《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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 Chapter 276 Into The Spirit World [12]

    "You''re a stubborn mortal. I said leave!"Lamech''s roar sent a gust through Asher''s hair, making it flutter. Yet, the response he expected never came. Instead, Asher looked straight into his eyes without flinching.


    But what truly shocked Lamech wasn''t Asher''s defiance¡ªit was the towering man, standing behind him.


    The man was 7 feet tall and had long snow-white hair that flowed down to his waist. He was draped in a robe with a simple cloth wrapped around his waist, his bare feet pressed against the blackened soil.


    His facial features were too beautiful to behold¡ªmarred only by a deep scar across his face.


    The living talent!


    The man behind Asher wasn''t just a guardian. He was Asher''s very talent¡ªmanifested into a form, shielding him from dangers that even Asher himself hadn''t sensed. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''His talent actually lives!''


    And right now, it stood behind him.


    "You are Kryos'' vessel!" Lamech''s voice dropped, his once-commanding aura flickering.


    Asher felt a palm press against his back. He turned and froze. His eyes widened at the sight of the tall, handsome, white-haired man smiling at him.


    "You''ve been trying to kill yourself ever since we met, Master. Can you stop?"


    "You''re Kryos?" Asher asked.


    The spirit shook its head. "Kryos was my first master. You are the fifth."


    Lamech''s voice rang from behind. "You need your force¡ªretrieve it now."


    The spirit nodded. "He''s right. I am made from your mana and will continue to absorb it as long as I stand. Your current self cannot sustain me for long."


    Lamech snorted. "Stop being polite. You can''t sustain him for even a whole minute!"


    The moment Asher heard that he retrieved his energy and the spirit vanished into nothingness.


    After that, he looked over his shoulder, his gaze locking onto Lamech.


    "Plans have changed," Lamech declared. "Others can leave. You will not."


    _____


    Below the vast skies littered with countless stars shimmering ever so softly stretched an endless expanse of blackened soil.


    In this desolate place, one could see something massive stirring.


    On a closer look, a giant serpent lay coiled, its jet-black scales gleaming faintly in the starlight. Its head rested atop its own coiled body.


    In this form, it gave the illusion of a small hill!


    Suddenly, this creature that seemed to be in a deep slumber lifted its eyelids, revealing a pair of crimson irises that burned like embers.


    A forked tongue flickered as it parted its mouth and ushered a soft, feminine voice, deeply enticing and unremarkably familiar to those who were privileged or cursed to hear it.


    "You''re all here."


    Belial, the legendary snake rumoured to have swallowed a dragon, had spoken.


    Before her stood three formidable beasts¡ªher trusted generals.


    Kirin, a dark-maned lion.


    Scar, a scarred white wolf.


    Loki, a four-eyed eagle.


    "You summoned us so abruptly. What is it that could have bothered the queen?" Scar, a wolf with three grievous marks on its left eye, matching the talons on Loki''s feet spoke coldly but respectfully.


    "Watch your tone, General Scar." Loki squinted at Scar, a glint of anger flashing through his sharp, steely eyes.


    Kirin merely glanced at the two generals before bowing to Belial. "You called for us, My Queen."


    Belial squinted, her gaze gleaming with pleasure. "My eyes in the air have spotted something miraculous."


    The delight in her eyes deepened.


    "Humans."


    "What?!"


    Loki, the oldest general, was shocked to his core. Kirin and Scar merely frowned. They didn''t see the importance of this news.


    Humans? Aren''t they weak and pathetic?


    Belial lifted up her head. "The White Lotus has taken the humans in their custody in the Forest of Shadows. But this time, I won''t let them have their way."


    The glimpse of Ithamar she had seen through the bird''s eyes made Belial''s heart tremble. Her undeniable rule over Goliathsgrave could be broken with that cursed sword!


    "Scar, you have the largest army. Gather your wolves and lay siege to that forest until every last one of those White Lotus is dead. Loki and Kirin will support you with their entire forces."


    Uncoiling herself, Belial added, "And I will be there."


    Those words made a great impact as they fell into the generals'' ears.


    "Finally¡­" A murderous glint flickered in Loki''s eyes.


    "I would love to taste human meat. What about you two?"


    Kirin chuckled. "I prefer feasting on Lamech''s corpse."


    Both turned to Scar, but he was already walking away. Even until he left their line of sight, Scar didn''t utter a single word.


    While the Red Moon was preparing for a devastating assault¡ªone where Belial, the beast almost none of the White Lotus had ever seen, was planning to take the field¡ªAsher stood against Lamech in a distant forest, far from where the community was.


    Lamech had informed him that Belial must have learned about him and Ithamar through the birds in the skies and she would without a doubt march for the forest.


    The reason behind it was that Belial was a mythical beast with an ability to enchant. Over half of the beasts in Goliathsgrave had fallen under her spell!


    And unfortunately, among them¡­ was Sirius!


    Once a proud warrior of the White Lotus, Sirius had lost against Loki, fallen under Beliar''s enchantment and been transformed.


    From the White Lotus to the Red Moon, Sirius eventually became their general!


    And now he was known as Scar, the general with a great wolf army, a former ally of the White Lotus who had taken more lives than any Red Moon general, who had never identified with the White Lotus.


    In simple terms, he was a friend turned enemy who had done worse than a long-time enemy!


    Now, Asher stood before Lamech, his sword drawn out.


    "Come at me."


    Lamech''s voice boomed.


    Swoosh!


    Asher lunged, assuming the heavy sword stance. He closed the gap in an instant and unleashed a swapping horizontal cut.


    Lamech deflected it with the spike protruding from his forelimbs¡ªbut Asher wasn''t done. After that cut, he followed with a vertical downward slash.


    Lamech closed his eyes.


    And when he opened them, his gaze sharpened into a glare.


    ''So many openings!''


    With a brutal swipe, he slammed his right forelimb into Asher''s chest causing his ribcage to crack and cave inward!


    Yet that wasn''t all, Lamech followed up with another strike to Asher''s face, shattering his skull!


    Boom!


    Asher''s body crashed through a tree, then slammed into a second one. Enjoy more content from My Virtual Library Empire


    Zillah who was watching this from the sidelines screamed at the top of her lungs.


    "Lamech!! He''s just a human!"


    "No! He''s Kryos''s vessel! He bears one of the four most powerful talents in existence in his body¡ªyet he fights like a fool!"


    Zillah''s pupils trembled as she stared at Asher''s state.


    Wasn''t¡­ the human already dead?!

 Chapter 277 Into The Spirit World [13]

    After a grueling week of intense training under Lamech without being able to see anyone and constantly teetering on the verge of death¡ªAsher progressed at an outstanding pace.Finally, after a week, he sat cross-legged, a fine sword planted firmly into the soil beside him as Lamech approached.


    "Come. Let me see what you have learned today."


    Asher rose to his feet, opening his eyes and wrapping his fingers around the hilt of the fine steel sword while his gaze locked on the white bear.


    Swoosh!


    With a light tap of his foot, he closed the gap between them in an instant, unleashing a slash that appeared horizontal at first glance but was slanted to a subtle angle to seal off any openings!


    Lamech squinted in approval before blocking the strike and lunging for Asher''s throat. His attack was swift and effective, but Asher''s footwork granted him an undeniably stunning agility.


    Before Lamech could follow through, Asher had already shifted to the right and had unleashed a horizontal cut while moving forward.


    Lamech breathed out white mist as he slapped the sword away, momentarily losing his balance due to poor positioning. Rising onto his fours, he breathed out again¡ªthis time, a thicker, frost-laced mist.


    His eyes narrowed.


    Asher had entered a new threshold. A realm where he no longer needed to release his frost deliberately but could let it flow naturally within him!


    This meant that although there was no ice in sight, the sheer cold radiating from him would inflict unbearable pain on those nearby¡ªsometimes even freezing them solid!


    Even Lamech, an ancient-ranked mythical beast, felt the chill!


    ''This monster¡­ I had no expectations that he would master it in just one week¡ªlet alone transform his entire fighting style!''


    While speaking inwardly, Lamech watched Asher shift his stance, his sword tilting downward.


    Then¡ªhe moved.


    He burst forth, unleashing a swift cut that sliced through the air, immediately followed by a clenched fist. The moment Asher''s knuckles touched Lamech''s shoulder, jagged ice spread outward.


    Had it been anyone else, the frost would have pierced through their flesh, killing them instantly. But Lamech''s hide was far too tough.


    "You''ve done well." Lamech nodded, watching Asher slide his sword back into its scabbard.


    "Focus on refining your cut¡ªmake it sharper, strong. Belial''s army will soon be at our doorpost."


    Asher tilted his head. "What about Sirius? Even if piercing his heart with Ithamar can restore him, how can I do it when I can''t wield the sword?"


    "When the time comes, I shall be there to assist you."


    Hearing that, Asher nodded and walked away with Lamech.


    _____


    Deep within the Forest of Shadows, a rowdy camp of humans gathered, some leaning against trees while some were perched on the branches above.


    "It''s been a week since I saw Asher," Eder muttered. "Last I heard, the chief of the White Lotus has been training him."


    The others turned to Alex, who had been training with the White Lotus ever since Zillah warned them of the impending war.


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    "Are we going to fight with those beasts?" Mahil asked, his eyes shifting to Eder.


    "We have no choice," Eder replied.


    "Would you prefer leaving when a mythical creature¡ªone that is capable of enchanting and taking over your consciousness¡ªalready knows about your presence?" David sighed.


    "The birds in the skies are its eyes," Jesiah added, staring at his sword. "We can''t escape being seen."


    "Then why would that bear train Asher and not us all?" Jed scowled. "What makes him so special? Just because he is a lord?"


    A tense silence fell over the group as everyone looked at him with varied expressions.


    Jed barely had the time to react before Alex spoke¡ªhis voice eerily calm.


    "Jed¡­ I do not appreciate the way you speak to my lord." His tone was ice-cold. "And I have made up my mind¡­ to kill you"


    The moment those words came out of Alex''s mouth, all eyes were fixed on him.


    Witnessing the cold glare Alex gave to Jed, Eder was certain that the man wasn''t joking.


    "¡­If you don''t plead for forgiveness."


    Shing!


    "Come and make your lord proud, loyal dog!" Jed unsheathed his sword, pointing it at Alex''s face.


    Alex responded in an instant. His sword swung upwards so fast that Jed barely had the time to react. Stunned, Jed stumbled backwards, swiveling as he swung his sword horizontally in a desperate counterattack.


    Swish!


    Alex touched his cheek, his eyes narrowing upon the sight of his bloodstained fingers.


    Boom!


    His wings sprouted, this time as if made of pure gold and a radiant halo formed above him, radiating formless pressure that filled the air.


    His black eyes revealed a bright golden glow and his fiery energy erupted around him, enveloping the entire place.


    "W¡­ what!" Eder stuttered, his eyes wide open.


    The others also could only stare, unable to believe the transformation that had unfolded before their very eyes.


    Was this Alex''s true form all along?!


    The sheer force radiating from him was overwhelming. Even Eder, the strongest among them, felt humbled by the overbearing force. One moment, Alex was hovering in the air¡ªthen, in the blink of an eye, they found him right before Jed.


    As their swords clashed, Alex''s sword cut through Jed''s like it was paper. Before Jed could retreat, Alex''s head smashed into his skull, sending him flying 100 yards away.


    Eventually, he crashed into a tree with a loud thud, causing the branches to shake and leaves to fall on the knight.


    "So you''ve been holding back all this while," Jed spat, staggering to his feet, only to see Alex standing right before him once again with his sword poised at his abdomen.


    "One more word, and you die."


    Jed stiffened.


    "Alex, that''s enough," Eder spoke with an amicable tone.


    The others, even David who believed himself second only to Eder, stared at Alex in silence, his expressions amid as Alex overflowed with golden-coloured force.


    In this state, Alex was too glorious to be considered a mere human.


    How could someone like him be loyal to a man as young as Asher? Was there more to him than his strength?


    While the knights grappled with these thoughts, elsewhere in the desolate part of the forest, Asher was seated cross-legged with his eyes closed, alone.


    His mere presence caused layers of frost to appear on the ground, tree trunks, branches, leaves¡ªeverything within 100 yards around him!


    His mana flared out in a dazzling mix of gold, white, blue and crimson glow.


    He had mastered internal absolute zero!


    Anything or anyone 100 meters around him would freeze almost instantly. Even if they were knights with strong bodies, breathing the air in this space would be painful and gradually their organs would also start failing from the creeping frost.


    At a certain level, the cold became extremely unbearable. Agonizing.


    This was that level.


    This was Asher in his new rank.


    The Saint Rank!

 Chapter 278 Into The Spirit World (Final Battle 1/3)

    From a forest densely populated with tall trees, Lamech emerged with some bears, staring at the horizon that was packed with thousands of growling wolves!Ahead of them stood a 7 foot tall wolf which had pure crimson eyes, powerful legs, lethal looking claws that gleamed like the blades of a dagger and a cold, almost frightening look.


    One of this wolf''s eyes had three marks. This made it hard for the wolf to open that eye, which is the left, properly. For this, the wolf could be mistaken for a one eyed beast!


    About 20 meters to Scar''s right, stood Kirin with several beasts of different species behind him, all ready to pounce on the White Lotus.


    Loki was perched to stop a boulder, his gaze as piercing as ever.


    "Red Moon has gathered their entire army. This battle might be the deciding battle for the ruler of Goliathsgrave."


    Zillah said softly. She was currently behind Lamech.


    Lamech''s grave tone fell into her ears. "I would have been relieved if we had to face her generals and her great army alone, but¡­"


    His eyes began to glow as lightning crackled over his body. "...She also came."


    "What?!"


    Zillah exclaimed. Just then, a giant snake revealed her large head. Although she was behind the massive army and her body couldn''t be seen, the size of her head could be captured vividly.


    "It''s been a while, dear Lamech." Belial spoke, her enticing voice spreading far.


    Lamech snorted. "Your tricks won''t work on me."


    Belial squinted. "Oh, I know. I am not here for you but for the sword. Give it to me and I''ll let your little group live."


    Although there was a gap of about 1000 yards between them, their voices were loud and clear.


    "If you wanted just the sword, you wouldn''t have gathered your army and you, especially wouldn''t be here."


    Lamech''s eyes met with Belial''s at that moment and he watched the snake hiss.


    "Kill them all."


    Roar!


    Kirin ushered a reverberating roar, one that made the tree leaves in the forest rustle and all of them rushed down the hill, into the valley of blood.


    Although this valley that was in-between both armies was called the valley of blood, it was pitch black instead of red.


    However, it had the carcases of several beasts, big and small, a tale of past wars.


    Roar!


    Lamech lifted his forelimbs, exposing his canines as he roared. Almost instantly, his form changed.


    He became a bear with two legs! His forelimbs transformed into arms with gleaming claws, the fur around the top of his head and neck grew and formed thick braids attached to golden rings at the bottom.


    Crackle!


    Lightning crackled on his mighty form. The spikes protruding from his elbow, and back here longer and we''re glowing as if charged with lightning.


    The atmosphere around Lamech changed but he wasn''t the only one who changed. About a dozen bears behind him also transformed into bulky humanoid bears.


    This was no doubt, a beastman form. The famous war state of the guardians of Imperial Cyrenia, a state distinct to a dangerous species¡­


    The Volibears!


    "White Lotus, charge!" Lamech pointed at the thousands of wolves and other beasts rushing towards them.


    Zillah suddenly became three, and all three had one tail each. With elegance and ferocity, she raced across the field, hundreds of beasts on the side of the White Lotus racing beside and behind her.


    On the backs of some beasts were the knights while Alex flew above them, his form like a golden beam, streaking through the air.


    High above the White Lotus was Lamech who had launched himself into the air. His eyes were covered in lightning and a great amount of lightning crackled outside of his body, connecting his body to the ground like tendrils.


    He opened his palms which had sharp claws at the end of the fingers and jammed them together.


    Thunderclap!


    Lamech performed that battle skill the moment he landed in the midst of the Red Moon army and a great explosion occurred.


    All that was left around Lamech was scorched land. None of the beast left a corpse! S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He opened his hand, allowing lightning to form what looked like a spear.


    Bronte Akontion!!


    (Translation: Thunder javelin.)


    Lamech threw it toward Belial but an ape appeared in the way and a mighty explosion occurred.


    Only the legs of the ape survived the impact as both it and beasts around were scorched until their bones remained!


    Belial hissed.


    She looked around the battlefield but couldn''t spot the one with Ithamar.


    Without care of the beast that gave its life for her, she hissed.


    "Where is the human with white hair?!"


    Deep inside the forest of shadows, Asher scoffed when he saw Belial searching for him. Right beside him stood a black panther, his height which had a crystal horn. Your journey continues with My Virtual Library Empire


    This mythical beast had a unique ability which was the ring on the ground that displayed the ongoing war.


    Right now, he squatted before this massive portal, watching Alex and the knights combat beasts.


    Lamech had asked him to stay back, stating that he was a crucial factor in the battle and his mission was to wait for the right time to engage Scar.


    While thinking about his mission, Asher looked at Sirius.


    "You have changed." He said with a bittersweet smile as he recalled people stating that he had changed.


    How funny was it that he was saying the same to his wolf.


    He watched Sirius, engulfed in ominous crimson flames burn hundreds of White Lotus and pierce a greater number with ice spikes.


    Watching it rain havoc on the battlefield, Asher took a step forward but Night, the black panther''s voice held him back.


    "Asher! It''s not time yet!"


    Asher ground his teeth. The more Sirius killed, the greater the hate towards him.


    If he allowed this to continue, won''t the people that were supposed to aid him turn against him?!


    Boom!


    Asher''s eyes widened when he saw Loki kill a hundred White Lotus, by shredding them to pieces with its control over the air.


    A formidable cry left its beak as it landed on the corpse of a leopard and locked its gaze on Merari who fought beside a Bow-Horned Bull!


    ''Human!''


    Loki''s four eyes narrowed in delight.

 Chapter 279 Into The Spirit World (Final Battle 2/3)

    Belial lifted up her head and hissed. Formless ripples left her mouth and instantly, over a thousand White Lotus turned against their comrade!The tide turned in favor of the Red Moon, and with Scar, Kirin, and Loki, the Red Moon''s advantage grew larger and larger.


    "Belial!" Lamech stormed towards Belial, his eyes filled with fury and hatred. Leaving death in his wake, he seemingly became more scary than Belial at that moment.


    "How pathetic." Belial snorted, and at that moment the eyes of a Volibear beside Lamech became crimson.


    Normally, Belial could not enchant these Volibears because their mental resistance was too strong but now that her men were dying in hundreds, she had the space to break through the mental barrier of one Volibear.


    Just as Volibear swung its right arm, aiming to rip Lamech''s throat, Lamech grabbed his arm and flung him over 500 yards away!


    Dust rose as he slammed the earth several times. He is also slamming some beasts in the process.


    Seeing this, Belial squinted. "Such cruelty to your own kin."


    While watching Lamech decimate her men and close the gap between them, Belial remained calm and nonchalant.


    "You have left the one whom you are supposed to protect because of your hate and anger. Unfortunately, this act benefits me massively."


    Indeed, as Belial had said, her army gained more ground.


    In the chaotic valley, Merari pulled his sword out of a blood horse. He could feel a cold gaze so he turned, his eyes widening as he beheld Loki licking his beak.


    "I bet you will taste better than wolf meat." Loki chuckled.


    Dread fell on Merari. He found himself struggling to lift up his sword-wielding arm. It almost felt as if his arm was tied to a boulder but it wasn''t; he could tell this was fear incited by Loki''s presence.


    He watched Loki spread his massive wings and fly toward him but as his talons came down, a tigress slammed Loki.


    Both beasts crashed and a fearsome brawl that raised a thick dust fog began. As Merari scrambled to leave the premises of the spreading fog, he saw the tigress fly past him and crash on the ground, bleeding heavily.


    Seeing that this imperial-ranked beast had countless wounds from the eagle, Merari''s knees buckled.


    With slow, deliberate steps, Loki walked out of the fog, his eyes filled with ridicule and slight anger as he gazed at the human and the tigress.


    Loki ignored the wound on one of his wings and dashed toward the tigress but she was too agile.


    Yet, her agility was no match for his perception. Though, he couldn''t hit her directly, he could hit where he predicted she would go.


    Knowing this, Loki swung his right feet, his three claws cleanly cutting through Zillah''s doppelganger''s abdomen!


    The tigress struggled but succumbed to the bleeding and Loki slammed her head to the ground but refused to remove his feet from her head.


    Turning, he glanced at the human who couldn''t even stand.


    "Remain there." He spat.


    "Why?"


    Loki was shocked to hear the man speak. Right then, Merari rose to his feet, his eyes bloodshot.


    He brandished his sword. "A knight is trained to fight and die with honor." He revealed a bittersweet smile.


    "Come¡­ I want an honorable second death."


    He shot forward and unleashed an upward slash.


    Loki snorted and waved one of his wings and a fierce gale sharp enough to slice through boulders swept past Merari. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Loki sighed. "I forgot I wanted to eat him whole. Nothing remains of him¡ª!"


    Seeing the ice that appeared out of nowhere, Loki''s eyes widened. All of a sudden, he felt the temperature drop and it kept dropping at a fast pace.


    Almost instantly, white mist came out of his nostrils!


    Alarmed, Loki gazed at the human who had snow-white hair squatting on top of the ice wall that defended Merari.


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    His cloak had lots of holes, probably from the gale but he remained unhurt.


    With eyes brighter than gold and more attractive than amber, a cold, almost furious expression, and two swords strapped to his waist, this human made an impression that marveled Loki.


    Asher''s hair wasn''t as short as before. Now, it almost covered his eyes and had also reached the back of his neck.


    He wasn''t in a world where a comb existed. Neither was he in his position as a lord or his hair would have been combed all backwards and that would have brought out his impressive facial structure.


    His presence alone caused the beasts, foes, and allies to roar and scream as the cold was causing them pain.


    Sensing the commotion caused by his presence alone, Asher shrouded his force so much that it seemed as if he had become a gold-ranked knight!


    Loki''s head went backward while his eyes widened. Shock was written all over his face as he beheld this monstrosity before him.


    Removing its feet from Zillah''s doppelganger, Loki faced Asher.


    "I see you are Kryos'' vessel and the wielder of Ithamar."


    "I am."


    White frosty mist left Asher''s lips as he replied and rose up. His hand went to his sword.


    Shing!


    As the last part of Asher''s sword came out of the sheath, Loki''s claws were before him! With a burst of force, Asher leaped into the air, raining crescent sword lights on Loki.


    Loki countered the sword light with his wind gale.


    "Hehehe, I never thought I''d face an incarnation of the great Kryos. Digging into your flesh will satisfy my thirst for centuries!"


    Loki swung his wings but Asher zigzagged his way through the gale and swung his sword downward.


    It hit Loki''s scaly feet and sparks flew. Asher hissed and quickly chose to improve by throwing an upward punch.


    Although the punch was thrown into the air, the jagged ice that rose up from the ground pierced through Loki''s already damaged wing, causing the eagle to scream out of anger.


    It opened its mouth and spat condensed air¡ªit had the shape of a javelin and Asher didn''t even have time to respond as he was about to cut off Loki''s wing.


    Puchi!


    Blood splattered on the blackened soil.

 Chapter 280 Into The Spirit World (Final Battle 3/3)

    Puchi!The condensed air, in the form of a slightly transparent javelin, opened a hole in Asher''s right thigh as it flung him some meters backward.


    Loki squinted. "Your Kryos frost might be powerful but the element of air is superior!"


    It lunged forth, about to chomp down on Asher but he held its beak with both hands and for the first time, Loki screamed.


    It could feel the ice spreading into its body, painfully hardening its internal muscles. Loki shook his body with all his might, struggling to throw Asher away but he remained stuck to it.


    Asher''s golden eyes became like those of a predator, causing Loki''s eyes to sink.


    "Let me go!"


    He flung his head upward, throwing Asher into the air. Midair, Asher''s eyes became pure white and a woman clad in crimson armor appeared.


    Shing!


    She unsheathed her swords, the plume on her helmet dangling as she cut off Loki''s wing and planted the other dagger into Loki''s abdomen!


    The general screamed but received a heavy blow from Asher, who borrowed the momentum of his fall to slam its head.


    Boom!


    Loki''s fall made the dust of the earth rise. Ariel lifted up her swords to pierce through Loki''s head but she sensed a dangerous presence behind her.


    Swiftly, she turned and crossed her swords in a defensive posture. Seeing that the attack she expected did not come, Ariel squinted, staring at the huge white wolf calmly staring back at her.


    "Sirius." Her eyes shook.


    Grr!


    Sirius exposed his tooth as he began to growl. In a blink of an eye, he was already before her. Unfortunately, his claws were deflected by her swords and he received a knee blow to his jaws and without an opportunity to rest, there came a crimson sword light!


    Sirius burst into flames and unleashed a torrent of crimson flames from his mouth but a wave of force protected Ariel.


    She stood in the midst of the flames, undeterred and in a calm state of mind. Just as she was about to move, Asher''s palm held her right shoulder.


    "He''s mine."


    Both of them stared into their white eyes for a brief moment. Ariel finally nodded.


    Swoosh!


    Asher dashed toward Sirius, his mana completely unveiled. His extreme cold doused Sirius'' flames to the extent that the already burning flames became warm to those around!


    Growling, Sirius dashed toward Asher. Never did they ever imagine that a day would come when they would be against each other in a battlefield.


    Never did Asher imagine he would raise his sword against Sirius nor did Sirius think of nurturing a murderous intent for his master.


    Slanted, jagged ice rose from the ground and made him stuck, allowing Asher to sheath his sword.


    Ice covered his right and left arms, from the shoulder down to the fingers. His knuckles were fortified to deal piercing damages and Sirius felt it from the punch Asher landed on the right part of its face.


    Howling in pain and rage, Sirius increased his size from 7 feet to 9 feet, breaking the ice in the process.


    ''Sorry, buddy.''


    Asher said. Right then, the knights appeared, throwing chains around Sirius and exerting their power.


    Asher remembered using this tactic when Sirius underwent one of his painful evolutions. Then, gold-ranked knights held him but not eight knights, most of whom were sacred and saintly, struggled to keep Sirius in place.


    "He''s about to grow again, pierce his heart!" Eder bellowed.


    ''He''s moving too much. If I try that and miss, Sirius will die.''


    With this in mind, Asher took the chains held by Mahil and Mushi, the weakest amongst the eight, entwined them, and dragged them with all his might.


    Boom!


    His monstrous strength forced Sirius to tilt downward but the wolf struggled with all its might even as the chains damaged its limbs!


    "It''s mad!" Jed gasped, thinking of letting go and fleeing as Sirius was slowly overpowering them.


    Asher scanned the battlefield, searching for Lamech only for him to find the Volibear engaged in a battle thousands of yards away with Belial.


    The explosions of their battles alone changed the terrain! Lightning and thunder fell like the rain yet Belial had the upper hand.


    Maybe¡­That giant snake had actually faced a dragon, won against it, and even swallowed it!


    Averting his gaze, he saw Ariel floating midair inside a windball.


    She flew toward him, her eyes cold and emotionless. Stretching forth her right arm, her palm folded inward and Sirius faltered.


    Ariel had used her blood control on his heart!


    This gave the knights the opportunity to tighten their hold. Sirius also felt weak, causing his size to reduce until he was about 5 feet.


    Hatred boiled in its crimson eyes as it glared at the human standing right before it. This human was none other than Asher.


    Asher pulled Ithamar from its sheath and instantly, his fingernails became hardened claws, as did his right arm turn crimson.


    But it stopped there for Ariel placed her palm on his back, resisting Ithamar along with him. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lifting the blade, Asher plunged the entire blade into Sirius'' heart!


    "No!"


    A scream came from far away. Without a doubt, it was from Belial!


    With his teeth clenched and his eyes filled with hope, Asher pulled Ithamar out.


    Both his eyes, Ariel''s and that of the knights, widened with disbelief when they saw Ithamar had no bloodstain and there was no wound on Sirius!


    "What kind of sword is that?!" Jed muttered to himself.


    Ariel vanished with a soft smile hidden under her crimson helmet.


    "We did it." Merari fell on his knees.


    However, in that moment, a pressure higher than any they''ve faced fell upon them.


    It was Kirin, Belial''s undefeated general!


    Alex looked at Asher, who was on his knees after sheathing Ithamar. That cursed weapon had taken a great toll on his lord''s mind.


    "I''ll hold it back. Take His Lordship away and keep him safe until Sirius awakens."


    Alex rose into the air as he ordered like a true BloodBlade for the first time since he arrived in the spirit world.


    "Alex¡­"


    Asher gazed at him. Alex smiled. "You must live for everyone waiting on the other side."


    With a single flap of his wings, Alex was far away from them.


    Crackle!


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    A lightning spear flew past Alex. Unfortunately, Kirin grabbed the spear with his sharp tooth and crushed it!


    This dissolved the thoughts of valiantly facing Kirin from the minds of the knights as they considered doing as Alex had said.


    It took more than bravery to face Kirin. And an undying loyalty was greater than casual bravery.


    "Is this foolishness or an insult?" Kirin thought. Alex''s figure reflected in his pupils, the same pupils that had seen Volibears, which he had slain and ripped their heads off.


    The earth imploded as Kirin shot forward, clashing with Alex''s sword! The impact sent Alex crashing into the ground.


    He looked at Asher, who forced himself to his feet and his conviction grew stronger as faces of those in Ashkelon flashed through his eyes.


    "Take him away!"


    Ignoring the pains of his aching body, Alex assumed a proper stance, unleashing his force to its limit.


    "Argh!"


    They clashed again and he was pinned to the ground with a tremendous shockwave spreading outward along with a violent wave of dust.


    Grr!


    Kirin looked down at the bloodied human who didn''t consider that he had no proper armor.


    "Die!"


    Just as he was about to smash Alex''s head, a golden lightning bolt fell from the sky, causing Alex''s body to arch as his eyes turned pure gold!


    A giant golden phantom, one that had massive wings crackling with lightning and a gleaming white apparel, stood behind him.


    Kirin with eyes as wide as saucers stared at Alex, whose hair had turned golden, his skin whiter than snow and a formidable energy erupted from him.


    Boom!


    It was as if the entire world quaked, lightning flashing on the surface of the earth and eradicating over 30 percent of Belial''s army!


    "The awakening of another messenger¡­!" Kirin couldn''t believe his eyes because the man before him had evolved into the very same being that¡­


    Killed the First Men!


    He had become¡­ A messenger of God!

 Chapter 281 Awakened Volibear Hide

    Loyalty, this seemingly well-known term in Boundless, was a severe sense of commitment and dedication from a servant to a lord but there comes a certain point where even a god is impressed.Alex''s loyalty had reached that point. It had transcended a point where he had completely let go of everything, including the honor of his service and in return, he gained what countless spirits and mortals yearn for.


    Becoming an immortal!


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    After flying right through Kirin, Alex hovered, looking at the charred corpse that couldn''t be recognised as the great black mane general.


    His celestial presence was fleeting as he kept ascending. His eyes remained on Asher''s until he vanished into the starry sky, leaving Asher with nothing but a stunning status panel.


    [Name: Shomer M''el (Guardian from God)


    Age: ???


    Rank: ???


    Talent: ???


    Loyalty: 100 (+1!)


    Job: ???]


    A little smile appeared on Asher''s face. "What a spectacular way to escape this infested world." He spat, feeling glad that Alex would no longer be stuck in the spirit world alone and also a bit sad that a friend was gone.


    Maybe one day, they would meet again but for now, all he could say was¡­


    "Thank you."


    While saying that, Asher looked at the thousands of beasts, Shomer M''el, whose mortal name is Alex had slain.


    All three evil generals were dead, and the generals of the White Lotus were greatly injured but in exchange, they slew thousands, reducing Belial''s army greatly.


    Asher looked at Ithamar with great respect in his eyes. He was a Saint Ranked Swordsman and yet, Ithamar consumed his stamina!


    At his rank, he could fight for a week straight and still walk out breathing fine yet this frightening sword had absorbed all that stamina in one gulp!


    And this was with the aid of Ariel Ashbourne, an imperial-ranked knight!


    Asher couldn''t imagine the horror of what would have happened if it had been him alone resisting Ithamar''s spread.


    A foreign thought came into his mind, one that wasn''t from him!


    The interruption only meant one thing!


    Sirius had awakened!


    Turning, Asher gazed into Sirius'' crimson right eye. The left couldn''t open properly.


    It seemed like Shomer M''el did more than just kill their enemies, his energy also quickened Sirius'' recovery.


    After all, he was taken over by Belial for months.


    Sirius approached and lowered its head and Asher touched the wolf''s head with his own. "Did you kill her?"


    Asher chuckled. Hearing Sirius speak was unusual but the question he asked made him feel amused.


    Sirius still didn''t forget Black Rose!


    "I did."


    As he caressed Sirius''s head, the wolf became transparent and entered into his heart. Without being told, Asher knew it had gone to the mortal world.


    Releasing a weak yet relieved sigh, he turned, his eyes dilating at the sight of Belial slithering away from the battlefield.


    "Where''s Lamech?"


    ¡­


    Asher stood amongst the other beasts, like Zillah, the Moon-chasing wolf, Night, and some others, looking at Lamech.


    The Volibear sat on the tree trunk, where it usually sat. Although it''s been hours since the war, Lamech did not revert to his normal bear form.


    He remained in his war state. And from Night, Asher realized the moment Lamech left his war state, he would die.


    His tough hide was scarred at different places with grievous wounds inflicted by Belial that couldn''t heal.


    It was said that wounds caused by Belial inflicted much pain like thorns pressed into an open wound!


    Yet, Lamech''s face remained stoic.


    "Young Ashbourne." Lamech faced Asher with a soft human smile. Now that his face was restructured, he wasn''t limited to showing expressions with his eyes.


    "You have less than four days remaining. Your mortal body would begin to reject your spirit if you do not return."


    His deep voice fell into Asher''s ears.


    Asher revealed a bittersweet smile.


    Seeing this Lamech chuckled. "You don''t know how to return. Hahaha, is this bravery or foolishness?"


    Although he laughed, Asher could see Lamech was dying.


    "All the imperial Volibears are dead. We didn''t expect Belial''s powers to have grown to such an extent but he''s greatly wounded now."


    "His forces are also severely weakened." Zillah added.


    Lamech responded with a nod. "Come, Asher."


    Asher walked up to the bear who rose as he approached.


    Lamech placed his index finger on him¡ªhis hardened claws pressed against Asher''s head.


    "It''s time."


    A white mist left him and entered Asher. In a blink of an eye, Asher discovered Lamech had reverted to his normal bear form while he was strangely taller and had white fur all over.


    He had thick braids attached to golden rings, long claws that could cut through steel, overwhelming power running through his veins and a visually stunning outlook.


    Right now, he looked like a Volibear in its war state. The only difference being he still had clothes on.


    [Ding! Host has gained a third talent: Awakened Volibear Hide!]


    This was a talent similar to his brother, ¨¢th¨¢natos Immortal Ragnarok Hide, a talent that both made his brother powerful and undying!


    As he clenched his fist, lightning crackled on the surface of his bulging muscles. He looked at the two long braids that ran down his chest, almost reaching his waist!


    His claws, which seemed as if they were created from blue crystal, crackled with lightning while one of his eyes glowed so bright that blue mist drifted off it.


    He didn''t have spikes protruding out of his elbows and shoulders like other Volibear but his own war state looked even more imposing.


    [Talent grade: First Order Zenith!]


    Hide talents were talents that covered the human with an empowered physique created by the talent host''s force.


    Meaning that Asher didn''t transform into a bear as if injured greatly in this state, his actual body would be seen.


    It was like wearing a living suit of armor!


    Asher squatted, staring at Lamech''s lifeless body. His hide retracted into his body, and he began to dissipate until he vanished completely.


    His journey in the spirit world had come to an end.

 Chapter 282 All Eyes On Ashbourne County

    A young woman whose well-shaped, beautiful face carried a smile filled with longing sat on a couch¡ªarms on the windowsill, eyes slightly quivering but fixed on the raindrops trickling down the glass.Explore more adventures at My Virtual Library Empire


    It was drizzling outside and from this high vantage point, she could see people inside this massive castle going about their activities.


    Her long gray hair cascaded down to her slender waist, slightly revealed by the gown she wore, which revealed a good section of her back. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Since she wasn''t going out, Mary saw no need in dressing conservatively. The joy she once had when she arrived in the Dukedom of Mormonts vanished after the news of her brother''s death and the tales of the wonders of the Ashbourne territory.


    The Evergreen olive oils became sought after so hungrily because over a hundred thousand civilians in Ashbourne County had advanced to the bronze rank without training for one day!


    These were people who were doomed to remain as ordinary iron-ranked civilians! When nobles heard of such a miraculous oil, they began to purchase huge quantities for themselves but Ashbourne County had shut down sales and closed their borders.


    For the past two months, no one had heard of anything other than the ongoing war on the Great Dividing Wall.


    It was said that Count William had gathered the forces of the Wildlands and sought to claim Ashbourne County, starting from reclaiming his city, Tiberias.


    Mary recalled Asher''s looks when he sent her off and her eyes moistened.


    It was recently that she understood the burdens of a noble because now that she was the last member of the Ashbourne household, the eyes of ravenous noblemen were on her.


    Several nobles, from viscounts and counts in Mormonts and beyond, were after her hand in marriage¡­ all to claim the county for themselves.


    And the Mormont household restrained her from escaping to Ashbourne County because of the ongoing war.


    Knock! Knock!


    Mary turned toward the wooden door. She stepped down and approached the door, wrapping her hands around the knob and pulling the door inward.


    Standing out was a castle guard clad in gambeson.


    "My Lady, your presence is requested." The guard bowed his head.


    Mary sighed. "Wait, let me put on a cloak."


    ¡­


    Boom!


    "Lady Mary Ashbourne has arrived!" A guard declared as the doors were pushed open and Mary walked into the dining hall, her luxurious cloak dancing behind her.


    Seated on the long dining table were Yuna, Kohath, and Lady Jessica.


    Mary noticed the possessive light in Kohath''s eyes and his supposed gentlemanly smile, which gave her goosebumps.


    Lady Jessica, Kohath''s mother and the Duke''s second concubine, smiled amicably. "Come, dear, sit beside me."


    Yuna pulled the chair beside her. "I brought her into this castle."


    She glared at Lady Jessica. Clearly, Lady Jessica wasn''t her mother.


    Mary''s shoulders came down, a sign of relief as she sat beside her friend. They both smiled at each other before averting their gaze to the sumptuously prepared meals carefully arranged on the white linen-covered table.


    While slicing the steak on a white plate, Kohath cleared his throat.


    "Have you considered my request? A union with a marquis such as I will guarantee the rise of your household."


    Mary squinted and Yuna dropped her cutleries. "Do you want to force her to marry?!"


    Kohath smiled. "Little sister, you are protected by us but Lady Mary has to make a choice to keep her household alive. The count has had great success so far and would soon conquer the Great Dividing Wall if she doesn''t make an alliance to strengthen the Ashbourne domain."


    Yuna frowned.


    "I''ll speak to the Duke. I''m sure he''ll be able to help."


    Kohath chuckled. "Go on then." The confidence in his eyes made Yuna apprehensive.


    "Dear, don''t you want to help build from where your late brother stopped?"


    Lady Jessica tilted his head, her tone soft as she gazed at Mary''s conflicted face.


    "My brother¡­" Her eyes flickered as she recalled his expression and gait. "... Can''t be dead."


    Lady Jessica''s expression changed abruptly while Kohath slammed his cutleries on the table.


    "It''s all over, Tenaria. Even the newspapers in the Sacred Flame Empire have had it as their main topic for months and do you know why?"


    Kohath got up. "Because he was killed by a top assassin and every soldier in his castle was wiped out. His death was the most dishonorable death recorded in the history of nobles since the New Age!"


    Mary ground her teeth but refused to utter a word.


    "If you refuse to be of use to this household, we cannot guarantee that we shall continue to shelter you."


    "You do not speak for this house!" Yuna retorted furiously.


    Kohath ignored her. "I''ll say this one more time¡­ Your brother, Count Asher of Ashbourne County, the white wolf, is dead and buried! He rots while we speak!"


    Kohath turned heel and left.


    ¡­


    Thousands of kilometers away, inside the walls of a temple, a man whose eyes have been closed for almost a month opened them.


    His vibrant golden eyes shone.


    This man was none other than Asher Ashbourne, the white wolf of the north!


    He blinked.


    The first thing he saw was Sirius lying before him and below the altar were Lord Winter and Isaac conversing.


    "Lord Winter."


    Hearing his voice, both men turned toward the altar.


    "Y¡­ You''re alive?!"


    Asher raised an eyebrow. "Was I supposed to be dead?"


    Lord Winter shook his head and began to laugh. After Sirius possessed the wolf they caught and they watched the body transform until it looked exactly like how Sirius was in his spirit form, they expected Asher to awaken, but his life force kept depreciating.


    An hour ago, they considered him dead but because of Sirius, no one could go remove his body.


    And to their greatest surprise, the man they considered dead was speaking.


    Isaac''s pupils dilated when he sensed Asher''s force. "Not only did you traverse the realm of the dead but you also came back stronger. What are you now, Achilles, the man who has walked the land of the dead?"


    Sensing recognition in Isaac''s voice, Asher smiled, stunning both Lord Winter and Isaac. The Asher they knew barely smiled and when he did, it wasn''t the good type.


    Asher caressed the sleeping wolf. "It''s time to return to the confines of the throne."

 Chapter 283 Have It In My Palm

    When people saw the towering, seven-foot-tall wolf with a scar over its left eye, they scrambled from the streets, some diving straight into their stalls for cover.Even veteran winter knights froze in their positions, unable to move until the wolf walked past them. The sheer pressure it exuded nearly drove one of the knights to his knees, but his comrade steadied him with a firm grip on his shoulder.


    "Sirius, you''re frightening the people."


    Asher glanced over his shoulder, squinting at Sirius, who was busy taking in his surroundings. He found this new environment¡­ strange.


    Had Nineveh grown smaller after his death?


    "Sirius."


    At the sound of his name, the wolf''s ears perked up. It turned toward Asher, noting the faint creases on his forehead.


    Just as Sirius was about to shrink his form, a voice cut through the air.


    "Let him be," Lord Winter said. "The people need to know that Kryos has his wolf."


    Isaac chuckled softly but minded his own business. He hadn''t said a word to Asher since they left the temple, and Asher felt his odd behavior intriguing.


    "This place¡­" Asher''s gaze swept over the bustling crowd, his brows raised. "What happened during the past month?"


    Lord Winter smiled. "Two strongholds have made an alliance with us. They call it the Achilles Alliance."


    Asher narrowed his eyes. "Achilles Alliance?"


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    "The lords of the strongholds want to meet you and they also proposed having your paladins stationed in their strongholds to fend off beasts and beastmen."


    Asher''s lips curled into a smile, but his words remained cold. "My paladins go where I go. I''m not releasing them to take orders from any lord other than I."


    Lord Winter''s eyes gleamed upon hearing his words.


    ''I suppose his noble side is back. No longer just a straightforward soldier.''


    "Then what are you going to do?" Winter pressed. "This is an opportunity you can''t miss if you plan to expand your domain into these parts."


    Asher''s gaze drifted to the towering winter castle. "Tell them to prove themselves worthy of the alliance, and I''ll send my Frontline troops to their keep."


    ''Frontline troops? He sounds so confident about them.''


    Isaac, who quietly walked behind him, noted.


    "Actually," Lord Winter continued, "Gilead Stronghold has an abundance of redwood trees¡ªthe ones that are known to be almost as strong as steel. As for Ramoth stronghold¡­"


    Asher followed Lord Winter''s gaze and spotted a woman clad in leather armour inlaid with steel at some critical areas¡ªher chest, shoulders and legs.


    She wore a hood that concealed most of her face, but the woman wasn''t the most striking thing in sight.


    It was the creature underneath her.


    This creature was as tall as a horse but had a body that could compete with a bear''s! But its limbs weren''t as short as a bear''s.


    The most unusual and eye-catching feature of this creature was its face¡ªwhere a snout should have been, there was a sharp, curved beak, making its face similar to that of an eagle!


    Its golden-brown fur shimmered as it strode through the street, heading toward a different sector of the stronghold.


    "It''s called an Arkon. Arkons, in general, possess remarkable intelligence, impeccable sight, powerful bodies and exceptional stamina. They can easily bring down any Cavalry with horses as mounts."


    Lord Winter turned to Asher. "And it''s a beast found in the Ramoth region. They promise to grant you one as a gift."


    Asher paused. He couldn''t envision a future for himself on that war mount, but he could see something far greater¡ªa legion of thousands of knights riding Arkons.


    Perhaps, he could form a formidable force, one that when seen by other nobles from afar, would send fear creeping into their souls, one that would inspire dread at the mention of his house.


    A cavalry greater than the Bladebreakers!


    But such an ambition might not be fulfilled without investing lots of resources and time.


    Through training the paladins, Asher had discovered a crucial secret the upgrade system never told him!


    He could actually create a more powerful troop if he invested time and refined their potential himself, forcing out what was inside of them and having the system smoothen the rough areas. This was the reason the paladins were stronger than any other units in the county.


    They didn''t become soldiers through the transformation tower. Unfortunately, the transformation tower had its perks¡ªit could mass-produce capable soldiers in exchange for a price.


    However, to create the best of the best, units that stood a head taller than the already frightening soldiers produced by the constant upgrades of the system, they needed both human and system contributions.


    In other words, a skilled instructor from the very beginning!


    It was already too late for those who were already upgraded to reach the expertise of these paladins.


    The system had dumped huge amounts of information after each upgrade, but the paladins had to get this information gradually and in the process, they needed it to sink deeper and make their own distinct imprints in their memories.


    After minutes of silence, Asher finally opened his mouth "I want more than one."


    He then turned to Isaac. "I also want to hire you to be an instructor for a new troop I plan to create."


    Isaac raised an eyebrow. "What kind of troop?" sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "A cavalry."


    "He''s more skilled in raising assassins." Lord Winter said casually, but those words struck deep into Asher''s mind.


    Assassins.


    Wasn''t that the greatest weakness of his domain right now? The lack of a secret unit whose sole duty was to weed out the spies in his domain and execute secret missions.


    With a powerful organization of adept spies at his command, he would have Ashbourne County within the palm of his hand!


    "I''ll make sure to send men to you," Asher said "I''ll pay you a hundred gold coins for each one you train."


    The offer made Isaac''s eyes widen a bit, but he masked his reaction quickly.


    Was Asher always this wealthy?


    "I''ll take that offer," Isaac replied, "but in exchange, I want 100 full sets of diamond-ranked armour. Bring me 100 men, and I guarantee only two will survive the training."


    Asher smiled a bit. He understood that it would be hard to train assassins¡ªespecially the dreadful kind he had in mind.


    "I''ll send you a thousand men. I expect at least 90 assassins, those that you can personally approve of at the end."


    "Two hundred sets of diamond-ranked armour."


    "Deal."

 Chapter 284 Crimson Sky

    Lord Winter tapped his staff against the ground, his smile never faltering."You came out from the spirit world much stronger than you were before entering it¡­ You''re one step closer to the peak of your profession."


    His words shifted the conversation from the previous topic.


    Asher frowned slightly. Quite clearly, he was astonished that Lord Winter had seen through him.


    "Even the beast behind us has some unique traits as well. Nether Flames and Fiery Crimson Eyes¡ªboth formidable abilities."


    Asher glanced at Sirius.


    "Those crimson eyes of his allow him to see as far as 62 miles¡ªmore if he''s on high ground¡ªand it''s as clear as you and I stand before him now. On the other hand, his flames have mutated into nether flames because I don''t believe any mortal being can awaken the nether flames¡ªit can only come from the spirit world."


    Asher raised an eyebrow as he noticed Lord Winter deliberately avoided mentioning what the nether flames could do.


    "What exactly can it do?"


    Lord Winter glanced at Sirius with a solemn expression. "Thye burn both flesh and spirit. That beast has become too dangerous to exist."


    Asher''s expression darkened. At that moment, he could sense a cold, unfriendly intent in Lord Winter''s gaze toward Sirius¡ªbut it vanished in the next moment.


    "You felt it, didn''t you?"


    Lord Winter chuckled warmly.


    Unfortunately, Asher couldn''t smile anymore and Lord Winter wasn''t surprised by the hostility in his eyes.


    "Boy, how would you feel if you have a sister and there''s a man who wants her by force?"


    "Displeased. Furious. I would kill him for even nurturing such intentions."


    Lord Winter''s smile deepened. "That''s the same way I feel knowing this beast of yours will rid people of another chance in the spirit world. It grants them true death! Isn''t that enough reason to kill it?"


    Asher frowned.


    "Your talent is too great for me to kill you. If I kill the beast, I''d have to kill you as well¡ªand I don''t want that. Kryos must live. And not just that¡­ Lord Ashbourne must live too."


    Winter faced him with a smile. Asher could tell that he sincerely meant what he said but his guard remained high.


    Sensing his wariness, Lord Winter paused. "Besides¡­"


    He turned to face Asher. " ¡­ You can''t do a thing if you decide otherwise, so¡­"


    His left eye glowed. It was akin to staring into a bright light in the desolate depths of the night.


    Yellow-orange light flickered and suddenly, Asher found himself staring at a vast, burning field. A massive tree was burning in the center, its branches, leaves, and trunk untouched by the inferno consuming it.


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    Then, just as suddenly, he found himself staring at Lord Winter, who slowly walked away as if nothing had ever happened.


    "¡­ you need to stop being so defensive."


    BADUM! BADUM!


    His heart pounded, the vibrations spreading to the rest of his body. Yet there was a certain chill that enveloped his skin, like a damp, hairy cloth clinging to his flesh.


    Goosebumps rose in waves, his entire arms filled with an army of them.


    Filled with both awe and dread, Asher had to force words out of his mouth. "You''re an Awoken One!"


    "Your first ancestor was among the Awoken Ones who fought during the Dark Age. Howbeit, he is good at masking himself as an imperial-ranked knight."


    Asher felt his world spin.


    The Awoken Ones were individuals who had surpassed the peak of their profession and opened up their internal worlds from where they tapped immense power.


    Against an Awoken One, an army was meaningless. Hundreds¡ªif not thousands, depending on their rank¡ªcould be sent to their deaths in a mere attempt to kill an Awoken one.


    Notwithstanding, only those with Zenith Grade talent could ascend to become such frightening powerhouses.


    "You look at me with such respect that I''m afraid to tell you."


    "Tell me what?" Asher raised an eyebrow while Lord Winter glanced over his shoulder.


    "Your beast isn''t what I''m concerned about¡­ it''s you. No matter their rank, a human''s lifespan is 400 years. But once you exceed the ''Exalted rank you start to die."


    "What?!"


    Lord Winter revealed a bittersweet smile. "You''re already close. A few more ranks and you will reach the Exalted rank. Stop there if you wish to live out your full 400 years. Beyond that threshold, no man is to wield such power¡­ and so, we gradually die."


    Asher fell silent. So they were rising up the ladder of strength only to be killed by it? S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    What kind of logic was this?


    "Look at me. Without the blessings of God, I would have died long before my 290th birthday."


    Lord Winter smiled.


    "Who are you exactly? You claim to be a priest of I Am, yet your world is full of flames meant for battle. You are called Lord Winter, but your awakened domain burns like fire. It doesn''t make any sense."


    "Because I am a knight, boy. I became a priest because of the God of that temple¡­ and a lord with this staff¡­"


    "My lord!"


    Isaac interrupted with an urgent cry to stop Lord Winter before he could reveal too much.


    ''That temple can also change professions!'' Asher''s gaze shifted toward the structure which was far away with growing interest. It had several perks that he didn''t just believe proved I Am was a God that existed¡ªhe wanted that temple in Nineveh.


    "Captain!"


    Upon hearing a call, Asher turned to find they had reached the castle. To his left stood the three hundred paladins, cloaked in their long robes, their broad round shields strapped to their backs, and tall spears¡ªeach a head taller than them¡ªplanted firmly into the ground.


    "We greet the arrival of Achilles!"


    Their harmonious voices rang in perfect sync as all of them dropped to one knee, pressing their right hand to their chest and lowering their heads.


    "Still assembled," Asher murmured.


    "We were waiting to hear the news of your return from the dead," Eleazar said with a soft smile.


    For some reason, seeing how they were so well-prepared, Asher felt like they knew about his awakening.


    "How did you know that I have awoken?"


    "Through the sky."


    Asher looked up, his eyes widening as he beheld the ominous crimson clouds overhead.


    ''Ithamar!''


    He had forgotten his sword.


    Suddenly, a puddle made of crimson water almost like actual blood formed at his feet. From it, a sword began to rise.

 Chapter 285 His Return

    When Lord Winter saw the blood-coloured handle and the entire length of the sword neatly sheathed, his pupils trembled.He recalled the vision he had seen when he used foresight and peered into the future¡ªthis very sword had been on Asher''s waist!


    Did this mean that sending him to the spirit world hadn''t altered the future, but instead brought Asher one step closer to it?!


    If someone observed Lord Winter closely, they would see that his fingers, which were wrapped around the staff, were trembling violently.


    Asher was already a saintly being. That left only the Imperial, Ancient and finally the Exalted ran before he ascended into the ranks of the Awoken Ones. And considering his powerful talent, Lord Winter doubted that day was much far from now.


    Did it mean something would happen during this period that would make Asher even colder than the broken man who had arrived here?!


    One of his greatest reasons for living was to make sure Kryos never became like his brothers¡ªbecause if he did, the world would once again face destruction.


    After a long moment of thought, Lord Winter''s eyes gleamed and his confidence returned.


    Meanwhile, the others remained cautious of Ithamar because of its oppressive aura. Asher grabbed the sword, slung it over his shoulder and gestured for Lord Winter. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Shouldn''t we proceed into the castle?"


    Lord Winter smiled.


    Unbeknownst to him, while he had foreseen the future, there was one unpredictable variable¡­


    The system!


    A force that had escaped even his extraordinary talent without him being aware of it.


    _____


    Days later¡­


    Clas in a hooded cloak, Asher felt his hair bounce as he rode atop Sirius''s back, the wind whipping past him. Experience tales at My Virtual Library Empire


    They traversed the grassy plains while his sharp gaze remained fixed on the tall, grayish-white mountains a mile ahead.


    Behind him, 300 paladins rode on their horses in formation, their cloaks billowing like banners in the wind. Cynthia, Moses and Simon rode alongside him, but due to Sirius''s height and speed, Asher was naturally ahead of them, leading the way.


    The sun shone brightly overhead, casting a glorious golden light upon the mountains while leaving dark shadows across the plains.


    "We''re on Ashbourne soil once again, buddy." Asher ran a hand over Sirius'' head, a handsome smirk tugging at his lips.


    Sirius squinted, then, as if to express his delight, shot forward at a faster pace, increasing the gap between him and his men.


    Suddenly, Asher''s eyes sharpened. He could sense something tearing through the air and it was incredibly fast!


    He couldn''t even see it because it was carefully concealed in the brilliant glow of the sun!


    Puchi!


    A massive projectile buried itself into the ground beside him, kicking up dirt and grass. Asher turned his head, his eyes narrowing at the sight of the enormous bolt¡ªlarge enough to kill a rider and his mount!


    It was the ballistic bolt!


    "A ballista!"


    Asher''s eyes flickered. Four months ago, there was no such thing as ballistas in his county¡ªonly trebuchets existed.


    But now¡­!


    "Ready for combat!"


    He said, slightly excited to see what his soldiers could do against a supposed invader. He would never try such with other troops, not even the King''s Swordsmen¡ªbut the paladins, they were a resilient bunch.


    There was a reason they called them Transcendents!


    At his command, the paladins seamlessly shifted their formation into a phalanx¡ªwithout even breaking their full-speed charge!


    They pulled out their shields and leaned forward, bracing for the incoming bolts.


    And as expected, about six bolts came in the next volley¡ªbut three froze mid-air. In the next moment, the wooden shafts of the bolt burst apart and the steel heads crumpled inward, collapsing into small, dense balls!


    Seeing this, Asher''s gaze flicked to the brown-skinned man beside him, his golden braids tucked beneath his helmet. His right hand was raised¡ªa silent declaration that he was the one responsible for such a miraculous feat!


    The knights clad in impressive black armor, their pauldrons adorned with a single spike and white cloaks bearing the sigil of House Ashbourne, stared in disbelief. Bolts capable of killing beast knights had been halted mid-air as if caught by an invisible force.


    To be able to execute such fine control, they had to be facing a saintly being!


    Realizing the gravity of the situation, the captain who stood behind the man manning the ballistas turned to his left. "Send word to commander Adam. We have invaders from Edom."


    Every Frontline Legion knight stationed at the ballistae regimen possessed the talent of great eyesight, but amongst them stood a boy clad in leather armour¡ªsmall yet formidable.


    His eyesight was even sharper than that of an eagle and standing atop the mountain, he was like a king in his realm of power.


    He was the same boy who had once fought Nero for a place among Asher''s castle guards. Fortunately, he found his own spot. Soon, he''ll be twelve yet he was already valuable in a city that had a population of over a hundred thousand civilians!


    "Captain." Lucas, the eagle-eyed boy turned his head toward the captain.


    The captain also turned toward him.


    "The man leading them¡­ he rides a wolf. A white wolf."


    Upon hearing that, the captain''s expression darkened beneath his helmet, his lips curling into a sorrowful smile.


    "Sirius is dead."


    Lucas nodded.


    "Reload the fire rune arrows. Don''t let them cross the three-hundred-yard mark!"


    The captain''s orders rang sharp, and Lucas responded without hesitation.


    "Understood!!"


    More bolts rained down again¡ªbut the paladins evaded each and every one of them, eliciting a frown from the captain.


    His squadron was one of the best long-ranged units in the Legion and dealt the highest damage. And yet, here they were¡ªbeing made a mockery before these invaders!


    His pride as an Ashbourne elite took a hit.


    "They''ve crossed the two-hundred-yard mark! They''ll soon reach the gate!"


    Lucas exclaimed.


    "Even if they do¡­ they''ll meet their end there."


    Right now, they stood a thousand feet above the ground, perched atop the mountain!


    Just as the captain said Asher reached the gate below¡ªonly to be met with an unyielding shield wall.


    And before that wall stood a man, his arms crossed, his breathing deep and thunderous, like that of a primordial dragon.


    It was Commander General Adam!

 Chapter 286 Walls of Ashkelon

    When the paladins saw the towering general¡ªseven feet and two inches tall¡ªclad in heavy pitch-black armor with a helmet that didn''t even allow them to get a good look at his eyes, unease settled over them.Adam inhaled deeply, preparing for a mighty dragon roar that would no doubt reduce these invaders into a blood mist. But then, his breath caught. His eyes froze at the sight of the figure before him.


    Sirius.


    Although the beast looked a bit different and had a wilder, feral aura instead of the calm, noble presence it once carried, Adam was certain that it was Sirius!


    His irises dilated.


    "General, what are your orders?!" a soldier called out when he saw that the enemy was getting closer but the general had yet to give any order.


    Adam didn''t answer. Instead, he lifted his right hand.


    "Stand down," he commanded without even sparing a glance at the men behind him.


    Though uncertain, the soldiers obeyed, raising their spears to a neutral stance.


    They exchanged puzzled glances, a bit confused as to why their general had given such an order.


    As Adam squinted, the approaching wolf slowed its pace. And as it neared, the hooded rider pulled back his cloak.


    "Sir Adam. It''s been a while."


    Asher smiled.


    Adam''s expression shifted¡ªfrom slight confusion to dawning realization, then shock.


    This was his lord! The features were different¡ªwhite hair, lighter skin¡ªyet the presence was unmistakable. And beneath the cloak, Adam could sense it: a stronger, more formidable build.


    His lord wasn''t the same man who had left the county. He had changed¡ªhis appearance, his temperament and his strength!


    Thud!


    Adam fell to one knee and slammed his fist into his breastplate as he bowed his head.


    "I hail the arrival of His Lordship!"


    Gasps rippled through the ranks. The soldiers'' eyes widened before they too fell on their knees, their cloaks fluttering in the breeze as they stared at the man many had presumed dead for the past four months.


    ''He''s back!''


    Thanks to the display beneath, Lucas''s heart pounded in his chest. His eyes lit up in excitement and he sprung to his feet.


    "He''s back!"


    "What?" The captain turned sharply, as did the other guards.


    "It''s his Lordship. The White Wolf has returned!"


    The captain''s eyes widened. "Lower me down this instant!"


    Even as he gave the order, he was already marching towards the elevator at a fast pace. "Lucas!"


    "Sir!"


    "Come with me."


    Lucas felt like he couldn''t breathe due to excitement and fear. Was he going to meet him¡ªthe man who took off the head of an Archduke''s son?


    The man who took Count William''s capital and drove his Elvin daughter mad? The White Wolf who had annihilated the jackals for attacking the keep?


    The warrior lord that all the powerful generals of the county submitted to? The man who built the Great Dividing Wall, splitting a vast section of the north?!


    Lucas could hear his own heartbeat¡ªloud and heavy, as though his heart might burst out from his chest.


    Now that His Lordship had returned¡­ what would happen? Would he shift the tides of the war at the Great Dividing Wall?


    Would he save the county from Count William''s barbarian army?


    While Lucas was filled with excitement and patriotic thoughts for the county, the captain''s mind was filled with how he was going to impress Asher.


    Although he wasn''t planning on lying, it still didn''t change the fact that Asher''s return was a great opportunity for him.


    While this was going on, Asher stared down at his men, feeling both melancholic and at ease.


    He was back home.


    "How have you been, General?"


    "Expecting your return."


    Asher raised an eyebrow. But when he glanced at the expressions of the soldiers, he knew Adam spoke the truth.


    "The county must not be in its best state, then," Asher murmured. "Let''s go."


    Sirius took two steps forward, then halted.


    "Before I forget¡­" He gestured toward the warriors behind him. "These men behind me. Make sure they''re well-fed and sheltered. They''re your lord''s personal troop."


    With those words, he rode in with Adam by his side.


    The paladins and the Frontline Infantry stared at them until they couldn''t see them anymore. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After moving through the mountain passage for a short while, they emerged into a vast field, spanning countless kilometres.


    Hundreds of soldiers trained in formation. And beyond them¡ªthousands of farmers tended to their crops in the fields.


    Their wheat was growing nicely.


    This vast field was enclosed by four towering mountains, created by the system when Ashkelon was sent underground.


    These mountains served as a formidable defense. Without them, an enemy force could easily block Ashkelon''s routes, sealing its fate in battle.


    But with the mountains, the attackers had only two choices¡ªeither they had to scale a thousand feet of sheer rock or force their way through the heavily fortified gate. Even if they succeeded, they would still only reach this outer field.


    Unfortunately, this wasn''t Ashkelon. To truly enter Ashkelon, they had to breathe another gate¡ªone attached directly to the mountain like the first gate to see the passage to Ashkelon itself.


    Ashkelon had a total of eight gates: four Great Gates and Four Minor Gates. The four Great Gates were the gates that one could see from outside the mountains, while the four Minor Gates were positioned at the backs of the mountains, which led directly into the city. It was here, at one of the Minor Gates, that Asher stood.


    "Count Asher has returned. Pay your respects!" Moses roared, his voice carrying across the gathered soldiers. Adam, unable to speak, simply watched.


    The moment he said that the soldiers set their eyes on Asher and fell on their knees.


    "We hail the Count!"


    Asher''s gaze swept over them, and a hush fell. Some of the men, feeling the weight of his stare, began to sweat.


    Crank! Crank!


    A mechanical sound drew Asher''s attention. Turning around, he saw a massive wooden structure attached to the mountainside, stretched from the ground all the way to the summit!


    And right now, there were two figures, a man and a boy being lowered down in what looked like a wooden prison but Asher knew it was an imitation of an elevator.


    An elevator was a prison anyway¡­ people didn''t just know about it.


    Seeing such an innovative structure, Asher''s eyes flickered with interest. "Who built that?"


    "Mr. White," Adam answered. "After the incident, Ark White went back to work and also brought out designs he had created during his days of depression. This was one of them. The ballistae was another. We finished the construction two weeks ago."


    "And you''ve been building it for how long?"


    Asher turned to Adam.


    "Three months and a week with a workforce of 20,000 men."


    Asher was impressed. He would have to pay Ark White a visit. That man had officially transformed into a living treasure!


    At that moment, the lift reached the ground. The captain opened the door and walked out, followed closely by the young boy behind him.


    He took in the sight before him¡ªhundreds of soldiers, frightening diamond-ranked and gold-ranked knights on their knees made the captain certain that this white-haired man was truly their lord.


    He noted that Asher looked a lot more handsome than he seemed in the picture they had and a bit bigger in muscle mass but his gaze¡­ that remained the same.


    It was a gaze he was used to as a footsoldier.


    The gaze of a warrior.


    Thud!


    Both he and Lucas dropped to one knee.


    "We hail the return of His Lordship." Continue your adventure at My Virtual Library Empire


    "You came from up there?" Asher pointed toward the mountain''s peak.


    "Yes, My Lord."


    "Then¡­" Asher dismounted. "¡­Take me there."


    As he was led into the lift, Asher observed the men at the massive wheels. Blessed with strength-enhancing talents, they were able to turn the thick wooden handles, rotating them in slow, steady circles. The ropes¡ªeach as thick as a grown man''s two fingers together¡ªtightened, pulling the elevator steadily upwards.


    When Asher reached the top, he first faced the wind but the sight of the vast expanse was too grand for him to consider the distress of the wind.


    Seeing him gaze at the expanse silently, Lucas spoke from behind.


    "Now that you are back, I''m sure we''ll win the war."


    Asher glanced at the young boy from the corner of his eye.


    "What war?"


    ....


    End of volume 3: Into The Depths.


    Thank you for reading up to this point. Asher''s wild journey as a commoner has reached its glorious end, I''d say.


    Await the next volume: Duke Of Ashes

 Chapter 287 Enemies On All Sides

    A woman stood atop the magnificent Great Dividing Walls, gazing down at the battlefield strewn with thousands of corpses. Most of them had fallen to trebuchets, ballistae and volleys from archers.With the Goshen Longbow Archers in their ranks, Ashbourne''s ranged units were complete¡ªcapable and powerful enough to wreak havoc in the ranks of the enemies.


    Like the sight before her, the results were clear: thousands of barbarians lay scattered across the grassy plains, their curved swords glinting among the bodies.


    But this woman knew that these men had been sent to die.


    They were not the real army.


    For the past two months, they had been at war with Count William Tigris, who had turned the Wildlands his stronghold.


    With the barbarian clans gathered under his banner, he was able to amass a great army capable of standing toe to toe with the Ashbourne elites¡ªnot through skill, but through sheer numbers.


    Count Ashbourne commanded over 100,000 men capable of fighting, yet they had a little over 20,000 on these walls!


    And the county wasn''t just fending off the barbarians; rival noble houses circled like vultures around a dying animal. She knew that the noble households wanted to feast on this juicy meat which was the Ashbourne county.


    Sadly, the county was at its weakest now that the Count was away.


    Batting her long lashes, the beautiful fairy turned away. After straight two months of ceaseless battle, she had grown used to seeing corpses!


    "What is he planning now?" Sapphira muttered to herself.


    From the first week of the war, she had moved over and joined the battle alongside her healers and knights, who were now known as Temple Servants.


    The reason was that she had awakened a new talent that was unlike any seen before, a power that marveled all the top figures of the county.


    Her talent was similar to that of a summoner but her summons empowered her Temple Servants, making them several times stronger than they were meant to be.


    Over these past two months, she had been given several titles:


    Destroyer of Men!


    Resplendent Lotus Sword Queen!


    Ashbourne Saintess!


    Her fame has spread beyond the borders of the county¡ªinto the territories of Dukedoms, other counties and even the outskirts of Intis kingdom.


    Several nobles had also written letters promising to have her as their wife on the grounds that she abandoned the county.


    Unfortunately, all the letters ended up in flames, burning as she watched their ashes scatter in the wind.


    Clad in a silver breastplate pressed against her white flowing gown that fluttered ever softly, Sapphira stood with quiet grace. The leather belt around her willowy waist tilted slightly to the right because of the weight of the sword strapped to it.


    Her right hand rested firmly on the sword''s hilt.


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    Her light pink lips slightly parted and a soft breath escaped them.


    Lifting his head, she gazed at the forests beyond the plains solemnly. "What is he planning now?"


    She turned. "I have to report to the Regent. We lost four hundred in this battle and¡­" her eyes flickered to the fallen barbarians on the battlefield.


    "They lost over three thousand."


    Calmly, she walked past several towering Aegis Legion soldiers stationed along the wall. Their massive builds, impressive weaponry and oppressive presence were nothing more than a passing breeze to her.


    The sun shone on them casting long shadows over the walkway.


    Two months of intense war weighed heavily on the economy of the county, especially now that the teleportation channels have been deactivated.


    Revenue was low.


    There was no one they could trust so it was better to face enemies outside the walls than fester them within.


    Baron Claude Flameheart, ruler of Goshen, had argued this countless times in the council meetings, yelling about how they were destroying what Asher had painstakingly built.


    The county had stopped growing. They were able to sustain themselves¡ªfor now. But for how long?


    And then it dawned on Sapphira.


    Count William''s plan was cruel in its simplicity. He wanted to starve them, to incite rebellion from within. Though the plan was simple, it was effective.


    He was using their wall and lack of allies against them!


    ''Where are you?!''


    Sapphira turned her gaze to the north, lingering at the top of the Great Dividing Wall before stepping into the lift that carried her to the ground.


    Below, hundreds of white tents stretched across the field, each crowned with the black Ashbourne flag. Soldiers bustled about¡ªsome clad in full armor, others in tunics and pants and those who were in the logistics department could be seen all around, doing their own thing.


    To her right, men chopped wood to set up massive flames in the flame towers that would help them keep watch during the nighttime.


    Their banter fell into her ears as she walked by. Unfortunately, all eyes began to veer towards her.


    Even after fighting alongside them for months, they still gazed at her with awe and reverence.


    At a mere word from her, all these men could become her servants. Some would even kill for the chance. This was the extent of the side effect of her talent.


    She was a glorified object for men.


    They all wanted to claim her for themselves.


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    Even to the extent that they would kill anyone in their path.


    Revealing a small smile, Sapphira waved at them in greeting, but her simple gesture led to chaos as some waved back fervently.


    Luckily, these men were on her side. Instead of trying to fight over her, they would fight for her.


    Just then, a golden-haired woman with sharp facial features and a pair of dragonfly wings fluttering on her back descended from the sky.


    She wore a breastplate over her priestly garment, like Sapphira. But unlike Sapphira, she carried both a sword and a metal lantern, its blue flames glowing ominously.


    That lantern held the life force of the summoned creature Sapphira had placed inside her. Once the flame died, the creature inside of the priestess would split apart¡ªcrippling the priestess forever!


    This was the reason only those who were loyal to a fault dared to receive this gift of power.


    "I greet the Grand priestess."


    The healer fell to one knee.


    "Mia," Sapphira addressed her, her voice cool and commanding, her mind still preoccupied with the thoughts of the county. "Is there a problem?


    Mia hesitated. "It''s about the Count¡­ He''s back."


    Mia looked at Sapphira.


    Sapphira''s expression didn''t change¡ªat first. But then, slowly, her eyes widened, showing signs of doubt.


    Mia wouldn''t lie or joke about something like this.


    "Where is he?"


    "Ashkelon. He has summoned all nobles, counselors and generals to meet him in Nineveh. In three days,"


    Three days? It was impossible. The journey from the Great Dividing Wall to Nineveh would take two weeks on horseback¡ªunless, of course she accessed the teleportation channels!

 Chapter 288 They Fear Him

    Boom!The heavy doors of the hall in Ashkelon Manor swung open with a resounding crash after being pushed. Asher, clad in a white linen tunic and tight black leather pants, tilted his head toward the source of the noise.


    His white tunic, with its deep V-neck, was laced in a zigzag pattern, allowing him to adjust the opening to a modest degree. Tucked neatly into his pants, the white fabric draped effortlessly over his lean frame.


    At both sides of his waist hung Euodias and Ithamar¡ªthe only two swords on the entire continent that wanted nothing more than to cause the demise of their master, driven by their own selfish reasons.


    As the door continued to open wider, footsteps echoed through the grand hall before they fell into his ears.


    Asher raised an eyebrow. He had been staring at the mural of himself and had no intention of leaving his position, so he simply leaned back since tilting his head was the only option to see who was coming in.


    Since the guards hadn''t announced anyone, it meant that this person must be either someone who was close to him or¡­


    Tapk!


    His eye narrowed in on the boot, its edge slightly visible beneath a flowing gown.


    ''Oh¡­''


    ¡­ The ruler of Ashkelon.


    Katarina strode into the hall, appearing like a woman in her late forties. The sight made Asher''s eyes widen in surprise.


    "Katarina¡­ is that you?"


    Katarina dropped to one knee, a knowing smile on her lips. "Do I look appealing to your eyes?"


    Asher squinted. Only one woman had ever spoken to him so boldly, both before and after learning of his true identity.


    Baroness Katarina!


    "Humph!" Asher snorted and strode toward his throne.


    As she watched his back, Katarina subtly scanned the room, searching for the presence she had felt moments ago. When she finally turned back, her breath caught.


    The sight of Sirius'' crimson eyes and scar almost made her lose her bearing but the wolf averted his gaze, sparing her from his oppressive stare.


    ''Not only has his wolf changed¡­. He has, too.''


    Katarina''s eyes narrowed as she gazed at the handsome man whose snow-white hair could be the cause of envy for many, sitting on the throne, one leg crossed over the other.


    Emanating from him was the air of a natural noble and without even a word, she felt humbled by his presence.


    Truly, he was back and quite different from his former self.


    "Baroness."


    Asher''s voice pulled her from her thoughts. She met his gaze.


    "I have seen what you have done with Ashkelon since my departure¡­" His lips curled into a smile.


    "¡­ And I am glad that I entrusted its care to none other than you. Once I ascend to the rank of Duke, you have my word¡ªyou shall be my first Viscountess."


    Hearing his words, Katarina felt her heart pound. This was the greatest honour she had ever received in her lifetime.


    As a viscountess, her lineage would forever be of the noble bloodline and it would be safeguarded from ever falling back to the rank of Baron.


    "I''m deeply grateful for such a reward, My Lord."


    Asher smiled slightly before leaning forward. "Now tell me¡­ how did you grow this young? Your appearance cannot change unless you have reached the ranks of Imperial, but you''re still at the Silver rank."


    Katarina rose to her feet. "It''s the work of Evergreen olive oil. I bathe in it every night before resting. After three months of use, it transformed my appearance."


    Asher''s eyes widened. All he saw was an opportunity to make his county extremely rich!


    Women would do all they could to get their hands on the evergreen olive oil if they discovered it could do something like this!


    Seeing Asher''s expression, Katarina knew Asher had no idea of what had happened in the county all this while.


    It seemed like he really had left. She had thought he might be hiding somewhere, watching them from the shadows.


    "My lord, the Evergreen olive oil has done more than just make the wrinkles vanish. According to the latest count, it has also elevated 100,000 civilians to Bronze rank."


    Asher''s eyes flickered. One had to know that to advance beyond iron-rank, one needed talent and most of these people had none. And still, the Evergreen olive oil accomplished the unfathomable.


    Hearing this made Asher feel apprehensive. Such a miraculous oil would no doubt attract the ravenous eyes of nobles. Even someone like Prince Aaron, his brother in relation to talent, would take an interest in his county!


    "So the eyes of the households of the north are on us."


    Katarina lowered her head. "They are."


    "Then before they form alliances to bring us down, we should demonstrate our might and secure allies of our own. This war gives us a perfect opportunity."


    Katarina raised her head. "You''ve heard about the war?!"


    "I have. I have already sent letters to all the officials. Ride with me to Nineveh tomorrow¡ªwe shall meet them there."


    "As it pleases you." Katarina bowed.


    After she left the hall, she found Adam leaning casually against the wall.


    "You want to meet him?" she asked.


    "No," Adam smirked. "I was waiting for you. So¡­ what do you think of him?"


    Katarina glanced at the closed double doors, then back at Adam.


    Continue your adventure with My Virtual Library Empire


    "He has changed¡­ from a lord to a great lord. His goals and ambitions have risen and we must either strive to keep up¡­ or be left behind."


    Adam''s smile widened. "Perfect analysis. One look at his personal troop and you''ll see the reality of what you''ve just said."


    _____


    A short while later, a carriage stopped before the barracks. Katarina stepped out with Adam by her side.


    Soldiers bowed as they passed, and she acknowledged with light smiles¡ªuntil her gaze fell on a cluster of tents, set away from the main barracks.


    Just the men standing guard near them made her eyebrows rise. They were like living masterpieces of sculptures. Full of hardened muscles, and piercing and emotionless eyes. Powerful shields rested at their sides, tall spears in hand and a feral aura radiating from them.


    A mix of noble training and primal wildness. They were men with the trained minds of a knight combined with the powerful bodies of a barbarian berserker!


    Berserkers had ceased to exist for centuries, yet these men gave her a sense of the kind of monstrosities she had only read about.


    Even without seeing them in action, Katarina could feel their superiority.


    "How many of them are there?"


    "Three hundred."


    "All of them are this strong?"


    Adam sighed. "No¡­"


    Katarina exhaled, relieved. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "¡­There are some that are much stronger. I don''t know what these men went through but it feels like they went through a forge and came out tempered."


    Alarmed, Katarina spoke. "Can His Lordship control such men?"


    Adam''s gaze flicked toward the tent and then he glanced at her.


    "Control?" He let out a low chuckle. "They fear him."

 Chapter 289 War Council

    Boom!


    "Welcome His Lordship!!" A guard bellowed as the massive doors swung open. The officials seated behind him immediately rose to their feet.


    They were gathered around a rectangular table inside the war council hall¡ªthe smallest hall in Nineveh''s castle.


    At the far end of the hall was a platform with a stone throne dominating its surface. All eyes turned away from the throne and toward the door.


    Their eyes narrowed at the sight of the tall man clad in a fur-padded cloak. His snow-white hair threw them off for a split moment¡ªit didn''t match the portrait hanging above the throne.


    But they still recognized him.


    However, none of them expected to receive a wave of such oppressive aura flooding into the room.


    "We hail the return of His Lordship!!!"


    To Asher''s right stood Katarina, a small smile playing on her lips. On his left was Adam, his face showing no obvious expression.


    Behind Asher, however, the massive wolf made the officials raise their guard.


    Eritrea, clad in a flowing black gown, blinked several times as she took in Asher''s new look.


    Aquila, dressed in a gradient one-piece ocean-blue gown, parted her lips slightly in surprise.


    Compared to the princely man walking in the hall, she remembered that Asher had been an average-looking young man. Now, his once-soft features had expression hardened, and he looked someone else entirely, his presence unmistakably that of a seasoned ruler.


    One look, and she knew¡ªthis was a man who wouldn''t hesitate to take her life if she tried to act what she once did to save her father.


    ''He has grown.''


    Aquila sighed. Unbelievably, the icy Mage''s lips curled up into a rare smile as she watched him walk into the hall, his steps echoing against the stone floor.


    Seated closest to the throne, Kelvin let out a gasp. He recognized the pure, familiar smile Asher flashed him¡ªsomething he had known since he was young, but something had changed.


    Asher walked past him and took his seat on the throne.


    The old Asher would have definitely hugged him.


    Kelvin smiled faintly. ''He''s like his grandfather.'' Enjoy new tales from My Virtual Library Empire


    Eritrea, Aquila, Kelvin, Baron Flameheart, Katarina, Adam, Paul, Lambert, Ark White, Alec, Nero¡­ and an empty seat!


    Asher''s gaze lingered on the seat. The chair belonged to the Ashbourne Grand Priestess.


    For a brief moment, his eyes darkened, but he cleared his throat.


    "You may sit."


    Just as officials moved to take their seats, the doors were pushed open again.


    Asher''s eyes settled on the enchanting woman clad in an elegant white gown that accentuated her womanly figure.


    Their eyes met. Golden and violet!


    In that instant, Asher realized why this otherworldly beauty wasn''t his.


    It was his own doing.


    Unlike other men, he had never put in the effort because of his past trauma holding him back.


    He shook his head and clenched his jaws before shaking his head.


    Sapphira saw all this and quickly dropped to one knee.


    "I apologize for my late arrival, My Lord. I was delayed by urgent matters in the Olive Expanse."


    "Urgent matters? What is more urgent than this?" Kelvin raised an eyebrow. Although he was fond of Sapphira, he wouldn''t let go of any form of disrespect toward the Count. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If General Alec was in his seat, she should have been here before the Count''s arrival.


    Sapphira''s fingers trembled slightly. No one else noticed¡ªbut Asher did. His eyes widened slightly.


    Sapphira was no ordinary woman who would lose her voice or demeanour because of a question or pressure. She was a fighter.


    Her gaze flickered toward the table, laden with several expensive wines, roasted meats and many other lavish delicacies.


    "His lordship has been away for a long while¡­" she said softly. "I''m sure no one has prepared his calming drink. The matters of the county are bound to weigh on him even more, so I made sure to bring green tea."


    Asher blinked.


    Everyone in the room was stunned, some officials glanced at Asher, as if trying to decipher the spell he had cast over a woman who could bring kings to their knees¡ªone who had gone the extra mile to bring him tea.


    Beneath the table, Eritrea clenched her fists.


    Asher blinked before his voice cut through the silence.


    "You have it?"


    Sapphira stepped aside as Cynthia walked into the hall, carrying a tray. On it sat the tea in question.


    Without hesitation, Sapphira went straight to her seat, joining the other officials in watching Asher take a sip.


    His eyes gleamed.


    Noticing that gleam, a beautiful smile spread across Sapphira''s face.


    "Is he flustered?"


    Lambert leaned toward Paul, his voice low, trying to reason why Asher kept staring at the tea like a man frozen in time.


    After a pause, Asher took another sip¡ªthis one slow and deliberate, as if to satisfy himself, before facing the gathered officials.


    He took a deep breath, feeling more like himself again. The calming effect of the green tea was miraculous, as always.


    Kelvin rose and whispered something into his ears.


    Asher nodded. "I have heard of your efforts in my absence¡ªand the pressure the county now faces at the hands of an old foe, House Tigris."


    Everyone''s attention rose.


    "I propose a full-scale war. So far we have already lost over 4,000 men and over 400 diamond-ranked Aegis soldiers to the barbarians in this so-called battle of attrition. Resources are being wasted and the county''s treasury is dwindling by the day."


    His gaze sharpened.


    "My Lord¡­" Baron Claude began carefully. "Count Tigris might be trying to bait us. He has many nobles on his side."


