex sheathed his sword and turned to Asher who briskly walked past the corpses.


    By the time they came out of the manor, the King Swordsmen had lined up before the manor with Nero slowly sheathing his swords into their scabbards.


    "Pacify the people. Secure the walls."


    His men nodded. The King Swordsmen separated themselves, squadron by squadron.


    "This ce is only as big as a town, and it''s popted with farmers and stockmen."


    Alex said.


    Asher looked around.


    "He''s just a rich farmer who has gathered so much wealth that he decided to buy a title. Unfortunately, instead of trying to devour the meheart domain, he should have developed himself. At least he needed a proper defensive building."


    Asher shook his head.


    "Find who keeps records for him."


    Alex replied with a nod and swiftly left.


    Some momentster, a lean man named Artemas stood before Asher, trembling slightly.


    "Look at me."


    Asher said as the man was so sacared that he refused to look at his eyes, but he needed him to look at his eyes before he could see the man''s panel.


    At least, a man who was under Jordan Zebulun should not be ordinary.


    He could only see the panels of captives and that of his citizens, and he needed to look into their eyes to gain ess to their panels.


    [Nam: Artemas


    Age: 37


    Rank: None


    Talent: None


    Job: Treasury Keeper


    Loyalty: 8]


    Asher shook his head.


    "Where is your lord''s Treasury?"


    Without restsisting, Artemas led them to the Treasury and told them the amount Jordan had stashed. All together, Jordan had hundreds of thousands of gold coins and several bags of farm products. His livestock were in the tens of thousands: chickens, cattle, mountain sheep, pigs, and even silkworm!


    The man had lots of ces to gain ie from. He was a massive supplier to the county and had his influence spread far into the high ins without ude''s knowledge.


    As ude had suspected, there were forces helping Jordan hide all these from him. So in ude''s eyes, Jordan was just a wealthy farmer.


    Asher was so stunned by the amount of wealth Jordan had that he couldn''t help but think that Jordan was definitely a genius. Mountain sheep and silkworms were useful to his tailors. It would give them materials to work with, increase their expertise, and his domain could start producing their own attire.


    Since his domain was situated in a ce where they were always affected by cold, the design of clothes would surely be different than the norm.


    From Artemas, he found out the poption of workers Jordan had were about 4000! All of them were skilled in one upation or the other.


    After waiting a week and some days, 500 infantrymen came from Nineveh and escorted the poption toward the stronghold. Jordan''s manor was emptied, both of people, money, and livestock.


    Some dayster, Baron Scarlet and Baron Rutherford came to Jordan''s manor with their personal troops, but all they saw was ruins. The ce had been razed to the ground!


    Both barons stood outside their carriages, staring at the ruins with disbelief.


    "What did Baron ude write to you?" Victor Scarlet turned to Rutherford.


    "That he has a dozen of my men in captivity. If I want to free them, I should pay 1 gold coin for each of them and 10,000 gold coins for my daughter."


    "Only a dozen of your men are alive?"


    Baron Scarlet was shocked.


    How could the great Tyre Infantry be exterminated in one night?!

 Chapter 123: Gold Ranked Mage

    After waiting for a week, Asher decided to head back to his domain since the other barons did not send any more troops; rather, they sent messengers requesting peace and their men.


    While he was in Hebron City, Kelvin sent him a letter that their scouts had discovered a fort 30 kilometers away from the stronghold.


    ording to Kelvin, it was a human town. They were not under the protection of any lord in the wastnds.


    Asher nned to visit this fort himself, as it was the first human settlement they had seen in the wastnds. It seemed like the wastnd wasn''t as empty as he thought.


    Currently, he was two days away from Hebron City. Under the dark sky, Asher sat on a log with Alex and Nero beside him.


    The sound of his men chatting and their horses neighing fell into his ears, but his eyes were locked on the young woman d in a ck and blue gown sitting opposite him. She was in a wheelchair.


    Her eyes were sharp, as her will had not been broken despite the hopeless situation.


    Aquilia had discovered that the soldiers here were all gold-ranked soldiers, and the knights beside Asher were even stronger!


    To make it worse, the man she loathed also had an unfathomable aura.


    "You are making a mistake."


    "How?" Asher chewed a chunk of the roasted beast meat in his hand and tilted his head.


    "My father has offered the price for my freedom."


    She ground her teeth, ring at him.


    "But I don''t want you to be a free woman."


    Aquilia''s pupils shook.


    "What do you mean?"


    Asher sighed and leaned forward. "You are my captive. I believe every noble wants mages, and your father just had to y the card of adoption to gain a talented mage like you. Impressive strategy."


    Aquilia''s brows furrowed.


    "What is your aim? I am a noble, not a mere woman you can mess with."


    "Right now, you are my captive."


    Aquilia''s eyes narrowed, and she suddenly smiled a bit.


    "You want me to serve you?"


    Asher shrugged.


    "I''m going to rest."


    He stood up, and as he took three steps, Aquilia bit her lips but couldn''t stop herself from calling out to him.


    "Please stop!"


    She finally understood Asher wasn''t a man she could talk to with a nonchnt or disrespectful tone. He could easily ask one of his Blooddes to end her.


    Asher tilted his head. The bonfire illuminated his side profile, making his golden eyes unusually radiant.


    "I''ll have my father give you twice the price to set me free."


    "No."


    Asher continued walking.


    "Tell me what you want!"


    Asher paused and turned around. He crossed his arms and looked straight into her eyes.


    "Can you build a teleportation channel?"


    "You want to go to the high ins?"


    Seeing that Asher''s expression remained the same, she knew he wasn''t going to reveal any clue, and if she failed to give him a satisfactory response on time, he would leave.


    "I can''t build it without the four foundation elemental crystals."


    "But to get those crystals at once, I need to go to Tigris County."


    Asher knit his eyebrows.


    Aquilia chuckled. "Definitely."


    "Can you blink us there?"


    "My magi reserve isn''t that big. I can only teleport one other than myself, and we still won''t reach that city after five teleportations."


    "I see."


    All of a sudden, Asher looked into Aquilia''s eyes.


    [Name: Aqu Tyre


    Age: 25


    Rank: Silver


    Talent: Water Maniption (A)


    Job: Mage


    Loyalty: 0]


    [Talent description: This talent gives the individual the ability to bend and form water to whatever he/she wills through spell casting. Can range from E-A]


    ''Is she avable for an upgrade?''


    [Yes.]


    ''Do it.''


    Swoosh!


    Aquilia felt a sudden Force, so powerful that it was above her understanding and knowledge falling upon her.


    Lots of information began to surge into her mind while her body was being transformed by the mysterious Force from which she could sense it belonged to Asher.


    His presence was almost palpable.


    When it was down, a pale-skinned woman with well-carved silver brows, short silver hair, and a thick coat that had fur padding simr to Asher''s coat appeared on the wheelchair.


    Her looks had increased by several folds.


    She was now a beauty capable of turning the heads of those with high taste. Unfortunately, she still remained in the wheelchair.


    After some minutes, Aquilia opened her twinkling silver eyes and exhaled. Ash she exhaled, a white mist left her mouth, crystalizing the air!


    Her pupils trembled violently.


    "How do you wield so much power?"


    She looked at Asher, whose arms were still crossed. This did not look like a big deal, and Aquilia could tell from the indifference in his dull golden eyes.


    "You should be able to carry more than two now."


    "I can carry four, and it will take two teleportations from here to Tiberias."


    Aquilia was shocked at how honest she was. There was a strange feeling inside of her after witnessing what Asher had just done to her.


    Not only had her rank increased, but she had so much knowledge that her former self was just pitiful.


    And she thought she was a genius!


    Howughable!


    "Good. My Blooddes, you and I shall head for the city tomorrow. Get a good night''s rest."


    Asher turned and left.


    Later, two King Swordsmen built a tent for her to rest, but Aquilia kept tossing around and cursing Asher.


    "How does he expect me to sleep after revealing such otherworldly ability? What kind of man is this?!"


    ........


    The next day, Asher removed his coat, leaving only his tunic, pants, and boots, while his Blooddes removed their armor but left their swords. This way, they would not attract much attention.


    Only Aquilia didn''t change.


    There was nothing for her to change into. She looked like theirdy because of how the system garbed her in high-quality attire.


    When they gathered, Aquilia''s eyes were on Asher''s sword.


    "That''s a unique-looking sword."


    Asher looked at his sword and turned toward a King Swordsman''s cloak.


    He swiftly wrapped it with the cloak, and Aquilia opened a rift.


    "Shall we?"

 Chapter 124: Conquest

    Swoosh!


    A rift opened up in the middle of a sparse forest, beside a wide path that was wide enough for carriages.


    A curly-haired teenager walked out. Two swords were strapped to his waist, which was around the top of his brown pants.


    He looked into the portal as a more mature looking man with a well-trimmed beard pushed a cold-faced beauty with pure silver hair.


    She was indeed attractive but the men around her overlooked that.


    The second man had a broad sword strapped to his back. He also wore a white tunic and brown pants.


    A gray-haired man stepped through the portal. He had something wrapped in cloth at his back and his handsome face was kissed by the sunlight.


    Swoosh!


    Another portal was opened and after they entered it, they appeared on a broad path. About some hundred yards away stood the walls of Tiberias, the capital city of Tigris County. From here, they could see the giant tiger statue.


    Several people and carriages could be seen going in and out of the gates.


    This was the south gate.


    This was a city housing over fifty thousand households. Count William''s domain was so big and popted that no other count could match his power.


    He was the only man whose wife is a pure blood elf in the Eternal Immortal Empire''s domain.


    Many nobles wanted to curry favor from him because of his talented daughter and bright future.


    Nero blinked.


    "It''s huge."


    Aqu snorted.


    They passed through the gate without any hassle and entered the city, still on foot. Asher always made sure he had a couple of gold coins in his pouch wherever he moved so he swiftly branched a store and got hooded cloaks for all of them.


    Many wore cloaks in the city so they didn''t look eye-catching because of it.


    Asher saw posters of wanted figures; most of them were the leaders of a band of thieves hiding outside rhe city. Other posters were about quests to hunt beasts.


    "Go into the wildnds and capture 3 Thousand Li horses. Reward 20 silver coins."


    He mused.


    After walking for a while, they located a store. The youngdy working as a receptionist had a delicate look, bright,rge eyes, and a professional smile, which added a radiant touch to her face.


    d in a light green gown, she greeted them warmly.


    "Good morning, what would you like to purchase?"


    "Do you have earth, water, and air elemental crystals?"


    Asher said.


    "We have different qualities. Low, mid, high, and peak. Which one do you want?"


    Asher turned to Aqu.


    "If you want to transport to far locations repeatedly for a year, you''ll need peak grade crystals."


    "What''s the cost?" Asher asked.


    The receptionist was taken aback. It was very rare to see customers that could afford the elemental crystals of the highest grade.


    "Each cost 100 gold coins."


    Aqu smirked. Her eyes were saying, Buy it if you can.


    To her greatest shock, Asher dropped a pouch on the table and gestured for the receptionist to count it.


    Before their eyes and that of the customers, the woman brought three peak-grade elemental crystals, put them in a pouch and handed it over to Asher.


    Aqu couldn''t close her mouth.


    As they walked away, they encounteredmotion. Both sides of the streets were popted and those at the back were stretching their necks.


    "It''s the countess and her daughter! I heard they both went to tour the Nubis domain."


    "So Lady Liya will actually marry Lord de?"


    "Of course."


    "Lord de just became a diamond-ranked knight. Their marriage isn''t far off."


    "Diamond-ranked at such a young age?!''


    "Shush! Here theye!"


    Asher turned to his right and saw four pegasuses carrying a carriage through the air as they gracefully pped their wings.


    The carriage was golden with arge red gem at the front. Although no one could see the people inside, they knew this was Count William''s most beautiful wife and his favorite daughter.


    Marching through the streets were soldiers on the backs of Saber-toothed ck cats. They wore white armor and had longnces.


    Their helmet hid their faces, making them look terrifying.


    These were Count William''s elite of the elite!


    Hooded and unseen, Asher watched all these with an indifferent gaze.


    Above, a golden-haired beauty with a soft aura that appealed to those of the opposite gender locked out of the tinted window.


    Her lips curled upward.


    Her eyes followed the four hooded people walking away while others stood still.


    "Have you heard that your fianc¨¦, de, is now a diamond-ranked knight and has killed a Rock Armoured Bull, a beast knight, in a one-on-one fight."


    Liya smiled.


    "He''s better than the wolf of the north."


    Her mother, an enchanting golden-haired elf that looked a bit older than her daughter, revealed a bittersweet smile.


    "You still haven''t forgotten his appearance at your party?"


    "He''s changed, mother. He would have been a threat but he should be dead by now. There''s no way he survived the beast tide."


    Her eyes flickered.


    Meanwhile, Asher made his way towards the gate with a determined look. With time, the count would hear his name.


    As he thought about it, a notification appeared in his retina.


    [Conquer Quest: Conquer Baron Scarlet and Baron Tyre territories. Time limit: Two months. (0/1)]


    [Reward: Your pet beast Sirius shall be avable for an upgrade!]


    Asher''s pupils trembled.


    The next grade was the saint grade!


    The grade of the pet beast he saw in the mural inside his room!


    Once Sirius became a saint-ranked beast, he would have no fears of Count William''s response to his domination of his barons.


    After all, Count William would not go into war just because of two barons and the imperial family''s protection still lingered.


    "Stop pushing me so fast! Would you do this to your sister?" Aquined just as they crossed the city gate.


    Asher''s eyes shed. ''Has Mary received my letter? It''s been over two months since I sent it.''


    .....


    A gray-haired young woman walked on a wide path paved with the most beautiful stones in the continent.


    "Mary! You have a letter!"


    Someone yelled from behind.

 Chapter 125: The Ashbourne Knight

    ''A letter?''


    Mary turned back and saw one of the academy''s workers speed walking toward her.


    He was trying to maintain his decorum, but his face was already red, meaning that he was about to lose it at any moment.


    Luckily, Mary heard him.


    He had been calling out to her for a long while, but it seemed as if she was drowning in her thoughts.


    All of a sudden, Mary sneezed, causing him to raise a brow.


    "Here."


    She took the letter from the man and watched him walk away before opening it.


    A few other students were walking on the wide path, all clothed in beautiful silk attire, which was red and white in color. She was also clothed in the same type of garment, with her hair neatly braided.


    Because of the kind of ss she would be attending today, braiding was the best way to avoid hair issues.


    Along with the letter was a brown leather pouch, filled with what seemed like coins.


    ''Is it from another noble?'' She thought. Mary had no less than 20 mening as suitors for the past seven months but had rejected them all.


    Mary''s brows scrunched up.


    Thud!


    She threw the letter and the pouch to the ground and continued her walk.


    "What''s this?"


    A female voice rang behind her, causing her to turn. Right where she threw the pouch stood a fiery red-haired young woman with piercing red eyes. Her outfit highlighted her womanly body, and she had a curious light in her eyes as she picked up the letter and the pouch.


    "Another one heads over heels over your stunning gray hair and golden eyes?"


    She giggled.


    This beauty was Yuna Mormont, daughter of Duke Mormont, lord of the dukedom of Mormont!


    She happened to be the closest friend Mary had in and outside of the academy.


    "Just throw it away. We have ss."


    Yuna followed Mary, and as they walked side by side, she nudged Mary. "I really want to know that brother of yours. I mean, you so want to please him that you joined the knight course just because you want to aid his military power."


    "I also joined the researcher''s course." Mary retorted.


    "Yes, you did. But it was so that you could find out the secrets of the lost races and help him."


    Mary shrugged her off.


    "For all we know, this letter could be from him."


    "It''s not."


    Yuna raised an eyebrow.


    "How do you know that when you haven''t opened the letter?"


    Seeing that Mary wasn''t interested, Yuna unfurled the letter with a mischievous smile, but that smile vanished when she saw what was written.


    When Mary noticed that Yuna stood in one spot all this while, she narrowed her eyes.


    "Yuna!"


    Yuna lifted up her head.


    "It''s been a while. How have you been? From your younger brother, Asher."


    Mary couldn''t believe her ears. She ran, grabbed the letter, and read it several times before it sank into her being that Asher was the one that sent it.


    What she didn''t know was that it took Asher all night toe with those few words.


    Before Yuna could react, Mary grabbed the pouch from her and opened it.


    "He sent me money."


    Yuna was amazed. What was so remarkable about such an amount of money that made her friend so happy?


    "He actually cares."


    Mary''s eyes became moist. She never wanted to leave Nineveh, but Asher still sent her away.


    It gued her heart that he was throwing her out of his sight, but she channeled that negative energy into doing her best and studying courses that would benefit his territory.


    Like how she yearned to establish an academy, simr to this one for him. This was her greatest ambition.


    Yuna pursed her lips.


    ...¡­..


    As Mary and Yuna walked into their ss, a blonde-haired young man chortled. "The Ashbourne knight is here."


    "Hahaha!"


    His friends burst intoughter.


    When Mary first joined the academy, her talent made her stand out, but while she was a high grader in the researcher ss, she was the weakest in knight ss, also known as the duelist ss at her current stage.


    Though she was growing at a fast pace, the others had started training when they were seven years and were still learning, so the gap was huge.


    "I don''t think I''ve heard of any Ashbourne nobility in the empire."


    "She''s not from the empire and is probably from a remote baron who bought his title."


    Mary ignored them and sat beside Yuna.


    The blonde approached them with crossed arms.


    "I really have to know. Does your house have any remarkable knights?"


    Mary looked into his eyes and snorted within.


    "It has nothing to do with you."


    No one was surprised, as Mary wasn''t the kind of girl to back down even with several losses in duels.


    "Is that so? I heard Lady Sariel say you are not worthy to be a knight''s squire even though you are a silver-ranked duelist."


    Yuna got up, mes bursting out of her palms, but Mary stopped her.


    "You are the son of a titled knight sworn to house Nubis. You''ll hear of the Ashbourne Knights one day, and they won''t bring a smile to your face but dread."


    "Hahahaha!"


    The boy pped. "I''ll be waiting."


    He smiled proudly.


    "Yuna. Isn''t it time you tell her that this isn''t a ss for her?"


    "Isn''t it time for you to know that bullying others because you''re scared of her talent makes you look weaker?" Yuna retorted.


    Yuna was respected by many, as she was one of the top candidates. Her strength and skill came from the training she received from her childhood teacher.


    Mormonts were a fearsome house known for their heavy bear cavalry.


    They were one of the behemoths of the Eternal Immortal Empire.


    In the entire continent, she was recognized as the daughter of a duke.


    The blonde frowned and walked away.


    A short whileter, their teacher walked into the ss.


    "Today will be theoretical. Keep your weapons aside."

 Chapter 126: Mage Commander

    Two weeks had passed since Asher returned from Tiberias, and since then Aquilia had been tasked with building the one teleportation channel in Nineveh and another in Ashkelon.


    Asher had ordered Ashkelon''s general to release 1000 Ashkelon Guards and 300 debreaker cavaliers. While he would release 500 Silver Wolf Infantrymen, 500 Deste yers, and 200 Stormbringer cavaliers to conquer both baronies.


    Themanders were Alec, Lambert, Eritrea, and Sirius!


    Asher sat on his king-sized bed, staring at the mural like he always did. He noticed that his sacred hall had some simrities to the one in the mural, but the giant beast was still much bigger than Sirius.


    However, knowing that Sirius''s evolution had changed from the original path after the consumption of a dragon species, Asher had no idea what to expect from Sirius''s next evolution.


    "Hmm, Ancestor Zenas looks so young here. He should be over sixty since he was somehow able to be a rank higher than his beast."


    Asher knit his brows.


    He knew the higher one grew in rank, the stronger your internal system. This allowed them to live long, but there wasn''t anything like being able to look thirty years younger when a man was in his mid- orte sixties.


    ''Does human lifespan increase at the imperial rank?''


    That rank was far out of his reach, and all of hismanders would not be able to touch it because of the limitations of their talents, but they might be powerful enough to match them with the improvement of the system and their treasured meals.


    Knock! Knock!


    "Your Lordship. It is I, Kelvin."


    "Come in."


    Asher turned his head toward the door.


    Kelvin walked in. "Yourmanders request your presence before they leave for battle."


    "I see."


    The troops gathered togetherst night, were numbered, and the logistic department along with them.


    "Let''s go."


    As they walked through the hallway, Kelvin cleared his throat.


    "Aquilia is done with both teleportation channels and is at her chamber awaiting your order of release."


    Asher cocked a brow.


    "Has her father paid the ransom?"


    Kelvin blinked.


    "Pardon, My Lord?"


    "Her father still needs to pay the ransom, and remember to inform him that his daughter is now a gold-ranked mage, so he shall pay 100,000 gold coins. Is it not fair?"


    Kelvin could not speak.


    "You think I''m biased. Look at it this way: I took his daughter and made her a gold-ranked mage. Now she will be sought after by nobles of all ranks, including Marquises, so do you think I should be repaid with just 10,000 gold coins?"


    Kelvin''s eyes twinkled.


    "Ah." He parted his lips and adjusted his spectacles. "I''ll see to it that Lord Rutherford Tyre gets the information."


    Asher patted Kelvin''s shoulder with a smile, and when they reached a staircase, he turned toward the right.


    "Where are you going, Your Lordship?"


    "To see my captive. Tell themanders that I''ll be there shortly."


    Kelvin chuckled as he watched Asher walk away with his hands in his pockets.


    ''He''s growing fast.''


    ...¡­..


    Creak!


    The sound of the door being opened made Aquilia turn toward it. Her right eye was covered by some strands of her silver hair.


    She looked at the young lord d in a brown jacket over his white tunic, and her eyes narrowed.


    "I''ve built your teleportation channels."


    "I heard."


    Asher stood by the door, staring right into her eyes with an indifferent expression. For the past two weeks, after seeing the great dominions belonging to Asher, her heart shook, and she grew to actually fear him.


    Asher was ten times more powerful than she, her father, or any other lord, including Count William imagined him to be.


    He was cunning.


    Smart enough to hide his true power and allowed them to be fascinated about his death at the hands of the winter beasts when he had stepped into the destnds and built a great city housing tens of thousands!


    Her father barely had over 40,000 citizens, and he was crowned the strongest baron in the northern part of the wastnds.


    The southern part was ruled by the count''s direct vassals, people who paid taxes and had sworn allegiance to him.


    Tyre, Scarlet, and mehearts were free lords; they earned their domains, and due to where theirnds were located, no one was willing to fight over them.


    "How is your control?"


    She looked at him and then muttered a few unknown words. Several masses of water the size of arge pearl appeared around her.


    "I feel like even amongst gold-ranked mages I should be a force to be reckoned with." After saying this, Aquilia''s eyes widened. Realizing she was talking feely with the man she loathed, she knit her eyebrows.


    When Asher began walking toward her, Aqu, shifting backwards, watched him vigntly.


    But he just walked past her and swung the curtain open, allowing the sunlight to flood into the room.


    "It''s a big city out there."


    Asher spoke.


    Aquilia looked. Since her bed was close to therge window, she could see the bustling city.


    The white structures were absolutely beautiful, and the symmetrical design of the streets had an appalling formation that she could see.


    She saw the same thing from the top of the lord''s manor in Ashkelon.


    "I want a mage, and although we had a bad start, I won''t judge you by it if you swear your allegiance to me."


    Aquilia frowned.


    A few momentster, Asher got tired of waiting and walked toward the door.


    "There will be no home to return to in two months'' time."


    It dawned on her!


    "Promise not to kill my father, and I will swear allegiance to you."


    Asher could tell she was panicking.


    At that moment, he decided to check her panel to know the stakes.


    [Aqu Tyre


    Age: 25


    Rank: Gold


    Talent: Water Maniption (A)


    Loyalty: 45


    Job: None]


    Seeing her loyalty, Asher was caught off guard. It seemed like bringing her to his domain worked after all!


    ...¡­.


    Boom!


    The sacred hall doors were pushed open, and Asher walked in with a fast pace.


    "We greet His Lordship!"


    Alec, Lambert, and Eritrea kneeled. Lambert and Eritrea looked excited to meet their lord again, but all of a sudden, a silver-haired woman was pushed into the hall by a Bloodde.


    Alex standing by the side of the throne took a step. He understood from Aquiia''s expression that Asher had made her his subordinate.


    "Is she a mage?" Lambert said in a tone so low that only him, Eritrea, and Alec could hear.

 Chapter 127: A Century Old Priestess

    "Arise."


    Asher said as he sat down.


    "Have the ns been made?" He asked.


    "It has, your lordship," Alec said.


    "You have less than a month and two weeks to conquer those territories. Where is Uriah? He''s a treasured scout and should be among your troops."


    "I brought him along, Your Lordship." Lambert said oftly.


    Asher nodded.


    "Good."


    After discussing with them for a brief moment, themanders left, and as they marched out of the stronghold, thousands gathered to see them off.


    Standing before one of the sacred hall''s windows, Asher looked at his pet beast, which was at the forefront of the troop, with a smile on his face.


    "Will they hurt my father?"


    Aquilia asked from behind.


    "If he doesn''t surrender, yes, but since I gave my word, he won''t be killed."


    Asher responded without turning his head to look at her.


    Aquilia''s pupils shook.


    "What do you want me to do for you then?"


    Asher turned to face her.


    "What?"


    He raised an eyebrow.


    Aquilia tilted her head. "Well, you made me your magemander. What do you want me to do?"


    "Ah, I see. Let''s talk about the teleportation channel you created. How many people can it teleport at once?"


    "It can transport five individuals to any teleportation channel as long as you are granted ess."


    "So through the channel you built, can I get to the Eternal Imperial City?"


    Aquilia blinked.


    "You can, but if constantly the elemental crystal will be exhausted in 2 months."


    Asher shrugged.


    "I see."


    "I n to head to the imperial city to im a better title; I seek to be more than a baron now."


    Kelvin smiled when he heard that.


    Aquilia''s eyes widened. She was puzzled as to why Asher would say that in her presence, knowing she wasn''tpletely loyal to him.


    But after thinking about it, Aquilia realized that even if she wanted, she couldn''t harm Asher. He had already grown to a level where the lords of the wastnds were no threat to him. At this point, only Count William could stand against him.


    But... she kind of liked her current position. To make it even better, there were great meals that did wonders to her body, internally and externally, and Asher had an ability that did a wholesome upgrade to everything about her, especially in boosting her rank!


    Also, she could understand what Asher was trying to do. Once he conquers the baronies, Count William will be aware, and there might be a confrontation. Having a higher noble title gave Asher an advantage, and if he could acquire it from the imperial family, he would have their backing.


    This would make the noble friends of Count William passive.


    A higher rank would make it more appealing to strike an alliance with him, but being restricted to a mere baron had lots of disadvantages.


    Currently, the first stage of Asher''s ambition was to be a duke. But first, he must grow higher than a baron.


    "You need to meet the emperor or one of his sons and convince them to grant you a greater title."


    "I don''t need to convince anyone." Asher''s response made Aquilia and Kelvin stunned.


    Asher turned to face both of them.


    "I''ll vaguely ry to them the forces I have gathered, and as usual the imperial family would want to use the Ashbournes as a de. We once put them into power; we can bring them back into that power. Do you think I need to convince a family with that mindset?"


    Aquilia couldn''t believe what she was hearing while Kelvin shook his head with a small smile. He knew Asher wasn''t wrong.


    Aquilia, who had no idea of their history, was the confused one.


    "Prepare. You, Alex, and I shall head for the imperial city tomorrow. Kelvin, you''ll be my regent, so take care of Nineveh and Ashkelon until I return."


    Kelvin recoiled. Asher was once again pushing all the work on him.


    Did this young man want him to die early?


    "But my lord, it''s the start of the new month. You haven''t ced your seal on the..."


    "You''re in charge now. You can do it."


    Asher smiled at Kelvin.


    Kelvin covered his mouth and coughed lightly. "My Lord, I would like to speak to you personally."


    ...¡­.


    When everyone left, including the Blooddes, Asher crossed his arms, facing Kelvin.


    "It''s about the town we spotted 30 kilometers away."


    Asher knit his eyebrows.


    "What about it?"


    "Our scouts have been slowly uncovering more about it. That town is more than what we thought. Indeed, it''s not under a lord, but it''s been guarded by a temple."


    Asher frowned.


    "A temple?"


    "Yes, there are temple guards d in te armor around that town. Not just that, but theirnd is strangely rich, so rich that they have arge olive farm and are bountiful in pure oil."


    Asher tilted his head.


    "They have olive trees?!"


    Pure oils were so valuable in Boundless that it could be an exclusive trade for him if he managed to upgrade them to be unique; his oil would be sought after by many nations!


    People would line up to buy his oil.


    Oil had various uses; it could be used in cooking, it was used to lightmps, for cosmetics, perfumes, and for medicines.


    It could be a trade so big that he would be wealthy enough to support the increase of his troops.


    Each King Swordsman recruit cost 100 gold coins! And this was just a guardian-grade troop, there were other higher grade troops!


    "How big is their olive farm?"


    "ording to our scouts, it''s about 5 kilometers big, but there''s more important news than that."


    "What could be better than this?!"


    "They have been under the rule of a woman, a priestess to be exact, and she isn''t human."


    Asher walked to his stone throne and sat down.


    "Go on."


    He supported his chin with his right arm.


    "I made the scouts investigate further, so they lured and captured a young man who revealed that their town has been under the protection of this being for a century."


    "A century!"

 Chapter 128: 10,000 Warrior Orc Troop

    Upon hearing this, Asher understood this was grave news. "Tell our scouts to return. I don''t think we can handle a being that is a century old, priestess or not."


    "We can strike an alliance with them, Your Lordship. Our scouts also said they are in a fierce battle with a settlement of abyssal creatures that came from the mountains, and the captive also revealed that abyss worshipers have been trying to kill this priestess for a while now."


    "She''s a detriment to their ns. With her, thend and mana will slowly be restored, and that will impact negatively on their ns to create an army of abyss creatures."


    "Don''t you think the pressure will make them vulnerable to our aid?" Kelvin adjusted his spectacles.


    Asher wiped his mouth and exhaled.


    His eyes revealed deep thoughts.


    "We can''t lose that olive farm, nor can we lose the opportunity to have a priestess, but there are lots of strings tied to this priestess. I can''t decide if both her and that farm are worth exposing ourselves to those abyssal creatures."


    "But without a priestess, when your forces eventually meet an abyssal force in the destnds, they will fall."


    Kelvin pressured. He could sense Asher wanted to y it safe this time. Thest battle with abyssal creatures was enough to scare him.


    "Which abyssal species are they facing?"


    Kelvin was silent for a while.


    Seeing his silence, Asher knew it was bigger than he expected.


    "Tell me. What are they facing?"


    "10,000 warrior orcs and a named chief."


    Kelvin looked into Asher''s eyes and saw his pupils constrict.


    A named chief meant there was a sacred-ranked chief ss orc leading the 10,000 warrior orcs! 10,000 normal orcs could face 20,000 human soldiers and ughter them easily, and he was facing 10,000 orcs built and trained for battle!


    "Since that town could survive for this long, that priestess must be stronger than the orc chief."


    "Indeed."


    Asher exhaled loudly.


    "Without the scouts, we would not have realized that such a huge threat was around the corner. We would have counted serious losses if they attacked Nineveh."


    "But, Your Lordship, what are we going to do?"


    Asher faced him.


    "Take the town. We can''t fight 10,000 orcs head-on or the losses will be severe, but we can''t forfeit thatnd because of the olives."


    "Summon Aquilia. Even if it will take 100,000 gold coins to build a teleportation channel able to move at least 500 soldiers between Ashkelon, Nineveh, and other cities, she should do it."


    Kelvin gasped.


    "But that would cripple our ns for the uing winter. It''s just six months away!" He eximed.


    Asher got to his feet.


    "I need the debreakers, Kelvin, and if they should journey through the road, it would take two weeks. That''s too long. By the time I''ll be back from the imperial city, I want it done, and for that reason, Aquilia won''t go with me."


    The threat of 10,000 orcs weighed heavily on him. All his progress could be brought down by this fearsome army of creatures born for battle and filled with extreme bloodthirst.


    And there was bound to be Abyss worshipers, meaning he should expect fighting mages! Mages who had spent their lives taking lives!


    The pressure was too much.


    It was bigger than facing a human army because these beings had a force that would weaken his men as the battle progressed.


    Asher clenched his fists.


    "Summon Katarina. She must have seen something. I want her counsel on this matter."


    Kelvin lowered his head and left.


    He went to the teleportation channel, and they pinpointed his location for Ashkelon. The pinpoints for cities that weren''t locked were also shown.


    Swoosh!


    In a burst of light, Kelvin vanished and found himself at the bottom of the lord''s manor in Ashkelon. The air of the city was different from Nineveh''s. It wasn''t as grand as Nineveh, nor was it made out of beautiful stones, but it was way bigger and built to amodate moremoners.


    Lifting his head, he gazed at the beautiful manor at the top of the hill.


    Right from the bottom of the hill to the gates, which were at the hilltop, were Ashkelon Guards, armed with their swords and shields.


    "Sir Kelvin."


    They lowered their heads as he ascended.


    .....


    Boom!


    The doors of the meeting hall were swung open, and he found Katarina seated on the seat next to the throne with her fingers entwined.


    "He calls for me?"


    She said,


    "There is an issue." Kelvin responded.


    "He wants to inquire about Nimrim, doesn''t he?"


    "Nimrim? Kelvin raised an eyebrow.


    "It''s the name of the town, and the temple is called Nimrim Temple. The temple guards serve a fairy called Sapphira."


    Kelvin''s pupils shook.


    "What kind of talent do you have?"


    Katarina chuckled at the question. "Let''s go meet our Lord. He''s troubled."


    ...¡­..


    Boom!


    The doors of the sacred hall were opened by two King Swordsmen, allowing regent Kelvin and counselor Katarina to enter the hall.


    They saw Asher seated on his throne, looking straight at them. His expression was solemn, and his eyes were deep and piercing.


    "Greetings, Your Lordship."


    Katarina lowered her head.


    "Did Kelvin tell you the reason I requested your presence?"


    Katarina smiled.


    "It''s because of Nimrim, the olive town."


    "Did you have a vision about it?"


    "I did. Two nights ago."


    Asher exhaled. He leaned forward, staring at her with narrow eyes. "What did you see?"


    "You were able to attract the attention of that fairy, Your Lordship."


    Asher''s expression revealed discontent toward what she said, and Katarina saw it. This was because it seemed like he had to attaract her favor to survive!


    "My Lord, that fairy has a gift that makes her a threat to every male, man, or beast. It makes them almost revere her, which is why you must meet her personally."


    "Why?"


    "Because that gift doesn''t affect you. You''re different."


    "And how am I different?" Asher cocked his head.


    "Because she said you have an otherworldly soul. I believe from that vision she meant your soul is a noble one; it stands out of the rest."


    Asher froze the moment Katarina said, "Otherworldly soul."


    He knew it wasn''t anything about a noble soul. Somehow that priestess could guess his soul wasn''t from Boundless!


    ......


    END OF VOLUME 2: CLASH OF BARONS!


    A/N: Honestly, I do appreciate you guys for following the story right from chapter one up to this point.


    It''s really been a ride for Asher, me, and probably some of you. Expect the uing volume whenever ites!


    3RD AND UPCOMING VOLUME: Into The Depths!!!

 Chapter 129: Euodias, The Strange Weapon

    Whoosh!


    The cold wind lifted his hair, causing it to flutter before settling back. Fog hindered his sight and it seemed as if the skiescked any source of light.


    Grr!


    The soft growl of a predator fell into his ears. As he turned, his dull golden eyes met with a pair of cerulean eyes; they were the eyes of a white ice tiger, a low-grade mythical beast that could still be found in some dense forests.


    Some nobles used them as a symbol of power and luxury.


    The tiger''s stripes were dark blue and its ws sank into the dark brown soil that was wet from the morning dew. That was right; this fog was dew.


    It was dawn!


    p! p!


    The wind came again and Asher looked up to see a massive pair of wings and an iconic long tail. The creature had a long neck like that of a crane, the head of an eagle and ws attached to the ends of the wings like that of a wyvern.


    It also had two hind legs with simr ws and a long tail.


    This strange bird was known as the Swiftwing, a ferocious creature that could be used as a battle mount for an air force, one so powerful that other forces would tremble.


    This was the Intis Kingdom''s iconic force and the reason that they were respected despite their silence.


    Both creatures had their eyes on him!


    ''Asher!''


    He heard a whisper.


    The moment he heard that voice, he looked at the Mortal de in his hand and at the prowling tiger.


    ''Unsheath Euodias¡­''


    The whisper came again.


    Roar!


    The tiger lunged toward him as did the Swiftwing swoop down, its ws brandished to pierce through his flesh.


    At this critical moment, he drew his left leg backward, wrapped his fingers around the sword and pulled it out of the sheath!


    Shing!


    Swoosh!


    A blue light billowed off the de and Asher did not have time to even see what it looked like when the head of a spirit behemoth came from the sword and lunged toward him.


    It was right before his eyes when...


    ...


    Ha~ Ha~


    A pair of dull golden eyes snapped open and he sat up, breathing like a man that ran a marathon. Sweat covered his entire body, even soaking his white tunic!


    "What in the world was that?"


    Almost instinctively, he turned toward a corner and found the Mortal de. A faint blue light could be seen around it but the light vanished before he could make heads or tails of its source.


    Asher left the bed. He grabbed the sword and scrutinised it.


    "Is your name Euodias?"


    When he held the hilt, there was a slight vibration causing his eyes to widen.


    ''This sword is definitely not normal.''


    After saying that, he looked at where the hilt connected to the scabbard, which hid the de. What happened in his dream shed through his eyes for a split second.


    He proceeded to destroy every thought about unsheathing the sword.


    And he dropped the sword.


    ''I felt hate.''


    He mused inwardly.


    Truly, he felt hate from the beast spirit in Euodias, the mortal de. It seemed as if the beast had been killed by one of his ancestors and it could sense he was a descendant.


    After pondering for a while, he walked to his window and swung the curtain to the left, revealing the foggy view of his stronghold.


    ...


    By the time the sun had risen and cast down its radiance upon the stronghold, Asher and his Blooddes appeared after a burst of radiance from a round tform. He looked at the bustling view and walked down the stairs.


    Two guards, upon seeing Asher''s Blooddes, looked at him deeply but did nothing. This was the Eternal Imperial City, one of the biggest cities in the continent, housing over 700,000 civilians and 70,000 garrisoned imperial troops.


    The walls were known to be 100 meters tall! Built by dwarves and giants about 500 years ago, this great wall was impregnable and not even mages could bring it down!


    It was also rumored to have mechanical defences that denied anyone from scaling the wall without being split into two and over 20 catapults and trebuchets could be found on it!


    No noble in their right mind would send his men to conquer this city, as that would just be a waste of that troop.


    All of them would certainly perish.


    Although Asher was far from the Imperial City Square, he could see the gigantic statue of the first Eternal Immortal Empire''s ruler. Rumors had it that it was made from great stones and molten gold was poured from the crown of its head to the soles of its feet.


    The golden statue looked valiant. It was of a man with his sword pointing toward the sky.


    Both Alex and Nero were awed by the magnificent city.


    "The Second Highness and the Third are still at war. There was a confrontation outside my shop yesterday."


    Asher turned to the women inside a carriage, talking to themselves. Their voices grew fainter and fainter until he could no longer hear them.


    Asher furrowed his brows.


    He got a carriage that took him to the administration building, a 4-story building located in the city square, right where the statue was.


    The moment Asher walked in with his Blooddes, the officials there instantly recognized him as a noble.


    "Wee, Milord."


    A young woman lowered her head while wearing a professional smile. She adjusted her ss.


    "You are?"


    Asher smiled.


    "Asher Ashbourne."


    Upon hearing the name Ashbourne, her eyes widened. She looked at his gray hair and his golden eyes and her eyes widened even more.


    "You''re the descendant of Duke Zenas Ashbourne. The Ashbournes are still alive." She gasped.


    "I want to increase my title. I believe it can be done here, right?"


    "It can but only to the level of a viscount. However, there is a record concerning the Ashbournes. By the grace of the first emperor, all descendants are granted ess into the pce. You can meet His Highness and be enfeoffed. It''s higher than the merit system."


    Asher never believed Zenas was that close to the emperor. It seemed like they were best friends.

 Chapter 130: Count Asher Ashbourne

    The administrative council could only permit title increase by purchase up to the viscount level. Above that needed the seal of the one in charge and that was the second highness.


    The third prince had left the city but is bent on ruling the Eternal Imperial City, causing him to gather forces.


    Meanwhile, during the two days Asher had to wait, he heard that the emperor died due to old age 5 months ago and since his first highness was killed during a skirmish with some barbarian ns, the second highness was the right heir to the throne.


    But the entire family was split. The empress whose talent made her remain young despite her age had her own ns contrary to her son''s, causing a rift. The two princesses supported the second highness, while the third highness was the empress'' favorite.


    Currently, there was tension in the capital and their neighboring empire, the Sacred me Empire, which grew stronger every year, might see their internal conflict as an advantage andunch a great attack on the empire.


    Finally, on the third day, he received a letter from the administrative council that the second highness had epted his request for a meeting and that he had been summoned to the imperial pce.


    ...¡­


    Boom!


    Tapk! Tapk!


    Footsteps fell into the ears of two beautiful figures seated on golden chairs in the pce made of beautiful stones and coated with gold. On the throne was a 40-year-old man who had a well-trimmed anchor beard, long ck hair, and purple eyes.


    This was His Second Royal Highness, Prince Aaron Nethaneel!


    By his left and right were his sisters.


    When they saw Asher walk in with crisp steps, their pupils constricted.


    "Indeed, it''s an Ashbourne."


    Aaron narrowed his eyes.


    When Asher reached the middle of the hall, he looked at the pure white floor, exhaled softly, and bent one knee.


    "Greetings, Prince Aaron. It''s been a while since our houses met."


    Aaron got to his feet, descended from his throne and lifted Asher up with a broad smile. "Your house was loyal to my house until it fell. That was unfortunate."


    Asher smiled.


    "Indeed."


    His eyes veered to the princesses. The one on the right was Ruth Nethaneel, a famous researcher and schr who once explored with a researcher from Nightfire Kingdom and discovered the green vine.


    A precious nt that produces green glue, an ingredient crucial for the creation of green y. Green y was like the cement of earth but it was stronger when dry.


    A barrel of green glue is worth about 10 gold coins! For this reason, people preferred alternate methods but rich lords bought the glue to prepare green y, which in turn both beautified and strengthened their walls.


    However, it would take over 40,000 sacred gold coins to ster the walls of Nineveh with green y!


    Green y was one of the reasons the imperial family was still so wealthy when most nobles had stopped paying taxes.


    On the left was Sylvia, a captivating beauty who, despite being almost 30, had not gotten married despite having marriage proposals from all over the continent. Asher was taken aback by her enticing looks and demeanour.


    She was truly a rose.


    But Asher knew that roses had thorns!


    Their eyes met.


    ''Not as vibrant as they say.'' Sylvia said inwardly. She referred to the rumors of Duke Zenas''s golden eyes being so radiant and bright that it was like burning golden mes!


    She had expected his descendants to possess a simr trait.


    "What brought a descendant of the great Zenas to our pce?" Sylvia suddenly asked.


    Asher looked at her.


    "I came to ask for a favor on behalf of our past rtionship. Count William takes no heed to the imperial rule and has been expanding yearly. Lately, he hasnded nobles in the southern region of the wastnds and I believe he will soon take over the entire wastnds. Once that happens, he will be a duke."


    "But thatnd is dead." Sylvia tilted her head.


    "That doesn''t mean it can''t be used to nurture troops."


    "So you want to reim thatnd then?"


    Ruth spoke with a calm tone.


    "No, I only seek empowerment from His Highness so that I can be able to face the creatures in the depths of the north and restrict his expansion. Beyond the border lie remnants of the old races and I believe they are gathering their forces for another racial war."


    All of them frowned.


    "You crossed the barrier?" Aaron asked.


    "I have."


    "That''s quite brave." He responded to Asher.


    "Since it''s the empowerment you need, I shall grant you the title of Count."


    Asher frowned.


    It was simply too easy. The game of nobles was at work here and Asher instantly discovered that Aaron wanted him to be a thorn in Count William''s flesh, causing them to fight against each other, gradually weakening each other.


    If he was this intrested in damaging nobles far away from the imperial city, then the prince wasn''t simple. Asher instantly knew Prince Aaron nned on reuniting the empire. A grand ambition, almost as crazy as his.


    However, Aaron did not give him the Nortnds, which were the wastnds and the destnds included. This meant that they refused to give him what his ancestors fought for.


    This didn''t shock him either.


    "Such a favor, I shall dutifully protect the borders and defend your domain!" He faked a grateful voice and bowed deeply.


    Aaron delivered a rolled-up paper to his court servant, and the servant came down and gave it to Asher. It was the deed of his new domain. It had spread outward, covering the territories of Baron Tyre, Baron Scarlet, and Baron meheart.


    The northern part of the wastnds was his!


    This also solidified his proof that Aaron knew what he wanted all along.


    ''He''s cunning.''


    Such a man was dangerous and Asher noted it in his heart to tread carefully when it came to dealing with Prince Aaron.


    ...


    After a while, Asher could be seen walking down a broad staircase, heading down for the carriage where his Blooddes were.


    Although the imperial family still thought of using his house once again, he gained what he wanted. It would be broadcasted by the administrative council that a new count has appeared.


    Count Asher Ashbourne!

 Chapter 131 Old Enemies

    Chapter 131 Old Enemies


    Inside a beautiful courtyard, a handsome man d in a silk robe that exposed a bit of his chest caressed the head of his mount, a royal Swiftwing with a calctive glint in his eyes. While his bird enjoyed his caressing, he was busy thinking of something else.


    Tapk! Tapk!


    "Countess Nephis, don''t you think we have been silent for too long?" He said it without looking back. Should Asher see the beauty this man, Reuel Zaul, crown prince of Intis kingdom, spoke of, he would be frozen in shock.


    The eyes.


    The body shape.


    The height.


    That charming smile.


    It was his fiancee, Lia! After she watched Asher get shot to death, it was as if the clouds were furious and there was a heavy lightning that struck the receiver, causing a huge current that electrocuted every living being in the building!


    Such a thing had never happened before and it went on the international and local news tforms. She and Choi Kang spent 2 months in the hospital before they eventually died, only to find themselves in the world her ex created as a game.


    Reuel before her was the Choi Kang and her body was also different but as a mage, skilled in the spells of fire and vast knowledge, she figured out a way to reconstruct her body, thereby transforming into the great beauty she once was.


    It had been months since they reincarnated into the world and they had finally adjusted.


    "I must ascend to the top once again. Honestly, I never thought that he would grant me a greater present upon death. I mean, what could be better than being a prince of such a unique kingdom, a kingdom with great military powers?"


    Reuel snickered proudly.


    Nephis chuckled. "We have information that none of them have. It''s time we start making use of it before the wave of abyssal creatures he nned starts to spill from the north."


    Reuel shrugged. "I''ll conquer the north before then and build a great wall. Do not forget that the ruins of the old races are there and among those ruins is the gem of life that belonged to the elves. With it, we shall be immortal." Reuel''s eyes were radiant, filled with lofty ambitions that seemed to be beyond the heavens.


    Nephis eyes flickered. She was Countess Nephis Nyx, of House Nyx. A house that has always been led by female mages! Beside her were two huge white ice tigresses!


    She was a vassal of the royal Intis family and a subordinate of Reuel, but because she rebuilt her body, Reuel recognized her immediately.


    "Do you think he''s also here?"


    Reuel turned his head toward her. His brows furrowed. "There''s a chance since he died in the same building, but he also might not be here since he wasn''t struck by lightning." Reuel smiled.


    "He was killed by my bullet."


    "Forget about him. I think you should speak to your father about expanding. I want to be the first empress of the Intis Empire and not one of the queens of the Intis kingdom." Hearing Nephis'' desire, Reuel chuckled. "As you wish, My Lady." They came close. He took her hand and kissed the back of it. ...¡­.


    Meanwhile, on the streets of the Imperial city, Asher could be seen d in a brown hooded cloak with his Blooddes. All three of them, after eating a meal at a restaurant, were heading for the teleportation channel. Asher recalled how Slyvia kept looking at him from the windows on his way out of the pce. There was something off about that beauty that made Ashe distance himself both mentally and physically.


    How could she be so beautiful yet she had no profession, unlike her sister, refused to get married and yet had such aura that was out of the ordinary?


    She had secrets; he could feel it.


    "Your Lordship, are we returning to Nineveh?" Nero asked.


    "We are." Nero smiled at his reply.


    Asher turned to him. "Why did you ask?" "I''ve missed training for three days. I really want to return."


    Asher and Alex chuckled. When they got to the teleportation channel, they waited until it was their turn, paid 10 copper coins each, and when all three of them got onto the tform, Asher saw different pinpoints but locked on the one that led to Nineveh.


    This pinpoint was hidden and would only be revealed to him for now. If he should open it, some random fellows might pop into his dominions without his knowledge. Not long after, he found himself on the teleportation channel in Nineveh. When the bright light died down, three of them were revealed to the Deste yers that manned the area. Thud! Thud! All 10 of them, valiant-looking, dropped to their knees. "We greet His Lordship!!!"


    "Arise."


    His deep voice fell into their ears. ...¡­..


    Upon seeing Asher strolling toward the castle, the King Swordsmen were shocked to their bones. "It''s his lordship!" Almost instantly, the gate was open and soldiers on horseback rushed out with extra horses. Asher was dumbstruck. He was the one that decided to walk since he wanted to have a feel of his stronghold after experiencing the magnificence of the imperial city.


    But since his men were in a tough spot, he mounted the horse and rode into the castle. Outside the castle were Cynthia, Kelvin, and some other maids and servants.


    "We greet His Lordship."


    They bowed their heads.


    Still on horseback, Asher looked at them with a smile. "Anything you couldn''t handle while I was out?" "No, your Lordship, but with the aid of 1000 workers, Aquilia was able to build the grand teleportation formation in the stronghold. In a few days, she''ll be done with the second one."


    "That''s good news."


    "What about the troops?"


    "The infantry are marching for Baron Tyre''s domain and shall reach the outskirts in a few days. But Commander Eritrea has sent a letter, informing me that she had conquered two viges in House Scarlet''s domain."


    "Excellent."


    "Sirius has conquered all the viges and the two towns and is waiting for the troops to head for House Scarlet''s fort."


    Everyone''s jaws dropped.


    Sirius had crushed House Scarlet in just four days! The might of the silent pet beast sank into everyone''s minds, causing their faces to pale at the horror of Sirius''s unmatchable strength, yet Asher wore a smile.

 Chapter 132 Meditation & Worries

    Chapter 132 Meditation & Worries


    After having his meal, Asher went to his bedroom, crossed his legs while sitting on the floor, some meters away from the mural and he began to meditate. The art of meditation was foreign to him in the beginning but with time, he was slowly growing used to it. Previously, it would take a while before he could sink into his subconsciousness but now it was faster.


    Meditation was a state of forging the mind. The mind was the main weapon of every warrior, especially a swordsman. It was the core, the heart, the weakest and the strongest point of every warrior.


    As he sank into a meditative state, the scope of his senses were increased by several folds, so much that he could hear the sound of King Swordsmen walking within the building and maids doing their chores. Though he could hear their voices, it was muffled and made no sense.


    All of a sudden, crimson light began to manifest, billowing upwards like mes. Without his knowledge, his body was being tempered, and his bones and muscles were absorbing a great amount of his battle force, but when it seemed like his reserves were running out, the billowing force would subside, umte, and spike after a while.


    This was the main secret about the Shura de Battle Art. It constantly tempered the bodies of the practitioners until their bodies had the traits of des. Their features are sharpened and just by releasing their aura, they could cause a piercing effect.


    A swing of their sword would release a sharp, visible battle force, usually in the shape of a crescent light. Notably, diamond-ranked individuals were able to release battle force from their bodies and cause damages greater than the reach of their weapons but not all diamond-ranked individuals could do it.


    Performing such feats depended on battle force arts.


    Because of this, Asher needed to get hismanders a me attribute battle art that was higher than the zing Battle Force in order for them to master output. Output was the ability of releasing battle force to deal greater damage.


    It could not be used for defence. For this reason, armor still reigned supreme.


    While Asher was in a state where his spirit and body were silent, a certain consciousness longed for one of his ancestors to appear.


    But none came.


    All of a sudden, the sound of knocks fell into his ears.


    Knock! Knock!


    "Your Lordship!" Kelvin''s concerned voice rang.


    Asher opened his eyes. Unbeknownst to him, his dull golden eyes sparkled for a bit. Like the legendary burning golden eyes in the days of Lord Zenas.


    "Come in."


    He said it softly.


    Almost instantly, the door swung open and Kelvin rushed in with hurried steps. "My Lord, you did not eat your lunch and your dinner. You have tens of thousands under you; depriving yourself of food is unhealthy."


    Kelvin spoke sternly. Asher rose to his feet and clenched his fingers. Kelvin heard them pop so loud that he had to raise an eyebrow.


    Was his lord''s tendons made of steel?


    "I was meditating." The candle in Kelvin''s hand was the only source of light in the room and it illuminated some parts of his face, revealing his sharpened features. "You''re growing thinner. You must eat meat and drink lots of milk for supper." Kelvin said with a crisp tone. He misunderstood Asher''s refinement for him growing thin due to starvation. His misunderstanding was usible due to the fact that Baron James Ashbourne, Asher''s father, never entered the realm of meditation as did his other sons so while Kelvin knew about meditation, hecked knowledge of the effects.


    Asher chuckled. He walked toward his window and looked at the stronghold. There weremps and torches at some parts of the stronhold, while some were in pitch darkness.


    The walls were the brightest. Large fires were arrayed throughout the walls to keep the soldier''s space bright so they could not be blind to attacks.


    Looking beyond the walls, all Asher saw was darkness.


    "Kelvin. Have you published the news of my new title?"


    "I have. Your name is on the lips of almost everyone in Ashkelon, Nineveh, and Silverleaf. They all know you''ve risen House Ashbourne to the level of a count."


    Asher smiled. He looked at the white-haired man whose gold-rimmed spectacles reflected softly and exhaled.


    "That darkness is now my domain. What do you think I should do with it? I nned on expanding into the destnds, but the cold, old races, and lots of unknown factors bothers me. It will be harder to conquer than the wastnds."


    "Both the wastnds and the destnds are the Endless Nortnds and they should belong to an Ashbourne. You''re hiding from the noble world, Your Highness. It''s time we reveal to the world the might of the Ashbourne knights." Asher sat on his bed and entwined his fingers. "Once I have taken over Baron Tyre and Baron Scarlet, the mehearts will be wary toward us. Do you think he might ally with the southern wastnd lords, who are direct vassals of Count William?"


    Kelvin adjusted his spectacles, revealing this was a tough question.


    "I can not answer this question." He smiled wryly.


    "I will not cross the borders of his domain if he trusts the alliance but now that I''m about to step into the world, won''t he feel like I have no need for his help anymore?" "You''re concerned about him."


    Kelvin said.


    "I am. I don''t want him to make a mistake that would turn us into enemies. After all, he gave me a treasured weapon." Asher looked at Euodias, resting horizontally on its stand.


    He proceeded to rise up from the bed and leave for the dining room. The moment he entered the dining room, he saw Cynthia ordering maids to arrange his meals. The aroma of the roasted hexakad chicken activated his hunger. Luckily, he had merged more chickens to produce more diamond-ranked chickens.


    Almost no one had ever been given aplete diamond-ranked hexakad to feast on.


    The moment he sliced a small part and slowly savoured the juicy taste, Kelvin cleared his throat.


    "Your Highness, when shall you head for Nimrim, the olive town?"

 Chapter 133: Supernova

    "I will go there after I conquer Baron Tyre and Baron Scarlet''s domains. We shall gain a workforce that will be put into the olive farms once we take the town but for now, I should deal with the matters of the stronghold. I''ve neglected it for a while."


    Hearing this, Kelvin smiled.


    He had no idea that the reason Asher refused to go as soon as possible was because he was wary of the rank of a century-old fairy, a being with greater magi reserves and he was also cautious of the orc troops!


    Only afterpleting the mission and upgrading Sirius to the saint rank would he have the confidence of surviving even if things went bad.


    But for now, they had to be watchful of that ce.


    Unfortunately, he had to curb his itch to see a fairy. The fairy race were naturally more beautiful than the elves because they had more of nature''s favor and the sight of their dragonfly wings was quite magnificent to Asher even when it was digital.


    In terms of magic technology, such as elemental trebuchets, top-quality mage staffs, and myriad mythical beasts, they were the top.


    Yes, mythical beasts were always found around the domains of fairies and since humans hunted them without paying heed to the fairies warnings, it caused a rift.


    One that resulted in the total banishment and banning every human from stepping into the fairy domain unless their ruler gives a seal of pardon on that particr individual.


    Knowing this priestess would surely have one of these things around her, Asher was naturally more cautious. He didn''t want to waste his men.


    After reying to Kelvin, he began to savor his meal.


    Cynthia had smiles as she would asionally ask him to taste a different dish while Kelvin stood in the sidelines watching the scene with a little smirk.


    His Lord was growing so wise that he would not need him very soon.


    Kelvin was much smarter than he acted but he often threw those questions to make Ashere up with a solution. It was a way of training Asher without his knowledge.


    ...¡­.


    On the walls of a castle, the ck Iron castle. Thest standing dominion belonging to Baron Scarlet, several sharpshooters could be seen preparing to light their arrowhead with fire.


    The skies were dark but the silhouette of the giant creature ahead of the cavaliers nerved them greatly.


    Baron Scarlet, a 43-year-old man, held his sword and shield in his hand while his expression was solemn.


    At this point, he knew his enemy. It was House Ashbourne!


    Unbelievably, that cripple had such a fearsome troop and none of them were aware of it!


    "Ready!" One of his knights roared but they underestimated the fact that they were against 500 gold-ranked cavaliers!


    500 knights!


    Before the Scarlet Knight could utter another word, azure lightning-packed arrows were released from the bows of 200 Stormbringers.


    The lighting arrows illuminated the sky as they reached the wall almost instantly, piercing and mming soldiers off the top of the wall. Over 300 died in the first batch, causing Baron Scarlet to shudder.


    "My Lord, it''s best you leave the wall!" One of his bodyguards advised.


    Taking heed to his advice, Baron Scarlet and his bodyguards left the wall, hurrying toward the lord''s manor.


    "Why are they rushing toward us without slowing down?" A Scarlet Soldier asked with furrowed brows.


    The knight, who was theirmander, heard it, and his brows knit together.


    ''What are the Ashbournes up to?''


    He thought inwardly.


    He squinted as Sirius'' speed picked up and it left the cavaliers in the dust, racing for the castle with greater speed.


    "Javelins!" The knight roared.


    500 men lifted javelins andunched them toward Sirius but the javelins bounced off its fur. At that moment, Sirius arrived, and he mmed the stone wall!Boom!


    The section where Sirius mmed shattered with stones of different sizes flying outward.


    The soldiers below the wall started running as they avoided the rocks falling from the sky.


    Awooo!


    Sirius roared toward the sky and its eyes turned orange. Orange mes billowed out of its mouth in the fashion of a methrower.


    Those who were caught in the ming tide couldn''t even scream when they were wiped away from existence!


    Its eyes turned azure as it faced the left and ice spilled forth, turning everything 200 yards away from it into an ice sculpture!


    The level of negatives was so low that the armor of the debreaker, who rushed in through the broken wall, had a thinyer of ice spreading outward.


    "For the count!"


    Lambert roared.


    "For Count Asher!!"


    Having been informed through a messenger bird, it was Lambert''s duty to make sure while destroying their enemies, they knew that his lord wasn''t a baron anymore.


    They were only suited to be his vassals.


    "My Lord, run!"


    One of Baron Scarlet''s bodyguards bellowed and turned to face the chaos going on between Ashbourne soldiers and their men.


    While they had thousands, the Ashbournes were grinding them down like a whirlwind.


    Sirius, the Ashbourne wolf that had made its name known throughout the House Scarlet domain, had killed about 1000 in just two breaths!


    Seeing the wolf running toward him, the bodyguard suddenly grew in mass. He grew until he was 3 meters tall but before he could brandish his weapon, Sirius transformed into a white blur, closing the gap instantly.


    Its ws, strong enough to be forged into a diamond-ranked weapon or even a sacred rank if forged well, cut through the man without restraint.


    His rock-hard muscles were like butter before Sirius'' ws.


    At the bodyguard''s dying breath, he wondered where such a dreaded beast had been and who was able to tame it.


    Seeing Sirius y more of his bodyguards, Baron Scarlet turned around and dashed toward the wolf while it also ran toward him.


    As the gap grew closer, Baron Scarlet grew hotter, his hair became pure red, his eyes followed, and red veins could be seen under his skin!


    "You wolf, have you ever heard of Supernova?!"

 Chapter 134: Last Stronghold

    Baron Scarlet''s hair glowed and a fiery red beam sted out of the palm of his hands, leaving a scorching trail as it mmed Sirius in full momentum!


    A fiery shockwave sted outward, destroying nearby buildings!


    "Sirius!"


    Lambert''s eyes widened and he spurred his horse. With a swift turn, he galloped toward the huge mes that swallowed Sirius and everything around it.


    Baron Scarlet was still releasing the hot, fiery st while moving forward, one step at a time.


    "Arghh!"


    He screamed and mes burst out of his body, lifting him into the sky. From his waist below was a mini-fire hurricane that swallowed everything!


    Such talent was the kind that drove the individual to madness, causing them to inflict damage on everything around them, friends and foes alike.


    Swoosh!


    A hooded figurended on the walls. Her eyes locked on the dark silhouette in the midst of the mes. It was Sirius.


    She knocked her great thunderbow and the thunderous sound of three arrows leaving her bow resounded. Meanwhile, at the same time, Lambertunched a bolt, so fast that it was a blur to the eyes of a gold-ranked knight!


    All of a sudden, the arrows and the bolt were blocked by a thick ice wall. Sirius calmly walked out of the mes, his fur bouncing ever so softly as he walked majestically.


    Its eyes were serene and not even a strand of hair was wringed by the heat.


    Sirius lifted its right foreleg and mmed it against the ground. A whitish-azure mist sted out in a ring-like form.


    It swallowed the mes and the temperature dropped back into the negatives in a matter of seconds, shocking Baron Scarlet to his core.


    Swoosh! Swoosh!


    Ice spikes rose up around Baron Scarlet. It was like a pyramid that sealed his hands outside and his head was also free but the rest of his body was inside the ice hold.


    Eritrea and Lambert were confused. Why did Sirius not allow them to kill Baron Scarlet?


    While they thought, the wolf looked at them and walked toward the lord''s manor, leaving the rest of the battle for them.


    "It seems like Lord Asher wants him alive."


    Lambert muttered to himself. His eyes sharpened as over 20 soldiers wielding polearms rushed toward him.


    They were probably aiming to kill him and free their lord, then flee before the giant wolf arrived.


    After all, polearms worked well against cavalry.


    Unfortunately¡­


    Clip Clop!


    Lambert galloped toward them, his goldennce tightly gripped in the palm of his right hand.


    The moment the gap vanished, Lambert swung hisnce clockwise, cutting down both the polearms and the men holding it.


    In a single sweep, seven soldiers had fallen!


    Spinning hisnce, Lambert released his battle force, which burst out like tendrils, wrapped the other soldiers and dragged them toward him.


    He swung hisnce again, and the remaining soldiers fell.


    Sensing something, Lambert turned toward Baron Scarlet and found a soldier behind him. When their eyes met, the soldier went on his knees and dropped his weapon.


    Lambert narrowed his eyes.


    Turning his head back, he saw the debreakers were mowing down thest of the resisting Scarlet soldiers while lightning arrows continually flew on the walls, hitting Scarlet soldiers and causing sts.


    The top of the wall was like a light show.


    It kept glowing, making the night look festive.


    Lifting hisnce, Lambert pointed toward Baron Scarlet.


    "You''re baron is our captive! Surrender or die!" His voice reverberated for hundreds of yards.


    Baron Scarlet watched his men look at him and fall to their knees. All his knights were dead but one thing still rang in his head.


    He just realized it.


    He was fighting against hundreds of knights all along!


    "The Ashbournes are rising from the ashes." He muttered in defeat.


    "Rising? We have risen."


    Lambert, who heard him, responded with pride and brimming confidence.


    "For Count Asher!"


    A debreaker bellowed.


    "For His Lordship!"


    "Hoo!"


    "Hoo!!"


    "Hoo!!!"


    Their sonorous voices were like the rumblings of the clouds as the troops marched for the lord''s manor.


    All the civilians hid in their homes, looking at the soldiers from the windows.


    Most of them were afraid of the soldiers breaking into homes, taking women and properties but the Ashbourne soldiers were reserved, disciplined to the core and were insane loyalists to their lord.


    This was an army that would face a dragon for their lord.


    An army that was ready to face death!


    ......¡­


    A week after Baron Scarlet''s dominion was conquered, 500 heavy Silver Wolf infantrymen could be seen in a disciplined formation, so neat that not one man was an inch out of ce.


    Their spears faced the heavens, their gs billowing softly. Their capes fluttered a bit, but the most eye-catching factor about them were their armor and shields, which reflected the sunlight.


    This dreadful-looking troop made up of 7-foot-tall men looked small before their 9-foot-tallmander.


    Alec looked at the Typhon garrison infantry 500 yards away.


    2000 Tyre Shieldbearers and 1000 Iron Hammer wielders. This was another formidable infantry that belonged to House Tyre.


    Standing before them was Baron Rutherford Tyre.


    For the first time, Baron Rutherford Tyre revealed his arms and what Alec saw were thick, muscr, scale-covered arms!


    Rutherford crossed his arms.


    "Did you think I''d let you start a siege against myst stronghold? After seeing what you did to the others?" He scowled.


    "Bringing your men to the ins makes no difference."


    Rutherfordughed boisterously.


    "I see. But you''ve lost 500 men already. Why waste this remaining 500?"


    Alec frowned.


    "I gained five viges and two towns. The loss was worth it."


    "Pray tell, where is your bastard lord? Tell me so that once I''m done ughtering your men, I''ll go pay him a visit."


    Alec swung his visor down and brandished his spear.


    "I''ll take you to him in chains."


    "Shields!"


    His voice resounded.


    "Hoo!"


    Boom!


    The moment 500 tower shields, each being 20 centimeters thick, mmed the ground, the earth trembled!


    Even Rutherford Tyre felt the vibration beneath his feet.

 Chapter 135: Typhon Hills

    This was Typhon Hills, a location 15 kilometers away from Typhon City. Both troops marched down into the valley, heading toward the other with rising momentum.


    As the gap grew narrower and narrower, tension built up, tightening the nerves of the soldiers.


    The two most powerful infantry troops in the northern wastnds were about to sh!


    Suddenly, Rutherford lifted his mighty mace and struck the ground.


    The earth cracked toward the Ashbourne infantry, causing a break in their formation as the middle was split open.


    "Hammers!"


    Rutherford bellowed.


    A stream of Iron hammer wielders came out of the opening the Tyre Shieldbearers created and they swung their hammers toward the Silver Wolf soldiers.


    Alec mmed his shield against the ground and hot ash spurted out of the mouth of the drake, causing some iron hammer wielders to scream and fall to their knees.


    This gave these men the time to retreat instead and rebuild their phnx formation.


    "Fall back!"


    Alec''s voice came from the hot ash fog and they slowly moved back as one but as they were moving back, the Tyre soldiers rushed through the fog.


    Their formation had been broken but Rutherford did not care, as the Ashbournes couldn''t even withstand the first bout and were already retreating.


    "Kill them!"


    Tyre Shieldbearers and Iron Hammer wielders aggressively attacked the formation, striking the tower shields with all their might.


    Some tried to climb the shield wall but were pierced by spears.


    "A step at a time. With me!"


    Alec roared; he stood at the forefront of the formation. His muscles bulged as several Tyre soldiers were struggling to break through.


    His spearshed out like a python,nding critical hits and retreating back into the shield wall.


    "North Spilt!"


    Alec roared. He was using the advantage of the fog to create an advantage for his troop. Alec wasn''t like othermanders who prided on using their powers.


    He was able to show restraint so much that people saw him as weak but he was the strongest among them all.


    Yet, not even citizens of Nineveh knew, as they all saw his brother as the stronger twin.


    Alec preferred teamwork. He saw more strength in a thousand lower-ranked men than in one high-ranked man. This made him amander worthy of respect.


    Heeding to hismand, 5 men away, there was a split. This allowed Tyre soldiers to stream in, lessening the pressure but these Tyre soldiers met an array of long, thick spears.


    They couldn''t even react when the spears lunged forth like a silent predator waiting for its prey.


    Puchi! Puchi! Puchi!


    Tyre soldiers fell in great numbers.


    All this while, Baron Rutherford couldn''t see what was going on; he could only hear sounds of battle and see those around him. The fog was too thick and it was quite hot too.


    When he saw that the wall before him wasn''t breached, he ordered his personal troops, 50 silver-ranked soldiers, to break the shield wall.


    Alec saw the elite men and bellowed.


    "One step!"


    Boom!


    They retreated.


    "South split!"


    The wall Baron Rutherford''s men were about to attack split open at thest moment so they couldn''t react to the spears that suddenly struck out, piercing through their bronze-ranked armor!


    Only 20 retreated but 10 out of the 20 were heavily damaged.


    Seeing this, Baron Rutherford clenched his teeth.


    "Break that wall!"


    Boom!


    The earth underneath his feet imploded as he dashed forward, leaped, and struck his mace downward. Packed with a metal-attribute battle force, the strike killed an Ashbourne soldier instantly!


    Rtuherford began to twirl his mace, mming the infantrymen and their shields into the distance. In a short span, he brought down 15 Silver Wolf infantrymen.


    "Unleash your force!"


    Alec''s orders fell into his ears and a faint crimson light appeared on the Ashbourne soldiers. Their strength increased and they began to push the Tyre soldiers back, closing the hole that Baron Rutherford opened.


    "How stubborn."


    Baron Rutherford scowled and swung his mace at an Ashbourne soldier with so much force that the silver-ranked heavy armor caved inward and the soldier fell on his knees as his spear and shield dropped to the ground.


    Rutherford had equipped himself, first with a magic skill, which he bought from the county and gold-ranked mace in his hand. It made him much stronger than other gold-ranked knights!


    He pushed the soldier to the ground since the soldier died kneeling. Picking up the soldier''s spear, he was about to continue his rampage when he saw a lightning arrow shoot into the air and unleash a st in the sky.


    As if the fog was waiting for that signal, it cleared up and the sunlight descended on the battlefield.


    To his shock, hundreds of heavily armored men with the same g came out from behind the Typhon Hills. They attacked his troops from behind.


    Their halberds reaped lives without mercy; not even the shieldbearers'' shields could save his men. Instantly, it became a battle on two fronts.


    "Forward!"


    Alec yelled with all his might and burst forward at full speed. He was like a silver blur.


    He kept his shield at his back and danced through the battle, leaving fiery tails and death in his wake.


    His eyes were strangely calm, yet his moves were extremely aggressive.


    Due to the amount of battle force Alec pumped out, it almost seemed like he had mastered output.


    Raw, uncontrolled scorching battle force billowed out of him in its purest form.


    Baron Rutherford couldn''t believe his eyes as his men fell in hundreds!


    "He never lost that 500."


    It dawned on him.


    He couldn''t understand how Alec hid 500 heavily armed men from him. He thought that they had died from the constant battles.


    That was the information his scouts gave him.


    Suddenly his eyes met with Alec''s.


    Alec was in a wild state; his aura billowed like burning mes and he was cutting down foes without reserves.


    The moment heid eyes on Baron Rutherford, he flung his spear.


    All Baron Rutherford heard was the sound of the wind howling and the spear was right before his eyes.


    Puchi!

 Chapter 136: Upgrading Sirius

    Bam!


    Baron Rutherford flew backward and mmed the ground so hard that all the bones in his body began to hurt.


    He saw a life sh before his eyes but for some reason he was alive. Unbeknownst to him, Alec''s spear had pierced through over a dozen of his men and still plunged into a hill with a might sound.


    The wind carried by the spear took him off his feet and mmed him hard.


    Tapk! Tapk!


    Alec walked up to him and looked into his eyes. "Orders are to spare your life but you will work. You will work in the mines for the rest of your life."


    Baron Rutherford''s pupils shook.


    What rank was this man before him?


    How could such a powerful knight be in the northern part of the wastnd and serve that wretched lord?


    Rutherford began to question if the House Ashbourne had been gathering their wealth and fortune for decades just to groom such a powerful troop. Was that young lord truly the one in charge?


    His questions remained unanswered as he was thrown into a wooden cage along with some of his men. Out of 3000 soldiers, a little over 200 survived, most being injured.


    Looking at the captives being thrown into therge wooden prisons that hadrge wheels and were carried by six centrak horses for a while, Alec turned after the doors were closed. About 5 cages were filled.


    "How many did we lose?"


    He asked a captain.


    "120. 280 have light injuries." The captain reported.


    "Make sure the wounded are returned to camp. The rest of us will march for Typhon City."


    The captain nodded.


    After he left, another man walked up to Alec. He was in charge of the messenger falcons.


    "Commander, there''s a letter from His Lordship."


    Alec opened the rolled-up paper and as he read the content, he smiled.


    "Baron Scarlet''s domain has been conquered."


    He turned his head to the man.


    "Send a letter to His Lordship. Inform him that Baron Rutherford Tyre is on his way to him as a captive."


    The man smiled.


    "As youmand."


    He turned and left.


    After a night''s rest, 600 infantry soldiers, 300 Silver Wolf, and 300 Deste yers marched for Typhon at a moderate speed. By the time it was almost noon, they could see the walls of the city.


    The moment the soldiers on the wall saw the troop, they fled, leaving the city gate open for Alec to march in with ease.


    Without the presence of Baron Rutherford, fighting for the city was meaningless so the soldiers'' actions were justified. In this era, people fought for riches or for their lords.


    It was meaningless to give your life away for a lord that had been in or captured.


    At the end of that day, Typhon City was conquered and the Ashbourne gs were hung on the city walls.


    After two days, Alec began the mass evacuation as he led the people to Nineveh under the protection of his men.


    ...¡­.


    After a month, Asher''s troops returned to Nineveh with a poption of 70,000! 50,000 were sent to Ashkelon, increasing the city''s poption to 100,000, while 20,000 stayed in Nineveh.


    Nineveh''s poption rose up to 49,000!


    In the sacred hall, Asher sat on the throne, looking at hismanders and his pet beast with a little smile.


    A notification popped up in his retina.


    [Ding! Conquest Quest: Conquer Baron Scarlet and Baron Tyre''s domains in a month and two weeks. (1/1) Complete.]


    [Reward activating¡­]


    [Upgrading Sirius¡­]


    Before Asher''s eyes, Sirius howled as a bright light engulfed it, blinding the eyes of others.


    Swoosh!


    The light died down.


    Sirius grew until it was 21 feet tall, its back touching the lofty ceiling! Its fur on the back grew thick and long. From its head to its tails were thick, long furs.


    Its eyes gained a deep purple shade, one that was both attracting and frightening. A sweep of its tail and a great wind blew against Asher''s face.


    His ws were several inches longer than before, so long that its fur could not hide it. The polished stone floor sank inward due to Sirius'' weight!


    Just looking at the beast, not even themanders were able to hide the fright in their eyes.


    The Blooddes held their hilts, almost drawing their swords out of the scabbards as they all forgot Sirius was on their side.


    Sirius exposed its new set of teeth that could only be justified as fangs, and their wills to fight began to crumble.


    "What in the world?" Lambert gulped. Fear had never gripped him like this in his life.


    He felt so powerless in Sirius''s presence.Sirius had be a Spirit Wolf Emperor!


    A faint white light shone on Asher''s skin, and his own transformation began.


    First, his height finally rose from 6 feet to 6.5 feet; his biceps and triceps increased and were more visible.


    His hair and eyes gained a brighter, more attractive shade.


    His looks increased by two folds.


    Both Cynthia and Eritrea had to blink a couple of times to absorb Asher''s new look. Above his mere looks, there was a suppressive aura that billowed off him.


    Wolf Suppression Aura.


    It gave others the impression that Asher was a mighty wolf king.


    Pop! Pop!


    The sounds of his bones as he got to his feet echoed in the hall.


    Asher''s smile broadened.


    "Is there a reward for yourmanders?" Kevin whispered to him.


    Asher raised an eyebrow. His eyes veered toward hismanders, and he lifted his right hand.


    "Arise."


    All of them stood up. Asher then turned to Sirius. "How do you n on leaving this hall?"


    Sirius whinnied and suddenly began to grow smaller until it was the size of a normal wolf. It''s aura vanished, but no one judged it by its size.


    "Oh, good."


    With Sirius settled, Asher focused on hismanders.


    [Ding! Your intentions to reward yourmanders have been sensed.]


    [Would you like to upgrade Commander Alec to be a Grand Commander, being able tomand 10,000 elite infantrymen? Yes or No?]


    [Would you like to upgrade Commander Eritrea to be a Grand Commander, being able to lead 10,000 elite sharpshooters? Yes or No?]


    [Would you like to upgrade Commander Lambert to be an Epic Commander, being able to lead 5,000 cavaliers? Yes or No?]

 Chapter 137: Sacred-Ranked Commanders

    ''Do it.''


    Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!


    Blinding lights engulfed hismanders, and by the time the light died down, three sacred-ranked individuals stood in the hall, looking magnificent and regal.


    All three of them wore jet ck armor that had white lines at the edges of each part of their armor, such as the chestte, pauldron, couter, vambraces, gauntlets, and so on.


    A round golden badge with the image of a wolf engraved on it was attached to their right shoulder, between their chestte and pauldron. It was the badge of their positions.


    Alec, whose armor weighed the most, looked at his newly shaped tower shield, and his eyes twinkled. His shield wasn''t rectangr any more but curved inwards at both sides. The top and bottom were almost round but had sharp ends.


    It was lighter than before but two times as durable, and the new shape had the capacity of dispersing the impact of attacks, and the curved shape made the shield able to easily deflect fast-moving projectiles.


    The short triangr spearhead grew to the length of a short de with edges so sharp that just looking at it for a long time gave one a feeling of being cut!


    Beside him was Lambert, armed with 6 scarlet javelins and a long sword strapped to his belt and his longnce. His visor was down, making him look more terrifying out of the three.


    The long red plume, which was like a lion''s mane, red cloak, red javelins, and a golden and crimsonnce made him a knight so frightening that just the sight of him was able to inflict fear on his foes.


    On the other side stood Eritrea. Above her ck gown was an enhanced ovok leather armor that embraced her slender figure, making her look even more captivating as an archer.


    Unlike Lambert and Alec, she wore no gauntlet but fingerless Ovok leather gloves that could withstand the impact of a steel weapon without being ripped apart.


    As usual, a hooded cloak covered her, mostly because her military clothing was too attention-grabbing. The increase in her facial beauty was more noticeable than the improved looks of the malemanders.


    All three of them went on one knee and pressed their right fist against the left part of their chest.


    "We greet his Lordship!"


    Three sacred-rankedmanders!


    Each of them was able to dominate battlefields and suppress dozens, if not hundreds, of diamond-ranked knights, depending on their talent abilities. These three sacred-rankedmanders were no doubt the highest-ranked knights any lord in the entire wastnds, northern and southern, could possibly have.


    "Arise."


    They got to their feet.


    Alex eyed the newly upgradedmanders. First of all, as a lover of armor, he felt envious that their armor was a rank higher than his and also more imposing.


    "With the increase in poption, your troops will also have to increase. Eritrea, 400 Stormbringer rangers are too few; increase their numbers to a thousand at least and make sure they''re trained daily; the count might march on us at any time."


    Asher turned to Alec, saying, "What do you think about the Deste yers and the Silver Wolf battalions?"


    Alec pondered for a bit before raising his head.


    "The Deste yers are built for offence, and while they are good at dealing damages, they''re quick to fall. They don''t have shields, and their armor does not cover them like the armor sets worn by the Silver Wolf battalion soldiers. Their halberds make their defenses even weaker, so I think we should transform them into the Silver Wolf."


    Alec paused.


    "Your Lordship, the strength of the Silver Wolf is in their numbers; their armor set is better than the Deste yers. They bear the burden, and yet they do not fall as much as the Deste yers. I personally believe a united force of 2000 heavy silver wolf infantry can take down fortresses and castles, but we are not suitable for a siege."


    Asher stroked his chin.


    "Because of the weight of your armor, right?"


    Alec nodded.


    "Instead of creating a battalion of light weights, why don''t we create replicas of the trebuchets on the walls? With those war machines, we can break through the walls of cities and strongholds, allowing our army to invade."


    Kelvin said softly.


    Asher turned his head toward him. "That''s usible, but we first need to find architects and designers to create them. Do we have such professionals in the domain?"


    Kelvin sighed.


    "I don''t think so."


    "But the Raging Bear tribe had a trebuchet. Where did they get it from?" Alec turned to Eritrea.


    Eritrea knit her brows. "I have no idea, but I heard that one of their chiefs exchanged for it from one of the big ns in Bashan."


    "You''re saying there are war machines being traded in Bashan, a ce popted by barbarians?" Kelvin spoke in a tone that made Eritrea irritated.


    "We are called barbarians because we do not have your noble system. You were the ones that gave us the name barbarians because you saw your noble ranking as being superior to any other ranking in the continent."


    Kelvin pursed his lips.


    "The noble ranking is better."


    "That''s enough."


    Asher interrupted. Although he agreed with his butler that the noble ranking system was better, there was no way he would say that out loud without causing a rift or humiliating hismander.


    "There is no we, Eritrea. You are now part of my domain. You are a citizen and not a barbarian, but I need to know: have the big ns found the ruins of the old races?"


    Eritrea''s eyes flickered.


    "Probably."


    She was quite uncertain, but the risks of barbariansying hold on the technology of the old races made Asher both excited and concerned.


    "We shall discuss the matter when I return from my expedition. For now, go and have a good rest."


    When themanders left, Asher got to his feet.


    "Any news from Aquilia?"


    "Yes. She is done with the grand teleportation channel, and 200 debreaker cavaliers are at the barracks awaiting your orders."

 Chapter 138: A Prisonhold? Strange Troop

    "Then why isn''t she here?"


    Kelvin sighed and replied. "She went to see her father in Silver Leaf."


    Due to the system-built road, moving to Silver Leaf took about 15 to 20 minutes, while moving from the stronghold to Ashkelon took about 5 days on horseback. It was a drastic improvement.


    Knowing Aquilia, Asher frowned deeply.


    "Release Bezerk from the stables. I''m going to Silver Leaf."


    As Asher walked toward the double doors, his Blooddes were some steps behind, following with crisp, orderly steps.


    Sirius lifted its head, got to its feet, and rushed after Asher. When Sirius nudged him a couple times, Asher chuckled.


    "Okay, okay. Get me Sirius''s saddle."


    ''Despite growing to be a creature capable of being a noble house guardian beast, it still wants to be used as a ride!''


    Alex gasped inwardly.


    Some timeter, Asher mounted on the back of his majestic white wolf and held the reins as it walked toward the open gates. A row of King Swordsmen were behind his Blooddes, who were behind him, and the moment they crossed the gate, their mounts began to gallop, following after Sirius, who burst forth with appalling speed.


    The gold-ranked centraks ran at their top speed, causing people of the streets to yell and scamper away out of the road. Hey first saw their lord on his wolf breeze past them, and his knights pursed after him.


    Their cloaks billowed widely, creating noises that fell into the knight''s ears. In fact, the wind sting against their faces was already a problem.


    When Sirius left the main gates of Nineveh, Asher had to calm it, or else his men would faint and their horses would die trying topete with Sirius. Through this, Asher saw the fearlessness of the centraks.


    These horses were not only fearless; they also had pride in their speed and faint intelligence.


    He began to see more value in them.


    "Onwards!"


    With that yell, they raced through the road paved with cobblestones. Shrubs, trees, and hills entertained them on their way to Silver Leaf Bastide.


    .....


    Clip! Clop!


    12 armored horse riders rode in after a white wolf and its rider. Looking at the family ice wall, Asher''s face held a smile. He remembered how they built this wall and the battle against the deste wolves.


    He could spot bronze-ranked shieldmen and swordsmen patrolling. They were the ones that kept order in the town and protected it from beasts.


    Silver Leaf was practically in a forest!


    About 100 soldiers were assigned to keep the security of this town, but Asher was thinking of either increasing their numbers or upgrading them. This town was like the heart of the city; it held three massive iron ores and talented professionals worth tens of thousands of gold coins for their craft.


    Two of whom were Dan and Ark.


    Both of them have been here for over two months, and he nned on meeting them to inquire of his armor. He needed all the protection he could get to fight an army of 10,000 orcs.


    He rode straight to the mines. Upon seeing him, the miners went on their knees and paid respect to their lord.


    Their eyes glowed as they looked at their lord, his white wolf, and his armored knights gantly riding past them.


    "Your lord looks young." Jazer, the Scarlet gold-ranked knight whoid siege on Hebron City, said softly as he watched Asher pass by.


    "Of course. It means he has lots of potential." A former barbarian said it earnestly.


    "Where are the new prisoners?" Asher asked a guard who watched over the miners.


    "They''re over there, your Lordship."


    Asher turned and saw a small iron fort at the top of a mountain. His lips parted as he didn''t know when this prisonhold was built.


    "Who built this?"


    Alex and Nero were bewildered. Did the Lord forget that he built a prison hold?


    Where did he think they kept stubborn captives like Buba and the barons?


    [I did.]


    Asher blinked.


    ''When did you build a prison hold?!''


    [When Nineveh was upgraded to an Epic City Stronghold. I discovered there wasn''t an appropriate ce for some captives, so I channeled some energy to creating the prison hold. This prisonhold is strong enough to hold a diamond rank, but it needs constant supply of the four foundation elemental crystals to maintain its suppression effect.]


    ''Something tells me you did not build this for free.''


    [Correct. It took 10,000 gold coins and 10,000 boxes of iron ore.]


    Asher''s eyes widened.


    ''Inform me the next time you n something like this.''


    [I understand.]


    "Let''s go."


    They rode up the mountain road, which was patterned in a circr fashion. The moment they arrived at the top of the mountain, Asher discovered it was a t surface. It looked as if a sword sliced off the pointy mountain''s peak.


    For the first time in his life, Asher''s eyes beheld pure steel walls! The wall was 10 meters tall and spanned around the 2000-yard prison made for special prisoners. Before the wall was a moat.


    Asher had no idea where the water came from or how it left, but he knew the system had the power to alter thendscape, add, and remove whatever it wanted, so he wasn''t too stunned.


    After all, it built a hill in the middle of Ashkelon, a terrain that was t for tens of kilometers!


    This ce seemed to be cut out from the rest of the world. There was a certain atmosphere that the prisonhold had; it was daunting, so daunting that Asher frowned.


    What in the world had the system built?


    Wasn''t this an overkill?


    When they went close to the wall, the steel gate fell, and it became a bridge for them to pass through the moat.


    The moment he entered the prisonhold''s courtyard, Asher couldn''t perceive his battle force anymore!


    The feeling made him ufortable, but something else took his attention.


    Custodian Knights!


    Seeing the 8-foot-tall hulky mass of bronze muscles d in a mask that had looked like a, Asher''s soul almost left his body.


    What kind of troop is this?!

 Chapter 139: Wardens Dreadful Talent

    "Lord Asher," One of them spoke. His voice thundered as it fell into Asher''s ears.


    Thud!


    All 10 of them in the courtyard fell on one knee. They wore thick, thick breasttes, had hugeyered pauldrons, and had a fur-made battle skirt above their ck pants. Their steel boots glimmered softly as all of them lowered their heads.


    The difference between these men and the other soldiers was that their armor didn''t cover their bodies and because of that, he could see their muscles, which were like actual brass! Their streamlined muscles were packed with so much power that he knew a punch from one of them would endanger gold-ranked knights.


    This was because these men had transformed their bodies into weapons of war. They had no need for Battle Force as they fortified their bodies with an ancient technique that forges the body!


    Each and every one of them had raw power running through his veins. Their blood was thicker than normal, their senses were naturally sharper and their weights exceededmon sense.


    They were legendary custodians, noble prison guards of the forgotten era!


    Unfortunately, they were territorial troops. Their powers manifested within the confines of the prisonhold. Out of it, their uniqueness became their weakness. In the outside world, Battle Force and Magi Force reigned supreme.


    The only exemption was the prison holds of custodian knights.


    Asher came down from Sirius'' back and looked around. He saw the barracks of the custodian knight and approached it with a curious expression. His Blooddes were behind him as usual but they looked several folds weaker andcked their steel-like discipline.


    When Asher entered the barrack, he found Custodian Knights without their armor training. Two were shing, their spears striking against the other, causing fiery sparks. One notable fact about the custodian knights was that none of them had hair.


    They weren''t bald either, as small sprouts could be seen on their scalps but they were not allowed to let the hair grow beyond that. Their concencration and reservedness made them like the monks from Asher''s previous world: earth.


    "Your Lordship!"


    At the sight of him, everyone fell to their knees and lowered their heads. Seeing these huge, giant-like men kneeling at the sight of Asher passing by made Nero gasp inwardly. It seemed like his lord would never stop stunning him.


    His lord was indeed powerful.


    Although the system gave him knowledge about the prisonhold, he had no idea of the monstrous troop garrisoned within.


    Asher kept nodding at them until he reached the transformation building, the exact position where the stele was.


    The moment he ced his hand on the elevated floor, he received a notification.


    [Custodian Knights: A terror-grade troop built and equipped to guard special prisonholds designed to nullify any kind of force. Their strength and speed are at its peak within the walls of the prisonhold.]


    [Ding! Wee to Silver Leaf Prison Hold.]


    Asher puffed out.


    Another terror grade troop!


    He needed to start mining that gold mine. The money he gained from ransacking House Zebulun''s Treasury was almost finished but the gains from Baron Rutherford and Baron Scarlet would be enough to keep him afloat until the end of the year.


    Beyond that was a problem for his fast growth.


    [Ding! Silver Leaf Prison Hold is avable for upgrade. Criteria for upgrade: It is too small to amodate future prisoners.]


    ''You''re already thinking about the future this early.''


    Asher''s lips twitched.


    ''Upgrade it then.''


    [Ding! Host, this upgrade will cost 1000 sacred gold coins.]


    Asher clenched his teeth. 1000 sacred gold coins was equal to 3000 immortal gold coins, which he used.


    ''Why the cost?''


    [Because the prisonhold is a magical structure. When you upgrade your cities to be underground cities or floating cities, they would also have costs attached to them.]


    ''Underground cities!''


    Sensing Asher''s excitement, the system threw more bait.


    [There are also moving cities, mountain cities, megaship city outposts, and much more. You just have to grow to ess them.]


    Asher took a deep breath.


    ''I see.''


    Swoosh!


    Instantly, the prisonhold expanded; the walls rose to 15 meters and 7 meters wide. This wall couldn''t be breached by just one diamond-ranked knight as it was terrifyingly strong.


    Going out oring in depended on the gates.


    The prisonhold grew so wide that the walls were close to the edges of the mountain. From below, it looked like grand steel fortress


    "Where is Aquilia?" He turned around and asked.


    "The warden knows." A Custodian knight replied.


    "Where is the warden?"


    "At his office, Your Lordship." The custodian knight pointed at a building, which they all approached.


    The custodian knight knocked and the door swung open after a couple of minutes. A big man the size of Alec walked out fully d in his armor.


    His helmet had a fan-shaped crest and a short crimson plume. The pauldron on his right shoulder was two times bigger than the one on his left.


    His skin shone like gold. He removed his helm, exposing his short white hair and well-trimmed beard. He was the only Custodian knight with hair on his face.


    "Your Lordship?"


    He hurriedly fell on his right knee and bowed.


    "It''s an honor to be before your presence."


    He drew his sheathed sword and held it before Asher.


    "Lift up your head."


    The moment the warden lifted up his head, his eyes met with Asher''s, and panel popped up.


    [Name: Geriant


    Age: 41


    Rank: Gold


    Talent: Hybrid Dragon-lion Shifter (SS)


    Job: Warden


    Loyalty: 98]


    [Talent description: Hybrid dragon-lion shifter is a unique talent that allows the individual to shapeshift into one of the lost mythical beasts, the hybrid dragon-lion. In this form, he is capable of facing higher-ranked foes.]


    "Arise."


    Geriant got to his feet, smiling. It seemed like, despite his mass, he was indeed pleased to meet Asher.


    However, when Asher saw his canines, his eyes flickered.


    ''I knew there were always side effects to supreme grade talents.''


    Unbeknownst to Asher, it was worse than just his protruding canines; Geriant loathed any meal that wasn''t meat. Eating vegetables was like consuming poison and he also loved his meals without much spice.


    This was something that shapeshifters of lower talents won''t feel but because of his talent grade, the beast side had adverse effects on him.


    "Well then, Geriant. Did a silver-haired woman enter this prison hold?"


    Geriant nodded.


    "There is one. Magemander Aquilia."

 Chapter 140: I Will Rule

    Asher was led to Rutherford''s prison and there he saw a silver haired woman sitting on a wheelchair, right outside the prison gate. Behind the bars was Rutherford looking haggard, d in a coarse linen tunic and pants.


    He was already growing insane from theck of mana in the prisonhold. It was as if the air was suffocating him with each passing minute.


    ck! ck!


    The sounds of Asher and his men''s boots tapping the floor made Aquilia look toward his direction and a dangerous gleam shed through her eyes.


    Asher noticed a change in her expression and lifted up his hand, causing his men to pause.


    "I need a room. Is there a ce in this prisonhold where the suppression effect can be temporarily removed?"


    "Yes. My office." Geriant, the warden said softly.


    .......


    Asher walked into Geriant''s office with Aquilia and sat behind the wooden table with his hands entwined.


    "You look displeased."


    Aquilia chuckled. There was a slight hint of anger in her seemingly light chuckle. "Of course. Didn''t you see my father? He looks like a beggar."


    "I saw him and his paying for the death of Ashbourne soldiers."


    "Ashbourne soldiers? You!"


    Aquilia''s eyes shed.


    Asher cocked his head. "Don''t you think the soldiers'' lives are equal to your father''s?"


    Aquilia frowned.


    "He''s a lord."


    "There''s a slight mistake there,mander. He was a lord. Right now he''s just a prisoner."


    His eyes followed each of Aquilia''s reactions and he saw when she clenched her fist tight.


    "Would you also rank your son as a mere soldier?" She ground her teeth.


    Asher leaned back. "Yes. If he''s guilty, thew stands. If I am to be a fair lord and not be held ountable by any of my future vassals, I cannot allow my son to be my weakness."


    "You¡­!"


    "Your father killed men under my rule. If he doesn''t spend time in jail and hard work, how do you expect their family and mymanders to look at me?"


    "He''s not a sacrifice!"


    Aquilia screamed, causing a ball of water to form around her. Her hair levitated a bit and the water merged together before it came for Asher like a tide.


    Swoosh!


    He leaped from the chair and when he reached the ceiling, his fingers pierced through the ceiling and he held himself there.


    The table and chair shattered and before Aquilia couldunch another attack, he moved like a blur and appeared behind her.


    Bam!


    His hands went around her neck and he lifted her up, pinned her against the wall with just one hand and looked right into her eyes.


    [Host,mander Aquilia''s loyalty is decreasing.]


    ''I can see that. Her loyalty to her father is higher and he must have spoken words that have gotten to her.''


    Staring right into the silver-haired beauty that struggled vainly to remove his hand, Asher sighed.


    "Even if you became a diamond-ranked mage, the distance is too small for you to harm me. You did not think of the consequences of attacking your lord; youck foresight and your stubbornness infuriates me."


    Aquilia still red at him but her eyes slowly moistened.


    She understood what she had just done out of anger.


    She never knew Asher was now a sacred-ranked swordsman. He predicted her attack right from the beginning, so he made sure they entered a room where it was possible to use mana and also said harsh words.


    All was to make her do what was on her mind.


    "You are important, Aquilia, but I cannot let your father roam free at the expense of mourning families. Mymander also gave his word and it will be unfair to disim it. Dying won''t help you and isn''t it time you realize you are being controlled?"


    He exhaled deeply.


    "He''s in prison and you are clothed in luxurious clothing and have a lofty position. He has fallen from grace and he wants you to fall alongside him. What do you think your actions were going to lead to? Did you think you could help him escape?"


    Asher lightened his grip around her neck, allowing her to gasp for breath.


    To her shock, Asher lifted her up like a princess, brought her to the windows and from there she saw Silver Leaf at the bottom of the mountain.


    "I''ve made you amander over a flourishing domain. I have kept my word and your father still lives despite his war crimes. Have I been an unfaithful lord to you?"


    Aquilia blinked several times but couldn''te up with a word to retort. She saw things from a different point of view and whenpared to her father''s, she discovered Asher waspletely honest.


    "I apologise, My Lord."


    Asher smiled a bit.


    "Apologies epted."


    As he turned back, the doors were mmed open, and his men rushed in with their weapons unsheathed. When they saw Asher and Aquilia''s positions, they were short of words.


    "You came now?" He scowled.


    Ignoring their piercing gaze, Asher dropped Aquilia whose cheeks were glowing like ripe tomatoes and proceeded to walk toward the door.


    "Come. Let''s go pay a visit to our prisoners."


    ...¡­.


    "It''s been a while, Baron. West met at the count''s banquet." Asher waved his hand at Rutherford, who looked at him with boiling hatred.


    "The count will surelye searching for his vassals and once he sends troops, you, a mere baron, will be consumed."


    "He''s no longer a baron, father. His Lordship is now a count."


    Aquilia''s words shook Rutherford''s ears.


    "What are you spitting out of those lips?" He grabbed the bars and peered right at Aquilia. She flinched and was about to take move her wheel chair back when Asher ced his hand behind her.


    "What lies did you feed her?! What lies did you feed my daughter?"


    "If you love her so much, why make her try to kill her lord?"


    "I am her lord! You are a bastard child, a bastard!!"


    Rutherford bellowed.


    He exerted pressure against the steel bars but couldn''t break it no matter how much he tried. However, he looked as if he could devour Aquilia. This made Aquilia shudder but Asher simply took a step forward and before Rutherford could react, Asher had grabbed his neck and lifted him up.


    The man couldn''t believe his eyes.


    "This bastard lord you are mocking has conquered your domain and Baron Scarlet''s. I will also build new dominions on them and Count William will join you here someday."


    Rutherford''s pupils shook.


    Was this the same little bastard boy that Baron James Ashbourne had??

 Chapter 141: Ashbourne Bloodline

    Asher walked out of the prison with Aquilia beside him. A maidservant pushed her wheelchair.


    "I heard you are done with the grand teleportation channel."


    "I am. You can now move 500 individuals at once from this city to any city with teleportation channels but I don''t think any city allows that or people might have teleported troops into the heart of their city."


    "True. But I need the grand teleportation to be able to move troops between Ashkelon and Nineveh. On the part of Ashkelon, we await the response of the Great Jackal n but Nineveh''s matters are more pressing. There is a town ruled by an old race and a settlement of abyssal creatures. Most of them might be knights so I have to move with a good number of soldiers."


    Aquilia lifted up her eyebrows.


    "Abyssal creatures!"


    "There are 10,000 warrior orcs southward. Our total poption should be 149,000 and the troops are just increasing to meet the security standards. It''s human to orc. Although we have the advantage in our weapon and armor technology, it''s not going to be andslide victory."


    Aquilia''s eyes flickered.


    She could feel the burden on Asher''s shoulders. Just mentioning the threat to the southern wastnd nobles would cause an upheaval, one that would gather all of them together and even include the count.


    Yet one lord wanted to handle it.


    "Do you need my help?"


    Asher turned to her.


    "You shall join field battles in the future. For now, I want you to select candidates worthy of mastering the magi force. I need more mages."


    "I shall do as you have asked." Aquilia responded amicably.


    Asher patted her shoulder.


    "Asher¡­"


    A soft whisper. A gentle breeze caressed his left ear, like a lip grazing his earlobe. His eyes sharpened, and he snapped toward the gates of the prisonhold.


    The smile on his lips vanished as he was bewildered by the strange urrence.


    "Asher¡­"


    His eyes narrowed.


    The voice was clever this time but he felt it came from afar.


    Something prompted him to look up and he saw a wolf-like creature with kind emerald eyes lying atop the highest mountain looking straight at him.


    He could only see it''s head and half of its body, as the other part was hidden by thick fog that came from nowhere.


    It was the same wolf he saw before Mary got her wolf.


    Subconsciously, he smiled but it seemed like at that moment, he was absorbed into a trance.


    ......¡­


    Boom! Boom! Boom!


    The ground trembled thunderously. The clouds were dark but the faint moonlight made it possible to see for a good distance. Asher found himself in the middle of a vast inndscape. The ground was without grass nor trees, neither hills nor mountains.


    As the thunderous sounds increased, he turned.


    His eyes widened to the limits.


    A long line of people. The line was extremely long and all of them had white, glowing eyes. At first they were squatting but they began to rise, one after the other. They were Ashbourne Lords,manders, generals, warlords, and so on.


    As they began to rise, hills began to develop, and at the top of the hill sat an Ashbourne lord, on a dark throne with his twin heavy swords plunged into the ground while he looked straight at him.


    The man''s eyes were like burning golden mes, piercing through the darkness. Despite the distance, which was thousands of yards away, Asher still felt his eyes itch.


    On this hill were three other figures, two men and one woman. Asher could recognize two. One was Atticus, and the other was Ariel.


    This led him to guess that the one on the throne was Zenas and the one that he couldn''t recognize was Torah. But there was a thicker shadow, right behind Zenas''s throne.


    While the Ashbourne Generals, Commanders, Lords, and Centurions were connected to the Great Four, thisst figure was disconnected.


    He only had a direct link to the first ancestor, Zenas, and no other person.


    This shadow also had piercing golden eyes, even brighter than Zenas and in his hands was a weapon. This shape was just too familiar to Asher.


    It was a weapon he had dreamt about and fought with for a while now without drawing it out of the sheath.


    It was Euodias, the mortal de!


    There was another de, simr to Euodias but had a more unique shape in the shadow''s other hand. Something told Asher that was Euodias'' twin.


    Aprt from Zena, the shadow, and the three great lords; the others had white ghostly eyes and solemn expressions. The visual impact made Asher stagger backward.


    In the process of staggering, he looked higher and saw arge pair of green eyes in the clouds. The vague figure of a behemoth could be seen on the horizon, though a bit faint, like it was an illusion.


    Something told Asher that beast was the beginning of the Ashbourne Bloodline. It was their core.


    But what he didn''t understand was that shadow.


    Who was he?


    Was he an Ashbourne?


    "Asher¡­"


    He lifted up his head to look right into the eyes of the beast.


    "What are you?" He couldn''t help but question.


    "Many things. You do not have a need for my name because, at my rank, names are more than just words. You''re a strange one. Even stranger than your first ancestor."


    Asher''s eyes flickered.


    "Why am I here?"


    "To warn you to drop that weapon. You might be thest hope for your family; do not thread lightly with death."


    "Why should I drop the weapon?"


    "Because¡­ It was made with the blood of one of my children and it will never cease to kill for the betrayal during Zenas'' time."


    "Children?"


    Asher furrowed his brows. All of a sudden, his eyes widened as he suddenly realized something.


    Euodias was made with the blood of an Ashbourne pet beast!


    The discovery made him almost explode in rage, as he knew what pet beasts meant to them. They were supposed to be given thest respect of a proper burial but this one ended up bing a weapon.


    "You are more connected to the realm of the spirits than any other living being or race that had or is existing. Such sensitivity might be positive in some ways but it has its negative parts."


    "What do you mean?"


    The behemoth leaned down, causing its head to burst through the clouds, and Asher discovered it was actually made of nts, trees, and vines!


    Yet she looked strangely beautiful.


    "Your talent makes you a vessel. That is what you have be. A medium in between the mortal and the spirit realm. Do you know who controls your mortal body now?"


    It chuckled.


    Asher''s eyes grew wide.

 Chapter 142: Nimrim, The Olive Town

    His spirit and his body connected once more, allowing him to see the mortal world and not the spiritual any longer.


    When he looked around, he saw himself on the bed with one of the apothecary''s apprentices, who was assigned to Silver Leaf, cleaning his forehead with a warm towel.


    "My Lord!"


    The man eximed.


    Asher hurriedly sat up. "Leave."


    He ordered the apothecary, and the man left quickly. Disobeying his lord was equal to death.


    Before Asher could think properly about what happened, the door swung open, and a white-haired man with a golden spectacle that had no handle walked into the room with a thick, white fur coat in his bent right arm.


    "My Lord, you''re finally awake."


    Ashe frowned.


    "How did I pass out?"


    "Your men said you were just patting Aquilia when you suddenly began to act strangely like you were listening to something and you fainted. It''s been three hours since then."


    "What?!"


    Asher ruffled his hair.


    "I was careless. I should have known that you have not healedpletely." Kelvin sighed.


    With a bitter smile he lowered his head.


    "I hope that you can forgive me, Your Lordship."


    Asher didn''t know whether tough or cry. "It''s not your fault, Kelvin."


    "It is." Kelvin shook his head.


    "I went to Tailor Lois to get a coat since you were always disturbed by the cold and she had surprisingly made a special coat from the fur of the Urak Bear."


    Kelvin dangled the coat before Asher. The length was made from the leathery skin of the ovoks. The shoulders and half of the back had the white fur of the Urak bear.


    The ropes were made out of ovok tendons and there was an attachment at the back for his unique sword: Euodias.


    The entire coat was white. It had fur at the handle and a ck belt, in case he felt like tightening it.


    All in all, the coat befitted a count. It would be able to amount to 100 gold coins because it was made from the materials of gold-ranked beasts and by a Journeyman Tailor who might be a senior anytime soon.


    "It would shield you from the cold," Kelvin said.


    "Where''s Euodias?"


    Kelvin raised an eyebrow.


    "Who?"


    "My sword. Where is it?"


    "It''s in the other room."


    "Bring it."


    When the sword was brought and ced on Asher''s hands, he sighed heavily. He grabbed the hilt and caressed the scabbard.


    To his shock, the sword unleashed a subtle hum and suddenly stopped, like what he heard was an illusion.


    Kelvin noticed it.


    "What kind of weapon is that?"


    "A noble one with a cruel past." Asher''s eyes flickered. He longed to know what happened in the past. Who was that shadow, and why did he use a pet beast to create his weapons?


    Lots of questions troubled him but Kelvin''s call brought him out of his sea of thoughts.


    "Your Lordship."


    Asher lifted up his head and looked at him.


    "We received a letter from Baron meheart. He said it is from the count."


    Asher closed his eyes and opened them once again.


    "What did it say?"


    "Count William orders the barons you have under your custody to be released. He also gives you a two-month deadline to appear before his court, denounce the imperial title and swear loyalty to him or he will sweep through your domain like a storm."


    Asher got to his feet.


    "Send a reply. A count doesn''t swear loyalty to a count. I await his troops."


    Kelvin trembled inwardly. Asher didn''t even show any sign of fear, knowing fully well that Count William wasn''t just powerful but had powerful noble friends and was about to form a marriage alliance with a dukedom!


    "My Lord, do we start preparing for war?"


    "No. I shall first head for Nimrim and deal with those orcs. It will take a while before he assembles a troop since there will be lots of consideration. They don''t know how we conquered the baronies in one fell swoop so he will be cautious in the meantime."


    As he walked to the door, he paused.


    "Also, make sure the blueprint of the trebuchets is in ce before the deadline. Send my reply in the second week of the second month of his deadline."


    Kelvin bowed his head.


    When Asher left, he looked at the coat in his hand, and his eyes widened.


    "My Lord, wait! You forgot the coat!"


    He ran after Asher.


    After visiting the forge and being informed that his armor wasn''t ready because of the hardness of the dwarven ore, Asher returned to Nineveh and began to assemble troops. He assembled 200 debreakers, 200 Stormbringers, and 100 King Swordsmen.


    These troops had mounts, meaning mobility was their fort.


    With 500 soldiers, he marched toward Nimrim. His agenda was to conquer the town, which meant he needed to deal with a century-old fairy.


    Luckily, Sirius was with him.


    ......¡­..


    From the cliff of a mountain, Asher and his Blooddes squatted, looking at a bustling town guarded by soldiers wearing crimson garments above their te armor. The town was protected by thick oak wood walls, 4 meters thick and 9 meters tall.


    The wall alone made this town a fortress. It wasn''t easy to breach the wall except Sirius was sent; however, Asher didn''t want Sirius to be revealed so early.


    After all, the fairy was also a hidden card.


    It had been an hour since they left Nineveh and his men pitched 3 kilometers away from the town.


    After investigating, they descended from the mountain and moved through the bushes, heading for their mounts.


    "My Lord, they have 200 temple knights and all of them are gold-ranked! Is that supposed to be possible for an unknown town?" Nero asked.


    Asher and his father did not respond to him as they looked at the knights cloaked in red around their mounts.


    "They found our horses." Nero whispered in rm.


    "They''ve found us."


    Asher sighed, causing his Blooddes to be confused as the temple knights still couldn''t see them. They could kill them and escape so why did their lord say they were already found?


    "Good armor. Who forged them?"


    A charming voice fell into their ears.

 Chapter 143: Sapphira, the Nimrim Temple Priestess

    Asher turned and beheld a beautiful woman who looked like a goddess as she floated midair.


    Her transparent dragonfly wings fluttered gently, causing an array of multiple colors when the sunlight shone on them.


    Her silky ck hair fell like a ck stream down to her waist. It was as ck as night and seemed to absorb the sunlight, contradicting her resplendent wings.


    Her porcin pale skin was so enticing that it took willpower to reject the urge to reverence such a wless creature.


    Breathtaking!


    This was the word Asher would use to describe this epitome of beauty. Floating there, it seemed as if she was naturally part of the forest. Her pure white gown flowed down to her ankles, exposing her bare feet.


    Worn over her white gown was a steel breastte, and vambraces adorned her forearms.


    A drawn longsword reflecting the sunlight was aimed toward Asher.


    Almost instinctively, Asher and his Blooddes reached out for their weapons, but the sound of the temple knights aiming their crossbows half the length of an adult human leg toward them fell into their ears.


    From the corner of his eyes, Asher looked at the 10 temple crossbow-wielding knights whose crossbows had bolts that twinkled softly and ground his teeth.


    "Priestess, they must be spies from the Abyss worshippers. Give the order." The captain of the squadron said, but Sapphira remained silent.


    The dreadful-looking armor the Blooddes had on made her knights assume they were servants of an abyss mage.


    "What is your name?"


    She noticed that Asher tightened his grip around his sword''s hilt instead of responding.


    This was odd since her talent made it impossible for men to outright ignore her orders.


    They must have powerful wills to repel the effects of her talent, but Asher wasn''t even putting in an effort.


    While his men were somewhatx, his vignce was at its peak.


    "Surrender."


    Sapphira said softly.


    The tension heightened to its peak, and when the temple knights expected an attack, Asher let go of his hilt, but a knight shot an arrow out of tension, but Nero caught the arrow even though his eyes were still on Sapphira.


    The young boy couldn''tprehend such beauty. He had no idea that it was an effect of her talent, the same way he was color blind.


    Talents could make people grow to be giants; some would grow to have beast-like minds, and some would grow to be either hideous or extremely beautiful.


    Sapphira''s unbelievably beautiful looks were an effect of her talent, meaning even amongst beautiful races, she stood at the apex of beauty!


    Seeing that Nero caught the bolt, Sapphira squinted. Peering right into Nero''s eyes, she began to speak.


    "Drop your weapons and put your hands behind you."


    Thud! Thud!


    Nero went a step further to kneel and drop his weapons, causing Asher to sigh.


    Alex, however, remained standing, as his will was much stronger. It wasn''t because Nero wasn''t educated by the system; it wastent willpower.


    This wasn''t something that could be forged wantonly.


    As they were led toward the town, Alex whispered.


    "My Lord, why didn''t we fight?"


    Asher exhaled. "Because the priestess is a saint-ranked knight."


    Alex frowned. "We should have brought Sirius along."


    "No. It''s better this way. We can get a good view of the town without much effort. After all, no matter what they do, the others wille in search of us."


    "How do we tell..."


    Alex paused as his eyes widened when he saw Asher''s rxed expression.


    His lord couldmunicate with his pet beast!


    The moment he thought of that, Alex instinctively looked back and caught a white blur at the horizon.


    It vanished almost instinctively.


    Sapphira couldn''t sense it because Sirius was also a saint-ranked creature. It was fast enough to evade her perception.


    Alex rxed.


    Asher looked at him andughed. As he turned, he saw Sapphira, who flew above them, looking right at him.


    The beauty was intrigued by this human that wasn''t affected by her talent.


    Asher knew what was on her mind because Katarina had informed him beforehand. The advantages of a soothsayer were incredible!


    She blinked, veering her violet-colored eyes, which Asher found appealing to gaze at away.


    ''What a strange man.''


    Sapphira said inwardly.


    She and her knights were out on patrol. As the priestess, she almost never left the temple but with the encroaching ounders, which were the orcs, she had to go along with her men to protect them from an orc attack.


    "Do all priests and priestesses wield weapons?"


    Asher, looking at the woman in the air, began a conversation.


    Sapphira looked at him for a brief moment and turned away.


    "You''re our prisoner. You have no right to speak!" The captain of the squadron bellowed aggressively.


    Asher raised an eyebrow. His thoughts led him to the conclusion that this captain must have a liking for his priestess, causing him to be this protective even when it wasn''t needed.


    Well, Asher wasn''t going to me him. The effects talents were to be respected.


    ''She definitely awakened a supreme-grade talent rted to charm. Nero couldn''t even stand a chance and Alex would fall if she were to try her best. My only advantage is that my soul isn''t originally from Boundless, so I am a bane to her. How ironic.''


    .......


    Sometimeter, when it was past noon, a double door was opened by two Nimrim Guards, and a gray-haired man was led into a round hall.


    Two temple knights with their long, exquisite-looking gold-ranked crossbows were behind him. The knights also had longswords sheathed to their scabbards, which were strapped to their waist belts.


    Their armor made nking sounds as they walked on the stone floor.


    Tobiah, the town head, and the elders all raised an eyebrow when they saw Asher''s clothing. It wasn''t one that befitted amoner or a warrior.


    His white coat was indeed eye-catching.


    Asher looked at the five elders of 50 years and above in the council while Tobiah sat on the head seat with Sapphira sitting by his side.


    Tobiah looked quite young. By looks, he was a man in his early forties.


    "Our priestess caught you around our town. Tell us your name and where you hail from."


    "There are more important things than my name."


    Asher began causing some of them to tilt their heads since it wasn''t what they were expecting.


    "And what can that be?"


    Tobiah raised an eyebrow.


    "The abyss creatures."


    Sapphira''s nonchnt expression became solemn.

 Chapter 144: Orc Crisis

    "How did you know about the abyss creatures?" Tobiah leaned forward.


    "Our scouts discovered your town some months ago, but beyond that, they also discovered a camp of abyss creatures. 10,000 strong about toy siege to your town."


    Hiss!


    Everyone took deep breaths as fear overtook them.


    Seeing their reaction, Asher looked at Sapphira and saw a bit of helplessness. It seems like she was hiding the truth from them.


    They must have thought they faced a small number.


    "Lies!"


    "His words hold no credit!"


    "Provide evidence!"


    When one elder said that Asher hit his chains together so they would know he was in chains.


    How does a man in chains provide evidence?


    Nevertheless, they were caught up in trying to denounce what he said to curb their fears but Sapphira finally rose to her feet when she had enough.


    "It''s the truth."


    Some copsed to their seats.


    Tobiah blinked several times. "Priestess¡­"


    Sapphira closed her eyes. She has protected this town, and they have flourished under her protection for several decades!


    All their enemies had been brought down by her knights but this time, their enemies were bigger than her.


    How could her 200 gold-ranked knights fight against 10,000 warrior orcs and win?


    Amongst these orcs were Strong Orcs; these were orcs strong enough to crush the bones of a gold-ranked knight in one strike!


    She had been thinking of how to deal with this situation in secret, with only the knights having knowledge about it, but Asher suddenly brought it to the public.


    And she couldn''t be angry at him because it was high time they knew.


    "There are 10,000 orcs camped 10 kilometers away. Thend has been dying due to their presence but I have stopped it from damaging ournd. This is the reason none of you knew of their true number."


    "We need to leave this ce!" An elder proposed with urgency.


    "How do we move 5000 people whose lineage has been here for centuries?"


    "Silence!" Sapphira lifted up her right hand and everyone kept silent.


    "Can you help us?" She said to Asher.


    "I can only if this town submits to me."


    "You want this town to submit to you? What a joke!" Tobiah''s eyes zed.


    Creases formed on Sapphira''s forehead and she supported her chin with her arm, took tea from a temple maid and sipped it.


    Asher chuckled.


    "I think I should introduce myself now."


    "Release Count Asher Ashbourne, lord of the stronghold of Nineveh and ruler of the soil beneath your feet, or we shall bring down these walls!"


    A sonorous voice reverberated throughout the city with great intensity.


    Everyone in the hall was stunned. Tobiah rushed to the window and looked. Since the town hall was upon the mountain, he had a better view and could see beyond the town walls.


    Beyond the town walls were hundreds of armored soldiers on terrifying war mounts. The man who bellowed looked even more terrifying. His red cloak, ck armor, red javelins, andnce were a dreadful sight to behold.


    But all these soldiers looked like nothing before the gigantic wolf that was growling. He knew the wall was nothing before that wolf, and neither were his men.


    At this moment, Asher smiled.


    "I''m Asher."


    .........¡­


    Nimrim''s gates opened, and Asher''s men marched in with unwavering discipline. The earth shook as they moved.


    "Your troops are impressive." Sapphira said as she looked at the troops from the mountain stairs.


    Right beside her was Asher. Both of them were to handle the situation that was like a judgment sword hovering above them.


    After confirming that Asher wasn''t somemoner but a lord who had sworn allegiance to the great imperial family and that the forces out there would strike should their lord be found missing, Tobiah swiftly ordered his men to remove the chains from Asher.


    Sapphira looked at the massive wolf that was looking right at them and her brows furrowed.


    "How did you groom such a powerful mythical beast?"


    "By sending it to the battlefield. I, my soldiers, and my beast have all been forged by war. We are not like the citizens of Nimrim whom you have protected under your wings for as long as you have been their priestess."


    Sapphira exhaled.


    "It is my duty."


    Asher turned toward her. "You will fight for them till yourst breath."


    "I will."


    "But you''re a royal fairy. You were born so your mother or perhaps your father must be alive. Deep within the depths of Bashan lie ruins and remnants of the old races, including people of the same race as you."


    Sapphira chuckled.


    "You want me to believe that beyond the mountains lies some greatnd where the old races are hidden."


    "I do not want you to believe me. I want you to know that the old races are not truly extinct. I have seen beastmen with my own eyes, have you?"


    Sapphira was taken aback. No one had seen beastmen since the racial war and from Asher''s expression, he wasn''t even trying to lie.


    "Why are you telling me this?"


    Asher chuckled. As he walked upwards, toward the temple at the mountaintop, his voice slithered into her ears.


    "Because I believe your race and your family might be in there and if you want a chance of meeting them, join me. I am in need of a priestess."


    Sapphira thought about it.


    Before she could speak, Asher spoke first: "The abyss creatures are resurrecting in the depths and will first sweep through Bashan. You don''t have all the time in the world. I need you, a talented priestess, to govern an elite group of priests and priestesses while you need my powerful troops to find your race."


    Sapphira snorted but she couldn''t deny that Asher had lit up the me of longing inside of her.


    Were her parents truly alive?


    Were they more of her kind beyond the mountains?


    "We shall discuss this after Nimrim is safe."


    She ended the conversation and walked past him toward the temple.


    When they reached the top, Asher gazed at the beautiful temple with a slight surprise. A row of temple knights was before the temple''s doors, and some manned strategic positions like the edge of the mountain.


    As the doors opened, maids, d in white and red, could be seen here and there tending to one thing or the order.


    They attended to nts the most.


    Asher saw all kinds of elemental crystals, which Sapphira kept collectives. He even saw the horn of an Inferno Mountain Ox.


    This horn could be used as a great horn, one that great kingdoms positioned in their city walls to warn the city during an impending crisis.


    "How do you propose we handle the orcs?" Sapphira asked as they walked into a garden inside the temple. She sat beside a pool with her fair legs inside the sparkling water while he sat on a polished stone bench.


    "We make theme to us."


    Her brows rose up.


    "You want them toe here?!"

 Chapter 145: To War

    "Yes. We can''t fight 10,000 orcs head-on, as that would be suicidal. We have to make use of the walls and strategies, which might include digging ditches and nting spikes."


    "I see." She got to her feet, still looking at him.


    "You have a good amount of oil. We can use it as explosives, burning down hundreds before they reach the wall."


    "Bringing them here would cause a cloud of abyss curse. Your ns will cause the lives of civilians to be lost."


    Sapphira elegantly crossed her legs as she sat on another bench, opposite him.


    "We can''t meet them on a in field, and we can''t attack their camp, so we must allow them toe if there is a chance of winning, and as for the abyss curse, it has no effect with a grand priestess around."


    Sapphira chuckled softly, marvelling at Asher''s calmness and authoritative tone even when he spoke to her. Men were usually soft-spoken, but Asher spoke like he was having a conversation with a casual woman.


    This was an unusual experience for Sapphira.


    "I am also a warrior. Along with my skills as a priestess, I have honed my battle instincts and style for eight decades. I do not stay behind in battles."


    Asher raised an eyebrow. Naturally, the position of a priest or priestess was behind all the troops; they were too fragile and were to be guarded; the same applied for mages.


    "So you''re a battle priestess?"


    "You''re mistaken, Lord Asher. I am a guardian priestess."


    "I see."


    Seeing Asher wasn''t nning on forcing her to do his bidding, Sapphira got to her feet. "Let''s go recruit people to help our men dig the ditches."


    Asher stood up.


    ......¡­


    Some hourster, Asher and Sapphira stood on the allure of Nimrim''s walls, overlooking the crowd of hundreds, most of them soldiers who were dutifully digging ditches. Some went to cut down trees to make wooden spikes.


    They dug a 7 foot deep, 2-meter-wide ditch with a staggering length that was as long as the walls where the main gate stood! It took the soldiers and hired workers two days toplete the trap before barrels of oil were carried into the dig so as to make it even more lethal.


    After the addition of the oil, it was covered with a cloth, and sand was used to hide it. None would know that there was a dreadful trap 200 yards away from Nimrim''s gates except for those who saw when it was being created.


    On the third day, Asher sat inside a room writing letters that were for Alec. The merging of the infantry produced a new troop known as the Deste Wolf, and their number was about 3000 strong. He was writing to Alec to march over to Nimrim with all 3000 strong while Eritrea would garrison in the stronghold with her troops.


    The air had grown cold since yesterday, signifying that the abyss creatures were encroaching! People began to wear thick clothes while those that manned the walls were advised to regte their battle force to keep their system in check.


    After sealing the letter, Asher took it and put it inside the cylinder strapped to the back of his personal messenger falcon, which was much bigger than the ones used by the information department.


    He had more than one messenger falcon, and these falcons had been specially trained to locate him.


    They were smarter than the average messenger falcon, and these personal falcons were a step away from the gold rank!


    "Go." He opened the window while caressing the big bird. It looked outside, pped its wings, and shot into the skies, disappearing in a few breaths.


    Asher was certain that in not more than five minutes, Alec will receive the letter and will march his 3000 strong toward Nimrim. In about an hour max, their camp should be outside Nimrim''s walls.


    Putting on his coat, he walked out of the room into the temple courtyard, where he found Sapphira training her with her sword.


    Her swings were bizarre, unfathomable, and uniquely ethereal. It was unlike the knightly swordsmanship famous on the Tenaria continent. Hers was more of beauty.


    This was Asher''s opinion.


    All he saw was a sword dance that was quite entertaining, but aside from that, this couldn''t bring down a foe in battle.


    All of a sudden, Sapphira paused and shed her sword upward. A white misty force was released from the de, and it cut down a bird, causing it to drop with a soft thud. Sapphira took one step, shot forward, and while moving at such great speed, she unleashed over twenty shes, all with a great mastery of output!


    It was as if the wind cushioned and embraced her. Her gown fluttered gracefully, and her wings joined together like a sharp, transparent de.


    With undeniable precision, the leaves of her flowers were chopped down, and the sound of her sword being sheathed back into the scabbard slithered into Asher''s ears.


    "You''re awake." She said, pping her wings softly as she flew toward him.


    "I have been awake."


    "I know. I saw you on your knees; do you serve deities?"


    Asher did not ask how or when she saw him because he knew she was spying on him at one point, and since he was nning to make her a subordinate, he allowed her.


    "I do not serve deities; I was meditating."


    "Oh."


    Her lips parted.


    "Have you sent for reinforcements?"


    "I have."


    Sapphira smiled, but her smile hung midway as a loud horn shook both her and Asher''s eardrums.


    Rumble!


    Dark clouds, like a raging tide, hid the radiant sunlight, casting a deste shade on the town. A depressive aura descended almost instantly, causing great fright throughout the town.


    Since they were on high ground, Asher and Sapphira could see the trees and bushes in the distance shaking. Something wasing.


    No, an army wasing.


    "The orcs... they''reing. All of them!"


    Sapphira''s violet pupils shook greatly.

 Chapter 146: Orc Siege

    Asher stood on the walls with range-rted soldiers manning strategic positions. The Temple knights and the Stormbringers mounted the wall while the King Swordsmen, the debreakers, and Nimrim Guards were behind the wall, waiting for their turn.


    The Temple knights were a crossbow-wielding unit, while the Stormbringers were markswomen skilled in using the recurve bow. They were the long-range fighters and were well equipped to damage the orcs before they got to the walls.


    Sapphira floated above the walls, her longsword in her hand, as she faced the horde marching out of the forest in great numbers. Alongside them were ferocious ck wolves.


    The ck wolves were beside 7 and 8-foot-tall orcs with fangs adorning their necks and waists. Their fur battle skirts were girded with a leather belt that had the skulls of different beasts. Countless scars could be found on their green skin.


    Their tusks protruded proudly and they made guttural sounds while pointing their weapons toward Nimrim. These were the Strong Orcs, the elites of the orc army and there were about 1000 of them, all able to kill gold-ranked soldiers!


    While the orc warriors wielded bone culbs and spiked wooden culbs with wooden shields, the strong orcs wielded steel weapons. Some iron hammers, some great swords, some halberds, some great axes, some spears.


    However, all of them had thick round shields to protect their bodies.


    The aura oozing out of these formidable creatures thirsty for battle and blood struck the human soldiers under Asher and Sapphira. The sight from the gaps in the walls made several Nimrim Guards tremble but Asher''s men and the temple knights remainedposed.


    However, they tightened their grip on their weapons.


    Suddenly, the orcs, after pulling up 400 yards away, opened a path from which a 2 meter tall orc, more stout than the strong orcs, came out on a wolf''s back. His ck wolf had a scar on its face, making it look quite daunting.


    This was Khan!


    d in the fur of a white fox, adorned in red te armor with a strange golden shield strapped to the side of his mount, this chief-ss orc was a sight to behold. His expression was calm as he scrutinized the town.


    His eyes lingered on Sapphira.


    There was a soft twinkle of desire. There wasn''t a restraint in his desire to have this woman whose beauty could cause disaster between nations as they would relentlessly fight for her affection and devotion.


    While this orc was deadly, Asher and Sapphira looked beyond what the soldiers could see. Their eyes were on the cloaked figure at the back, close to the woods.


    The figure was quite short and held a long wooden staff that had an earth elemental crystal at its top.


    That was an abyss worshipper!


    One of the extremists that went as far as tattooing blood suns on their bodies for the deaths of their kind!


    Khan pointed his cleaver at the town and uttered softly yet his deep voice reverberated.


    "Go."


    Boom!


    Thousands of orcs dashed toward the walls of Nimrim as they ushered war cries. Their feets stomped the ground, generating a great sound.


    "Ready!"


    A Stormbringer captain bellowed, and 200 markswomen lifted up their recurve bows, nocked three arrows, and aimed at the running orcs. The temple knights also aimed, awaiting the next orders.


    Asher held the wall''s stones that were cold to the touch as he watched the orcs cross a 100 yard distance, cross the second 100 yards and the moment they arrived in the middle of the third, over two dozen orcs fell into the ditch. They were skewered by the spikes, dying instantly.


    More fell. In a few breaths, over a hundred orcs fell to their deaths and while more were still dying, there were hundreds with damaged legs and arms!


    "Fire!"


    Swish! Swish! Swish!


    Arrows and cross bolts sliced through the air, piercing through the thick skins the orcs prided themselves in. In the next moment, there were series of explosions that took the lives of dozens, engulfing them in raging mes.


    Those soaked in the oil burned without mercy and even caused the deaths of theirrades whom they ran into.


    The continuous volley of arrows and cross bolts persisted until the ditch was filled with corpses and the Strong orcs with the remaining 7,200 orcs dashed forward with several rams anddders bound with vines.


    About 1,500 had died in the ditches.


    This elevated Asher''s spirit.


    Swish! Swish! Swish!


    Arrows flew from his left and right without an end. Orcs kept falling but the arrows couldn''t hold them back anymore as they reached the walls and mounted theirdders. Some carried rams toward the gate.


    Without being told, the Stormbringers and the temple knights began to descend from the wall, allowing the King Swordsmen and the debreakers to ascend.


    Asher lifted Euodias and exhaled softly.


    He tightened his grip around the hilt.


    "Bring down theirdders!"


    He bellowed and his men swiftly went to work, pushing off thedders with deep grunts. Meanwhile, strong orcs mmed the town gates with their heavy rams, but there were Nimrim Guards trying to keep the gate intact.


    With each hit, the gate creaked and trembled heavily but the soldiers ground their teeth and held on.


    Boom! Boom! Boom!


    Strong orcs carried their wolves, leaped off the ground andnded on the alure. The wolves jumped from their embrace, lunging toward nearby soldiers but they faced gold-ranked knights d in gold-ranked armor.


    The battle on the wall became intense as the strong orcs took the soldiers'' attention, allowing the orc warriors to climb thedders and enter the alure.


    Asher looked around, watching the battle escte by the minute. His soldiers were already surrounded on all sides but they stood their ground, fighting both aggressively and tactically.


    However, there was a green light radiating from Sapphira.


    It took care of the internal injuries the soldiers sustained from the blunt attacks.


    Hovering midair, she could survey the battle, providing help to those in need at the right time.


    When two strong orcs walked toward him, one from the left and the other from the right, Asher dashed toward the one on the right, causing the one on the left to chase him.


    The one on the right, when he saw Ashering, swung his iron hammer but Asher leaped above it, stepped on his head and somersaulted backward.


    He flew over the one chasing him and cut open its back from its neck to its waist!


    Thud!


    Both the sound of his feet and the corpse rang at the same time.


    It turns out... He wasn''t a novice swordsman anymore!

 Chapter 147: Chaotic Clash

    The other strong orc roared and swung his sword with so much force that even after dodging it, Asher''s hair fluttered.


    ng!


    Their weapons shed in the second collision, and the strong orc''s sword broke, followed by a deep, pain-filled grunt as it staggered backward.


    Puchi!


    Asher thrust his sword through the orc, pulled it out, and pushed the orc off the wall.


    As the strong orc fell toward the ground, Asher sighted five orc warriors with two other strong orcs heading toward him with menacing expressions.


    "Small human!"


    One strong orc roared. The orc warriors held their shields in a defensive position as they closed the gap. Asher cracked his neck and shot toward him while swinging Euodias without restraint.


    With pure brute strength, he shattered their shields, cutting down five silver-ranked orcs instantaneously!


    ng!


    He blocked the attacks of both strong orcs with a soft grunt. One tried kicking him but he took a step back, grabbed the orc''s big leg and flung it to the other side. Before the strong orc couldnd, a King Swordsman leaped, plunging his sword into its chest!


    The other orc bashed Asher with its shield, causing him to retreat about four steps. He wrapped both hands around his sword''s hilt, and his battle force burst out.


    It was concentrated on his sword.


    Swish!


    Crimson Light made an excellent arc as he swung the sword, cutting both the orc and others! Seeing what he had done, Asher gasped softly.


    He couldn''t believe he was the same man who needed his pet beast and his butler to ensure his survival at the beginning.


    He couldn''t believe that he had grown from the novice he once was to a warrior capable of fighting on a battlefield this chaotic.


    More chaotic and fearsome battles would ur in the future. It was time to groom himself for the massive battles he would have to fight in order for his domain to stand as one of the powers in Tenaria.


    "Argh!"


    A shout made him turn. It came from a King Swordsman whose knee cap was shattered by the iron hammer of a strong orc. The King Swordsamn faced two strong orcs at once and though he managed to kill one, the other struck him!


    The King Swordsman puffed out but the strong orc had lifted up his iron hammer to crush the swordsman''s head.


    Suddenly, a transparent green barrier appeared, shielding the swordsman from the strike. Instead of ying the swordsman, the strong orc was repelled with a might force thatunched him off the wall.


    A light green light covered the swordsman''s knees and his knee cap was restored like it was never broken.


    This made Asher look at the priestess floating in the sky. She still held her sword but for the sake of making sure that their casualties were small, she decided to oversee the war rather than participate as a warrior.


    It was a sacrifice that befitted a leader.


    Boom!


    The walls shook. Although Asher and his men held the walls and refused to fall despite the pressure, the same couldn''t be said for the gate! Looking down, Asher discovered that the gate had been broken down!


    But before the orcs could rush in, a barrier sealed the entrance. They began to hit the barrier, causing ripples.


    Asher looked at Sapphira and saw the slight struggle on her face. "The gates!" She said while looking at him.


    "Nero!"


    Asher called out to his Bloodde. "Take twenty men and hold the gate!"


    Nero nodded, and by the time they came down, the barrier, which was being attacked by hundreds of strong orcs, creatures with powerful strength came down and they flooded in like a tide of abominations.


    Wolves were the first to lunge out, racing toward the Nimrim Guards that had formed a phnx formation.


    "Prepare to en¡ª!"


    Bam!


    Themandant couldn''tplete his sentence when the wolves lunged. Spears met ws and fangs in a bloody struggle. Hundred of men thrust their spears with all their might as they mowed down the wolves in dozens.


    "Pull back!"


    Themander bellowed at the top of his lungs but his men couldn''t even take two steps back when the strong orcs met them with mighty swings of their great weapons. The phanalx was broken instantly as soldiers were flung away.


    Their strength was no match for the orcs. They were not as disciplined as the Ashbourne soldiers, who, even when they had not experienced upgrades, had gone through several battles that had honed them into great soldiers, mind, soul, and body!


    In a matter of seconds, over a hundred Nimrim Guards were down but only ten died as Sapphira saved the others. From the right side, Nero attacked the orcs with twenty King Swordsmen. His swordsmanship was excellent and he moved in a flurry.


    Nero, with the advantage of his talent, was like a fish in an ocean. He kept cutting down orcs until he encountered a strong orc.


    The strong orc swung down its great axe but Nero went to his right, easily evading the great axe that dug deep into the soil.


    He stepped on the axe''s handle, leaped into the air and unleashed a crisscross sh toward the orc''s neck.


    "Too slow."


    Bam!


    The strong orc fell lifeless, and he continued his killing spree. By the time he had gone deep into the tide, he mmed an orc warrior aside and listened to his surroundings.


    His senses went straight for where his father was, and the moment his father muttered something, his eyes widened.


    "270 kills!"


    Alex had a thing for counting his kills and it had ingraned so deeply into his soul that he did it without even knowing and his son used that to train himself.


    His father had killed 270 and he just clocked his 80th kill!


    The gap was huge!


    While the battle intensified, Sapphira''s voice suddenly entered Asher''s ears.


    "The mage and the chief are about to move!"


    Upon hearing that, Asher turned and saw the mage pull down the cloak, revealing the face of a young woman.


    "Rise!"


    She uttered.

 Chapter 148: Unsheathing Euodias, the mortal blade. A Death Wish

    Asher looked beyond the walls, toward the mage, the chief orc, and his 300 soldiers on wolfbacks.


    All of a sudden, the mage pulled down the hood, revealing her young, smooth face that was scarily pale, even for a wastnder.


    "Rise."


    She muttered along with some other words. Asher looked around, expecting something to happen but nothing happened. It was until he looked at his feet that he discovered the wood had pulled out of ce and bound him to the wall!


    Since earth also included wood, the mage was bound to also control it.


    However, to control dead wood to such an extent, the mage had to be a diamond-ranked mage at the very least!


    The wood burst open, formed an arm, and bound his arms. Just as Asher was about to unleash his battle force, ten earthen arms bigger than the wall itself rose up withplete five fingers, each several times bigger than a human.


    The arms sped together and mmed on the wall! Many soldiers fell with the wall, their shocked screams falling into Asher''s ears.


    Both orcs and his men fell; most of them were buried under the rubbles and half of the wall on the left part of the main gate was gone!


    The mage mmed her staff into the ground and the earthen spikes protruded from the ground in great numbers!


    It somehow evaded orcs and went for his men and the Nimrim Guards. Seeing this, Asher grunted, broke free, and bellowed.


    "Sirius!"


    Awoo!


    A huge white wolf burst out from the forest and unleashed mes on Chief Khan and the mage. By the time the mes died out, they saw earthen walls that were charred ck.


    "Little pest!"


    The mage spat, and a thick spike rose up. Sirius sensed it on time and leaped out of the way. It dashed forward, but the mage rose up several walls to slow it down.


    Khan led his men through a path the mage created for them and charged towards the wall but they encountered Sapphira flying towards them.


    Her speed was appalling!


    Swoosh!


    In the next moment, she was before them. With her sword drawn out of its sheath, she swung it down. A misty crescent light swooshed out and cut down three strong orcs with their mounts!


    Khan bellowed in rage, took his shield, and held it up. A beam of light shot out, blinding Sapphira and causing her to descend from the sky.


    Without wasting this advantage, the orcs rode forth with their mounts but Sapphira''s ears were even more sensitive than her eyes. She danced in their midst, leaving dead orcs as she closed the gap between her and Khan.


    "Priestess!"


    The cries of her people made her hesitate on her agenda of taking revenge. Looking up, she saw the fearsome sh between Sirius and the mage and chose to withdraw, but Khan wasn''t going to let this damsel out of his grasp.


    She was already within his reach.


    There was no doubt that Khan saw her as one of his spoils of war.


    He lifted up his cleaver and charged toward her. His wolf was surprisingly fast, able to at least reduce the gap between them. All of a sudden, Sapphir clenched her fist and a barrier formed before Khan.


    Like a white phantom, she appeared before the wolf and beheaded it! Her swift swordsmanship took Khan by surprise, and before he knew it, Sapphira''s sword wasing for his neck.


    It turns out this wasn''t the kind of damsel that runs away from danger.


    ng!


    Sparks flew as he narrowly deflected the strike. Knowing she wasn''t easy to conquer, Khan unleashed an overbearing strike, which Sapphira evaded and shed her sword toward his elbow, but her sword rebounced when it hit his couter.


    It was then she began to study the chief ss orc''s armor.


    This armor had traces of magical ingredients. It wasn''t the normal armor forged by cksmiths!


    "Come here!" Khan stretched forth his hand to grab her, but she flew out of his grasp and hovered midair.


    "Sapphira!"


    Asher''s voice came from beyond the wall. She looked back to see that the wall was now ruined.


    Yet, the battle raged on.


    The orcs were in thousands and her side were loosing men in great numbers. Without the wall, reducing the number of orcs that came in, it became an open battle.


    Not even Asher''s elite men could handle the pressure. Their only advantage was the long range knights but they too were now in a delima as the battle field was too chaotic to easily differientiate.


    There was a probability that the arrow would hit their men instead of an orc.


    Without paying heed to Khan any longer, Sapphira flew toward the town.


    Beyond the ruined walls, Asher''s men fought against the tide valiantly. Nimrim Guards had fallen in great numbers. Only a few of them remained so the pressure on Asher''s men increased.


    The deaths counted in his troops were because of the thick earthern arms which were puling down buildings, walls, sometimes buring soldiers into the earth.


    Their weapons refused to work on the mighty earthern hands.


    Only Alex''s weapon was relevant.


    "My Lord, we should fall back." A King Swordsman said panting heavily.


    Asher looked at them. Since most of them didn''t have shields, their casualty rate would skyrocket as their strength dwindled.


    "Fall back!"


    As Asher was shouting, he saw Sapphira fly into the town and summoned a barrier which gave them slight rest.


    "Let''s retreat to the Council Hall."


    She said hurridely.


    Awoo!


    Sirius pained cry fell into Asher''s ears. It was an ambush attack from Khan when it saw that Sirius was surpressing the mage.


    "Your wolf¡­" Sapphira looked at Asher, not knowing what to say.


    With Sirius'' attention deviated, the mage summoned more spikes that made the barrier temble violently. "Lord Asher, the barrier will fall and those spikes will take the lives of dozens at once."


    Hearing what Sapphira said and the howls of his wolf, Asher ground his teeth.


    Since his sword''s scabbard could not damage the mage''s spells, the actual de would produce a different result.


    Grabbing the scabbard, Asher pulled Euodia out of its sheath!

 Chapter 149: Three Ashbourne Lords In One Vessel

    Shing!


    As the tip of the sword came out of the scabbard and the scabbard fell to the ground, a mystical azure light billowed out of the azure de that looked as if it were made from blue ss, and almost instantly, a might spirit beast''s head with its forelimbs came out of the de.


    Asher''s eyes met its bloody crimson eyes, and his spirit seemed to tremble at those painfilled, raging eyes.


    In those eyes, he saw a grudge that hadsted centuries. He saw pain that drilled deep into his spirit and he sensed a tide of killing intent.


    Swish!


    The sword drew everyone''s attention but before Asher could move an inch, the dreadful beast spirit attacked him.


    In the next moment, Asher was hurtled hundreds of yards backward through several wooden and stone buildings, until his back mmed the walls of the mountain and he sank in!


    Looking at the trail of destruction, no one could believe what just happened, human nor orc.


    In that split second, Sirius lost connection with Asher. It could only mean one thing... It''s master was dead!


    At the sight of the destruction, everyone knew Asher''s end.


    "My Lord!" Alex cried out at the top of his lungs, his eyes turning red almost instantly but instead of tapping strength from his anger, he grew weak.


    It felt like he was watching his hope die right before his eyes.


    Sapphira looked at her hand that was stretched out. She nned on calming him down as his emotions had reached a state that was dangerous but she did not expect his own weapon to attack him.


    Such a level of attack could even kill saint-ranked knights! Knights had the greatest durability and the greatest tenacity, making them the hardest profession to kill whenpared to others in simr circumstances, but not even that great durability would keep him alive.


    "Hahahaha!"


    Khan burst intoughter, and some of his men followed.


    He looked at Sirius, who seemed to have lost the momentum to attack and was focused on where its lord had disappeared into mockingly.


    "Kill!"


    He roared, swinging his cleaver. The cleaver caused a whirlwind, one so great that it made the dust rise up.


    The mage made an earthen pir lift her 3 meters off the ground and she mmed her staff against the pir then began uttering strange words.


    Sapphira rose from the ground, her battle force for the first time billowing out of her. The white and green battle force billowed out her like it was about to form a domain.


    The battle force enveloped those around her, healing and rejuvinating them.


    Her sword unleashed a piercing cry, and her aura sted throughout the entire town and beyond.


    It was clear that until the mage and Khan were killed, they would definitely lose this war. No amount of healing will save those who died instantly.


    "Warriors!"


    Khan lifted his cleaver into the sky.


    The orcs began to unleash battle cry, causing people in their homes to shiver. Meanwhile, Alex was confused.


    He was caught in between going to bring his lord or help stop the orcs from indavding the town.


    Looking at Sapphira, he sighed. Without her, their losses would have been several fold higher. It was because of her presence that the abyss curse had not weakened the soldiers, making them unable to move.


    That would have caused the Ashbourne forces to count huge losses.


    Now that his lord was down, if Sapphira fell, Nimrim would definitely fall and who would take the ce of Asher to rule over the dominions?


    Who was like their lord?


    Their lord had no heir?


    Alex clenched his fist tight. He turned away from the mountain and faced the orcs, who were charging toad them with their wolves. Filled with burning rage, he red at them.


    "I will cut down every one of you till there is nothing left to cut."


    These words came out of his clenched teeth. Even the earth below his feet felt the instensity of Alex''s battle force pumping out without restraint. His surroundings became too hot for even his men to linger around him.


    The moment Saphira pointed her sword toward the orcs, they rushed forward, Alex at the forefront.


    "Die!"


    He screamed with all his might and unleahed a cut. A massive amount of fiery light left his Nightmare sword and 10 orcs fell at once!


    Swoosh!


    A figure shot past him, plunging his swords into the head of one strong orc before removing it and throwing the sword into the abdomen of another. His killing speed increased by another margin.


    It was Nero!


    The abyss mage looked at her orcs falling in great numbers. Despite their advantage in numbers, there was a spirit in the human troops. One that was daunting!


    With Sapphira''s domain covering them, they seemed invincible, with one falling after he had in dozens of orcs!


    "Such magnificent spirit... must be crushed."


    The mage chanted a spell, and thick vines came out of the forest, each of them bearing massive rocks at the head. It was obvious the mage nned on crushing them to their deaths.


    The mage first looked at the giant wolf that exempted itself from battle and pointed its staff toward the human troops.


    Rumble!


    All of a sudden, there was a trembling and debris fell, causing a dust fog.


    Tapk! Tapk!


    Soft steps rang. As the metal boots tapped the rocky ground, it became obvious that something wasing out of the mountain, and though it wasn''t able to overwhelm the battlefield, the rumbling of the clouds made many look back.


    A bloodied figure emerged from the dust fog. His gray hair disshelved, and his top had turned into rags but there was one scary thing about him.


    It was his eyes.


    Lifting his head up, he looked at the sky andrge droplets of water fell. His expression had hardened to its limit, showing there wasn''t a strand of emotions.


    Wind formed a ball with him within, causing him to float. In his hand was the dreadful sword Euodias.


    Though it was powerful, the spirit of three Ashbournesbined was able to suppress it.


    The moment he tighetened his grip, a shockwave sted outward.


    "His Lordship¡­" Alex gasped.

 Chapter 150: Monstrous Lord Asher

    Rumble!


    Thunder rumbled in the skies as the downpour became increasingly heavier, yet it didn''t stop Asher, who hovered in the sky, inside a ball of wind.


    "Filthy abyys beasts."


    He spat. Everyone could hear three different voices; two were male and one was feminine.


    Asher shot forward; the wind ball moved him at a speed beyond what the eyes could follow and he unleashed a single cut that took down all the arms. They were as soft as butter before the saint-grade sword in his hand!


    Asher just discovered this sword wasn''t a sacred-ranked weapon but a saint-ranked weapon!


    The mezmerizing de seemed to have water within.


    The mage sent the vines carrying rocks but Asher only waved his hand as an eastwind came from nowhere and mmed the vines aside.


    All of a sudden, the man that was high up flew down so fast that it seemed as if he teleported.


    Boom! The earth cracked open as Ashernded, shot forward, and swung his sword toward Khan''s men. A giant water sword formed, sting all 20 of them around Khan into the forest.


    With a stomp, water gathered around him, forming what looked like a water tornado but it followed the movement of his sword.


    This strange maniption of elements through movements was strange in Tenaria. What mages had to do was cast and the elements would do their bidding but here the elements followed Asher.


    As he swung his sword, the water became des and swooshed outward, eliminating the remaining 80 strong orcs and their wolves.


    The mage summoned earthen spikes from the earth but Asher blew a massive amount of wind, causing the spikes to be frozen. He burst through them, appeared before Khan, and swung his sword.


    Khan raised his cleaver.


    ng!


    Sparks flew but Khan''s weapon already had been chipped!


    Khan roared, his muscles bulged, and he delivered an overpowering strike, but that strike was blocked. It was Blood Awakening!


    Asher could see the faults in his move, allowing him to blow the attack at its weakest point. That way, all of Khan''s strength was wasted!


    His eyes widened as he saw Asher levitate while looking at him with a passive gaze.


    "Is that all?"


    Sword light shed and Khan''s body staggered before it fell into a puddle of water. The sight of her warrior''s death made the abyss mage flee.


    The pir beneath her began to move into the forest at an incredible pace but to her shock, her right hand grabbed her face and threw her off the pir.


    It was like a strange force took over.


    The mage began to walk back toward him while her eyes widened in horror.


    "What in the world are you?"


    She stuttered, looking at the bloodied man who flew toward her, inside of a wind cocoon. His ice-cold white eyes bore into her, causing the hair on her body to rise.


    "You... the council wille after you; this town, this dominion, this continent belongs to the abyss creatures. We are the true rulers!"


    She screamed like a deranged maniac until she lost control of her mouth.


    As Asher lifted up Euodias, she saw a massive amount of water grow restless and rise up. The higher the sword went, the more troubled the water got.


    When he finally reached the apex and swung down, all the mage saw was a raging tide of knife-like azure water and darkness enveloped her.


    Thud!


    Her body dropped 500 yards away while Asher still levitated midair.


    Slowly, he turned toward the right. From there emerged thousands of armored soldiers with the Ashbourne g. Before them was a giant-like man on a great mount with his captains.


    When they saw their lord in that state, each and every one of them bowed their heads in respect. In this state, Asher''s supreesive wolf aura was at its peak, and there was a stranger aura billowing off him that kept everyone on their toes.


    "Let none escape." Asher ordered, pointing his sword toward the remaining orcs, which were still numbered in thousands.


    "Charge!"


    Without uttering a word at Asher, Alec and his troop charged toward the orcs. The battle started all over again, but this time the orcs were facing soldiers that were at their full strength and had heady shields to protect themselves.


    These soldiers, though of weaker rank, were suited to handle the orcs.


    3000 Deste Wolf soldiers built a solid shield wall and would asionally open the wall in some ces, allowing orcs to rush in and they would grind them down. With most of the strong orcs dead, the orc warriors had no advantage.


    In size, they weren''t bigger than the 7-foot tall, able-bodied Ashbourne infantrymen so they lost both the size and strength advantage since the Ashbourne soldiers consumed the treasured products in Nineveh.


    On the other side, Sapphira led the remaining forces and they cut down the orcs at a much faster pace.


    Meanwhile, Asher''s eyes returned to normal after he sheathed Euodias.


    Should Ariel and Atticus spirits leave him before he sheathed the sword, the beast spirit mightplete what it started so he had to sheath it first.


    When the de was fully sheathed, his eyes became normal.


    He staggered but Sirius came to his aid.


    Sirius saw him slowly clench his fist, and his wounds closed up at a speed visible to the naked eye.


    Asher only uttered a deep grunt and all his wounds were gone, leaving only bloodstains.


    ''My battle skill has been born.'' He muttered under his breath.


    At the point of death, a battle skill was born. Internally, he named this battle skill ''Blood Regeneration.''


    Finally, just a month more to make it one year since he came to this world, a battle skill had been born. This made him smile.


    ......


    After several hours, Alec and Alex approached him and fell on one knee.


    "Your Lordship."


    They bowed their heads.


    Asher opened his eyes. He still sat leaning on Sirius.


    "We have in all of them. It''s our victory, but our losses..."


    Alex''s smiled bitterly.

 Chapter 151: Upgrade: Olive Expanse

    After calcting the total losses and reporting to Asher, he lost the joy of the victory. It was as if he returned to the first time he had fought a battle with the Ashbourne recruits. The battle took the lives of 80 debreakers, 71 Stormbringers, and 30 King Swordsmen!


    These were elite soldiers, troops belonging to the terror grade and above. The loss hit him like a tide, along with the exhaustion he felt. As for those who were alive, the majority were injured, and their armor was damaged!


    Fortunately, none of the Deste Wolf Infantrymen were killed, and all the orcs were in. It was aplete victory, but the pain of his losses dug deep into Asher''s chest.


    Seeing their Lord''s expression, Alex and Alec didn''t know what to say.


    Asher got to his feet with a grunt and looked at the battlefield with a passive expression. He began to walk toward the town, a step at a time. He held Euodias, sheathed into its scabbard tightly while looking left and right; some ces were his men''s bodies.


    When he walked past the ruined walls, he saw Sapphira on her knees, attending to a stormbringer. The fairy''s wless face was marred with dirt and bloodstains from her contact with the soil and the soldiers.


    Just from their little time, he knew she was particr about being neat, one of the reasons she didn''t even bother to wear shoes, but now dirt was almost on every part of her body.


    Her priestly garment was also stained.


    As if noticing his gaze, she turned, and their eyes met.


    Sapphira''s violet pupils shook.


    She could superimpose those cold white eyes and that ice-cold expression on his current expression. She never knew he had such a frightening talent inside of him.


    As a fairy, she knew about the world of spirits, and when Asher opened himself to the spiritual, she could see two powerful spirits inside his body. It was a blinding and scary sight to behold.


    Asher lifted his head and saw arge number of Nimrim citizens with their elders and their ruler at the forefront.


    Tobiah was the first to half kneel, followed by the elders and the crowd of hundreds that stretched far into the street.


    [Ding! You have conquered Nimrim, the olive town. Would you like to transform this ce into one of the wonders of the world? Upgrade Nimrim, the olive town, to be the Olive Expanse. Yes or No?]


    ''Do it.''


    Asher had no idea what the system wanted to do, but he weed it. The death of his elite soldiers weighed heavily on him; he needed something to elevate his mood.


    Rumble!


    The earth trembled, causing some people to gasp. The trembling stopped, but when people were about to breathe a sigh of relief, it started again with greater force. The tremor even caused Asher to kneel in order to gain bnce.


    A green light burst into the sky in the distance. Another burst out from the north, another from the south, another from the west, and the light approached the town at a great speed. They covered the olive trees and blinded everyone.


    When the light died down, Asher opened his eyes and beheld a gigantic tree 100 meters tall standing far away from the town. The tree was so thick that not even five hundred adult men could wrap their hands around it!


    It spread out its branches that blocked the sky. Lustrous green leaves could be seen on the tree, making it look mezmerizing to the eyes. There seemed to be something like a golden ball at the top of the tree, like a mini sun.


    On the tree were an innumerable number of olives, twinkling like jade!


    The roots were thick and dug into the earth, spreading far. Some could be seen in the town, and it seemed as if the roots gave off life. The soil became healthy in mere minutes, and the corpses were all wiped away, except for the human soldiers.


    The ruins of the wall were disintegrated, andrge warehouses where the olive could be turned into pure oil appeared in great numbers. An endless patch of green grass spread out throughout the city, making it look like a paradise of peace.


    Flowers fell from the sky, gently dropping on rooftops and the heads of some people. One dropped on his palm.


    Asher looked at the new town that looked like it wasn''t meant to be with the feudal world. He could now see why it was called a wonder.


    A certain soothing effect settled into his heart, and it wasn''t him alone. Everybody felt it.


    All the olive trees had been fused together to form this upgraded and unseen version.


    [Host, this upgraded wonder tree can produce an oil named Evergreen Olive Oil. These are the advantages:


    > It is ten times better than the normal olive oil and with continuous intake, an average person with or without talent will keep growing until they reach the bronze rank!


    > The oil refreshes the skin and makes one look better!


    > When used for treatment, it fastens the healing process by several folds!


    These advantages alone made Evergreen olive oil an oil that would take the world by storm, gathering lots of gold coins into his treasury.


    At this point, he was in dire need of money. The continuous increase of his troop numbers was drying his treasury. He needed to work on gaining lots of revenue, or this vampiric method will cripple his domain.


    Asher turned back to the Nimrim people and saw the awe-stricken looks in their eyes as they looked at the magnificent olive tree.


    Sapphira covered her mouth with one hand, but it still couldn''t hide the shock in her violet eyes. Clearly, the beauty had never experienced anything of this sort.


    Even though the system gave her prior information, a wonder was still a wonder.


    "We pledge to forever be your subordinates!" Tobiah kowtowed, hitting his head against the ground continuously.


    "It''s enough. You''re now my people. Arise, all of you."


    With words of gratitude, the people got to their feet, and Asher left them to the temple, the only ce that was serene.


    Some timeter¡­


    [Ding! Your Blooddes are avable for an upgrade!]


    A notification woke him from his slumber, and to his shock, a pair of violet eyes were not too far away from his.

 Chapter 152: Silver Blood Horse Den

    Seeing Sapphira''s face so close to his and her eyes wandering over his face, he raised both eyebrows.


    "What are you doing?"


    "Looking."


    Sapphira''s response made him short of words.


    She got to her feet, walked to the table, and brought back a cup of steaming tea.


    "Take. It will replenish your strength."


    Asher took the cup, brought his nose close to it, and raised an eyebrow.


    "What''s this?"


    "It''s green tea. I made it from the herbs in my garden."


    "Oh." Asher sipped it, and his eyes flickered. He felt a warm current flowing down his oesophagus.


    While he was relishing the green tea, Sapphira walked past the bed and pushed the curtains aside, and the sunlight flooded the room, which was lit up by a floatingmp.


    A relic Asher was curious about.


    "You''ve made the town a beautiful ce. No one would know of the great battle we fought here." Gazing at the townscape, she spoke softly.


    Asher turned his head toward her.


    "The Evergreen olive tree is the heart of this town, and even after my domain grows beyond its current borders, this town will always remain relevant. It should also cover a good amount of my domain''s revenue."


    Sapphira chuckled.


    "Thanks. Nimrim and I will forever be grateful."


    She bowed her head, causing Asher to raise a brow.


    "Have you agreed to follow me?"


    Sapphira averted her gaze from the townscape to him. "Perhaps. You have several incredible traits that point toward a future with you as a powerful lord."


    After saying those words, she walked toward him, her bare feet gracefully tapping the polished floor. "I shall follow you only if you sign a contract that if you fail to do as you have spoken to me, you shall let me go."


    Hearing those words, Asher stood up.


    "Where is the contract?"


    Sapphira''s lips curled up in amusement at Asher''s anxiousness to gain her allegiance. She left the room and returned to find Asher pacing the room with his hand sped behind him.


    "Here."


    Sapphira unfurled the rolled-up paper, and when Asher read the requirements, he took an ink pen on the table where the green tea was taken from and signed.


    Sapphira''s eyes flickered when she saw that Asher didn''t hesitate, even for one split second.


    ''Are the old races really alive?''


    Hope slowly rose up within her.


    Seeing that he had fulfilled her requirements, Sapphira kneeled and lowered her head.


    "Greetings, Lord Asher. I, Sapphira Cyrene, am now officially your priestess."


    "Arise."


    She got to her feet, and Asher''s smile blossomed.


    "For sacrificing your men to help Nimrim, I have something to give to you."


    Sapphira led him to the main temple hall and took a scroll from one of the columns, and when he opened it, Asher saw a map. Written boldly on it was: Silver Blood Horse Den.


    "What''s this?"


    "It''s a map that will lead you to the den of a rare war horse species called the Silver Blood Horse. These horses are said to have an ancient connection to the legendary dragons, which is why they have thick silver scales. Their defense makes them one of the most powerful of their species."


    Asher took the map and studied it.


    "Have you seen them?"


    Sapphira nodded. "I was the one who drew the map. I did not n on disturbing them, but I think my lord should know of such a high-quality mount. Although they''re not many, they should have enough numbers for you to equip your personal troop."


    Sapphira''s words made Asher imagine his King Swordsmen on such a powerful horse. Horses that had ayer of defense stronger than steel te itself!


    "This is great."


    Asher took a step forward and patted Sapphira''s shoulder. Not used to such, Sapphira froze in shock, and her cheeks grew pink.


    She blinked several times, and by the time her mind became calm, Asher was already at the exit. His backview kept getting smaller until he vanished from her sight.


    After leaving Sapphira, Asher located his Blooddes outside Nimrim, in the camp pitched by the Deste Wolf. About 1,500 Deste Wolf Infantrymen had returned to Nineveh along with theirmander.


    "Your Lordship!"


    Nero rose up because he was the first to sight Asher. Alex stood, sheathed his sword, and approached Asher, whose expression was unusually radiant.


    A knowing smile appeared on his face as he recalled that Asher came from the temple, where the temple priestess was.


    Maybe his lord had found a woman to his liking, or how else would he look so radiant when he was feeling down about the men he lost?


    Even the remaining King Swordsmen were relieved to see their lord''s expression.


    "I see that Lady Sapphira is quite the beauty." Alex winked, but Asher shot him a hard look, causing him to take a step back.


    He couldn''t understand. His lord had beautiful women around him, but his heart might still be as stone because they weren''t more beautiful than Liya, but Sapphira was several fold more beautiful and elegant than Liya.


    She even had a noble bearing. By all indications, she was the right partner, but his Lord still didn''t seem interested.


    This matter might have to reach all the higher-ups. Asher almost died before his eyes, and because of this, he wanted his lord to produce an heir that would rule after him.


    [Ding! Targets in sight. Should I begin with the upgrade? Yes or No?]


    Asher sighed. He wanted to see the new version of his Blooddes.


    ''Do it.''


    Swoosh! Swoosh!


    Blinding golden and white light enveloped them. The light kept growing brighter and brighter, causing Asher to not only shut his eyes but also shield them with his arm.


    Finally, the light came down, and Asher opened his eyes. He saw his Blooddes and was taken aback by their noble, inspiring, and imposing look.


    Their armor became gold, and the pauldrons became morepact with small silver spikes. Silver chains were the straps that held their golden vambraces in ce. Their helmets had a T-shaped opening, but due to how it was made, no one could see their faces.


    It was just darkness.


    Their blue cloaks covered some part of their chestte. The chest te had the structure of abs molded into it, and the upper part, which covered the chest, had a blue gem in the middle. It was forged to deflect piercings and even blunt strikes.


    The magnificent armor made Asher wish his own had beenpleted!

 Chapter 153: Noble BloodBlades

    "Your Lordship!"


    Both of them kneeled.


    [Ding! You have upgraded your Blooddes to Noble Blooddes!]


    Just the sight of these men in their golden armor caused a silent ripple of respect throughout the camp. They were like stars in the sky. Bright, resplendent, and several folds more imposing than the other soldiers.


    No one could see their eyes, even though the T-shaped opening was supposed to reveal their eyes, nose, and mouths. Unlike their expectations, everything revealed by that opening was pitch darkness.


    It was as if that opening was a ck hole.


    When both of them got up, Asher felt hunger for his own armor. It was high time a lord like him got his own armor because the battles would get increasingly chaotic.


    To Asher''s shock, his Noble Blooddes took a step forward, and golden metallic wings sprouted out of their backs, lifting them off the ground. There was an illusory halo they could see around them, but it seemed like it vanished and appeared continually.


    Asher took a step back, his heart pumping heavily as he couldn''t understand what was going on. This was beyond his expectations.


    [Noble Blooddes: Ancient warriors forged in blood and war, born to protect, fated to die, created to subdue and decimate the enemies of their masters. These beings are angelic guardians that have existed since the beginning of existence and vanished before the racial war.]


    [Congrattions, You have transformed two humans into extraordinary beings.]


    Asher''s pupils shook.


    ''Was this possible all along!''


    [Yes. Some troop upgrades will lead to them bing extraordinary beings, sometimes not humans.]


    ''So, Alex and Nero are¡­!''


    [They still have human traits. In the next upgrade, they will fully transform into extraordinary beings that can not be matched by humans or any other ordinary race.]


    "My Lord."


    Nero''s voice sounded ethereal, almost unreal, but it was distinct. Asher blinked several times before he calmed down.


    Both of them came down; the mystical aura around them along with the wings vanished. But the shock was still fresh in the minds of the soldiers, and it was something they will likely not forget in months or even years toe.


    Asher looked down and saw the map in his hand. It was then he remembered what brought him here.


    "King swordsmen, prepare yourselves. We leave to hunt by twilight."


    When the soldiers dispersed, Nero approached. "Your Lordship, are we going for a beast hunt?"


    The young boy who would soon be eleven looked exactly like his father; they had the same height, the same stature, and the same eye, but hecked a beard, and no matter the number of upgrades, it would onlye when he was of age.


    However, with thisst upgrade, Nero''s mind had matured to that of a man in his thirties. None of his peers could stand up to him, nor could any in the entire continent win him in a battle.


    "Perhaps."


    Nero puffed out. He had a helpless expression.


    "My Lord, please be less vague."


    Alex walked over. Asher couldn''t read their expressions because of the unique effect of their helmets.


    Asher opened the map, and after he exined, both men were stunned. To think Sapphira would reward their lord with something this big.


    These horses were more than high horses; they were exotic-quality horses! Just one would cost over 1000 sacred gold coins!


    This was because they were several fold better than the centraks, had an externalyer of armor, could run faster, had more power, could deal damage with their long horns, and were few in number.


    Unlike the centraks that were in the tens of thousands, the Silver Blood Horses were only in the hundreds. It was unlikely they would reach 1000 without proper nourishment and nurturing.


    "Do we get one?" Nero asked with excitement. He couldn''t wait to tame his own special mount. The thought of galloping on his mount made the blood in his veins hot.


    "Don''t you have wings?"


    "Your Lordship!"


    Nero eximed.


    As they were talking, a soft fragrance tickled their nostrils, causing them to raise their heads, and they saw Sapphira in the air.


    Her violet eyes were fixed on the Noble Blooddes. As one of the extraordinary races, she could recognize these fellows weren''t ordinary any more. And unlike her, both men were made for battles.


    She averted her eyes to Asher, the only ordinary human in their midst.


    "I came to remind you that I''ll also need one Silver Blood Horse."


    Asher chuckled.


    "One is 1000 gold coins."


    Sapphira''s expression is frozen. Alex couldn''t believe his ears. He knew this was an opportunity for his lord to build a rtionship with Lady Sapphira, and here he was telling her to purchase one.


    Was his lord kidding or not?


    "You would sell it to me?"


    Asher nced at her for a brief moment, their eyes locked to the other before he averted his gaze and began to walk into the camp.


    "It''s reserved for my personal troop. You said it yourself. It should be an iconic sign of my personal troop. It won''t be that if you ride it. But I will allow you to apany us since your presence there will be worthwhile."


    Sapphira shook her head.


    She knew Asher read through the lines. The conversation made no sense; it was obvious she was here because she wanted to apany him to hunt the beast.


    As someone who was always outstanding, Sapphira was naturally curious about this simr outstanding lord who was crazy strong for his age.


    His troops were simply too strong, and she knew it was rted to his talent.


    Such talent was out of this world!


    Sapphira was dumbfounded by the extraordinary things around Asher. As if to prove her right, two beings that weren''tpletely humans stood before her.


    Even at their rank which was lower than hers, she couldn''t win a battle against both of them except she used her barrier skill and restrained them.


    "When will you leave?"


    Asher paused and turned his head.


    "At the Twilight."


    "Oh? So I can invite you to my temple then."


    Hearing that, Alex looked at his Lord expectantly.

 Chapter 154: With The Priestess

    Crimson Nimrim Temple


    Two individuals stood apart from each other. It was Sapphira and Asher standing on the lofty peak of the mountain with the town way below them. No Temple Knight could be found around them as Sapphira sent them away.


    Only maids were there with towels.


    "Are you sure about this?" Sapphira asked Asher, who held Euodias.


    "I am. I want to test my skills against highly skilled swordsman like you. You must have trained for decades."


    "I have."


    Sapphira unsheathed her sword and pointed it at him. "Ready when you are."


    Asher smiled. "Come then."


    Swoosh!


    The gap vanished instantly as both of them shed in the middle of the yellow rocky ground, causing dust to st outward. This made the maids cover their nostrils while some coughed.


    ng! ng!


    Sparks could be seen in the dust, along with flickers of white and ck. Asher wore ck tunic with ck pants, while Sapphira was garbed in white.


    Her swordsmanship was fluid, ethereal, and light, while Asher''s was heavy, overbearing, and dangerously swift.


    Sapphira would not be able to kill a man in one strike without hitting a critical spot or using output, but Asher''s strike was bound to kill or cause heavy injuries that would render a soldier incapable of fighting.


    On a battlefield, it was the same as death.


    ng!


    They shed. Asher looked at her. He pulled back, spun, and unleashed a swift cut that left a dangerous arc as it made its way toward Sapphira. Although he wasn''t facing her directly, from the corner of his eyes, in a somewhat slow motion, he saw her somersault over his sword.


    Her garment fluttered, exposing some bits of her white legs.


    Thud!


    Shended with a soft thud, causing a ring of dust to spread out. Almost instantly, she lunged toward him, thrusting her sword three times at three different spots.


    Asher dodged the first two and blocked the final one that was aimed at his abdomen. "I saw it."


    He smiled softly.


    Sapphira snorted.


    "Is that so?"


    She stomped, and a white phantom separated from her, leaving white tendrils as it made a smooth circumference and appeared at his back. Asher felt a cold metallic object on his neck.


    He blinked.


    The woman before him was Sapphira, and the one behind was also Sapphira but quite unreal! The way it happened made him understand.


    "A battle skill!"


    "Did you think after training for over eight decades, my swordsmanship could not give birth to a battle skill?"


    After hearing that and seeing Sapphira''s victorious smile, he gathered his battle force into the tip of Euodias and struck the ground.


    Boom!


    A st spread outward, throwing her away and also clearing the dust fog.


    Sapphira was like a bird as she flipped gracefully andnded on both feet. All of a sudden, her wings spread out, and she shot toward him once again.


    "You have to do better than that!"


    A barrier appeared on Asher''s left, another on his right, another behind him. This left only one opening, and that was where Sapphira wasing from.


    Wrapping his fingers around the hilt of Euodias, Asher lowered his body and shot forward with a strong force that broke the rock beneath his feet.


    They were two meteors about to collide. The moment their weapons shed, a violent ripple sted outward, sweeping the maids into the distance.


    Using his advantage in strength, Asher added so much pressure that Sapphira grunted out of pain when she couldn''t hold the stalemate any longer and had to retreat. Lifting his sword, Asher struck down, but Sapphira did not block as he expected.


    She rolled to the left, and her right leg struck out, removing his foot off the ground. This made him unbnced, and he staggered, almost about to fall, but used Euodias to support himself.


    Sapphira brandished her sword.


    She activated her battle skill and swooshed past Asher, leaving two cuts at both his arms. Seeing this Asher simply grunted, and the wounds healed up.


    Sapphira''s pupils shook.


    "Is that¡­"


    "A battle skill? Yes, it is."


    Asher''s confirmation made her lips part.


    "How old are you?"


    "22. By next month, I''ll be 23."


    "And you''ve given birth to a battle skill."


    Asher chuckled.


    "I was lucky."


    Sapphira''s lips twitched at that statement, but she chose to swallow this hard pill.


    Swish!


    She appeared before him, and this time as they shed, Asher felt like he fought more than a woman with a sword; he felt like he fought against the tides of a sea.


    Her attacks seemed endless, causing him to keep retreating. At a certain point, he lost control of his calm state of mind and swung his sword with all his might. One must know that Asher''s strength was extraordinarily dreadful.


    He was strong enough to crush a human skull with a half-powered p and open a hole in a boulder with a full-powered punch. Strength was Asher''s main trait but was hidden most of the time because he had to ce a limiter on himself.


    The moment his sword shed with Sapphira''s, there was a violent st, and he saw the fairy being flung away.


    Without dy, he raced after her and caught her before she fell from the cliff. Standing at the edge of the cliff, with his boots halfway out, he held the fairy with one hand while the other held Euodias.


    It was at this moment that Sapphira gained full control over her consciousness and looked at the depth where she would have fallen.


    With one hand, Asher pulled her up. At such close proximity, their hot breaths touched their skins. Sapphira locked eyes with Asher for a long while with no words spoken.


    In the next moment, she quickly flew away, leaving Asher thinking she was angry.


    When he walked back to the temple, he found the temple knights at the grand doors, and the captain of this squad was the same man that chained him.


    Before he could speak, the captain took a step forward with the palm of his hand toward Asher''s face.


    "Halt! The priestess does not want to see you!"

 Chapter 155: Silver Blood Horses

    Swish! Swish!


    The sound of friction against grass fell into Asher''s ears. He turned and saw his men behind him. All the King Swordsmen were with him and none of them came with their mounts. The King Swordsmen troop wasn''t a cavalry troop so they did not need their mounts to perfect their fighting capacity.


    The mounts were for their mobility.


    At this moment, they were in a forest. There was no me torch and the skies were still dark but it was slowly clearing up. The dew on the leaves of the nts irritated Asher at first but he grew to ignore it and focus on what he would gain from this.


    He saw a small, wless foot touching the tip of a grass and he traced the foot straight to the head. The owner of the foot wore a white gown that reached her ankles and the sleeves had a cut from the wrist to the elbow, making it flutter at the slightest brush of the wind.


    Her silky jet ck hair caressed her back ever so gently. It was an attractive sight and this was just her hair!


    The way each strand seems to gleam and move in sync with the other could keep a man enthralled for quite a while.


    Unfortunately, Asher wasn''t willing to waste his time thinking about something that wouldn''t benefit his mission, which was hunting these exotic horses.


    "How close are we?"


    He asked.


    Sapphira turned her head toward him.


    "The valley is beyond these trees ahead of us."


    Asher nodded and ordered everyone to be as silent as possible as they encroached, and after moving through the trees, Asher saw a green valley. The valley had lots of short, vibrant green grasses, and in the midst of these grasses were tall, striking creatures.


    They had bright silver rhombus-shaped scales and long, curved aqua blue horns. Their scaly tails were strong enough to destroy rocks and kill an adult human warrior!


    However, the thought of having them as mounts riled up the emotions of Asher and his men.


    "How do we tame them?"


    Alex asked.


    Asher furrowed his brows. "Thessos should work."


    "But they look feeblepared to those muscr, scaled horses." Sapphira remarked with a coy smile.


    Asher nced at her.


    What was she at?


    Averting his gaze, he squinted while examining the horses. Indeed, they were as imposing as written in the ancient records and depicted by Sapphira.


    Just as he took a step forward, Sapphira stretched out her hand and a barrier formed before him.


    "You can''t tame silver-blood horses the same way you tame other horses. Yourssos won''t work."


    "And how do you know about this?"


    Sapphira crossed her arm.


    "Because I once tried capturing that one." Sapphira pointed at the silver-blood horse resting in the middle of the herd.


    Asher squinted. It was a beautiful-looking silver blood horse, probably a female. It''s passive aura made Asher know she was the ruler of this herd.


    She was their queen.


    "I had tried capturing her and some of them to build a cavalry for Nimrim and to achieve that, I tried getting the queen but ourssos were useless. Not even ten reinforced ones could hold her."


    Asher frowned.


    "I see."


    All of a sudden, Asher turned toward his men.


    "Surround the valley."


    After they had surrounded the valley, Asher walked out of the grasses to Sapphira''s shock, and when the horses began to spot him, her eyes widened to the limit.


    Together, these horses could y a saint-ranked individual like her and Asher was about to provoke them openly!


    Neigh!


    The queen horse neighed softly and ten horses galloped toward Asher, looking intimidating as they moved through the grassy ins at high speed.


    Instead of retreating, Asher began to walk down the valley. Midway, his wolf suppression aura burst out, enveloping the valley with the presence of a ferocious wolf emperor.


    Everyone felt a wolf emperor had just graced the ins.


    Not just the 10 galloping toward Asher but the remaining 590 were frozen in fear. Filled with fear, they galloped toward the only exit that led to a different in; however, a barrier sealed that route and a calming aura spread out.


    The moment the horses calmed down,ssos came from nowhere!


    They were too conformable in Sapphira''s aura domain to struggle.


    Only the queen was stubborn but when Asher stood before it, the arrogant horse staggered under the overwhelming aura and fell.


    "Wasn''t too hard." He said to Sapphira, who snorted.


    As they were preparing to leave with their catch, a gray, furry creature appeared on the hill. It was followed by several other furry creatures.


    It was a massive pack of wolves!


    A 2 meters tall wolf led them!


    Its green eyes were locked on Asher, his men, and the horses.


    The sight of such delicious prey stuck in a small valley caused its eyes to brighten. A great aura summoned them but it never expected seeing so many prey.


    Brandishing its ws, the chief wolf lifted up its head.


    Awoo!


    Rumble!


    Wolves, from all sides, ran town. Saliva dripped from their mouths; their ws dug deep into the soil and their teeth were ready to sink into the flesh of their prey.


    "Swords!"


    Asher bellowed as he brandished Euodias.


    His breathing got calmer the closer the wolves got, and the moment they were already before him, his eyes sharpened.


    He thrust Euodias using output. This unleashed a massive amount of crimson energy that cut down ten wolves instantly but more filled their ce.


    Boom!


    Asher lunged forward, swinging left and right in the ranks of the ferocious wolves. To his surprise, he saw the Silver Blood Horses fighting side by side his men. Seeing them take the opportunity to plunge their horns into the wolves made him lift his eyebrows.


    Sapphira was in the sky, offering help to those who were ambushed by numbers they could not handle. Because of her, the King Swordsmen could fight to their heart''s desire but they still couldn''tpare to the Noble Blooddes!

 Chapter 156: Emperor Wolf

    Despite their great destructive strength, they lingered around their lord. They were just 10 meters away, a safe distance where they would be able to intervene if their lord was in danger.