    Asher raised an eyebrow. "A lord without a domain has more allies than us? Is that what you''re telling me, Lord Claude?"


    Claude fell silent.


    "Where has your expertise gone?"


    "The nobles I reached out to are demanding an exorbitant share of our domain''s products."


    "Is that so? Remember their faces, because they shall come to beg."


    Baron Claude could only stare at Asher in shock for his unwavering confidence.


    "What about the closest noble household? The Mormonts?"


    "They''ve remained silent. Clearly, they want to see us prove if we are worthy of being their ally, but¡­"


    Asher glanced at Kelvin. "But what?"


    Kevin hesitated. "They''ve made their intentions clear¡­ by sheltering Lady Mary these past months."


    Asher''s pupils shook.


    "Mary has returned from the Sacred Flame Empire."


    "Yes, but she has been threatened by many nobles, both within and outside of Mormont lands, all seeking to marry her. Their eyes are on the county."


    A chilling aura spread through the call, causing everyone to breathe out thick white mist!


    "I see."


    Asher''s voice was colder than anything they''d ever heard¡­ Even Aquila''s icy demeanor was nothing compared to this.


    This frost¡­ it felt like death!

 Chapter 290 A Grand Vision

    "They want to coerce her?"


    The treachery and vileness in the hearts of nobles no longer surprised Asher because¡­


    They had made him evolve in the past as well.


    But his fury at this moment knew no bounds.


    Mary was his only remaining blood. The last Ashbourne, aside from himself.


    How dare they treat her like an object?!


    "They believe you are dead," Aquila murmured.


    "Oh. They must know that I''m not."


    Everyone furrowed their brows when Asher said that. They all understood what he meant¡ªspies had infiltrated the domain.


    And it wasn''t a surprise. With nearly a population of half a million people in the county, it gave nobles countless opportunities to sneak in their spies to scout information about him.


    His return had never been a secret.


    "It''s a good thing that they know," Asher said. "I''ll root them out in due time. But for now, we must prepare to face Count William."


    "With the walls on our side," a general stated, "he''s bound to¡ª!"


    "Attrition is disadvantageous, General Alec. If we want to prove our overwhelming strength, we must face Count William in a field battle."


    Alec''s eyes widened.


    "But my lord! Count William commands the Wildlands barbarians¡ªmen known to ride horses from a young age. There is no cavalry that can match those horsemen."


    Lambert sighed. "Our cavalry might stand a chance if our numbers were bigger. But right now, I only have 5000 men."


    "All diamond-ranked?" Asher asked. Your next chapter awaits on My Virtual Library Empire


    "No, my lord. 2000 fully trained cavaliers and 3000 squires. The squires are gold-ranked."


    Asher''s expression didn''t waver. "Ready them. General Alec, how many can you send to battle?"


    "10,000 Aegis soldiers will be able to march into the field, Your Lordship. But I''m afraid even the Aegis soldiers will have a tough time against the horsemen of the Wildlands. Their heavy weaponry is unlike the sword wielded by high-plain noble armies. They are heavier and deal greater damage."


    Although Alec spoke rationally, Asher could see the fire burning in his eyes. His general sought to use this as an opportunity to test his troops against one of the most feared infantry killers on the continent.


    History was filled with records where the wild barbarian horsemen fought against noble armies, and in every instance, infantry forces always suffered disastrous blows. Even cavalry units, despite their endured crippling blows. But for the infantry, the foot soldiers, it was always a massacre.


    In all, facing the wild barbarian horsemen would be the greatest challenge any Aegis knight had ever faced.


    But¡­ if they could triumph over it, the troop''s fame would spread across the northern parts of the continent¡ªperhaps even beyond. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Prepare them," Asher commanded. "If we do not crush Count William''s forces, we shall suffer the consequences."


    "My Lord¡­" Nero rose to his feet. Asher looked at the soon-to-be twelve-year-old boy who already resembled a young man about to leave his teenage years.


    "¡­If the nobles are aware of your return, doesn''t that mean Archduke Nubis will soon know of it?"


    Asher wrapped his hands around the armrest of his throne and rose to his feet. "I eagerly await his response. What about you?"


    Nero smiled. He recalled the pain-filled training he had gone through these past four months with the name of the Archduke branded into his heart.


    What were all these scars on his arms for? What was the suffering for?


    "It will be a pleasure to see what it shall be."


    Asher smiled.


    "Baron Flameheart, I would like you to head to Winter stronghold and purchase 5,000 war mounts called Arkon. Take 1,000 volunteers with you and hand them over to the man who asks."


    Claude bowed in acknowledgement.


    "Baroness, three strongholds from the depths will send envoys to you. Treat them well and establish favourable trade relations. I am entrusting this with you."


    "I shall not disappoint you, Your Lordship." Katarina bowed.


    Finally, Asher turned to the blacksmith and master architect seated at the far end of the rectangular table.


    "Mr. White, your contribution and efforts have been invaluable to this county."


    Ark White stood.


    "Name whatever you desire and it shall be done."


    Ark White took a deep breath. "I want Silverleaf to be upgraded. The town lacks many amenities, yet it continues to grow. Also, the town guards are too few to handle the expansion. If this is left unchecked, I''m afraid ¡ª!"


    "Consider all granted."


    [Ding! Do you wish to upgrade Silverleaf Bastide from a Tier two town to a Tier three town? Yes or No?]


    ''Yes.''


    Ark White blinked. "Additionally, the Blacksmith Association which was formed a month ago needs funding. With our current numbers and machinery, we are unable to handle the country''s needs efficiently."


    "Speak with my regent. He''ll make sure all that you need concerning funding is settled. Anything more?"


    Ark White hesitated, momentarily dumbfounded.


    "We shall end this meeting here for now," Asher declared. "Commander Aquila, Eritrea¡ªyou will both march to the Great Dividing Wall. Only commander Adam shall remain in Ashkelon to prepare his troops."


    "Prepare?" Adam raised an eyebrow.


    "Yes. You shall lead an army and march into the depths two months from now to face a great army of beastmen. Our allies in the depths are counting on us and I believe this is an opportunity to spread the name of your House in the history of the inhabitants of the depths."


    "It shall be my pleasure." Adam slammed his fist against his chest.


    After Asher left, some lingered to chat while some left as quickly.


    In the hallway, Asher glanced at Kelvin. "You look young."


    "Tch." The half-butler adjusted his monocle.


    Asher chuckled.


    "Do you think it''s the right decision to go right into war the moment you return? Nobles might see you as a bloodthirsty man."


    "As long as I can secure the Dukedom of Mormonts as an ally before Archduke Nubis makes his move, it will be worth it. With the Duke as an ally, we can fortify our walls against the battle that is to come."


    "Battles?"


    Asher glanced at Kelvin from the corner of his left eye. "The world is about to be plunged into chaos. This peace we seem to have is very fragile, it will shatter even before you blink."


    "If so, we need to build an army stronger than what we have now¡ªto survive."


    "Indeed," Asher replied. "An army that consists of more than just human knights."


    A vision flashed in his mind¡ªan army led by him, not just of men, but of many races, standing united under his command!

 Chapter 291 Stakes on Ashers Head

    "What is the number of Count William''s troops?" Asher inquired softly.


    "About 65,000 barbarians, and along with that, his own troops should be about 20,000. That puts us against 85,000 men¡ªover 50,000 of them knights."


    Creases formed on Asher''s forehead. "Without a domain as large as ours, he can''t sustain an army of that size."


    Kelvin shook his head. "The supplies of every clan are brought to the camp and they also raid the villages and towns in Mormont''s domain."


    Asher narrowed one eye. "Then why are they so quiet?"


    "Because once a troop is sent into the Wildlands they become trophies for the barbarians. They could only set up keeps to protect their borders."


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    Asher exhaled sharply. "Count William is indirectly giving the barbarians strength and courage. Such an army cannot be controlled for long¡ªthey''re bound to bite the hand that feeds them."


    "I see. What about Ark White''s request? Funding the town''s development will affect the resources needed for the war."


    Kelvin quickly asked the moment the thought popped up.


    Asher blinked. "It''s done."


    "What?" Kelvin was confused.


    _____


    Days later, a lone man on horseback halted before the tall azure walls made entirely of ice, his pupils trembling.


    Silverleaf''s wall had grown to a staggering 20 feet, reinforced by thick, rectangular pillars that held it in place.


    The wall''s size alone was intimidating and just above the thick steel gate¡ªthe only steel gate of such size in the county¡ªa black flag fluttered on top of the wall as the wind billowed.


    The soldiers, once clad in simple leather armour, now stood in steel plate armours, gripping the finely crafted steel spears.


    ''My Lord!''


    The rider''s pupils trembled heavily.


    _____


    Count Naaman Ira rode into a sprawling camp filled with tents, horses and rowdy barbarians. The air was thick with loud voices, consistent banter resulting in wrestling matches and the constant neighing of restless horses.


    The remnants of once-towering trees¨Cnow reduced to a few inches of stumps, one would easily realize that this vast field was once covered with tall trees.


    Unfortunately, they had to be cut down for the camp to be prepared. These camps were hidden inside a forest, using it as a cover to avoid Ashbourne scouts'' prying eyes.


    Coin Ira''s eyes narrowed as he passed a grisly display¡ªthe sight of corpses impaled on stakes. The sight of their torn attire made the count know that these men were scouts from Ashbourne County.


    These were the ones that were caught, killed and put on display. A show of their dominance, the barbarians called it.


    "A disgrace." The chief guard rising beside Count Ira muttered. "Count William allowed such a dishonourable act on knights?"


    "He can''t transform the barbarians completely," Count Ira replied. "Letting them keep trophies is a small price for their loyalty, especially to alleviate the pain of losing over 30,000 men."


    The chief guard frowned deeply. "But these are men¡­ Knights no less. It is disrespectful to strip them off their armor, and desecrate their bodies in such a manner!"


    The chief guard struggled, his voice wavering with barely controlled anger.


    "Watch your tone," Count Ira warned. "This should teach you never to fight those above you. This is the price that a prideful count such as the White Wolf has to pay."


    As they got closer to the biggest tent, Count Ira dismounted. He smiled at Count William who stood outside the tent, both of his hands clasped, his expression unreadable.


    At Count Ira''s approach, Willian freed his hands and the two men embraced.


    "It''s been a while." Count William said.


    "Truly." Count Ira replied with a small smile.


    "What news do you bring this time?" Count William asked as they entered the tent and sat before a round table draped with animal hide.


    "Good news."


    Count William raised an eyebrow, clearly doubting.


    "I assure you, my friend," Ira continued, "it''s good news."


    Count William tapped his finger on the wooden table, his gaze piercing yet calm. "Then let me hear it"


    Count Ira''s lips curled into a malicious smile. "He''s out."


    Hearing this, Count William narrowed his eyes. "The Ashbourne boy?"


    Count Ira clicked his tongue, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "Correct. You were right. He was clearly in hiding but with the pressure on his domain increasing with each passing month, he couldn''t stay hidden forever."


    "I see." Count William''s expression sharpened. He had suspected that Asher wasn''t dead because things in the Ashbourne domain had remained far too orderly.


    That was why he had chosen the strategy of attrition. If Asher was truly dead, he wouldn''t appear, even when his subordinates inevitably turned on each other because of their conflicting ideals.


    But if he was alive¡­


    He would appear.


    "So he is alive."


    "My sources confirm he is on the move to the Great Dividing Wall, bringing the entire county''s forces with him." Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "He reacts like a child." Count William spat coldly.


    Count Ira smiled. "It''s an opportunity to bring an end to the man who made your daughter mad and ruined your relationship with the Archduke. Ah, before I forget¡­ the Archduke sent a word."


    "What was it?" Count William leaned back, his expression colder than before as Count Ira''s words brought back old memories.


    "Bring him Asher Ashbourne''s head and he shall forgo everything¡ªincluding the death of his favourite son."


    Count William slowly rose to his feet, his towering frame casting a shadow over Count Ira.


    "Consider it done."


    _____


    Deep inside a dark Cavern with candles flickering their orange warm light, heavy footsteps along with deep breathing could be heard as a jotunn, a blue-skinned being that looked like the evolved version of an orc¡ªwalked through.


    A helmet adorned his head, adorned with the tusks of a mammoth. Unlike the design of other helmets, the tusks in this helmet were made face-downward so that they were before his rock-hard chest.


    He stopped before a pitch-black void, from which a piercing chill emanated, and dropped to one knee.


    "I greet the Great Dark One. The man you seek, Asher Ashbourne, has resurfaced. He is heading to the Great Dividing Wall to battle your birth father, Count William Tigris."


    "Is that so?"


    A cold, feminine voice cut through the darkness. A woman covered in a black cloak emerged from the darkness, her beautiful face marred by scars, and her prominent scarlet eyes gleaming.


    Her lips curled up into a slow, enchanting smile. "I see why I loved him at a young age. He gave me the freedom to do as I pleased."


    Her gaze darkened. "And this time¡­ I want his head."


    A mere glare from her made the jotunn exhale sharply, his breath turning into mist in the chilling air.

 Chapter 292 Zenith

    Asher, seated on Sirius'' back, gazed at the vast plain before the Great Dividing Wall, where white tents sprawled like scattered petals.


    His eyes danced around the vast field, quickly locating the weapons of war¡ªmassive structures covered by large clothes and secured with stones.


    Hundreds of men grunted and strained as they hoisted the trebuchets up the wall using thick ropes.


    Even diamond-ranked knights found the task exhausting, their stamina drained by the sheer effort.


    The Temple Servants moved swiftly, healing bruised palms gained during such gruelling labor.


    "We''re lowering the old trebuchets for these new ones," Kelvin murmured beside Asher, still on horseback. "They can launch large brimstones to 1000 yards and have a lever to adjust their range, increasing its range to a maximum of 1200 yards."


    Asher''s eyes narrowed. "They got the blueprint of the design I created?" He remembered the day he had combined multiple trebuchets together to create a single one that was more powerful and capable of hurling brimstones.


    However, he hadn''t expected that the blueprint would be out so fast.


    "It was a combined effort of Blacksmith Dan, Mr. White and several mages," Kelvin explained. "The records and tomes from Tiberias have accelerated the growth of our mages. Some are on the verge of breaking into the diamond rank."


    "Good. Send a word that I commend them for their effort."


    A scribe trailing them quickly jotted it down.


    Turning, they glanced at the paladins who were riding their horses into the camp in tight formations, three at once.


    The long line stretched like a serpent winding through the field.


    "It''s been two weeks. The paladins seem to have blended well with the other troops," he noted.


    A smile formed on Asher''s lips as he spotted Eleazar assembling some tents while still on horseback. The soldiers around the tents would raise their hands in greeting, uttering words Asher could not hear, but the smile on Eleazar''s face suggested they were kind.


    It hadn''t been easy for Eleazar due to his skin tone. While other paladins had quickly forged friendships within days before the journey, Eleazar had remained isolated at first.


    "The boy with golden braids has potential," Kelvin remarked. "His ability to manipulate objects with his mind is outstanding."


    "It''s beyond that," Asher said. "In the future, he might match Nero."


    Hearing that, Nero, who rode silently behind them atop his Silver Blood horse, cast a glance toward Eleazar.


    "You don''t consider him a competition?" Asher questioned without looking back.


    "If he isn''t one now¡­ he won''t be then."


    Nero''s words made Asher and Kelvin chuckle. The scribe, on the other hand, shivered.


    Was this truly an eleven-year-old boy?!


    Nero was obsessed with training. As the last of BloodBlade lineage, the weight of legacy pressed heavily upon him. As a Titled Knight, he also had a mantle to keep.


    ''Training never ends.'' That was his motto, and it had worked for him. Now, as a Sacred-ranked knight, he could stand toe-to-toe with a saint, if only for a short while.


    This was a great feat considering fighting above ranks wasn''t that common.


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    Almost all the generals and commanders had reached their peak. A few like Nero, Eleazar, Paul and Adam were the future of the county.


    For now, some of them were nothing compared to the powerhouses like Aquila, Eritrea, Alex and Lambert, who had been at Asher''s side since the beginning. But in time, they would rise.


    "Where is Uriah?"


    Asher turned to Kelvin.


    "Over there." Kelvin pointed.


    Asher followed Kelvin''s finger and spotted the silhouette of a man perched atop a watchtower on the wall. A cloak draped over his shoulders, billowing slightly in the wind.


    "According to the report, he''s always up there, always watching," Kelvin continued. "Ever since his raven was killed, he merged with two red-tailed hawks and also reached the gold rank."


    "So he knows where our enemies are?"


    "Not exactly. They have a man with a certain talent¡ªsomeone who can pinpoint Uriah''s birds and have them killed. But he can still inform us when the enemy forces are on the move. Because of that, we have never been caught off guard."


    Asher hummed in approval. "How many men do we have now?"


    "Grand Aegis Legion consists of 20,000 Aegis Heavy Infantry, 4400 of them are fresh recruits. We also have 2000 Goshen Longbow Archers. The unit has increased to 3000 but 1000 remained stationed at the Goshen barracks¡­"


    Adjusting his monocle, Kelvin squinted at the paper in his hand and continued to read.


    "The Heavy Cavalry, the Bladebreakers, have 5000 cavaliers. There are also 2000 Stormbringer Archer Cavaliers and 200 mages."


    Kelvin breathed out. "That brings the total to 29,200 soldiers. If we include the Crimson Temple''s Dragon knights, we have 30,200."


    "Dragon knights?"


    "Lady Sapphira has awakened another talent, one believed to be linked to her origins. It''s the first summoner profession I''ve ever seen."


    "A summoner?"


    "Indeed. She summons a species of spirits called the predator dragonfly. They don''t need armor because it can develop a scale-like armor over their bodies when in a war state and they are permanently granted fairy-like wings."


    Asher narrowed his eyes. "And their strength?"


    "The scales are able to withstand blows from sacred-ranked weapons and also grant them the strength of a veteran diamond-ranked knight. In addition to their ability to fly and their shooting skills, they have been a major reason in preventing Count William from breaching the wall."


    "What else do you know?"


    Kelvin leaned back a bit, then coughed.


    "Once she breaks into the imperial rank, their ranks would increase."


    Asher narrowed his eyes further. ''This is a Zenith Grade talent¡ªno doubt about it!''


    "However, there''s a drawback," Kelvin continued. "She has to feed those spirits with her force and that hinders her growth. If she dies, her knights will all die once the fire which represents the energy dies. So, they make sure she''s safe. And as a fairy, she''s bound to live longer than all of us."


    "My Lord, your tent has been prepared!" Lambert''s voice called from afar.


    Asher nodded."Ah, I see. Let''s go."


    _____


    Later, Asher sat at his desk, scribbling notes about Sapphira''s abilities on a piece of paper. Kelvin would never lie to him so all he said was the truth.


    Which meant one thing¡­ Sapphira possessed a Zenith Grade talent!


    However, this wasn''t joyful news.


    He leaned back, staring blankly into thin air.


    The side effect of anyone with Zenith Grade talent was¡­


    Death!


    It gave them an incredible edge but it always came at the cost of life.


    With a heavy sigh, he dropped the ink pen. It was late. Several hours had passed since he sat down to write, think and analyze.


    His head ached so he glanced at his bed, considering rest.


    Boom!


    The ground trembled beneath him as an explosion ripped through the night!


    Without hesitation, he grabbed his swords and strapped them to his side before rushing out of the tent only to see flames rising into the night sky, engulfing the horizon.


    "The West Division is under attack!"


    Nero hovered behind him.


    "An attack?!" Asher''s voice was sharp. "When did our enemies breach the wall?!" sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 293 Hidden In The Fog

    Thud! Thud! sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Asher dashed toward the West Division, flanked by Nero and a dozen paladins who were guarding his tent.


    His mind raced with several thoughts, but his eyes never left the thick smoke billowing into the dark sky.


    As if that wasn''t enough, another explosion occurred, followed yet again by another, and another!


    A total of five tents erupted in fire, each explosion releasing a violent wave that blasted nearby soldiers, scorching the skins of the closest ones and wounding those farther away!


    Asher''s eyes widened. His right hand reached out, gripping Euodias. As he pulled his sword out, his speed increased.


    ''What is going on?!''


    _____


    Meanwhile, in the West Division, Paul, the General of the Goshen Longbow Archers, was on one knee, panting heavily.


    He was about to rush into that tent to awaken his men when the flames hit the tent and three others.


    Like the first, they all burst into flames. And like the first, everyone inside the tent was incinerated!


    The cause¡­


    A massive white tiger prowled toward him, its golden eyes locked into him. Behind it, hundreds of barbarians with bloodshot eyes and bloodthirsty aura clashed with the soldiers who were on guard and those who had managed to react in time.


    Unfortunately, the troops stationed in the West Division were the Goshen Longbow Archers, a long-range unit. Now, they were forced into close-quarters combat against melee force!


    And not just any melee soldiers¡ªbut warriors who had activated a troop talent called ''Berserk''!


    A troop talent that amplified their strength and regeneration.


    A deep, growling voice rumbled through the chaos.


    "Kill as many as you can. They''re filthy wastelanders, after all."


    The white tiger shimmered, transforming into a towering, broad-shouldered man with white hair and a short beard.


    Levi Tigris!


    Count William''s second son.


    He smiled at Paul as a barbarian threw a great sword which he grabbed effortlessly.


    Shing!


    Steel sang as he unsheathed the deadly weapon, dragging it against the ground as he closed the distance.


    Paul braced himself, expecting Levi to swing his weapon in a downward strike, and rolled left to evade¡­


    "Caught you!" Levi roared as flames exploded from his mouth!


    Paul crossed his arms, unleashing his full force as he rolled backwards, the heat searing his skin.


    Gritting his teeth, he exhaled sharply and suddenly sprung to his feet. But instead of facing Levi, he turned and fled!


    Seeing this, Levi let out a guttural laugh and breathed flames facing the sky. This time, the flames split into five curving downward, right toward Paul''s destination¡ªhis tent!


    Boom!


    Paul saw his rent reduce to an inferno right before his eyes.


    "General!"


    An archer burst from the darkness, carrying Paul''s bow and quiver in his hands.


    Levi''s eyes widened. He lunged forward, raising his sword and swinging it downward for a killing blow¡­


    But before he could, Paul kicked a short tree trunk straight at him.


    Levi was forced to halt and slashed through the wood with a single strike.


    By the time he split the trunk apart, Paul had laid his hands on his bow and scattered his arrows on the ground.


    Levi grinned. "Come! Let me see what an Ashbourne general can do?"


    While he yelled, two arrows arrived before his eyes. Tilting his head, Levi barely dodged them, but they scraped against his armor.


    Levi''s smirk faltered and eyes narrowed.


    Then¡ªhis eyes narrowed even further as he sensed that the arrows were coming back while three more were rushing toward him from the front!


    "You¡­!"


    He breathed flames again. The flames were so explosive that just upon contact with the arrows an explosion occurred.


    The blast resulted in a shockwave that flung both knights backwards.


    But as Levi tumbled through the air, two arrows pierced through the firestorm and planted themselves into his shoulder!


    Just between his breastplate and his pauldron.


    The pain only made him growl like a beast.


    The battlefield rang with the clash of weapons and the cries of men.


    Levi''s lips curled into a wicked smile.


    There was no doubt the barbarians were having the upper hand. With the Berserk talent in their hand, the barbarians had turned into relentless monsters, increasing their power and healing.


    But this talent wouldn''t last forever. They had to finish their mission and retreat before the effect of the talent wore off.


    _____


    "My Lord!"


    Nero stood before Asher who suddenly stopped running and stood in one spot for minutes!


    Nero looked at the worsened state of the West Division and then at Asher who instead of facing the burning West Division, was staring at the Great Dividing Wall.


    All of a sudden, Asher grounded his teeth as if a realization had struck him. "It''s a bait. The real target has been the wall all along!"


    "W¡­ what?!"


    "Find General Alec! Tell him to send the Grand Aegis unit to the walls¡ªNOW!"


    Sensing the urgency in Asher''s voice, Nero didn''t hesitate and shot off toward Alec''s tent at full speed.


    _____


    While this was going on, Uriah, the man always standing on the highest vantage point, frowned.


    For the last ten minutes, he had been watching something¡­ unnatural occur.


    It only dawned on him now that this wasn''t ordinary!


    At first, a strange fog enveloped the forest. But now, it had grown, spreading across the vast field, rising higher and higher¡ªup to the point where it was even taller than the walls!


    He had watched this fog grow to become something so monstrous. At first, it seemed like the night''s fog was drifting from the forest and since it started from the forest, he wasn''t suspicious.


    But something might be wrong.


    And suddenly, it hit him.


    This wasn''t natural!


    A chill ran down his spine.


    ''Is it a beast?''


    Suspicious, Uriah sent one of his red-tailed hawks into the fog. His eyes turned dull white as he shared its vision, watching it glide through the thick fog, unable to see anything beyond the swirling gray.


    Just as he was about to give up, the hawk suddenly burst into a clearer zone, where the fog thinned to a faint mist.


    His breath caught.


    He saw thousands¡ªperhaps tens of thousands¡ªof barbarians pushing siege towers!


    Over 15 trebuchets had been set and these siege towers, greatly better than the ladders they used were being pushed towards the Great Dividing Wall!


    One had to know that these siege towers built for him were a bit taller than the wall!


    Puchi!


    An arrow sliced past the red-tailed hawk''s right wing, shearing off some feathers with it!


    Alarmed, Uriah commanded the hawk to retreat. Heeding this life-saving command, the hawk shot upward, flapping its wings as hard as it could.


    More arrows whizzed past it, some far and some near.


    Some dangerously near too!


    Fortunately, it burst out of the fog, flew and swooped back to its master, perching on Uriah''s shoulder.


    Uriah turned to the Grand Aegis Heavy Infantrymen and Stormbringer Markswomen stationed on the wall. They stood there unaware of the horror advancing beneath the cover of the fog.


    "Blow the horn! Barbarians will soon reach our walls!!"


    The soldier inside the watchtower upon which Uriah stood grabbed a massive horn secured by thick wooden beams.


    He took a deep breath, his cheeks inflating, then blew with all his might.


    A deep, earth-shaking roar came out of the horn, echoing across the battlefield and alarming both the Ashbourne soldiers who were already in formation as they headed to the wall thanks to Asher''s prior orders and the barbarians who were inching closer to the wall!


    Then came the next threat.


    After the roar of the horn died down, the fire-life eyes of the Ashbourne defenders reflected a terrifying sight¡ªmassive boulders wrapped in cloth, soaked in oil and set ablaze.


    Boom!


    Some slammed into the wall, sending debris and flames everywhere while others soared over, crashing into the camp behind!


    "Move!"


    Captains and commanders roared at the top of their voices as the priests summoned force fields to intercept the flaming boulders.


    But not all could be stopped. The places that were unfortunate were crushed by the boulder and fire took over, consuming everything in its wake!


    "To the wall!"


    Asher emerged from his tent, fully clad in Exodus, the Conqueror¡ªhis prized armor, forged from dwarven ore!


    With a solemn expression, he marched for the wall, leading a row of paladins, clad in their gleaming armours and flowing cloaks.


    He was led straight to the lift with some paladins and was taken up. The moment he reached the top, chaotic voices filled his ears.


    His eyes descended on a scene where Stormbringers shot lightning-packed arrows into the dense fog. When the arrow hit a barbarian, it would release a lightning blast and that would clear the fog, allowing the knights to see the dense population of barbarians they were to fight!


    Unfortunately, the fog swallowed the gaps almost instantly.


    "This fog is unnatural," Eleazar muttered at Asher''s side.


    "Indeed," Asher agreed. It was clearly a spell from a mage, a powerful one at that since it could cover over 3000 yards!


    Turning, he gazed at the Stormbringers Markswomen trooping into the walkway and taking positions.


    In a span of minutes, two thousand Markswoman lined the walls! The death toll among the barbarian side rose steadily¡ªuntil their siege towers finally burst out of the fog.


    Right before their wall!


    The Stormbringers swiftly retreated, making way for the Grand Aegis Heavy Infantrymen who planted their tower shields into the ground and pointed their spears at the towers in a solid formation.


    Boom! Boom! Boom!


    The doors of three siege towers that arrived at once fell, connecting the siege towers to the wall and barbarians poured out.


    In a swift motion, the Grand Aegis soldiers split their shield formation just enough to allow the Stormbringers who were on their knees to fire another deadly volley.


    The arrows pierced through the barbarians, throwing some of them off the plank.


    As the barbarians surged closer, the Grand Aegis soldiers closed the shield wall, thrusting their spears at the barbarians, in relentless waves, they impaled those who lunged toward them.


    Like a refined machine, the Grand Aegis soldiers cut down barbarians in droves. Their momentum kept increasing¡ªuntil something changed.


    A different set of barbarians stormed out.


    Like the others, they charged recklessly at the Grand Aegis men but were even more crazy as they jumped into the air, landing on the very spears that were meant to kill them!


    However, this time something was wrong.


    Their skins were hard to pierce through!


    Looking closer, one would notice that these men didn''t have normal skin tones.


    Their skins had a texture like that of a rhino!


    With terrifying strength, they swung their massive axes.


    The shield wall finally shattered.


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    Chaos ensued.


    "Hahaha, kill these weak men!"


    A barbarian, towering at 7. 5 feet, considered a gaunt amongst his brethren, looked at the Aegis knight around him with a scoff and swung his cudgel.


    With a single swing, he sent the knights flying.


    But then, something flickered in the corner of his left eye.


    Before the barbarian could turn, someone had moved past him.


    Thud!

 Chapter 294 Spectacular Aim

    The barbarian collapsed to the ground, clutching his stomach as his pupils trembled at the sight of the golden-armoured man before him.


    Amid the chaos of clashing steel, Asher''s azure blade¡ªdistinct even among thousands of blades¡ªgleamed softly, its edge stained with crimson blood.


    A faint blue mist, too light to be taken seriously at first glance, hovered around the blade, exuding a subtle chill.


    Lifting his head, the barbarian met the piercing golden eyes hidden within the helmet with a crown at the top.


    Within the barbarian''s pupils, one could see the reflection of a slim barbarian with two short swords in his hand behind Asher.


    ''Kill him!''


    The hulking barbarian was about to grin when Asher, without so much as glancing back, plunged Euodias through the learning enemy behind him.


    The slim barbarian staggered, gasping, before tumbling off the wall.


    With a single step, Asher closed the distance and hovered above the huge barbarian¡ªwrapping his arms around the man''s neck and lifting him up with the intention of piercing his sword through him.


    Right at that moment, he sensed a scorching projectile hurtling toward him at a terrifying speed.


    Surely, it would slam where he stood!


    Asher squinted.


    When the boulder burst out of the fog, fully visible for all to see, Eritrea''s voice rang out, her eyes wide in shock and alarm.


    "My Lord!"


    Unfazed, Asher slashed the hulking barbarian before borrowing the same momentum to pivot and unleash a precise slash, splitting the boulder cleanly in two.


    Both halves of the boulder, frozen solid, crashed to either of his sides and tumbled off the wall!


    Then, he turned to meet Eritrea''s gaze.


    She smiled before swiftly turning and unleashing a volley of three constant arrows at once. Each of her shots soared over 500 yards, piercing through the armors of her targets and scorching them black!


    "Hold!"


    Alec''s roar pierced through the chaos. The general stood swinging his spear with familiarity, expertise, and great ease, reaping the lives of barbarians and slaying even gold- and diamond-ranked warriors alike while keeping a watchful eye on his troops.


    "Let Go!"


    The sheer number of barbarians was overwhelming, forcing Grand Aegis soldiers into a difficult position. Ale bellowed, and in unison, the soldiers took two steps backwards.


    "20 percent release!"


    All at once, 4000 Grand Aegis soldiers on the wall unleashed 20 percent of their battle force, strengthening their muscles, bones hardening and weapons gleaming with power.


    A faint mist hovered around the triangular heads of their spears.


    With renewed strength, they struck, their spears staining the battlefield red.


    After examining the wall, Asher realized the main problem wasn''t just the horde, it was the flaming boulders. They had ravaged sections of the wall''s walkway and worst, obliterated much of the camp!


    Dozens of flaming boulders had reduced tents to cinders, flaming spreading the land unchecked¡ªuntil Aquila took command.


    She raised a towering water octopus, its massive tentacles catching the boulders midair, extinguishing the boulder before letting them drop harmlessly to the ground.


    She remained suspended at the center of the elemental beast''s head, her hair billowing upward as her eyes glowed with a faint azure light.


    The giant octopus, nearly as tall as the wall, kept intercepting and quenching the fiery projectiles, preventing any further damage. Meanwhile, the Ashbourne trebuchets blew up the battlefield.


    Their brimstones killed any barbarian it touched!


    Unlike the barbarian trebuchets, which merely scattered fire, the Ashbourne weapon annihilated everything it touched, proving more lethal!


    Unfortunately, the enemy had adjusted. Their trebuchets shifted targets¡ªfrom the camp to the wall!


    Seeing this and the increase in siege towers, Asher strode toward a ballista.


    "Move aside."


    The soldiers hesitated, momentarily stunned, before quickly giving way for their lord.


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    Asher seized the ballista, adjusting it with such speed that some of the soldiers feared it might throw him off. But Asher''s grip held it in place.


    He tilted the ballista slightly upwards and released three massive bolts.


    The bolts pierced through a trebuchet, 1600 yards away¡ªfar beyond the ballista''s typical range.


    The ballistic bolts destroyed the trebuchet, sending splinters flying. The boulder resting on it collapsed, destroying the trebuchet completely.


    "Reload!" Asher commanded.


    Two soldiers swiftly reloaded, locking in three more bolts. Asher turned the ballista toward another trebuchet.


    Boom!


    1600 yards away, the bolts struck their target, piercing through the thick wooden beams and embedding deep into the soil!


    "General!" A barbarian bellowed, forcing a white-haired man focused on the war to turn his head backwards.


    At that moment, another volley of bolts whistled through the air, piercing through another trebuchet, obliterating it!


    Cain Tigris frowned.


    Boom!


    Another trebuchet went down!


    His eyes widened.


    "Blow whoever is shooting those bolts into pieces!"


    But while the trebuchet controller crew struggled to adjust their aim, Asher continued his assault. One by one, the trebuchets crumbled¡ªuntil the last one was turned into ruins!


    Cain couldn''t believe it. Those trebuchets, all fifteen of them, were given to them by Archduke Nubis as a gift. And now, all of them had been wiped out, by one ballista!


    Who in the world was manning that ballista?


    "Levi has done his part. Let''s advance!" Determination flashed in Cain''s eyes as he charged towards the siege towers.


    Thousands of barbarians followed him, all of them filled with bloodthirstiness.


    "You''ve enraged them, My Lord."


    Eleazar said, eliciting a smirk from Asher before he drew Euodias.


    "Go after their siege towers."


    After saying that, Asher sprinted toward the nearest siege tower, where the barbarians had breached the Grand Aegis wall, ensuing blood and chaos on the battlefield.


    With a powerful leap, he wrapped his gauntlet-covered hand around a barbarian''s face and slammed his head into the hard stone!


    Clang!


    Another barbarian struck Asher''s armor with his clever, but the blade couldn''t even scratch Exodus. An azure glow¡ªthe reflection of Euodias¡ªwas the last thing the man ever saw as his head was severed!


    Mong with impossible speed for someone in heavy armor, Asher danced through the battlefield, cutting down barbarians effortlessly.


    Finally, when he had reached the edge of the plank, he turned toward Moses.


    Without needing to hear a word from Asher, Moses unleashed a wave of fire.


    Flames swallowed the siege tower in an instant, burning faster than anything they had ever seen.


    While this siege tower burned, a BloodBlade stood at the periphery of another siege tower, looking at the barbarians on the utmost floor¡ªthe one connecting to the wall.


    "Look, a stray knight," one of the barbarians chuckled.


    All of a sudden, sand began to gather at their feet, all the way from the ground!


    The sand was somehow manipulated to slither up the siege tower into the utmost floor!


    Boom!


    It burst apart, revealing the same BloodBlade standing in their midst.


    Some looked up, searching for him¡­ S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But Nero was no longer there.


    He was now¡­ right among them!

 Chapter 295 The Sand Knight

    Swish! Swish!


    Nero swung his swords, their blades cutting through the barbarian''s hardened leather armour with ease.


    Before the first two bodies even hit the ground, he had already teleported several times. By the time the others fell, slain, he was elsewhere, only to reappear to kill again.


    Boom!


    The sand in the floor below erupted, revealing him. This time, even faster than the first. With each teleport, he cut through the charging barbarians, leaving behind only a thick, choking stench of blood in the siege tower.


    Their eyes narrowed upon noticing the dark shadow standing before the entrance, twin swords gleaming in the torchlight.


    A hulking barbarian forced his way to the front of the hesitant unit, his single eye burning with rage.


    "What are you waiting for, kill that¡ª!"


    Puchi!


    One of Nero''s swords pierced his forehead. His body hadn''t even hit the ground before Nero reappeared, yanking his blade free.


    The barbarians rushed and surged forward, swinging axes, khopesh, and swords. Unfortunately, Nero disappeared the next instant only to appear outside their encirclement.


    A fiery orange light flared from his blade. Energy surged through it, forming a radiant crescent sword light that slashed through the crowd, killing over a dozen men instantly!


    "AHH!"


    A sharp roar snapped Nero''s focus as a man leaped toward him. Without looking back, Nero blocked the axe, his back lowering due to the weight of the barbarian.


    The barbarian''s sheer weight had caught Nero off guard.


    However, he quickly swung his sword horizontally only for the barbarian to hook his sword with the axe before closing the gap between them and slamming his fist into Nero''s helmet, snapping his head back. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The barbarian then released his grip on the axe, wrapped his thick arms around Nero''s waist and hoisted him up¡ªbefore throwing him over his head.


    Nero crashed into the sand.


    Dust rose up.


    The huge barbarian commander squinted through the haze, but couldn''t find Nero anymore. In the next moment, he sensed someone behind him but it was too late for him to react.


    "Argh!"


    A searing pain shot through his leg as Nero''s blade sliced the back of his knee. The next moment, his arm clamped the barbarian''s throat before flinging him over.


    With a grunt, Nero pinned the massive man off his feet and slammed him into the ground. The commander, traced in resistance, his muscles bulging, but Nero held him down with gritted teeth.


    The other barbarians charged out of the fog, aiming to intervene¡ªonly to be blasted away by an unseen force!


    From the same siege tower emerged men with steel-hardened muscles, overflowing cloaks and iconic round golden shields.


    A dozen of them trooped out, led by Eleazar.


    Crack!


    Nero twisted, finally snapping the barbarian commander''s neck.


    He then rose to his feet, staggering from left to right, his breath ragged. Rank-wise, he might have had the edge over the barbarian commander but that man was an experienced fighter!


    His skill and cunningness were praiseworthy.


    Turning, he saw the paladins in action. With precise efficiency, they deflected one strike and killed a barbarian with the other. At first, it seemed repetitive, but Nero soon realized they were changing their stances and posture to make sure their enemies were down in just two bouts!


    They first would receive a blow, and then strike in the very moment where it would be tough for the enemy to defend.


    They were like trained snakes, knowing how to inflict their venom, in this case, their spears into critical areas.


    Bodies piled up. Yet no barbarian could force these paladins to use more than two moves. The two most basic moves.


    Block and Attack!


    Nero pulled his sword from the ground. The deafening roar of thousands and the tremors beneath his feet signaled the incoming wave of enemies.


    "We should return to the wall."


    "Now!"


    Eleazar''s bellow cut through the chaos. He turned around and dashed for the siege tower, the other paladins following closely behind.


    From the fog, Nero saw barbarians burst out in overwhelming numbers.


    Alarmed, he teleported to the siege tower and held the door open, waiting for the paladins. The moment they jumped in, he slammed the door shut.


    Boom! Boom!


    The sound of heavy blows of barbarians hitting the door fell into their ears.


    "The stairs!"


    They began to climb the stairs. Just as they entered the upper floor, the sound of the door breaking fell into their ears.


    The door shattered the next moment and the thunder of barbarian heavy footsteps shook the walls of the siege towers as they furiously charged up.


    All of a sudden, it became a race.


    Suddenly, the moment the paladins reached the top, their demeanour changed and they turned sharply, forming a phalanx!


    Puchi! Puchi!


    The long silver spearheads shot forward, piercing deep into the first wave of barbarians before retracting.


    Deadly wounded and reeling, the barbarians stumbled back only to be met with brutal shield bashes that threw them against their comrades, resulting in a disorder. Enjoy exclusive adventures from My Virtual Library Empire


    Eleazar seized the moment. With a powerful strike, he shattered the floor beneath them!


    Both he and the paladins rushed off the siege tower¡­


    And there, right at the edge of the wall, stood Moses.


    The one-eyed flamethrower!


    Two large balls of flames swirling in his palms.


    Boom! Boom!


    The siege tower erupted in flames, collapsing and burying the trapped barbarians within!


    Roar!


    The terrifying roar of a tiger made them snap their heads to their right.


    To their shock, they discovered a massive white tiger tearing through the ranks of the Grand Aegis soldiers.


    With a single swipe of its paw, the Grand Aegis soldiers would be sent flying off the wall, vanishing into the dense fog below, into their demise!


    Cain.


    His golden eyes burned with fury as he let out a low growl, standing over Stormbringer. He had slain all the Grand Aegis soldiers around the Markswomen.


    He sensed a presence.


    Turning, his eyes clashed with that of a golden-armoured Swordsman racing toward him. All of a sudden, a white wolf climbed up the wall and the golden armoured man leaped, landing on the wolf''s back.


    The soldiers gave way, allowing the man to gallop towards him.


    ''Asher!''


    Cain''s eyes flickered.


    Without hesitation, he also raced towards Asher, leaping with both forelimbs outstretched, aiming to tear Asher apart¡­


    Unfortunately, Asher leaned down and swung his sword in an upward arc.


    A sharp sting tore through Cain''s body. When they separated, Asher''s gaze fell upon the bleeding tiger.


    Cain growled.


    Sirius unleashed a surge of crimson flames.


    Seeing the flames, Cain hesitated only for a split second before leaping off the wall, disappearing into the fog below.


    "Did he just kill himself?" Eritrea asked, lowering her bow after shooting down the last of the barbarians around her.


    Immediately after Cain''s fall, the barbarians retreated like the waves of the sea, disappearing back into the fog.


    Only the burning siege towers, fallen bodies and exhausted soldiers proved that a battle had occurred here not long ago.


    "We won¡­"


    "We won!"


    "Hahaha!!"


    Laughter rippled through the soldiers, but Asher remained still, staring at the fog with a grim expression.


    He knew¡­


    Cain wasn''t dead!

 Chapter 296 Beating Heart

    "Open the gate."


    Asher said, his voice calm.


    "OPEN THE GATE!"


    Moses bellowed at the top of his lungs, and the gates opened with a thunderous groan, allowing thousands of Bladebreakers to charge into the battlefield.


    They galloped forward like a tidal wave, lances thrusting and sweeping in deadly arcs. Barbarians fell, dropping like flies as they tried to run away.


    Asher watched as Lambert led the charge, bringing the Bladebreakers halfway through the battlefield before making a U-turn galloping back toward the gate.


    Tigris'' forces had taken a brutal hit¡ªAsher knew that much.


    But¡­


    Count William knew of his arrival faster than he had expected. Not only was he aware of Asher''s arrival, but he had also managed to procure high-ranking spell scrolls and siege weapons.


    Clearly, this wasn''t just a battle. The real target was him!


    Before Asher''s frown could deepen, Alec approached him. The massive knight''s armor was slick with blood.


    "My Lord!"


    He bowed his head.


    "I have a report. The West division succeeded in holding back those wild barbarians. General Paul was injured, and we lost 127 Archers in battle."


    Asher''s eyes narrowed.


    Losing so many archers was a heavy blow.


    "How many casualties on the enemy''s side?"


    "We''re not done counting. Levi Tigris fled with the remaining barbarians, but the Temple knights are after them."


    Asher turned. "Take me there."


    He wanted to see the state of the west division with his own eyes.


    Nero, Eleazar and two other paladins followed him as they made their way to the lift.


    Meanwhile, a fearsome battle erupted elsewhere.


    Sapphira gripped her hand tightly around her sword, clashing against a jotunn, a blue-skinned being even larger than an orc!


    Behind the Jotunn stood a blonde woman garbed in flowing black robes. Her hood had been pulled down, revealing sharp, calculating eyes.


    Before her eyes, the jotunn got hold of the heavy table from the centre of the tent and hurled it towards Sapphira. The fairy reacted instantly, sliding under the table, forcefully spinning on her knees and delivering a horizontal cut in a fluid motion.


    Her sword cut through the jotunn''s thick leather belt, which bore the gruesome trophy of a human skull!


    Roaring in fury, the jotunn swung down his axe in a devastating arc.


    Sapphira''s eyes narrowed.


    The next instant, her wings seemed to have flared to life, and then she moved.


    Swoosh!


    She then darted to the right, faster than the eye could follow, and before the jotunn could react, she slashed¡ªher sword carving deep into the jotunn''s right knee!


    "Argh!"


    The jotunn''s agonized shriek shook the tent, yet outside, no one could hear a thing!


    Seeing that the jotunn was losing, Liya''s eyes flickered, and ice rose up, locking Sapphira''s arms and legs in place.


    Liya smiled.


    The jotunn''s lips curled into a chuckle, his eyes darkening with a possessive gleam as he beheld the otherworldly beauty held down by the thick ice.


    Sensing the jotunn''s intentions, Liya ground her teeth. "Kill her."


    She snarled.


    Crack!


    Just as the jotunn raised his axe, fractures started appearing on the ice, and a white mist, shaped like a ghostly figure, erupted from Sapphira.


    Puchi!


    The jotunn gasped. Blood bubbled from his lips as he stared down at the sword that had pierced through him from the back, his eyes widened in disbelief.


    Behind him, there was another Sapphira. And the one trapped before his eyes, captured by the ice, just dissipated into thin air.


    Swish!


    Spikes of ice erupted from the ground, but Sapphira sliced them all effortlessly. Then, without hesitation, she surged forward, decapitating the jotunn before turning to face Liya.


    Swoosh!


    Like a phantom, she appeared before Liya, unleashing a swift, angular slash. Unfortunately, it missed¡ªLiya had vanished and reappeared near the tent''s exit.


    Her sudden appearance made the air distort, causing the tent''s flap to flutter.


    "Who are you, and what are you doing in his tent?!"


    Sapphira shot forth, thrusting her sword with the intention of piercing through Liya and pinning her to a beam.


    Clink!


    Her sword tip hit something metallic instead!


    A golden chest plate, to be exact.


    Sapphira''s pupils narrowed as she realized who stood before her.


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    She had pointed her sword against Asher!


    Unaware of what had transpired, Asher had only wanted to walk past his tent towards the west division, but the movement of his tent''s flap caught his attention.


    Unbeknownst to him, that was also when Liya appeared there.


    Sapphira quickly retrieved her sword while Asher scanned his tent, which was now in shambles.


    Removing his helmet, he raised an eyebrow at her.


    "I sense a spell."


    His deep voice resonated in Sapphira''s ears.


    She turned but didn''t see the jotunn''s corpse.


    Was that dark mage trying to frame her?


    "I sensed a foul energy in your tent, so I followed it and discovered a dark mage. I apologize for destroying your tent, My Lord."


    Sapphira lowered her head.


    Looking at the dirt on her gown, the sweat beading on her neck, and the slight tremor in her stance as she bowed her head, Asher''s gaze softened, and he lowered his brow.


    "I can sense it, too. Whoever you fought against left the moment I touched the flap. But right now, I am more concerned about the county''s priestess."


    He took two steps forward, taking Sapphira''s left hand.


    "Are you alright?"


    Sapphira couldn''t come up with a response. Inwardly, her shock knew no bounds, even resulting in slight shyness, a trait she had never known in her life!


    The intensity of the fight against the jotunn became a child''s play as her heart pounded against her ribcage.


    The reason for her feeling this was because Asher''s other hand reached out for her chin and lifted her head.


    Their eyes met.


    Sapphira''s pupils shook.


    Inside Asher''s golden gaze, she couldn''t find the kind of desire other men had, but it was clear¡­ he wanted her!


    As she came to this conclusion, Sapphira felt her knees grow weak.


    She couldn''t believe what was going on in her body. Although she did find Asher appealing, considering their age difference and her sense of discipline, Sapphira thought she would never react like this.


    Experience tales with My Virtual Library Empire


    It was as if all her defences and sense of authority had melted away.


    The rapid beating of her heart, his soft touch and his beautiful golden eyes filled her senses.


    "I¡­ I''m alright."


    She barely managed to utter.


    _____


    Boom!


    A glass cup shattered, its shards sprinkling onto the ground with soft sounds that fell into the ears of the infuriated woman.


    Liya''s piercing blue eyes burned with vengeance.


    "Asher Ashbourne." she seethed, grinding her teeth.


    Through the hidden mirror inside the tent, she watched the two of them¡ªher fury growing with each passing moment.

 Chapter 297 A Dream

    "My Lord!"


    A voice called from outside the tent, and Asher halted. With a refined cough, he turned and headed for the tent''s entrance. Although still flustered, Sapphira followed him as she could hear the commotion outside.


    Just as Asher stepped out, he saw the Temple servants holding down a white-haired man who kept struggling against their grip, but it was futile¡ªthese knights, possessed by spirits, were far stronger than any ordinary ones.


    Their dark, scaly dragonfly armor was imposing and coupled with their reinforced dragonfly wings; these knights didn''t seem human at first glance.


    Levi''s gaze locked onto Asher''s before shifting to Sapphira. His pupils dilated the moment he laid eyes on her.


    Sapphira''s eyebrows furrowed.


    "Destroyer of Men. A pleasure to meet you."


    Nero''s eyes widened.


    Such blatant disregard for his lord dug deep into his bones.


    The sound of his heavy footsteps fell into Levi''s ears, and before the second son of Count William could react, a fist covered in exquisitely forged metal gauntlet slammed into his face with brutal force. Your next read awaits at My Virtual Library Empire


    The blow was so strong that it forced Levi from the Temple knights'' grip, burying his face into the soil.


    As Levi lifted his head, dirt and sand dropping from his hair, he caught sight of a soldier approaching¡ªtaller, broader, and more formidable than the others.


    His cloak fluttered, revealing his muscular arms laced with scars. A golden helmet covered most of his face, only revealing his piercing, cold eyes.


    "Don''t touch him, Levi."


    Asher''s command felt like a supernatural force that calmed the rippling in a lake.


    Renowned for his strength amongst the paladins and undeniable loyalty, Levi turned his head, gazed at Asher for a split second and then took a step back.


    "Another Levi? And here I thought that I was the only Levi in these parts." Levi Tigris spat out dirt and salvia.


    Then, he turned to Asher.


    "Release me, and I''ll have my father spare your life."


    "You?" Asher said, stepping forward.


    Levi revealed a broad smile. "You doubt me?"


    Asher shook his head. "Not at all." He crouched, meeting Levi''s gaze.


    "On the contrary, I do think you have a use¡­"


    Levi''s smirk deepened¡ªuntil Asher rose to his feet.


    " ¡­ And that is to be used as a bargaining token for an alliance with House Mormont."


    Levi''s eyes widened.


    "How dare, you filthy Wastelander!" Before he could finish, the knights closed his mouth shut.


    Asher turned to the scribe standing behind the knights and was watching the scene.


    "Prepare a letter and send an envoy to deliver it to House Mormont."


    "My Lord¡­" Sapphira''s voice made Asher pause, his brows raised in curiosity.


    "You can''t send just any envoy to House Mormont."


    "She''s right." Eritrea, standing by the side with her arms crossed, added. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Asher turned to Simon. "Can you deliver the message?"


    "Perfectly." Simon bowed, pressing his folded palm against his chest.


    Asher nodded.


    "Also¡­ send my greetings to my sister."


    _____


    A few hours later, Asher stood atop the Great Dividing Wall, his fur-padded cloak and hair fluttering in the wind as he watched the paladin ride away.


    Dust trialed the path of the rider and his horse as they approached the looming dark forest ahead, the faint starlight barely illuminating their path.


    Yet, all Asher could think of was Mary''s reply.


    The night seemed to have stretched endless as he stood there, two paladins flanking his side at a respectful distance, about a dozen steps away.


    Tapk! Tapk!


    Footsteps fell into his ears, causing him to turn his head to the right.


    He squinted upon seeing the black-haired woman clad in her priestly white garment approach. Without her armour, with her hair untied, she looked like she had just stepped into this world from a different one.


    "Stunning," he muttered, the words escaping before he could stop it.


    Sapphira blinked. "Indeed, the night sky is the best thing there is."


    Asher glanced up at the sky, littered with shining stars, before turning his gaze to the enchanting woman beside him.


    "Those stars are far away, locked in a world of their own while we can only gaze. I''d rather admire the one that is close to me."


    Sapphira chuckled. "And how do you want to do that?"


    She glanced at him, her eyes curious.


    Without hesitation, Asher wrapped his arms around her waist, drawing her close. Their eyes met, and for a moment, neither spoke.


    Sapphira could only blink, caught in the moment.


    Then, with a light smile, Asher let go of her, his fingers trembling gently from his own boldness.


    Exhaling softly, he turned to face the field beyond the wall.


    "Alec told me that you stand here every night, staring at the sky. I wanted to see what could attract my priestess so much."


    Sapphira leaned against the bulwark. "Then we can watch it together."


    For a moment, they both gazed at each other; one clad in a thick fur-padded cloak that went all the way to his heel, while the other only in a flowing gown with wide sleeves at the hem.


    A dozen meters away from them, paladins stood at attention, their spears pointing skyward and their shields covered by a bluish hue, a result of the dim starlight.


    "I don''t recall seeing that on you before," Sapphira nodded as she looked at the sword poking out of Asher''s cloak.


    Following her eyes, Asher glanced at the crimson hilt.


    "It''s a sword I got from the spirit world. I pulled it from the depths of a sea called the Red Sea."


    Sapphira frowned slightly. "I can feel an unfriendly force from it."


    Asher chuckled. "Ithamar isn''t a friend."


    "As a Swordsman, your swords should be your companion, a partner that has endured life or death encounters. It builds a bridge between you and that weapon, birthing the spirit of swordsmanship¡ªan extension of yourself forged through battle. But, all your swords seem to want to do is kill you."


    Asher smiled. As the wind blew his hair, its cool, refreshing feeling washing over him, he said, "There will come a day when these very swords will fight on my behalf. A day where they will submit."


    Sapphira fluttered her long eyelashes several times as she studied him. "Subduing weapons as special as yours will take more than just a powerful rank, it would take an unshakable will."


    "I know." His voice was quite certain. "I only pray that you will be by my side when that day comes. Because I can sense that it won''t be far from now."


    Before Sapphira could respond, a soldier walked up to them and bowed his head.


    "My Lord, there is word from Baroness Katarina. She has had a dream."

 Chapter 298 Preparations

    Asher and his generals all sat around a round table, staring at the scribe who was done reading the letter with different expressions.


    One thing was evident in their expressions¡­


    Disbelief!


    "A dragon?!"


    Paul exclaimed. Others understood why the general would react in such a manner. The dread of a dragon!


    The most powerful mythical species in the legends. Creatures that existed in the First Age and Second Age. They died after the fall of the Second Age, and at the birth of the Dark Age, all of the dragons and other mythical beasts like the Firebird and much more went into extinction.


    Many said, since they absorbed an enormous amount of force, Abyss force eventually corrupted them leading to their shortened lifespan, stumped procreation and in the end¡­ death!


    It was one of the reasons Mythical beasts, the ones that remained, had contracts with men, disconnecting their unreserved connection to the world and attaching it to man.


    That way they lived longer but weaker than their predecessors.


    "Is this a joke? Was her letter messed up by someone?" Lambert said, his expression filled with disbelief and slight anger.


    "A dragon." Aquila muttered under her breath, Eritrea kept silent while Sapphira was deep in thought.


    Alec sighed.


    "My Lord, what do you think?"


    Asher lifted his head from the letter. "Lady Katarina''s dreams have never been proven false. She speaks the truth and it would be foolish to ignore."


    Everyone swallowed their reservations after hearing this.


    "And she mentioned a wyvern." Asher added.


    "But my lord. Even a wyvern will be able to rip my armoured unit apart and its breath could kill any of us seated here. It''s well known that a fully grown wyvern can kill saints."


    A grave look took over everyone''s faces. Even Sapphira had a change of expression.


    "Katarina said she saw only one wyvern and it would be a blue frost wyvern. I''ll handle it. The rest of you focus on dealing with the other part of the prophecy¡­ Count William''s entire army."


    "We''ve been at war with the count for over two months. Why is he suddenly utilizing all his troops?" Sapphira muttered out loud.


    "I am the reason."


    Asher looked at her and then at the others. "Tomorrow, we will face an army of 56,000 barbarians in the field. Tigris Black Tiger Cavalry, a wyvern and some other secrets which even Katarina couldn''t gain access to."


    The weight of this war sank deeply into the generals. Losing could mean the destruction of the wall and the fall of the county and even when they win, there would be severe losses.


    However¡­ they had to win or die on the battlefield or even worse be bound in chains and become slaves for the rest of their lives.


    Ashbourne County was a safe haven for them and only until now did it dawn on them.


    Lambert ground his teeth. His cavalry had always crushed their foes with little to no damages but this time they would face the fearsome barbarians.


    Men born to mount horses!


    And the black tiger cavalry. The most elite cavalry that had fought against the strongest cavalry in the north.


    The Mormont cavalry! S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "What is the plan?" Eritrea leaned forward, placing his hand on the table.


    Nero took a step forward, and laid a large map on the table.


    "A masterpiece drawn by Uriah. It contains an overview of the field, the entire Wildlands until the borders."


    Asher rose up pointing at areas he spoke about. "Our army will build a wall before the forest. In the baroness vision we fought on our wall and lost so we shall face them on the field. The space on the wall is limited and if it falls, those behind would also die. Hence the wall would be the reason for our loss."


    "Fighting in the field puts us at an obvious disadvantage, my lord. The wall covered our weakness but the field won''t." Paul said.


    "It''s the only way to win, General." Alec retorted.


    "My Lord, the Grand Aegis Heavy Infantrymen will hold the frontline. We should be able to hold back the barbarian horseman despite their numbers."


    "How about we stretch the shield wall to cover the width of the field?" Aquila suggested.


    "It would break. We should concentrate on building a moving domain."


    Sapphira suggested right after.


    Everyone turned to her.


    Seeing this, she chose to continue. "The Grand Aegis shield wall should be large enough to contain the rest of the troops inside. While the others, like you, my lord, your personal troop and the cavalry would remain behind, watching from the rear."


    "A dome shaped domain?" Alec asked.


    "A rectangular one should have more space for the archery units. Archers should be the best to deal with the barbarian horsemen."


    "They won''t be able to touch us but we''ll be able to reduce their numbers." Eritrea nodded softly.


    "It''s a good plan but we haven''t considered commanding knights like Cain, the Count''s first son, known to be the strongest knight in their army under the saint rank. Enos, barbarian general with a talent that allows him to create a stronger version of himself. He''s a saint-ranked barbarian and his other self is much stronger! Lastly, the count himself."


    Alec puffed out.


    "The count has never fought before so we don''t know his combat ability but he won''t be weak."


    Asher picked up a cup and drank half the content. "We shall find out tomorrow. Make sure the men examine their armor, sharpen their swords and get proper rest. Tomorrow will decide the fate of our land."


    Thud!


    He dropped the cup. Experience tales with My Virtual Library Empire


    ¡­


    After the meeting, Asher went to his tent and sat crossed legged. He began the breathing exercise until he sank into the realm of meditation.


    Several hours later, he opened his eyes, feeling refreshed and with great vigor. He lowered his head to his palm burning with crimson flames.


    ''Finally, I have access to synergy once more. But this flame¡­ it''s the one that burns the soul. The Nether Flames, grantor of true death.''

 Chapter 299 It Has Begun

    At the break of the next day, when the fog was thick and the air damp, the massive gate groaned open, and thousands of Ashbourne soldiers marched onto the field.


    Two months of relentless battles had brought an end to almost every grass on the field. Some areas had developed scorched craters, remnants of trebuchet bombardments.


    Their armours clinked as they marched. After thousands of infantry and archers had exited the entrance, horses neighed, and Lambert''s cavalry followed in perfect formation.


    The next unit after Lambert''s cavalry were the paladins, the most formidable unit composed entirely of sacred-ranked knights!


    It was common knowledge that Asher''s generals were all at the sacred rank, except for Sapphira, who stood half a step away from reaching the imperial rank.


    In the entire county, only Asher and Sapphira bore the title of Saints.


    Clad in his gleaming golden armour, Asher rode at the forefront of the paladins.


    Above them, hundreds of Temple Servants soared, led by the Sapphira herself.


    This imposing array of Asher''s army made Duke Mormont and Archduke Nubis raise an eyebrow.


    From the comfort of their grand castles, both the dukes observed the spectacle through the hovering portal created by a special class of mages known as The Messengers.


    Unlike the conventional mages, who mastered offensive and defensive spells, these specialists wielded spatial elements. It allowed them to open portals, transporting them across long distances or even opening more portals.


    Unlike other mages, their only focus was to meet the needs of their lords.


    These messengers were hidden under cloaking spells, watching the march. Through the portals opened beside them, the dukes could see the Ashbourne troops.


    In Mormont castle, Duke Ohad Mormont sat on his throne, his eyes slightly narrowing as he beheld the elite troops advancing across the battlefront and toward the forest.


    Seated on the long table below his throne were his two sons and only daughter, along with Mary.


    None of them, not even Mary, could believe that such an army had emerged from the wastelands!


    On the other hand, Archduke Nubis frowned deeply.


    "It''s a good thing that you had Count Wyvern agree to send one of his wyverns," he murmured. "The Count of the wastelands is a shrewd man who has been deceiving other noble houses all this while. To have built an army of this scale¡­ he must have already been planning for war from the start."


    Vladimir Nubis, Archduke Nubis''s first son¡ªa cripple, yet sharp in wit¡ªspoke softly, his words dripping with venom. Although despised by his father for being a cripple and living in the shadows of his younger brother, he still had his value.


    "As soon as the wyvern appears, this battle will be over." Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Archduke Nubis'' declaration carried a chilling finality.


    While the dukes watched, Asher''s troops stopped 300 yards away from the forest and swiftly began to set up their formation.


    As the Grand Aegis soldiers went into position, the sound of thousands of heavy footsteps, that of men and of horses, fell into their ears.


    In no time, barbarians emerged from the forest''s depths, their bodies marked with red, blue and black war markings.


    With various tattoos on their bodies and different kinds of weapons, they flooded out of the forest like a tide of ants!


    Cain, riding his black tiger, chuckled at the ridiculous sight of his foes. Compared to their barbarian horde, the Ashbourne soldiers seemed pitiful, and what made it even worse was their stupid decision to abandon the safety of their walls.


    From where he sat, he could see them standing hundreds of meters away, standing tall with their tower shields and their cloaks billowing in the cold morning air. Cain could only imagine how much of Tiberias''s treasury Asher had drained to equip such an army.


    He ground his teeth.


    The growl of a tiger from behind made him turn.


    His father, Count Ira, had arrived, riding a massive black tiger with white stripes. Beside him, Enos sat atop a muscular horse, reputed to be the fastest in all of the Wildlands.


    "There he is." Count William''s voice was steady, his gaze fixed on Asher and his forces that were far behind the main Ashbourne army.


    "Send the word," he ordered. "Release my son Levi, and I will consider sparing your lives¡ªand that of your family. Refuse, and this county will burn."


    Without hesitation, Cain sent an envoy. The rider had barely made it towards the Ashbourne army before a crackling arrow, charged with lightning, slit the air.


    The shot struck the envoy''s house. The horse collapsed mid-air, and the envoy was sent flying through the air, crashing violently across the ground, leaving a trail of craters in his wake as he slammed across the land a couple of times.


    Then, a single command followed.


    "Fire!"


    The Markswomen and the Goshen archers released their drawn bows, sending armour-piercing arrows soaring into the fog-covered sky.


    These arrows, however, were no ordinary projectiles. Some glowed with blue lightning, while others blazed with orange flames as they reached their peak before arching downward only to fall like deadly raindrops.


    "Charge!"


    Enos roared as his men fell like flies. The explosive impact of the arrows also sent their bodies and debris flying, plunging the battlefield into chaos.


    "Kill!"


    The barbarians'' horsemen raised their khopesh high.


    Rumble!


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    They surged forward, kicking up dirt as they thundered towards the Ashbourne soldiers in great numbers.


    More volleys of arrows rained down from the sky like an endless storm that reaped lives by the hundreds¡ªboth men and their mounts collapsing under the onslaught.


    "Nock, lift, aim¡­"


    Paul drew his bow to its limit.


    "¡­ Fire!"


    Thwack! Thwack!


    Their bowstrings snapped while the arrows streaked into the ranks of their enemies, knocking some riders clean off their horses.


    Meanwhile, Paul''s three arrows danced across the battlefield, killing nonstop until the arrows were caught midair by a giant barbarian.


    They actually got stuck in his tough skin, but he remained standing.


    "Here they come! Shields!"


    Alec''s shout rang out. The heavy infantry slammed their shields into the ground before aiming their long spears at the incoming cavalry.


    "Brace yourselves!"


    Standing in the heart of the formation, Alec scanned left and right, ensuring that his men were ready to face the enemy.


    "Strengthen your feet, concentrate on your enemies!"


    Through the narrow gap in the shield wall, he saw the cavalry upon them. The earth rumbled as if announcing their imminent arrival.


    "Our wall does not fall¡ªnot to the barbarians! Hold!!!"


    His roar was the last thing before the cavalry clashed with the Grand Aegis Heavy infantry.


    The ruthless spears of the Grand Aegis Heavy Infantry pierced with ruthless precision the horses and riders alike, filling the air with screams and the scent of blood.

 Chapter 300 The Shadow Rider

    High above the battlefield, two red-tailed hawks soared above the fog. From their vantage point, the ground seemed like a sea of shifting shadows. But the moment the hawks took a steep dive downward and broke through the layers of the fog, the true chaos unfolded¡ªclanging of steel, cries of men and explosions filled the once peaceful atmosphere.


    "The wall holds!!"


    Commanding General Alec''s voice booed as he retrieved his spear in one swift, seamless motion and thrust it forward again.


    With each thrust, he could feel his spear''s blade piercing into flesh.


    Boom! Boom!


    Loud sounds fell into his ears, a result of the forceful efforts of the barbarians trying to break the shield wall.


    Alec''s soldiers dug in; their feet shuffled on the soil as they struggled to hold the barbarians'' relentless assault, thrusting their spears with brutal efficiency.


    This battle was a contest of strength and endurance. Alec had no idea how long had passed, for he knew that a minute was like an hour in intense battles like this.


    Sweat poured down, soaking their undergarments while their eyes remained glued on their targets even as their veins bulged with effort and muscles were pressed against the metal plates.


    "Hold!"


    Each time Alec roared, he could see some of his men who had slowly begun giving up reignite with strength.


    He commanded. He fought. He monitored. He strategized. All at the same time.


    Yet his eyes remained steady, and his movements were in sync.


    This formidable general had mastered a strange, self-taught technique of the six senses! This technique allowed him to be able to do different things like separate a part of his senses to think, to fight, and to monitor his men!


    Enos, riding along the periphery of his troop, noticed this. Find your adventure at My Virtual Library Empire


    ''The strength of these troops lies in their General. Humph!''


    A black mist seeped from his body, twisting and splitting until it formed another figure¡ªa perfect duplicate of himself atop a horse.


    They had the same hairstyle, the same stance, and even seemed to be riding the same horse.


    The only difference between the two was that this other figure was like the darkness of the night, and his tattoos were glowing purple.


    Even his khopesh burned with an eerie purple light.


    Rumble!


    The shadow rider surged forth, tearing his way through the battlefield. Sometimes, he made his mount jump over other barbarian riders and performed feats that even the most seasoned warriors would deem impossible.


    A trail of dirt and dust rose in the shadow''s wake.


    From the battlements, Asher, along with Sapphira, Aquila and Lambert, noticed the powerful rider charging toward the wall.


    Asher''s gaze sharpened.


    "It''s Enos," Sapphira said urgently. "His shadow is impervious to swords and any sharp weapons we can think of. It''s even physically stronger than Enos himself. I''m afraid General Alec can''t win this battle."


    Asher knew she wanted him to send her and the Temple Servants to the frontlines to offer aid.


    But that would be reckless. The battle had only just begun. Throwing all his cards down before giving Alec a chance would be unwise.


    "Wait¡­" Asher said softly.


    Although concerned, the generals could do nothing but just watch as the shadow approached the wall.


    While others spoke, Alec suddenly caught sight of a foreign figure made of darkness itself heading straight toward him.


    "Earth mages!" he roared.


    The mages behind the archers began to chant spells before they slammed their staffs against the earth. A subtle ripple flowed outward as soon as the staff hit the soil.


    In the next moment, over a hundred earthen spikes, hard enough to pierce through steel and a few inches taller than a fully grown man, erupted out from the ground.


    Dust rose, and the great sounds and shouts ceased. In just a moment, the entire battlefield had fallen silent. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    When it settled, the Grand Aegis soldiers peered through the gaps in the shield walls only to see that the barbarians they had been fighting before were all impaled to death by the jagged stones!


    Alec closed his eyes and breathed out deeply, but in that instant, he heard the unmistakable sound of hooves hitting the ground.


    Swoosh!


    A shadow rider burst out of the fog.


    Seeing this, Alec didn''t hesitate and dashed forward, smashing through the wall as he went¡ªbut he didn''t seem to care.


    The shadow rider''s khopesh slashed downward. Alec blocked the blow, but the curved end of the khopesh hooked onto the shield, ripping it from his arm and flinging it far out of reach.


    Alec didn''t hesitate and retaliated by unleashing a sweeping strike, his strength so powerful that it sent the shadow''s horse crashing to the ground!


    Before the shadow could react, Alec was already above it, his spear raised, about to plunge down and strike the enemy.


    Unfortunately, the shadow reached out for his ankle and hurled him across the battlefield.


    Boom!


    Alec crashed against an earthen spike before landing on one knee.


    With a single leap, the shadow was before him once again, his khopesh descending to cleave Alec into two halves.


    Gritting his teeth, Alec threw himself to the side and drove his spear at the shadow''s fourth rib at that very moment.


    The impact forced the shadow to retreat as he staggered.


    At the rear of the barbarian forces, Enos clutched his rib, grunting as blood stained his lips.


    "That cursed knight!" He spat, his eyes turning bloodshot.


    Seizing the moment, Alec rose to his feet and closed the gap between them¡­


    But at that moment, the shadow, as if waiting for him, spun before slamming a powerful punch to his face.


    The power of the punch sent Alec to his knees, yet with nothing but sheer resilience and will, he raised his spear and blocked the khopesh''s follow-up strike.


    Clang! Sparks flew as their weapons clashed, their eyes locked in a fierce battle.


    "Argh!" Alec roared, shoving the shadow away.


    While he was breathing heavily, the shadow, still relentless, closed in again.


    This time around, Alec could feel it¡ªthe ground rumbling beneath his feet.


    Thousands of barbarians were coming. The second wave!


    Knowing that he had no time, he grabbed the shadow''s khopesh and ground his teeth hard.


    "Enos, come face me yourself!" he bellowed.


    He slammed his head into the shadow''s forehead. The impact sent the dark figure staggering backwards for a few metres before it collapsed and dissolved into nothing.


    On the other hand, Enos suddenly fell off his horse. His warriors rushed toward him¡ªonly to find his eyes rolled black and blood trickling down from his nose.


    He was unconscious!


    "He survived!" Sapphira muttered, her eyes narrowing as she watched Alec retrieve his weapons and walk toward the wall.


    Behind him, thousands of barbarians emerged from the fog, some mere meters behind.


    "The power of a half-giant should never be underestimated, Lady Sapphira," Asher remarked.


    "True," Aquila replied, watching the scene unfold. "But if he doesn''t reach the line fast, the barbarians will overrun him. And if the Grand Aegis move out to help their commander, the wall will be destroyed."

 Chapter 301 Its Here

    Huff! Huff!


    Alec''s ragged breathing made his men feel anxious. They needed just one command to rush to his aid, but Alec remained adamant.


    The rumbling grew worse, and the ground beneath them trembled.


    Turning his neck, Alec spotted the barbarian riders closing in fast; their khopesh raised high.


    Their long black hair whipped in the wind as they rode, their faces looking hideous with the different swirling patterns of tribal markings.


    "He''ll die! Break the wall!" a captain roared.


    Just at that moment, Stormbringers leaped over the Heavy Infantrymen, releasing three lightning-packed arrows.


    Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!


    Alec could feel the air itself vibrate as the arrows zipped past him. The first row of barbarian riders fell, their horses tumbling in a chaotic tangle!


    This fall resulted in a series of chaos in the ranks of the riders.


    Stormbringers kept unleashing volley after volley, thinning the horse until Alec reached the wall.


    The sharp metals scraped the soil as the Grand Aegis soldiers moved their shields, opening passages for the Stormbringers and Alec to swiftly rush in.


    "Close the wall!"


    Boom!


    The wall sealed up just as the barbarian riders were upon them, their spears bristling akin to the spikes on a porcupine but not as dense.


    However, this time around, the barbarians changed tactics. They made a sudden turn instead of crashing against the barrier, creating a great dust fog.


    And from the swirling dust fog emerged giant barbarians!


    They towered over the battlefield¡ªdozens of them, each a foot taller than even the seven-foot-tall Grand Aegis soldiers!


    Wielding massive axes, attached firmly to their forearms by a dirty cloth, they struck their axes downwards.


    Clang!


    No matter how mighty they looked, the axes couldn''t cleave through the shield, but the power behind the blow sent the Grand Aegis soldiers reeling. Some dropped to their knees. Others were flung backwards!


    Arrows swooshed out, but only a few of the giants were hit. The others swung their axes recklessly, slamming the Ashbourne soldiers out of their formation.


    "Break!" Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Alec''s voice rang out, and the wall shattered. The Grand Aegis soldiers stopped being stationary targets, and they picked up their shields before advancing.


    "Second wall!"


    About 200 Grand Aegis soldiers who had formed the first wall engaged the giants while the others reformed the wall.


    They watched as their comrades fought the giants¡ªonly to be consumed by the relentless tide of barbarian riders.


    Some soldiers closed their eyes, clenching their teeth hard. They knew those men were sacrificed to preserve the formation.


    Alec, still on his knees, looked at the healer. The man gave a single now.


    This meant he was now ready to fight.


    Although he was not at his peak strength, it didn''t matter.


    "We hold until the wyvern reveals itself. We hold until our breath ceases¡­" he muttered while walking towards the frontline.


    His grip tightened.


    "For Ashbourne!"


    His voice shook the battlefield.


    "For Ashbourne!!!"


    Hundreds of meters away, Asher watched it unfold.


    After the first wave of soldiers lost their lives, the second wave followed.


    The barbarians kept sending the giants, and for every 200 Ashbourne soldiers who perished, twice as many of Count William''s army died.


    But from the look of things, it didn''t seem like Count William would even bat an eye if all the barbarians died.


    The fact they hadn''t yet seen the price made Asher realize that the barbarians had been given the most enticing promise.


    The promise of women, riches and land!


    The barbarians saw his people as their prizes, so no matter how much they lost, the barbarians believed they would restore everything once they had conquered and had his people under their control.


    Bezerk neighed softly.


    Asher turned to the white wolf resting beside him.


    "Sirius."


    The wolf met his gaze. Rising to his feet, his force flared from his body, and his form expanded until he towered 14 feet tall!


    With a low growl, Sirius traversed the distance in a single bound, leaping over the wall. The moment his paws landed on the ground, flames erupted from his mouth, engulfing the nearest barbarian giants in flames.


    The enemy riders who were making a turn, expecting things to be the same, were shocked to see the giant wolf standing in the midst of their burning men.


    Sirius''s right eye was locked onto them, while his left remained shut, making the scar across it more visible.


    "Is that¡­ Sirius?" Mary''s voice shook as she stared at the once blue-eyed wolf she caressed in the fields of Silverleaf.


    That wolf in her memories was nothing like the feral beast who was turning men into human torches. That Sirius had been gentle.


    The sight of this Sirius alone made her fingertips cold.


    "An Ashbourne pet beast."


    Ohad Mormont squinted, his expression turning solemn. The presence of a pet beast this powerful meant only one thing.


    House Ashbourne had risen!


    Yuna was startled. Since Asher was younger than Mary, she had never seen him the way Mary always used to describe him, but the sight of Sirius ripping barbarian riders apart had now changed her point of view.


    This wolf was nothing like the one Mary had!


    This wolf was like a beast that had emerged from the wild forged in the battle of survival, while Mary''s wolf was like a cherished pet that had never been exposed to battle.


    Grr!


    Sirius'' deep growl reverberated through the battlefield. His claws sank deep into the soil, his eyes gleamed, and in the blink of an eye, he was upon a barbarian rider.


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    Seeing Sirius bringing down the formation of the riders, the Grand Aegis soldiers broke their formation and dashed into the battlefield.


    Puchi!


    Barbarians were pierced and thrown off their horses. And as the battle raged on, the barbarian unit slowly fell into shambles!


    The Grand Aegis soldiers, alongside the archery unit clad in their impressive armor, had the advantage in battle. Although many fell in their ranks, the barbarians suffered greater losses.


    The best way to make a cavalry useless was to rob them of their speed. With their momentum broken, the barbarians became nothing more than stationary targets!


    "Black Tiger Cavalry, Advance!!" Count William roared.


    Rumble!


    Cain and Enos, who had been healed by Sofia by now, charged alongside Count William. Their ferocious black tigers raced through the plains, heading for the chaotic battlefield.


    Asher lifted his right hand, his fingers curled into a fist.


    Then, he suddenly opened his hand and tilted his palm towards the battlefield.


    A horn blast echoed from the walls. Lambert rode away on his side, riding toward his unit.


    The Bladebreakers charged into the battlefield, their cloaks and plumes fluttering in the wind as their muscular horses left dust in their wake.


    Swoosh!


    Aquila also vanished, leaving only Asher and Sapphira behind.


    "The wyvern still hasn''t ¡ª!" Nero''s words were abruptly cut off as the unmistakable sound of wings flapping fell into their ears.


    Then, a roar followed.


    It was here!

 Chapter 302 Monstrous Wolf

    Roar!


    Asher lifted his head, his eyes gazing at the dark silhouette looming in the clouds, heading for the battlefield. Even from hundreds of meters away, its oppressive might had already descended over the battlefield.


    Shing!


    Steel whispered as Asher drew Euodias while Bezerk surged forward. Behind him, the paladins thundered in formation, their warhorses trembling the earth, while the temple slaves soared above, their fluttering cloaks marking their passage. Together, they traversed the battlefield with imposing might.


    Cloaks fluttering, weapons poised, and eyes fixed on the rapidly encroaching creature.


    Roar!


    When the wyvern burst from the forest, it began breathing out a deadly stream of ice upon the Ashbourne main army.


    Seeing the lethal frost, Alec dashed toward it, his massive frame propelled forward, and his heavy steps caused the earth beneath his feet to sink a little bit more than normal.


    "Argh!"


    With a powerful yell, he leapt over a great distance, landing before the soldiers with his shield raised. The mouth of the draconic engraving on his shield opened up, swallowing the ice. But even as it absorbed the attack, frost began to spread outward, slowly engulfing the metal shield.


    Noticing Alec''s resistance, the wyvern rider stopped the beast''s assault and guided it to land. The moment the wyvern landed, its slitted eyes sized up the Grand Aegis infantrymen around it with their shields raised.


    "Humph!"


    The rider scoffed.


    With a single sweep of its tail, the wyvern sent the heavy infantrymen hurling into the distance as if they were as light as a feather before its might.


    After letting out a growl, the dark blue-scaled beast lifted its head, an eerie blue light glowing along the length of its neck.


    Once again, it breathed out another blast of frost from its maw.


    But its frost was met with an identical wave of frost that came out of Alec''s shield!


    Infuriated, the wyvern lunged toward Alec, its wings and hindlimbs propelling it forward with a terrifying force. Alec braced himself to block its strike, but the impact sent him hurtling backwards for several meters before he crashed against the frozen ground.


    When he rose up, his eyes hidden beneath his helmet narrowed.


    A massive gash had marred his shield!


    Before his eyes, Alec saw as the giant beast continued its assault, breathing ice on his men. Tightening his grip around his spear, Alec was about to charge toward the wyvern¡ªonly to freeze in place.


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    Roots made out of ice erupted from the battlefield a few meters ahead, twisting and growing before his eyes.


    A stump grew, and from there, it thickened into a trunk. Branches extended outward; leaves sprouted like frozen blades!


    Alec lifted his head, gazing at the top of this extraordinary tree that had come from seemingly nowhere.


    But the tree wasn''t alone.


    His shock increased when he noticed that other trees were sprouting, transforming the battlefield into an entirely new terrain made out of ice!


    Strange kinds of plants grew out, transforming the battlefield into an unrecognisable terrain.


    "W¡­ what in the world is this?" Count William frowned as he slowed down his advance. He reached out, his fingers brushing against one of the ice trees¡ªcold and strangely hard!


    Then his gaze veered.


    Through the ice forest, a golden-armored figure was charging with an elite force following him. Even without being told, William knew the truth.


    This was Asher''s doing.


    He was the only one capable of releasing such great force. A force so immense to fill a vacuum!


    "Such might. So, Asher Ashbourne¡­ you''ve been hiding this power from the world this whole time!" he scowled.


    Shing!


    "Yet even this may not be enough. A wyvern, though lesser than a pure dragon, is still a powerful force to be reckoned with."


    His sword gleamed as he brandished it, his tiger lunged forward, closing the gap between the Black Tiger Cavalry and the Bladebreakers.


    The clash between both elite cavalries began as they surged toward one another, their lances poised for a deadly collision.


    Shockingly, the Bladebreakers held the upper hand, thanks to the height advantage of their mounts! The species of horse they rode were anything ever seen or heard of before.


    Where in all of the high planes had anyone encountered horses with bone spikes protruding from their joints?


    What kind of horses were these?


    Willam frowned. He had gotten used to the temple knights, but these horses were a new surprise. Just how many more secrets were hidden behind those walls?!


    ''They do have an advantage, but so do we.''


    A slow smile spread across Count William''s face.


    Their advantage was numbers!


    One of the greatest strengths in any battle! sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Commander, to your left!" a Bladebreaker bellowed.


    Lambert turned sharply. About two thousand barbarian riders were fast approaching, dust rising behind them as the earth trembled, announcing their arrival.


    The situation on their side was daunting but not as dire as the battle against the dragon!


    It was the only creature on the battlefield that was capable of shattering the ice trees and breathing frost, powerful enough to freeze the bodies of sacred and saint-ranked knights alike!


    "Split!"


    Asher''s command rang out, and the paladins swiftly split into two groups.


    With a thunderous impact, the wyvern slammed its claws to the ground, lowering its long, sinuous neck before breathing out a freezing gust that blocked the path of the other paladins breaking away from Asher.


    A dreadfully crimson light flared from Asher, enveloping his mount and his men, giving them the ability to close the gap. The sheer oppressive might of the wyvern was enough to take the fight out of any knight, but with Asher''s protection, the paladins stood their ground.


    "You Westerners!" The wyvern rider bellowed, his voice grim. "Die¨C!"


    Bam!


    Sirius slammed into the wyvern, sending the rider lurching to the other side.


    ''I almost fell!'' His eyes widened in shock.


    "Kill that wolf!" He yelled.


    The wyvern bared its fangs and snapped its jaws shut¡ªbut before they could connect, Sirius breathed out a torrent of flames, scorching the beast''s mouth!


    Smoke billowed out of the wyvern''s mouth as it trashed its head violently.


    With a low, guttural growl, Sirius swelled itself in size, pinning one of its massive forelimbs against the wyvern''s neck. Drool dripped from its fangs as it glared at the dumbfounded rider.


    "Where did this wolf come from?"


    The rider gasped. All his life, he had been exalted as a wyvern rider.


    Even entire dukedoms feared his county because of the wyvern''s might, but here he was¡­ facing an even greater terror.


    A wolf whose shadow darkened even the sun!


    His pupils shrank in fear.


    "Yonna, take me out of here!" He cried out, but before the wyvern could react, a massive ice pillar erupted from the ground, trapping its head in a frozen vice.


    Sirius lunged forward, seizing the moment. With a gleeful growl, it swallowed the rider whole¡ªgrinning as it crushed his tiny bones between its fangs!


    At that moment, the wyvern raised and wrenched itself out of the ice before forcing itself out of Sirius. With a powerful swipe of its spiked tail, it launched a heavy slap to Sirius''s face, forcing the wolf to stagger back.


    With a mighty beat of its wings, the wyvern generated a gust of wind that blasted the knights around and their horses tumbling away.


    But just then, a clean white sword light sliced through its left wing, eliciting a cry from the wyvern.


    It turned toward Sapphira, snarling, but was forced to ignore her as the paladins hurled their spears at it. The weapons pierced through its thick scales, making it roar in pain.


    Desperate, it unleashed a reckless blast of frost everywhere, engulfing everything in a blinding, icy fog.


    But even within the gaze, its dragon senses allowed it to see the brilliance of force¡ªand at this moment, two bright forces stood before it.


    One was a man clad in golden armor, and the other was the white wolf behind it.


    Both of them charged at it at once.


    Sirius pounced, clamping on to its tail, stopping it from flying. Realizing that its escape was cut off, the wyvern inhaled deeply, preparing to breathe out another frost blast¡­ but Asher burst through the icy mist, his sword raised aloft.


    Its runes shone softly.


    Slash.

 Chapter 303 Dragonborn

    Euodias slashed deep into the wyvern''s neck, carving a massive gash. Its blood splattered onto the ground, hissing as smoke rose from the earth. The wyvern''s blood was so acidic that it could blind a knight¡ªwhile the blood of a pure dragon could melt an imperial knight''s body with ease!


    Despite its injury, the wyvern flapped its wings and twisted its neck, sinking its fangs into Sirius''s shoulder. Asher''s eyes locked onto its heart and saw that it was glowing.


    It was about to unleash frost!


    Knowing this, he darted beneath the beast and plunged his sword into its chest. Grunting and gritting his teeth, he forced the blade deeper, ignoring the blood splattering on his armor and making sizzling sounds.


    "No!"


    Count William froze mid-battle when he heard the wyvern''s dying screams. He turned toward the source of the cries only to see what his mind would have never dared imagine¡ªan heir of the dragon''s bloodline pinned down by a wolf, while a man was pulling out his sword from its heart.


    "Boy! We must kill him now!"


    Rumble!


    Cain redirected 500 cavaliers and charged toward Asher alongside his father. By doing so, they abandoned their elite cavaliers to the Ashbourne Bladebreakers but clearly, his father, Count William, saw greater value in Asher''s head.


    He would sacrifice anything for it¡­ even his own younger son, Levi!


    Boom!


    Asher stood over the wyvern''s fallen corpse, panting heavily as his lips slightly parted.


    [Upgrade material found: Wyvern''s scale.]


    [Would the host like to upgrade the armor, Exodus the Conqueror? Yes or No?]


    [Upgrade materials found: Wyvern heart & Wyvern''s eyes.]


    [Before these vital parts lose their potency, would the host like to fuse them into the half-giant, Alec, thereby upgrading him into a half-blood Dragonborn? Yes or No?]


    [Note: Dragonborns were once a species of humans, forged in the laboratories of mages through the vile, unused knowledge in alchemy. They can sense powerful beasts, especially those with dragon blood and are attracted to the blood of dragons, thus feasting on it.]


    ''Do it.''


    [Warning: Due to the effects of bestial instincts, your general''s loyalty may become unstable. Proceed with caution.] S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Do you wish to proceed? Yes or No?]


    Asher turned to Alec, who was on his knees as the battle went on. The general had spent his force and stamina and had pushed himself to the limit right from the start of the battle. Three hours of relentless battle had left him drained, and the wyvern''s assault had finally incapacitated him.


    A little bit to the left, Asher saw Eritrea and Paul locked in a fight against a black shadow. Enos had sent it. There was no doubt¡ªit was here to kill Alec.


    "Go. Kill Enos."


    Sirius let out a soft growl before turning and dashing off. Asher then shifted his gaze back to the glowing text before him.


    ''Do it.''


    Boom!


    A golden beam laced with crackling lightning struck from the sky, engulfing Alec. A wave of mana, a much superior energy, blasted outward in waves. The energy was so powerful that the portals through which the dukes were watching the battle flickered and were destabilized, exposing their hidden messengers.


    Seeing this, the messengers quickly hid behind trees, their eyes wide as they beheld the thunderous transformation.


    While Alec''s evolution raged like a storm¡ªunleashing windstorms, frost waves and thunderous sounds, the upgrade of Asher''s armor, Exodus, was more subtle.


    Light connected his armor to the wyvern''s corpse and by the time the soft glow faded, his once golden-white armor had transformed¡ªblackened and reinforced with layers of diamond-shaped scales!


    Yet, traces of gold remained on the chest section of the armor along with the helmet''s forehead, but the rest was reinforced.


    Asher hit his sword against the armor but it didn''t make the usual sound of metallic clang that would occur when metal touches metal was absent.


    This time¨Cthe sound was different.


    The sound was quite dull¡ªheavy.


    Lifting up his sword, he saw his own reflection through the crystal clear azure blade. For a moment, even he couldn''t believe the man in the reflection was himself.


    Just then, the golden light surrounding him faded into blue before vanishing completely, revealing a towering figure¡ª7 feet tall, with long, flowing hair. His pupils had narrowed into slits and were glowing with an eerie, piercing blue light.


    Since his breastplate had dematerialized, one could see the blue crystal heart embedded into his chest. Standing there, Alec looked like a sculptor''s masterpiece, his chiseled muscles on full display.


    A chilling force billowed out of him, and the crimson light that had once manifested upon releasing his force had transformed¡ªnow a swirling mix of blue and white.


    "What in Tenaria is that?"


    Count William frowned while Cain''s spine tingled at the sight before him. Even though Alec was simply standing there, he emanated a murderous intent so thick that it could shatter the mind of any ordinary human.


    A being that could kill someone with a mere gaze!


    Count William was shaken. Meanwhile, Count Ira, who was still at the periphery of the battlefield, sensed a presence and was forced to turn to the man approaching him.


    It was the Archduke''s messenger.


    "My Lord, I''m here to transport you to safety." Experience more on My Virtual Library Empire


    Hearing this, Count Ira frowned.


    "Safety? Our men will clearly overpower the Ashbournes soon eno¡ª!"


    His words were cut off. From the corner of his eyes, he saw a flash of blue light. It was Alec''s eyes and yet his gaze alone had frozen thousands of their soldiers!


    An oppressive force descended upon the battlefield.


    The momentum of Count Tigris'' troops faltered, while Asher''s men fought even more valiantly. Meanwhile, across the battlefield, Sirius had located Enos and was in a heated battle against him and his men.


    Seeing the wolf breathe flames that were capable of roasting dozens, Count Ira hesitated.


    "My Lord, the wyvern is dead. And if I''m not mistaken, that man is now a man-beast. His state of balance is far beyond what Lord Slade ever achieved in his prime!"


    Hearing this, Count Ira''s breath hitched.


    "And¡­ the strongest warrior on this battlefield hasn''t even entered the fight." The messenger''s voice was grim. "I can sense something inside Count Asher, a force¡ªdenser and thicker than anything I have felt before. He''s no mere lord."


    Count Ira''s pupils shook.


    Could it be¡­?


    Could the prophecy be true?


    With the rise of the abyss force, House Ashbourne was destined to rise from the ashes.


    Just as Archduke Zenas had emerged from the Dark Age¡ªan era where knights and nobles perished, where he thrived and now¡­


    Another Ashbourne had risen.


    From ruin. From the ashes of this fallen house.

 Chapter 304 Death Of The Tiger Lord

    "Dad, we should withdraw our men."


    Cain''s voice was firm, but the glare from William made his grip on his weapon falter. His fear for his father knew no bounds.


    "I must have his head."


    Count William dismounted.


    "Asher Ashbourne!!" he roared, releasing a faint white mist from his body. Before they knew it, the mist had thickened, becoming a fog that swallowed the count whole.


    From within the fog emerged a towering white tiger, walking on its hind legs, its deep growl rumbling through the battlefield. The sight of it made many soldiers, Ashbourne and Tigris apprehensive.


    Boom!


    A thunderous force sent Count Tigris hurtling into the sky before he landed 150 meters away, just a dozen meters from Asher. His intimidating form, more brutal than even the famous beastmen of the legends, was backed up by the feral aura emanating from his fluttering white fur.


    Roar!


    His roar was so loud that even the cloaks of the paladins before him fluttered.


    Asher turned from Alec, who was decimating Tigris forces, to the count, his eyes sharpening by the second until they became ice cold!


    This was because Count Tigris had slapped a paladin away with a mere wave of his massive hand before proceeding to wrap his hand around the head of another paladin and slamming him into the ground. The earth imploded from the force!


    Undeterred, the remaining paladins lifted their spears and jumped into the fray. But their spears couldn''t even inflict more than just some flesh wounds on the count who had an imperial knight body and his talent form had an even tougher body!


    Sacred-ranked weapons just couldn''t harm him.


    Bam!


    Tigris threw a punch, but the paladin mysteriously vanished before impact. His sharp eyes tracked the movement to a different spot¡ªabove him was Nero.


    Swoosh!


    Nero closed in on him, tilting to one side to evade and at the same time swung his sword at the count''s wrist. It was a well-calculated strike that failed because his weapon wasn''t any different from a rusty blade before Count Tigris'' hide.


    Roar!


    The count roared, spittle flying everywhere as he retaliated with a powerful punch.


    Crash!


    Nero slammed into the ground, groaning, his armor had caved inward, pressing against his chest!


    "Leave him!"


    Asher''s command cut through the chaos and fell into the ears of the relentless paladins who were ready to sacrifice their lives before the count could reach him.


    Grr!


    Nearby, Sirius, who was feasting on the wyvern''s corpse, lifted up its head, blood dripping from its maw.


    "This is my fight, boy."


    Asher swung his sword as he strode forward while Count Tigris also charged at him.


    With a steady exhale, Asher wrapped his fingers around Euodias''s hilt.


    Empyreal Sigil Stomp!


    Instead of spreading the scroll skill, he concentrated on compressing it, making it as small as the sole of his boot but borrowed the blast to propel himself toward Count Tigris. That sudden acceleration caught Count Tigris off guard¡ªhe barely had time to react before Asher was upon him.


    It was like he had teleported.


    Slash!


    Asher''s blade cut open Tigris''s right knee before slamming his abdomen with his elbow and unleashing one final slash at his neck, all in a single swift, fluid movement.


    Count Tigris froze.


    His eyes were wide, reflecting his pure, undisguised shock.


    Thud!


    He first fell on the knee that had been cut before his head topped to the ground.


    If one were to look closely, they would see that his ribcage had also caved inward.


    Such monstrous strength.


    The Count had never encountered anything like it before.


    In that same moment, jagged ice spikes¡ªtwisted, crooked, and lined with thorns¡ªerupted from the ice trees, impaling hundreds of barbarian cavaliers!


    Then, Asher picked up the severed head, which had now reverted back to the human form. The expression on his face displayed his shock.


    "Your Lord is dead!"


    His voice thundered across the battlefield. Those warriors who were far away and locked in battle froze mid-strike as they noticed that the other had done the same.


    When their eyes fell upon Count Tigris''s head in Asher''s hand, his gray-white hair swaying in the wind, blood trickling down his neck¡ªsilence consumed the battlefield.


    The Count, the man who had kept the wasteland under his firm control for decades¡­ the one who once stood at the peak of a great county, the Tigris county which he had built for himself.


    The Tiger Lord was dead!


    Viscount Syria and several other lords who were the spectators of the battle couldn''t believe it.


    "Take me out of here!" Count Ira shrieked.


    The messenger immediately obeyed and opened a portal. The lords turned their horses and bolted into the forest, some tried pleading with Count Ira to take them along. But the man acted like he never knew them and entered the portal with only his own men.


    Panic spread like wildfire. Thousands of barbarian riders turned their heels and fled towards the forest, causing a massive dust cloud to rise in their wake.


    When Cain, fleeing with his men, spotted Sofia, he didn''t even hesitate and grabbed a spear from one of his men before stabbing it right through her, pinning her to the ground.


    "Serves you right," he snarled, grinding his teeth.


    "My Lord, hurry!" his men urged.


    While his enemy fled, Asher tossed Count Tigris'' head aside.


    "Embalm it. It will make a fine gift for Archduke Nubis."


    He spat coldly.


    Nero nodded. "My Lord¡­" He hesitated but continued, "Are we not going to chase?"


    Asher''s gaze remained fixed on the fleeing army while he declared.


    "We shall march into that forest and take every inch of that land under our emblem. They''re just delaying their eventual end, nothing more."


    Step. Step.


    Alec approached.


    Asher narrowed his eyes, searching for any hint of hesitation or disloyalty, but all he saw was an even stronger conviction.


    "My Lord, grant the Grand Aegis Legion the honor of claiming the wildlands in your name." Alec dropped to one knee.


    Although he looked smaller, the formidable might radiating from his pulsing crystal heart made Asher ascertain Alec''s current rank.


    Saint!


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    "Arise," Asher commanded. "Recover and claim it." Find more chapters on My Virtual Library Empire


    Alec nodded.


    Asher''s eyes subconsciously drifted toward the priestess, who was tending to the soldiers in critical situations. He found himself lost in her world but for some reason, it unsettled him when she smiled so beautifully at them.


    It was needed but still¡­


    "Sigh."


    Neigh!


    Simon and Eleazar rode over, leading his prized warhorse, Bezerk.


    Asher climbed into the saddle, stealing one last glance at Sapphira before nudging Bezerk''s abdomen softly.


    The beast snorted before galloping toward the walls with an entourage of soldiers following closely behind him.

 Chapter 305 Lost Daughter

    Clip! Clop!


    From the second floor, through a window, garbed in just pants and a loosened robe that revealed his hard muscles, Asher watched the soldiers below clad in armour moving around in a strict formation.


    A week had passed since the war ended, and the news of their victory spread like wildfire. From the towns in the borders to the great cities in the heartland of other dominions, his name and fame echoed.


    House Ashbourne''s strength was no longer a secret. He was no longer just a warlord¡ªhe was an official lord, known throughout Tenaria.


    And the white envelope resting on the polished table beside him was proof. It bore the seal of Duke Ohad Mormont himself, inviting him to a ball.


    This was no doubt an invitation for an alliance!


    A faint smile graced his handsome face.


    "Halt!"


    The troop below came to an abrupt halt, their movements so precise that one would doubt if they were statues and not actual humans.


    These were the paladins that would accompany him to the ball, dressed in expensive silk tunics and pants befitting noble knights. Cloaks draped over their horses as they marched about under Sir Moses'' command.


    Though elegant, the attire was unfamiliar to them. They would need to get used to it.


    Everything about their attire was black¡ªexcept for the emblem on their cloaks.


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    Asher turned his gaze toward Cynthia, who was working on his attire.


    "How does Alec fare?"


    "He''s alright," she answered. "Although he can now see in the dark and has grown much stronger than before, he hasn''t shown any strange behavior. In fact, he''s preparing the recruits for training."


    "I see. His heart is set on conquering the Wildlands."


    Asher tilted his head, his eyes drifting the distant north. It has been two months since he left the depths and this marked the first week of the third month.


    The Edomites would soon begin their march toward the Winter Stronghold.


    This meant the depths would be embroiled in war this winter!


    Without his forces, the winter stronghold and every other human stronghold would fall. And the moment they did, his domain would be left vulnerable to the Edomites, the Dothans and countless other clans.


    This might mean an endless war.


    Such a scenario would slow down the county''s growth and Asher wasn''t going to let anything stop his growth.


    His mind was set on growing his territory because it was the only way to survive in this cruel world.


    His gaze drifted before settling on the vast labyrinth of houses, kissed by the brilliant sunlight. Thousands of people moved through the streets¡ªin carriages, horsebacks, carts and on foot.


    Once, this small town had a little over 5000 people, stricken with poverty. But now, it was flourishing and was tens of thousands strong. This is what he took pride in.


    His people.


    His land would be a paradise.


    Here, no slaves would be found.


    Here, the oppressors would be executed in public.


    "Those spies¡­" he muttered, deep in thought. Soon, the assassins sent to Winter Stronghold would return, unleashed into the county to hunt down the spies and their networks.


    "My Lord¡­"


    Cynthia''s voice pulled him from his thoughts.


    Asher turned.


    "You''ve done well," he said to her, his gaze settling on the neatly laid-out attire on the bed. It was far better than the one he had worn to Count Wiliam''s daughter''s birthday party, yet this wasn''t the attire he would don to honour the Duke''s ball invitation.


    Shortly after donning his attire, he strode out of the room with Cynthia following closely behind him. Taking large strides, he descended the stairs, straight toward the dining hall.


    As he walked in, countless maids and servants were making their exit, leaving behind a dining table filled with an extravagant feast. The rich aroma filled the room like an invisible fog.


    Kelvin stood right next to his seat, wearing a warm smile.


    Unfortunately, the maids and servants seemed terrified of that warm smile. Even with his new position, Kelvin had not relinquished his right as the butler.


    The moment Asher took his seat, Kelvin let out a heavy sigh, prompting him to tilt his head.


    "What?"


    Kelvin glanced at the long, nearly desolate table. "The table has eleven more seats, yet only you sit here. Soon, it will be two years, my lord. You need a family. Maybe that is the reason I haven''t passed on¡ªmy predecessors can''t allow me to go over there while you remain alone."


    "Tsk!" Asher clicked his tongue while wearing a scowling expression. "You won''t be going anywhere for a long time, Kelvin. If you dare to die, I''ll have the dark mages summon your soul from the spirit world."


    Kelvin''s eyes widened. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "My Lord! My time in this world isn''t infinite!"


    "I don''t care. You''ll die when I want you to." Asher replied while enjoying his meal. While his head facing the table, a faint chuckle escaped him, one that Kelvin couldn''t see.


    "The carriage is ready. You were supposed to be in the Mormont capital before the ball."


    Asher sighed. "There was too much work to do. I couldn''t just head for Vale while leaving my domain in shambles after months of long war."


    "I''ll leave by noon¡­ and inform Sapphira about my departure."


    Kelvin raised an eyebrow, then a bright smile formed on his lips. "I shall do so."


    _____


    Step. Step. Another Step.


    A towering white bear, standing on its two hind legs, ascended a grand staircase¡ª10 meters wide and 15 meters long! By the sides of the grand stairs stood rows of tall soldiers, clad in full armor, their iridescent wings folded neatly behind their backs, their eyes fixed straight ahead.


    It was as if they couldn''t see the large bear-man.


    This bear-man bore an uncanny resemblance to the Voldibears Asher had met in the Spirit World but this one looked more imposing with long dreadlocks that cascaded down to his abdomen. Metal rings bound, some of the dread locks and those rings looked like they weighed quite a lot.


    A massive greatsword rested on its back.


    He knew the power these guards possessed. One wrong move and all of them would surround him in mere seconds!


    Quickening his pace, he ascended to the magnificent palace at the top of the staircase. The moment his foot touched the reflective marble floor, a deep, sonorous voice rang.


    "Gerald. It''s been a while."


    Gerald, towering at a staggering 7 feet, looked at the 5 ''9 foot tall man with multicoloured dragonfly wings folded at his back. His long black hair flowed freely to his back and he wore a silk tunic, one arm clad in armor from the pauldron to the gauntlet.


    "Prince Jared. It''s an honour to be in the thoughts of the heir of Cyrenia."


    Jared smiled. Then he turned, gesturing to his father and mother on their thrones at the end of the hall.


    With a nod of approval, Gerald stepped forward and knelt before the emperor and empress.


    "Your Majesty, it is an honour to be before your presence, but I come bearing great news."


    Geriant lifted up an eyebrow.


    "What is it?"


    "Your lost daughter has been found. We got a signal of her force in the land of humans. She must have awakened her heritage talent."


    "What?!"


    The empress, Argenta, rose to her feet while Jared, standing near the door, stood frozen in place.

 Chapter 306 Unknown House

    Geriant''s brows knitted together.


    "In the land of humans."


    Gerald responded with an affirmative nod. "Through the tracking artifact, we discovered that she indeed is beyond the mountain range that separates our lands from the humans."


    Geriant rose to his feet, his aura suffocating. "Are you certain of this? Are you telling me that humans were the ones who abducted my child?!"


    Gerald stayed silent for a while before answering. "¡­We are not certain of that, Your Imperial Majesty. The thief could have crossed paths with a human, and the child was taken."


    "That''s a flimsy excuse!" Jared roared from the back.


    Being in the presence of three enraged members of the imperial family, each capable of taking the lives of wherever they desired in the empire with a mere word, was a daunting experience for anyone.


    Yet, Gerald maintained his calm. As the most powerful knight of the four dukedoms of Cyrenia, he had dealt with cases more dire than this.


    And he had the authority to speak against the emperor if the moment demanded.


    This was one of such moments.


    "You want a war, then?!"


    His sharp gaze met Jared, glaring at the emperor''s firstborn and heir.


    But in the true sense, he was speaking to all three of them.


    "I want my daughter back. I don''t care if the human lands have to burn," Argenta, the silver-haired fairy, declared coldly.


    Her eyes didn''t quiver despite the fact that a word from her could cause the death of hundreds of thousands.


    "If bringing back my sister would mean a war I would very well face it. The knights of Cyrenia will not cower from a fight against the humans in that land," Jared added.


    Gerald sighed deeply. "You speak like a child despite being over 200 years old. The knights in the human lands are not like those here. The ones here aren''t as shrewd or twisted in mind as those over there."


    Geriant shut his eyes for a long moment before opening them again. "War is not an option."


    "Your Majesty!" Stay connected via My Virtual Library Empire


    "Father!"


    Argenta and Jared both exclaimed, with expressions twisted in shock.


    "A wise decision, Your Majesty," Gerald said. "We the knights of the peacekeeper order and the mages will do our utmost to retrieve ¡ª"


    "No."


    "Your Majesty¡­?" Gerald''s eyes widened upon hearing the emperor''s short yet firm retort.


    "Send no squadron, no troop, no mage, or any nobles."


    At this point, Jared and Argenta had ugly expressions.


    Even Gerald was confused. Did the emperor for the sake of the empire plan to abandon his daughter?


    However, each member of the imperial bloodline had the power to form elite troops through their potent talents.


    "I send you, Gerald, the nameless knight and Cyrenia''s anchor. Go and bring my daughter back to me."


    Gerald''s eyes grew wide.


    "Y¡­ Your Majesty, what about the abyssal creatures? The time for the prophesied apocalypse draws near."


    "I trust you will be back before then and with my daughter by your side."


    "Then, I shall go."


    With a final bow, Gerald turned on his heel and left with large strides. He knew why the emperor had sent him. Sending him was no different than sending hundreds of thousands of knights!


    After all, he was the strongest knight in the empire.


    And to be the strongest, one had to step into the forbidden realm of power.


    The realm of the Awoken One!


    _____


    The rhythmic trotting of horses and the gentle creaking of the wheels of a carriage fell into the ears of the natives of Vale, the capital of the Dukedom of Mormonts.


    On this broad, well-paved street, dozens of carriages could be seen rolling past, accompanied by men on horseback.


    Inside one of these carriages, Asher leaned his back against the plush red cushion, his body sinking into the soft foam as he crossed one leg over the other.


    He was dressed in the manner befitting a noble¡ªa long silk trench coat, exquisitely made by his best tailor, Anna from the silk made by the silkworms gained as spoils from Zebulun.


    Beneath it, he wore a black shirt, fitted pants and long black boots adorned with silver buckles.


    Clad in such finery, Asher looked like the young prince from the Sacred Flame Empire.


    Seated opposite him was Nero, his attire in stark contrast to Asher''s. He was clad in black gambeson over leather pants, with long boots and a pair of arming swords strapped to his waist.


    His curly hair fell over his forehead while his eyes remained focused on the crowd outside, his demeanor tense and focused¡ªnothing like Asher''s relaxed ease. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The crisp sound of a page-turning fell into his ears, followed by Asher''s deep voice.


    "We''re here for a ball. Don''t be so tense."


    He averted his eyes from the book and gazed toward Nero.


    The kid also looked at him.


    "But my job here is to protect you, not to dance."


    Asher raised an eyebrow. "Who trains you?"


    Nero was startled. "You and Uncle Alec."


    "Good. Then understand this¡ªI brought you here to mingle with the young nobles. One day, you shall ascend, and take the position of a noble that your father couldn''t live to gain."


    Nero blinked, momentarily thrown off. This was outside his scope of understanding. Was he going to be dancing with some noble girl?


    He would much rather spend the entire night swinging his sword at a tree.


    Asher''s next words sealed his fate. "It''s an order from your lord."


    When Nero looked away, Asher smiled.


    The boy reminded him of a young Alex.


    Outside the carriage, twelve paladins, garbed in expensive clothes with their weapons at each side of their mount rode in formation.


    Six rode before the carriage and six rode after. But what drew the attention of the public more than that was the golden helmets'' covering part of their faces.


    Clip! Clop!


    The hooves of the war mounts made sounds as they struck the cobblestones with a steady rhythm.


    Moses gazed at the magnificent castle ahead, a structure leagues beyond anything else in their county, his expression solemn.


    "I''ve never seen a black flag with the head of a white wolf before. Which House is this?" a passerby asked.


    "I don''t know. Could be one of those small barons," a man standing outside his shop replied lazily since he had no customers.


    "Tsk! What kind of baron rides in such an expensive carriage and has soldiers dressed like that? Have you taken a proper look at the wood of that carriage or the material those men are wearing." another man who had been watching the convoy the entire time scoffed.


    The shop owner shrugged. "I''m neither a carpenter nor am I a tailor. Besides, why should I care?"


    "Oh, you should." The man''s tone darkened. "Inside that carriage is the man who beheaded Archduke Nubis'' son and ignited several wars in the north. His soldiers are all forged in battle, making him possess one of the strongest armies in these parts."


    The man turned to the frozen shop owner.


    The man then leaned in. "Around him, you whisper¡ªor he''ll remove your head as he did Count William. He favours beheading I hear."


    Chills seeped into the shop owner''s being.

 Chapter 307 The Count & His Sister

    In a grand hall with towering windows from which bright light flooded in, illuminating dozens of luxuriously dressed people.


    Apart from smelling rich, the men had a similar design of trench coats over their attire while the women wore ball gowns. These gowns were tight at the right places, most particularly at their torso and loose from their waist down¡ªdesigned to accentuate their figures.


    Some, however, opted for daring silk dresses that clung desperately to their figures like a second skin.


    These women held power and two of them stood before a table, their fingers delicately wrapped around half-filled glasses of wine.


    Mary leaned in close to Yuna. "There are so many eyes on me. Are you sure these clothes were the right choice?"


    Yuna cast a sidelong glance, giving her the ''are you serious'' expression. "Who else should they be looking at? When I was younger, Count Tigris'' daughter hugged all the attention for herself. Naturally, as an elf, she was the desire of many men and her talents were already in bloom but mine were mere sparks back then."


    Turning to Mary, Yuna''s voice softened. "What I''m trying to say is that you are not the same woman you once were¡ªnot even the girl from the academy. Your brother isn''t just a noble now; he is a count. And not just any count, a powerhouse in the north."


    The corner of Mary''s lips curled into a small smile.


    "And he''s coming here. You have to look good, or he won''t be happy. Trust me, my father does not want your brother displeased¡ªnot even in the slightest."


    Mary''s eyes widened. She could hardly believe Yuna spoke about the duke, a man whom she couldn''t imagine as someone who would want to please someone.


    Especially not someone as young as Asher.


    "To make it even better," Yuna continued with a smirk. "My father loves those who have beef with the Archduke."


    All of a sudden her eyes widened. "Will your brother come with the infamous Ashbourne pet beast?"


    Mary blinked. "Infamous!"


    "I did some reading. Every ruling Ashbourne pet beast¡ªfrom the first, Shura, to your brother''s¡ªis known to be executor. They''ve fed on dozens or even hundreds of humans. Their bloodthirstiness makes them second to the legendary dragons."


    "I don''t think he would bring Sirius to the ball¡­" Mary replied, though she didn''t sound certain.


    What disturbed nobles the most was the Ashbourne code¡ªan ancient law that always allowed them to bring in their pet beast wherever they went, should they wish to.


    Denying the beast access meant denying the Ashbourne lord access. And since no Ashbourne lord had ever betrayed another lord, there was certain trust given to them, and so this code was permitted.


    After centuries, the great name of Ashbourne had slowly returned to the lips of the region''s powerhouses.


    "A pleasure ladies, allow me to introduce myself."


    A calm, measured voice cut through the conversation, making the girls turn. Their eyes widened slightly at the sight of the man standing before their eyes.


    Lucas Adamos, a man who attended the Sacred Flame academy along with them and the son of Count Adamos. White locks fell down his olive skin and his piercing red eyes bore into their souls.


    Dressed in a crisp white shirt, tailored white trousers and a dark green trench coat fastened at the neck with an almond-colored button, he looked appealing to the eyes.


    The man had a soft smile playing on his lips.


    Adamos!


    An ancient house, much like the Ashbournes. But while the Ashbournes ruled with their monstrous pets, the Adamos line wielded a different kind of power¡ªthey fused with the spirits of the beasts they killed.


    That way, they would possess the traits of the consumed beast¡ªuntil they found a better one.


    "Lucas. You came!"


    Yuna and Mary were visibly awestruck. Lucas was a senior who had graduated along with Slade''s batch and while not many knew his strength, his intellect and composed demeanor were well known.


    Known as the second brightest star, it was no wonder that the girls were amazed.


    "I came with my father. It seems Duke Ohad has something appealing to draw him out of that castle."


    Lucas chuckled.


    Then, he turned to Mary. "I don''t believe I have ever officially introduced myself to you personally. I''m Lucas Adamos."


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    Mary offered a soft smile and extended her hand. Lucas took her fingers gently, pressing a brief peck to the back of her palm.


    "Mary Ashbourne."


    Lucas'' eyes went wide. His eyes had been drawn to Yuna as she looked absolutely stunning and fiery with her long red hair but this beauty with a calm air beside her was not just anyone!


    He had assumed that she was one of those noble women who admired him. There were lots of them, so he wasn''t surprised at her slight squeal.


    "Y¡­You''re an Ashbourne?" His voice faltered.


    Yuna raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Dozens of nobles were out to get married to her a month back. Didn''t you hear of it?"


    Just as Lucas shook his head, the main doors leading to the entrance of specially invited figures swung open. Two towering knights pushed them aside, revealing the figure beyond.


    The host visibly shivered at the sight of the man approaching, but in the next moment, he adjusted himself and opened his mouth.


    "Please, dear honourable guests, welcome the White Wolf, Conqueror of the Wastelands, War Bringer¡ªCount Asher Ashbourne!" Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A sudden wave spread throughout the entire hall. Who wouldn''t turn when someone was introduced with such an array of titles?


    Step. Step. Another Step.


    A tall, unmistakably handsome man with pure snow-white hair that caressed his chin emerged from beyond the door.


    His black attire contrasted starkly with his pure white hair. His fair skin and vibrant golden eyes gleamed, making it seem like they were actually embedded gemstones.


    His gaze¡ªcold, authoritative, yet strangely calm¡ªswept across the crowd.


    Following closely behind him was Nero.


    "You might want to come out now," Asher murmured with a faint smile. A tiny wolf peaked out his trench coat pocket.


    The host was stunned.


    Before the eyes of dozens, Sirius cutely tumbled out, and in the next moment, grew until his head reached Asher''s shoulders!


    "It''s him!"


    Lucas'' pupils trembled.


    Mary and Yuna stood frozen as they watched Asher descend the golden staircase, his movements effortlessly refined.


    "That''s him! The one who killed Count William in three moves!"


    A noblewoman gasped, covering her mouth in shock as she stared at Asher.


    The man beside her looked doubtful. "He doesn''t even look like he is 25."


    "He''s not."


    "What?!"


    Asher didn''t know if it was because of Sirius but everyone gave him space much wider than what the decorum demanded.


    Nero chuckled. He could understand their fear. After all, this was a beast that was capable of fighting a wyvern!


    Suddenly, while looking around, Asher turned his head to his left and his gaze landed on three figures.


    Two women and one man.


    And one of the women¡­ was someone he had been yearning to meet.


    A woman who troubled his heart with guilt. The one he had sent away despite her pleading to stay by his side.

 Chapter 308 Another From Earth

    Taking large and purposeful strides, Asher made his way over, but the moment he reached her, all his momentum vanished.


    Asher stood still, gazing at her face.


    His elder sister.


    How come he never appreciated this before? And how had he come to love her even when they hadn''t even exchanged a word for over a year?


    "Your hair is white¡­ and short. Don''t you enjoy combing your long hair anymore?" Mary asked, her lips pressed together.


    "No one has ever combed it ever since you stopped," Asher replied, his voice slightly hoarse.


    The other two weren''t in his eyes. The only being reflecting in his beautiful eyes was Mary.


    Her face, to be exact.


    Mary pouted. "You must have cut it because you became a training maniac once again. Too busy to care for it huh? You were never used to other maids after all."


    Asher placed his right hand on her shoulder. "Naive. It''s more than that¡­ but I''d appreciate it if you''ll comb it once¡­ if you decide to return home with me."


    Mary chuckled. There was this attractive boldness radiating off her that Yuna and Lucas never knew she had.


    Was this the real Mary?


    "You''ve also grown tall¡­" Mary mused, wrapping her arm around Asher''s right arm. "¡­And quite muscular."


    Suddenly, her attention shifted.


    "Sirius! What happened to your eyes?!" Mary pulled away from Asher and held Sirius'' face in her hands.


    Yuna was astounded.


    Yes, Mary was Asher''s relative, but pet beasts were a different matter. Being close to the master didn''t mean the rule applied to the pet beast.


    These beasts had a mind of their own.


    Seeing her best friend, a girl shy to talk while staring into the eyes of those she spoke to, holding the face of a beast that had defeated a wyvern, a relative to a dragon, floored Yuna.


    Unfortunately, this wasn''t her concern anymore. Asher had turned his focus to her and Lucas and his gaze wasn''t as soft as it had been for Mary.


    "Red hair. You must be a member of the prestigious Mormonts." His voice carried a refined authority. "As I was introduced earlier, I am Asher Ashbourne."


    For a moment, Yuna was struck dumb. Asher''s looks, demeanour and refined aura coupled with her knowledge about his strength elevated him even further in her heart. Continue your journey with My Virtual Library Empire


    "Yuna. Yuna Mormont," she finally said.


    Asher bowed slightly, held her hand and brushed his lips against her knuckles before ushering a smile.


    Yuna felt it instantly.


    A spark, an electric jolt ran through her body the moment Asher''s lips touched her knuckles.


    That wet touch sent signals into her brain.


    Asher took half a step back before turning to Lucas, who had already extended his hand.


    "Lucas Adamos. A pleasure to meet you, Lord Asher Ashbourne."


    Asher shook his hand. "Likewise."


    "Oh, before I forget¡ªthis is Nero, my Bodyguard."


    Asher gestured toward Nero who was shocked to receive the looks of all three outstanding figures.


    "He looks young," Mary remarked.


    "He''s twelve," Asher said flatly.


    "What?!"


    Everyone''s eyes widened. Was this some sort of joke?!


    From his appearance, Asher didn''t seem more than a year older than Nero but upon hearing his actual age, the three were floored.


    "Find him a partner," Asher said, winking at Yuna.


    The rate of her heart shot through the roof and names popped up in her head at that instant. She was already matchmaking at an insane speed.


    "I''m your BloodBlade, I should always be by your side!" Nero protested.


    A servant approached, offering a glass of almond-colored wine. Asher picked up one and then glanced at Nero.


    "Today, you''re just a bodyguard. Have fun."


    After a moment of consideration, Asher added. "Just a dancing partner."


    His eyes were stern.


    Mary chuckled, while Yuna swiftly called a good-looking woman who led Nero away.


    Just then, a buff man with short red hair and a neatly trimmed beard walked up to them. His authoritative aura made him almost as intimidating as Ohad Mormont himself. Yet, when he finally stood before Asher, it seemed like the ferocious waves of the sea had crashed against a mountain.


    "Would you not introduce me?" he asked, nudging his sister playfully.


    Yuna inclined her head. "Forgive my insolence, Lord Asher but this is my brother, Korah Mormont. My father''s firstborn."


    Korah bowed slightly in greeting. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Asher returned the gesture. "An honour to meet one of Mormont''s finest knights."


    They then clasped hands in a firm shake.


    At the high table that was reserved only for House Mormont¡ªthe table of the organisers of this ball¡ªa man with long red hair lounged at the leftmost seat of the 10-meter-long table with one leg crossed over the other. His sharp gaze lingered on Asher and Korah, a cold gleam flickering within his eyes.


    Beside him was a beautiful woman, the second concubine to Ohad Mormont and mother to this young man.


    "Kohath, go introduce yourself to your future brother-in-law."


    Jessica spoke softly.


    "Tsk! He parades himself with such authority," Kohath scoffed. "I''m 44, and he''s just 23, if I remember correctly. Isn''t he supposed to be the one doing the greeting?"


    Jessica''s eyes hardened. "You both are counts and if you want his backing, do as I say. Once you have his favor, the girl will naturally be yours."


    Kohath glanced at his mother and exhaled sharply but obeyed. Rising to his feet, he descended from their lofty position into the crowded hall, navigating his way toward Asher.


    As Kohath approached, Asher noticed a shift in Mary''s demeanour and traced her gaze to the man approaching him.


    His eyes narrowed.


    "A pleasurable afternoon, Lord Asher¡ª"


    "Here, I''ve spent too much time. I must greet the Duke." Asher handed his wine to Lucas, took his sister''s arm, and walked right past Kohath without so much as a glance.


    "!!" Kohath''s eyes widened to the extreme.


    Korah barely spared him a glance as he walked away while Yuna and Lucas also went after Asher, leaving him stranded in an empty, awkward spot.


    To make matters worse, he could hear whispers rippling through the hall.


    After all, what were nobles without gossip?


    ''Asher Ashbourne¡­!''


    Veins popped up on Kohath''s forehead, his eyes darkening with a faint crimson hue. Seething, he turned his gaze toward Asher¡ªonly to see him chatting with his father.


    Boom!


    The door opened once again and a gorgeous woman clad in a sleek black one-piece sleeveless gown with a slit running up her thigh walked in.


    "Lords and Ladies, Countess Nephis Nyx of the Intis kingdom!"


    Asher turned.


    "!"


    His eyes widened.


    That woman, why did she look exactly like Lia from Earth?!

 Chapter 309 Asher, The Fool

    ''W¡­ What''s this?!''


    Asher doubted his eyes.


    But after blinking several times, the sight remained unchanged. That woman looked exactly like Lia. Not just similar. They were identical. Down to the last detail!


    He had once been her boyfriend, close enough to know every small difference on her face. Combining that with the countless hours he had spent studying her features without her knowledge, sometimes subconsciously, sometimes deliberately with the intention of creating Liya, had made him an expert when it came to recognizing her.


    He could even pick her out of a crowd without hesitation, much less now when she was the center of attention and everyone in the room was parting to give her way.


    Even nobles felt inferior in her presence!


    Nobles!


    Asher''s pupils trembled. The sight of Nephis'' brought back memories he had long sealed away¡ªmemories of his broken self.


    He had barely begun to take baby steps away from the damage done to him in the past, and this was when his past decided to show up!


    Asher could feel his heartbeat quickening. His right arm twitched, expecting the feel of his sword''s hilt.


    One swing and he would end it all, but this would be a weakness.


    No. He wasn''t that Asher anymore. A man that would react on impulse, a man without backup, a fool that trusted without reserves.


    That man didn''t see the darkness of the world, but he saw it now.


    A soft sigh escaped his lips.


    "My goodness, Intis'' crown jewel is here!"


    "A mage from a lineage of mages¡­ She must be an envoy from the Intis ruler."


    One must know that one exceptional mage was an extremely rare find, even rarer than discovering a mythical ore mine, but this Nyx family had produced generations of exceptional female mages right from their founder!


    They were one of the backbones of Intis''s rise to royalty!


    At this moment, Nephis ascended the platform with an elegant grace. She glanced to her left, meeting the gaze of Eric Adamos, lord of Adamos county, and smiled.


    Count Adamos had risen from his seat to greet Asher. Even Duke Ohad Mormont was on his feet. Now, all three of them faced this young woman, who looked like she had barely entered her twenties.


    "Duke Ohad Mormont," Nephis greeted, her voice smooth and sweet¡ªexactly as Asher remembered.


    This made his eyes narrow further.


    Was this woman truly a copy of Lia on Earth? Or somehow, like him, did she also come here?


    Then why did she look exactly the same?!


    "It is an honor to receive an envoy from Intis," Ohad said. "And not just any envoy¡ªone with the fame of spell fighting against an ancient-ranked mage. No mage in their forties has ever accomplished such a feat since the end of the Glorious Age."


    Nephis smiled.


    "I barely survived that fight." She remarked.


    "Count Nephis, envoy of King Reuel, I, Eric Adamos, am honored to sit in your presence," Eric said, placing a hand over his chest.


    Nephis stretched forth her hand, and Eric, the powerful count who was said to have killed a hundred skilled men with nothing but a beast bone, bowed slightly, took her hand and kissed her knuckles.


    Nephis''s smile blossomed.


    Finally, her sapphire gaze settled on Asher.


    Duke Ohad and Count Eric exchanged strange glances. They found it strange that Asher had not said a word since Nephis arrived.


    She represented a king, so it was right to act friendly for the king''s name at the very least.


    The two men had already assumed the worst.


    After all, Asher was the only one among them with a noble kill count.


    And not just any nobles¡ªhigh-ranked ones.


    "Count Asher¡­" Nephis called out, her gaze locking onto the dangerously handsome man before her. Since she arrived in this world, only Reuel, her fianc¨¦, had ever made her feel the way she did just from his looks alone.


    Naturally, she loved only the best, and Reuel was just that. She was the whisperer who had made him slay his own father, all for her ambition to become queen. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But this man right here¡­ a man who had destroyed a noble house to rise to the position of count¡­ carried an even superior air.


    It was strange.


    How could a man possess such attractive eyes, yet it made her feel like she was staring into a prison of endless flames.


    Those eyes were like golden flames¡ªbeautiful yet unspeakably dangerous.


    Was this truly the Count she had heard so much about?!


    He was more than the rumours.


    Reuel had been right. With him, they could expand their reach, swallowing the Eternal Immortal Empire.


    "Count Nephis¡­" Asher gently grabbed her hand. He could feel the gaze of the crowd locked on him, the piercing gaze of her bodyguards, Mary''s innocent gaze, Yuna''s distaste and Nero''s vigilant gaze from afar.


    The closer he leaned, the stronger the pull, something seemed to be screaming at him that he knew this woman.


    She wasn''t just Nephis.


    She was the woman that broke his life, shattering it like glass.


    A hot burst of sharp air escaped Asher''s lips as he kissed her knuckles lightly before standing upright.


    Nephis, as if enjoying such authority, smiled softly. "Count, I heard you built your county starting as a defenceless cripple. That''s a fascinating topic."


    Asher''s eyes flickered.


    "It is," he said with a slow smile. "It happened right after the scandal on Earth."


    Nephis''s eyes widened. She tilted her head as if she hadn''t heard him right.


    "What? What did you say?"


    At that moment, a visible white mist curled from Asher''s eyes. The temperature dropped to the negatives without warning.


    People''s breath became misty!


    All because that single sentence had confirmed it!


    This woman¡ªNephis¡ªwas Lia!


    Nephis took one step back. "Who are you?"


    Duke Ohad Mormont and Count Eric Adamos exchanged confused glances. Had these two met before?


    They couldn''t understand, but seeing Asher release his powers, Duke Ohad placed his hand on Asher''s to calm him down.


    But before his hand could graze Asher''s shoulder, an intense chill surged up his arm. Frost spread in an instant, turning his skin blue with frost all over it!


    Duke Ohad yanked his arm away, his eyes widening in horror.


    What in the world was that ice?!


    Step.


    Step.


    Another Step.


    After taking these three steps, Asher was just inches away from Nephis. Then, he leaned forward.


    His eyes were shining brighter than before.


    "Don''t you remember me?" His voice was low, a haunting whisper. "Asher, the fool."


    His words shook Nephis'' world.


    Rather than hiding from his daunting past, Asher decided to face it head-on. To look at it straight in the eye.


    He wasn''t the Asher from earth anymore, he was now a wolf¡­


    The White Wolf.


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    "A¡­ Asher!!"


    Realization flashed in Nephis''s eyes.

 Chapter 310 Next Age

    It can''t be!


    Disbelief flickered across Nephis'' face, but it soon changed to scorn the moment the realization dawned on her that this man was the same Asher.


    He also died in that building, and it wasn''t as if she hadn''t thought of it several times, but that thought had died away with time.


    Suddenly, Nephis began to laugh.


    "It seems you were born to be lesser than my true choice. Here you are¡ªa mere count with a pathetic county under your rule, and he is a king of a kingdom respected by every duke of the north."


    Asher raised an eyebrow.


    "Wyvern killer?" She scoffed. "Humph! You managed to kill one wyvern, but House Wyvern has over a thousand more!"


    A cold gleam flashed through her eyes. "The pain will forever plague you because you''ll never have a woman like me."


    A proud smirk graced Nephis''s beautiful face. Her tone was audible for the count and those close, such as the count''s relatives, to hear.


    Asher knew she wanted to humiliate him publicly.


    Looking at her proud face, Asher simply smiled. "Welcome to the north."


    His smile widened a bit. There was no rage in his eyes, just a condensing look and a tinge of disgust.


    "I assume Reuel is your king," he continued. "Send my greetings, I appreciate his effort. Without his actions, I wouldn''t be who I am today."


    For some reason, Asher felt a strange relief settle in his heart. An emotion that came from nowhere but was firm in its presence.


    He was truly lucky that this woman was taken away from him.


    Had she remained by his side, he wouldn''t have discovered this part of him. Her betrayal, though heartbreaking, had given him a chance for rebirth.


    After uttering those words, Asher''s oppressive aura came down. Many who were on the ground, slowly dying, found life returning to them once more.


    Asher turned.


    "Argh!"


    Nephis lunged at him, but a sword light flashed. Nephis''s eyes focused on the young, curly-haired young man standing between her and Asher, both his swords drawn.


    Asher gave her a sidelong glance. That look alone sent a surge of fury through her. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She felt as if she had lost something, and it made her feel empty. At least his hate kept him bound to her, but without it, Asher was truly walking away from her.


    That shouldn''t be possible.


    No one walks out!


    No one!


    "If we march at your walls, it will surely fall."


    Such a heavy threat carried weight, but it only made Asher''s eyes grow cold once more.


    "Come, then." His voice was soft, almost amused. "I shall return the heads of all your generals to you in beautiful boxes. And in the end, that of your beloved king''s."


    Asher replied with a soft smile that made Nephis scream inwardly. She wanted nothing more than to rip the flesh out of Asher''s face, but she couldn''t afford to lose her decorum in front of so many.


    "I swear it. Ashbourne will burn," she hissed. "And with it, your pride and your sister."


    Finally, with a maddened smile, Nephis felt at peace when she saw that intense fury in Asher''s eyes.


    She couldn''t be more happy that he had a weak point.


    "And I swear it. As long as Vale stands, Mormonts shall stand by House Ashbourne."


    Duke Ohad declared strongly, causing Nephis''s eyes to dilate.


    "You would dare go against Intis?" she demanded. "Don''t forget we are the only ones that can guarantee you victory against House Nubis."


    "That was in the past, Lady Nephis," another voice answered, calm and unwavering.


    Eric Adamos retorted calmly.


    "House Adamos stands with House Mormont. Their enemies are our enemies."


    "Y¡­ You fools!" Nephis spat.


    Duke Ohad frowned. "I believe you are no longer welcome, Lady Nephis," he said coldly. "Greet Duchess Nyx and inform her that she has failed in training her daughter."


    "You!"


    Nephis glared at Asher, hatred oozing from every fiber of her being.


    With a swift turn, she stormed out of the hall, her bodyguards hastily following her.


    Duke Ohad led Asher and Eric out of the hall as the healers were sent in to rescue some nobles in dire situations.


    The Duke was certain that after this incident, almost every noble in the north would be afraid to hear the mere mention of the name Ashbourne.


    As it would make them remember this ball forever.


    He even brought war into a ballroom!


    Maybe next time, no one should introduce him as War Bringer.


    _____


    While this went on, the three lords stood in a balcony, gazing at the cityscape as the breeze caressed their hair.


    Asher''s action of clearing his throat broke the silence. "Reuel is now your enemy."


    "I wouldn''t keep a brat who murdered his father in his sleep as an ally either," Ohad Mormont said with a chuckle.


    Eric nodded.


    Asher''s gaze turned cold. "He killed his father!" Find exclusive stories on My Virtual Library Empire


    He had been too busy with his own problems to notice the details of the power shift in Intis.


    "Oh, you weren''t informed?" Eric raised a brow. "That brat murdered not just his father but the rest of his family. Only his sister remains, and she''s currently fighting against him with a group of rebels. Intis isn''t exactly united anymore."


    Ohad''s voice was laced with a measured tone as he cautioned. "I will not intrude into your past with Countess Nephis Nyx, but I''ll advise you to watch your back after provoking a woman able to stand against an ancient-ranked mage and survive."


    Asher responded with a small nod.


    Gazing at the city below, he breathed out. "Why support me?"


    Duke Ohad''s face became solemn. "The inevitable is coming."


    Asher furrowed his brows. "What?"


    "War." Eric sighed heavily. "The peace we''ve enjoyed has come to an end. Everyone is preparing their forces, and so is His Highness, Prince Aaron. Once he marches out with Count Wyvern at his side, every noble will have two choices: either fight to the death or pledge their loyalty to him."


    Asher frowned. "He wants to recreate the empire."


    "Indeed." Eric.


    "There are three empires, four kingdoms, two independent dukedoms and two independent counties which hold power in this world. One out of the four kingdoms, the two independent dukedoms and counties were once united as one empire. Which means there are now two empires¡­ and one broken one."


    Ohad sighed.


    "The empires are ready to let out the devourer and split the world into three parts as it once had been."


    Asher''s eyes narrowed deeply. Was this what Lord Winter had warned him about?


    The war his brothers were about to start¡­ was this the war that would bring the end of this age?


    Throughout history, whenever war consumed the entire continent, it signified the death of an age and the birth of another. But each war costs a lot.


    Both for all races and for their world itself.


    "This is the reason we three must form an alliance to fight back," Ohad suggested. "Lord Asher, what do you say?"

 Chapter 311 An Attack

    Hours after the ball.


    "That fool!" Kohath cursed at the top of his lungs as he barged into the dining hall, stomping towards the table, fuming.


    The maids and servants who were preparing dessert quickly distanced themselves from the table and watched Kohath lay his hands on the tablecloth, yanking it with all his strength.


    The sound of plates crashing, food splattering, glass cups shattering, and the yelps of some soft-hearted maids filled the atmosphere as they covered their mouths.


    "He dared to humiliate me in front of everyone! How dare that arrogant brat!"


    Kohath spun in fury and approached a chair before slamming it against a servant who was about to run, making the man tumble.


    Blood streamed down his head, but it didn''t satisfy Kohath. He approached the servant, lifted the chair and slammed him a couple more times until the chair was destroyed.


    "Who built these fake chairs? Have him executed!"


    He turned only to see his mother at the door, looking at the mess he had created.


    He rose up.


    "Don''t look at me that way." His eyes were no different from that of a vulture, and his voice boiled with uncontrollable fury.


    Wrapping his bloodied hand around another chair, he locked eyes with a trembling maid.


    Bam!


    Jessica watched as he brutally hit the maid until she was barely hanging on to life by a thread.


    Discover exclusive content at My Virtual Library Empire


    Huff~ Huff~


    Panting, he looked at his mother. "What do you have in mind?" His tone was much calmer.


    Jessica leaned against the doorframe. "Instead of taking out your anger on the weak¡­ why don''t you strike the one who caused you the humiliation?"


    Kohath scoffed. "What? That bastard barely released his force, and we were already halfway to the land of the dead. How do you hurt a man like that?!"


    Jessica snorted. "He might be strong, but not all Ashbourne are that strong."


    Kohath cocked his head, his eyes moved about in confusion but then it settled in.


    Mary Ashbourne!


    His eyes shone.


    "Mother¡­" A smile spread across his face as he kissed his mother''s forehead and hurriedly approached the door.


    "Don''t do it yourself," Jessica advised. "Remember he sent one of the Tigris boys here. Use him. The enemy of your enemy is always your friend." She smiled knowingly.


    Nodding frantically, Kohath left. After he left, Jessica turned to the servants and maids, her gaze hardening.


    "Clean up this mess, and the Duke shouldn''t know about this."


    "Yes, Mistress!!"


    _____


    The wet slap of the soles of a boot against the wet floor fell into the ears of disheveled men and women locked behind bars.


    Most scrambled to the gates of their cells, stretching their hands at Kohath and the two soldiers trailing behind him.


    Kohath didn''t even spare them a glance and walked straight to the last cell in the dungeon, a cell that had a sealed gate.


    It wasn''t the usual iron bars but a steel door!


    "Open it."


    One soldier inserted a key, twisting and turning it until the door clicked open with a metallic creak. Both guards then pushed the door away, revealing a white tiger crouched on the cold floor, looking at them in silence.


    Levi''s death gaze made the guards stiffen, but Kohath was confident that Levi understood there was no way he could force himself out of here.


    "Levi Tigris, son of Count William Tigris. I come bearing news that your father is now late, beheaded by the same man who sent you here."


    The white tiger''s eyes narrowed. Then, in a fluid motion, he morphed into his human form.


    "What about my brother?"


    Levi''s lack of empathy made Kohath quite shocked, but he quickly composed himself. "I''d assume Count Asher has him working in the mines¡­ or has fed him to his wolf."


    Levi''s gaze changed. Although his force was sealed off, the sheer pressure he gave off was daunting.


    Kohath smiled. "I have a proposal for you. Disfigure Mary Ashbourne, and I''ll make sure you leave the north before anyone traces you."


    Levi grunted.


    "No need to sound displeased," Kohath continued. "She''s in this castle, and I''ll make sure there are no guards around her."


    "When?" Levi said just one word, and it excited Kohath more than anything.


    "When the moon comes."


    "Till then."


    Levi sat on the cold floor, leaning against the wall.


    "Till then."


    Kohath replied.


    _____


    A gray-haired woman sat on a bench in the garden, looking at a small letter in her hand.


    She had little to no idea what Asher would think if he saw this letter, so she hid it from her.


    This letter was from a man!


    Unlike others that made her run into her room and shut the door in panic, she found herself pacing around the garden, the spot they were supposed to meet.


    She looked at the castle at times and then around her, but unbeknownst to her, the man who had sent the letter stood behind a window looking down at her.


    He had spoken to Yuna about Mary, and Yuna went ahead to arrange this meeting when she figured out Mary wasn''t really against it.


    But, as much as Lucas would love to spend the night chatting with the damsel down there, he feared one man.


    Strange thoughts came to his mind.


    What if Asher planned to wed his own sister?


    After all, they were the only Ashbournes remaining, and if they wanted a purer generation, it would be best to wed each other.


    It was uncommon now, but in the First Age, it was the norm, even in part of the Glorious Age!


    If that was Asher''s plan, then merely being around Mary could cost Lucas his head.


    While he was drowned in his own thoughts, a figure emerged from the darkness, creeping towards Mary with a short sword in her hand.


    Though the figure''s aura was stealthy, Lucas could very well feel the animalistic force hidden inside that man.


    Bam!


    The window was pushed right open.


    "Mary!"


    At this moment, Levi burst forth with a terrifying speed¡ª S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But Mary manifested her wings and shot into the sky.


    Her graceful flight stunned Lucas, but in the next moment¡ª


    RIPP


    A short sword pierced through one of her wings, leaving a trail of blood in the air as she curved, falling back downward with greater speed!

 Chapter 312 Unwanted Self & Hellhound

    Mary let out a soft gasp, her hair fluttering upward as she fell. There was something wrong with her body, she couldn''t just seem to control herself.


    It wasn''t as if this was the first time she fell from the sky.


    Everything around her spun at high velocity but in the midst of this confusion, a fiery orange phantom burst out of the window Lucas was in.


    An arm wrapped around her and before she knew it, everything had stopped spinning.


    Lucas gently laid her on the grass before looking at Levi, cloaked in a hood who quietly went to the spot the short sword fell and picked it.


    The slight yet deep growl coming from him made Lucas frown deeply. It was as if he was staring right at a tiger.


    Mary grimaced at the sight of the open wound in her right wing.


    Although Lucas wanted to say comforting words, there would be no better way to comfort Mary than to deal with the attacker.


    And so, he rose to his feet, approaching Levi with strong steps.


    "This is unwise." Lucas said.


    Levi chuckled. "Perhaps."


    He burst forth, slashing the short sword at the unarmed Lucas'' throat but the Adamos heir wrapped his fingers around the dagger keeping it in place!


    Right before his neck!


    Levi''s eyes narrowed.


    Drip. Drip.


    Blood coated the short sword and fell down in droplets, splattering on the grass.


    Levi could see the pain and anger in Lucas'' eyes and without warning, the sword grew hot!


    Flames burst out of Lucas body, irises gained the colour of lava, fangs grew out of his mouth, claws protruded from his fingers and toes as his clothes slowly burnt away. Discover stories at My Virtual Library Empire


    Finally, a fiery phantom of a three headed hound, as big as a human appeared behind him, its ferocious aura flared so high the guards at other vicinities sensed it.


    The calm, good looking Lucas was replaced by a burning feral man. Cold and brutal.


    The blade of the short sword melted as the grass around them disintegrated into dust.


    Bam! S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Levi punched Lucas'' face. A blow that would kill a knight simply made Lucas tilt. In the next moment, his expression distorted and he lunged at Levi.


    His claws tore through the cloak, opening deep marks in Levi''s flesh and scorching the wound at the same time.


    Pain shot to Levi''s brain!


    "!!!"


    Stifling his scream, white fog burst out of him as he morphed into his tiger form. With a powerful leap, he went head on with Lucas.


    Lucas simply grabbed his face ignoring the claws that sank into his flesh.


    "Burn!"


    Levi screamed as fire consumed his face. His screams went far but died fast.


    Thud!


    Lucas dropped the corpse on the ground as his flames died out. His fangs, claws and phantom vanished leaving him like he once was.


    But his half burnt clothes spoke otherwise.


    Lucas stood there facing the corpse. He didn''t even turn to Mary, an action she found strange.


    "Lady Mary, you can go get yourself treated. The problem has been dealt with."


    After uttering those words, he took one step and froze.


    This was because of the figure standing just 10 meters to his right, just under the moonlight.


    "... You couldn''t be far." Lucas chuckled bitterly, averted his gaze from Asher and walked away without glancing at Mary.


    He didn''t want to see her expression.


    It would just be like the others. No one was able to accept this bloodthirsty part of him after seeing his other part.


    A major flaw of his talent is that once active, he would surely possess traits of the merged beast and his beast was known for its cruelty and ferociousness.


    He would have never wanted Mary to know about this side of him. In fact, it was the reason he refused to become a knight.


    Some talents weren''t gifts, they were a curse and Lucas considered his talent one.


    Asher stood there, his hair tousled by the extreme speed at which he moved to get here. His expression colder than ice and his golden eyes, magically piercing through the darkness.


    He was there just in time to witness the formidable hellhound kill its prey. Yes, even a white tiger was a prey to the hellhound!


    But there was something in Lucas'' eyes that made Asher feel pity.


    Self loathe.


    He saw a man that loathed himself¡­ a part of himself that was the major part that is.


    Mary remained there, her hand stretched out for Lucas but the young man never knew because he never looked back.


    Asher sighed.


    He knew why Mary didn''t call out to him. She was a woman that respected boundaries. Even when she wanted more.


    Just like when he sent her away.


    In the same light, she respected that Lucas acted strange for reasons known only to him and it might be linked to her so she refrained from causing more hurt.


    Seeing this misunderstanding, Asher felt a pang in his head.


    But he swiftly brushed it off and approached Mary.


    "Is he okay?"


    Mary asked him.


    Asher looked at the direction Lucas left in.


    "You''re the one injured." Then, he gazed at Levi who had reverted to his human form.


    "Tigris."


    Sirius approached them, sniffed the burnt corpse and looked around.


    "What is it?"


    Sirius didn''t reply but its gaze pierced through the darkness, locking on a red haired man who covered himself in a cloak and disappeared.


    Its eyes narrowed.


    At this moment, Mary''s wolf approached, nuzzling Mary as she caressed its head.


    "It''s okay."


    She whispered to her wolf.


    Heavy footsteps fell into their ears as dozens of heavily armoured men trooped into the burnt garden.


    "Lord Asher!"


    Asher carried Mary. "Get me your apothecary."


    ¡­..


    A/N: Thank you for sticking with this work during my tough stages which was primarily caused by my health. Although my situation isn''t that that can be cured so simply, I''ll be able to upload constantly by God''s grace from now on.


    I''ll also use this medium to say I''m also working on a new project and according to the process of the research, it might come end of march or April. (Started since January btw. And I do research on notebooks so no eye pain there. Hehe)

 Chapter 313 Academy

    Boom!


    Asher, stained by his sister''s blood, walked into Duke Mormont''s courtroom, where the Duke, Count Adamos and his son were.


    From their dressing, Asher knew the lords had retired for the night but the incident pulled them out of their beds.


    Still, his expression was as cold as when he faced Nephis.


    "Lord Asher¡­" Duke Ohad called out, seeing Asher''s unpleasant expression.


    "I sat in the comfort of my room and my only sister was nearly killed. There were no guards in the vicinity, why is that?"


    Duke Ohad took in Asher''s cold, sharp words with a little smile on his face.


    Then his expression became solemn. "It''s a scheme probably to destroy our alliance. There is no reason for me or Lord Eric to harm your sister. Do you think there is?"


    Asher breathed out, his eyes narrowed. "I doubt. But I did sense animosity from your son."


    Duke Ohad raised an eyebrow. "My son?"


    "Yes. The son of Lady Jessica and the Count of Demas, Kohath Mormont. At the ball my sister showed signs of fright the moment he appeared."


    Lord Eric frowned.


    "Lord Asher." He said meaningfully.


    Asher ground his teeth. "I''ll leave him with a warning. Should this repeat itself¡­"


    He held his tongue. It would be best the Duke interpreted the rest himself.


    "I assure you. It won''t happen again." Duke Ohad breathed a sigh of relief but inwardly, he wanted to throw Kohath into the dungeon.


    He wasn''t a fool.


    Somehow Levi left his cell, somehow no guard saw it, somehow the soldiers designated to guard the garden were nowhere to be found?


    All this meant there was an inside man!


    And who else other than the man that had threatened Mary several times. Kohath had met him because of Mary but was rebuked.


    However, it seemed Kohath didn''t know when to stop.


    Asher turned heel. He stopped, turning his head toward Lucas.


    "Thank you. You are welcomed to Ashbourne county at any time and I owe you for my sister''s life."


    Lucas without looking at him nodded.


    Just as Asher reached the door, Count Eric cleared his throat.


    "Lord Asher, I might have found a solution for your population situation."


    Asher raised an eyebrow. His eyes darted over to Duke Ohad and his expressions showed the duke had knowledge about this.


    "With the population in the Wildlands exhausted in months of war, there are no large populations in these parts but you can buy from Everad."


    Asher''s eyes narrowed.


    "Slaves."


    "There were once free people but due to wars and other unfavorable conditions they became prey to the slave traders of Everad. Besides, those people raid towns on neighbouring islands or mainlands and sell them."


    "!"


    "They can bring them through my port, you don''t have to worry." Duke Ohad spoke.


    Count Eric nodded.


    "I want professionals in blacksmithing, sewing, architecture, masons, miners, and those with the most miserable physique."


    The last request puzzled the lords but then they remembered the miraculous Evergreen olive oil and other wondrous farm products in Ashbourne county that can transform the body of an ordinary farmer into that of an iron-ranked soldier! S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This meant that Asher could purchase tens if not hundreds of thousands of slaves because these were the ones no one wanted.


    "I see." Duke Ohad couldn''t help but approve with a nod.


    ¡­


    After Mary''s injury was taken care of, Asher returned to his domain to make preparations for the incoming population.


    So far the county has 455,000 people, a massive number for a mere county but his domain was so large that all he needed was the title of a count to consolidate this massive domain as his.


    Right now, as a count he was the guardian of the wall but Aaron Nethaneel, Second Highness of the empire could grant other nobles landed rights but they would be below him.


    Asher wanted to start developing the county. Build roads, massive farms, massive expansions on cities and even creating settlements since he planned to have a million plus population!


    It was time to start a full scale development so his domain would be a paradise when the time of darkness arrives.


    For that to happen, two things were crucial. An elite army and a robust economy.


    Asher wanted an independent rulership like Count Adamos and Duke Mormont but for now he was under the prince.


    To others this was stupidity but to Asher it was an opportunity. A title bestowed by the prince would be stronger than those who gained from other lords.


    The reason was because the Empire had existed since the First Age. It held more weight, more influence and longevity.


    Even if the empire were to fully crumble, the title wouldn''t!


    That didn''t mean if the empire was conquered, the title would remain. In fact then, the title was nothing but a death sentence because with it one can always have claims to rulership!


    By the time they reached Nineveh, Mary, who thought she was already numb to shock, gasped at the sight of the grand walls.


    Even with other great fenced cities in the domain, Nineveh still stood apart.


    Although it had a small population of 60,000, the complexity of its walls made Nineveh, a stronghold, would be extremely daunting to face.


    After a series of upgrades, the stronghold now sat at the top of a hill! With only one wide path leading to the plains.


    This meant any attack had to come through one way as the other sides of the mountains were rugged and falling from there would only mean as there were earthen spikes all around the hill, except for the front gate path.


    Seeing Mary''s reaction to Nineveh, Asher chuckled.


    "Even if every city is conquered, I don''t plan for Nineveh to be listed amongst them. The walls are plastered with green clay making them extremely sturdy and smooth. Not even a ballistic bolt can go deep enough to get a firm grip."


    Mary looked at him, appalled.


    "In there the finest knights in all of Ashbourne are trained."


    "Finest?"


    "Yes. They are the same as the knights escorting us. The paladins."


    "What makes them stronger than their counterparts?"


    "Their brutal training method. Each of them has to be able to kill beasts of their rank to ascend from basic paladins to advanced paladins and finally transcendent paladins."


    Hearing all these, Mary couldn''t imagine the strength of these paladins but from Asher''s description they had to be quite imposing.


    "Asher, I have something I wanted to speak to you about."


    "Oh? Pray tell."


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    Mary looked at Asher, right into his burning eyes.


    "I want to open a school."

 Chapter 314 Good News

    Since a strong foundation led to advantageous results, Asher was on the same page with Mary.


    Starting a school that would train kids would produce far-reaching effects, ensuring they reached their full potential after they were selected and advanced.


    A scholar could grow into a man of great intelligence and foresight¡ªan asset to a mage and invaluable to a lord.


    A footman could become a knight, tougher, more skilled, and way stronger than his peers.


    This was a cheat in the system. The reason the Grand Aegis Heavy Infantrymen were classified as heavy infantry and not light infantry like the Frontline Legion was because of their origin.


    After dozens of attempts, Asher had finally figured out the system''s pattern. This meant simply recruiting soldiers and transforming them into knights through the transformation towers in the barracks to produce weaker versions of the said profession.


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    This meant that even if they reached gold rank, his soldiers would never be as strong as the first, who had been properly cultivated from the start¡ªat least, not right away.


    It would take a while¡ªsometimes months, sometimes years¡ªfor them to be as good as the knights. But by then, wouldn''t the other soldiers widen the gap even further?!


    "I''ll let Kelvin know," Mary said, smiling blissfully.


    ''A school, huh?''


    Asher thought over the idea as the carriage climbed the hill and into the stronghold. The creak of its wheels fell into his sensitive ears along with the bustling streets, but he brushed them off and settled deep inside his mind.


    A skill he had learnt through meditation.


    The ability to detach himself from reality and delve into the subconscious.


    In the long run, building the school would make his domain self-reliant. He wouldn''t need to hire them from other domains or wait in hopes that they would come along with the population trooping in or gained from wars.


    But to build his roads, he needed a saint architect. Leaving it to the system would consume an absurd amount of money.


    But if he asked Kelvin and they had the resources and money, he would gladly let the system handle it¡ªafter all, it did the job better than any man.


    _____


    Not long after they entered the castle, Mary was led to her quarters while Asher went straight to his study.


    His eyes lingered on the tome in his grasp as he pressed his palm into the sunken mark, his expression unfazed even after feeling the sharp prick.


    Rumble!


    The study trembled as a mirror went backward and slid into a hidden compartment, revealing an ancient, dusty staircase that disappeared into the darkness.


    With a soft sigh, Asher lit up a torch and walked down the spiral staircase until he reached the bottom.


    At the bottom was a squarish room with nothing except for an old short column, hooks that once held swords and dust.


    Whew!


    He blew away the dust from the top of the pedestal and placed the tome upon it.


    Just as he turned to leave, the tome fluttered open on its own, its pages flipping until an empty page, yellowish and worn out like the others, appeared.


    Then, stroke after stroke, a name was being written on the page.


    Stunned, Asher approached the tome, his eyes wide in shock as he watched his name appear.


    Just after that came a record of his wars, his achievements, his temperament, his subordinates, his weapons and even his allies.


    Asher''s gaze returned to the title, his eyes narrowing as he processed what he had just overlooked.


    "Duke of Ashes, Asher Ashbourne, fifth Duke of House Ashbourne!"


    Has this tome lost its senses?!


    All this while, he had only now discovered that this tome was actually a relic. And to prove him right, a newly drawn, detailed map of the land beyond the Ash Mountains began to spread across the page.


    So this was how the Ashbournes acquired their maps.


    After a while, he went back to the study, still confused at the title on the tome.


    But just as he sat down, his attention was drawn to the two sealed letters on his desk.


    Pristine and white!


    His brows came together.


    The seal on the first letter was that of the emperor''s!


    And only one person could use the emperor''s seal! It was the Second Highness!


    Asher opened the seal and unfolded the letter. As he read it, his eyes widened.


    _____


    Your feats as Count, defender of the wastelands, have spread to every bright and dark corner of the empire. By curing down the rebel lord¡ªCount William Tigris¡ªyou have proven yourself more than worthy.


    This deed shall by no means go unrewarded. Therefore, I, prince Aaron Nethaneel, rightful ruler of these lands, hereby bestow upon you the title of Duke.


    Earned by merit and unwavering loyalty to the empire.


    Henceforth, the lands from the Great Dividing Wall and the Wildlands to the extreme ends of the Ash Mountains and beyond are rightfully yours.


    Signed. Prince Aaron Nethaneel.


    _____ sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Silence reigned the room for several minutes as Asher reread the letter. Again and again.


    He had been thinking of how to deal with Aaron, should he send nobles with land claims to disturb him just like how he used him against Count William? But he got this.


    Did prince Aaron understand the worth of House Ashbourne? Or did he simply want a lackey?!


    Someone to use at whim?!


    "Regardless," Asher murmured, a smirk forming on his lips. "I should show gratitude. I''ll have Dan forge him a gauntlet made entirely of gold."


    He wasn''t going to hide his capability like before. He couldn''t step onto this stage and back out because of fear.


    Besides, if there was one thing he had learned, it was that wars strengthened his army. Soon, his forces would be a terror to the world''s powers.


    Asher''s ambitions were growing. He could feel it¡ªa change inside of him, a thirst to consolidate his power and throw away any form of control over him.


    Gently folding the letter, he inserted it into the envelope and just then remembered the second one.


    "Who sent this?!"


    He thought, staring at the unfamiliar seal depicting wings for a long time.


    Finally, he opened it.


    It was a simple request, someone was asking to go on a hunt with him.


    Asher was puzzled, but the moment he saw the name, his heart throbbed.


    "Sapphira Cyrene!"


    From the context of the letter, she wanted the hunting to be just the two of them.


    Click!


    The door swung open, and Kelvin stepped in, bowing slightly. "Apologies, my lord. I wasn''t present in the castle when you arrived. Prince Aaron and¡ª!"


    "Prepare my horse, I leave for Nimrim tomorrow."


    Kelvin''s eyes widened. "But my lord, your attention is needed at the winter stronghold!"


    "So I should ignore Priestess Sapphira''s request to go hunting together? Well then¡ª"


    Kelvin stiffened. The moment he heard the name, his tone shifted. "That''s an important matter, my lord. She might be dying as we speak. It''s best if you leave today."


    Asher blinked.


    Even he hadn''t expected such a response.

 Chapter 315 Assassins Delight

    After tossing about throughout the night, Asher decided to send a letter to Sapphira, informing her he would arrive the next day and he swiftly ordered for all the merchants with excellent jewelleries to line up in his castle.


    Nimrim was a remote area in his county and even if people began to talk about his strange order or even link it to a woman, he would definitely get to Sapphira before word got to her.


    Sitting on his throne, leaning against one hand, he exhaled.


    "It''s almost noon, Kelvin." Worn out from the continuous disappointments shown by the merchants, Asher sighed.


    Kelvin kept his chin up. "Giving up means you don''t want to impress her and trust me my lord, it isn''t hard for a woman like that to attract even the second highness and that is even if you married her."


    Asher glanced at Kelvin. "Is that so?"


    He scoffed right after. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kelvin smiled as the next merchant, a familiar man walked into the hall.


    It was Jon.


    "My Lord."


    Jon and his daughter, Jane went on one knee. Asher''s eyes quickly settled on the box Jane held.


    "What do you have?"


    Jon smiled. "The assassin''s delight."


    The name made both Kelvin and Asher intrigued.


    Clack! Clack!


    Jane unlocked it and opened it, revealing a hair pin. A violet, hair pin with flowers at the head and from those flowers fell three tiny silver chains.


    Each chain at the bottom had a luminous sapphire crystal.


    Jon took it from Jane. He approached Asher with wide strides all while wearing a wide smile. "It''s just a beautiful hair pin infused with force to emit such otherworldly glow¡­"


    Shing!


    He grabbed the part where the flowers were like it was a hilt and pulled. To the shock of everyone in the room, a slender blade emerged from the other side which served as a sheath.


    Asher''s eyes narrowed.


    Jon smiled. "It''s a lady''s ultimate self defense. These flowers once injested are poisonous and these beautiful glowing gemstones can cause harmless but blinding explosions once thrown. It''s an accessory by one of Sacred Flames finest. I believe any woman would love the assassin''s delight."


    Kelvin looked at Asher.


    Asher thought hard.


    Would Sapphira love something like this?


    Considering her profession as a priest, would she really poison people or stab that mini rapier into men''s throats.


    The word "men" made him see the hair pin in a favourable light. At least, if she couldn''t reach out to her sword on time, the hair pin would be less than an arm''s length away.


    And it was equipped with all the necessities that could aid a woman escape a critical situation.


    In a way this jewelry was life saving.


    "Name your price."


    Asher said with a calm tone.


    "It''s just a hundred thousand gold coins, My Lord."


    Just?!


    He barely spent 100 gold coins for the wind chimes bracelet he gave to Liya.


    "... Or we could exchange it for 10 percent less of tax fees for all goods brought in by my merchant guild for the rest of the year."


    "I''ll give you the amount you called."


    Jon was startled. Clearly, such an astronomical amount would make even the wealthiest count in Sacred Flame falter.


    Considering that the jewellery was expendable.


    To Asher, he just wanted whatever he would give to Sapphira to cost him.


    He couldn''t bargain over it.


    Shortly after the trade was over, Jon noticed Jane''s expression as they walked through the grand castle''s hallway.


    "You''re disturbed. Why?"


    "He''s changed. I can''t even find a connection between him and the baron we met here over a year ago."


    Jon sighed. "I heard his growth is linked to his mysterious talent. Who knows, he might have awakened a powerful talent like those in the First Age."


    Stay updated with My Virtual Library Empire


    Jane''s eyes widened. "But those with such talents are either emperors or relatives to past rulers of the empires."


    "He''s an odd one then."


    Their footsteps echoed until they were gone.


    ¡­


    A raven haired woman whose barefeet almost touched the ground, calmly hovered before the massive evergreen olive tree watching workers move about.


    There were hundreds of workers, most of them were pushing wooden wheelbarrows loaded with olives while few were in tree''s labyrinth of branches.


    Some branches were so huge that a man could ride a carriage on them! The height of the tree was 600 meters!


    The stunning sight of a 600 meters tall tree that seemingly pierced through the clouds was never normal neither would it ever become so for the people of Nimrim.


    So far, although with an extremely small population, Nimrim produced a huge percentage of the county''s revenue and had the highest number of healthy folks.


    Some said it was because of Sapphira''s talent that made the earth happy while some said it was because of her ability to heal.


    "What happened to her?" Sapphira''s expression was solemn as she saw some folks pushing barrows filled with black olives!


    Mia, also a beauty but with blonde hair sighed. She was the one in command if Sapphira wasn''t around and also the only human closest to Sapphira.


    "We don''t know yet but her yields are turning bad."


    Sapphira flew to the tree. The moment she moved, the temple knights flew at a faster pace, ordering the workers to move aside.


    "Stop."


    Sapphira said coldly. She glared at Joseph, their captain causing him to lower his head.


    Then, she proceeded. The moment she laid hands on the tree, a green glow ran from the root to the top.


    In the next moment, the flowers became greener and it began to rain olives. Sapphira turned back with a normal smile that was nothing short of mesmerising on her face.


    Just as the people were clamouring for safety, some horsemen could be found galloping toward the scene.


    Dust rose behind them.


    Sapphira squinted.


    As they got closer, her heart suddenly began to beat stronger and faster than before.


    It started the moment her eyes met that burning golden eyes embedded into that well defined face.


    The only time he gazed at her with such softness and intensity was after the fight in his tent.


    Neigh!


    Bezerk raised his forelimbs, tilting upward and neighing loudly before walking on all fours.


    "Hop on."


    Asher stretched his hand.


    But to his dismay, there were signs of fear in her eyes!

 Chapter 316 A Kiss

    "Asher¡­"


    Her voice was soft yet fragile, barely more than a whisper as it fell into his ears.


    Asher doubted his eyes and ears. Was this truly the same woman who could cut down dozens of men twice her size? The one who led one of the most imposing troops in the county.


    "¡­Asher, when have you ever seen me outrightly ride a horse?" Sapphira asked softly as she seemed to have regained her composure and tone.


    But before she could steady herself completely, a snort from Bezerk destroyed all that she accumulated composure, and she instinctively took a step back.


    Asher gasped.


    Was Sapphira¡­ afraid of horses?!


    He blinked twice, wanting to confirm as this was one of the basic and most common practices of everyone in Tenaria, unless they were too poor to afford a horse.


    Or¡­


    His eyes settled on her wings. ''She probably never needed a horse since she could fly anywhere she wanted and look even more eye-catching than any rider.''


    Even after coming to this conclusion, Asher tilted his head, his nose wrinkling as he dived into the depths of his thoughts.


    Was it that she never had the curiosity to ride a horse?!


    But then, why had she once asked him for a silver-scaled horse?


    "Why did you ask for the silver-scaled horses then?"


    Sapphira flipped her hair, gently tilting her head to one side, lips pressed together.


    "I was going to learn," she said, "but you wouldn''t even part with a single one of your precious catches."


    Asher let out a forced chuckle to brush off the accusation.


    "Come. Bezerk doesn''t bite."


    Sapphira raised an eyebrow. She could see Bezerk''s knife-like teeth in full display, just hidden behind the metallic muzzle strapped over its mouth.


    It was well known that the count had thousands of carnivorous horses, and amongst them, Bezerk was king.


    It was said it only ate less than Sirius!


    "He fed before I rode him here."


    Sapphira hesitated but then slowly floated toward Asher.


    Seeing this, Joseph¡ªthe same man who had barred Asher from the temple¡ªinstinctively stepped forward.


    "My Lady, allow your servants to escort you!"


    "One more word from a mere soldier like you," Nero cut in coldly, stepping between them, "and I shall strike. Mind you, I shall not strike twice."


    His gaze was cold, and his words as sharp as the cold touch of a knife''s blade.


    Asher dismounted and, without hesitation, took Sapphira by the waist and lifted her onto Bezerk''s back. She let out a soft gasp, her fingers twitching as Bezerk''s name brushed over them.


    The soft touch eased her nerves slightly, but she found solace when she felt Asher''s chest behind her.


    As he reached for the reins, his arms pressing onto both of her sides, he could hear her hitched breath.


    "We''ll be back in a day."


    Then, the earth beneath them trembled as Bezerk shot off, racing through the plains before they vanished from sight.


    Mia turned to Nero, whose sharp, authoritative gaze swept across the remaining soldiers.


    ''Isn''t he just twelve!''


    _____


    Lost in the comfort of each other''s company, neither of them noticed the passage of time or how far Bezerk had run¡ªuntil they found themselves navigating through the unfamiliar woods!


    Only then did they realize that they were outside the boundaries of scouted areas.