    When Asher noticed these wolves were still streaming down in great numbers, which had already surpassed 400, his eyes flickered, and he unleashed his wolf suppression aura.


    A ferocious aura sted outward, causing the wolves to whimper and take steps backward as they eyed him cautiously.


    Awoo!


    The chief wolf howled and stomped its right foreleg against the ground. The other wolves also howled and a red glint appeared in their eyes. Their fur gained a red gleam as it billowed.


    This made Asher and Sapphira frown.


    The chief wolf grew to 2.5 meters and a crimson aura billowed off its body. Its body twisted and kept twisting until it stood on two legs. Its structure changed and its fur became as hard as steel!


    It revealed a terrifying grin.


    "That''s not a mere beast."


    Sapphira''s hand went for her sword''s hilt.


    At this point, everyone knew that the chief wolf was a human with a shapeshifting talent. He must have gathered a massive pack of wolves and became their lord, meaning he was here to challenge Asher''s title since Asher had such an oppressive aura.


    It was a threat to the shapeshifter''s rule.


    "Assemble. Onwards!"


    Asher bellowed. Knowing that he wasn''t facing a mere beast, he became more proactive. The King Swordsmen unleashed their battle force and charged on with him, toward the chief wolf which had transformed to something simr to a lycan.


    Roar!


    The lycan roared, leaped from the top of the hill with his arms spread out and his ws gleaming softly. Hended with a great thud and lunged forward, along with hundreds of wolves in a state of bloodthirst madness.


    His talent not only allowed him to transform into a wolf, it also allowed him to increase the power of his wolves by making them enter a certain state called a state of ''Bloodthirst Madness''.


    On one side, descending from the valley were hundreds of wolves and in the valley, going upwards toward the tide of wolves were armored humans, a little over 70.


    As they collided, a brutal sh began. Swords and armor against teeth and ws. Both sides were aggressive, striving to push the other back.


    Asher kept cutting down wolves easily as his suppression aura still affected them and when the lycan noticed this, it dashed toward him but a Noble Bloodde appeared before him.


    It was Alex.


    Alex slung his greatsword over his shoulder, his eyes hidden in darkness. Both him and the lycan gazed at each other for a brief moment before they dashed toward each other.


    Alex unleashed a downward sh, which the lycan evaded and wed his face. To his shock, the golden wing blocked his ws, causing sparks!


    Swoosh! The wing flung him over 50 meters away, cursing him to tumble over and over again.


    Swish!


    Alex closed the distance and thrust his sword but the lycan still evaded, however it was more cautious this time around. It looked around and its arrogance vanished upon seeing the brutal ughter of his wolves.


    Hundreds were already dead.


    The reason for this was Asher, Sapphira and Nero.


    Not one human soldier had fallen, courtesy of Sapphira, the reliable priestess.


    The lycan growled out of fury and dashed toward Alex at its top speed. It transformed into a blur but when Alex expected the collison, the lycan deviated and closed the gap between it and Asher.


    Asher was still a threat because of his aura. With Asher around, he would not grow his wolf dominion.


    Roar!


    He leaped, wing down at Asher, who faced a wolf. Just when he was close to Asher''s head, Asher suddenly turned back and the next thing the lycan saw was a sword inside a sheath that looked like a horning straight for him.


    He could have sworn this man would not be able to see him on time but what was this?


    Why was the man so fast?


    What sort of inhuman reflex was this?


    These questions faded quickly as Euodias pierced through the lycan.


    Puchi!


    Asher grabbed its head and lifted him up with a solemn expression. This time, as his wolf suppression aura spread out, the wolves began to whine and retreat. None dared attack as they all looked at him.


    Suddenly, the forest shook, and a gigantic white wolf emerged from the trees. It stood at the top of the hill, looking at everything and everyone in the valley with an unreadable expression.


    Its aura was even more powerful than Asher''s and upon its arrival, all the wolvesid t!


    All Sirius had to do was gaze at 500 wolves still alive and they humbled themselves before his authority. Sirius was so big that even the trees couldn''tpete with him.


    It growled softly, a thick killing intent spreading out. Some wolves couldn''t bear the pressure and fainted!


    Just one stomp and ice spikes protruded from the ground, ying all the wolves instantly. One could tell Sirius was furious.


    Since the abyss attack, it was extra protective. It had felt the pains of Asher''s near-death experience once already and did not n for it to happen again.


    Asher couldn''t even speak and all the wolves were killed. Even the lycan that he lifted up had over six ice spikes piercing through its body.


    "Sirius," Asher shook his head helplessly.


    Looking at the majestic wolf, truly built with the demeanor of an emperor, all the soldiers were humbled. Even Sapphira''s eyes flickered.


    This is the first time she has seen Sirius in such a mood.


    Sirius''s presence also vanquished any lingering thought of rebelling from the silver blood horses. They couldn''t even meet Sirius''s eyes or that might mean a challenge and that horse would have to pay for it.


    ''Calm down. I wasn''t hurt.''


    Asher said to Sirius through their mind link and it finally looked at him. Before his eyes, Sirius reduced from his terrifying form to a size, even smaller than the gray wolves.

 Chapter 157: Ambition

    "What is that?!"


    A Nimrim Guard stationed at the outreach pointed at thepany of riders on strange silver-scaled beasts. They looked both majestic and imposing.


    Seeing the armored King Swordsman with their blue floating plume and capes on silver-scaled horses that had blue hooves and blue horns, the Nimrim Guards were awestruck.


    "What kind of a beast is that?"


    These kinds of questions refused to leave the lips of everyone that saw thepany. The citizens of Nimrim kept chatting about them even after the King Swordsmen had returned to the camp with their mounts.


    Once they returned to Nineveh, Asher nned for mass recruitment to fill up the troops, but before then, he stayed throughout thest week of the month waiting to stock enough barrels of pure evergreen olive oil.


    He nned to introduce it to the feudal world. Surely, it would gain attention, and because of that, he wanted to build an outpost city, right at the heart of the northern wastnd, the connecting point of all the northern lord domains.


    His ns were already sent to Kelvin while he spent time in Nimrim supervising the oil production, testing it, and spending some time with the Nimrim priestess.


    Because of her, he grew to love green tea.


    After a week...


    Asher rode Bezerk. He was currently at the back of the convoy. There were about 10rge carts brought from Nimrim to transport the oil. Because of this, over 100 barrels could be found evenly split in the carts.


    Deste Wolf soldiers were on both sides of the carts, their spear facing the heavens and their eyes keen. Not one of them wore a smile and their armor dimly reflected the light of the zing sun.


    Olive Expanse looked mezmerizing as the sunlight cast its brilliant light on the wondrous tree, causing a cascade of light from the gaps in between leaves.


    It was a beautiful sight that made this town a ce of rxation and sightseeing.


    When Asher reached the front, he saw Alex and Nero on their silver blood horses. Well equipped with saddles that had an ashbourne sigil at the sides, the mounts looked even more regal.


    The 70 King Swordsmen on the silver-scaled horses were more striking than the debreakers and the Strombringers.


    "My Lord, such war mounts are supposed to belong to a cavalry unit." Lambert grumbled.


    Asher shook his head while smiling softly.


    "Eritrea would have said the same thing if she were here."


    "Well, she is busy training her recruits and you''re here grumbling about horses." Alex retorted, causing Lambert to re at him.


    Lambert snorted as he turned his head away.


    "My Lord, aren''t you going to say goodbye?" Alex asked Asher as he looked at the temple at the top of the mountain.


    "There''s no need for that. As my counsellor, she will appear before my presence multiple times in a year."


    Asher responded with a soft tone and kicked his mount''s abdomen.


    "Let''s go."


    With that, the convoy began to move. Sapphira stood behind one of the windows on her temple, looking at the departing convoy with an unreadable expression.


    She kept looking until the convoy disappeared into the forest. Only then did she turn and walk away.


    ...¡­.


    An hourter, Asher entered his castle. His boots tapped against the polished floor as he walked through the hallways. His pace was hurried and the moment he removed his coat, he wiped off the sweat from his forehead before exhaling.


    The heat outside was a little bit too much for his pale skin.


    He pushed open the door leading to the castle''s main hall. The hall connected to the upper floors and underground floors. From this hall, one could see the spiral stairs leading to the upper floor and there was an open walkway around the hall where murals were hung on walls.


    Asher saw Kelvin speaking to Cynthia, who was on the staircase, slowly walking down. Five male servants carried arge square object properly wrapped to the upper floor.


    "Do not let it fall."


    Kelvin cautioned. Suddenly Cynthia gasped and hurried down the stairs, causing him to turn and behold it was his lord, standing there with his coat almost touching the floor.


    "Your Lordship!"


    He hurried over and lifted the sleeves that were about to touch the ground.


    "You did not inform us of your arrival."


    "I did not want a grand wee. What is that?"


    Asher looked at the male servants still going upward. By the look of things, they might be heading for his quarters.


    "It''s a surprise."


    "I see. The oil is here. Have you mapped out a way for us to gain customers?" Asher asked as he began to ascend the stairs.


    "The outpost project is still ongoing, MyLord. We have thousands of workers from Ashkelon and Nimrim working there and it will bepleted by the first month of the upper year."


    Asher paused


    "That''s too long."


    "That''s the best speed." Kelvin smiled wryly.


    Cynthia bowed. "My Lord, Baron meheart did a trade with usst week and gave us 60,000 catties of wheat and¡­"


    Asher lifted his hand. Why had I not thought of this since? They had been depending on their soil advantage to gain good wheat during harvest but if he could upgrade them through fusion, he might gain a better product and it would help him massively in the creation of an exclusive restaurant that would have the best food in the entire continent.


    He knew this idea would give him lots of revenue, especially after he gained the trust of other nobles and opened branches in their dominions.


    But in order to do that, he needs to build this outpost and make it a paradise for exquisite meals.


    His Evergreen olive oil was the backbone of this n, but he also needed professional cooks, at least several journeymen, seniors, and a few masters.


    Unfortunately, not even one journeyman cook was in his domain.


    "Send a letter to Baron meheart. Tell him I''m willing to trade protecting his market hub with a garrison of 100 Deste wolves if he gives me 20 professional cooks, all of whom should be from journeymen and above."

 Chapter 158: Upgrading the Outpost

    After a proper rest, Asher went to the wheat fields, which were now inside the walls. The wheat fields were vast and looking at the wheat, Asher sighed. They couldn''tpare to the maize on the other side; in fact, the difference was so great that the wheat farmers and the maize farmers were like the rich and the poor.


    One side looked fatter and the other looked thinner. Working in the wheat fields was like hellpared to farming in the maize fields. The maize always produced a bountiful harvest and it was harvested monthly!


    The wheat had a much longer duration and its produce wasn''t anything special.


    For this reason, only a few farmers worked on the wheat fields and because of this, wheat had to be imported or it couldn''t meet the wants of the people. At this point, they imported salt, sugar, oil, spices, and much more, but Asher was about to eliminate oil from the list.


    Oil was pretty expensive and was sought after in every nation. Because of this, the Intis Kingdom was super rich and was able to maintain their elite air cavalry. The Intis dominion was rich in olive trees and had dominated the market like Nightfire dominated the ss market.


    The Intis olive oil was more pure than the oil produced by others, making Intis oil the most sought-after oil, but Asher was sure he would take that title soon enough.


    However, before that, he must build an outpost to make the nobles think that was his domain, averting their eyes from his rapidly expanding territory.


    When the farmers saw him approaching with his Blooddes, they gathered outside their fields and fell on one knee.


    "Your Lordship!"


    "Arise. I came to see how the wheat is doing."


    Asher was focused on the old woman who was in charge of the farming department and when she noticed Asher''s gaze was fixed on her, she nervously chuckled and cleared her throat.


    She could see her granddaughter, Cynthia, eyeing her. This was probably a sign that she should not dare say what would provoke the Lord, especially since she did not know how to control her mouth.


    "Well, we should be harvesting them next month and what you see is what we''ll have."


    Asher frowned.


    "This can barely feed half of Nimrim."


    He remarked solemnly.


    "I heard Baron meheart brought about 60,000 catties of wheat. Bring them out."


    Heeding to his order, male farmers went out and brought outrge brown sack bags. They brought out hundreds of them and Asher asked them to step away.


    [Ding! Do you want to upgrade your wheat through fusion and produce Fragrant Jade Wheat? Yes or No?]


    ''Do it.''


    Swoosh!


    The several hundred bags became 20 bags. Seeing this, the old woman wanted to erupt. Now that the wheat was gone, how were they supposed to feed the people?


    [Fragrant Jade Wheat: This is a unique wheat that can yield several folds more than the ordinary wheat and it can cleanse the internal system of any growing or hiding illness. Products produced from this wheat will naturally be better tasting. Finally, this wheat''s germination to harvest has been reduced to one month!]


    Asher grinned from ear to ear as he grabbed a handful of jade wheat. The wheat was smaller than usual but was like pure jade! One would mistake them for treasures!


    One of these could produce several folds of what the ones that would soon be harvested could and not only that but it could be harvested in a month while the normal wheat would take over three months.


    This meant he would gain more than a double increase.


    Some farmers'' mouths watered as they stared at the gleaming jade wheat in the palm of their hands. The old woman stared at the wheat with a frown.


    "Although these wheat look special, it would have been better if we had several hundred bags of normal wheat than just 20 of these."


    "Just give them a month."


    Hearing that, the old woman recalled what Asher said concerning the Golden Fragrant Maize and her eyebrows knit together.


    "How special is this one?"


    "One of them can produce what ten of these normal ones can and it takes just one month before it''s ripe for harvest."


    Hiss!!


    The farmers gasped heavily.


    Cynthia looked at her lord and back at the wheat.


    Asher simply smiled. "Go ahead and nt them."


    .....


    By the end of the first week of the new month, Asher visited the building site and saw thousands of workers, mostly barbarians, working under the jurisdiction of captains in building the outpost.


    Asher stood on a hill with the architect sent from the meheart barony. From here, he could view the project, which was still in its skeletal phase.


    There were hundreds of white tents pitched away from the project site and soldiers could be seen around. They were equipped to handle any surprise attacks from any southern wastnd lord but luckily no lord attacked.


    Asher looked at the piles of resources, which were rocks being cut into proper sizes, beams from fallen trees, ropes imported through Baron meheart, and much more.


    There was even the famous green y!


    Asher wasn''t nning to make this outpost wretched-looking because he wanted to look weak. He wasn''t nning on showing himself as weak but he didn''t want to reveal his true might either. It was better that he kept his powerful cards hidden for a short time.


    At least until his eventual sh against Count William Tigris!


    "Your Lordship, winter will slow down our progress," the architect said.


    "We won''t be building this outpost during winter because we would be weing guests."


    The architect raised an eyebrow.


    "But my lord, there''s no way you can¡ª-!"


    His lips parted as beams of light engulfed the building materials and they were hurtled toward the skeletal foundation of the outpost. When the materials came together, a much brighter light manifested, causing them to shut their eyes.


    Swoosh!


    The light died down.

 Chapter 159: Impressive Garrison Troops

    Swoosh!


    When the light died down, a city made of stones and wood appeared in the vast in. The workers and the soldiers stood aside, looking at the tall towers built into the stone wall and the spiral towers in the small outpost.


    This seemingly small outpost housed over 5000 civilians who had been transported over the moment the upgrade waspleted. The outpost had neat walls and the green y made the walls smooth. Its smoothness couldn''t bepared with that of a brick wall.


    In fact, those who had touched a wall covered in green y would see a brick wall as very rough. The green y made the wall slightly green and also hardened it. This made it impossible for people to scale the wall without siege towers ordders.


    The double gates of the outpost were wide open and he could see Deste Wolf soldiers manning the gates and the walls, their imposing statures and fearsome discipline as striking as ever.


    There were nts in the surroundings of almost all the buildings,mercial or residential. There was an Ashbourne auction house, a market, and finally, as his heart desired, a two-story restaurant.


    The restaurant was built at the heart of the outpost, right before the town square. The entire outpost''s streets had cobblestones and the streets were quite spacious for the outpost''s size.


    Several people were in the outpost, selling, buying, and living their lives like they had been living here for decades. This was a perk for which Asher was thankful or else he would have been up for lots of exnations, which would not only be exhausting but he might also receive a negative response from the people.


    Sitting on Bezerk''s back, Asher rode into the outpost looking at the bustling town with a slight smile. His outpost was located in the part of the wastnd that had almost transformed into a desert but yet this outpost had vibrant nts here and there.


    When he reached the outpost''s heart, there was a fountain. It had the sculpture of Lord Atticus Ashbourne with both hands raised up and water sprinkled out of the palm of his hand.


    Atticus was d in armor that had a gem in the middle of the chestte and his face was toward the sky.


    Asher looked at the swords before him and marvelled at how real they looked.


    Turning to his right, he saw the restaurant. It was one of the most eye-catching buildings in the outpost because of its grandness and the Ashbourne ck g.


    "I want Aquilia to build a teleportation channel connecting this outpost to other outside cities. And for the menu, call Cynthia."


    The people behind Asher nodded and some took notes. They followed him into the grand restaurant and took notes of what he loved and those he thought should be removed. In the end, the restaurant was reformed to be even better than it first looked.


    When he was done touring the restaurant, Asher knew only one thing remained: the cooks, the waiters, and the waitresses.


    "Your Lordship, building a teleportation channel will cut massively into our budget. The other channels had eaten a massive amount, forcing us to encroach into the funds for the upper year. We might have to..."


    Asher shook his head, causing the man to close his mouth.


    "Once we start selling the oil, we shall regain all that we have lost. This teleportation channel will greatly increase the appeal of this outpost, as people from cities several miles away would be able to teleport over in mere seconds. Don''t you think that''s better than travelling in a carriage for months just to visit this outpost?"


    The man coughed softly.


    "Deploy 100 elite cavaliers to garrison in this outpost. The Deste Wolves will be good for defense and they would be for mobility."


    "I shall send a report to Commander Lambert."


    Asher gave a slight nod and walked out of the restaurant with brisk steps.


    All of a sudden he paused and turned back. "What''s our progress with the professionals?"


    .........¡­.


    In a bustling city, several kilometers away from the outpost, Baron ude meheart stood outside his manor looking at 100 Deste Wolf Infantrymen and their captain marching into his courtyard.


    Their uniform steps fell into his ears and his heart drummed with excitement at the sight of these elite soldiers who were to garrison in Hebron town. With them there, he had no fear of external attacks.


    The walls would be impregnable as long as they manned them.


    ording to Kelvin, these men wore armor that weighed 166 catties and they could stande rain or sun for hours straight and equally be vignt; neither would their strength dwindle.


    ude couldn''t imagine how powerful a man who had thousands of such soldiers was. To him, Asher was on the level where he could contend with the count for ownership of the wastnd.


    On his left and right sides were his subordinates, all of whom squinted at the sight of the Deste Wolves.


    "Your Lordship, are you certain that we don''t need them to guard the city?" One of them leaned and whispered to ude.


    ude''s lips twitched at the man''s shamelessness. He would rather protect the city he lived in than the core of their wealth.


    But it would be a lie if ude said he didn''t yearn for another garrison of troops for Hebron City. With a thousand Deste Wolves at hismand, he could raise his shoulders anywhere he went.


    These were silver-ranked warriors who could stand toe to toe with a gold rank due to the aid of their full set of silver-ranked armor and the experience the system instilled in them was more than some gold-ranked had.


    At the front, the captain lifted up his right hand and clenched it, folding his fingers into his palm.


    "Halt!"


    The g bearers, upon seeing his signal, bellowed with reverberating voices and the entirepany came to a stilling halt. Like a machine that was shut down.


    Their impressive discipline made ude''s subordinates look at themselves. They were worried Asher would put his eyes on them after destroying the other northern baronies but with such forces, were they even worthy of resisting?


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 160: Blue Fire Cook

    About three dayster, Asher sat in the restaurant with his Blooddes behind him. Asher crossed his legs and kept tapping his hands on the table as he gazed at 20 cooks. All of them had promising grades but he refused to be know.


    If he knew, he would have eyes on those ones with high grades andhave greater expectations, which might affect his decision. Because of that, it was best they prepared meals with the ingredients before them. Before each of them were Hexakad chickens, in and fresh for cooking.


    Killing ten Hexakads, diamond-ranked beasts wasn''t anything to Asher anymore, as he had thousands of them and with constant intake, he had long lost the effects of eating them. Now he only enjoyed their delicious flesh.


    He also had mountain sheep in great numbers, the same for ovoks, Moonlit Starhorn cattle, and Sterling bulls. Above all, the Moonlit Starhorn had the best-tasting meat but because of its delicious milk, which was loved by many in the dominion, only a small percent of the Moonlit cow were in.


    "Go on, cook. I shall select 10 cooks and one master chef."


    Some were nervous after seeing the sort of military this outpost had but due to its grand looks, a good number of them had aspirations.


    When the cooking started, Asher''s eyes danced about and thest cook caught his attention. A cook wearing gloves and a strange attire that proved the cook loved being mysterious.


    The cook''s chopping skills were beyond the world. The chef knife danced about with the vegetables being sliced so cleanly and fashionably that not only Asher but even his Blooddes marveled.


    Strangely, while others made noises as their chef knife hit the chopping board, this cook''s knife did not make such noise. Before they knew it, carrots were already in the pot, followed by peppers, potatoes, and much more, which were diced in few minutes!


    As the seasonings were evenly sprinkled while the soup was being stirred, a mouthwatering aroma burst out like a fragrance, and it tormented not only Asher''s nostrils but also that of other cooks.


    The cook nced at the pot then turned to the table and cleanly divided the chicken intorge parts. Putting them into the boiling stock, blue mes came out of the cook''s palm and entered the fire, transforming it into blue mes.


    Just by bringing the hand down, the mes reduced, and when the cook took his/her hand up, the mes increased.


    Nero blinked.


    Although the mes weren''t big enough to inflict serious damage in a battle, it was perfect for cooking. Its properties were out of this world, but to Asher, it was like watching a human regtor.


    The cook raised a hand and the mes went up, dancing around the body of the pot. To their shock, the cook touched the mes and nodded.


    Seeing this, Asher chuckled softly.


    With a snap of his fingers, the mes went down after a short while and the cook brought out the chicken and diced it in a slim rectangr pattern before transferring it to a smaller pot and boiling it for an even shorter moment before it was served to a waiter.


    The waiter brought the pepper soup before Asher and when Asher looked at it, he marveled. The water twinkled softly and the chicken looked so soft and juicy that for the first time in months, Asher gulped.


    He cleared his throat.


    The vegetables arrayed themselves in a perfect pattern, making it almost seem that the cook dipped a hand into the soup to arrange the vegetables, but Asher watched the cook serve the meal and none of that was done so how it looked so beautifully designed was a mystery.


    But he did notice that even the way the cook served the meal had a special pattern.


    Asher took a spoon but hesitated. Discarding all thoughts, he took a sip.


    Boom!


    Asher''s eyes twinkled.


    The moment it touched his tongue, there was a mini explosion of spice on his taste buds, moderately mixed with a much more ethereal taste that he couldn''t grasp. His taste buds jubted as the liquid flowed down his oesophagus.


    In that short journey, he felt a soothing warmth and this was from a meal that had steam! Asher''s mind had a mini shutdown and by the time he realized himself, he saw an empty bowl.


    Ahem!


    Heposed himself.


    "Next."


    ............¡­


    At the end of the selection, Nero announced the results and those that failed left remorsefully while those that passed kept exercising their gratitude to Asher, all except the cook that prepared the best meal.


    All the cook did was bow.


    "I was wondering if my lord would make a woman the head of this restaurant." The cook suddenly spoke and the voice caught Asher off guard.


    The cook removed her leather gloves exposing her slender fingers, removed the hat, and untied her gambeson to reveal a developed womanly body.


    Even the other cooks were shocked.


    Amongst them, 8 were men and 2 were women but it seemed as if the number would be reduced to 7 men.


    Some couldn''t believe a woman beat them but as she revealed herself, they gasped at her undeniably beautiful looks.


    She had had blood-red hair, pale skin, and a sharp, featured face.


    "I am Priscillia, Your Lordship." She bowed deeply.


    "You''re a great cook. Where did you learn?" Asher avoided her prior question and asked his own.


    "I learnt from Nightfire Kingdom. I attended their Evernight academy to expand my knowledge and acquire experience against magic cooks."


    "Nightfire!"


    Other cooks gasped.


    Asher frowned.


    People from Nightfire were lunatics that saw mages as the true rulers of the world and had disdain for warrior-ruled dominions even though they traded with them.


    That sense of superiority had always been there.


    As one of the main programmers, Asher had faced NPCs from Nightfire as a newbie warrior during testing and that experience scarred him.


    He was a man who refused to be bit twice before he grew wiser.


    "I''m sorry but I have nothing to do with people from Nightfire. Besides, it''s strange that you would leave that magicalnd to this deserted ce."


    "I''m not like the others, Your Lordship. My birthce is here. I left when I was 14 and I can''t mock my homnd because of a foreignnd''s greatness."


    Asher furrowed his brows.


    "You expect me to believe you suddenly felt ufortable in Nightfire and ran back to this wastnd just because it''s your homnd?"


    Asher scoffed.


    Priscillia''s shoulders slumped and she sighed helplessly. "A lord wanted me to have me as his concubine and I fled. No matter how far he could search he would never step into the wastnds."


    This time Asher knew she was telling the truth; he could see it in her eyes and sense it in her tone. In truth, nomoner could say no to a Lord. Only nobles of equal titles had the right to reject the other.


    "You''re hired. But first, what is your grade?"

 Chapter 161: New Armor

    "I am a grandmaster-grade professional cook."


    The moment Priscillia said that, the other cooks sucked in cold air, their eyes wide and their mouths left open even after sucking in the cold air.


    "What attracted you here?"


    "I heard about the miraculous eggs and corn going around and from the notification board, cooks who are hired would be able to prepare different meals with extraordinary ingredients."


    She replied softly.


    "I see. Wee to Westfall Restaurant, Miss Priscillia."


    .........¡­.


    After hiring all 10 cooks, 5 waiters, and 5 waitresses, Asher put up an announcement that the restaurant was open for every citizen to eat for free. But it onlysted till nightfall. The cooks were busy preparing what was on the menu, causing a cloud of different aromas to linger inside and outside the restaurant.


    People kept trooping in, eating merrily, chatting, and praising their lord till nightfall.


    By nightfall, Asher mounted Bezerk and began his journey back with his Blooddes and 20 King Swordsmen.


    Rumble!


    Dust rose up in their trail as they ran through the sandy ins in the early hours of the night. The skies were dimly lit as if it was stained with a purple paint. Beyond the clouds that floated about in their never ending journey, were the stars.


    After a long time, a dark shadow swooshed past them causing Bezerk to lift its forelegs and neigh loudly. Asher could tell his horse was frightened.


    He swiftly reached out for Euodias. His men dismounted, unsheathing their swords as they did. Their eyes move about.


    While the King Swordsmen spread out, the Blooddes came close to Asher who stood in one spot, looking around with a solemn expression. Their horses were still neighing loudly causing their expressions to harden even more.


    "It''s a snake." Nero whispered.


    All of a sudden, a creature lunged out for one of the King Swordsmen but Nero blocked it. His swords created sparks as it shed with the beast''s scales.


    "It''s a sand cobra!" Asher bellowed, dashing toward the beast. When he arrived, he swung his sword at its neck but the snake suddenly vanished into darkness. It was strange for a beast that big to suddenly vanish.


    In the next moment, a Centrak was caught.


    Asher spun unleashing a crimson crescent beam. The snake hissed deeply and it was about to escape when Alex appeared under it, thrusting his sword through its underbelly!


    Nero leaped and plunged his sword into the snake''s eyes causing it to thrash about. The thrashingunched them into the air, raising a massive dust cloud. A shadow moved through the dust cloud and grabbed the snake''s tail.


    With a grunt, he lifted the beast over his head and mmed it behind him with a great thud. Both the twin swords and Alex''s sword went deep, killing the snake instantly.


    Asher let go of the tail, breathing heavily.


    As he lifted up his head, he saw his men looking at him with shocked expressions. Clearly, they never thought their lord had this sort of raw strength.


    [Ding! Host has in a sand cobra, a famous desert predator, along with your valiant men.]


    [Materials for upgrade found: Sand Cobra''s left eye!]


    [Criteria fulfilled. Use the material to upgrade Noble Bloodde Nero. Yes or No?]


    ''Do it.''


    Swoosh!


    A yellowish light left the sand cobra and covered Nero''s face. Grunting, he took several steps backward while clutching his face.


    This was the first time Asher watched an upgrade that looked quite painful. By the time the light died down, Nero was on his knees, panting heavily.


    Asher and Alex noticed the sand around him seemed to have a life of their own. This made the King Swordsmen retreat.


    All of a sudden, Nero vanished, only to appear behind a King Swordsman with sand swirling around him like a mini whirlpool.


    When the King Swordsman felt Nero''s palm against his back, he spun and unleashed a swift cut out of great shock, but Nero leaned back, watching the de swoosh over his face.


    Like a phantom, he appeared beside King Swordsman and then appeared before Asher with his knee on the ground.


    "Thank you."


    "How does your new power work?"


    "I can teleport as far as my Dreath Sight range and as long as there is sand; I can also use sand to heal my wounds."


    Asher raised an eyebrow.


    "How far is the range of your dreath sight?"


    "As I will it. Sometimes 5 meters, sometimes 10, sometimes 100 meters. Max, I can expand it to 1000 meters, but I won''t be able to react much because there will be too much information. But I can freely go anywhere in 100 meters without feeling exhausted."


    Alex''s jaw almost dropped.


    This new ability was boosted massively by his son''s talent, making him a formidable soldier. It seems like his son would catch up to his kill count.


    Nero''s new ability made Asher smile. He felt even more confident in his ns to head for Tiberias and auction his oil. That was his n to attract people to head for the outpost.


    He wasn''t nning to hide the outpost, not even from Count William.


    "What should we do with the cobra''s corpse, Your Lordship? It''s a half-step sacred-ranked beast. Surely, its scales could be used to make great armor formander Eritrea." A King Swordsman said when Asher was about to mount Bezerk.


    "If we were to cut it, it would take a long while. Sacred-ranked swords can''t even cut through it with ease; how are gold-ranked swords supposed to do any better?" Nero retorted calmly.


    He held his left wrist with his right hand and looked at the King Swordsman passively. His demeanour showed that he wasn''t against the King Swordsman but just quoting facts.


    Asher looked at the cobra.


    His eyes flickered for a short moment. "I''ve informed Sirius. Let''s go. He''lle get it."


    Nodding, his men mounted their horses and they continued their journey toward Nineveh.


    ............¡­..


    Boom!


    The castle doors were pulled open, revealing their lord to the servants and maids who stood behind Cynthia and Kelvin.


    Tapk! Tapk!


    Asher''s ck boots tapped against the polished ground as he removed his coat. Kelvin hurriedly took the coat and followed Asher, who went straight for his study.


    "Have you received information from the outpost?" Asher asked while he ascended the stairs.


    "I have. I can only see one problem with it."


    Asher turned.


    "What problem?"


    "Your outpost doesn''t have a name."


    "Ah!" Asher gasped lightly. "We should find a name then."


    They kept chatting until he entered the study.


    All of a sudden, Asher came to a halt and turned to face Kelvin. "We should name it Goshen."


    "Goshen?"


    "Yes. That''s the name of the capital of our Great Dukedom that existed centuries ago."


    "Ah, what an iconic choice, Your Lordship."


    Asher sat down.


    "I''m nning to head for Tiberias and auction 12 barrels of evergreen olive oil. I''ll pay the auction house to advertise the oil and after 4 different sales, 3 barrels per sale, the fame of the oil should spread throughout the city. At least the officials and nobles should hear of it ande looking for the source, which will be Goshen."


    "What if you are recognized?" Kelvin asked with a worried expression.


    "I won''t be."


    When Kelvin finally calmed his worried heart, he cleared his throat. Asher looked at him, sensing there was something he didn''t know about or perhaps he knew but didn''t pay much attention to it.


    "Your lordship, the exploring miners have discovered an adamantine mine in the Ash Mountains; it''s about 100 kilometers away from SilverLeaf."


    Asher turned to face Kelvin fully.


    His ears rang.


    "Adamantine mine!"


    "Indeed."Kelvin nodded with a small smile.


    "How big is it?"


    "It''s a medium-sized mine. Not like the tworge sized silver intricate iron ore mines in the bastide."


    Asher got to his feet.


    "This is great news, Kelvin. Our intricate iron ore is one of the metal ores that can form an alloy with every other metal and even create a unique resonance! With Adamantine, I would be able to start the new armor project."


    "That has been covered. The adamantine mine was found 3 weeks ago and 2 days ago, the cksmiths forged new armor they think will suit the Ashkelon Guards. ording to them, it''s a threeyered armor built to be able to resist an arrow shot 40 meters away without sustaining any damage. It can also repel attacks from sharp weapons and it is half the weight of the current Ashkelon armor."


    Seeing Asher''s stunned expression, Kelvin chuckled inwardly.


    "Because of the unique resonance which they managed to acquire in the blueprint, the armor has the capacity of a half step diamond-ranked armor!"


    "Tomorrow at dawn we leave for SilverLeaf."


    Asher proimed with a determined tone. He had to see this marvelous armor that would change the state of the Ashkelon Guards forever. With this new armor, the Ashkelon Guards would surely be upgraded by the system.


    This meant he would have a division of 10,000 sword and shield knights of the gold rank armed with half-step diamond ranked full set armor.


    With such mighty force, the looming threat of Count William and his powerfulnoble friends vanished like a breeze.

 Chapter 162: Upgrade: Water Powered Forge

    The next day, Asher stood in the forge''s backyard, staring at Nero, who donned the new armor, which Ark called the Ark armor set, courtesy to his name since he was in charge of it, while Dan focused on Asher''s armor.


    The dark silver armor was indeed threeyered, with te armor on top, tightly meshed chain mail beneath the te armor, and leather at the end. The armor had more pieces than the old Ashkelon armor, allowing it to cover more areas.


    Asher could see faint silver lines connecting to each other like an intrinsicwork. These were the silver meridians that amplified the durability of the armor through the battle force flowing from the wearer into it.


    Standing about 50 meters away from Nero was a Stormbringer, aiming her Thunder Bow at the young Bloodde, her eyes unwavering and emotionless.


    Nero couldn''t imagine how she could be so cold-hearted toward her fellow soldier. This made him wonder what kind of training Eritrea made them go through.


    Swish!


    The moment the arrow left the bow with a thunderous sound, it appeared before Nero almost instantly and struck the armor with a great sound. Asher saw a spark, and he turned to the arrow only to see that the arrowhead had broken from the shaft.


    Not even a scratch could be seen on the chestte.


    Ark chuckled.


    "How many can we get in a week''s time?" Asher turned toward him.


    "Maximum of 5. Producing the Ark armor set isn''t easy, Your Lordship. We only have two so far."


    Asher furrowed his brows.


    His eyes suddenly twinkled as he thought of something.


    ''System, I need a water-powered trip hammer forge. Our current one won''t be able to handle the current project.'' On


    [To upgrade this forge into a water-powered forge, there has to be a water source. In order to restructure thend, there will be requirements: 3 peak-grade earth elemental crystals and 5 peak-grade water elemental crystals.]


    [Ding! You have these in your Treasury. Should I proceed with the upgrade? Yes or No?]


    ''Yes.''


    Swoosh!


    Light engulfed the entire bastide, and it began to expand to match the forge''s upgrade. By the time the light came down, Asher saw that the forge had been distanced from the major part of the town.


    It was now in an excluded area, and there was a crystal clear stream flowing by the newly enhanced forge.


    A wheel made of oak wood was by the side of the forge, attached to the building. Inside the forge were several hammers controlled by the movement of the wheel. The hammers were quite big, and they all had brand new anvils.


    Upon seeing this, Ark was confused. He had never seen such machinery in his life but it looked so gigantic and grand that his soul trembled.


    [cksmith Ark White has fulfilled the criteria to be upgraded to be a senior-grade cksmith. Would you like to upgrade him? Yes or No?]


    ''Do it.''


    Swoosh!


    When the light came down, Ark took a step forward. His muscles were bulging, and his skin glimmered like shining bronze. There was a special kind of goggles that protected both his eyes, and a brand new apron was draped over him.


    The size of Ark''s bulging biceps would make one tremble or even feel intimidated.


    "Your Lordship." He said with a thick voice as he went on one knee.


    Asher nodded.


    "Arise."


    He nodded and got to his feet. "Your Lordship, I know how to operate the water-powered trip hammer. It''s excellent machinery that I don''t think exists in Tenaria. My superiors usually use arge amount of workforce, but with this machine alone, I believe we should be able to produce 200 Ark armor sets in a week!"


    "Good. How many apprentices do you have now?"


    "Three," Ark replied.


    "Just three."Asher raised an eyebrow.


    Ark gave a slight nod. "Others are too frivolous. Too focused on either women or food. I''ll be honest, food is the most distracting thing in this dominion. No youngster doesn''t dream of one day purchasing a Hexakad or stuffing their bellies with Moonlit Starhorn milk."


    Asher chuckled at Ark''sints.


    "But the milk is good for your kind of work."


    "It is and I do encourage my apprentices to take it before, during and after work but your love must be your work and not the milk."


    Ark responded deeply.


    "I see. Well then, where are your apprentices."


    Ark was confused as to why Asher wanted to see his apprentices, but he sent for them. A short whileter, 3 men with outstanding statures that revealed their origins as barbarians came to the forge. Their eyes were wide as saucers as they beheld the water-powered forge.


    The moment Asher set his eyes on them, the system''s notification popped up.


    [Sensed host''s intentions. All three have fulfilled the criteria to be journeyman-grade cksmiths after diligently learning under Senior cksmith Ark. Would the host like to upgrade these three cksmiths? Yes or No?]


    ''Go on.''


    After the upgrade, all three of them looked bigger, but they did not have the goggles their master had, and their muscles wereckingpared to Ark''s.


    While there wasn''t much increase to their physical appearances, there was lots of information uploaded into their brains, making them one of the best journeyman cksmiths any lord could find on the continent.


    Along with the knowledge of Boundless, the water-powered forge was also inputted into their minds, giving them the know-how to operate the machine.


    "Ark, you now have three journeymen-grade cksmiths to work with you. So, they must ept apprentices, and you shall also train new ones. We need enough cksmiths, and as you train them, you will see some hidden ws, fix them, and maybe reach a higher grade."


    After enticing Ark with his words, Ark didn''t see a reason to reject or grumble. "We shall go explore the forge."


    With this Ark and his journeymen left. Asher approached the stream, squatted and scooped water in the palm of his hands.


    Looking at the sparkling water trickling back into the stream, his eyes flickered.


    ''Where did this streame from?''

 Chapter 163: Neros Reveal

    [Host, this stream is connected to the Azure river. Using the water elemental crystals and the earth elemental crystals, I constructed an underground current that resulted in this stream.]


    ''I see. So it''s the same thing for the moat around the steel prison.''


    [Yes.]


    Asher got to his feet. He looked up and saw that the wheel was slowly starting to rotate, meaning the machine had been activated by Ark.


    "That impatient cksmith." Asher shook his head.


    Turning, he walked back to where his mount was and climbed it.


    "My Lord."


    Nero pointed at the sky. When Asher looked up, he saw a messenger falcon pping its wings as it soared through the air. It suddenly made a dive, free falling toward him at an extreme speed. A meter away, it spread out its wings, breaking the fall.


    Gently pping the wings, itnded on Asher''s forearm. He stroked the falcon and took the letter at its back.


    It was a letter from Kelvin.


    Opening it, he read of the outpost''s progress and that there was no need to head toward Tiberias as Baron meheart had his merchant stores advertise Goshen, both to officials, mercenaries, andmoners.


    Asher remembered informing ude about his ns, but he didn''t remember asking him for help. However, it seemed like ude was trying hard to tighten their rtionship.


    The next sentence stated that the only hindrance stopping people from trooping into the outpost was the teleportation channel.


    Asher exhaled.


    He believed that with the inflow of people willing to see this wonder of an outpost that promised many otherworldly things, those with nefarious intentions would be in their midst.


    "To Nineveh."


    Rumble!


    Dust rose as he and his men rode away from the bastide, which had grown from a small bastide to a medium-sized one. Their horses galloped through the forests, scaring birds and small creatures.


    While moving, Asher thought of increasing the number of soldiers protecting the city, but he remembered that the cavalry and infantry there should do a nice job intimidating anyone with crazy ns.


    Should he send more soldiers, he would just be exposing more of his power.


    Surely, there would be people with crazy thoughts, and some might even be high-grade nobles, but he wasn''t afraid of them. Goshen was made of strong stone walls and reinforced with green y.


    All he needed to do was constantly teleport soldiers into the city to keep the walls if there was an attack. Unless a duke was willing to send all his troops, breaking into Goshen was going to be a tough nut to crack.


    Nevertheless, Asher did not n for Goshen to be taken over, so he aimed to put pressure on those researching movable trebuchets and ballistas!


    It was time to own these great weapons of war because he would be facing greater powers. He was also sure that once cksmith Dan heard of the water-powered forge, he would move to Silverleaf.


    The forge would also make them finish his armor at a faster rate.


    .........¡­


    Finally, after a few days, the eighth month of the year came to an end. This ninth month made it one year since Asher came to Boundless, and in this same year, his forces had grown from a little over a hundred to a staggering force of 15,000 strong!


    For other nobles, this was nothing, but Asher''s 15,000 strong was worth over an average lord''s 50,000 strong!


    Especially after the Ark armor set would be introduced.


    Aquilia finished the medium-sized teleportation channel that could allow 10 people at once on thest day of the eighth month, and today, which was the first day of the ninth month, Goshen was officially open.


    Asher, clothed with a cloak, sat on the upper floor of Westfall restaurant and looked at the streets that were popted with people from the southern wastnds and the border of the wastnds and the high ins.


    Seated around his table were Aquilia, Nero, Eritrea, Alex, and Alec.


    All five of them wore no armor and had cloaks covering them. This way, they looked like visitors.


    "It''s almost noon, and I am sure over a thousand people have poured out from that teleportation channel." Nero said.


    "Have you noticed any odd fellow? Maybe someone sent from Count William?"


    All of them shook their heads. They had been on the field, which was the outpost in this case, making sure there was no troublemaker, but since the early hours of the morning till now, not one troublemaker or suspicious fellow had been spotted.


    "I''ll go meet Kelvin at the trade market then."


    Asher rose up and walked away. His coat fluttered as he walked, and all of them watched him until he left the upper floor.


    "His Lordship is looking better with each passing month." Eritrea said as she sliced the deliciously prepared mountain sheep meat on their table.


    Alec nced at her while Alex chuckled. "Of course. Do you know the amount of Moonlit Starhorn milk he takes in daily?"


    "Starhorn milk is what made Lord Asher look that great!" Nero''s eyes widened.


    Alec patted his head.


    "No. It will just make you frequent the privy."


    Nero snapped his head toward his father.


    Alex chuckled.


    "He''s stronger than all of us." All of a sudden, Aquilia, the one that was never associated with othermanders, spoke. There was a sudden silence.


    "His swordsmanship has been growing. It''s only been a year, but he can face me and my brother head-on." Alec replied.


    "He''s that good already!" Eritrea gasped.


    "Not only that, but..." Nero lifted up his hand, and sand danced around on the palm of his hand while he chuckled proudly.


    Eritrea and Aquilia blinked. They leaned forward, looking at the spectacr disy on the youngd''s palm while Alec squinted.


    "How are you able to do that?"


    Eritrea questioned while Aquilia looked straight at thed''s face with questions in her eyes.


    "His Lordship took it from a sand cobra and gave it to me."


    Aquilia''s expression changed from curiosity to disbelief. "He can just give people elements?!"


    Nero shrugged.

 Chapter 164: King Bread

    Tapk! Tapk!


    As Asher walked down, he could hear a banter. When he finally reached the ground floor, he saw arge number of people. All the chairs and tables were filled and some were even outside. He could see the waiters and waitresses moving with trays. Some carried warm milk; some carried meals prepared with Golden Fragrant corn and Hexakad eggs.


    "What in the world did they use to bake this wondrous bread?" A voice stood out from the rest, causing Asher to look over; it was a stout man with a group of men and women sitting around a round table. He guessed they were a small mercenary group because of their dressing style and the weapons attached to their waists and backs.


    He was stuffing a special bread on the menus called the King Bread. It was enticingly golden at the top but milkish white at the middle and the bottom. It was so soft that the stout, fully bearded man moaned with each bite.


    By his side was a jug of Moonlit Starhorn milk. That bread was made with Jade Wheat, Hexakad eggs, and crystal spring water, making it have a heavenly taste. Coupled with the milk, it was pure bliss.


    "You should taste this chicken soup." One of hisrades spoke to him without raising his head as he was focused on enjoying his meal.


    "Hey! Waiter!!"


    People were calling the waiters while some were so focused on their meals that Asher was certain they wouldn''t react if he drew his sword. Seeing them eat so voraciously, even he felt a bit hungry.


    The cheapest meal cost about 50 bronze coins and it was Moonlit Starhorn milk neutralized with lots of crystal spring water.


    There wasn''t even sugar!


    The meals that cost hundreds of gold coins were served to the VIP members upstairs. They had private rooms apart from the public area where he sat with hismanders. Asher was sure that some nobles were in that room.


    In fact, Baron ude was in one VIP room with his wife and friends, both those in his domain and those outside the northern wastnds.


    No doubt by the end of the day, he would make over 1000 gold coins and this was him being humble. In true sense, he would make over 2,500 gold coins daily!


    This was with the calction that the poption would increase from tomorrow.


    After a brief scan, he walked out of Westfall restaurant, making his way for where the oil was sold. At the oil store, he found Kelvin seated behind a desk facing a long line of men and women, most of whom were merchants.


    Inside the storehouse behind Kelvin were barrels of oil. On the lid and body of each barrel was the sigil of House Ashbourne.


    "Next."


    Kelvin said and the man before him walked toward the left and gave the men standing there a paper slip. After reading it, the men lifted two barrels of evergreen olive oil and went to where carts were parked to load it for the merchant.


    When Asher walked past the long line and ascended the stairs, some people began to grumble but they saw how Kelvin got up and bowed his head, "Your Lordship."


    Both he and the Deste Wolves guarding him all paid their respects, causing their murmuring to die instantly.


    "That''s the lord of this outpost."


    Some whispered.


    "I heard he''s the one who took down two baronies in one go. Not even the count could react."


    "What''s his name?"


    While their murmuring fell into Asher''s ears, he leaned forward, looking at the register on the desk. "How many have you sold?"


    "40 barrels, My Lord."


    "How many barrels do you think we will sell by the end of the day?"


    "About 200."


    Asher squinted. A barrel was about 10 gold coins, meaning they would gain about 2000 gold coins by the end of the day. Well, this was good since he had yet to attract any big merchant guild.


    The guild ude had booked over 500 barrels in one go and Asher knew big merchant guilds could book thousands because they supplied to various regions and if he could start a trade withnded nobles who would also buy in massive numbers, he would surely fill the treasury.


    But, while the restaurant and the oil did not produce massive amounts instantaneously, there were means of revenue that wouldst, even after his rule.


    Gradually, they would make his domain so rich that he could stand in the same ce with the continent''s top figures.


    Two more ranks and he would be an imperial swordsman! A rank where thews governing lifespan would be broken and he could easily surpass a hundred years. The great dukes reached the level but died because of one reason or another.


    However, Atticus did not reach this level and he was the only one that died out of the natural cause of old age.


    "My Lord, this outpost was a great idea." Kelvin whispered and Asher smiled.


    He turned and looked at the people whose eyes were on him.


    "I sent a letter to Sapphira informing her that today would be the grand opening of Goshen. Did she send a reply stating why she rejected an invitation from her lord?" Asher looked at Kelvin.


    Kelvin cleared his throat.


    He could sense Asher had no knowledge that he was actualy slightly hurt that Sapphira didn''t appear and it showed through his words. At the end of his sentence, he was already exercising his authority as a lord when it was an invitation that could be rejected.


    "I believe she is restrained by her duties. Ever since the people knew of her existence, the sick keep trooping into Nimrim."


    Asher''s eyes flickered.


    "I see."


    Some timeter, he went back to Westfall and decided to visit the cooks. As he walked into the kitchen, he froze in his tracks because right beside Priscillia, the beautiful blue fire cook was a great beauty sweating slightly.


    It was none other than...

 Chapter 165: Cursed Beauty

    It was none other than¡­ Sapphira Cyrene!


    His pupils shook.


    The moment she saw him, her breath hitched.


    He walked toward them and looked at both women. Their eyes were locked on his face. Clearly, they were shocked to see him here.


    "I''ve been here since the early hours of the morning and I haven''t been served even warm milk." Asher said with a in expression.


    Sapphira raised an eyebrow.


    "Did you order it?"


    Priscillia looked at her and coughed softly. "My Lord, what would you like to eat?"


    Asher pursed his lips. "What''s your best?"


    Sapphira rolled her eyes at Asher while Priscillia dutifully made known her best dish and in the end, Asher neglected all and chose the King Bread and a warm cup of the most expertly prepared Moonlit Starhorn Milk, which went for about 1 gold coin.


    And it only filled a mug.


    After a brief chat with Prisci, Asher walked out feeling a bit odd since Sapphira kept staring at him with a strangely beautiful smile the entire time. Her smile alone outshined Priscillia''s beauty.


    Slowly, he walked past to the second floor and sat down on an empty table. Hismanders had left to continue their duty.


    About three other individuals were in the room while the others were in VIP rooms. Not long after he sat looking through the window, Sapphira walked toward his table and dropped a tray.


    Asher looked at her confident smirk and at the meal. Looking down, he saw that the bread was sliced in the middle with lots of eye-catching stuff like tomatoes, sliced chicken, and much more.


    "Is that a sandwich?!''


    His eyes widened.


    "I added a little twist to it. Don''t you like it?" Sapphira asked softly.


    "Did you make more?" Asher asked as he grabbed the sandwich. Before she could respond, he was already chewing.


    Sapphira chuckled charmingly and sat opposite him with her palms supporting her chin. "I had a feeling you''d like it."


    Asher was taken aback for a moment as Sapphira''s charm got to him but it wasn''t as severe as other men who had forgotten their food and were drooling at her. The fact that she didn''t look irritated proved how well her mind had adjusted to the reality that men would always revere her.


    In all honesty, her beauty was enticing. It was like the urge to eat a very delectable meal but you are restricted from doing so. This made the urge ever burning, ever consistent, and ever growing until it was satiated.


    In all senses, Sapphira was the bane of men.


    Unfortunately, her bane was the man sitting opposite her. The one who could resist her the effects of her talent even when he sat so close.


    "Goshen. A great name for an outstanding outpost. Your naming sense is noteworthy, My Lord."


    Asher smiled a bit and resumed eating. This made Sapphira pout.


    Meanwhile inside of Asher, he fought against the urge to admire this exotic beauty who was busy making the most appealing faces he had ever seen in his life. She was way better than the models of earth and this was without makeup. Her eyshes were naturally long, as long as an artificial one and her light pink lips glistened like she applied lip gloss.


    Sapphira was designed and built to be the epitome of beauty by her talent. This went to show how powerful talents could be.


    At this moment, Asher remembered he had not checked Sapphira''s talent.


    Bracing himself, he looked into her pupils.


    [Name: Sapphira Cyrene


    [Age: 102


    Rank: Saint


    Talent: Nature''s Blessed (SSS) Cursed Beauty (SS)


    Loyalty: 85


    Job: Grand Priestess


    [Talent description: Nature''s Blessed is a talent that gives the individual the blessings of nature. With this talent, the individual can bring life to wherever they go and nature''s serenity into their surroundings. Around these individuals, all life prospers!]


    [Second Talent: Cursed Beauty. This talent is a gift and a curse because while it grants the individual undeniable beauty and charm that not even a man with the hardest heart can ignore, it also makes the individual to be seen as a prize. This talent is a curse because no male, human or beast is free from its influence, causing the individual to never live a normal life, but this curse will not apply to anything that is not of this world.]


    "What are you doing?" Sapphira tucked some strands of her hair behind her right ear. It was at this moment that Asher realized Sapphira has pointy ears but they weren''t as long as an elf''s.


    "Nothing." Asher went back to eating.


    "Is it only going to be milk?"


    "What?"


    Asher lifted up his head.


    "I was discussing with Priscillia and we came to the conclusion that there is one thing missing. It''s wine."


    "Wine."


    "Yes." Her lips curled upward.


    "We should buy them." Asher said halfheartedly.


    "How about using your talent on grapes? You have made wheat grow in one month and made the wondrous evergreen olive tree; what about grapes? They would make a great wine and I believe the upgraded one would be exotic."


    "Since you mentioned grapes, you must have a recipe."


    "I don''t but Priscillia does. It''s called the blood wine. Its main ingredient is grapes and many nobles of different nations mour for it. Those who have it are seen as more prominent than the others so if we make ours with special grapes, I believe we can beat them and earn more revenue."


    Asher sipped his milk.


    "Call Priscillia then. I''m interested in this idea."


    .........¡­


    The next day, a tall, able-bodied man d in luxurious attire and a white flowing coat to match his white hair walked into a meeting hall where imposing guards could be found at every corner.


    Arge table dominated the center of the meeting hall, and around this table were nobles, mostly viscounts, generals, and three iconic figures, which were Liya Tigris, Cain Tigris, who was William firstborn, and Sofia Tigris, the elvin countess of Tigris County!


    William assumed his throne and sat down. Everyone was on their feet and it was after he sat down that they also sat down.


    "Your Lordship, we have seeded in the wilnds'' conquest and we now have a great army of wilnd barbarians known for their fearsome horseback riding skills. With them and the assistance of Duke Nubis, we can begin the grand conquest n." William''s firstborn, Cain, rose up and said with a deep tone.


    Before others could start congratting him on his sess, one so great that they might have the forces to swallow a neighboring dukedom, William cleared his throat.


    "House Ashbourne¡­ has begun to rise under the rule of that bastard child. They have conquered the northern wastnd."


    "Which bastard? Asher?!" Liya''s pupils shook.

 Chapter 166: Tigris Councils Plot

    William turned to his daughter and sighed. He could understand her shock. Asher was supposed to have died a nobody, a sick one at that.


    This samed was once a prodigy, one so talented in the sword that the nobles of the wastnds feared the Ashbournes would rise through him.


    It was extremely crazy to think that the great Ashbounes would rise through a bastard child.


    Even he, the count, believed it and for that reason he betrothed Asher to Liya.


    This plot was to marry Asher into House Tigris!


    That way, House Ashbourne would lose their skilled young swordsman and potential leader and he would gain a powerful servant.


    Along the way, Asher suddenly fell ill and it was diagnosed to be the same one that killed his mother.


    "Isn''t he a cripple?" Viscount Syria, one of the count''s most favored vassals, said with a raised brow.


    "Apparently, thed knows how to trick people into believing his made-up truth." Sofia, Liya''s mother, spat in a tone that was still quite soft.


    It was as if she never got furious.


    "It would be an insult to you, father. Other nobles wouldugh at us, saying youck foresight. You had such a talent under your grasp, and you lost him." Cain''s words made Liya re at him, but the man, who looked like his father, ignored his stepsister.


    He looked straight into his father''s eyes.


    William looked right back at his son and smiled a bit. "He''s still a pawn. In a way, he has gathered all the baronies into one ce, allowing me to take them in one fell swoop."


    Cain smirked. It had always been his wish for his father to officially im the wastnds.


    "I can lead 10,000 Wilnd horse riders and force him to his knees. Just give permission." Cain went on one knee and said with his head lowered.


    "No."


    Count William''s reply shocked the nobles, his wife, and his daughter.


    "I don''t understand... why?" Cain lifted up his head.


    "de Nubis has already sent 100 Dark Skies to meheart''s domain along with 2000 Tigris Infantry."


    Cain''s pupils shook. "100 Dark Skies!"


    Even Sofia gasped.


    "Isn''t that a little bit too much? Just 10 Dark Skies would be able to take that baron''s domain. He''s merely a merchant that bought his way up there." Viscount Syria said.


    Liya chuckled. Glee could be seen in her eyes as she pped softly.


    Cain red at her. "Father, you let an outsider know about a family problem before your family members!" He clenched his teeth as his gaze locked on his father''s expressionless face.


    "de is also a son to me."


    William replied.


    Cain clenched his teeth harder. "I see." He muttered under his breath, his fist clenched so hard that his fingers almost pierced into the flesh of the palm of his hand.


    He got to his feet and sat down.


    "You will lead the invasion. Let the Dukedom of Mormont face the might of 100,000 strong Tigris soldiers."


    Upon hearing that from his father, Cain fell on one knee and bowed deeply.


    "I shall not let you down, father!"


    What was a small baronypared to leading a fearsome force of 100,000 gathered from the wilnds into the domain of the House Mormont?


    It was time for them to ascend from the title of count to that of duke!


    "I heard House Ashbourne now has the title of count, and it was bestowed upon them by the imperial family. If Asher is truly a count, do we disregard the imperial family?"


    Viscount Syria questioned.


    "That is why the n is to take control of his only ally and wait to see his reaction. If he sends forces to rescue the mehearts, then it shall be recorded that he initiated the attack, but if he doesn''t attack, then he will be in a tight corner. Because we would have taken over a massive part of his territory and sent bandits to attack those visiting his outpost."


    Hearing what Count William said, Viscount Syria shook his head. "So he lost right from the start."


    "Correct."


    William responded.


    "But¡­"


    Everyone turned to the general. Count William raised an eyebrow. "What is it, General?"


    "Is this outpost the one called Goshen?"


    "It is," said Viscount Syria.


    The general cleared his throat. "Have you heard of the diamond-ranked Hexakad chickens being sold in their restaurants along with their eggs? Have you heard of the Golden Fragrant Corn and their meals that can increase lifespans and clear the internal system of infections and budding sickness? Have you heard of their Moonlit Starhorn Milk, whiches from a true Moonlit Starhorn cow?"


    By the time the general was done, there was a sudden silence.


    Looking at everyone''s faces, the general did not know what to say. He thought this outpost was owned by one of his lord''s vassals, and his lord was funding it in secret.


    It was one of his men that told him about it, and he sent for a meal there. After tasting the meal, he had spent almost 200 gold coins throughout yesterday and today. The only thing he thought theycked was a proper wine.


    "Are you joking?" Liya got to her feet, looking at the general like she was about to attack him at any moment.


    "Where did Asher get Moonlit Starhorn cows or Hexakad chickens? Do you know how rare these animals are?!"


    "Golden Fragrant corn has only been spotted in the capital. In the entire domain governed by the Eternal Immortal Empire, only one region has this rare corn, so how did that unknown lord who lives in an uncharted territory get so much to sell?"


    Sofia questions with squinted eyes.


    "I have their bread." The general said quickly. William gave him permission to get what he had ordered, and the general brought the King Bread, the Moonlit Starhorn Milk, and some remaining meals that he had not eaten.


    When Viscount Syria and Cain tried it, they felt like their taste buds would never stop jubting.


    "What kind of wondrous food is this?!" Viscount Syira remarked.


    Cain gulped.


    "Father, this outpost might be more important than we thought."

 Chapter 167: Hebron Under Attack

    A servant brought a cup of milk to William, and he sniffed it before taking a sip. His eyes lit up as a warm sensation went down his throat.


    He could feel a minor buildup that would umte as long as he took more of this sort of milk.


    His eyes narrowed.


    "Call Darius Enoch."


    His voice reverberated. A couple of minutester, the doors were pushed open, and a seven-foot-tall man-armored figure d in a dark purple cloak walked into the hall. He had a great sword strapped to his back, and his helmet hid his face.


    His steps were silent despite his heavy armor that peeked from his cloak.


    When he had reached the middle of the hall, he bowed his head. "You sent for me, My Lord."


    Darius Enoch was William''s sellsword, a formidable warrior that not even Count William''s children had fullmand of.


    His might wasn''t known by many in the county because he was a hidden figure, one meant to act when it was critical.


    "Darius, I want you to head for the meheart''s domain. I have given you charge over the troops on their way there. Take down that city and prepare for the Ashbournes'' response."


    "House Ashbourne still exists?" Darius tilted his head.


    William chuckled. "Not after you''re done with it."


    "As you wish."


    Darius transformed into a purplish ck blur and left the hall like he was never present.


    "Father, don''t you think this outpost should be under my jurisdiction after it bes ours?"


    Cain''s words made Liya scowl.


    ...


    Two dayster, a soldier on the walls of Hebron City woke up from a p to his shoulder, causing him to stagger forward.


    He held the wall and was about to yell when he saw mes heading for the city.


    It was the dark hours of the morning, and there was thick fog hindering his sight, but it couldn''t hide the burning torches.


    "What in the world is that?" He rubbed his eyes and squinted. "Are those¡­"


    Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish!


    Countless arrows suddenly burst through the fog like a dark tide. The soldier''s eyes widened, and before he could lift up his shield, several arrows met him.


    Hisrades were no different. Some were able to lift up their shields, but the tide of arrows seemed to never have an end, causing some of them to loosen their grip.


    Thud! Thud!


    Nics couldn''t believe his eyes as he watched over a hundred men fall, and more were falling. As soldiers ran up the wall, they fell. It was an endless cycle of cruelty!


    Those who were able to defend with their shields grew weaker with time, and even Nics had to clench his teeth tightly.


    His face became red.


    "Argh!"


    A soldier beside him tried to move backward, and two arrows struck him.


    On the other hand, Caleb meheart, ude''s son, ran out of his room to the balcony and saw a rain of arrows that darkened the skies, ying soldiers in great numbers. His heart shook.


    All of a sudden, a dark purple light shattered the thick wooden gates and bars. The dark purple light yed the soldiers standing behind the gates.


    Before his eyes, 50 men fell!


    Caleb clenched his fist tightly as he stared at the battlefield until a soldier walked into the balcony. "My Lord, we are under attack; the soldiers need your support."


    Caleb clenched his teeth. "Why is my father not back?"


    Although heined, the young man walked into his room, grabbed his sword, and left the manor with 50 personal guards. After gathering 1000 men from the barracks and mounting his horse, Caleb led his troops toward the gates.


    When they were close to the gates, he saw Tigis infantrymen d in their white tiger armor cutting down his men. The Tigris Infantrymen had greater numbers while his men were remaining about forty with Nics, who had an arrow through his left arm.


    "Kill them!"


    Caleb bellowed, and his men dashed toward the Tigris Infantrymen. When both forces shed, the difference in training was revealed.


    The Tigris Infantrymen were too powerful for the meheart soldiers, despite their strong willpower.


    While the battle went on, Caleb saw a man clothed in a cloak that had a hood. The man only needed to swing his sword horizontally, and several meheart soldiers would fall. Their te armor was like paper before his might.


    All of a sudden, the man looked at him and shot toward him.


    Seeing this, Caleb''s personal soldiers formed a wall of defense, but it was scattered with just one sh.


    "How amusing." Darius muttered.


    "I am the son of Baron meheart. Who are you?!" Caleb said with his sword pointed toward Darius.


    "Darius Enoch. I am here to take your city."


    Caleb frowned as Darius chuckled.


    All of a sudden, Darius turned toward Caleb''s bodyguard, the same man that came into the balcony.


    "Have you ever thought about thrusting your sword through the man you''re supposed to protect?"


    Caleb furrowed his brows.


    Puchi!


    His eyes widened, and he turned to look at his bodyguard, who staggered backward, leaving the sword embedded in him.


    "You¡­!"


    He could see unwillingness in the bodyguard''s eyes, but his actions spoke differently.


    "Ha! You feel so much guilt. Why don''t you strangle yourself?"


    The bodyguard was shocked to see his hands heeding Darius'' words. His own hands grabbed his throat and kept tightening until his vision darkened.


    Thud!


    The other guards scattered as dread enveloped their souls.


    Darius brandished his sword and pointed it at the city. "Fire."


    At hismand, the Dark Skies finally revealed themselves from the fog behind the walls. They wore ck cloaks that hid their faces and had fourrge silver quivers made of metal around their waists.


    Each quiver had a great amount of arrows. Their silver quivers matched their silver chestte and silver bows.


    Each of them was a walking turret. Once they began to shoot, the skies were darkened by their arrows.


    Their presence alone was enough to frighten Dukes, for they were the elite of the elites, an intimidating troop trained by the dukedom of Nubis!

 Chapter 168: Sacred-Ranked Ice Mage Beauty

    Boom!


    The doors to the main hall were mmed open, startling Asher, who was looking at the new mural.


    In the mural was the image of Ariel sitting on a throne with her son, Atticus Ashbourne, standing behind her with his hands on her shoulders.


    Beside him was Sapphira. They had spent time touring the castle together, discovering new things that he, the castle lord, had not seen before.


    One example was the mural.


    "What about the father of her son?" Sapphira just asked that question when the door was mmed open and Kelvin approached them with hurried steps.


    "My Lord, Baron meheart''s son has been killed and his domain taken."


    "What?!" Asher and Sapphira eximed with their eyes narrowed.


    "I just heard of it, Your Lordship."


    Asher frowned deeply. "Is it Count William?"


    Kelvin nodded. "It is. He has taken over Hebron City and is spreading his influence to Hebron Town but has met a fierce defense from our troops garrisoned there."


    Sapphira''s eyebrows met as some lines appeared on her forehead.


    "What about Baron meheart and his wife?"


    "They know."


    "I need to meet with him." Asher said swiftly.


    "Apologies, Your Lordship but Baron meheart and his wife left for Hebron City because he has been threatened with the death of his remaining son if he doesn''t appear."


    Asher''s eyes widened.


    "He was threatened and he left without informing me to aid him in with troops?! That''s not the ude that I know."


    "You suspect he was abducted?" Sapphira tilted her head.


    Asher turned his head toward her. "He was and either by someone strong enough to bypass Goshen''s security or by a mage with the ability to teleport."


    Sapphira pressed her lips together. "We need to build an interference tower that would hinder mages from teleporting into and out of a city without permission."


    "An interference tower?" Kevin raised an eyebrow. He had no idea of such technology.


    "How did you know about that?" Asher turnedpletely toward her.


    "It''s in a tome that my parents left for me. I thought it was their knowledge until the difference between them and me became obvious."


    "I see."


    "If Count William has decided to attack my ally, knowing fully well that I also am a count, then he wants war."


    Asher''s solmen tone made Kelvin exhale loudly.


    "My Lord, this is tough to say but the news has spread that Count William is marching 100,000 strong to conquer the Dukedom of Mormonts."


    "What?!" Asher was taken aback.


    "Since when did he gather such a great number?"


    "It was from a recent expedition into the Wilnds. He has made all the ns and tribes there to be his."


    "meheart is an ally."


    Asher''s response made Kelvin know that Asher had made up his mind to fight and reim the meheart domain.


    "But My Lord..."


    "Summon all the militarymanders and my counselors."


    Asher interjected.


    Kelvin took a step back, bowed, and left.


    Sapphira sighed. "The actual target is you."


    "I know." Asher''s eyes flickered. "I''ve been preparing for it for a year now."


    ...¡­.


    Later that day, Asher sat on his throne in the sacred hall with hismanders and counselors before him.


    He was thest to enter the hall and because of that, all of them fell on one knee, all including Sapphira and Katarina, who were the counselors.


    "We greet His Lordship!!"


    Their voices echoed.


    "Arise." Asher replied with a soft tone yet the authorative undertone was still palpable.


    They all got to their feet. Asher looked at Sapphira''s bare white feet on the polished floor for a brief moment before turning away.


    He was beginning to wonder why her feet weren''t filled with dust but gleamed like she just had a bath.


    "Our ally''s city has been taken, his heir killed, his younger son in custody and our ally''s condition is unknown but I reckon he would be in the hands of Count William''s men by now."


    "What do you wish?" Adam, the only general amongst them asked. So far, he had never fought a war except for the battle against the Bashan ns.


    Because of this, his might wasn''t known to many. In fact, Asher knew some of hismanders wouldn''t listen to Adam because they also doubted his capability.


    Only he knew that no one had control more than Adam. Adam''s talent''s side effect made him unable to speak loudly or the power of the roar would tear that person apart!


    The level of willpower and control he had was unprecedented.


    "To reim what belongs to our ally."


    "Let me go; I''ll reim the city for you." All of a sudden, Aqu proposed.


    Asher looked at her. "Your rank is too low."


    "Then let me assist whoever you shall send." She lowered her head.


    Seeing this, Asher knew she had finally humbled herself. He proceeded to check her loyalty stats and saw that it had reached 90.


    This was a safe number.


    From seventy-up was safe. At least they wouldn''t betray him easily.


    [Ding! Mage Commander Aqu has fulfilled the final criteria for an upgrade:pletely epting her new lord. Would you like to upgrade her? Yes or No?]


    [Ding! She has fulfilled another criteria: experience. Would you like to upgrade her? Yes or No?]


    Asher knew the experience was gained from the teleportation channel she had been building for him so far.


    She must have studied intensely to be able to build the grand teleportation channels. This technology was sensitive. A wrong setting and the whole thing would copse.


    ''Yes to both.''


    Swoosh!


    When the light died down, a beauty whose long silver hair fell to her waist could be seen on her knees. Her skin as delicate as ever and her mage gown gracefully wrapped around her elegant figure.


    Her eyes were closed and her ck eyshes trembled intermittently.


    Her fingersnails had the color of the bright blue sea, as as her fingers folded inward, ice spread outward.


    But the spreading ice suddenly melted and the water rose up to be floating droplets.


    The moment she opened her eyes, there was a sparkle.


    [Ding! Mage Commander Aqu''s love and loyalty have reached 100!]


    [Congrattions! You can now start a Mage Troop!]

 Chapter 169: Darius & Enoch

    The others watched her rise to her feet.


    She bowed. "Greetings, Your Lordship."


    After this upgrade, which took her to the level of a sacred-ranked mage, her beauty also shot through the roof, making her the desire of men, those with power and those who could only keep dreaming.


    While her beauty was appealing to every man in the hall, two women still surpassed her.


    They were Eritrea, the reason being that she had a faint elvin bloodline in her veins and Sapphira, who was at an unbeatable level.


    There was no doubt that both women were envious of her when it came to looks.


    "Alec." Asher turned toward Alec, who took a step forward when his name was spoken.


    "Send two morepanies of Deste Wolves to Goshen and make sure there are enough messenger falcons. I don''t n to lose contact with Goshen."


    "I shall do as you have said." Alec lowered his head.


    Asher nodded.


    "Aqu, you will lead 1000 Deste Wolves to the meheart domain. I expect reports to be ryed to me without dy."


    Aqu went on one knee with her face toward the floor. "I will not disappoint you."


    Asher revealed a small smile before turning to othermanders.


    "Eritrea, what is the current number of Stormbringers markswoman?"


    "500, My Lord. All are well prepared for any battle."


    Asher smiled. One could see that he had faith in Eritrea''s words.


    "What about you, Lambert?"


    "Also 500. The debreakers are ready to demolish whatever you point at us."


    Asher chuckled at Lambert''s excitement for battle.


    Finally, he turned to Adam.


    Adam took a firm step forward. "10,000 Ashkelon Guards are at yourmand, My Lord."


    "Good. But I need the Ashkelon Guards to guard Ashkelon. The ns in the depths of the Bashan basin are still a threat."


    Adam nodded and went back.


    After some discussion, themanders left. Aqu went straight to pack up, as she would leave by dawn the next day.


    Only Asher, one Bloodde who was Alex, his butler, and the counselors remained.


    Nero was in Goshen.


    "This will result in a full-blown war, My Lord." Katarina said softly.


    "I know. But I can''t be oppressed by a fellow count."


    Asher rose up from his seat as the back doors opened. Cynthia walked in with a steaming cup of green tea on a tray.


    As Cynthia was walking toward him, he was also walking toward her. They met in the middle and he took the tea.


    After a long exhale, he sipped it.


    "Always refreshing. Thank you for rmending this green tea, Sapphira."


    "It''s my pleasure." She responded with a charming smile.


    "Did you have a vision?"


    "There''s a man sent by Count William. Be careful of him or he will make you count a great loss."


    Asher raised an eyebrow.


    "A man. Did you perhaps see his face?"


    "No. He wears a helmet and a hooded cloak. His name is Darius Enoch but be more careful of Enoch."


    Sapphira arched her brow.


    There was no sense in what Katarina said.


    "What does that mean?" Asher lost his appetite for the green tea as he stared at Katarina with a solemn expression.


    "That you can''t face him."


    "Where is Darius Enoch now?"


    "Darius is in Hebron City but Enoch is heading for Goshen as we speak."


    Crack!


    The cup in Asher''s hand shattered and he threw the pieces to the ground.


    Stomping toward the door, he bellowed. "Kelvin, bring my sword. Alex, gather the King Swordsmen!"


    Without a second nce at Katarina, he stormed out. Sapphira looked at the soothsayer with a perplexed expression.


    "Why do you speak as if Darius Enoch isn''t one man?"


    "He''s actually two men inside one body and both have different talents."


    Sapphira''s eyes widened.


    .........


    Tapk! Tapk!


    A 7-foot-tall man in a purple-ck hooded cloak could be seen walking toward the walls of Goshen, his cloak fluttering.


    When he got close to the walls, he found soldiers in gleaming silver armor at the top of the wall.


    Even the gates were locked.


    He tilted his head.


    "You knew of mying?" His voice was soft, as if he spoke to himself.


    Lifting up his head, he gazed at the man on the alure above the gates. He had gray hair, light golden eyes, and an oppressive aura.


    He wore a white fur coat and held a strange-looking sword.


    "Ah, it''s a pleasure to meet thest remaining Ashbourne."


    He grabbed the hilt of his sword and unsheathed it.


    Shing!


    He drew his sword from his back. With the tip drawing a line on the sand, he kept on walking.


    Asher squinted.


    Suddenly, Enoch began to run and his eyes turned ghostly white. A white mist billowed off his body!


    Asher blinked but he couldn''t see anything except darkness. Blinking several times still didn''t allow him to see, hear, or smell anything. It felt like he was falling into a pool of darkness.


    A chilling feeling spread out from the depths of his soul.


    Meanwhile, not only Asher but there was chaos on the wall as everyone lost ess to their senses.


    "Ha!"


    Enoch leaped over 10 meters and swung his sword, unleashing a massive crescent sword light that was about to consume everyone on the wall, when a figure flew out of the wall and blocked the strike.


    Enoch was shocked.


    Both he and the figurended, their eyes locked on each other.


    "How is it that you can still see and hear?" Enoch gasped as he stared at the Bloodde, who slowly unsheathed his second sword.


    "You can''t touch His Lordship."


    Nero said as he assumed a battle stance.


    "How old are you?"


    Enoch said as he pointed his sword at Nero.


    "Doesn''t matter to you."


    Swoosh!


    Both of them closed the gap. There was a minor shockwave as they shed along with a dust fog that hid their figures.


    "AHH!"


    Enoch spun his sword. Runes appeared midair, transforming into a fiery, fierce beasthead that had four eyes.


    "Die!"

 Chapter 170: Upgrading The Priestess

    The fiery creature reflected in Nero''s pupils, shocking him greatly as he knew this was a magic skill.


    Just when the fiery creature was about to consume him, a pair of golden wings burst out of his back and covered him. At the same time, a halo appeared around him, radiating a soft, serene light.


    There was a mini explosion and when it cleared up, Enoch saw a pair of golden wings shielding Nero.


    Nero parted his wings. He pped them softly and slowly lifted them off the ground.


    Enoch took a step back, looking at the man who suddenly developed wings and a strange halo with furrowed brows hidden under his helmet.


    "What are you?!"


    He gasped. This was the first time he met someone with a talent that countered his supposed invincible talent and not only that but this individual was even more strange.


    Boom!


    Nero shot toward him, unleashing four shes thatunched golden lights. Enoch evaded the lights.


    He swung his sword horizontally when Nero was before him.


    ng!


    Swiftly pulling out a dagger, Enoch thrust it toward Nero''s abdomen but the dagger bounced off Nero''s chestte!


    His eyes widened.


    Bam!


    Nero mmed him away with one of his wings and proceeded to p them. Dust rose up, blurring Enoch''s sight but to Nero, this was his domain.


    Swish!


    Enoch grunted when he felt a cut to his abdomen. Grinding his teeth, he swung his sword about but couldn''t get Nero.


    In the next moment, he activated his talent and everything seemed like he was the only light in a world of darkness!


    In this state, he could see Nero''s silhouette and when the young Bloodde was close, Enoch tightened his grip around hisrge sword.


    He growled.


    "Hold him!"


    The minute he said that, a force held Nero and he could only watch the sword head for the opening in his helmet.


    There was a slight movement in the air and his Dreath Sight revealed a figure floating above them. Because the individual was still all this while, his Dreath Sight couldn''t uncover the invisibility spell.


    ''A Mage!''


    Nero''s heart shook and he could only watch the sword get closer but when it was about to pierce through his eyes, his halo contracted and formed a screen around him.


    Enoch''s sword struck the screen but couldn''t even dent it.


    His pupils shook and he swiftly retreated as the wind mage hurtled down wind des to stop Nero from chasing after Enoch.


    Swoosh!


    The mage flew toward Asher when he saw that Enoch would not be able to pass Nero anytime soon.


    He swung his staff and several wind des manifested midair. All of them were heading for Asher, who stood frozen like a statue.


    Suddenly, a fairy appeared above the wall. She flew so fast that it seemed like she teleported. Her white gown fluttered as she hovered above Asher.


    Gently lifting her right hand, a barrier appeared and blocked the wind des. Seeing her, the mage''s eyes slowly grew wider.


    He couldn''tprehend how a woman could look this attractive. His walls of defense fell faster than anything and he lowered his staff, instantly forgetting he wanted to kill Asher.


    All of a sudden, a white light shed and Sapphira was behind him, flicking off blood from her sword.


    "You don''t attack My Lord."


    Her eyes were cold.


    Just like that, a diamond-ranked mage sent to open portals for Enoch fell to his death and his expression remained entranced by the gorgeous creature he saw!


    When Enoch saw this, he looked at Sapphira but unlike the others who lost control of their senses, she remained normal.


    ''A saint!''


    Filled with horror, he left Nero and blurred into the distance. After running for a long time, a white ghost swooshed past him.


    Her dragonfly has wings fluttered. This time around, Enoch looked right at her without his talent and his will to escape fell.


    An uncontroble urge to im her came from the depths of his soul, so strong that even when he knew that he had to escape, that urge proved to be stronger.


    Unfortunately, Sapphira activated her battle skill and cut down the fearsome knight before he could raise his sword.


    Picking up his helmet, she flew away.


    By the time she returned, everyone had regained control over their senses.


    Asher leaned against the wall, staring at her. Just seeing him looking at her, Sapphira felt a bit ufortable.


    His gaze was pure and calm, like a sereneke.


    "I killed him."


    Sapphira dropped the helmet on the ground beside Asher. He picked up the helmet and sighed.


    "You know, my predecessor, Lord Atticus, once said he disliked talents. My view was different from his but after what happened, I think he''s right."


    Sapphiranded beside him.


    "Talents are what make our world more unpredictable. A silver rank can kill a gold rank if he has a powerful talent."


    "That''s not rare but this... this man is able to y hundreds."


    Sapphira took a step closer and ced her palm on Asher''s shoulder. He turned to face her with furrowed brows.


    "His talent has its weaknesses as every other talent. It can''t affect those higher than him in rank."


    Asher sighed. "Still, I have to be prepared to face worse."


    While he was speaking, a soothing sensation spread out from Sapphira''s palm to the rest of his body, even to his brain.


    A sudden sense of calmness enveloped him.


    [Ding! Would you like to transform Sapphira Cyrene from a temple into an Ashbourne sacred priestess? Yes or No?]


    Asher blinked several times.


    ''...Do it.''


    Boom!


    A blinding golden light mixed with green burst out of Sapphira, causing him to retreat.


    The lightsted for quite a while but eventually calmed down.


    With the light gone, the new Sapphira was before Asher''s eyes.


    She wore a white gown made of high-quality silk, a material that no one in his domain had. The edges and hem of the gown that hugged her womanly body were golden and it also had a hood that hid half of her face.


    From the forehead to her nose. Only her lips and chin were visible. After the gold lining was a light red on.


    The bottom of the gown had slits that stopped at her knee level. A gentle move of the wind and her white legs, shin, and feet would show.


    Coupled with all these was a golden brown eagle, adorned with gold on her shoulder.

 Chapter 171: Terror Of The Dark Skies

    Her aura became more refined and alluring. Even without seeing her face, a man would be entranced by her presence alone.


    It seemed like his guess was correct. With each increase in rank, Sapphira grew more beautiful.


    "Your Lordship!" Nero''s voice veered Asher''s attention away from Sapphira toward him. Looking at Nero, who went on one knee the moment his attention was gotten, Asher lifted him up.


    "You did well for a Bloodde."


    Nero removed his helmet and smiled.


    "As a reward..." Asher lifted up Enoch''s helmet and looked at Nero''s.


    [Detected host''s intentions. Would you like to fuse Enoch''s helmet and Noble Bloodde Nero''s helmet to produce an upgraded version? Yes or No?]


    ''Do it.''


    Swoosh!


    Enoch''s helmet flew out of his hand and collided with Nero''s helmet, which also flew out of the youngd''s hand.


    Mid-air, both helmets merged together and the light died down. What Nero caught was a pure golden helmet with a simple yet domineering design.


    It had a short crest with no plume and two exquisitely shaped holes for the eyes. Apart from that, there was no other opening!


    Nero easily donned it. Instantly, his demeanor changed. It seemed like he was always in a solemn mood.


    There was darkness in the eye holes so no one could see his eyes.


    [Ding! Upgraded version: Helmet of Invisibility. Once it is worn, the wearer can turn invisible at any moment. It also erases footsteps and sounds, making the wearer a predator of men.]


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    Asher blinked.


    "Do you know what it does?" The moment he asked, Nero vanished before his eyes and when he appeared, he was behind Sapphira.


    Sapphira raised an eyebrow. Even she couldn''t sense Nero in his invisible state!


    Other soldiers who were watching this had enviable lights in their eyes. This made them more determined to push themselves to their limits and gain their lord''s attention.


    ...


    A chaotic sound disturbed the civilians of Hebron Town. For two days now they were under siege against 1000 Tigris Footmen but the 100 Deste Wolves Infantrymen made the difference in the tide of battle.


    Without them, Hebron Town would have fallen on day one.


    At this moment, Deste Wolves, in their heavy armor and thick frame, stood at critical junctions of the wall along with meheart Footmen and we''re fending off Tigris Footmen.


    On the second day, themander of the Tigris Footmen sent a report to their general, General Darius, informing him about what they were facing and because of this, General Darius had sent 20 Dark Skies.


    Standing outside his tent, the Tigrismander looked at his men struggling to breach the wall but those human-armored fortresses were simply impregnable.


    Although there were 400 silver-ranked Footmen amongst the 1000, they still couldn''t bring down 100 Deste Wolves.


    But they did deplete the number of the garrison troop to 90. Unfortunately, it was at the cost of 200 men!


    The Tigrismander couldn''t help but ponder where such soldiers came from. They fought like the legendary imperial footmen.


    "Commander, the Dark Skies will be here by dawn tomorrow." A messenger came with his head lowered.


    "Good! We shall retreat and burn down this towne tomorrow."


    Themander chuckled. He had so much confidence in the Dark Skies. Each Dark Sky marksman was a half-step knight!


    Their arrows could pierce through gold-ranked armor and shields if they activated their battle force but that was under tough circumstances.


    However, 20 of them would be able to y not just the soldiers but everyone in Hebron Town if they wanted.


    And the orders were to level the town. Silver Castle had been leveled by General Darius, 100 Dark Skies, and 1000 Tigris Footmen.


    Hebron Town was the next. Once the town was leveled, they would loot it.


    The next day, at dawn, Deste Wolves could be seen on the walls, like statues that never rest. The bloodstained, tattered g on their spears billowed softly.


    The gentle ps fell into their ever-sensitive ears.


    Tapk! Tapk!


    A Deste Wolve soldier, the captain of thepany, walked to the edge of the wall and looked into the distance.


    He squinted.


    "Can you hear that?"


    He turned, his right ear facing the distance.


    Deste Wolves frowned and some began to wake up the sleeping meheart soldiers.


    "Get up."


    The Ashbourne captain tapped a meheart soldier but the man brushed his hand away.


    "Get up!"


    The Ashbourne captain stomped, spiking his battle force, which covered his body in a fiery light.


    The energy spike pped the soldier out of his slumber.


    "Focus."


    The Ashbourne captain hissed. He had not slept for two days straight but he held on since a message had been sent to theirmander.


    He had strong faith in Alec.


    It was his duty to protect the town so sleeping was directly against that. Unfortunately, whether it was against or not, his body was slowly getting weaker.


    "What is it?" The meheart Captain came out from the staircase that led to the ground. It was obvious that he went home or to the barracks.


    "There''s something odd."


    "What?"


    "The lights are out and there''s something breaking the flow of the wind."


    The meheart Captain frowned.


    "There is nothing out the¡ª!"


    Swish!


    A ck projectile mmed him off the wall almost instantly, shocking the Ashbourne captain.


    "Shields!"


    He bellowed.


    Without dy, his men ced their shields before them and assumed a stance that bnced them. This way, the force of the arrows won''t disable them.


    Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish!


    Men were being impaled by arrows that came in without end. Some tried to run but an arrow caught them. The force of the arrow was so strong that it flung them several meters away.


    Many were thrown off the wall.


    The Ashbourne captain was shocked as meheart Footmen¡ªeven those with shields were dying like flies.


    His heart shook.


    Suddenly, the Dark Skies came out of the fog, looking dreadful as each of them could fire four arrows, each arrow being longer than the usual.


    They were able to perform the greatest rapid fire, dwarfing even the imperial archer troop!


    As they unleashed their battle force, the Ashbourne captain saw arrows pierce through his men''s tower shields and through their armor.


    They wereunched off the wall in great numbers.


    He gasped.


    Swish!


    An arrow pierced through his shield and came out of his abdomen. He took five steps back.


    Grunting, he took the same five steps forward, only for another arrow to pierce through his shield and open another hole in his body!


    Grinding his teeth, he let go of the shield andunched his spear with all his might!


    "For Lord Asher!"


    The spear was like a silver streak and it mmed a Dark Sky to the ground, killing him instantly!


    This made other Dark Skies focus on the Ashbourne captain, as he was now thest man standing.


    "Say your prayers." The Tigrismander chuckled.


    A glow shed through his eyes.


    "Fire."

 Chapter 172: A Greater Force

    Each Dark Sky released three rounds, turning the Ashbourne captain into a porcupine. The man staggered backward and eventually fell off the wall.


    "Onwards!"


    The Tigris Commander bellowed, pointing at the walls of Hebron Town. Hundreds of Tigris Footmen raced toward the wall with great momentum. The gates didn''tst, and it was broken.


    The remaining soldiers were massacred by the Tigris Footmen. Even those that surrendered were cut down. Seeing the ughter, some began to run into civilian homes but were chased down and dragged out.


    The ravenousughter of the footmen terrified the civilians greatly. The Tigris Commander moved straight to the barrack and found an Ashbourne soldier releasing a messenger falcon.


    His eyes widened.


    He closed the gap, drew his sword, and swung it at the soldier. The soldier simply watched the sworde without moving. There were Dark Skies ready to open arrow holes in his body if he moved, so if he was going to fall, what was the need of evading the sword?


    "Our Lord ising."


    Those were hisst words.


    Thud!


    "Kill that bird!"


    Tigris Commander yelled and the Dark Skies released lots of arrows, but the falcon dodged them all and flew out of their range, causing themander to ground his teeth.


    Dark skies were trained solely to master rapid fire to its peak and this resulted in poor uracy. Once it was over 200 meters, their uracy fell by arge margin.


    They were not like the Stormbringer that had mastered uracy. Anything in the range of 400 meters was dead meat, as they would almost never miss.


    Because of that, their firing speed was nothing to speak ofpared to the Dark Skies.


    Bam!


    A Tigris Footman broke into a storehouse and found lots of food, some brought from Nineveh.


    "Call themander!"


    ......¡­.


    "I have a report for the Mage." A Deste Wolf said to another who stood before Aqu''s tent. There were several tents pitched around her tent and soldiers could be seen around.


    The soldier guarding the tent went in and returned shortly after. "Go in."


    The Deste Wolf walked in and found a silver-haired woman whose silver hair fell on her shoulders. She held an ink pen and was writing on a yellow piece of paper.


    When he got close, he looked at her elegant handwriting and took a deep breath.


    "Commander."


    Aqu looked at him.


    "You have a letter for me?"


    "I do."


    The man stretched the hand that held the letter. In the process of taking the letter, Aqu''s fingers grazed his leather gloves and a chilling cold slithered into his body.


    His breath became misty and his face almost became pale.


    Aqu shot him a nce and averted her attention to the letter.


    While reading through the letter, her face had no expression, but it suddenly changed.


    She looked at the seal and her expression became even more solemn.


    It was the Lord''s seal.


    Asher had given her the order to destroy Count William''s forces in two days. The reasons were that their garrisoned troops had been ughtered.


    "Give orders. We''re moving!"


    After that night''s march, they arrived at the outskirts of Hebron Town and pitched their tents.


    When the sun came out, the Tigrismander saw arge number of white tents with ck gs pitched several hundred yards away.


    The sight of hundreds of Deste Wolves marching out in an orderly fashion made him squint.


    He snorted.


    "Call the Dark Skies."


    Swiftly, 19 Dark Skies manned the wall.


    The Tigrismander waited until the Ashbourne troops had arrayed themselves and were just 300 yards away from the wall.


    "Ready." He chuckled. To him, Asher had just sent his men to die.


    Meanwhile, Aqu was at the back of the troop, on top of a Centrak. She looked at the corpses of meheart and Ashbourne soldiers hung on the walls with a cold gleam.


    The Ashbourne troops moved bypanies. 100 in one array, arge space, and another 100.


    Seeing them so organized, the Tigrismander snorted. Readtest stories on m_v-l''e-NovelBin


    "Kill them."


    Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish!


    Aqu instantly knew this was the troop that killed the Ashbourne soldier because the opening on their bodies matched the number of arrows that filled the sky.


    She lifted her hand and muttered softly. Almost instantly, tens of thousands of water droplets appeared and merged together to form a screen.


    The arrows were stuck in the screen and the troop continued their march. When the Tigrismander saw this, his expression changed.


    "Such a powerful mage!"


    His pupils shook.


    "Unleash your battle force. Kill them all!!" Spittle flew out of his mouth as he yelled at the top of his lungs.


    The presence of a mage wasn''t in their ns. If they had known, Thier lord would have sent a mage.


    To make it even worse, this mage was incredibly powerful. How many mages could cast such arge area spell and still keep it steady?


    Just casting such a spell should have sucked a great deal of Magi Force; how could she keep it?


    Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish!


    The Dark Skies kept firing but their arrows were stuck halfway through the water screen. When Aqu had her fill with their taunts, she muttered another spell and the water screen transformed into a massive octopus.


    It swung its tentacles, mming the Dark Skies. The Tigrismander was shocked to his core to see 19 treasured soldiers of his lord get smashed.


    Whatever remained of them was thrown away by the tentacle.


    At this moment, the Ashbourne gbearers tilted their gs towards the town. The second the soldiers saw the signal, they attached their tower shields to their backs and dashed toward the wall.


    The sight of 1000 7-foot-tall men d in thick, silver armor racing toward a 5-meter-tall wall while brandishing their long silver spears was awe-inspiring.


    The radiant light of the sun reflected on the armor, making them look like divine warriors.


    "What in the world is this? The Ashbournes are not just rising... they''ve already risen!"


    The words of the soldier who sent the messenger bird echoed in the Tigrismander''s heart.


    ''Our Lord ising...''

 Chapter 173: True Might

    The water octopus dissolved and when the massive amount of water touched the ground, it formed a broad staircase that led to the top of the wall.


    The Tigrismander, who had hoped on using the wall, couldn''t believe his eyes. The mage he was dealing with was definitely above the diamond grade or her elemental control would not be this fluid.


    The staircase crystallized and hundreds of Ashbourne soldiers climbed it, rushing towards the Tigirs Footmen, who had prepared their shields and swords.


    "Don''t let them get to you; move down!"


    The Tigrismander bellowed and his men rushed out of the alure, descending towards the ascending Ashbourne soldiers.


    Suddenly, a part of the staircase¡ªthe part under the Tigris Footman¡ªbecame water and they fell screaming.


    The water became ice again when the Ashbourne soldiers were close.


    Bam!


    There was a terrible collision when the two opposing forces met: man against man, shield against shield, spear against sword, brute strength against brute strength.


    After the first Ashbournepany lunged forth like ravenous wolves, the others formed an orderly formation.


    They marched as one. They were like a human wall on the actual wall, thrusting their spears through Tigirs Footmen.


    Before long, the firstpany had reached the ground and opened the gates. The moment the gates opened, hundreds of Deste Wolves marched in.


    Their echo of their boots went far, striking the hearts of the civilians like a drumstick and their hearts were the drums.


    The sounds of weapons shing, screams, and hurried footsteps fell into their ears. Some courageous ones peeked through the window and saw Deste Wolves killing Tigirs Footmen.


    Their bronze armor was no match for the high-quality silver-grade armor the Deste Wolves donned.


    Neither were their skills on par with each other.


    In a particr building, a man was peeking through the window while his family hid behind the bed.


    His wife and two little kids were shivering while he watched the battle. Since the moment Tigris took over Hebron Town, there has been an invisible cloud of despair hovering about.


    Many could not gather the courage to go to the market and those who did came back with bruises.


    The man had an injury on his back and he got it when he spoke against a Tigirs Footman. At least it was better than his wife leaving the confines of the house.


    His eyes shifted about as he saw Tigris Footmen retreating while a fearsome force of several hundred Deste Wolves went after them.


    A grin formed on his face as he watched their oppressors get oppressed.


    "Kill them." He muttered under his breath.


    After the purge, Aqu rode her horse into the town.


    "How many surrendered?"


    "150."


    A captain replied.


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    "So little?" Aqu raised a brow.


    "Argh!"


    An Ashbourne soldier screamed as the Tigrismander came out from behind a building and swung his sword.


    The other Ashbourne soldier turned but the Tigrismander was faster. He mmed the man''s chest with his shoulder.


    Just when he was about to cut the soldier, ice spikes suddenly appeared around him, ready to end his life in a mere instant.


    Clip! Clop!


    From the corner of his eyes, he saw Aqu on horseback. Her cold gaze fixed on him.


    "You hung Ashbourne soldiers without honor. For that, you will also be hanged. Not on these walls but on a tree in the middle of nowhere."


    The man''s eyes shook.


    "I am amander in Lord William''s great army. You will incur his wrath and your end will be worse than mine!"


    Aqu chuckled.


    "The biggest mistake both you and your lord made was encroaching into the domain of the great wolf."


    After binding him, the soldiers took him away and she went back to the tent. There she received reports of the state of the town and wrote to Asher.


    "How many did we lose?" She asked the Ashbournemander, one of the threemanders under Alec.


    The man stood before her with both hands sped at his back.


    "None. We only have a dozen injured but no death."


    Aqu smiled. "Good. We shall leave 50 men here and march for Silver Castle with the rest."


    Themander responded with a nod, turned, and left.


    .........


    Three dayster...


    Darius sat on a throne, looking at the battered man, who had several wounds on his body. This man was the baron of this domain.


    "You still won''t speak?"


    Darius raised an eyebrow. He felt the death of his other personality and it made him raise his guard.


    This wastnd wasn''t as simple as it looked and the Ashbournes were stronger than he imagined but what surprised him the most was Baron meheart''s iron will.


    The baron refused to utter a word about the Ashbourne secrets even after being tortured for some days.


    For a merchant, his will was impressive. It was as good as a warrior''s.


    ude looked at Darius andughed. "Your Lord wants my doom. He won''t support me; he never had and never will. Now, you want me to betray my only ally for that same man?"


    After speaking, ude scoffed.


    "Kneel."


    Darius said and ude''s knees fell on their own ord, shocking the baron greatly.


    "Count William''s strength is on par with that of a duke. What he reveals on the surface is barely a tenth of his true might. You''re a delusional man to think you ever had a chance."


    Darius rose to his feet. He picked up his sword and slowly walked toward ude. When he had taken seven steps, the door swung open and a soldier walked in.


    "Lord Darius, message from House Ashbourne."


    Darius, ude, and other captains looked at the letter. Darius took the letter. Opening it, his eyes wandered over the short sentence.


    "Darius. There is no going home."


    "Is this a joke?" Darius threw the letter into a fire, lifted his sword, and pointed it at ude''s neck.


    "Your head will be a better message than scribbling words on a piece of paper."


    ude''s eyes narrowed. When Darius lifted up his sword, the merchant baron closed his eyes for what seemed to be the final time.

 Chapter 174: Advance Troop

    All of a sudden, the sound of a horn rang throughout the entire city, followed by chaotic footsteps and screams.


    Darius lowered his sword and looked at the window. With furrowed brows, he approached the window and when he saw therge head of a giant white wolf that was even taller than the walls, his heart shook.


    "Is that¡­"


    "The legendary Ashbourne pet beast!" A captain gasped, his arms trembling intermittently.


    Sirius growled softly as he looked at the people running helter-skelter while screaming. Some women carried their kids, some left their kids, some pushed their kids out of the way, while some strangers helped kids that weren''t even theirs.


    The Tigris Footmen on the wall lifted their shields but we''re constantly looking back, as if they considered the thought of running.


    Behind the mighty beast were 950 Deste Wolf Infantrymen with their spears raised high, marching towards the wall.


    "Hoo!"


    They chanted, boosting their momentum the closer they got to the wall. Theirbined voices went far, drilling deep into the hearts of those who heard them.


    Swoosh!


    Sirius leaped over the wall. He stomped his right foreleg against the ground, causing the ground to cave in.


    His growl made the hearts of hundreds quake.


    Lifting up his head, Sirius looked straight at Darius and began walking toward the manor.


    A row of Dark Skies gathered and unleashed barrages of arrows but all of them bounced off Sirius'' fur.


    The wolf barely felt an itch. After growling, his eyes shed with a crimson glow and mes erupted from Sirius'' mouth.


    The Dark Skies caught up in mes. They screamed and ran about, trying to quench the fire but couldn''t.


    Finally, they began to fall, one after the other.


    Seeing this, Darius took several steps away from the window. "Prepare my horse!"


    ude could hear footsteps that grew fainter and fainter until he was all alone in the hall.


    Creases formed on his forehead.


    Meanwhile, with a few strikes of the ram, the Deste Wolves broke the gates and stormed into the city.


    In groups of 10, they spread out. Because Asher was cautious about Darius, he sent Sirius to aid Aqu.


    Unfortunately, Sirius'' presence did more than aid; it suppressed the soldiers, causing fear and deep terror that made them lose their confidence.


    Some Tigris Footmen tried to put up a resistance and face Ashbourne soldiers; however, against the human wall formed by the squad of 10 Ashbourne soldiers, they fell in droves.


    Meanwhile, elsewhere, Darius could be seen riding a muscr steed with some captains and 20 soldiers.


    His lord needed to know that House Ashbourne wasn''t a small fry as they thought and that Asher was indeed a true Ashbourne.


    True Ashbournes were known by their mighty pet breasts, creatures that had made their mark in Boundless.


    Rumble!


    As they galloped out of the city through the south gate, Darius urged a soldier at the gate to send a letter to the count.


    Some time after that, they rode far from the city.


    "Lord Darius, is that a woman?"


    A soldier pointed at the figure in the distance. Darius squinted. Indeed, hundreds of yards away stood a woman.


    It was Aqu.


    Behind her was a centrak and two mounted guards assigned to protect her.


    Shing!


    Darius and his men drew their weapon but when Aqu stretched forth her hand, the air around them grew cold.


    It became moist and before they knew it, they were in a thick fog. One so thick that they couldn''t see each other clearly.


    From afar, Aqu went back to her mount and looked at them for a short while before turning away.


    While her mount walked away, she spat, "Rise."


    Swish! Swish!


    Tall ice spikes protruded from the ground, skewering everything inside the fog. By the time the fog vanished, Aqu was long gone but the aftermath of her spell remained.


    The ice was so thick that it would take a few years to thaw naturally.


    After Baron meheart was tended to and cleaned up, he returned back into the hall and found Aqu standing before the head seat.


    He was facing her back.


    "Baron meheart, my lord was quick toe to your rescue. You must be a good friend of his."


    She said while slowly turning to face him.


    "I am grateful to Lord Asher."


    Aqu raised an eyebrow. She could sense something further wasing up and as she thought, Baron meheart fell on one knee.


    "I''ve decided to bow the knee to His Lordship, Asher Ashbourne. I believe he''ll return me to my rightful ce, which is being a merchant."


    Aqu chuckled.


    "You have foresight, Mr. ude. You know my lord will surely establish a great economy so you want to be the chief merchant, an official in his sacred court."


    ude looked at the silver-haired beauty that walked up to him.


    "It''s better than being an ally that''s simply too weak. As a merchant, I will do better. You know that some people in his court might one day turn him against me if I remain a lord."


    "Rise up. We shall head to Nineveh to meet His Lordship together."


    ude got to his feet and exhaled. After seeing a glimpse of Asher''s might, he ceased to see Asher as a mere youth.


    ........


    In the sacred hall, some dayster stood Aqu with ude.


    They stared at the gray-haired man, who calmly stroked his pet beast with a pleased expression.


    There was a small smile on his pale, handsome face.


    While caressing Sirius, he turned toward them. "I''ve got reports of the battle. Everything you need for research will be granted in abundance."


    Aqu bowed.


    "Baron, it''s a surprise to see you here. Are you not supposed to be with your family?"


    ude meheart shook his head and went on one knee.


    "I came to do something more important. To pledge my loyalty to you."


    Asher raised an eyebrow. "You''re forfeiting your domain?"


    "I am. I chose from this day to serve the great wolf of the north."


    He bowed his head.


    "Arise. I still chose to make you a lord. Baron meheart, vassal of House Ashbourne, your house shall be in charge of the domain''s exportation and importations."


    ude''s lips shook. He couldn''t believe it.


    Asher tapped his shoulder and lifted him up. "Rise up, Baron. How is your wife and kid?"


    "They were not hurt."


    "Good. Count William''s men have been defeated with 500 captives heading to Silverleaf mines as we speak."


    "I am grateful."


    "There''s no need to be. Count William should receive the news that his men have lost and his general is dead."


    Baron meheart furrowed his brows. "What will be his response?"


    "He won''t respond quickly because our might will surely disturb him. And more importantly, he has begun a war with the House Mormont. He''ll just watch to see if we try to take advantage of it but I see this as a chance to grow."


    Asher closed his eyes and opened them.


    "I remember Sapphira speaking about grapes. I want lots of seeds so we can start the n of making a unique version of the blood wine. Also, I want some barrels of evergreen oil to be advertised abroad so as to draw more customers. If you can attract a big merchant guild, that would be better."


    ude nodded.


    After discussing with ude, Asher went to the balcony and saw 3000 Deste Wolves standing in straight lines in his courtyard.


    Aqu stood behind him.


    "They''re an impressive troop." She said.


    Asherughed. "Ashkelon Guards Troop will soon get better than them, which is why I''ve gathered them."


    Indeed, the Ashkelon Guards would soon be a troop of 10,000 sword and shield gold-ranked knights once they got the new armor!


    10,000 knights!


    Such an elite force could not be found under a mere count but Asher was about to create another.


    He was truly turning his entire force into an army of elites.


    [After several battles, the Deste Wolves have fulfilled the criteria for the next upgrade. Would you like to upgrade your special-grade troop? Yes or No?]


    "Yes."


    For some seconds nothing happened, only for golden light to fall from the clouds upon them. It was like a golden beam from the heavens.


    Everyone in Nineveh could see it!


    Instantly, a great transformation began. When the light died down, a strikingly imposing troop appeared.


    Their armor became gold in color, and the white plume grew long to their waist level. In addition to that, their chestte had the image of a wolfhead. The sides of the chest te and the back were ck, the same for the thighs.


    The armor became ck and gold.


    Three spikes came out of their pauldrons. A third of the spikes'' length was gold, while the rest of it was ck.


    Three spikes also protruded from their vambraces.


    Along with that, their helmetspletely covered their faces and their cloaks became ck with the sigil of a House Ashbourne.


    The roaring white wolf head was prominent on the ck cloak.


    The long ck gs attached to their spears fluttered softly.


    Thud!


    All 3000 knights fell on one knee and mmed the bottom of their spears against the ground.


    "We pay respect to His Lordship!!"

 Chapter 175: Goshen Longbow Archers

    [Host has stepped into a new level of power. You might have forgotten that Baron meheart''s domain is now yours, so you are the ruler of the entire northern wastnds, which are the true wastnds since the southern wastnds aren''t truly the north. The spread of the Abyss curse isn''t there either; the split is Count William''s way of incorporating hisnded nobles into the north. Now, would you like to fuse Hebron City, Silver Castle, and Hebron Town with Goshen? Yes or No?]


    Such a massive upgrade made Asher concerned. Although he could see the prospects of the fusion, which would be a great city, one housing tens of thousands.


    A city of that sort would bring in a good amount of revenue and would be able to be self-sufficient.


    At this moment, Goshen was surviving on Nineveh, Nimrim, and Ashkelon. If the supply was cut off, the outpost would die just like Silver Castle.


    ''Do it.''


    The moment he said that, he felt a slight tremor underneath his feet, but it didn''t cause any chaos; in fact, almost everyone ignored it.


    But Asher knew something earth-shaking was happening some kilometers away from here.


    Just as he thought, Hebron City, Silver Castle, and Hebron Town couldn''t be found in their locations anymore, and Goshen grew from a small outpost to a massive city able to house tens of thousands. Like Ashkelon, it was a fortified city.


    The walls rose up and became a 15-meter-tall wall hardened by green y.


    Almost all the houses in the city were now covered by green y, making the city look like some kind of divine paradise in a desert.


    A bigger spring appeared along with several springs at different mini squares.


    The roads were paved neatly with cobblestones, and the city now had walls dividing it into sectors. Market sector, residential sector, industrial sector.


    Several manors for the wealthy were built outside the walls of the lord''s manor.


    The walls of the Lord''s manor were made of whitestones; the same for the buildings and the roof were made from a unique tree called the ivory tree.


    This tree was white externally, but once it was split open, one could see it was oxblood internally.


    After treatment, it looked regal and made the Lord''s manor look even more special and different from the rest of the buildings in the city. All the walls in the city were connected, except the wall surrounding the Lord''s manor.


    Inside the Lord''s manor were residential buildings for the officials, such as the city lord, the officials, the servants, and the garrison troops.


    From an outpost of 5000, it increased into a great Tier 3 city with a massive poption of 60,000!


    [Goshen outpost has been upgraded to Gosehn, the city of the sun. A Tier 3 Great City!]


    It was dubbed City of the Sun because Goshen was built where a great fire elemental mythical beast was in, causing thend to attract the heat of the sun more than any other ce.


    From afar, it seemed like the sun cast its divine light on the city, causing it to look glorious.


    ......¡­Asher had Kelvin send recruitment letters to Goshen, and after some days, they recruited 6000 civilians, ready to join the Ashbourne forces.


    5000 were taken to the Deste Wolf Barrack in Nineveh to change their upation.


    After the 5000 men joined the troop, the 3000 knights became elite Deste Wolves and were in charge of teaching them what the system didn''t incorporate into their structure during the transformation.


    Meanwhile, the remaining 1000 were given longbows to train. Asher wanted another long-range troop, this time the male version of the Stormbringers.


    While this was going on, Goshen grew even more bustling with visitors increasing each passing day.


    Count William''s forces remained quiet, but the news of the intense war with House Mormont was reported to Asher every day. Like this, a month passed by.


    During this month, Asher absorbed the upgrades and expansion of his domain.


    He officially made Katarina a baroness in order for her to rule over Ashkelon as the city lord. Right now, he has two City Lords. Baroness Katarina and Baron ude.


    The position for Regent was left for Kelvin despite how he vehemently rejected it.


    A regent was the man that would rule over the domain as the lord in the absence of the actual lord; it was a position that was held in high regard and intensely sought after.


    In the tenth month of the year, the officials of his court were officially known to the entire domain. Ashkelon and Goshen now had lords.


    Towns like SilverLeaf and Nimrim had town ministers, namely, Tobiah and Ark White.


    After a month, Asher got bows imported from a duke in the Intis Kingdom and also bought 1000 high-grade fire elemental crystals, which he fused into the bows to upgrade them.


    This act fulfilled his desire as the system ssified the new troop as a terror-grade troop.


    Right now, Asher stood before 1000 strongmen with muscr arms and lean figures holding longbows in their hands with quivers attached to their backs.


    The length of their arrows was way longer than usual.


    Their arrows could pierce through reinforced wooden shields, and even metal shields of the silver rank could be damaged by them.


    [Host, the stele for this troop is ready.]


    ''Establish it.''


    Boom!


    White light burst out of the ground, and it began to form a barrack meant for acres. In the middle of the barrack was the transformation tower.


    For each Goshen longbow archer, the tower took 10 gold coins!


    This meant that they would all be knights!


    Asher bore the loss of 10,000 gold coins and watched 1,000 gold-ranked Goshen Longbow Archers line up before him after changing their upation.


    Looking at the still-as-stone archer troop d in silver armor, one that had the same color as the Deste Wolves, he nodded inwardly.


    They were not lightly armored like the Stormbringers, but they also had arger frame, so their full body armor was justified.


    Instead of a metal helmet, they wore a wolf head cap with the fur draped over their shoulders.


    A metal mask covered their nose and mouth, revealing only their eyes.


    Thud!


    In unison, they fell to their knees. "We greet His Lordship!"

 Chapter 176: Divine Bowmaster

    Asher looked at their bows that had a slot for the fire elemental crystal and the rune engravings on the limbs of their bows.


    "Arise!"


    After scanning them, Asher pointed out one Goshen Longbow Archer that stood in the third row. The man did not look exceptional, but Asher saw vigor in his eyes. There was a spark that the others didn''t have, and when Asher felt that subconscious click, he chose him.


    While the man was walking out, Asher locked eyes with him.


    [Name: Paul


    Age: 37


    Rank: Gold


    Talent: Divine Bowmaster (S)


    Job: Goshen Archer


    Loyalty: 89]


    [Talent description: Divine Bowmaster is a unique talent that can only be possessed by one man in a generation. This talent grants the individual the capacity to grant people under him the ability to divinely control their arrows, mastering arcane skills like swift call and master''s control. It also makes the individual unusually attached to the bow and seals off any connection with any other battle forms or weapons.]


    Asher blinked. While his talent grants him the ability to tap into his ancestors and be able to fight using every weapon they had ever used or their battle styes, Paul''s talent did the opposite.


    It made sure the individual would never be able to master any other weapon, even to the basic level!


    Asher knew supreme-grade talents had drawbacks, but this drawback was painful.


    However, the ability of his talent was extremely shocking! This was because Paul''s presence alone had transformed this troop from a terror-grade troop to a guardian-grade one.


    The effect of his talent could reach out to those under him.


    His talent was simply begging for Paul to be a general.


    To think such an ordinary-looking, quiet man had such a destructive talent, and it was rotting in Baron meheart''s domain.


    ording to the skill temte created for Archers in Boundless, Master''s Control was an arcane skill that granted an archer the ability to control his arrows, deciding where they would hit.


    They would make it curve, go up, down, and much more while Swift Call was simply calling their arrows back into the quiver.


    Paul was a born general!


    Finally, after several months, he got his second general.


    Asher walked toward Paul and stretched forth his hand.


    "Your name is Paul, right?"


    The man was shocked, but he nodded. "I am Paul, your Lordship."


    "From this moment, you''re officially the general of this troop and the first general in Goshen."


    [Ding! Criteria fulfilled: Bing a general. Host, would you like to upgrade Paul to be a diamond-ranked sniper? Yes or No?]


    ''Yes.''


    [It would cost 10 fire elemental crystals to make him a diamond-ranked Goshen Longbow General. Would you still proceed?]


    ''Do it!''


    Asher gritted his teeth. His army was like a ck hole that kept absorbing his coins endlessly, but without such forces, he would eventually be prey for stronger houses.


    No one would see what he had in Goshen and turn a blind eye.


    Just one diamond-ranked hexakad could make a man rich; there were thousands of them in Goshen, with dozens being ughtered daily!


    Goshen deserved to be the city of the sun because, in a way, it was a bright city, one so bright that it could be mistaken for the sun because of the amount of gold coins it gobbles up daily.


    Ashkelon reared the livestock, Nineveh grew the farm products, Nimrim produced the oil, and Goshen was where everything was deposited. This also included Silverleaf, which was the industrial home of the domain.


    Both the research for war machines and the construction of armor were done there.


    Swoosh!


    Some minutester, the resplendent white light died down, and Paul walked out. He now had a thick white coat flowing down his back while the wolf head cap on his head looked even bigger than that of the others.


    What experienced the greatest change was the size of his muscle mass and his bow. It was so polished that one would mistake the material for ceramic!


    The bow had two fire elemental crystals instead of one like the other archers.


    There was a mild fiery pattern on his armor, and a faint imprint of the sun could be seen on his left pauldron.


    He bowed.


    At this moment, Paul looked like a general. His bearing, physique, and tone were different from before.


    "I want to see what you and your men can do."


    Asher said with his hand sped behind him.


    "As you wish, my lord."


    Paul turned to his men and began to walk toward the range. 100 Goshen archers followed him and aimed their bows toward the sky. Asher expected them to hit the targets 300 meters away, but they chose to aim upward, causing his eyebrows to arch.


    Paul lifted up his hand and clenched it tight. Seeing this, the 100 let their arrows loose, and what Asher saw was a hundred arrows with red-hot mes trailing after them as they ascended into the heavens.


    All of a sudden, the arrows made a curve, all 100 at the same time, and fell downward, each piercing the targets and burning them to ashes.


    The 100 Goshen Longbow Archers proceeded to lift up their hands and spin their index fingers.


    As they spun their finger, the arrows removed themselves from the ground, turned toward the owner, and flew right back.


    The circled round and entered the quivers.


    Paul had not even made his shot.


    "I guess Eritrea has apetitor."


    Asher chuckled, feeling pleased with their might. His confidence was growing. It was time the world weed House Ashbourne once again.


    ...¡­


    A day after Asher returned to Nineveh to leave for Silverleaf after being informed of that a movable war machine had finally been created, a convoy could be found on the vast sandy in heading for Goshen.


    Inside the most exquiste carriage was a famr figure. Someone Asher met a year back when he was still a start up lord hiding from the world.


    It was Jon, the merchant and his daughter Jane!

 Chapter 177: Stunning City

    Looking out the window, Jane squinted. As they moved past a certain ce, memories shed. Your next read awaits at m v|l-e''-NovelBin


    "Dad, isn''t this the ce where you were abducted and imprisoned?" Jane pointed at the distance.


    Jon looked out of the window and chuckled.


    "That''s true. It can''t happen anymore since I am a high-ranking merchant for the Norde Merchant Guild, and we have twopanies of silver-ranked guards and two knights at our disposal."


    Jane nodded.


    Last time they were just ordinary merchants courageous enough to take risks and had encountered losses at the cruel hands of bandits, thieves, and barbarians, but after joining the Norde Merchant Guild, one of the big guilds in the Sacred me Empire, they were able to grow into a sizeable merchant group in a period of a year.


    One year was all it took to transform from a small convoy that could barely afford protection from apany of silver-ranked warriors to one that now had 200 top-tier silver-ranked swordsmen and two knights!


    Their growth was staggering.


    "What do you think of that young lord we met a year back?" Jane turned to face her father.


    Jon rubbed his beard with squinted eyes. "Not much. He should be doing well governing his small territory, but I don''t really remember much about him since this year has been hectic. We''re here because of the rumors of a unique olive oil. If the rumors are true, the convoy will surely grow."


    Jane furrowed her brows.


    "Does such oil truly exist? It has so many good qualities that I don''t think it can be found in the wastnds of all ces."


    "Our informants said the source was right here."


    "He also said we should head for an outpost called Goshen. Both you and I know that there was no outpost here a year ago, and unless it is built with tents, no solid outpost can be built here in just one year."


    Jon chuckled.


    "Let''s see. If this was a waste of time, then they shall pay us for wasting our time, but if not, we are the ones to gain."


    ......¡­


    After a while, the convoy arrived at Goshen''s outskirts. Beholding the magnificent city that was illuminated specially by the sun, both Jon, his daughter, their guards, and subordinates gasped. It was truly a magnificent city.


    Although not as big as the main cities in the Sacred me Empire, Goshen could match them in beauty and quality. The green y made Jon marvel.


    He could not believe that there was someone this wealthy in this part of the continent. The wastnds were like a ce for the poor, criminals, and low-ss nobles without a future.


    "Was this built by Count William?!"


    Jane gasped.


    "He''s at war, and he must have been nning it for a long while. Wars consume lots of money and resources; how could he build this magnificent city at the same time? Besides, to make this city thrive with greenery when its environment is almost a desert would cost quite a number of elemental crystals."


    Jane squinted.


    "We already booked a meeting with the Lord of the city. From him, we shall know who owns this city."


    Jon shook his head at his daughter''s antics.


    "Halt!"


    They heard a loud voice when the convoy reached the city gate.


    Thud! Thud!


    The sound of footsteps fell into their ears until it stopped right before their carriage. Jon opened the door with furrowed brows. He found one of his knights outside the door, and behind the knight was a 7-foot-tall soldier d in golden-ck armor that had spikes.


    The magnificent armor and the thick aura swirling around the soldier were even more powerful than that of his knight!


    The Ashbourne knight tilted his head. "You are?"


    His deep voice fell into Jon''s ears.


    "I am Jon; I was sent here by the Norde Merchant Guild."


    The soldier raised an eyebrow. "I see."


    "We would like to search your carts."


    "With all pleasure. Go ahead." Jon smiled. The Ashbourne Knight nodded, turned, and walked away. Jon looked at his knight, came down, and when he saw over five Ashbourne Knights examining the carts, filled with goods, his eyes narrowed.


    What was going on?


    He turned toward the wall and saw gant-looking men with wolf caps, steel face masks, and silver te armor on the walls. Their longbows were firmly gripped in their hands as they stood like statues facing the horizon.


    The aura he felt from them wasn''t that of a silver-ranked archer but a gold-ranked one! This meant the 20 men he could see at the top of the wall were knights!


    Jon''s pupils shook.


    Lowering his head, he saw more elite Deste Wolves searching other guests. Their stunning height and eye-catching armor made them easily noticeable amongst the crowd. There were over 20 of them.


    Just at the gates, there were 40 knights!


    This made Jon''s boast about two knights pathetic. He thought he could finally walk into the wastnds as an esteemed individual, but it seemed like the wastnd grew faster than him.


    What in the world were 40 knights doing in the most wretched ce in the continent?!


    Unable to make heads or tails of the situation, he boarded the carriage and waited until the Ashbourne knights were done with searching his convoy.


    "You can proceed."


    The convoy began to move. When they entered the city and Jon beheld the true meaning of magnificence, his lips refused to close. It was like the mini version of a filthy rich duke''s capital.


    The structure of the city, especially the dividing walls, made Jon yearn to see the architect. To him, only a saint-grade architect could build such a grand city.


    Jon leaned toward the window of his carriage and gestured toward his knight. The only thing that made his carriage stand out more was that it had ss, not curtains, covering the windows.


    The knight came close.


    "As we head for an inn, find a good restaurant for me and my daughter."

 Chapter 178: Great White Wolf Of The North

    In the evening hours of the day, Jon, his daughter, and his knight walked into Westfall Restaurant since, ording to many, it was the best restaurant in the city and one of the reasons many came here. They had to book a VIP room hours prior to their arrival.


    They went straight for their VIP room and sat. Jon''s expression was casual as he picked up the wooden board ced on top of the table.


    The first thing on the menu was roasted hexakad chicken.


    He blinked. Maybe his eyes might have read wrongly, but after scanning it again and again, he discovered it was still the same.


    There was a diamond-ranked chicken as the first thing on the list!


    As he went down the list, Jon began to doubt if these people even had what was on the menu. While he pondered, a waiter walked into the room.


    "Good evening, what would you like to order?"


    Jon looked at him.


    "Give me the highest-tiered warm milk on the menu along with this King Bread."


    The waiter nodded and turned to Jane.


    "I''d like a te of spicy Moonlit Starhorn meat."


    "Give me the Golden Fragrant cornmeal."


    Jon''s eyes went up. He couldn''t believe he missed another great item that was on the list. ''They also have Golden Fragrant corn that only grows in the imperial capital of the eternal immortal empire?!''


    His doubts lingered until the waiter came back with two waitresses. The moment they entered the room, a mouthwatering aroma assaulted their nostrils, causing their eyes to be drawn to the meals on the trays.


    Jon couldn''t take his eyes off the King Bread until he grabbed it and took a bite. As the soft, extremely tasty bread touched his taste buds, his eyes twinkled.


    ''My, my¡­!''


    He eximed internally.


    His eyes went toward the milk. As he took a sip and felt the warm sensation, Jon''s defenses melted.


    He began to eat and drink like a starved man. The same for Jane. The woman, though more controlled than the men, had moist eyes.


    The knight, on the other hand, ate without reserves.


    "This kind of food needs to be in our empire." Jon sighed regretfully. It was a painful thing to know that he would not be able to eat such a great meal anywhere except here.


    And he could feel that his strength and health had increased from just eating!


    Goshen was like a paradise in an unseemly ce.


    He would have tried to hire the cooks and get the recipe if he had the means. In fact, the higher-ups would love to have him stab the lord of this city in the back and steal the recipe for the meals in this restaurant.


    The recipes alone would go for millions of silver coins if auctioned in the Sacred me Empire!


    "Tomorrow, when we meet the city lord, we should ask if at least one recipe is for sale."


    Jane nodded.


    ........


    The next day, when the sun was high and the teleportation channel kept shing, indicating the arrival of visitors, merchants, and much more, Jon and his daughter Jane stood outside the Lord''s Hall.


    Someone was inside with the City Lord of Goshen, and after that person, it would be their turn.


    Jon looked at the elite Deste Wolf soldiers with their tower shields.


    He simply admired the soldiers. Their discipline was so good that it was terrifying to think of the kind of training they went through.


    It must have been torture.


    Above that, their armor was something else. He was pretty sure their armor was gold-ranked!


    To be able to unt such wealth, his city lord must be as rich as Sacred me dukes. The Eternal Immortal Empire''s dukes were known for their military might more than their wealth, but it was a well-known fact that wealth could easily buy such might.


    After all, the Everad kingdom, the paradise of ve armies, still exists and would continue to exist. No kingdom or empire ever thought about attacking them because secretly, almost all the nations traded with them.


    Boom!


    The doors opened, and a man d in a violet coat walked out. Both Jon and his daughter walked into the Lord''s hall as the man left.


    Their shoes tapped the polished marble floor. The pirs were white; so were the walls and the ceiling.


    Even the throne where the city lord sat was white.


    When they saw ude meheart sitting on the throne with a solemn expression, they fell on their knees.


    "We greet the City Lord."


    "You''re from the Norde Merchant Guild." ude smiled, got to his feet, and approached them.


    Seeing how he weed them, Jon felt relief.


    "We came because of the evergreen olive oil, but your city has more than that. Your restaurant is enviable."


    ude chuckled.


    "It''s my lord''s great vision. He thought about it and established it. Although I''m the baron of this city, I do not own the glory."


    "Your Lord?!" Jane was stunned.


    ude looked at her. "It''s been published that House meheart is now a vassal of a greater house."


    "I see. We came solely because of the evergreen olive oil, but this city has more to offer."


    ude sat on his throne. "We do. We n to open the trade for iron ores with silver meridians."


    "The iron ore can alloy with any other metal and boost the flow of mana!"


    Jon''s eyes trembled. Wasn''t that the same thing his old friend Kelvin wanted him to trade?


    "My Lord wants to trade with a big guild, and your guild is one of the biggest. You even have your cargo ships on the seas."


    Jon furrowed his brows.


    "Your Lord? Apologies, Lord meheart, but who is your lord?"


    Jon feared that his old friend and his lord had been in and a powerful lord had imed the mines.


    This was bound to happen because such unique ore was too big for a small lord to own.


    "Count Asher Ashbourne, the great white wolf of the north."


    ude responded, his tone deep and reverberating in Jon and Jane''s ears.


    "Who?!"


    Jane''s pupils shook.

 Chapter 179: Torah Ashbourne, The Human Torch

    "House Ashbourne rules over the entire northern wastnds."


    "B... But isn''t that House a mere barony that wasn''t even known by the barons of the wastnds a year ago?"


    Jon gasped.


    "That was a year ago. The barons of the wastnds have ceased to exist. Perhaps you knew Lord Asher as a baron?"


    ude leaned forward.


    Jon sighed. "I did. Is my old friend Kelvin the butler still alive?"


    ude blinked. "You mean the regent? Of course he still lives. He''s thest man His Lordship will allow to die."


    Chuckling ude got to his feet. "Why don''t you stay? I''ll be heading for Nineveh, and I would love to introduce you to His Lordship."


    Jon breathed out heavily.


    "It would be a pleasure."


    He didn''t know what Asher''s expression would be, but he yearned to see. Was it truly that young man?


    Could it be that what his daughter said wasn''t a lie? Did they truly have Moonlit Starhorn cattle back then?


    Could it be he had missed a great opportunity to grow and own his own merchant guild?


    Lots of questions revolved around Jon''s head as he left with his daughter.


    ......¡­


    Meanwhile, in Nineveh, the said Lord Asher sat on the floor. He wore a white top and ck pants but no boots.


    With his legs crossed, he regted his breathing and finally closed his eyes. He kept breathing slowly until he achieved a certain state of peace.


    This peace was fragile, like a water droplet at the edge of a leaf. It could fall at any moment.


    While in this meditative state, a stray thought about his ancestors flew by, causing him to be rejected from the calm, serene state.


    The moment he was rejected, something shed past his eyes, and he found himself at the top of a stone tform.


    His feet were right at the edge. Looking back, he saw that the tform was about 30 meters high!


    There were other round tforms built around it, but the spaces between the tforms were like chasms.


    Even he, a sacred-ranked swordsman, would not survive the fall.


    Hu~


    He expelled arge amount of air from his lungs through his mouth. Lifting his head, he saw another tform, some meters higher than this one.


    Some tforms were also lower than the one he stood on.


    As he took two steps forward, mes rose up from the chasms, high into the sky, and went back down.


    Only for him to take another two steps and the same thing happened. At first Asher thought it activated when he moved, but heter realized this was a man''s breathing!


    A man''s breathing technique was controlling this much me!


    Read new chapters at m_v-l''e|-NovelBin


    Stunned, Asher bolted forward at his greatest speed. With a few taps of his feet on the walls of the higher tform, he flew into the air andnded on top of it.


    Thud!


    The moment his bare feet touched the yellowish hard ground, mes rose up behind him.


    But this time Asher''s attention was on the man who sat cross-legged. His chest expanded when he took a deep breath.


    When he did that, the mes would vanish into the chasms, but when he exhaled, they would shoot into the sky.


    His gray hair and beard fluttered softly. His facial structure was sharp, much sharper than Asher''s, and his skin was filled with muscles.


    He exposed his bare chest but wore ck pants and leather boots.


    As if sensing Asher, his eyes snapped open. A pair of bright golden eyes that carried so much authority that Asher found himself tilting toward the ground.


    Realizing himself, he still didn''t object and fell on one knee.


    "Lord Torah."


    Torah, pale-skinned like Asher, raised an eyebrow. "Asher Ashbourne, what brings you here?"


    Asher lifted up his head.


    "I¡­ I thought you summoned me?"


    "I did not. It could be that the mes called unto you, but you are not strong enough to be here."


    "Strong enough? My swordsmanship is approaching the level of a master."


    "Is that so?"


    Torah rose to his feet, his tendons snapping as he did. This showed how hard his muscles were.


    "I am not Ariel, nor am I Atticus. You do not wield two swords, so you are not an Ashbourne to me. You are not worthy."


    Asher frowned.


    "The Ashbourne name isn''t limited to our talents."


    Torah snorted. "Such prideful speech. Good. Prove it. Laws only stand when the strong prove it. Wisdom in the mouth of a fool is despised."


    "I am trying to bring the Ashbournes back to where you belong! Stop criticizing me about my origin!"


    Asher clenched his teeth hard. His face became slightly red as his emotions were spiraling out of control.


    "Who said we wanted your help? As long as I am concerned, I do not need the help of a fake, a shell, or a man who isn''t truly convicted. Such a man is more worthless than a bastard."


    Asher''s face hardened to the limit.


    "I see."


    Thud!


    A mighty wolf, the size of Sirius in his full form,nded behind Torah, mes billowing out of its mouth.


    "Stop masquerading, boy; you''re not an Ashbourne¡­!"


    Asher looked at his hand and found Euodias. When Marshal, Torah''s pet beast, dashed toward him, he brandished his sword.


    Boom!


    He burst forward with his battle force billowing out of him. After running in a zigzag pattern, he closed the gap and swung Euodias upward.


    Swish!


    A dazzling crescent light left the sword, but Marshal dissolved it and then attacked with its ws.


    All of a sudden, its eyes glowed white.


    Knowing this was likely to be synergy, Asher turned to face Torah, but he saw the wolf''s tailing from his side.


    rmed, he leaped only for its ws to m him out of the way.


    Before Asher wouldnd, it had wed him over a dozen times!


    "You do not seem to understand; synergy is not a one-sided ability. I can use Marshal''s elements, and he can use my battle skill. Before speed, all you have mastered is useless."


    Those words fell into Asher''s ears as he looked at his own blood on the hard ground.


    His eyes glowed white!


    This time around, a slender figure appeared behind him d in her red armor.


    "You went too hard on him." Ariel spat coldly.


    Torah tilted his head. He looked at Asher, whose wounds were healing up, and his eyes flickered.

 Chapter 180: Growing Talent

    ''Maybe. But his potential is too great for him to just be a carbon copy of another Ashbourne. If it means beating it out of him, I will.''


    With that said, internally, he faced Ariel.


    "I just told him the truth."


    Before his eyes, Ariel entered Asher''s body, and the wind became chaotic. Asher''s grip over his sword tightened, and he rose to his feet.


    It was clear that both he and the spirit inside of him were furious.


    With a mere stomp, a wind burst shot out. Torah flew over it only for Asher to swing his sword three times, releasing more wind bursts.


    As if that wasn''t enough, Asher lifted up his sword and swung it down, unleashing a wind burst so massive that not only did the tform beneath their feet split, but even those ahead of it were also divided!


    Wind sted both left and right, causing great destruction.


    Torah, who kept evading, frowned. "In his body, the elements are stronger."


    Folding his fingers into his palm, he unleashed a punch. An inch away from his fist, pure, untamed mes burst out like a raging eastern dragon.


    Asher swung his sword upwards, unleashing a wind burst that split the mes apart.


    "I see!"


    Boom!


    Torah shot toward him, mes sting out of the bottom of his feet and palms while Asher ran on the ground.


    When he reached the edge, a wind ball formed around him.


    Asher spun Euodias around, causing a whirlwind as sharp as des!


    Seeing this Torah inhaled and breathed out mes, one so great that it would seem he studied a dragon for decades to master it.


    Boom!


    Both elements collided, causing them to split.


    While hended on a broken tform, Asher still hovered midair. His eyes whiter than ever.


    ''I can''t control his blood.''


    A feminine voice rang inside of Asher''s head.


    Asher frowned even in his blood state. Nevertheless, he tightened his grip around Euodias even more.


    There was no doubt that Torah was way stronger than Ariel. He had not even used his weapon or his battle skill, yet he could stand his ground without much effort.


    The raw power inside of him was just that strong.


    "You will lose, boy. Air and water might be great, but fire is untamed, wild, never meant to be controlled, destructive, raging¡­!"


    When Torah said that, Asher saw afterimages of him from where Torah stood to his right side.


    It was so fast that Asher couldn''t even move a muscle when Torah''s fist came for his face about a countless number of times but didn''t touch his face.


    Unknowing to Asher, Torah fake punched him sixty times, yet he wasn''t able to move in that short span!


    This was sixty times he could have died!


    Wrapping his hands around Asher''s face, Torah flung him toward a tform.


    Boom!


    Asher crashed into the tform. Torah calmlynded beside him with both hands sped behind him.


    All of a sudden, Asher flipped back to his feet, and a mighty wind burst came out of his mouth. Torah was caught off guard and was flung hundreds of yards away.


    However, he somersaulted andnded.


    "Still not good enough. Talent isn''t everything..."


    Those words seemed to click, causing a reaction that Torah never expected.


    Asher''s eyes began to grow brighter; the spirits of other lords, including Atticus, filled him, causing him to let out a pained cry.


    "Lord Torah!"


    The voice of hundreds at once was like the great waves of the sea crashing on Torah''s eardrums.


    For the first time, Torah had an apprehensive look.


    More white-eyed lords were appearing, and on the horizon was a white-eyed one who was pitch ck.


    It was Him!


    Seeing this, Torah mmed his foot against the ground.


    "Enough!"


    Swoosh!


    ......¡­..


    Hoo~ hoo~


    A pair of golden eyes opened. He stared at his ceiling while experiencing excruciating pain from the depths of his soul.


    He couldn''t even grunt; he only uttered small groanings.


    His breath was like that of a dying man.


    [Warning! Your talent is growing!]


    Asher''s pupils trembled. Since when did talents grow?


    Whatever was happening was killing him. That was what Asher knew, and he wanted it to stop.


    ''Stop it!''


    He bellowed, filled with pain.


    [But Host, your talent''s growth will cease.]


    Asher''s breath kept growing weaker and weaker, forcing the system to subdue the talent''s growth.


    At this point, Asher''s eyes were white and his breathing faint.


    He was half a step away from death.


    Time trickled by, and when it was alreadyte in the night, someone knocked on the door so hard that the door shook.


    "Your Lordship!"


    "Your Lordship, are you in there?"


    Knock! Knock! Knock!


    After knocking for a while, the door was broken, and Kelvin walked in to see Asher''s state. His heart almost left its position.


    "Get Sapphira, now!!"


    ......¡­


    "Ah!"


    Asher opened his eyes. The first thing he saw was a beautiful porcin woman whose hand was on his forehead.


    Her face shone like the sun, yet the radiance had a mild sensation and not scorching. It seemed like even after staring at her for an entire day, no one could get satisfied or bored.


    "Sapphira."


    His deep voice rang, breaking their silent eye contact.


    Sapphira blinked. She helped him sit, leaning against a pillow before releasing afortable sensation from her palm, which was now on his thigh.


    This was the first time Asher wore shorts before a woman and no top, but it seems like she had seen him like this for a while now.


    "What happened?"


    She asked softly.


    "Something unexinable."


    Asher grunted.


    "You were half dead three days ago. Do you know what it means for me to heal you in three days?"


    "That I''d be dead if you were not around."


    "Yes." Sapphira responded. She shifted closer to him and sped Asher''s hard cheeks with both hands.


    Feeling the soft sensation of her palms, for the first time in his life, in Boundless, Asher felt the urge to wrap his hands around a woman.


    The moment Asher sensed it, he pulled away from Sapphira, got to his feet with a grunt, and reached out for his top.


    "Get me some tea. I need to think."


    Sapphira sighed. She was about to examine his eyes because although Asher hadn''t noticed it, it had a bright sheen.


    As if the eyes were made of polished gold!

 Chapter 181: Battle Of The Beasts

    Asher sat on a wooden chair facing an open window that gave a nice view of the serene view of Nimrim.


    He exhaled softly yet felt a little pain that seemed to be illusory. He couldn''t remember what happened when those spirits began to appear, but he knew he felt powerful, so powerful that his knowledge of almost every weapon rose up to the level of master!


    Not only that, but at that stage he might have forced Torah to wield his weapon, but the cost would have been his life.


    Torah saved him.


    Knowing this, all his hate toward Torah vanished. He tightened his grip around the armrests of the chair, silently scolding himself for being too brash.


    Torah still cared for him after all. The man was just a little too¡­ harsh.


    While he pondered, his eyes went to the evergreen olive tree, looking magnificent as ever. At its roots were hundreds of workers. They had built a rope and basket system that allowed someone to control the ropes that moved the baskets.


    The baskets would easily gather the olives, and it would be lowered for a worker to carry to where he will be pressed.


    As he watched them with a in, rxed expression, the door opened, and Sapphira gently walked in.


    Hearing footsteps, Asher turned and saw the fairy elegantly walking toward him. The swaying of her figure as she walked made him frown because he knew that this was how she usually walked.


    But it was now getting to him. The moment it began to look more attractive than normal, something was off.


    With a loud exhale, he cleared his thoughts.


    Sapphira dropped the tray on a table and brought the tea for him.


    "Thank you."


    Asher took it, his finger brushing against her slightly warm, soft ones. As he took a sip, his mind calmed, his emotions slowly got back together, and his reasoning sharpened.


    He took the second sip and then turned toward Sapphira.


    "I''m d you were around." This time around, his voice wasposed and quite distant, as it usually was.


    Sapphira smiled softly. Like a mature woman who understood all a man needed.


    "It''s a pleasure to serve a great lord like you."


    Asher smiled back.


    He averted his eyes from her back to the window and continued to sip his tea in silence. By the time he finally dropped the cup, Sapphira was gone. The room was silent.


    His eyes scanned the room as he rose to his feet.


    Asher pursed his lips, walked to the middle of the room, and sat cross-legged. The moment he closed his eyes, he found himself in a valley. Discover hidden content at m,v l''e-NovelBin


    The skies were covered with ck, rumbling clouds. Standing some meters away from him was Atticus Ashbourne with his arms crossed.


    "Fighting Lord Torah was a wrong choice."


    "I knew thatter."


    Asher replied.


    Atticus shook his head. "He was right, you know. It''s time we stop considering you as one of the Ashbournes. You have the talent and then inborn potential to be better than this name. Others might strive to beat it, but you have to strive to find out who is inside of you."


    Asher blinked.


    "Torah said this?"


    Atticus nodded slowly. "Lord Torah isn''t pleased that we have been training you to be just another Ashbourne Lord. He sees greater things in you, and I see that now."


    "Are you talking about what happened during my fight with him?"


    Atticus''s eyes flickered. As a spirit he understood more than Asher what his talent''s growth was doing.


    All the Ashbourne Lords to have ever existed were fusing into one man! It was something that he would have never thought possible.


    One must know that Lord Zenas married after his 200th year, which was when he was made duke and the war with the abyssals had reached its end.


    There were many Ashbourne Lords and generals governing over castles, cities, strongholds, and much more.


    All of them had their experiences, their strengths!


    If Asher could have ess to them all, then he was more than just an Ashbourne.


    "Your training has changed from today. You will have to start mastering our battle skills so when we fuse with your spirit, we can take it to a greater level."


    Asher''s pupils shook.


    "How do you expect me to master the battle skills of the four great dukes when I almost died before I gave birth to one?"


    Atticus snorted.


    "There''s a training method the Ashbournes abolished 300 years back, before my time. You''ll start it. And let me inform you, it would have to do with you always giving us the space to possess you so we can teach you."


    Asher frowned deeply.


    "But if I cut myself and there''s no one to let out that anger on¡ª"


    "You''ll let it out on beasts."


    "On beasts?"


    Asher raised an eyebrow.


    "Yes. 300 years ago, Lord Torah sent his men into the wild to hunt the most fearsome beasts, and he would face it alone in an arena. This built his instinct, speed, durability, and raw power. I don''t have to tell you how strong he ispared to us, who only sparred against humans and our subordinates."


    "That would be putting myself at risk." Asher responded.


    "It will. But it''s also another way to strengthen your body, expand yourbat ability, and, most of all, sharpen your battle instincts."


    Atticus walked up to him.


    "I''ll be the first. You''ll have to learn Blood Awakening, little lord."


    Asher looked up at the man who was actually taller than him.


    "But your battle skills were born from your efforts."


    "And now I want to impart it to you. It''s my decision, and it''s worthwhile. I myself never had the kind of elites you have. It just proves that you are destined to climb higher, and in that journey, you will face stronger and stranger opponents, some mere individuals, some lords."


    A fierce wind began to blow along with water droplets falling from the sky. When one droplet sttered on Asher''s head, his spirit returned back to his body.


    He found himself back in Nimrim, but he wasn''t the same anymore.


    The man who went to meditate had nothing, but the one who came out had something to achieve.


    Maybe this was the only way to be strong enough to meet Zenas!

 Chapter 182: Great Battle

    The next day, Asher returned to Nineveh with Sapphira. The moment he entered the gates, he saw a tall, white-haired man d in a golden chest te over his white tunic.


    His golden spectacles gleamed softly as he walked toward him.


    This man, who had the air of a noble, was none other than Kelvin, Asher''s regent and ex-butler.


    For some reason, Kelvin still kept his butler job, and after trying his best to have him quit the job and failing, Asher gave up.


    "Your Lordship¡­" He said.


    Asher smiled at him, came down from his mount, and embraced him. In the entire domain, everyone knew it was only Kelvin and Sirius that could bring out this side of their lord.


    Others could only watch.


    After a heartwarming hug, Asher patted Kelvin''s back.


    "Did I miss anything these past days?"


    "We have begun production. Three trebuchets have beenpleted as of yesterday, and all of them have been tested to be able to throwrge stones with great aim over a distance of 500 yards."


    Asher smiled.


    "Archers won''t be able to hit them, but we''ll be able to rain havoc. Incredible!"


    Seeing the smile on Asher''s face made Kelvin chuckle. Asher was like his own kid. When he was happy, Kelvin felt happy, and when he was down, he also felt down.


    "Tell them I want more. We shall march for Greenock Castle once the trebuchets are ready."


    Kelvin was stunned.


    "I thought the n was to wait."


    "There''s no need for that anymore. We have 15,000 knights; that''s a force strong enough to face the count. The war machines are all I need to march on Greenock."


    "Greenrock Castle will be under tight protection since the count will be expecting our attacks."


    Asher chuckled.


    "He won''t expect the Deste Wolf troop and the war machines. With the trebuchets, they won''t be able to hide behind a wall for long."


    Asher turned to look at Kelvin.


    "His forces are divided. I need an ally, and House Mormont looks like a valuable one. Once we attack the count, they''ll look at us differently."


    "But Duke Nubis¡ª!"


    "House Nubis has been enemies with our house for centuries. They''re not going to sit and watch us grow even if we try to get out of their way."


    "I see," Kelvin said. "I''ll summon themanders for a meeting then."


    "There''s no need. Tell the soldiers that their lord wants to use the arena."


    Sapphira said from behind. Kevin was stunned to hear what she said.


    "Why?"


    "He wants to fight. He wants to fight beasts if I''m to be precise."


    "What?! But, my Lord, you just recovered!"


    .....


    Eventually, Asher agreed to fight the next day, but they still gathered a bunch of ovok and one silver blood horse into the arena.


    Sapphira, Kelvin, and the Blooddes stood underneath the arena gazing at Asher, who stood before the beasts.


    ''I want something I can fight.''


    [Host''s intentions are dangerous. Should I proceed with a weak version of this upgrade? Yes or No?]


    ''No. I want to witness my peak and exceed it.''


    [As you wish. Would you like to fuse 8 Ovoks and one Silver Blood horse to create an upgraded mutant version, The Thunderous Bloodhorn? Yes or No?]


    [Warning! This beast won''t be tamed by the system. It is advisable that the host puts it behind bars before the upgrade.]


    Heeding the system''s instructions, the beasts were put behind the steel bars with a mana restriction circuit nted in the cage.


    ''Proceed.''


    Swoosh!


    A mix of ck, white, and blue light burst out, and along with it came wind bursts that threatened to sweep him off the ground, but he held himself in ce.


    With narrowed eyes, he watched the light go down, revealing a 7-foot-tall, steel-like, muscled, jet-ck Ovok. It had pitch-ck scales over its head, stout neck, shoulders, and forelimbs.


    Its eyes were crimson, and azure lightning crackled on the silver horns.


    This was definitely a raging mythical beast!


    Sapphira gasped lightly. She couldn''t believe Asher just created a mythical beast, beings that were going extinct before her very eyes.


    "It''s the Thunderous Bloodhorn." Her lips parted.


    The saint-ranked mythical beast breathed out literal lightning from its nostrils, causing Kelvin''s eyes to grow wide.


    Nero took a step back.


    While they all had apprehensive reactions, Asher stood before the steel bars with both hands sped behind him.


    His golden eyes boring right into the Thunderously Bloodhorn.


    He could feel its oppressive aura weighing heavily on him. More than that, it also looked intimidating, but there was a goal in mind.


    That goal burned brighter than the beast before him.


    After a while he sighed. "The life of an Ashbourne is full of madness."


    Turning, he nced at the beast that would have shattered the reinforced steel bars if not for the suppression effect and walked away.


    It was time to prepare for tomorrow''s battle.


    Throughout the rest of the day, the news leaked out to the rest of the higher-ups. Baron meheart, who was in an inn waiting to meet Asher the next day, was shocked to hear the news.


    Baroness Katarina, General Adam, Commander Eritrea, and Commander Lambert all arrived in Nineveh that night.


    They were more curious to see their lord in action rather than ask why he was fighting in the first ce.


    Unfortunately, the news spread out even more, reaching the ears of citizens who began to whisper and gossip amongst themselves.


    The great thunderous sounds people heard from the arena heightened their expectations and certified the rumor.


    Their lord was truly going to battle against a fearsome beast.


    Meanwhile, the fellow they spoke about was on the training tform in the castle''s courtyard swinging his sword.


    Each sh was slow yet purposeful. He was so absorbed in what he was doing that he had no idea that a slender figure was watching him all this while.


    The moment he noticed her, Asher brought down his sword.


    "Eritrea."


    His deep voice rang. The figure emerged from the darkness and fell on one knee.


    "Your Lordship."


    "Arise."


    Asher smiled.


    She stood up. Looking at Asher, whose eyes seemed to pierce through the darkness, she slowly began to walk around the tform.


    "Your Lordship, the people know about your fight. Will you allow them to watch?"


    Asher frowned.


    "How did you know about it?"


    "Uh¡­"


    Eritrea was dumbstruck. She did not expect Asher would ask her.


    "I heard it from a little bird."


    "I see. Then that bird must have been the one to spread the news."


    "You¡­!"


    Eritrea held her tongue when she realized whom she spoke to. Asher chuckled and pointed his sword toward the weapon rack.


    "Pick a weapon. I want to spar with a friend."


    Eritrea blinked several times before rushing for the weapon rack. Explore more stories with m,v l''e-NovelBin

 Chapter 183: Thunderous Bloodhorn

    When morning came, almost everyone in Nineveh and beyond woke up with their first thought being that their lord was going to show his face publicly today, and not just that, but he was also going to fight a frightening beast.


    In the early hours of the morning, when fog covered everywhere, people had flooded the gates of the arena.


    The arena was built for people to watch the soldiers spar against each other, so it only had space for 500 at its best.


    Usually there weren''t even up to 50 people, but today thousands were struggling to get in. Deste Wolves stationed at the gate had to make sure they pushed back the crowd.


    Officials like the barons and themanders were led in through a special entry and given a seat at the highest spot.


    When the officials came, the sun was already out, and along with Baron meheart were Jon and Jane.


    Both of them took their seats while Baron meheart left for the highest floor.


    Jane looked at the solid structure. "This mighty stronghold that houses tens of thousands is owned by that small lord?"


    Jon had no words. His guess was that a mighty lord had taken over and was using Asher as a cover.


    He thought Asher was just a puppet.


    After all, it was impossible for Asher to have all of these in just one year. Just when he thought Goshen was the best, Nineveh came along.


    Although it was a stronghold and not a city, its architectural design didn''t hold back in beauty, and this didn''t reduce the solidness of the stronghold.


    Goshen''s walls were nothingpared to Nineveh''s wall. What shocked Jon the most was the massive war machines on the walls.


    "Apologies, but there was a small town called Ash Town somewhere around here. Where is it?"


    He turned to amander.


    "You''re sitting upon it."


    Jon''s eyes trembled.


    What was going on here? When will these people stop all pretense and tell him the truth?!


    Boom!


    The ground rumbled, causing him to grip something, or he would have fallen to the lower seats.


    "What''s that?!" Jane gasped.


    "It''s a Thunderous Bloodhorn. Despite locking its powers, it can still cause such tremor. Our Lord is in for a serious battle."


    Lambert''s voice fell into Jon''s ears.


    "A Thunderous Bloodhorn! Is he out of his mind?"


    Jon gasped.


    "Who?"


    A soft, appealing voice rang from behind, causing him and his daughter to turn. Their lips parted as they gawked at the gorgeous fairy pping her wings ever so slowly.


    Her lips were pressed together, probably caused by Jon''s words.


    "Apologies, Miss¡­"


    Jon bowed. Without being told, he knew this woman wasn''t a mere civilian. Although he couldn''t see her face because of her priestly garment, he knew just by her body alone that she was an international beauty.


    Her wings alone refracted different colors when the sunlight met it from the back. It was a mesmerizing sight to behold.


    Not only them but everyone in and outside the arena gazed at the enchanting creature. The only parts of her skin they could see were her lips, the palm and back of her hand, and her feet.


    Yet these little skin revealed were like precious jewels in the eyes of the people.


    Without another word, Sapphira flew to the highest floor and assumed a seat amongst Baron meheart and Baroness Katarina.


    Not long after she sat down, the left-sided gates were opened, and a man d in a golden chest te stood before the high officials sitting on the highest floor, the only floor that had a canopy.


    "That''s Kelvin!" Jane eximed.


    Boom! Boom! Boom!


    The ground shook. People looked at the left gate, knowing something wasing out of it.


    "Ladies and gentlemen, I, Regent Kelvin, would like to introduce you to one of the thought-extinct mythical beasts, the Thunderous Bloodhorn. A ravaging beast known to tear its enemies apart, even a single blow could mean death. A master of lightning and a creature with an armored build."


    After the introduction, silence descended in therge arena. Terror has wrapped its tyrannical fingers around their hearts.


    Some began to think if they wanted to execute their lord right before their eyes.


    "Do not panic; this is one of the oldws of the Ashbournes. It''s a ritual... a dreadful one."


    ng!


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    The right gate opened, and Kelvin pointed toward it.


    "Therees the other opponent. He is Asher Ashbourne, thest remaining male heir of the great Ashbourne house, the white wolf of the north, Lord of the northern wastnds!"


    "Yes!!"


    "It''s him! It''s Lord Asher!!"


    "It''s the white wolf!"


    Hundreds jumped up from their seats, pointing at the right gate as they watched the silhouette of a man get closer and closer.


    When he emerged from the darkness, their screams grew even louder. Asher had never seen what 100 percent loyalty could do, but this was a fragment of it.


    Their screams were so deafening that the sound of the beast was swallowed.


    Jon squinted as he saw a tall man without a tunic walk out of the gate. His firm muscles without a single w werepletely exposed for all to see.


    His biceps, triceps, and abs were all magnificent. The contours were deep yet not so deep, and his muscles did bulge but not too much.


    He looked fit, light, and bnced at the same time.


    He wore ck pants and ck leather boots with steel padding. He wrapped a white cloth around both hands and held a unique sword in his right.


    "I must say, he has developed a stunning charm." Jane didn''t know when those words left her lips.


    Eritrea, upon hearing it, chuckled. While people were screaming his name, Asher didn''t even lift his head.


    It was like they did not exist. His eyes were on the 7-foot-tall beast that just emerged from the left gate.


    It had to run from underground to the top, which was why it didn''t appear like he did, but that was done in order for him toe out first.


    "Euodias, it''s time for us to meet again."

 Chapter 184: Maddened Rage

    With a mighty bellow, the Thunderous Bloodhorn dashed toward Asher. Its eyes were fixed on him, and it could already imagine lighting him up with lightning.


    When Asher saw the great beast heading towards him, he wrapped the fingers of his right hand around Euodias'' hilt.


    His eyes flickered.


    Shing!


    The moment he drew the sword out of its sheath, faint azure mist burst out of the beautiful sword, and it formed an illusory wolf head.


    Without a second to breathe, the beast lunged at him. Asher kept sliding back until his back hit the metal bars of the gate he came out of.


    Blood sttered on the ground while his arms trembled.


    Almost instantly, he was covered in his own blood. His own rough breathing fell into his ears.


    As his wounds closed up, his eyes grew brighter and brighter until a piercing, bone-chilling white took over.


    Rumble!


    Dark clouds gathered above Nineveh, causing people to look up. Many were shocked to see their lord was badly injured by his own weapon, but the clouds and his eyes shocked them even more.


    Roar!


    The Thunderous Bloodhorn roared, exposing its knife-like teeth that could easily crush human bones. Seeing this, Asher still dashed toward it.


    Upon collision, Asher leaped with a great stomp, lifted his sword high above his head, and as he was about to swing down, the Thunderous Bloodhorn''s horns gathered a lightning.


    Crackle! Boom!


    The thunderbolt shed with his sword, causing an outward ripple st that also moved with a wave that caused people''s hair and clothes to flutter.


    Some fluttered so hard the people thought their clothes might be ripped off.


    Asher somersaulted twice andnded with the fingers of his left hand leaving a deep trail on the yellow ground.


    He puffed out.


    Boom! Boom!


    The Thunderous Bloodhorn closed the gap with a lightning dash and swung its horn upward. Its agenda was to tear him apart with its deadly horns.


    Asher rolled to his left, sprung to his feet, and ced his sword in a defensive way. Luckily, it deflected the beast''s shoulder bash.


    However, the forceunched him 100 yards away. By the time he stood up, he looked at the sky, and water droplets, way bigger than that of a casual rain, began to fall.


    It was like a heavy downpour, but none of the audience were wet.


    Stter!


    Asher stepped on the puddles as he dashed toward the Thunderous Bloodhorn. He brandished his sword, forming a mighty water de in the process before swinging it at the beast.


    Seeing the dangerous attack, the Thunderous Bloodhorn opened its mouth and spat out a tremendous lightning bolt.


    The water de and the thick lightning bolt collided, causing another st. Water sttered everywhere.


    A man burst out of the water that could be seen flying in different directions midair. His sword high above his head.


    His white eyes bright and piercing. Crimson light billowed off his body. It was his Battle Force!


    Swish!


    A thick crimson light left Euodias along with a slight blue tint.


    Seeing this, the Thunderous Bloodhorn swung its head upward, shing head-on with the sword beam.


    Boom!


    Another ripple swept out. Asher saw it rush out with lightning flickering out of its nostrils.


    With a wave of his left palm, a great amount of water rose up and mmed the beast 200 yards to the right.


    The force made the beast''s knees weak.


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    Asher, standing in one spot, looked at the beast, his eyes as white as ever.


    "Yes!"


    Eritrea squealed as she raised both her hands. Hearing her voice, Asher turned, looked at her, and veered his eyes toward the highest floor.


    Sapphira sat there with a small smile on her lips. Although she wasn''t awestruck or tantly cheering him up, that little smile was enchanting.


    All of a sudden, he noticed her expression change. This made him turn, and he saw the Thunderous Bloodhorn was back on his feet.


    At this moment, Asher noticed something. Even Atticus, the spirit inside of him, was affected by Sapphira''s charms!


    His thoughts went out of line for a moment, and that was all it took for the Thunderous Bloodhorn to close the gap.


    Lightning came from its horns, met in-between, and then fired at him. The stunched him to the wall.


    In the next moment, the Thunderous Bloodhorn was at the wall. People gasped; some closed their eyes, awaiting the bloodshed, but Asher held one horn.


    He flipped himself over the beast. Landing behind it, he swung his sword at it.


    Water followed his movement, mming the beast with so much pressure that the wall cracked!


    The power of the water alone was enough to scatter all the bones in the body of a hundred gold-ranked knights!


    This was what the beast took and shook its head.


    Roar!


    Lightning left its mouth. While Asher dashed toward the lightning st, he swung his sword upward, and a water tide rose up.


    It kept rising and growing bigger until it crushed the lightning st and swallowed the Thunderous Bloodhorn.


    To Asher''s shock, it came out of the tide unharmed. This made him frown.


    "If he can''t prate its defenses, he''s doomed." Jane said.


    Jon frowned. "The defense of a Thunderous Bloodhorn is just too great. He''ll have to get out of the arena."


    As they were speaking, Asher prepared for another collision. He calmed himself to the max, and when the beast came, he shed with its horn.


    His strikes were fast, but the Bloodhorn proved it could tank all his attacks.


    All of a sudden, after the flurry of attacks, Asher saw red lines connecting to his de.


    His lips curled upward.


    ''Finally!''


    Blood Awakening!


    Bam!


    He took the opportunity to swing down in that area, and one horn dropped!


    Maddened with fury, lightning burst out of the Bloodhorn''s body, spreading so far that it was about to make contact with the audience, but Sapphira conjured a barrier.


    Her eyes narrowed as she saw the level of lightning the Bloodhorn was letting out.


    "This¡­! Not even a saint-ranked knight will survive this. Get his Lordship out!"


    meheart rose to his feet.

 Chapter 185: Great Shock

    Crackle!


    Seeing the fierce lightning crackling around the Thunderous Bloodhorn, Asher knew it was about to execute a dreadful attack that might actually damage him.


    He looked at Euodias and the crimson tendrils connecting the sword to the beast with flickering eyes.


    These tendrils couldn''t be seen by others. It was a battle skill awakened by Atticus Ashbourne.


    These tendrils were showing him the weak spots on the beast''s body. As it ran, some weak spots would close and some would open, but he could see one that was more ring.


    As Asher channeled his Battle Force into the sword, there was a sudden explosion as the illusory figure of a mighty wolf, several feet taller than the Thunderous Bloodhorn, appeared behind him.


    In this form, there was no doubt it could kill both him and the beast, but the wolf averted his eyes from Asher towards the Bloodhorn.


    Boom!


    The earth beneath Asher''s foot cracked open as he burst forth with incredible speed. There was water underneath his feet, pushing him like he was gliding on a wave! Spinning, Euodias, Asher unleashed a horizontal cut.


    So swift that no one knew where he cut even after he stopped and fell on one knee.


    The Thunderous Bloodhorn staggered a bit before its head fell off!


    Silence fell on the arena. Everyone was shocked to their bones. They were all expecting Asher to be able tond a good hit on the beast and escape.


    No one thought he could kill a Thunderous Bloodhorn! A beast with incredible defense!


    "What sort of weapon is that?"


    Jon gasped.


    "A king''s weapon." Lambert said with pride as he rose up to his feet and began to p.


    His eyes were filled with pride as he watched his lord rise up to his feet and walk toward his sheath.


    There were lots of burn marks on his torso. The burn marks were almost everywhere, except for his face.


    However, as he was walking toward his sheath, the burns were closing up at a fast pace. By the time he reached the sheath, his skin was without a single scar!


    The loud yells and pping from the crowd fell into Asher''s ears, but they couldn''t see that the arm holding Euodias was trembling.


    As he tried to sheath the sword, it let out a piercing hum, and the lightning still crackling on the dead beast ran toward Asher.


    "What in the world is¡­"


    Baron meheart couldn''t finish his sentence when Euodias absorbed the lightning and blood of the Thunderous Bloodhorn at an insane rate.


    Right before the eyes of hundreds, the Thunderous Bloodhorn became a shriveled carcass.


    The sword''s trembling became greater and greater as if it was struggling to get out of Asher''s hands.


    Without wasting a single moment, he mmed it into the sheath, only for azure cracks to appear on the body of the sheath!


    It seemed like it couldn''t withstand the growing power of the sword anymore. Continue reading at m|v-l''e -NovelBin


    Water covered his legs to his waist and lifted him into the air. He kept going higher and higher until the people had to squint in order to catch a glimpse of him.


    Looking at his territory from such great height and the powerful spinning water under him, Asher''s white eyes flickered.


    Just with a thought, he could ughter everyone in the arena if he controlled the water to do so.


    Not only that, but he could feel it inside of him. A new battle skill has been branded to his soul!


    Blood Awakening!


    He could now see the ws and weaknesses of his opponents in battle. This skill alone had made him a terror.


    "Is that our Lord?" A child outside the arena gasped. Although he couldn''t see Asher''s figure clearly, his white eyes were so piercing that it was hard to miss even with the huge amount of swirling dark blue water.


    All of a sudden, the water formed a giant sword with Asher right on top of the hilt. It slowly began to dissolve and sink into the ground until his feet touched the ground.


    He only came down when Euodias had calmed down.


    The wrath of that sword could annihte this stronghold if it wasn''t subdued.


    "I need a new sheath."


    He sighed.


    "That''s the same man we met a year ago? He can now kill a saint-ranked beast? Isn''t he as strong as some dukes?!"


    Jon turned to his daughter, who couldn''t hide her shock and dissolving disbelief.


    Unable to say a word, he turned back to the young lord, who finally waved at the people. It was as if one addedbustible oil into a raging fire.


    The audience burst into a great cheer. But Asher didn''t stay to receive the praise. He left shortly after the wave.


    ...........


    "You did well, your Lordship." Kelvin said as they walked into the castle.


    Asher revealed a small smile. "Invite all the officials for a banquet tomorrow. We shall discuss our ns for conquering Greenrock Castle."


    Kelvin blinked but hooded. "As you wish."


    Asher began to ascend the stairs, yearning for the softness of his bed after a clean bath, which, by the way, he did by himself.


    Having his maids bathe him was simply weing temptation. He was a man.


    Although he had his fears with women, it did not make him unable to do the deed. If situations arose, he could fall like any other man.


    His only advantage was his slightly stronger restraint.


    The moment he opened the door, a yell fell into his ears.


    "Your Lordship!"


    It was Kelvin''s voice.


    "What is it?"


    Asher looked back.


    Kelvin ran up to him with a letter that he got from the messenger who was just leaving the main hall.


    "It''s a letter from cksmith Dan. Your armor is ready!"


    Asher quickly grabbed the letter and read it.


    "My Lord, the dwarven ore is the most stubborn metal I have ever met throughout my life, and after months of great efforts, I have finallypleted the armor. Your armor is ready, and I will bring it to youe the eve of the day."


    Asher raised his head.


    "Finally."

 Chapter 186: Exodus, The Conqueror!

    After a proper rest and meal, Asher sat in the sacred hall, ready to face today''s matters. He had reduced it to the best he could but couldn''t avoid his duty for the entire day.


    Boom!


    The doors swung open and two familiar figures walked into the hall. Sirius looked at the two individuals for a brief moment before turning away.


    Your next read awaits at m,v -NovelBin


    That brief look meant it had met these fellows before.


    Asher squinted while Kelvin was shocked. It was the merchant, Jon, and his daughter Jane.


    Both of them reached the center of the hall and fell on one knee.


    As they bowed, their voices rang, "We greet His Lordship."


    "You''re familiar. I have met you before, haven''t I?" Asher tilted his head.


    Jon cleared his throat. He shot his old friend a nce.


    Kelvin crossed his arms but said nothing.


    Seeing this, Jon sighed internally. "Indeed you have. I am the merchant who fled after being captured by Baron Snow. You were the one who rescued us."


    "Oh?" Asher shook his head as he remembered those days. Then, he just had a little over a hundred bronze-ranked men and felt quite protected.


    He admired the courage of his past self.


    "It''s been a year."


    "Indeed it has been. I have joined the Norde Merchant Guild and was sent back here because of the Evergreen olive oil. Our Guild wants to trade with you."


    "Norde Merchant Guild?" Kelvin said.


    Jon looked at him. "They''re one of the big guilds in the Sacred me Empire. The empire is known for its outstanding merchant guilds, and our guild will be able to spread the evergreen olive oil to several regions."


    Asher leaned forward.


    "Such a great thing doesn''te without a cost. What is the cost, Jon?"


    His eyes met that of the merchant. Asher knew very well that from the creation, merchants had outstanding control over their tongues.


    They could beguile almost anyone.


    "70%. That''s all we shall take in exchange for exporting the evergreen oil beyond the horizons of the wastnds into the valleys of the Silvermoon kingdom, the shores of Everad, the mountains of Nightfire, and even the ins of the Galvia empire."


    Asher chuckled. "These are the major powers of the world."


    "They are, and my guild trades with outstanding nobles with centuries-old heritage there. Exporting the evergreen olive oil won''t be a problem."


    "70% is simply outrageous, Jon. Youing here with such prepositions is disheartening. This is a great chance for His Lordship to gain revenue and aid his domain, but you want to take 70%!"


    Kelvin red at Jon.


    "The Guild is doing almost all the work while you just have to keep producing. 30% of the revenue from all these regions will be enough to fund any county."


    Jon said with a sincere tone.


    Asher cleared his throat.


    "We reject that offer. I shall take 60%, and your guild shall take 40%. This will stand for as long as our alliance stands."


    Jon frowned. "Your Lordship, the guild won''t ept such an offer, especially from a growing count."


    Asher smiled. He knew Jon wasn''t wrong. These big guilds were as wealthy as kingdoms! They had power and influence, so much that some nobles had to bend to their wills.


    However, Asher wasn''t nning to join those nobles who had bent the knee to mere merchants.


    He could rather start up his own guild, and for that to happen, he needed influence.


    What better way than his battle with Count William?


    Although he won''t be able to export to the entire world in a year or more, it was better than ving away for some greedy merchants.


    "Then return to them with my words. I refuse."


    Jane''s pupils shook.


    Did Asher just reject an offer that even Count William would ept and in such an arrogant tone?


    She didn''t know what to feel. Impressed or spiteful.


    Jon exhaled.


    "What about the Westfall Restaurant?"


    The moment he said that, both Asher''s and Kelvin''s eyes sharpened.


    "What about it?"


    "We would like to purchase the products used. Like the jade wheat, golden fragrant corn, and the eggs."


    Jon didn''t bother speaking about the recipe because he knew that would result in a greater disagreement and even cause him to be forced out.


    "You can discuss that with my regent."


    Asher got to his feet. Withrge strides, he walked out of the hall.


    ...¡­..


    When evening came, a man d in thick golden armor stood in the middle of his courtyard facing 10 Stormbringer markswomen.


    The skull of the helmet had a crown-like crest with something that looked simr to a cross at the front.


    The cheek tes were well built, with the visor having few tiny holes on the golden te. The chest te curved outward, and it settled perfectly on his chest and upper abdomen.


    A leather belt made from one of the strongest Ovoks was wrapped around his waist with a golden metal in the middle.


    His gauntlets were gold, but the area that covered his fingers was dark silver. It matched the dark silver lining, which could only be seen if one squinted well.


    The chest te had twoyers. One was internal, while the external one had a well-forged addition at the top. It acted like a defense against weapons that came for his neck.


    Around that open space, which should have left his neck and some part of his shoulder exposed for someone looking from the top, was an adornment of thick white fur.


    It made the armor look regal. Like it belonged to royalty.


    Standing there, the golden-armored swordsman looked like he could destroy the walls with a single blow.


    He looked powerful. His aura was like a boulder on the shoulders of those who stood by.


    There was no armor in the entire domain that couldpare to this one in terms of creation, capability, aura, looks, durability, and battle force connection.


    This armor was a masterpiece. And its name was Exodus, the conqueror!

 Chapter 187: Schemes In The Mines

    "Fire at me."


    Asher said as he pointed to his chest. The Stormbringers did not hesitate as they released arrows at him.


    Unfortunately, gold-ranked arrows shot by gold-ranked markswomen bounced off the armor without Asher circting his battle force.


    "Is that all?"


    Kelvin coughed when Asher said that. He felt Asher was abusing his soldiers. There was no way gold-ranked steel couldpare to gold-ranked dwarven metal, not to talk about the saint-ranked dwarven armor he donned.


    Even imperial-ranked weapons would find it hard to breach the armor unless they found an opening. For example, the gaps between the parts of the armor.


    Asher wrapped his fingers around Euodias and unsheathed the de. As usual, a spirit came out, this time around with flickers of lightning, but when it struck him, he only slid back a hundred yards, and there was not a scratch on him.


    Seeing this, the spirit beast was about tounch a greater strike, but he infused his battle force into the sword, subduing its channel.


    Like him, Euodias is also a vessel, a medium through which the spirit of the vengeful wolf appeared in the mortal world.


    While he had to be cut to be essible, Euodias had to leave its sheath to be essible.


    In a way, he was wielding a sword that had great simrities with him.


    Swinging Euodias to his heart''s content, he turned to the Stormbringers.


    "Fire, and don''t stop until I say so."


    The moment he gave that order, the Stormbringers looked at themselves, slowly removed three arrows each, and nocked them.


    Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!


    Several arrows came at Asher, but he calmly deflected them with bnced footwork and sharp senses.


    He was like a mirage despite his seemingly heavy armor. His movement was light, and sometimes he would seem to blur in-between arrows.


    All of a sudden, one arrow came straight for his eyes with a force the others couldn''tpete with. It came out of the blue and closed the gap almost instantly.


    Asher swung his sword but missed by a narrow margin. In slow motion, the flesh above and below his eyes folded as he squinted.


    The gleaming arrowhead reflected in his pupils.


    In the next moment, he grabbed the arrow right before his eye. Good thing it wasn''t a must to use two hands in wielding his sword.


    His other hand was free all this while.


    He lifted up his head and saw Eritrea. Her face was covered in shock.


    "What kind of armor is that?!"


    She eximed.


    In her spars with Alec, Eritrea came to a realization that Alec, a sacred-ranked Aegis, needed to power his shield with his battle force in order to block her full-powered shots.


    Even then the force usually made him take some steps back, but Asher just caught her arrow with his hands!


    She expected him to evade, as that was what swordsmen do in the face of such a crisis, but Asher did the opposite.


    "That got my heart pounding for a while there."


    Asher smiled, but no one could see it because of the visor.


    "Come again."


    He chuckled as he swung his sword. The sound of Euodias tearing through the air resistance fell into their ears.


    ..........


    Silverleaf Bastide.


    Two men in chains were pushing carts loaded with iron ore. They walked side by side, their eyes strangely shifty.


    One had a stout frame while the other had red hair and a smaller frame, but both of them were quite tall.


    They were Baron Rutherford and Baron Scarlet. After several months, they had learned to be humble and work like others or face more of the mind-dampening sensation of the iron prison.


    "What do you think?"


    Baron Rutherford said as he looked at the bronze-ranked soldiers with their tall spears strolling about.


    Baron Scarlet nced at them and raised an eyebrow. "Nothing much."


    Rutherford chuckled. "They''re trained. They''re strong."


    "That was before." Baron Scarlet revealed a malicious smile. In these past few months they have learnt to utilize their time to train their bodies.


    Before they couldn''t match these bronze-ranked soldiers who could use battle force, but now, they were sure they could beat up a silver-ranked without stress!


    As they walked southward, a man came in the opposite direction. He had long ck hair, a rough-looking face, and one eye.


    It was Buba, the one-eyed methrower.


    The trio started walking past each other like they were strangers. No one could notice the discussion that went on with their eyes alone!


    "The bastard is at war with the count."


    Rutherford chuckled.


    Baron Scarlet nced at him. "I heard. It should make his domain more vulnerable from the inside."


    "How many have you coerced?" Rutherford asked with a deep tone.


    "150. I met 10 people yesterday who refused to cooperate. The bastard still has loyalists, and there are a lot of them amongst us."


    "Tsk! What did you do to those who refused?"


    It was obvious Baron Rutherford was implying something.


    "Faked a copse with my men, and they all died this morning."


    "Oh? You were the one that caused the copse." Baron Rutherford chuckled softly. Their voices were soft as they spoke to each other.


    "The only problem remaining is that ce." Baron Scarlet looked at the iron prison hold at the top of the mountain.


    It was still a dreadful ce to them.


    "Where did that bastard get those unnatural men?"


    "There''s no need to worry. We''ll work our way to the top and take over this bastide before that bastard even realizes. Once we equip those on our side with the great armor produced here, we shall be like a rotten wound that would get worse and worse until it eventually kills a mammoth."


    Hearing this, Baron Scarlet smiled.


    "I await our future prospects."


    As they were discussing, amotion caused them to turn. Curious, they went toward the crowd and sawrge trebuchets being pushed by soldiers.


    Baron Scarlet''s eyes twinkled. "So¡­War machines are also produced here. Asher is indeed the key to the Ashbournes."


    "He was the key; now he will be the key to our rise. This domain will be ours."


    Rutherford said with a low, deep tone.

 Chapter 188: Lurking Danger In A Damsel. Its Her

    Nightfall.


    Tapk! Tapk! Tapk! Tapk!


    Two men, Baron Rutherford and Baron Scarlet, walked ahead of two custodian knights, whose bulging muscles would forever be a terror to the miners.


    They were so big that sometimes the miners argued about how much they ate and weighed. Some even said they couldn''t get a woman.


    Anyways, both Barons had heard all of these, but their expressions remained normal. They just entered the gates of the prison and were handed over to the custodian knights.


    At this point, both Barons knew that they were not the only ones caged within the confines of this prison hold; the custodian knights were also prisoners.


    Never had they seen any custodian knight outside the prison walls, and it has been months since they came here!


    "You two are doing good." One of the Custodian knights said. Baron Scarlet and Baron Rutherford had the best attitude and were always humble enough to do what they were asked, so not then the custodian knights suspected them.


    "Well, the count promised us a good job and freedom under his county. I don''t see how that''s a bad idea."


    Scarlet said softly.


    "Indeed. Though he''s young, he''s a smart one. Staying under his rule might not be that bad." Rutherford revealed a little smile showing about two or three teeth.


    One custodian knight chuckled. "It''s good you see what you can gain from submitting to His Lordship. Fighting against him is simply worsening your fate."


    "I learned that in a day inside that cell." Baron Scarletughed softly.


    "But isn''t your food ration small?" Baron Rutherford popped up a question from his past observation.


    "Tsk! We tried to send a letter to His Lordship, but the Town Head is adamant that we have enough." One custodian shrugged.


    "That''s¡­ bad."


    ......¡­


    After Baron Rutherford and Baron Scarlet entered their cells and were locked in, Scarlet waited until he couldn''t hear the footsteps of the custodian knights anymore before approaching the steel bars of his cell.


    "Why did you speak about their food in such a manner? What are you up to?"


    Rutherford chuckled. He looked at his left and at his right before lifting up his head and bursting intoughter.


    "My father once told me what his father told him¡­"


    He brought down his head and looked straight into Baron Scarlet''s eyes.


    "Words, though slow to effect, are more poisonous than any poison. Why? Because it can poison the heart, mind, and spirit. With words, even those that trust that young bastard will slowly drift away from him."


    "I see."


    Baron Scarlet turned back, grabbed the steel bars above his head, and began to lift his body while grunting softly.


    "We better prepare before then." He grinned.


    After a fight that resulted in one death, the custodian knights found it fit for those in equal power to stay together, which was why both barons found themselves in opposite cells.


    Buba was in a lower-ranked cell.


    The one-eyed man sat on the ground looking at the small window that allowed him to see the glory of the two moons.


    In mncholy, he gazed at the moons, his expression hard to read.


    As he remembered his past deeds, his past glory, and his current position, he ground his teeth and closed his eye tightly.


    After a while, Buba puffed out, slowly opening his one eye.


    "I''ll wait."


    The moment those words left his lips, he went straight to his wooden bed andid down.


    While ns, some known and some unknown, were being made, themanders of the northern wastnds were gathered in a hall in Nineveh.


    This was a war council.


    d in a white tunic, ck pants, and a ck jacket, Asher sat at the head seat of the round table, which was in his sacred hall.


    This table wasn''t always here. It was reserved for special gatherings.


    Asher entwined his fingers and gazed at all of them, hismanders, generals, and counselors.


    Seated at his right was his regent, Kelvin. He looked more like the lord of the gathering while Asher looked like his youngest son.


    Ahem!


    "The trebuchets will be in the stronghold by noon tomorrow, meaning the ns for battle have officially begun."


    Regent Kelvin said softly.


    "How many trebuchets are we expecting? ording to my spies, that wall was built in order to make sure no northern wastnds lord would breach it. Count William has been prepared decades before now."


    Commander Eritrea said solemnly.


    "20 trebuchets."


    Asher said.


    Everyone''s eyes widened. 20 trebuchets surpassed their expectations. There was no doubt Nineveh would be in crisis if 20 trebuchets were brought up against it.


    However, no one knew Asher was nning to upgrade these trebuchets.


    "If we march 8,000 Deste Wolves against Greenrock Castle, I have no doubt it will fall in seven days."


    Alec calmly said.


    "What if they also have war machines?" Lambert countered him.


    "We destroy their war machines with ours." Alec replied in the same calm tone.


    "ording to the reports, they don''t have war machines, and they don''t know if or when we will attack." Kelvin said with a raised voice to make sure everyone turned back to him.


    "Now, we could follow the main route, but that would alert them of your arrival. So the n is to march through the wastnd horror forest and emerge at Greenrock''s south gate."


    "The horror forest is not a man''snd." Aqu took some strands of her hair behind her ear as she spoke.


    "It''s not, but I don''t believe anything can harm 3000 elite Deste Wolves, 5000 Deste Wolves, 1000 Goshen Longbow Archers, and his Lordship''s personal troop."


    Kelvin retorted, looking at the ice mage.


    "You should go with Uriah. With him there, nothing should take the troops by surprise." Katarina suggested.


    "That''s true." Alex said.


    "The apothecaries will produce thousands of potions, the tailors are already repairing and building more tents and sleeping materials, and the cksmiths will be done fixing every damaged armor by the week''s end. We have two weeks to prepare."