    Just then, Bezerk burst out of the forest, and before they could react, all three of them found themselves inside water.


    Asher was the first to rise up, followed by Sapphira and finally, Bezerk, the horse that had lost itself to sheer speed.


    Staring at the shocked Asher, Sapphira burst into laughter. "I have never seen you with that expression before."


    With a scoff, Asher splashed water at her before turning to face the vast river that stretched endlessly to the horizon!


    "Is this the Azure River? The one that runs around the entire continent?"


    "It can''t be. The Azure River is supposed to be at the extreme eastern edge of the Ash Mountains."


    The moment Sapphira said that, both of them turned to their left¡ªonly to find that they couldn''t see the great mountain range.


    It had stopped miles away!


    "Just how far did Bezerk run?" Sapphira muttered in disbelief, staring at the energetic horse that had already climbed out of the water.


    Asher''s gaze flickered to Bezerk, checking if the box was still securely strapped to it. When he confirmed it was safe, he let out a relieved sigh.


    Sapphira narrowed her eyes at him.


    "You knew about Bezerk''s speed?"


    Seeing she wasn''t onto him, Asher quickly went on with her to make sure she didn''t notice anything out of the ordinary. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I knew he was exceptionally fast, but he has never run this fast."


    His gaze then returned to the river. "Sapphira, if this is truly the Azure River, it opens a new opportunity for the county. We would be able to connect the lands beyond the mountain range to the high plains. This forgotten route is heaven-sent."


    "This river is a double-edged sword, Asher," she cautioned. "It may bring us opportunities for trade, but it also provides a path for our enemies. If the Everads find out about us, they''ll surely attack."


    Asher''s eyes narrowed.


    "Then I won''t build a city at the harbour. I will build a fortified town first. And the city will be there¡­"


    Asher pointed at the horizon.


    "On the water?" Sapphira raised her eyebrows.


    Asher smiled. "Yes."


    He could already envision the unique designs they had for lords that would fulfil certain requirements and own legendary grade cities.


    These included flying islands, and some even had ships as large as estates. These were ships that spanned kilometres in length and breadth and could traverse the sea!


    Just imagine a behemoth of a ship carrying tens of thousands of men, moving on the sea!


    He would become the overlord of the sea!


    Splash!


    Sapphira suddenly emerged before him, splashing a wave of water on his face.


    "Can you build such a thing? Is it even possible?"


    Sapphira asked, a hint of jealousy in her voice as the river seemed to have snatched Asher''s attention than it did.


    Asher opened his lips to reply, but the words caught in his throat.


    His well-developed curves were dangerously highlighted by her soaked clothes clinging to her skin, but the allure of her rosy face was even more devastating.


    And worse, she was so close.


    His Adam''s apple bobbled, and without knowing how or when, Asher inched closer.


    Sapphira instinctively leaned back, her body slowly sinking into the water, but before her face could disappear beneath the crystal blue water¡­


    Asher''s lips brushed against hers.


    "!!"


    Sapphira felt a shiver run through her body in a split second, leaving her breathless.


    It left her wanting more, but Asher didn''t go beyond a peck.


    It wasn''t because he wanted to stop but because he was forced to.


    Something or someone in the forest was watching them.


    And¡­ it had far too many legs than it should be possible for a human being!

 Chapter 1 - 1: Heartbreak

    Shanghai, China.


    19:03 p.m.


    Screech!


    A sleek black 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 be compared 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 displayed 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 play in a virtual world; players 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 black 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. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A warm feeling inside of him kept him anxious, but in a happy way after all; he had been in a relationship 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, the company Asher worked for, and their sponsors were gathered to celebrate before the grand launch the next day.


    Seeing the man, who looked to be in his late sixties, on the platform, 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 delay, 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 glanced at him.


    Asher frowned deeply.


    Also at this moment, a security man in a clean black 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 the company''s place at the top!"


    Instantly, the lights went up, illuminating a beautiful couple. A tall black-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 successor 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 success 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 flashed through his eyes.


    ...


    A few minutes later, 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 black 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 be launched 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 player-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 black 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 was late. This madman had destroyed a project worth billions!


    Asher turned to face him. "The company''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 the last 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 - 2: Asher Ashbourne

    Wu~~


    ''It''s so cold!''


    Instantly, the sound of the gunshot that took his life flashed 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 dilated.


    "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 similar 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 blades, and it was gray!


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


    He glanced 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 creature lay beside him.


    The visual impact of the size of the creature, which was almost as tall as a building even as it lay 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, Asher lay 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''t last 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 black 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 accept 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 wastelands, a desolate land that was always ravaged by monstrous creatures every winter, and if he guessed right, then in mere months it would be winter! S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 becoming 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 exclaimed. "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-type combatants trained the Battle Force, while range-type combatants 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 the impoverished 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 could come up with a response.


    ...


    Asher sat on his bed, looking at the black 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 native languages, 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 the last 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 - 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 plans 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 the last 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 wasteland. 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 placed his hand on Asher''s back, concern flickering in his eyes.


    [Soulbinding successfully completed. 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 become 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 caterpillar 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 glasses 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. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "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 unexplainable 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 that lay 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 collapse of the empire.


    Then, the Ashbournes were of high esteem, but now their mighty pet beasts were just polar 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 flashed with a cold gleam when he heard that.


    "Take me there."

 Chapter 4 - 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 place," 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 overall combat 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 plates 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 wastelands 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 claimed 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. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [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 you come 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 wolf laying close to the edge of the wooden cage. The large 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 wastelands. They were called Polar wolves and had been with the family from the founding ancestor. Polar 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 to come 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 Polar 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 polar 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 similar to those of bears had deadly curved claws 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: Polar Wolf King...]

 Chapter 5 - 5: Winter Is Coming

    Instantaneously, Asher''s muscles bulged up. He felt slight discomfort 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 becoming 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 glad 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 upcoming winter.


    .....


    Inside the stone castle''s dining hall, two identical men clad 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 rectangular shield attached to his back, furrowed his eyebrows.


    "Winter is coming, and with it a horde of beasts. We haven''t recovered from the last 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 blades!


    "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 the large 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 slammed 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-blazing force billowed out of him in the form of burning flames. The temperature of the hall increased instantly, but Sirius snorted, and the temperature dropped.


    Asher came down from his pet, and a glint flashed through his eyes. An order was given, and Sirius acted swiftly. It launched 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 black 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 accommodate 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 place 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 Sirius lay 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 are commander-level material. Would you upgrade Alex to silver-ranked swordsman and Alec to silver-ranked shieldman? Yes or No?].


    Asher''s eye glowed. Commander-level materials, according 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 wasteland would become too cold for the beasts, so they would run to warmer places, 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. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 6 - 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 muscular 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 blade was as black 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 blades appeared on him, along with leather boots that seemed to be made by the best shoemaker.


    All these were all silver-ranked equipment! S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Above that, his aura skyrocketed. His eyes had sharp gleams akin to those of a silver blade 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 rectangular 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 similar 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), Blademaster (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 to communicate without words and read each other''s external thoughts.].


    Blademaster: 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 (A)


    Job: Sheildman


    Loyalty: 98]


    [Description: Strength enhancement is a passive talent that increases an individual''s strength 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 population 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 glance, 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 class in the city of Count Tigris. Two months later, he borrowed another 10,000 gold coins. "


    ....


    Several minutes later...


    "And Master Thomas, while being Baron, borrowed two thousand to start an expedition to reclaim 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 place 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 reclaim the mines."


    Kelvin was beyond stunned. He couldn''t understand where his 22-year-old lord got this much confidence. This was the same place 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 reclaim 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 - 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 place 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 place 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 populated 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, clad 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 it comes 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 triangular formation with their spears ready to pierce through their enemies, Asher turned to his wolf. "Inform them of our presence."


    Awoo!


    Awoo!! Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 uncommon. 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, and large, 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 delay, 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.


    Sirius launched out, clawing 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 clashing, keeping the formation from breaking. "Sirius has created an opening; go from the right side now!"


    Alex nodded and led the swordsmen to come 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 - 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 slammed 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, launched 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. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 Alex coming toward him. The intensity of viciousness in his men''s eyes had doubled as they saw him exact revenge on their fallen comrade.


    "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 Asher come 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, laden 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 go comfort 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 flashed 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 collapsed before him, causing Asher to rush toward it.


    [Criteria fulfilled. Would the host like to upgrade Sirius, your pet beast, to become 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, claw 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 become 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 claws 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 muscular, 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 available 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 available for upgrade. Would the host like to upgrade them to a bronze-ranked swordsmen? Yes or No].

 Chapter 9 - 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, and larger frames.


    Their combined 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 can combine 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 according 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 were complaining of hunger and the land was also bad.


    The wastlands didn''t just get the name randomly. Despite being an enormous region that could sustain an empire, it was deserted. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


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


    Their reign had lasted 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 become 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 gallantly 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 thing coming 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 planks 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 would come 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 - 10: Moonlit Starhorn Cow

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


    When Asher saw his face, his right eyebrow raised. He had an uncanny resemblance 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 the last 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 become 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 a large window that gave him a nice view of his town. On the wooden table was a small meal, befitting middle-class 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 jubilated as the warm milk ran down his esophagus.


    When Asher was done eating, Kelvin placed 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 plains. 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 plant. Their last 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 exclaimed.


    "Hahaha!"


    Asher burst into laughter 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.


    The large 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. "Plant 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 month later and slap 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! S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [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 - 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 catties 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 the last one because it had no partner to fuse with. Seeing 500 tall mystical cows suddenly appear in place 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 Starhorn were famous for their milk and meat, which could attract the attention of nobles and big merchant guilds like a magnet to metals.


    But, they were fearsome wild beasts that moved in great numbers, and only a few succeeded 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 had complex 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 place 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.] sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


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


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


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


    ''Upgrade the bulls.''


    Swoosh!


    The hundred bulls were smashed together, and the result was 10 six-foot-tall, muscular 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 beasts coming 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 just coming 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 it lazily 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 time later, 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 chuckle laden 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 - 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 glass and has mastered the technique of creating mirrors, and that nation was far away from the wasteland.


    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, clad in white tunic tucked into his brown pants and brown boots, Asher smirked.


    His arms were muscular 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 Tenaria language, 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 place. 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 black 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 Blade 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 Blade 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 become 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 Blades: silver-grade weapons forged by the best blacksmith in Tigris county. The blades are as dark and gleaming like glass 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 Blades'' 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 black 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 black blade appeared. The sword was almost leaving the boundaries of longswords as it was four centimetres wide and 120 centimeters 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 tome in both hands. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "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 a comfortable way.

 Chapter 13 - 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. "I last saw it in Jeffery Ashbourne''s hands."


    Asher''s eyes widened. "My grandfather was the last 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''s laws, 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 wastelands are abandoned, and we haven''t been able to produce anything worth trading, so the low class 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 plains. He should leave the wastelands 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. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''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 the last 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. According 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 renowned land, kept dying until it finally became a wasteland, a land 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 wastelands. 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 the land, not because it was taken from them but because they lacked the power to maintain ownership.


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


    "Even those who have no rightful ownership of the land 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 platform. Asher looked at the two big, celestial-looking moons, ushering their lights at him. He wore a sleeveless white shirt and black 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 platform 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 platform 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 the last time. The sword hit the stone platform, cleaving through it while he fell backward. The last thing he remembered was his subordinates'' alarmed voices.

 Chapter 14 - 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 planning 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 weeks later, 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


    Population: 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 delay.


    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 plains, 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. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Something happened while we were on our way to the border of the wasteland. 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, have come to know that you have reclaimed 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 were large! 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 chicken laying 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''s land 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 - 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 small compared to the mighty beast Asher rode. She had to do lots of comforting for the horse to accommodate 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 circular fortress in the middle of the plain fields.


    The grass was sparse and black 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 silent command.


    Sirius smacked its right claw against the ground, and thick ice spread out until it climbed the wall! Two bronze-ranked warriors who couldn''t escape on time were blasted 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 wasteland and live luxury lives in the high plains.


    "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!"


    Asher laughed 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 moments later, a big man with powerful-looking arms clad in red that exposed his chest emerged on top of the wall. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 flashed through his eyes.


    "Are my citizens alive?"


    Baron Snow chuckled. "I wanted 80% of the mines, but since a small lad 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 planning to back down, he wasn''t going to back down either.

 Chapter 16 - 16: Fearsome Ice Breath

    Baron Snow slammed the palm of his hand on the wall and laughed out loud.


    "What a brave lad." He signaled one of his men with his eyes, and that man left. A few moments later, he returned with a rotund, fair-skinned man. Fair-skinned was used to describe this man because those who lived in the wasteland 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... come 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 wolf landing 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, launching 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 slashed 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 his comrade, who was recklessly swinging his sword, couldn''t react to his throat that had been slashed 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 blasted 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. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 flashed 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 clawed Baron Snow, but he evaded. He picked up a stone and threw it. The stone slammed 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. "The last 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 - 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 slaying 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 glanced 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, landed 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 tutelage by Alex and Alec. The twins forged their lord to become a skilled swordsman.


    The next place after the entrance was a large hall with long wooden dining tables and a throne dominating the middle of a semicircular platform 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 place 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 dilating as a certain noise bombarded him from all sides. The last silver-ranked warrior wasn''t a he but a she, and she was a sharpshooter! S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This was outside his calculations. 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 slammed her face, and the impact caused the woman''s head to tilt backward. It wasn''t over as the second slammed her torso, launching 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 glance, Asher knew they came from brothels.


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


    "Get your things and get out." Asher commands 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 been completed 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 reclaimed them and how. I hope you fulfill your promise of forging a breastplate made with some of the iron ore and sending more men. While the Ashbourne barony will soon be yours, the Flamehearts, Tyre, and Scarlets are growing, and this will hamper your plans.


    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 sell lands to people to become barons and then come up with a scheme of placing 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 slammed 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 two large carts and four brown horses.

 Chapter 18 - 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 been communicating 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 minutes later, all that remained was a vast plain 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 wasteland?!"


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


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


    "We would return to the high plains."


    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 wasteland 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 place 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 plains to get another convoy, but I really don''t have plans 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 wasteland. Have you forgotten that those cows produce the famous crystal milk that nobles clamour 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 become 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 days later, 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 rectangular fortress.


    Even the surroundings of the town, which had transformed into a fortress, became filled with Golden Fragrant Maize plants, with a wide path that led to the gates in the middle. It''s been three weeks since the maize seeds were planted, 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 the late 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. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "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 - 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 his complaints, 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


    Population: 4,800/10,000


    Security: 35/100


    Loyalty: 65/100]


    Asher smiled when he saw the loyalty stats. This meant no one was planning 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 place. The buildings which weren''t habitable were now completely 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 accommodated four swordsmen.


    Suddenly, he saw people looking behind him, causing him to look, and he saw farmers bringing in corn! S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "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 aroma coming 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 farming land, 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 planning 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 platform where he sat, and Sirius laying 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 salary 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 black-haired woman of acceptable beauty. She wore a black 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." Aquila Tyre, Baron Tyre''s third and last 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." Aquila retorted.


    "Aquila. I have hundreds of guards, a large 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."


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


    "Sir. We''re here!"

 Chapter 20 - 20: Greedy Desires

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


    "This shouldn''t take..." Aquila''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 wasteland?


    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 farmlands. Jeffery, Aquila, 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 gladly give him their daughters to marry so as to get access to his lord. Not just that, but he would also be filthy rich.


    He etched close to Jeffery.


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


    "Of course it does." Aquila 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 plains? It was said only high class 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, muscular 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 blades.


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


    Zack frowned.


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


    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 Aquila sat in the dining room.


    Aquila looked at him. "When did your father build this?" Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


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


    Aquila 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 Aquila uttered the last 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.


    Aquila 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. Aquila looked at him with large 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, Aquila finally took a sip, and her eyes went wide. It seemed like everything she took before this was rubbish. She could feel a comforting 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 wasteland. Even richer than Count William Tigris if we play our cards right."


    Jeffery''s words painted a bright future in Aquila''s mind, a future where those nobles in the high plains would clamor 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 - 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''s lack 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?!" Aquila gasped.


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


    Aquila, 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." Aquila said the last 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 farmlands 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." Aquila snickered, and in the next moment, ice crept up and locked Kelvin in place.


    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 slaves?"


    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 wasteland 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 manipulation 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, Aquila would still kill them."


    "You''re mad!" Kelvin roared in anger. Aquila 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. A large, white wolf leisurely walked in and threw a glance at them.


    Upon seeing the gold-ranked magic beast, Aquila''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 Aquila''s and Jeffery''s spines.


    In the next moment, Sirius lunged toward Jeffrey and ripped him apart before Aquila''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."


    Aquila''s eyes widened.


    As she was about to thrust the ice spike into Asher''s chest, Sirius slapped 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 glanced 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.


    "Playing strong there was tough, Sirius."


    Asher looked at his wolf, which lay 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. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 the last 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 flashed with resolve.

 Chapter 22 - 22: News From the County

    A few days after sending the crippled Aquila back to her father, Baron Tyre, Asher waited for a response but got none. He was also waiting to see if Aquila 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 muscular, looking like a blacksmith. 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 the commoners 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 become an apprentice.


    Apprentices were bound by the tradition of leaving their masters to forge their own paths.


    These two came to the wastelands from the Intis Kingdom, but their team was devoured by the beast tide last 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 blacksmith.


    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 blacksmith were Alex and Alec. According to the system, they were commander-grade materials, meaning they could one day lead an army of several thousand strong!


    "Mister Dan, I''ve heard of your fame."


    Asher flashed 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 blacksmith 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 similar 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 blacksmith 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 blast furnace so you can smelt them into fine steel."


    "A blast furnace!" Dan''s eyes widened. Previously, he had a bloomery but a blast furnace was a hundred times better. He heard only master-grade professionals in the high plains 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 his commanders.


    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 Blazing 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." Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "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 - 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 uncomfortable 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 hour later, 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 sacred land 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 the largest dukedom in the northern high plains.


    "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 may come 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 occasion 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?" S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kelvin placed 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 should come up with something."


    "By we, do you mean me?"


    Asher glared 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 platform 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 the last 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."


    Clank!


    Dan hit the hammer against the object and lifted his head. "My Lord, a thousand silver bracelets is no problem. Should they be plain or, you know, pleasing to the eyes?"


    Clank!


    "Pleasing to the eyes, and I need it in two days time."


    "That will be 15 gold coins."


    Asher''s eyes widened. "15!"


    Clank!


    "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 accessible by the masses, but it was being distributed by soldiers two times a week. But no one could buy it.


    ....


    Two days later...


    Asher stood in his study, well-dressed in his best attire. His pants were black 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 - 24: Windchimes Bracelet

    [Would the host like to upgrade these silver bracelets to become a silver-ranked magic bracelet?]


    [1078 silver bracelets available for fusion.]


    ''Fuse.''


    Swoosh! sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 plain 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''t coming 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 claims 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 the large doors were opened by two guards donning plate armour, revealing the great hall, which was populated with individuals of different high class standing. According 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'' last son, isn''t it?"


    "I am."


    "I am Claud Flameheart." The man stretched out his hand with a friendly smile. Asher accepted his friendly gesture and shook his hand.


    Just from the build and tone, he knew Claud 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 accept 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.


    Claud Flameheart chuckled. He was shocked Asher had this much confidence, but a lord''s confidence must come from his might.


    "You have a sharp mouth." Baron Cain said stiffly.


    "Thank you."


    "Hahaha," Claud burst into laughter.


    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.


    ''Slade Nubis.''

 Chapter 25 - 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 worthless compared 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.


    Slade Nubis stood before the long desk where Liya, her father, and her brothers sat and bowed toward William Tigris. "Father in law." He chuckled.


    Willam and most nobles burst into laughter, but their breaths went cold in the next second as Slade 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." S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He winked at Liya.


    Asher watched him take the gem and place it in the middle of Liya''s palm. The moment it touched her palm, tiny chains came out and frost claws 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 Slade sat beside Liya, other nobles came up to present gifts, some to Liya, some to Slade, 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. "Welcome 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 wastelands once had.


    Alex walked up the stairs and placed 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 to lay her hands on a mere piece of wood.


    "Maybe we shouldn''t open it in public to avoid... some problems," Slade 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 slap 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 Flameheart 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 Slade''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 platform 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. Slade and Liya occupied 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 - 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 similarity 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 place 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 become 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 place a man can be in the wastelands."


    Liya giggled.


    "I actually wanted to be a swordsman and train with you, but our fates were different." sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Asher glanced 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 become 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 winter comes. This winter won''t be like the others, Ash. Traces of abyss essence have been found in the depths of the wasteland. 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, Slade 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."


    Slade 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 Slade''s forehead. Asher''s reply sounded nonchalant. 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 and come stay here or you won''t live to see the next year."


    "Thanks for the advice."


    Slade snorted. A gleam flashed 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 available."


    "Slade!"


    Liya raised her voice as Slade 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, Slade 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. Slade gazed at him coldly until he vanished from sight. Although Slade was considered a talented young noble in the entire northern high plains, he still saw Asher as a threat, and it was just because of one thing.


    Asher''s confidence.


    Where in the world did it come 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 alarming; however, no noble will be willing to be his ally because there is nothing to gain from such


    "Is that so?" Willam 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 place."


    Willam 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 relay to the Lord."

 Chapter 27 - 27: Assassins

    "What information?"


    Willam 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 place was once fertile ground with lakes 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 she lay. 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.


    Clang!


    Alex deflected the rapier and staggered backward due to his unbalanced 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! Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 blades. 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-class noble.


    Bam!


    Asher appeared behind the man wielding a broadsword and slammed 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 clad in chainmail and steel chest plates 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 will commence in 5... 4... 3... 2... 1¡­]


    Thud!


    Asher collapsed.

 Chapter 28 - 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 the last number, he blanked out and is just waking up today, yet it seemed as if not one second had passed.


    Ttring¡­


    [Ding! You have successfully 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 become a true Shura. When activated, you are the master of every combat method known to those before you. [Can only be activated at the sight of your blood when cut.]


    Asher 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 become 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 moments later, 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 platform 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 platform floor.


    Alex stood on the platform 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 uncomfortable, and the eye space limited vision, but Alex looked comfortable wearing it.


    Not only had Alex''s rank upgraded but also his knowledge in the Blazing 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 glad 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 a large 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." S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "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 Tenaria language.


    "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% accuracy when using the bow.]


    [Ding! You have found another commander-grade material to start your regiment of sharpshooters.]

 Chapter 29 - 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 population, and a population of 3000 would increase the available 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." S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "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 a comforting 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 black-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. Clad 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 slaughtered 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 displayed 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 slaves.


    Knowing that there was a tribe in the mountains that enjoyed eating human flesh made Asher alarmed.


    .....


    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 days later, 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 played 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 become 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 he come 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 accommodate 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 - 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 clasped 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 play calm.


    Knowing he wasn''t some ice cold lord made her feel close to him.


    Even after she spoke, Asher only glanced at the bow, so Eritrea had to walk past him, take the bow, and give it to him.


    "Here."


    Asher glanced 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 in large numbers and were nocturnal beasts that attacked during the late 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 according 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 a large, 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.


    Cumulatively, 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 the commander-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 glance.


    "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 upcoming battle?"


    Asher called for him to come 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. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "My Lord, do you have to sharpen your sword by yourself?" Eritrea complained.


    "I do. Ashbournes are not like other nobles. By tradition, we do the work, especially when it comes 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 - 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 very late, 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 voice come 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 build ladders!"


    Alec ground his teeth in simmering anger.


    "Throw those ladders down!"


    He yelled.


    The barbarians began to scramble toward nearby ladders to push them away. Alec took large strides toward a ladder, lifted his feet high, and brought it down with a great force that slammed the ladder 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 too late.


    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 slamming a man off the wall, Alec looked at the crowd still heading toward the wall and exhaled heavily. His men were the pillars 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 slashed a rope, and the boulder was let loose to Alec''s shock. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 to launch 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 - 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 slain 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 flash 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 glance 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 clawed through his metal skin, ripping him apart. Madman''s metal skin talent was no match for Sirius'' sharp claws. In just one strike, a powerful silver-ranked axeman was slain!


    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 he landed, the earth beneath his feet and around him imploded. He dashed toward Asher with a great shout and launched 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. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 while combating their enemies.


    "Die you mad barbarians!"


    Those on his side began to shout as they saw they were on the winning side.


    After slaying a barbarian, Asher ducked as an axe flew over his head. He sprung up and slapped 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 black lips.


    "And you."

 Chapter 33 - 33: War [3]

    Eritrea averted her gaze from Iron Tooth to where her Lord lay, disbelief lurking in her eyes. "A¡­Asher¡­"


    Iron Tooth pointed at Eritrea. "Restrain her. Now that my brother can''t claim her anymore, she will be my slave."


    He spoke to the fifty two-handed bronze-ranked axemen who were directly under his command. 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, landing 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 slain.


    His eyes trembled.


    Once again, Asher burst into a hot chase, his eyes fixed on Iron Tooth. Even after slaying 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 little lad with a chin as smooth as a newborn''s bottom.


    With a great leap, Asher''s knee slammed Iron Tooth''s jaws, launching him into the air. Still midair, Asher swung his sword with all his might and landed 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 second later, 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 slain. 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. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "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 and come 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 time later, 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 your commanders are available 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 so large that the tent became small for him. He was clad in body-fitting chainmail armor with metal plates 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 similar to Alex''s. The eye holes were very small, but he didn''t seem to be uncomfortable.


    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 thunderclap, causing Asher''s eardrums to quake.

 Chapter 34 - 34: War [4]

    Asher turned his left. When he saw the beautiful marksman clad 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 silver laminar chest plate 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 accept to be your servant on this day."


    Asher smiled a bit.


    Neigh!


    The sounds of horses neighing made Asher and his upgraded commanders 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 become 50 silver-ranked heavy cavalrymen. They were clad in mail armor, lances, 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 muscular and bigger. They were also clad in mail armor and had horseshoes.


    These 50 were like 500 because of their imposing appearance and daunting aura.


    [Bladebreaker Calvary: A special heavy cavalry troop, trained to be nightmares to infantries, light and heavy alike. They are the bladebreakers and the terror of all land forces.]


    Asher turned to the middle and saw 300 axemen clad in imposing leather armor with round shields and silver axes neatly arranged on their backs. They had all upgraded to become 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 Bladebreaker Calvary.


    [BoneStrike Rangers: A special troop of sharpshooters with unique bows that can hit a target 350 meters away with accuracy. Although they specialize in long-range combat, they can adapt to close-range combat 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 dream come 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 a large bonfire in the middle of a small tribe. The Raging Bear tribe was not massive. They had a total population 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 elf lady 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 become 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 hard labor and ruthless beating.


    The Raging Bear tribe was a warrior tribe that did not believe in marriages. To them, women were slaves 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. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The sight wasn''t what he expected.


    "Who are these ones that have come to interrupt my great clan?!" 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 displayed 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 slaughtered by the Bladebreaker Calvary. The sound of their powerful horses neighing and their lances piercing through men fell into Asher''s ears as he led his wolf toward Lugard.


    Before Lugard would display an unpredictable talent, Asher gave Sirius an order.


    His wolf slammed the ground, and ice encased Lugard, sealing him in an ice that would take decades to melt.


    Boom!


    The ice shattered.

 Chapter 35 - 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 inflate, and all of a sudden, a fiery light shone from the middle of his chest to his inflated cheeks.


    In the next moment, a torrent of flames poured out of the man''s mouth. His mouth was like a flame thrower, and the flames seemed to increase as it got closer to him.


    Sirius intercepted the flames 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 claws tore Lugard apart.


    Without gold-ranked armor, he was defenseless against Sirius'' weapons, which were his teeth and claws.


    "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 bladebreaker 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: Bladebreaker 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 become a commander 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 Bladebreakers, 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 Bladebreakers 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 become a great lord before it even showcased itself."


    Alec glanced at the female marksman and shrugged.


    "The woman in question is an elf. Men clamor 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 was laid 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 flake on the ranger''s head and looked up. Snowflakes were falling from the skies.


    Winter had arrived!


    ************


    End of Volume One.


    ***********


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 Chapter 36 - 36: Upgrading The Fortress To become A Magnificent Stronghold

    After journeying with a great population 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 population 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 wastelands were colder than ever. Soon, beasts would find it uncomfortable and leave their habitations to human habitations.


    A great battle was coming, 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 accepting 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 plant that depended on mana.


    Asher looked at the 1200 old and young from the wolf tribe, 800 strong men and women who weren''t accepted into his army, and the 600 and something captives from the raging bear tribe and his troops.


    50 Bladebreaker cavalrymen.


    200 Bonestrike Rangers.


    300 bronze-ranked axemen.


    The population 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 popular faces.


    "Arise."


    When Alex stood up, he couldn''t believe the huge man was his brother. Alec smiled and poked Alex''s breastplate.


    "I''m bigger now."


    His voice shook Alex''s ears. Alex''s lips twitched, but there was no comeback from him because Alec looked like his father with such a size and mature look.


    "I''m pretty sure your sword is nothing compared 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 the compliment, 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 salary 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 becoming a knight!


    Because of this law, voiced by Kelvin some weeks ago, many were eager for their children to become ten and undergo the natural awakening that would decide their fates. As prestigious soldiers who would die for his land or working as a farmer, miner, and in other occupations.


    "Lord Asher, I see that the barbarian lady has transformed into a refined young woman." Kelvin took a glance at Eritrea and looked away.


    "She''s worth being nurtured." Asher said with a gentle nod.


    "She''s also capable companion, 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 population 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 become 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-class 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 plains, 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 in comparison to the broadened land 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!" S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Asher heard a knock and a yell from behind his door.

 Chapter 37 - 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 Flameheart 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 plant 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 into laughter 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 them last week, and this week, I plan 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 become large servant quarters for both maids and servants. The arrangement of the doors was neat, and though the design was simple, it was also flawless.


    After the servant quarters, he visited the kitchen and armory and later 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 accustomed 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 occupations like sowing, forging, and so on.


    His eyes rested on the accumulating 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 hours later, 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." S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The hairs on the man''s neck stood up.


    "Maybe we should-"


    Before he could complete his words, a heavy sound echoed as the doors were slowly opened.


    They saw a 7-foot-tall knight clad 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 that laid 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 - 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 display 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-black. 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 glared 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. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 glass.


    [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 a layer of glass-like protection over it. The glass-like layer 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 occurred 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 delay, 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 golden combs, golden wattles, golden eyes, and golden chest feathers, but the rest of their bodies were jet-black.


    [Hexakad Hen Queen: A territorial diamond-ranked wild beast that can lay 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 and laid a heap of 100 eggs each!


    The poultrymen were stunned and salivating when they saw the beautiful work of art these mighty chickens just laid.


    "Make sure you separate them. Kelvin will handle the distribution and sales of the eggs. But that will be later. 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 plain 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 accordingly, and the rest belongs to the lower ranked soldiers."


    Kelvin removed the cloth, revealing the dazzling eggs before their eyes.

 Chapter 39 - 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 the commanders 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?" sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 accept 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 time later, Kelvin distributed 300 eggs to the military and gave the rest to more important citizens, like Lois the tailor and Dan, the blacksmith.


    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 village 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 collapse 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 village?"


    "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 her last 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 become 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 child compared 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 has come 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." Asher laughed 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 young lady 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 has completed a hidden quest: ''Rescue Mary Ashbourne from oppression in the castle''.]


    Asher''s eyes shook.


    ''W¡­ What?!''

 Chapter 40 - 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 black gown and boots.


    Looking at the gray-haired woman who had similar 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 explain 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 slamming the walls of her heart. A part of her wanted Asher to welcome 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 become 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 place of an Ashbourne. You''ll ride with me to Silverleaf Village 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?" sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 still coming 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 flapped 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 muscular pitch-black horses stopped before the ruins of the Raging Bear tribe.


    They all wore hats that looked similar 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 - 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 clad 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 the lands 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 becoming 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 that lasted a hundred years, almost all the races except humans, who could reproduce abundantly, slowly went extinct. Fairies that brought abundant flourishing to the land, dwarves and halflings that built great castles, cities, magnificent palaces, 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 desolate wolf tribe and found it also abandoned.


    .....


    Thud!


    A bronze-ranked Ashbourne soldier fell on his knees. With his blurry vision, he scanned his comrades 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 village 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 the last 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 clad 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 wasteland? Your lord might be rich, but I''m pretty sure he doesn''t have enough power to frighten us or this place would have been well guarded."


    Upon hearing this, the soldier''s eyes trembled.


    His heart sank as the woman lifted her leg and slammed 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 is coming today. Apparently, he''s late." S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The woman raised an eyebrow and sat on the cold forge. This building was a forge, and Ark White was the only blacksmith in Silverleaf village and also the head of the village.


    Geriant hummed deeply.


    "Who is your Lord? Baron Flame 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 mere commoner 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 wasteland has a force powerful enough to subdue us. I mean, which wretched baron, apart from Baron Flameheart, can pay more than two gold-ranked knights?"

 Chapter 42 - 42: Against An Actual Gold-Ranked Knight

    Ark was dragged out of the house and toward the middle of the village.


    "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 wasteland 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 slammed 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!


    Clang!


    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 his comrades, 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, accurately deflecting the arrow!


    A bright red light enveloped him like a surging heat.


    It made his black sword turn red-hot.


    Clang!


    Him and Geriant clashed.


    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 slap 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. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 slammed Alex away with his broad right wing.


    He glared at Asher and flapped 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.


    The last thing Ramsey heard was the number.


    "10!"


    Leaving the dead beast, Alex came before Asher and kneeled on one knee.


    "I''ve completed the task, Your Lordship."


    Hearing the last 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 village 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 a large 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 place 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-ranked comrades, 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 - 43: Polar Wolf Pup

    [Name: Ark White


    Age: 54


    Rank: Bronze


    Talent: Hands of Steel (C)


    Job: Blacksmith


    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 become a bronze-ranked blacksmith.''


    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 flatter me."


    "My Lord, I found the mounts of those greedy fellows."


    A castle guard brought ten black and muscular 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 become 10 bronze-ranked horses? Yes or No.]


    ''Yes.''


    Swoosh!


    When the light died down, 10 slightly larger horses appeared.


    "Fuse them."


    Asher said, and a light slammed all of them together, causing a brilliant glow that almost blinded everyone''s eyes.


    Asher opened his eyes and saw a tall black horse clad in silver armor. It looked regal and had a proud bearing, which made Asher scoff lightly.


    [Black Horse King: A powerful horse able to trump over other mounts in and out of a battlefield. It is a loyal companion and a lifetime friend of a great knight. Hard to tame.]


    "Alex, that''s your special mount... if you can tame it."


    A competitive light blazed 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 wasteland.


    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, according 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. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Thud!


    The sound of Alex slamming 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 glanced at Alex in pity before she also went in.


    .....


    After a while, Asher stood at the same place 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. According 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 plan to send Mary to the Sacred Flame 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 occupation there."


    ...


    When the sun went down, Asher sat under the trees with Mary. She dutifully sang lullabies 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 place.


    "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 polar wolf pup?!"

 Chapter 44 - 44: The Beginning

    Few days went by after that incident, and while Mary successfully bonded with her female polar wolf, Asher still couldn''t forget what happened that day. He had to inquire from Kelvin if there was anything special about that place, 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 village, 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 wasteland.


    "Will she be okay over there? She really wants to stay with her only remaining relative."


    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 plains and bring it back to teach us. I''m planning for the future, Kelvin."


    "Forgive my lack of foresight."


    Asher patted his shoulder.


    "It''s not lack 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 become his grand adviser. According 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 plain, Asher turned and looked at the mountains.


    While reading the Ashbourne records, he saw a map of the wastelands, and this stronghold was at the end of it! The ash mountain was a wall that divided the wastelands 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 whatever lay in the beyond, also called the desolatelands.


    According to the Ashbourne records, the desolatelands 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 vast land, 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 then lay in the desolate lands?


    And it was better to incorporate the tribes and civilizations there into his growing territory than those in the high plains.


    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 Bladebreaker 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 become a fearsome force that can only be commanded 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." S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 explain 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 plains 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 splayed 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 - 45: Abyss Knight

    Neigh!


    Alex turned to his men, whose horses were expressing their discomfort 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 slaughter happened not too long ago," he said, peering at the red-skinned humanoid creature in the midst of the dead beasts.


    This creature wore black 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 glaring 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 black 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 flame balls!


    Boom!


    A soldier was sent flying backward when a flame ball hit his shield.


    Asher skillfully dodged a flameball by rolling forward. As he got back to his feet, two more flameballs 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 flameball to scatter mid-air. As his sword came down with reducing momentum, he gathered his strength again and unleashed another slash 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!'' S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 clashed, 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 clashed with the ogre. Its claws 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 slashed its back, rolled to the front from under its legs, and was about to deliver another slash 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 become if it absorbed the blood of Alex and Sirius?


    ''Ashbournes, do not fear!''


    He charged himself. However, the moment he saw a flame ball hit one of his men, Asher did not need to mentally charge himself as anger took over.


    He sprinted toward the beast while flame balls exploded behind him. Upon arriving at the intense battlefield, he stepped on Sirius, launching 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, its large palm covered by a metal gauntlet slammed him into the distance.


    Boom!


    His back slammed 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 slammed to the side with Sirius fighting intensely despite the sword wounds.


    At that moment, he felt a sting more piercing than the pain coming from his bones. Asher lifted his hand, touched his right cheek, and stared at his blood-stained palm.

 Chapter 46 - 46: New Troop

    A man in a black 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 slave 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 desolate lands."


    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 alarmed by the radiating force erupting from Asher, so he pointed his staff, unleashing a ball of flames.


    Asher nonchalantly leaned to his right, and the ball of flames hit the hill. While looking at the mage, Asherbegan to spin his sword. The speed of the blade 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 flames hurtled toward Asher. Upon seeing them coming down from the sky, Asher burst into a hot sprint. He easily evaded the flames 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 flames 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 slammed his foot against a protruding stone. His force broke the protruding part of the stone, and Asher swung his sword, launching the stone like a projectile.


    It carried so much momentum that it pierced through the mage!


    Swoosh!


    Asher turned and leaped into the air, slashing his sword downward. The ogre deflected the strike, but instead of flying away, Asher absorbed the force and landed 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 available.]


    [Ding! Would the host like to upgrade Alex, the gold-ranked sword knight, to become a diamond-ranked grand sword knight? Yes or No?]


    [Ding! Would the host like to upgrade your gold-ranked pet beast, Sirius, to become 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 similar to a lion''s mane. Its claws 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 slap!


    Looking at the muscular, 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 blade became silver. It had an emerald gem at the end of the hilt and pulsing meridians on both flat 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.


    A complete 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 and landed on the top of the hill, causing fire sparks. Now that he was a diamond-ranked knight, his blazing 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?] sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 47 - 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 and landed in the gold rank!


    All of them wore silver half-plate 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 the commander. 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 blacksmith, 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 his command, 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''s last 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 flashed 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 occasionally 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. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "My Lord, you killed a diamond-ranked ogre when you''re a silver-ranked warrior. You''re a monster!"


    "I''m still human."


    Asher flashed a casual smile, patted Alex''s shoulder, and walked away with his hands clasped 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.


    Flap! Flap!


    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 new law 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 flashed 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 similar to that of a cute cat, but once they opened their large, 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 - 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 slammed 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 slammed 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 plants.


    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 slapped 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 blades 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, and lastly, 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.


    ...¡­ S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 glance 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 to come in. As Kelvin stepped into the room, he saw Asher''s new physique and chuckled.


    "I bet you''ll be able to get the ladies, Your Lordship."


    Asher laughed.


    "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 flashed 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 - 49: The Beast Tide Is Coming

    Boom!


    The doors of the sacred hall opened, and Eritrea walked in, fully clad 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 clasped 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 gallant knight clad in the most eye-catching armor in the stronghold. He could no doubt be in the most handsome-looking armor in the wasteland, and he stood at Asher''s right side. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 become materials able to be forged, making them a walking ton of gold, but above that, their skins were also almost impenetrable 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 slave warriors, but there are some that use humans, and the number is usually quite large."


    "You mean they also enslave people."


    Sensing Asher''s ill feeling toward that slave word, Eritrea posed a question. "But my lord, many human lords enslave people."


    "Doesn''t make it right. There will be no slaves in my territory, only those subjected to hard labour for a period of time."


    Alex looked at Asher. He was as stunned as Eritrea at Asher''s distaste toward slavery. In Tenaria, slavery was a common thing, but it wasn''t publicly accepted, so it was done in secret, but there was no force against them.


    Only the Everad nation publicized their slave 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 clan, to which our clan paid monthly quotas, was annihilated 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 that large 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 desolatelands. Why the desolatelands, why not here or the high plains?"


    "I don''t know, My Lord. Maybe because the desolatelands 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 vast lands 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 clan."


    "I see."


    Eritrea took a step forward.


    "My Lord, with the raging bear tribe and my tribe gone, the next place to attack would naturally be your territory. In the depths of the desolatelands, 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 a land 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 slayed."


    "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 Bladebreakers 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.


    "Tell commander 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 Bladebrakers 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 days later...


    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 welcomed 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 place the Polarwolf Sanctuary, and Kelvin had marked it.


    Flap! Flap!


    A messenger falcon landed on his forearm. After reading the letter, he exhaled heavily.


    "The beast tide is coming."

 Chapter 50 - 50: Trading

    After the camps were prepared, plans 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, according to Ark White, there was a huge chance they would find more mines in this mountain.


    The next day, the tower was completed, 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 over lack of foresight and adequate planning.


    At this moment, Asher was with Alex, Eritrea and Lambert in a tent.


    "Your Lordship, the bladebreakers 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 flames burning within his eyes. One day, if he trained his men well enough, they would be blessed by their lord and would rise to become knights also!


    Then, they would also look impressive.


    The blue loincloth, design, and plume contrasted with the red that the Bladebreakers 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 your command."


    "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 plan for the cavalry to be deployed at a closer range to save their strength."


    "I understand." Lambert nodded. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    While they were planning 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 clad in mail armor. The horse Alec rode was like a monster compared to the flame-steed Kelvin rode.


    Flamesteeds 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 glances 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 planting had come to an end, and their harvest was being stored.


    This was Jordan Zebulun''s manor. Jordan was one of the wealthiest farmers in the Flameheart 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 plans of planting 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 population 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 glad you''re here. You know the wastelands can be a dangerous place 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 blacksmiths to work for you to increase their expertise while also taking advantage to produce good armor for your men."


    "A wonderful idea!"


    Jordan laughed 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."


    Kelvin laughed it off.


    "One Hexakad egg is 10 gold coins. I have 100 here; are you able to buy them all?"


    "Calculate everything. Nothing is leaving this place!" Jordan declared.


    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 - 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 black 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 plains."


    "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 Flamehearts 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 plant these 10 bags of Golden Fragrant maize, all of the wasteland and even the high plains 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 clamor for it." The man said.


    Jordan glanced 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 a common 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 the land, 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 plain.


    "Why is it so cold?!" Alec grumbled and took off his helmet.


    "Duke Zenas once slayed 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 in commoners'' 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 on large brown horses clad 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 the last cart and slammed 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 and launched 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 placing 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 horse landing on top of him, and the horse, which landed 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 alarmed tone.


    Trot! Trot!


    Before they knew it, a silver light flashed 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 slammed 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 inflated, his eyes flashed 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 slammed the snow, causing the place he hit to sink.


    Cedric blew another burst at the ground. It launched 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! S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    When Cedric realized what it was, it was already too late, 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 the last time I would be going there, so I had to make sure I got enough coins."


    Amongst the commoners, 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 Bladebreakers mounted their steeds.


    Alex''s tent was opened, and Alex instantly fell on one knee.


    "Your Lordship. The first wave is here."

 Chapter 52 - 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 were large creatures, taller than a 5-foot-tall adult human, that had traits similar to bison, rams, and oxens. Large herds of ovoks were usually found in this part of Tenaria centuries ago but migrated to the desolatelands and were only seen in this part of the world during winter.


    Usually, some adventurers and mercenaries would camp in the wastelands 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 a large amount of gold coins. Should people know you rear a horde of ovok, they''ll come clamoring 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 desolatelands once. That land is populated 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 our last 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 minutes later, 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 in large 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 too late.


    Boom!


    The sound of the ovoks bursting into a hot run was like the echo of a large 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 their comrades, 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 he landed, he slammed 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!


    Eritrea landed with a rope, instructed Alex to hold onto it, and turned toward Asher, who used all his might to keep the shield in place. Occasionally an ovok''s horn would slam 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 slammed 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 planning 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!" Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Asher yelled at the top of his lungs.

 Chapter 53 - 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!


    They landed 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 desolate 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 its large horns. Asher carried Eritrea in princess style, took two bold steps, and slammed his foot against the ovok''s head, cracking the steel-like horn that guards the skull!


    Thud!


    The beast collapsed.


    It was dead!


    Asher was ready to jump for the rope when a huge white creature jumped over the wall and landed with a dreadful growl that sank into the bones of every ovok.


    Immediately, ice spikes burst out of the snow-covered ground, mutilating 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 glared 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 slap, 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 were coming; 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 planning 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 planning to make this place more than a mining town because the location wasn''t conducive for expansion. The space is limited, and around this place was a sacred ground.


    The Polarwolf sanctuary.


    A place that was the tomb of all Ashbourne rulers and the birthplace 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 desolatelands 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 wastelands.


    Asher wondered how the tribes there survived, and Eritrea said their homes were built in a way that they could store heat.


    There, flames 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 desolatelands, back when it was just the endless north. Asher wondered how they handled the cold. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He needed to know because he would soon be moving into the desolatelands and he would have to figure out a way to handle winter.


    Currently, Asher stood on a plain 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, was completed, Asher planned to fuse them and see the result.


    Flap! Flap!


    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 access to it.


    While reading through the letter, he came to know that they had gotten what they needed to last 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 - 54: Pride Of Beasts

    "What happened to them?" S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 incoming 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 with large 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 flat 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 minute later, 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 could launch 30 arrows in a minute at their peak state!


    But to achieve this, a bone-strike ranger had to become 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 stalagmites 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 she landed, she rolled backward, narrowly evading the claws of a lion!


    The lion''s claws 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 - 55: Upgrading The Wall

    Just beyond the forest was a plain 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 flame 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 succeeded, the mood of the soldiers went up.


    Asher looked at the wall, which was already completed, 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. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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, and large 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 slapped 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 blades 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, slamming it aside.


    Asher averted his gaze and sheathed his sword since he might not have a use for it.


    A large 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 and landed on the other side.


    He quickly ran through the second gate, and it was shut.


    He saw Lambert put on his helmet and grab his lance. 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 slammed the ice wall, and it slammed the stone wall. Instantly, the ground trembled a bit, and the wall surrounding the town was transformed.


    The wall grew to become 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 placed around Silverleaf town.


    An external layer of ice coated the wall, making it almost impossible to climb.

 Chapter 56 - 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 claws 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 accurately 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 bladebreakers for the first time. Their morale was high, and their cloaks fluttered in the northwind as they rode their horses with their lances ready to slay 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 the lance was all it took to pierce through a wolf''s thick skin.


    Sirius walked through the slaughter, looking from side to side, but didn''t touch one wolf.


    "Seems like Sirius must have filled his stomach."


    Alex chuckled.


    Some hours later, 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 welcome 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 jubilating 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, or commoner. 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.


    According 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. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Maybe the dormant lightning element would become 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 elaborately 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 balance 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 - 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 similar 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 clasped 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 Slade, son of a duke, also believed it.''


    A gleam flashed through his dull golden eyes.


    "Alex!"


    Creak!


    The door was opened.


    "Yes, Your Lordship."


    "You will stay in Silverleaf with two vanguards for the last month of winter."


    Alex frowned but bowed his head.


    ...


    The next day, Asher left Silverleaf with his troops.


    Some days later, they arrived at Nineveh, and the soldiers were welcomed 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 black 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 blanket over the street.


    "Your name, young lad?"


    "Nero Alex, Your Lordship!"


    "How old are you?"


    "I''m ten!"


    "There''s no need to shout, lad. To be a soldier isn''t easy, but since you''re so brave, I want to know, is your father a soldier?" S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "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 nothing compared 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 become 10, and the awakening might be on the first day, second day, or even the last 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 hard labor, and you also have to pay your men so they can get Golden Fragrant corn, 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 slammed 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; commanders 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 - 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 plains 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 few come back alive."


    Asher chuckled.


    "We have hundreds of them in the wastelands 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 rectangular 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 balanced 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 Bladebreaker''s armor, have you gotten a blueprint?"


    Asher turned to face Dan.


    "No, Your Lordship. That armor is so elaborate 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 platform, flexing his limbs, which were bound to weights.


    Opposite him stood Alec with his mighty shield.


    Beside him was Lambert holding his mighty lance 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 platform 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 to comfort himself.


    Swish!


    He cut Asher''s palm and swiftly ran away from the platform.


    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 his lance''s hilt, and his eyes dilated. Alec monitored Asher''s breathing to know when the transformation had taken place 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 spear lashed 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 calculating a good chance to attack.


    To catch him off guard, Alec unleashed his battle force and slammed his shield at Asher''s chest. Asher flew backward until he reached the edge of the platform. 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 before coming to a gentle halt.


    Asher massaged his knuckles as he descended from the platform.


    "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. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 59 - 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. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 his last 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 relationship 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."


    Asher 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 flashed through his mind.


    It was an image of Zenas clad 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 he lay on his bed, looking at the ceiling and praying for sleep to come.


    ...¡­


    Clang! Clang!


    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, launching 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 black 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 slammed 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 minutes later, 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 Bladebreakers into their army and slaughter 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 black clouds coming from the north. It kept rolling and rolling and Asher knew it was coming for Nineveh.


    These creatures that were coming 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 wastelands and the desolatelands, which were also known as the beyond because of this curse.


    All five shura vanguards mounted well-fed horses, which were clad 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 the land, growling as they made their way toward Nineveh.


    "Winter definitely isn''t over."

 Chapter 60 - 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 clad 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 muscular 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 bladebreaker will be the knife that delivers the final cut."


    "Ready yourselves!"


    Alec roared, and fifty shieldmen slammed their shields and spears on the ground while three hundred axemen slammed their axes against their shields.


    "Hoo!"


    "Beat your weapons so those wretched creatures will know who they''re about to face!"


    Boom!


    The combined 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 wasteland 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 while later, 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 slaughter and averted her eyes from the battlefield to her empty quiver.


    ''Arrows!''


    Turning to her left, she saw other rangers taking arrows from a large wooden quiver placed 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, a large hook came from below. It came with such speed that Eritrea knew her head had come 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 rope ladder!


    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 clanking sounds.


    Alec raised his shield to block the goblin''s downward strike. When the strike rebounded, causing the goblin to stagger, Alec seized the opening to thrust his spear.


    Clang!


    Still, the goblin managed to deflect it.


    Right at that moment, more goblins entered the alure from another ladder.


    A big hand cleared them away and entered the alure with ravenous, reddish eyes. It brandished the massive blade that looked similar 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. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 61 - 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 goblin coming 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 slashing 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.


    Clang! Clang!


    The sounds of weapons clashing, 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 before coming 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 penetrate through the thick skins of the gold-ranked goblins.


    "Tri formation!" S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 bladebreakers will take it from here."


    Asher swiftly left after saying that.


    Neigh! Neigh!


    A hundred bladebreakers neatly arranged themselves while being fully clad in their heavy armor. Their lances 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 bladebreakers, while the other fifty were bronze-ranked soldiers recruited into the troop. For now, they were apprentices and will only become a bladebreaker squire at the silver rank, while squires will become knights at the gold rank.


    Asher walked up to this elite troop awaiting his command.


    A jet black horse was right before the troop, mounted with a saddle that would make riding more comfortable for Asher.


    By the side of the saddle was a white box with the ends of a dozen javelins sticking out.


    Beside the jet-black 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 bladebreaker cavalry charged forth.


    Rumble!


    Asher launched the javelin at the biggest threat at the gate, and the javelin nailed the goblin to the ground, causing a small commotion that gave the bladebreakers the upper hand.


    "Kill these beasts!"


    "For Nineveh!"


    "For Lord Asher!"


    While yelling, the bladebreakers thrust their elaborately forged lances, piercing through goblins as they rode on their muscular 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 gladly 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 bladebreakers moved through the horde, cutting down the goblins without mercy.


    True to their name, no blade that met them remained intact. They were superior blades and a terror to all land 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 not command Sirius to use his ice because it might have lasting effects on their soil, Sirius decided to go old-fashioned. Teeth, claws, 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, Asher commanded 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''s lance.


    "Kill them all!" Lambert bellowed ferociously.


    Two hours later, Asher atop his horse stared at the few dozen goblins running away.


    His clothing was completely soaked in his own sweat, and while it was uncomfortable, a bubbling sense of joy was slowly sprouting from the depths of his heart.


    "Victory!"


    Lambert raised his lance.


    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 accomplished a great victory by defeating the abyss creatures that have brought terror to the wastelands. 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 become a dreadful diamond-ranked sniper?]

 Chapter 62 - 62: Massive Upgrades

    [Ding! Would you like to upgrade your gold-ranked sentinel, Alec, to become a diamond-ranked Guardian? Yes or No]


    [Your troops are available 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 become 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, Bladebreaker Calvary, to become 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 Bladebreakers. Their armor had been upgraded from chainmail to half-plate armor with chainmail underneath. Their formidable 2.5-meter-long lances 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 slanted 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 extra layer of plate 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 bladebreaker cavalry was a troop meant to bring destruction to battlefields.


    Behind the 50 gallant knights were their squires clad 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 be compared 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 rectangular 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 triangular flag with the head of a wolf close to the spearhead.


    The flags 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 slammed 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 clad 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 the last troop. The unique grade troop!


    His eyes dilated as it took in the sight of 180 female sharpshooters clad in leather armor, which had a belt that went around their abdomen, making it more flat. On their shoulders was scale plate armor that went down to their wrists.


    The leather armor was over their simple yet eye-catching black 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 black 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 their commander, the enchanting pale-skinned diamond-ranked sniper. The only sniper in all of Nineveh and maybe the entire wasteland!


    Her boots were made of pure steel right up to her knees, her arms were also adorned with pure steel plates, and the same shining silver steel was on her body. It was a chestplate!


    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 black 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. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 63 - 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 place, 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 could come 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 farmlands, right?"


    He looked at Alec, Eritrea, and Kelvin. Before they could respond, more individuals walked into the hall.


    It was Dan, Lois, and the old lady in charge of the farmers of Nineveh.


    "Your Lordship, their blood has been spilt on our soil. Our lands are already dead." The old lady shook her head.


    "Really?" Asher cocked a brow.


    "She''s not wrong, Your Lordship. The effects of the plaque 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.''


    Asher lazily leaned against his right arm but caught Kelvin glaring 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 explaining that, he turned to the old woman.


    "Those lands are mana-veined lands. Mana is the source of all forces, and the abyss force is not more powerful than it, so our planting season will only be delayed 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 his commanders 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 available 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 accommodation for more people.


    [Stronghold''s Name: Nineveh


    Stronghold''s Tier: Tier two


    Population: 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 farmlands were swept off by the radiance, and the land 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 become a gold-ranked sword knight? Yes or No?]


    Asher lowered his head to face the white-haired man.


    "You''re not dying anytime soon."


    ...¡­ S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In a building inside of Nineveh, a woman wept as she looked at the state of her 10-year-old son. He lay 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 - 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 day later, Asher paced around his castle with his hand clasped behind him. He looked at his brown leather boots with different thoughts breezing through his mind as he walked.


    Just last night before sleeping, he read the Ashbourne records, and this time about Zenas''s life. It turned out that Zenas came from a village called Ash Village, a place 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 annihilate all that was against his rule.


    Later on, Zenas came back to that same village after hearing the news that the dragon had annihilated 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 village that existed centuries ago once stood.


    He was in the birthplace of his first ancestor!


    After reading that last night, Asher couldn''t explain his emotions.


    ''The first knight that slayed a dragon, pioneer of the beyond, and duke of the endless north.''


    Asher''s eyes flickered.


    Both the wasteland and the unknown desolateland, 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 of land.


    "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. The large amount of mana caused by the war forced many to awaken last 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 slammed 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 unwelcoming.


    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. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "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 not come, Your Lordship."


    A woman replied, then continued. "My son awakened the ability to turn the nails of his right hand into claws! He''ll be able to rip apart your enemies."


    Asher felt the urge to laugh 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 claws do? Can it cut through a stone?" Kelvin asked. He adjusted his spectacles and looked into the book in his hand.


    "It can make claw 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 replace 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 - 65: Dreath Sight. A Dreadful S-Grade Talent

    Alex, clad 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.


    According to the game storyline, Nero joined the academy in the sacred flame academy and became a knight so powerful that only top players 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 wasteland, 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 black 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) S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 but comes with a curse of seeing only in a world of Dreath, a place that lacks 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 platform. I will only accept 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 was law, but he too wanted to see the outcome 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 claw talent yelled as he brandished his claws 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 claw talent ignored him and clawed at the bow''s clothes, ripping it apart. Frightened, the boy with the ripped clothing turned tail and fled the platform.


    The fight continued until the one whose right hand could form claws and the other whose feet could transform into stone remained. Both of them looked at Nero, who stood close to the edge of the platform with crossed arms.


    "Get down or you''ll get injured!" Ben, the one with claws, threatened.


    "There''s no need to pity the weak. Only the strong are able to become 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 translated 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 before launching a swift kick toward the leg that supported Torah''s body.


    Bam!


    Before Torah could fall, Nero held his collar and let him drop gently. There was a smile on the young lad''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 slammed Ben''s chest, and he saw the ripples.


    Bam! Bam!!


    He launched 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 - 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 become 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 become a feared force. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Asher wasn''t planning to make Nero a casual soldier. His plans for the young lad were a lot bigger than just joining the vanguard; Nero was on his way to become 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 blade 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 may come in."


    A maid walked in with her hands entwined and her head slightly lowered. She had blonde hair, a good bearing, and acceptable looks. To become 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 would later become 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 since last 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 the commanders. Only soldiers are moving about and training.


    "Also, Sir Kelvin said I should remind you that the pain endurance test is coming 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-ranked commanders in the stronghold?


    His commanders 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 place 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 his commanders 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 his commanders.


    Before the commanders 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 the commanders 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 surely come back. Thornvines had an elastic 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 - 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, snowflakes appeared from nowhere and formed a cyclone around him.


    "What is going on?" Alec asked as this phenomenon wasn''t in their plans.


    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, splattering 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 accumulating on the ground and locked him in one spot.


    Right at that moment, Asher found his consciousness in a valley. He saw a shadow coming 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 would come after I abandoned my place."


    "Abandoned."


    Asher scrutinized the face of the young man.


    "You''ve clearly not visited the tombs before. I''m Atticus Ashbourne, the last great duke of the north and of the plains of the Bashan basin. I am the reason Ashbourne fell. I am the reason we lost our land. 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 desolate lands none of those before me went to."


    Swoosh!


    The valley seemed to be wiped away by a fierce eastwind and they appeared in the desolatetlands! For the first time Asher''s foot was in this fabled land, whether this was physical or spiritual, he did not care.


    He saw a man on a giant wolf racing into the desolatelands.


    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 become 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 already late, and I spent my last 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 place 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 replaying 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! Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 slayed 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 - 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 desolatelands, 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. According 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 clad 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 since last 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 plains, you must have fed her with the best of our yields."


    "I did. Your personal maid must be acceptable to her lord. Or isn''t she acceptable?"


    Asher chuckled softly and looked out the window. . sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "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 similar and he impregnated three personal maids in a row and had them moved to Hebron City in the Flameheart 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 flashed 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 flawed 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 available for an upgrade.]


    [Would you like to double upgrade your iron-ranked maid, Cynthia, to become a silver-ranked housekeeper? Yes or No?]


    ''Yes.''


    Swoosh!


    A blinding light instantly formed a cocoon with Cynthia inside. A few seconds later, the light vanished and a woman with healthy pale skin, locks of silky blonde hair cascaded down to her waist, and her attire changed.


    From common 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 black skirt flowed down to her feet but didn''t cover her black leather boots completely.


    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 wasteland.


    "Lord Flameheart, we shall journey to the Ashbourne territory tomorrow."


    A voice came from behind.


    "Good." Claude Flameheart replied and waved for the individual to leave.


    "What happened to that cripple?" Claude muttered to himself as he looked at the clouds.

 Chapter 69 - 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 place."


    Claude 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 Claude 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 proclaimed by the soothsayers, we recorded no death, not even an injury."


    Claude 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."


    Claude 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 farmlands 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 Nicolas."


    Nicolas was one of the five gold knights serving Claude Flameheart. 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 to laugh but shut their mouths when Alec glanced at them without a readable expression.


    "It does its work just fine." Alec said.


    Alex snorted at his brother''s lack of humor.


    Only the sound of their mounts and the clanking of their metal armor plates 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 outcome and tightened his grip around his spear.


    With furrowed brows, Asher walked through the entrance into the cold, dark pathway. His boot leaving reoccurring 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 places, 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 Tenaria language. None of his men could read it, but Asher could.


    The Old Tenaria language was rare in this era, but it was the famed language of mages. In this language lie the tricks to magi force.


    Unfortunately, only mages had the ability to decipher the intricacies of the old tenaria language.


    "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 slain is war."


    His eyes flickered. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "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 plains, 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 - 70: Volcanic Eruption

    All those terrifying titles were accumulated 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. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Boom!


    A large 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 of lava 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 opening large craters.


    But this was just the start as molten lava flowed down from the volcano, melting the snow and ice that had been accumulating for almost three months!


    Boom! Boom!


    While Asher watched this horrifying scene, one massive lava 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!


    He landed 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 safety comes 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 from complete 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 your commanders'' equipment.]


    "Your Lordship!"


    Alec exclaimed.


    Asher climbed his horse, ignoring the concern on his commanders'' faces. "Both of you come 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 the lava bombs that were constantly erupting from the volcano''s mouth.


    Boom!


    The sounds of the huge lava 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 flashed 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 claws 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.


    Clang!


    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 slammed his horse with its powerful tail covered in thick black scales.


    Boom!


    Alec appeared out of nowhere and slammed 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 boiling lava and its claws scorching hot.


    Those claws 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.


    Clang!


    Alex pierced the drake''s right foreleg, causing it to scream. Alec quickly thrust his spear to land 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 clawed at Alec, but the agile knight easily evaded the claw swipes.


    All of a sudden.


    Boom!


    A lava bomb landed 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 splattered 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 - 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 slammed his fist against drake''s head, causing it to land 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 slammed 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 clawed his shield, carving open deep claw 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 placed 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 molten lava 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 blacksmith 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 beast come 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 flames. 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 plans."


    "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 richer lands and a more welcoming 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 former land 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''t common.


    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 successfully killed a once slumbering mythical beast with the aid of your two subordinates.]


    [Rewards: Calculating¡­.]


    [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 upgrade commander Alec''s shield and spear to become 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 rectangular 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 black 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 rectangular flag that was close to the spearhead transformed into a flaming flag!


    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 flames 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. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "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 - 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 upgrade commander 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 to launch 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 blade 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 blade 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 wasteland 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 enslave 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 black 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 glad 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 volcano later. I hope there won''t be signs of it becoming 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? S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 blacksmith 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 days later, 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.


    "Welcome 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 clad 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 flaming shield.


    A man clad in plate armor rode beside the carriage. He was Nicolas, the gold-ranked knight and leader of the troop.


    "My Lord! There''s something you need to see."


    Claude opened the window and looked out. "Is it the reason we are slowing down?"


    Nicolas nodded.


    Claude 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 impenetrable defense was food for this mighty white wolf!

 Chapter 73 - 73: A Magnificent Stronghold

    When the wolf lifted its head and looked at them, Claude 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." Nicolas said to Claude. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 Claude''s soldiers.


    "That''s not a gold-ranked beast. It''s a diamond-ranked beast knight!"


    Someone from the troop bellowed in fright.


    Nicolas tensed up. His plan was to escape with his lord, and that was only by sacrificing his men. At least they would be able to delay 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 Claude''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 and come out with little or no damage.


    Such a beast would certainly annihilate them all.


    Forget their small convoy; all the domains in the wasteland, 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."


    Nicolas 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 accord, they were servants of their lord.


    "Move!"


    Nicolas said with a loud voice and kicked the belly of his mount.


    After some time when the sun was at its peak, Nicolas 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 wastelands?


    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 plate armor?"


    A soldier gasped.


    Nicolas was more shocked than his men because he discovered that these men weren''t just wearing plate armor. They wore silver-ranked armor.


    All of them!


    "Where in the world are we? Where is the beast?"


    Claude''s men began to ask themselves questions.


    Knock! Knock!


    "My Lord!"


    Nicolas knocked on the carriage door so hard that Claude 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.


    Claude 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 plains.


    Transporting such an amount would definitely alert others.


    "My Lord!"


    Nicolas pointed at the gate while holding his sword''s hilt tightly. Claude 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 Claude and his men with myriad thoughts.


    "Get ready to meet them." Claude 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, Claude 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 glance.


    Clad in her military attire, she looked even more heroic and appealing.


    "Are you lost?"


    Eritrea tilted her head.


    Nicolas was offended at her words, so he glared at her, but Claude 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."


    Claude 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 Claude Flameheart, lord of the great Hebron City!"


    Nicolas interrupted with a fierce tone.


    The bladebreakers behind Eritrea revealed a glimpse of their gold-ranked blazing force causing blood to drain from Nicolas'' face.


    "They''re all¡­"


    "Knights." Claude completed it with his heart pounding against his ribcage.

 Chapter 74 - 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.


    Claude''s ears rang.


    "How did that small dying town transform to this in just two years?!" Claude''s eyes shook.


    He couldn''t fathom how that cripple could have 10 knights and come 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, Claude 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...


    Claude 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, Claude began to fear that his heart couldn''t handle the grandness of this stronghold. This place 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, Claude 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 flags were mounted at several places atop the wall, and sharpshooters clad in attire similar 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 Claude Flameheart. As Claude 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 clad in a black 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!"


    Claude gasped.


    Asher got to his feet, and Cynthia gave him a cloth to clean his hands.


    "Baron Claude, 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 wasteland 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."


    Claude 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 Claude.


    "I''ve been eating well. After all, I have to make up for all the years I laid on the sick bed."


    The confidence and slight hint of authority in his tone were all captured by Claude. 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 glad someone came to visit me. Come, I was just about to go eat lunch since my pet beast doesn''t want to eat."


    Claude took a glance 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 Claude 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 Claude 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¡­"


    Claude couldn''t explain 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 Claude lose all decorum. The rotund man was clearly a lover of food, and he proved just that by tasting almost everything on the table. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Before Asher''s eyes he finished five specially prepared loaves of golden bread, drank an entire jug of Moonlit Starhorn milk and cleaned his plate of corn meal.


    As the maids took the plates away and served them tea, Claude 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 Claude meant restaurants in other domains.


    Claude looked at his skin and sighed, longing for more food.


    "Take the tea. It was prepared with the milk of a Moonlit Starhorn cow."


    Claude raised his head.


    "What did you just say?!"

 Chapter 75 - 75: An Alliance

    Asher smiled and took a sip of his tea. Claude 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?


    He composed 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 Desolate blood wolf furs and Ovok skins of bronze, silver, and gold ranks."


    A gleam shot past Claude''s eyes when he heard that.


    The kind of beast fur found in the desolatelands was a rarity on the high plains, and due to that, Claude 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 desolate bloodwolf skin was twice that amount, and this was because of the stories that usually come with donning such an exotic beast fur.


    Nobles in the high plains loved such a commodity.


    Right now, he trades salt and sugar, and they have made him the wealthiest baron in the wasteland, 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 play 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 blacksmiths to make their equipment able to harness battle or magi force. By simply using the Ten Thousand Hammer Refining Art, an apprentice-level blacksmith can smelt it."


    Claude raised an eyebrow.


    "You have quite the knowledge." Claude 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."


    Claude 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?"


    Claude 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.


    Claude 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 Claude 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 Claude and his knight to the military camp.


    They sat under an open structure and looked at the 30 strong bladebreaker cavalrymen racing through the field.


    Asher called this sightseeing, but he was indirectly showing Claude a little glimpse of his might.


    When Claude and Nicolas discovered all the knights were gold-ranked knights, he almost fell off his seat.


    30 Knights!


    This young man was growing to become as powerful as the count William Tigris!


    "All of them have gold-ranked armor too!" Claude exclaimed.


    The mystery around Asher was so thick that it seemed to be a fog that hid Asher within. There were lots of secrets, but Claude wasn''t interested in encroaching as long as Asher was already his ally.


    The bladebreaker came before Asher and stopped. They dismounted and fell on one knee.


    "Your Lordship!"


    Asher turned to Claude''s knight. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I see the fire in your eyes. Do you want a spar?"


    Nicolas cracked his neck.


    "You might have a great number of knights, but none can win a one-on-one combat against me."


    "Is that so?''


    His confidence made Asher curious.


    "Well then, what do you think of some entertainment, Lord Flameheart?"


    "Go on."


    Claude also had a confident tone that made Asher raise an eyebrow.


    "Let''s go to the pit."


    A bladebreaker 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 a landslide 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''s command in a different area.


    "Is that a remnant of the giant race?"


    Claude 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?" Nicolas 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 slammed their spears against the ground and went on one knee. Other soldiers also followed.


    This disorderly place instantly became silent and orderly.


    "Arise. Where is Nero?"

 Chapter 76 - 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 muscular physique.


    Throughout the night he had been refining his sword skills, which was why he was asleep while others were training.


    Nicolas 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. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 Nicolas, and Asher nodded.


    "Indeed."


    "That man should be in his late 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.


    Claude chuckled softly.


    "Nicolas 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 Asher laughed softly.


    "Unfortunately, this lad has a talent that also makes him remarkable."


    "A lad?!"


    Claude''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 black curly hair, like the type his father had, had also grown to the level of his shoulder blades.


    He wore leather armor with metal padding at his thighs, chest, and arms.


    "That''s your opponent."


    Asher pointed at Nicolas.


    As Nero took two swords from the weapon rack to face him, Nicolas turned to Asher.


    "My Lord, you want me to face an inexperienced lad? 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."


    Claude 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.


    "Come lad. Let''s be done with this."


    Shing!


    Nicolas 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 Nicolas''s abdomen.


    "Is that all?"


    Nicolas 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, Nicolas 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 leg coming from behind.


    Bam!


    Nicolas staggered backward and stopped. He cleaned his nose and looked at the young lad, who casually picked up his swords.


    ''What in the world? He''s not even looking at me yet I feel his eyes are everywhere!''


    Nicolas frowned.


    "I see you are more than you look. Again!"


    Nicolas dashed toward Nero.


    When Nicolas closed the gap, he suddenly divided into two and swung from both angles!


    The crowd was shocked, but Claude had a smug smile.


    Taken off guard, Nero tried to deflect, but his strength couldn''t match Nicolas''s strength, so he received shallow cuts on his arm.


    Bam!


    Nicolas slammed his chest, launching him 5 meters backward. Nero first crashed on the ground but somehow landed 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, Nicolas 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 clasped behind him as he looked at the battle.


    "7 strikes are gone." He finally said.


    Nicolas frowned as Nero was still evading his attacks, and he was close to the last 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 Nicolas had prepared to deflect, Nero suddenly unleashed his battle force.


    Blazing Battle Force Art!

 Chapter 77 - 77: Battle Skills

    Clang!


    Nicolas deflected it still.


    However, Nero followed up with continuous slashes that seemed to never end. Sparks flew from their swords, and both Nicolas 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 ground.


    With a full view of the battlefield and his opponents, Nero, who had been searching for an advantage, finally found one by carving out a scenario for the advantage.


    And the scenario was bringing Nicolas and his clone close. One on his left and the other on his right.


    He deflected Nicolas''s thrust and led the sword to the other one!


    It happened in a split moment.


    Pish!


    The sword pierced through the armor of the clone!


    And his right sword was a few inches away from the true Nicolas''s neck!


    The young lad 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.


    Nicolas couldn''t believe his eyes while Claude''s eyebrows knit up.


    "Who is that boy?"


    "A soldier." Asher smiled.


    ......¡­


    A week later, Asher and Claude were walking toward the gates of Nineveh, where his carriage and his men were waiting for him.


    "You should open an academy. I''m sure many nobles would want to send their men here to become proper knights."


    Claude said.


    "That might be a plan for the future."


    "Sacred Flame Empire earns a large amount of revenue 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 payment." 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 golden fragrant corn and some hexakad eggs.


    After exchanging goodbyes, Claude 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 payment 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 none of them shook the world."


    "They could barely shake the wastelands."


    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 different from other Ashbourne Lords, and it was more than the intensity of their training and intelligence."


    Asher looked at him.


    "What was it?"


    "It was their pet beasts and their iconic battle skill."


    When Asher heard that, he recalled the appearance of snow and water when 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 even 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 Zenas grandson, also mastered a battle skill called ''Blood Pace'' that made him the fastest knight on Tenaria, and all this was through harnessing the power of the shura art. He was able to accelerate his blood flow and speed up everything internally to produce swift and lethal attacks.


    He became legendary, 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 talent. 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 been as powerful as Lord Zenas. Her battle skill allows her to control the blood inside of others. It was so powerful that even her allies feared her, and she died early. According 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 elements."


    Asher almost stumbled when he heard that.


    "What?!"


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    Sirius'' pain-filled howl rang throughout the stronghold at that moment, causing Asher''s expression to change.


    "Your Lordship! Something is happening to Sirius!"


    A shura vanguard on horseback bellowed.


    "What!"


    ...¡­


    Some minutes later, Asher, whose expression was as ugly as it could get, walked through the hallway toward the sacred hall with large strides.


    He could feel Sirius''s pain through their bond.


    "Open those doors!"


    He roared at the vanguards, and they quickly pushed the door open, revealing the sacred hall from which great howls came.

 Chapter 78 - 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 white fur kept falling off, causing Asher to yell.


    "What''s happening to him?!"


    "This began a short while after it ate the meat." A vanguard responded, and it was at this moment that Asher realized that Sirius was going through mutation!


    Sirius got to its feet and slammed 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 around Sirius to keep him still, but even the strength 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 strength was comparable to that of a gold-ranked knight. Some minutes later, Alec, Alex, and fifty knights from the bladebreaker troop rushed into the hall.


    At this point, Asher and his vanguards were just holding on with their willpower, for their strength had been depleted.


    When 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 claw marks could be seen 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 when Asher began to caress its leg, Sirius laid 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 happening!


    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 round 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 prominent new feature was the fur that accumulated at its shoulders. They were like circles, similar to the iconic symbol of flames, and from them visible orange flames billowed off! The same for the lower part of its legs. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 15-foot-tall beast got to its feet. It shook its majestic body and retracted its gleaming claws.


    Its imposing figure alone mounted lots of pressure on Asher''s men.


    "A dual elemental sacred-ranked beast."


    Asher smiled broadly.


    All of a sudden and intense 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 men 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 inflated 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.


    "Congratulations on becoming a diamond-ranked swordsman, My Lord. Your father would be proud, if he were alive."


    ''Diamond-ranked!''


    Asher looked at his muscular arms, which were a little thinner than before and raised an eyebrow.


    Looking down, he also discovered that his inflated 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 population. It must be increased if we want to expand, and the best place to increase it without the knowledge of the feudal world is by conquering the desolate lands."


    Kelvin''s eyes widened.


    "Your Lordship. We might encounter some lost races and abyss worshipers."


    "That would be better."


    "I see." Kelvin nodded, then 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 elemental beast. You''re now among the ranks of those with dual elemental pet beasts. Congratulations, My Lord."


    Asher got to his feet, went to the window, and looked at his domain. The brilliant rays of the sun bathed the beautiful stronghold, and people went about their duties happily. Seeing the peace and orderliness, the corners of his lips went 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 when he was just a kid, and now he was a powerful young lord about to show the world his brilliance.

 Chapter 79 - 79: Ash Mountain Pass

    After the last week of winter, Jordan Zebulun stood outside his manor watching his workers prepare the fields for planting. His eyes were filled with the vision of being the sole distributor of golden fragrant corn in the entire wasteland.


    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 Flameheart invited the renowned families in the barony to a feast last night, and the news of golden fragrant corn and hexakad eggs is all over the place! 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 alarmed and turned to look at their master.


    "Send posters all over the barony. Tell Blacksmiths that I have enough¡ª"


    "It''s too late, My Lord. Baron Flameheart has invited all the blacksmiths to the grand hall this morning, declaring 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 collar 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 clenching and releasing his hands until he couldn''t hold it anymore and went 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 planting. They can only grow in fields that have mana veins."


    Jordan lifted up his head and looked at the guard.


    In the next moment, he began to laugh hysterically. As he recalled the amount he spent 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 entire family!!"


    When he finally calmed down and knew it was all over, he heard footsteps.


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    He yelled.


    "Last time I recall, a casual farmer who isn''t yet a lord cannot command the emperor''s messenger."


    Jordan''s eyes widened.


    He lifted up his head and saw a man dressed in the most good-looking attire he had ever seen in his life. The man had one hand at his back and the other held a sealed letter.


    His long hair was neatly combed and oiled.


    Thud!


    Jordan fell on both knees. "I apologize for my lack of proper temperament."


    "Indeed. Your temperament 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 Claude Flameheart. 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 messenger turned, and as he was walking, a portal appeared and disappeared along with him.


    When Jordan thought of the large stock of food in his undercroft and his gold, he knew he lacked just one more thing.


    A strong troop!


    And he didn''t want to train farmers and commoners but go and buy slave warriors. Troops trained by cruel slave traders. These troops were found in one place on the entire continent.


    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." The large 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 flashed 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 descending 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!" Aquila yelled from the top of the wall, and Rutherford nodded.


    "I did not forget."


    .......


    Nineveh Stronghold.


    Asher was on the training platform swinging his sword. He attuned himself to the sound of the edge of the blade cutting through the air. His eyes were closed as he moved about, thrusting, slashing, and parrying fluidly.


    This was the first week of the third month of the year, and in the next two weeks, they would enter the next season, spring!


    The season of planting.


    Livestock, especially cattle, would see enough fields to graze.


    After he performed the last swing, he lowered his sword and brought down the blindfold.


    "You''re getting better."


    Kelvin said with a smile.


    "Thanks for the compliment, but when is the logistic team going to be prepared for the expedition?"


    "You''re leaving with 200 Silver Wolf heavy infantrymen, 100 Thunderstorm Rangers, and 80 Bladebreakers. We need to make sure they''re all well fed and their tents are prepared. It will take more than the time you gave us."


    "I''ll give you three more days, and then we shall march for the Ash Mountain Pass. It''s time to see the famous desolatelands."

 Chapter 80 - 80: The Bandit Fortress

    Two weeks after discussing with Kelvin, Asher was now on his way to the Ash Mountain Pass, having left even Silverleaf town far behind. He left Kelvin in charge of his domain, and Sirius was the guardian.


    It was fast enough to move from Nineveh to Silverleaf in just one day, and it was able to kill even a company of 100 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 Bladebreakers and Thunderstorm Rangers, and behind him were 500 men. 200 were silver-ranked infantrymen, and the remaining 300 were recruits, which Asher had to bring along to boost his forces.


    Behind the heavy infantry was the logistic department with several carts and horses.


    Beside Asher were his commanders, 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 extent 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. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Barbarian bandits. They''ve been 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 young lad. "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.


    "The lad''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 challenge after the other, always pushing both his physical and mental 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, then our strength will be buried under stones."


    When 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 tents, 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 tent. Once they were done, he washed his hands and unfolded his sleeves.


    "Jon, bring the ropes! Move those legs!"


    "Jessey, hit that wood properly!"


    "When 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 been an asset!"


    Boisterous laughter and the loud voices of his men 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 given them full details about the bandit based on the last 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 then.


    "Eritrea, you, Nero, and me. We just need to capture two and ask some questions before the main army reaches their location."


    "As you command." Alex bowed his head.


    Asher walked around and eventually arrived where the Thunderstorm Rangers were. Their tents were ready while the men still struggled and bantered, and they were seated on logs, of which Asher had no clue when 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 even up to ten minutes, he found himself staring at Lambert''s men. They were busy watching two of their men brawl while cheering and laughing.


    Shaking his head, he walked away and found the Silver Wolf recruits taking turns to try and lift up Alec''s shield. Apparently, a good number of the heavy infantrymen brought the shield and gathered the recruits.


    This was called the initiation.


    After watching several recruits fall to the ground, panting like people that were saved from a near-death experience, Asher returned to his tent.


    Not long after, meals were served, and it was Eritrea who served Asher. He sat with Alex, Nero, Alec, and Lambert outside his tent when Eritrea came with his meal.


    Although bewildered, Asher took it and suddenly noticed the gazes his men 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 presence.


    The night was thick, like a black cloth wrapped around the world.


    Only the campfires at different spots lit up the camp of hundreds. Some figures could be seen mounting horses outside the camp.


    "Let''s go." Asher''s voice rang.

 Chapter 81 - 81: The Bandit Brothers

    Eritrea led them some kilometers away from the camp, and they began to climb the mountain, heading for the wooden wall about 30 feet above the ground.


    Eritrea was the first to reach the top, and she leaned against the wall so as to avoid being seen by the bandit watchmen on the wall with torches that had fierce orange flames 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 men 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 around the bonfire.


    "Those are the ones that collect the fees."


    "Find a route inside and do not alert any watchmen." Asher ordered.


    Before Eritrea could go search for a route, they saw carts being pushed toward the gates, and a gleam flashed 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.


    When they were close to the gate, Alex picked up a stone and flung it over the 6-meter-tall wall.


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    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 around. "I''ve counted 67 men."


    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 ripples coming from every living creature in the fortress, including those asleep and those awake.


    "We should check the¡ª"


    "371." Nero interrupted Eritrea.


    "371?" His father cocked his head. Nero''s talent was still odd and not easy to understand, no matter how much the boy explained it, so he was stunned to see his son call out a number higher than their assumption.


    Even though Nero could see around 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 even the map of some parts of the fortress!


    "Two men leads this bandit group, and they''re both in there drinking and eating with five women attending to them. Two are massaging their shoulders, and the last 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 young lad with impressed expressions.


    "371 people. Good, let''s go."


    As they turned back to move, Nero suddenly paused. "Captives. I can see them."


    "We''ll come rescue them later!" Alex almost raised his voice, but it rose up a bit.


    "What''s their situation?" Eritrea asked.


    "They''re from clans. I can hear the name Bashan from an old woman¡­" Nero''s eyes widened.


    "She and the others are from the desolatelands! From a small village affiliated to a large clan called the Bashan Clan."


    Upon hearing where they were from, Eritrea looked at Asher. These people would offer them better knowledge about the desolatelands, and by saving them, they might gain favor in the eyes of their village chief.