    Kelvin said, and themanders nodded.


    "Scouts have also discovered some movements from the Jackal n but not toward Ashkelon. However, we have to be careful. Eritrea, you will send 200 Stormbringers to Ashkelon."


    "Yes, my lord." Eritrea stood up and bowed.


    Asher nodded.


    ......


    Some hours after the meeting was over, Asher walked into his garden and sat on a bench, watching the two moons. The cool, refreshing breeze caressed him with wondrous gentleness.


    All of a sudden, he heard the grass being crushed. It was the sound of someone''s foot tapping the carpet grass.


    The moment he perceived her enchanting scent, his eyes widened.


    ''It''s her!''


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    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 189: Wastelands Horror Forest

    He turned his head and saw Sapphira just behind his bench with her hands crossed. She raised a brow, probably questioning why he was out thiste.


    Sometimes, Asher wondered if she forgot that he was her lord.


    "It''ste." His deep voice rang as he turned away.


    "I know. I''m wondering why His Lordship, who has a very busy schedule even until the moment of his departure, is wasting his resting hours in the silent hours of the night."


    Asher chuckled a bit. Because he lowered his head to chuckle, he had to lift up his head, and when he did, his eyes went up from Sapphira''s bare feet to her head.


    For the first time he saw her in her nightgown. It wasn''t the provoking type as it reached her ankles, but it was sleeveless.


    Just the sight of the ck gown gently embracing her attractive womanly curves made Asher''s pupils dte.


    He exhaled. "You look beautiful¡­ in that dress."


    Sapphira raised an eyebrow. She looked at herself, twirled, and unleashed a dazzling, soft smile.


    "Thank you, my lord." She bowed, still wearing a blissful smile.


    That ''my'' struck a hidden chord in Asher''s heart, causing him to feel weird. Not even Lia of Earth had made him feel this way, even though she called him sweet names.


    Sapphira nced at him secretly and saw that Asher was trying to pull himself out of his emotional mess, so she went behind him andid hands on his shoulder.


    "You won''t be able to see me from here." She whispered into his ear. Asher could have sworn that his cheeks felt hot both from the embarrassment and her charm.


    He took a deep breath.


    Looking at the garden that no more had her beautiful figure, he sighed.


    "You should be sleeping."


    Asher said.


    "So should you. Are you pondering about the war?"


    Asher made a deep sound as a response.


    "Taking Greenrock shouldn''t be a problem."


    "It isn''t. The only unknown is the horror forest. I''ve read books; almost no man that enters there has emerged alive."


    "Almost. My Lord should also be different."


    Asher chuckled at Sapphira''s untamed confidence in him.


    After a brief moment of silence, he got to his feet.


    "You''ve eased my burden. What''s yours?"


    Sapphira smiled. "I love looking at the full moons at this hour. I had no burden."


    "I see. I won''t stress you anymore."


    With those words, Asher left while she watched him.


    "He didn''t even look back once." She muttered to herself as his broad shoulders vanished into the darkness.


    Her lord was so close yet so far; he smiled, but only a few came from his heart. Because of his difference, she found an unreasonable yearning to be true friends with someone of the opposite gender, but Asher barely responded.


    .......


    Two weeks and two dayster¡­.


    Asher, d in Exodus, could be seen on Bezerk''s back. Euodias was firmly strapped to the horse''s side, and his gaze was locked on the forest made up of crooked trees ahead.


    Behind him were thousands upon thousands of te-armored soldiers, some with the gs of House Ashbourne raised high.


    Around Asher were officials on horseback. Alec, Paul, Alex, and Nero.


    Beside them was a man d only in a gambeson and brown pants. His eyes were grayish white, and his head was tilted toward the sky.


    He was Uriah.


    At this moment the entire troop halted, waiting for Uriah. A short momentter, Uriah opened his eyes and looked at Asher.


    "Your Lordship, we can truly pass. There''s nothing there except some wild beasts that will surely flee at the sight of our numbers."


    "Nothing else?"


    Asher asked.


    "There is an unusual amount of rocks for a ce without mountains and ruins of buildings."


    Asher knit his eyebrows. "Ah."


    "Onwards."


    Alec bellowed, waving his right arm forward. Hismanders ryed it to their battalions, and the army began to move.


    They journeyed into the forest, the nking of their armor, the neighing of their horses, light chatter, and much more drifting out.


    When the sun began to set, the army came to a halt. Asher stood, watching the soldiers set up their tents.


    All of a sudden, Sirius, as small as an ordinary-looking wolf, looked to the right, and Asher felt a tug in his heart.


    With a slight frown, he followed Sirius into the woods, and after pushing some branches away, he found himself in a stunning ce.


    He could see the statues of six men. It was so lifelike. One was on his feet and was about to turn, the other unsheathed his axes while the rest were statues of men charging at something.


    Their mouths were open. Asher could see their teeth and tongues. At first he was marveled, but he soon noticed these statues were too detailed.


    So detailed that it was simply impossible to sculpt them. What made everything more suspicious was that, looking around, Asher saw signs of struggle.


    There was even a dead fire in the middle of some logs. Except there was a strange man who took pleasure in sculpting fake shocked scenes; everything here was all real!


    When he came to that conclusion, the bushes trembled.


    Out of it came Nero.


    "My Lord, you left the camp."


    "Mn."


    Asher averted his gaze. "Look carefully at those statues.


    Nero approached a statue and looked at it deeply. "They look like actual humans."


    "I thought so."


    Asher squinted.


    "Let''s go."


    Along with Sirius, they left. Unknown to them, a statue''s eyes shone green, and its head turned toward them.


    ...¡­.


    A few days after Asher saw the statues, everything went on as normal. They caught beasts, killed them, and everyone ate merrily. Nothing out of the ordinary happened, but Asher refused to lower his guard.


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    It made him sleep less, causing hismanders to be concerned.


    Finally, they emerged in a in field only to spot thousands of statues, many of them adventurers and mercenaries who had visited this forest in the past.


    Boom!


    Their eyes shone green, and they drew their stone swords.


    A great wave caused by the mere stomp of their feet made some horses neigh.

 Chapter 190: Fearsome Talent

    "Formation!!"


    Alec bellowed at the top of his lungs as the stone soldiers charged towards them. Fighting thousands of stone soldiers wasn''t going to be anything like a fight against fellow humans d in metal tes.


    The ground shook as the great stone army charged at them with great and unbeatable momentum. Continue your story on mvl


    Shing!


    While the Deste Wolves and the Goshen Longbow Archers were assembling themselves, Asher and his King Swordsmen unsheathed their swords.


    Spurring their silver blood horses, they galloped toward the stone army. Asher first unleashed a horizontal cut.


    From the edge of his de came a crimson crescent beam that slew almost ten stone soldiers.


    Although the soldiers were made of stone, before the sharpness of Asher and his men''s swords, they were cleanly sliced open!


    Like a sharp knife, they carved through the stone army, leaving sliced stone statues in their wake.


    While riding Bezerk, Asher turned and saw Sirius had increased his size to that of a horse, yet his strength was so great that he was smashing stone soldiers into rubble.


    Just when he was about to smile as the stone soldiers were easily crushed by the might of his King Swordsmen and their gold-ranked mounts, a cry came from the horizon.


    Both Asher and his men, all who stood on the corpses of stone soldiers, looked at the horizon and saw thousands of humans d in beast skins.


    They had bulging muscles with several scars. Their leader sat upon a ck wolf. He had short gray hair, a clean chin, and held a ive.


    Two axes were attached to his waist, and he was the only one wearing a beast coat over his torso.


    The cries came from the barbarian warriors behind him. All of them raised their weapons high and made different kinds of war cries.


    Artarox, the leader of the tribe, looked at the imposing armor on Asher''s men, and his eyes shed.


    He has a great desire for Asher''s armor since it stood out amongst the rest.


    Lifting his ive high, he pointed it at Asher and his men.


    Boom!


    Thousands of barbarians, women and men, dashed toward the Ashbourne troops with ravenous eyes.


    "Wolves! Forward!"


    Alec roared, and 8 thousand Deste Wolves, men who looked like mini giants in an impressive full body te of steel, charged like a swarm of metal men.


    Their shields were attached to their backs as they bolted forward. 3000 elite Deste Wolves were ahead of the 5000 average Deste Wolves.


    Just the sight of the charging elites alone was enough to weaken the momentum of some barbarians.


    They slowed down, allowing others to run past them.


    This time around, Asher didn''t bother moving into battle. His eyes were on Artarox. The barbarian chief had strange green eyes that matched the eyes of the stone soldiers.


    "Hold!"


    Paul''s voice fell into his ears, and he turned his head to see Paul holding a fully drawn bow with his men behind him.


    Their arrowheads faced the clouds.


    "Hold!"


    He said again.


    "Loose!"


    Twang! Twang! Swoosh! Swoosh!


    The twanging of the bowstrings and the arrows tearing through the air fell into Asher''s ears almost instantly.


    He turned to the other side and saw the arrows descend like rainfall. Barbarians that were running began to fall; some slid for a while.


    By the time the gap between them and the Deste Wolves had almost vanished, 1600 barbarians had fallen!


    Some meters before they shed, the Deste Wolves came to swift halts, pulled out their tower shields, and mmed them into the ground.


    Before the barbarians reached them, a long, sturdy shield wall had been built.


    Bam! Bam! Bam!


    Some barbarians mmed the shield wall, some with their bodies, some with weapons, some trying to climb over it.


    Unfortunately, while their aggressiveness was powerful, it was nothing before strategy, teamwork, well-trained soldiers, and finally¡­ knights!


    Puchi! Puchi!


    Spearsunched out like cobras, well-timed, well-executed, and outrageously deadly. Each hit brought a barbarian down.


    Man or woman, none was spared or took less hit.


    Behind the wall, Alec, who was at the forefront of the shield wall, turned to his left and right. He could see that although the knights were much stronger than the barbarians, the pressure of thousands was weighing on them.


    "Hold!"


    He bellowed. His voice seemed to be packed with so much energy that it strengthened them.


    Just as he was about to shout again, a knight beside him suddenly transformed into stone and became still.


    Alec''s eyes widened.


    Yet it wasn''t over. The knight''s eyes became green, and he swung his spear, dissolving a section of the wall!


    In the next second, another knight was transformed, and the one next to him was also transformed.


    Seeing that it was spreading, Alec lunged out of the line. With a deep grunt, he flung his shield upward, throwing grown men and women into the air!


    His eyes were likesers, scanning for the cause of the changes in his men.


    He found Artarox easily subduing an elite Deste Wolf, and just by touching the spear, the elite Deste Wolf became a stone statue.


    The statue''s eyes turned green the next moment; he got up and faced his ownrades!


    Artarox had a crazy smile on his face. His talent allowed him to turn anything he wanted into stone, and as he did so, he grew stronger!


    He could also control the stone statues if they were living beings like humans or beasts, and he could see through their eyes.


    This was how he knew about Asher.


    After turning ten knights into stone, Artarox felt he was close to the sacred rank!


    ''More!''


    He roared in his heart only for a spear to plunge into the soil before him. His eyes narrowed, but before he could turn toward the direction the spear came from, Alec had closed the gap.


    Bam!


    Alec grabbed the man and pinned him to the ground, then rolled off.


    Both of them got to their feet at the same time. Artarox swung his ive at Alec, but the grandmander evaded it with a slight tilt.


    He closed the gap with two huge steps, pulling his spear out of the ground as he did so.


    Artarox mmed his ive against Alec''s abdomen twice but got repelled. His eyes widened as he noticed both his talent and his weapon were unable to harm Alex.


    Swoosh!


    The gleaming spearhead reflected in his pupils.


    Puchi!

 Chapter 191: Empyrean Sigil Stomp

    Thud!


    Artarox fell to the ground lifeless. Even in death his eyes were open, and disbelief could be seen in them.


    Alec brandished his spear, turned, and lifted it towards the sky.


    He coldly scanned the chaotic battleground. His gaze alone made some barbarians fall to their knees.


    "Your chief is dead!"


    Hearing that, the remaining barbarians split into two; some ran while some submitted. Those that ran were in by Paul and his archers, while those that submitted were gathered together.


    Some elite Deste Wolves stood around theirrades who had transformed into statues. With Artarox''s death, they became still.


    The 7-foot-tall elite Deste Wolves in fighting stances and their shields before them were a striking sight that would marvel anyone, noble ormoner.


    Unfortunately, to those watching, it was a sad sight. These men were once theirrades.


    Clip Clop!


    The sound of the horse made some men give way, allowing Asher on horseback to reach the front. He looked at the soldier that was turned into a statue without an expression.


    "How many did we lose?"


    "11. Your Lordship."


    "11 knights! That''s¡­!" Someone amongst the average Deste Wolves hissed. Although he stood at the back of the gathering, Asher''s ears were sensitive enough to catch it.


    About 4000 barbarians were in, yet only 14 Ashbourne knights were in by the chief of the tribe.


    This proved how formidable the Ashbourne knights were, but Asher still considered it a loss.


    "Rename this forest, ''Guardian Forest.'' Hunt down those barbarians to thest of them and y those that refuse to submit."


    Turning to a barbarian on his knees, Asher questioned him with a deep, almost emotionless tone.


    "Where is your tribe?"


    Shakily, the man pointed toward the north. "O¡­ over there."


    His Tenaria tongue wasn''t fluid, but it was understandable by a guru like Asher. He knew both the old and new Tenaria tongues and was an apex expert at both of them.


    "Lead us."


    With that, the barbarian led them away from the battlefield toward the valley. After they left, all that remained were corpses, stone rubble, and 11 tall, exquisitely armored stone soldiers in fighting stances.


    Just the sight of them was inspiring, intimidating, and undoubtedly magnificent.


    After a while, the troops arrived at the outskirts of the tribe. When the women in the tribe saw the thousands upon thousands of men d in te armor and their men tied at the front, they opened the gates without hesitation.


    Asher ignored every other thing and entered the chief''s tent. His eyes were like those of an eagle as he scanned therge tent.


    There were heaps of different stuff covered in beast fur, but after opening them, he discovered none of them was important. Read new chapters at mvl


    When he almost gave up, he looked at the ceiling and saw a yellow animal skin with strange, soft, glowing writings stuck to the ceiling just above the fur bed.


    "Is that a magic scroll?"


    Swoosh!


    He leaped, tore the animal skin off the ceiling, andnded with a light thud. In the process ofnding, he squished the animal skin, and it burst into golden fireflies.


    So the moment hended, there were fireflies all around him, so much that he couldn''t see.


    Before he could react, the fireflies stuck to his armor, phased through his armor, and entered his skin!


    He felt hot for a brief moment.


    "What in the world¡­ that''s not how a normal magic scroll works; is it a binding scroll?"


    While he pondered, a sudden piece of information popped up.


    Empyrean Sigil Stomp!


    This was the name of the magic scroll. It was for those from the sacred grade upward. Something like this could not have found its way here if it wasn''t through a merchant long ago or a thief.


    The barbarian chief couldn''t master it because it was above his rank.


    Feeling a sudden instinct, Asher lifted up his right leg and, with great force, mmed it back to the ground.


    Boom!!!


    A tremendous shockwave, which would be seen like a great ring-like dust wave, spread out, pulling out tents and throwing anything that was 200 yards around him.


    Asher looked down and saw a massive crimson sigil of House Ashbourne. The image of a howling wolf head drawn exquisitely on the ground.


    Looking at the sigil that covered arge space of 100 yards and the destruction caused by the stomp, Asher blinked twice.


    This skill wasn''t simply a skill but also something so iconic. The moment he used it, anyone that saw would know the lord of the northern wastnds had been there.


    It had be a war signature that might announce his name greatly.


    Cough! Cough!


    Coughing, Nero and some King Swordsmen made their way towards him.


    "Your Lordship, are you hurt?!" Nero shouted.


    "Are you?"


    Asher asked back as they were the ones in pitiable conditions.


    [Ding! Congrattions, Host, for conquering the forest of horrors and renaming it the ''Guardian Forest.'' Would you like to upgrade this small town into a tier one town? Yes or No?]


    ''Do it.''


    Swoosh!


    Brilliant white lights shot from the ground into the sky, blinding everyone. When it died down, Asher found himself in a clean small town with wooden walls, wooden buildings, and a small barrack.


    Although the streets were not paved, they had no grass on them and were neatly connected.


    In the middle of the town, which was the town square, was a stone monument with 11 Ashbourne Knight statues around it.


    Written boldly on it was: The Guardian Knights'' Rest.


    ''Thanks.''


    He had to appreciate his system for at least showing emotions, even though he had no idea if it had one.


    "Your Lordship, how did you do this?" Alex pointed at the sigil on the ground. It was too big to be ignored.


    After the soldiers marveled at the town''s new look, they gathered around it.


    "A magic skill."


    Asher replied lightly.


    Alex blinked.


    Asher turned to him. "You know you''re not allowed to get jealous. Not everyone has wings like you and your son; neither can we fly."


    Alex coughed as he had to swallow whatever he was preparing to say.

 Chapter 192: House Salvatore

    ng! ng!


    The nging sounds made by men with axes hitting the stones and the grunts from able-bodied barbarians lifting stones and taking them out of the cavern fell into a tall, white-haired man''s ears.


    His spectacles had changed into a monocle, and he stood there, his golden chest te slightly covered by the ck cloak over his body, watching the workers clear out the Ashbourne tomb.


    They were reconstructing the tomb because, ording to his lord, it was more than a tomb. It was and of heritage.


    Through Baron meheart, they had invited hundreds of sculptures and shown them the pictures of Ashbourne Lords.


    Asher knew his talent would eventually evolve, and he would gain ess to every Ashbourne Lord, those that were hidden monsters never mentioned in history, and much more.


    House Ashbourne had existed for over 725 years, a staggering 225 before the end of the Abyssal War.


    During the Racial War, Zenas was still an egg in his mother, who had not yet met his father. Although it was known that Zenas''s father was a knight who led an independent order, he vanished too quickly for his son to witness it.


    This was the reason Zenas found himself as a meremoner after birth.


    However, during Zenas''s childhood, the Abyssal War was ongoing; viges, towns, and cities were brought down, and it was in that era that the Mages began to fall.


    Mages that had ruled for thousands of years, ever since the beginning of time. Zenas was still the only Ashbourne lord that lived for almost 300 years!


    No other Ashbourne lord crossed 100 despite some of them reaching the same rank as Zenas.


    Unfortunately, they all died in battle, sickness, poisoning, assassination, or natural causes, which was rare.


    However, from Zenas to Asher, there had been several dozen lords; some ruled for ten years, some five, some twenty, and some 30!


    Looking at the white marble being used to rece the old stones, Kelvin chuckled. Asher indeed honored his ancestors.


    New statues of lords who were ignored were now behind their tombstones. Seeing all these valiant lords with their twin swords, long or broad or curved, was awe inspiring.


    Their armors were painted to be exactly like the one they wore when they were alive. Some wore silver, some gold, some red, some blue, some yellow, most ck.


    Only the sculptures of the four great dukes weren''t built because their sculptures never broke.


    When Kelvin reached the sunken part of the cavern, the ce where the tombstones of the four great dukes were, he saw several workers cleaning the ce up.


    He walked past them.


    Kelvin found a narrow passage and walked into it. Not more than a dozen steps, the ground cracked and he fell!


    Boom! Find exclusive stories on mvl


    He crashed on the ground with a great thud, causing him to hiss. Groaning deeply, he turned from his back and got to his knees, his face a little bit red.


    The moment he looked up, he saw a statue. They weren''t as gigantic as the Ashbourne Lords, but their looks were noble.


    All the statues wore monocles, male or female, and unlike the Ashbourne lord, who had only one female, there were many female statues here.


    Their cloaks almost covered their bodies.


    "What''s this?"


    Kelvin looked down.


    "Rnd Salvatore, head butler and a great servant of Lord Moses Ashbourne, the fanged wolf!"


    Kelvin''s eyes trembled.


    "It can''t be."


    He kept looking at their names until he reached the end of the hall where there was a little light that came from an unknown source.


    At the end of the hall, there was a tall, beautiful statue of a woman. Looking at her, Kelvin could see the features he had when he was younger.


    "Melissa Salvatore, headmistress and guardian servant of Lord Zenas Ashbourne, the vanquisher, the great conqueror, the monstrous wolf, Archduke of the Endless North!"


    Kelvin staggered backwards.


    So the butlers who served the Ashbourne Lords were also a noble house. A house destined to stand beside the Ashbournes as their helpers.


    Under Melissa''s name, he could see a bit of her history. She managed to be Zena''s fifth andst concubine and was also an imperial-ranked swordmaiden!


    Compared to him, the gulf was too big. While he was doomed to die at the gold rank, his ancestors had the ability to follow their lords to the end.


    Sighing, he turned to his right. There was a stone bowl on a tform. At the ceiling there was a tiny crack, and from there droplets of white, glowing water fell into the bowl.


    With furrowed brows, Kelvin stepped on the first staircase. The moment he did, the runes on the staircase unleashed a soft golden glow.


    Kelvin paused.


    He waited, but nothing happened even after a long time, so he proceeded with the second step.


    Boom!


    There was an echo that made him turn around. At that moment, Kelvin had no idea that a droplet floated out of the bowl.


    It slowly floated toward him until he turned back. Instantly, the droplet moved at a speed beyond what the eye could follow and hit his forehead.


    It was clearly water and just a droplet, but Kelvin felt some solid had struck him. The force lifted him off the tform to the ground, a hundred yards away.


    Thud!


    A wave of dust sted outward while he touched his forehead, and yet he couldn''t feel any wetness!


    "What in the world is going on?"


    Just as he got to his feet, he saw Melissa, not the statue but the real woman in all her beauty, walk out of a swirling portal, wearing a smile.


    "You will soon be a full-blooded Salvatore. Bear the pain; it''s normal when you are about to awaken your lineage talent thiste."


    "What pain¡ªArgh!"


    Kelvin screamed as he dropped to the ground, clutching the sides of his head in agony.


    His eyes grew dimmer and dimmer until darkness covered everywhere.


    As hey there, his hair began to fall off.

 Chapter 193: Greenrock Castles Siege [1]

    When all his hair fell off, new ones began to grow. Bright silver hair came out of his bald scalp and grew up to the length of an index finger.


    The wrinkles on his skin also faded to arge extent. By the time Kelvin opened his eyes, it was already nightfall, and the cavern was as silent as a graveyard.


    Fortunately, there was a little light that allowed him to see. Unbeknownst to him, his looks had a tremendous change.


    He now looked like a handsome, tall man in his early forties. His eyes were piercing crimson, the right one looking even more ominous behind the monocle.


    Lifting up his head, he saw Melissa sitting on the tform''s staircase, looking at him with a soft smile.


    "You''ve awakened. Kelvin Salvatore, loyal regent to your lord, Asher Ashbourne, the white wolf. Come forward."


    Kelvin took a step and noticed something. He couldn''t feel his long hair bouncing against his back anymore.


    He lifted up his hands and touched his hair, which all fell backwards. The short hair matched well with his silver beard.


    "What happened? I feel energetic."


    "You''re supposed to be. I need to teach you about our house, Kelvin. Without it, House Ashbourne has grown weaker and will continue to after you and your lord''s death."


    Kelvin frowned.


    "No Salvatore was born one. We were all picked because of a unique talent, and from young we will be prepared for this day. It has be a part of us."


    "Unique talent. You mean perfect memory?"


    Melissa smiled. "Indeed. Added with the supreme-ranked Salvatore talent, Echo Memories, we are unbeatable in our job."


    "Supreme!"


    Kelvin''s eyes widened.


    "It''s a talent that allows you to absorb, travel into, and relive memories."


    Kelvin gasped. He couldn''t believe that he had such a dangerous talent, and Melissa looked absolutely normal about it.


    With such talent and their ability to increase, yet they restrained themselves to one servant, one lord, House Salvatore should not be under House Ashbourne.


    He waspletely loyal to Asher and took him as a son, but he pondered what secrets House Ashbourne hid.


    For House Salvatore to serve them for generations, there must be something hidden from the world that only the first ancestors and some unknown few knew about.


    "You must use your talent wisely because supreme talents always have a weakness, and ours is that we can get lost in memories. Most of these statues have dead bodies, but their spirits are still in never-ending memories. For this reason, we always have our juniors. Those we train to take over in case our weaknesses get the best of us."


    Kelvin exhaled heavily.


    Melissa smiled. "At least you get to live longer. Make sure you take care of his Lordship."


    With that she burst into a soft white radiance.


    ''Live longer. Why is everyone so passionate about me living long? Can''t a man get tired of living?''


    Kelvin''s lips curled downwards as he made his way towards the exit. While walking through the midst of statues, he looked at some of them, unable to believe most were just empty shells buried underneath the earth.


    Their spirits had not found rest in the spirit world.


    Sighing heavily, he walked away, though itching to know how his new talent worked. His footsteps echoed in the deste hall until he was gone.


    ...¡­..


    "Push!"


    A voice rang, piercing through the air. Soldiers pushed 20 huge trebuchets with all their might into the open space.


    Behind them were hundreds of tents with torches before every tent. Although it waste and they were in a forest, the fire allowed them to see their surroundings.


    Asher stood with his sped hands behind him while he looked at the trebuchets.


    When the men pulled away the cloth they used to cover it, the trebuchets were revealed in all their glory.


    [Sensed Host''s intentions. Would Host like to upgrade these 20 trebuchets through fusion? Yes or No?]


    ''Yes.''


    Swoosh!


    The trebuchets collided and then reappeared when the bright light died down. Now, they are 10.


    The trebuchet''s weight box, where stones were fitted in to pull the spoon-like part, grew bigger as the length of the spoon-like part also increased.


    It was so big that the soldiers around it looked tiny. The beams, which were once in, now had runes, carvings of old Tenaria symbols, and in the middle of the beam that connected to the metallic bowl where the cut stones were dropped was a fire elemental crystal!


    The temperature around the trebuchets became hot, causing droplets of sweat to appear on their foreheads.


    [ming Trebuchets. Will transform the stones into brimstones able to cause explosions and spread raging destruction to anything 700 yards away.]


    Seeing this, the corners of Asher''s lips curled upward.


    "My Lord, our scouts have returned." Alex approached him from behind.


    Asher turned his head back. He could see Alex''s eyes were on the imposing trebuchets, which had several soldiers around them.


    "And?"


    Hearing Asher''s voice, he snapped out of his shock and went on one knee with his head lowered.


    "And by dawn we shall arrive at the outskirts of the forest. Greenrock''s south gate is not far off, but there''s a sentry tower facing the forest."


    "Who governs the castle?"


    Asher queried.


    "Viscount Syria, the smooth talker."


    Asher raised an eyebrow. "That''s his title?"


    Alex nodded.


    "While your brother prepares for the battle tomorrow, you will lead 10 King Swordsmen and upy that sentry tower tonight."


    "As you wish." Alex got to his feet and left.


    Shortly after, some figures in ck cloaks left the forest on horseback. Far away from the sentry tower, they tied the silver blood horses to trees and made their way towards the tower.


    Alex did not bother hiding or sneaking his way through. The sentry tower had lit up torches on stands around their surroundings.


    They would surely be spotted no matter what they did.


    "Halt!"


    They heard a yell, but all of them kept on walking. Alex was the only one who brought down the hood of his cloak with his hands raised up.


    "We''re adventurers."


    "I said halt!" The stern voice rang. Alex heard some sounds, and the double doors of the wooden building swung open, revealing a dozen men d in scale armor.


    Their equipment was quite impressive.


    "What are you doing out by this time of the night?"


    One guard bellowed.


    Another looked at the 10 behind Alex and yelled.


    "Remove your hoods, all of you!"

 Chapter 194: Greenrock Castles Siege [2]

    "Gentlemen, I already told you. We are adventurers."


    "You dare disobey Viscount Syria''s guards?!" One guard approached Alex, lifting his right hand and striking it down on Alex''s shoulder to bring him to his knees, but to his shock, he mmed metal.


    Bam!


    His bones almost shattered, causing him to grunt deeply as his face turned crimson.


    "You¡­!"


    Shing!


    Other guards unsheathed their swords, but the King Swordsmen blurred into action. Almost instantly, they closed the gap, swinging their twin swords with swiftness.


    In the next moment, the sound of their swords sliding back into their sheaths as they made their way up the sentry tower dispersed through the cold, chilly wind.


    The hem of their cloaks bounced against their boots as they climbed the staircase. Upon arrival at the second floor, a King Swordsman knocked twice.


    Click! Creak!


    The door was swung open, and before the guard could react to the strange armored men, the same King Swordsman grabbed his mouth, easily lifting him off the ground as he proceeded into the floor.


    Others spread out, ying the guards, those that were awake and those that were fast asleep.


    At the third andst floor, another King Swordsman knocked, but the door wasn''t opened.


    He frowned and looked at the others. Taking two steps forward, he pressed the side of his head against the door.


    A gleam shed through his eyes.


    Taking the same two steps but backwards this time, he mmed his foot against the door. The door copsed, and the guards behind also fell to the ground.


    As they struggled to their feet, they saw tall armored men whose armor made nking sounds march into the room slightly covered in ck cloaks.


    They couldn''t even see the faces of the armored men, causing their apprehensive feelings to spike.


    Each of them wielded two swords, and the fiery aura billowing out of them was so oppressive that some couldn''t get back up.


    Some guards ran past the ones that had fallen, but the armored men in ck cloaks cut them down almost instantly.


    At that moment, a heavily armored man about 7.2 feet tall walked into the room with his sword drawn.


    His eyes locked on the King Swordsmen, and he charged towards them with a yell.


    Bam!


    He mmed a King Swordsman with his shoulder, causing the Swordsman to stagger.


    The swordsman lifted up his head and saw a sword heading for him. He lifted up his own, causing sparks to fly.


    Taking one step back, he grunted and dashed toward the huge knight. The huge knight deflected his sword sh with his vambrace andunched a swift punch that sent the King Swordsman to the ground.


    "Die!"


    He plunged his sword down. It pierced through the floor as the King Swordsman rolled out.


    Panting, the King Swordsman got to his feet, his teeth clenched tightly.


    The huge knight dashed toward him, but someone held his cloak, causing the huge knight to turn back.


    He found Alex holding the cloak with one hand.


    In anger, the huge knight swung his sword toward Alex, but to his shock, Alex gathered force in his fist and punched the sword.


    The thick gold-ranked sword broke into two!


    The eyes of the huge knight widened.


    Puchi!


    A sword pierced through the knight from behind. Although he was a diamond-ranked knight, his equipment was of the gold rank.


    So he was still vulnerable to the King Swordsman, who was behind him!


    "You¡­ dare¡­ attack Viscount Syria''s¡ª!"


    Thud!


    The knight fell on his knees, grunting deeply before copsing.


    Shing!


    The King Swordsman sheathed his sword and bowed before Alex.


    "You, return to His Lordship and inform him that the sentry is ours."


    The swordsman nodded.


    ......¡­


    On the walls of Greenrock, several soldiers d in dark green scale armor walked about, some of them holding torches.


    The fog was still thick, so they couldn''t even see each other clearly.


    Few sat on the floor, chatting, while some snored. Some of them had not faced an attack since they became soldiers, so they deemed it natural that no one was ever going to attack them.


    They had no information that Count William had started a war with another house in the wastnds.


    Out of the blue, the nking of metals fell into their eardrums, causing the alert ones to look beyond the wall.


    Yet all they could see was the dense white fog.


    A captain frowned as he felt he heard the sound of arrows being let loose.


    Shortly after he had that feeling, hundreds of arrows fell from the sky, piercing his men and the ground. Some tried to run and ran into an arrow.


    "We''re under attack!"


    The captain bellowed. As a gold-ranked knight, he wasn''t hurt because he could easily deflect the arrows.


    "Go grab your shields!"


    While the captain gave orders, he noticed some soldiers stared at the horizon with pale faces and were taking several steps backward.


    Curious and slightly apprehensive, he turned. What he saw made his pupils tremble.


    It was tenrge balls of fire seemingly hovering in midair. Because of the fog he couldn''t see the trebuchets.


    "Mages!"


    The captain gasped,pletely horrified.


    Unfortunately, this was a bigger fear. The moment the soldiers in charge of the trebuchet let the ropes go, the brimstones were hurtled toward the wall.


    Boom!


    One mmed the wall and exploded. Although the wall didn''t shatter, it cracked, and the shockwaves threw soldiers off the wall.


    Just after the first one came the second, the third, the fourth, and the fifth. After the twentieth shot, a section of the wall about 20 yards long in between two towers crumbled.


    This was a wall that had stood for decades!


    The earth shook as the wall fell, destroying some military structures behind it.


    "Onwards!"


    Alec bellowed.


    Boom! Boom!


    Thousands upon thousands of Deste Wolves marched toward the gate. Their tower shields were slightly raised off the ground, and the tips of their spears were pointed at the sky.


    The sound of their feet tapping the ground went far.


    "Adjust the range. Attack the second wall."


    Greenrock had two walls, supporting each other. Now the first wall had fallen, and soldiers had gathered at the second wall.


    Hundreds of them were on the wall while thousands gathered under the wall.


    About 3000 Syrian infantrymen d in dark green scale armor, a small shield, and long swords could be seen behind the wall, ready to go on the offensive.


    Tall men wearing ck chained masks and ck leather armor came along with huge dogs. These dogs could reach the chest of an adult man.


    They were about 1.6 meters tall!


    All of them had their mouths bound by chains, but the men began to remove the chains, causing drool to spill from the mouths of the ruthless dogs.


    These dogs were called Saber-Toothed Giant Canines. Known for their incredible strength, tracking excellency, aggressiveness, and huge size, they were the best for a beast troop.


    About three hundred Saber-Toothed Giant Canines were unchained.


    Their barks and growls reached the ears of the Deste Wolves, but the heavy infantryman marched on without a flicker in their eyes.

 Chapter 195: Greenrock Castles Siege [3]

    Underneath the dark skies and hidden in the fog that was being cleared up by the heat of the brimstones raining down on Greenrock''s walls were thousands of tall soldiers with tower shields marching towards the walls.


    Swoosh! Swoosh!


    Large brimstones flew over their heads and caused destruction, which they beheld with their eyes but remained emotionless to.


    Meanwhile, in the lord''s castle, a man d in green night robes walked through the hallway with rapid steps.


    Behind him were some officials and his guards.


    "We need to inform the count, my lord." An official said to Viscount Syria.


    The viscount turned his head towards the man. "For what reason? A casual attack?"


    "C¡­ casual! They have siege weapons." The man struggled not to raise his tone, which would mean sounding rude to his superior.


    "Siege weapons¡ª?"


    Boom!


    The castle trembled, causing Viscount Syria to hurry to a window inside the grand hall, and from there he saw the brimstones raining on the walls. The first wall was already in ruins, and the second one would notst much longer.


    Everything at the top had been burnt to ashes, the walkway on top of the wall was broken, and those who could move on time vanished forever because not even their bodies remained.


    Seeing more brimstones, Viscount Syria''s lips trembled. "What in Tenaria''s name is that?!"


    He turned and pointed at the brimstones while facing his officials.


    What he saw beat the ssic siege weapons. There was a reason he wasn''t so shocked when he heard siege weapons, but the size of the stones, the type of stones that looked like what was lifted out of a boiling volcano, and the destructive power were beyond understanding.


    What sort of siege weapon was that? It had to be a siege relic!


    "A relic."


    Without a doubt, those trebuchets had to be magical ones, and that made them relics.


    "Trebuchets, my lord. Those are powerful relics, and our walls won''tst much longer."


    "Which House dares attack a vassal of the count?"


    Syria furrowed his brows.


    "House Ashbourne, of course. The same house that we attacked their vassals."


    "House Ashbourne?!" Viscount Syria eximed in disbelief.


    Viscount Syria furrowed his brows. "Since when did House Ashbourne grow to be this powerful?"


    "Wecked information. Lord Asher is a man of mystery, or should I say¡­ cunning and deceptively scheming. He attended the ball as a cripple and hid everything concerning his growth until now."


    Viscount Syria clenched his fist. "He''s proved to be more than a child."


    "Although his siege weapons are dreadful, we have prepared tounch the Saber-Toothed Giant Canines along with three battalions of Syrian infantrymen to intercept his heavy infantry."


    "He has a heavy infantry?!" Viscount Syria massaged his forehead after eximing.


    "Where did he get such funds to build a heavy infantry troop? This brat. Launch our first wave. Let''s see how his men react."


    Amander nodded and hurriedly left.


    When the Deste Wolves were 200 yards away from the walls, the gates of the second wall swung open, and Saber-Toothed Giant Canines stormed out with Syrian Infantrymen right behind them.


    Seeing 300 1.6-meter muscr dogs racing through the rubble, debris, and smoke was enough to freeze an adult man, but the Deste Wolves kept marching forward.


    They continued their rigid marching until the dogs lunged at them. At that moment, the elite Deste Wolves went behind their tower shields and pinned their left legs into the soil.


    Bam! Bam! Bam!


    The dogs wed at the shields but caused no damage at all. Not even a scratch.


    Puchi! Puchi!


    Their golden spears struck out, piercing through the dogs. Whimpers fell into their ears, but their expressions remained stoic.


    Unfortunately, some dogs leaped over them andnded in their midst, wing some soldiers.


    Their ws simply slid off the soldiers armor, and the impact made the dogs retreat while the soldiers remained in one ce.


    "Shields!


    Boom! Boom! Boom!


    They built a shield wall, surrounding the canines and piercing them to their deaths. Before the eyes of themander at the top of the wall, the beast troop he took pride in fell in great numbers without causing even one casualty.


    Not one soldier was wounded or died!


    His pupils trembled.


    "Knights!"


    Only knightspletely equipped in knight-grade equipment could do such a thing. He could see thousands of these men, meaning¡­


    Thousands of knights!


    Themander turned toward the Syrian infantrymen, and his eyes grew wide.


    "Give the order. They should retreat instantly!"


    The captain he spoke to looked at the Syrian infantrymen who were about to collide with Deste Wolves and hismander.


    "Butmander¡­"


    "Now!"


    The captain ran toward the horn as fast as he could. By the time he got to the horn, he saw the Syrian infantrymen were ughtered without mercy.


    Their weapons bounced off the armors of the Deste Wolves, and just a sweep of the spear was able tounch a Syrian infantryman some meters into the air.


    The strength disparity was too huge.


    He quickly blew the horn, causing the soldiers to run back towards the wall. While they ran, the captain''s face grew colder.


    His eyes shook as he saw the huge Ashbourne knights run after the Syrian infantrymen, overtaking them and heading for the gate.


    While this was going on, the Deste Wolves in silver armor engaged the fleeing Syrian infantrymen, dragging and thrusting their spears through their scale armor.


    "Close the gate!"


    Themander''s panicked cry came from afar, causing the captain to turn back.


    "Shut the gate!"


    Several soldiers began to push the thick wooden doors toward each other, but seeing that the Deste Wolves would arrive before they did, they cut the rope holding the portcullis.


    Bam!


    Instantly, it closed.


    The troops quickly retreated, allowing archers to take their ce.


    Tapk! Tapk!


    nking of metal boots tapping the ground fell into the archers'' ears, and they squinted at the huge silhouette emerging from the fog.


    Swoosh!


    mes lit up over the huge silhouette''s long spear, painting his massive figure in an ominous light.


    "Is that a human being?"

 Chapter 196: Greenrock Castles Siege [4]

    Their questions were answered when Alec emerged from the fog d from head to toe in pure steel.


    His steps were light despite his massive size. With a tower shield in one hand and a spear in the other, he looked like the true definition of an unbeatable knight.


    "Draw!"


    About a hundred Syrian archers nocked their bows and drew them.


    "Loose!"


    Swoosh! Swoosh!


    The arrows bounced off Alec''s. They could only watch him approach the portcullis. Alec squatted, dropped his weapons, and wrapped his fingers, covered by his gauntlet, around the steel bars.


    The bars were thick enough to make him put in effort, but he wasn''t nning to break it. Grunting deeply, he began to lift the heavy portcullis.


    Some archers couldn''t believe their eyes, while some began to shoot rapidly, but their arrows bounced off with a spark.


    Behind him, hundreds of Deste Wolves were approaching. Flickers of their crimson battle force reflecting in the eyes of the Syrian soldiers.


    Thud!


    Themandernded before Syrian archers and mmed both feet against the ground. The earth trembled, and a great rock rose from the ground, blocking the gate!


    Turning, he bellowed.


    "Prepare the¡ª"


    Boom!


    The rock blew apart. The implosion caused a shockwave thatunched both themander and other soldiers away.


    Alec stepped on top of the rubble, shattering it instantly. He pointed his spear at the soldiers, and his battle force red, rising so high that it seemed to be as tall as the walls.


    Imposingly, Deste Wolves and elite Deste Wolves marched into the city. Some hung Ashbourne gs on the wall!


    The moment they entered the castle, they faced troopsing from the three streets that connected to the main exit.


    These troops were soldiers from the main gate, north gate, and east gate.


    "Formation!"


    Alec bellowed. The Deste Wolves formed a phnx, facing all three sides.


    "Steady¡­ steady¡­"


    Alec''s voice sank into their spirits as they took steps as one. Eventually they shed with the aggressive Syrian infantrymen.


    With the elite Deste Wolves at the front, the average Deste Wolves had it easy. In unison they thrust their spears, retrieved it, and repeated.


    All of a sudden, a Syrian infantryman d in ck leather armor removed a strap covering his mouth and opened his mouth wide.


    He unleashed a sonic st that broke the shield wall facing the east gate guards. This allowed the Syrians to break the defense and flood in.


    But as they flooded in, Alec mmed his shield against the ground, and the drake head unleashed hot, scalding ash fog before unleashing mes!


    "Argh!!"


    The Deste Wolves sealed the opening. This made themander realize that they were still under the Ashbourne troops strategy.


    They didn''t get the upper hand at all. He could only watch the men that entered get massacred.


    Meanwhile, Asher sat on Bezerk outside the wall with 100 King Swordsmen on their Silver Blood horse behind him.


    He leaned forward, blinking twice.


    "Report!"


    A soldier ran toward him.


    "How''s themander''s progress?"


    "We have breached the second gate."


    "Good."


    Asher turned to Paul. "Take your men, man the walls, and wipe them out. Once we have control of the wall, this battle should be over before noon."


    Paul nodded. The fog was almost gone at this point as the sun rose, staining the clouds with its orange radiance.


    Paul led 1000 Goshen Longbow Archers into the walls of the second wall, and from there, they began to rain explosive arrows on the Syrian infantrymen.


    The sudden attack made themander clench his teeth hard. The battle force rippling out of those archers could be equated to that of a knight!


    While the chaos continued on the battlefield, slowly spreading to other parts of the castle, Viscount Syria watched everything from the window.


    He could see the horizons of his castle in mes.


    "My lord, shouldn''t we send the people to safeholds?"


    "Why? The enemies have been avoiding them from the beginning. Why should we cater to people who aren''t in danger?"


    The official who spoke couldn''t reply.


    "But your lordship, they''re your people."


    Viscount Syria turned to the official. "Those soldiers will ignore those people and kill you. Who are you to protect? Them or yourself?"


    The man couldn''t respond.


    Viscount Syria turned back to the window. His face solemn.


    "House Ashbourne has hid themselves really well."


    Boom!


    The doors were opened by Syrian noble guards, and the captain that blew the horn walked in with hurried steps.


    Thud!


    He fell on one knee.


    "Your Lordship, we are losing. The Ashbourne troops have about 4000 gold-ranked knights, and theirmanders are of higher ranks."


    "4000 what!" An official eximed.


    He turned to Viscount Syria and saw his face was still solemn.


    "House Ashbourne has hid themselves really, really well. Lord Asher, what a cunning young man. Taking the route of the forest of horrors to be unexpected, possessing siege relics and now thousands of knights. We''ve truly allowed a carp to grow into a dragon."


    Turning, he faced his officials, all of whom were nobles but notnded ones.


    "We leave at once."


    Their eyes widened. Before they could speak, Viscount Syria was leaving the hall with his noble guards.


    By the time the Deste Wolves broke into the lord''s manor, Viscount Syria was gone.


    Tapk! Tapk!


    Asher walked into the hall. He looked at the Syrian gs that his men were pulling down and the small room with a in expression.


    "He escaped."


    "We discovered a secret passage that should lead to somewhere outside the city. My men are in the passage right now."


    Alec reported.


    "I see."


    Ruffling Sirius'' fur, Asher walked straight to therge wooden chair and sat down, crossing one leg over the other.


    Bright sunlight poured in through the windows, illuminating the room.


    "Let him be. It''s time for Count William to know a little bit of my power and respect me as a fellow count. This warning should let him know the wastnds don''t belong to him."


    "Should we allow Viscount Syria to escape?"


    "Yes. He''s a good talker. He''ll be the bard that will let the world know of the Ashbourne knights."


    Asher''s eyes flickered.


    ....


    A/N: Hello, I have joined the characterpetition and it will be nice for  you guys to vote my character so it can at least enter the next stage.


    Also, my work will be released on Amazon by this month''s ending or January, next year so I''m hiring an editor!

 Chapter 197: Push Further

    Tapk! Tapk!


    King Swordsmen walked by the sides of a slim man. He was Viscount Syria''s counselor.


    When they reached the middle of the hall, Asher leaned against his palm, watching the man slowly approaching while looking at the soldiers on the left and right parts of the hall.


    Seeing this, Nero took a step forward.


    "Kneel before His Lordship!" There was slight anger in his voice, causing the man to quickly drop to both knees.


    Asher lifted up his head and puffed out. It was clear he wasn''t paying much attention to this man''s clumsiness.


    "I want the map of this castle. Where is it?"


    "A¡­ at Lord Syria''s study."


    The man stuttered.


    "Bring it."


    Two swordsmen lifted the counselor up and took him out of the hall. As he was being led out to go find the map, Paul walked in.


    He fell on one knee and bowed his head. "Your Lordship."


    "Arise. What''s the situation of the people?"


    "We have made sure no one starts up an internal conflict, but the people are in a state of panic."


    "They''re supposed to be." Alex responded.


    Paul looked at him. "Our might makes them fear us."


    Asher grunted. "We''ll move them. Find out if there is a teleportation channel, and if there isn''t, invite Aqu. In the meantime, I want to know their poption and devise means to move them to Goshen."


    "As you wish."


    Paul got to his feet.


    "Goshen will be more vulnerable with its massive numbers. To safeguard it, this castle must be modified."


    Asher rose to his feet, walked to the windows, and looked at the walls. Now the mes were out, but smoke kept rising to the sky.


    The walls werepletely ruined, and it would take a long time to rebuild.


    "Call the counselors." Asher said solemnly while watching his men patrol the castle to keep the peace.


    At this moment, the people could do anything, so they needed to see the armored men on the streets to keep them in check.


    .............


    Some dayster, Katarina and Sapphira walked into the hall.


    "I won''t end here."


    These were the first words that came out of Asher''s mouth, causing the counselors to raise their eyebrows.


    "What do you mean, my lord?" Katarina tilted her head.


    "Apart from the settlements, towns, and viges littered around the next big fenced city is Tiberias, the great capital."


    "What?!" Katarina''s eyes widened.


    "My Lord, Tiberias isn''t like any city we have faced. It has garrisons of powerful troops, some of which are entirely made up of knights."


    Sapphira said as she approached him andid her palm on the back of his own palm.


    Everyone in the hall, soldiers, Nero, and Katarina exchanged eye contact.


    None of them made a sound. Maybe their lord didn''t realize it, and making a sound would alert him.


    Asher looked at Sapphira. "House Tigris is at war with House Mormont. This is our opportunity to strike them. House Mormont will take the advantage to strike harder, making it hard for them to attack us."


    Sapphira smiled softly, then gestured toward Katarina with her eyes. This indicated that he didn''t have any need to convince her from the beginning.


    She was already with him.


    Asher turned to Katarina.


    "Did you have any vision?"


    "I didn''t, but even I know fighting the great white tigers and defeating them won''t be easy."


    "Send a message to General Adam. I need him to send 5000 Ashkelon knights. I also need the debreakers and the Stormbringers. Tiberias will and must fall."


    For some reason, Sapphira felt whatever Asher was feeling wasn''t just him alone. It was also from his ancestors.


    House Tigris had oppressed and taken over their dominion for decades now. It was time to take back what was rightfully theirs.


    The elite troops were about to gather together once again to face Tiberias. Asher knew they would be prepared since Viscount Syria would have spread the news, but he didn''t care.


    He would march over 10,000 knights and 1,000 heavy cavalry knights to the walls of Tiberias. Although the Ashkelon knights wore lighter armor and used smaller shields, their armor was half-step diamond-ranked ones.


    This gave them the advantage over other gold-ranked knights!


    "You''ll also have a crossbow unit and a priest unit to assist you."


    Shocked, Asher looked at Sapphira. "A priest unit?"


    "I have been doing some scouting and training those who have potential in secret, but Aqu caught wind of it and has started the same. Last week, she came back from Ashkelon with 10 mage apprentices."


    "How many does she have now?"


    "About 100 mages." Chapter Read:


    Asher blinked several times. "What about the priests?"


    The priests, to him, were of greater importance because they were the ones who could conjure barriers, blocking both magical and nonmagical attacks.


    This would make a great difference in the sieging of Tiberias.


    They could build a barrier wall against the city, allowing the troops to close the gap!


    "I have 50."


    50 was an outstanding number considering how rare priests were, and these 50 were gathered out of a poption of over 220,000!


    "Bring them to me."


    .........


    "How is that possible! How could you, a viscount, lose to a wretched cripple!!" Liya screamed at Viscount Syria.


    Her face was crimson, and she red at him with so much hatred, but the man could only lower his head.


    "He''s not wretched anymore if he could build a heavy infantry of thousands of knights." Count William''s second son said with crossed arms.


    "Shut up!" Liya snapped. Ice spread out underneath her feet, but de grabbed her, keeping her away from Viscount Syria.


    "How did he take over such a fortified castle in one day?" Sofia asked with a soft tone. She sat in the head seat.


    "He had siege relics, thousands of knights, infantry knights, and archers. His mounted soldiers did not even attack. He also has great strategists and must have gotten information about the castle to its minutest details."


    "And how was that possible?"


    The Viscount clenched his fist. He could sense these people were trying to push all the me on him.


    He was here to inform them of the great threat that House Ashbourne had be, but it seemed they were too blind to believe it.


    Lifting up his head, Viscount Syria spat, "He''lle. He''ll do the same to this great city if you keep questioning me instead of retaliating."


    "You dare speak to the count''s wife with such disrespect!"


    Boom!

 Chapter 198: Growing Talent

    It took an entire month to move 31,000 people, most of whom were unwilling but submitted to Asher''s might out of Greenrock.


    The loyalty of these people was pitiful, so Asher nned to send them to Goshen, a ce where people loved and respected him. Mixing them together would surely bring quick positive changes.


    With both hands sped behind him, he stood on the second wall staring at the horizon.


    After examining Greenrock, he was amazed. The architect was indeed a genius. The two walls were connected in a beautiful way that made them strengthen each other.


    This was the reason he shot way more brimstones than expected.


    Thousands of workers could be seen working on the walls. The masons were cutting stones brought from Nineveh while the otherborers took the stones to those doing the repairs.


    On another side, hundreds of men were mixing green y. It functioned as a cement but was much stronger after hardening.


    "Hoo!"


    A mighty bellow from the mouths of thousands came from behind, causing him to turn. His eyes flickered as he gazed at the Deste Wolves training as one.


    Hundreds of yards away were the Ashkelon knights also marching. Far away from them were 1000 debreakers on their intimidating mounts galloping thunderously.


    The Stormbringers were focused on destroying stones hundreds of yards away.


    Watching these elites made Asher''s lips curl up a bit.


    All of a sudden, a snowke dropped on the bulwark before him. Seeing this, he lifted up his head in shock and saw millions of snowkes falling from the sky.


    It was winter!


    Turning, he gazed at the distant north, pondering Ashkelon''s situation. Winter beyond the Ash mountains had elements of the supernatural.


    Winter was when the Abyss worshipers cult became more active, and during winter the spread of Abyss Force was voracious.


    The coldness of the abyss force was the main reason for the unbearable weather.


    In this season, Asher saw it best to live in Ashkelon in order to figure out a way to help his people and protect them from any external attacks.


    While he pondered, Alex walked up to him. "My lord, 20 trebuchets will arrive tonight. Also, Regent Kelvin sent a letter."


    He stretched forth his right hand.


    Asher took the rolled-up paper and opened it.


    "Salvatore?"


    His eyebrows rose. He couldn''t link this to any knowledge he had from Earth.


    No one in the X gamers crew mentioned the name Salvatore. Their ties with the Ashbournes for centuries made Asher reconsider his early thoughts about House Ashbourne.


    There was so much lore about this house that it seemed as if it was endless.


    "Prepare Alex. We march for Tiberias tomorrow."


    Alex nodded, turned, and left.


    Watching him leave, Asher exhaled.


    Time trickled by until the skies became dark,cking the moons and the stars. Campfires could be seen at different ces in Greenrock.


    In the lord''s manor, Asher could be found studying a map. He sat inside a fairlyrge room, on a chair and table beside the bed.


    His source of light was from a magical candle. This candle was imported straight from the Intis kingdom, but because of his impaired connection to the outside world, Asher could not purchase it like other nobles.


    Written on the map was ''Greenrock,'' but from a small piece of paper, Asher discovered Tiberias was just a bigger, less fortified version of this castle.


    However, from the ovepping, he could see that Tiberias''s walls were much bigger than Greenrock''s. It would take a lot of brimstones to bring it down.


    The structure of the city was incredible. They even buried earth elemental crystals beneath the walls to strengthen it as time trickled by.


    And it had been decades since Tiberias was built!


    The durability of the wall was beyond the materials used in building it!


    Laying siege against that city would be the toughest battle he will face so far.


    ''Should I hold back for now?''


    He thought with narrowed eyes.


    [Upgrade Quest: Lay waste to Tiberias, the great city of the white tigers, in one month''s time.]


    [Reward: Upgrading your territory to epass the entire wastnds, thereby giving life to these dyingnds. A great wall that would divide the wastnds from the high ins.]


    Asher clenched his fist, his eyes fixed on the rewards.


    Even the system knew it would be tough to defeat Tiberias, or else it wouldn''t have given him one month.


    After all, it gave him seven days to bring down all the Bashan ns.


    The chair creaked as he got to his feet. Slowly, he made his way to the bed andid down. The moment the back of his head touched the pillow, Asher felt like he sank into a sea.


    He was drowning!


    Asher struggled to swim upwards, but the sea dragged him down. Persistent and longing for survival, he eventually burst out of the sea only to see a massive tide.


    It was over 30 feet!


    Boom!


    He sank into the sea once again. His hair was like silk as it floated upward.


    His eyes trembled.


    ''Spirit world!''


    Without being told, Asher knew his spirit had transported into the spirit world. Struggling with all his might, he burst out of the water.


    This time around, he sights a man walking upon the water.


    ''Thomas!''


    His eyes widened. It was his elder brother, the same one that poisoned Frederick, Baron James''s firstborn.


    "Little brother. It''s been a while, don''t you think?"


    Thomas leaped and mmed his foot against Asher''s head, causing Asher to sink once again.


    By the time Asher struggled out, he was panting.


    He looked up and saw Thomas was right before him. "Your name rings not only in the mortal world but here also. Why? Why should a bastard bear the weight of a noble house? I will relieve you of this burden."


    Asher''s eyes shed.


    He struggled to burst out of the water, but Thomas'' eyes glowed bluish white, and the phantom of a giant sea viper appeared behind him.


    Asher''s pupils trembled. He couldn''t believe what he was seeing.


    How in Tenaria did an Ashbourne lose the bond of the majestic wolf and bear that of a different creature?


    The spirit world might not be as rigid as he thought.


    The water seemingly transformed into a viscous liquid that refused to allow Asher to move no matter how he struggled.


    "This sea is called the Forgotten Sea. Spirits dare note here, but you, a mortal, did."


    "You don''t have the blood of the wolf anymore. How did you summon me?!"


    Asher clenched his teeth.


    "Oh, I do have the blood of the wolf, but my wolf is pathetic. Pharaoh, on the other hand, is more powerful than any wolf."


    Thomas chuckled.


    "Just take a look at the Ashbournes hope. Oh, the once great house has truly fallen."


    Boom!


    The water dragged Asher down. He struggled to swim but kept going down. Bubbles came out of his lips as his vision of Thomas grew blurry.


    [Ding! Your talent is growing.]


    [Ding! Your talent is growing. Host, should I interfere? Yes or No?]


    Asher stared at the ''No'' as strength left him. It seemed so close yet so far away. Chapter Enjoy:


    Ah, so it was his growing talent that exposed him to the rest of the Ashbournes. It seems like not all of them are on his side.


    His eyes closed.


    ...


    A/N: Please vote Asher Ashbourne for the characterpetition!!


    Also, why is our power stones dropping? We need More!!


    Next Goal: 2k

 Chapter 199: Ancient Blood Shura

    Awoo!A mighty howl made Thomas turn. He saw a red-armored knight on the back of a mighty white wolf.


    With each step the wolf took, ice would spread out. Although the sea was chaotic, it wasn''t a threat to the wolf and its rider.


    Both their eyes were white!


    Seeing this, Thomas shot toward the rider. Before he fused with the giant sea viper, he would have never done this as that rider; the red-armored knight was none other than the dreadful duchess, Ariel Ashbourne.


    A powerful fighter.


    But this was his domain, and the giant sea viper gave him strength beyond measure. It was time to kill those he once looked up to.


    "He''s dead. You came toote!"


    Thomas scowled.


    "Insolent child!" Ariel''s white eyes glowed brighter as she leaped off Luna, her pet beast, and pushed her palm forward with great force. A forceful wind st surged forth like a storm, splitting the tides with ease as it went for Thomas.


    Thomas pped his palms, causing water as tall as 10 feet to rise from both sides. Ariel flew above it and then formed a wind ball around her.


    Luna growled, and ice spread out, freezing the sea''s surface. Almost instantly, it made a 500-yard ice zone. The ice was so thick that Thomas couldn''t force water through it.


    Now on ice, his eyes dted.


    Ariel clenched her fist, and wind wrapped around Thomas, lifting him into the air. "You''re a disgrace to our bloodline."


    Veins popped out of Thomas'' neck as he struggled to free himself but was unable to. His eyes became bloodshot.


    He realized their disparity was more than just pet beasts. Not even the Sea of No Return was able to stop one of the great four.


    Realizing this shattered his confidence built on ignorance.


    "He''s already dead!"


    Thomas bellowed. "I can take his body; I can be the one. I am a true Ashbourne!"


    "You''re a viper."


    Ariel scowled, lifting him higher and suddenlyunching him downward. Thomas mmed the ice, yet the wind kept sting him until he broke through the thick ice and sank into the sea.


    Recovering himself in the depths, he tried swimming out, but the ice prevented him from bursting out.


    He was slowly running out of breath.


    Boom!


    The ice shattered, and Ariel pulled him out. Before Thomas could speak, she threw him toward Luna. The beast nailed him to the ground, her ws acting like steel bars at his right and left.


    Luna revealed her steel-like fangs as she leaned closer.


    Thomas''s eyes grew wide. He frantically turned his head, pleading for mercy, only to discover Ariel had jumped into the sea, leaving him with this flesh-devouring beast.


    Some minutester, Ariel burst out of the sea with a limp young man in her arms. She took two steps, then squatted andid him down.


    "Asher?"


    She tried reviving him with all the means she knew, but his body was unresponsive and frigid. The rate of her heart was slowly rising as she could see that all signs of life were gone.


    "Asher?"


    Her voice rang once again. She saw him as a son. He was just 23, and although he had achieved many feats before Ariel, he was still a child, and those emotions revealed themselves when she saw his current state.


    Fear slowly gripped her heart.


    What would she say to Torah? Or even to Zenas?


    If Asher''s spirit was dead, it meant his body was also dead, and being spirit dead meant he wasn''t a living being anymore. His seed of life had returned to the Soul Scroll, the same thing that granted all races talents!


    "A¡­ Asher, can you hear me?"


    For the first time, her voice cracked.


    [Ding! Your talent has sessfully upgraded. Blood Shura is now an SSS-ranked talent named by the Scroll as Ancient Blood Shura.]


    [Talent description: This active talent drowns the individual in blood rage upon sight of your blood when cut. In this state the individual is connected to ALL the past Ashbourne lords, walking in both the spirit and the mortal world, possessing their skills, knowledge, battle experience, mastery, emotions, and TALENTS!]


    As if the voice of the system triggered something inside of Asher, his eyes opened. His irises glowed like burning golden mes, causing Ariel to superimpose him for Zenas for a split second.


    .........¡­..


    A pair of bright golden eyes snapped open. He first took in the sight of the ceiling before tilting his head to the right. His eyes wandered over the silent room for some seconds before he sat up, grunting softly.


    He lowered his head to his arms. After folding and opening his fingers several times, he got to his feet, heading for the door with slow, steady steps.


    Asher could sense something had changed inside of him. That experience gave him a taste of death. It made him understand he truly wasn''t unkible, but there was a feeling beyond that.


    A gain.


    A reward he felt but couldn''t grasp it.


    Meanwhile, inside the meeting hall, Alex sat with Katarina, Aquilia, Eritrea, and Sapphira.


    "It''s been three days. His body is colder than the snowkes. Don''t you think it''s time we let Baron meheart and Regent Kelvin know?"


    Alex said softly.


    "Know what?" Eritrea red at him.


    Alex exhaled. He returned his focus to Katarina and Sapphira, the two who had the power to make decisions when the regent wasn''t present.


    "Lady Sapphira. You''ve tried all you could, but you can''t heal a wound that''s not there. Whatever attacked His Lordship wasn''t physical, and we all know it''s from House Tigris." "How would Regent Kelvin react to His Lordship''s death news?" Katarina asked, causing Alex to sigh. For three days now, the news of Asher''s death had circted amongst the top figures in Greenrock.


    Right now the entire castle was covered in blooming flowers and lots of greenery because Sapphira has unleashed her powers to the max, causing an outflow of life, so much that the King Swordsmen found themselves looking younger!


    The air was filled with life. Never had Alex seen anything like that in his life. Such power was mind-blowing, yet even when Asher was soaked in it, his body grew colder.

 Chapter 200: Awakened

    Everything in and outside of Greenrock was soaked in life. Even the rocks seemed to have traces of life, causing him to respect Sapphira even more. However, since then she had not spoken a word.


    Aquilia cried for a while before she recovered. Eritrea vented by shooting until all the arrows in her quiver finished before she eventually wept, but Sapphira didn''t even shed a tear.


    All she did was stay by Asher''s frigid body, day and night, until the meeting that was currently going on.


    Since Nero heard the news, he vanished. Adam, on the other hand, led the troops alongside Paul, Lambert, and Alec.


    "We should do what is necessary." Sapphira finally spoke.


    "Send a letter to the regent. But we should be ready for his questions." Katarina sighed in defeat. Since Sapphira had spoken, she had to go along.


    "Is he gone¡­ just like that?" Aquilia couldn''t believe it.


    Silence reigned for a long time. The moment Sapphira got to her feet, the doors were pushed open by two King Swordsmen, revealing a gray-haired man d in ck walking toward the hall.


    He held Euodias in his hand, and his eyes burned like golden mes. His confident gait seemed to release formless ripples, ones that synced with the hearts of everyone in the hall.


    Thud! Thud!


    "We greet His Lordship!"


    The King Swordsmen fell on one knee with their heads lowered.


    "He rose from the dead." Katarina muttered.


    All of them were shocked to the core. Alex walked past Sapphira, who stood frozen. He hurriedly closed the gap and hugged Asher.


    "My Lord¡­" He gasped.


    Asher was about to pat him when Eritrea joined the hug. His stern expression broke as a small smile appeared on his face.


    "What''s going on? Did I oversleep?"


    Aqu slowly rose to her feet. "You were ice-cold dead. There was not a strand of life in you. How are you now alive?"


    Hearing this, Asher''s bright golden eyes flickered. "I don''t know."


    Sapphira''s eyebrows furrowed when she heard Asher''s reply. Others brushed it off without thinking deeply, but she did. His reply of how he''s still alive proved that he was oblivious to it. This meant he knew of his death, or he would have asked questions and not looked so shocked.


    A gleam shed through the fairy''s eyes.


    After embracing Katarina, Asher and Sapphira''s eyes met.


    "I''m d you''re awake." She bowed.


    Asher raised an eyebrow. He took three bold steps, closing the gap between them and wrapping his arms around her waist, pulling her in for a hug.


    When their bodies met, Sapphira''s eyes widened for a split second before her walls crumbled. Her grip around him tightened while he caressed her back.


    After the hug, Asher looked at Greenrock through the windows. The castle looked different with all the greenery around, and most of all, his men were missing.


    "Where are the troops?"


    "General Adam led the march for Tiberias three days ago. They should be close to the city."


    Alex replied.


    Turning, his expression was more solemn than ever. He knew the secret of Tiberias''s walls, but Adam did not have knowledge about it.


    "Prepare; we''ll leave by dawn tomorrow."


    "But my lord¡ª"


    Asher lifted up his hand, causing everyone to keep silent.


    "I am fine."


    ''When will you rx?'' Sapphira said inwardly. "General Adam, General Paul, and Grand Commander Alec are excellent men. Have a little faith in them while I examine you for a day or two. After that, you can march for Tiberias."


    Asher turned his head toward her.


    ......


    Two nights after that night, Ashbourne soldiers, fully d in their armors, marched toward a 25-meter-tall wall that was constantly attacked by brimstones from 30 trebuchets!


    The tworge moons ushered their light upon the battlefield. Smoke rose into the clouds, but the walls were still intact as a barrier protected it from the brimstones.


    A huge man d in Ashkelon Knight armor sucked in air and ced his mouth on a horn held by two soldiers.


    A mighty sound came out. Hearing it, the Ashbourne infantrymen began to sprint toward the wall. Their armor made nking sounds, and thebined sounds of their steps were thunderous, especially those of the massive Deste Wolves, who were behind the Ashkelon Knights.


    In their midsts were people on the backs of gray wolves. These people wore hooded cloaks and held silver metallic spears that had different elemental crystals.


    On the back of their ck cloaks was the sigil of House Ashbourne.


    They were the mages trained by Aquilia and upgraded by Asher during the month spent transporting the people of Greenrock.


    All of them were now gold-ranked mages!


    Stones of varying sizes wereunched from the catapults at the top of the wall. The stones wrapped in clothes and lit up in mes left fiery trails in the dark sky.


    The priests mmed their staff against the ground, causing a bluish transparent wall to rise, protecting the Ashbourne troops from the stones.


    Boom! Boom!


    Both sides keptunching stones until the infantry reached the bottom of the wall. The moment they reached there, Tigris footmen at the top of the wall began to throw stones.


    The Ashkelon Knights raised their shields.


    "Mages!"


    Alec''s roar echoed.


    About twenty mages with staffs that had yellow crystals came together and cast spells that gathered stones, using them to form a staircase!


    The Tigris soldiers tried their best to destroy the staircase, but more stones kept adding to it, causing the staircase to grow more robust.


    Hundreds of knights kept ascending until they faced a wall of Tiberias garrison soldiers marching down as one.


    Running ahead of the Ashkelon knights was a man in ck armor. His eyes flickered as he opened his mouth and took a deep breath.


    Roar!


    A roar in similitude to that of a massive dragon erupted from the mouth of a mere man.


    The fierce energy in the roar shattered the shield wall, killing dozens instantly!


    "For Lord Asher!"


    Shing!


    Adam unsheathed his cleaver and pointed it towards the others. His men ran past him and engaged the soldiers.


    The sound of metal shing with metal, roars, screams, and yells resounded.


    With slow steps, he approached the wall''s chaotic walkway.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 201: Wall Of Tiberias [1]

    At first, the Ashbournes pushed back the Tigris infantrymen, but their strong oppressive power did notst for long as the Mages took over.


    Rains of fireballs fell on Adam''s men, throwing many of them over the wall!


    Some blocked with their shields but were swarmed by Tigris infantrymen.


    Adam burst through their ranks, charging forward with a beastlike rage. His cleaver reaped lives without restraint, and bodies flew left and right.


    Even those he mmed with his body had fractures, and their armors caved inwards!


    "Enough!"


    Boom!


    A mage d in a blue garment standing behind the Tigris infantrymen on the right side mmed his staff against the ground, and a fierce gale blew the infantrymen, who were recklessly giving up their lives, to the side.


    He lifted up his staff and spun it so fast that it left afterimages.


    His chanting echoed as he walked forward, approaching Adam, who slowly turned backwards, for he could sense the rise in mana behind him.


    Upon seeing the mage, he unsheathed a dagger from his waist and flung it toward the mage.


    Puchi!


    The mage staggered backwards, and as he fell, he dissolved into mist.


    Swoosh!


    The wind blew, causing Adam to turn back to his left, but it was toote.


    Wind formed a five-tailed leopard, an ancient mythical beast known for its affinity to the wind, and it mmed Adam off the wall, sending him spiraling down the 25-meter-tall wall.


    As he fell, wind burst, sharp and strong enough to kill the knight, and mmed him repeatedly, increasing the speed of his fall!


    All of a sudden, at the bottom of the wall, the sand burst upwards, and a figure d in golden armor materialized with his wings spread outward.


    With a great p, he closed the gap, grabbed Adam, and flew out of the way because the mageunched powerful bursts.


    Boom! Boom!


    Explosions rang behind them as the earth burst open, rocks and stones flying towards different ces while a fearsome dust fog spread out, running after Nero and Adam.


    Thud!


    Both of themnded. Nero turned back to face the fog with furrowed brows.


    Swish! Swish! Swish!


    Arrows swooshed out of the fog, grazing past his chin and hitting some Deste Wolves who were affected by the explosion of the stones thrown by Tigris trebuchets.


    Adam deflected some arrows with his cleaver while Nero just stood there, his halo deflecting every arrow that came close.


    When it seemed like the arrows were about to hit him, they would move about the way. Those with keen vision could see that the arrows met a slightly invisible golden screen above Nero''s armor!


    Swish! Swish!


    Nero''s ears tingled.


    Two arrows came from behind, curving past him and disappearing into the fog. He heard the sounds of bodies dropping to the ground.


    Turning back, Nero saw Paul drawing his bowstring. The arrowheads of his nocked arrows twinkled.


    Swish! Swish!


    A formless ripple swept outward as he released the arrows into the fog. At the same time, the arrows, first shot into the fog, returned with bloodstains.


    "Onwards!"


    Hundreds of yards away, Alec pointed his spear at the sky, his voice reverberating. The power in his voice was overwhelming.


    The elites who were behind him roared at the top of their lungs and charged towards the fog.


    The fog had separated them from theirrades, and it was obvious that without Adam, the condition of those soldiers wasn''t pleasant.


    ROAR!


    Adam roared, clearing a portion of the fog and revealing the bodies Paul had in. Only a few remained.


    His roar flung the remaining like ragdolls.


    As he began to run toward the staircase made by the earth mage, he lifted up his head and saw Nero flying above him.


    The kid was strangely calm. It was as if he stared at a different kid. Wasn''t this the same boy that cried when Asher was confirmed dead?


    Arrows coated in mes came from behind Tiberias''s walls, curving midair and descending on thousands of soldiers.


    It bounced off their armor but burned their cloaks, and some of their plumes were on fire. Their speed slowed down as they had to pull out their shields from their backs.


    The mage that threw Adam down the wall flew into the air and began to levitate. However, it was obvious he wasn''t too stable.


    His white beard fluttered as he lifted up his staff, calling down a hurricane from the clouds!


    The priests poured out all their mana, thereby creating a bluish barrier that kept the hurricane from destroying the troops.


    Seeing that the soldiers at the top of the wall were being pushed back and their mages, the ones holding the earthen staircase, were at risk of losing their lives, Nero flew out of the barrier.


    "Nero!"


    Alec bellowed, stretching his hand towards Nero.


    Lambert and Laura, Eritrea''s second inmand, who sat on top of their mounts, standing valiantly before their cavaliers, frowned at the sight of the hurricane.


    It was without a doubt that they had encountered a formidable mage.


    Nero struggled to move past the hurricane but was constantly flung back, mming the ground several times.


    With clenched teeth, Adam stepped out of the barrier. He removed his helmet, and his hair whipped about.


    With bloodshot eyes, he opened his mouth.


    ROAR!!


    The earth beneath his feet imploded at the might of his roar. It was so great that the hurricane was dispersed, ripped apart by a greater destructive force.


    Adam staggered and fell on one knee. Blood trickled down his nostrils, and veins bulged out of his neck.


    His face was twisted in pain.


    "For¡­ His Lordship."


    He whispered, gaining strength from those words. Wrapping his fingers around the handle of his great cleaver, he rose to his feet.


    "For His Lordship!!"


    His draconic voice was intimidating but invigorating to the soldiers. Even those on the wall fought with more strength, pushing and striking even when their bodies were screaming for them to stop.


    ....


    In the very early hours of the morning, when the sun was still hiding from the skies, a woman d in a white garment stood on Tiberias walls looking at the carnage and destruction on the in field.


    They were able to stop the Ashbourne troops despite their formidable willpower and might. The battlested for over 5 hours, but for some reason she could only see a few hundred bodies that belonged to the Ashbournes.


    Whereas, they had lost almost 3000!


    "Viscount Syria was right. This Asher is a threat." Sofia spat, lifting up her eyes and gazing at therge number of white tents on the horizon.

 Chapter 202 Wall Of Tiberias [2]

    Chapter 202 Wall Of Tiberias [2]


    "Argh!" "Hold him!" Apothecaries held a soldier on the ground, and one pulled out a shrapnel from his shin before the priest radiated a green light that closed up the wound.


    When they were done, the soldier, panting and sweating heavily, looked at the muscr-armed apothecaries.


    The system had built them differently. They weren''t like the weak-bodied ones that could be mmed aside by their patients.


    d in their ck garments, they look no different from the mages and priests. All magic ss professionals wore ck garments with the white sigil of a white wolf at their backs.


    The mages held metallic staffs while the priests and priestesses held wooden staffs. The green gems on their priests''/priestesses'' staffs were a lot more expensive than the foundation elemental crystals the mages used.


    So far, most of the mages Aqu had trained had earth maniption; only a few had fire and water, but none had air.


    Lifting up his eyes further, the soldier saw Adam, his general, standing not too far away, looking at him with his hands sped behind him.


    "G¡­ general." He hurriedly rose to his feet. Adam chuckled. He averted his attention from the soldier to the others, some of whom were groaning, some were undergoing treatment, while some had serious damages that a team of priests had to handle the situation.


    Tapk! Tapk!


    "General, there''s a message from Greenrock. It has His Lordship''s seal." Adam''s eyes widened. From the corner of his eye, he noticed some knights looked over. Every one of them wanted to see their lord. Just his presence alone was inspiring.


    Some were curious because they knew their lord was supposed to fight alongside them. However, not a word had been heard from him for six days now.


    Today was the sixth day.


    Adam took the letter. "You may leave." He said and watched the messenger walk away.


    Exhaling heavily, he opened the letter. His eyes first widened, and his expression became as solid as a rock in the next moment.


    The news quickly spread to themanders. Shortly after, all of them gathered in a tent, seated around a table.


    "His Lordship isn''t dead?" Lambert leaned forward. "ording to the letter, he came back to life." Adam responded softly.


    The corners of Alec''s lips curled upward. "Alex told me everything. We should prepare; he''ll be here in a few days time."


    "Gather the troops. We need to tell them of their lord''s arrival. That should boost their morale enough to face the next battle." "What about the array? We faced a huge loss. Out of 15,250 strong, we lost 360. Tiberias has the advantage of mages and numbers. They haven''t even brought out their best." "And have we?" Lambert said to Paul. Paul drummed on the table, wearing a smile that they couldn''t read if it meant he was smiling out of anger or simply amused.


    "House Tigris won''t stay on the defensive this time. They''ll be sure to send out a cavalry. Uriah said he saw them preparing behind the walls."


    Paul said, ring at Lambert before averting his gaze. "We shall face them with the Deste Wolves. 3000 Deste Wolf soldiers will head for the battle. They''re trained for handling cavalry."


    Adam responded, staring at Alec for confirmation. The huge man replied with a slow, soft nod.


    "What about the cavaliers? Cavalry is best handled by cavalry," Lambert said.


    "I know that." The way Adam replied made Lambert raise a brow. It seemed like Adam had a n he didn''t want to reveal now.


    "Gather the men." After a while, Adam stood before thousands. "Although we couldn''t breach the walls of Tiberias, I believe it can''t stop House Ashbourne elites." "Ho!"


    A bellow came from the back, and some followed. Adam was a bit stunned to see the zeal in the soldiers'' eyes. His voice grew stronger.


    "Tomorrow, we shall march for those walls and continue marching until it falls. We shall usher our Lord, who will be here in a few days, into a conquered Tiberias!"


    "Yes!"


    "Hoo!!"


    A great sound erupted from several thousand soldiers. Some raise their weapons high, yelling at the top of their lungs. "For Lord Asher!" "For the Count!" "The white wolf ising!!"


    Seeing their outburst, Adam couldn''t help but imagine what would have happened if Asher was truly dead. ''Time to prepare for tomorrow.'' His eyes flickered.


    ...¡­.


    The next day, in the early hours of the morning, Tiberias gates opened. Clip! Clop!


    A valiant knight on horseback rode out of the gate. His visor was open so his handsome face was visible.


    This man d in such exotic armor was none other than de Nubis!


    Lifting his sword, he pointed it at the sky. Lightning crackled on the de as thousands of mounted soldiers came out.


    A total of 3000 heavy cavalry soldiers stood in a neat formation behind him. 1000 were knights, and the other 2000 were squires.


    de pulled his visor down, covering his smirk. His eyes were focused on the steel wall reflecting at the horizon. It was a wall of Ashbourne soldiers.


    The huge 7-foot-tall men d in thick armor and massive, towering shields.


    "Even the fearsome ogres are not a match for our cavalry. This is in stupidity." He snorted. Rumble!


    Kicking his mount''s abdomen, it began to move from walking into galloping. 3000 heavy cavaliers shook the earth as they galloped toward the Deste Wolves. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    On the other side, Alec stood before his men. Also 3000.


    "Move!"


    He bellowed.


    3000 Deste Wolves began to move, one step at a time. Their eyes unwavering as they stared at the dust created in the wake of the de''s cavalry.


    The Duke''s son and his mount were crackling with lightning. What could be more intimidating than that?!


    At a certain point, Alec ordered them to stop and build a wall. Quickly, the wall was built with their spears ready to deal damage to the cavalry.


    In Alec''s pupils, the image of de crackling with lightning could be found. He saw de sheath his sword and ready hisnce.


    "Kill these wastnders!" He roared.


    In the next moment, the cavalry shed with the Deste Wolves. For the first time, the wall was broken instantly! But the cavaliers who broke the wall paid with their lives! de led the charge, cutting down the Deste Wolves. Their silver-ranked armor was nothing before hisnce.


    Lightning sted out of him continually. "For the Count!" Watching him from the top of the wall, Liya smiled. She could see that the heavy cavalry had the advantage, and de was the most eye-catching knight on the battlefield.


    The huge man was busy ordering his men to form different formations while doing little fighting.


    She had thought he would be dangerous like Adam.

 Chapter 203: Wall Of Tiberias [3]

    "de is a great swordsman of this era. There are only a few who can match him. Do not expect men from the wastnds to evene close to his might."


    Sofia, her mother said softly. Her words sank into Liya''s heart, causing the beautiful elf to smile. "Prepare the trebuchets. Once the cavalry are done with them, we''ll crush those that remain."


    While she spoke, the chaos on the battlefield grew. Deste Wolves had to assemble themselves into a phnx of three to six men. About five Deste Wolves worked together as one; one would shield thence of the cavaliers while another would use the spear.


    One ran out, hurtling his spear through the air. The spear plunged a cavalier who was about to y a Deste Wolf who was kicked by a horse''s hind legs. Before the soldier who threw the spear could run back to the phnx, lightning came for him.


    Before the eyes of hisrades, he was in. Lightning still crackling on his armor, the dead soldier fell.


    de, charging valiantly, swung hisnce,unching bolts that reaped more lives.


    Suddenly, he drew the reins of his horse backward, causing it to halt. He looked to his left and right, seeing the cavaliers charging through the ranks of the Deste Wolves. While they had the advantage, he could see that these Deste Wolves were still in some strange formation.


    It seemed as if they were winning, but there was a bigger picture.


    This made him frown.


    "What''s going on?"


    He muttered to himself. Turning his horse, he was about to charge toward Alec, who mmed a cavalier and his mount 10 meters away! Such strength made de squint.


    However, before he could charge toward Alec, arrows crackling with lightning flew into the battlefield. They were like missiles, mming Tigris Heavy Cavaliers off their mounts!


    Almost instantly, dozens of cavaliers were in with arrows!


    Rumble!


    A fearsome cavalry of markswomen on Ovoks emerged from the horizon. They wereing from the left, and while riding their mounts, they shot arrows that packed great might. So much that even his knights were falling off their mounts.


    "debreakers!"


    A yell came from the right.


    Rumble!


    A troop of fearsome-looking knights on intimidating mounts rode into the battlefield, moving as one sharp de. de furrowed his brows when he saw how Lambert and his men were skewering his own men. Their mounts were so ferocious that some Tigris knights were stomped to death by them.


    Lightning crackled through de''s eyes.


    "Knights!"


    Gathering a good number, about 400, to ride with him, de charged toward the debreakers. His cloak billowed in the wind, and the image of Lambert taking vengeance for what they had done to the Deste Wolves reflected in his eyes, making him boil with rage.


    It was cavalry against cavalry. The superior one would surely emerge victorious, and he believed there was no cavalry in the wastnds that could beat Count William''s cavalry and their rigorous training.


    With theirnces aimed at the debreakers, they charged forth.


    Lambert, seeing de from the corner of his eye, made a C-turn with his men right behind him. Both troops charged toward the other, dust rising in their wake.


    The debreakers red cloak fluttered high, their plumes dancing, as if speaking of the tales of a battle toe. Their armor glistened softly, and the powerful bursts of air from the nostrils of their mounts fell into their ears.


    When the gap between them became only 100 yards, de finally saw howrge the Centraks were. His pupils shook.


    ''What kind of horse is that?''


    The spikes protruding from their flesh, their sharp teeth, and cold crimson eyes made him feel apprehensive.


    By the time only 20 yards remained, the knees of some horses buckled, causing Tigris heavy cavaliers to crash, tossing and rolling on the ground.


    It was fear!


    Boom!


    It was toote to rethink his decision as they shed. The debreakers, true to their name, broke through the Tigris men heavily d in metal. Without being told, de knew his heavy cavalry was no match for this unusual cavalry from the wastnds.


    His eyes followed Lambert, the golden knight, as he leaped off his mount, piercing hisnce through a Tigris infantryman and releasing a fiery ripple that sted about a dozen more away.


    de clenched his teeth so tight that his gum hurt.


    "Heyah!"


    Fueled with rage, he galloped toward Lambert. His mount sped past other cavaliers engaged in a battle, closing the gap between him and Lambert.


    Lambert turned his head and saw de.


    Lambert dropped hisnce and pulled out two javelins.


    Swish! Swish!


    The javelins flew like crimson bolts. To his surprise, de evaded both, threw away hisnce, and unsheathed his sword.


    "Die, you wretched wastnder!"


    Underneath de''s vambraces, his flesh became transparent as lightning could be seen crackling within. Even his bones, veins, and everything were almost entirely visible!


    With a loud roar, thick bolts of lightning ran out of his skin, came out of his armor, and were channeled through his sword.


    Boom! Boom! Boom!


    The violent force caused three explosions. In the midst of the explosion was Lambert, who received a full-powered lightning strike. His armor became scorching red, and with a deep groan, he was flung a hundred yards away.


    de breathed out heavily. His eyes fixed on the golden knight lying on the ground a hundred yards away.


    Brandishing his sword, he spurred his horse, galloping toward Lambert with thick killing intent pouring out of him without restraint.


    A horn resounded. It was a sign for retreat.


    Upon hearing that, de looked around and discovered his heavy cavaliers remained a few hundred! rmed, he turned his horse and galloped out before he was encircled. While galloping, lightning arrows came from behind, killing many of those retreating with him.


    By the time de reached the gate, there were less than 300 Tigris Heavy Cavalry!


    ......


    Alec, while his men were yelling and rejoicing, turned and saw Lambert lying still.


    His pupils shook.


    "Lambert¡­"

 Chapter 204: Wall Of Tiberias [4]

    "Move aside!"


    debreakers bellowed as they took theirmander into the camp under the watchful eyes of other soldiers.


    Alec was behind him, his expression cold as ice.


    Adam and Paul also followed as they took Lambert into the infirmary tent, where some soldiers who couldn''t be healed instantly stilly on their beds.


    The beds were made of wood and a cloth draped upon the wood.


    Lambert was gently dropped on one bed, and the apothecaries and two priestesses came over. The apothecaries quickly removed Lambert''s chest te, pauldrons, couter, and his gambeson, revealing his skin.


    They could see the gruesome damage done to his right chest, spreading to his shoulder and right arm.


    The sight of the wound made Adam, Paul, and Alec squint, their eyebrows furrowed.


    "Will he live?"


    Adam asked. At this point, Lambert was barely alive. It was the vitality of the sacred-ranked knight body that kept him alive, or the destructive might of the lightning would havepletely destroyed him.


    There were still flickers of lightning, showing that his body was in a constant battle against the lightning.


    "I have no idea,mander. Such an element is hard to extract with my current rank."


    A priestess replied, causing themanders to sigh. Although they won the battle, ying over 2,500 heavy cavaliers at the cost of 600 men, the loss of amander would change the result.


    The death of amander could bepared to the loss of 10,000 soldiers. This was because the soldiers depended on the stele to grow, whereas themanders are dependent on their talents.


    Right now, Lambert, who has a B-ranked talent, had reached the peak and would never exceed this rank unless there was a miracle.


    However, that did not make him useless, for he was a sacred-ranked knight! A fearsome leader of a dreadful cavalry.


    They all had dreams of being nobles and starting their own heritage of knights that would serve House Ashbourne, but Lambert''s story might end here.


    Outside the wall of Tiberias.


    "We can contain the lightning." An apothecary said, causing everyone to turn toward him.


    "What did you say?" Alec asked.


    "His Lordship made sure Baron meheart imported relics we would need for tough situations, and we have a magical container for trapping elements. It can withdraw the lightning from Commander Lambert''s body."


    "Is that relic here?"


    The apothecary nodded. "It is." As he spoke, another apothecary walked into the tent with a jar locked inside a metal.


    The metal was just like a shelf, so the jar was still visible. Runes were carved into the metal, and it had a transparent crystal.


    That crystal was called the void crystal. It was a crystal that had just formed but had not contained an element.


    Crystals like these were rare since most crystals form with an element. These void crystals first form before absorbing the element in their surroundings and losing it after a while.


    cing the relic beside Lambert, the apothecary, took an ink pen and drew a strange symbol, the same that was prominent on the relic.


    In the next moment, they saw the lightning in Lambert''s body rise up and flow into the relic. When all the lightning was out, they looked and saw it inside the jar.


    An apothecary took the jar out of the room while the others cleaned up the burnt part of the wound.


    Seeing this, the priestesses aimed their staff towards Lambert''s wound, radiating a green light.


    Time trickled by, yet themanders and generals hung by, waiting for the result. Unfortunately, in the end, Lambert''s wound remained almost the same.


    The healing energy of the priestesses wasn''t enough to counter the aftereffects of de''s destructive might.


    "Magic can''t work anymore. Magic caused this, and magic respects hierarchy. Someone of lower rank can''t undo what someone of a high rank did. We need the apothecaries to stitch up this wound."


    Adam and Alec turned toward Paul. They knew he was right.


    "Stitching up his wound will kill him. His body is fragile, and he won''t be able to hear the pain." An apothecary replied.


    Sighing, Adam turned and left the tent. Not long after, Alec and Paul also left.


    ...


    Late in the night, when two crescent moons were high up in the dark skies, Adam sat before a table, looking at the paper before him.


    The ink pen had been in his hand for a long while now, but he didn''t know who to ry this unfortunate news to, Asher.


    ording to the apothecary''s full report, which was given to him hours after he left. Lambert''s right arm waspletely severed from his body.


    The tendons connected to the arm were shriveled and the veins scorched. The arm was in the process of dying!


    His right chest was another matter that could only be managed.


    Without a doubt, Lambert would step into the spirit worlde sunrise.


    This news was so heavy that Adam felt like the ink pen had the same weight as a boulder.


    While he pondered with furrowed brows, one of the servants from the logistics department walked into the room holding a tray.


    A cup of steaming Moonlit Starhorn milk!


    The scent of it alone made Adam lift up his head.