    "I''ve spoken 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 plans. The troop will be here shortly. Our plan is to rile up enough commotion and make sure those captives see us before the main army comes."


    "You want to make them see us risking our lives, and then the army would appear if things get critical." Eritrea was gasping. Her Lord was truly shrewd.


    This plan would make him gain the loyalty and gratitude of the barbarian captives.


    Swoosh!


    Alex leaped several feet high and landed heavily in an open space.


    Boom!


    His force billowed out of him, forming what seemed to be a cloak with tendrils caressing the ground.


    Before a bandit could exclaim, Alex swung his sword. Killing the man and leaving a deep scorch mark on the ground. The bundles of straws behind him were set ablaze. Attracting more bandits toward Alex.


    Swoosh!


    An arrow coursing with electricity pierced through three bandits and also released shockwaves that paralyzed 10!


    At this moment, Asher suddenly realized how foolish he was to hide diamond-ranked warriors from mere iron, bronze, silver- and gold-ranked men. 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 been 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 when the gold-ranked knights came out of their tents.


    One of them had a bear-like frame. His beard was the biggest and the most unkempt Asher had ever seen, and the man firmly gripped a thick, strangely shaped cleaver, probably gotten from a large 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 sense explosive bursts of power in that seemingly ordinary, weak body. He held a long spear.


    Eritrea launched six arrows toward them. The big one deflected it, though he slid backward while the thin one evaded the arrows.


    Eritrea dashed past Asher, launching 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 - 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 slammed him from over his shoulder to the ground. He plunged his sword into the man''s chest, pulled it out, and faced his next opponent without flinching.


    Swaying left and right, he confused the next bandit for a short moment. Not willing to let go of that opportunity, he spun his wait, launching a fierce kick that sent the bandit 10 meters away. He collided with another bandit, and they both crushed a wooden 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 while launching arrows at these men, 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 abdomen!


    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 suddenly sprung up like a compressed spring. In the process of somersaulting midair, she nocked two arrows and fired through the big man''s back!


    Thud!


    Eritrea landed elegantly and moved some strands of her hair behind her ear.


    The thin one suddenly cut his palm and placed 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 men with different weapons were slowly encroaching, but their presence 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 a large distance, and was about to pierce through the twins when three arrows came for him. Eritrea countered the arrows with hers, but Asher, who deviated and landed 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 men 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 slashed at the man''s left leg.


    His blade cut the bandit leader''s leg, but the wound healed up almost instantly. Bam!


    Asher was slammed 12 meters away. The bandits widened 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 his large palm and was about to create some distance when a spear was hurtled toward her from the back.


    Eritrea leaned to her right. She turned in the next moment 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 when his foot was almost before her. Eritrea jumped with all her might and landed some meters away.


    Unfortunately, she landed 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 ground, and swung his sword at a bandit.


    Asher mercilessly slaughtered the bandits until he found Eritrea fighting in the midst of bandits. She was still able to stand her ground, and bodies were piling up around her. Her arrows could be seen 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.


    Splash!


    Blood stained his face!


    Asher looked at the sharp triangular 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 when 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 seen 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''s command.


    "Lord Asher is still there!" He yelled. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Run or you might not make it out of that gate."


    Eritrea''s grave tone sent 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 white.


    Instantaneously, everything about Asher changed. He swung both swords at a speed that only those who were really proficient 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 10 diamond-ranked beasts, 10! But I like it when my prey is fierce."


    Two voices came out of the bandit leader''s mouth at once.


    Boom!


    The rocky ground imploded as Asher shot forth, appearing right before his eye. The bandit leader swung his cleaver downward with a boisterous laughter, but to his shock, instead of dodging, Asher clashed with him and didn''t slide even one inch back.


    The intensity of force billowing out of him was unnatural.


    It felt as if many terrifying knights were looking at him through those glowing white eyes.


    Before the bandit leader could even blink, Asher slashed his abdomen and kicked him with so much power that the big man slid 4 meters back.


    For the first time since he got this unparalleled talent, 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 dozens 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 enveloped him.


    In what seemed to be an instant, corpses were littered around his lord. Bodies fell like flies and all he could see was sword slashes and not even his lord moving!


    Forget him, even the bandit leader was filled with horror.


    "Nero move!"

 Chapter 83 - 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 sensed the spear and went 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 moment, 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 plan on evading this time around.


    He spun his swords, and the water followed his movement!


    As he swung upward, the water transformed into a giant water sword! It slammed the cleaver out of the way and hit the bandit leader before he could even blink.


    Boom!


    The force opened a hole in the mountain, and rocks fell on what remained of the bandit leader. The remaining bandits were frozen in shock. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Bam!


    The moment Asher slammed his right foot against the ground, the water rose up with great momentum and blasted the bandits toward the fortress walls!


    Boom! The fortress walls broke down, and the water washed the bandits down 30 feet!


    At this moment, 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 their comrades fell from the mountain along with a great amount of water, stunning them.


    "He''s coming."


    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 and landed behind the fifteen bandits who came from the pass, his white 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 when their hearts suddenly ceased, causing their eyes to widen as they slumped to the ground and were lifeless shortly after.


    The scene caused Eritrea and Nero''s faces to go white. Alex, though heavily injured, had a better expression.


    He removed Eritrea''s arms from around 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 white 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 fifteen 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 even the great Zenas? What would they tell him then?


    "Your Lordship."


    Eritrea and Nero went 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 ground fell into their ears. The Bladebreakers 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 sent 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. The lance was in the other.


    "Mnn," Asher grunted.


    After a short walk, he arrived at the gathering of about 20 people seated on logs. Their clothes were made from beast skins. He spotted a gray-haired woman holding a staff in their midst.


    When 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 renowned figure in the desolatelands, and these people were from the desolatelands!


    "You''re all from the desolatelands."


    Asher sat down with two shura vanguards behind him.


    The imposing metal men awed the barbarians.


    "We''re from the Bashan basin." Katarina retorted with a soft tone.


    Asher raised an eyebrow.


    "I''m talking about the place beyond the pass. It''s the¡ª"


    "It''s called the desolatelands by you outlanders, but it is actually called Bashan. Bashan is an outrageously large basin, young man, and it''s not desolate."


    Her gentle yet reprimanding tone made the vanguards glare at her.


    Asher on the other hand chuckled.


    "I see. Then your clan is the ruling clan of this large basin."


    Asher knew that the desolatelands, also known as the Bashan basin had a land 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 - 84: The Centrak Horses

    "Indeed. That is why I''m not a chief but a lord."


    Silence 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 become 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 outlander lord like you must have heard of the clan''s powerful horse, the very reason that the Bashan clan has the strongest cavalry in the southern part of the basin. You want the Centrak Steed for your cavalry?"


    Asher squinted. "The Centrak steed?"


    "They have heavy-muscled bodies, dwarfing all the horses I''ve seen throughout my life. The centrak''s hide is also thicker than any other, with defensive horn-like protrusions along their legs and for the males, adoring their heads.


    These powerful horses can only be found in the Bashan clan, and they have all been domesticated and are not for trade because they are prized possessions of the clan and are for their warriors solely."


    Katarina exhaled.


    "You can''t get a centrak unless you do it the hard way." She concluded.


    Asher entwined his fingers. "You just told me about a mount that I could use to form a powerful heavy cavalry, and then you suddenly ended up saying I can''t trade for it. You want me to fight the Bashan clan."


    Katarina chuckled.


    "I never said that."


    "You did not have to. But I have no plans of fighting any clan if we can collaborate in peace. War is a last option." sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 accommodate you."


    A gleam flashed 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 centraks 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 went into his tent. He was already making plans in his head about what he would trade to get some centraks. He had seen the character display of the centrak steed before he transmigrated into the realistic version of Boundless.


    It was until Katarina began to describe it exactly as it was written in the descriptions that he remembered. Centraks were indeed treasured, high-quality mounts, but he never knew it was hidden in Bashan.


    And a Centrak had a nature-given armored body. Their hides were thick, and the horn-like protrusions made them a great nightmare to other cavalries.


    Once he changed the Bladebreakers horses for the Centraks, it would officially birth an abominable land force that would match the elite forces of apex powers in Tenaria.


    This would make him a step closer to becoming a great Ashbourne lord, regaining their honor and surpassing their peak!


    The tent curtain opened, and a blonde-haired woman walked in with a washbowl. "Welcome back, My Lord." She said it with a soft, comforting tone.


    Asher turned toward Cynthia.


    "Where have you been? 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 persistent, 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 send them to you later." Asher said as he waved his hands dismissively. Many things had happened 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 haven''t opened 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, loosened the rope, and poured the content on his palm. Fiery red gemstones came out.


    These were fire elemental stones!


    They were found in the exact spot where the drake slept.


    Asher counted 15 stones.


    As rare as these stones were, only mages and master-grade apothecaries could use them. Aside from that, the stones were almost useless.


    "When will you eat?" Cynthia asked.


    "At first light."


    Creases appeared on her forehead, but she bit her lower lip, bowed, and left the tent.


    Asher dropped the stones and went straight to his bed. He stared at the ceiling for some time before he fell asleep.


    .......


    A pair of dull golden eyes opened 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 when he heard Asher''s tone. "My mother cast you out of your space, and I knew you would feel bad, so I came to encourage 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 Zenas. Any other was inferior. Why do you think she had no friends?"


    "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 potential, 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 end up like me, but I believe Bashan has more than the high plains 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 talent grants you access into the spiritual world. Don''t play with it before you wake up and find out you''ve slaughtered every breathing thing. Lessons will be gradual, but for now, I want you to have a glimpse of my battle skill."

 Chapter 85 - 85: Blood Awakening

    The scene around 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 blades with great mastery.


    Around 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 29 then. I had spent ten years in Bashan, gained fame, discovered mysterious barbarian tribes with unique abilities no noble in the high plain has ever encountered, and saw some races we thought were extinct. I had to train to survive since I wanted to walk a lonely path back then, and this was when I created my own battle skill."


    Atticus looked at Asher.


    "Blood Awakening."


    "Blood Awakening¡­" Asher muttered.


    Right at that moment, 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 around him.


    It greatly contrasted the intensity of his movements.


    "Blood Awakening grants me the ability to see..." Atticus paused and took a deep breath. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Swish!


    At that moment, 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 opponents, whether living or rocks. Your blood flow experiences a sudden change, and you kick start it by executing a flurry of strikes. Then, like diving into the water, your mind enters a strange state where the flaws of your opponents have scarlet markings."


    Atticus smiled and continued.


    "At first I did not understand that my battle skill had been born, it was until I faced Khan."


    Swoosh!


    An eastwind blew the scene of him training away and they saw a scene of him facing a white lion that stood on two legs! It wore metal pauldrons, vambraces, a loincloth, shin guards, and held a great two-handed axe.


    "Beastmen are still existing?!"


    Asher gasped.


    "Of course they are."


    Beastmen, 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 intent was enough to suffocate a diamond-ranked knight!


    Clang! Clang!


    Sparks flew as the sword and axe clashed continuously. The tempo of their battle was slowly increasing, and Khan''s strikes were heavy, unrestrained, and ferocious while young Atticus played the defence card.


    "I was 30 here, and I came to fight for a human clan who were oppressed by the Snow lion clan. Khan was the best warrior in that region, feared by all clans, but I saw him as a means to sharpen myself. It was either I die trying or succeed."


    Clang! Clang! Clang!


    At this moment, the speed was extremely high, and both fighters were at their toes. A mistake could cost their lives, and it was then 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 open in that small span. Based on Khan''s attack, those spaces would only grow wider until they clashed.


    Atticus swiftly unleashed two sword strikes that hit those spots. Khan growled in pain, anger, and shock as he discovered he had been struck. He forced himself to launch 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 sudden turn of events threw Asher off.


    "Talents 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 moment, young Atticus'' eyes gained a white 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 slash without even looking at Khan. Where his sword ended, the water took over and formed a massive blade that blasted Khan into the distance.


    Atticus stared at the azure water blade 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 silence. It was actually Asher who was the silent one.


    "What was that?"


    He asked with a soft tone.


    "It''s called synergy. Water and ice are two different things, and although they can appear out of the other, it doesn''t make them the same element. My wolf, Sky, is a dual elemental pet beast skilled in water and ice. Synergy gives us, the masters of our pet beast, the grace of wielding our beast''s elements."


    Atticus looked at Asher.


    "You don''t know about this?"


    Asher shook his head.


    "Haven''t you been reading the tomes of our past?"


    "I''ve been reading the Ashbourne Records."


    "That''s just a book about our first ancestor."


    Atticus replied.


    Asher turned to face him.


    "So when my talent activated, I somehow gained the ability to use your synergy!"


    Atticus nodded. "It shows how terrifying your talent is. I don''t know what sort of talent you awakened because the Ashbournes were known for our ambidexterity talent. Only you and your sister, Mary, awakened a different talent, and both of you are not of noble birth."

 Chapter 86 - 86: Dreamer Of Dreams

    "I know. My mother was a slave 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 slave."


    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 glance 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 restricted compared 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 access 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 Blade 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 claimed."


    "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 time later, 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 clan 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 clan has one large clan, three medium clans, and ten villages. Katarina was the head of a village 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 desolatelands, he had gathered enough weapons from his blacksmiths and it would come in handy during this war.


    According to Katarina, Adam would be in dire need of weapons since he was going against the large clan, the two other medium clans, and 4 villages.


    What excited Asher the most was that the Bashan clan had quite the population.


    And so, after two weeks of journeying through the Bashan basin, the famous and fabled desolatelands, they finally stepped foot in the Bashan clan outskirts.


    Asher sat on horseback, staring at the vast plains. From this high spot, he could see the clans littered across the plain. 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. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 entourage coming from afar, the barbarian soldiers clad in beast-fur attire yelled.


    "Outlanders!"


    Before Asher crossed the three hundred-yard mark, riders came out of the clan''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 - 87: New Mounts

    Asher examined the jet black 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 plains 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 outlander?"


    "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 villagers."


    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.


    "This lad 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 clad 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 plate 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 related 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?" Adam laughed 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 slammed 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 available 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. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "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 all land forces!

 Chapter 88 - 88: Troop Talent Awakening Steles

    "Bring the scarlet maned one." Adam ordered and his men went into the field. Some minutes later, they came out with a tall, dreadfully handsome centrak with pitch black 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 the large 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 become his friend. Especially Chief Adam. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He could envision his clan rising to become stronger than the head clan 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 glanced 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 is coming to unite the clan, a man who can communicate 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 black 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 clasped 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 Bladebreaker cavalry completely. 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 plate 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 placed 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 blasted off, leaving a trail of dust and grass. It ran out of the camp into the plains.


    "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 Clans 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 a commoner could become 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 he completed 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 clans.''

 Chapter 89 - 89: Betrayal

    Two days later, Nero and two Silver Wolf recruits garbed in clothing similar to the barbarians walked into one of the villages affiliated with the Bashan clan. While walking through the gate, Nero was busy receiving the survey of the village 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 village. 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 to launch an attack on Chief Adam''s faction." A recruit said with a solemn expression.


    "All the six villages under the head clan have a total of 4000 people left. This one is the smallest, and all of them lack men, so you must be right. We should leave."


    Nero said and turned.


    "Shouldn''t we inform Lady Katarina to leave that clan since it would be under siege at any moment?" S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Maybe." Nero replied.


    They easily slipped out of the village 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 clan about a mile away. The clan had tall wooden walls and guards equipped with cleavers and shields patrolling.


    Nero placed his hands on the ground. He could see the gentle pulses released from the earth''s core and began to hear sounds from the clan when all of a sudden his eyes seemed to teleport and he could see everything in a medium-sized clan. The population 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 clan filled with warriors and centrak riders.


    "4,700 people."


    He said it with gritty teeth.


    "What would happen to the remains of Adam''s clan?" A voice rang.


    "Chief has ordered for the men in that rebel''s clan to be sold off and sent to the mines. With their scouts here, there''s no way they''ll see the attack coming."


    After he heard that, Nero opened his eyes.


    "The missing warriors are already heading for Chief Adam''s clan!"


    "We need to report this to the Lord." A recruit spoke with an alarmed tone.


    They swiftly left the hill without anyone in the clan, knowing that their plans had been revealed to an outsider.


    By noon, Nero and the two other recruits arrived at the outskirts of a vast plain where hundreds of white tents could be seen a couple hundred meters ahead of them.


    Clop! Clop!


    Two Bladebreakers on their majestic centraks rode toward them with one javelin in their hands. Seeing the Bladebreakers and knowing they could launch 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 Bladebreaker 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 flames 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, lava bombs came hurtling down, causing explosions that launched people dozens of meters into the air.


    Screams and yells filled his ears. There was commotion 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 the lava bomb, he knew who they faced.


    Head Chief Beowulf''s commander, Buba, the right-eyed flame thrower!


    Adam climbed to the top of the wall and looked at the vast army of thousands on the plan field. It was clear that they had slain 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 slashes on his face, one of which took his left eye, a large 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, black 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 have lava following within. When it glowed bright, lava bombs would form in the palm of his hands, and he would launch 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 enlarged. 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 - 90: Attack On The Bashan Clans

    Clop! Clop!


    80 Bladebreakers with 7 shura vanguards, Alex and Asher galloped through the vast plains with solemn expressions. When they finally reached the clan, what Asher saw was a large amount of black smoke leaving a clan that was engulfed in flames.


    The clan had been transformed into a sea of flames!


    The flames reflected in Asher''s golden eyes. He couldn''t believe the clan 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 that large population 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 clan, after all they gained from him, were defeated so easily. Unknown to Asher, some village 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 a complete 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 villages. 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 the large clan."


    Alex smiled. "As you say, Your Lordship."


    "Bladebreakers!"


    Asher bellowed.


    "Hoo!!"


    Rumble!


    The earth trembled as the elite army rode through the fields, straight toward the closest village. Asher only saw one ally an that was Adam. Others were to be conquered.


    Some kilometers away, a short man who had black and white hair on his head stood on the wooden walls looking at the female servants, centraks, and goods that were led into the village 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 clans.


    Now, he had a huge number of 200 gold-ringed warriors under his command! This gave him the power to conquer small settlements and make a clan 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." sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He looked at the flame torches lit up around the village 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 village while waving the torches in their hands.


    "Riders!"


    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 Bladebreakers lifted up their javelins and threw them into the air as they galloped toward the village. 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.


    "Outlanders!"


    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 his lance.


    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 and launched 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 outlanders!" The head of the gold-ringed warriors yelled and his men formed a wall.


    Unfortunately, when he clashed with the Bladebreakers, none of his men were spared from their deadly lances.


    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 and landed on the walls.


    Shing!


    Asher unsheathed his sword, deflected the spear strike of a barbarian, and threw him off the wall before slashing the second one, who never saw the strike coming.


    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 and landed without reacting to the height! Shocking him even more, seven vanguards and a bigger knight all landed behind him.


    "What sort of¡­!"


    "I want him."


    Asher pointed his sword at Obed.

 Chapter 91 - 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 the last gold-ringed warrior.


    Fear crept into his soul. It was like black tentacles drilled deep into his white soul, turning it black 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 village 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 triangular 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 flame 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 and launched 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. "Outlanders! Coming here was the worst mistake of your lives! I''ll watch you all get slaughtered!!"


    He yelled at the top of his lungs.


    His response was the soft metal sounds made by the Alex and the vanguard''s plate 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 slaughter you all!"


    Obed laughed sardonically.


    "I see."


    Asher smiled.


    "I never planned to keep any leader alive after all. A stubborn one like you nonetheless." 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 accessing 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. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "The large clan 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 village at first light."


    "As you wish, Your Lordship."


    The vanguards lowered their heads.


    Some time later, Asher stood in the village 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 desolate lands 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.


    "Where did you come from?"


    "G¡­ Gath Town."


    "It''s a medium clan loyal to the large clan," 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 village''s storehouse, but don''t starve the villagers too."


    Asher whispered to Alex and left.


    Before he went to sleep, he got enough information. Head Chief Beowulf had a powerful commander 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 village once supported Adam''s clan, but now they were against him and that the large clan had a mage!


    It was because of the mage that they could take everyone in the clan. 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 platform.


    The platform 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 village 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 slashes were swift, lethal, and ethereal. Each swing carried a beautiful ethereal light as the blade 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 replayed 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 blades swaying flashed through his mind eye, and it was followed by a swift slash.


    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 the later part of the day. At least before reset.

 Chapter 92 - 92: Attack On Gath [1]

    Gath City.


    One of the medium-level powers, second only to the large clan. This populous, prospering small city was the food house of almost all the Bashan clans, except for Adam''s clan, which depended on using their hunts to balance their small harvest.


    Here, there were lots of farmlands, livestock, and a nearby forest richly populated by wild beasts, which were prey for barbarian hunters. Unlike those outside the desolatelands who had established a refined agricultural regimen, the barbarians were sorely lacking, 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 plate 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 regularly.


    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 plains. Over 200 tents could be seen, and soldiers clad in thick armor were moving about doing one thing or the other.


    Unlike the barbarian warriors, their armor had layers. From their tunics to their gambeson to the chainmail and finally the plate armor.


    Each silver-ranked armor weighed so much that a strong ordinary man would collapse after ten steps, yet these men walked about like it wasn''t a burden.


    Inside a large tent in the middle of the Ashbourne camp were the military officials, from commanders 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 villages, and he has brought down seven in three days!"


    "He has the Bladebreakers!" 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 single command from their lord and they would become 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. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 them come 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"


    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 young lad shiver.


    "Let him speak."


    Eritrea said while looking at Nero.


    "Speak. What''s the idea?"


    "Burn everything in their fields."


    "What!!"


    Both commanders exclaimed.


    "That will affect the villagers. 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."


    "The lad is smart. If we burn down the field, we shall be able to capture the city and starve the large clan. Then, they''ll be forced to come out and fight rather than hiding inside their walls."


    Eritrea said.


    "I see. Set it ablaze by nightfall."


    Nero smiled when Alec gave the command. 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 become 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 - 93: Attack On Gath [2]

    Hours went by, and the sun finally went down, giving up its place 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 black 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 plans. 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.


    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 were large 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 were coming from, he and his captains ran to the walls. Only to see their farms had transformed into a sea of flames!


    Gath looked at the hilltops and saw the outlanders 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 slaughter the outlanders, 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 acceptable! " 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 desolatelands. Ascalon had short snow white hair, white brows, pale skin like a man from the wastelands, and an acceptable 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 Clans.


    "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 threw lava 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 warriors come out of his shell.


    "Kill those outlanders!"


    "Awoo!" S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Awoo!!"


    The warriors howled like wolves, so loud that Alec heard it!


    "I guess we successfully provoked them. " He said calmly.


    Eritrea nodded while Nero smiled broadly.


    "Shields!" Alec bellowed.


    Boom!


    Five hundred men slammed 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, flames billowed off the flag and also covered the triangular 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 weight combined as one shook the earth. This troop were earthshakers!


    "Are they marching into the flames?" Ascalon raised an eyebrow.


    Gath chuckled softly as he watched the impressive army marching toward the intense sea of flames. 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 planning to die in the flames 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 slammed his shield against the ground, and the eyes of the drake snapped open. It opened its mouth and absorbed the flames.


    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 muscular centraks kicked the bellies of their horses, causing them to gallop toward the Ashbournes. They saw it as foolishness for Alec to suck the flames when his men were in a disadvantageous position.


    When they entered the place the flames once occupied, 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 plate 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 blast 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 flames it swallowed along with hot ash and even more fire; this one was almost scarlet.


    Screams filled his ears. The flames were able to hit more targets as they spread out, and the hot ash blinded them. Some began to collide.


    "Father!"


    Asclaon 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.


    "Outlanders!!"

 Chapter 94 - 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 flapped its wings and shot into the sky. With each flap, a mighty gale was blown down, gradually clearing the hot ash until the barbarian cavalry could see.


    When Eritrea saw the large 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 rapidly launched 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, 100 large 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. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 clash between the infantry and the barbarian horseriders, sensed the sudden change and turned his large 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 slain is war!''


    That saying from Duke Atticus Ashbourne echoed in his head as he approached the soldier.


    He looked about and saw the fierce clash going on before locating Gath on horseback. The man had slain 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."


    Gath laughed furiously.


    "Do you think... Your size makes you a threat?!"


    Swoosh!


    He executed a thrust, but Alec blocked it.


    Alec spun his spear and slapped Gath''s head before he could block it. The force sent Gath staggering to his left.


    Gath shook his head and ground his teeth. He launched a sudden, sweeping strike, but Alec dropped his shield and slapped the attack off with his hand!


    Gath frowned. Something was amiss.


    Alec spun his spear and slammed 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 slaying Gath.


    "R¡­ Run¡­ They''re diamond¡­"


    Ascalon''s broken words fell into Gath''s ears too late.


    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 flaming 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.


    Just before the last Centrak company 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 his command also had losses.


    He stood at the top of the wall in a black tunic top and black 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 bow launching 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 - 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 villages and a Gad, which was also small city, he trembled within.


    That young lad was more than just a lord; he was a warlord! sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A fearsome one at that.


    Gath had a population of 15,000 barbarians, Adam''s city had 18,000, and Gad had 12,000. After slaying 800 centrak horseriders and 200 shield and axe infantrymen, Gath had about 14,000 residents.


    Alec also cut down those who resisted, so the population 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 the large clan.


    As of now, Asher had over 30,000 barbarians under captivity. All that remained was the main Bashan clan, 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 glance 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 clad 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 Bladebreakers. 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 and commanders 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 place 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! A commander-general-grade material, Adam of Gallim, has submitted to you. You are now his Lord. Would you like to upgrade him to become 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 become a part of the Ashbourne army? Yes or No?]


    [Ding! You have conquered Gath. One more clan 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-plate 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 wastelands lords tremble in their castles. They were like an ancient force that came out of hibernation and were out to conquer!


    There were 20 flag bearers in the troop, and all of them had thicker metal plates, making them sturdy and more gallant 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 penetrating 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 plate armor over brown leather armor. The silver breastplate had intricate designs of raging flames, and it connected to the pauldrons and helmet.


    The helmet had two eye holes, and the part covering their nose to their mouth had a laminar pattern. The helmet also had flat 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 plates were strapped to their thighs, just above their black 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.


    The part of the boot that covered their feet was made of refined steel!


    [New Troop (light infantry): Desolate Slayers].

 Chapter 96 - 96: Ancient Roar

    Adam stood on the right side of the Desolate Slayers troop. Clad in refined, adamantine armor with intricate adornments of gold patterns at the edges of his plate armor.


    Adam looked like a black 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 plate armor. Most particularly 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 black 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 clad in a full set of diamond-ranked armor!


    The effects of his upgrade were noticeably more pronounced than those of Asher''s commanders. 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 a commander had 10 captains below him, so did a general have 10 commanders 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 explained 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. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Give him space!"


    Asher commanded, 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.


    Instead of seeing a gale blowing upward, what Asher encountered was a forceful blast 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 collapsed, 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 Bladebreakers were outside, or that accident 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 collapsed building. It shot Adam a hard look but was also apprehensive.


    "Where is the one that caused all this in the first place?" 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 like commanding the air around me to do my bidding. The roar is like an order."


    While Adam explained, 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, clad in her armor with her hood over her head, clasped her hand behind her.


    "Oh?"


    Asher leaned back and tilted his head. "Isn''t their population 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 - 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. According to the knowledge of the game, once a lord class player 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 a large 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 should last 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 female commander 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?"


    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 plain, 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 Bladebreakers 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 plains 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 that last word made Alex raise a brow because it sounded strange coming 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 clad 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?" Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I only came to inquire of His Lordship... When do we march for Bashan city?"

 Chapter 98 - 98: New Cavalry: Stormbringers

    Later that day, Asher brought the remaining 60 Thunderstorm Rangers and selected 60 muscular ovoks with large, 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 become a troop of gold-ranked marksmen, Stormbringer cavalry? Yes or No?]


    ''Do it.''


    [Warning! Host, the cost of this will appear if you complete 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 platinum!


    This was the rule that was made to restrict lord-class players 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. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''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 black 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.


    Their large bows hung on one side of the ovok while the quiver, filled with arrows, was on the other.


    A twinkle flashed 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.


    "Welcome, Stormbringers. We march at dawn."


    ....


    A black bird flew below the white clouds, its wings spread wide as it looked at the large Ashbourne army marching for the great Bashan city with a population 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.


    "They''re coming." 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 outlanders. 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 Desolate Slayers, an infantry equipped to slay, were behind them.


    Their armor reflected the sunlight as they marched in unison.


    To Buba''s shock, the Silver Wolf Infantry and the Desolate Slayers 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 outlanders!"


    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 and landed 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 blasts 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 outlanders have?


    Rumble!


    As the barbarain cavarly rode out of the city, Alec bellowed.


    "Shields!"


    Instantaneously, the 900 infantry assumed a formation with the Desolate Slayers behind.


    Rumble!


    As the barbarians closed the gap, Buba sighted Asher behind his forces, looking at him with a relaxed 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 desolate slayers!Buba''s centrak was pierced so he jumped off and slashed 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 - 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 threw lava bombs midair before he landed.


    Boom!


    All five soldiers flew several meters backward.


    Buba formed a bigger lava bomb, looked at the soldiers around him, and began to launch lava bombs toward them. He slammed 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. Desolate Slayers, Silver Wolves, and Centrak riders clashed with all their might, their weapons clashing 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 slammed 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 flashed 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 he launched a lava 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 flashed through Buba''s eyes. Such weapons would make him greater than he already is. With that weapon, his fame would spread to the big clans.


    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 blasted outward, launching Buba over 20 meters away.


    All that was with a little push?


    His red right eye shook.


    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 slammed 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 slammed his elbow, protected by the couter, a metal plate 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 warrior come 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 Alec looking down at him. Alec''s helmet prevented him from seeing his face.


    "You burned people''s villages and raided their homes but I chose to give you an honorable death. You should be grateful."


    Alec''s bone chilling voice rang.


    Buba glared at Alec.


    His right hand trembled, and he launched a punch packed with liquid flames 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 a large crisscross scar.


    Behind him were almost 3000 gold-ringed infantry!


    "Hahaha! Tamar!"


    Buba laughed 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 black!


    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 Bladebreakers, 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. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 clans 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 and landed right before Buba. Before he could act, a black 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 a lava bomb in his hand and Alec, thinking Adam was engulfed in his emotions to see it was about to interfere when...

 Chapter 100 - 100: Mysterious Talent

    "Who is that?"


    Alex pointed at a man on the back of a jet black Centrak that was leisurely walking out of the gate with slow steps. He was the only barbarian they had met who wore a complete 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 a complete knight set, which wasn''t from the desolatelands.


    The man had a broad figure but wasn''t over 6 feet tall. His arms and legs were thick like pillars of muscles hidden behind metal plates. 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 clad in armor that was a mix of leather and plate armor, riding on armored Centraks were behind him. All of them held great axes.


    All 100 of them were the great warriors of the clan, 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.


    "Bladebreakers!"


    Asher unsheathed his sword and kicked the belly of his regal mount.


    Rumble!


    Along with 80 Bladebreakers, 7 vanguards, and his personal bodyguard, he rode down the high plain 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 incoming 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 collision 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!


    The earth split open, and dust fog rose, clouding the sight of many. Adam slammed 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 blasted outward, causing a commotion 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.


    Adam laughed 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 clans, 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 annihilated our clan!"


    Adam roared, causing a fierce reaction as the earth cracked. A large 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 relatives.


    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 slammed his head against Adam''s helmet.


    Their helmets clashed, 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. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Clang!


    Bam!


    His knees slammed the ground, and he felt his right arm was about to dislocate from his shoulder. Beowulf turned the flat side of his axe and hit it against Adam''s chest, launching him over 100 yards away.


    "You still don''t stand a chance."


    Groaning, Adam got to his knee while breathing roughly.


    Roar!


    Several explosions occurred, but as it hit Beowulf, it was like his roar was nothing more than a gentle breeze.


    "Old friend¡­ do better!"


    Bam!


    Beowulf slammed his knee into Adam''s chest. Shockingly, Adam grabbed his knee, lifted him up, and slammed Beowulf behind him.


    A crimson light flashed 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 slammed 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 twin commanders 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 to come from another angle.


    After Beowulf grabbed the spear, Alex punched his face and delivered a kick as a follow-up. Two crimson lights flashed through Beowulf''s eyes, and he grinned.

 Chapter 101 - 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 clashed 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 flaming 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.


    Clang!


    Alex''s sword flew out of his hand!


    Alex ignored the pain coming from his wrist and stepped on Beowulf''s axe. He then punched Beowulf''s face.


    This time around, he saw the crimson gleam that flashed past Beowulf''s eyes.


    Beowulf let go of his left axe and their fists collided! Alex''s knees slammed 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 clashed with Beowulf.


    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 replan 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 replan.


    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 calculated the distance and once he entered their zone, he launched 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 to come, 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 clashing 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''t compare to the thick armor the Bladebreakers 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 clashed with the Bladebreakers, 30 had fallen. The rest were decimated by the Bladebreakers. Their cleavers were destroyed by the Bladebreakers''s lances 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. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 wounded commanders and his general.


    "Call the physician!"

 Chapter 102 - 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 clad 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 farmlands had been abandoned for fear of being killed by the Ashbourne soldiers.


    Only a few soldiers in the Silver Wolf Infantry and Desolate Slayers Infantry lost their lives, while many of them were wounded.


    Because of the Desolate Slayers, 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 Desolate Slayers.


    In the lord''s tent, Asher sat down with Beowulf''s twin great axes on his table, Gath''s mountain cleaver and the crimson lance 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 blacksmiths."


    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 blades.


    "She''s right. Those axes are from the old dwarven ruins found by the big clans 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.


    Clang!


    His sword had a chip!


    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 blacksmiths 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 long lance.


    The main part was dark scarlet and it had a black 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 annihilate those beastsmen. First, give me your lance."


    Asher quickly merged both lances and it became a 9-foot-long lance with two sharp edges. One at the end of the handle and the other at the tip of the lance.


    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 Desolate Slayers 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 flame torches and their households paying obeisance to him.


    "We surrender."


    Had Asher rushed in with his men, they would have fought to their last breath with the hope of winning but instead Asher surrounded them, cut off means of transport, cut off their access to their farms and livestock and kept everyone in fear.


    After hours, the elders succumbed to pressure and decided to come and surrender to Asher. After all, he did kill their chief.


    [Conquer all the Bashan clans in seven days. (1/1)]


    [Reward unlocked.]


    [Host, you can fuse all the clans and villages together to become a great city.]


    [Ding! Would the host like to upgrade the Bashan clans to become 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 Bladebreaker troop stele. A terror-grade troop! All soldiers are granted B-grade talents: Blade 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 Desolate Slayer troop stele. A special grade troop! All soldiers are granted C-grade talents: Desolate Footman.] Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [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 Bladebreakers'' flew towards their destinations and the city''s construction began.


    Rumble!

 Chapter 103 - 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 pillars of each gate were black flags 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 collapsed and a manor rose up in its place. 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 pillars and there were three stairs before the stone throne. At the armrests of the stone throne were sculptures of wolf heads.


    His flags 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 quest completed.]


    [Reward: Commander Lambert is available 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 other commanders but had great leadership skills. This was the reason he was able to make the Bladebreakers a cohesive force.


    As he walked out of the hall, he looked at the appealing courtyard that lacked 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 Desolate Slayer 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 Bladebreaker 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, Desolate Slayers also had somewhat white plumes, but it leaned towards being gray. Bladebreakers had red and long plumes, while the Stormbringers had none.


    In total his force has increased to 1,189 elite soldiers!


    Their commanders, 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.


    "Congratulations 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 time later, he entered the barrack created by the awakening stele and saw a few Bladebreakers 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 Bladebreakers, fully clad in their heavy armour.


    "His Lordship has arrived!"


    "We greet His Lordship!!" Everyone, civilian and soldier, all half-knelt.


    Asher waved his hand. "Arise."


    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! Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    When the light died down, what appeared was an imposing cavalier clad 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 clad in a red garment with golden plate armour above it. It also had red wings bigger than the one on Lambert''s helmet on the metal plate 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 Bladebreakers 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 outlander.


    "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 Bladebreaker 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 plains of Tenaria and the big clans in the depths of Bashan.

 Chapter 104 - 104: 500 Cavaliers

    After Asher gave the go-ahead, the civilian walked into the building and walked out shortly after, clad in thick dark silver half plate-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 Bladebreaker Cavalier spun his lance, fell on one knee and lowered his head.


    "Your Lordship."


    His calm and steady tone appealed to the others, making them yearn to become 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 accept 10 people." A soldier checked the space and gave a new order.


    ...¡­.


    An hour later, Asher stood on a wooden platform with Lambert and some Bladebreaker captains by his side.


    His hands were clasped behind him as he stared at the new Bladebreakers 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 Bladebreaker 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 clad in gold and silver ranked armour would shock even Count William Tigris!


    Still, Asher couldn''t clash with the count because he had an elite 10,000 strong heavy cavalry!


    His forces could sweep through the wastelands in one month but because of dying soil, the wasteland 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 Bladebreaker 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. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I want to hear them."


    Katarina opened a beast skin. "A total of 4000 Centraks from all clans. 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 clan. There is a small mining village 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 plains had and he would soon start trading ovok milk, which was famous for being the best in the whole of the northern high plains, 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-class nobles had split up the land 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 wastelands from the high plains, the nobles in the wastelands had to pay taxes to him.


    In a way, he had made the entire wastelands his fief.


    Asher thought so because all the lords in the wastelands were his vassals!


    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 plains that stretched and stretched until they met the mountains.


    This city was gifted to rear livestock and he could imagine it becoming 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 - 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 in large 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 glass covering, he could be easily spotted.


    From up here, he could see Eritrea giggle as she chatted with the other commanders. 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!!"


    His comrades echoed.


    Others turned toward the window, including the commanders 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. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "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, according 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 is land for him to conquer. He''s a warlord, not a broken man."


    None of them had any idea when Katarina appeared and slapped 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, calculating 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 players spawning out of nowhere, thinking they were playing a game.


    The relief he had was that he crashed the game before dying.


    Turning, Asher saw a map on the wall. It was quite large.


    "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 Black 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, occupied 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 ''Desolate Forest,'' the place 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 Polar 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 places that he was lord over were on the map. Other places 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 black tunic and black pants, regulated 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. It lacks 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.


    "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 - 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. Players 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 similar 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''t come up with any words as he watched Ariel float toward him and place 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 desolatelands but not even our first ancestor Zenas expected the appearance of Ashkelon."


    She pursed her lips.


    "Building your domain in a land that has never been conquered by any high plain lord wasn''t a plan I nor any of your relatives 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 plan on making her know it was the work of the system. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "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 too late."


    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 blade 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 black 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 air come together to become visible. The fierce coalesced wind slammed downward, splitting the cavalry and slaying a hundred in an instant!


    As if that wasn''t enough, she leaned forward and breathed out a burst of wind, so large 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 clashed with the black 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 clashed with the 12-foot-tall black armored knight.


    A visible ripple blasted outward, sweeping away thousands of soldiers! The fact that the red armored knight could clash swords with the black armored knight stunned Asher greatly.


    She was swift while the black 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 slaughter 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."


    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 desolate valley.


    "Now, boy, how good are you with the sword?"


    Before Asher could reply, Ariel''s swords had left her scabbards.

 Chapter 107 - 107: Hidden Shadow Guards

    Clang!


    Asher clashed with her. He ground his teeth, took a step back and saw another sword coming down on his head. Asher inhaled and swung his sword upward. The swords clashed 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 slash.


    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 him coming 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 clashed, 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.


    Clang!


    They clashed. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 blade 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. To compensate 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 becomes 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 nothing compared 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 to launch 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. His competitive 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 place was desolate; 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 black fur covered hand, and it vanished.


    Creases formed on Asher''s forehead. Though subtle, he could hear footsteps that almost seemed illusionary.


    Was this his mind?


    Suddenly, he opened his eyes and, behold, ten figures clad in black were around him, all wielding daggers.


    Jackal Clan''s Shadow Guards!

 Chapter 108 - 108: Life & Death Scroll

    Asher opened his eyes and saw three creatures standing on two legs. At the end of their fingers were sharp claws 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 black.


    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 clan 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 nobles lacked. 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 flashed through his eyes. He had been considering forcing his way to the hallway or hoping his men would come but both of them had huge cons.


    One, in forcing his way, he might be killed, while the second was that his men might never come.


    The head assassin brought out an animal skin and gave it to the one by his left.


    "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 place 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 blasted 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 be coming." It seemed like two voices were speaking from Asher''s mouth, one male and the other female.


    The last 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 other commanders 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 was coming 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. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "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 their commander are prohibited from leaving their lord. Except a direct command."


    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 available to be upgraded to a keep.]


    Some time later, Asher lay 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 planned for them to visit him tomorrow."


    "Change that. Bring him here."

 Chapter 109 - 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 plan to spend his time trying to convince one man, especially not after he was almost enslaved to beastmen!


    His mood at this moment was volatile.


    "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." S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "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 plains 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 flame torches. Asher could spot Jackal watchmen walking about with swords and shields, while some held torches.


    A raven flew and landed 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 blast. In the process, the flame 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 flames.


    "Don''t kill all of them. I want a message sent to their great clan."


    Eritrea nodded.


    Rumble!


    She and the other markswomen rode down the valley, launching 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 clan paid for trying to assassinate her lord.

 Chapter 110 - 110: Ashkelon Guard Troop

    Soon, the flames billowed up into the skies and Asher and his troops watched the town from when it was set ablaze 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 annihilate the small town." Uriah muttered but Asher heard it.


    "From the moment they sent assassins and tried to enslave me into a contract that would make me a slave lord all the days of my life, the line had been crossed. I shall wipe that clan 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 Bladebreakers. 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. The command of a Lord!


    "I happen to know that the Bashan clan 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 enslaved, which is more likely."


    Uriah couldn''t retort.


    Asher made Bezerk take a few steps toward Uriah and lean forward. "You were all slaves, ignorant of reality. You were all fooling yourselves, thinking you were freemen."


    Uriah smiled bitterly and lowered his head. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "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 surely come; beastmen are not humans; they are twice as strong, armed with claws 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 flashed 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 flames, 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 desolate 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 clad in silver helmets and silver breastplates 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 as complicated 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 Bladebreakers?''


    [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 become 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 were coming.


    But Asher had faith those jackals would not be coming anytime soon once the assassin relayed his information and the one they spared also relayed 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 Bladebreaker barrack and the Ashkelon Guards''s stele built a similar transformation building, a building that looked similar to a tower.


    At the gates of the barrack, he met Adam seated on a stone grinding his large 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 - 111: Claude Flameheart In Peril

    "How many gathered?"


    Adam stood up and looked at the crowd through the gate.


    "4000. More are still coming."


    "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 clans.


    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 plan to bring about 10,000 or more civilians to Nineveh, and the Bladebreakers will slowly increase until they hit 1000."


    "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 population is too little for such a large city." Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 before launching 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 the lands 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 Bladebreaker recruits.


    The cost of each bladebreaker was equivalent to 1000 Ashbourne Guards!


    Also, while the Bladebreakers 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, lacking numbers wasn''t much of a disadvantage.


    Finally, when the sun had emerged, the last 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, and combined 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 slammed 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.


    Claude Flameheart 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 Claude couldn''t lose that because he was already making progress in the high plains.


    Not only that, but he also purchased 1000 boxes of iron ore, and in exchange, he gave them gold coins, spices, and all that Nineveh lacked. Mostly good fish, salt, and sugar.


    He was in a delightful mood before sleeping last night, but the news that came to him this morning was horrifying.


    Jordan Zebulun was now a viscount with a fierce army of slave 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 - 112: Back To Nineveh

    When the doors opened and the knights in the hall saw Claude, they lowered their heads and waited for him to take his seat.


    "What happened?" Claude asked the knights seated on the long rectangular 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." Nicolas said solemnly.


    "According 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."


    Claude 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."


    Nicolas pointed at a map spread on the table.


    "What are our numbers?"


    Claude 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 Claude 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 becoming 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 Nicolas 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 to last for some days with the advantage of the walls." Nicolas said reassuringly.


    "I''m not certain about that. The bull warriors Viscount Jordan has under his command; I have met them once in the high plains. A baron bought 100 of them. They are muscular warriors that have undergone brutal training to become a frightening land force and are also adept at sieges. Viscount Jordan bought the best slave soldiers."


    Claude 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." Claude said solemnly.


    "I''m suspecting Count Williams."


    Nicolas 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."


    Claude''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." Claude stroked his chin.


    "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 place? Why don''t we send it to the county, seeking aid from the mages?" A knight asked. His brows knit together.


    Nicolas turned to the knight.


    "These unique birds that are much better than the ones in Tigris County are from that wretched place."


    "What?"


    ....


    After a month and an extra week of receiving news from Ashkelon, informing him of their lord''s return and the massive population that were coming with him, Kelvin stood at the top of the main gate, looking at the population 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 flag 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 population 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 Flame 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 occurred in the city to him. While Eritrea and her troops stopped at their barracks.


    He planned on sending the other 70 Thunderstorm Rangers to the Stormbringer barracks to become cavaliers, while the 100 infantrymen left by Alec would be sent to the Shura Vanguard barracks to become 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. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "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 - 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 to lay down and close its eyes. It made soft sounds.


    While caressing Sirius, Asher''s smile grew wider and his expression got brighter. His commanders 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 wastelands, 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 population but increase!...


    After the 17,000 were settled, Asher walked into the sacred hall with high expectations.


    [Ding! Population has exceeded limits. Criteria for another upgrade have been fulfilled.]


    [Host, would you like to upgrade your stronghold to become an Epic City stronghold? Yes or No?]


    Asher raised an eyebrow.


    ''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 platform around it was pure white. It was whiter than the walls of the hall, which had long black flags.


    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. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 black flags, and this made the white wolf head more distinct.


    [Epic City Stronghold''s Name: Nineveh


    Epic City Stronghold''s Tier: Tier One


    Population: 25,000/50,000


    Security: 85/100


    Loyalty: 98/100]


    Gladdened 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 flag running down from the top to the middle parts of the castle. It was slowly resembling a palace.


    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 accommodate troops of thousands. At some intervals, there were massive round pillars that held the wall in place, and at the top of these pillars, 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 penetrate into the desolatelands, and seeing its current state, Asher''s confidence grew.


    With more upgrades, this stronghold would become 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-palace.


    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 was complimented 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 a large 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 plate armor.


    The lower part of their helmet had straight metal lines like the bars of a burglary 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 Quest completed.]


    [For upgrading your first territory to become 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 your command: Ambidextrous Fighter.]

 Chapter 114 - 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 become saint-ranked armored swordsman knights!


    He trembled.


    If he could nurture them properly, they would become a dreadful force known throughout the Tenaria continent.


    "It''s His Lordship." Nero nudged his father, who gazed at his dream to come 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 their commander despite the circumstances, and their commander could only act when the lord had given him an order.


    The King Swordsmen could not go to a war that lacked 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." Asher commended.


    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 BloodBlade.]


    Asher raised both brows.


    BloodBlades were extremely skilled professionals whose only job was to be by the lord''s side. They were literally everywhere the Lord could be found.


    BloodBlades 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 BloodBlades, but Ashbournes had pet beasts, so no BloodBlade had ever been found since the Ashbournes became a noble household.


    A BloodBlade 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 BloodBlade?"


    Alex''s eyes widened, and he fell on one knee.


    "I will be honored to be your BloodBlade!"


    [Ding! Would you upgrade Sir Alex to become your BloodBlade? Yes or No?]


    ''What?! He''s already a commander!''


    [He can still command as a BloodBlade.]


    Asher frowned deeply.


    "I was speaking to Nero. Do you know who a BloodBlade is?" S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 BloodBlade because he will have to leave my side to tend to his wife¡­"


    "We can both be your BloodBlades. 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 become Ashbourne BloodBlades.


    [Alex and Nero are available for upgrade. Would you upgrade Alex and his son, Nero, to become your BloodBlades? 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 chestplate.


    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.


    The layer 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 BloodBlades at his sides and his pet beast lying lazily at the left end of the hall.


    Boom!


    The doors opened and a man, a silver-ranked soldier from the Flameheart 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 Flameheart domain. A land 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 - 115: Flameheart Crisis

    The Flameheart 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 wastelands, could build such a magnificent stronghold, large 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 BloodBlades, 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 caused commotion, 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 flames billowing off it.


    "I hear you came from Baron Flameheart''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?" S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "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 not last 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. According to some sources, he received approval from the imperial family and has bought troops of slave warriors."


    Kelvin spoke.


    "These slave warriors are powerful. Strong enough to bring down our forces with little casualty. In a month, the last 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 plain expression.


    He rose to his feet.


    "You should have informed me, Kelvin. The Flamehearts are our only source of trading without attracting attention to ourselves. If he is gone, we are exposed."


    "I considered the matters at the desolatelands, 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 wastelands, 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 wastelands 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 BloodBlades 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 Flameheart. While he holds the front for me, I shall expand in the desolatelands."


    "That is a wise choice, Your Lordship, but there is no need to ignore the wastelands. 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. Slade Nubis is petty; he will come when he sees a little spark of my rise."


    "Let us first defend Baron Flameheart, 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 Flameheart domain with my personal troop alone since they have the best mobility, but before then, is Blacksmith Dan at his forge? I want to discuss forging my own armor set."


    ...¡­..


    Clank! Clank!


    Not far from the city square, which was several hundred yards large 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 blacksmith could smith weapons.


    Right now, Dan, the big bearded journeyman-grade blacksmith, was slamming 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 - 116: Clash Of Barons [1]

    "Master Dan. It''s been a while."


    A voice rang behind the BloodBlade, and upon recognizing the tone, Blacksmith 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 plate 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 BloodBlades wore cloaks, so they just looked strange, but since there were Desolate Slayers in the city square, the people weren''t frightened.


    As of now, Nineveh did not welcome guests, adventurer guilds, or any other organizations like merchant guilds, so odd people were easily noticed.


    "To make 10 complete 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 blacksmiths and will spearhead the creation of our unique armor."


    Dan raised an eyebrow.


    "I did learn a lot and will become a senior grade blacksmith 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 desolatelands 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 plans." Asher chuckled and looked right into Dan''s eyes. "I want something stronger. Possibly an alloy made from dwarven ore and another similarly powerful ore."


    Dan gasped at his Lord''s lofty ambition.


    "To produce such armor, you will need thousands upon thousands of senior grade blacksmiths, hundreds of master grade blacksmiths, and tens of saint grade blacksmiths."


    "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." sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "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 succeeded 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''t common. 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 balanced.


    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 Claude''s guards, and Nicolas, Claude''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!" Claude''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."


    Claude said softly.


    His wife and some wealthy individuals in his domain that were in the courtroom trembled.


    "We are about to be slaughtered by slaves!"


    "Gather our men; we shall hold the walls. Try to recruit more mercenaries. Promise them 10 gold coins each."


    Claude ignored them and spoke to Nicolas.


    "As you wish, your lordship."


    Before Nicolas 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 Claude faint.


    He went to the walls and looked at the great army marching toward his city with different flags raised high. All this while Count William Tigris had not said a word despite sending letters to him.


    Claude watched them pitch their tents, preparing to attack them.


    "They would definitely attack by nightfall," Nicolas said.


    "Since it has come to this, give me a sword. Let me defend my city."


    Claude''s eyes flashed with ruthless gleam.

 Chapter 117 - 117: Clash Of Barons [2]

    Eventually, the skies became dark. It was nightfall!


    The walls of Hebron City were bright, as several flame torches could be seen a few meters away from each other.


    While Claude stood on the walls, looking at the tent, the commanders 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 wastelands.


    "Finally," Arnon chuckled.


    He stood in between Jazer, a sword-wielding knight, and Bozrah, a mace-wielding knight. Arnon was a slave commander and the leader of Jordan''s troops. Jazer was House Scarlet''s commander, and Bozrah was House Tyre commander.


    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 wasteland.


    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! sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 plate 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 slaughtered.


    "Lord Zebulun has ordered us to bring the Flameheart 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. The commanders turned and saw the water mage in a wheelchair. A maid was behind her.


    "How?" Bozrah folded his arms. All of them, including the slave commander, knew that mages were of great importance in battles, and Aquila had proved herself. She was the reason they had little losses and more kills.


    The commanders respected her.


    Aquila looked at the sky. "Can''t you feel it? It''s about to rain."


    A water mage was several folds more powerful during the late hours of the night and when it rained. Knowing that both advantages were going to be on her side, Aquila felt more than excited to utterly destroy the Flameheart 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, the commanders looked at themselves and chuckled. "Even nature is on our side." Jazer burst into laughter.


    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 delay.


    "Call the messenger."


    Some time passed, and the four leaders of the army watched the messenger return. After he told them that Claude wasn''t ready to surrender. Aquilia giggled.


    "What a foolish lord."


    On the other side, Claude looked at the enemy''s tents and frowned. "Why haven''t they attacked?"


    Nicolas also frowned but he could not come 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.


    Claude looked around and finally looked at the sky. His expression sank.


    "It''s about to rain."


    Nicolas'' eyes widened.


    "Shields! Get all the shields in the armoury to this place!"


    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 splattered on Claude''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 become victims of the mage''s spell.


    More droplets fell from the sky and not long after, a heavy downpour began. By the time Claude was completely soaked, Aquilia lifted up her hand and muttered a few strange words.


    Finally, she spoke in the new Tenaria tongue.


    "Fall."


    Boom!


    Almost instantly, Claude looked up and saw three large balls of ice falling from the clouds.


    Boom! Boom! Boom!


    His men were slammed off the wall; some managed to resist but the second ball crushed their strength. As more fell from the skies, Flameheart 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 with ladders, long enough to scale the 12-meter-tall walls!


    When they reached the wall, ice stopped dropping from the sky, allowing them to place their ladders and climb.


    Rumble!


    "Do you hear that?" Aquila turned to the horizons with furrowed brows. She could feel a great piercing aura coming from the north and it was fast approaching with undeniable momentum.


    "Hear what?" One of her bodyguards raised a brow.

 Chapter 118 - 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 tremor coming from the north a while ago but 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 BloodBlades, and their lord, clad 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 muscular than the mounts of the others, made him more eye-catching. They and their mounts were soaked by the heavy downpour but their soaring aura wasn''t drowned by it.


    "Cavarly!"


    Aquilia''s eyes trembled.


    "It''s the count''s men!" One of her bodyguards exclaimed.


    "No¡­ It can''t be."


    Seeing the cavalry proudly standing at the horizon, watching the battle like it was some play, Claude 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 slammed 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. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 BloodBlades 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 clashed 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 clash bronze and silver-ranked soldiers clad in iron or bronze-ranked armor against gold-ranked knights fully clad in gold-ranked armor.


    Bozrah was also slammed 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 slammed him, pulled out a javelin and launched 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 chestplate.


    Instantly, a commander was down!


    Bozrah fell to his knees but before he could fall face flat, Asher pulled out his javelin and placed 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 clashed.


    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 flashed 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 Claude, they''re fighting for us!"


    Claude 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 Claude 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, landed 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 blasted 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 - 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 slammed 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 BloodBlades were before her.


    "You''re Lady Aquila, 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 wastelands.


    "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 claimed 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 become 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 BloodBlades.


    She didn''t even see when he left his horse and how did he know about her plan? S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "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 slammed 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, Flameheart archers began to shoot down the Scarlet soldiers while those that had climbed up the wall faced the Flameheart soldiers led by Flameheart 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 clashed with Arnon.


    A shockwave blew outward.


    The King Swordsman landed on his foot while Arnon landed 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 to land 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 too late."


    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 slammed 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!"


    Flameheart 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 troop come 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 - 120: Clash Of Barons [5]

    Flameheart soldiers surrounded the alliance army; Asher was already at the gates with his BloodBlades.


    As he rode into the city, soldiers looked at him like he fell from the sky.


    Claude hurriedly came down.


    "Lord Claude, It''s been a while."


    Asher flashed a smile.


    He dismounted, approached Claude, and patted his back. "I never knew you could fight."


    Claude laughed 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.


    Nonetheless, his talent, which was ''Camouflage'', 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 camouflage, 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 slaughter 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 Claude walked in with his chief knight, Nicolas. 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 Claude''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.


    Claude also sat.


    "This is Baron Asher Ashbourne."


    No one could talk as the presence of the BloodBlades shut their mouths.


    What made them even more fearful was that after the BloodBlades 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 flattered.


    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. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Duke? Duchess?


    "Forgive them. Only a few know about the centuries-old history of the Ashbournes." Claude 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 Flamehearts were not even worthy to be ants.


    "You''re saying their history is older than the counts?"


    Claude 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."


    Claude changed the topic.


    "Oh?"


    Claude''s words caught Asher''s attention.


    No longer interested in entertaining these people who were typically afraid of his BloodBlades, Asher left with Claude.


    The moment the door closed, a court member got to his feet.


    "That young lad saved us?" He said it in disbelief.


    Claude''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." Claude''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''t last 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 fairly large 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 blade seemed to be made from the horn of a great beast.


    It had the same color as the statue.


    Just looking at the snowflake 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 Blade.'' 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 - 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 has lasted 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 plan on drawing it."


    Claude 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 a large hole through the obsidian statue, a statue made completely 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 blacksmith. I don''t think any blacksmith 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 Blade. To have such an unseemly name, it must have a past."


    Alex held his tongue since Asher currently spoke to Claude.


    "Oh, it does. The unknown blacksmith 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 blacksmith.


    "Forged by a mortal to power a mortal and slay the slayers of mortals. A nemesis of immortals and terror to the creatures of the depths."


    When Asher said the last word, he lifted up his head.


    "It was made 500 years ago."


    He knew this because, from the writing, the blacksmith 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."


    Claude 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 a lance.


    He wrapped his fingers around the hilt and he swung it over his shoulder.


    "I appreciate your gift."


    Claude 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, Claude sent letters to Baron Scarlet and Baron Tyre while Asher and his King Swordsmen rode for Zebulun''s territory. He was bent on completely 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 the land 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?" sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "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 Blade was in his right hand and his feet were on his mount''s back. The same for his BloodBlades 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 and landing on the wall''s walkway. He swung his sword horizontally, slamming down three archers.


    A bull warrior at his right swung his axe downward but Asher deflected it and slammed 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 BloodBlades landed. Nero unsheathed his twin blades and moved like a phantom as he cut down any breathing thing on the left while Alex faced the right. The King Swordsmen also landed, 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 he lacked those to fight.


    Thud!


    A small dust rose up as he jumped down the wall and landed on the ground. He stood right before the gate and faced a company of bull warriors. They charged toward him.


    The first one received a kick that launched 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-circular 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 the company before his men began to jump down the wall.


    Asher turned to Nero.


    "Open the gates. Alex, come."


    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 - 122: Clash Of Barons [7]

    Inside Zebulun''s manor.


    A soldier clad in armor knocked at a locked wooden door.


    "My Lord!" He said it with a raised voice. His lord had partied last 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 the land 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 slammed 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 planning 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 Flameheart 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 these coming 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 clad in armor, which made him look dreadful, while the other was dressed like a lord.


    He wore a white tunic, black 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 place is only as big as a town, and it''s populated with farmers and stockmen."


    Alex said.


    Asher looked around. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "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 Flameheart 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 moments later, 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 access 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 places to gain income from. He was a massive supplier to the county and had his influence spread far into the high plains without Claude''s knowledge.


    As Claude had suspected, there were forces helping Jordan hide all these from him. So in Claude''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 place where they were always affected by cold, the design of clothes would surely be different than the norm.


    From Artemas, he found out the population of workers Jordan had were about 4000! All of them were skilled in one occupation or the other.


    After waiting a week and some days, 500 infantrymen came from Nineveh and escorted the population toward the stronghold. Jordan''s manor was emptied, both of people, money, and livestock.


    Some days later, Baron Scarlet and Baron Rutherford came to Jordan''s manor with their personal troops, but all they saw was ruins. The place had been razed to the ground!


    Both barons stood outside their carriages, staring at the ruins with disbelief.


    "What did Baron Claude 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 - 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.


    According to Kelvin, it was a human town. They were not under the protection of any lord in the wastelands.


    Asher planned to visit this fort himself, as it was the first human settlement they had seen in the wastelands. It seemed like the wasteland 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 clad in a black 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, glaring 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 play 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 nonchalant or disrespectful tone. He could easily ask one of his BloodBlades 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 plains?"


    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: Aquila Tyre


    Age: 25


    Rank: Silver


    Talent: Water Manipulation (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 available 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 similar 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." S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "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!


    How laughable!


    "Good. My Bloodblades, 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 BloodBlades 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 their lady 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 - 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 populated 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."


    Aquila 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 wild lands and capture 3 Thousand Li horses. Reward 20 silver coins."


    He mused.


    After walking for a while, they located a store. The young lady working as a receptionist had a delicate look, bright, large eyes, and a professional smile, which added a radiant touch to her face.


    Clad in a light green gown, she greeted them warmly.


    "Good morning, what would you like to purchase?" S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "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 Aquila.


    "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."


    Aquila 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.


    Aquila couldn''t close her mouth.


    As they walked away, they encountered commotion. Both sides of the streets were populated 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 Slade?"


    "Of course."


    "Lord Slade just became a diamond-ranked knight. Their marriage isn''t far off."


    "Diamond-ranked at such a young age?!''


    "Shush! Here they come!"


    Asher turned to his right and saw four pegasuses carrying a carriage through the air as they gracefully flapped their wings.


    The carriage was golden with a large 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 black cats. They wore white armor and had long lances.


    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¨¦, Slade, 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 available 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?" Aquila complained just as they crossed the city gate.


    Asher''s eyes flashed. ''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 - 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 class 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 men coming 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! sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She happened to be the closest friend Mary had in and outside of the academy.


    "Just throw it away. We have class."


    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 to come 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 plagued 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, similar to this one for him. This was her greatest ambition.


    Yuna pursed her lips.


    ...¡­..


    As Mary and Yuna walked into their class, a blonde-haired young man chortled. "The Ashbourne knight is here."


    "Hahaha!"


    His friends burst into laughter.


    When Mary first joined the academy, her talent made her stand out, but while she was a high grader in the researcher class, she was the weakest in knight class, also known as the duelist class 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, flames 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 clapped. "I''ll be waiting."


    He smiled proudly.


    "Yuna. Isn''t it time you tell her that this isn''t a class 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 while later, their teacher walked into the class.


    "Today will be theoretical. Keep your weapons aside."

 Chapter 126 - 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 Bladebreaker cavaliers. While he would release 500 Silver Wolf Infantrymen, 500 Desolate Slayers, and 200 Stormbringer cavaliers to conquer both baronies.


    The commanders 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 similarities 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. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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- or late sixties.


    ''Does human lifespan increase at the imperial rank?''


    That rank was far out of his reach, and all of his commanders 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. "Your commanders request your presence before they leave for battle."


    "I see."


    The troops gathered together last 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 the commanders 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 clad 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 desolatelands 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 wastelands.


    The southern part was ruled by the count''s direct vassals, people who paid taxes and had sworn allegiance to him.


    Tyre, Scarlet, and Flamehearts were free lords; they earned their domains, and due to where their lands 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 a large 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, Aquila, shifting backwards, watched him vigilantly.


    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 the large 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 moments later, 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.


    [Aquila Tyre


    Age: 25


    Rank: Gold


    Talent: Water Manipulation (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 BloodBlade.


    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 - 127: A Century Old Priestess

    "Arise."


    Asher said as he sat down.


    "Have the plans 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, the commanders 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 mage commander. 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 access."


    "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 plan to head to the imperial city to claim 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''t completely 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 wastelands 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. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 become 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 relay to them the forces I have gathered, and as usual the imperial family would want to use the Ashbournes as a blade. 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 placed 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 BloodBlades, 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 clad in plate armor around that town. Not just that, but their land is strangely rich, so rich that they have a large 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 become an exclusive trade for him if he managed to upgrade them to become 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 light lamps, for cosmetics, perfumes, and for medicines.


    It could become 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?"


    "According 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 - 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 plans. With her, the land and mana will slowly be restored, and that will impact negatively on their plans 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 desolatelands, they will fall."


    Kelvin pressured. He could sense Asher wanted to play it safe this time. The last 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 class orc leading the 10,000 warrior orcs! 10,000 normal orcs could face 20,000 human soldiers and slaughter 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 that land 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 plans for the upcoming winter. It''s just six months away!" He exclaimed.


    Asher got to his feet.


    "I need the Bladebreakers, 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 accommodate more commoners.


    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! S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 upcoming volume whenever it comes!


    3RD AND UPCOMING VOLUME: Into The Depths!!!

 Chapter 129 - 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 skies lacked 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 claws sank into the dark brown soil that was wet from the morning dew. That was right; this fog was dew.


    It was dawn!


    Flap! Flap!


    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 claws attached to the ends of the wings like that of a wyvern.


    It also had two hind legs with similar claws 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 Blade 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 claws 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 blade 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 Blade. 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 blade. What happened in his dream flashed 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 blade. 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 BloodBlades appeared after a burst of radiance from a round platform. He looked at the bustling view and walked down the stairs.


    Two guards, upon seeing Asher''s Bloodblades, 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 BloodBlades, the officials there instantly recognized him as a noble. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Welcome, Milord."


    A young woman lowered her head while wearing a professional smile. She adjusted her glass.


    "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 access into the palace. 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 - 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 clans, 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 plans 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 Flame Empire, which grew stronger every year, might see their internal conflict as an advantage and launch a great attack on the empire.


    Finally, on the third day, he received a letter from the administrative council that the second highness had accepted his request for a meeting and that he had been summoned to the imperial palace.


    ...¡­


    Boom!


    Tapk! Tapk!


    Footsteps fell into the ears of two beautiful figures seated on golden chairs in the palace 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 black 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 scholar who once explored with a researcher from Nightfire Kingdom and discovered the green vine.


    A precious plant that produces green glue, an ingredient crucial for the creation of green clay. Green clay 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 clay, which in turn both beautified and strengthened their walls.


    However, it would take over 40,000 sacred gold coins to plaster the walls of Nineveh with green clay!


    Green clay 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 flames!


    She had expected his descendants to possess a similar trait.


    "What brought a descendant of the great Zenas to our palace?" Sylvia suddenly asked.


    Asher looked at her.


    "I came to ask for a favor on behalf of our past relationship. Count William takes no heed to the imperial rule and has been expanding yearly. Lately, he has landed nobles in the southern region of the wastelands and I believe he will soon take over the entire wastelands. Once that happens, he will become a duke."


    "But that land is dead." Sylvia tilted her head.


    "That doesn''t mean it can''t be used to nurture troops."


    "So you want to reclaim that land 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." sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 planned on reuniting the empire. A grand ambition, almost as crazy as his.


    However, Aaron did not give him the Northlands, which were the wastelands and the desolatelands 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 Flameheart.


    The northern part of the wastelands 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 BloodBlades 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 - 131: Old Enemies

    Inside a beautiful courtyard, a handsome man clad in a silk robe that exposed a bit of his chest caressed the head of his mount, a royal Swiftwing with a calculative 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 platforms. 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 planned 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. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "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 clad in a brown hooded cloak with his BloodBlades. 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 palace. 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 platform, 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 Desolate Slayers 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 villages in House Scarlet''s domain."


    "Excellent."


    "Sirius has conquered all the villages 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 - 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 flames. 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, accumulate, and spike after a while.


    This was the main secret about the Shura Blade Battle Art. It constantly tempered the bodies of the practitioners until their bodies had the traits of blades. 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 his commanders a flame attribute battle art that was higher than the Blazing 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 plausible 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, he lacked knowledge of the effects.


    Asher chuckled.


    He walked toward his window and looked at the stronghold. There were lamps and torches at some parts of the stronhold, while some were in pitch darkness. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 planned on expanding into the desolatelands, but the cold, old races, and lots of unknown factors bothers me. It will be harder to conquer than the wastelands."


    "Both the wastelands and the desolatelands are the Endless Northlands 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 Flamehearts will be wary toward us. Do you think he might ally with the southern wasteland 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 a complete 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 - 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." S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 after completing 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 place.


    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 particular 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 replaying to Kelvin, he began to savor his meal.


    Cynthia had smiles as she would occasionally 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 Asher come up with a solution. It was a way of training Asher without his knowledge.


    ...¡­.


    On the walls of a castle, the Black Iron castle. The last 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 slamming 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 their commander, 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 and launched them toward Sirius but the javelins bounced off its fur. At that moment, Sirius arrived, and he slammed the stone wall!Boom!


    The section where Sirius slammed 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 flames billowed out of its mouth in the fashion of a flamethrower.


    Those who were caught in the flaming 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 Bladebreaker, who rushed in through the broken wall, had a thin layer 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 claws, 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'' claws.


    At the bodyguard''s dying breath, he wondered where such a dreaded beast had been and who was able to tame it.


    Seeing Sirius slay 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 - 134: Last Stronghold

    Baron Scarlet''s hair glowed and a fiery red beam blasted out of the palm of his hands, leaving a scorching trail as it slammed Sirius in full momentum!


    A fiery shockwave blasted outward, destroying nearby buildings!


    "Sirius!"


    Lambert''s eyes widened and he spurred his horse. With a swift turn, he galloped toward the huge flames that swallowed Sirius and everything around it.


    Baron Scarlet was still releasing the hot, fiery blast while moving forward, one step at a time.


    "Arghh!"


    He screamed and flames 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 figure landed on the walls. Her eyes locked on the dark silhouette in the midst of the flames. It was Sirius.


    She knocked her great thunderbow and the thunderous sound of three arrows leaving her bow resounded. Meanwhile, at the same time, Lambert launched 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 flames, 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 slammed it against the ground. A whitish-azure mist blasted out in a ring-like form.


    It swallowed the flames 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 golden lance tightly gripped in the palm of his right hand.


    The moment the gap vanished, Lambert swung his lance clockwise, cutting down both the polearms and the men holding it.


    In a single sweep, seven soldiers had fallen!


    Spinning his lance, Lambert released his battle force, which burst out like tendrils, wrapped the other soldiers and dragged them toward him.


    He swung his lance 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 Bladebreakers were mowing down the last of the resisting Scarlet soldiers while lightning arrows continually flew on the walls, hitting Scarlet soldiers and causing blasts.


    The top of the wall was like a light show.


    It kept glowing, making the night look festive.


    Lifting his lance, 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 Bladebreaker 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 place.


    Their spears faced the heavens, their flags 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-tall commander.


    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, muscular, scale-covered arms!


    Rutherford crossed his arms.


    "Did you think I''d let you start a siege against my last stronghold? After seeing what you did to the others?" He scowled.


    "Bringing your men to the plains makes no difference." S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rutherford laughed boisterously.


    "I see. But you''ve lost 500 men already. Why waste this remaining 500?"


    Alec frowned.


    "I gained five villages and two towns. The loss was worth it."


    "Pray tell, where is your bastard lord? Tell me so that once I''m done slaughtering 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, slammed the ground, the earth trembled!


    Even Rutherford Tyre felt the vibration beneath his feet.

 Chapter 135 - 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 wastelands were about to clash!


    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 slammed 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 phalanx 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. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "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 spear lashed out like a python, landing 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 other commanders 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 a commander worthy of respect.


    Heeding to his command, 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 the last 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, slamming 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 blast 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 flag 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 flames and he was cutting down foes without reserves.


    The moment he laid 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 - 136: Upgrading Sirius

    Bam!


    Baron Rutherford flew backward and slammed the ground so hard that all the bones in his body began to hurt.


    He saw a life flash 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 slammed 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 wasteland 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 the large wooden prisons that had large 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 you command."


    He turned and left.


    After a night''s rest, 600 infantry soldiers, 300 Silver Wolf, and 300 Desolate Slayers 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 slain or captured.


    At the end of that day, Typhon City was conquered and the Ashbourne flags 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 population of 70,000! 50,000 were sent to Ashkelon, increasing the city''s population to 100,000, while 20,000 stayed in Nineveh.


    Nineveh''s population rose up to 49,000!


    In the sacred hall, Asher sat on the throne, looking at his commanders 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¡­] S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 claws 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 the commanders were able to hide the fright in their eyes.


    The BloodBlades 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 become 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 your commanders?" Kevin whispered to him.


    Asher raised an eyebrow. His eyes veered toward his commanders, and he lifted his right hand.


    "Arise."


    All of them stood up. Asher then turned to Sirius. "How do you plan 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 his commanders.


    [Ding! Your intentions to reward your commanders have been sensed.]


    [Would you like to upgrade Commander Alec to become a Grand Commander, being able to command 10,000 elite infantrymen? Yes or No?]


    [Would you like to upgrade Commander Eritrea to become a Grand Commander, being able to lead 10,000 elite sharpshooters? Yes or No?]


    [Would you like to upgrade Commander Lambert to become an Epic Commander, being able to lead 5,000 cavaliers? Yes or No?]

 Chapter 137 - 137: Sacred-Ranked Commanders

    ''Do it.''


    Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!


    Blinding lights engulfed his commanders, 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 black armor that had white lines at the edges of each part of their armor, such as the chestplate, 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 chestplate 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 rectangular 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 triangular spearhead grew to the length of a short blade 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 long lance. 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 crimson lance 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 black gown was an enhanced ovok leather armor that embraced her slender figure, making her look even more captivating as an archer. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 male commanders.


    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-ranked commanders!


    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-ranked commanders were no doubt the highest-ranked knights any lord in the entire wastelands, northern and southern, could possibly have.


    "Arise."


    They got to their feet.


    Alex eyed the newly upgraded commanders. 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 population, 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 Desolate Slayers and the Silver Wolf battalions?"


    Alec pondered for a bit before raising his head.


    "The Desolate Slayers 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 Desolate Slayers. They bear the burden, and yet they do not fall as much as the Desolate Slayers. 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 plausible, 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 clans in Bashan."


    "You''re saying there are war machines being traded in Bashan, a place populated 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 his commander.


    "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 clans found the ruins of the old races?"


    Eritrea''s eyes flickered.


    "Probably."


    She was quite uncertain, but the risks of barbarians laying 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 the commanders left, Asher got to his feet.


    "Any news from Aquilia?"


    "Yes. She is done with the grand teleportation channel, and 200 Bladebreaker cavaliers are at the barracks awaiting your orders."

 Chapter 138 - 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 BloodBlades 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 become a creature capable of being a noble house guardian beast, it still wants to be used as a ride!''


    Alex gasped inwardly.


    Some time later, 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 BloodBlades, 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 blasting 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 to compete 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 desolate 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 planned 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 gallantly riding past them.


    "Your lord looks young." Jazer, the Scarlet gold-ranked knight who laid 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 place 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 plan something like this.''


    [I understand.]


    "Let''s go."


    They rode up the mountain road, which was patterned in a circular fashion. The moment they arrived at the top of the mountain, Asher discovered it was a flat 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 the landscape, 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 flat for tens of kilometers!


    This place 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. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The moment he entered the prisonhold''s courtyard, Asher couldn''t perceive his battle force anymore!


    The feeling made him uncomfortable, but something else took his attention.


    Custodian Knights!


    Seeing the 8-foot-tall hulky mass of bronze muscles clad in a mask that had looked like a net, Asher''s soul almost left his body.


    What kind of troop is this?!

 Chapter 139 - 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 breastplates, had huge layered pauldrons, and had a fur-made battle skirt above their black 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 exceeded common 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 BloodBlades were behind him as usual but they looked several folds weaker and lacked their steel-like discipline.


    When Asher entered the barrack, he found Custodian Knights without their armor training. Two were clashing, 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 placed 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! Welcome 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 available for upgrade. Criteria for upgrade: It is too small to accommodate future prisoners.]


    ''You''re already thinking about the future this early.''


    Asher''s lips twitched. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''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 become 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 access 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 or coming 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 clad 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. Mage commander Aquilia."

 Chapter 140 - 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, clad in a coarse linen tunic and pants.


    He was already growing insane from the lack of mana in the prisonhold. It was as if the air was suffocating him with each passing minute.


    Clack! Clack!


    The sounds of Asher and his men''s boots tapping the floor made Aquilia look toward his direction and a dangerous gleam flashed 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 place 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 flashed.


    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, commander. 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, the law stands. If I am to be a fair lord and not be held accountable 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 my commanders 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 could launch 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, commander 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; you lack foresight and your stubbornness infuriates me."


    Aquilia still glared 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. My commander also gave his word and it will be unfair to disclaim 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?" S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 a commander 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''t come up with a word to retort. She saw things from a different point of view and when compared to her father''s, she discovered Asher was completely honest.


    "I apologise, My Lord."


    Asher smiled a bit.


    "Apologies accepted."


    As he turned back, the doors were slammed 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. We last met at the count''s banquet." Asher waved his hand at Rutherford, who looked at him with boiling hatred.


    "The count will surely come 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 placed 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 - 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 Clan 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 population 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 a landslide victory."


    Aquilia''s eyes flickered.


    She could feel the burden on Asher''s shoulders. Just mentioning the threat to the southern wasteland 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 occurrence.


    "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. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 plain landscape. 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, commanders, 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 flames, 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, this last 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 blade!


    There was another blade, similar 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 a large 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 the last 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 the last respect of a proper burial but this one ended up becoming 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 plants, trees, and vines!


    Yet she looked strangely beautiful.


    "Your talent makes you a vessel. That is what you have become. 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 - 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 exclaimed.


    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 healed completely." Kelvin sighed.


    With a bitter smile he lowered his head.


    "I hope that you can forgive me, Your Lordship."


    Asher didn''t know whether to laugh 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 black 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 become 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 placed on Asher''s hands, he sighed heavily. He grabbed the hilt and caressed the scabbard. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 Flameheart. 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 place 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 Bladebreakers, 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 BloodBlades squatted, looking at a bustling town guarded by soldiers wearing crimson garments above their plate 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 alarm.


    "They''ve found us."


    Asher sighed, causing his BloodBlades 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 - 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 black hair fell like a black stream down to her waist. It was as black as night and seemed to absorb the sunlight, contradicting her resplendent wings.


    Her porcelain pale skin was so enticing that it took willpower to reject the urge to reverence such a flawless 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 breastplate, and vambraces adorned her forearms.


    A drawn longsword reflecting the sunlight was aimed toward Asher.


    Almost instinctively, Asher and his BloodBlades 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 BloodBlades 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 somewhat lax, his vigilance 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''t comprehend 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 become 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 was latent 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 will come in search of us."


    "How do we tell..."


    Alex paused as his eyes widened when he saw Asher''s relaxed expression.


    His lord could communicate 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 relaxed.


    Asher looked at him and laughed. 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 outlanders, 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 blame him. The effects talents were to be respected.


    ''She definitely awakened a supreme-grade talent related 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.''


    .......


    Sometime later, 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. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 clanking 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 a commoner 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 nonchalant expression became solemn.

 Chapter 144 - 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 to lay 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 collapsed to their seats.


    Tobiah blinked several times. "Priestess¡­" S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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. The land has been dying due to their presence but I have stopped it from damaging our land. This is the reason none of you knew of their true number."


    "We need to leave this place!" 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 blazed.


    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, black armor, red javelins, and lance 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 some commoner 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 your last 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 great land 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 flame 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, clad in white and red, could be seen here and there tending to one thing or the order.


    They attended to plants 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 them come to us."


    Her brows rose up.


    "You want them to come here?!"

 Chapter 145 - 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 planting 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 plans 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 plain field, and we can''t attack their camp, so we must allow them to come 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 planning 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 hours later, 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 to complete 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 Desolate 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 regulate 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, flapped 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. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    All of a sudden, Sapphira paused and slashed her sword upward. A white misty force was released from the blade, 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 slashes, 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 blade.


    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, flapping 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 planning 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 desolate 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 was coming.


    No, an army was coming.


    "The orcs... they''re coming. All of them!"


    Sapphira''s violet pupils shook greatly.

 Chapter 146 - 146: Orc Siege

    Asher stood on the walls with range-related soldiers manning strategic positions. The Temple knights and the Stormbringers mounted the wall while the King Swordsmen, the Bladebreakers, 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 black wolves.


    The black 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 remained composed.


    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 black wolf had a scar on its face, making it look quite daunting.


    This was Khan!


    Clad in the fur of a white fox, adorned in red plate armor with a strange golden shield strapped to the side of his mount, this chief-class 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 flames.


    Those soaked in the oil burned without mercy and even caused the deaths of their comrades 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 and ladders 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 their ladders. Some carried rams toward the gate. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Without being told, the Stormbringers and the temple knights began to descend from the wall, allowing the King Swordsmen and the Bladebreakers to ascend.


    Asher lifted Euodias and exhaled softly.


    He tightened his grip around the hilt.


    "Bring down their ladders!"


    He bellowed and his men swiftly went to work, pushing off the ladders with deep grunts. Meanwhile, strong orcs slammed 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 and landed on the alure. The wolves jumped from their embrace, lunging toward nearby soldiers but they faced gold-ranked knights clad 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 the ladders and enter the alure.


    Asher looked around, watching the battle escalate 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 Asher coming, 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 - 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.


    Clang!


    Their weapons clashed 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. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With pure brute strength, he shattered their shields, cutting down five silver-ranked orcs instantaneously!


    Clang!


    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 could land, 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 occur 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 slaying the swordsman, the strong orc was repelled with a might force that launched 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 BloodBlade. "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 phalanx formation.


    "Prepare to en¡ª!"


    Bam!


    The commandant couldn''t complete his sentence when the wolves lunged. Spears met claws 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!"


    The commander 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 slash 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 slammed 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 - 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 wastelander.


    "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 place 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 with complete five fingers, each several times bigger than a human.


    The arms clasped together and slammed 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 slammed 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 flames on Chief Khan and the mage. By the time the flames died out, they saw earthen walls that were charred black.


    "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 clash 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 was coming for his neck.


    It turns out this wasn''t the kind of damsel that runs away from danger.


    Clang!


    Sparks flew as he narrowly deflected the strike. Knowing she wasn''t easy to conquer, Khan unleashed an overbearing strike, which Sapphira evaded and slashed her sword toward his elbow, but her sword rebounced when it hit his couter.


    It was then she began to study the chief class orc''s armor.


    This armor had traces of magical ingredients. It wasn''t the normal armor forged by blacksmiths!


    "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 blade would produce a different result. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Grabbing the scabbard, Asher pulled Euodia out of its sheath!

 Chapter 149 - 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 blade that looked as if it were made from blue glass, and almost instantly, a might spirit beast''s head with its forelimbs came out of the blade.


    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 had lasted 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 slammed 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 planned 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. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 when compared to others in similar circumstances, but not even that great durability would keep him alive.


    "Hahahaha!"


    Khan burst into laughter, 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 pillar lift her 3 meters off the ground and she slammed her staff against the pillar 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 blasted 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 place 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 glared 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 slain 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 planned 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 was coming 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 and large 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 Ashbournes combined was able to suppress it.


    The moment he tighetened his grip, a shockwave blasted outward.


    "His Lordship¡­" Alex gasped.

 Chapter 150 - 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 blade 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 slammed 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 Asher landed, shot forward, and swung his sword toward Khan''s men. A giant water sword formed, blasting 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 manipulation 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 blades 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.


    Clang!


    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 flashed 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 pillar 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 pillar.


    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 will come 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 flag. 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 Desolate Wolf soldiers built a solid shield wall and would occasionally open the wall in some places, 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 might complete what it started so he had to sheath it first.


    When the blade 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. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "We have slain all of them. It''s our victory, but our losses..."


    Alex''s smiled bitterly.

 Chapter 151 - 151: Upgrade: Olive Expanse

    After calculating 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 Bladebreakers, 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 Desolate Wolf Infantrymen were killed, and all the orcs were slain. It was a complete 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 places 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 flawless 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 particular 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 a large 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 place into one of the wonders of the world? Upgrade Nimrim, the olive town, to become the Olive Expanse. Yes or No?]


    ''Do it.''


    Asher had no idea what the system wanted to do, but he welcomed it. The death of his elite soldiers weighed heavily on him; he needed something to elevate his mood. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 balance.


    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, and large 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 place that was serene.


    Some time later¡­


    [Ding! Your BloodBlades are available 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 - 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 floating lamp.


    A relic Asher was curious about.


    "You''ve made the town a beautiful place. 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 clasped 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 plan 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 a layer of defense stronger than steel plate 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 BloodBlades outside Nimrim, in the camp pitched by the Desolate Wolf. About 1,500 Desolate Wolf Infantrymen had returned to Nineveh along with their commander.


    "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 BloodBlades.


    ''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 BloodBlades and was taken aback by their noble, inspiring, and imposing look.


    Their armor became gold, and the pauldrons became more compact with small silver spikes. Silver chains were the straps that held their golden vambraces in place. Their helmets had a T-shaped opening, but due to how it was made, no one could see their faces. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was just darkness.


    Their blue cloaks covered some part of their chestplate. The chest plate 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 been completed!

 Chapter 153 - 153: Noble BloodBlades

    "Your Lordship!"


    Both of them kneeled.


    [Ding! You have upgraded your BloodBlades to Noble BloodBlades!]


    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 black 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 BloodBlades 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 BloodBlades: 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.]


    [Congratulations, 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 becoming 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 to come.


    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 he lacked a beard, and no matter the number of upgrades, it would only come when he was of age.


    However, with this last 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. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Asher opened the map, and after he explained, 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 external layer 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 exclaimed.


    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 BloodBlades. 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 relationship 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 glanced 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 accompany 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 accompany him to hunt the beast.


    As someone who was always outstanding, Sapphira was naturally curious about this similar outstanding lord who was crazy strong for his age.


    His troops were simply too strong, and she knew it was related 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''t completely 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 - 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 clashed in the middle of the yellow rocky ground, causing dust to blast outward. This made the maids cover their nostrils while some coughed.


    Clang! Clang!


    Sparks could be seen in the dust, along with flickers of white and black. Asher wore black tunic with black 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.


    Clang!


    They clashed. 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!


    She landed 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?" sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 blast spread outward, throwing her away and also clearing the dust fog.


    Sapphira was like a bird as she flipped gracefully and landed 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 was coming 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 clashed, a violent ripple blasted 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 unbalanced, 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 clashed, 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 slap 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 place a limiter on himself.


    The moment his sword clashed with Sapphira''s, there was a violent blast, and he saw the fairy being flung away.


    Without delay, 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 - 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 flame torch and the skies were still dark but it was slowly clearing up. The dew on the leaves of the plants irritated Asher at first but he grew to ignore it and focus on what he would gain from this.


    He saw a small, flawless 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 black 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. "The lassos should work."


    "But they look feeble compared to those muscular, scaled horses." Sapphira remarked with a coy smile.


    Asher glanced 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. Your lassos 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. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 our lassos 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 slay 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 plains 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 plains.


    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 plain; however, a barrier sealed that route and a calming aura spread out.


    The moment the horses calmed down, lassos 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 claws, the chief wolf lifted up its head.


    Awoo!


    Rumble!


    Wolves, from all sides, ran town. Saliva dripped from their mouths; their claws 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 place.


    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''t compare to the Noble BloodBlades!

 Chapter 156 - 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 blasted 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 similar to a lycan.


    Roar!


    The lycan roared, leaped from the top of the hill with his arms spread out and his claws gleaming softly. He landed 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''. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 clash began. Swords and armor against teeth and claws. 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 BloodBlade 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 slash, which the lycan evaded and clawed his face. To his shock, the golden wing blocked his claws, 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 slaughter 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, clawing 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 horn coming 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 wolves laid flat!


    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''t compete 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, slaying 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 plan 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 - 157: Ambition

    "What is that?!"


    A Nimrim Guard stationed at the outreach pointed at the company 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 the company. 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 planned for mass recruitment to fill up the troops, but before then, he stayed throughout the last week of the month waiting to stock enough barrels of pure evergreen olive oil.


    He planned 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 wasteland, the connecting point of all the northern lord domains.


    His plans 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 10 large carts brought from Nimrim to transport the oil. Because of this, over 100 barrels could be found evenly split in the carts.


    Desolate 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 blazing 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 place of relaxation 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 Bladebreakers 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 glare 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 hour later, 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 a large 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 welcome. 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 be completed 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 Flameheart did a trade with us last week and gave us 60,000 catties of wheat and¡­" sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 plan, 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 Flameheart. Tell him I''m willing to trade protecting his market hub with a garrison of 100 Desolate wolves if he gives me 20 professional cooks, all of whom should be from journeymen and above."

 Chapter 158 - 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''t compare 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 hell compared 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 glass 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 BloodBlades, 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 Flameheart brought about 60,000 catties of wheat. Bring them out."


    Heeding to his order, male farmers went out and brought out large 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 plant 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 Flameheart 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 wasteland 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 Flameheart, and much more.


    There was even the famous green clay!


    Asher wasn''t planning to make this outpost wretched-looking because he wanted to look weak. He wasn''t planning 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 clash 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 welcoming guests." S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 - 159: Impressive Garrison Troops

    Swoosh!


    When the light died down, a city made of stones and wood appeared in the vast plain. 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 was completed. The outpost had neat walls and the green clay made the walls smooth. Its smoothness couldn''t be compared with that of a brick wall.


    In fact, those who had touched a wall covered in green clay would see a brick wall as very rough. The green clay made the wall slightly green and also hardened it. This made it impossible for people to scale the wall without siege towers or ladders.


    The double gates of the outpost were wide open and he could see Desolate Wolf soldiers manning the gates and the walls, their imposing statures and fearsome discipline as striking as ever.


    There were plants in the surroundings of almost all the buildings, commercial 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 explanations, 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 wasteland that had almost transformed into a desert but yet this outpost had vibrant plants 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 clad in armor that had a gem in the middle of the chestplate 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 black flag.


    "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 Desolate 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 Claude Flameheart stood outside his manor looking at 100 Desolate 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.


    According to Kelvin, these men wore armor that weighed 166 catties and they could stand come rain or sun for hours straight and equally be vigilant; neither would their strength dwindle.


    Claude 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 wasteland.


    On his left and right sides were his subordinates, all of whom squinted at the sight of the Desolate Wolves. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Your Lordship, are you certain that we don''t need them to guard the city?" One of them leaned and whispered to Claude.


    Claude''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 Claude said he didn''t yearn for another garrison of troops for Hebron City. With a thousand Desolate Wolves at his command, 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 flag bearers, upon seeing his signal, bellowed with reverberating voices and the entire company came to a stilling halt. Like a machine that was shut down.


    Their impressive discipline made Claude''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?

 Chapter 160 - 160: Blue Fire Cook

    About three days later, Asher sat in the restaurant with his BloodBlades 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 and have 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, slain 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 slain.


    "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 the last 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 BloodBlades 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. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The cook glanced at the pot then turned to the table and cleanly divided the chicken into large parts. Putting them into the boiling stock, blue flames came out of the cook''s palm and entered the fire, transforming it into blue flames.


    Just by bringing the hand down, the flames reduced, and when the cook took his/her hand up, the flames increased.


    Nero blinked.


    Although the flames 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 regulator.


    The cook raised a hand and the flames went up, dancing around the body of the pot. To their shock, the cook touched the flames and nodded.


    Seeing this, Asher chuckled softly.


    With a snap of his fingers, the flames went down after a short while and the cook brought out the chicken and diced it in a slim rectangular 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 jubilated 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!


    He composed 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 magical land to this deserted place."


    "I''m not like the others, Your Lordship. My birthplace is here. I left when I was 14 and I can''t mock my homeland because of a foreign land''s greatness."


    Asher furrowed his brows.


    "You expect me to believe you suddenly felt uncomfortable in Nightfire and ran back to this wasteland just because it''s your homeland?"


    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 wastelands."


    This time Asher knew she was telling the truth; he could see it in her eyes and sense it in her tone. In truth, no commoner 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 - 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?" S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "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. Welcome 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 only lasted 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 BloodBlades and 20 King Swordsmen.


    Rumble!


    Dust rose up in their trail as they ran through the sandy plains 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 BloodBlades 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 clashed 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 thrashing launched 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 slammed 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 slain 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 BloodBlade 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 blade 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 plans to head for Tiberias and auction his oil. That was his plan to attract people to head for the outpost.


    He wasn''t planning 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 for commander 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''ll come 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 black 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 planning 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 and come 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 two large 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 blacksmiths forged new armor they think will suit the Ashkelon Guards. According to them, it''s a three-layered 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 proclaimed 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 powerful noble friends vanished like a breeze.

 Chapter 162 - 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 three-layered, with plate armor on top, tightly meshed chain mail beneath the plate 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 intrinsic network. 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 BloodBlade, 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 chestplate.


    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.''


    [To upgrade this forge into a water-powered forge, there has to be a water source. In order to restructure the land, 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.


    [Blacksmith Ark White has fulfilled the criteria to be upgraded to become a senior-grade blacksmith. 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 a large 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''s complaints.


    "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 while later, 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 become journeyman-grade blacksmiths after diligently learning under Senior Blacksmith Ark. Would the host like to upgrade these three blacksmiths? 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 were lacking compared 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 blacksmiths 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 blacksmiths to work with you. So, they must accept apprentices, and you shall also train new ones. We need enough blacksmiths, and as you train them, you will see some hidden flaws, 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 stream come from?''


    S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 163 - 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 blacksmith." 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 flapping 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 flapping the wings, it landed 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 Flameheart had his merchant stores advertise Goshen, both to officials, mercenaries, and commoners.


    Asher remembered informing Claude about his plans, but he didn''t remember asking him for help. However, it seemed like Claude was trying hard to tighten their relationship.


    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 plans.


    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 clay.


    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 plan 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 Blacksmith 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! S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 the last 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 populated with people from the southern wastelands and the border of the wastelands and the high plains.


    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 glanced 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 other commanders, 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 spectacular display on the young lad''s palm while Alec squinted.


    "How are you able to do that?"


    Eritrea questioned while Aquilia looked straight at the lad''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 - 164: King Bread

    Tapk! Tapk!


    As Asher walked down, he could hear a banter. When he finally reached the ground floor, he saw a large 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 his comrades 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 his commanders. Asher was sure that some nobles were in that room.


    In fact, Baron Claude was in one VIP room with his wife and friends, both those in his domain and those outside the northern wastelands.


    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 calculation that the population 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 Desolate 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. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The guild Claude 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 with landed 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 would last, even after his rule.


    Gradually, they would make his domain so rich that he could stand in the same place with the continent''s top figures.


    Two more ranks and he would become an imperial swordsman! A rank where the laws 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 time later, 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 - 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 plain 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 Priscilla, 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. His commanders 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 eyelashes 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. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "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 clamour 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 clad 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.


    A large 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 succeeded in the wildlands'' conquest and we now have a great army of wildland barbarians known for their fearsome horseback riding skills. With them and the assistance of Duke Nubis, we can begin the grand conquest plan." William''s firstborn, Cain, rose up and said with a deep tone.


    Before others could start congratulating him on his success, 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 wasteland."


    "Which bastard? Asher?!" Liya''s pupils shook.

 Chapter 166 - 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 same lad was once a prodigy, one so talented in the sword that the nobles of the wastelands 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, the lad 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 would laugh at us, saying you lack foresight. You had such a talent under your grasp, and you lost him." Cain''s words made Liya glare 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 place, allowing me to take them in one fell swoop."


    Cain smirked. It had always been his wish for his father to officially claim the wastelands.


    "I can lead 10,000 Wildland 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.


    "Slade Nubis has already sent 100 Dark Skies to Flameheart''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 clapped softly.


    Cain glared 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.


    "Slade 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 barony compared to leading a fearsome force of 100,000 gathered from the wildlands 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 plan is to take control of his only ally and wait to see his reaction. If he sends forces to rescue the Flamehearts, 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, which comes 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 they lacked 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 jubilating.


    "What kind of wondrous food is this?!" Viscount Syira remarked.


    Cain gulped.


    "Father, this outpost might be more important than we thought." Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 167 - 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 accumulate as long as he took more of this sort of milk.


    His eyes narrowed.


    "Call Darius Enoch."


    His voice reverberated. A couple of minutes later, the doors were pushed open, and a seven-foot-tall man-armored figure clad 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 full command 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 Flameheart''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 black blur and left the hall like he was never present.


    "Father, don''t you think this outpost should be under my jurisdiction after it becomes ours?"


    Cain''s words made Liya scowl.


    ...


    Two days later, a soldier on the walls of Hebron City woke up from a slap to his shoulder, causing him to stagger forward.


    He held the wall and was about to yell when he saw flames 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.


    His comrades 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!


    Nicolas 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 Nicolas 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 Flameheart, Claude''s son, ran out of his room to the balcony and saw a rain of arrows that darkened the skies, slaying 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 slayed 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 he complained, 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 clad in their white tiger armor cutting down his men. The Tigris Infantrymen had greater numbers while his men were remaining about forty with Nicolas, who had an arrow through his left arm.


    "Kill them!"


    Caleb bellowed, and his men dashed toward the Tigris Infantrymen. When both forces clashed, the difference in training was revealed.


    The Tigris Infantrymen were too powerful for the Flameheart 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 Flameheart soldiers would fall. Their plate armor was like paper before his might. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 slash.


    "How amusing." Darius muttered.


    "I am the son of Baron Flameheart. 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 his command, the Dark Skies finally revealed themselves from the fog behind the walls. They wore black cloaks that hid their faces and had four large silver quivers made of metal around their waists.


    Each quiver had a great amount of arrows. Their silver quivers matched their silver chestplate 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 - 168: Sacred-Ranked Ice Mage Beauty

    Boom!


    The doors to the main hall were slammed 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 slammed open and Kelvin approached them with hurried steps.


    "My Lord, Baron Flameheart''s son has been killed and his domain taken."


    "What?!" Asher and Sapphira exclaimed 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 Flameheart and his wife?" S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "They know."


    "I need to meet with him." Asher said swiftly.


    "Apologies, Your Lordship but Baron Flameheart 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 Claude 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 turned completely 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 Wildlands. He has made all the clans and tribes there to be his."


    "Flameheart is an ally."


    Asher''s response made Kelvin know that Asher had made up his mind to fight and reclaim the Flameheart domain.


    "But My Lord..."


    "Summon all the military commanders 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 his commanders and counselors before him.


    He was the last 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 clans.


    Because of this, his might wasn''t known to many. In fact, Asher knew some of his commanders 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 reclaim what belongs to our ally."


    "Let me go; I''ll reclaim the city for you." All of a sudden, Aquila 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 Aquila has fulfilled the final criteria for an upgrade: completely accepting 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 collapse.


    ''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 black eyelashes 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 become floating droplets.


    The moment she opened her eyes, there was a sparkle.


    [Ding! Mage Commander Aquila''s love and loyalty have reached 100!]


    [Congratulations! You can now start a Mage Troop!]

 Chapter 169 - 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 more companies of Desolate Wolves to Goshen and make sure there are enough messenger falcons. I don''t plan to lose contact with Goshen."


    "I shall do as you have said." Alec lowered his head.


    Asher nodded.


    "Aquila, you will lead 1000 Desolate Wolves to the Flameheart domain. I expect reports to be relayed to me without delay."


    Aquila went on one knee with her face toward the floor. "I will not disappoint you."


    Asher revealed a small smile before turning to other commanders.


    "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 Bladebreakers are ready to demolish whatever you point at us." S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 your command, My Lord."


    "Good. But I need the Ashkelon Guards to guard Ashkelon. The clans in the depths of the Bashan basin are still a threat."


    Adam nodded and went back.


    After some discussion, the commanders left. Aquila went straight to pack up, as she would leave by dawn the next day.


    Only Asher, one BloodBlade 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 recommending 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 glance 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-black 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 my coming?" 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 the last 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 access 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 figure landed, their eyes locked on each other.


    "How is it that you can still see and hear?" Enoch gasped as he stared at the BloodBlade, 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 clashed 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 - 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 flapped 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 slashes that launched golden lights. Enoch evaded the lights.


    He swung his sword horizontally when Nero was before him.


    Clang!


    Swiftly pulling out a dagger, Enoch thrust it toward Nero''s abdomen but the dagger bounced off Nero''s chestplate!


    His eyes widened.


    Bam!


    Nero slammed him away with one of his wings and proceeded to flap 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 BloodBlade was close, Enoch tightened his grip around his large 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 blades 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 blades 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 blades. Seeing her, the mage''s eyes slowly grew wider.


    He couldn''t comprehend 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 flashed 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 uncontrollable urge to claim 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 uncomfortable.


    His gaze was pure and calm, like a serene lake.


    "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."


    Sapphira landed 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 slay hundreds."


    Sapphira took a step closer and placed 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. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''...Do it.''


    Boom!


    A blinding golden light mixed with green burst out of Sapphira, causing him to retreat.


    The light lasted 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 - 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 BloodBlade."


    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 BloodBlade 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 young lad''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.]


    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 Desolate Wolves Infantrymen made the difference in the tide of battle.


    Without them, Hebron Town would have fallen on day one.


    At this moment, Desolate Wolves, in their heavy armor and thick frame, stood at critical junctions of the wall along with Flameheart Footmen and we''re fending off Tigris Footmen.


    On the second day, the commander 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 Tigris commander 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 Desolate Wolves.


    But they did deplete the number of the garrison troop to 90. Unfortunately, it was at the cost of 200 men!


    The Tigris commander 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 town come tomorrow."


    The commander 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 slay 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, Desolate Wolves could be seen on the walls, like statues that never rest. The bloodstained, tattered flag on their spears billowed softly.


    The gentle flaps fell into their ever-sensitive ears. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Tapk! Tapk!


    A Desolate Wolve soldier, the captain of the company, 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.


    Desolate Wolves frowned and some began to wake up the sleeping Flameheart soldiers.


    "Get up."


    The Ashbourne captain tapped a Flameheart 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 slapped 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 their commander.


    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 Flameheart 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 Flameheart Captain frowned.


    "There is nothing out the¡ª!"


    Swish!


    A black projectile slammed him off the wall almost instantly, shocking the Ashbourne captain.


    "Shields!"


    He bellowed.


    Without delay, his men placed their shields before them and assumed a stance that balanced 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 Flameheart 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 were launched 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 and launched his spear with all his might!


    "For Lord Asher!"


    The spear was like a silver streak and it slammed a Dark Sky to the ground, killing him instantly!


    This made other Dark Skies focus on the Ashbourne captain, as he was now the last man standing.


    "Say your prayers." The Tigris commander chuckled.


    A glow flashed through his eyes.


    "Fire."

 Chapter 172 - 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''t last, and it was broken.


    The remaining soldiers were massacred by the Tigris Footmen. Even those that surrendered were cut down. Seeing the slaughter, some began to run into civilian homes but were chased down and dragged out.


    The ravenous laughter 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 sword come 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 is coming."


    Those were his last 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 the commander to ground his teeth.


    Dark skies were trained solely to master rapid fire to its peak and this resulted in poor accuracy. Once it was over 200 meters, their accuracy fell by a large margin.


    They were not like the Stormbringer that had mastered accuracy. 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 of compared to the Dark Skies.


    Bam!


    A Tigris Footman broke into a storehouse and found lots of food, some brought from Nineveh.


    "Call the commander!"


    ......¡­.


    "I have a report for the Mage." A Desolate Wolf said to another who stood before Aquila''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 Desolate 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."


    Aquila looked at him.


    "You have a letter for me?" S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I do."


    The man stretched the hand that held the letter. In the process of taking the letter, Aquila''s fingers grazed his leather gloves and a chilling cold slithered into his body.


    His breath became misty and his face almost became pale.


    Aquila shot him a glance 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 slaughtered.


    "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 Tigris commander saw a large number of white tents with black flags pitched several hundred yards away.


    The sight of hundreds of Desolate Wolves marching out in an orderly fashion made him squint.


    He snorted.


    "Call the Dark Skies."


    Swiftly, 19 Dark Skies manned the wall.


    The Tigris commander 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, Aquila was at the back of the troop, on top of a Centrak. She looked at the corpses of Flameheart and Ashbourne soldiers hung on the walls with a cold gleam.


    The Ashbourne troops moved by companies. 100 in one array, a large space, and another 100.


    Seeing them so organized, the Tigris commander snorted.


    "Kill them."


    Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish!


    Aquila 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 Tigris commander 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 plans. 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 a large 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 Aquila had her fill with their taunts, she muttered another spell and the water screen transformed into a massive octopus.


    It swung its tentacles, slamming the Dark Skies. The Tigris commander 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 flagbearers tilted their flags 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 clad 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 Tigris commander''s heart.


    ''Our Lord is coming...''

 Chapter 173 - 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 Tigris commander, 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 Tigris commander 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 Ashbourne company 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 first company had reached the ground and opened the gates. The moment the gates opened, hundreds of Desolate 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 clashing, screams, and hurried footsteps fell into their ears. Some courageous ones peeked through the window and saw Desolate Wolves killing Tigirs Footmen.


    Their bronze armor was no match for the high-quality silver-grade armor the Desolate Wolves donned.


    Neither were their skills on par with each other.


    In a particular 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 Desolate 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, Aquila rode her horse into the town.


    "How many surrendered?"


    "150."


    A captain replied.


    "So little?" Aquila raised a brow.


    "Argh!"


    An Ashbourne soldier screamed as the Tigris commander came out from behind a building and swung his sword.


    The other Ashbourne soldier turned but the Tigris commander was faster. He slammed 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 Aquila 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 a commander in Lord William''s great army. You will incur his wrath and your end will be worse than mine!"


    Aquila 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 Ashbourne commander, one of the three commanders under Alec.


    The man stood before her with both hands clasped at his back.


    "None. We only have a dozen injured but no death."


    Aquila smiled. "Good. We shall leave 50 men here and march for Silver Castle with the rest."


    The commander responded with a nod, turned, and left.


    .........


    Three days later...


    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. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "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 wasteland wasn''t as simple as it looked and the Ashbournes were stronger than he imagined but what surprised him the most was Baron Flameheart''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.


    Claude looked at Darius and laughed. "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, Claude scoffed.


    "Kneel."


    Darius said and Claude''s knees fell on their own accord, 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 Claude. When he had taken seven steps, the door swung open and a soldier walked in.


    "Lord Darius, message from House Ashbourne."


    Darius, Claude, 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 Claude''s neck.


    "Your head will be a better message than scribbling words on a piece of paper."


    Claude''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 - 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 the large 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 Desolate Wolf Infantrymen with their spears raised high, marching towards the wall.


    "Hoo!"


    They chanted, boosting their momentum the closer they got to the wall. Their combined 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 flashed with a crimson glow and flames erupted from Sirius'' mouth.


    The Dark Skies caught up in flames. 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!"


    Claude 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 Desolate 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 Aquila.


    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 muscular 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 Aquila.


    Behind her was a centrak and two mounted guards assigned to protect her.


    Shing!


    Darius and his men drew their weapon but when Aquila 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, Aquila 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, Aquila 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 Flameheart was tended to and cleaned up, he returned back into the hall and found Aquila standing before the head seat.


    He was facing her back.


    "Baron Flameheart, my lord was quick to come 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."


    Aquila raised an eyebrow. She could sense something further was coming up and as she thought, Baron Flameheart 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 place, which is being a merchant."


    Aquila chuckled.


    "You have foresight, Mr. Claude. You know my lord will surely establish a great economy so you want to be the chief merchant, an official in his sacred court."


    Claude 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."


    Claude 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 days later stood Aquila with Claude.


    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."


    Aquila bowed.


    "Baron, it''s a surprise to see you here. Are you not supposed to be with your family?"


    Claude Flameheart shook his head and went on one knee. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "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 Flameheart, vassal of House Ashbourne, your house shall be in charge of the domain''s exportation and importations."


    Claude''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 Flameheart 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 plan 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."


    Claude nodded.


    After discussing with Claude, Asher went to the balcony and saw 3000 Desolate Wolves standing in straight lines in his courtyard.


    Aquila stood behind him.


    "They''re an impressive troop." She said.


    Asher laughed. "Ashkelon Guards Troop will soon get better than them, which is why I''ve gathered them."


    Indeed, the Ashkelon Guards would soon become 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 Desolate 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 chestplate had the image of a wolfhead. The sides of the chest plate and the back were black, the same for the thighs.


    The armor became black and gold.


    Three spikes came out of their pauldrons. A third of the spikes'' length was gold, while the rest of it was black.


    Three spikes also protruded from their vambraces.


    Along with that, their helmets completely covered their faces and their cloaks became black with the sigil of a House Ashbourne.


    The roaring white wolf head was prominent on the black cloak.


    The long black flags attached to their spears fluttered softly.


    Thud!


    All 3000 knights fell on one knee and slammed the bottom of their spears against the ground.


    "We pay respect to His Lordship!!"

 Chapter 175 - 175: Goshen Longbow Archers

    [Host has stepped into a new level of power. You might have forgotten that Baron Flameheart''s domain is now yours, so you are the ruler of the entire northern wastelands, which are the true wastelands since the southern wastelands aren''t truly the north. The spread of the Abyss curse isn''t there either; the split is Count William''s way of incorporating his landed 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 clay.


    Almost all the houses in the city were now covered by green clay, 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 population 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 slain, causing the land to attract the heat of the sun more than any other place.


    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 Desolate Wolf Barrack in Nineveh to change their occupation.


    After the 5000 men joined the troop, the 3000 knights became elite Desolate 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 Claude.


    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 classified the new troop as a terror-grade troop.


    Right now, Asher stood before 1000 strongmen with muscular 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. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 become 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 occupation.


    Looking at the still-as-stone archer troop clad in silver armor, one that had the same color as the Desolate Wolves, he nodded inwardly.


    They were not lightly armored like the Stormbringers, but they also had a larger 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 - 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 Flameheart''s domain.


    According to the skill template 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! S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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: Becoming a general. Host, would you like to upgrade Paul to become 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 black hole that kept absorbing his coins endlessly, but without such forces, he would eventually become 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 slaughtered 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 minutes later, 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 clasped 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 flames 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 a competitor."


    Asher chuckled, feeling pleased with their might. His confidence was growing. It was time the world welcomed 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 plain heading for Goshen.


    Inside the most exquiste carriage was a familar 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 - 177: Stunning City

    Looking out the window, Jane squinted. As they moved past a certain place, memories flashed.


    "Dad, isn''t this the place 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 two companies 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 Flame 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 a company 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 wastelands of all places."


    "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 Flame Empire, Goshen could match them in beauty and quality. The green clay made Jon marvel.


    He could not believe that there was someone this wealthy in this part of the continent. The wastelands were like a place for the poor, criminals, and low-class nobles without a future.


    "Was this built by Count William?!"


    Jane gasped.


    "He''s at war, and he must have been planning 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 clad in golden-black 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 gallant-looking men with wolf caps, steel face masks, and silver plate 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 Desolate 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 wastelands as an esteemed individual, but it seemed like the wasteland grew faster than him.


    What in the world were 40 knights doing in the most wretched place 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 glass, not curtains, covering the windows.


    The knight came close.


    "As we head for an inn, find a good restaurant for me and my daughter." S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 178 - 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, according 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 placed 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. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "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 plate 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 exclaimed 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 place.


    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 Flame 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 flashing, 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 Desolate 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 flaunt such wealth, his city lord must be as rich as Sacred Flame 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 slave 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 clad 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 pillars were white; so were the walls and the ceiling.


    Even the throne where the city lord sat was white.


    When they saw Claude Flameheart 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." Claude smiled, got to his feet, and approached them.


    Seeing how he welcomed them, Jon felt relief.


    "We came because of the evergreen olive oil, but your city has more than that. Your restaurant is enviable."


    Claude 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.


    Claude looked at her. "It''s been published that House Flameheart 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."


    Claude sat on his throne. "We do. We plan 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 Flameheart, but who is your lord?"


    Jon feared that his old friend and his lord had been slain and a powerful lord had claimed 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."


    Claude responded, his tone deep and reverberating in Jon and Jane''s ears.


    "Who?!"


    Jane''s pupils shook.

 Chapter 179 - 179: Torah Ashbourne, The Human Torch

    "House Ashbourne rules over the entire northern wastelands."


    "B... But isn''t that House a mere barony that wasn''t even known by the barons of the wastelands a year ago?"


    Jon gasped.


    "That was a year ago. The barons of the wastelands have ceased to exist. Perhaps you knew Lord Asher as a baron?"


    Claude leaned forward.


    Jon sighed. "I did. Is my old friend Kelvin the butler still alive?"


    Claude blinked. "You mean the regent? Of course he still lives. He''s the last man His Lordship will allow to die."


    Chuckling Claude 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 black pants but no boots.


    With his legs crossed, he regulated 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 flashed past his eyes, and he found himself at the top of a stone platform.


    His feet were right at the edge. Looking back, he saw that the platform was about 30 meters high!


    There were other round platforms built around it, but the spaces between the platforms were like chasms.


    Even he, a sacred-ranked swordsman, would not survive the fall.


    Hu~


    He expelled a large amount of air from his lungs through his mouth. Lifting his head, he saw another platform, some meters higher than this one.


    Some platforms were also lower than the one he stood on.


    As he took two steps forward, flames 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 he later realized this was a man''s breathing!


    A man''s breathing technique was controlling this much flame!


    Stunned, Asher bolted forward at his greatest speed. With a few taps of his feet on the walls of the higher platform, he flew into the air and landed on top of it.


    Thud!


    The moment his bare feet touched the yellowish hard ground, flames 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 flames 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 black 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 flames 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, landed behind Torah, flames 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. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 claws.


    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 tail coming from his side.


    Alarmed, he leaped only for its claws to slam him out of the way.


    Before Asher would land, it had clawed 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 clad 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 - 180: Growing Talent

    ''Maybe. But his potential is too great for him to just become 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 platform beneath their feet split, but even those ahead of it were also divided!


    Wind blasted 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 flames burst out like a raging eastern dragon.


    Asher swung his sword upwards, unleashing a wind burst that split the flames apart.


    "I see!"


    Boom!


    Torah shot toward him, flames blasting 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 blades!


    Seeing this Torah inhaled and breathed out flames, 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 he landed on a broken platform, 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 platform.


    Boom! Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Asher crashed into the platform. Torah calmly landed beside him with both hands clasped 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 and landed.


    "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 black.


    It was Him!


    Seeing this, Torah slammed 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 already late 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 porcelain 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 a comfortable 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 unexplainable."


    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 clasped 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 - 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 plain, relaxed 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 glad you were around." This time around, his voice was composed 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.


    The skies were covered with black, rumbling clouds. Standing some meters away from him was Atticus Ashbourne with his arms crossed.


    "Fighting Lord Torah was a wrong choice."


    "I knew that later."


    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 access 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 is compared 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 your combat ability, and, most of all, sharpen your battle instincts."


    Atticus walked up to him. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "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 splattered 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 - 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 clad in a golden chest plate 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 been completed as of yesterday, and all of them have been tested to be able to throw large 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!" S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 plan 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 Desolate 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 the commanders 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 BloodBlades 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 planted in the cage.


    ''Proceed.''


    Swoosh!


    A mix of black, 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 place.


    With narrowed eyes, he watched the light go down, revealing a 7-foot-tall, steel-like, muscled, jet-black Ovok. It had pitch-black 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 clasped 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 glanced 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 Flameheart, 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 place.


    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 platform in the castle''s courtyard swinging his sword.


    Each slash 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 platform.


    "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.

 Chapter 183 - 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. Desolate Wolves stationed at the gate had to make sure they pushed back the crowd.


    Officials like the barons and the commanders 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 Flameheart were Jon and Jane.


    Both of them took their seats while Baron Flameheart 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 nothing compared 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 a commander.


    "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 flapping 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. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 Flameheart and Baroness Katarina.


    Not long after she sat down, the left-sided gates were opened, and a man clad in a golden chest plate stood before the high officials sitting on the highest floor, the only floor that had a canopy.


    "That''s Kelvin!" Jane exclaimed.


    Boom! Boom! Boom!


    The ground shook. People looked at the left gate, knowing something was coming 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 the large 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 old laws of the Ashbournes. It''s a ritual... a dreadful one."


    Clang!


    The right gate opened, and Kelvin pointed toward it.


    "There comes the other opponent. He is Asher Ashbourne, the last remaining male heir of the great Ashbourne house, the white wolf of the north, Lord of the northern wastelands!"


    "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 flaw were completely 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 balanced at the same time.


    He wore black pants and black 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 to come out first.


    "Euodias, it''s time for us to meet again."

 Chapter 184 - 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 splattered 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 clashed with his sword, causing an outward ripple blast 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 and landed 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 placed his sword in a defensive way. Luckily, it deflected the beast''s shoulder bash.


    However, the force launched 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.


    Splatter!


    Asher stepped on the puddles as he dashed toward the Thunderous Bloodhorn. He brandished his sword, forming a mighty water blade 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 blade and the thick lightning bolt collided, causing another blast. Water splattered 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, clashing 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 slammed the beast 200 yards to the right.


    The force made the beast''s knees weak.


    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 blatantly 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 blast launched 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, slamming 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 blast, he swung his sword upward, and a water tide rose up.


    It kept rising and growing bigger until it crushed the lightning blast and swallowed the Thunderous Bloodhorn.


    To Asher''s shock, it came out of the tide unharmed. This made him frown.


    "If he can''t penetrate 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 clashed 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 blade.


    His lips curled upward.


    ''Finally!''


    Blood Awakening!


    Bam! S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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!"


    Flameheart rose to his feet.

 Chapter 185 - 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 glaring.


    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 to land 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 clap.


    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 clapping 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 Flameheart 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. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 slammed 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.


    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 slaughter 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 flaws 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 annihilate 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 added combustible 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 plans 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 welcoming 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 Blacksmith 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 finally completed the armor. Your armor is ready, and I will bring it to you come the eve of the day."


    Asher raised his head.


    "Finally."

 Chapter 186 - 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.


    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 glance.


    Kelvin crossed his arms but said nothing. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 Flame 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''t come 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 wastelands into the valleys of the Silvermoon kingdom, the shores of Everad, the mountains of Nightfire, and even the plains 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. You coming 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 glared 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 accept 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 planning 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 slaving 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 accept 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. With large strides, he walked out of the hall.


    ...¡­..


    When evening came, a man clad 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 similar to a cross at the front.


    The cheek plates were well built, with the visor having few tiny holes on the golden plate. The chest plate 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 plate had two layers. 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 could compare 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 - 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 circulating 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 could compare 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 blade. 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 to launch 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 become accessible, Euodias had to leave its sheath to become accessible.


    In a way, he was wielding a sword that had great similarities 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. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!


    Several arrows came at Asher, but he calmly deflected them with balanced 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''t compete 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 exclaimed.


    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 become 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 glanced 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 black hair, a rough-looking face, and one eye.


    It was Buba, the one-eyed flamethrower.


    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 glanced 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 collapse with my men, and they all died this morning."


    "Oh? You were the one that caused the collapse." Baron Rutherford chuckled softly. Their voices were soft as they spoke to each other.


    "The only problem remaining is that place." Baron Scarlet looked at the iron prison hold at the top of the mountain.


    It was still a dreadful place 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, a commotion caused them to turn. Curious, they went toward the crowd and saw large 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 - 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 Scarlet laughed softly.


    "But isn''t your food ration small?" Baron Rutherford popped up a question from his past observation. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "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 into laughter.


    "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 melancholy, 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 and laid down.


    While plans, some known and some unknown, were being made, the commanders of the northern wastelands were gathered in a hall in Nineveh.


    This was a war council.


    Clad in a white tunic, black pants, and a black 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, his commanders, 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 plans for battle have officially begun."


    Regent Kelvin said softly.


    "How many trebuchets are we expecting? According to my spies, that wall was built in order to make sure no northern wastelands 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 planning to upgrade these trebuchets.


    "If we march 8,000 Desolate 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.


    "According 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 plan is to march through the wasteland horror forest and emerge at Greenrock''s south gate."


    "The horror forest is not a man''s land." Aquila 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 Desolate Wolves, 5000 Desolate 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 blacksmiths will be done fixing every damaged armor by the week''s end. We have two weeks to prepare."


    Kelvin said, and the commanders nodded.


    "Scouts have also discovered some movements from the Jackal clan 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!''

 Chapter 189 - 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 this late.


    Sometimes, Asher wondered if she forgot that he was her lord.


    "It''s late." 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 black gown gently embracing her attractive womanly curves made Asher''s pupils dilate.


    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 glanced at him secretly and saw that Asher was trying to pull himself out of his emotional mess, so she went behind him and laid 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. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "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 become true friends with someone of the opposite gender, but Asher barely responded.


    .......


    Two weeks and two days later¡­.


    Asher, clad 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 plate-armored soldiers, some with the flags of House Ashbourne raised high.


    Around Asher were officials on horseback. Alec, Paul, Alex, and Nero.


    Beside them was a man clad 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 moment later, 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 place without mountains and ruins of buildings."


    Asher knit his eyebrows. "Ah."


    "Onwards."


    Alec bellowed, waving his right arm forward. His commanders relayed it to their battalions, and the army began to move.


    They journeyed into the forest, the clanking 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 place.


    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.


    It made him sleep less, causing his commanders to be concerned.


    Finally, they emerged in a plain 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 - 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 clad in metal plates.


    The ground shook as the great stone army charged at them with great and unbeatable momentum.


    Shing!


    While the Desolate 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 blade 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. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 clad in beast skins.


    They had bulging muscles with several scars. Their leader sat upon a black wolf. He had short gray hair, a clean chin, and held a glaive.


    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 flashed.


    He has a great desire for Asher''s armor since it stood out amongst the rest.


    Lifting his glaive 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 Desolate Wolves, men who looked like mini giants in an impressive full body plate of steel, charged like a swarm of metal men.


    Their shields were attached to their backs as they bolted forward. 3000 elite Desolate Wolves were ahead of the 5000 average Desolate 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 Desolate Wolves had almost vanished, 1600 barbarians had fallen!


    Some meters before they clashed, the Desolate Wolves came to swift halts, pulled out their tower shields, and slammed them into the ground.


    Before the barbarians reached them, a long, sturdy shield wall had been built.


    Bam! Bam! Bam!


    Some barbarians slammed 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!


    Spears launched 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 like lasers, scanning for the cause of the changes in his men.


    He found Artarox easily subduing an elite Desolate Wolf, and just by touching the spear, the elite Desolate Wolf became a stone statue.


    The statue''s eyes turned green the next moment; he got up and faced his own comrades!


    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 glaive at Alec, but the grand commander 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 slammed his glaive 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 - 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 slain by Paul and his archers, while those that submitted were gathered together.


    Some elite Desolate Wolves stood around their comrades who had transformed into statues. With Artarox''s death, they became still.


    The 7-foot-tall elite Desolate Wolves in fighting stances and their shields before them were a striking sight that would marvel anyone, noble or commoner.


    Unfortunately, to those watching, it was a sad sight. These men were once their comrades.


    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 Desolate Wolves hissed. Although he stood at the back of the gathering, Asher''s ears were sensitive enough to catch it.


    About 4000 barbarians were slain, yet only 14 Ashbourne knights were slain 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 the last of them and slay 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 clad in plate 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 the large tent.


    There were heaps of different stuff covered in beast fur, but after opening them, he discovered none of them was important.


    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, and landed with a light thud. In the process of landing, he squished the animal skin, and it burst into golden fireflies.


    So the moment he landed, 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?" sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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, slammed 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 a large 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 wastelands had been there.


    It had become 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! Congratulations, 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 - 192: House Salvatore

    Clang! Clang!


    The clanging 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 plate slightly covered by the black cloak over his body, watching the workers clear out the Ashbourne tomb.


    They were reconstructing the tomb because, according to his lord, it was more than a tomb. It was a land of heritage.


    Through Baron Flameheart, 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 access 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 mere commoner after birth.


    However, during Zenas''s childhood, the Abyssal War was ongoing; villages, 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 replace 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 black.


    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 place where the tombstones of the four great dukes were, he saw several workers cleaning the place 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!


    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.


    "Roland 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 become Zena''s fifth and last 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 platform. 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 platform to the ground, a hundred yards away.


    Thud!


    A wave of dust blasted 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 become a full-blooded Salvatore. Bear the pain; it''s normal when you are about to awaken your lineage talent this late."


    "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 he lay there, his hair began to fall off.


    S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 193 - 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 a large 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 platform''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 become 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 was completely loyal to Asher and took him as a son, but he pondered what secrets House Ashbourne hid. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 desolate 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 was late and they were in a forest, the fire allowed them to see their surroundings.


    Asher stood with his clasped 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 plain, 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.


    [Flaming 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 occupy that sentry tower tonight."


    "As you wish." Alex got to his feet and left.


    Shortly after, some figures in black 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 clad 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 - 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 slammed 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, slaying the guards, those that were awake and those that were fast asleep.


    At the third and last 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 flashed through his eyes. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Taking the same two steps but backwards this time, he slammed his foot against the door. The door collapsed, and the guards behind also fell to the ground.


    As they struggled to their feet, they saw tall armored men whose armor made clanking sounds march into the room slightly covered in black 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 black 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 slammed 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 slash with his vambrace and launched 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 collapsing.


    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 clad 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 wastelands.


    Out of the blue, the clanking 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 ten large balls of fire seemingly hovering in midair. Because of the fog he couldn''t see the trebuchets.


    "Mages!"


    The captain gasped, completely 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 slammed 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 Desolate 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 clad 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 black chained masks and black 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 Desolate Wolves, but the heavy infantryman marched on without a flicker in their eyes.

 Chapter 195 - 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 clad 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 not last 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 classic 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''t last 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 exclaimed in disbelief.


    Viscount Syria furrowed his brows. "Since when did House Ashbourne grow to become this powerful?"


    "We lacked 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 to launch 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 exclaiming.


    "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."


    A commander nodded and hurriedly left.


    When the Desolate 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 muscular dogs racing through the rubble, debris, and smoke was enough to freeze an adult man, but the Desolate Wolves kept marching forward.


    They continued their rigid marching until the dogs lunged at them. At that moment, the elite Desolate Wolves went behind their tower shields and pinned their left legs into the soil.


    Bam! Bam! Bam!


    The dogs clawed 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 and landed in their midst, clawing some soldiers.


    Their claws simply slid off the soldiers armor, and the impact made the dogs retreat while the soldiers remained in one place.


    "Shields!


    Boom! Boom! Boom!


    They built a shield wall, surrounding the canines and piercing them to their deaths. Before the eyes of the commander 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 knights completely equipped in knight-grade equipment could do such a thing. He could see thousands of these men, meaning¡­


    Thousands of knights!


    The commander 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 Desolate Wolves and his commander.


    "But commander¡­"


    "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 slaughtered without mercy.


    Their weapons bounced off the armors of the Desolate Wolves, and just a sweep of the spear was able to launch 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 Desolate Wolves in silver armor engaged the fleeing Syrian infantrymen, dragging and thrusting their spears through their scale armor.


    "Close the gate!"


    The commander''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 Desolate 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 place.


    Tapk! Tapk!


    Clanking of metal boots tapping the ground fell into the archers'' ears, and they squinted at the huge silhouette emerging from the fog. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Swoosh!


    Flames lit up over the huge silhouette''s long spear, painting his massive figure in an ominous light.


    "Is that a human being?"

 Chapter 196 - 196: Greenrock Castles Siege [4]

    Their questions were answered when Alec emerged from the fog clad 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 planning 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 Desolate Wolves were approaching. Flickers of their crimson battle force reflecting in the eyes of the Syrian soldiers.


    Thud!


    The commander landed before Syrian archers and slammed 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 that launched both the commander 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 flared, rising so high that it seemed to be as tall as the walls.


    Imposingly, Desolate Wolves and elite Desolate Wolves marched into the city. Some hung Ashbourne flags on the wall!


    The moment they entered the castle, they faced troops coming 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 Desolate Wolves formed a phalanx, facing all three sides.


    "Steady¡­ steady¡­"


    Alec''s voice sank into their spirits as they took steps as one. Eventually they clashed with the aggressive Syrian infantrymen.


    With the elite Desolate Wolves at the front, the average Desolate Wolves had it easy. In unison they thrust their spears, retrieved it, and repeated.


    All of a sudden, a Syrian infantryman clad in black leather armor removed a strap covering his mouth and opened his mouth wide.


    He unleashed a sonic blast 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 slammed his shield against the ground, and the drake head unleashed hot, scalding ash fog before unleashing flames!


    "Argh!!"


    The Desolate Wolves sealed the opening. This made the commander 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 the commander''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 the commander 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 flames.


    "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." Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 their commanders are of higher ranks."


    "4000 what!" An official exclaimed.


    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 not landed 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 Desolate Wolves broke into the lord''s manor, Viscount Syria was gone.


    Tapk! Tapk!


    Asher walked into the hall. He looked at the Syrian flags that his men were pulling down and the small room with a plain 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 the large 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 wastelands 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 character competition 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 - 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 Aquila. In the meantime, I want to know their population and devise means to move them to Goshen."


    "As you wish."


    Paul got to his feet.


    "Goshen will become 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 flames were out, but smoke kept rising to the sky.


    The walls were completely 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 days later, 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 villages 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 and laid 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." S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Send a message to General Adam. I need him to send 5000 Ashkelon knights. I also need the Bladebreakers 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 Aquila 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."


    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 population 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 glared 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 Slade 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 blame on him.


    He was here to inform them of the great threat that House Ashbourne had become, but it seemed they were too blind to believe it.


    Lifting up his head, Viscount Syria spat, "He''ll come. 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 - 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 planned to send them to Goshen, a place where people loved and respected him. Mixing them together would surely bring quick positive changes.


    With both hands clasped 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. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 other laborers took the stones to those doing the repairs.


    On another side, hundreds of men were mixing green clay. 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 Desolate Wolves training as one.


    Hundreds of yards away were the Ashkelon knights also marching. Far away from them were 1000 Bladebreakers 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 snowflake dropped on the bulwark before him. Seeing this, he lifted up his head in shock and saw millions of snowflakes 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, lacking the moons and the stars. Campfires could be seen at different places in Greenrock.


    In the lord''s manor, Asher could be found studying a map. He sat inside a fairly large 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 overlapping, 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 encompass the entire wastelands, thereby giving life to these dying lands. A great wall that would divide the wastelands from the high plains.]


    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 clans.


    The chair creaked as he got to his feet. Slowly, he made his way to the bed and laid 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 slammed 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 flashed.


    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 not come 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.


    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 character competition!!


    Also, why is our power stones dropping? We need More!!


    Next Goal: 2k

 Chapter 199 - 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 too late!"


    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 blast surged forth like a storm, splitting the tides with ease as it went for Thomas.


    Thomas clapped 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 dilated.


    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 suddenly launching him downward. Thomas slammed the ice, yet the wind kept blasting 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. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 claws 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 minutes later, Ariel burst out of the sea with a limp young man in her arms. She took two steps, then squatted and laid 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 successfully 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 flames, 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 unkillable, 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 snowflakes. Don''t you think it''s time we let Baron Flameheart and Regent Kelvin know?"


    Alex said softly.


    "Know what?" Eritrea glared 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 circulated 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 - 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 clad in black walking toward the hall.


    He held Euodias in his hand, and his eyes burned like golden flames. 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?"


    Aquila 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 flashed through the fairy''s eyes.


    After embracing Katarina, Asher and Sapphira''s eyes met.


    "I''m glad 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 relax?'' 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 clad in their armors, marched toward a 25-meter-tall wall that was constantly attacked by brimstones from 30 trebuchets!


    The two large 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 clad in Ashkelon Knight armor sucked in air and placed 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 clanking sounds, and the combined sounds of their steps were thunderous, especially those of the massive Desolate 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 black 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 were launched from the catapults at the top of the wall. The stones wrapped in clothes and lit up in flames left fiery trails in the dark sky.


    The priests slammed their staff against the ground, causing a bluish transparent wall to rise, protecting the Ashbourne troops from the stones.


    Boom! Boom!


    Both sides kept launching 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. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Running ahead of the Ashkelon knights was a man in black 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 clashing with metal, roars, screams, and yells resounded.


    With slow steps, he approached the wall''s chaotic walkway.

 Chapter 201 - 201: Wall Of Tiberias [1]

    At first, the Ashbournes pushed back the Tigris infantrymen, but their strong oppressive power did not last 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. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 slammed with his body had fractures, and their armors caved inwards!


    "Enough!"


    Boom!


    A mage clad in a blue garment standing behind the Tigris infantrymen on the right side slammed 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 too late.


    Wind formed a five-tailed leopard, an ancient mythical beast known for its affinity to the wind, and it slammed 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 slammed 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 clad in golden armor materialized with his wings spread outward.


    With a great flap, he closed the gap, grabbed Adam, and flew out of the way because the mage launched powerful bursts.


    Boom! Boom!


    Explosions rang behind them as the earth burst open, rocks and stones flying towards different places while a fearsome dust fog spread out, running after Nero and Adam.


    Thud!


    Both of them landed. 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 Desolate 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 their comrades, 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 slain. 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 flames 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 in command, 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, slamming 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 clad in a white garment stood on Tiberias walls looking at the carnage and destruction on the plain field.


    They were able to stop the Ashbourne troops despite their formidable willpower and might. The battle lasted 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 the large number of white tents on the horizon.

 Chapter 202 - 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 muscular-armed apothecaries.


    The system had built them differently. They weren''t like the weak-bodied ones that could be slammed aside by their patients.


    Clad in their black garments, they look no different from the mages and priests. All magic class professionals wore black 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 Aquila had trained had earth manipulation; 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 clasped 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 the commanders. Shortly after, all of them gathered in a tent, seated around a table.


    "His Lordship isn''t dead?" Lambert leaned forward.


    "According 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, glaring at Lambert before averting his gaze.


    "We shall face them with the Desolate Wolves. 3000 Desolate 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 plan 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 is coming!!"


    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 clad in such exotic armor was none other than Slade Nubis!


    Lifting his sword, he pointed it at the sky. Lightning crackled on the blade 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.


    Slade 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 clad in thick armor and massive, towering shields.


    "Even the fearsome ogres are not a match for our cavalry. This is plain 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 Desolate Wolves.


    On the other side, Alec stood before his men. Also 3000.


    "Move!"


    He bellowed.


    3000 Desolate Wolves began to move, one step at a time. Their eyes unwavering as they stared at the dust created in the wake of the Slade''s cavalry. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 Slade crackling with lightning could be found.


    He saw Slade sheath his sword and ready his lance.


    "Kill these wastelanders!"


    He roared.


    In the next moment, the cavalry clashed with the Desolate Wolves. For the first time, the wall was broken instantly!


    But the cavaliers who broke the wall paid with their lives!


    Slade led the charge, cutting down the Desolate Wolves. Their silver-ranked armor was nothing before his lance.


    Lightning blasted 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 Slade 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 - 203: Wall Of Tiberias [3]

    "Slade is a great swordsman of this era. There are only a few who can match him. Do not expect men from the wastelands to even come 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. Desolate Wolves had to assemble themselves into a phalanx of three to six men. About five Desolate Wolves worked together as one; one would shield the lance 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 slay a Desolate Wolf who was kicked by a horse''s hind legs. Before the soldier who threw the spear could run back to the phalanx, lightning came for him.


    Before the eyes of his comrades, he was slain. Lightning still crackling on his armor, the dead soldier fell.


    Slade, charging valiantly, swung his lance, launching 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 Desolate Wolves. While they had the advantage, he could see that these Desolate 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 slammed a cavalier and his mount 10 meters away! Such strength made Slade squint.


    However, before he could charge toward Alec, arrows crackling with lightning flew into the battlefield. They were like missiles, slamming Tigris Heavy Cavaliers off their mounts!


    Almost instantly, dozens of cavaliers were slain with arrows!


    Rumble!


    A fearsome cavalry of markswomen on Ovoks emerged from the horizon. They were coming 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.


    "Bladebreakers!"


    A yell came from the right.


    Rumble!


    A troop of fearsome-looking knights on intimidating mounts rode into the battlefield, moving as one sharp blade. Slade 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 Slade''s eyes.


    "Knights!"


    Gathering a good number, about 400, to ride with him, Slade charged toward the Bladebreakers. His cloak billowed in the wind, and the image of Lambert taking vengeance for what they had done to the Desolate 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 wastelands that could beat Count William''s cavalry and their rigorous training.


    With their lances aimed at the Bladebreakers, they charged forth.


    Lambert, seeing Slade 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 Bladebreakers red cloak fluttered high, their plumes dancing, as if speaking of the tales of a battle to come. 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, Slade finally saw how large the Centraks were. His pupils shook.


    ''What kind of horse is that?'' S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 too late to rethink his decision as they clashed. The Bladebreakers, true to their name, broke through the Tigris men heavily clad in metal. Without being told, Slade knew his heavy cavalry was no match for this unusual cavalry from the wastelands.


    His eyes followed Lambert, the golden knight, as he leaped off his mount, piercing his lance through a Tigris infantryman and releasing a fiery ripple that blasted about a dozen more away.


    Slade 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 Slade.


    Lambert dropped his lance and pulled out two javelins.


    Swish! Swish!


    The javelins flew like crimson bolts. To his surprise, Slade evaded both, threw away his lance, and unsheathed his sword.


    "Die, you wretched wastelander!"


    Underneath Slade''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.


    Slade 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, Slade looked around and discovered his heavy cavaliers remained a few hundred! Alarmed, 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 Slade 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 - 204: Wall Of Tiberias [4]

    "Move aside!"


    Bladebreakers bellowed as they took their commander 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 still lay 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 plate, 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 have completely destroyed him.


    There were still flickers of lightning, showing that his body was in a constant battle against the lightning.


    "I have no idea, commander. Such an element is hard to extract with my current rank."


    A priestess replied, causing the commanders to sigh. Although they won the battle, slaying over 2,500 heavy cavaliers at the cost of 600 men, the loss of a commander would change the result.


    The death of a commander could be compared to the loss of 10,000 soldiers. This was because the soldiers depended on the stele to grow, whereas the commanders 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 Flameheart 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. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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.


    Placing 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 the commanders 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 Slade''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 relay this unfortunate news to, Asher.


    According to the apothecary''s full report, which was given to him hours after he left. Lambert''s right arm was completely 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 world come 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 flashed 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 flashed 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 a large tree, hard, rough, and scaly.


    ''An assassin.''


    Adam''s eyes flickered. He slammed his knee against the table, launching 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 black phantom, he flashed for the exit but bumped into a man almost as muscular 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 - 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 slammed the man, launching him into the air. A metallic hand grabbed the assassin''s neck and slammed 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 slam 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, slammed 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!"


    The commanders lowered their heads, all except Slade, who comfortably 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."


    Slade''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 enslaved.


    "Of course. Swallowing his territory will bring so much gain. With his men under our flags, House Mormont will surely fall, and we shall become one of the strongest dukedoms in the northern high plains."


    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 wastelanders pour into this city, burning it with flames. 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 flashed. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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, placing his hand on Levi''s shoulder. Almost instantly the pressure vanished, allowing him to breathe.


    Glancing 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.


    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 quiet lately."


    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 black 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 recompense 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 grand commander 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 - 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.


    "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 exclaimed.


    "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 flap of a tent and looked at Adam, who was slowly scribbling the letter that he planned 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. Clad 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. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "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 Aquila. 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 a commander 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 flashed 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.


    "Aquila, teleport to Greenrock. I need Sapphira."


    After Aquila left, Asher stood there in silence, staring at Lambert until Aquila returned with Sapphira.


    As if briefed, Sapphira laid 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 themselves lacking.


    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 since last 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, clad 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 in companies 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 muscular 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 - 207: Wall Of Tiberias [7]

    Thousands of Ashbourne soldiers in a neat formation marched into the plains 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 Desolate 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 Bladebreakers, 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 black flag with the white symbol of a wolf in his right hand. The moment Asher raised his hand, signifying that the march should come to a halt, Alex slammed the bottom of the flagpole 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, black for the elite Desolate Wolves and Ashkelon knights, white for the average Desolate 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.


    Nodding, he turned to Aquila.


    "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." Slade, 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 slammed the barrier and shattered, sliding down to the ground without causing any casualty.


    Seeing how Sapphira effortlessly deflected her spell, Liya''s expression darkened. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Slade leaned forward, Sapphira''s flawless 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 flashed.


    In no time, large boulders flickering with flames were launched into the air, hurtling down towards the Ashbourne troops.


    Boom! Boom!


    It slammed the barrier but couldn''t even make it ripple.


    "Why are they not moving towards the wall?" Viscount Syria, clad in chainmail, questioned with raised brows. He tightened his grip around the handle of his clutch.


    "They want to fight in the fields." Slade 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 black sword and also wore black 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.


    Slade 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 flaming arrows, were released into the air.


    Following them were large brimstones!


    "Charge!"


    Slade 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.


    "Aquila, 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 it lacked harmony, but as time went on, the chant seemed to come together and become one.


    At the same time, they all slammed 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 placed her palms on the ground.


    Ice spread out, negating the spell.


    "That was a complex gold rank spell. To be able to negate it so easily shows that Liya is definitely a high-ranked mage."


    Aquila remarked.


    Currently they were at a stalemate. The long-ranged attacks did no damage to either party, and the melee soldiers would soon clash.


    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?"


    Slade 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 incoming Tigris army.


    When the gap was less than two hundred yards, the Bladebreakers 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 - 208: Wall Of Tiberias [8]

    Both armies collided; King Swordsmen, who were on the frontline, clashed with the heavy cavalry on Slade''s side.


    The difference became clear as not one King Swordsman fell off his horse, but over a hundred heavy cavaliers were slain!


    Sparks flew as weapons clashed. Some could handle a few bouts while some were slain 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 slash. 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 slammed his foot against the cavalier''s face, causing a shockwave and launching 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 the last Shura bolt, almost every significant knight on the battlefield knew of his terror.


    Slade was causing mayhem on the Ashbourne troops, but he alone wasn''t able to cause as much damage as the commanders of House Ashbourne.


    Sofia''s eyes became slits as she watched the commanders; their extraordinary feats on the battlefield outmatched that of her commanders with a large 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 Desolate 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 Desolate 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 onslaught, Sofia lost hope in that unit.


    She turned again and found the mages blasting spells that took lives in droves. Her forces were failing.


    Clenching her teeth tightly, she slammed 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 gate last night."


    Sofia''s eyes widened.


    "What?! How was I not informed of this?!"


    Viscount Syria lowered his head, his eyes flickering, but he couldn''t come 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 natural competition for the top position and outright war against each other.


    ''The Count made a mistake electing this prideful woman as regent. Beauty can never replace 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, a commander 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 slam the ground.


    Boom!


    A crimson light blasted out in ring-like fashion.


    Empyrean Sigil Stomp!


    The sigil of House Ashbourne appeared on the ground, as if drawn by flames! It covered a span of 200 yards, and half of the commander''s men went down.


    "What kind of monster is that!" A soldier lost his composure.


    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 Aquila fighting hundreds of men inside a giant water serpent.


    Swiftly, he turned to the other side and found Eritrea galloping with her sisters.


    "Eritrea!!" S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 pillar of flames.


    The runes on her ''Great Thunder bow'' lit up. She nocked an arrow and drew it until her arms trembled softly.


    A large 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 was launched backward by the impact, slamming 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 flashed behind him, along with it came the crackling of lightning and great destruction!


    It was Slade!


    .....


    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 - 209: Wall Of Tiberias [9]

    Crackle!


    Asher turned. His eyes widened as he saw lightning being shot out of Slade''s eyes. The corners of his eyes had turned red with visible veins underneath his skin.


    His men being slaughtered by the lightning reflected in Asher''s golden eyes. Right there, a hundred men fell!


    "General Slade!"


    Tigris soldiers roared, swinging their weapons with vigor and aggressiveness as they pushed against the Desolate Wolves.


    Slade, 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 Desolate 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 flaming boulders launched by the Tigris trebuchets, couldn''t handle it anymore and flew toward Slade.


    "Sapphira¡­ No!"


    Bezerk burst forward, outrunning Alex and Nero. Its eyes were fixed on Slade 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, slamming their tower shields into the ground.


    One by one, damaged shields fell to the ground, charred, and some had large holes!


    While Asher charged toward Slade but was still far away, Slade pierced his lance through a soldier and lifted him high. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Armor doesn''t make an untrained dog any different¡ª!"


    Suddenly, he looked up. Sapphira had already arrived. She swung her sword downward, but Slade deflected the strike only to discover Sapphira was behind him.


    A battle skill!


    His eyes narrowed. Without delay, he jumped off his horse, but Sapphira''s strike still cut a small part of his thigh, causing him to grunt.


    After rolling, he got to his feet and saw the priestess clad in a silver breastplate 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 Slade.


    She could see it.


    The desire to possess her was in Slade''s eyes, but his will was strong enough to stop the desire from manipulating his actions.


    "Stay your hand or else."


    Slade clenched his teeth. Unfortunately, his words fell on deaf ears. In the next moment she was before him, causing him to slash his sword downward, only for her to appear at his right side.


    ''She''s fast!''


    Slade allowed her sword to come. When it was before his chest, he shot forward. Sapphira was stunned to see the blade of her sword break upon contact!


    Bam!


    Slade slammed his elbow against her chin, lifting her feet off the ground.


    He was so fast that his fingers wrapped around her neck, slamming her into the ground so fast that it all happened in a split second.


    Boom!


    The earth imploded.


    When the dust cleared, Slade looked down at the bleeding woman. Seeing the beauty looking so powerless made him squint.


    "You¡ª!"


    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. Slade turned.


    His eyes met her violet ones.


    "You''ll die."


    A golden eagle materialized almost instantly. It was too close and too fast for Slade to react as it sank its talons into his helmet, tearing a hole through it!


    Slade was fast enough to slap 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!"


    Slade 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 Slade 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!


    Slade 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, Slade 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 be competing 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 Slade did to Sapphira.


    They watched Slade walk toward Nero. The kid clutched his abdomen. He was shocked that Slade''s sword was able to cut through his armor.


    "Slade!"


    A roar tore through the battlefield, causing Slade 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, Slade 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 clash between two bright talents, between two suns.


    Unfortunately, Boundless could only accept one!


    Clang!


    Swords collided.

 Chapter 210 - 210: Wall Of Tiberias [10]

    Clang!


    A tremendous shockwave billowed out, sweeping everyone 300 yards away. Slade slid back while Asher landed 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 Slade shot forward, closing the gap almost instantly and slashing twice, at Asher''s neck and abdomen.


    Clang! Clang!


    Asher parried both strikes with ease, leaned forward, and unleashed an upward strike. A swift counter that caught Slade off guard.


    Slade narrowly deflected it with his right arm. He took two steps to the side only for Asher to slam his shoulder into him.


    The bash caused Slade 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, Slade pushed his body forward, unleashing a horizontal cut. Unfortunately, Asher jumped over his sword. He evaded two more and unleashed a downward slash, which Slade deflected in return.


    "You''ve reached the level of a master." Slade muttered.


    Bam!


    Asher slammed his foot into his chest plate, causing Slade 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. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Talents!"


    Boom!


    Lightning blasted Asher, pushing him 100 yards back. When Slade''s eyes returned to normal, Asher was on one knee, holding tight to Euodias.


    His armor remained intact with a few scratches.


    Slade 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 glass.


    Slade stood upon the glass, 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!"


    Slade roared and dashed toward Asher. Lightning picked him off the ground as he raised his sword and struck down.


    Boom!


    Dust waves spread outward. At this moment, the war was still ongoing, but no one came close to Asher and Slade.


    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 Slade''s sword with his hands. Slade''s sword was just above Asher''s head.


    A few inches more, it would have been over.


    Lightning crackled on Slade''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 clad in armor made of steel.


    Bearing the pain like it was nothing, Asher lifted up his head, looking straight into Slade''s eyes.


    Staring into those beastly golden eyes, Slade felt his soul tremble.


    ''Doesn''t he feel pain?''


    Rising to his feet, Asher punched Slade''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 Slade.


    "Have you lost your edge?"


    Slade 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 Slade''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!"


    Slade screamed out.


    Swish!


    Euodias flashed, 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 blade pointed to the ground as he stared at Slade''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 collapsed.


    Aquila began to chant, and the many icicles burst into water, but there were just too many.


    It wasn''t that Aquila 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 his last respect.


    "Burn it all."

 Chapter 211 - 211: The War Bringer

    Swoosh! Swoosh!


    Brimstones were launched into the air, leaving orange trails in their wake. They streaked through the sky and slammed the walls of Tiberias thunderously.


    Boom! Boom!


    The wall shook, debris falling and soldiers succumbing 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, large 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.


    "My lady, 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 flashed.


    ''After pouring all his wealth, influence, and resources into making his son become the first man in the northern region of Tenaria to become 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 wastelander.''


    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 relationship 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 a large distance.


    Upon closing in on the gate, Alec channeled his Battle Force into his spear, causing it to burst into flames.


    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 dilated as thousands of arrows, lightning and flaming, 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 glanced at Nero and back at Asher.


    "Where should we bury him?"


    Asher looked at him. "Nineveh. He deserves to rest in our homeland, 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 gently laid 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 dilated. 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 leaves completely, 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 placed 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. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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.


    "Welcome back from the dead, Nero."


    His voice fell into Nero''s ears, causing him to bow.


    Rumble!


    Asher turned and saw a large section of the wall crumbling. A large amount of dust rose up.


    The dust cloud was like a background for the company of Stormbringers galloping toward them.


    "Aunt Eritrea¡­" Nero smiled when he saw the woman leading the company. The disbelief in her eyes was vivid.


    Climbing his mount, Asher left.


    ¡­.


    Aquila walked into a tent. She saw her lord leaning against a wooden beam with a cup of green tea in his hand as he stared at the sleeping priestess.


    He tilted his head.


    "My lord."


    Aquila swiftly went on one knee.


    "Arise. What do you want?"


    "My lord, we discovered the blood of a lightning mythical beast mixed in Slade''s blood."


    Asher frowned.


    "That''s impossible unless¡­"


    "Illegal organ trade in black markets." Aquila said solemnly. "Lord Slade had the heart of a giant thunderbird implanted inside of him. Turns out the Archduke really wanted his son to be exceptional."


    "So the lords of the high plains are disregarding the codes of the founding emperor."

 Chapter 212 - 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 plates, you wouldn''t have been able to harm him."


    Aquila said.


    Asher frowned. He turned to Euodiad, leaning against the wall and back toward Aquila.


    "It can hear you."


    Aquila 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.


    Alarmed, she averted her eyes from Euodias. "Tiberias has been breached. Our men are slowly claiming the sectors, but some places are proving quite difficult."


    "That was within my calculations. 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 the commanders do as I commanded?"


    Asher straightened his figure, looking straight into Aquila''s eyes.


    "Yes. The low-ranking nobles have been slain, 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 slay 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."


    Aquila nodded and left.


    Asher''s eyes flickered. He was no fool. After killing Slade, 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 become enemies.


    ¡­.


    A week later, the entire Tiberias was conquered; all noble households that refused to let go of their nobility were slain, 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 clasped 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 flags.


    Only the golden candle stands were left.


    Asher walked on the red carpet, ascended the platform, and caressed the armrest of the golden-white throne before him.


    Turning to face the hall, his gaze met with that of Adam, Aquila, Eritrea, Alex, Alec, Nero, Paul, and some lower-level commanders.


    Sapphira was still recuperating. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The moment he sat down, all of them fell on one knee. "We congratulate 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 wastelands, officially becoming 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 wastelands and the high plains.


    If he could fully conquer the desolatelands, he could unify both lands 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 plain.


    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 flags 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 black armors and white hooded cloaks, but their forces looked like they were picked from different places.


    However, all those armors had their advantages, so Asher planned 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, but compared to House Tigris, who lost over 30,000, their losses were nothing.


    "Console their families with an abundance of whatever they lack. It''s the only way we can lessen the pain."


    "I will do so, my lord."

 Chapter 213 - 213: Troop Upgrade

    Some days later, 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 was completely 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 flag 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 flaw during the war. Although Slade was a dangerous knight and his men knew about this, none of the commanders could restrain him.


    They were busy controlling their troops. That flaw 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 a commander 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. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 access 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 while later, 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 clad in ornate silver and blue armor with golden linings on the breastplates, 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 plate 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 Desolate Wolves fought more battles than the elites, they were able to upgrade twice!


    Behind this frightening heavy infantry were Goshen Longbow Archers clad in light silver plate armor. Their wolf caps remained the same, but their cloaks and armor matched that of the Aegis.


    On the left stood the Frontline Legion. Clad in dark navy blue armor that had large spiked pauldrons on both sides of the chest plate.


    The chest plate had a curve at the section that covered the chest, sloped down, and came out again at the waist area.


    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 Bladebreakers, and the Stormbringers. Both units sat atop their mounts, their aura calm yet threatening.


    A look at the Bladebreakers'' muscular 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 a commander general?''

 Chapter 214 - 214: Count Williams Rage

    Asher went to a high ground, watching hundreds of soldiers clash. Sparks flew as their weapons collided and dust rose due to the quick foot movements.


    All of them wore black tunics, pants, and leather boots. Surrounding the large 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 become Ashbourne knights ignited after they saw the upgraded soldiers patrolling.


    The air around them, the power they commanded, 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 desolate lands, 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 access into the Ashbourne'' land.


    Once the training was over, Alec planned 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 their lands."


    Asher chuckled. "Although you are the first line of defense against the high plains lords, don''t forget where we are."


    After saying that, he opened his palm and showed Alec the snowflakes 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 clasp 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''s last 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 young lad 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 slammed his palm against a wooden table, right on top of a map with different flags representing noble houses.


    Crash!


    With a yell, he flung everything to the ground, his eyes like that of a hungry beast as he glared 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 flash 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¡ª!"


    Sofia lifted up her head, her eyes filled with moisture.


    Unfortunately¡ª


    "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 her ladyship was too busy to stop her bodyguard from making me a cripple for the rest of my life."


    Count William shot Sofia a deadly glance, 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 that the loss of Tiberias had taken away whatever affection he had for Sofia.


    "Tell me all that happened, Josef." S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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!

 Chapter 215 - 215: Spreading News

    Roar!


    A white valiant bear ran on the snowy plains 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 knight commanded 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 light laugh. 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 circulating the borderlands.


    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 Slade Nubis is slain."


    Clack!


    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.


    Slade 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 class 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 wastelands from the high plains."


    "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 plays out. This rising black 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 Slade?!"


    "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 Slade! Slade 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. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Inside the carriage sat a gray-haired man. He sank into the comfortable 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.


    "Welcome 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?"


    "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 light lasted 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 wastelands.


    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 - 216: Strange Occurrence

    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!


    "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 slain 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 Bladebreaker 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-class people in his domain. As his domain increased, classes 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 class 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 magnets for gold coins.


    In fact, it was high time Goshen was called the city of wealth, luxury, and gold! S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 already late.


    "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 places 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 available."


    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 to come 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."


    ¡­.


    Hours later, 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 plains. Asher could remember something similar a year ago.


    They kept riding until they arrived at a plain close to the Ash Mountains.


    "My god. What happened here?"


    Alex exclaimed as he gazed at the corpses of Abyss creatures. Hundreds of them!


    All of them were slaughtered by an unknown creature.


    "What could have done this?"


    A King Swordsman gasped as he placed 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 slammed 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¡­ a large beast."

 Chapter 217 - 217: Winter Titan

    "What kind of beast can kill these goblin warriors without a scratch?!"


    Alex pondered.


    "My lord, they all have one thing in common. There''s no sharp wound, like one caused by a claw or a blade."


    A King Swordsman some meters behind Asher said.


    "That''s because what killed them doesn''t fight with claws or blades¡­ it uses its fists." A gleam flashed 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 planned to make it awaken its memories. That would mean we would face a formidable opponent, but it killed them first." S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "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 black-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.


    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 flames. 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¡ª!


    ¡­.


    Silverleaf Tavern.


    Bam!


    "Hahaha!" A soldier burst into laughter as he slammed the cup of milk on the table before his comrades.


    Others ground their teeth as the soldier took their bronze coins.


    "I told you no one can defeat me in a drinking competition."


    "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 glanced 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 was communication 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 claimed Silverleaf.


    Baron Rutherford had manipulated their minds, making them believe all he said. This wasn''t easy to achieve, but in the end he was successful.


    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''s last 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 the commander 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''t come today. Who let her out this late?''


    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 - 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 ironclad warrior in that man, and she has almost succeeded."


    Buba was a major part of his plan. He couldn''t let him be deceived by some little girl.


    "Go home. It''s late. 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 glare at Buba.


    "Sarah. It''s dangerous to be out this late. Go." Buba''s tone hardened, causing Sarah to grumble.


    She angrily stomped off. Buba knew she might not come back for a day or two, but it was okay.


    Tonight was his last 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 the commander? 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 blasted flames 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 clad in steel plates burst out, a sword tightly clenched in his hand.


    It was the commander!


    "You!"


    Filled with rage, he moved towards the miners, slaying 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 slammed 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!" sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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¡ª!"


    Boom!


    Baron Scarlet unleashed flames from his eyes and hands, scorching the shield men and burning down a part of the building!


    "Baron! We are not to kill the blacksmith!"


    Buba bellowed, his eye widening to the limit.


    Baron Scarlet glanced 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 blast caught them!


    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 slay the little girl had been slain 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 flames rained down on Buba.


    ''None of them knows about my gift. If only they knew.''


    Buba''s eye dilated.


    Flames gathered in his hand, forming a large, hovering ball.


    Boom!


    Both men collided, causing a massive shockwave.

 Chapter 219 - 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.


    Clang!


    Sparks flew, and the rebel was pushed back. Closing the gap, Buba slammed his shoulder into the rebel''s chest before swinging his sword upward.


    "Argh!"


    The rebel screamed, but it didn''t last long as Buba used him as defense against another rebel''s sword.


    Puchi!


    The second rebel was shocked to see that he had stabbed his comrade. Unfortunately, that shock didn''t last long as Buba shot a flame 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 collapsed, 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 a command, Buba roared and slammed both hands against the ground. Flames burst from the earth, slaying 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 flames, pressed against his skin while his eyes changed.


    Supernova!


    Flames 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 flames consumed the building and others around.


    400 yards was scorched black. Buildings reduced to ash!


    Baron Scarlet''s body became slightly normal. He saw Buba within the scorched land, 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.


    Flames 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 flame 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 flames¡­


    Baron Scarlet was king!


    He walked out of the explosion, flames billowing from his eyes.


    "It''s a pity you made such a decision. You would have been a great warrior under my command."


    He clenched his fist and threw a punch. Flames burst out of his palms, raw and unrestrained. Buba crossed his arms, grimacing as the flames 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 slammed him into the ground once more.


    He conjured a flame ball, and just as he was about to hit Baron Scarlet with it, a barbarian rebel slammed 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 slain rebels with a little girl on his shoulder.


    "Die!"


    Baron Scarlet unleashed flames. 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 flames 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 place 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. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Creak!


    The steel gates were pushed open, revealing those towering men clad in thick metal plates.


    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 accept 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."


    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 - 220: The Counts Arrival

    In the midst of the chaos and flames, Baron Rutherford stood atop a building watching it all happen.


    A little smile could be seen on his face as his plan had succeeded. Silverleaf belongs to him!


    Flap! Flap!


    The sound of flapping made him lift up his eyes, but even his eyes could only see a golden flash, and in the next moment, golden flames 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 claws, Baron Rutherford''s eyes widened to the limit.


    "What is that?!"


    A Rebel standing below him exclaimed, his arms trembling as he watched the dragon-like creature breathe flames.


    "Change of plans. 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 plan. 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 blacksmiths, the most important people in this town when the lion dragon appeared.


    The scorching flames, several times hotter than his flames, made him turn. His eyes widened as he watched his men turn to ashes in mere seconds.


    Thud!


    The beast landed, its claws 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.


    Clang!


    Geriant blocked the attack with his forearm, folded the fingers of his other hand, and threw a punch that launched 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.


    [City''s Name: Goshen


    City''s Tier: 3


    City''s Grade: Normal


    Population: 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 dilated.


    [Town''s Name: Silverleaf


    Town''s Tier: 3


    Town''s Grade: Half-Mythical


    Population: 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. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "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 clad 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 black smoke rising from the city with flames 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 slaves 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 - 221: Longing For You

    Shing!


    As Sirius ran toward a rebel, Asher unsheathed his sword and slashed a rebel, slaying him instantly!


    Thud!


    Seeing this, the King Swordsmen followed suit, their swords flashing 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 slain 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 plans 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¡ª"


    "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 glance 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 glanced at Baron Rutherford and Baron Scarlet, who were in chains.


    "These men have committed 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 clad in a black 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.


    "Aquila! What are you doing? Set me free!"


    He ordered, but to his shock, Aquila 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!" S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 plain field.


    With chains on their hands and legs, they gazed at the massive wolf.


    Its eyes turned orange, and flames 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 face lacked a strand of emotion.


    The heat of Sirius'' flames 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 Aquila. She just came down from a carriage and was walking toward him.


    "I wasn''t. I should have seen this coming. These men would have remained in their positions had it not been for your father and his ally."


    Aquila 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 my commander 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 Aquila 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, Aquila could not shake off this feeling that her father might have unleashed the part of the wolf they did not wish to encounter.


    ¡­.


    Two days later, 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 - 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 blacksmiths 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 the large 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, the large 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.


    "Welcome back. For sacrificing your life for your comrade 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 black 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.


    Becoming 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 become 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. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Asher''s brows furrowed.


    "This is Buba. A former general of the Bashan clan''s army and the renowned flamethrower. 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 knees completely 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 Flaming Guardian Knight."


    The moment he placed 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-black handle. Finally, a black 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.


    Thud!


    He landed 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 placed 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 accord 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 Claude had become 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 days later, 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 the comfortable sofa, reading a book he picked from the library.


    "My lord, the¡ª!"


    Alex couldn''t finish what he was about to say when an explosion echoed from the forest.

 Chapter 223 - 223: Son Of The Wilderness

    Boom!


    A massive amount of dust rose up, and it was accompanied by a fearsome shockwave that made the sturdy trees of the desolate 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''s coming."


    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 desolate 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 Black 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 claw 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 muscular 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, launching its claws toward the horse''s back.


    Swish! S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 a large 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 and coming 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." Moses completed 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 flashed. "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 days later, 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 muscular, gray-haired man clad 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 BloodBlades 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 clan.


    ''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 - 224: First Winter Plague

    "Haven''t you heard of the incident that occurred 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 slaughter, including the family of the blacksmith that made the armor your men wore previously. The ''Ark Armor Set.''."


    Asher pointed at Moses. "He was the one that saved the blacksmith''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 accepted Moses, Asher knew Adam would never forget the sight of Moses placing 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!


    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 dilated.


    "... Why are my people dying?" Although his tone was still calm, everyone could feel the piercing glare 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 plague that takes the lives of hundreds every winter, but this winter''s plague 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." S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 succumb because our bodies are fighting it as we speak. Those who have eaten lots of our high-quality products last 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 available 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 but combating 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 was coming 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 and lasted a complete 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 place 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 plague to win the battle and consume the body.


    ''It feels as if nature is bent on letting me know that I have no place 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 to last 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 - 225: Black 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 become 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 slightly compassionate.


    ''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 collapse without money.'' S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [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 stalagmites; 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 a large 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 place.


    The fire crystals, merged into the stalagmites, 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 population 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.


    4000 strong, clad in thick black armor with their long crimson lances, rode jet black, handsome Centraks that had black crystals in place of those bone spikes and golden eyes.


    Their white cloaks fluttered as they galloped toward the city.


    Their menacing aura billowed, coming as a ferocious tide.


    "Wow! Uncle Lambert''s unit has gotten another upgrade."


    Nero, who was hovering by flapping his wings, softly remarked.


    Without being told, he knew the Bladebreakers benefited from the city''s change.


    They were now the Black Knight Cavalry!

 Chapter 226 - 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 black 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 plains, 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 plains once more, but the mountains behind stood tall, declaring their presence in the landscape.


    With a gentle turn, Asher looked at the great mountains, and a smile crept into his face.


    ''My first mythical city.''


    ¡­.


    Somewhere beyond the borders of Ashkelon land 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 slammed open, and a soldier clad in black 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, black-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 mainland, stole our skills, and made us fight over such a small piece of land. 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 clans.


    "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 the last 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 clad 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 claim 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 clad in a fur-padded cloak turn.


    Seeing the black-haired man tightly clad 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 annihilation.


    "Take your squadron and go. The fate of the Winter stronghold rests on your shoulders, young man¡­Find the humans out there."


    S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 227 - 227: Internal War

    Intis Palace, 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 plains 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.


    Suddenly, a crimson light appeared in his father''s chest, causing him to frown.


    "What is this¡ª!"


    Boom!


    It blasted 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 slammed 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 explain 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¡ª!" 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. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "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 into laughter as the man kept struggling with himself. In reality, the soldier could be seen fighting and struggling against thin air while his partner lay 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 annihilated 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 blazing 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 you lack 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 collapse.


    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 palace 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 blame 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, slashing 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 and landed 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 - 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 clashed with Samuel. A shockwave blasted 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 slammed his shield into the ground, and a golden beam blasted 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 palace 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 plague!"


    Samuel roared at Reuel, who sat on the staircase that led down to the courtyard. The prince was relaxed. It was as if he couldn''t see the slaughter before him.


    Boom!


    A hundred meters around Samuel imploded as he shot toward Reuel, only for Seth to block him.


    While the battle went on in the palace, 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, flame balls flew toward him from three sides.


    Creases formed on the mage''s forehead.


    "Begone!"


    He roared, causing a blast that negated all the flame balls.


    Wind balls appeared around him, and he looked at the hooded people standing in the plain field below.


    There was no city for hundreds of kilometers.


    The mage frowned. "Are you an accomplice in the king''s demise?"