    He stretched forth his hand, wrapped it around the cup, and was about to drink when his eyes caught a mole above the servant''s lips.


    A gleam shed through his eyes.


    He could vividly recall Katarina speaking to him about a dream she had concerning the war.


    His eyes widened to the limit.


    A cold gleam shed through his eyes as he pretended to drink a little and gave the cup full of milk to the servant.


    "Drink."


    The servant had a shocked expression. "My lord, I can''t drink from the same cup as you. I''ll turn it over into my cup when I get back. Thank you for your kind gesture toward this lowly one."


    Adam smiled.


    "I want you to have a taste of what the general drinks. It''s a privilege."


    His tone proved there was no room for rejection. Knowing this, the servant suddenly dashed forward.


    His form twisted, and he became a slim man with talons for nails.


    His hands like the trunk of arge tree, hard, rough, and scaly.


    ''An assassin.''


    Adam''s eyes flickered. He mmed his knee against the table,unching it upwards. It hit the man and broke into two.


    The man crashed on the ground but sprang to his feet in the next moment. Like a ck phantom, he shed for the exit but bumped into a man almost as muscr as Adam.


    He had a wolf cap on.


    It was General Paul.


    Shing!


    Adam got the chance to reach out for his cleaver and unsheathe it.


    Shing! Shing!


    Paul unsheathed two daggers from his waist.


    "Who sent you?"


    Adam growled.

 Chapter 205 Wall Of Tiberias [5]

    Chapter 205 Wall Of Tiberias [5]


    The assassin ignored the question and lunged toward Paul. He swung the dagger in his right hand toward Paul, who reacted by taking a step back. Without losing this advantage, the assassin swung the dagger in his left.


    This time, instead of retreating, Paul unleashed his battle force. A formless wave mmed the man,unching him into the air. A metallic hand grabbed the assassin''s neck and mmed him so hard that the ground caved in.


    Adam let go of the assassin, his eyes cold as ice as he gazed at the still body. That m had broken the man''s bones, killing him instantly!


    "Who was that?" Paul asked.


    "An assassin. House William would truly go to any means." His gruff, deep voice resounded in the tent as soldiers rushed in. They were alerted by the sound of the assassin''s body hitting the ground.


    "Inspect the body. Find out whatever you can." The soldiers obeyed Adam''s orders and left with the assassin''s body while both generals remained in the room.


    "We still haven''t gone past those walls, and we have almost recorded a thousand deaths¡­ And Commander Lambert will join the numbers by tomorrow. How are we going to deal with our men''s morale?" Adam squinted at Paul''s question. "They have a wall, they still have numbers, they have siege weapons. All we have, they have." Adam sat down. "What about them? How many have they lost?" "About five thousand men. It''s a considerable loss, but I''m afraid the death of Lambert will dampen the morale of our men. Then, they will consider the wall, the numbers of our enemies, their weapons, and the status of their lord."


    "The wall of Tiberias will fall. We''re close enough. Once it falls, Tiberias is ours." Paul could see Adam''s conviction written on his face. The general wanted to take that city by all means, and his conviction could keep the morale of the army alive, but Paul couldn''t guarantee it would not cause more deaths than required.


    "How are we going to deal with that knight?" Upon hearing that, Adam''s eyes narrowed greatly.


    Meanwhile, inside Tiberias''s great manor, footsteps of soldiers marching within the manor echoed in the ears of some figures inside a massive hall.


    Bam! Sofia, Count William''s wife, mmed her palm against the wooden table. "5000 men! In two days we have lost five thousand men, and House Ashbourne has not even lost a thousand!"


    Themanders lowered their heads, all except de, whofortably sat on his seat. "We should have attacked with all we had. Where was that old man?" "Senior mage Modret is resting. You of all people should know mages are not supposed to be overactive or risk being corrupted." Sofia spat. Although this young man was the son of the duke and a valuable knight, she couldn''t tolerate rubbish at this moment.


    Her tone was crisp and sharp.


    "Mother." Liya called out softly. Giving her mother a soft reminder of whom she spoke to. Sofia squinted, her gaze softening. "5000 Night Swordsmen infantry will arrive tonight, in a few hours at worst. With them at the forefront of battle tomorrow, House Ashbourne forces will be crushed, and we shall proceed to meet their prideful lord."


    de''s eyes flickered. Meeting Asher once again would be a pleasure. Because this time he wouldn''t be talking only; he would make sure Asher was enved.


    "Of course. Swallowing his territory will bring so much gain. With his men under our gs, House Mormont will surely fall, and we shall be one of the strongest dukedoms in the northern high ins." Sofia''s ambition was fueled by her husband''s. Their aim to grow to the top and be respected by millions was their sole driving force. Boom!


    Tapk! Tapk!


    Levi, Count William''s second son, who was as blurry as his elder brother, walked into the hall with his personal bodyguard, a man twice his size!


    "We''ve lost 5000, and you still won''t allow me to lead my father''s men?" Sofia scowled. "Who requested your presence? I am the authority when my husband is not around. Get out!"


    Levi clenched his fist, his face hardening. "I see. I''ll watch when the wall falls and wastnders pour into this city, burning it with mes. I heard Lord Asher has a bad past with women¡­ Your beauty won''t save you from his hands as it saved you from my father''s." Sofia''s eyes shed.


    She merely tapped her foot against the ground, and a formless ripple spread outward. Levi felt stuck by an unseen force, slowly forcing him downwards.


    His eyes became bloodshot. His bodyguard took a step forward, cing his hand on Levi''s shoulder. Almost instantly the pressure vanished, allowing him to breathe.


    ncing at his bodyguard and back at Sofia and the others in the council that looked at him expressionlessly, Levi scowled.


    A sharp burst of air leaving his lips. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Without a word, he turned and left. His steps echoing until the door is shut.


    "Bring out all the trebuchets. Tomorrow, we burn the camp of our enemies." ...


    "You''ve been quiettely." A voice rang from behind, taking Nero, who gazed at the wall of Tiberias, out of his reverie. The young knight turned.


    His eyes paused on the huge man garbed in a ck tunic and brown pants. He tied his curly hair behind him, exposing his sharp jawline.


    "Uncle." Nero said. He still wore his armor. "Who assigned you to watch duty?" Alec sat on the log behind Nero, entwining his fingers and looking at the great wall.


    The wall that looked like it could never be conquered. Great fires could be seen rising from the top of the wall along with tiny silhouettes.


    Hundreds of them.


    Nero''s exhale brought him back.


    "I''m waiting for the man who put Commander Lambert in that condition."


    "You want to avenge him?" "Yes." "Such vengeance belongs to the lord. Do you believe he won''t rpense House William for what has happened to Lambert?"


    That question made Nero remember Asher in his blood state. The smoldering fury in those cold white eyes was spine chilling. "What do you think he would do when he finds out?"


    Nero turned toward Alec.


    The grandmander looked into the darkness where Nero''s eyes were supposed to be and opened his mouth.


    "I don''t know. Although His Lordship is young, I can''t predict him, but I have faith in what he can do."

 Chapter 206 Wall Of Tiberias [6]

    Chapter 206 Wall Of Tiberias [6]


    Silence reigned for a short while before Nero suddenly took some steps forward. Alec raised an eyebrow as he looked at where Nero gazed. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "What is it¡ª?"


    His words cut off as he saw a trail of fire heading toward the camp. Alec rose to his feet, his eyes narrowing.


    Swish!


    "Are those more troops?" Nero asked.


    Alec walked past him. He squinted, straining his eyes to see clearly. The moment he identified the silhouettes of the Silver Blood Horse, his eyes widened.


    "It''s His Lordship!" The King Swordsmen never went anywhere without the presence of their lord. Since he could see them, it meant Asher was here!


    "What?!" Nero eximed.


    "To the camp, now!"


    Both men dashed toward the camp as fast as their legs could take them. From the entrance they were already informing everyone that Asher was close.


    Swoosh!


    Alec opened the p of a tent and looked at Adam, who was slowly scribbling the letter that he nned to send to Asher tonight.


    Adam lifted up his head. He raised an eyebrow when he saw Alec''s expression.


    "What is¡ª"


    "He''s here."


    Adam shot to his feet. Without being told, he knew who Alec referred to. While they walked towards the entrance of the camp, they saw Asher, on top of his majestic mount, Bezerk. His fur coat, thicker than the previous one. d in Exodus and holding Euodias, it looked like he knew they hadn''t conquered the wall.


    It was more like he expected their current situation.


    Thud!


    Hundreds dropped to their feet all at once with Alec, Paul, and Adam at the forefront. They all bowed their heads, breathing softly.


    None of them knew the state of Asher''s emotions as his helmet hid his face. "Rise." Upon noticing his tone was light, Adam felt a burden lift up his chest. Unfortunately, he remembered Lambert.


    In that same moment, Asher scanned and queried.


    "Where is Commander Lambert?" "You should rest first." Eritrea, who rode on her beautifully imposing Ovok, said in a soft tone.


    "She''s right. You should first rest in your tent." Alex, who rode on his right, also said. Behind him was Aqu. More sensitive than the others, she knew from the slight change in Adam''s expression that something was wrong with Lambert.


    "It''s an offense if amander doesn''t greet his authority, especially in times of war. Lambert knows that. So¡­ where is he?" "He''s in the infirmary, milord." Asher looked at Paul, who spoke and tilted his head. "He was wounded?" "He''s dying." Adam sighed heavily. A cold gleam shed through Asher''s eyes. "What did you say?" ¡­.


    Inside the tent, Asher stared at a heavily injured Lambert breathing ever so slowly. The gruesome wound, which was covered up with some herbs, made Eritrea turn and leave the tent.


    She couldn''t believe that was the boisterous Lambert. He was talkative and annoyingly amusing, much like Alex, but with a touch of childishness.


    Asher''s nostrils wrinkled. He could perceive the stench of herbs of different kinds. Taking a few steps, he leaned forward, looking at the wound.


    "How?"


    "He was attacked by a Tigris general." Asher turned to look at his men.


    "And is this general still alive?" "He is, milord." The sheen of Asher''s eyes brightened for a split second. He closed his eyes for a long while before slowly opening them.


    "Aqu, teleport to Greenrock. I need Sapphira."


    After Aqu left, Asher stood there in silence, staring at Lambert until Aqu returned with Sapphira.


    As if briefed, Sapphiraid her palms on Lambert, and a vibrant emerald energy rippled out, repairing his vein, muscles, and tendons. His bloodless, white, stiff right arm gained a healthy hue as the tissues were being restored. In a matter of seconds, the dying man was healed, all his wounds gone, his skin healthy pale once again, his breathing stable and powerful.


    The steady, solid, and impactful heartbeat of a knight could once more be heard from his chest. His eyelids trembled. His hands slowly folded into a fist, and then he sprung up, his eyes filled with vigor.


    The moment he got up, the first thing he saw was a golden-armored knight looking right at him.


    Their faces were just inches apart.


    "M¡­ milord!" His eyes widened. Lambert swiftly fell on one knee, his head lowered and his eyes staring right at the ground.


    The apothecaries couldn''t believe their eyes. All of them in the tent stared at Sapphira with a stunned gaze. When she first appeared, they were mesmerized by her enchanting beauty, but never did they imagine she was capable of reviving a man who was just half a step away from death.


    Sapphira opened her palm, and a rose made out of her healing powers formed. It was an enchanting green flower slowly hovering above the palm of her hand.


    Leaning close, Sapphira blew air from her mouth, and the flower burst into a green radiance, spreading outward, much beyond the tent.


    Almost instantly, wounded soldiers got up from their beds filled with so much strength that those who weren''t wounded found themselvescking.


    Not even a scratch could be found on the healed soldiers. A huge number of men came out of the infirmary tents.


    When Asher walked out and saw them, he exhaled. "Tomorrow, by noon. We march for Tiberias." His deep voice that left no room for objection rang, sealing the night.


    ¡­.


    The next day, no one saw Asher emerge from his tent. Those who checked found him meditating, and he had been in that position sincest night.


    Time slowly ticked by until it was noon. The sun was high, its radiance and heat ceaselessly cascading down on Boundless.


    It was then he emerged from his tent, d in Exodus.


    His right fingers were wrapped around Euodia, hanging at his waist. As he walked out, his golden eyes, like radars, scanned through the tent. Soldiers could be seen inpanies marching out of the tent.


    Lifting up his head, he sighted Sapphira high up in the air, just above where the troop made their formation.


    Although he couldn''t pinpoint the troops, he had a feeling they were right under her. "Your Lordship." Alex''s voice rang, causing him to turn his head toward that direction where the voice came from.


    Alex and Nero on their Silver Blood Horses led Bezerk, who, although a Centrak, was still taller and more muscr than the Silver Bloods!


    In the end, the Silver Bloods were just gold-ranked horses, while Bezerk would soon break into the ranks of beast knights!


    This was the diamond rank!

 Chapter 207 Wall Of Tiberias [7]

    Chapter 207 Wall Of Tiberias [7]


    Thousands of Ashbourne soldiers in a neat formation marched into the ins of Tiberias. The shield-bearing infantry were at the frontline, and the Ashkelon knights were 20 yards to their left, also at the frontline.


    Behind the Deste Wolves were the Goshen Longbow Archers. Behind the Ashkelon knights were the Stormbringer Markswomen. Each troop had their leader before them. Behind the 20 yards of space were the debreakers, and behind them were the mages and priests/priestesses.


    Meanwhile, 5 yards ahead of the frontline were Asher and his personal troop.


    Alex held a massive ck g with the white symbol of a wolf in his right hand. The moment Asher raised his hand, signifying that the march shoulde to a halt, Alex mmed the bottom of the gpole into the ground, driving it several inches deep!


    In a matter of seconds, the entire troop came to a halt. The radiance of the sun fell upon them, making the troop more visible than before when they fought during dawn or nightfall.


    Their cloaks, red for the Calvary, ck for the elite Deste Wolves and Ashkelon knights, white for the average Deste Wolves, and blue for the King Swordsmen.


    Asher turned to Alex. "Are the trebuchets in position, Alex?" "They are milord." Asher veered toward the back, his eyes narrowing upon the sight of 250 trebuchet soldiers manning the huge siege weapons. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Nodding, he turned to Aqu. "Do it."


    The mage nodded. As she began to chant, the white clouds slowly darkened with lightning crackling intermittently.


    The dark clouds grew to the extent that they hid the radiance of the sun, plunging Tiberias into darkness.


    Although it wasn''t too dark, the heat of the sun was gone. All that remained was the cold breeze, wheezing through the gaps of their armor and making their cloaks flutter.


    On the walls, Sofia frowned deeply. "They have a powerful water mage." de, who stood beside Liya, said solemnly. Liya chuckled. "Not while I''m around." Her eyes flickered, and icicles fell from the clouds, slowly making them disappear.


    Sapphira looked up, the azure icicles reflecting in her violet eyes. Lifting up her right hand, she opened her palm wide, and a massive barrier enveloped the troops.


    Bam! Bam!


    The icicles mmed the barrier and shattered, sliding down to the ground without causing any casualty.


    Seeing how Sapphira effortlessly deflected her spell, Liya''s expression darkened. de leaned forward, Sapphira''s wless face reflecting in his eyes. Desire sprouted within him, causing him to clench his fingers when he saw the golden-armored knight seated atop his mount.


    ''She belongs to him?! The bastard!'' "Prepare the trebuchets. Keep firing until that priestess falls." Sofia''s eyes shed.


    In no time,rge boulders flickering with mes wereunched into the air, hurtling down towards the Ashbourne troops. Boom! Boom!


    It mmed the barrier but couldn''t even make it ripple. "Why are they not moving towards the wall?" Viscount Syria, d in chainmail, questioned with raised brows. He tightened his grip around the handle of his clutch.


    "They want to fight in the fields." de scowled. He turned and walked down to the thousands of armored infantry below the wall. At the frontline were the Night Swordsmen infantry, the personal troops to the heir of the Dukedom of Nubis.


    All of them held a heavy ck sword and also wore ck armor. Their weapons and armor were made from a special mountain in the Dukedom of Nubis.


    Spikes protruded from the top of their helmet to their backs. de climbed his horse, and along with a few hundred heavy cavalry, he approached the gate.


    "Open it." When the Tigris army was some hundred yards away from the walls, Asher turned. "Fire." In the next moment, thousands of arrows from the Stormbringers, who shot lightning arrows, and the Goshen Longbow Archers, who shot ming arrows, were released into the air.


    Following them wererge brimstones!


    "Charge!" de bellowed. His troops, over 20,000, charged toward the Ashbourne troops that were still in one spot. The arrows and brimstones were deflected by Sofia''s barrier. It was Elf against Fairy.


    Dust rose in the wake of the Tigris army''s fearsome charge, grass flying and some being trampled upon.


    "Aqu, bring down their morale." Asher ordered. He knew the secret about Tiberias'' wall, which was why he drew the battle into the field.


    30 earth mages teleported to the frontline along with 10 fire mages. They began to chant; at first itcked harmony, but as time went on, the chant seemed toe together and be one.


    At the same time, they all mmed the bottom of their staff against the ground, and instantaneously, the earth burst out.


    Lava burst out of the earth as it moved towards the Tigris army like there was some beast underneath the earth.


    Just when it was about to collide with the Tigris army, a mage appeared and ced her palms on the ground.


    Ice spread out, negating the spell. "That was aplex gold rank spell. To be able to negate it so easily shows that Liya is definitely a high-ranked mage." Aqu remarked. Currently they were at a stalemate. The long-ranged attacks did no damage to either party, and the melee soldiers would soon sh.


    Shing!


    Asher unsheathed Euodias. A white and blue light flickering with lightning hovered around him before transforming into a giant white wolf with ravenous, vengeful eyes. Awoo!


    Its howl caused a wave of dust and grass to sweep outward.


    Liya''s eyes trembled. "What in the world has Asher transformed into?" de furrowed his brows. "A wolf is merely a dog to me. House Ashbourne, you are dogs!"


    Asher tightened his grip around the sword and kicked his horse''s abdomen.


    Rumble!


    Instantly, it shot into a hot sprint, racing for the iing Tigris army. When the gap was less than two hundred yards, the debreakers hurtled javelins while the Stormbringers shot without stopping.


    Tigris infantry, even with their heavy armor, began to fall one by one.


    But the Night Swordsmen were not affected. Even the lightning from the arrows couldn''t harm them. Eventually, both armies collided.

 Chapter 208 Wall Of Tiberias [8]

    Chapter 208 Wall Of Tiberias [8]


    Both armies collided; King Swordsmen, who were on the frontline, shed with the heavy cavalry on de''s side.


    The difference became clear as not one King Swordsman fell off his horse, but over a hundred heavy cavaliers were in!


    Sparks flew as weapons shed. Some could handle a few bouts while some were in instantly. Nero and Alex were nightmares. Having learned the output, each swing of the sword took the lives of three or four men. Some meters ahead of them was Asher, swinging Euodias with amazing precision and control. Blue and crimson light left his sword with each sh. This was called the sword arc. Output was a way of producing sword arcs that can be fueled through Battle Force!


    A cavalier jumped off his horse, raising his sword high as he closed in on Asher. To his shock, Asher cut down a soldier and still had time to look at him.


    Easily supporting his entire body with one arm, Asher mmed his foot against the cavalier''s face, causing a shockwave andunching him through the ranks of other troops behind.


    Pulling out a javelin, Asher made Bezerk dash forward. He easily located the excellent soldiers and threw the javelins, pinning them to the ground.


    By the time he held thest Shura bolt, almost every significant knight on the battlefield knew of his terror. de was causing mayhem on the Ashbourne troops, but he alone wasn''t able to cause as much damage as themanders of House Ashbourne. Sofia''s eyes became slits as she watched themanders; their extraordinary feats on the battlefield outmatched that of hermanders with arge gap.


    Lambert and his troop were terribly destructive, but their kill counts weren''t close to that of the Stormbringer Markswomen and Goshen Longbow Archers.


    Looking at the battle from her high vantage point, she could see the Deste Wolves moving forward as one, their tower shields stained with the blood of her men.


    Tall and overbearing, they thrust through whatever troop they faced, leaving corpses in their wake. While they advanced slowly but left none alive, the Ashkelon knights were light and fast. Although they worked together, it wasn''t as cohesive as the Deste Wolves. Albeit, their armor was of higher quality, and the swings of their swords were precise.


    They faced the Tigris fourth unit and were easily cutting them down. With Adam spearheading the onught, Sofia lost hope in that unit.


    She turned again and found the mages sting spells that took lives in droves. Her forces were failing.


    Clenching her teeth tightly, she mmed the bulwark. "Ah!" Sofia screamed out of anger. "Where are Levi''s men?" As the second son of Count William and a warrior from birth, Levi naturally had his own troop, which was almost 10,000 strong!


    Levi was renowned for leading the Saber-Tooth Cavalry, an elite troop that rode on a northern big cat known as the ''Obsidian Mountain Cat''.


    "Levi has withdrawn his men and left the city through the back gatest night." Sofia''s eyes widened. "What?! How was I not informed of this?!" Viscount Syria lowered his head, his eyes flickering, but he couldn''te up with an answer.


    He looked at the clutch on his left hand. This was the result of his warning, which they deemed disrespectful, causing Sofia''s bodyguard to damage one of his legs.


    He finally realized. House Tigris wasn''t at peace internally, and a house that was internally divided was doomed to one day fall.


    There was a difference between a naturalpetition for the top position and outright war against each other.


    ''The Count made a mistake electing this prideful woman as regent. Beauty can never rece a strategic mind.'' A sharp gleam shot past his eyes.


    "Modret." Sofia looked at the cloaked man who stood by her side. He was her bodyguard, but unlike the traditional knights, he was a mage.


    The man nodded.


    Their clothes and hair fluttered as he looked at the sky, chanting inaudibly.


    Swish! Thud!


    Asher flicked off the blood from Euodias and then spun his horse in a different direction as all the soldiers around him were dead. Only he, Nero, and Alex were alive. All of a sudden, amander charged toward them with a 400 behind him. A strange current traveled through Asher''s body into Bezerk, causing it to lift up its forelegs and m the ground.


    Boom!


    A crimson light sted out in ring-like fashion. Empyrean Sigil Stomp!


    The sigil of House Ashbourne appeared on the ground, as if drawn by mes! It covered a span of 200 yards, and half of themander''s men went down.


    "What kind of monster is that!" A soldier lost hisposure. Shing!


    Euodias let off a piercing hum as Asher pointed it toward them. All of a sudden, he sensed a huge amount of mana gathering in the sky. Tracing the source, Asher found Modret levitating. In the next moment, sharp bursts of wind hurtled downward, but before they touched the soldiers, a barrier would appear above them.


    Sometimes it would shatter the barrier and destroy the squadron below, while sometimes the barrier would negate it.


    While these winds were being hurled down, Asher could see Modret wanted to form a tornado that would start from behind his troops!


    He turned his head to the left part of the battlefield and saw Aqu fighting hundreds of men inside a giant water serpent.


    Swiftly, he turned to the other side and found Eritrea galloping with her sisters. "Eritrea!!"


    His voice echoed, like a storm it struck her ears, causing her to turn.


    Asher pointed at Modret. The moment Eritrea saw him, her Battle Force burst out. It danced around her like a never-ending cloak and a pir of mes. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The runes on her ''Great Thunder bow'' lit up. She nocked an arrow and drew it until her arms trembled softly.


    Arge amount of lightning crackled on the bow, slowly spreading until the entire bow and arrow were almost consumed by lightning.


    Swoosh!


    Like a missile, the arrows tore through the air. All Sofia saw was Modret being electrocuted and falling from the sky, leaving trails of smoke.


    Meanwhile, Eritrea wasunched backward by the impact, mming several times on the ground, causing her to groan.


    While Liya screamed out in shock, her mother''s face became more gloomy. Suddenly, her expression grew light, and it wasn''t too long before Asher knew why, as a bright blue light shed behind him, along with it came the crackling of lightning and great destruction!


    "Eritrea!!"


    It was de!


    .....


    A/N: Author here, I apologise for the haphazard upload and missing two days so far this month. I''ve been feeling weak and slight pains in my joints for weeks now but I''ll try my best to get back to uploading at the right time.


    Also... I really want to know what you think about this ongoing title: Wall Of Tiberias

 Chapter 209: Wall Of Tiberias [9]

    Chapter 209: Wall Of Tiberias [9]


    ?


    Crackle!


    Asher turned. His eyes widened as he saw lightning being shot out of de''s eyes. The corners of his eyes had turned red with visible veins underneath his skin.


    His men being ughtered by the lightning reflected in Asher''s golden eyes. Right there, a hundred men fell!


    "General de!"


    Tigris soldiers roared, swinging their weapons with vigor and aggressiveness as they pushed against the Deste Wolves.


    de, still on the back of his horse, directed his lightning towards the distance, destroying four trebuchets and killing about 50 trebuchet soldiers.


    Others fled.


    Seeing how the Deste Wolves put themselves before the dreadful lightning, losing their lives in droves, Asher looked beyond and saw that they were trying to protect the Goshen Longbow Archers and mages.


    Sapphira, who was busy blocking the ming bouldersunched by the Tigris trebuchets, couldn''t handle it anymore and flew toward de.


    "Sapphira... No!"


    Bezerk burst forward, outrunning Alex and Nero. Its eyes were fixed on de raining destruction and death amongst the ranks of Asher''s men.


    Yet unlike the Tigris soldiers who fled before a strong foe, Ashbourne soldiers ran into the jaws of death, mming their tower shields into the ground.


    One by one, damaged shields fell to the ground, charred, and some hadrge holes!


    While Asher charged toward de but was still far away, de pierced hisnce through a soldier and lifted him high.


    "Armor doesn''t make an untrained dog any different-!"


    Suddenly, he looked up. Sapphira had already arrived. She swung her sword downward, but de deflected the strike only to discover Sapphira was behind him.


    A battle skill!


    His eyes narrowed. Without dy, he jumped off his horse, but Sapphira''s strike still cut a small part of his thigh, causing him to grunt.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    After rolling, he got to his feet and saw the priestess d in a silver breastte above her white garment, walking toward him. Her bare feet sank into the soil.


    It was a taint to her figure, which should be untouched, but she didn''t care. Her eyes were focused on de.


    She could see it.


    The desire to possess her was in de''s eyes, but his will was strong enough to stop the desire from manipting his actions.


    "Stay your hand or else."


    de clenched his teeth. Unfortunately, his words fell on deaf ears. In the next moment she was before him, causing him to sh his sword downward, only for her to appear at his right side.


    ''She''s fast!''


    de allowed her sword toe. When it was before his chest, he shot forward. Sapphira was stunned to see the de of her sword break upon contact!


    Bam!


    de mmed his elbow against her chin, lifting her feet off the ground.


    He was so fast that his fingers wrapped around her neck, mming her into the ground so fast that it all happened in a split second.


    Boom!


    The earth imploded.


    When the dust cleared, de looked down at the bleeding woman. Seeing the beauty looking so powerless made him squint.


    "You-!"


    He caught a lightning arrow and turned to see Eritrea galloping toward him.


    With a smirk, he began to walk toward her, only for Sapphira to hold his cloak. de turned.


    His eyes met her violet ones.


    "You''ll die."


    A golden eagle materialized almost instantly. It was too close and too fast for de to react as it sank its talons into his helmet, tearing a hole through it!


    de was fast enough to p it away, but three deep wounds were now on his face!


    Swoosh! Swoosh!


    Eritrea continued to shoot arrows, forcing him to avert his attention from Sapphira.


    "Heed my call!"


    de roared, causing beams of lightning to fall from the sky. It fell in a straight line, causing Eritrea to move off its path.


    In that moment, she saw de before her, his sword gleaming dangerously.


    That split second was enough for her to nock an arrow and release it. The collision caused an eruption that blew her off her mount!


    Tapk! Tapk!


    de walked out of the dust, heading toward her with firm steps.


    ''What?!''


    Eritrea''s eyes widened. It was as if she was looking at Asher, just not a friendly one. Only Exodus, the conqueror, could withstand her arrows up close and not even have a scratch!


    As Eritrea got to her feet, de brandished his sword.


    "Die!"


    He swooshed past her, leaving a clean sword arc.


    Eritrea looked at her abdomen but saw no cut. Right before her stood a young man in golden


    armor.


    He fell on one knee, supporting himself with his sword.


    It was Nero.


    Having strained himself by teleporting several hundred yards just to save Eritrea, he


    happened to appear in the wrong spot.


    At least.... Eritrea, a woman he considered his aunt, was still alive.


    "Your father chose the right partner for you. He alone has subdued this battlefield with his excellence. Truly, the sun cannot bepeting with other stars at night. Its brightness is so blinding that others would never be seen."


    Sofia said softly.


    Liya chuckled. She felt exceptionally pleased when she saw what de did to Sapphira.


    They watched de walk toward Nero. The kid clutched his abdomen. He was shocked that de''s sword was able to cut through his armor.


    "de!"


    A roar tore through the battlefield, causing de to turn his head. He saw a man atop a magnificent horse galloping toward him.


    No doubt this was Asher!


    For some reason, his golden eyes seemed to glow, piercing through the darkness of his visor. Just looking into those eyes, de got the feeling he stared right into the eyes of a giant white


    wolf.


    A ravenous beast.


    He couldn''t see Asher anymore but a giant. A giant wolf with golden eyes walking toward him


    with soft yet deep growls.


    "That boy.... Isn''t a boy anymore. He''s a beast." Sofia''s voice trembled as she watched Asher


    leap into the air, the Euodias raised above his head.


    Finally, what Liya unknowingly started had happened. A sh between two bright talents,


    between two suns.


    Unfortunately, Boundless could only ept one!


    ng!


    Swords collided.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 210: Wall Of Tiberias [10]

    Chapter 210: Wall Of Tiberias [10]


    ?


    ng!


    A tremendous shockwave billowed out, sweeping everyone 300 yards away. de slid back while Ashernded stably.


    "Asher. Asher. Asher. It''s been a while." As he was speaking, a great amount of lightning gathered on his sword.


    The earth imploded as de shot forward, closing the gap almost instantly and shing twice, at Asher''s neck and abdomen.


    ng! ng!


    Asher parried both strikes with ease, leaned forward, and unleashed an upward strike. A swift counter that caught de off guard.


    de narrowly deflected it with his right arm. He took two steps to the side only for Asher to m his shoulder into him.


    The bash caused de to stagger.


    ''What?!''


    His eyes widened. How was it that Asher had better reflexes than him? How was it that his skills were more refined?


    It was like Asher had gone through several battles, facing opponents that were much stronger and struggling to keep his life.


    Only such could boost his swordsmanship so much in as little as a year''s time.


    Strengthening his left leg, de pushed his body forward, unleashing a horizontal cut. Unfortunately, Asher jumped over his sword. He evaded two more and unleashed a downward sh, which de deflected in return.


    "You''ve reached the level of a master." de muttered.


    Bam!


    Asher mmed his foot into his chest te, causing de to fall on his back.


    "You might be a great swordsman, Asher, but sword skills aren''t power. The true power of knights is..."


    Lightning crackled throughout his body. His eyes became azure.


    "Talents!"


    Boom!


    Lightning sted Asher, pushing him 100 yards back. When de''s eyes returned to normal, Asher was on one knee, holding tight to Euodias.


    His armor remained intact with a few scratches.


    de plunged his sword into the ground, causing thunderbolts to fall from the clouds, turning 200 yards into a forbidden zone.


    Thunder and lightning rained down, destroying the earth. By the time it stopped, the earth itself became ss.


    de stood upon the ss, staring at Asher, who was on his knees. His cloak was burned to ashes, including the white fur adorning his armor.


    "A count. Tsk! Pathetic!"


    de roared and dashed toward Asher. Lightning picked him off the ground as he raised his sword and struck down.


    Boom!N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Dust waves spread outward. At this moment, the war was still ongoing, but no one came close to Asher and de.


    From the top of the wall, Liya kept chanting, ''Kill him,'' while watching with great intensity. Seeing her fianc¨¦ rain thunder and lightning made her smile.


    When the dust faded, Asher could be seen holding de''s sword with his hands. de''s sword was just above Asher''s head.


    A few inches more, it would have been over.


    Lightning crackled on de''s armor. "Die!" He roared, channeling more lightning into the sword, causing it to flicker on Asher''s armor.


    Unfortunately, it was made from Dwarven ore. This ore had a trait of negating opposing elements, so the damage happening to the wearer was 60 percent less than that of a man d in armor made of steel.


    Bearing the pain like it was nothing, Asher lifted up his head, looking straight into de''s eyes.


    Staring into those beastly golden eyes, de felt his soul tremble.


    ''Doesn''t he feel pain?''


    Rising to his feet, Asher punched de''s chest, but the man just slid backwards. However, that space allowed Asher to pick up his sword.


    Almost instantly, he closed the gap, unleashing a flurry of strikes that were not required; neither were they a threat to de.


    "Have you lost your edge?"


    de chuckled.


    Unknown to him, right at that moment, Asher activated a battle skill. Duke Atticus Ashbourne''s battle skill: ''Blood Awakening!''


    A weak point appeared, and Asher took it. He parried de''s attack, went on one knee, pulled out a dagger, and plunged it into the gap that he could see wrapped in crimson light, which no


    one else could see.


    "Argh!"


    de screamed out.


    Swish!


    Euodias shed, causing a great chill throughout the battlefield as Duke Nubis'' son, now headless, staggered backwards and fell!


    Asher rose to his feet, the tip of his de pointed to the ground as he stared at de''s lifeless


    body.


    Sofia gasped.


    "He... he..."


    She couldn''t form any words. Never in her life did she think that someone could be so daring!


    Who in their right mind would kill the son, the heir of Archduke Nubis!


    Well, there was only one man: the white wolf!


    He slowly turned his head, looking at those who were on the wall.


    Although they were over 1000 yards away, she could feel the primal aura of a great beast


    swirling around Asher.


    "The saying was true. Ashbournes are beasts, not humans." After saying this, Viscount Syria made his way out of the ranks of nobles; his eyes were shifty, and his pace hasty.


    Chaos has finally erupted!


    "You killed him!"


    Liya whispered, her eyes darkening. "What right did you have?!"


    Her face distorted in rage, slowly descending into madness.


    "Argh!"


    Hundreds of icicles fell from the sky, descending on Asher''s men. Some of them were protected by priests/priestesses and mages, but the icicles were so big that even the priests


    ran out of mana and copsed.


    Aqu began to chant, and the many icicles burst into water, but there were just too many.


    It wasn''t that Aqu couldn''t match Liya, but Liya had gone mad. Such use of magi force was simply leaving your body unprotected, allowing abyss force to creep in.


    "Restrain her!"


    Sofia ordered, but her men were frozen in an instant.


    Liya formed an ice so big that it was taller than the walls and made it fall right upon Asher. Asher, dropping his sword and lifting Sapphira, who was unconscious, reflected in Liya''s


    furious eyes.


    Adam dismounted from a horse, ran toward Asher''s side, and looked at the icicle. Inhaling


    deeply, he opened his mouth.


    Roar!


    Boom! Boom! Boom!


    The icicle burst into different segments and imploded further. Only snow rained down,


    causing Liya to scream.


    Dark and purple light could be seen hovering around her. It was a blissful force!


    Liya had transformed into an abyss mage. She was now in the ranks of dark mages.


    "Burn the wall."


    Asher spat.


    His orders were quickly sent to the back of the line, and 10 more trebuchets were pushed out.


    Looking at the wall, Asher saw Sofia fleeing along with other nobles.


    His eyes, cold and pained as he looked at the lifeless Nero, who was on one knee, holding his


    sword like he was paying hisst respect.


    "Burn it all."

 Chapter 211: The War Bringer

    Chapter 211: The War Bringer


    ?


    Swoosh! Swoosh!


    Brimstones wereunched into the air, leaving orange trails in their wake. They streaked through the sky and mmed the walls of Tiberias thunderously.


    Boom! Boom!


    The wall shook, debris falling and soldiers sumbing to the tremor as they lost their confidence.


    Boom!


    A brimstone struck a tower. The tower fell, and when it crashed on the ground, it shattered,rge boulders flying everywhere and a thick dust wave spreading outward.


    Sofia, who was about to enter a carriage, turned around only to see the wave heading for her and her men.


    Whoosh!


    It enveloped them, causing her to cough.


    "Mydy, please enter the carriage. We need to leave." A knight covered Sofia with his cloak and opened the carriage''s door.


    As Sofia stepped in and sat down, her eyes shed.


    ''After pouring all his wealth, influence, and resources into making his son be the first man in the northern region of Tenaria to be a half-step sacred ranked knight and forging a half-step imperial ranked armor that no knight could damage, he still dies at the hands of a wastnder.''


    Sofia clenched her fists. Her shoulder trembled as the sound of the wall being slowly weathered down fell into her ears.


    Her city.


    Her pride.


    Her daughter.


    And their rtionship with the Archduke had all crumbled. There was no doubt that the archduke would be extremely furious when he hears the news.


    The northern region was about to be engulfed with war. And it was all because of the rise of


    one man.


    Maybe he was a war bringer!


    ''Asher Ashbourne!''


    While Sofia''s carriage raced for the back gate, the battlefield had changed. Thousands of Ashbourne soldiers ran toward the wall, their battle roars piercing through the clouds.


    Alec, the biggest of them all, was also the fastest. This was the first time the soldiers saw Alec run this fast.


    He was always making sure the soldiers were in formation and showed little of his strength. But this time, with each step, he would cross arge distance.


    Upon closing in on the gate, Alec channeled his Battle Force into his spear, causing it to burst into mes.


    With a cry, he lunged it toward the gate. The air itself imploded as the spear shot forward with a frightening speed.


    Boom!


    It blew the gate open. The metal bars behind the gate snapped, and the gate was pulled with so much force that it almost left the hinges.


    The squad behind found themselves in different areas struggling to stand.


    Their eyes dted as thousands of arrows, lightning and ming, fell from the sky into the city.


    Hundreds fell!


    While the battlefield was filled with roars and soldiers running towards Tiberias, Asher walked toward Nero''s lifeless body.


    His father, Alex, stood before him. The man was as still as stone with his head tilted downward, looking at his son.


    Tapk! Tapk!


    Hearing footsteps, Alex turned. "My Lord." He fell on one knee, lowering his head. "Rise."


    Alex rose up. He nced at Nero and back at Asher.


    "Where should we bury him?"


    Asher looked at him. "Nineveh. He deserves to rest in our homnd, in the city where he was born."


    "It''s a privilege, my lord."


    Alex bowed.


    "He''s not dead."


    A soft, fragile voice rang out, causing Asher to look at Sapphira, whom he had gentlyid on the ground to attend to Alex.


    Weakly, she walked toward them.


    "What do you mean?" Alex asked, hope about to sprout up like a seed about to germinate.


    Sapphira walked past them. Asher was about to help, but she raised her hand, signifying that she didn''t need help.


    She fell on her knees, and the moment her hand touched Nero, a white mist in the form of a human appeared.


    It enveloped Nero and was in the same position as him. Without being told, both Asher and Alex knew that white mist had a link with Nero.


    "It''s his spirit."


    ''What?!''


    Asher''s pupils dted. How was that possible? Spirits were invisible beings that most of the time attracted people into their world in order to be seen.


    "Nero is partially human. He''s like me. When we die, our spirits linger in the mortal world for a period of time. But once it leavespletely, there will be no way to revive him."


    "You can revive him?"


    Alex''s eyes widened. All that Sapphira said went into one ear and left through the other. The only thing he grasped was that his son could be revived.


    Sapphira ced her palm on Nero''s forehead, emerald light spreading out from her palm. It covered his entire body, causing flowers to grow around him.


    Sapphira''s face grew paler and paler until she finally slumped. Asher quickly held her before her head hit the ground.


    Meanwhile, Alex called out to Nero several times, but there was no response. Sighing heavily, he was about to turn when metallic sounds fell into his ears.


    Turning, he saw Nero slowly rising to his feet. He wrapped his fingers around the hilt of his sword and pulled it out of the ground.


    "Father...!"


    Thud!


    Alex closed the gap instantly and embraced his son.


    Asher lifted up Sapphira and turned, walking toward his mount.


    "Wee back from the dead, Nero."


    His voice fell into Nero''s ears, causing him to bow.


    Rumble!


    Asher turned and saw arge section of the wall crumbling. Arge amount of dust rose up.


    The dust cloud was like a background for thepany of Stormbringers galloping toward


    them.


    "Aunt Eritrea..." Nero smiled when he saw the woman leading thepany. The disbelief in


    her eyes was vivid.


    Climbing his mount, Asher left.


    ....


    Aqu walked into a tent. She saw her lord leaning against a wooden beam with a cup of greenn/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    tea in his hand as he stared at the sleeping priestess.


    He tilted his head.


    "My lord."


    Aqu swiftly went on one knee.


    "Arise. What do you want?"


    "My lord, we discovered the blood of a lightning mythical beast mixed in de''s blood."


    Asher frowned.


    "That''s impossible unless..."


    "Illegal organ trade in ck markets." Aqu said solemnly. "Lord de had the heart of a


    giant thunderbird imnted inside of him. Turns out the Archduke really wanted his son to be


    exceptional."


    "So the lords of the high ins are disregarding the codes of the founding emperor."

 Chapter 212: Great Dividing Wall

    Chapter 212: Great Dividing Wall


    ?


    "Not only that, but his armor was made of adamantine with several runes that made it a half- step imperial-ranked armor. Had you not struck the gaps between the adamantine tes, you wouldn''t have been able to harm him."


    Aqu said.


    Asher frowned. He turned to Euodiad, leaning against the wall and back toward Aqu.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "It can hear you."


    Aqu looked at the sword. For some reason, she felt a pair of ice-cold eyes stare back at her. Her shoulders trembled.


    ''Is that sword alive?!''


    Her pupils shook.


    rmed, she averted her eyes from Euodias. "Tiberias has been breached. Our men are slowly iming the sectors, but some ces are proving quite difficult."


    "That was within my calctions. Some wealthy folks won''t let their domains be taken so abruptly. The smart ones would have fled or submitted."


    "It is indeed as you said, Your Lordship."


    "Now... about the nobles, did themanders do as Imanded?"


    Asher straightened his figure, looking straight into Aqu''s eyes.


    "Yes. The low-ranking nobles have been in, but Viscount Syria escaped. We couldn''t find him."


    "What about Sofia Tigris and her daughter?" Asher''s voice grew deeper.


    "We did as you said. We chased after them, making them assume we wanted to actually y them. Lady Liya vanished into thin air. I can''t track her mana signature."


    "She''s now a dark mage. It''s not possible without exposing yourself. You may leave."


    Aqu nodded and left.


    Asher''s eyes flickered. He was no fool. After killing de, he knew the archduke would erupt, and the forces of that dukedom were strong enough to destroy all he had built.


    He wasn''t strong enough to face the archduke, but when the duke would see that none of Count William''s family members died, he would suspect Count William.


    Questions would surely pop up, and that would make Count William lose the Archduke''s support. In fact, in the best-case scenario, they would be enemies.


    ....


    A weekter, the entire Tiberias was conquered; all noble households that refused to let go of their nobility were in, and those who were activists of House Tigris also lost their lives.


    Asher moved into the lord''s mansion, and from the same window he once looked out from when he visited this city a year ago, he looked at the tiger statue.


    His hands were sped behind him. He thought he had seen luxury, but Count Tigirs'' mansion was on a different level.


    It was a whole level of grand. Behind him, soldiers could be seen moving out the table, chairs, and gs.


    Only the golden candle stands were left.


    Asher walked on the red carpet, ascended the tform, and caressed the armrest of the golden-white throne before him.


    Turning to face the hall, his gaze met with that of Adam, Aqu, Eritrea, Alex, Alec, Nero, Paul, and some lower-levelmanders.


    Sapphira was still recuperating.


    The moment he sat down, all of them fell on one knee. "We congratte His Lordship for conquering Tiberias. The white wolf has defeated the great white tigers!!"


    [Ding...!]


    [Upgrade Quest: Lay waste to Tiberias, the great city of the white tigers, in one month''s time. (Completed.)]


    [You have conquered the wastnds, officially bing the only lord of this vast domain.] [Your reward is unfolding...]


    Rumble!


    The great shaking made Asher and his men leave the hall, mount their horses, and ride out of the city.


    While running, they could feel the earth''s trembling. The contaminated soil was slowly being purified, causing grass to sprout, but these changes were not as significant as the magnificent wall rising up from the ground.


    Asher could see rocks of different sizes flying towards the wall. This was the first time the system did an upgrade a different way.


    In fact, as time went on, Asher noticed the system was slowly upgrading!


    From afar, the wall looked massive, but when they came close, Asher was stunned. He looked up, his eyes narrowing at the size of the wall.


    Such a wall would take decades to build!


    It spanned the entire border between the wastnds and the high ins.


    If he could fully conquer the destnds, he could unify bothnds and form a dukedom!


    Tall and imposing, the Great Wall stood there, sealing the north away from the rest of the world.


    Asher went to the top and looked at the other side. All he could see was a vast, endless in. Those were the dukes'' territory.


    The wall was about 30 meters tall and extended to both ends. One end was the azure river, and the other was a mountain.


    This time around, the system didn''t assign men to guard the wall; it was left for him.


    Looking at the hundreds of Ashbourne gs fluttering proudly on the wall, Asher fell into a state of calmness.


    His ears listened to the howls of the wind at such height off the ground.


    ''One wall, one lord, one army. It''s time for House Ashbourne forces to have armor. One that speaks for the House.''


    Asher said, as he looked at the Commanders. They looked united in their ck armors and white hooded cloaks, but their forces looked like they were picked from different ces.


    However, all those armors had their advantages, so Asher nned for an armor that was superior to all of them.


    Only the plumes would be different. In the entire continent, it might be only his forces that had plumes as mandatory.


    Later that day Asher returned to Tiberias and sat on the throne. This magnificent city, although ruined, might be his new home.


    Before him was Adam giving a more detailed report of the battle, this time concerning the Ashbourne troops.


    16,250 strong fought against Tiberias. Now, 12,100 remain. 4,150 died on the battlefield!


    This was the greatest loss Asher had ever recorded, butpared to House Tigris, who lost over 30,000, their losses were nothing.


    "Console their families with an abundance of whatever theyck. It''s the only way we can


    lessen the pain."


    "I will do so, my lord."

 Chapter 213: Troop Upgrade

    Chapter 213: Troop Upgrade


    ?


    Some dayster, while his influence was slowly spreading throughout the city without facing resistance, Asher sat in his study, looking through the window.


    His fingers entwined. Watching over the massive city from this high vantage point was something he might never get used to.


    Tiberias was like a city built on a gold mine. His eyes flickered. It was like he could see the earth elemental crystals buried underneath this city. This was the reason that even with the great bombardment of brimstones, only a section of the wall waspletely destroyed!


    Tiberias had a total of 150,000 civilians, who were probably talking about him in every inn, every tavern, every shop, and every home.


    The name "House Ashbourne'' was on the lips of tens of thousands, and at this moment, he expected that the smaller territories of other domains were talking of the same thing.


    The bright orange rays of the sun flooded the room, dyeing it with a yellowish hue.


    "By now, Count William should know that I have taken his city." Asher muttered under his breath.


    His eyes locked on a squadron of men marching on the streets with the Ashbourne g on their spears.


    On a closer look, one could see that their armor had damages. Other than that, Asher felt his military was too loose.


    There was no strict hierarchy, which made it hard to give orders that would pass down without obstruction.


    He noticed this unseen w during the war. Although de was a dangerous knight and his men knew about this, none of themanders could restrain him.


    They were busy controlling their troops. That w cost him the lives of thousands.


    Before, he wanted Adam to slowly weave his way to the top, but that was too slow, and the cost was too much to bear.


    There had to be amander general that received orders from him and handed them down to the military, and for that to happen, a reformation was needed.


    This change would no doubt have a big effect. Because of that he has to choose wisely.


    In his opinion, Adam and Alec were the two main candidates for the position of Grand Commander.


    No one knew who was stronger amongst the two, but Adam had the advantage of a supreme talent.


    It meant he could ascend to a level Alec would not be able to reach.


    Exhaling heavily, Asher slowly began to tap his fingers on the table. From the index to the pinky.


    [I can sense your intentions, host.]


    Asher''s eyes gleamed. He sat straight, expecting the next text, but it never came.


    ''Are you seriously going to hang there?''


    [Ding! Would you like to upgrade your troops into two legions, the Frontline Legion and the Grand Aegis Legion? Yes or No?]


    [Ding! All troops that participated in battle have fulfilled the criteria for an upgrade to the next rank!]


    ''So they were ready for an upgrade, and you didn''t send a notification!''


    [...]


    Asher sighed. ''So... you''re going to reform the army. Go ahead.''


    For the first time since he appeared in Boundless and gained ess to the system, Asher felt nothing happen.


    It felt strange, but when he saw beams of white light transporting soldiers to the barrack, his eyes lit up.


    ....


    A short whileter, a carriage protected by 10 King Swordsmen on their imposing mounts arrived before the barrack.


    Asher opened the door and walked into the barrack without wasting a breath to even look around.


    His pace was fast.


    Just after the gates, Asher froze in his tracks. His eyes slowly widening as the image of armored men reflected in his eyes.


    On the right stood 4,500 Grand Aegis Heavy Infantry d in ornate silver and blue armor with golden linings on the breasttes, pauldrons, vambraces, shin guards, couter, boots, and helmet.


    A fan-shaped crest could be found on top of their helmets, and from there long blue horsehair fell to their backs.


    Their visors were down, masking their faces. Asher couldn''t even see their clothes through the gaps of the te armor because it was covered by bright, shining chainmail!


    Their gauntlets were well designed with golden colors at the joints of the fingers. Finally, a sharp tip, making it a second weapon.


    Their cloaks could cover their entire bodies, but because they held their tall white spears and tower shields, their armor was revealed.


    All 4,500 were diamond-ranked knights! Because the average Deste Wolves fought more battles than the elites, they were able to upgrade twice!


    Behind this frightening heavy infantry were Goshen Longbow Archers d in light silver te armor. Their wolf caps remained the same, but their cloaks and armor matched that of the


    Aegis.


    On the left stood the Frontline Legion. d in dark navy blue armor that hadrge spiked pauldrons on both sides of the chest te.


    The chest te had a curve at the section that covered the chest, sloped down, and came out again at the waist area.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The armor had golden patterns, from the helmet, which only had an opening for the eyes, to


    the shin guards.


    The helmet also had blue plumes, although a darker shade, flowing down their backs. With a longsword strapped to their waist belts and a kite shield in their left hands.


    Draped over them were white cloaks with the sigil of House Ashbourne.


    Although both legions had white cloaks and blue plumes, the Frontline Legion had a different


    unit.


    The Frontline Light Infantry, the debreakers, and the Stormbringers. Both units sat atop their mounts, their aura calm yet threatening.


    A look at the debreakers'' muscr Centraks'' skin and the glistening Ovoks'' fur was enough for one to know these were elite units.


    All of them were diamond-ranked!


    Knowing this, Asher couldn''t contain himself. Such an elite team would no doubt make him


    the strongest count of the north!


    Two strong men stood in front of both legions: Adam and Alec.


    Asher''s eyes flickered.


    ''Even the system refused to choose amander general?''

 Chapter 214: Count Williams Rage

    Chapter 214: Count William''s Rage


    ?


    Asher went to a high ground, watching hundreds of soldiers sh. Sparks flew as their weapons collided and dust rose due to the quick foot movements.


    All of them wore ck tunics, pants, and leather boots. Surrounding therge pit were Grand Aegis men, standing tall with their armor reflecting the sunlight.


    Littered in the pit were recruits. It had been three days since the upgrade, and in that time, 15,500 recruits joined the Grand Aegis Legion, raising their number to 20,000 Heavy Infantry men!


    These recruits were the awestruck youths of Tiberias whose desire to be Ashbourne knights ignited after they saw the upgraded soldiers patrolling.


    The air around them, the power theymanded, the respect people had for them, and their pay made the youths drool.


    This advertisement was so fluid because of the recruitment posters Asher had distributed to every part of the city.


    Of the 15,500, none of them were allowed to join the Frontline Legion because the legion belonged to Bashan.


    The destends, also known as Bashan, were the frontline!


    Due to the reform, the system brought the steles of all the units in the Grand Aegis Legion to Tiberias, thereby building a massive barrack.


    The Grand Aegis Legion was to guard the great dividing wall, making sure no unauthorized fellow was granted ess into the Ashbourne''nd.


    Once the training was over, Alec nned to send 5000 Grand Aegis soldiers and 1000 Goshen Longbow Archers to the great dividing wall.


    The gates of that wall were made with the wood of the cedar tree. It weighed so much that Asher came to a conclusion that they would need 30 gold-ranked knights to push it open or six diamond-ranked knights.


    "My lord, the recruits are all able-bodied. They should be ready for the transformation tower in a month''s time."


    Asher turned to Alec and nodded.


    "I see that."


    "The news must have spread. Several regions know of your existence, and by all means, they would want more knowledge about you."


    Asher raised an eyebrow. "You mean they will send spies?"


    "Indeed. We need our own secret unit to spread into theirnds."


    Asher chuckled. "Although you are the first line of defense against the high ins lords, don''t forget where we are."


    After saying that, he opened his palm and showed Alec the snowkes in the palm of his hand. "It''s winter, Alec, and we''re just a few weeks into the first month."


    "But we''ve grown since then. We can face a beast tide led by a beast knight or a sacred beast and subdue it."


    Alec''s confidence made Asher smile, then sp his hands behind him.


    "We have more than beast tides to worry about, Alec. People are falling ill and dying. The cold in Bashan has never been this bad. Katarina said this herself, and she''s lived there for several decades."


    Alec furrowed his brows.


    "Besides, who said the beast tide would be as weak as the one we faced?"


    Asher''sst question made Alec''s eyes widen, but Asher was already walking away, and he couldn''t bring himself to question his lord.


    "I''ll be heading north, to Nineveh and then to Ashkelon. Time to expand into the depths."


    His voice faded away as the distance between them kept growing.


    Watching him leave, Alec thought of something. Would he not be seeing his lord on a weekly basis like before? Was it going to take months to see his lordship from now henceforth?


    What would it be like to stare at him months from now?


    No doubt, he would have grown.


    Asher had never remained the same from the moment he took the seat of rulership over the Ashbourne domain. Since then he had been growing; his aura grew deeper and sharper. He had maturity.


    He wasn''t the youngd that cried behind a tree because some dozen men fell in battle. He was not a lord.


    And not just any lord.


    But a count. The white wolf of the North, the northern rising star, the war bringer!


    Alec smiled softly.


    ''That gait. He walks with undeterred confidence.''


    ....


    Bam!


    A huge man inside a tent mmed his palm against a wooden table, right on top of a map with different gs representing noble houses.


    Crash!


    With a yell, he flung everything to the ground, his eyes like that of a hungry beast as he red at the woman kneeling before him.


    Around him were his generals, and all of them couldn''t believe the news that entered their


    ears.


    Boom!


    A white sh left the huge man, splitting the table in two, allowing him to walk toward the woman with a deep, deadly gait.


    "You lost my capital to that little child that is barely 25?!"


    William, for the first time, felt like throwing Sofia far away from his sight.


    "He''s no mere boy, my lord-!"


    Sofia lifted up her head, her eyes filled with moisture.


    Unfortunately-


    "Shut your mouth!"


    Count William''s voice thundered, causing her to shiver.


    "My capital was impossible to conquer. You should have been able to hold him and whatever army he had for at least 2 months!"


    "Unfortunately, my lord, Count Asher is stronger than that. His knights were almost 10,000,


    and we were divided internally."


    A voice rang from outside the tent. It opened in the next moment, and a man walked in with a


    -clutch.


    Struggling a bit, he went on one knee.


    "My lord, it is I, Josef Syria, your vassal."


    Count William squinted. "What happened to your leg?"


    Viscount Syria sighed. "I''m afraid herdyship was too busy to stop her bodyguard from


    making me a cripple for the rest of my life."


    Count William shot Sofia a deadly nce, his rage rising to the peak.


    In just a month, she had wrecked all he had worked for!


    Decades of effort, all wasted!


    "Take her away."


    Sofia''s eyes widened. "Wait... my lord, wait... I... it was their fault!!"


    Despite her screaming and pointing at Syria, Count William wasn''t a fool. Especially now thatN?v(el)B\\jnn


    the loss of Tiberias had taken away whatever affection he had for Sofia.


    "Tell me all that happened, Josef."


    Count William said as he sat down.


    "As you wish, my lord, but we must first face an imminent problem."


    "And what is that?"


    "Archduke Nubis'' son and heir is dead."


    A chill swept into the room, causing a stilling silence. One that could even scare a dead man in


    a graveyard!


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 215: Spreading News

    Chapter 215: Spreading News


    ?


    Roar!


    A white valiant bear ran on the snowy ins along with a troop riding brown war bears behind the white bear and the knight who was its rider.


    They rode down into a valley covered in snow. A grand city stood in the middle of the valley, its towers several stories high.


    Shortly after, a group of bear-riding knights marched into the lord''s castle, their steps orderly as they moved as one.


    "Open the doors."


    The chief knightmanded the soldiers guarding the door to the courtroom.


    "But..."


    "I said open it!"


    The guards turned and pushed the door open. As the door opened, the knights walked into the courtroom and fell on one knee, their eyes locked to the ground.


    "Your Lordship!"


    The chief knight said softly, but his reply was a lightugh. Lifting up his head, he saw Duke Mormont and two girls looking at a mural.


    One of the girls had red hair and a figure he knew all too well, while the other had gray hair, the type of hair of a certain fellow whose feats had been circting the bordends.


    Duke Mormont turned.


    "You left the frontlines?"


    "I had to. Count William withdrew, and the reason is because his treasured city, Tiberias, has been taken, his Elvin daughter is missing, and de Nubis is in."


    ck!


    Yuna''s cup filled with wine fell to the ground while Mary''s face was filled with shock, but her training as a maid did not allow her to spill the drink.


    de Nubis was a legend in the academy. Known for his excellent swordsmanship, captivating looks, powerful background, and frightening talent.


    He was no doubt the academy''s star student. His ss graduated the same month Mary joined the academy.


    His feats had flooded the girls'' minds so much that they''ve seen him as an idol. But their idol was dead!


    "Who could be so daring as to kill the son of the Archduke?"


    The chief knight exhaled. "They call him the war bringer and the white wolf of the North..."


    "Wolf? You''re telling me this was done by an Ashbourne!"


    Duke Mormont''s eyes widened.


    "Yes. It was done by the new count, Count Asher Ashbourne, and it''s said he has built a great wall, splitting the wastnds from the high ins."


    "What nonsense! How does a man build such a wall in such a short time? Such a wall should take several decades!"


    "I have no idea if it''s the truth or not, father. But why does that girl have the same trait as those ravenous wolves that leave trails of war everywhere they go?"


    The chief knight removed his helmet, revealing his red hair and red eyes.


    His eyes were fixed on Mary''s exquisite face. Mary was indeed quite appealing to the eyes, but the gray hair and golden eyes made him apprehensive.


    "She''s a friend."


    Yuna stood before Mary when she saw her brother''s stern look.


    "Leave the girl out of this." Duke Mormont said. "Are Count William''s forces fully withdrawn from IronHead Fortress?"


    "Yes."


    "Then let''s watch how it ys out. This rising ck horse might be an actual wild card."


    Yuna excused herself from her father''s presence and dragged Mary away.


    "Are they talking about your brother? Your brother killed de?!"


    "That''s... not possible. I know Asher. He won''t dare to kill the Archduke''s son."


    Yuna raised an eyebrow. "He won''t kill? He can''t kill de! de could cut down 5 diamond- ranked knights as a gold-ranked knight! He''s beyond our era."


    "Beyond our era or not. He was killed. By someone younger."


    The chief knight said, causing them to turn. Without another word, he left with his men. Their steps kept echoing in the hallway until they were gone.


    ....


    Clip! Clop!


    King Swordsmen on their proud steeds could be seen riding into Nineveh while guarding a carriage.


    Inside the carriage sat a gray-haired man. He sank into thefortable sofa, looking at the roof with his eyes shut.


    His mind went straight to a memory. One where he picked up a wounded fairy from a crater. He had never seen her so fragile.


    And Asher discovered that he had never been so careful in all his two lives!


    Inhaling deeply, he opened his eyes. ''Do I still want to climb that mountain that only has a cliff awaiting me at the end?''


    His eyes became cold. All funny emotions inside of him vanished as he clenched his fist.


    ''No. Lia and Liya are enough.''


    "My lord, we have arrived."


    After the announcement, Alex opened the door. The moment Asher stepped down, he found Kelvin, Cynthia, and several maids and servants on one knee.


    "Wee back, Your Lordship!"


    When they received no response, Kelvin chuckled and lifted up his head. As he thought, Asher was looking straight at him with a raised eyebrow.


    "You look like a changed man, Kelvin."


    Kelvin smiled. "Because I have changed just as I said in the letter, my lord. Shall we speak


    more inside?"n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Sure."


    Right when they were about to walk into the castle, a notification popped up before Asher''s


    eyes.


    [Host, your personal troop has also fulfilled the criteria for an upgrade. Should I proceed?]


    Asher froze. He turned back.


    "Alex, assemble the King Swordsmen."


    Alex nodded and left.


    "Is there a problem?" Kelvin asked.


    "Not in the slightest." Asher smiled softly.


    In no time, all the King Swordsmen, 100 of them, assembled before him. They were the best of


    the best, but with thousands of diamond-ranked knights everywhere, they were now the


    weakest unit.


    [Would you like to upgrade this unit? Yes or No?]


    ''Yes.''


    Swoosh!


    A bright golden light burst out, so blinding that it seemed as if they were on fire. Some, like


    the maid and servants, had to flee out of fear of being burnt alive!


    The lightsted for quite a while before it slowly came down.


    As it came down, the first and most attention-grabbing thing the King Swordsmen had were


    their plumes.


    It was like a real human hair, and not only was it long, it also had a bright celestial golden


    glow, making it look unreal.


    Their white cloaks that covered their armor, leaving only the helmet and the attractive plumes visible, had golden embroidery at the hem.


    The helmets had golden horns, the kind of horns seen on a ram or a bull.


    As Guardian Grade soldiers, their powers as diamond-ranked knights were much stronger


    than those of the other troops.


    Their unit was the best in the whole of the wastnds.


    And they were just 100!


    The elite of the elites and the greatest unit under Asher!


    ....


    A/N: I am sorry for the unstable upload but I''m in a hospital taking treatments. In two days, it


    should be over and I''ll be back to my once vibrant self (Hopefully)

 Chapter 216: Strange Occurrence

    Chapter 216: Strange urrence


    ?


    Watching these 6.5-foot-tall men unsheathe their swords and go on one knee, pledging their loyalty and gratitude with sonorous voices, made Asher feel a little proud.


    He felt proud that he could make men feel this great and privileged.


    It was an honor.


    A lord''s honor!N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "Shall we?"


    Kelvin gestured toward the castle''s interior.


    Asher smiled and walked in, his steps echoing in the hallway.


    Afterwards, he could be found approaching the sacred hall. His smile grew wider and wider until the door was opened.


    A white streak came from within the sacred hall. Asher squatted, allowing it to hit his chest.


    With smiles, he ran his fingers through the creature''s white fur.


    ''How have you been?''


    The response he got from Sirius made him chuckle. In this size, Sirius looked like the pup he was when he was chosen as Asher''s pet beast.


    "Has there been any disturbance?"


    "Some. Sirius took care of it."


    Asher rubbed Sirius''s head. "You''ve been doing your job quite well."


    "He has. He protected Nimrim, Nineveh, and Silverleaf in your absence. Every stray beast has been in before anyone could sight them."


    Asher lifted up his right eyebrow. "Then how did you know?"


    "While he does kill the beasts, he leaves their corpses and the surroundings stained with blood. We have to clean up the mess."


    Kelvin smiled wryly.


    Asher suddenly got to his feet. "So... You mentioned something about a graveyard below the Ashbourne graveyard. Is that true?"


    "Indeed. It''s a tomb for the butlers who served the house loyally. They''re called Salvatores." "Salvatore."


    Asher sat on his throne. His eyes flickered as he searched his memory, trying to figure out if he knew about it from his past life.


    In the end, he discovered he had never heard of the Salvatores.


    "Why haven''t we seen a record of them?"


    "There is. It''s right next to the Ashbourne records. It''s called the Salva records."


    Asher frowned.


    Seeing this, Kelvin coughed. "I found it yesterday, my lord."


    "Never mind. At least seeing how vibrant you are, you''ll surely live longer."


    Kelvin''s lips twitched.


    "I forgot to send a letter, but I need recruitment posters all over Nineveh, Goshen, and Ashkelon. We need recruits for the Frontline Legion."


    "I''ll do that immediately."


    "Go ahead."


    ....


    After a week, 8,000 willing recruits joined the army. Since the barrack was in Ashkelon, all of them were sent there.


    5,000 joined the Frontline Light Infantry, and 3,000 became debreaker cavaliers, finally boosting the heavy cavalry to a staggering number of 4,000 strong!


    During this period of time, Asher was busy with paperwork and meeting high-ss people in his domain. As his domain increased, sses of people were slowly forming.


    The old woman who once stood in the farms with coarse clothing was now garbed in a luxurious silk garment, and her skin glistened like that of a youth.


    She was amongst the highest ss of civilians as she was the head of the agricultural department of the dominion!


    The fact that her daughter was the lord''s personal maid and also the female version of Butler Kelvin made others revere her.


    After all, there was a probability that Cynthia would bear one of the lord''s sons, legitimately or illegitimately.


    During this week, Asher got to know about the progress of the Evergreen olive oil and Westfall Restaurant. These two were mas for gold coins.


    In fact, it was high time Goshen was called the city of wealth, luxury, and gold!


    The treasury had millions of gold coins, waiting for the new year''s projects!


    For a count, he was truly wealthy.


    Unfortunately, during this same week, Sapphira fully recovered but refused to leave her temple; neither was anyone allowed in.


    Tapk! Tapk!


    Two men were walking in the hallway of the grand castle. It was Asher and Kelvin.


    Candles lit up the hall as it was alreadyte.


    "My lord, won''t you visit the grand priestess? The people are concerned."


    Asher paused.


    "What?"


    He turned his head toward Kelvin.


    "Many want to see her, and her temple is one of the most visited ces in the domain. Since it''s on lockdown, the people are not able to see her; even most of the priests and the priestesses are not avable."


    Asher''s eyes flickered. "Kelvin, send a report... The Olive Expanse is on lockdown. Those who are not natives should leave in the next three days."


    Kelvin''s eyes widened.


    "My lord...!"


    "Make sure everyone knows of her deeds in battle. I can''t force her toe out because of some people who are there for their gains. I''ve also given Nero leave. Those that faced death would have to choose to return; I won''t force them. Enforce my orders and make sure the


    people know the reason."


    Asher turned and walked away.


    Kelvin sighed. "I see."


    ....


    Hourster, when the night was deep and the streets silent as a graveyard and the cold wind of the northern mountains blew, causing people to wrap themselves with fur quilts, footsteps


    rang in a silent hallway.


    Knock! Knock!


    A pair of golden eyes snapped open upon hearing the knocks on his door. His eyes first went to Euodia''s before veering back to the door.


    He left the bed, calmly walked to the door, and swung it open. Standing outside the door was


    Kelvin.


    "We have a problem."


    Asher, along with 50 King Swordsmen, rode through the snowy ins. Asher could remember


    something simr a year ago.


    They kept riding until they arrived at a in close to the Ash Mountains.


    "My god. What happened here?"


    Alex eximed as he gazed at the corpses of Abyss creatures. Hundreds of them!


    All of them were ughtered by an unknown creature.


    "What could have done this?"


    A King Swordsman gasped as he ced his on his sword''s handle.


    All of them followed their lord into the bloodstained scene. Ahead of them stood Asher,


    looking at the corpse of an Abyss worshiper.


    He sunk into the ground. It was almost as if a mighty hammer mmed him into the ground,


    breaking his bones in the process.


    Asher squatted, examining the scene from a closer view.


    "What killed them was a beast... arge beast."

 Chapter 217: Winter Titan

    Chapter 217: Winter Titan


    ?


    "What kind of beast can kill these goblin warriors without a scratch?!"


    Alex pondered.


    "My lord, they all have one thing inmon. There''s no sharp wound, like one caused by a w or a de."


    A King Swordsman some meters behind Asher said.


    "That''s because what killed them doesn''t fight with ws or des... it uses its fists." A gleam shed past Asher''s eyes as he stared at a deep footprint.


    It was much bigger than that of the goblins, and while the snow had covered the footprints of the goblins, it could not cover these footprints.


    Alex approached.


    "It looks like a human''s foot."


    His eyes narrowed.


    "It''s not. My guess is this beast belongs to the ape lineage, but it''s not just any ordinary ape... It''s the ''Winter Titan!''


    "But... my lord... That''s a mythical beast. How could a mythical beast like the winter titan be so close to human settlement after the war?"


    Alex gasped.


    "I think it awakened its memories."


    Asher sighed as he picked up ice shards from a goblin''s corpse. The Winter Titan was a fearsome giant-like beast known for its monstrous strength and ability to freeze almost anything.


    "What?!"


    "This isn''t your field, Alex; you''re bound to have disbelief. My instincts tell me that the abyss worshiper discovered this mythical beast and nned to make it awaken its memories. That would mean we would face a formidable opponent, but it killed them first."


    "Does that mean Silverleaf is in danger?!"


    "No. Nineveh is the target. Silverleaf, although it is in the mountains, is deep in the south, much farther than Nineveh."


    Alex turned. He looked at the deep craters the winter titan caused with its bare fists and back at his lord.


    "Can our wall withstand such might?"


    Alex turned his head toward him. "If we let it reach our wall, there''s a high chance it would destroy it. Hire as many mercenary groups as you can and have them hunt down the titan. They are not to engage and only reveal its location."


    Alex nodded. "But... why don''t you want to send the troops?"


    "I can''t send the troops aimlessly into the mountains. The mercenaries will make things easier for us. Also, have Uriah and a squad lead the mercenaries."


    "Understood."


    Alex bowed.


    Asher rose up. He stared at the tops of the mountains covered with snow. Unbeknownst to him, at the top of one mountain, a ck-eyed creature covered in white fur and packed with bulging muscles crouched.


    Asher''s face reflected in its terrifying eyes. Those bright golden eyes, it could remember it. Those were the very same eyes in its memories; it belonged to the armored being its ancestor fought before it died.


    Those very same eyes burned like the ones the titan saw right now.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    The winter titan clenched its razor-sharp teeth, a powerful gust blowing around it.


    It superimposed the face of Torah Ashbourne on Asher, rage boiling within it.


    The only difference was the one that killed its ancestor was covered in mes. He was like the


    son of the fire, but this one looked fairly normal and weaker.


    The winter titan kept watching them as they mounted their horses and rode back. Grr-!


    ....


    Silverleaf Tavern.


    Bam!


    "Hahaha!" A soldier burst intoughter as he mmed the cup of milk on the table before hisrades.


    Others ground their teeth as the soldier took their bronze coins.


    "I told you no one can defeat me in a drinkingpetition."


    "Tsk! This is just milk!" Another soldier retorted.


    The soldier that won raised an eyebrow. "We''ve tried rum, water, and every other drink. I won in every liquid you brought. What more do you have?"


    He grinned.


    Tapk! Tapk!


    A shadow covered them, causing all four of them to raise their heads.


    "Captain!"


    Their eyes widened.


    "We have night duty, and you''re here drinking. Go watch those miners!"


    They scrambled to their feet and left the tavern with their captain behind them. The moment they arrived at the mines, the captain nced at two well-known figures amongst the miners.


    Baron Rutherford and Baron Scarlet.


    He nodded at them and walked away. No one saw it, but Baron Rutherford smiled.


    "That little lord would have never known that we could win over his soldiers." He chuckled while speaking to Baron Scarlet.


    "Hehehe. He''s still young after all."


    Work was going on, but on a closer look, one could see there wasmunication going on with every miner.


    It was as if they all had a single hidden purpose that the soldiers couldn''t spot. Unfortunately, after making two captains defect by activating their greed for a better life, a good portion of the soldiers slowly changed sides, and they were able to spread more in the ranks of miners.


    The secret was a promise of a better life, a promise of having all they desired once they''ve imed Silverleaf.


    Baron Rutherford had manipted their minds, making them believe all he said. This wasn''t easy to achieve, but in the end he was sessful.


    All of a sudden, a yell rang.


    "Buba, your little girl is here!"


    Many miners began to chatter as they saw the little girl who looked to be 9 years old on the


    top of the wooden wall surrounding the mine.


    Ever since Buba began to work as a miner, he caught the favor of the little girl, who was Ark


    White''sst child.


    Her elder brothers also mined, but they didn''t have night shifts.


    In fact, this was the first time most of these dangerous figures had night duty, and the warden couldn''t do anything since it was written by themander in charge of the miners.


    Buba, who was covered in sweat, brushed his dirty silver hair away from his right eye. The


    vibrant young girl waved at him from the wall, reflecting in his eye.


    ''I thought she wouldn''te today. Who let her out thiste?''


    Dragging his legs bound in chains, he approached the wall, ignoring the bickering of other


    miners.


    When he was below the wall, the girl threw something she wrapped up.


    Buba opened it and saw that it was bread. The famous King Bread!


    "Did you steal this?"

 Chapter 218: A Rebel Of The Rebellion

    Chapter 218: A Rebel Of The Rebellion


    ?


    "No!"


    She vehemently shook her head.


    Buba smiled, wrinkles forming at the sides of his eyes.


    Seeing the sincere softness on Buba''s face, Baron Rutherford frowned. "That girl is slowly weathering the irond warrior in that man, and she has almost seeded."


    Buba was a major part of his n. He couldn''t let him be deceived by some little girl.


    "Go home. It''ste. Also, make sure you don''t go alone."


    Buba said.


    "You look like you''re starving. I knew these wicked soldiers hadn''t fed you!" The girl kicked a soldier beside her, causing him to re at Buba.


    "Sarah. It''s dangerous to be out thiste. Go." Buba''s tone hardened, causing Sarah to grumble.


    She angrily stomped off. Buba knew she might note back for a day or two, but it was okay.


    Tonight was hisst night in the confines.


    ''This is goodbye.''


    He sighed internally. The moment he turned, hungry miners were behind him, eyeing his bread.


    Because of the training Baron Rutherford and Baron Scarlet made them go through, the food given to them wasn''t enough to satisfy them.


    "Leave."


    His deep voice reverberated.


    "Give them the bread." Another voice rang. Turning, Buba saw Baron Rutherford standing behind the crowd of hungry miners.


    "As you wish."


    He threw the bread into the air and walked away.


    After watching Buba for a while, Baron Rutherford looked at the wall. The soldier looking back at him nodded.


    The second soldier beside him saw it, and just as he was about to pose a question, the first soldier thrust his spear.


    Thud!


    All hell was let loose as soldiers began to fight themselves. The miners dashed up the wall, helping those on their side.


    In no time, they brought down the few who weren''t on their side.


    A captain approached Baron Rutherford. "My lord."


    Baron Scarlet chuckled. "That was easy."


    "Lead the way to the armory." Baron Rutherford ordered, and a captain nodded.


    As they walked toward the armory in the silent night, the captain turned to Baron Rutherford.


    "Baron, what are we going to do to themander? He''s a knight."


    "I see. Let''s see this knight." Baron Rutherford chuckled.


    When they arrived at the armory, which was in the barrack, the soldiers were shocked to see a swarm of miners, barbarians, and captured soldiers rushing toward them.


    Chaos erupted as the yells of battle destroyed the stillness of the silent night.


    Without the chains, the miners were able to harness battle force, allowing them to fight head-on with the soldiers, but none of them enjoyed this freedom more than the two barons.


    Baron Scarlet sted mes from his mouth, burning everything in his path, soldiers, hunting beasts, and buildings alike!


    Behind it all stood Buba, slowly walking into the ruins of the barrack without touching a man. If one looked closely, they would see his forearms were glowing bright orange.


    Even his veins could be seen.


    Orange light shone out of the gaps of the eye patch covering his left eye.


    Like a silent predator, he walked, his right eye locked on the weapon rack a hundred yards away.


    Suddenly, a bright, fiery light erupted from a building as a man d in steel tes burst out, a sword tightly clenched in his hand.


    It was themander!


    "You!"


    Filled with rage, he moved towards the miners, ying them without hindrance. Their strikes rebounded when it hit his armor.


    Seeing this, Baron Rutherford burst forward, the earth underneath his feet imploding. He was so fast that the knight couldn''t react and was mmed a hundred yards away.


    By the time he got to his knees, Baron Rutherford was standing before him. "Is that all an Ashbourne Knight can do?"


    As he reached out for the knight''s neck, the knight unleashed a deadly strike, aiming for Rutherford''s abdomen, but the baron somehow appeared behind the knight.


    Boom!


    His fist tore through the knight''s armor!


    All the miners were shocked, their eyes trembling as they couldn''t believe a man had such strength.


    "Take whatever weapon suits you. Tonight, Silverleaf is ours."


    "Haha!"


    All of them grabbed weapons and marched out of the armory. With the soldiers in the barracks down, Baron Rutherford divided them.


    They were to do as they liked but not alert the prison hold.


    Tapk! Tapk!


    A group of miners who were now rebels approached Ark White''s house. It was protected by 10 silver-ranked shieldmen!


    Although the strength of these shield men was scary, the rebels had faith in the man who led


    them.


    It was Baron Scarlet.


    Buba, who stood behind them, said nothing, but the moment he caught sight of a little girl


    peeking from the window, he faltered.


    He never knew this was her house.


    "Baron, we should-!"


    Boom!


    Baron Scarlet unleashed mes from his eyes and hands, scorching the shield men and


    burning down a part of the building!


    "Baron! We are not to kill the cksmith!"


    Buba bellowed, his eye widening to the limit.


    Baron Scarlet nced at him from the corner of his left eye. "Who gives the orders?"


    While he spoke, they heard the cry of a young girl from inside the building.


    The barrack chaos woke everyone in the vicinity, and while the little girl was to hide inside her room, the brothers came to the door with their weapons, but Baron Scarlet''s st caught


    them!n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The cry of anguish and pain in the little girl''s voice was like needles piercing Buba''s heart.


    "Kill the screamer."


    Baron Scarlet turned around, walking away, but when he heard a heavy thud, he turned back


    and saw that the man who wanted to y the little girl had been in by Buba.


    "She''s mine."


    Buba brandished the great sword in his hand.


    Boom!


    Baron Scarlet closed the gap. "We knew you''d do this!"


    Scorching mes rained down on Buba.


    ''None of them knows about my gift. If only they knew.''


    Buba''s eye dted.


    mes gathered in his hand, forming arge, hovering ball.


    Boom!


    Both men collided, causing a massive shockwave.

 Chapter 219: Geriant, The Warden

    Chapter 219: Geriant, The Warden


    ?


    Buba slid backwards. Before he could regain his stance, the rebels charged towards him. Most of them were ex-soldiers, so they were adept at wielding swords while he was still a novice at it.


    Axes were his weapons!


    With a deep grunt, Buba lifted up the great sword, swinging it against the first rebel.


    ng!


    Sparks flew, and the rebel was pushed back. Closing the gap, Buba mmed his shoulder into the rebel''s chest before swinging his sword upward.


    "Argh!"


    The rebel screamed, but it didn''tst long as Buba used him as defense against another rebel''s sword.


    Puchi!


    The second rebel was shocked to see that he had stabbed hisrade. Unfortunately, that shock didn''tst long as Buba shot a me ball, flinging the man and three others into darkness, far from the reach of the burning house.


    He grabbed the arm of the next rebel and headbutted him. The rebel copsed, but another jumped toward Buba only to see the sword heading for him!


    Swish!


    Buba breathed out and walked past the corpses. Others surrounded him, waiting for Baron Scarlet, who stood with his arms crossed.


    Baron Scarlet frowned. Indeed, Buba was a respectable warrior.


    Just as he was about to give amand, Buba roared and mmed both hands against the ground. mes burst from the earth, ying 10 men instantly!


    This frightened others, causing them to back away.


    "You rebel." Baron Scarlet scowled. His hair began to glow and levitate. Veins, protruding and burning with mes, pressed against his skin while his eyes changed.


    Supernova!


    mes burst from his arms, eyes, and mouth, but it wasn''t toward Buba.


    Turning, Buba saw it was heading for Sarah. With all his might, he jumped, wrapping the little girl in his arms as the mes consumed the building and others around.


    400 yards was scorched ck. Buildings reduced to ash!


    Baron Scarlet''s body became slightly normal. He saw Buba within the scorchednd, his body badly burnt.


    The barbarian rose to his feet as if his entire back wasn''t burnt.


    His eyes were locked on the small girl who was shivering.


    "Run."


    He said softly.


    mes gathered above his palms. It kept increasing until it was the size of a bucket.


    "Take cover!"


    A Rebel bellowed.


    Buba turned and threw the me balls. The explosion caught those running for safety, consuming them without mercy.


    This wasn''t a battle of skill anymore but of talent.


    Whosoever had a more deadly talent would win, and when it came to mes...


    Baron Scarlet was king!


    He walked out of the explosion, mes billowing from his eyes.


    "It''s a pity you made such a decision. You would have been a great warrior under mymand."


    He clenched his fist and threw a punch. mes burst out of his palms, raw and unrestrained. Buba crossed his arms, grimacing as the mes washed over him. The burning effect came after, swarming his mind with pain.


    "Argh!"


    Screaming, he lunged toward Baron Scarlet, smashing his fist into the baron''s face.


    Baron Scarlet crashed some meters away, but before he could stand, Buba wrapped his fingers around his face and mmed him into the ground once more.


    He conjured a me ball, and just as he was about to hit Baron Scarlet with it, a barbarian rebel mmed him off.


    "You have lost your mind, chief. Let me get out of this pain."


    The barbarian, once a warrior that fought under Buba, lunged toward him.


    "We are no longer in Bashan."


    Buba''s eyes glowed bright. As the warrior ran toward him, he lowered his body and shot forward with a sudden burst that took the warrior off guard.


    Bam!


    He flung the warrior over. The man''s groaning fell into his ears, but he paid no heed.


    "Let me go!"


    A scream came from the distance, causing Buba to snap toward that direction, his right eye pulsing with rage.


    He ran toward the direction, but when others were about to follow him, Baron Scarlet stopped


    them.


    "There''s no need. With that much burn and blood loss, he''s a dead man walking."


    Baron Scarlet''s eyes flickered as he watched Buba''s figure disappear into the darkness.


    "On second thought... I''d like to put a sword through him."


    With that, they began the chase. By the time they found Buba, he was standing in the midst of in rebels with a little girl on his shoulder.


    "Die!"


    Baron Scarlet unleashed mes. When it died down, they discovered neither Buba nor the


    little girl was there.


    "Find him!"


    Baron Scarlet roared!


    ----


    Tapk! Tapk!


    Buba ran without stopping, his steps light as it seemed like he didn''t even step on the ground. His eyes were on the burning mes at the top of the mountain.


    He kept running until he was out of the Bastide and the screams faded away.


    There was only one ce that was safe for Sarah, and it was the prison hold. The knights that lived there were undefeated as long as they remained inside the walls of the prison hold.


    Although he could feel his strength waning, Buba held on. He could feel the little girl


    clutching tightly to his skin.


    Finally, he reached the mountaintop, tilting from side to side with each step.


    Creak!


    The steel gates were pushed open, revealing those towering men d in thick metal tes.


    All four of them gave way, but Buba stopped before the gate and brought Sarah down.


    "Go in."


    He knew the moment he entered that prison hold, his battle force would be sealed, and that


    meant he would die instantly.


    "My father is there!"


    Seeing that the little girl refused to leave, Buba looked at the custodian knights standing


    within the gate, their dark golden armor reflecting ominously due to the flickers of embers on


    wooden sticks.


    "Tell the count I ept my punishment but save her father!"


    "Your punishment should be death for rebellion..." A thick voice reverberated.


    A bigger figure walked out of the gate, his intimidating eyes boring down on Buba.


    It was Geriant, the warden!


    "Go inside, little girl."n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    His words were like weights that suppressed the little girl, forcing her to walk into the prison


    hold without uttering a word of defiance.


    "As I was saying, you should die, but it''s up to the count to decide. However, the rest is up to


    me."


    Geriant looked at the burning Bastide without a flicker of concern.

 Chapter 220: The Counts Arrival

    Chapter 220: The Count''s Arrival


    ?


    In the midst of the chaos and mes, Baron Rutherford stood atop a building watching it all happen.


    A little smile could be seen on his face as his n had seeded. Silverleaf belongs to him!


    p! p!


    The sound of pping made him lift up his eyes, but even his eyes could only see a golden sh, and in the next moment, golden mes rained from the sky, pulverizing rebels who were assaulting civilians.


    Upon seeing the golden lion, which has four wings, long golden horns, and dragon-like ws, Baron Rutherford''s eyes widened to the limit.


    "What is that?!"


    A Rebel standing below him eximed, his arms trembling as he watched the dragon-like creature breathe mes.


    "Change of ns. We''re leaving this town."


    Baron Rutherford said suddenly. He jumped down, running towards the stables as fast as his legs could take him.


    The appearance of that beast wasn''t part of his n. Who could have expected that a subspecies of the dragon species, the lion dragon, was in this city?!


    Fighting it without a well-trained, well-equipped troop was suicide!


    And so the only remaining option was to escape!


    While Baron Rutherford ran toward the stables, Baron Scarlet was heading for the cksmiths, the most important people in this town when the lion dragon appeared.


    The scorching mes, several times hotter than his mes, made him turn. His eyes widened as he watched his men turn to ashes in mere seconds.


    Thud!


    The beastnded, its ws sank into the ground as it slowly turned toward him. Before Baron Scarlet''s eyes, the beast instantly transformed into Geriant, the warden.


    "Under the orders of the count, you are to surrender or die."


    Baron Scarlet frowned. "You might have had the advantage as that beast, but not when you''re human!"


    He shot forward, closing the gap and swinging his sword.


    ng!


    Geriant blocked the attack with his forearm, folded the fingers of his other hand, and threw a punch thatunched Baron Scarlet into the smithy!


    He tilted his head to the other rebels, and his eyes transformed.


    "Do you know the punishment for rebellion?"


    As he spoke, fangs grew out of his mouth and his body began to transform.


    Sitting inside a study was a gray-haired man looking at the air. He supported his chin with his arm while looking at the stats of his cities.


    Previously, he needed to be in the city to check their stats, but it seemed like the system was evolving as he rose in noble ranks.


    As a count, he could check the stats of his cities, and one of the reasons he did this was to check their security status and loyalty.


    Recently, he wasn''t too bothered by loyalty stats since it had risen.


    Goshen was the only city he was worried about because of the influx of new civilians, but their stats were on the safe side.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    [City''s Name: Goshen


    City''s Tier: 3


    City''s Grade: Normal


    Poption: 120,000/100,000


    Security: 72/100


    Loyalty: 81/100]


    A breath of relief escaped his lips. Nineveh has the highest loyalty rate, almost hitting 100! Second to Ashkelon and third to Goshen.


    Nimrim was at the same level with Ashkelon, while the town in the horror forest had about 65 loyalty, the same with Tiberias.


    Just when Asher was about to close the panel, he sighted a yellow light amongst the soothing blue panels.


    When he made the panel appear before him, his pupils dted.


    [Town''s Name: Silverleaf


    Town''s Tier: 3


    Town''s Grade: Half-Mythical


    Poption: 3000/5000


    Security: 2/100


    Loyalty: 37/100]


    Asher ignored the appearance of this new stats that showed the grade of the dominion as his eyes were fixed on the security and loyalty stats.


    Anything below 50 for loyalty meant that city needed troops to keep it under control and avoid rebellion, but the security was almost nonexistent and the loyalty was so low.


    Before his eyes, it dropped.


    [Loyalty:35]


    One must know that a drop of loyalty stat in a dominion was different from that of an individual. For the dominion''s loyalty to drop, it must involve several people!


    Asher rose up.


    Alex was stunned when the door swung open and Asher stormed out, his cloak fluttering as he


    walked down the hallway.


    "Gather the swordsmen; we ride for Silverleaf!"


    By the time Alex gathered the King Swordsmen before the castle, all of them holding the reins


    of their horses, they found Asher on Sirius'' back.


    "My lord, what happened?"


    Kelvin rushed out of the castle.


    "Something is going on in Silverleaf. I need to see what it is."


    "But my lord, you can send your subordinates."


    Kelvin''s words fell on deaf ears as Asher rode out of the castle with his swordsmen.


    They galloped through the streets at full speed, causing those fast asleep to jump off the bed


    as the ground was trembling.


    Rumble!


    The light of the moons kissed Asher''s solemn. From a tall tower, a silver-haired beauty d


    in a light blue nightgown looked out the window.


    "Where is his lordship heading to at such an hour?"