    "We just want to make our kingdom better. You old coots prefer to sit in the comfort 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 you commit 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 flaming pillars 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 flaming pillars. "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, launching large flaming serpents. These serpents were not just like other flaming serpent spells, but they were like actual living creatures with bright orange scales and glowing eyes!


    About 30 flaming 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 occurred 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 flames 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 the last 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."


    ¡­ S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The last 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 hours later, when the skies were black without a source of light from the otherworldly bodies, which were the moons and stars, the keep was lit up.


    Shadows of the orange flames danced on the bodies of soldiers standing guard.


    All of a sudden, a furry creature landed 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 - 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 collapsed, and the jackal that shot them looked at their corpses coldly. He turned to the others who had slain 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 clan.


    In every beastman clan, there were two forces. The heads were the Freeman clan; this clan is like the royals of the clan, while the bond clans were under them.


    One Freeman clan usually had more than one bond clan under them, but in most cases, the bond clans did not possess unique gifts, also known as clan talents, like the Freeman clans.


    In this area, the jackals'' talent was shadows!


    Clad in an animal fur jacket that exposed their muscular torso, a leather belt, black leather pants, a quiver filled with bolts, and a scary-looking crossbow made out of the bones of a desolate beast, the jackals jumped down the wall in numbers.


    About thirty of them landed, facing about 20 Frontline knights who rushed out.


    Swish! Swish! Swish!


    Shadowy bolts were launched. 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 clad in a sleeveless white fur coat who held two curved blades.


    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.


    Clang!


    Sparks manifested as their weapons clashed, 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 slashed right through the knight''s armor, shocking him greatly, but this was the beginning as the second curved blade sliced his arm, making him grunt deeply.


    His battle force blasted 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 blade 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''re coming...''


    Thud!


    The knight fell.


    The Jackal pulled out his blade, sheathed both of them, and vanished like smoke. He appeared outside and found his men had dealt with the knights outside.


    All of them lay dead, unable to believe what or who they faced. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "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 clan warriors; those from the bond clan could never lay their hands on it except they did the impossible.


    "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 clans.]


    "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 Black Knights riding their majestic steeds ahead of them.


    At the gate, a Black 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 sound coming 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 clad 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 - 230: Flames 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 similar 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 claws.


    Not long after Asher left, Uriah rode into the keep with a black 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 desolate beast known for its exceptional vision.


    "They slaughtered 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 Black 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 clan.


    Apparently, this clan had one freeman clan and two bond clans, which were the dual hammer Jackal clan and the bowmen Jackal clan.


    Although he informed Asher of their staggering population, which was above 20,000! The Black Knight was still sent. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 Black Knights were a heavy cavalry, the most prominent land force. They were the tanks of the old era.


    While most troops had reached their capped level, the Black 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 advantage lay.


    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 Black 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 wastelands!


    ¡­.


    "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 glare.


    The First Lord, who was also the chief, known as Ham, rose to his feet.


    Before his muscular frame, his brothers looked small.


    "Gather our men; we shall soak their soil with their blood and enslave 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 the commander of the bond clans, and the Third Lord led a small unit of skilled assassins while the main freeman forces were under the chief.


    "Tomorrow."


    While the Jackals prepared their men, that evening the Black Knight Cavalry unit arrived on the outskirts of the Jackal clan.


    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 plain.


    The cold breeze made his cloak flutter. "Not even a single flame."


    He muttered under his breath.


    Turning his head toward his men, his calm voice rang: "We wait until it''s late."


    Thousands of jackals gathered around a stone podium in the center of their clan, heeding the call of the Second Lord.


    Although it was late and the moons took over, no jackal made attempts to light up a fire.


    "Our chief has declared 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 claws, all imagining the scene of them ripping the humans apart.


    "Those inferior races will obey our law!" 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 flames on the horizon.


    The silhouette of men on horses reflected in their eyes.


    Lambert pointed his lance at the clan. "Advance!"

 Chapter 231 - 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 Black Knights.


    They looked like soldiers of the night, riding into the clan without a shred of fear.


    "Kill them! Kill those invaders!" The Second Lord shouted as he ran toward the Black Knight. He believed he could cut them down with his claws and raw strength.


    The Third Lord withdrew his crescent blades 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 regular masses dashed toward the cavalry while brandishing their claws.


    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 place to hide but some still dashed forward, hoping to kill the flames.


    Unfortunately, they forgot one thing. While in terms of bodily build, they had the advantage, these humans were knights clad in heavy armors!


    Boom!


    The Jackals clashed with the Black Knight, and what happened was a massacre. Black Knights pierced, slashed, and slammed jackals into the spirit world in droves.


    Their might was beyond the Jackals'' comprehension.


    "Die!"


    The Second Lord leaped, clawing down on a Black Knight. The knight defended the strike with his lance 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 slam the ground.


    He clawed at the helmet but only left scratches.


    When the knight retaliated, he vanished into the shadows once again.


    Pointing at the Black 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! S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 Clan feared.


    The entire clan was lit up, and the Black Knights could now see the jackals attacking them. The knights on the ground grunted, their eyes flashing with cold light.


    One slammed 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 his lance.


    "Come, you beasts!"


    He brandished his lance. With three steps, he leaped into the air, thrusting his lance through a jackal and pulling it out.


    He heard a sound and turned to see his horse had slain a jackal and was now running toward him.


    The Black Knight calculated 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 Knights comeback and how his army was slaughtered 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 Black 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 Black 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.


    Lambert just knew that he was Ham''s target, and the aura Ham gave off was on par with his.


    Lambert disposed of his lance, 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 external layer over his arms, forming two massive arm blades!


    Boom!


    Ham shot vanished. In the next second, Lambert saw him above him! Lambert swiftly lifted up his sword to defend, but the clash 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 slammed 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 - 232: Great Slaughter

    Clang!


    Sparks flew! The Third Lord was shocked to see that Lambert deflected the strike even when he wasn''t looking.


    Lambert turned a bit, glaring 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 slapped off the Third Lord''s slash, wrapped his fingers around the jackal''s neck, lifted him up, and slammed 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 planning on letting them know.


    After all¡­ His Lordship''s orders were: "Slay all."


    The Jackals had committed an atrocious act by slaughtering 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 his laws before them.


    As a servant, Lambert carried the same mindset as his lord.


    "Kill them all." The Black Knight commander 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 Black Knight retrieved his sword, panting softly before turning to find his commander 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 Black Knight killed the last Jackal.


    "We have eradicated the great Jackal clan, commander." The Black Knight walked up to Lambert and bowed his head.


    "Set it ablaze and let''s return."


    Lambert rose to his feet, and his horse also rose up.


    Two days later, a man clad 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 flames.


    This man was none other than Simon, captain of the guard from Winter Stronghold.


    He squatted. Looking at the bones of jackals charred black.


    "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 clans."


    ¡­.


    Inside a grand hall, several folds greater than the sacred hall in Nineveh, a man sat on a throne. There was a row of pillars 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. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "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?"


    "According to our scouts, he had gone into the Wildlands 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 slayed 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 - 233: Black Rose

    Swoosh!


    A man pushed aside the tent flap and walked into the massive interior of the tent, where he found a white-haired man sitting on a wooden chair with a glass 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 this land ultimately cannot be conquered in your current position."


    Count William sighed heavily. "So has my fate become."


    "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 wasteland."


    Count William''s eyes widened. "He sent troops!"


    "Troops? That would be playing a lion playing 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. "Black 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 he laughed.


    "You mean to tell me¡­ the Archduke sent THE Black 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 flashed 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 a company to just one man, and yet most of them failed!


    Black 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, Black 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 blade."


    "She''s already in the wasteland!"


    ¡­


    Currently, Asher sat on horseback with Sirius, Kelvin, Alex, and Simon, the captain of the winter guards, with him inside a sparse forest. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 a land known as Edom! A large piece of land 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 more complex clan system, and beyond their large territory was the territory of Dothan.


    Another domain ruled by descendants of the giant race. Asher first thought they were gigantic, but according 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 their lack of ranks with special powers or unique traits.


    "It''s stable, but those people will soon come 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 plain from the edge of the cliff. This was a place Simon had to climb to get into Ashkelon.


    Meaning, this cliff that differentiated the high land from the low plains 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 according to his scouts, the hunting party made up of mercenaries couldn''t put up a fight 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 - 234: Sapphiras Plea

    Snow rose up as a golden figure flew with great speed. With each flap, he crossed a great distance, causing trees to tilt, snow to rise, wind to burst outward, and other series of commotion, but the figure didn''t stop.


    He was kilometers away from Ashkelon and wore one of the most dignified armors in the wasteland.


    The sight of him would make a civilian fall on their knees and bow, and this figure was none other than the Noble BloodBlade, Nero!


    He could see ripples coming from afar and had been flying towards that place right from Silverleaf, and now he was in the midst of the Ash Mountains.


    This place 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 flapping 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 slain.


    Staring right at the white-furred ape whose crimson eyes were strangely calm, Nero felt a threat he had never felt before.


    Not even Slade 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?" S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 a large 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 he composed 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 slain 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 days later.


    Tapk! Tapk!


    Clad in a white top and black 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.


    "Please, Asher¡­ survive."

 Chapter 235 - 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 places 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.


    Black sleeveless gown that had a slit revealing her legs, black lip gloss, black unusually long fingers, pale skin, and cold, almost emotionless ocean blue eyes.


    "Welcome, Lord Asher."


    Asher could sense she tried to make things humorous but failed miserably because of the lack of emotions.


    All he felt was a discomforting chill coming 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."


    Black Rose said softly, her lips curling into a simple smile.


    At this moment, Sirius walked through the door and stood behind Asher. Black 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.


    Black 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, completely severed from the BloodBlade.


    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 slain 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."


    Black Rose revealed a yellow paper burning with purple flames. She crushed it, and a violet light burst out.


    In the next moment, Asher could perceive the stench coming from every part of the manor. It was extremely thick, yet his expression remained the same.


    However, on a closer look, Black 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.


    Black Rose''s eyes followed his actions to the sword. "Is that the sword that took off Slade 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?"


    Black 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 flames, and his shoulder-length gray hair became flames and billowed upwards.


    His eyebrows also became flames! Flames coated Euodias while Asher''s clothes burnt off.


    The temperature of the room skyrocketed, and Black 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¡ª!"


    He bit his lips to stop himself from screaming. Seeing Asher''s state, Sirius lunged forth, breathing flames at Black Rose.


    Black Rose leaped to the other side, and all of a sudden, Sirius couldn''t see her nor sense her!


    Alarmed, it suddenly reduced its size to the minimum, causing Black Rose''s spike to miss.


    Her eyes widened.


    All of a sudden, she looked back only to see Asher, bathing in flames, swinging his sword down, aiming to cleave her apart. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She chuckled, and black bone spikes came out of her wrists. She shot the spikes.


    Asher blasted flames from his left leg, forcing his body to the other side, narrowly evading the spikes.


    Looking down, he could see black 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!"


    Black 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 flaw.''


    Asher''s flames 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 Black Rose.


    Just after this thought, Black 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.''


    Black Rose clenched her teeth and launched several spikes without stopping. Both Asher and Sirius opened their mouths, and an orange light appeared in the depths.

 Chapter 236 - 236: Gate Of Destruction

    They both breathed flames at Black Rose, but she simply crossed her arms, and the flames 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 flames are weak."


    Black Rose spat, growing two more spikes. The moment Asher clashed with her spikes, she was shocked to see that Euodias sliced right through them, and the same blade came for her neck.


    Black Rose leaned back and struck her leg out. Her feet hit Asher''s abdomen, launching him to the wall.


    Web-like cracks spread out as he slammed the wall. It vibrated heavily!


    Flames blasted 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 Black Rose was waiting for him. He was playing right into her game.


    Her claws for fingers ripped his chest open, and she also slammed 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, Black 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 delaying your death, little lord!" Black 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 flames, which had grown considerably weaker, and engaged in a heated battle with Black Rose. As time went by, she kept inflicting wounds on him with poison spreading gradually, but he couldn''t land a single hit.


    Black Rose was too agile, and her talent made him only able to track her with sight. Not even the smell worked on Black 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 play with, but that''s it. There is nothing too special about the man that killed Slade Nubis."


    Black 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 Black Rose shot another spike. She could somehow transfer her talent coverage ability into the spikes, making them a silent death strike.


    The black veins became more obvious as his flame died down.


    Swoosh!


    Black Rose vanished from the throne and appeared before him.


    Bam!


    She launched 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 wastelander, 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¡ª!"


    Black 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 flames became blue, and even from there, she felt the intense heat!


    "What¡ª?!"


    Before she could utter those words, Asher was already inside the sacred hall. He held Euodias in his right hand, and blue flames burst out from his open left hand, transforming into another exquisite longsword.


    A pure elemental weapon.


    "What kind of talent is this?"


    Black Rose gasped and activated her talent. She included that of sight because Asher''s battle force was overwhelming.


    Suddenly, Black Rose appeared, but the moment she did, she saw Asher pointing his blade 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."


    Black Rose''s eyes widened to the limit, and she sprouted long black 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!


    "You dare hurt my descendant! Perish!" Asher bellowed, but the voice of Torah could be heard.


    Slash!


    He performed an X slash, and all that remained of Black 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, companion, 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 flame.


    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 glance, 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, who lay 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 flames, and thousands of soldiers clad in pitch black 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-black 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 flag 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 months later¡­ kidding.]


    S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 237 - 237: A Lords 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 massacre lay bare. Every victim lying on the ground bore the same fatal wound¡ªa 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 flanking her quickly drew their sword and raised their shields in a protective stance.


    Just then, two figures descended from the sky and landed 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 eyes landed 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¡ªeverything but the lord, who wasn''t accounted for.


    Sapphira flew to his room and slammed 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 clash, 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 BloodBlade 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-bonded companion, supposed to offer any solace?


    Right now, finding Asher was the priority.


    Every member of his elite King Swordsmen, the pride of the county, lay dead. Even the manor''s servants and maids had been slaughtered.


    For a lord, this was a devastating blow. Especially for Asher, who was still reeling from the Silverleaf incident.


    Blacksmith Ark White hadn''t touched metal since the day he lost his sons, he was struck so deep that the blacksmith 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, Sapphira launched 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¡ªfamiliar 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 glance at her.


    When she landed, 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. At last, 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¡ªit 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¡ªor 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. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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 particular spot where Alex''s body had once lain.


    "I see this place has been cleansed of my failures," he murmured.


    "My lord, we should send our forces to the Wildlands and finish what remains of Count William!" Adam proposed.


    "Be silent, General Adam," Katarina interjected sternly. Adam shot her a sharp glance but chose to heed her words and stepped back.


    "Regent Kelvin reports that the Count still commands an army of 40,000 strong, still loyal to him," Sapphira added. "Besides, he is in the treacherous terrain of the Wildlands and has allies."


    "Allies¡­" Asher repeated, drawing everyone''s attention. "¡­something we sorely lack. 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, lacking 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¡ªwho is, for now, unable to attend to his duties indefinitely."


    "What?!" Adam gasped.


    "My lord!" Katarina stepped forward, alarmed. Sapphira sighed deeply and slowly lowered her head as though she had somehow seen this coming.


    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 - 238: Swift Kill

    Five days later¡­


    Asher, clad in a black cloak for the first time in a long while, could be seen in a plain 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 the commanders, generals, nobles, and officials.


    Baron Flameheart, General Alec, Mage Commander Aquila, 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 platform, and lit it up.


    As the flames blazed, Asher''s eyes moistened. ''I could have been stronger.''


    A thought lingered in his heart as he watched the black smoke rise up to the clouds. Soldiers went about with torches, setting ablaze 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 black." Baron Flameheart said as he gazed at the man standing before the flames.


    Alec stood there, his expression stoic as usual, like a man that felt no pain, but the flames 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 flashed through his eyes.


    They dreamed of standing by their lord when he had reached the peak.


    Aquila breathed out white mist. She wasn''t the only one with several words inside but unable to speak.


    Another beauty, though black-haired, was going through the same experience. Eritrea bit her lips hard, feeling rage in her heart.


    After watching the flames 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 hours later, 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 glanced at him. "What about you?"


    He turned to Sapphira. "I agree. It would be best if you were far away from that desolate beast in the Ash Mountains."


    Asher frowned. "What do you mean?"


    "According 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 falcon latched 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 black 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 claws 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 calculative and decisive!


    Snow rose up as the ape crashed into the ground. The peregrine falcon landed 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.


    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.


    Aquila, Cynthia, Sapphira, and Kelvin stood in the courtyard. Their hair flew backward as the peregrine falcon landed and a crimson light blasted out.


    A man garbed in black with a black coat, which has black 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 explaining 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. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    What a painful fate.

 Chapter 239 - 239: Banished Ashbourne

    After leaving everyone behind, Asher retreated to his room and began to meditate. According 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 become an Awoken One¡ªfearsome 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¡ªslaughtering 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 become 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 regulated 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, lay a corpse.


    Blood dripped from the young man''s claws 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¡ªthe 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 and commanders 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!" a commander 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¡ªthe 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, claws 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 succumb to bloodlust. They knew this, which was why he lived in solitary, in the mountain caves by himself, isolated from the rest of the world.


    Euodias lunged forward, faster than the wind and launched a claw strike, tearing through General Kirin''s breastplate in a single strike!


    Lightning danced along its other foreleg as it slammed 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 glanced at the other wolf and when it came close, he casually slapped 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 he 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. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    There was no doubt¡ªonce 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 splattered across Zorah''s face.


    He froze, unable to believe what just happened.


    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 blasted 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 - 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-black 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 to come 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¡ªfar 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 place 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."


    "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 place 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 place 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 a land with a myriad of secrets¡­"


    Zorah raised his hand. "When you hear of Clan El, reveal your identity to them."


    "Why are you¡ª!"


    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, accompanied 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 manipulate 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 plains.


    "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 glanced 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 accepted the bowl. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "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 clad 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 soldier coming from the distance, he frowned.


    "Let me do the talking," he muttered.


    The soldier stopped and sneered. "I see you have brought some company. I thought you were supposed to come 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 - 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 frost layered on the weathered walls of their buildings and a group of soldiers occasionally 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¡ªone of the winged figures¡ªseemed 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 had come, 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 wastelands. He commands 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 glance. "Respect our guests."


    Turning back to Asher, he smiled warmly. "Welcome 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¡ªthe fur-padded soldier¡ªthe hand of Lord Winter and Anderson, the strategist.


    "You are the Count?" Anderson, a man with long black 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 glanced 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 plausible opinion." Anderson agreed with a begrudging nod.


    "What we face, after all, is potential annihilation at the hands of the rat beastmen."


    "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. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "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 nonchalant expression. "According to Jacob, their Freeman Clan 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 to come here. Bashan truly isn''t like the high plains, 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¡ªjust myself."


    "What!" Issac slammed his palm against the table and rose in anger.


    "Did you come 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 displayed 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 - 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 relative.


    But after witnessing that raw display 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 our last resort."


    ''He can slay 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¡ªIsaac could kill Black Rose with a single punch!


    Isaac, seemingly indifferent to Asher''s thoughts, sat down and turned his head away. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "If you''ve come without a soldier," Lord Winter asked, "what do you hope to offer us?"


    "Myself," Asher replied confidently. "For now, I am all that''s available, but when the time comes, 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.


    "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¡ªawakening 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¡ªa 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 newcomer''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 clanking of a blacksmith 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¡ªyou can''t order him what to do."


    Isaac''s jaws tightened. "He clearly said he didn''t come here as a lord. Going out this late 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 black rings.


    Swoosh!


    Massive black 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 flanked 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 black 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 black, 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 and landed on both feet. Borrowing the momentum of his landing, he burst forward, cutting through two more in rapid succession.


    Boom!


    An explosion erupted from behind him, thanks to Moses who threw a ball of flame 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 - 243: Congratulations

    The armoured rat knights charged forth, their feet leaving claw marks on the ground as they closed the gap. One leaped into the air, while the other unleashed a horizontal slash with its blade.


    Moses swung his axe with all his might, intercepting the sword of the rat beastmen that unleashed a horizontal slash and also deflecting the strike of the one that came from the air.


    The third knight slammed its foot into his breastplate, sending him staggering backwards. He glanced down, his eyes narrowing as he noticed the rat''s footprint dented into his breastplate.


    ''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.


    Clang! Clang!


    Sparks erupted as their weapons clashed. 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 two large 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 flames, their agonized screams piercing the air and making the last knight stagger as he lost his confidence.


    After picking up his axe, Moses strode forward at the last 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 clad in black 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 slammed 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 slammed a moment ago!


    "How lucky," the noble white rat sneered, its voice dripping with disdain. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As Moses rose to his feet, he took in the newcomer. 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.


    "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 blade 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 relaxed, his vigilance 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 alarm.


    "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 he landed hard, gasping for air and coughing.


    Luckily, he had been quick and defended himself with his axe or the blast would have been fatal.


    Adah raised her hands, flaunting her claws that glinted ominously. To Asher''s shock, Moses suddenly levitated, only to be slammed back to the ground with a devastating force, carving a crater into the earth!


    Seeing this, Asher sprang into action. Adah evaded his slash with a graceful twist but her eyes widened as she spotted another aimed at her neck. She intercepted Euodias with her bare hands, the clash 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 blade 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 flashing 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 clamped 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 place. She stared in disbelief¡ª-Asher had just summoned a spirit!


    Swoosh!


    The beast lunged, its claws slashing at Adah. She flew behind her carriage, using it as a shield, but the spirit wolf''s claws 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 claws glowed a menacing red. Its next strike was doomed to kill him.


    Asher could feel it. He knew that the moment the claw touched him, it would annihilate 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¡ªa man with an air of authority.


    "Do you realize what you have done?" Isaac''s voice was sharp with reproach as he landed. "Clan 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.


    [Congratulations¡­You have awakened a talent.]

 Chapter 244 - 244: Second Talent

    "He has been asleep for a week¡ªright after attacking a convoy from Edom."


    Isaac clenched his teeth, glaring 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¡ªbut 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 explained, 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 his companion is unwavering. Having faith to do the impossible, to hope for that which is not seen¡ªby faith, it exists. That is no different from borrowing strength from I Am. He just doesn''t know it yet."


    Isaac paused, placing 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."


    _____ S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A day later, 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 annihilating 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 plan 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¡ªa 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¡ªunless 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 the commanding 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 accentuated by his leather chestplate over his sleeveless shirt. Tight black pants and sturdy black boots completed 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¡ªonly Sapphira, the queen of beauty, had ever managed to get through his ice-cold heart.


    "Your Lordship!"


    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¡ªyou 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.'' Congratulations, Host. You have awakened a Zenith-ranked talent, one of the Sixth Star Order! Be warned¡ªthis talent is alive and carries the heritage of its previous bearers.]

 Chapter 245 - 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 playing on his lips.


    The woman frowned. "Is it safe to send such a man to lead our men? He might influence them¡ªhe 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, clad in neat black 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¡­" she commanded. "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 hour later, 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 was composed of hardened veterans, warriors tempered by combat and war.


    They had been fighting beasts each winter!


    After seizing him up, the hundred returned to their various activities¡ªsome 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¡ªfodder 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 ones come?"


    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¡ªknights of remarkable strength¡ªuntil 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 annihilated. Our population 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 they lack complete 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." Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I am Levi," the man said, his large 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.


    "¡­ strength does."


    A sharp gleam flashed past Asher''s eyes. "Are you challenging my right as the leader?"

 Chapter 246 - 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 blade." 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. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    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¡ªa reason to follow and obey him.


    Levi charged forward, his spear a blur of motion and a menacing look. But, to Asher''s sharp eyes, the flaw 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 triangular 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 blade 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¡ªmy standard alone. Those who object can challenge my leadership at any time."


    The soldiers exchanged wary glances, 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 become 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," Asher commanded. "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, some complaining 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 flames 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¡ªwatching and waiting¡ª-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''t last against a rat knight. Those things wear full plate 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 nothing compared 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 had come 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 similar to people who wielded greatswords.


    The blade 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 according 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 circulated 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 becoming 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-blame! You will lose what makes you an Ashbourne¡ªthe 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 - 247: Paladins

    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 a command. "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.


    Shortly after everyone had filled, they marched into the forest, heading to a dense area filled with towering trees. Once there, they began thrusting their spears against the same tree they had struck the previous day. While training, Levi''s arms trembled because he had to practice thrusting with both hands to maintain his stamina.


    He couldn''t understand it. They were going to thrust their spears against enemies that were made up of flesh and blood so why did they have to train against something that was this hard?!


    By the time he thrust his spear two more times, he felt like his palm was about to split open. The stinging pain forced him to drop his spear. But right then, the sound of approaching footsteps fell into his ears.


    "Simon, I can''t¡­!"


    Levi''s eyes widened as he saw Asher standing behind him, his golden eyes piercing into his soul.


    Although he was in his mid forties, Levi felt a chill run down his spine. There was something about Asher''s force that had always made him feel uncomfortable but when standing face to face with him, it was a dozen times more jarring.


    At that moment, Levi thought he was staring at a ravenous wolf ready to rip him apart. Sweat trickled down to his chin and he forced himself to pick up the spear.


    To his shock, Asher handed him a brown wrapping and a small jar of ointment. "Apply it and continue. It will ease the pain."


    With that Asher turned and walked away.


    Levi stared at the items in his hand and then at the retreating captain. ''Maybe he''s not an evil incarnate after all,'' he thought.


    And just like that, a week passed in this relentless cycle. Every day, the hundred soldiers trained before sunrise and would only return to the camp after sunset. The gruelling training continued to seep into their knight bodies, slowly reforging them into tougher, more disciplined warriors.


    Like any other day, Asher stood in silence, watching them thrust their spears against the trees. Around him lay what could be considered the remnants of their efforts¡ªover 150 fallen trees!


    His sharp eyes zeroed in on a particularly muscular man with brown wrappings around his hands while he relentlessly thrust his spear against a tree. In a mere five thrusts, the large three fell.


    Although panting, the buff man was determined and moved on to the next one. He was Levi. And there were many others like him.


    By the time the sun had started to set, Levi had brought down six trees, breaking his previous record of four. Yet, his arms trembled uncontrollably from the strain.


    Collapsing onto the ground, Levi lay panting, his gaze fixed on the sky.


    Tapk! Tapk!


    He heard footsteps approaching. Not long after, Asher appeared, his gaze steady as he looked down. "You have done well."


    Turning away, Asher examined the others who were furiously thrusting their spears like mindless beasts, their sole desire seemingly nothing more than toppling the unyielding trees before them.


    Asher nodded to Moses, who was perched atop Stark''s back.


    "Halt!"


    Although the soldiers struggled to stop in unison, Asher wasn''t worried about that. The first stage of their training had borne fruit. The purpose of this training was to instil a mentality that every strike executed would be undoubtedly backed up with the instinct to kill, the force of each thrust bound to be precisely destructive!


    Secondly, beyond the mental conditioning, the training also increased their stamina and strengthened their bodies. Thrusting wasn''t merely to build up the arms¡ªit engaged their chest, abs and other muscle groups of the body that had undergone strengthening. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "We march back to camp," Asher commanded. "Take tomorrow to rest, we shall begin the next stage of the training after that."


    Struggling to his feet, Levi asked a question. "I mean no offence, Captain, but¡­ what is the next stage?"


    "You shall see it soon enough."


    With that, Asher mounted Bezerk and rode off, leaving the soldiers to begin their march back.


    "Why does he get to ride while we walk?" one soldier grunted.


    Levi glanced at the soldier and then at Asher''s departing figure. "He has been doing that for the past two days," he muttered, shaking his head.


    _____


    Asher rode through a narrow path in the forest that opened into an open space surrounded by tall trees but no grass. The reason the ground was devoid of any grass was because it was covered in a thick layer of ice!


    Asher dismounted and then began walking on the ice.


    He gazed at the boulders that were half the size of a human and walked over to an empty space and then began to form another ice boulder.


    For the past two days, he had been testing his newfound talent. At first, he thought he would need to cast spells for his ability to work, but to his surprise, it worked more naturally¡ªsimilar to the synergy Ashbourne had but on a far stronger level.


    Also, he discovered that the greater force he poured into creating the ice, the stronger and more resilient it became. Strangely, his ice had never melted!


    It was like his ice was akin to a beautiful stone that retained its permanence.


    Asher did not know what sort of ice this was. Not even the Ashbourne wolves, renowned for their mastery over ice elements, couldn''t produce ice like this.


    However¡­


    Raising his fist, Asher struck a punch at the ice boulder he had just created and it shattered into countless ice shards.


    He knew he had a lot of work to do if he wanted his talent Kryos to live up to its name. For now, his focus was on creating the next training ground for his men.


    Asher dreamed of creating an elite force, one surpassing the King''s Swordsmen and this time, both he and the system would work hand in hand.


    It wouldn''t be the system anymore.


    His thoughts faltered as the ice rose behind him, forming a sculpture of Sapphira. For a fleeting moment, his cold demeanor thawed. But then, with a swift motion, he destroyed the sculpture.


    ''System, the first training stage is complete. Are they qualified?''


    [Ding! Would you like to upgrade the 100 from their incapacitated rank to their true rank as diamond-ranked paladins? Yes or No? Be warned: this upgrade represents just the basic level for a profession such as the paladin.]


    ''It''s a step forward.''


    A faint smile touched Asher''s lips.

 Chapter 248 - 248: First Battle

    When Asher returned to the camp, he gathered the hundred soldiers before him and accepted 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, a layer 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 he landed right before Asher.


    Seeing this Asher blinked in surprise. He recalled that after becoming 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."


    Levi let out a loud laugh and brandished his spear. This time, he didn''t rely on any impressive skills like the spinning he did last time. Rather, he went straight for Asher''s thigh!


    ''Attacking where I least expect. Smart.''


    Asher evaded it with a sidestep but then noticed the spear''s shaft tilting as Levi performed an outstanding sweep, followed by a flurry of relentless thrusts that sliced through the air.


    After dodging the attacks for a while, Asher suddenly lowered his body and shot forward with explosive speed. Before Levi could even realize it, Asher delivered an upward punch and lifted Levi off the ground.


    The surrounding soldiers gasped because from the beginning to the end, Asher had kept his hand firmly wrapped around Euodias'' handle, meaning he had used just one hand in the entire fight. Yet he had defeated Levi without breaking a sweat.


    Those nurturing the thoughts of challenging Asher evaporated in an instant.


    Asher scanned the remaining 99 soldiers, excluding Levi, who was nursing his aching jaws and smiled a little bit. Clad in black scale leather vests, brown pants, and brown boots lined with fur, they looked even weaker than the new recruits in the Winter Stronghold.


    But a look at their refined, toned muscles¡ªhoned by the system after rigorous training¡ªtold a different story.


    With round shields in one hand and tall spears in the other, all the soldiers excluded a raw, undermined valiance.


    Asher exhaled, ready to address them, but before he could speak, Simon rushed into the camp on horseback, urgency in his voice.


    "My lord! The beastmen¡ªthey''re on their way!"


    Asher''s eyes flashed.


    "I see."


    _____


    After a short while, 103 men watched the wide unpaved path while perched atop a hill¡ªthe only route leading to Winter Stronghold.


    On horseback, the journey to the stronghold would take an hour. For a carriage, it would take longer. And for those on foot, much longer.


    The hundred basic-level paladins were on one knee with their spears and shields on each side, ready to spring into action at their captain''s command, willing to dash down the hill and hurtle toward their enemies.


    According to Simon''s report, the convoy included 50 Obsidian order knights from Edom¡ªrat beastmen that had been trained from childhood to fight. Both their minds and bodies had been thoroughly forged along with relentless discipline before they donned Edom''s most profound armor: Legion!


    While his men remained crouched, using the hill as a cover according to his orders, Asher stood like a spear. His light cloak fluttered gently in the breeze as his sharp gaze tracked the convoy approaching from the distance.


    At first, they appeared as tiny figures. But as they drew closer, their shapes became distinct and bigger.


    Upon seeing the Obsidian Order knights, Asher frowned. All of them were fully clad head-to-toe in metal plates as black as onyx and even their faces were covered behind fanged masks. Mounted on sturdy brown horses, they exuded an imposing aura.


    The mounts made them even more dangerous.


    As they got close, the Obsidian Order knights turned their cold gazes toward him.


    "Halt!" barked their captain, his force containing a certain weight that Asher could vividly feel in his chest.


    The captain''s crimson eyes locked onto Asher''s golden ones.


    "Human. Come over here," he ordered.


    Asher raised an eyebrow. ''Is this how arrogant they have gotten after wiping out many human strongholds and watching humans flee?''


    His lips curled into a faint smirk as the convoy came to a halt.


    "What is the hold-up?!" a pink-horned rat shouted, poking its head out of the carriage window.


    At that very moment, Asher raised his hand.


    The hundred soldiers armed with their spears and shields broke from their positions and sprinted toward the cliff. One by one, they hurled themselves over the edge and jumped without a shred of hesitation.


    The pink-horned rat gawked as soldiers landed atop several knights, and some even threw their spears at the Obsidian Order knights before they could land.


    Thud! Thud!


    As they landed, weapons clashed, erupting into chaos. Levi lunged and thrust his spear at a rat knight with incredible speed and force, so much that though it failed to penetrate the knight''s armor, it sent the enemy tumbling off his mount. Without pausing, Levi threw his shield at the knight with precision. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    His shield slammed into the fallen knight''s chest plate, forcing the rat to fall back to the ground, which gave Levi the opportunity to close the gap and he quickly drove his spear through the knight''s neck in a swift, decisive motion.


    "Levi!"


    A yell pulled him from his focus and forced him to turn only to see a mounted knight charging toward him, the sword in its hand poised to strike him. Levi reacted instantly and kicked the edge of his concave shield, sending it spinning into the air.


    He grabbed the shield just in time to block the incoming blade.


    Clang!


    The sword slammed the shield hard, its impact sending Levi flying. He landed roughly but gritted his teeth and rose to his feet only to see the knight coming at him once again.


    Levi clenched his jaw and surged forward. Just as they were a few steps away from the collision, he leaped into the air, his knee smashing into the knight''s mask with brutal force. The rat knight was flung from the horse and twitched several times before lying still.


    Levi staggered, pain shooting through his knee. The hardness of Legion, the armor the rat knights wore was too much. He struggled to move his knee without feeling pain. Looking around, he saw a few of the knights were struggling to fight back but eventually died under the spears of his comrades.


    Although they had won and most of them only had bruises or injuries caused by the knights'' blades, the result of the battle made Asher more apprehensive of Legion.


    They had the number advantage and his men had been training the entire week and had also received an upgrade yet they had sustained injuries against the rat knights.


    The reason was Legion.


    Most thrusts his soldiers had put their efforts into had turned useless because of the study armor.


    Swoosh!


    Asher leaped and landed on the ground.


    Thud! Thud!


    Simon and Moses landed beside him.


    As he stepped forward, a certain pulse spread outward and the pink-horned rat came out from its carriage. Ten of the paladins found themselves suspended mid-air, choking as their faces swelled and their eyes turned bloodshot.


    "Who are you?!" the pink-horned rat, who this time was a man, demanded.


    "I have a message for you to deliver and¡­" Asher said coldly.


    Swish!


    An ice spike erupted from the ground, pressing against the rat''s neck, almost touching the skin. The chill spread through the rat''s body, causing its pupils to tremble in terror and questions filling its large eyes.


    "¡­ you are my messenger," Asher finished, his voice soft and chilling.


    He smiled faintly, a sight that was more frightening than any battle the noble rat had seen in decades.

 Chapter 249 - 249: Naomis Animosity

    Winter Stronghold!


    Clip! Clop!


    Asher rode into the stronghold, flanked 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 glance 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 black 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 speculations 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.


    The soldier scoffed and turned away with a dismissive shrug.


    "I want to smash his head," Moses muttered under his breath. Simon chuckled softly, but the amusement faded as they saw Asher''s steely gaze shifting to them, his piercing left eye silencing any more comments.


    Moses gulped.


    Without a word, Asher turned back to the path ahead and the trio continued toward the heart of the stronghold.


    _____


    High above, two figures looked at the trio from the balcony of the castle''s third floor.


    Anderson and Naomi.


    "The noble soldier has returned," Anderson remarked with a sly smile.


    "He survived," Naomi said, her frown betraying a mix of surprise and displeasure.


    "Well, he wasn''t supposed to die," Anderson replied smoothly. "He is critical to our plans and I firmly believe that he would be able to execute it."


    Naomi turned to him, her expression skeptical. "Last time I checked, you were not the one blessed with the talent of foresight."


    Anderson''s smile remained unshaken. "No, but I am the master strategist of this stronghold. My strategies have kept us alive¡ªand even given us a slight advantage¡ªdespite the overwhelming disadvantages we face at the hands of our enemies. You should be grateful you have me."


    Naomi scowled. "Your so-called strategies were all about using us. Without our power, you would be useless."


    Anderson maintained his gentlemanly smile and retorted calmly. "And without my strategy, you would all be dead."


    Seeing Naomi''s eyes blazing with anger, Anderson chuckled softly. "Shall we greet the noble soldier? At least we should welcome him since he''s fighting for us."


    A gleam flashed past Naomi''s eyes. "Alright."


    "No need for that," a voice interrupted from behind, causing both of them to turn.


    Upon turning, they saw Isaac casually leaning against the wall, his crossed arms.


    "You¡­! How dare you eavesdrop on members of the council!" Anderson bristled, pointing an accusing finger at Isaac. "You abuse your strength!"


    Isaac scoffed. "Lord Winter has summoned all the council members. We shall listen to the boy''s report."


    With that, Issac turned and walked away.


    "Boy?" Naomi repeated, raising an eyebrow.


    "That''s what he calls the noble soldier," Anderson replied, his tone dismissive.


    "If you call him a noble soldier and Isaac calls him boy, does that mean none of you knows his name?"


    Anderson raised an eyebrow at Naomi''s question but shrugged it off with a wave of his hand and walked away.


    "Lord Winter calls!"


    ¡­


    Boom!


    The double door swung open as two soldiers pushed them aside, and Asher walked into the council hall. The room fell silent, all eyes turning to him.


    With a quick glance, Asher recognized the familiar faces and was a bit surprised to find an unfamiliar one: Naomi. Her black, curly hair framed a cold expression and she held a wooden staff with an elemental crystal fixed to the top.


    Although she seemed to radiate authority, he couldn''t care less.


    His attention shifted back to the old man seated at the head of the room¡ªLord Winter.


    Before anyone could speak, Asher broke the silence. "I encountered another convoy yesterday. It was escorted by fifty Obsidian Order knights equipped with Legion."


    A collective intake of breaths followed his words. Anderson and Naomi gasped audibly, while Isaac''s gaze sharpened with intent.


    "What happened next?" Lord Winter asked softly, his eyes as calm as ever.


    "The Hundred killed them all," Ahser said flatly. "I sent their leader back alive."


    "You did what?!" Naomi yelled as she shot to her feet. "Do you know how much we want to reduce the numbers of those things? And you just let go of one right in your grasp!" sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Calm yourself, Naomi," Lord Winter interjected gently with the same soft elderly tone. "He has not done speaking."


    "I had to send their leader back because I wanted him to deliver the message that there is another human habitation out there hunting them down. If I had sent a knight, they might have killed him without hearing from him and it''s more plausible for a noble to survive than a rat knight. Besides¡­"


    Asher turned to Naomi and met her glare head-on, a subtle smirk tugging at his lips.


    "An Obsidian order knight would never run. It would fight to the death after its lord''s demise. Wasn''t that written by you, Fourth Council Head, Naomi?"


    Naomi''s eyes twitched.


    "Now that you have killed fifty Obsidian knights and they know of you. The next group will come better prepared."


    "I know that,'' Asher replied coolly. "I came to require rations¡ª"


    "We can''t recklessly supply rations a week after the first supply." Anderson shook his head.


    Asher puffed out. ''This was bound to happen.''


    "I have brought the salvageable parts of Legion, ripped off the bodies of the rat knights in exchange for rations."


    Isaac''s eyes lit up, same with Lord Winter.


    ''He''s already thinking like a leader in charge of a different settlement. He has inadvertently cut us off!'' Naomi''s eyes narrowed into slits. ''This cunning brat!''


    She clenched her fists.


    ''I can''t understand why the others don''t see this. Men as wise as them would never miss such an obvious play. Yet they all look¡­ pleased?


    Especially Isaac and Lord Winter.


    ''What were they seeing that I am not?''


    _____


    After the meeting, Asher walked into his room only to discover a paper on his bed. He approached it and saw that it was a letter.


    It read: Leave this stronghold while you still can or I will make sure you leave dead.


    His eyes narrowed.


    Just as he turned, a pre-prepared spell triggered and spewed forth a torrent of flames. The blast was potent enough to scorch the skin of a sacred-ranked knight, damaging them badly!


    As the flames died down, one could see a wall of ice between the inferno and Asher, who was untouched by the heat. The ice reached the ceiling, forcing Asher to circle around it.


    As he surveyed the room, he noted that nothing seemed to have burned by the flames.


    Whoever had set the spell was undoubtedly a highly skilled mage.


    But¡­ the question was: why such animosity?

 Chapter 250 - 250: The First Men [1]

    Naomi stared at her palm, watching the symbols fade into nothing. ''It has activated,'' she murmured, lifting her gaze and looking at the location of Asher''s room.


    All of a sudden, Asher appeared at the window, his sharp eyes locking with hers. A single thought flashed through his mind.


    ''Frost mist.''


    Instantaneously, the air transformed and a fierce blizzard engulfed the entire castle and Asher leaped out of the window, landing with a heavy thud.


    Clack!


    He heard the sound of wood hitting the paved ground and chains made of flames erupted from the ground and coiled around his arms. But the moment the chains touched him, they froze and shattered into fragments, drawing a startled gasp from someone nearby.


    Asher turned toward the source of the sound and traced it back.


    Swoosh!


    In a flash, he closed the gap between himself and Naomi and placed his hand firmly holding Euodias. "You couldn''t hide your force signature well."


    Shing!


    After uttering that, he thrust his left hand forward and massive shards of ice erupted from the ground. Each was as thick as a pillar, yet malleable as they curved and headed for Naomi with astonishing speed.


    The tint of the ice was like pure sapphira, its brilliance not like any ice element, marking its purity!


    Naomi uttered an incantation and slammed her staff against the ground. Flames roared forth, colliding with the ice head-on. But to her shock, the ice pillar¡ªwith its several sharp, triangular-shaped tips¡ªassembled together and tore through her fire barrier without thawing even a bit.


    In fact, her flames flickered and died because of the intense cold!


    Naturally, fire was supposed to have the advantage over ice and water, yet this was an entirely different case. Although stunned, Naomi swiftly cast a teleportation spell, reappearing ten meters away, hoping to get out of the blizzard despite not knowing how far it really extended.


    The moment she reappeared about meters away, she caught a glint of a crescent blade in the corner of her eyes. It was Asher, and he was already closing in!


    Naomi swiftly teleported once more, but this time as she appeared another ten meters away, she felt a sting on her cheek. As she touched her face, she felt the warmth of blood trickling from the shallow cut on her cheek.


    "You little brat!" she hissed, her nose flaring in anger.


    She slammed her staff against the ground, forcing the blizzard to retreat fifty meters and exposing Asher. But he simply walked toward her as if he wasn''t bothered by her power to dispel the blizzard.


    "I can feel your diabolic emotions of anger and vengeance," she said coldly. "Your force has been corrupted. An unstable force means you might snap at any moment and for that, you are a threat¡ªa danger to everyone around you!"


    Naomi''s lips moved in a steady chant. But this time around, she didn''t stop chanting while massive chains of fire erupted from the ground, heading for Asher.


    He evaded some and cut through the fiery chains with astonishing speed, his movements precise and fluid.


    But upon noticing the fire tendrils around Naomi''s staff growing in increasing intensity as she lifted it, Asher''s eyes narrowed.


    "Die!"


    She shouted as she slammed her staff against the ground, golden flames billowing outward in a devastating wave.


    Sensing the danger, Asher used his blade to slash upward, launching a tide of ice that sliced through the flames.


    Naomi''s eyes widened in horror when she realized that the ice tide kept rising and rushing towards her. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This was death.


    Naomi knew Asher could never match her¡ªnot with the Magi force being inherently superior to Battle Force, and with her being a rank higher! It was impossible for Asher to defeat her. And yet, what kind of crazy ice was this?


    Why couldn''t it just melt?!


    Just when the ice surged, threatening to engulf her, a figure grabbed her and pulled her out of its path. A sharp breath left her lips as the pain lanced through her as the ice grazed her shoulder, its freezing bite sending pricking pain straight to her brain, making her yelp.


    "You should have never fought the most ruthless of the brothers," Isaac spat with a solemn expression.


    It was at that moment Noami realized that there were slim ice spikes around them!


    Tapk! Tapk!


    Through the swirling blizzard, she glimpsed a silhouette. Her breath caught and she subconsciously took a step back as recognition struck her¡ªwhite hair and unnatural ice all this time. How could she not have seen it before?


    Her lips trembled. She had refused to believe it, all this time but¡­ now, the truth was undeniable.


    "Kryos¡­!" Naomi whispered, her pupils trebling.


    Asher stepped forward, his sword pointed at them. Even Isaac tensed when he realized that Asher was ready to go against him because he was on Naomi''s side.


    Before he could speak, Asher retrieved his sword, pointing it toward the ground.


    "So¡­" he began, his voice cutting through the dying storm.


    Gradually, the blizzard dissipated.


    "¡­is that the reason you wanted to kill me? Because you feel I''m a threat?"


    His pupils narrowed.


    Isaac frowned. Although Asher refrained from speaking further out of respect for his strength, he knew Naomi had to be careful around Asher. If he might have been a threat before, he was definitely one now!


    "Lord Winter wants to see you," Isaac said.


    "What will be done to her?" Asher''s gaze flicked to Naomi.


    "That will be for the council to decide. Lord Winter is waiting at the temple."


    Asher exhaled and sheathed his sword before leaving without uttering a word. Isaac looked at his right hand which was already around the hilt of his sword, his fingers slightly twitching and sighed in relief. Asher''s force was so jarring that he felt that the man might lunge at him any moment.


    At a certain level of mastery, the force carried intent¡ªit determined friend from foe. And to Isaac, Asher''s intent was unmistakably hostile!


    This was why everyone who could sense Asher''s true force was wary of him.


    "He''s Kryos vessel!"


    Naomi gasped after Asher was far out of sight.


    Isaac turned to her, his glare piercing. "It was foolish to act out of your feelings alone and you didn''t just make anyone your enemy¡­ you made the one who inherited Kryos. That is the worst decision you have ever made in your life. You will regret it."


    Without waiting for a response, Isaac walked away.


    _____


    After Asher arrived at the temple, he breathed out and walked in only to find the old man, Lord Winter, on his knees before the altar, flanked by the two winged statues.


    "You''re here," Lord Winter said, his back still facing Asher.


    "You called for me," Asher replied, his gaze sweeping across the room.


    Lord Winter smiled faintly. "I see you are growing familiar with the Kryos talent. But do you know its weight? Do you know that it lives? That it is tied to the very beginning of all races?"


    Asher''s brows furrowed. "What do you mean?"


    Slowly rising to his feet, Lord Winter kept looking at the altar and spoke, his voice carrying the weight of ages. "It all began 3,025 years ago, at the dawn of Boundless. Four brothers¡ªAthanatos, Ilios, Aniketos and¡­ Kryos¡ªshaped the very fabric of our existence."


    ....


    [A/N: Power stones are growing lower. I know you might be furious because I missed a day but please... Support. We''re down to 5th when we used to be 3rd.]

 Chapter 251 - 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 playing 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." S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Humans lived alongside dragons?" Asher raised an eyebrow in disbelief.


    Lord Winter glanced 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!


    "The brothers grew with their talents¡ªgifts, as the people called back then¡ªand as they grew older, they grew stronger and it got to a point that nothing could stand in their path except for themselves. Eventually, their unity fractured and they divided the continent among themselves.


    "Athantos, the eldest, was blessed with an unkillable body and the ability to generate lightning. He was undying so he founded the Eternal Immortal Empire, ruling over the northeastern region, where he was worshipped as a god. Over time, he forgot his creator and the bond he shared with his brothers, consumed by the glory given to him by the masses."


    "Ilios, the second-born, harnessed the power of the sun. He was the strongest of the four because he was more diligent and remained loyal to his creator but because of the strife, he also forged an empire. He established the Sacred Flame Empire in the central region and ruled it with diligence and honor."


    Lord Winter exhaled a breath of white mist, closing his eyes before continuing.


    "Aniketos, the third-born was granted an armor over his skin, one that was impenetrable, impervious to any damage. He couldn''t be hurt, not even falling from the height of a mountain could leave a scratch on him. He was the first man to be called a knight, as his gift inspired the blueprint of armor. He created the Galvia Empire and ruled over the western region of Tenaria."


    Lord Winter fell silent, turning to walk out of the temple.


    As he began descending the stairs, Asher frowned. "Are you leaving?"


    Lord Winter turned back to face him. "I thought I was boring you."


    Asher''s eyes twitched. Until now he didn''t know that Boundless was two decades past 3,000 years old. This information wasn''t in the Boundless he had created. This meant, what he made was just similar and not truly this world¡­


    It was weirdly similar, yet distinct.


    "Besides," Lord Winter added, "Why are you so quick to believe? I thought you doubted everything. You can''t believe the words of a man over 200 years old. You''re free to leave."


    Asher clenched his teeth as he watched the old man walk away.


    "What about Kryos? What happened to him?" Asher forced out those questions, his words almost a growl.


    Lord Winter paused mid-step.


    "Oh, so you were listening."


    He returned to the temple and knelt before the altar again. Turning to Asher, he tilted his head. "Are you going to stand while an elder is on his knees? You might be Kryos'' vessel but you are far from mastering your powers or ascending to your rightful position."


    Grinding his teeth, Asher reluctantly went on his knees, stopping about five meters away from the altar.


    "Now close your eyes and listen to me," Lord Winter instructed.


    Asher obeyed.


    "Kryos, the last of the brothers, was the one who harnessed the power of frost. It was rumoured his frost could kill the heat of the sun and plunge the world into perpetual darkness and cold, erasing all life on Boundless. Among his brothers, he was the most ruthless¡ªprobably because they envied his unique gift, a power with its own consciousness. That envy marked him, leaving his face scarred. Kryos once ruled over what you now call the Wastelands and the Desolate Lands. Back then, it was called the Endless North and because it was under Kryos'' dominion, all seasons there turned to winter."


    Lord Winter peered at Asher.


    "Lord Kryos still abided by the rules of I Am and maintained his destined path¡ªuntil he received his scar. Fury consumed him and he strayed. The brothers were the First Men of the First Age, ruling their regions for a thousand years. But greed overtook them and they fought for sovereignty over Boundless, a world gifted to them by their creator. They forgot they weren''t gods but men and because of their ambitions wars erupted everywhere, engulfing all the races."


    He sighed deeply, a shadow of sorrow crossing his face.


    "In those days, mana was the energy that flowed within our veins, but the war destabilized it, splitting it into Magi and Battle Force."


    Lord Winter''s face changed at that moment. "It happened because the four brothers finally clashed, unleashing all their powers and the moment they destroyed the energy''s stability, I Am was forced to intervene."


    Right at that moment, Asher''s vision blurred. Suddenly, he found himself suspended in the air, looking at four imposing figures which could be mistaken for god-like entities.


    One wore golden armor, his hair and eyes made of fire. His skin had burned away, so Asher could see the red flesh encased underneath the unyielding flames.


    ''Ilios''


    Beside him stood another figure cloaked entirely in black, his golden eyes glowing beneath a pair of imposing horns. Instead of radiating a frightening presence, the man looked imposing and majestic as his black hair fluttered along with his cloak.


    ''Aniketos¡­''


    To Ilios'' right stood a giant of a man, clad in Greek-style armor. His muscles bulged and his body was adorned with symbolic tattoos all over his red skin that glistened beneath the sun, and his golden hair shone like a crown.


    ''Athanatos.''


    The last figure, also clad in Greek-style armor with a battle skirt like that of his brothers and had lustrous snow-white hair that flowed down, reaching his waist.


    He wielded two swords, his black cloak snapping in the wind.


    ''Kryos.''


    The brothers faced each other as if the land they stood on could no longer handle any more of their clash.


    Despite the ferocity of their battle, none of them bore any injuries on their bodies¡ªonly their armor showed signs of wear, with scratches and cuts etched into its surface.


    Just as they were about to clash once more, golden lightning coiled in the clouds, as if the world was gathering its energy into one spot and then it struck down.


    Boom!


    The explosion sent a massive dust wave spanning hundreds of kilometers, Asher''s eyes remained fixed. From the heart of the blast emerged a humanoid being, its form seemingly composed entirely of golden lighting with its magnificent and mighty wings, stretched far beyond its body.


    The being''s eyes were blinding white, filled with profound sorrow. As a pulse of energy erupted from the being, it wiped out everything that lay in its path¡ªmountains, water bodies, forests, living beings, even the First Men¡ªobliterated.


    Not a trace remained!


    Swoosh!


    The vision faded and Asher fell heavily on the ground, sweat drenching his back. When he looked at the winged statue right before him, his right arm trembled.


    ''No wonder I felt such fear¡­''


    Lord Winter''s voice cut through the silence. "And that was the end of the First Age. I Am, in sorrow and regret, wiped out the brothers from existence."

 Chapter 252 - 252: The First Men [3]

    After a moment of processing everything, Asher frowned deeply.


    "But the current rulers of the High Plains are the Galvia Empire and the Sacred Flame 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."


    Lord Winter sighed weakly, his voice heavy with regret.


    "It was in that Age that the vessels of the First Men took the stage once again, resurrecting the ancient empires. But Kryos¡­ Kryos never rose."


    Asher frowned, his thoughts churning.


    Lord Winter met Asher''s gaze with burning intensity. "The entire north knows of Lord Kryos because he and his vessels were their rulers but during the twilight of the Dark Age, Lord Athanatos massacred the White Noble clan, destroying Lord Kryos'' lineage. You were never meant to be the next Kryos and strangely, you have already met the current vessel of Athanatos."


    The moment Lord Winter said that Asher''s eyes widened because the image of Prince Aaron Nethaneel flashed in his mind.


    His eyes narrowed.


    "I see you know him," Lord Winter said. "How was it, meeting your brother, the one who ensured that you were unable to appear for several centuries?"


    Asher felt a stir in his spirit, a shadow of anguish flickering across his face. "Painful."


    He said with a deep tone.


    Looking into his eyes, in that split second Lord Winter saw Kryos.


    Asher lifted his hand and wiped his eyes although there were no tears and rose to his feet.


    "Thank you. I now know that my fight has just begun."


    Lord Winter smiled faintly as he watched Asher walk away. "He might end up surpassing Kryos because of that strange body of his. Ah, I forgot to tell him about the beasts given to him and his brothers by God. Well¡­"


    Winter chuckled to himself.


    "¡­I''m sure he''ll find out soon enough."


    After muttering to himself, Winter began to walk toward the door when Isaac walked into the compound.


    "Why didn''t you tell him that other than talents, there were weapons of god-like powers¡ªlike the staff in your hands," Isaac asked, his tone sharp.


    Winter''s smile deepened, his wrinkles multiplying.


    "What use would that be of? Such things are only for believers."


    Isaac turned his head to the temple''s exit. "But he''s chosen by I Am to bear the powers of Kryos. Isn''t he of a higher position than mere believers?"


    "We aren''t mere believers, Isaac," Winter said evenly. "Only a few of us still maintain temples where we can commune with the creator. Things that are rare are precious."


    Isaac''s brows furrowed. "Something has been disturbing me¡­ I know Asher has been chosen by the creator to be Kryos'' vessel, but is that the right choice? His force is too¡­"


    Lord Winter''s eyes sharpened. "You fear he will turn against us?"


    "Will? I fear his heart is already lost in a path I dread. He might end up worse than Kryos himself." Isaac admitted with a sigh.


    Lord Winter looked at the sky, his voice soft but somber. "I pray it will not come to that. If it does¡­ it could mean the end of the New Age."


    The old man''s thoughts wandered as the stars shimmered above. ''Four Ages have passed. The age that might come after this one is unknown¡­ and that terrifies me.''


    ¡­


    Three days passed in the blink of an eye and Asher returned to the camp as the next phase of the training began. Each day, a hundred men carried ice boulders, much bigger than themselves and marched into the forest and back in grueling repetition.


    Levi grunted as beads of sweat beads trickled down his forehead to his chin. He held the thick ropes used to strap the large ice boulder to his back. The chill from the boulder drilled into his back like a thousand needles, making his bottom feel numb.


    ''I''m going to die.''


    High above, from the top of a cliff, Asher watched them. The sight of the hundred basic paladins struggling with enormous blue crystal boulders and taking each step with great effort brought a faint smile to his lips.


    While this ordeal was unfolding in the forest, several kilometers away, at the heart of Edom, a black rat nearly seven feet tall sat behind a wooden table.


    Behind him stood an imposing set of armor, its surface gleaming as a female rat clad in a garment meticulously cleaned it with a white cloth.


    The rat''s breathing was deep, like the growl of a predator, making the female rat tremble.


    Knock! Knock!


    "Commander Ivar, you have a letter from the main clan."


    Ivar, the towering black rat, lifted its head. "Come in."


    The wooden door creaked open, revealing a rat clad in black armor. In his hands was a rolled-up piece of animal skin, sealed with the emblem of a noble rat.


    "In whose name was this sent?" Ivar queried, his whiskers twitching with curiosity.


    "General Aldritch, my lord."


    Upon hearing the name, Ivar hurriedly opened the letter and when he read the contents, he frowned and his already black face darkened.


    "There is a new human settlement attacking our convoy? How audacious!" His eyes narrowed as a sharp gleam flew past them and a low growl escaped his throat.


    "Gather 500 men. I''ll draft a letter to send to the Queen Mage requesting 10 noble rats to aid our cause."


    As Ivar spoke, the female rat quickly placed an animal skin, ink and a quill before him.


    Ivar''s claws scraped against the table as he wrote, his voice cold with disdain and coldness.


    "Humans¡­ that pathetic race are truly stubborn. It seems like we''ve been dormant for too long." S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 253 - 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 tree large 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 collapse 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 even larger than his own! Simon barely spared him a glance before walking past, his movements calm and steady.


    Determined not to fall behind, Levi pushed himself harder and began to move, trying to catch up with Simon. But no matter how he strained, Simon stayed ahead until they finally reached the camp.


    Moses, clad in his armor, loosened the ropes and patted their shoulders. "Go take a bath."


    As they descended the wide clear path carved into the terrain from the weeks of new training of dragging such long tree trunks, Levi frowned at Simon.


    "I thought you were supposed to be our inspector. Since when did you join the paladin."


    Simon glanced at him, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "My former self was too weak for the plans the captain had for me." After saying this, Simon smiled softly, leaving Levi with more questions than answers.


    "Plans?" Levi repeated, furrowing his brows.


    He lifted his head and then gazed at the highest hill in sight. There, silhouetted against the blinding rays of the sun, stood a man. The brilliant light behind him made his figure dark, like a human shadow brought to life. Though Levi couldn''t see the figure''s face, he knew it was their cold-hearted captain.


    ''He''s always watching,'' Levi thought grimly.


    Shortly after their bath, the Hundred¡ªnow joined by Simon¡ªclad in their leather armor gathered, sharpening their spears against a whetstone.


    "Did you hear? The captain said we will soon face another attack from those rats," one paladin murmured to his comrade beside Levi.


    Hearing that, Levi turned to Simon, who was now sharpening his spear, clad in the same armor as the rest of them.


    "Finally," Simon said with a chuckle, rising to his feet. "It''s been three weeks since the last one."


    With practised ease, Simon picked up his spear, spinning it once before attaching it to his back and falling into line with the others.


    After a while, all the paladins stood in a disciplined formation before Asher.


    "Our enemies finally acknowledge us as a threat," he announced, his voice steady yet commanding. "They have sent a force of 500 Obsidian Order knights and 10 noble mage rats. Even as I speak, they are ascending the hill, preparing to enter our forest."


    Asher paused, his gaze sweeping across the assembled warriors. Their helmet only covered the forehead and the sides of their faces, exposing their eyes, nose and mouth, meaning their expressions couldn''t be hidden from him.


    "Do you fear them?"


    The men chuckled at his question, their confidence evident. Pleased by their reactions, Asher turned and began to walk toward the exit.


    "Then, let''s welcome them."


    _____


    "Commander Ivar, they should be around here," the pink-horned rat whom Asher had spared after the squirmish, pointed a claw toward the forest beyond the snowy plains.


    Ivar turned to face the 500 Obsidian Order Knights, who stood in a neat formation behind him and pointed at the forest.


    Boom!


    The army marched as one, their feet sinking deep into the snow with each step they took. Above them, 10 pink-horned rats soared, their sharp eyes keeping a close watch on the landscape from above.


    When they reached the edge of the forest, Ivar raised a hand, bringing the troop to a halt.


    "Humans!" Ivar bellowed, his voice cutting through the still air.


    The trees rustled, but no response came.


    "They are waiting for us," Ivar said, his eyes narrowing.


    "How do you know that?" asked one of the rat mages, its tone wary.


    "Because it''s completely silent," Ivar replied. "I can''t hear the sound of any beast. Not even the scuttling of the common snow rabbit." He unsheathed his sword, its blade glinting coldly.


    "Unleash the Fang troop!"


    He bellowed and nothing seemed to happen for a few seconds but the next instant, massive spiders, each 1.5 meters tall, climbed the hill, moved past the rat army and headed into the forest.


    About 50 spiders scuttled into the forest before Ivar motioned for his troop to continue. The moment they entered the forest, it felt as if they had stepped into a different domain.


    The trees had good spacing so they could still see clearly but Ivar suspected the human soldiers were hiding behind trees, which was why he sent the clan''s special beast troop.


    The Tiger Spider were renowned fighters. Their numerous eyes and powerful eight legs were strong enough to pierce through armor, making them even more dangerous on a battlefield.


    Though their soft bodies were a weakness, the Edom Clan had equipped them with Legion! With these additions, the Tiger Spiders were now turned into lethal predators.


    All of a sudden, they saw a figure emerging from the shadows¡ªa lone man, walking towards them.


    Ivar frowned. "One human?"


    "It''s him!" the pink-horned rat cried out, alarmed by the man''s presence. "Once he appears, the others are never far off!"


    "White hair?" Ivar muttered, his brow furrowing.


    In Bashan, white hair drew a lot of attention, a mark of the ancient White Clan that once birthed Kryos vessels. Seeing how pure Asher''s hair was, Ivar couldn''t help but think that capturing him and handing him over to his superiors would bring him great achievement. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Tiger Spiders rushed toward Asher, their sharp legs piercing deep into the snow-covered ground as they closed in. All 50 of them surrounded him and dived in at once.


    But before they could land a blow, long ice spikes erupted from the ground, piercing through their prized Legion armor, which Edom was proud of, slaying 20 at once!


    Those twenty spiders fell instantly, their bodies falling lifeless in the snow.


    Shing!


    Asher unsheathed Euodias and used output in an instant. Crimson light flared around him, swirling like an ominous storm while his hair fluttered in the surge of power.


    His imposing form was reflected in Ivar''s wide eyes.


    In the next moment, Ivar frowned deeply.


    "Kill him!" he snarled, his voice heavy with urgency.

 Chapter 254 - 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 collapsed to the ground, blood spilling from their bodies and staining the pure white snow. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "He killed 50 gold-ranked trained beasts so quickly! It''s a shame that we can''t capture him," Ivar sighed, a cruel gleam flashing 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 it composed 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!


    The original energy known to man! This revelation meant his brothers wielded mana too, granting them supremacy over those who relied on Magi Force or Battle Force. Mana fused the power of a mage and a knight into a perfect union, amplifying their strength!


    Asher swung his sword, unleashing a crescent arc of pure ice.


    "Shields!"


    Ivar roared, grabbing a shield from a nearby soldier. The others followed suit and raised their own. To their shock, the ice pierced several shields before getting lodged into them, sparing the soldiers but Ivar soon discovered that Asher''s true objective wasn''t to kill his soldiers.


    Massive slanted ice pillars erupted from the ground, piercing through four unsuspecting pink-horned rats. The ice, as sharp as blades, pierced through their armor!


    "Kill him!!"


    The remaining six rat mages unleashed their powers, their eyes turning bloodshot as they uprooted several trees and unearthed rocks from beneath the snow with their mind power and hurtled them at Asher.


    Asher raised his hand above his head and swung his sword in a circular motion. As he completed his movement the ice spiraled around him, forming a dome that encased him completely.


    Boom! Boom! Boom!


    Explosions rocked the area, but after everything settled and the dust cleared, Ivar saw that the ice dome remained unscathed, without a single crack visible on its surface!


    A part of the dome retracted and Asher shot out, unleashing a devastating horizontal slash that eliminated two more pink-horned rats.


    Midair, Asher sensed something and twisted his body but the projective that was hurtling his way curved mid-flight and grazed his thigh, drawing a trickle of his blood. Almost instantly, Asher''s eyes turned white and he landed on one knee, clutching his face.


    A long horn retracted into Ivar''s head and vanished like it wasn''t there. "We have him. Finish it."


    His soldiers charged. Asher covered his white eyes, trembling as he fought the urge to rip them into pieces. But no matter how much he tried, his rage was gradually taking over his senses and he felt himself slipping away.


    In the next moment, a part of his hair ignited, flames spreading out rapidly across half his body. Unable to suppress it, Asher opened his mouth and breathed out a torrent of fire.


    High above, the paladins perched on the treetops, who were about to jump down because their captain had succeeded in destroying the rat beastmen formation, were shocked to see the sudden transformation and the enormous amount of flames Asher was breathing out.


    "H¡­ he''s like a human dragon," Levi whispered, his voice shaking.


    "What are you waiting for? It''s time!"


    Simon roared as he jumped, his voice a rallying cry. Others followed suit, their charge swift and resolute.


    As the Obsidian Order Knights retreated from Asher''s fiery onslaught, Paladins descended from the sky, plunging their spears into some unfortunate knights like lightning before their feet even touched the ground.


    One by one, the Paladins landed, yanking out their spears and raising their shields before engaging the knights.


    On the other hand, Asher became calmer after breathing out the torrent of fire. Panting softly as his fiery gaze dimmed and became normal, he saw that over 30 Obsidian Order knights had now turned to scorched corpses. Not even their armors had been able to save them from the scalding heat Torah''s flames possessed.


    ''Has my increased strength allowed the great dukes to exhibit more of their actual power? Ah, so my weak body had been holding them back all along.''


    After muttering that to himself, Asher glanced at his thigh and saw that the wound had vanished, but his apprehension remained.


    Commander Ivar was dangerous!


    While Asher came to this conclusion, Simon and Levi charged toward this very commander. On their way, Simon''s sharp eyes caught sight of a pink-horned rat that was wreaking havoc among their ranks. The creature''s telekinesis was overwhelming for others.


    Seeing a paladin whose shield was crumpled into a scrap metal ball and his head crushed by the noble rat''s mere finger flick, Simon''s chest burned with fury.


    With a roar, he hurled his spear with all his might. It streaked through the air and struck the noble rat''s head before anyone, even its guards could react.


    Puchi!


    Even the knights around the rat were given the time to react until their armor was stained with the blood of the one they were supposed to protect!


    With the noble rat gone and without its telekinetic dominance, the knights faltered since they couldn''t handle the force of the Paladins'' thrust and were sent flying. And before they could land, spears pierced through their chests, sending them lifeless to the ground!


    "Good!"


    Levi shouted, his laughter ringing above the chaos. He spun his spear and slapped a knight with its head. The unfortunate knight slammed into a tree and crumpled to its knees.


    When the knight raised his gaze, it saw Levi¡ªgallantly clad in his leather vest with a spear and shield in both hands¡ªlooming over him.


    Puchi!


    Chaos intensified as the battle continued and bodies from both sides fell. Yet, the unmatched expertise and strength of the paladins left Ivar reeling.


    Were these truly humans?


    The same humans who were slaves who had been slaves during his youth? The pines who cowered before their presence, that fled from their strongholds and cities?


    The humans who always complained about their weaknesses? About their numbers, armor, equipment, terrain and much more. They always had an excuse to give but these ones¡­ They had overcome all that held them back.


    Their armor was nothing to write home about, their weapons were made of wood, they lacked numbers and the terrain wasn''t made to suit them, they made it so!


    ''These ones¡­ they have transcended all their limits. And something tells me it''s related to that man!''


    Ivar''s eyes narrowed as he looked at Asher, who stood motionless, watching his men on the battlefield.


    "Fall back!" Gritting his teeth, Ivar bellowed.

 Chapter 255 - 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 flanked by over twenty horsemen. Each rider wore a heavy coat draped over a steel breastplate, 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 glanced at Lucas.


    Lucas, whose blonde hair was meticulously combed back, smiled faintly. "He killed Archduke Nubis''s son, the one known as the rising star of the empire."


    Aaron feigned surprise, as though the news hadn''t reached him months ago. "I had no idea he was that bold. I wanted him to be a problem for the Count, not the Archduke."


    Aaron shook his head in mock disapproval. Suddenly, his expression turned a bit more serious. "But to kill Slade Nubis by himself¡­ he certainly has the skill of his predecessors."


    Lucas nodded. "His actions, however, lacked foresight. The Archduke sent Black Rose to assassinate him, but the assassin never returned. Now, the county''s regent claims their lord is ill¡ªbut I suspect he is dead."


    Aaron exhaled slowly, a contemplative look on his face. "It''s no surprise. I never expected him to last. But he did serve my purpose by removing Count William Tigris out of the way. For that, we shall still reward him posthumously."


    Lucas arched an eyebrow. "Your Highness, Count Williams is already gathering forces in the wildlands to reclaim his territory as we speak."


    "So he''s forming an army of barbarians?" Aaron asked, his tone laced with a hint of amusement.


    "Yes," Lucas confirmed.


    Aaron chuckled, his mirth cold and calculating. "I see. How many nobles in the Evergreen Domain have joined my cause?"


    "You have Count Wyvern''s unwavering loyalty. He is ready to strike against House Nubis at your command. Count Adamos, however, remains unpredictable¡ªhe is an opportunist through and through."


    "I see. Make sure Count Wyvern knows he has my respect and he shall ascend to the rank of a duke when I finally rebuild the Eternal Immortal Empire from its ashes. Every house will face a choice: submit or die."


    A cold gleam flashed through Aaron''s eyes.


    Ruth, her tone soft yet pointed, interjected, "Brother, you forget. The Intis Kingdom, House Nubis and House Mormont all have their eyes on you. The moment you make a move, they''ll march their troops toward the capital."


    Aaron turned to his sister with a faint smirk. "This is why the ruling isn''t your forte, Ruth. The Intis Kingdom is indeed powerful. In fact, they were just as powerful as House Ashbourne at their peak but the king was killed by his own son who now clings on the throne."


    "Now¡­ I do love Prince Reuel''s drive to do anything to ascend to a position he deems rightfully his, but his act has torn the kingdom apart. While he enjoys the support of top powers, there are hidden factions that aim to kill him. Even as we speak, he struggles to consolidate control over the kingdom and rebellion looms over the horizon.''


    Ruth''s eyes widened a bit. She had seen Reuel Zaur of House Zaur, ruler of Intis. Reuel was undeniably one of the most strikingly handsome men she had ever encountered during her life as an explorer and his intense willpower shone through his piercing eyes.


    Even her sister, a woman of exceptional discernment, had testified that Reuel stood in a league of his own. It was difficult even for a woman of her sister''s caliber to overlook his manly charm. Yet, their brother only saw Reuel as a tool¡ªmuch like how he regarded Asher Ashbourne.


    "But my lord, Reuel Zaur isn''t as insignificant as we thought," Lucas said with a strange twinkle in his eyes. His words caught Aaron''s attention, prompting him to turn his gaze toward him with genuine interest for the first time.


    "Oh? Pray to tell," Aaron said.


    Lucas'' eyes flickered as he leaned forward. "Prince Reuel has revealed his talent and I believe it''s one of the rare talents of the Glorious Age. He''s able to manipulate the minds of others, even those ranked above him, without them even realizing it. His power is able to bring out parts of them they struggle to hide, breaking even a battle-hardened knight from within. Once you''re within line of sight, you''re his prey."


    Aaron tilted his head slightly, ignoring the restless neighing of his horse. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Is that all?"


    Lucas smiled when he heard that. "Actually, I knew you wouldn''t be shocked to hear of that. But there''s more. His talent also allows him to delve deep into a man''s nightmares¡ªand bring them to life."


    The moment Aaron heard this revelation, his eyes lit up. "If his talent is so formidable, it won''t be long before the Intis Kingdom falls entirely in his grasp."


    Lucas nodded. Ruth, standing nearby, felt a mix of satisfaction and sadness. At last, her brother seemed to view Reuel as more than a mere tool now. But she also couldn''t help but feel pity for Asher, who had been discarded like one.


    By now, they had reached the mountain and entered a narrow path carved straight through its heart! The craftsmanship was astonishing¡ªit looked as if it was the work of dwarves!


    Clip! Clop! The sound of hooves echoed off the cavern walls.


    "What about my brothers, Ilios and Aniketos?" Aaron asked, breaking the silence.


    Lucas''s demanor turned solemn. "Lord Ilios has strengthened the Sacred Flame Empire, making it a force to be reckoned with. But as always, he is soft-hearted and has allowed merchants to weaken it from within. He wastes time giving out his secrets under the guise of an academy. Meanwhile, Lord Aniketos has been expanding his powerful army."


    Aaron raised an eyebrow.


    "If Aniketos is preparing for war, it means the Galvia Empire will strike soon. Judging from the hate he has for mages, their first target will be Nightfire." Aaron''s eyes flickered. "As for Ilios, he might be soft-hearted, but he''s always prepared. That leaves only me. The Eternal Immortal Empire must rise again."


    He muttered as they emerged from the mountain path and stepped into the clearing dominated by a massive, black-scaled behemoth. The dragon stood proudly, its four powerful limbs and intimidating horns exuding raw strength.


    An alluring woman sat gracefully on one of the dragon''s wings, her fingers lightly caressing the beast.


    Staring at the divine beast given to him, Aaron closed his eyes and his cloaking spell vanished, revealing his lustrous golden hair.


    "Finally," he murmured, a rare smile gracing his lips. "After thirty years, he''s fully grown."


    Once he conquered and rebuilt the Eternal Immortal Empire, he would march to claim the land his youngest brother Kryos once ruled¡­ the desolate lands!

 Chapter 256 - 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 muscular black-and-red horse galloping on the snowy plains. Flanking him were his loyal aides, Moses and Simon, both clad in sleeveless scale-leather vests that left their scarred, muscular 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 slaves 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.


    One of them squinted at the rider as he passed through the gates and galloped toward the stronghold, heading for the castle.


    The soldier turned to his companion. "Is he truly¡­ Kryos'' vessel."


    "Of course he is!" The other soldier snapped. "He has the hair and the power! Didn''t you hear? Not even 10 noble rats could scratch his ice dome. And don''t forget¡ªthey also say he''s the reason for that strange mist a month ago!"


    A soldier beside the doubtful one retorted.


    The doubtful soldier frowned. "If he is truly Kryos vessel, does that mean we are saved?"


    "It doesn''t," came a stern voice from behind. The soldiers turned around to see their commander standing with his arms crossed, his face as hard as stone.


    "C¡­commander!"


    "Lord Kryos was lord over all races in Bashan¡ªhuman and non-human alike. He won''t save you simply because you share his lineage," the commander said coldly. "And besides, it''s been almost eight centuries since he last appeared and also in a body that isn''t from his clan. Even if this man is his vessel, without Kryos'' pure lineage, I doubt he would be able to manifest Lord Kryos'' true armor."


    "C¡­ commander¡­ why would you say that?" The soldier''s voice wavered with doubt.


    The commander frowned at the naive soldier. "Do you even know why Lord Kryos was called the Snow Wolf? Because of his divine beast, the Snow Wolf! If White Hair was truly Kryos vessel, we should have seen the beast by now."


    With that, the commander turned and strode away.


    "At least he drove off 500 Obsidian Order Knights and their dreadful mages with nothing but 100 men who had lost their glory," the soldier muttered under his breath.


    The commander''s stride faltered for a moment, a vein pulsing on his forehead, but he kept walking, grinding his teeth.


    Meanwhile, two figures¡ªAnderson and Naomi¡ªstood behind a window, watching Asher as he entered the stronghold. She clenched her fist as the people clamoured around Asher, singing praises of his name and calling him the Achillies, the undefeated!


    "He barely defeated 500 men and they''re calling him undefeated." Naomi scowled.


    Anderson raised an eyebrow. "Let them call him whatever they want. In the end, he serves us as a soldier and that''s all there is to it."


    Naomi snapped. "Can''t you see that he''s outgrowing the boundaries we set for him? That man is slowly winning the hearts of the people! Because of him, we have discovered the Ramoth Stronghold and that''s solely because they have hopes of meeting him! People now see him as a saviour. Soon, they''ll see him as I Am''s messenger. And when that happens, we will lose all our control over him."


    Anderson frowned. "The Achillies."


    He clenched his teeth as realization dawned on him. For the first time, he understood why Naomi was insisting that Asher was a threat.


    Was this his plan all along? Pretend to give up his authority, only so that he could usurp their rule and merge the stronghold with his domain?


    "Turns out he''s not as innocent as he seems. And we made a mistake trusting him." With those words, Anderson left.


    Naomi smiled a bit. "Kryos vessel? Hump! A man who isn''t born of our lands is unworthy to bear such a noble talent. You will never be the next Lord Kryos."


    After muttering those words to herself, she also left, heading for the council hall.


    Shortly after, the council members assembled. Asher walked into the hall, his expression calm as he faced the round table of solemn-faced council heads.


    "Captain Asher, welcome," Anderson said softly.


    Asher looked at him and responded with a nod.


    "We have all heard of your outstanding victory," Anderson continued, "but the reason for your presence here is shrouded in mystery.".


    "I want more men," Asher replied plainly.


    "What?!" Naomi''s eyes widened. "We already gave you a hundred of our best!"


    Asher turned his head toward her. "Your former best, I presume."


    "Such audacity. If they were our ''former best'' how could they defeat 500 Obsidian Order Knights despite being outnumbered and out-armored?"


    Asher sighed, his patience running thin. "You gave me men who were unstable. I don''t need to exchange facts with you for you to know the truth." sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Naomi trembled but said nothing.


    "How many did you lose and how many do you require?" Isaac asked while Lord Winter remained quiet.


    "I lost 40 men and I require 240 men."


    Anderson furrowed his brows. "How can you lose 40 men, and you now want 200 more as a replacement?"


    "Clearly," Isaac interjected, his arms crossed, "after defeating 500, Clan Edom will retaliate with twice, maybe triple that number next time. With 60 or even 100, he will be unable to defend."


    "But you will be giving him too much power!" Naomi protested. "The people already call him Achillies, the undefeated and his men follow him without a question. Do we want to keep a man who might turn our very own people against us?"


    A heavy silence filled the hall for a few minutes until Lord Winter cleared his throat.


    "Give him more men."


    Naomi''s eyes widened, trembling, but no words escaped her lips.

 Chapter 257 - 257: 300 In Training

    Hours later, Asher rode into the paladin camp, his horse''s hooves crunching softly against the frost-covered ground. Around him, paladins 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 newcomers were veteran knights from Winter Stronghold, yet the expression of the paladins 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 the comment. 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 elaborate, 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 paladins and preparing them to face the Edomites.


    As the paladins and the knights exchanged brief introductions, their conversations cautious and laced with curiosity, Asher''s voice rang.


    "Eat and rest. Training begins at nightfall."


    His words were like a boulder on the knight''s ears while the paladins, who were already used to Asher''s cruelty, walked toward their respective tents to fetch their meal bowls.


    "Move, or starve," Moses said with a frown, making some knights feel apprehensive. "Did you think we defeated the rat beastmen with the kind of weak training you receive in the stronghold? Humph!" He snorted in disdain.


    Simon shook his head at Moses''s antics as he dismounted and led the 240 men to change their attire. Previously they wore thick fur clothes but by the time they changed to the sleeveless leather vest and grabbed their weapons, these veteran knights were shivering.


    "You must learn to regulate your battle force to keep your internal system warm, or you''ll freeze to death," Simon said sharply, his words like a hammer driving out their inadequacy.


    He led the knights to the meal distribution area, where wooden bowls and spoons could be seen flying in the air in an almost choreographed manner.


    Cynthia was behind the efficient chaos, handing out bowls filled with steaming hot meat soup to the 240. They joined the 60 paladins already seated, halfway through their meals.


    The paladins were even bantering yet their eating speed marveled the knights. Some knights felt ashamed of their muscles when they saw how streamlined the paladin''s muscles were.


    Although the muscles of the paladins'' were not as bulky as some other knights, they could feel the raw power pulsing within those tight muscles with deep contours, every proudly worn scar a testament to their hardened training. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The knights ate in subdued silence, their pride chipped away by the stark difference between them and the paladins.


    Seeing the paladins eat their steaming hot meal without being bothered about the cold made Eleazar, a young knight with an outstanding record and a promising future to become a captain, realized that though he had thought of himself as exceptional in the stronghold, he knew nothing.


    The young knight had short braids caressing his handsome pale-skinned face and sharp yellow eyes. After scanning the group, he identified Levi, Simon and Moses as the strongest but his eyes trailed to the location of the man who sat on a long table all by himself.


    And by the man''s side sat Cynthia.


    ''Is she his woman?'' Eleazar wondered as he gazed at Cynthia, unable to suppress his thoughts.


    Her looks were definitely above that of the girls he had seen in the stronghold and according to him, it wasn''t surprising for a man like Asher to have her by his side.


    As if sensing his gaze, Asher looked up and met his gaze.


    The very moment their eyes met, Eleazar shuddered and quickly looked away. ''What¡­ what was that feeling?!''


    Asher rose up, turned on his heel and walked away without a word. Moses, Simon and Cynthia followed close behind. Before the knights knew it, one by one, the paladins began to leave as well. Some knights hurriedly gulped down their soup, scrambling to follow so that they wouldn''t be left behind. Eleazar was the first among them!


    He didn''t even want to imagine what it would be like to be punished by a man like Asher.


    _____


    Flick!


    Eleazar''s eyes shot open. He didn''t know who flicked his forehead but it hurt like a bee sting! Anger flared as he stormed out of the tent, only to find Moses waiting outside, two spears resting in his hands.


    "You''re the last to come out," Moses said, his tone sharp.


    Eleazar quickly gave a deep bow before lifting up his head. "I apologize."


    Moses raised an eyebrow. "Unfortunately, it means you will be taking down two trees today."


    Eleazar didn''t understand what he meant until the training began. No matter how hard he pushed himself, his strength kept failing. As time ticked by, the others had finished their tasks and returned to camp, leaving him behind. Alone, he kept stabbing the tree relentlessly, his breath ragged and his muscles screaming.