    ....


    After an hour, Asher arrived at the outskirts of the Bastide. He could see ck smoke rising


    from the city with mes burning in different areas.


    "What in Tenaria happened here?!"


    Alex''s eyes widened.


    Asher clenched his teeth. Sirius dashed forth, racing for the town like a silver streak.


    When he entered the city, Asher heard screams and cries. He could see some men fighting off


    rebels, but most of them were lying lifelessly on the ground while the rebels roamed the


    streets.


    The moment they saw him and Sirius, some of them dropped their weapons.


    "It''s the count."


    Asher was still in shock. He couldn''t believe it. Were these the people he sought to make his


    citizens? People he refused to make ves and never treated them as animals despite some of them killing his men in battle?


    Were these the men that he showed mercy?!


    His pupils shook.


    "It''s the count and his troops!"

 Chapter 221: Longing For You

    Chapter 221: Longing For You


    ?


    Shing!


    As Sirius ran toward a rebel, Asher unsheathed his sword and shed a rebel, ying him instantly!


    Thud!


    Seeing this, the King Swordsmen followed suit, their swords shing and bodies dropping. From galloped from street to street, cutting down rebels without a shred of mercy. Their lord had given them a silent order.


    No mercy!


    Time for mercy had ceased. By the time the King Swordsmen had in a third of them, they arrived at the industrial part of Silverleaf and found another seventy rebels on their knees. Two men, Baron Rutherford and Baron Scarlet, who were beaten to a state of pity, were in front of the seventy, and they all stared at the huge, armored man whose arms were crossed. It was Geriant.


    Their pupils trembled at the sight of him, but the moment they saw Asher and his men, dread, never felt before, seeped in.


    "It''s the count!"


    Geriant turned. He fell on one knee as Asher closed the gap.


    "Geriant. Are these all of them?"


    "Yes, my lord. It was orchestrated by these two men."


    Geriant pointed at the Barons.


    "You made a promise to my daughter. You gave her your word... So, you can''t kill me, or you''ll lose her. Mages are rare after all."


    Rutherford chuckled softly, his eyes squarely fixed on Asher''s.


    "Is that so?"


    The cold sheen he found in Asher''s eyes as he said those words made Rutherford frown.


    "Where is my daughter?"


    He looked around.


    Asher scowled. "In the stronghold. I had ns to release you after a while, but it seemed like some people never change."


    Rutherford''s pupils shook. What was Asher insinuating?


    "We''re nobles, young man. We are vassals of Count William. Do you-"


    "You''re vassals of a noble without a domain?" Asher interrupted, causing Baron Scarlet''s eyes to widen.


    "What do you mean?"


    "I''ve taken Tiberias, and in like manner, your heads shall be taken. Geriant, you shall be the executioner. Baron Rutherford and Baron Scarlet will be executed tomorrow at noon!"


    "You!"


    Baron Rutherford tried to stand, but a nce from Sirius made his knees weak.


    Baron Rutherford could not believe it. How could a mere wolf make him unable to move any part of his body?!


    Even when he faced the lion dragon, he was still able to put up a fight.


    "My sons!"


    Asher heard a cry. He turned and saw Ark White run past the King Swordsmen, throwing punches at Baron Scarlet.


    More people were running towards the rebels, anguish and rage in their eyes.


    "Stop them."


    Asher said, his teeth clenched.


    His men turned their horses. Unsheathing their swords and crossing them with each other.


    "Why are you protecting those men?"


    "Argh! Let me go; I want to rip them apart!"


    Their screams fell into Asher''s ears, causing his face to harden even more.


    ....


    The next day.


    The sun was at its zenith, and its rays descended on the town square. Right in the middle of the square was a podium.


    Geriant stood upon it, looking down on the crowd. This would be the first execution in the county, and those on the list were noble leaders!


    A King Swordsman standing on the other side of the podium unfurled a scroll.


    He nced at Baron Rutherford and Baron Scarlet, who were in chains.


    "These men havemitted the crime of rebellion and mass murder. They have disturbed the peace of this town and have taken the lives of many, causing pain to their family members. For this, the count has decreed that their punishment shall be death by beheading!"


    In the crowd stood a figure d in a ck cloak. Strands of silver hair could be seen peeking out of the hood.


    When Baron Rutherford and Baron Scarlet were brought to the podium, Baron Rutherford sighted the hooded figure, causing his eyes to widen.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "Aqu! What are you doing? Set me free!"


    He ordered, but to his shock, Aqu turned and walked away.


    "You untrained child!!"


    Baron Rutherford was about to move out of the podium, but Geriant held him.


    Other soldiers led him to the stump, where he was forced to kneel.


    "This county will burn. All of you will burn when Count William''s allies attack!"


    Geriant took two steps and lifted up the great axe.


    "Till then."


    Swish!


    While the execution of the barons was in the town, their followers were gathered together in a


    in field.


    With chains on their hands and legs, they gazed at the massive wolf.


    Its eyes turned orange, and mes burst out of its mouth, swallowing seventy men whole. In mere seconds, all of them became ashes!


    Asher watched it with his hands at his back. His facecked a strand of emotion.


    The heat of Sirius'' mes caused the snow around them to melt, and it even went ahead to


    scorch the soil.


    "You were right after all."


    Asher turned to the speaker. It was Aqu. She just came down from a carriage and was


    walking toward him.


    "I wasn''t. I should have seen thising. These men would have remained in their positions


    had it not been for your father and his ally."


    Aqu bit her lips.


    "And I made you keep him alive. It''s my fault."


    A bitter smile appeared on Asher''s face as he responded, "Having you as mymander was


    my goal. I was ready to make sacrifices... but the cost..."


    He clenched his fist.


    "No prisoner shall mine anymore. Once locked, they shall never leave their cells, not for any reason, and people like those two would be killed in battle from henceforth."


    The coldness in Asher''s voice made Aqu shudder. She could tell the death of his men and his people struck deep into his heart.


    The glow of his eyes was bright, strangely bright, yet she felt a terrifying coldness from them.


    Even after Asher had left, Aqu could not shake off this feeling that her father might have unleashed the part of the wolf they did not wish to encounter.


    ....


    Two dayster, a carriage came to a halt before a mountain that has a structure at the top. Asher came down, his gaze soft as he gazed at the temple.


    Since that fateful day, his world seemed to turn darker. Trusting those with bad pasts became


    so tough that he had Kelvin read the memories of some miners who were once soldiers.


    Sitting on his throne felt cold, and the carnage that happened to the people in Silverleaf, especially Ark White, kept reflecting in his mind.


    With all this happening, he suddenly missed her presence.


    Maybe her smile could vanquish this darkness, but going up there was a battlefield of its own.


    What was he going to tell her?


    After looking at the scribbled words on a piece of paper for a long while, he went back into the


    carriage.


    "Return to Nineveh."


    "Yes, my lord."


    Unbeknownst to Asher, an elegant figure stood behind one of the temple''s windows.


    Her violet eyes shook when she saw him leaving.

 Chapter 222: Continental Titled Knights

    Chapter 222: Continental Titled Knights


    ?


    A week after the incident, the aftereffects of the rebellion had reduced, but Asher still had his eyes on Silverleaf, especially one of their ace cksmiths who had never left his house after the incident.


    Losing all his sons must have driven him into shock, one that would take a long while to change.


    Sitting in the sacred hall, Asher leaned on the back of the palm, looking at therge doors without an expression.


    He was lost in thought. Something was wrong. Sapphira was always appearing in his dream, causing him restless nights.


    He almost believed it was a spell and called Katarina, only for her to inform him that it was the result of his own brainwork!


    A sharp burst of air escaped his mouth as he scoffed.


    Boom!


    All of a sudden, therge doors were pushed open, revealing three men: Kelvin, Nero, and a man wrapped in bandages.


    Asher got to his feet the moment he saw Nero walking into the hall. He had thought the kid might never return, but it seemed Nero was tougher than he expected.


    When Nero reached the middle of the hall, Nero went on one knee.


    "I have returned, my lord."


    He lowered his head.


    Asher swiftly remembered what he discussed with Kelvin a night ago and smiled.


    "Wee back. For sacrificing your life for yourrade in battle, I hereby ordain you as the first Titled Knight. The Sand Knight."


    Asher picked up a badge, and when he pinned it on Nero, a beam fell on him. Instantly, a ck scarf appeared around his neck, fluttering softly.


    Along with it, a standard appeared in Nero''s hand. The knight had the sigil of House Ashbourne on its white surface.


    Bing a titled knight meant Nero was now a continental knight. He could now obtain sigils from other houses, increasing his ranks as a Titled Knight.


    Titled Knights had a continental ranking, and once a letter was sent to the imperial city, Nero''s name would be added!


    Alex, who stood beside the throne, felt his eyes be moist as he watched his son tremble before such honor.


    "I won''t fail you, your lordship!"


    Nero roared.


    Asher chuckled. "I know that."


    He gently patted Nero''s shoulder before turning to the man wrapped up in bandages. Only one of the man''s eyes was exposed, and staring into that eye, Asher saw a broken man. A man who only awaited his death, a man without purpose.


    Asher''s brows furrowed.


    "This is Buba. A former general of the Bashan n''s army and the renowned methrower. He was the reason the casualty in Silverleaf was reduced, and he also saved Ark White''s daughter, who is now his only surviving offspring."


    "Why would you do that?"


    Buba lowered his head. "Be... because she did me good."


    Asher had already heard of everything, and where they found Buba, which was in front of the prison hold, he was on his kneespletely covered in burns.


    In fact, the burns had disfigured the barbarian, burning away his hair, face, and torso. Once he removed those bandages, no child would love to be around him.


    It was a sacrifice that Asher saw to be worthy of elevating Buba.


    "How would you like to be a citizen of House Ashbourne?"


    Buba''s right eye shook.


    Without being told, he went on one knee, bowing his head as he did so.


    Asher walked up to his throne, picked up another badge, and walked back to Buba.


    "You''ve done well. Henceforth, you shall be a citizen of my house, and your names shall from this day be ''Moses.'' I also engrave you with your title: The ming Guardian Knight."


    The moment he ced the badge, a golden beam transformed Moses, formerly named Buba. First, the bandages were unwrapped. As they were unwrapping, a brand new attire covered him.


    And then, a thick silverish-white armor formed above the attire. An axe, the width of a door, appeared in his hand.


    Golden chains were wrapped around the pitch-ck handle. Finally, a ck scarf, representing his position as a Titled Knight, appeared around his neck.


    His title was elegantly written on it, and with it, a standard manifested in his other hand.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Thud!


    Hended with a light sound. Although the system has filled him with information, Moses was still stunned at the sudden transformation.


    His rank shot from gold to diamond, and his loyalty rose to 97!


    "We leave for Ashkelon soon. Prepare; I want you to go with me."


    "As you wish."


    Moses ced his hand on his chest and bowed like a noble knight who had been trained in the academy throughout his youth.


    "Nero will lead you to the Guard''s quarters in the castle. Choose any room to your liking."


    After Nero led Moses out of the room, Asher faced Alex.


    "Did you encourage your son to return?"


    "Frankly, I''ve not been able to speak with him since then."


    "So he came on his own ord then."


    "Maybe his mother is behind this."


    "You married a good woman then." Asher chuckled, patted Alex''s back, and turned to the


    window.


    "Do not be bothered, you and the others that have served me from the beginning. Bear in mind that your reward will be better."


    After saying those words, he left the sacred hall. Those words were directed at Alex and others who felt they were being left behind.


    After all, Katarina and ude had be vassal lords, and Buba, who had been renamed as Moses, was now a titled knight, a revered status amongst knights, and they who were there


    had received nothing.


    A little smile appeared on Alex''s face.


    Two dayster, a magnificent troop traveled through the wide road connecting Nineveh to


    Ashkelon.


    There were about 20 knights protecting the carriage. Riding beside the carriage were Alex and Nero, while Moses rode ahead of the convoy.


    He was given a Silver Blood horse. Only such a special horse could bear the weight of his armor


    and his great war axe.


    Inside the carriage, Asher leaned into thefortable sofa, reading a book he picked from the


    library.


    "My lord, the-!"


    Alex couldn''t finish what he was about to say when an explosion echoed from the forest.

 Chapter 223: Son Of The Wilderness

    Chapter 223: Son Of The Wilderness


    ?


    Boom!


    A massive amount of dust rose up, and it was apanied by a fearsome shockwave that


    made the sturdy trees of the deste forest tilt, their leaves struggling to remain attached to the branches. The wind made Alex squint.


    Asher frowned. The convoy came to a halt, and the knights unsheathed their swords while looking toward the east, where the source of the explosion was.


    Asher came down from the carriage. The moment his foot touched the ground, he felt a mild trembling causing his eyes to narrow further.


    "Something''sing."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    He muttered under his breath.


    "Is it a beast?"


    A knight asked.


    "It has to be."


    "If it is a beast, how big does it have to be to cause such an explosion?!"


    Everyone''s faces became solemn.


    The deste forest was known to be a wilderness because it stretched the entire length of the Ash Mountains. Meaning that it reached the extreme ends of the Ash Mountains, which were the ck Iron Mountains and the Azure River.


    Hundreds of thousands of beasts lived in this paradise, and from there, thousands emerged every winter.


    Leading his men, Asher went into the forest and crouched behind a shrub. He found a horse, greatly different from any other horse he had ever seen, in a fierce battle against a king-grade wolf, a beast that could reach the saint grade if it lived long enough.


    Naturally, this predator should have had the upper hand, and the w wounds on the horse showed that the king-grade wolf was not weak, but the horse was more fierce. Few things pointed to its lineage as a centrak, and those things were the obsidian spikes protruding from its fore and hind legs.


    Instead of the white bony spike, the Centraks had the spikes on this horse that were like carved gemstones, and it had a horn on its head!


    The long horn stood proudly on the muscr unicorn''s head, and its mane fell like waves, continually caressing its long neck.


    Its aura was wild, untamed, and doubtlessly prideful. With uncanny speed, it evaded the wolf''s bite and plunged its horn into the wolf''s neck. The wolf howled,unching its ws toward the horse''s back.


    Swish!


    The horse suddenly shot forth with great speed, lifting up its forelegs and stomping down on the wolf. A piercing crack fell into Asher and his men''s ears. It was followed by the wolf''s cry.


    Neighing loudly, the horse stomped on the wolf''s head, killing the predator. It snorted, waving its tail proudly as it stood atop the defeated opponent.


    Neigh! Neigh!


    More neighs came from the distance, and when Asher turned, he saw arge number of centraks galloping toward the unicorn. When the unicorn saw them, it neighed in return before leading its herd away, leaving a great amount of snow thrown into the air in their wake.


    No one was able to speak. The dead wolf was definitely a half-step sacred rank beast. It was capable of fighting sacred knights anding out victorious, but that horse, a beast that was supposed to be at a disadvantage, killed it so brutally.


    "I can''t believe I saw the son of the wilderness in my lifetime."


    Though a whisper, the stunning silence made everyone hear it. Asher turned toward the speaker, who was Moses.


    "Son of the wilderness?"


    "My lord, almost every soul living in Bashan knows of that horse. It is called the son of the wilderness because of its unmatched speed. It''s the only creature that is able to match and even run faster than the dragons of the legends."


    Asher''s eyes widened.


    "That means what we saw..."


    "Is a mythical beast and one of the most perfect of its time." Mosespleted his sentence, excitement pumping through his veins. Mythical beasts were known by how perfect they were. The more perfect the mythical beast, the more powerful they were.


    The son of the wilderness had the most perfect agility since knowledge about mythical beasts was gathered by the mages. To possess the most perfect agility, the son of the wilderness had perfect limbs, perfect eyesight, and a perfect body!


    Such a legendary creature was king amongst the horses!


    "Is such a beast supposed to be here?" Nero frowned.


    "No. It has never been sighted in these parts. For the son of the wilderness to lead its herd here, it must be protecting them from something."


    Moses'' eyes shed. "Something dangerous."


    Asher frowned.


    "Let''s return. I shall send a scouting party to find out the reason why that unicorn is so far away from its domain."


    While the others walked back, Asher lingered. His eyes focused on the distance. The unicorn appeared atop a high ground, looking at him. It could see a bright golden aura billowing off Asher, though it was invisible to human eyes, but there was a terrifying crimson aura hidden within the golden aura, and it made the unicorn narrow its eyes.


    ''That''s a magnificent horse.''


    Asher stated inwardly as the unicorn dashed off. Somewhere within him, he wanted that horse of the legends, but it was far out of his reach.


    Maybe one day, they would meet.


    ....


    Three dayster, Asher rode into Ashkelon, but he and his men were shocked to see the state of the city. It was full of snow and, worse, sick people!


    Boom!


    The door to the meeting hall in the lord''s manor was swung open, making Katarina and her officials frown, but when they saw the muscr, gray-haired man d in his white coat, their


    eyes widened.


    "The count."


    Someone gasped.


    "Remain seated."


    Asher ordered as he approached the throne, which was covered with a white cloth. His Blooddes and Moses were behind him.


    The moment Adam and Katarina saw Moses, who they knew as Buba, their expressions


    changed.


    Moses saw rage in Adam''s eyes, so he averted his gaze and exhaled softly. ''I knew this was bound to happen.''


    "My lord, sorry to interrupt, but why is this man here?" Adam pointed at Moses.


    Katarina''s eyes widened. She had no idea Adam would go out of his way to pose a question to


    the lord''s choice, but it was understandable since the same man kidnapped his wife and


    burned down his n.


    ''What will his lordship do now?''


    She thought, looking at Asher''s face.


    ....


    A/N: I''m out of the hospital and I feel much better (Haven''t slept after writing just one


    chapter.)... So updates will retun to the usual.

 Chapter 224: First Winter Plague

    Chapter 224: First Winter gue


    ?


    "Haven''t you heard of the incident that urred in Silverleaf some days ago?"


    Asher tapped his fingers on the stone armrest, his eyes fixed on Adam.


    Adam furrowed his brows. "I have not heard of it, my lord. I just returned from the frontlines due to the situation in the city."


    "I see. There was a rebellion in Silverleaf, and hundreds were caught in the ughter, including the family of the cksmith that made the armor your men wore previously. The ''Ark Armor Set.''."


    Asher pointed at Moses. "He was the one that saved the cksmith''s remaining child at the cost of looking deformed, and he also called the warden who reduced the casualty. He saved hundreds of lives."


    Asher stopped there.


    He watched Adam look at Moses, and his clenched fist opened.


    "I see." Adam sighed.


    Although Adam seemed to have epted Moses, Asher knew Adam would never forget the sight of Moses cing his wife before the barbarian army to stop him from using his talent. Both men might never be friends, but the truth was that Moses was a changed man. He never had the love Adam had and was bound to a cold, cruel warrior.


    And now, Adam refused to let go of a past grudge. For now, Asher decided to look away.


    However, he believed something would bring these two great barbarian warriors together once again.


    "You shouldn''t have questioned the lord. You might lose his favor, and that would mean your end."


    Katarina whispered to Adam, causing him to clench his teeth as he realized his blunder. He should have asked Asher when they were alone.


    Thud!n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Adam fell on one knee and bowed. "I apologize for brutish behavior."


    Asher chuckled. "You''ve been forgiven. Rise."


    Asher''s light tone made Adam feel relieved as he rose to his feet.


    "Now..."


    All of a sudden, Asher''s light and warm tone dropped several degrees, causing everyone to shudder.


    Adam''s pupils dted.


    "... Why are my people dying?" Although his tone was still calm, everyone could feel the piercing re of a giant wolf.


    It was like staring right at a predator.


    "My lord, it''s winter. The winter snow has been contaminated by the abyss force, so the cold brings a great gue that takes the lives of hundreds every winter, but this winter''s gue is worse than any we have ever faced."


    Katarina sighed regretfully.


    "I also heard the Crimson Temple is unable to send priests to our aid."


    Asher''s eyes flickered. "Is this sickness frostbite?"


    "My lord, people die in their sleep. Frozen into ice stones."


    When Katarina said that, Asher''s eyes widened to the limit.


    "Those with battle force and magi force can protect themselves but not forever. We will eventually sumb because our bodies are fighting it as we speak. Those who have eaten lots of our high-quality productsst longer, but it doesn''t change the eventual end."


    "When did this start?!"


    "We noticed it two weeks ago after the death of an entire family, all frozen. Since then we''ve counted the loss of 400, and it''s rapidly growing by the day."


    "What!"


    Asher rose to his feet. "Why haven''t I been informed of this?!"


    "We don''t know what to tell you. We haven''t figured out if this is everywhere in Bashan or if a dark mage is causing it."


    "Deploy the entire legion; the outskirts of the city and beyond should be searched. Send a letter to the Crimson Temple; I want every avable priest/priestess and every free apothecary to be here."


    Asher couldn''t help but feel slight fear. This time he wasn''t facing a beast tide or a human army butbating nature.


    He always knew the weather in Bashan would be a problem, but he never knew it would hit him this hard in the first winter!


    The first month wasing to an end. Soon, they would enter the second month, which was much colder.


    Come to speak of it, snow came too early in this world andsted aplete three months before stopping.


    This made winter a season of fighting for survival rather than celebration like it was on Earth.


    Long after everyone left to fulfill his orders, he sat on his throne thinking. Several thoughts had gone by, but none of them could fix this dilemma.


    Even if Sapphira came, her magi force had a limit. She would eventually run out and need time


    to refill, but such use would expose her to abyss force!


    The priests/priestesses were at risk of corruption.


    Entwining his fingers, Asher breathed out heavily.


    The next day, he had those who lived in the lowest of the lowest stay in the lord''s manor because this ce was warmer.


    In three days, the lord''s manor was crowded. Asher stood on the wall, looking at Ashkelon, which was covered in snow and ice.


    His city was dying.


    In these four days he had seen over a hundred people''s frozen corpses. Strangely, it mostly happened when they were asleep.


    Then the body was at its weakest, giving a chance for the gue to win the battle and


    consume the body.


    ''It feels as if nature is bent on letting me know that I have no ce here.''


    Asher sighed.


    Even after deploying thousands of soldiers, they found nothing. Not even a trace of a single


    abyss creature.


    Because of the blood of the abyss creatures, they thrived in winter while red-blooded beings like humans and other races died during this season.


    The thought of buying fire elemental crystals came to mind, but the cost would cripple the treasury, and even worse, the fire crystal they used wore out after a night.


    This meant they would need peak-grade crystals tost three months! Each one was 100 gold coins, and there were over 100,000 living in Ashkelon!


    That would mean he needed 10,000,000 gold coins! That was billions of bronze coins!


    The treasury didn''t have such money, and even a kingdom would be crippled to bring out such


    a sum at once for something that wouldn''t produce anything to fill up the chasm left by the


    10,000,000.


    ''Only one option remains... the system.''

 Chapter 225: Black Knight Cavalry

    Chapter 225: ck Knight Cavalry


    ?


    [Ding!...]


    [Host, you can save the people by upgrading Ashkelon from a normal-grade city into a mythical-grade city.]


    [Warning! To upgrade a city into a mythical one, the host needs more than my energy. Certain items are needed to fulfill upgrade criteria.]


    Asher''s eyebrows furrowed. He recalled warning the system about upgrading things that would cost him without his permission.


    [Items needed for an underground mythical city are 20,000 earth crystals, 15,000 fire crystals, 10,000 water crystals, and 5,000 air crystals. (All must be of the mythical grade!)]


    Asher felt the world be silent for a split second. In that split second he could remember looking at a screen on Earth where some grade of elemental crystals were identified with ''???'' Mythical was amongst them.


    These were elemental crystals that had formed since the forgotten era! To find such crystals, he needed more than influence but also power to fight empires!


    [Ding!...]


    [Would you like to exchange 2.5 million gold coins for the required items? Yes or No?] ''2.5 million.''


    Asher chuckled bitterly inwardly. What was going on? Where was the system that was at his beck and call, doing everything for him without a cost?


    Although he knew upgrading a city into a mythical one altered the world too much to be without a cost, Asher wished for it.


    Plop!


    He fell on his bottom, leaning against the bulwark and staring at the snowing skies. "My lord!"


    The King Swordsmen beside him rushed forward, but Asher raised his hand. "Let me be." [Host, the entire amount in your domain is up to this amount. Why don''t you proceed?]


    Finally, after a long time, Asher heard that female voice, but this time, it was slightlypassionate.


    ''I have thousands of workers building the wall of Tiberias. I have thousands of soldiers to pay. I have officials and farmers. The economy will copse without money.''


    [But you have a gold mine.]


    Asher''s eyes widened.


    ''How did I forget the gold mine!''


    [If I am to proceed using the gold mine, I shall absorb 7 years worth of mining effort to gain the amount needed to upgrade Ashkelon. Would you like me to upgrade the city? Yes or No?] ''Do it!''


    Boom!


    It was as if the earth split open. People began to look around, searching for the cause of such a fearful feeling of the ground shaking so much as if it was about to be torn open.


    Boom! Boom! Boom!


    The trembling became so much that Ahekelon''s great wall began to fall! This was the first time an upgrade caused a destruction.


    Luckily, a white barrier transported the soldiers and the civilians to safe areas as buildings began to crumble.


    At first many didn''t notice, but after a while it became apparent that the clouds were going higher and higher.


    Asher discovered that it wasn''t that the clouds were going higher; they were the ones going down!


    Rocks burst out of the ground, destroying the ends of the city as they rose. Meanwhile the city kept sinking until Asher saw earth cover the skies.


    They had gone underground!


    Boom!


    White light burst out, causing Asher to feel dizzy. He struggled to stand, but he became so weak that he finally fainted.


    After what seemed like hours, Asher''s eyes opened. As he got to his feet, he saw his men recovering.


    His focus quickly left his men to the city, which was now underground. Their roads were rock hard, but the buildings were made of wood.


    There were several two- and three-story buildings well built with stone foundations.


    They looked much better than the buildings in the former Ashkelon.


    On the earthen wall above the city were glowing stgmites; they illuminated the city and also produced a soothing warmth.


    Asher gasped.


    Turning, he saw the new walls, made of white stones, in contrast to the city''s dark theme. The walls were thick enough to mount war machines.


    The gates were made of reinforced steel, and above the gate was the giant sculpture of a wolf head.


    Asher looked down. He realized he was standing on the fourth floor of a magnificent mansion with sturdy fences and arge courtyard, big enough to house him and hundreds of servants


    and officials!


    From the window of the fourth floor, he could see the expanse outside the city. It wasn''t too bright but not too dark.


    The theme was calm and soothing. But he could see it. A stream!


    There was a glowing azure stream that went around the city. Its source was a hole in the earthen ceiling where pure, untainted azure water descended from.


    It was like a mystical ce.


    The fire crystals, merged into the stgmites, gave the underground city warmth. It would increase or reduce depending on how cold the weather was, and the air crystals generated air inside the underground space, which spanned 5000 square kilometers!


    All the extra, which the former Ashkelon had, was cut off because it was massively out of proportion, and a huge section of the former city could not be put to use because the


    poption was too small for it.


    Ashes exhaled, and when he saw no white mist, a smile appeared on his face.


    Turning back to the city, he saw the stunned people celebrating with each other. Some of


    them bring those who were sick to see the beauty of the city.


    It seemed like for the first time, the system decided to give them a time element of surprise.


    Asher could sense that the system was changing.


    [Ding! You now own a Mythical-grade city: Ashkelon, city of the dark knights!]


    The name puzzled Asher. Wasn''t it Ashkelon, City of Centraks?


    While he pondered, he heard rumbling, causing him to turn toward the source. The sound


    came from outside the city.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    4000 strong, d in thick ck armor with their long crimsonnces, rode jet ck, handsome Centraks that had ck crystals in ce of those bone spikes and golden eyes.


    Their white cloaks fluttered as they galloped toward the city.


    Their menacing aura billowed,ing as a ferocious tide.


    "Wow! Uncle Lambert''s unit has gotten another upgrade."


    Nero, who was hovering by pping his wings, softly remarked.


    Without being told, he knew the debreakers benefited from the city''s change.


    They were now the ck Knight Cavalry!

 Chapter 226: Lord Winter

    Chapter 226: Lord Winter


    ?


    Rumble!


    Asher kept watching them as they rode into the city, causing the citizens to gasp in shock and awe at their magnificence.


    After their parade, Lambert came into the lord''s manor and found Asher waiting for him in the meeting hall.


    "My lord."


    Lambert, in his ck armor that has two spikes, one on each pauldron, fell on one knee and hit his right fist against his chest.


    "Did you see the surface?"


    "I did."


    He lifted up his head. "Ashkelon is below the valley in the middle of four mountains." "What?"


    Asher furrowed his brows and slowly rose to his feet.


    "Mountains."


    He gasped in amazement. The picture he had in mind was still that of the great ins, but if the system had altered the terrain to this extent, the price was worth it.


    The mountains would drastically increase the defensive measures of the city, making it harder to conquer.


    "Arrange a horse for me."


    In mere minutes, Asher rode out of the wide underground passage that three carriages could move through side by side, and the rays of the sun embraced him.


    Shortly after, his eyes adjusted to the sunlight, and a beautiful valley appeared before his eyes.


    The valley was still filled with vibrant greenery that the snow had not yet covered. Looking up, Asher could see towering mountains on each side, all connected to the other like a mountain wall.


    At the top of these mountains were sentry towers made of wood. They were far out of Asher''s sight, but the two exits, created through the thick mountains by the system, were visible since it wasn''t too far.


    Getting close, he saw soldiers manning the exits. Spurring his horse, Asher went beyond the exit and found himself in the ins once more, but the mountains behind stood tall, dering their presence in thendscape.


    With a gentle turn, Asher looked at the great mountains, and a smile crept into his face. ''My first mythical city.''


    ****n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Somewhere beyond the borders of Ashkelonnd borders, a man with pure white hair opened his eyes.


    "Was there a fight close to the Ash Mountains? What kind of beast could cause such a tremor?!" He muttered to himself.


    Boom!


    The doors mmed open, and a soldier d in ck leather armor walked in. "Lord Winter, we have guests from Edom."


    Lord Winter clenched his fist. "What are they asking for now? The month isn''t over yet."


    He rose to his feet, leaning against his staff.


    Together with the soldier, he walked out of his manor and found his men lined up with their hands on their swords as they stared at the human-like, ck-armored rats standing on their wooden wall.


    The two warrior beastmen were behind a pink-horned white rat, about 1.6 meters tall. While the armored rats have been rid of their tails, the white rat still has its tail.


    "The chief has made a decree that you either send us warriors to aid the battle against Dothan or you leave Edom."


    Lord Winter''s eyes narrowed. "You want me to send my men to battle the bloodthirsty descendants of the giant race?! If you, the noble white rat beastmen, are losing the war against them, how are my men, who don''t even have steel armor, going to help? They''ll just be cannon fodder!"


    The pink horned rat smiled. "Exactly. That''s what we need them for. Humans took over the maind, stole our skills, and made us fight over such a small piece ofnd. Why don''t you make amends for what your ancestors did?!"


    The pink-horned rat pointed at Lord Winter.


    Lord Winter was the only reason they left a human stronghold in Edom. Other strongholds had been destroyed, but because Lord Winter was a human who had lived for over 200 years, the white rat beastmen couldn''t do the same to his stronghold as they did to others.


    But Winter knew it was only for a time. These rats were waiting patiently for his death, and from the look of things, it wasn''t too far.


    This was the reason he was trying to reach out to Beowulf, chief of the Bashan ns.


    "We''ll give you 15 extra percent of our monthly products in exchange for letting off my men." The rat chuckled.


    "Deal."


    Lord Winter clenched his staff so tight that his palm prints were etched into the wood! His eyes remained fixed on the wall even while the rat beastmen were gone.


    "Those proud beasts." He ground his teeth.


    "Lord Winter, what are we going to do? We''re thest remaining stronghold in the entire Edom and Dothan, and if we give an extra 15 to the 60 percent, the people will starve. Can''t you see that they''re killing us?"


    A soldier d in a fur-padded cloak said with a hardened expression.


    Even now, his hand refused to leave the hilt of his sword.


    "Have you received word from Chief Beowulf?"


    Lord Winter looked at the soldier.


    "Unfortunately, we were unable to sneak past those watchful man-eating jackals. Those


    beasts are growing by the day."


    Lord Winter looked at the sky. This small stronghold would have perished decades ago had it not been for his healing ability.


    He was able to keep his barrier throughout the night, keeping the people safe from the


    abyssal frost.


    Even if he knew there was a city that he and his people could live in without being troubled by the cold and constant beast attack, Lord Winter would never believe it.


    200 years was enough to make a man rigid. However, a human wasn''t supposed to live this long without breaking into the imperial rank, a rank where the body surpassed its basic form


    and capabilities.


    "But Lord Winter, no matter who wins, we won''t benefit. In fact, after the war, these rats might send a troop to im the stronghold. Why don''t I travel to meet Chief Beowulf?"


    Simon, the captain of the guards, said from behind.


    His voice made Lord Winter and the soldier d in a fur-padded cloak turn.


    Seeing the ck-haired man tightly d in leather armor, a shield, a sword, and a pair of determined eyes, Lord Winter sighed.


    He knew it might be impossible to evade the jackals, but it was a better choice than facing utter annihtion.


    "Take your squadron and go. The fate of the Winter stronghold rests on your shoulders, young man...Find the humans out there."

 Chapter 227: Internal War

    Chapter 227: Internal War


    ?


    Intis Pce, thousands of kilometers away from Ashbourne County.


    Puchi!


    A man withdrew a dagger from an old man lying peacefully on the bed. This man standing in one of the most guarded rooms in the northern high ins was none other than Reuel Zaur.


    And the man he just killed was none other than King Zaur. The king of the Intis kingdom had been assassinated by none other than his own firstborn!


    Casually cleaning off the blood with the bedsheets, Reuel sighed. "Rest well in the spirit world."


    He leaned forward. "Before I dominate it." He scowled with a smirk.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Suddenly, a crimson light appeared in his father''s chest, causing him to frown.


    "What is this-!"


    Boom!


    It sted out of the room, exploding in the night sky. The moment nobles and high officials saw it, they trembled.


    "The king!"


    Reuel clenched his fist tightly, his arm trembling without stopping. "This old, shrewd man!" Bam!


    The door mmed open, revealing two soldiers armed with long, golden-colored spears. Upon seeing the dagger in Reuel''s hand, their pupils shook.


    "Your Highness, we apologize for our rudeness, but you will have to exin yourself to the court." A soldier said as he brandished his spear toward Reuel.


    "I see."


    Reuel looked at his hands for a short while before tilting his head. "On another thought, I don''t need to stand before a bunch of inferiors."


    The soldiers frowned. Right before their eyes, Reuel''s eyes transformed into crimson with strange symbols.


    "Especially inferiors like you."


    "You-!" The soldier at the right was about to approach Reuel only for him to hear growling. Turning, he saw that his partner was now a hulking, furry beast man!


    "W... what, Jamie, how did you?!"


    Roar!


    Forced to defend himself, the soldier thrust his sword through the beast man only to discover that he was also undergoing transformation.


    "What is this? Stop it!"


    An arm came out and strangled him. He had to let go of his spear and attacked the strange arm, which did not naturally belong to his body.


    "You killed me!" A shriek came from below. Looking down, the soldier saw it was his partner that he thought transformed into a beast man.


    Seeing the wound caused by his spear, his eyes shook.


    "W... what?"


    The man''s eyes watered.


    With great effort, he turned his eyes toward Reuel, who stood there, chuckling softly.


    "Please..."


    Reuel smiled. "You killed your own partner. I guess we''re not any different."


    He burst intoughter as the man kept struggling with himself. In reality, the soldier could be seen fighting and struggling against thin air while his partnery dead, killed by a spear! Eventually, the soldier killed himself. With a soft thud, he fell to the ground. Like this, two saintly knights, men of outstanding power and terrors on a battlefield, died.


    These were men who protected the king from all that wanted to bring him hurt, but they couldn''t even stand a chance against the king''s own son.


    "I guess keeping my talent a secret paid off after all. It''s time for this weak crown prince to grace the stage of Tenaria."


    Reuel proudly walked out of the room and easily annihted the soldiers until he reached the ground floor and discovered 50 royal guards, equipped with spears and shields.


    Their golden armor shone like the sun as all of them unleashed the zing sun battle force art meant for the king''s guards.


    Before this elite unit was a 7-foot-tall armored man with a huge sword.


    Titled Knight: Sword of Intis; Samuel!


    Ranked 94th out of the 120 continental Titled Knights in Tenaria!


    This was an imperial-ranked knight, one of the few in the Intis kingdom.


    "Your Highness. You have lost this battle. It''s a pity you had to go to such lengths for the throne. In the end youck patience."


    Samuel grunted. His massive sword, bigger than the 7-foot-tall man, was plunged into the ground right beside him.


    Despite its size, it was an imperial relic that weighed as much as a feather to the wielder!


    "It''s fascinating that one of the kingdom''s greatest knights appeared so quickly. General, it would be best if you paid your respects to the new king."


    Reuel spread out his hands, looking down at them from the staircase with superiority. "Begone, you mad prince!" Samuel bellowed, pulling out his sword and swinging it upward. A massive golden beam cleaved the staircase into two, causing it to copse.


    Dust rose in the wake of the destruction, but a silhouette appeared in the dust fog.


    ''This brat. He hid his strength all this time!''


    Samuel ground his teeth.


    "King''s guard!"


    "At your orders!"


    Instead of the voice of 50 men, Reuel heard the voice of 1000!


    950 were outside the main hall! The entire pce was crowded by sacred knights!


    Reuel chuckled. ''I never knew boundless would be this fun, especially when I was granted a talent of such power. You can''t me me for seeking a position befitting my strength. Besides, that man was old, weak, and dull."


    Reuel''s venomous words made Samuel''s arms tremble as his anger rose.


    "You brat! Your father loved you!"


    "That man is not my father." Reuel scowled as he walked out of the dust fog.


    "Die!"


    Samuel shot forth. He was so fast that he appeared before Reuel almost instantly, shing at


    Reuel''s neck.


    His sword cut through Reuel''s afterimage, causing his eyes to widen.


    "He can outmatch the speed of an imperial being! What sort of monster is this?!"


    Samuel''s eyes shook. He was 84 years of age, but Reuel was in his early forties. How could he


    possess this much strength?!


    Boom!


    A man fell from the shattered ceiling andnded with a great thud. Large stones fell here and there, but the figure remained the subject of focus.


    His whitish gold shield, bigger than most humans, was the first thing they saw before the


    armored man behind rose to his feet.


    Titled Knight: Shield Of Intis, Seth! Intis protector.


    "Your Highness, leave; I''ll hold them back!"

 Chapter 228: Attack On The Keep

    Chapter 228: Attack On The Keep


    ?


    "Seth! You dare side with this ungrateful child!" Samuel bellowed, lunging forth.


    "It''s time we stop being idle and dominate. Intis are not weaklings." Seth refuted as he shed with Samuel. A shockwave sted outward, and when the dust cleared, both knights could be seen facing each other.


    Samuel swung his sword several times, but Seth deftly blocked the strikes.


    Magic Scroll Skill: Repel!


    Seth mmed his shield into the ground, and a golden beam sted Samuel and other royal guards out of the main hall, destroying the wall in the process!


    Samuel rose to his feet only to see the royal guards in the pce courtyard in an intense battle against themselves.


    Seeing his men kill themselves with such brutality as if they faced their worst nightmare, Samuel''s pupils shook.


    Screams fell into his ears.


    "You''re a gue!"


    Samuel roared at Reuel, who sat on the staircase that led down to the courtyard. The prince was rxed. It was as if he couldn''t see the ughter before him.


    Boom!n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    A hundred meters around Samuel imploded as he shot toward Reuel, only for Seth to block him.


    While the battle went on in the pce, several kilometers away, a white-haired mage flew through the air.


    His garment fluttered and his hair whipped about as he flew with great speed. Suddenly, me balls flew toward him from three sides.


    Creases formed on the mage''s forehead.


    "Begone!"


    He roared, causing a st that negated all the me balls.


    Wind balls appeared around him, and he looked at the hooded people standing in the in field below.


    There was no city for hundreds of kilometers.


    The mage frowned. "Are you an aplice in the king''s demise?"


    "We just want to make our kingdom better. You old coots prefer to sit in thefort of your homes while other nations grow each day."


    The female voice made the white-haired mage frown. "Who are you?"


    The woman removed the hood, revealing her pretty face, which Asher would recognize even from afar.


    "Lady Nephis. Why would youmit such a crime when you are fianc¨¦e to the crown prince?!"


    "You''re still oblivious to the truth. It''s a pity."


    Nephis, formerly Lia on Earth, opened her palm, and a staff manifested.


    Ten ming pirs burst out of the earth, causing the white-haired mage to counter with a wind tornado.


    Nephis''s hair fluttered as the tornado engulfed the ming pirs. "The first spell he cast was a sacred-ranked one. Worthy of the kingdom''s strongest mage."


    She muttered.


    A smirk formed on her face as several other hooded figures flew into the battleground. The moment they all removed their hoods, the white-haired mage trembled.


    All of them were Nephis!


    In unison, they swung their staff upward,unchingrge ming serpents. These serpents were not just like other ming serpent spells, but they were like actual living creatures with bright orange scales and glowing eyes!


    About 30 ming serpents destroyed the tornado and flew toward the white-haired mage.


    The mage inhaled. As he exhaled, pure concentrated wind burst out in the form of a crescent beam.


    It cut 12 serpents into different parts, but others quickly closed the gap.


    Boom!


    A ferocious explosion urred midair, but when it cleared, Nephis found the white-haired mage miles away.


    The mage began to chant, his voice echoing like that of an ancient giant.


    Seeing this, Nephis also began to chant, and as she did so, more clones came into the mix and chanted alongside her.


    Hands made out of mes burst out of the ground, heading for the white-haired mage. When it almost reached him, his eyes snapped open.


    Concentrated wind beams shredded the hands, causing explosions midair. He uttered thest words of the spell, and a mighty wind tempest came out of nowhere.


    Dust and sand rose into the air. The mighty tempest howled, like a forbidden entity hid within.


    "An ancient ranked spell!"


    Nephis felt both excited and terrified as she watched a behemoth, a being made entirely of wind and dust, 30 feet tall, emerge.


    Its eyes were hollow, yet she knew it gazed at her.


    The white-haired mage lowered his hand, and the behemoth took one step. Wind, sharp enough to shred steel, swooshed out like a tide.


    All the clones were killed, leaving only one who was on her knees, cuts on her face and body.


    "Did you think kingdoms had no secret power? No matter your tricks, you''re just a little girl." Nephis lifted up his head and sighed. "My clones are still too far away."


    "Numbers are not everything!"


    Nephis was shocked when the behemoth dissolved and the mage appeared before her. "Stand.


    I wanted to see the strength of the future queen."


    Her eyes shook.


    "Did you think Reuel would be able to take over the kingdom without the agreement of the


    nation''s top powers?"


    The mage snorted.


    "I agree with his logic. It''s time Intis grows and absorbs the scattered pieces of the Eternal Immortal Empire."


    Leaning closer, the mage chuckled. "And I also know the body I speak to is a clone."


    ...


    Thest week of the month went by, and the people of Ashkelon were slowly adjusting to their


    new life.


    The mysterious and cool theme of the underground and the bright, sunny theme of the


    surface where they farmed.


    On the walls of the keep built before the gold mine sat three Frontline knights chatting. Their weapons were leaning against the wall.


    "I would have never thought that His Lordship could send our city underground and raise


    mountains."


    "I heard it''s his gift. He has been blessed with a gift beyond ordinary. He must be a favored one to be able to do such things."


    "The skies would soon lose their light. We should light the torches."


    One said and rose to his feet.


    ...


    Some hourster, when the skies were ck without a source of light from the otherworldly


    bodies, which were the moons and stars, the keep was lit up.


    Shadows of the orange mes danced on the bodies of soldiers standing guard.


    All of a sudden, a furry creaturended on top of the wall with a crossbow.


    The soldiers couldn''t react since they didn''t even hear or see any sign of the beastman


    coming.


    Swish! Swish! Swish!


    Three crossbow bolts swooshed out.


    Puchi!


    The jackals were here!

 Chapter 229: Written In Blood

    Chapter 229: Written In Blood


    ?


    Puchi!


    A dark, shadowy bolt pierced through the knights. Their eyes were wide in shock as they couldn''t believe some bolt could pierce through their armor!


    Thud!


    All three of them copsed, and the jackal that shot them looked at their corpses coldly. He turned to the others who had in their targets and stood upon the wall just like him.


    They were the shadow guards. The chief''s most powerful unit, and all of them were from the Freeman n.


    In every beastman n, there were two forces. The heads were the Freeman n; this n is like the royals of the n, while the bond ns were under them.


    One Freeman n usually had more than one bond n under them, but in most cases, the bond ns did not possess unique gifts, also known as n talents, like the Freeman ns.


    In this area, the jackals'' talent was shadows!


    d in an animal fur jacket that exposed their muscr torso, a leather belt, ck leather pants, a quiver filled with bolts, and a scary-looking crossbow made out of the bones of a deste beast, the jackals jumped down the wall in numbers.


    About thirty of themnded, facing about 20 Frontline knights who rushed out.


    Swish! Swish! Swish!


    Shadowy bolts wereunched. Some Frontline knights lunged forth but were struck down, while some defended with their shields.


    "Inform the general!" A Frontline captain bellowed, and a soldier ran inside the keep only to see all their men lying in their blood.


    His eyes locked on the perpetrator, a jackal d in a sleeveless white fur coat who held two curved des.


    Because of how the beastmen were born, they possessed a natural advantage in terms of physical ability, and their legs, which were like those of actual beasts with inverted knees, made their agility extraordinary.


    Especially that of beastmen like the Jackal.


    Shing!


    The Frontline knight brandished his sword.


    "Come." The Jackal''s deep voice shook the Frontline knight''s ears, yet he charged on, closing the gap and swinging his sword.


    ng!


    Sparks manifested as their weapons shed, but the Jackal was slowly overpowering the knight, causing him to grunt.


    "Tell your lord when I send him to you that we, the superior race, are here to take what is ours."


    Bam!


    The Jackal shed right through the knight''s armor, shocking him greatly, but this was the beginning as the second curved de sliced his arm, making him grunt deeply.


    His battle force sted out, giving him the advantage of a fiery light that made the Jackal distance himself.


    The Frontline knight could see the apprehension in the Jackal''s eyes when it saw the fiery sparks.


    Unfortunately, it was cut short, as the Jackal suddenly became a shadow and merged with the dark parts of the room.


    In the next moment, his de came out of the knight''s abdomen, causing him to stagger and fall on one knee.


    "Ah!"


    His eyes were focused on the caged bird, but he could feel strength leaving him.


    ''My lord... these inhumane beasts... They''reing...''


    Thud!


    The knight fell.


    The Jackal pulled out his de, sheathed both of them, and vanished like smoke. He appeared


    outside and found his men had dealt with the knights outside.


    All of themy dead, unable to believe what or who they faced.


    "Did any survive?"


    "None, Third Lord."


    One of his men replied humbly. "They must have been proud of their metal armor. Unfortunately, these weapons are relics from the forgotten era, forged by the extinct dwarves and engraved with lost runes that increase the sharpness of the said weapon. Their scrap metal never stood a chance."


    When the Third Lord said that, others looked at their weapons. These weapons were few and only given to the freeman n warriors; those from the bond n could nevery their hands on it except they did the impossible.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "This should send a message to their chief. Write a message to him with the blood of his men and tell him to offer a sacrifice of 50. 10 adult men, 10 adult women, 10 young men, 10 young women, and 10 cubs."


    [A/N: Cubs represent young ones in Bashan. It''s a term used by almost all ns.]


    "Hehehe, it''s been a long time since we had the taste of human flesh."


    One grinned maliciously. "Especially their women. They have softer skins."


    "These are the chief''s. Curb your hunger or you''ll pay for it!" The Third Lord snarled


    furiously.


    Once they were done, they left the keep, disappearing into the shadows like they were never there.


    ...


    The next day, a convoy carrying civilians who were about to start mining the gold mine could be seen heading for the keep as the sun broke through the clouds.


    Frontline knights were there to protect them, and above that, there were 5 ck Knights riding their majestic steeds ahead of them.


    At the gate, a ck Knight knocked, but no response came after a prolonged wait. With a frown, he knocked again, adding more strength, but silence still followed.


    There wasn''t even a sounding from inside the keep.


    "Is this normal?"


    He asked another knight.


    "It''s not. We should have seen soldiers at the top of the wall. Those handling the morning


    shift should have been there long before we came."


    A civilian who had stayed in the keep before said, and the soldiers heightened their


    cautiousness.


    One tried to hit the door with force only for it to open! He staggered forward. The moment he lifted up his head, he saw a bold writing on the wall of the keep.


    It was written with a crimson liquid!


    Lowering his head, he saw bodies littered about.


    Boom!


    Inside the lord''s manor, Asher discussed with a civilian official who was to lead people to explore the underground expanse when the door was suddenly opened and a man d in


    armor walked in.


    From his head to his toe, he was fully covered, like a man about to go to war. Asher knew who


    this was from his armor and his bold gait.


    This was Adam!


    Thud!


    Adam went on one knee and bowed. "My lord, the jackals had sent us a message."


    Asher raised an eyebrow. "Where is it?"


    ...


    By the time he arrived in the keep and saw the message, his pupils shook.


    Yes, he was in Boundless, the world of blood and war.


    Even he hasn''t seen it all.

 Chapter 230: Flames On The Horizon

    Chapter 230: mes On The Horizon


    ?


    Adam stared at Asher''s back. His lord had been standing there for hours now, neither doing nor saying anything.


    "They want us to give them 50 people in a week''s time."


    He finally spoke.


    "They''ve been taking a simr quota but not this big from chief Beowulf."


    "I see. Bury them, send my condolences to their families." Asher turned to face Adam. The moment the general saw his lord''s golden eyes, he shuddered.


    He felt like he stared at a wolf.


    "Call for Uriah. I need him to scout out our enemy''s location."


    Adam bowed as Asher walked away. Without being told, he knew one thing. It was time to prepare for war.


    No one touched the tail of the wolf and would not be greeted by the fangs and ws.


    Not long after Asher left, Uriah rode into the keep with a ck raven on his shoulder.


    "I heard I have an assignment." He said to Adam, who sat on a bunch of hay while people cleaned up the keep.


    "You do. Lord Asher wants to know the jackals'' location."


    Uriah looked around. "They did this." After serving Asher for months now, his fears had vanished and courage had grown in him.


    In addition to that, Asher also promised to upgrade his raven into the four-eyed raven, a deste beast known for its exceptional vision.


    "They ughtered every living thing in the keep. Not even the birds were left alive."


    Uriah sighed and lifted a scarf above his mouth and over his nose.


    "I''ll take care of it."


    With a kick, he galloped out of the keep. Uriah was a standalone scout. He didn''t move in teams because of the excellence of his talent.


    Before it was hard for him, but after a while, he grew to master this art of getting information. His range was so long that he could see everything happening a mile away!


    Such talent made him of great value to Asher.


    ...


    Since the day Uriah left, the fearsome ck Knight Cavalry had been moved to the keep as they were to prepare for battle.


    Asher chose them as the unit best fit to retaliate. Finally, after two days, Uriah returned and gave detailed information about the great Jackal n.


    Apparently, this n had one freeman n and two bond ns, which were the dual hammer Jackal n and the bowmen Jackal n.


    Although he informed Asher of their staggering poption, which was above 20,000! The ck Knight was still sent.


    Only those with insight could see what Asher saw, sending 4000 men against 20,000, most of whom were able to fight, be they women and children.


    The ck Knights were a heavy cavalry, the most prominentnd force. They were the tanks of the old era.


    While most troops had reached their capped level, the ck Knights still had room to grow, but beyond that, they were a heavy cavalry unit of the diamond rank against infantry!


    It was obvious where the advantagey.


    4000 heavy cavalry of their caliber was something the Jackals had never faced before.


    Sitting on his throne with a solemn expression, he awaited the next report.


    Boom!


    The doors opened and Katarina walked in.


    "My lord, you called for me."


    "I have sent the ck Knight Cavalry. Did you have a dream?"


    "I did. But what I saw isn''t within your expectations."


    Asher frowned. "What did you see?"


    "Your sister." Katarina smiled while Asher''s eyes slowly grew wide.


    Indeed, this was outside his expectations! Mary Ashbourne, his elder sister, was here, in the wastnds!


    "It''s been seven days since we left a message for that new human chief, but he refuses to respond! I told you we should have killed him!"


    The Second Lord roared.


    "You speak before the chief; control your tone." The Third Lord reprimanded him and received a death re.


    The First Lord, who was also the chief, known as Ham, rose to his feet.


    Before his muscr frame, his brothers looked small.


    "Gather our men; we shall soak their soil with their blood and enve them. We''ve given them lots of respect, and they think they have wings to fly above their lords."


    The Second Lord snarled. "When do we march?"


    The Second Lord was themander of the bond ns, and the Third Lord led a small unit of skilled assassins while the main freeman forces were under the chief.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "Tomorrow."


    While the Jackals prepared their men, that evening the ck Knight Cavalry unit arrived on


    the outskirts of the Jackal n.


    Lambert spurred his horse to walk forward, a couple of meters ahead of his men, and from


    there, he looked at the tents littered on the in.


    The cold breeze made his cloak flutter. "Not even a single me."


    He muttered under his breath.


    Turning his head toward his men, his calm voice rang: "We wait until it''ste."


    Thousands of jackals gathered around a stone podium in the center of their n, heeding the call of the Second Lord.


    Although it waste and the moons took over, no jackal made attempts to light up a fire.


    "Our chief has dered that tomorrow we will march for those stubborn humans who have refused to submit their quota. It''s going to be a feast."


    Growls and snarls filled the air. Some ground their teeth while others brandished their ws, all imagining the scene of them ripping the humans apart.


    "Those inferior races will obey ourw!" The Second Lord bellowed at the top of his lungs, and the crowd roared in expectation, some yearning for them to march in that very instant.


    "Silence."


    The Third Lord suddenly appeared from the darkness, his voice deep, yet somehow thousands


    kept silent.


    It wasn''t just because the Third Lord spoke but because they could sense the presence of the


    chief.


    Ham, cloaked in a long bear fur he gained from killing and skinning a bear beastman, moved through the crowd right to the stone podium where the Second Lord stood.


    As he turned to face the people, he caught an orange glow from the corner of his eye.


    He quickly turned to his left.


    At this point, other jackals also noticed the orange glow, and when they looked, they saw a


    long line of mes on the horizon.


    The silhouette of men on horses reflected in their eyes.


    Lambert pointed hisnce at the n. "Advance!"

 Chapter 231: Strange Talent

    Chapter 231: Strange Talent


    ?


    The Centraks began to walk, from walking to trotting, from trotting into the faster canter, and the moment they entered galloping, the earth began to tremble.


    They crushed through the wooden fence with brute might, running through the tents and everything in their path.


    Just the sight of these fearsome riders struck fear into the hearts of many Jackals, as they had never seen such in their lives.


    "Invaders! Grab your weapons!" Ham roared, revealing his pointy canines as he pointed at the ck Knights.


    They looked like soldiers of the night, riding into the n without a shred of fear.


    "Kill them! Kill those invaders!" The Second Lord shouted as he ran toward the ck Knight. He believed he could cut them down with his ws and raw strength.


    The Third Lord withdrew his crescent des and stood before the chief.


    Other shadow guards began to appear from the shadows until a hundred of them could be seen around the chief.


    Sniff! Sniff!


    Ham sniffed, and his eyes flickered. "I smell humans."


    The Third Lord''s eyes widened. "What?!"


    Jackal beastmen who looked stronger than the regr masses dashed toward the cavalry while brandishing their ws.


    As the cavalry came for them, they also went for the cavalry in a fully aggressive mode. Their eyes filled with the thirst to rip their enemies apart.


    The Jackals, bigger than lycans in the movies, running on all fours, some running through their tents in the darkness of the night, was enough to frighten human troops.


    But the troop they faced wasn''t just any human troop.


    "For the White Wolf!"


    Lambert bellowed, and a fiery aura burst out of him and his men, making the torches in their hands burn brighter!


    Some jackals screamed and covered their eyes, some trying to find a ce to hide but some still dashed forward, hoping to kill the mes.


    Unfortunately, they forgot one thing. While in terms of bodily build, they had the advantage, these humans were knights d in heavy armors!


    Boom!


    The Jackals shed with the ck Knight, and what happened was a massacre. ck Knights pierced, shed, and mmed jackals into the spirit world in droves.


    Their might was beyond the Jackals''prehension.


    "Die!"


    The Second Lord leaped, wing down on a ck Knight. The knight defended the strike with hisnce and spun his horse.


    As the horse turned, he unleashed a sweeping strike. The Second Lord vanished into darkness, evading the strike.


    Bam!


    He grabbed the knight''s cloak and dragged him from the horse, causing the knight to m the ground.


    He wed at the helmet but only left scratches.


    When the knight retaliated, he vanished into the shadows once again.


    Pointing at the ck Knights, Ham spoke softly:


    "Go."


    The hundred shadow guards and thousands of Freeman warriors, male and female, lunged forth.


    All of them vanished into the night, appearing when the knights were destroying their bond warriors and dragging them down from their mounts.


    Some knights managed to strike them down, but when Lambert noticed about a hundred and twenty knights were off their horses and were being attacked 10:1, he frowned.


    Empowering the torch in his hand with his sacred-ranked battle force, it shone bright like the sun, dispelling the darkness!


    One thing about this kind of light was that it came from a fire, meaning it came with scorching heat.


    Something the Jackals of the Shadow n feared.


    The entire n was lit up, and the ck Knights could now see the jackals attacking them. The knights on the ground grunted, their eyes shing with cold light.


    One mmed his fist into the jackal on top of him, throwing it off. He grabbed the one holding onto his left arm and threw it away.


    Kicking another away, he rose to his feet and picked up hisnce.


    "Come, you beasts!"


    He brandished hisnce. With three steps, he leaped into the air, thrusting hisnce through a jackal and pulling it out.


    He heard a sound and turned to see his horse had in a jackal and was now running toward


    him.


    The ck Knight calcted the right moment and grabbed the reins of the running horse; he also flipped himself onto its back.


    "Heyah!"


    "For our Lord!"


    Lambert''s roar fell into their ears, filling their souls with strength. Seeing the Knightseback and how his army was ughtered without mercy, Ham ground his teeth.


    He turned to where his brother, the Second Lord, was and found the Second Lord on the ground with a javelin embedded into his chest.


    The ck Knight that killed this skilled jackal was on his knees beside the corpse.


    Around him were corpses of jackals with javelins impaling them to the ground.


    As the knight rose to his feet, Ham threw off his cloak and began to walk toward the ck Knights, who were closing the gap with each passing second.


    Lambert saw malleable spikes protrude from Ham''s body. The spikes actually had gleaming steel-like edges, and the other part moved like tendrils controlled by Ham''s mind.


    Ham''s eyes were focused on him.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Lambert just knew that he was Ham''s target, and the aura Ham gave off was on par with his.


    Lambert disposed of hisnce, plunged the fire into the ground, drew his sword and charged toward Ham.


    Ham lifted up his hands, and the spikes went back into his body. They made an externalyer over his arms, forming two massive arm des!


    Boom!


    Ham shot vanished. In the next second, Lambert saw him above him! Lambert swiftly lifted up his sword to defend, but the sh almost flung him off his mount''s back. Grunting as he felt pain from his back, Lambert still tightened his grip around his sword''s hilt.


    "You might be a strong warrior, but you''re not as experienced as I am. But tell me before I kill you. Who sent you?"


    Ham appeared at his left and was about to strike, but he noticed the horse looked at him. It flung its head and mmed his abdomen.


    Ham couldn''t believe it, but at that moment, Lambert also swung his sword, grazing his chest


    and drawing blood.


    ''Man and mount unison. At such a young age?!''


    Ham couldn''t believe his eyes, but it didn''t matter as at that very second, the Third Lord


    appeared at Lambert''s blind spot.

 Chapter 232: Great Slaughter

    Chapter 232: Great ughter


    ?


    ng!


    Sparks flew! The Third Lord was shocked to see that Lambert deflected the strike even when he wasn''t looking.


    Lambert turned a bit, ring at him from the corner of his left eye.


    "You''ve been using your talents all this while. Let me use mine."


    Even after speaking, nothing happened, causing Ham to chuckle, but his smile changed when Lambert swung his sword at the Third Lord.


    The power behind that strike was so terrifying that the Third Lord created a crater.


    Seeing Lambert pull out a javelin, Ham lunged toward him. Unfortunately, the javelin wasn''t for the Third Lord but him!


    It was as if the moment Lambert threw it, the javelin teleported and pierced through him. Ham coughed a mouthful of blood, his eyes widening in disbelief.


    Was this a human?


    Lambert didn''t give the jackal chief time to recover as he impaled Ham to the ground with three more javelins!


    In the next moment, his horse neighed, causing Lambert to fall off. On the ground, he saw the blood spilling from the cut the Third Lord delivered to his horse.


    The Third Lord aimed to sever the horse''s legs, but the Centraks'' legs were more sturdy than they looked.


    Rising to his feet, Lambert pped off the Third Lord''s sh, wrapped his fingers around the jackal''s neck, lifted him up, and mmed him against the ground.


    Dust rose up, and alongside it, one man stood, but the other remained on the ground, lifeless.


    Worried, Lambert rushed to his horse''s side and applied pressure on the wound to stop the bleeding.


    When he finally arrested the bleeding, he lifted up his head and saw his men riding their horses and cutting down jackals.


    Because of the dust, only a few knew their chief was already dead, and Lambert wasn''t nning on letting them know.


    After all... His Lordship''s orders were: "y all."


    The Jackals hadmitted an atrocious act by ughtering every breathing thing in the keep and writing a message on a wall with their blood.


    Since they saw no meaning in life or respected the dead, Asher saw no meaning in keeping hisws before them.


    As a servant, Lambert carried the same mindset as his lord.


    "Kill them all." The ck Knightmander muttered under his breath, his eyes cold and emotionless toward the fate of the beastmen.


    There were children in that keep, civilians who lived with the soldiers. Most of them were the families of the soldiers and aided with things that the soldiers couldn''t do.


    Lambert could have sworn he had never seen his lord so furious. This was the reason his unit was sent.


    They were built and trained to be terrors!


    Shing!


    He unsheathed his sword, pulled the torches out of the ground, and walked into the battlefield, his cloak fluttering softly.


    ...


    Puchi!


    A ck Knight retrieved his sword, panting softly before turning to find hismander sitting on the ground, leaning against his horse.


    The skies were a bit bright, and the sun would rise at any moment. All throughout the night till it was morning, they had been fighting, and finally, this ck Knight killed thest Jackal.


    "We have eradicated the great Jackal n,mander." The ck Knight walked up to Lambert and bowed his head.


    "Set it aze and let''s return."


    Lambert rose to his feet, and his horse also rose up.


    Two dayster, a man d in a thick jacket to prevent dying from cold found himself in a vast ruin. Even the two days of heavy snow were not able to hide the fact that there was a great battle that ended with mes.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    This man was none other than Simon, captain of the guard from Winter Stronghold.


    He squatted. Looking at the bones of jackals charred ck.


    "Who could have done this? This looks like a full-blown war, so it can''t be a beast. The Winter stronghold is the first force up north and up south..."


    Simon looked at the south, his eyes flickering. "The Bashan ns."


    ....


    Inside a grand hall, several folds greater than the sacred hall in Nineveh, a man sat on a throne. There was a row of pirs on both sides of the hall, and before this man stood a count,


    a friend of Count William.


    "My lord." The Count went on one knee and bowed his head. He was before the great


    Archduke Nubis, famously known as ''The Lightning Spear.''


    "I bring confirmation to the news, my lord." He said, unable to bring himself to look at the Archduke''s face.


    "Confirmation..." Archduke Nubis clenched the armrests until the stone began to crack.


    "You bring confirmation of my son''s death." He said, his tone calm and light like he wasn''t a


    bit affected.


    "Y... Yes, my lord." The count shuddered.


    "So it was the one they call the White Wolf of the North that killed him."


    "Yes, my lord."


    "This same person is a member of ''That'' House?"


    "He is."


    "And what about his fianc¨¦e?"


    "She lost control due to the death of her fianc¨¦ and became corrupted."


    Archduke Nubis slowly rose to his feet. "So I have lost a son and a mage with supreme talent."


    The count couldn''t bring himself to reply.


    Whoosh!


    A sudden gust of wind blew against the Count''s face, causing him to lift up his head, and he saw the Archduke standing right before him.


    "Then... where is Count William?"


    "ording to our scouts, he had gone into the Wilnds with his army."


    "So he dares not appear before me. I want him to tell me of his failure, but before that, I heard this ''White Wolf'' is younger than my son yet yed him with his own hands."


    The count could only nod.


    "I see."


    Before he could blink, the Archduke was gone. After he confirmed the Archduke was gone, the count clutched his chest.


    "White Wolf of the North. A member of ''That'' House. Is centuries-old rivalry about to rise up again? Unfortunately, this time that boy can''t stand against the Archduke."


    Turning, the count left the hall, while also making up his mind to send a letter to his friend, Count William, informing him that the Archduke would soon make his move against the


    White Wolf.

 Chapter 233: Black Rose

    Chapter 233: ck Rose


    ?


    Swoosh!


    A man pushed aside the tent p and walked into the massive interior of the tent, where he found a white-haired man sitting on a wooden chair with a ss cup filled halfway with almond-colored wine.


    "My old friend," the man, who was the count that spoke with the Archduke over a month ago, said while smiling from ear to ear.


    Count William''s eyes regained light upon seeing Count Naaman, the Watchman of Archduke Nubis, which was even in his house name: House Ira!


    (A/N: Ira means watchful.)


    "Naaman. You came."


    Count Namman chuckled. "It took me a week to get here. And why are you in the territory of those savage barbarians? You might have an army full of them, but thisnd ultimately cannot be conquered in your current position."


    Count William sighed heavily. "So has my fate be."


    "Not for long." Count Naaman suddenly said, and William lifted up his head.


    "What do you mean?"


    "The Archduke has stretched his hand into the wastnd."


    Count William''s eyes widened. "He sent troops!"


    "Troops? That would be ying a lion ying with a small, wretched rat. He simply sent what would get rid of it neatly and quickly. An assassin and not just any assassin."


    Count Naaman crackled as he sat, poured himself a cup full of wine, and gulped down half its content in one go.


    "He sent an assassin! Which one?" Count William rose from his seat.


    Naaman chuckled.


    "Naaman. Speak!"


    Naaman looked at Count William from the corner of his left eye. "ck Rose. Ranked 113 out of the 120 assassins in the continent."


    Count William was first shocked, but his shoulders began to tremble in the next moment as heughed.


    "You mean to tell me... the Archduke sent THE ck Rose of the Sea of Vipers to this small northern region?"


    "Of course. And this is just him being lenient. Unfortunately, even that is like a mountain upon a small rock. The young lord can be considered dead."


    Upon hearing that, Count William''s eyes shed with a murderous glint. He felt so much satisfaction that his very soul was filled with bliss.


    Usually, assassins were kept in hiding, but these top 120 assassins had their names known, but it still didn''t reduce their kill count.


    In fact, each of them has their signature mark that allows people to know who performed the kill.


    Even though you knew them or not, it could not hinder their mission. Kill!


    Even Titled Knights were not as fearsome as they were. To train a good assassin, one would have to allocate the resources of apany to just one man, and yet most of them failed!


    ck Rose, the woman whose tales have been sung in the regions of the Dukedom of Nubis, the Dukedom of Mormonts, and the southern part of the Intis kingdom.


    She had killed nobles, merchants, and officials of great authority and left the scene with her signature, yet the nations couldn''t do a thing.


    Instead, they hired her to do their dirty work. This was the level this assassin had achieved, and yet she was just 113!


    "So you mean, as we speak, ck Rose has been hired."


    Naaman looked at Count William with dissatisfaction. "I mean, as we speak, she has eyes on her prey. You know she enjoys the hunt, and as always, the blood of the prey kisses her de." "She''s already in the wastnd!"


    ...


    Currently, Asher sat on horseback with Sirius, Kelvin, Alex, and Simon, the captain of the winter guards, with him inside a sparse forest.


    Everything and everywhere they looked at was covered in thick snow.


    "You just returned. What is the situation in Winter Stronghold?" Asher asked Simon. After Simon first arrived in Ashkelon and was moving about like a man who moved from a town to a city, it still didn''t stop him from making sure Asher knew of Winter Stronghold''s plight.


    Because of this, Asher sent him back with some men and discovered Bashan was much bigger than he thought!


    He shared a border with and known as Edom! Arge piece ofnd ruled by rat beastmen, and one thing about rats was their numbers!


    Not just that, but the armor technology of the rats was also stunning. Had it not been for the system''s new legion armor, Asher would have been more apprehensive than he already was. These rats had formed a moreplex n system, and beyond theirrge territory was the territory of Dothan.


    Another domain ruled by descendants of the giant race. Asher first thought they were gigantic, but ording to Simon, their height wasn''t too abnormal, but their strength was abnormally horrifying!


    Not even the rat beastmen''s heavy cavalry could achieve a victory against the Dothan barbarians unassembled infantry!


    What this all meant was that there was a battle ahead for the young Ashbourne lord. Battles that he might likely lose because he had no advantage in numbers nor in actual power because inhabitants of Bashan made up for theirck of ranks with special powers or unique traits.


    "It''s stable, but those people will soone for another tax, and though you gave us food, we don''t know what they will demand."


    Asher sighed at Simon''s reply.


    When he stopped his horse, others stopped. They looked at the vast in from the edge of the cliff. This was a ce Simon had to climb to get into Ashkelon.


    Meaning, this cliff that differentiated the highnd from the low ins filled with snow was


    the border!


    What Asher gazed at was Edom!


    "We shall head for your stronghold soon, but there are matters to handle here for now. Especially the matter of the beast that has been on a rampage."


    Asher''s eyes flickered.


    That unknown beast had killed more abyss groups and also killed a hunting group made up of gold-ranked members with a diamond-ranked leader.


    And ording to his scouts, the hunting party made up of mercenaries couldn''t put up a fightN?v(el)B\\jnn


    against that beast.


    It also stayed away from Nineveh, so the extra defense seemed meaningless, but Asher wasn''t


    willing to relent.


    That beast must be found!

 Chapter 234: Sapphiras Plea

    Chapter 234: Sapphira''s Plea


    ?


    Snow rose up as a golden figure flew with great speed. With each p, he crossed a great distance, causing trees to tilt, snow to rise, wind to burst outward, and other series ofmotion, but the figure didn''t stop.


    He was kilometers away from Ashkelon and wore one of the most dignified armors in the wastnd.


    The sight of him would make a civilian fall on their knees and bow, and this figure was none other than the Noble Bloodde, Nero!


    He could see ripplesing from afar and had been flying towards that ce right from Silverleaf, and now he was in the midst of the Ash Mountains.


    This ce was deemed dangerous to saintly knights, but he had to check it out because it seemed like a battle.


    Swoosh!


    He came to a screeching halt by tilting upward and pping his wings like he wanted to go back. The force of his previous movement and the new force generated in the opposite direction caused him to stop but also made a loud sound.


    Boom!


    Snow flew and began to rain down. It added to the snow slowly falling from the skies.


    Nero reached out for his swords. "I had a feeling it was you."


    Before his eyes was the very monster they had been searching for. It stood in the midst of mercenaries, most of whom were in.


    Staring right at the white-furred ape whose crimson eyes were strangely calm, Nero felt a threat he had never felt before.


    Not even de made him feel this way. The force emanating from this giant ape was the tidal wave of the sea.


    His eyes narrowed, yet he drew his swords.


    Shing!


    The ape opened its mouth, and its razor-sharp fangs, tightly clenched together, were revealed. The air became turbulent as the intensity of the rage in its eyes multiplied.


    Lifting up its leg, the giant ape stomped, creating a 300-yard crater, 2 meters deep!


    Nero looked around, but the beast was gone. It was at this moment he realized his breathing was heavy.


    Whatever that beast was, it definitely wasn''t the average ones he had been facing. This beast held a grudge...


    One that drilled deep into the bones...


    It wanted His Lordship!


    Nero didn''t know how, but that thought sprouted out of his heart.


    This only meant one thing...


    The giant ape told him what it wanted without speaking!


    Nero''s arms trembled. "If it wanted His Lordship so badly, why doesn''t it leave the forest in search of him?"


    He muttered under his breath.


    "... Nero."


    A soothing, feminine voice slithered into his ears, and his eyes widened. He felt it.


    His heartbeat somehow synced with her voice. There was no doubting it; this voice belonged to the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.


    The Heart of the Crimson Temple, Sapphira Cyrene.


    The woman who saw death with her eyes just like him. They said had it not been for her fairy body and healing powers, she would have been nothing but ashes.


    Nero turned and knelt without looking at her face.


    "Lady Sapphira, it''s an honor to see you once again."


    "Nero, I know you can''t see colors, so lift up your head."


    Nero sighed and lifted up his head. His pupils trembled, causing him to take his head down again.


    The truth as to why he didn''t look straight at her was that his talent didn''t work on Sapphira! When he looks at her, he usually loses his Dreath Sight and sees her in all her glorious beauty. For a young boy like him, it was too much. Especially when his loyalty was with his aunt, Eritrea.


    Sapphira''s lips curled downwards, and she floated down. When Nero was barefoot, he knew she was prepared for him this time.


    In the next moment, her fingers touched his chin, and she lifted his head up.


    Staring right at that face, Nero felt his resistance melting. His instincts were in chaos as one side vouched for Eritrea, but the other was like a fool bought over with arge amount of


    money.


    Strong-headed and adamant.


    Luckily, Sapphira spared him by donning the hood attached to her priestly garment.


    Her beautiful wings came down, folding themselves at her slender back.


    "What happened here?"


    She asked, walking away from him. Nero felt like he lost something, a feeling that came from the depths of his spirit, but heposed himself.


    Sapphira was a strange woman, like his father said. He should make sure he doesn''t get too close... because no woman is more dangerous than her!


    "A beast attack. This is the third hunting party it''s in this month. And..."


    Sapphira turned her head to Nero. "And what?"


    "I think it wants His Lordship."


    Sapphira''s eyes widened, but Nero couldn''t see it as the hood covered everything excluding her lips and chin.


    "It wants him, but it''s not the evil force that I sensed. That force was much stronger and..."


    Sapphira looked at the north.


    "We need to get to His Lordship."


    Her wings spread out. Although they looked beautiful, transparent, and reflected many lights when the sunlight shone on them, they looked inferior to Nero''s feather wings, which were


    massive.


    Yet Sapphira smiled when she saw Nero''s wings.


    "Let''s go."


    Flying straight to Ashkelon would delete their force, and they would be rendered useless, so despite their strength, they had to take two days or use horses to conserve more force.


    But Sapphira was in a hurry, so flying was the only way to get there faster.


    Both of them shot into the sky, sending snow flying everywhere.


    By the time Nero reached the peak of flying in a straight line and was about to fly toward Ashkelon, he discovered Sapphira was already 400 yards away.


    Not just that, but her peak was even higher than his. He knew this before her dragonfly wings left colorful trails that were slowly disappearing.


    "Lady Sapphira!"


    He shot forward.


    ...


    Two dayster.


    Tapk! Tapk!


    d in a white top and ck leather pants that clung to his lean, powerful physique, with Euodias attached to his belt, dangling as he walked, was Asher approaching the sacred hall in


    the evening hours of the day.


    All of a sudden, he perceived the smell of blood, and the guards before the door were nowhere


    to be found.


    Quickening his steps, he approached the door and reached out for the handle.


    Meanwhile, far away, two figures were flying towards four tall mountains, and one of them


    was an enchanting beauty whose eyes were filled with hope threatening to die at any moment.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "Please, Asher... survive."

 Chapter 235: Invincible Talent

    Chapter 235: Invincible Talent


    ?


    Awoo!


    Sirius'' light howl made Asher turn his head toward his wolf. It just appeared at the beginning of the hallway, walking toward him, but its eyes were fixed on the door.


    Or behind the door... to be more precise.


    Asher turned his head to look at the door.


    What in the world was going on in there?


    Why was there the scent of blood in the scared hall of all ces when the executioner, Sirius, hadn''t killed anyone?


    Filled with questions, Asher began to push the great doors. Just halfway through, he found a woman sitting on his throne with crossed legs.


    ck sleeveless gown that had a slit revealing her legs, ck lip gloss, ck unusually long fingers, pale skin, and cold, almost emotionless ocean blue eyes.


    "Wee, Lord Asher."


    Asher could sense she tried to make things humorous but failed miserably because of theck of emotions.


    All he felt was a diforting chilling from her.


    Without opening the door entirely, Asher walked in, and that was when he saw Alex impaled to the wall by two daggers.


    The bodies of his King Swordsmen littered the ground. All of them were killed in one move!


    He could see some signs of battle between her and Alex.


    This woman...


    Even while she sat before him, she felt unreal.


    His senses were telling him this woman wasn''t real, but he could see her sitting right before him!


    "Usually, none of your senses would work on me, but I wanted to enjoy the thrill of you looking into my eyes as I take your life."


    ck Rose said softly, her lips curling into a simple smile.


    At this moment, Sirius walked through the door and stood behind Asher. ck Rose merely smiled at the wolf, which was a head taller than Asher.


    Although the beast looked intimidating, it was no more than a big target before her eyes.


    ck Rose turned to Alex. "This one is something. No one informed me of him or what he is."


    She chucked, looking at Alex''s wings, which were on another part of the hall,pletely severed from the Bloodde.


    This was the first time Asher had seen someone defeat Alex.


    His eyes narrowed. For her to sneak into Ashkelon without him or any other Ashbourne powerhouse getting a whiff of her powerful battle force, she must either be more powerful, or an assassin, or have a talent that hid her force.


    "You''re strangely calm. Let me remind you that I have in more than these few. I''ve also killed the remainder of your guards, servants, and officials. Every breathing thing in this manor is dead. And of course you couldn''t have noticed when I bought this scared-ranked self-controlled illusion spell scroll."


    ck Rose revealed a yellow paper burning with purple mes. She crushed it, and a violet light burst out.


    In the next moment, Asher could perceive the stenching from every part of the manor. It was extremely thick, yet his expression remained the same.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    However, on a closer look, ck Rose noticed Asher''s head was shaking, and so were his


    arms.


    "So... I finally made you angry. That''s good. I wouldn''t have killed so many if your sister was around. I mean, lots of lives could have been saved."


    She smiled, a little bit more brightly.


    Asher silently reached out for Euodias.


    ck Rose''s eyes followed his actions to the sword. "Is that the sword that took off de Nubis'' head?"


    Shing!


    Blue light filled with great, piercing energy flickered as he drew the sword out of the sheath.


    It crackled with a bit of lightning.


    "I have one question. Who sent you?"


    ck Rose rose up. "A man who could squash a bug like you."


    "I see. Sirius, lend me your strength."


    The moment Asher said that, his eyes lit up in mes, and his shoulder-length gray hair became mes and billowed upwards.


    His eyebrows also became mes! mes coated Euodias while Asher''s clothes burnt off. The temperature of the room skyrocketed, and ck Rose licked her lips.


    Swish!


    She vanished; in the next moment, Asher sensed a spike, but when he sensed it, the spike was already through his thigh!


    "Ah-!"


    He bit his lips to stop himself from screaming. Seeing Asher''s state, Sirius lunged forth, breathing mes at ck Rose.


    ck Rose leaped to the other side, and all of a sudden, Sirius couldn''t see her nor sense her! rmed, it suddenly reduced its size to the minimum, causing ck Rose''s spike to miss.


    Her eyes widened.


    All of a sudden, she looked back only to see Asher, bathing in mes, swinging his sword down, aiming to cleave her apart.


    She chuckled, and ck bone spikes came out of her wrists. She shot the spikes.


    Asher sted mes from his left leg, forcing his body to the other side, narrowly evading the


    spikes.


    Looking down, he could see ck veins spreading outward on his thigh. It was poison!


    The spikes were poisonous.


    "Let me inform you, boy, my poison can''t be treated. You were as gone as gone from the first


    hit!"


    ck Rose chucked and vanished from Asher''s senses. The next moment she appeared behind


    him, but Sirius lunged toward her.


    Clenching her teeth, she vanished.


    ''In order to attack, she reveals herself. It seems her supposed invincible talent has a fatal


    w.''


    Asher''s mes burned up his blood so he couldn''t even see it, which was why his talent didn''t


    activate.


    However, after learning Synergy, Asher felt he had no need for his talent to deal with ck


    Rose.


    Just after this thought, ck Rose plunged a spike into Sirius'' hind thigh, pulled it out, and cut its abdomen, but to her shock, the wounds healed up.


    Greater mastery of Synergy did not only give the master of the bond the beast''s elemental powers; it could also give the beast the master''s battle skill!


    ''How annoying.''


    ck Rose clenched her teeth andunched several spikes without stopping. Both Asher and Sirius opened their mouths, and an orange light appeared in the depths.

 Chapter 236: Gate Of Destruction

    Chapter 236: Gate Of Destruction


    ?


    They both breathed mes at ck Rose, but she simply crossed her arms, and the mes could not hurt even her clothes.


    This was force covering. The art of being able to cover oneself with force, increasing the level of defense to the maximum of one''s capacity.


    "Your mes are weak."


    ck Rose spat, growing two more spikes. The moment Asher shed with her spikes, she was shocked to see that Euodias sliced right through them, and the same de came for her neck.


    ck Rose leaned back and struck her leg out. Her feet hit Asher''s abdomen,unching him to the wall.


    Web-like cracks spread out as he mmed the wall. It vibrated heavily!


    mes sted out of his back, pushing him away as three spikes struck the spot of his head, heart, and abdomen!


    Even when he moved, he discovered ck Rose was waiting for him. He was ying right into her game.


    Her ws for fingers ripped his chest open, and she also mmed her palm into the same chest.


    A spike came out of her palm, but it couldn''t go deep as Sirius pinned her to the ground. As it tried to devour her, ck Rose quickly slipped away.


    For a split moment, she felt fear. In the end, she was an assassin. Against a beast of her rank in terms of raw strength, she would lose like a child to an adult.


    "You''re merely dying your death, little lord!" ck Rose vanished and appeared six times around Sirius.


    Five were afterimages, and when she was gone, all that was left of Sirius was a wolf with six long spikes piercing deep into its flesh right to the bones!


    "Let me see how you heal those wounds with my spike still there."


    "Sirius!"


    Asher ignored his mes, which had grown considerably weaker, and engaged in a heated battle with ck Rose. As time went by, she kept inflicting wounds on him with poison spreading gradually, but he couldn''tnd a single hit.


    ck Rose was too agile, and her talent made him only able to track her with sight. Not even the smell worked on ck Rose.


    The moment he lost sight of her, it would be as if she ceased to exist. He would get the illusion that he fought against air, and his mind would begin to question him.


    Doubting oneself was greatly dangerous during a battle, but Asher couldn''t stop his body from acting naturally.


    Seeing her smile as she inflicted more wounds on him, Asher came to a realization that she knew what was happening to him.


    "Our game ends. You were fun to y with, but that''s it. There is nothing too special about the man that killed de Nubis."


    ck Rose appeared on the throne and pointed her arm at Asher. Asher''s mind didn''t even scream at him when all of a sudden, a spike pierced right through his chest!


    He heard it when it drilled right through the bones in his ribcage!


    "Awoo!"


    Severely weakened and bleeding, Sirius howled, trying to move. Unfortunately, it couldn''t. Blood spurted out of Asher''s mouth as he staggered backwards. He looked at the bone spikes lodged into his chest with flickering eyes.


    For a split moment he recalled Mr. Kang''s face as he shot him on top of X gamers. Somehow it felt like that day.


    Asher took another step back as ck Rose shot another spike. She could somehow transfer her talent coverage ability into the spikes, making them a silent death strike.


    The ck veins became more obvious as his me died down.


    Swoosh!


    ck Rose vanished from the throne and appeared before him.


    Bam!


    Sheunched a swift kick that sent Asher right through the great doors, straight to the end of the hallway and through the doors at the end of the hallway.


    "Humph!"


    She snorted, and an unseen force killed the fire in the room.


    "Now that I''ve killed that wastnder, I''m done with my mission. But I should enjoy sitting


    on a throne, even though it''s roughly made. It''s much better than a-!"


    ck Rose, who was about to sit, paused. She looked in the direction she kicked Asher.


    The man who was supposed to be dead stood at the end of the hallway!


    However, his eyes were pure white and pulsed with prideful anger. His mes became blue, and even from there, she felt the intense heat!


    "What-?!"


    Before she could utter those words, Asher was already inside the sacred hall. He held Euodias in his right hand, and blue mes burst out from his open left hand, transforming into


    another exquisite longsword.


    A pure elemental weapon.


    "What kind of talent is this?"


    ck Rose gasped and activated her talent. She included that of sight because Asher''s battle force was overwhelming.


    Suddenly, ck Rose appeared, but the moment she did, she saw Asher pointing his de at


    her throat.


    "W...What?"


    "Child, I have been fighting wars centuries before your grandfather was born. I don''t need to sense you to predict you."


    ck Rose''s eyes widened to the limit, and she sprouted long ck spikes.


    These specific spikes gave her the name she bore. These spikes were tougher than any steel, durable, and could pierce through anything.


    Almost nothing at her rank could cut through it, but Asher simply swung his swords, cutting both spikes off!


    Looking at his eyes, which were colder than ice itself. It had reached a certain stage that even the icy eyes could burn through her spirit!n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "You dare hurt my descendant! Perish!" Asher bellowed, but the voice of Torah could be


    heard.


    sh!


    He performed an X sh, and all that remained of ck Rose was a corpse that could be reduced to ash at the slightest touch.


    In the next second Asher''s eyes became normal and his wounds, including the poison, were


    gone, but...


    His connection to Sirius was gone. He could see his pet beast lying there, devoid of breath.


    His friend,panion, and aid, who was pinned to the wall, was also devoid of life.


    Everything around him was death.


    Tears gathered in his eyes but refused to fall. Asher stood there, his arms trembling, his face


    red, and his heart burning, yet there was no me.


    Something cracked inside of him as he walked to his throne and sat down, looking at his


    failure and allowing the pain to eat him up.


    ''What have they done...''


    From the spirit world, Torah watched. With a nce, he knew Asher''s heart was bleeding. A


    result of the brutality in Boundless.


    For a young lord with a pure soul, he has seen too much loss.


    ''They have opened the gate of coldness. Asher, do not take this path before you. Bear the pain


    and have patience, or else...''


    ...


    Katarina, whoy on her bed fast asleep, frowned deeply as she found herself in a horrible


    dream or... nightmare.


    She could see herself standing in a city burning with blue mes, and thousands of soldiers d in pitch ck armor with silver crests were marching.


    Leading them was a man whose hair was as white as snow; he had dignified white beards


    trimmed till the strands were extremely short.


    His jet-ck armor, and three swords; Euodias and two others, were nothing before his


    piercing golden eyes.


    He sat upon a one-eyed white wolf.


    Just seeing him, one emotion flooded Katarina...


    Terror!


    Unfortunately, the g this frightening army led by this fearsome man held had the sigil of a


    wolf!


    "... His Lordship!"


    Katarina woke up, covered in sweat and trembling severely.


    ''... The one who would burn the world might have been born.''


    Torah''s sigh had the weight of a mountain as it was carried by the wind.


    ....


    [A/N: Wow! It''s the end of 2024! Thank God we all made it throughout the year, and this


    would be the final chapter for the year.


    VOLUME 3: INTO THE DEPTHS continues next year.


    I don''t know when. Maybe monthster... kidding.]

 Chapter 237: A Lords Pain

    Chapter 237: A Lord''s Pain


    ?


    A carriage rolled into the lord''s manor and Katarina stepped out. Her gaze swept over the surroundings, and her breath hitched as her eyes fell on the corpses scattered across the ground.


    With the illusion spell now dispelled, the gory massacrey bare. Every victim lying on the ground bore the same fatal wound-a spike pierced right through their chest.


    None of the spikes had deviated off the mark and struck the heart!


    Katarina trembled. This was the heart of the city!


    How could something like this happen here?!


    The Frontline Knights nking her quickly drew their sword and raised their shields in a protective stance.


    Just then, two figures descended from the sky andnded with urgency. When Sapphira and Nero saw the scene, a heavy apprehension settled in their hearts.


    Without hesitation, the three rushed into the manor, their hearts growing colder with each step and every lifeless body they passed. Finally, they reached the sacred hall. Nero froze when his eyesnded on his father''s corpse pinned to the wall. His face contorted with anguish and his eyes became red.


    "Father!"


    He bellowed and rushed toward the body. Sapphira covered her lips to stifle a gasp at the gruesome sight, her gaze flickering to the spikes lodged in the walls and strewn across the floor.


    Katarina''s trembling body remained frozen, her eyes scanning around before finally settling on Sirius. Everything in this hall was lifeless-everything but the lord, who wasn''t ounted for.


    Sapphira flew to his room and mmed the door open, only to find the room empty.


    "Asher..." she murmured, biting her lip in frustration.


    Returning to the hallway leading to the hall, she finally noticed the destruction caused by a violent sh, speaking of a fierce battle, probably between Asher and the scorched corpse.


    Clenching her fists, she listened as Nero''s heart-wrenching sobs echoed through the hall while Katarina tried to console him.


    The young Bloodde was shattered. She could feel the depth of his despair. And how was Asher, who had been burdened by the loss of a dear friend and even worse, his soul-bondedpanion, supposed to offer any sce?


    Right now, finding Asher was the priority.


    Every member of his elite King Swordsmen, the pride of the county,y dead. Even the manor''s servants and maids had been ughtered.


    For a lord, this was a devastating blow. Especially for Asher, who was still reeling from the Silverleaf incident.


    cksmith Ark White hadn''t touched metal since the day he lost his sons, he was struck so deep that the cksmith couldn''t find the drive to smith again.


    As Sapphira''s footsteps approached, Katarina turned to her. "He''s alive," she said quietly, "but he doesn''t want to be found."


    Swoosh!


    Without a word, Sapphiraunched herself out of the lord''s manor and flew so high that she nearly touched the earthen ceiling. From that height, she began tracing force signatures until she located one she recognized-familiar and faint¡ªalong the banks of the shimmering


    stream.


    It took her a while to fly there. When she arrived, the fishermen on their boats were stunned and dropped to their knees as they recognized the Crimson Temple''s fairy priestess above them.


    But Sapphira''s eyes were fixed on the man by the water. A man covered in a ragged cloak, sitting by the bank, stirring the stream with a thin, long stick.


    Though his hood concealed his face, she knew it was him.


    A cold, jarring force emanated from Asher, so fierce that Sapphira momentarily felt as though she was facing an enemy.


    Yet it was her lord.


    "My lord..." she gasped, descending slowly. But Asher didn''t even nce at her.


    When shended, Sapphira dropped to one knee and bowed her head, drawing startled murmurs from the fishermen.


    "My lord, are you alright?" she asked, her voice trembling.


    For a long moment, Asher remained silent. Atst, his lips parted. "By any means... could you resurrect them?"


    Sapphira lowered her head further. "My limit is one a year. I''m sorry, my lord."


    Sapphira''s lips shook. She feared how Asher would take this news but his reply shocked her.


    "There''s no need to apologize. You didn''t kill them."


    Asher turned to her and smiled, but Sapphira could see that he wasn''t even trying to put in an effort.


    The smile was hollow, clearly filled with pain.


    If Alex''s death hadn''t broken him, the loss of his pet beast Sirius would definitely shattered his soul.


    The pain of Sirius'' death was more than a mental pain-it would linger in the soul.


    Only one Ashbourne in history had lost his pet beast in such a painful way, and his name was never heard of.


    Not even Asher knew of him, though he now held that man''s weapon!


    "My lord, the nobles and officials need you. They should know that you''re alive or they might falter," Sapphira said, her tone firm despite knowing Asher had his own burdens to deal with but had no choice but to remind him of his position.


    Asher rose slowly and looked at his palm. The loss of Sirius had severed his synergy and he might never be able to wield his element again.


    Pet beasts were created specifically for their Ashbourne masters by a mysterious entity, who was probably ranked among the Awoken Ones-or perhaps beyond!


    Once a pet beast died, especially at a young age, the master''s soul would crack, a fracture that would grow deeper with time.


    What it meant was that pet beasts and their lords were one. Once one of them died, it was only a matter of time for the other.


    For the pet beast, once their master dies, they live for a while, some decades at most before dying. For the master, they lived their entire lives in pain.


    "Let''s go," Asher said, his voice heavy but resolute.


    As Asher entered the lord''s manor, Frontline Legion knights were at every corner. Gathered inside were General Adam, Baroness Katarina, Commander Lambert, and Commander Eritrea. The moment Eritrea saw him, she dropped all decorum and embraced him tightly, shocking


    the others!


    However, given the circumstances, no one objected. They all felt that Asher needed it.


    "Eritrea," Asher spoke softly, though the warning in his tone was clear. Startled, she stepped


    back and blinked.


    After she left him, he walked further inside the manor and assumed his seat. His eyes drifted


    to a particr spot where Alex''s body had oncein.


    "I see this ce has been cleansed of my failures," he murmured.


    "My lord, we should send our forces to the Wilnds and finish what remains of Count


    William!" Adam proposed.


    "Be silent, General Adam," Katarina interjected sternly. Adam shot her a sharp nce but chose to heed her words and stepped back.


    "Regent Kelvin reports that the Count stillmands an army of 40,000 strong, still loyal to him," Sapphira added. "Besides, he is in the treacherous terrain of the Wilnds and hasN?v(el)B\\jnn


    allies."


    "Allies..." Asher repeated, drawing everyone''s attention. "...something we sorelyck. I do understand now that we might have some people in the county who are nothing but spies. This is no longer Ash Town."


    His gaze swept over everyone,cking its former vigor and emotions.


    "The families of the King Swordsmen are bound to worry. Inform them that they sacrificed


    their lives protecting their lord who is, for now, unable to attend to his duties indefinitely."


    "What?!" Adam gasped.


    "My lord!" Katarina stepped forward, rmed. Sapphira sighed deeply and slowly lowered her head as though she had somehow seen thising.


    Eritrea''s heart ached; the lord she knew was gone and it hurt her. Lambert''s expression


    hardened, his thoughts consumed by vengeance for both his lord and his friend, Alex.


    "It''s an order," Asher continued. "Regent Kelvin will rule in my stead while I prepare to bury


    my friend and beast."


    He then rose to his feet.


    "I''ll deliver my final orders there."


    With those words, he left, his steps heavy with the weight of grief and loss.

 Chapter 238: Swift Kill

    Chapter 238: Swift Kill


    ?


    Five dayster...


    Asher, d in a ck cloak for the first time in a long while, could be seen in a in snowfield before several corpses wrapped with white bandages.


    Alex and Sirius were kept on stacked stones. At one corner, were Nero and his mother. And behind were all themanders, generals, nobles, and officials.


    Baron meheart, General Alec, Mage Commander Aqu, Titled Knight Moses, Head Maid Cynthia, and Regent Kelvin were all behind.


    They just arrived and watched as Asher took the torch, approached the stone tform, and lit


    it up.


    As the mes zed, Asher''s eyes moistened. ''I could have been stronger.''


    A thought lingered in his heart as he watched the ck smoke rise up to the clouds. Soldiers went about with torches, setting aze the King Swordsmen.


    The loss was huge.


    Some officials were afraid this would make some people, especially the family members of his soldiers, lose faith in their lord.


    "This is the first time I have seen him in all ck." Baron meheart said as he gazed at the man standing before the mes.


    Alec stood there, his expression stoic as usual, like a man that felt no pain, but the mes of his brother''s corpse reflected in his eyes.


    Memories of how they trained together, became the sword and shield twins, and eventually began to serve Asher shed through his eyes.


    They dreamed of standing by their lord when he had reached the peak.


    Aqu breathed out white mist. She wasn''t the only one with several words inside but unable to speak.


    Another beauty, though ck-haired, was going through the same experience. Eritrea bit her lips hard, feeling rage in her heart.


    After watching the mes for a while, Asher turned, and his eyes widened a bit when he saw Kelvin.


    Kelvin quickly closed the gap and embraced Asher. He gently patted Asher''s back without uttering a word.


    ...


    Some hourster, after everything was done, Asher stood in his study looking through the window at the full view of Ashkelon.


    Sitting in the room with him were Kelvin and Sapphira.


    "How''s Nero?"


    "With his mother." Kelvin replied softly.


    "Ah, I see."


    "I actually agree with your proposal. You need to go somewhere where you can recover and maybe return with advantages for the county."


    Kelvin said.


    Asher nced at him. "What about you?"


    He turned to Sapphira. "I agree. It would be best if you were far away from that deste beast in the Ash Mountains."


    Asher frowned. "What do you mean?"


    "ording to Nero, the beast wants you."


    "Then I will pay it a visit."


    Creases formed on her forehead. "You want to fight that beast?"


    "No. I want to kill whatever threatens me and my people."


    Both Kelvin and Sapphira frowned at the raw killing intent spilling out of Asher.


    ...


    On one of the snow-capped mountains, a white, furry ape leaned against the rough wall, looking at the forest below like it was lord over all.


    Its eyes were filled with authority, but all of a sudden, it noticed a different force,


    dangerously powerful, heading for it at an unbelievable speed.


    Before the giant ape could stand, the talons of a huge peregrine falcontched onto its shoulders so fast that the ape couldn''t follow.


    In the next moment, the giant ape was thrown into the air. This gave the ape the chance to see what attached it.


    A huge ck peregrine falcon with a beak darker than night, a gray tuft above its head giving it a dignified look, and talons curved like actual scythes!


    Those talons looked like additional metal was added onto it, but that wasn''t the case.


    This dignified peregrine falcon, bigger than anything it had ever seen before, had a pair of glowing white eyes brimming with rage.


    Swoosh!


    Almost instantly, the peregrine falcon appeared before the ape, and its ws sank into its flesh, ripping through the thick hide the ape was proud of.


    The falcon dealt the final blow with its beak and allowed the corpse of this powerful mythical beast to fall from the sky.


    The sky was its domain. Killing the ape in the air was both calctive and decisive!


    Snow rose up as the ape crashed into the ground. The peregrine falconnded soon after, looking down at what remained of the ape.


    It spread out its wings, revealing its torso in all its glory. If one looked closely, they would see flickers of lightning on the body of the beast.


    Swoosh!


    Snow rose up, and some trees bent so much that they almost broke due to the wind released from the peregrine falcon''s wings as it shot into the sky.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    In mere hours, this magnificent bird hovered around Ashkelon''s four mountains. Folding its wings, it dived through the cave-like pathway, right through the frontline soldiers.


    The wind swept them off the path.


    When the falcon emerged in the underground space, it unfurled its wings.


    Aqu, Cynthia, Sapphira, and Kelvin stood in the courtyard. Their hair flew backward as the peregrine falconnded and a crimson light sted out.


    A man garbed in ck with a ck coat, which has ck fur padding, walked out of the dying crimson light, holding onto his sheathed sword, Euodias.


    "I have killed the beast. Go harvest whatever you can from its corpse."


    Sapphira and the other girls were startled. Firstly, Asher''s new form came out of the blue, and Asher didn''t seem interested in exining as it was obvious he was still in pain.


    His emotionless expression said it all.


    What they didn''t know was that his talent allowed him to harness the talent of his predecessors, and this was the first time Asher used it.


    Or rather... Duke Atticus Ashbourne revealed another secret, which resulted in this magnificent beast form they all witnessed a while ago.


    "Moses. Tell Simon to pack his bags. We leave for the Winter stronghold tomorrow."


    "Yes, my lord." Moses bowed.


    "My lord, take Cynthia with you." Sapphira offered with a smile. Looking at that smile, Asher


    felt like something sharp pierced his heart.


    At that moment he felt like wrapping his arms around her, but Sapphira would erase the scars and shadows he allowed around him.


    He didn''t want to be fixed by her sacredness and purity.


    "Then prepare. From tomorrow, the domain is in your hands and that of Kelvin Salvatore.


    Fortify the borders against Count William and his allies."


    "We hear and obey your final orders, Your Lordship!"


    All of them went on one knee and bowed, with Sapphira taking the lead.


    Kelvin looked at the undeniable beauty and his lordship, who couldn''t take his eyes off her,


    and sighed.


    They obviously yearned for each other, but pain and responsibilities stood like a mighty wall


    in between them.


    What a painful fate.

 Chapter 239: Banished Ashbourne

    Chapter 239: Banished Ashbourne


    ?


    After leaving everyone behind, Asher retreated to his room and began to meditate. ording to his predecessors, mediating was a pathway to tapping into the inner world and awakening the true essence of oneself.


    It was also the only way to be an Awoken One-fearsome individuals who could see beyond the fabric of reality.


    This first rank of the Awoken Ones was Suspicion. To attain this rank, one had to question everything, even the reality of the world itself, allowing for the inner world to emerge.


    Awoken Ones possessed incredible abilities and could perform incredible feats-ughtering thousands without lifting a weapon. By tapping into their inner world and projecting it into the real world, they transcended ordinary limits.


    What set them apart from the rest of the world was their ability to awaken from the illusion called reality.


    Strangely, Awoken Ones seemed to not exist in Tenaria, but Asher knew without a doubt that these powerhouses existed.


    It seemed like they didn''t exist to him because he was still too weak and his domain was too fragile to attract the gazes of the Awoken Ones.


    However, in this world ruled by nobles, even the Awoken Ones had to serve under them. Meaning, that some high-ranking nobles had these mountain-crushing powerhouses under their banner.


    All of a sudden, this realization made Asher feel that all of his progress was insignificant. He had learned about the Awoken Ones during the programming. But he didn''t know too much since he was focused on the lore and world-building, weaving his understanding shallow.


    Still, a yearning burned within him¡ªa desire to achieve that strength, to be an Awoken One and look down on his weaknesses.


    With such great power, all would bow before him regardless of their thoughts.


    As his concentration faltered, Asher clenched his teeth and regted his breathing before trying once again. This time, a torrent of voices began to flood his mind. Suddenly, it was as if a curtain was torn away, transporting him to a grand castle.


    The skies were dark and turbulent, thunder and lightning illuminating them, reflecting the figure of a stout man.


    The man gave off the impression of an unmovable mountain. Across him stood another man in his early thirties, sporting a light beard.


    He looked like the younger version of the older man. Unfortunately, between these two who looked like father and son,y a corpse.


    Blood dripped from the young man''s ws and mouth. Asher could see the fangs protruding from his mouth and his glowing green eyes burning with intensity.


    Littered around the young man were armoured soldiers, who struggled to move but were unable, as if paralyzed.


    Even Asher could feel it-the oppressive force emanating from the younger man had developed weight itself!


    This was an extremely high level.


    A level of power where one''s mere force upon release could physically restrain those nearby.


    The weight was so much that Asher''s body froze.


    ''I can''t move!''


    Panic crept in as more soldiers andmanders ran into the scene, but the stout man lifted his hand to stop them.


    "Why kill your stepmother."


    "I didn''t kill her, and she''s not my stepmother!" the younger man, Zorah Ashbourne, growled. "I just returned to the castle and I found myself with a corpse the next night. Do you think I did this, General Kirin?!"


    "Zorah Ashbourne, you are charged with the murder of Lady Miriam Ashbourne, the Archduke''s second concubine!" amander bellowed.


    "I didn''t kill her!" Zorah snarled.


    "Zorah..." General Kirin Ashbourne, a general known to be older than the Archduke sighed, his voice heavy with regret.


    "... We shall investigate. Just surrender."


    "W... what?!"


    Grr!


    A low growl echoed as a massive white wolf emerged behind General Kirin Ashbourne, standing taller than him.


    ''Euo. I need you.'' Zorah thought.


    General Kirin lifted his head when he saw the majestic beast, the wolf known to possess a potential so strong that it could surpass the first wolf.


    The saintly Shura!


    The name of this magnificent creature, the pride of Ashbourne, was Euodias, the wolf with four elements!


    And his master, Zorah had also awakened a second talent like his father, Zenas Ashbourne- the two-faced Shura. Zorah''s gift was extraordinary, even among the supreme-ranked


    talents!


    Both Zorah and Euodias were in a league of their own.


    Together, they were supposed to inherit the Archduke''s legacy, but...


    Shing!


    General Kirin drew his sword. ''Sorry boy but... you''re a threat to the lord''s first wife.''


    That''s right... It was all internal politics.


    Swoosh!


    General Kirin''s eyes became white, the same happened to his wolf and with a stomp, the earth rose, propelling him into the air.


    "Uncle... don''t make me fight you," Zorah warned, his fangs, ws and the intensity of his eyes growing stronger. He had been lured here and was now forced to face a formidable foe.


    Once his talent reached a certain stage, he would sumb to bloodlust. They knew this, which was why he lived in solitary, in the mountain caves by himself, isted from the rest of the


    world.


    Euodias lunged forward, faster than the wind andunched a w strike, tearing through General Kirin''s breastte in a single strike!


    Lightning danced along its other foreleg as it mmed down toward General Kirin''s head but the general was fast enough to block the strike.


    Although the general had managed to block the attack, the sheer force of the blow drove him


    to the ground.


    Earth surged upward, encasing Kirin''s wolf in protective armor as it leaped at Euodias. But Euodias merely nced at the other wolf and when it came close, he casually pped it away with a lightning-infused paw, sending the armored wolf tumbling away!


    Then, the creature''s multi-colored eyes drifted back to the troops, cold and predatory.


    Meanwhile, behind Euodias, Zorah struggled to regain his bearing. Even he was confused. Did The actually kill the first concubine?


    He couldn''t remember anything and although he was prone to losing control of himself, it was usually out of rage.


    This time, there had been no anger, so there was no way he''d transformed into the powerful and destructive version of himself.


    Euodias slowly raised his right forelimb. The air above the battlefield grew dense and high- pressure wind began to descend.


    There was no doubt-once Euodias'' foot touched the ground, nothing would remain of the


    troops.


    "Euodias, no!"


    Zorah''s desperate voice cut through the chaos, forcing his wolf to stand down. In the next moment, General Kirin unleashed his battle force to the limit and hurtled one of his men''s


    spears.


    Puchi!


    With deadly precision, the spear pierced through Euodias'' head. Killing the wolf that was on


    his way back to his master.


    Blood sttered across Zorah''s face.


    He froze, unable to believe what just happened.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    He rushed over to Euodias'' corpse and fell to his knees, tears running down his cheeks as he


    clutched his wolf''s fur tightly.


    "I am sorry, young lord," General Kirin said, his voice heavy.


    "Sorry...?" Zorah''s voice shifted, deepening into something unrecognizable. "... No. You''re not."


    A silver mask formed over his face, exposing only his fangs and chin. His skin turned to glistening silver, spikes sprouting from his shoulder and fists.


    Green light sted out of him, piercing the dark skies.


    "It''s his talent," someone whispered in awe. "He has transformed into the Evil Angel."


    Even General Kirin couldn''t believe it. So this was the talent his nephew had, one that the Archduke had kept hidden all this long.


    Zorah''s aura became jarring. So cold and emotionless that even General Kirin felt a chill.


    Swoosh!

 Chapter 240: Winter Stronghold

    Chapter 240: Winter Stronghold


    ?


    A fierce wind swept through the battlefield and Asher found himself standing in a valley, staring at a dark figure standing on the top of a hill.


    One of the figure''s eyes was green and the other golden. Although his long gray hair fluttered in the calm breeze, the rest of his features were shrouded in pitch-ck shadow.


    "I''ve been watching you, Asher Ashbourne," the figure said, his voice calm and strangely harmless, unlike the frightening man Asher saw in his vision.


    "You must be Zorah," Asher replied, frowning.


    "I am. I see you have decided toe to the depths, to find your true path."


    Asher frowned again and said firmly. "I came here to clear my head."


    Zorah smirked. "An excuse given to you by fate. I see. I came here to hide as well. We both have our reasons."


    Asher snapped. "We are not the same."


    "Yet we walk the same path."


    "We do not!" Asher''s voice cracked with anger. Zorah was expecting Asher to snap, especially after his loss, knowing well that the man was fragile at this moment.


    "Our wolves are not the only beasts capable of bonding with man," Zorah said. "I met another -far stronger. Powerful enough to create troops that are able to wield elements as we Ashbournes do."


    "What are you talking about?"


    "Those wolves we bond with were given to us by a higher authority. They empower us and in return, we strengthen them. But once you lose your wolf, you''re no longer an Ashbourne. Because that being has abandoned you."


    Asher frowned.


    "I was banished by my father, Asher and you will too after losing your bond. Without a wolf, you have no ce amongst your predecessors in the spirit world."


    "What about Sirius'' spirit? What if I find him in this world?"


    Zorah''s eyes widened slightly.


    "You''ve lost your bond. Your wolf''s spirit resides across the Red Sea, in the domain of vile mythical creatures," Zorah said. "You are still limited by your mortal body."


    "So... there''s a way to get his spirit back," Asher pressed.


    "Stubbornness will kill you!" Zorah growled. "Use his ashes to forge a weapon. It''s the only way you can anchor his spirit to this world."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "I won''t imprison my wolf like you did," Asher shot back, turning to leave. "Take me out, I''ve heard enough of what I wanted."


    Zorah squinted as he watched Asher walk away.


    "Asher," he called out. "The spirit world isn''t the mortal world. Do not think there is no ce after here. A spirit can die and if they do, they experience actual death and are lost for eternity."


    Asher paused, sensing that Zorah''s words weren''t a lie. This ce he spoke of must be the dread of all spirits.


    But this also meant one thing... Sirius could still die again. For good.


    He clenched his fists, his resolve hardening. He had to figure out a way to find him.


    Just as he was about to take a step, he suddenly paused.


    "What about a man''s spirit? Can it be revived?"


    "You cannot revive beings like us, but you can invoke the spirit of mythical entities which are still connected to the mortal world through the authority that created them. Go into the


    domains of Edom and Dothan. There, you''ll figure out Bashan is and with a myriad of secrets..."


    Zorah raised his hand. "When you hear of n El, reveal your identity to them."


    "Why are you-!"


    Asher spun around only to discover he was back in the mortal world.


    ''I shall wait for you in the depths of bashan.''


    That voice lingered in his mind, echoing long after Asher drifted off to sleep.


    ....


    The next morning, apanied by Simon, Moses and Cynthia, he left Ashkelon, heading north. During the journey, Asher pondered Zorah''s cryptic words.


    At first, he suspected Zorah wanted to take advantage of his current state and manipte him. Yet, it seemed like Zorah''s only intent was to ensure that he left the borders of Ashkelon.


    There must be something that awaited him beyond¡ªsomething Zorah was certain would change his life.


    But that matter was kept to the side, his main agenda remained unchanged: finding a way to enter the spirit world and search for Sirius.


    He had always been summoned by spirits but had never been able to enter the spirit world of his own will.


    "My lord, here''s your meal." Cynthia''s voice brought him out of his reverie. He raised his head and saw her stretching a wooden bowl over.


    ''Back to wooden bowls,'' he thought, a bitter memory surfacing.


    Stretching his hand, he took the bowl and began eating the porridge without saying a word.


    The morning was still fresh and the sun had yet to rise. The campfire had long since burned


    out.


    Some distance away, Simon and Moses stood, gazing across the vast snow ins.


    "It''s been over a week since we began our journey, my lord. This is the first time you''ve


    eaten," Cynthia said softly, her concern evident.


    Asher nced at her from the corner of his eye. "I''m done eating."


    He handed over the bowl back to her. Cynthia hesitated, her hands trembling. "I''m sorry my


    lord, I didn''t mean to..."


    "Take it," he said firmly.


    Biting her lower lip, Cynthia epted the bowl.


    "Simon..."


    Simon walked over with Moses.


    "How close are we?" Asher asked.


    "We should be there by nightfall."


    "Then we better start going."


    -


    The journey continued until the skies eventually became dark and the walls of Winter


    stronghold loomed in the distance.


    Encased in ice, the ancient stronghold stood tall, its castle forming its heart.


    "That''s my home," Simon said, his voice filled with nostalgia.


    As they reached the gates, soldiers d in leather armour stood watch, their spears and shields made from icewood and fur coats protecting them from the biting cold.


    "Sir Simon, you have returned."


    "I have. Where is Lord Winter?"


    "He''s in the castle."


    The soldiers replied, his gaze shifting to the one-eyed Moses, the beautiful, golden-haired Cynthia and finally, the man whose aura was so fierce that it made some soldiers tighten their


    grips on their spears.


    Tapk! Tapk! The moment Simon saw the soldiering from the distance, he frowned.


    "Let me do the talking," he muttered.


    The soldier stopped and sneered. "I see you have brought somepany. I thought you were


    supposed toe back with troops, not two men and a woman."


    "It''s up to Lord Winter to decide," Simon replied coldly.


    The fur-padded soldier raised an eyebrow. "Is that so?"


    His eyes remained fixed on Asher. ''This one... Why is his presence so ominous!''

 Chapter 241: I Am

    Chapter 241: I Am


    ?


    Clip! Clop!


    Asher scanned his surroundings as his horse walked through the icy streets. He could see people clothed in thick fur coats moving about and attending to their tasks.


    Some of them paused to look at him, their expressions puzzled. On their way, they saw frostyered on the weathered walls of their buildings and a group of soldiers asionally passed by.


    Although they were far less powerful than his troops back in the county, their discipline was noteworthy.


    "Where is Lord Winter?" Simon asked, addressing one of the fur-padded soldiers.


    "In the chapel," the soldier replied. "He''s worshipping."


    Asher raised his eyebrows in response and his curiosity piqued when they arrived outside the chapel''s guarded walls. There, through the open doors, he saw an elderly man with snow- white hair kneeling before an altar.


    The altar had two towering statues, each with four wings. One figure faced left, the other right, their enormous wings reaching to the far edges of the open hall.


    "By the look on your face, you''re not a believer," a voice interrupted.


    Startled, Asher turned to the fur-padded soldier, who he thought had entered the chapel but was somehow standing behind him.


    It seems like Winter Stronghold wasn''t as he had expected.


    "I am not."


    The soldier chuckled and turned to walk away, but Asher called after him.


    "Who is being worshipped here?"


    "I Am," the soldier replied. "Known as the Father. The creator of the Soul Scroll, the divine relic that governs Tenaria."


    "I see."


    Asher shrugged and was about to turn when his gaze snapped back to the altar. One of the statues one of the winged figures-seemed to look directly at him!


    At that moment, every hair on his body stood up and a chill went down his spine.


    For the first time, Asher felt fear!


    However, as quickly as it hade, everything reverted to normal. The statue''s gaze was still as if it had never moved.


    Right then, Lord Winter rose up and walked out of the chapel and the rhythmic tapping of his staff against the stone floor fell into Asher''s ears.


    ''How does that old man withstand their presence? Does he know those things might not be mere statues?!''


    Asher frowned deeply.


    "Why the frown?" Lord Winter asked with a soft tone as he walked out of the building.


    Simon and the fur-padded soldier dropped to one knee in deference. Cynthia and Moses, still on their horseback, remained still.


    Asher hesitated but bowed slightly, prompting a brow rise from Lord Winter.


    Simon introduced, "My lord, this is Count Asher Ashbourne, lord of the wastnds. Hemands over twenty thousand strong."


    "Well if he has twenty thousand men what is he doing here with a bodyguard and a maid? We need soldiers, not one man," the fur-padded soldier scowled.


    Lord Winter shot him a nce. "Respect our guests."


    Turning back to Asher, he smiled warmly. "Wee to Winter stronghold, young man.


    Asher nodded in response.


    "Shall we move on to the castle?" Lord Winter asked, gesturing ahead.


    Asher sat in the meeting hall alongside Lord Winter, Simon, Isaac-the fur-padded soldier- the hand of Lord Winter and Anderson, the strategist.


    "You are the Count?" Anderson, a man with long ck hair, a golden headband, vambraces, and boots tilted his head and asked.


    His dressing was leagues ahead of others, including that of Lord Winter''s.


    "I am," Asher replied firmly.


    Anderson sighed, his disbelief evident. "My lord, this kid clearly has no experience. How on Tenaria is a kid still wet behind his ears supposed to help us?"


    "He''s smart." Lord Winter replied with a soft smile.


    "Smart? If Jacob, your Knight, were still alive, we wouldn''t have needed this," Anderson muttered, shaking his head.


    "You are 149, Anderson," Isaac said with a scowl. "Eleven years younger than Jacob but you can''t even hold a candle to his strength. And still, you bash others."


    Anderson nced at him with a hardened expression.


    Meanwhile, Asher was shocked beyond belief. He couldn''t believe Anderson, who looked like he was still in his mid-thirties, was 149 years old!


    Asher even doubted if Anderson had reached the imperial rank, yet how was he able to live so long?!


    Simon interjected. "I informed Lord Asher of our dilemma. His presence here means his troops can be called over at any moment. They won''t let their lord die."


    "That is a usible opinion." Anderson agreed with a begrudging nod.


    "What we face, after all, is potential annihtion at the hands of the rat beastmen."N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "The rat beastmen?" Asher raised an eyebrow. "The weakest of them all is the threat?"


    Isaac chuckled. "Your knowledge is little. Though the rat beastmen have weaker bodies, their numbers are massive and have attained greatness in armour forging. In Bashan, they rank at the top. Meanwhile, all we have is leather armour."


    "How good is their armour?" Asher asked, his curiosity piqued.


    "Good enough to make a squire strong enough to beat ten of our veteran knights," Isaac


    replied grimly.


    Asher''s eyes widened. While he trusted the armor worn by his troops, the armor these men of the council spoke of seemed even more powerful.


    His men''s armor protected and aided in the smooth flow of battle force but it seemed as if this armor made by the rat beastmen empowered the wearer alongside enhancing protection and


    flow of battle force!


    "But they are at war with those Dothan barbarians," Simon pointed out.


    "Those barbarians might not have armor, but their skin is tougher than any leather armour out there," Andersons said, leaning his head against his palm with a nonchnt expression. "ording to Jacob, their Freeman n have the ability to cover themselves in the hides of fearsome beasts, making it hard to cut through them."


    Asher thought, ''I now understand why Zorah wanted me toe here. Bashan truly isn''t like the high ins, where everything relies solely on professions and disciplined armies.'' "To fight against Edom, we need at least 5000 knights," Isaac said, turning to Asher. "Can


    you provide that?"


    The others around them followed suit, their gazes heavy with expectation.


    Anderson smirked slightly. "It''s time to prove yourself."


    Asher sighed. "Actually... I came here as Asher Ashbourne, not as a lord. I have no armies-


    just myself." "What!" Issac mmed his palm against the table and rose in anger.


    "Did youe here to mock us?!" He clenched his teeth as his voice grew sharper. Anderson''s expression turned unreadable as he studied Asher deeply. At 170 years old and as


    the hand of Lord Winter, Issac was abnormally strong but for some reason, he rarely disyed his full might.


    Perhaps the restriction was the reason he was always angry and picky, but Asher might have


    clearly struck a nerve.

 Chapter 242: Kryos The Snow Wolf

    Chapter 242: Kryos ''The Snow Wolf''


    ?


    For the first time, a trace of Isaac''s force seeped out, and Asher felt as if the weight of the world had fallen on his shoulders. Almost instantly, web-like cracks started spreading almost everywhere in the room, radiating from Isaac''s feet!


    "Isaac!"


    Lord Winter''s furious bellow shattered the tension and the overwhelming force vanished. In an instant, Isaac seemed no more than an ordinary recruit in his early twenties.


    In terms of looks, Asher looked older than Isaac and truth be told he had thought that Isaac was Lord Winter''s rtive.


    But after witnessing that raw disy of power, his perception began to shift.


    "You must be wondering why we need troops if we have such a powerful knight by our side," Lord Winter said, a faint chuckle escaping his lips.


    Clearing his throat, he continued, "Isaac might be able to eliminate imperial and ancient knights, but there are powerhouses out there who are capable of eliminating him the moment they discover his existence. He''s ourst resort."


    ''He can y ancient knights!''


    Asher''s eyes shook, disbelief etched on his face. He was sitting in the same room as someone who was close to the level of the Awoken Ones.


    Could this mean that Isaac was a knight at the Exalted rank? Or was it perhaps just a step away?


    Whatever rank he might have, one thing was certain-Isaac could kill ck Rose with a single punch!


    Isaac, seemingly indifferent to Asher''s thoughts, sat down and turned his head away.


    "If you''vee without a soldier," Lord Winter asked, "what do you hope to offer us?"


    "Myself," Asher replied confidently. "For now, I am all that''s avable, but when the timees, I shall call for my men."


    Lord Winter stroked his beard thoughtfully. "Alright."


    After a brief exchange, Lord Winter dismissed everyone except Isaac.


    "What is it, my lord?" Isaac asked his tone cautious.


    Lord Winter''s eyes flickered with intensity as he recalled Asher. "It''s him."


    "W... what?" Isaac stammered.


    "He''s the one in the vision. That boy is the bearer of the Kryos talent."


    (A/N: Kryos is greek for frost.)


    "What!" Isaac''s eyes widened to their limits. He couldn''t believe what he was hearing, but he knew that Lord Winter would never joke about something so grave.


    "You mean that boy possessed a Sixth Star Zenith talent!" Isaac asked, pointing at the door.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "I don''t know for certain yet," Lord Winter admitted, "but he is supposed to possess it."


    While they discussed in hushed tones, Asher was led to his quarters in the castle. The moment he walked in, a notification popped up.


    [New Quest: Defeat the convoy of Rat beastmen heading for Winter Stronghold and not die in the process. Duration 3 hrs. (0/1)]


    [Reward: Awaken a random talent.]


    A map materialized in his vision, highlighting a red dot slowly inching towards his location. Asher clenched his fists. More than anything, all he needed was a way to enter the spirit world and search for Sirius.


    And maybe¡ªjust maybe-awakening a second talent would help.


    His first talent had allowed him to connect with his ancestors, who were able to guide him and lend him their strength. While it was invaluable, it didn''t directly grant him powers like other talents.


    However, it was powerful because he could channel the talents of his predecessors-a potent but indirect gift.


    But... there was hope. A second talent could change everything.


    Without even hesitating for a moment, Asher spun on his heel and left the room. His strides were long, covering as much distance as he could with each step.


    Servants and soldiers were puzzled at the neer''s attitude, but Asher didn''t pay them any heed.


    The clock was ticking!


    Finally, Asher walked out of the castle, his ears catching the rhythmic nking of a cksmith at work. By the beam of the forge stood Moses, leaning casually but alert.


    "Where are our horses?" Asher asked.


    Moses turned his head to the left. Asher followed his gaze and spotted Bezerk and Stark, their mounts.


    Without a word from Asher, Moses mounted Stark, following close behind. Though confused by Asher''s urgency, he had to make sure his lord wasn''t left unguarded.


    "Where is he going?" Isaac murmured as he watched from the castle.


    "I have no idea," Lord Winter replied with a shrug. "But he''s a lord-you can''t order him what to do."


    Isaac''s jaws tightened. "He clearly said he didn''te here as a lord. Going out thiste could mean his death!"


    Lord Winter chuckled weakly. "If he is truly chosen by I Am to be the next bearer of Kryos ''The Snow Wolf,'' he won''t die. But if he isn''t..." Winter sighed, his voice heavy with resignation. "...then he has just made the most foolish decision of his life. Watch him."


    Isaac closed his eyes and when he opened them, they glowed a pure orange, encircled with ck rings.


    Swoosh!


    Massive ck wings erupted from his back, their span so big that it would trail behind him even when folded. If one took a close look, they would discover that the ''fur'' that usually covered Isaac was gone!


    With a single leap, he soared into the night, vanishing from the view.


    ...


    Gallop! Gallop!


    Asher and Moses charged through a wide snow path nked by dense bushes. The hooves of their mounts sank into the freshly fallen snow, leaving a long trial that could be traced to the


    Winter Stronghold.


    Asher slowed Bezerk and finally brought him to a halt at the edge of a cliff. Moses followed, his gaze drifting downward. Below, he saw a carriage making its way along the path, escorted by men in ck armor.


    The torches mounted on the carriage illuminated their figures, revealing grotesque knees and beast-like feet of the armoured men who looked like human knights.


    They also wore ck, rat-shaped masks!


    At first, Moses was confused but after connecting the dots, he realized that these people


    weren''t humans!


    "My lord... these aren''t humans. They are beastmen." He whispered.


    "I know," Asher replied grimly.


    After dismounting, Asher crouched near the cliff, while his hand slowly wrapped around


    Euodias'' handle.


    "12 guards," Moses whispered. "I don''t know how many are inside the carriage."


    Asher nodded, his gaze sharpening. "You take the six at the back, I''ll handle the six at the


    front. Watch out for the carriage."


    Moses gripped his haze tightly and nodded.


    With a single, fluid motion, Asher leaped from the 14-meters cliff and unsheathed his sword mid-air before unleashing a heavy downward strike.


    Thud!


    He cleaved one of the armoured guards into two andnded on both feet. Borrowing the momentum of hisnding, he burst forward, cutting through two more in rapid session.


    Boom!


    An explosion erupted from behind him, thanks to Moses who threw a ball of me that engulfed two beastmen, leaving their charred remains in its wake.


    The remaining guards unsheathed their swords and raised their shields to form a defensive


    line.


    Moses twirled his axe with a smirk.


    "Come on!" he taunted before stepping forward into the fray.

 Chapter 243: Congratulations

    Chapter 243: Congrattions


    ?


    The armoured rat knights charged forth, their feet leaving w marks on the ground as they closed the gap. One leaped into the air, while the other unleashed a horizontal sh with its de.


    Moses swung his axe with all his might, intercepting the sword of the rat beastmen that unleashed a horizontal sh and also deflecting the strike of the one that came from the air.


    The third knight mmed its foot into his breastte, sending him staggering backwards. He nced down, his eyes narrowing as he noticed the rat''s footprint dented into his breastte. ''For rats, they''re strong,'' he thought grimly.


    Without a pause, the knights attacked once again, moving with coordinated precision, but Moses was able to defend himself thanks to his axe, fending off their deadly swords.


    ng! ng!


    Sparks erupted as their weapons shed. Growing tired of being on the receiving end, Moses shifted his tactic. Removing his left hand from his axe, he spun and hurled it with ferocious strength toward the rat knights.


    The sudden move caught the rat beastmen off guard, forcing them to scatter. While they were able to evade the strike, an orange glow flickered at the corner of their eyes, instantly prompting them to snap their heads towards Moses.


    In his hands burned tworge fireballs. "Enough of this!" he growled.


    With a roar, he hurled the fireballs. The rats easily dodged the balls, snickering in mockery of how predictable the attack was, but soon their mockery turned into shock as thin, crimson chains of light materialized, tethering the fireballs to Moses.


    With a fierce yank, Moses pulled the fireballs back at blinding speed.


    "Ah!"


    Two of the rat knights were engulfed in mes, their agonized screams piercing the air and making thest knight stagger as he lost his confidence.


    After picking up his axe, Moses strode forward at thest rat knight. The screams of the burning rat knights and his steady, deliberate footsteps made the rat knight tremble.


    "Die!" Moses roared as he swung his axe downward.


    But something stopped the blow mid-swing!


    Looking down, Moses saw a short, pink-horned white rat d in ck armour with golden linings at the hem. The noble rat''s long, thick tail that seemed reinforced by some unknown armor parts coiled around Moses'' legs, binding them together.


    Bam!


    In an instant, Moses found himself yanked off his feet and mmed into the ground in the next second. Pain assaulted him, but he quickly forced himself to roll to the left just as his own axe buried itself where he had been mmed a moment ago!


    "How lucky," the noble white rat sneered, its voice dripping with disdain.


    As Moses rose to his feet, he took in the neer. The rat wore a metal mask and long, flowing white hair cascaded down its back. The air around it pulsed with an undeniable aura of authority.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Who are you?" Moses demanded, narrowing his eyes.


    "Were you sent by that old man from the human stronghold?" Adah, the rat replied with another question, turning her attention to Asher who was perched atop the carriage, blood dripping from his sword.


    ''That sword!''


    Adah''s eyes flickered as her gaze flickered at the azure de that seemed to be forged entirely out of ice.


    Asher squatted, his gaze steady. "I just hate rats," he said bluntly.


    Adah''s eyes narrowed. "You demean us? You insult a noble race? A race far more superior than your pathetic humankind!"


    "So?"


    Asher cocked his head. Although his expression was rxed, his vignce was high knowing well that the system wouldn''t add ''Not die'' for nothing.


    There had to be something about this pink-horned rat before him that was dangerous.


    Seizing the moment, Moses quickly conjured a fireball and hurled it at the rat.


    But just as the fireball was about to make contact with the rat, it stopped in midair.


    Then, it began to spin, faster and faster, as if caught in some unseen force.


    Seeing this, Asher''s eyes widened in rm.


    "Moses!" he shouted.


    Swish!


    The fireball flew back and detonated with a deafening roar, flinging Moses 30 meters through the air. His axe slipped from his grasp as hended hard, gasping for air and coughing. Luckily, he had been quick and defended himself with his axe or the st would have been fatal.


    Adah raised her hands, unting her ws that glinted ominously. To Asher''s shock, Moses suddenly levitated, only to be mmed back to the ground with a devastating force, carving a crater into the earth!


    Seeing this, Asher sprang into action. Adah evaded his sh with a graceful twist but her eyes widened as she spotted another aimed at her neck. She intercepted Euodias with her bare hands, the sh ringing out like metal scraping on other metal.


    Asher''s eyes narrowed. His veins bulged as he pushed further, breaking her hold and just as the de grazed her neck, she vanished in a blur.


    Swoosh!


    Adah reappeared atop the carriage. She touched the blood trickling from her neck, a cold gleam shing in her eyes.


    Asher''s strength was abnormal. She had assumed Moses, who wielded a massive axe, would be the stronger of the two.


    "Your father should have warned you," she hissed, her voice sharp with menace. "The day you draw your sword against Edom, your existence shall cease."


    Adah lifted up her hands and Asher felt as if an invisible force had seized him. It mped around his body like a giant''s grip, squeezing tighter with each passing moment, trying to


    squash him.


    Veins bulged all over Asher''s body, his face turned crimson and his eyes bloodshot.


    Asher knew if this continued for a few more seconds he would die and seeing his death inching closer with each passing second, he summoned all of his force and channeled into Euodias


    without restraint.


    Awoo!


    A mighty wolf spirit erupted forth, its presence freezing Adah in ce. She stared in disbelief --Asher had just summoned a spirit!


    Swoosh!


    The beast lunged, its ws shing at Adah. She flew behind her carriage, using it as a shield, but the spirit wolf''s ws shredded the vehicle and sent her hurtling into the distance.


    But just after that, the wolf turned, its eyes burning with hatred as it set its eyes on Asher. Its ws glowed a menacing red. Its next strike was doomed to kill him.


    Asher could feel it. He knew that the moment the w touched him, it would annihte him, leaving no chance of recovery. However, he was too weak to move and could only brace


    himself for the end.


    Swish!


    A bright crescent of light descended from the sky, cleaving the wolf spirit into two. The spectral beast dissolved into flickering blue motes, which floated upward and dispersed. From above, a figure descended-a man with an air of authority.


    "Do you realize what you have done?" Isaac''s voice was sharp with reproach as hended. "n Edom will wage war on the stronghold because of your recklessness!"


    Isaac sheathed his sword and approached Asher, who was on his knees, looking at the ground.


    "I am speaking to you, boy!" Isaac barked and stepped forward, but stopped stopped. His gaze softened as realized that Asher wasn''t conscious.


    [Congrattions... You have awakened a talent.]

 Chapter 244: Second Talent

    Chapter 244: Second Talent


    ?


    "He has been asleep for a week-right after attacking a convoy from Edom."


    Isaac clenched his teeth, ring at the young man lying motionless on the bed. The boy''s snow-white hair and pale skin were almost unnaturally pure.


    Lord Winter sat silently at the bedside, his expression unreadable as he gazed at Asher.


    "Is he really Kryos'' vessel?" Isaac asked, his tone edged with skepticism.


    Lord Winter released a deep sigh. "When I looked into his eyes before, I could see it. But now... I am not so sure. His body has undergone a unique transformation. His physique isn''t the same anymore."


    Isaac pondered his words momentarily before throwing a swift punch at Asher''s face. With the kind of force that backed the blow, it was enough for the punch to reduce Asher''s head into a paste-but before it could connect, ice erupted from the ground, blocking the strike. Isaac''s eyes widened. "Is this truly the unbreakable and unmelting ice of Kryos!" His voice trembled with astonishment as his pupils darted over the crystalline barrier.


    "Kryos'' talent is capable of protecting the host. Even if the boy is unconscious, you can''t harm him as long as he retains any battle force," Lord Winter exined, his eyes gleaming faintly.


    Isaac narrowed his gaze at Asher. "So... Kryos is back. It might be one of the greatest talents ever to exist, but right now it is trapped in the body of a weak, faithless human."


    Turning on his heels, Isaac walked away.


    Lord Winter''s voice fell into his ears as he reached the door. "He might not have faith in I Am, but his faith to resurrect hispanion is unwavering. Having faith to do the impossible, to hope for that which is not seen-by faith, it exists. That is no different from borrowing strength from I Am. He just doesn''t know it yet."


    Isaac paused, cing his hand on the door. "I don''t care whether he realizes it or not. He will bear the consequences of killing the rat beastmen."


    Without another word, Isaac left, leaving Lord Winter in silence. The old priest smiled and rose to his feet before walking towards the window.


    He gazed at the two moons hanging in the night sky and then at Asher through the corner of his left eye. "Rest while you can, Kryos vessel. The world will soon know of your existence and once they do... the old times will return. But for now, you are no longer a lord."


    A dayter, a man with short, snow-white hair walked into the lord''s office. Asher''s presence silenced the room as he met Isaac and Lord Winter.


    "Asher. You are awake."


    Asher nodded.


    "How do you feel?"


    "Normal."


    "The council has agreed on what would be your punishment. You did say you are not here as a lord."


    "I did. And that hasn''t changed."


    Lord Winter''s lips curled into a faint smile, noting that Asher''s stand didn''t change even in the face of a detrimental end. "Good. Here''s what we have decided: we want you to pretend there is another human faction out there that is intent on annihting beastmen. This should keep their fury focused elsewhere."


    Asher frowned. "Isn''t that focusing all their anger on me so that you can hand me over to them and appease them to save yourselves?"


    "This n became necessary because you killed a member of their royal family," Isaac said coldly.


    "I see."


    Asher rose to his feet, his movements deliberate yet unnervingly forceful. Instinctively, Isaac''s hand tightened around his sword''s hilt as he noticed a bit of Asher''s jarring force, forcing on the edge. Even though he knew that he was stronger than Asher, that force was just nerve-wracking!


    "I shall do as the council has said," Asher said calmly, "but I can''t fight whatever they would bring next on my own."


    "We know,'' Lord Winter replied with a soft chuckle. "A hundred men have been gathered to aid you. They shall prove useful in causing trouble to those rats."


    Asher merely raised an eyebrow. "Are they trained?"


    "They know how to wield a shield and a spear just fine. And to ease the burden, we shall also assign you Simon-a veteran, diamond-ranked knight. His vast experience should give him an advantage, even against a sacred knight."


    Asher looked at Isaac, who spoke. He felt it. Isaac''s hatred for him had grown and it seemed to be more than just because of his actions; even his fighting style seemed to be a problem to this hand of Lord Winter.


    "A small base has been prepared. Your men have been stationed there for days. You should hurry and join them-unless you want them to appoint someone else and relegate you to the rank of a foot soldier." Isaac said but Asher knew that although his words were harsh, the warning behind them was valid.


    Shortly after Asher left, he found Moses in the courtyard, feeding their horses while Cynthia gently stroked Bezerk''s mane. Their heads turned to him the instant they saw him.


    Asher, with his short snow-white hair and striking golden eyes, looked twice as handsome as before. If he was like a young count then, he now carried themanding presence of a young prince.


    His tall, powerful frame featured broad shoulders, a slim waist, and powerful legs strong enough to crush boulders, which was entuated by his leather chestte over his sleeveless shirt. Tight ck pants and sturdy ck bootspleted his attire.


    Seeing all this, Cynthia couldn''t help but look away, her cheeks flushing. Her body temperature couldn''t remain the same with him in her line of sight. Her grandmother''s words urging her to win the Lord''s affection echoed in her mind, but she pushed them aside.


    Knowing Asher, such an attempt would be suicidal-only Sapphira, the queen of beauty, had ever managed to get through his ice-cold heart.


    "Your Lordship!"n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Both of them dropped to one knee and greeted him, but Asher remained silent for a while before walking past them. "Stand. Do not portray your respect to such a magnitude in public again. Here, I am but a soldier."


    He caressed Bezerk and ran a hand along the horse''s mane.


    "My Lord, why are you not wearing a coat? And your arms-you are exposing so much of your


    skin!" Cynthia blurted, her voice tinged with concern.


    Asher''s eyes flickered, and a knowing smile touched his lips.


    "Because..."


    [New Talent Unlocked: Kryos, ''The Snow Wolf.'' Congrattions, Host. You have awakened a Zenith-ranked talent, one of the Sixth Star Order! Be warned-this talent is alive and carries the heritage of its previous bearers.]

 Chapter 245: The Hundred

    Chapter 245: The Hundred


    ?


    "Is he the one to lead the hundred?" A woman draped in dark blue fur asked the man standing beside her. Together, they watched Asher riding out of the stronghold with Moses and Cynthia.


    "He is," Anderson replied with a soft smile ying on his lips.


    The woman frowned. "Is it safe to send such a man to lead our men? He might influence them -he is a count, after all."


    Anderson chuckled softly and looked at the woman. "A count? Indeed, he was a lord but now... he''s just a soldier. He no longer gives orders; he receives orders from the council."


    Laughing, Anderson turned and walked away, leaving the woman alone, her gaze fixed on Asher as he galloped into the distance. She muttered under her breath, "A lord is a lord. It''s not a title that can be ripped away from those who are born to it."


    The woman''s brows furrowed as a thought crossed her mind. ''He''s a threat.''


    She made a whistling sound and from the shadows emerged a man, d in neat ck attire. Dropping to one knee, he addressed her, "Lady Naomi."


    Naomi was another member of the council and took the seat of the magician. She rarely attended its meetings because most of her time was consumed by her constant research.


    Also, being blessed by I Am, she had lived for over a century, delving into mysteries that few could fathom. Yet, in all her years of living, Asher was the first that made her feel so apprehensive.


    He wasn''t a dog that could be tamed. He was a wolf¡ªa wild and ferocious wolf!


    "Inform the one in charge of the food rations for this man and his hundred to reduce their supplies by 30 percent..." shemanded. "After all, unfed men don''t win battles."


    "As you wish, Lady Naomi," the man replied before vanishing as swiftly as he had appeared. Naomi''s gaze lingered on Asher until he disappeared over the horizon. For some reason, a name came to her mind just as Asher vanished from her line of sight.


    ''Kryos...''


    Her pupils shook. "That''s impossible!"


    An hourter, Asher reached a cleared space surrounded by thick bushes and towering trees. As he rode in with Moses, Cynthia and the escort sent to guide them into the camp, several eyes turned his way. All those gazes belonged to men whose physiques barely reached the standards of a recruit.


    They were all recruits who must have been taught how to wield a spear and shield for a week or two without experiencing an actual battle.


    When Asher came to this conclusion, his eyes flickered coldly. ''They told me these men can wield a spear and shield just fine. I never thought they literally meant each word!''


    Feeling outsmarted and deceived, Asher couldn''t help but clench his jaw. Even when he first took over as the lord of Ash Town, the army he led wasposed of hardened veterans, warriors tempered bybat and war.


    They had been fighting beasts each winter!


    After seizing him up, the hundred returned to their various activities-some chatting amongst themselves, some drinking or resting on their coats. A few merely wandered mindlessly.


    But one man approached Asher.


    "My Lord." the man said, bowing his head.


    It was Simon.


    Asher looked at him and revealed a tiny smile that couldn''t be traced to his eyes. "You were sent to fight with me?"


    He posed a question to get some information.


    "No, my lord," he admitted. "I volunteered to fight by your side. Actually, Lord Winter went to the main army to ask for those willing to join you and fight the Edomites, but no one was as willing to step out. Even I suspect we''re just a bait-fodder for the Edomites to vent their anger on and spare the stronghold for the moment in the process."


    Moses frowned. "What?"


    "For the moment, that''s what we are. So why did these onese?"


    Simon followed Asher''s line of sight to the hundred unorganized men garbed in thick fur cloaks with no armor.


    "These men are not what you think they are," Simon said, his voice heavy with sorrow. "All of them were once soldiers-knights of remarkable strength-until they lost a limb or suffered critical injuries, leading to the degradation of their knight bodies. And now all of them are no longer able to fight at my level."


    "What?!" Asher gasped.


    Moses'' pupils shook. "You mean these men were once diamond-ranked knights!"


    Simon nodded grimly. "Yes. Every one of them has ties to the temple or chapel. Whatever you want to call it. As believers of I Am, they stood valiantly to fight against those rats a decade ago even when it seemed like we were inevitably going to be annihted. Our poption dropped from over a hundred thousand to barely over twenty thousand. Those men... they are fallen heroes."


    Asher breathed sharply. "Fallen heroes? They''re not dead."


    Simon turned to him, his gaze weighed with meaning. "It''s not that. They might not be dead but the stronghold considers them so. Lord Winter sacrificed a decade''s worth of his lifespan to regenerate their lost body parts."


    Asher dismounted from his house, scanning the group of broken men. "These men haven''t wielded weapons nor donned armor in a decade and most of them just gained back their body parts, meaning theyckplete control over their bodies now. Their bodies have also degraded because of the burdens of their minds adjusting to a life they never wanted..."


    His voice grew colder.


    "...These men are worse than recruits."


    "But they''re believers of I Am," Simon argued, his voice rising.


    Asher''s sharp gaze turned to Simon. "So what? What difference does that make?!"


    The moment Asher said that Simon lowered his head. "You might have never seen or heard of a God before, but I Am... He is a God."


    Asher squinted his expression hardening. Naturally, since his soul came from the earth and since he wasn''t a believer in any of the supernatural, he carried skepticism. Even after he arrived here, his distaste for deities still stood.


    He could swallow it but not allow it as an excuse for burdening him with men who were clearly unfit for providing any help.


    The sound of footsteps interrupted his thoughts.


    Tapk! Tapk!


    A towering figure walked up to them. "You are the noble soldier from Ashkelon?"


    Asher breathed out, meeting the man''s gaze. "I am."


    "I am Levi," the man said, hisrge frame casting a shadow over Simon. He stretched his hand


    toward Asher.


    Asher shook it firmly. "I am Asher."


    Levi smiled finally. "Well, I heard you are our new leader. You look young, but age doesn''t


    determine who will be a leader..."


    He paused, his smile turning sharp.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "... strength does."


    A sharp gleam shed past Asher''s eyes. "Are you challenging my right as the leader?"

 Chapter 246: Cruel Training

    Chapter 246: Cruel Training


    ?


    Just then, a soldier tossed a spear to Levi. The man caught the spear mid-air and spun it so fast that it left afterimages and stirred a mini whirlwind!


    Swoosh!


    In an instant, Asher saw the spear''s tip hovering right before his nose.


    "Let me see your skills, white hair," Levi growled.


    Asher reached out for Euodias, but Moses stepped forward, stopping him with a firm hand.


    "Let me fight him. This man isn''t worthy of crossing weapons with you."


    Asher smiled faintly. "He is."


    Shing!


    When Euodias was unsheathed, the crowd''s eyes narrowed.


    "What a fancy de." Levi scoffed and twirled his spear before assuming a battle stance, his eyes locked on Asher like a bear eyeing a wolf.


    But Asher didn''t move. He simply stood in the same spot without assuming any battle stance, the tip of his sword resting lightly on the ground as he gazed at Levi without the slightest emotion.


    Soldiers began gathering in a dense circle, murmuring quietly. Yet no one spoke loud enough to interrupt the tension.


    Asher expected them to bash him with their words, but instead, it seemed like these men wanted to see their leader prove his worth-a reason to follow and obey him.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Levi charged forward, his spear a blur of motion and a menacing look. But, to Asher''s sharp eyes, the w in his movement was clear: one of the man''s feet was weaker than the other, clearly, it was the regenerated one.


    As Levi thrust the spear, Asher sidestepped with ease and wrapped his fingers around the shaft in one swift motion. Levi tried to pull it, but before he could react any further, he saw the triangr tip of Asher''s sword just an inch away from his neck.


    "You lose," Asher said, his voice calm but firm.


    He then sheathed his de with a decisive snap and looked around with a hardened gaze. "Does anyone else wish to challenge my authority?!"


    No one spoke much less raise their hands.


    Seeing this, Asher exhaled and then addressed the crowd.


    "Listen well. Our duty is to make sure we raid every convoy from Edom and kill all the rat beastmen. But we have to let them know that there is another party and make sure that they don''t link it to the Winter Stronghold."


    He breathed out and stepped forward, his golden eyes glinting.


    "So from now on, we shall bear the mark of the wolf. I will train you to my standard-my standard alone. Those who object can challenge my leadership at any time."


    The soldiers exchanged wary nces, their expressions a mix of scorn and doubt. To these fallen knights, Asher was still a kid spouting rubbish to look like a true captain.


    Unfortunately, they couldn''t have been more wrong.


    The Asher they faced wasn''t the soft-hearted lord who once sat on the throne of Ashbourne county. This man had be a cold-hearted swordsman who was determined to do whatever it took to force his way into the spirit world.


    And since the spirit world was like the hell mode of Tenaria, he had to train to his utmost and these men also had to endure the training to face the rat knights or they would be no more than a few extra kills for the rat knights.


    "Don your armor," Ashermanded. "Training begins now!"


    The first drill was grueling: soldiers thrust their spears into tree trunks, over and over again, until their arms screamed in protest. By nightfall, the soldiers marched back to camp, exhausted, someining and some harboring resentment towards Asher.


    Under the darkened sky, while everyone was doing their own stuff, Asher sat on a log with Moses and Simon before him.


    The orange glow of the mes burning between them flickered shadows on Asher''s face in an ominous light, making his bright golden eyes.


    At that moment, he looked more like a wolf-watching and waiting--ready to strike in the night.


    "My lord, many of them don''t like you. Don''t you think you went hard on them?" Simon asked softly.


    Asher met his gaze with unwavering intensity. "I don''t need them to like me. I need them to first be able to survive. In their current condition, they wouldn''tst against a rat knight. Those things wear full te armor, far stronger than mere steel. Meanwhile, what we have are sleeveless leather vests, spears and wooden shields. Even if the shields and the spear''s shafts might be made from ice wood, they are nothingpared to forged metal."


    Simon hesitated, unable to refute Asher''s harsh assessment.


    "Tomorrow, you shall scout the road. We can''t allow any convoy to reach Winter Stronghold."


    "I understand." Simon nodded, turned, and left.


    "Your Lordship, who shall keep watch during the night?" Moses asked.


    "I will."


    Moses blinked, momentarily speechless, but it seemed like Asher wasn''t kidding.


    After Moses and every other soldier had settled to sleep, Asher unfurled a leather scroll and began his practice. His movements were methodical yet intense as he kept swinging Euodias while also experimenting and trying new stances he hade by in the Shura Battle Force Art. His sword strikes were dominant, aggressive and unrelenting. He utilized this monstrous strength to gradually carve out his own unique fighting style, but this style opened his defence and also drained a lot of his stamina, putting immense strain on his sacred knight body.


    Although he wielded Euodias, his fighting style was simr to people who wielded greatswords.


    The de carved out blue crescent light in the darkness, as he kept moving, the glowing arches vivid against the falling snow.


    Hours trickled by, but Asher didn''t falter. He continued perfecting his footwork ording to the Art while sweat poured down his body!


    This was a crazy feat since it was snowing and his body''s internal heat resulted in constant steam leaving his body akin to smoke.


    Wrapping both his hands around Euodias'' handle, Asher unleashed a thrust that blew open the earth. The force cleared the snow, leaving a trench that was two meters deep and five


    meters long.


    His battle force circted around him briefly before vanishing. Breathing heavily, he sat crossed legs, meditating on his training.


    As his focus deepened, a familiar presence materialized before him.


    "Asher," came a voice tinged with bittersweet emotion.


    He opened his eyes to see Atticus, his expression a mix of pain and concern.


    "You are hurting yourself in the name of training," Atticus said, his voice heavy with regret.


    When one trained the body to the extent that it hurt badly yet ignored it, that fellow was on his way to disaster.


    This was because none of them ever lived long. A living example was... Torah Ashbourne!


    "Lord Atticus," Asher replied, his gaze shifting to the white wolf lying on top of a boulder looking at him. Looking at that wolf, all Asher could see was Sirius.


    "You''ll end up bing Zorah if you do not stop," Atticus warned.


    Asher ignored the plea. "Do you know how a mortal can walk in the spirit world?"


    Atticus''s tone sharpened. "Asher! You are drowning yourself in anger and self-me! You will lose what makes you an Ashbourne-the unyielding heart of a warrior!"


    But Asher turned his back to him and began to walk away. "You''re of no use to me. Send me


    back."

 Chapter 247 Paladins

    Chapter 247 Pdins


    The moment Asher opened his eyes, he saw all hundred soldiers staring at him, their eyes wide open in shock. Following their gazes, he spotted the massive ditch he had inadvertently created when training. He then exhaled sharply.


    Rising to his feet, he issued amand. "Moses, make sure everyone is fed. Training begins immediately after that."


    Without another word, he turned and walked away.


    Levi frowned as he approached Moses and Simon, his brows furrowed with unease. "What could turn that kid into¡­ that?"


    "Loss," Simon said softly, his voice tinged with weariness.


    "It''s not for you to know," Moses interjected firmly, turning to face Levi.


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 Chapter 248 First Battle

    Chapter 248 First Battle


    When Asher returned to the camp, he gathered the hundred soldiers before him and epted the system''s notification.


    Swoosh!


    A brilliant light enveloped the group and when it faded, Asher''s eyes narrowed as the scene before him. Each soldier now wore a basic set of gear: a metal helmet with a fan-shaped crest, ayer of scales over their leather vests, vambraces and knee guards. The upgrade was as minimal as it could ever be.


    Asher was a bit puzzled. These were supposed to be diamond-ranked soldiers. Was this truly their limit?


    Levi stepped and clenched his fist. With two powerful strides, he leaped over ten meters into the air, his hair fluttering until hended right before Asher.


    Seeing this Asher blinked in surprise. He recalled that after bing a diamond-ranked knight, Alex could only manage a seven-meter jump. But Levi had jumped an entire three meters more!


    "White hair," Levi said with a smirk, confidence evident on his face. "Care for a challenge?"


    Asher raised an eyebrow. "Let me see what you have learned."


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 Chapter 249 Naomis Animosity

    Chapter 249 Naomi''s Animosity


    Winter Stronghold!


    Clip! Clop!


    Asher rode into the stronghold, nked by Moses and Simon. As they entered the city, all eyes turned to them, mostly because of Asher''s striking appearance and then to the sight of the armor they wore.


    One nce and anyone could tell they were no ordinary travelers. Asher, their leader, had remarkable features, looked like a figure out of legend¡ªhis chiseled features and white hair gave him the air of a prince, and while the other man beside him also had white hair it wasn''t as white and it was longer than the leader''s. A ck eyepatch covered one of his eyes and a massive axe was strapped to his back, an unmistakable symbol of prowess!


    Simon, the third, looked far more ordinary¡ªexcept to those who recognized him as a captain. So being a familiar face to many in the city, his presence alongside the other two fueled curiosity and spections among the crowd.


    "I see you''re back with your white-haired friends. How was the woods?!" a soldier called from atop the wall, his voice thick with mockery.


    Laughter rippled through the guards, but Simon simply responded with a warm smile.


    "It was quite refreshing, actually," he replied.


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 Chapter 251 The First Men [2]

    Chapter 251 The First Men [2]


    "In the beginning, no race possessed special talents, nor could we control the elements. All we relied on were our archaic weapons, brute strength and natural racial traits to fend off beasts, farm and survive. That was the First Age."


    Lord Winter sighed, his gaze lifting toward the altar. Asher followed his line of sight, curious, as if Lord Winter could see the era he spoke of.


    "In that peaceful age, all races knew the Creator, whose name was I Am. They built temples to please him. But I Am did not want to conflict with his creations, so he left us to our own devices. One fateful day, however, he was pleased by four brothers ying near a temple¡ªa temple nestled in the heart of the Dragon Lair Mountains, where the dragons once dwelt. Out of love, I Am blessed them."


    "Humans lived alongside dragons?" Asher raised an eyebrow in disbelief.


    Lord Winter nced at him with a faint smile. "No. At that time, those mountains were called the Endless Mountain Range. Dragons had not yet been created."


    Asher''s eyes widened, his pupils trembling. He couldn''t believe the idea that humans were older than dragons!


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 Chapter 252 The First Men [3]

    Chapter 252 The First Men [3]


    After a moment of processing everything, Asher frowned deeply.


    "But the current rulers of the High ins are the Galvia Empire and the Sacred me Empire. The Eternal Immortal Empire was destroyed centuries ago, yet you''re saying they''ve existed for thousands of years, not hundreds?"


    Lord Winter chuckled softly. "After the death of the brothers, the next age began¡ªthe Glorious Age. After the brothers, I Am realized that retrieving talents from mankind alone would never give them a chance to repair the world, so he sent another messenger: the Soul Scroll."


    "Divine abilities like those of the four brothers were never seen again, but the Soul Scroll reshaped the flow of energy, which marked the beginning of the split in talents. In the First Age, a man could move mountains with his body alone. Now, Battle Force has reduced such power to mere gifts¡ªlike the ability to turn your arms into stone."


    Lord Winter rose up to his feet, his expression grave.


    "The funny thing is that the Glorious Era also ended because all the races once again fought for the right to sovereignty, forgetting that they weren''t the world''s creator. This time it destabilized the Magi force, splitting the mana into three, Battle Force, Magi Force and Abyss Force, which brought the fall of the mages and the rise of the Dark Age in the year 2300."


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 Chapter 253 One Human

    Chapter 253 One Human


    For two relentless weeks, Asher trained his men with minimal breaks. After lifting ice boulders, they began hauling massive piles of tree trunks¡ªsome of them carrying the same amount of load a truck from modern Earth could! One of such some was Levi.


    It had been a month since Levi joined the Hundred and now, although his muscle mass hadn''t visibly increased, his strength and endurance had grown by several folds. With a single thrust, he could topple a treerge enough to be wrapped around by three men. A stomp could lift him over 12 meters into the air and his stamina had reached a monstrous level.


    They marched from dawn till nightfall and toiling from dawn to nightfall endlessly. There were times when Levi thought he might just copse and die from exhaustion, but he didn''t¡ªnot with Asher watching, ever-present and unyielding.


    The men feared their captain''s ominous force. Looking into Asher''s eyes was like staring into the eyes of a giant ravenous wolf that was ready to devour them whole at any moment.


    Now, all hundred of them were marching up a steep hill, dragging piles of tree trunks strapped to their bodies with thick ropes. Levi gritted his teeth, sweat trickling down with each greuling step he took.


    He dropped to his knees, panting heavily when he heard someone getting closer. Turning his head, Levi''s eyes widened.


    It was Simon¡ªdragging a pile of trunks evenrger than his own! Simon barely spared him a nce before walking past, his movements calm and steady.


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 Chapter 254 The Transcendents

    Chapter 254 The Transcendents


    The remaining spiders lunged forth as two pink-horned rats raised their hands. Two massive trees, lifted off the ground by an unseen force, hurtled toward Asher. In response, Asher swung his sword with blinding speed, unleashing crescent crimson arcs of energy.


    The trees were cleaved into three pieces and the remaining spiders copsed to the ground, blood spilling from their bodies and staining the pure white snow.


    "He killed 50 gold-ranked trained beasts so quickly! It''s a shame that we can''t capture him," Ivar sighed, a cruel gleam shing in his eyes. In that moment, Asher dashed toward them, his sword poised low.


    During the past two weeks, Asher had discovered something peculiar about Kryos Frost¡­ It didn''t possess a weaker form, like water, nor was itposed of hydrogen and oxygen atoms as he had learned on modern Earth. Kryos Frost wasn''t a substance, it simply formed out of energy.


    And the energy coursing through his body wasn''t a battle force anymore!


    It was mana!


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 Chapter 255 The Empire Will Rise

    Chapter 255 The Empire Will Rise


    From the eagle''s vantage point high above the snow-covered forest, the scene unfolded below¡ªa procession of three carts nked by over twenty horsemen. Each rider wore a heavy coat draped over a steel breastte, their movement calm and deliberate as they moved beside the carts loaded with goods concealed beneath blue coverings.


    The eagle''s gaze sharpened, focusing on the man at the head of the procession, riding a majestic white horse. Beside him rode two figures of distinction. One was a striking woman dressed in a flowing purple gown¡ª Ruth Nethaneel, the famed genius researcher and intellectual pride of the Eternal Imperial City. A monocle rested on her right eye, gleaming in the pale sunlight.


    The other was Lucas, a trusted advisor and confidant to the man on the majestic steed. This man was none other than Aaron Nethaneel, the Second Highness!


    The soft smile on Aaron''s face hinted at his confidence as his eyes remained fixed on their destination¡ªa snow-capped mountain surrounded by dense trees, several kilometers from the Imperial City.


    "I heard Count Asher Ashbourne has fallen," Aaron remarked as he raised an eyebrow and nced at Lucas.


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 Chapter 256 The Achilles

    Chapter 256 The Achilles


    "It''s him!"


    The soldiers on the walls of Winter Stronghold gasped, their eyes fixed on the man with short white hair, riding a muscr ck-and-red horse galloping on the snowy ins. nking him were his loyal aides, Moses and Simon, both d in sleeveless scale-leather vests that left their scarred, muscr arms exposed. These were the marks of countless battles against rat beastmen and the feral beasts in the forest.


    They wore a cloak, lined with fur at the shoulders, to offer them minimal warmth against the biting cold. Yet, they had long since learned to endure such hardships. It was the first week of the second month of the year, only five days since the battle against the rat beastmen army, but the tale of Edom''s humiliating defeat had spread like wildfire.


    Among the human ves in Edom, whispers carried the story and soon the news travelled to the ears of some smaller human strongholds in hiding.


    Above that, almost everyone in Winter Stronghold knew of the battle since those who went to deliver rations returned with tales of the news. Seeing the man who they said could conjure unmelting ice from thin air and defeated 500 Obsidian knights, along with 10 noble rats, with nothing but a band of 100 men wielding wooden weapons.


    Now, seeing him approach, the soldiers were struck in awe.


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 Chapter 257 300 In Training

    Chapter 257 300 In Training


    Hourster, Asher rode into the pdin camp, his horse''s hooves crunching softly against the frost-covered ground. Around him, pdins were busy doing one thing or the other, but their movements stopped as their attention turned to the group of 240 men trailing behind him.


    These neers were veteran knights from Winter Stronghold, yet the expression of the pdins who had their arms crossed made it clear that they considered these knights too weak.


    A few knights felt offended at the silent judgement, but their irritation faltered when they saw Levi enter the camp, dragging an enormous pile of tree trunks behind him effortlessly.


    "Is¡­ he a human? Beast? A minotaur, maybe?" one knight murmured, wide-eyed.


    Asher''s eyes flickered at thement. It reminded him of the discussion he''d had with Lord Winter before departing the stronghold. Apparently, they had discovered another human stronghold but it was smaller than theirs and was plunged by a serious issue.


    A beast problem.


    Although the old man had wanted to borate, Asher had insisted on waiting until he had trained his men first. That stronghold wasn''t his priority. His priority was making sure these 300 were upgraded to advanced-level pdins and preparing them to face the Edomites.


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 Chapter 258 Two Months

    Chapter 258 Two Months


    Two months passed in the blink of an eye, but to the pdins, those two months hard-earned them a grueling transformation. They had trained relentlessly, pushing their bodies until the very fiber of their being was torn apart and rebuilding them stronger each time, until their physiques rivaled the toughness of sacred-ranked beasts.


    It was well known that sacred-ranked beasts boasted bodies far stronger than their knight counterparts. Yet now, a single pdin could match the strength of five scared-ranked knights!


    At this moment, 300 men d in steel breasttes over their sturdy leather vests knelt on one knee at the edge of a cliff. Their armor was simple yet robust: shoulder pauldrons, white bicep wrappings, steel vambraces and leather fingerless gloves.


    But unlike the scenario from thest battle, these men wore crimson masks.


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    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 261 Eden

    Chapter 261 Eden


    Eleazar''s eyes narrowed. "We both know your skin has been hardened by force to the extent that my talent can''t work on you."


    The Scarlet Order Knight grunted. "Your honest reply has guaranteed you a swift, painless death."


    Without saying any other word, the Scarlet Order Knight closed the gap, swinging his longsword with a deadly arc, aiming to cleave Eleazar into two.


    Eleazar blocked the strike by raising his shield and then thrust his spear forth with all his might. But to his shock, the Scarlet Order Knight tilted his body in such a way that the spearhead deflected off his pauldron!


    The armor was left with a slight scratch but that timely deflection allowed the Scarlet Order Knight to swing his sword upward. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Just as it was about to strike, a light blue hue wrapped around the sword, stopping it in its tracks and allowing Eleazar the chance to escape the dangerous situation.


    ''He hasn''t even unleashed his battle force, yet he''s a Scared-ranked warrior like me! Is this what the Edomites have achieved with their advanced armor technology?''


    Eleazar didn''t have time to continue his thought as the Scarlet Knight lifted his sword, its de glowing with a grayish-white light.


    Realizing the rat knight was about to use ''Output'' Eleazar also gathered his force into his spear and thrusted it forward, his mouth wide open as a fierce yell forced out of his lungs.


    Imbibed with his talent, the spear collided with the sword and both the opposing forces erupted into blinding light as they shed violently.


    Then, Eleazar noticed what seemed like the intricate designs on the scarlet armor light up. The Scarlet Order Knight seemed to be pulled off the ground by some unseen power.


    Or that was what it seemed to him.


    In truth, the knight had jumped but the dense amount of force pouring out of him made it seem like the earth had imploded and thrown him off it!


    "Die!"


    The Scarlet Order Knight roared as he shed his sword downward, unleashing a massive crescent-shaped sword light.


    Eleazar was about to raise his shield when the flutter of cloaks carried by the wind fell into his ears.


    The scarlet knight also heard it, but it was toote.


    Puchi!


    A spear pierced through the knight''s sturdy breastte from behind, emerging out from the front while converted in his bright, red blood. With practised ease, the spear was pulled out and Levi flicked the blood off his spear with one smooth motion.


    Around him stood ten other cloaked pdins, simr to Eleazar, and one could only see their masked heads.


    Levi chuckled. "I admire your talent, I truly do, but sometimes brute strength is all you need."


    Eleazar scowled. "They must have sensed the force spikes from our fight. Has the main force struck the gates?"


    Levi turned briefly as if he could look beyond the tall walls.


    "Soon. We should locate the rest of the ves before it bes chaotic," Levi replied, ncing at the fallen Scarlet Order Knight before following Eleazar to the battered young ve.


    Meanwhile, on the main gates of Tachmon, the knights stood at full alert. Their eyes fixed on the short white-haired man standing openly amid tall trees about a kilometre away.


    "It''s Achilles," the rat knights whispered to each other.


    "I heard his appearance means the pdin will follow soon," another muttered.


    A captain snorted. "That man is the one who made Commander Ivar retreat? A tiny human that I can squash like a bug?"


    The captain chuckled as he considered his size. At 7 feet tall, with impressive muscles to match and d in an armor that weighed a ton!


    He stood like a titan among the mortals.


    "Shut up." A voice came from behind, freezing the captain in ce. It was Ivar''s voice!


    The captain''s bravado crumbled. Trembling, he stepped aside, relinquishing his position. Ivar strode forward, taking his ce atop the wall overlooking the gate.


    "Kryos vessel," Ivar''s voice sharp andmanding, rang out. "It pains me that you have chosen to side with a feeble race. You will have to die for your choice¡­ unless you change it."


    Empowered by force, Ivar''s voice went far. But he received no response from Asher.


    Ivar''s eyes narrowed. "Crossbowmen. Kill him¡­"


    Then, almost as an afterthought, he muttered softly. "¡­if you can."


    The captain standing behind him heard the faint mutter, his eyes widening.


    Swish! Swish! Swish!


    Thirty knights unleashed their Star-breaking crossbows in unison, the bolts streaking toward Asher like falling stars.


    But a wall of ice erupted from the ground and blocked the bolts.


    The bolts barely scratched the surface, and were unable to even lodge into the ice!


    "What is that ice made of?!" one of the knights muttered in disbelief.


    Swoosh!


    Asher moved. Drawing his de, Euodias, he then dashed forward with a speed that made him a blur. The crossbowmen fired desperately, but Asher was unstoppable. He deflected some bolts, shattered others, and evaded the rest, his Kryos frost shimmering with each moment.


    At a certain point, it was obvious to Commander Ivar that the weapons that had kept their adversaries at bay for all this long were now useless against this foe.


    His eyes narrowed.


    "You are strong, Achilles," Ivar called out. "But even then. You barely know much about your talent¡ªthat''s your weakness."


    As he spoke, his body began to shift. What seemed like horns grew out of his head and back, but they weren''t horns at all. They were his rat hair which were stronger than steel and as malleable as molten iron. Those hairs moved like tendrils behind him.


    In the next moment, they writhed, elongated with a hiss. They shot forward, closing the gap hundreds of meters between Ivar and Asher, but another ice wall erupted to stop them.


    CRACK!


    The tendrils smashed onto the barrier, leaving spiderweb fractures in it.


    For the first time, Kryos ice cracked!


    "I knew it," Ivar said, a grin tugging at his lips. "Your ice has not reached the stage where it is unbreakable. This also means it can be melted."


    Commander Ivar chuckled as he turned to his knights. "Knights of the Scarlet Order. Come, let us rid Edom of this stubborn gue."


    Together with 60 Scarlet Order Knights, Commander Ivar charged out of the fortress gates, heading towards Asher with his halberd gleaming under the sun.


    Asher stood motionless, his golden eyes glowing with cold intensity at the sight of them. Without a word, he began to walk toward them, the tip of his sword dragging against the earth.


    "Achilles you havee to die!" Ivar roared, unleashing his talent once again, causing those horn-like tendrils to shoot out once more.


    But this time, Euodias crackled with azure light, streaked with lightning.


    sh!


    Asher swung his sword horizontally in a broad arc, unleashing his ice offensively through the de of his sword.


    When it met with the tendrils, they were severed clearly, causing Commander Ivar to let out a groan of pain.


    Asher''s eyes flickered with resolve.


    He assumed a proper battle stance and gripped Euodias tightly. Then, he spoke a word, one that made Commander Ivar''s bones grow cold.


    "¡­Eden."

 Chapter 263 Dothan Forces

    Chapter 263 Dothan Forces


    Tapk! Tapk!


    A silhouette could be seen emerging from the fog, its steps slow and heavy, each movement expressing its struggle to walk.


    His breath was rough andboured. His armour was riddled with so many holes that it could barely be considered an armour anymore¡ªmore like a collection of scraps on his body at this point. And from the holes in the breastte, one could see the skin.


    It was enough to make one wonder. What could have pierced steel but left the flesh unscathed? Or did his battle skill heal him before the wounds could bleed to death?


    His cloak hung in tatters, and a vicious cut across his left eye still bled, a crimson streak marking his weary face!


    His sword dangled by his waist, swaying with his uneven steps.


    His golden eyes flickered with life when he spotted the cloaked men armed with spears and shields approaching him through the fog.


    "Captain?"


    One of them called out, his voiceced with concern.


    Asher recognized the voice immediately¡ªit was Eleazar, the youngest of his lieutenants.


    Upon hearing that, Asher copsed to one knee, groaning deeply. He nced at the gash on his right thigh, his eyes narrowed.


    "Captain!"


    His men rushed to him, some kneeling to examine his injuries.


    "You fought for an entire day. How are you still standing?"


    Levi had to ask because he simply couldn''t believe what he had watched unfold from dawn to dusk! Those two were like monsters in his eyes.


    The destruction they wrought had left half of Eden in ruins. Sword marks over a meter deep could be found in different ces on the ground!


    "I want to rest," Asher muttered, spitting those words as though even uttering them was exhausting. Forcing himself upright, he waved off Eleazar and Moses, who were about to support him. The two froze in their tracks, respecting his unspokenmand.


    Enduring the pain and ache, Asher began to walk, his steps painfully slow. His men exchanged nces knowing that he was going through lots of pain, yet none of them understood why he refused help, even at this point when his body screamed for it.


    Moses''s eyes moistened as he watched his captain''s back. He recalled the time when this man once led his fierce troops against the Bashan ns. Back then, Asher was always nked by hismanders.


    Asher wasn''t alone even now, but as Moses watched the back of the man walking into Tachmon fortress, he realised Asher had pushed away all these people to live in his pain.


    So far, it had strengthened him beyond what he would have achieved in the county but there were side effects.


    "Clean up."


    Moses ordered before turning toward Eleazar and added, "Follow him."


    Eleazar nodded and trailed after Asher.


    When Asher entered the fortress, the pdins bowed their heads in deference, but the ves¡ªover a thousand of them¡ªshrank away, distancing themselves with apprehension written all over their faces.


    The moment Asher nced at them from the corner of his right eye, some fell on their knees, sweat pouring down their brows!


    What they felt from him wasn''t likeable at all. He wasn''t the kind of lord around whom people, even children, would mour.


    For a split moment, a memory flickered¡ªwhen he first met Nero. The thought lingered, then faded as he turned away and resumed walking.


    Eventually, he found a room. Lowering himself onto the bed, he stared at the ceiling, his mind a swirl of unspoken thoughts. Slowly, his eyelids grew heavy and he drifted into the embrace of sleep.


    _____


    The sharp echo of hurried footsteps reverberated through the hallway as a worried man paced back and forth, his expression etched with tension.


    Asher froze in astonishment as he saw a more refined, matured version of himself standing at the far end. This older version of himself was d in luxurious clothes, made of a kind of silk he had never seen before, exuding an air of undeniable authority.


    Although this was just the hallway, it looked more grand than any of his castles in the county.


    The regal version of him had snow-white hair cascading down to his shoulder des, and a wolf-head pauldron adorned one of his shoulders.


    At that moment, a woman approached him with rapid strides. Upon seeing her, Asher immediately recognized her¡ªKatarina, the dreamer and the ruler of Ashkelon.


    "It''s a male child, my lord," she announced, her voice steady yet filled with an undertone of excitement.


    Both Asher¡ªthe regal version of himself and the present one¡ªhad their eyes widened. Filled with curiosity and faint dread, Asher followed Katarina and his older self until they entered a grand chamber.


    Inside, a striking woman sat on a king-sized bed, her slender back exposed as she cradled a crying infant in her arms.


    Just as she was about to turn, Asher''s vision blurred and the next moment a pair of golden eyes snapped open to see a dark room, faintly lit up by a candle.


    Hu~ Hu~


    "I¡­ it''s just a dream!"


    Asher gasped, his chest heaving as he struggled to calm his racing heart. Rising from the bed, he leaned against a brick windowsill and gazed out at the fortressndscape.


    Walkways stretched between the walls, designed to allow soldiers to be deployed at a greater speed in times of attack, caught his eyes.


    It also made the fortress stronger than any he had seen. Ordinary trebuchets would be powerless to break through the fortress'' outer defences!


    While Asher thought, his mind drifted back to the dream and his expression grew solemn.


    "A child of mine? ¡­ that''s impossible."


    The image of the woman''s exposed back made his brows furrow. Just a nce at her naked back was enough to weaken his resolve, and what seemed like a flicker of warmth stirred in his heart, a faint glimmer of light that he couldn''t extinguish.


    He shook his head, a bittersweet smile forming on his lips.


    _____


    The next morning, a procession of ves stretched out like a snake from the fortress gates, nked by pdins on either side.


    Almost all of them were focused on Asher, the man at the forefront.


    "So that''s the Achilles," a ve in histe fifties murmured, his voiceced with doubt. "He doesn''t look like the monstrous fighter I heard about."


    Upon hearing the words, the young boy beside him¡ªwho had led the pdins to the dungeon¡ªchuckled.


    "You''re naive. He''s worse than the rumours. Didn''t you see the ice forest on our way out?"


    The man nced back at the ice forest on the horizon. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "So?"


    "He made it in a twinkling of an eye and killedmander Ivar within."


    The man''s face paled and his voice trembled. "W¡­ what?"


    The young former ve frowned. "Where have you been all this while?"


    "Quicken your pace!" a pdin barked, his voice stopping their exchange.


    _____


    Two dayster, a woman donned in leather armour that exposed her abdomen and thighs stood before Tachmon Fortress. A polished helmet with two curved cow horns crowned her fiery crimson hair, which fluttered in the wind as she surveyed the imposing stronghold.


    Beside her, over three thousand Donath warriors awaited hermand.


    She was none other than Zilphah Sier, the renownedmander of the Dothan forces!


    Her crimson hair fluttered as the corner of her lips curled upwards.


    "So¡­ it wasn''t just a rumour. Kryos is truly back."

 Chapter 265 Into The Spirit World [1]

    Chapter 265 Into The Spirit World [1]


    One of Asher''s golden eyes shone with a resplendent blue light, casting an eerie glow. Seeing that, blood trickled slowly down Lord Winter''s lips to his chin.


    "Ack!¡­ An Awoken one!"


    The energy emanating from Asher was so overwhelmingly hostile that Lord Winter almost sumbed before his talent deactivated, snapping everything back to normal.


    Instead of the ruthless figure from his vision, he saw a short-haired Asher squatting before him with a glint of concern flickering in his eyes.


    Those were the same golden eyes that bore no reflection of humane emotions toward him and as hard as steel were impably soft and kind at the moment.


    It wasn''t that Asher didn''t exude his hostile force butpared to the overwhelming presence of his future self, the force he exuded now felt nothing more than a casual breeze.


    Looking into Asher''s eyes, Lord Winter let out a resigned sigh. ''Child¡­ what happened to you?''


    In all honesty, a part of him wanted to create as much distance as possible between himself and Ashher, driven by an instinctive fear. But hispassionate side kept him rooted.


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 Chapter 268 Into The Spirit World [4]

    Chapter 268 Into The Spirit World [4]


    ''I can''t even move a finger!'' Eder''s resolve faltered.


    At that moment, the crushing weight of Asher''s force vanished entirely, making it seem like Asher wasn''t even there, but Eder knew better. This young man before him was showcasing his mastery, of a skill that most could only dream.


    It was another mastery apart from ''Output.'' It was Shrouding, an ability to hide one''s energy or at higher mastery, hide that energy while also using it to hide yourself!


    It usually took a decade or more for even the talented people to master Shrouding. Asher, however, had sped up the process to a time of mere three months, training like a man unable to feel pain. All this was fueled by the pain of Sirius''s death. The result was a perfection of the craft that defied logic!


    Eder exhaled deeply. "I see now. You''re not just a noble¡ªyou''ve mastered a profession."


    "Do we have a deal?"


    Eder rose to his feet. "Your strength will be useful in fighting the Kraken so how can I refuse that?"


    _____


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 Chapter 270 Into The Spirit World [6]

    Chapter 270 Into The Spirit World [6]


    "But my lord!"


    "It''s fine, Alex. A true knight would not go back on his word but we can rest on the Ten Monument Ind, right?"


    Eder chuckled softly. Hearing this, other knights dropped their hostility but Jed''s fury rose. "Sir Eder, you''re clearly in no state to move for the next few days! Why¡ª!"


    Screee!


    A piercing scream tore through the air as a massive whirlpool formed beneath the ship. Tentacles burst out of the water, wrapping around the ship''s hull as the Kraken emerged from the water, more furious than ever, its grotesque form looming right next to the deck.


    "My God¡­" Merari stammered, paralyzed by the sight of the gigantic beast so close.


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 Chapter 273 Into The Spirit World [9]

    Chapter 273 Into The Spirit World [9]


    "Goliathsgrave!" Eder gasped, his breath escaping in an icy mist. His eyes were fixed on the towering mountain range, its jagged peaks framing a V-shaped mountain pass¡ªthe entrance to Goliathsgrave.


    Merari swallowed hard.


    "It¡­" he stammered, staring at the lifeless ck mountain, its soil barren and devoid of even the smallest trace of life. A heavy air of destion and misery lingered over thend, prompting some of them to tighten their grips on their weapons.


    A thick fog covered the mountain pass, obscuring whaty beyond it.


    As their ship came to a stop, Asher and the others disembarked into a smaller boat, rowing toward the dark shore of the Goliathsgrave. The moment they stepped onto the ckened soil, their expressions became slightly apprehensive.


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 Chapter 275 Into The Spirit World [11]

    Chapter 275 Into The Spirit World [11]


    Lamech''s voice¡ªthe chief of the White Lotus¡ªkept ringing in Asher''s ears for exactly 86,400 seconds.


    Now, he sat on the ckened soil, his head hung low, his arms resting on his knees while his hands dangled limply.


    His posture was one of defeat.


    Meanwhile, Alex paced about the wooden cell, watching the spirit beasts go about their business.


    Almost all of them were able to speak, but that was hardly shocking¡ªhe had watched it for an entire day.


    "Time is running out."


    Asher said, finally breaking the silence.


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