    While panting heavily, frustration boiled over in him.


    "Argh!" Eleazar billowed, his anger surging like a tidal wave. Suddenly, the spot he had been stabbing caved inward, as though a massive invisible hand had crushed it.


    Boom!


    The tree fell with a deafening crash.


    [Name: Eleazar


    Age: 31


    Rank: Half-step Diamond


    Talent: Kinetic Hoplite (SSS)


    Job: Recruit


    Loyalty: 65]


    [Talent Description: A Kinetic Hoplite harnesses the boundless power of the mind which is as deep as a bottomless well. This ability grants the host the ability to destroy, move, lift and manipulate their surroundings with sheer mental force.


    Warning: This supreme-level talent has a destructive side effect where the host could damage his brain or become insane after experiencing volatile emotions.]


    In the shadows, a man observed silently. This information flashed across his retina, but his gaze stayed fixed on Eleazar, who had moved on to his second tree and began to stab it despite the pains wracking his body.


    His sheer determination stirred something in Asher. It reminded him of his younger self.


    ''Did Boundless eventually break me?'' Asher wondered, his pupils narrowing. He continued watching until Eleazar finally brought down the second tree and staggered back toward the camp, exhausted.


    Unfortunately, he collapsed mid-way.


    That was when Asher emerged from the shadows and approached the fallen soldier. Without a word, he lifted Eleazar and carried him back to the camp. Returning to the training ground, he paused, noticing the blood drops staining the grass. A faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips.


    Eleazar truly had an iron will.


    _____


    Leaning back against a tree, Asher gazed up at the starless sky. "Athantos, the immortal Ragnarok," he murmured. "No wonder he named his empire the Eternal Immortal Empire. His talent makes him immortal and his ambition is to live forever. However, God is not a fool."


    Asher glanced at his hand, where ice formed a transparent gauntlet over his palm. "Anathantos can be killed by his brothers¡ªespecially by me and Ilios. I guess that''s why he eliminated me. Ilios and I are elemental; our bodies are no match for Aniketos and Athanatos. Still, I don''t know why it seems like my brothers, Athanatos and Aniketos are in cahoots against Ilios."


    Asher sighed, his breath clouding the cold night air.

 Chapter 258 - 258: Two Months

    Two months passed in the blink of an eye, but to the paladins, 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 paladin could match the strength of five scared-ranked knights!


    At this moment, 300 men clad in steel breastplates 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 the last battle, these men wore crimson masks.


    After their second upgrade, they customised masks that could be seamlessly attached after donning their helmets. The masks covered their faces from the nose to the chin, giving the appearance of fearsome teeth.


    Each man wore a linen cloak, light and soft, pinned with a silver medal engraved with the head of a wolf at the chest level. Above the cloak and strapped across their backs were large, round steel shields and their spears¡ªnow tipped with gleaming steel heads.


    The shafts of their long weapons were made of polished cedar wood, rare and unmatched in this region of Bashan.


    Standing before this elite unit were three men, Simon, Moses and Eleazar. Over the span of two months, Eleazar forged his way to the top, earning scars as badges in the process. His body, donning impressively tight muscles and littered with scars, both from beasts and from his comrades during training were well hidden under his armor.


    A white mist escaped through the vents of the masks the 300 wore. This was the evidence of the immense heat radiating from their bodies. It was so hot that despite not even wearing any protective clothing they remained unbothered by the snow.


    Asher stood before these 300 sacred ranked paladins, a formidable troop of iron-willed paladins both he and the system had created, his hand resting on Euodias'' hilt.


    It had been two months and the Edomites had not launched any attack, the reason behind this was their shift of focus to battling Dothan''s forces, whom they deemed a greater threat than ''ants'' that were humans.


    Their disdain and underestimation gave Asher the perfect opportunity to head to the rescue of some humans who were being sold and used as slaves and according to the latest information, they were at the village within his sight.


    Asher narrowed his eyes as he gazed at the village ahead. He could see some Obsidian Order knights patrolling the wooden walls.


    Their presence solidified the mission''s validity.


    Without saying a word, Asher jumped down the cliff, his cloak fluttering as he free-fell. His 300 paladins followed, landing with resounding thuds that sank the earth beneath them. Not one flinched or grimaced, enduring a fall that would certainly have crippled any ordinary sacred-ranked knight.


    From above, the 300 appeared like cheetahs streaking across the snowy plains with startling speed. Snow sprayed in their wake as they shot forth like human missiles, closing the 300-yard gap so quickly that the rat knights were caught in surprise.


    Despite their shock, the rats were trained for battle. The archers released volleys of arrows, but it all turned futile as none of the arrows found their mark.


    At that moment, Asher, who was leading the charge, tapped the ground with an additional force, propelling himself off the ground with an explosive burst. The earth caved beneath and he soared through the air, unleashing crimson sword lights that slashed through four Obsidian knights before he landed atop the wall.


    Boom!


    A section of the wall exploded as a man crashed into it. While the wall around him collapsed, the man remained hovering mid-air, encased in a pale blue aura that shielded his simple paladin armor. This man was none other than Eleazar.


    After being pushed to the limits several times during these two grueling months, he finally broke into a new stage of his talent¡ªone that allowed him to defy gravity and take to the skies!


    While hovering mid-air, his cloak fluttered dramatically. The sight of his teeth mask and the oppressive aura surrounding him made many villagers scurry into their homes. Meanwhile, hundreds of Black Order Knights raced toward the wall, their formations like a tide of steel.


    At the same time, other paladins charged the village through the breach, their spears poised with raw power. Without pausing to form a formation, they dove into the ranks of the Obsidian Order knights, thrusting and sweeping their spears with such abnormal strength that their enemies were sent flying.


    The Obsidian Order knights, once proud of their legion''s strength, could no longer match. After learning and mastering, the paladins could wrap their spears with their force, making them a lot stronger and capable of handling their outrageous strength, which only made their strikes even more devastating.


    Puchi!


    With a single swing of his spear-wielding arm, Eleazar sent 3 knights hurtling through the air. Turning back to the wall, he saw Asher standing amidst the remains of 37 Obsidian Order Knights that he had slain, including their captain using nothing but his sword.


    With a gentle leap, Asher landed on the ground.


    After things were settled, Asher surveyed the village. The frightened rat villagers, hiding behind their flimsy wooden doors, bore the marks of mistreatment. Even from a distance, he could see the soldiers, meant to protect them, had extorted.


    Over 70 percent of their rations were gone!


    Before coming to Bashan, Asher used to view all beastmen as unworthy of living. He had even proven this by annihilating the jackal outpost at the gold mine and decimating the main jackal clan, sparing no one. But now, his perspective had shifted and he understood better.


    In their suffering, they were not so different from humans. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Pathetic humans! You dare invade Edom!" A booming roar echoed from behind the chaos unfolding between the paladins and the knights.


    "I''ll handle it, Captain," Eleazar said.


    At Asher''s nod, Eleazar flew toward the source of the roar. There, standing amidst the chaos, was a massive brown rat, clad in battered scarlet armor and wielding a colossal sword.


    "Die" Gibeon, the new village chief, swung his sword downward, but Eleazar blocked it by raising his shield but the impact forced him to his knee. Quickly rolling to the side, he narrowly escaped a horizontal slash.


    Lifting his shield and regaining his footing, Eleazar deflected another strike. Tilting his shield just enough to create an opening, he thrust his spear forward, driving it into Gibeon''s scarlet armor. Yet, for the first time, despite his renowned strength, the blow barely fazed the chief, forcing Eleazar to stagger back.


    Gibeon seized the moment, stomping on Eleazar''s cloak and thrusting his sword downward. However, the sword mysteriously stopped inches from Eleazar''s chest, seemingly held back by an unseen force. Gritting his teeth, Gibeon poured his strength into the blade, inching it closer to Eleazar''s body.


    "Dieee!!!!" Gibeon bellowed, his bloodshot eyes blazing with fury.

 Chapter 259 - 259: Human Slaves

    Clang!


    Gibeon''s eyes widened when the white-haired man stopped his sword barehand, the icy gauntlet covering Asher''s hand gleaming in the fray.


    Asher swung his sword with ferocity, ripping through Gibeon''s armor and grazing his skin!


    Alarmed, the chief swiftly retreated, abandoning his sword in Asher''s hand, which was a critical mistake.


    Asher hurtled the sword like a spear. The blade''s edge grazed Gibeon''s cheek, drawing blood and a shudder from the chief. Before he could register much less reach, Asher closed the gap and slammed a brutal fist to the very cheek.


    Boom!


    Blood spurted from Gibeon''s mouth as he collapsed to his knees, his eyes dizzy.


    "His armour wasn''t anything like that of the Obsidian Order''s designs," Eleazar muttered, his brows furrowed. He watched as Gibeon, though struggling with blurry vision, rolled away from Asher''s follow-up punch, pulled out a dagger and aimed for Asher''s right thigh.


    With a swift motion, Asher pulled out his sword from the ground and clashed with the dagger. The clash sent the dagger flying off Giebon''s hand, the recoil wrenching his shoulder to ache so badly that the retired rat knight grunted in pain.


    Bam!


    Asher''s knee slammed into Gibeon''s jaws, sending blood spraying as the rat collapsed to the ground.


    "Where are the human slaves?" Asher demanded, his voice cold and commanding.


    Gibeon chuckled, blood staining his teeth. "Dead."


    Asher grabbed him by the throat and lifted him effortlessly. The moment their eyes locked, all the hairs on Gibeon''s body stood up in terror, making him feel as if he was staring into the eyes of a giant, ferocious wolf.


    "T¡­ They were taken to T¡­ Tachmon Fortress a week ago!"


    Asher''s eyes narrowed.


    "Tachmon fortress!" Simon ground his teeth as he approached Asher. Around them, paladins combed through the battlefield, gathering their spoils¡ªarmors and weapons that could be exchanged for food, a rare commodity in their camp.


    Asher turned his head toward Simon. "Do you know about this fortress?"


    Simon nodded grimly. "It was once called Winter Citadel, Lord Winter''s true home. But now, it belongs to Edom and is filled with slaves. If they are indeed there, I think we should give up on the idea of rescuing them."


    Asher raised an eyebrow.


    Puchi!


    He silenced Gibeon with a swift slash, letting the corpse fall to the ground while he walked towards the town hall. "Tonight, we rest here. At dawn, we leave for Tachmon fortress."


    Moses followed Asher as he strode away, while Simon organized the paladins, dividing them into groups, assigning watches, searching for hidden enemies in the town, and scouting parties.


    Once he was done, he walked toward the town hall and joined Asher and Moses.


    As he entered the wooden hall, he found Asher sitting in the head seat, his arm resting on the armrest where his blade, Euodias, lay.


    Moses sat to his right, flames flickering on his fingertips, while Eleazar stood before Asher, his helmet in his hand.


    Simon''s gaze drifted from Eleazar''s golden braids to his light brown skin¡ªa strange skin tone in these lands where everyone was pale-skinned. But he couldn''t help but wonder how had this man grown to become so close to Asher in just two months.


    "Simon¡­"


    Asher''s voice entered his ears, causing Simon to snap out of his thoughts before he walked and stood before him.


    "How far is Tachmon from here?"


    "About half a day''s journey on foot."


    Asher narrowed his eyes. "What about on horseback?"


    "It would take much shorter, but we don''t have mounts," Simon replied, shaking his head.


    Asher turned to Eleazar. Seeing this, Eleazar coughed slightly. "There are over 400 war horses in the stables at the northern end of the town. Right before the wall."


    Simon''s eyes widened. "You mean the Black Order''s war mounts?! Those horses are well trained and will only obey the knights of the Order alone."


    Asher rose to his feet. "Take me there."


    _____


    A short while later¡­


    Talk! Tapk!


    Asher, along with Moses, Eleazar Simon and four more paladins who were equipped with their tall spears and broad round shields approached the stable that was previously mentioned by Eleazar.


    Asher''s golden eyes scanned the muscular horses and selected from the masses to serve as the mounts of knights. These beasts had been meticulously trained, given special meals to boost their endurance and equipped with legion munching on barley.


    As if noticing the group''s presence, the horses lifted their heads, their dark eyes locking onto the small group of visitors. The moment their gaze met Asher''s ferocious golden eyes that almost seemed to glow, their powerful fore and hind legs trembled and buckled beneath them.


    Simon''s eyes widened in disbelief.


    "H¡­how."


    Asher breathed out a puff of mist before turning away without a word and began to walk back.


    "We shall ride them to Tachmon," he declared, his voice calm yet commanding.


    Eleazar glanced between the subdued horses and Asher''s retreating figure, his expression awestruck.


    Moses stepped forward and placed a hand on one horse''s head and began caressing it. Simon braced for the animal to lash out, but it remained calm, even obediently following Moses as he guided it around.


    ''D¡­ did he frighten these horses into submission?'' Simon thought, though deep down, he already knew the answer to the question.


    _____


    Ten Black Order knights on horsebacks escorted two iron-barred carriages as they crossed a bridge leading into a fortress made of black, jagged stones.


    The massive metal gates cracked open with a grating roar, revealing more Black Order knights awaiting within.


    "I see you have brought fresh ones," one of them remarked with a smirk. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Hahaha! It''s from the human village we destroyed last night." The captain of the knights flanking the carriage responded after a hearty laugh.


    As they entered the fortress, the carriages opened, revealing the human prisoners within. Four women and six men, their wrists and ankles shackled with chains, stared at the rat Knights with trembling eyes.


    A knight grabbed one of the women by the ankle and dragged her out of the carriage. She slammed onto the cold, hard ground with a scream escaping her throat as pain shot through her body.


    "Shut it!"


    The rat knight scowled and turned to the others, his voice dripping with cruelty.


    The others could only come down from the carriage, trembling.


    "You brat!"


    CRACK!


    "Argh!" A piercing scream echoed through the air, making the fresh slaves tremble even more. Before their eyes, a young, scrawny boy garbed in tattered rags staggered forward. He was flanked by two knights, with a weary slave woman trailing behind him.


    Judging by her swollen belly, the fresh slaves could tell she was pregnant.


    "You dare ask for more than your ration! You ungrateful wretch!"


    CRACKK!


    One of the Black Knights swung his whip at the boy''s back, driving him to his knees and stagger. He gasped, his frail body trembling under the assault.


    "I¡­ I just wanted food for the woman. She''ll die if she doesn''t eat properly."


    "Shut up!" one of the knights barked at the boy. His armored fist slammed into the boy''s face, sending him sprawling to the ground as blood sprayed from his mouth.


    "Please!" The woman rushed forward and grabbed the knight''s whip. Tears streamed down her cheek as she begged. But her pleas were met with a vicious whip strike to her face. The crack of the whip drew a line of blood and a scream of anguish.


    Watching all this, one of the slaves dropped to his knees, his face pale and eyes wide with terror.


    ¡­


    A/N: I was treating my eyes last week. Uploads will resume from today.

 Chapter 260 - 260: Achilles Paladin

    "You pathetic humans don''t even know how to follow simple orders." The knight snickered as he raised his hand to strike the woman once again.


    Seeing this, the young boy lunged forth, ignoring the consequences of his actions.


    He clenched his fist and aimed a punch at the knight''s face, but instead of inflicting damage on the knight, his flesh tore apart on impact causing him to let out a deep, subdued groan before being slammed into the torso by the knight''s knee!


    The blow sent the young slave several meters into the air. When he landed, motionless, no one knew for certain if he was still alive or dead. But the message was clear and passed to every fresh slave: disobedience meant death!


    Trembling in silence, they watched as the knight veered back to the pregnant woman and chuckled. He lifted his whip up, a wicked smile playing across his furry face as he looked at her horrified expression.


    Boom!


    All of a sudden, something fell from the sky and crashed behind the carriages throwing snow and debris. A wide crater formed where it landed, affecting the carriage''s balance. The carriage wobbled and tilted slightly toward the left and stayed like that for a while before falling with a resounding thud.


    Every eye in the place, be it the slaves or the knights, turned to look at the center of the disturbance. Standing at its center, a dark silhouette was on his knees. Wisps of white breath escaped the narrow gaps of his menacing mask, and his cloak covered his massive body, except for his head, leaving it exposed and thanks to the snow fog, no one could decipher who that silhouette was.


    "Is that a dwarf?" one rat knight muttered, squinting his eyes at the figure. His whiskers twitched as he hesitated to take a step forward.


    Just as he took a step forward, something happened, something he couldn''t describe quite clearly. He felt as if the wind had moved past him and in the next instant caught hold of the two knights behind him. The heads of the two knights behind him twisted unnaturally before they crumpled to the ground.


    The eyes of the first knight, the one who had been holding the whip, widened in shock.


    Shing!


    He drew his sword and activated his battle force. A grayish-white aura surged around him as he bellowed, "Who are you?!"


    The figure slowly rose to his feet, his great build causing the knight to rethink since he once thought it was a dwarf. The silhouette stretched forth his hand and an invisible force yanked the knight toward him, shattering the fallen carriage in the process.


    It all seemed like everything happened in the blink of an eye. One second the knight was standing about 3 meters away and in the next, the carriage had been broken into two and he was now dangling in the silhouette''s iron grig, his weapon clattering to the ground.


    As the fog cleared, allowing both the knight and the slaves to see the silhouette''s attire, only for the place to be filled by a wave of silence. He wore a heavy cloak that shrouded most of his body, a metal breastplate, a helmet and a scary-looking mask hiding his true face. On the man''s back rested a spear and shield, gleaming even in the dim light.


    His tall and powerful figure made a name appear in the minds of everyone.


    "¡­ the Achillies'' paladin."


    A man, amongst the fresh slaves, gasped, his knees weakening as if he had seen bright light appear in the midst of the bleak darkness.


    The Paladin¡ªEleazar¡ªstared deep into the knight''s eyes and found fear.


    Fear¡­


    From the same knight, he once dreaded as a winter soldier. It was a knight of this caliber that had killed his father and made several veteran knights of the stronghold cower in dread. Their mere presence was like a symbols of death as no unit could survive after going against them.


    The great Obsidian Order Knight!


    Yet now, right before his eyes and within his grip, that same knight was cowering in fear. This was the product of months of deadly training.


    "Where are the slaves?" Eleazar demanded, his voice a low, commanding growl.


    The knight sputtered, unable to speak. The force at which he broke through the carriage had crippled his legs and he was still reeling in shock, rendering him mute.


    "I¡­ I can show you."


    All heads turned as the young boy, whom everyone thought was dead, staggered to his feet. His face was bruised and battered with years of beating, but his eyes burned with an unyielding fire.


    Eleazar tossed the knight aside. "I am Eelazar and I come in the name of The Achilies. Do not fear¡ªI am not alone."


    His words puzzled the slaves, who saw no need for such a declaration. But when they saw the knights that came from behind Eleazar, their conviction almost shattered, tethering on the edge of collapse. It was only when Eleazar''s steady words entered their ears that they were able to keep their resolve intact.


    Their courage, however, was short-lived. A knight clad in red armor flanked by four Obsidian Order knights, stepped forward.


    ''A Scarlet Order Knight.'' Eleazar muttered grimly.


    He recalled how his spear had bounced harmlessly off the armor of the retired Scarlet Order knight back at the small town. He didn''t understand how Asher, who was also in the sacred rank, had decimated a Scarlet Order Knight so easily when he himself had failed.


    Unfortunately, Asher wasn''t here to help him.


    Eleazar drew his spear and shield, equipped them and assumed a battle stance.


    "A transcendent? ¡­ How?"


    These were the only words that left the Scarlet Order Knight''s lips, his voice carrying both disbelief and caution before he ordered the Obsidian Order Knights to lift up their crossbows. These crossbows were called ''Star-Breaking Crossbows.'' Capable of killing saintly beings, they posed an undeniable threat!


    Eleazar had already anticipated this. The intelligence they had gathered before coming here had given them enough information. Tachmon was under Commander Ivar and he had 100 Star-Breaking Crossbowmen, capable of killing saints, not single-handedly though. What they hadn''t accounted for was the presence of the Scarlet Order Knights.


    Swish Swish Swish!


    Several bolts tore through the air with blinding speed and in what seemed like a millisecond, the bolts struck Eleazar''s broad, round shield.


    Upon realizing that the bolts were able to penetrate his shield, Eleazar frowned. Although they did not pierce right through it, the fact they could pierce through it meant that they posed a threat to him.


    When he saw that the crossbowmen were about to infuse their bows with a denser battle force, his pupils glowed and a light blue light appeared around the three knights, dragging them off their feet for above meters and slamming them against the wall. The impact was so forceful that web-like cracks spread across the wall''s surface.


    Shing!


    The Scarlet Order Knight unsheathed his blade, its edge gleaming with menace. "Try that on me," he growled.


    S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 261 - 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! S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The armor was left with a slight scratch but that timely deflection allowed the Scarlet Order Knight to swing his sword upward.


    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 blade 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 clashed 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 slashed 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 too late.


    Puchi!


    A spear pierced through the knight''s sturdy breastplate 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 paladins, similar 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 slaves before it becomes chaotic," Levi replied, glancing at the fallen Scarlet Order Knight before following Eleazar to the battered young slave.


    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 paladin 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 clad 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 place. It was Ivar''s voice!


    The captain''s bravado crumbled. Trembling, he stepped aside, relinquishing his position. Ivar strode forward, taking his place atop the wall overlooking the gate.


    "Kryos vessel," Ivar''s voice sharp and commanding, 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 blade, 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 plague."


    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 have come 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.


    Slash!


    Asher swung his sword horizontally in a broad arc, unleashing his ice offensively through the blade 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 262 - 262: Most Powerful Foe

    "...Eden."


    Asher''s voice was barely audible, his breath forming a white mist that escaped through the gaps of his mask. From the frozen ground, a 10-foot-tall tree sprouted, its branches sparse and its leaves formed completely of glistening ice.


    It was like watching the growth cycle in fast-forward. After the tree stopped forming, ice began to spread out from its roots and from it sprouted unique grasses, shrubs and smaller ice trees, mimicking the flora found around the Paladin''s camp.


    By the time Ivar and his men realized it, they were surrounded by a surreal forest, made entirely out of ice!


    An arched dome of frost enclosed the forest, sealing them within. Asher was nowhere to be found.


    Ivar closed his eyes briefly before reopening them. "Truly¡­ he is Kryos'' vessel."


    His expression grew solemn. "If he''s able to form a domain of this magnitude, he must have expended at least 90% of his force."


    But then, Commander Ivar chuckled. "In the end, he''s still a youngling."


    Raising his halberd, he pointed forward. "Advance."


    His warhorse neighed neighed as the order rippled through the ranks. The Scarlet Order Knights began to march forward cautiously, scanning their frozen surroundings. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''Kryos revealed Eden when ¨¢th¨¢natos killed his wife,'' Ivar thought, recalling the ancient tales. ''The labyrinth of ice even trapped ¨¢th¨¢natos'' powerful troops. Luckily, he has yet to grasp Eden in its entirety.''


    However, his brief relief was shattered by the thunderous sound of hundreds of horses galloping toward his direction.


    Alarmed, Ivar turned to his left to see a phalanx of mounted paladins, their spears prepared for the charge.


    Leading them were two men: Simon and Moses. Moses was the only one who wielded a battle axe.


    "Move!" Ivar roared.


    But before his men could react, a massive ice spike¡ªthree meters thick and two meters tall¡ªerupted from the ground, splitting his troop into two!


    Atop the spike, a Scarlet Order Knight and his mount hung impaled, their blood freezing as it flowed!


    Ivar''s eyes narrowed at the sight. Unfortunately, the brief chaos gave the paladins the chance to close the gap and like a dutifully sharpened blade, they ruthlessly tore through the 29 Scarlet Order Knights that were cut off from Ivar.


    Snarling in frustration, Ivar activated his force. A shimmering energy surrounded him, but as he prepared to counterattack, a towering wall of ice rose around them, encasing him and a few knights close to him.


    When Ivar finally broke through the barrier, he saw Asher sitting atop a crystalline ice column, one leg crossed over the other.


    "Human!" A booming voice interrupted.


    The captain of Ivar''s forces, who looked like a Goliath, charged toward Asher, his eyes blazing with fury. He wore a set of gauntlets, capable of unleashing compressed air!


    The moment he launched the first punch, it seemed as if the air was forced to ripple and implode but Asher evaded the blast effortlessly.


    With a light tap of his foot, he shot himself forward.


    "Come and die, human!"


    The captain bellowed. His whiskers quivered as he clashed his gauntlets together, creating a deafening shockwave before throwing a punch at Asher''s face.


    Seeing this, Ivar sighed heavily. "Such foolishness, Captain¡­ don''t you know who stands before you¡­"


    While he spoke, he watched Asher effortlessly evade the blow and stretch forth his arm before his fingers pinned down on the captain''s face.


    With a single motion, the scarlet rat mask was pulled off and then he struck.


    A vertical slash cut through the air, leaving a crescent of light that lingered for a moment.


    Euodias gleamed clean in Asher''s hand. The captain remained frozen in shock¡ªuntil a thin, blood-red line appeared across his body. In the next instant, he split cleanly into two.


    The battlefield fell silent. The remaining Scarlet Order Knights stared, their faces a mix of shock and dread.


    "As expected of the Achilles. A man who can transform mere mortals into warriors. I heard you transformed their fear of us into rage, making them fight instead of being afraid. Is that true?"


    Asher turned to Ivar but remained silent.


    Swoosh!


    In an instant, he closed the gap, unleashing a swift slash. Ivar reacted swiftly by blocking with his own weapon, the clash sending sparks flying as the ice beneath their feet slowly cracked.


    They separated briefly only to clash again in a flurry of strikes. But after they separated again, tendrils elongated from Ivar''s back, slashing toward Asher.


    Although he was able to deflect them, he was forced to retreat.


    Seeing an opening, one of the knights shot a bolt.


    Clang!


    Asher split the bolt in two but staggered. He clenched his teeth and exhaled sharply to ready himself.


    Ivar smirked and stepped forward¡ªbut his confidence wavered when Asher swung his sword, summoning pillars of ice to rise from all directions.


    North, south, east and west!


    Alarmed, Ivar leaped high, almost reaching the ice-covered ceiling. Mid-air, he poured his force into his halberd and hurled it toward Asher.


    BOOOM


    Like a projectile, the halberd streaked down, the impact resulting in a massive explosion that shook the earth.


    Deep below, Eleazar and Levi, who were in the dungeons, were shocked. They feared that the building was about to fall so they hurried the slaves.


    Thud!


    Ivar landed amid the chaos, surveying the aftermath of his strike. His knights lay impaled by thick shards of ice, while a towering ice wall protected Asher.


    Through the icy mist, Asher emerged unscathed.


    Tendrils sprouted from Commander Ivar''s back again, but instead of attacking, they intertwined, forming what seemed to be two extra arms that wielded twin swords from his back.


    Asher''s eyes narrowed. Commander Ivar was no ordinary foe¡ªhe was the strongest adversary Asher had ever faced.


    "You better bring out your best, Kryos," Ivar growled, his voice cold. "Or you shall die on Edom''s soil."


    Asher lifted his palm and sliced it. As his blood seeped out, pooling unnaturally as his golden irises dimmed, his voice rang like a whisper.


    "¡­ as you wish."


    In the next moment, the air around Asher shifted, heavy and foreboding. The blood on his palm kept expanding until it had taken the shape of a crimson sword!


    Duchess Ariel Ashbourne''s voice resonated with his, cold and filled with disdain.


    "I''ve always hated these lands but to think you treat us humans in such a manner¡­ I should have eradicated you in my time."


    It was so cold that Ivar frowned.


    He couldn''t make heads or tails at how Asher was able to manipulate blood. Wasn''t his force supposed to have finished at this point?


    It felt like¡­ Asher has an unlimited supply!


    "No matter what you do, Achilles. Today, you meet your end!"


    Ivar roared and a fearsome clash began. All he had learnt about Asher''s fighting style bore no fruit in their battle as Asher fought like he was possessed by an entirely different being.


    Their clash produced earth-shaking tremors and flashes of auras, illuminating the frozen landscape from dawn to dusk!

 Chapter 263 - 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 and laboured. 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 breastplate, 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 voice laced with concern.


    Asher recognized the voice immediately¡ªit was Eleazar, the youngest of his lieutenants.


    Upon hearing that, Asher collapsed to one knee, groaning deeply. He glanced 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 places 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 unspoken command.


    Enduring the pain and ache, Asher began to walk, his steps painfully slow. His men exchanged glances 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 clans. Back then, Asher was always flanked by his commanders.


    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 paladins bowed their heads in deference, but the slaves¡ªover a thousand of them¡ªshrank away, distancing themselves with apprehension written all over their faces.


    The moment Asher glanced 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 clamour.


    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 clad 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 blades, 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 fortress landscape.


    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." S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The image of the woman''s exposed back made his brows furrow. Just a glance 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 slaves stretched out like a snake from the fortress gates, flanked by paladins on either side.


    Almost all of them were focused on Asher, the man at the forefront.


    "So that''s the Achilles," a slave in his late fifties murmured, his voice laced 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 paladins 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 glanced back at the ice forest on the horizon.


    "So?"


    "He made it in a twinkling of an eye and killed commander Ivar within."


    The man''s face paled and his voice trembled. "W¡­ what?"


    The young former slave frowned. "Where have you been all this while?"


    "Quicken your pace!" a paladin barked, his voice stopping their exchange.


    _____


    Two days later, 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 her command.


    She was none other than Zilphah Sier, the renowned commander 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 264 - 264: The Future

    A Dothan warrior, clad in thick, fur-padded attire rushed forward and dropped to one knee before Zilpah. "Commander, judging by the depths of their footprints, they are just two days away. We should go after them."


    Zilpah raised an eyebrow, her expression contemplative. Although she felt the itch to chase, capture and hand Kryos''s vessel over to her brother¡ªthe chief of the Kratos Freeman clan. Yet, a sliver of apprehension for his strength tempered her desire. At least from what she had seen, Kryos was already a force to reckon with.


    And they were on Edom''s soil. In no time, Edom would send troops after them if they took any rash steps. To succeed, they needed to take control of the fortress and buy time till their main army arrived. Only then would it be the right moment to hunt down Kryos''s vessel.


    Zilpah licked her lips and grinned. "Let them run. The time for the hunt will definitely come."


    As descendants of the long-extinct giants of the glorious age, Zilpah and her warriors possessed an unnatural bloodlust for other races, especially humans, whom they mockingly referred to as ''soft skins.''


    Along with their bloodlust, they also had abnormal strength. Though Zilpah had a slim womanly body filled with contours of muscles, her strength was beyond her looks and that was the reason why the 3000 Dothan warriors¡ªmost towering over seven feet tall¡ªbowed on their knees to her.


    Not long after they seized the fortress, another scout, tall and wiry, standing 7.1 feet tall, walked into the hall and bowed before her.


    "Commander, the Edomites have assembled an army. They are marching toward this fortress as we speak."


    "That was faster than expected," Zilpah shrugged. "Send a message to the chief. Tell him that what we have heard about Kryos'' rebirth is the truth¡­ Kryos has once again proven how tenacious he is by manifesting in the body of another human almost a thousand years after his last appearance."


    The scout nodded. "I shall see to it personally."


    As Zilpah watched the scout leave, her thoughts swirled. ''Oh Kryos, what a pitiful soul. You have returned to a world that no longer needs your unification. We no longer need you as a lord, not even those stuck-up faires of Cyrenia would be glad to hear of your return and¡­ And after 3000 years, you must have been severely weakened. The Kryos now can never be the first and true Kryos. You are but a shadow of the original.''


    Her crimson eyes gleamed.


    "We still need your strength to achieve what we want though," she murmured, a soft chuckle escaping her lips. The man she mocked was someone who once made the giants, the dragons, the ancient dwarves, the celestial fairies, the magnificent elves and the straightforward beastmen bow at his feet.


    Unfortunately, his absence for so long had made the races grow accustomed to ruling and warring against themselves. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I''ll personally wrap a chain around his neck and he''ll follow me like a guard dog. That looks like a nice future," Zilpah laughed, her melodious voice echoing against the stone walls of the hall.


    All of a sudden, she stopped laughing. "With Kryos as our battle slave, we would be able to build a powerful kingdom capable of rivalling Cyrenia. Losing their daughter shouldn''t be the only bad news for that imperial fairy household¡­ They should also know about Kryos."


    While Zilpah schemed, the scout stepped out of the fortress doors, his force producing a fog around him. In the next moment, the fog was blasted away by a mighty wind, revealing a falcon.


    With a soft cry, it soared into the sky and flew away. ''Kryos¡­ the man with the snow wolf from the tales is actually back?''


    The falcon''s eyes shook as it gazed at the ruined Eden from above.


    _____


    Lord Winter, Isaac, Naomi and Anderson stood outside the castle walls, watching as paladins marched in with hundreds of freed slaves. When people saw them, they rushed toward the slaves. Some reunited with their long-lost family members, tears flowing freely as they embraced. Others, still searching for their loved ones, called out names with desperate hope.


    Yet, there were those among the former slaves who stood adrift, their years in Edom''s chains having stolen away any family or familiarity. They simply stared at the crowd, lost, with no one to welcome them.


    "Take a look at those men grandly covered in cloaks. They''re the finest soldiers I''ve seen in a century." Anderson said softly, his eyes locked on the paladins.


    Isaac smiled softly while Naomi frowned. "He should return our men to us before he leaves for his territory."


    Isaac raised a brow. "What?"


    Naomi turned to him, her voice firm. "Those men have families here. Their loyalty and lives are tied to this stronghold. Are we really going to cut them off from their homeland?"


    Lord Winter chuckled softly. "No."


    "Good." Relief flickered across Naomi''s face and she smiled.


    But the next words from Lord Winter wiped it away. "The home of those men is wherever Achilles decides."


    Her expression twisted into one of anger and disbelief.


    "It''s high time you stop fighting him, Naomi," Lord Winter said gently.


    Naomi frowned. "I am fighting for the good of our people." She clenched her teeth.


    "I have seen your death, Naomi¡­" Lord Winter glanced at her with a concerned expression. It was the look of a father to a daughter, the look of a man who knew the end of Naomi''s path.


    The words fell like a hammer, and the three of them¡ªIsaac, Anderson and Naomi¡ªfroze their eyes wide.


    "W¡­ What?"


    Lord Winter had a talent that all of them dreaded. Though his talent had no combat ability, it allowed him to glimpse into the future of any being, man or beast. Sometimes, he could see their very end or what they would become in the distant or not-so-distant future.


    Lord Winter looked at Asher who was currently walking toward them. As he gazed at Asher, his pupils contracted and his talent subconsciously activated.


    At that moment, he saw a man with long snow-white hair that reached half of his back. He had a well-trimmed beard and a sharp jawline.


    His deep, piercing eyes bore into his soul while being clad in pitch black with a distinct wolf pauldron on his right shoulder.


    Vambraces and steel covered boots and three swords hung ominously on him.


    At his right hip, Euodais rested in its sheath, while another sword with a handle that seemed like it was dipped in blood. A longsword was strapped to his back.


    Each of these swords exuded a power that made Lord Winter''s very soul shiver.


    In addition to that, this man''s aura packed so much weight that it drove Lord Winter to his knees, his breath coming in shallow gasps.


    As the man approached, blood began to seep down Lord Winter''s eyes, staining his cheeks as he helplessly watched this wolf of a man approach with slow, deliberate steps.

 Chapter 265 - 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 succumbed 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 impeccably soft and kind at the moment.


    It wasn''t that Asher didn''t exude his hostile force but compared 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 his compassionate side kept him rooted.


    "City Lord!"


    "Lord Winter. What happened?"


    "Sir!"


    Cries filled with concern, both from the council members and soldiers fell into Lord Winter''s ears but his focus was solely on Asher. He couldn''t make heads or tails of the exact time Asher would become like what he had glimpsed during his vision. But one thing was clear, the moment Asher''s eyes lit up, his heart jumped with unease.


    "Lord Winter¡­" Asher spoke and tried to help the old man stand as the old man rejected help from the council members. As they walked into the castle, Lord Winter glanced at his staff and let out a hearty laugh.


    "Child, why did you abandon your position as lord to live as a commoner?"


    Asher glanced at him, his expression unreadable.


    "I needed some time away from the seat of power to think."


    "I see."


    Silence hung between them until Asher helped him sit on the stone throne. This was the first time Asher had seen Lord Winter sit on the throne of Winter Castle.


    With both hands on the staff, Lord Winter smiled at him.


    "But¡­"


    Asher, about to turn away, paused mid-step.


    "¡­you look like a man who wants to redeem himself. A man who has lost something dear to him¡­ A broken man."


    Asher''s brows furrowed at the words.


    "Maybe."


    After uttering those words, he began to descend the throne''s platform.


    "I want a word with Asher," Lord Winter declared, his stern gaze sweeping over Isaac and the others while Asher frowned even more.


    Heeding Lord Winter''s orders, everyone left the hall reluctantly while Asher looked at Lord Winter with a raised brow.


    "A great army will be marching on us in three months," Lord Winter began, his voice grave. "You won''t be able to help us as a soldier¡ªbut as a lord, you can. However, you must first be willing to return. And I don''t see you doing that anytime soon."


    "So?" Asher crossed his arms, his tone neutral.


    "If I show you how to enter the spirit world without being confined to the territory of a spirit, will you aid us with an army¡ªeven if you fail to revive your wolf?"


    Asher''s eyes widened in shock. He had discreetly spread word behind the scenes to figure out if anyone knew how to enter the spirit world, but Lord Winter had figured out he was the actual culprit of the news and even better, he had a solution.


    "How do I go?"


    Lord Winter smiled faintly. "We have a deal, then. In three months, the Edomites will march on us with a great army and the stronghold will burn if I do not return you to your position as lord. With your army, there is a possibility¡ªjust a chance¡ªthat we might survive."


    Asher sensed a keyword: Survive!


    Lord Winter hadn''t said ''win.'' He had said ''survive''. This meant whatever was coming would bring the full might of the Edomites!


    Just imagining it¡ªthousands of rat beastmen in their imposing armor, their telekinesis-wielding nobles laying siege on the stronghold¡ªwas enough to turn Asher''s expression grave.


    "Meet me at the temple tomorrow," Lord Winter said.


    "What time?" Asher asked.


    "At first light."


    Asher nodded, turned on his heel and left the hall. The moment he went out of the hall, Isaac walked in.


    "I thought that was a secret you were never going to tell him," Isaac said, his arms folded across his chest.


    "It was¡­" Lord Winter, whose wounds had healed through some unnatural means, looked at the door. "¡­until I saw his future. I can only pray that sending him to the spirit world will restore his good heart."


    Isaac''s expression hardened. "Sending a mortal to the spirit world? That is no different from an execution!"


    "You''ve seen what he can do," Lord Winter replied. "He faced the Edomites when the rest of us cowered. Because of him, we have located two other strongholds. He killed commander Ivar¡ªa knight capable of rivaling Anderson¡ªand he''s just a sacred-ranked Swordsman."


    "The spirit world is different," Isaac snapped. "And what''s even crazier than going to the spirit world is trying to revive a being whose spirit has been recorded."


    Without waiting for a reply, Isaac stormed out with large strides.


    _____


    The early rays of the sun pierced through the clouds, casting the places with their warmth and radiance as seen in the temple.


    Asher stood outside the temple, looking at the healers cleaning up the place while the knights clad in reforged legion armor gazed at him. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You''re early," came a voice behind him.


    Asher turned to see the old man walking into the temple, his steps slow and deliberate. The rhythmic tapping of Lord Winter''s staff echoed in his eardrums.


    "Don''t you have carriages?" Asher inquired, raising an eyebrow.


    "At my age, I need to exercise," Lord Winter replied with a soft chuckle as he walked past Asher.


    Asher followed him into the temple hall and stopped before the altar.


    "The spirit world isn''t as you think, child," Lord Winter began. "It''s a world much like ours. But just like you need flesh to inhabit this world, you must die to live in the spirit world."


    Asher frowned. Seeing that, Lord Winter laughed softly. "You are not going to live there so you don''t have to die. But hear me well¡ªonce you exceed one month there, you will die."


    Lord Winter''s expression turned serious. "No matter what the reason, you should not stay there even for a second more than a month."


    Asher gave a slow, resolute nod.


    "Now," Lord Winter continued, gesturing toward the altar. "Sit on the altar, shut your eyes and speak to God. Tell him what you want and why."


    As Asher ascended the altar, two knights brought a snow-white sheep to the altar. Lord Winter''s voice rang out again, firm and clear.


    "Kill the sheep before you sit. And remember¡ªonce you''re there, you''ll have nothing. Not even your clothes because you are entering the spirit world as a spirit."


    With steady hands, Asher drew Euodias and ended the sheep''s life before crossing his legs and exhaling heavily.


    "I hope you come back alive," Lord Winter murmured, his voice so faint that it barely reached Asher''s ears.


    When Asher opened his eyes again, he was no longer on the altar or in the temple. The altar, the temple, the knights, and even Lord Winter were gone. Instead, he found himself in the middle of a forest where the skies above were painted with myriad colours.


    There was no doubt about it¡­ he was in the spirit world!

 Chapter 266 - 266: Into The Spirit World [2]

    Lowering his head, Asher glanced at the blue grass surrounding his squatting, naked figure. He raised an eyebrow but wasn''t too surprised¡ªLord Winter had already informed him that he wouldn''t have clothes here.


    When he met his ancestors, it was usually in a sealed territory created by the spirit he met. But this was different. For the first time, he was in the spirit world¡­ like a man who had died.


    At first, Asher felt everything strange¡ªthe unique-looking sky, the unnatural colour of the leaves. Yet, the most eye-catching difference was not what he saw but what he felt.


    He was definitely in the spirit world.


    ''Why would I Am allow people to cross worlds without a price to pay? Isn''t the gulf between both worlds as large as I thought?''


    His white brows furrowed, and faint creases slowly formed on his forehead. Ignoring his nakedness, he stroked his chin and then began to aimlessly walk toward an unknown destination.


    ''I might have no idea why a God would make it possible for worlds to be breached, but I need to get out of this forest before I encounter a beast.''


    With this thought in mind, he took large strides, marking trees as he walked past them. Time stretched, and after what seemed like hours, Asher heard the neigh of a horse causing his eyes to brighten. Quickening his pace, he finally stumbled upon a path.


    It was wide enough for a cart or carriage and the lack of grass on the path assured Asher that people frequently travelled through it.


    Crouching behind a shrub, he watched a cart approach. A man sat at the front of the cart, holding the reins to the two jet-black horses pulling the cart. Inside the cart, two others sat. One stared at the sky, while the other held a sheathed sword and stared at it as if he was searching for something on the body of the blade.


    All of them, though clothed in commoner''s tunic, pants and boots, all three carried fine steel swords and after scrutinizing them, Asher figured out all three of them had a well-built physique.


    Surprisingly, they all shared strikingly similar features¡ªbrown hair, beards, and sharp eyes.


    "Would this sword be able to cut that sea beast?" the one staring at the sword, Mahil, asked.


    "Of course," the reinsman, Merari, replied with a confident laugh. "It''s made by the best blacksmith you can find in these parts."


    "Had it not been for David and Alex, we would have died last time," Mushi, the man staring at the sky, sighed. "I say we abandon hunting that beast and leave the shores of the Red Sea."


    Merari and Mahil glanced at him. Just as Mahil was about to speak, he saw a tall man with snow-white hair walking out of the forest. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    His two brothers saw Asher too, and their brows furrowed in unison.


    From their expression, Asher could tell they found something about him strange. Still, he wasn''t bothered about that.


    "You mentioned the Red Sea. I want to know where it is."


    Merari raised an eyebrow, then picked a brown cloak from the cart and tossed it to Asher. Asher caught it and draped it over his shoulders, waiting for a response.


    "I really don''t want to know how you died," Merari said, his tone cautious, "but it must be a strange death since you appeared in the forest instead of the town."


    Asher frowned slightly but said nothing.


    "Ah, the Red Sea is that way. That''s where we are headed," Merari added, pointing toward the south. ''Is he a member of an ancient noble household?''


    Merari thought while gazing at Asher''s distinct facial features¡ªhis snow-white hair, matching white eyebrows and golden eyes that seemed as if they had golden flames burning within.


    "You look like a prince. Were you killed by a woman or an assassin?" Mushi leaned against the cart and glanced at Asher with a slight curl on the corner of his lips.


    The moment Asher glanced at him, his cocky expression vanished and his hand instinctively drifted toward the hilt of his sword.


    Mahil also remained wary, but Merari, the eldest of the brothers, kept a calm visage.


    Averting his eyes from Mushi, Asher nodded at Merari. "Thank you."


    Without another word, he turned and began walking south.


    Just as Asher had taken about a dozen steps, the cart rolled up beside him. Merari, riding the cart, turned his head. "Hop on."


    Asher glanced at the cart for a while before boarding it. The air between him, Mahil and Mushi grew tense but when the brothers saw Asher simply lower his head and said nothing, they relaxed slightly¡ªthough they kept their distance.


    _____


    Time trickled by, but the sky remained unchanged. Asher, deeply immersed in his thoughts, was drawn back to the present when his eardrums caught the sound of seawater crashing against the shores.


    Lifting his head, he saw that they had just left the forest path and entered a vast plain. Beyond it stretched a reddish-pink sea, shimmering all the way to the horizon.


    Asher blinked, startled. He couldn''t believe that the sea which was made to seem so devilish was actually this beautiful.


    Right then, the cart made a turn and a house came into his view, tucked near the edge of the forest, surrounded by large rocks.


    Just by the side of the two-storey building were two men swinging their swords against each other. Although it didn''t seem like much, Asher could see the formless ripples spreading outward each time they clashed.


    But for some reason, he couldn''t gauge their rank. It was like the energy they were using was different from the forces he had encountered in Boundless.


    "We''re here," Merari said in a light tone.


    Asher''s sharp ears picked up a faint noise from the sea, prompting him to turn his gaze toward the shores.


    Just then, a massive figure burst from the water¡ªa shar-like beastman flying over 300 meters before crashing heavily onto the sand.


    The impact erupted a cloud of sand in all directions. Asher''s eyes narrowed. ''There''s no such thing as a beastman with traits of a sea beast. Is he a human with a talent that alters his physical appearance?''


    While pondering, he watched the man slowly revert back to his human form as he walked closer to them. The man was lean, about 5.8 feet tall.


    He didn''t have any striking features, but Asher''s instincts warned him of this man''s talent. ''He must be one of those whose talents compensate for their lack of combat ability.''


    "That''s David," Merari said with a faint smile. "Don''t be afraid of him but don''t bleed around him."


    Asher glanced at Merari, sensing the weight beneath his words.


    "Why?"


    Asher asked softly.


    Mahil and Mushi exchanged a glance before Mushi spoke. "Just listen¡ªor you''ll become another prey."


    After saying that, he leaped down the cart, his brother following behind.

 Chapter 267 - 267: Into The Spirit World [3]

    David strolled past the cart, balancing two large fish, each the size of a grown man''s arm on his shoulders. He chuckled, "You''re lucky you''re back before dinner." But his stride halted all of a sudden when his eyes caught sight of a figure hidden behind a brown cloak and a hood.


    "Who is that?"


    "He just arrived in the spirit world," Merari replied, prompting David to raise an eyebrow.


    "And why didn''t you lead him toward the town?"


    Before Merari could respond, Jed and Jesiah, the two who had been sparring, approached. Jed, the one who spoke, tied his hair back into a ponytail and kept a neat anchor beard.


    "Because he wanted to see the Red Sea. He must have heard about it as a mortal," Mahil said, gesturing toward the cloaked man. Everyone looked at Asher as he stepped down calmly from the cart.


    "I presume none of you are from the North," Asher said, his voice measured. "You seem more like knights¡ªperhaps from the Sacred Flame Empire and Galvia Empire. And you¡­" He looked at David.


    "Your talent and skill at it leaves two domains: Silvermoon and Nightfire. But I might lean more toward Silvermoon since their men mostly do the cooking."


    Not just David but the rest of them were stunned. When they met, they had to introduce themselves¡ªaffiliations, professions, everything. Yet this stranger had unraveled their identities with a single glance.


    Jed broke the silence. "Such tone. You must be a noble. And yes, none of us here is from the North. But if you''re from the North, you''ll get along well with Alex."


    From their posture and air, Asher guessed the others respected him. He had to be one the strongest out of the six before him.


    "Very well, we are the knights, we have no order and we were once eight. Welcome to the mix of the dead, young man."


    David spoke with a smile returning on his face.


    "You seem to have mistaken me. I am not here to see the Red Sea or join any order of knights."


    Jed frowned. "Then why are you here then?"


    "I want to cross the sea."


    Everyone''s eyes widened and their gaze toward Asher changed. From kind to the gaze given to a madman.


    Jed gasped. "You want to cross the Red Sea and enter Goliathsgrave?"


    "If it''s the land where beasts roam, then yes," Asher replied. "Do you know of any means?"


    Upon hearing Asher, the knights were gobsmacked and they could only stare at him. Was this man planning on traversing the dangerous Red Sea just to enter an even more dangerous place, Goliathsgrave, a land where even the mighty falls!


    A place littered with the bones of thousands who once dared to venture into it.


    "You''re a madman," Mushi muttered.


    Asher ignored the remark and focused on the others but their expressions were disappointing.


    "Are all the Northerners like this?" David asked, shaking his head.


    Asher raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"


    "The one who lives with us now," David explained, "when he first came here, he wanted to return to the mortal world. And now here you are, planning to cross the Red Sea."


    Caw! Caw!


    The cry of the birds made Asher turn toward the forest.


    "It''s him, the other Northerner." Jesiah, who had stood silent since the beginning with his arms crossed, finally spoke.


    Not long after he spoke, a figure with large black wings appeared in the distance. Moments later, the man landed before them. Asher''s eyes trembled at the sight.


    "L¡­Lord Asher¡­ what are you doing here? Where''s Nero?"


    The question seemed to pierce Asher''s heart. He laughed, but it wasn''t from joy¡ªit was filled with pain. His eyes moistened and he shook his head.


    To think he had lost a man so loyal that he would rather his son, Nero, die alongside him went deep into his bones. Indeed, Alex was a friend and a loyal soldier.


    "Lord¡­ This man is you lord?!"


    The other knights were shocked. They couldn''t believe that the powerful Alex would serve such a young lord and from one glance, they could tell Alex was loyal to a fault to this snow-white-haired man.


    What''s worse, Alex immediately dropped to one knee and bowed his head, causing Jed, his rival to tilt his head in disbelief and confusion.


    Just who was this white-haired man who could make a sacred-ranked knight like Alex kneel with all his heart? From Alex''s expression, it felt as if it was his privilege to bow to Asher once again!


    "Alex. It''s been a while."


    _____


    Later that evening, two men sat at a rectangular dining table with Asher at one end and Eder at the other end. Asher''s sharp eyes were locked on the last knight who completed the number eight.


    This knight looked like he was in his mid-fifties and looked more like a barbarian than a citizen of noble rule.


    His name was Eder.


    He had orange hair and wielded a lance as his main weapon, which was slung across his back. It was rare to see knights like him, knights who didn''t use swords or spears as their main weapons.


    "You''re the Lord Ashbourne Alex spoke of?" Eder asked, munching on a piece of the cooked fish.


    Even Eder had to address Asher cautiously because Alex had been solidly standing behind Asher from the very moment they met and knowing about Asher''s suicidal plan of traversing the Red Sea, Eder was worried for Asher.


    He knew these nobles were always about themselves. They did not care for the thousands that died to fulfill their cause and this was the reason he died as a rebel knight.


    "I am," Asher replied calmly.


    "I''ve heard about you Ashbournes¡ªWarrior Lords, they call them." Eder studied carefully, noting the young lord''s calm and laid-back demeanor.


    Clearing his throat, Eder pushed aside his plate and sat straight. "Why do you want to go to Goliathsgrave?"


    Asher sighed. "For personal reasons. But if you will take me there on your ship, I shall help you kill the sea beast troubling the waters."


    Eder raised an eyebrow.


    "I already have seven knights," he said. "How exactly would you, a noble, help?" S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At that moment, Asher stopped shrouding his force.


    Eder, who had just raised his glass of water, froze. His pupils shook as the immense pressure enveloped him. He struggled to move but his body refused to respond.


    ''This young man''s force¡­'' Eder''s thoughts raced.


    It was overwhelming¡ªpowerful, yet shrouded so well that he hadn''t sensed it until now.


    ''It took me years to learn shrouding yet this boy in his twenties has already mastered it! And the weight of his force¡­ It''s like that of an imperial!''

 Chapter 268 - 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?"


    _____


    Asher stepped out of the building and found Alex chopping wood with an axe. At the sight of Asher, Alex paused mid-swing.


    "I have convinced Eder," Asher said. "After killing the Kraken, he will continue with us to Goliathsgrave.''


    "So Sirius is there?" Alex''s gaze shifted to the horizon, his voice tinged with unease. "I heard that place is vile."


    "By the way¡­ what happened to your hair? The Ashbournes¡ªever since Zenas the first¡ªhave always had gray hair. You had it, too¡­ before I died."


    Asher smiled a bit.


    "A lot has happened after your passing, Alex."


    Alex sighed, studying him closely. "It seems a lot has happened to you. It''s not just your hair. You look¡­ different, you feel different."


    Lowering his axe, he added softly. "I hope my words don''t offend you."


    Asher chuckled lightly. "They don''t." He stepped forward, taking the axe from Alex and gesturing for him to drop another log for him to chop.


    "My lord¡­"


    "Don''t worry," Asher interrupted. "I want to chop the wood."


    Alex hesitated before reluctantly agreeing.


    "It''s clear that Nero isn''t around you. Neither is my brother¡ªor any of the commanders or they wouldn''t have allowed you to risk your life by coming here, and worse, coming alone¡­"


    "There''s a fracture in my spirit, Alex," Asher admitted. "One that can never be mended if I don''t revive my bond with my pet beast."


    Alex''s eyes widened. "Sirius is dead!"


    "He is."


    Asher lifted the axe and swung it down, splitting the log cleanly into two with a single swing. His lips curled upward a bit only for him to see something that took the smile out off his lips.


    His left hand.


    The little finger of his left hand was slightly transparent!


    ''Ah, so the countdown has already begun.''


    He forced himself to focus and turned to Alex. "Do you know anything about this Kraken we are about to face?"


    For now, he decided to ignore the state of his left hand. At least he could still hold an axe with it.


    Alex hesitated, then sat down on a nearby stone. "Well, it''s a mythical beast that summons storms when it appears. I have faced it once and barely survived. It was thanks to my wings. Without them, I wouldn''t have stood a chance."


    "But you''re not alone this time," Asher reminded.


    "Indeed." Alex nodded. "This time, we are going to board a ship that is capable of withstanding the storms without being ripped apart and Eder will fight alongside us with his lightning spear. However¡­" He looked at Asher with a small smile. "I still wasn''t confident of our victory until I saw you."


    Asher turned his gaze toward the sea. "I will need a sword."


    _____


    Rumble! Rumble!


    A sturdy, compact ship floated atop restless, reddish-pink waters, its small frame rising and falling with the rhythm of the waves. The boat was about 35 meters long and had a single single red sail bent in an inverted U-shape. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The hull was sharp, almost weapon-like, as if designed to slice through the ocean¡ªor fend off larger beasts. It had a small staircase at the rear which led to the higher deck, made with the same material as the sail.


    Nine cloaked men moved about the ship, their figures swaying along with the ship''s movement. Before the hull stood Asher along with Eder and Alex.


    The wind howled, whipping their hair back, while their cloaks snapped violently in the gale, their sounds reaching their ears.


    Above, a vast sky, glittered with millions of star-like lights, stretched endlessly.


    "We''ll meet that beast soon," Eder murmured, his hand gently stroking the shaft of his spear.


    "How soon?" Asher asked.


    "She stays around the Ten Monuments," Alex replied, his voice solemn. "A place you can''t miss."


    "She?"


    Asher turned to Alex with a raised eyebrow.


    "The kraken is a mythical beast my lord but it has been possessed and corrupted by time. It was once a guardian of the sea¡ªmajestic and noble. But time has corrupted it, twisting it into a bloodthirsty, raging beast."


    Asher frowned, a shadow crossing his features. For some reason, he almost saw himself in that kKrakenbut¡­


    He wasn''t bloodthirsty.


    Alex''s gaze lingered on Asher''s side features, comparing them to the one he had once known. A faint smile touched his lips.


    "Eritrea would have been awestruck to see your new look," Alex said softly. "She¡­ has always been fond of talking about hands¡ª!"


    "Rest, Alex. We have a battle ahead of us." Alex interjected and walked to a spot and sat.


    Eder frowned. "That''s not the kind of man you described to me."


    "He has changed," Alex sighed.


    Hours passed. Asher, seated quietly, opened his eyes at the sound of the approaching footsteps. Alex stood before him, his expression unreadable.


    "Your Lordship¡­ I see that the lords of the high plains have broken you."


    Creases formed on Asher''s forehead. "What?"


    "I have been with you since the day you became lord," Alex continued. "From the moment you performed your first miracle by defeating a group of orcs with a bunch of men who barely wore armor. Even then, you hid your pain, shedding your tears in silence."


    A bittersweet smile crossed Alex''s face. "You are my lord even now. But the pain you carry is like poison. It''s corroding the man I once knew, it''s eating away my friend. Let it go. Let my death go. Nurture the hope that we can still revive Sirius. Your people need you. You are their pillar, the foundation of that county."


    Asher''s pupils dilated as the words struck something deep within him.


    "You might be a lord, you might be a swordsman, you might be the last hope of the Ashbournes," Alex pressed. "But¡­ you''re still a man, just one man."


    Asher raised an eyebrow, flickers of fury in his eyes. "You lost your family. Don''t you feel pain? You''ll never see them again¡ªand yet you tell me to live as if nothing happened!"


    Alex''s gaze hardened, the fire in his eyes matching Asher''s. "My goal has always been to die for my lord. It never has and will never change. Isn''t yours to restore Ashbourne''s former glory? To build a formidable northern kingdom you spoke of after we conquered Greenrock Castle."


    Asher''s eyes widened a bit. That memory that was pushed aside for a long time, resurfaced.


    He lowered his head, his voice quieter now. "It''s too late, Alex. If I keep doing things the way I used to, it will only make me bury more."

 Chapter 269 - 269: Into The Spirit World [5]

    "I see there is no turning back from what you''ve become. Regardless, I am still your BloodBlade and forever will be at your service."


    Alex bowed his head, turned, and departed without saying another word. Asher leaned back in his chair and soon fell into a slumber. Despite Alex''s loyalty, Asher had nothing to say in response to Alex''s words. He had no words to give¡ªnot while grappling with the reality that he saw no future sitting idly on that throne and pretending like nothing happened like those other nobles.


    But the time for him to return was drawing closer. He had spent months honing his strength, cultivating an elite troop that surpassed any he had trained in the county and forged a strategic alliance with Winter Stronghold¡ªa fortress in need of troops but rich in powerhouses.


    Their structure provided a delicate but essential balance to him.


    For the first time in months, his thoughts drifted, thinking about the people he had left behind¡ªhis officials, Kelvin and finally¡­ her. ''It''s been months. If I have changed so much, she must have changed too. But isn''t it high time I let go of the fear Lia''s betrayal left behind?''


    His thoughts wandered, keeping him teetering on the edge of the realm of slumber. Yet, he couldn''t fully dive in¡ªSapphira''s face kept appearing in his thoughts. Alex had managed to crack open a small hole through the ice wall guarding Asher''s heart.


    Recalling her expression when he was leaving, Asher felt a pang of regret. His eyes opened, greeted by the star-filled sky.


    "Ah¡­" he sighed, his breath barely a whisper.


    Memories of battle resurfaces¡ªremoving Slade''s head after he had almost killed Sapphira. Was she the reason he was so furious?


    After convincing himself that it was because of Nero and Lambert, he was beginning to discover that those reasons barely scratched the surface.


    "It can''t be¡­"


    Just as he uttered those words, a violent jolt rocked the ship. Something had slammed the ship causing the side he sat on to lurch upward while the other side almost sank into the sea!


    Asher and the crates around him began to slide to the other side and he knew there was a very real chance of falling into the water!


    "What did we hit?" he asked, his voice sharp. Ice burst from the wooden boards beneath him and coiled around his foot to anchor him to the deck. Standing on the near-vertical line, his cloak fluttering, Asher faced the dark silhouette several meters away from the ship and frowned.


    ''Is that the Kraken?''


    "It''s the Kraken!" Eder''s roar came from behind him, cutting through the chaos.


    The ship stabilized and the knights donned leather armor, gripping their weapons tightly, their eyes fixed on the monstrous creature that was slowly rising from the water.


    Rumble!


    As the creature emerged, rain pelted the deck in icy droplets on them as well! To Asher, it felt as though the sky itself wept for their impending demise.


    Yet, instead of fear, a strange feeling birthed in his heart and he simply wrapped his fingers tightly around his sword''s hilt.


    The sea raged and the fierce winds blew against them. But the knights stood firm, their resolve as strong as steel as they released their force and prepared for battle.


    Gazing at the creature, they saw that it had a face with two elk-like horns and short tentacles protruding from its head. A pair of pure milk-coloured eyes sunk into the creature''s skull but it had no lips. Because of its lack of lips, an array of densely packed knife-like teeth gleamed.


    From its neck to its waist, the creature was covered in an armor of impenetrable scales. The faint outline of two scaled lumps over its chest hinted at a feminine form.


    Below its waist, but hidden under the stormy waters, they could already see a tentacle or two. The others were clearly hidden but all those aboard the ship knew that one of its tentacles had hit their ship earlier.


    This towering creature stood about eight feet tall from the crown of its head to its armored waist. If the tentacles were fully accounted for, its size would be unfathomable.


    Massive tentacles, each as thick as thick as the thighs of two grown men, rose from either side of the ship. The next instant they came crashing down, but the knights leaped to action, unleashing sword lights that carved shallow cuts into the flesh.


    The Kraken screamed, letting out a guttural, bone-chilling sound.


    "Yes! These swords can cut through it!" Mushi yelled, brandishing his glinting sword.


    Asher gripped his sword tighter as the Kraken swung down its scaly hand. Its claws, long enough to bisect a human, descended like a hand of judgement upon them.


    Jed and Jesiah ran forward, unleashing massive crescent-shaped beams of energy¡ªattacks worthy of half-step saint-ranked knights!


    Whoosh!


    Alex leaped into the air, while the rest of the crew worked tirelessly to distract the beast. Meanwhile, Eder stood at the rear of the ship, charging his lightning spear to deliver a decisive strike that would kill the Kraken. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Seeing he wasn''t included in the strategy, Asher stayed put but his vigilance never wavered.


    In the air, Alex darted through the air, dodging the Kraken''s grasping hands and flailing tentacles while unleashing repeated strikes.


    Although his slashes didn''t cause any critical injury to the monster, they were beginning to pile up.


    Enraged, the Kraken its mouth and let out a bone-rattling shriek that made Asher''s vision blur momentarily.


    "Get the ship out¨C!"


    He had barely managed to finish his words when a jet stream of water burst out of the Kraken''s maw, blasting the ship over 400 meters away. The force of the impact swept everything off the deck, save for Asher and Eder.


    "Argh!"


    Eder yelled, sprinting forward and leaping off the ship before hurtling the lightning-charged spear. The weapon streaked through the air, piercing through the Kraken''s abdomen and delivering a surge of electricity that coursed through its massive frame at the same time.


    To Asher''s surprise, Eder formed a quick hand sign and the spear that had moved past the Kraken, surged backwards through its body, piercing through its body before returning to his grasp.


    Boom!


    The Kraken crashed into the water, sending waves rippling outward as the other knights swarmed toward the ship. Asher wasted no time and helped them to board the ship before turning to Eder, his eyes slightly narrowed.


    "Is it dead?" Merari asked, his voice uncertain.


    "It is. I saw the spear pierce through it twice," Jed confirmed before turning to Asher with a frown. "You did nothing."


    "I wasn''t asked to do anything," Asher replied calmly.


    Jed frowned.


    Eder''s legs trembled, but David supported him before he fell. "I have exhausted my force. You boys should go and cut off the Kraken''s horns."


    "Wait¡­ Aren''t we going to take Lord Asher across?" Alex rose to his feet.


    "We barely survived, thanks to Sir Eder. A single minute against that beast feels like an hour of intense battle! You know this and you still want us to risk our lives for someone who didn''t even offer aid without proper rest!"


    Jed snapped, shooting a cold glare that made Alex''s expression harden.


    Alex''s jaw tightened. He turned to others, reading the expression on their faces.


    "You are about to go back on your word!" He turned to Eder.


    David stepped forward, pointing his sword against Alex. "So you would rather sacrifice the man who sheltered us to some lord you once served?!"


    "It''s okay, Alex."


    Asher''s calm voice cut through the tension as he placed his hand on Alex''s shoulder.

 Chapter 270 - 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 Island, 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.


    The ship groaned under the immense pressure of the tentacles. In no time, the ship would be destroyed and they would have nothing to sail the water. This meant nothing more than death!


    The Kraken slapped its tentacle at David, hurling him into the water and wrapped its tentacle around Eder. But before it could crush him, a brilliant flash of light sliced through the limb, severing it cleanly.


    The Kraken shrieked in agony and turned its enraged gaze onto the man who had dared to harm it. Asher stood there, his short snow-white hair and a brown cloak hiding his physique.


    It hadn''t paid him any heed before because he didn''t seem to have force and it only fed on beings with force. But now, the force radiating from this little being made it feel heavy!


    There was a certain gleam in those vibrant golden eyes of his that made it believe that he was no longer a human but a beast, a monster in his own right.


    It was like facing a huge land beast that was eyeing it with hunger.


    "I''ll take it from here," Asher said, his voice low and resolute. "I might not be able to fight the Kraken and protect Eder at the same time, so I trust you will keep him safe."


    Alex and Merari nodded without hesitation.


    Boom!


    With a powerful leap from his right leg, Asher propelled himself forward before unleashing a massive crimson sword light laced with ice crystals!


    The Kraken crossed its heavily scaled forearms to block the incoming slash. After blocking the slash, the creature opened its mouth and let out a shriek that rattled the knights to their core.


    Unfortunately, the attack came too late. Asher was already before it. The moment his foot struck its abdomen, a searing, red-hot sigil in the shape of a wolf''s head burned itself into the creature''s skin!


    Empyreal Sigil Stomp!


    The Kraken reeled backwards, its massive form staggering from the impact. Taking advantage of the moment, Asher dashed toward its head. With a precise stroke, he plunged his sword into its right eye. The blade pierced clean through to the other side, leaving jagged shards of ice protruding from its skull.


    Witnessing the scene, Jed''s pupils shook. The Kraken¡ªan apex beast capable of dealing with imperial-ranked knights, even handling several at once when fighting in its domain¡ªhad been brought down by one man. A mere noble with nothing but a fine steel sword had done what he never imagined.


    Boom!


    The colossal beast crashed into the water while Asher landed on the ship''s deck, panting softly. While the battle might have looked easy, it was more stressful than fighting an entire horde. One mistake would have cost him his life.


    "How is Sir Eder?" Asher asked, still gasping for breath.


    "He''s¡ª!" Alex''s words were cut short as massive tentacles erupted from the water. They lashed out with terrifying speed before wrapping around Asher and dragging him into the sea with a thunderous splash.


    "My Lord!"


    Alex was about to jump into the water but Jed and Jesiah held him back.


    "It''s pointless!" Jesiah said bitterly, shaking his head.


    "What are you talking about?" Merari frowned.


    Jed''s voice was grim. "You must offer a sacrifice when you want to slay a Kraken. It is said the Kraken will always seek vengeance on those who harm it, even after its death. Its body remembers who attacked it. That''s why it came for Sir Eder¡­ but it wasn''t dead."


    "You knew this and you allowed my lord to be the sacrifice!" Alex''s eyes burned with fury and his battle force flared to its peak, manifesting as tendrils of raw energy. The temperature around him increased sharply, forcing Jed and Jesiah to back away.


    "What are you doing? Fighting won''t help. Let''s go before he''s taken to the depths!" A deep voice rang causing everyone to turn toward David who had just swam his way to the ship. He looked like a muscular shark man, lethal and ferocious.


    Without waiting for a response, David threw himself back into the sea. The others, except for Jed, Jesiah and the unconscious Eder, remained onboard. Being knights, they saw a man who aided them as a comrade.


    _____


    While this happened on the sea''s surface. Deep under the sea, Asher struggled furiously. His face contorted and the veins on his neck and forehead bungled as he struggled to break free from the tentacles, which held him in an iron grip. More than three tentacles wrapped around him, dragging him deeper into the ocean''s abyss.


    His lungs burned as he sank along with the Kraken''s lifeless body. Oxygen slipped away with each bubble that escaped his nostrils.


    In a desperate move, Asher summoned his strength. Thick ice spikes erupted from his body, piercing the tentacles from all sides. But instead of loosening the tentacles'' grip tightened further. Then, with a sudden burst of force, the tentacles tanked him downward with a terrifying speed.


    It was so fast that Asher lost control and in the next moment, he slammed the seabed heavily! Dazed, he turned his head and froze. The Kraken''s body loomed before him, its eyes locked onto him. His eyes narrowed to the limit.


    Only after realizing that the creature was already dead that his rapidly beating heart calm. That slam was its death throes¡ªits last, vengeful attempt to make sure he dies.


    Asher''s face turned more red and more bubbles left his mouth as he began to suffocate. With no other choice, he quickly slit his palm with his sword.


    A ripple of energy surged through the water and ten meters away, a figure materialized¡ªa man clad in gleaming armor. Almost instantly, the gray-haired man raised a hand and in an instant, a dome of shimmering energy formed around them, forcing the water away.


    Asher collapsed to his knees, coughing violently as he gulped down some precious air.


    The man turned toward him, his glowing white eyes fixed on Asher''s trembling form. Although weak and puzzled, Asher swiftly realized that Atticus couldn''t appear inside of him because right now he had no flesh.


    Right now, he was a spirit.


    "Lord Atticus," he rasped, rising unsteadily to his feet.


    Atticus averted his eyes from Asher. "You are not supposed to be here."


    Asher''s brow furrowed. "I am here for Sirius."


    Atticus''s expression became solemn, his tone turning grave. "I don''t mean that. You should not be standing where you are." sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 271 - 271: Into The Spirit World [7]

    "I''m here for Sirius."


    Atticus looked at Asher, his expression a mix of concern and frustration. "Asher, I might not know how it feels to lose a pet beast, but betting your life by traversing into the spirit world? That''s suicidal. Your strength will mean nothing if you venture into Goliathsgrave."


    Atticus sighed heavily before continuing, "Go to the sanctuary and meet the mother wolf. She will grant you another wolf."


    Asher turned toward him, his voice steady but lanced with finality. "She''s dead."


    After unraveling more secrets about the First Men, Asher had discovered something remarkable¡ªthe wolf that granted the Ashbournes their wolves was no ordinary beast. She was the divine snow wolf, granted to the fourth brother, Kryos who died almost a thousand years ago!


    This divine beast was already dying for centuries, which was why she sustained herself only through nature''s support, prolonging her life but after Asher awakened his talent, she naturally died because nature demanded a new snow wolf and Asher wanted the snow wolf to be Sirius.


    He wanted to use this opportunity to change Sirius'' fate and make him one of the four divine beasts to walk Tenaria!


    This secret also made him understand that the Ashbournes became who they were because of Kryos, yet none of them had any idea about their heritage.


    Atticus frowned, breaking the silence. "What do you mean, the mother wolf is dead?"


    Asher approached the Kraken and responded calmly. "The snow wolf is born every time someone with the Kryos talent is born. The mother wolf was already a dying snow wolf which was why the polar wolves she granted us usually have ice as their main trait. But she was mutating, growing weaker with time. Unfortunately, another Kryos talent was born and according to natural law¡­ she died."


    Atticus''s frown deepened. "Kryos? What''s this all about?"


    Asher lifted his sword and slashed down but couldn''t cut the Kraken''s horns off. "Kryos was the one of the first four to possess talents and now his talent lives within me."


    Atticus unsheathed one of his swords and with a light, precise swing, he severed the Kraken''s horns. "You already have the ancient blood of shura¡ªa talent that makes you half mortal, half spirit. And now you inherited a talent greater than that!" Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Atticus squinted his eyes and muttered to himself. "You might be able to surpass even Lord Zenas¡­ but!"


    His gaze lifted, catching Asher examining the kraken''s horns which seemed quite large in his hands.


    "I won''t stop you from going to Golaithsgrave. But you must summon me once you get there. I can''t have the family''s greatest hope march into the land of death alone."


    Asher chuckled softly, recognizing Atticus'' compassion. He was sure Ariel or Torah would definitely stop him, but Atticus? He was different¡ªless of a lord and more of a man with a gentle heart.


    Perhaps this was the reason why he was revered as a saviour by the tribes in the Ash Mountains.


    "I shall d¡ª!"


    ''Come to me, Mortal.''


    A deep, heavy voice rumbled through Asher''s mind, cutting him off mid-sentence. He froze and looked around.


    "Did you hear that?" he asked Atticus, his tone sharp with unease.


    "Hear what?!"


    All of a sudden, a crimson force erupted upward, just a dozen meters away from the dome. Asher jumped to the top of the Kraken''s body, his eyes narrowing as he locked onto a silhouette emanating such an oppressive force.


    Atticus waved his hand, parting the water to reveal a path that led to a large, dark object.


    There was something atop it, radiating waves of oppressive force weighed on them. But their bodies were strong enough to resist it.


    After exchanging a glance, they moved forward. The shadows grew lighter with every step until the object finally came into full view.


    Asher''s breath stopped for a moment¡ªit was a longsword plunged into a massive boulder. Blood-red chains were coiled tightly around both the boulder and the blade of the sword, while scarlet runes glowed faintly, etched from the crossguard to the triangular tip of the sword.


    Atticus froze as his eyes fell on it. His hand shot up, gripping Asher''s left arm. "Look up."


    Asher tilted his head back¡ªand froze. Above them loomed a towering figure. It was a man, colossal and without legs, with arms crossed as he peered down at them. His entire body seemed to be made from the sword''s crimson force and his staggering size, Asher and Atticus knew this was a giant!


    "It''s a giant!" Asher murmured, his voice tight.


    The giant''s wild hair floated upward and his glowing white eyes were locked onto them. Yet, Atticus noticed that the giant was more focused on Asher.


    ''The living in the land of the dead. I never thought such a thing would ever happen.''


    Both men heard the giant''s voice reverberate inside their heads, deep and ancient.


    "Asher, we should¡ª"


    ''Silence!''


    The giant''s voice boomed in Atticus''s mind like a thunderclap, forcing him to fall on his knee. Grimacing, he lifted his head only to see Asher walking toward the boulder, one step at a time.


    ''Come mortal. Wield me¡ªthe Conqueror of Stars and bring all in the mortal world to its knees. With me in your hands, even the stars shall tremble at your rise.''


    The giant''s voice echoed in Asher''s head as scarlet tendrils, slick and pulsing like actual blood, came out from the sword. They reached for him, coiling around Asher.


    "Asher!"


    Atticus bellowed, scrambling to his feet, but the water suddenly surged upward, forming an impenetrable barrier and sealing him out. Desperately, he tried to control it, only to discover, to his horror, that he couldn''t control the water anymore.


    "Let the boy go!" Atticus''s white eyes shone brightly, his voice thunderous. But the giant remained still, his hands crossed as he looked down loftily.


    ''Once your hands embrace me, mortal, I shall be free from this wretched prison.''


    Another voice echoed in Asher''s head as he stood before the sword. At that moment, his eyes flickered, causing both the sword''s spirit and Atticus to squint.


    "You can''t lure me even if you try. It was I who wanted more power¡ªand it is I who chose you."


    Hearing his cold, determined words, Atticus''s expression became solemn.


    "You''re making a mistake, Asher!" he shouted. "There has to be a reason that this sword was bound in chains and cast to the depths of the Red Sea!"


    ''Pathetic! I was cast out of the mortal world and unfortunately fell into this desolate sea. The sea is my prison, not my grave.''


    Realizing that he couldn''t reason with Asher, Atticus frantically looked around. His heart leaped as his gaze landed on something¡ªa sheath, lying half-buried in the sea bed between two jagged rocks.

 Chapter 272 - 272: Into The Spirit World [8]

    After exhaling softly, Asher wrapped his fingers around the longsword''s hilt. The moment his hand made contact, the blood-red chains binding it loosened and the giant hovering above the sword vanished into nothingness.


    Everything happened in a split second. Asher''s right arm¡ªnow wielding the sword¡ªturned crimson. His fingernails extended into hardened claws, and half of his hair took on the same blood-red hue.


    He took a step back as if hit by an unseen force, and a wild, unrestrained power erupted from within him, sending the surrounding water into a furious churn.


    "Ah¡­" He sighed, his voice several folds deeper as he looked at his reflection in the water¡ªa mix of fascination and horror fixated on his mismatched eyes: one a vibrant crimson and the other a dull golden.


    "After all these centuries¡­ I, Ithamar am finally free!" A maniacal laugh escaped his lips. Suddenly, his crimson eye gleamed and without any warning, he swung the sword downward. A massive, scarlet crescent of sword light exploded from the blade, tearing through the sea.


    The water split for 500 yards, leaving a deep, dark trench that scarred both the sea and land alike!


    Meanwhile, at the sea surface, the knights aboard the ship, having just returned from their failed attempt to search for Asher, froze as they gazed at the crimson streak lighting up in the sky with solemn expressions. But then, the water suddenly churned and burst outward as if parting before collapsing back into place in a few moments with a deafening roar.


    "We need to leave¡ªnow!" Jed bellowed, rushing toward the steering wheel. "Jesiah and Mahil set the sails! David, lift the anchor!"


    While the situation on the ship was intense, Asher stood still on the seabed. His hair, now a striking blend of part crimson and part snow-white, swayed in the wind. He glanced at the massive boulder that he had cleaved into two parts, the raw destructive power at his call leaving him momentarily silent.


    Just as he was about to turn and leave, he sensed a sharp projectile. Reacting instinctively, Asher swung his sword, cleaving the incoming water arrow into two. But before he could lower the blade, a sheath etched with glowing runes materialized and slid over the sword''s blade, smothering its power.


    In that instant, Atticus appeared!


    Less than a second after the sheath was worn over the sword, Asher''s right arm reverted to normal; the claws vanished, and his hair and eyes returned to their natural state.


    "First, you wield a sword that wants to rip you to shreds. Now, you laid hands on another that wants to possess you! The fact that this sword could contaminate your spirit means it won''t just possess you but take over your spirit. That''s a fate worse than death! This isn''t just a weapon¡ªit''s a curse."


    Taking a few steps forward, he ordered solemnly. "As your elder, I order you to return that sword to its seal."


    He stared down at Asher who was on his knee and staring at the sword in his hand.


    "Ithamar, the conqueror of stars¡­"


    Asher muttered, his voice barely above a whisper, but carrying the weight of something ancient.


    "What did you say?" Atticus demanded, his stern expression hardening further.


    Asher lifted his head, his golden eyes meeting Atticus''s steely gaze.


    "Ithamar is the name of this sword. It has already destroyed its prison. The only thing holding it back is this sheath."


    Atticus''s frown deepened, unease settling over him like a shadow.


    "Asher¡­ the power I sense from that weapon could annihilate Imperials without effort and you might want to use it to exact vengeance or slay great foes, but the moment you draw that sword again¡­"


    Atticus refrained from saying the last two words but Asher knew them all too well.


    He''ll die.


    Thinking about it made him recall the first time he had unsheathed Euodias. If not for Atticus, Ariel and his battle skill that granted him quick regeneration, his life would have met the end that very day.


    Even until now, Euodias posed a threat to him. Should he try to use it to its full potential, it would summon the most powerful version of the wolf spirit and Asher was sure he wouldn''t be able to survive its attack as a mere sacred-ranked swordsman.


    However, Ithamar was in a different league altogether. Its history ran deeper than Euodias, its spirit was one of the first giants of the First Age!


    Unsheathing Ithamar didn''t just release its power, it granted him Asher''s body.


    Even from a brief possession, Asher felt a strain.


    Ithamar felt like a divine weapon but since it was forged, according to the memories he gained after Atticus sealed the sword, he knew that it couldn''t be a divine weapon. True divine weapons were created or blessed by I Am, himself.


    "Since Ithamar''s prison has been destroyed, I might as well be his next prison," Asher muttered.


    "Asher!"


    Atticus''s eyes blazed with anger.


    Asher sighed. "I''m going to face battles in the future, Lord Atticus and my enemies have forged powerful alliances and decades of preparation, while I just discovered about this eventual battle a few months ago. A war is coming¡ªone greater than the war that brought the end of the First Age and unleashed the horrors of the Dark Age. It doesn''t matter if I want to participate or not. I''m already a target."


    Atticus''s glare softened. "I see¡­"


    _____


    As Jed steered the ship back the way they had come from, an object flew out of the water and landed on the boat, rolling before it stopped.


    When the knights turned to look, their breath hitched. It was the horns of the Kraken!


    In that very second, the sea began to part. Steps made of water rose from the depths and waking up from below was Asher, completely unaffected by the fact that he was walking on water and headed toward them with a calm face. No one knew about the presence of Atticus who was at the depth of the sea.


    Atticus was the man behind this given his synergy with the water element.


    Even as Asher stepped onto the deck, the knights still couldn''t believe the man they thought was long dead stood before them unharmed.


    Some noticed the sheathed sword in his right hand but Alex did not. "Your Lordship. I''m glad you''re alive." sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Asher revealed a small smile before he turned his attention to Eder.


    "You have your beast," he said.


    Eder glanced at the massive horns that would go for a lot in the town and then looked back at the intimidating cloaked man, whose predatory eyes sent chills down his spine. "I see that," Eder replied weakly.


    "Then¡­ take me to Goliathsgrave." Asher''s voice carried an unyielding weight.


    His words fell heavily in their ears, causing Jed''s expression to sour.

 Chapter 273 - 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 black mountain, its soil barren and devoid of even the smallest trace of life. A heavy air of desolation and misery lingered over the land, prompting some of them to tighten their grips on their weapons.


    A thick fog covered the mountain pass, obscuring what lay 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 blackened soil, their expressions became slightly apprehensive.


    "After two weeks, we are finally here," Alex, who stood behind Asher murmured softly.


    Without a word, Asher glanced at him and began walking toward the fog-covered mountain pass. His steps were neither fast nor slow but with each step, he was getting closer to the foggy mountain pass at a considerable pace.


    Eder exchanged glances with the other knights before they all followed him. It took them two grueling weeks to navigate through the Red Sea and now, they stood upon a land very few dared to tread. If they could claim something from this forsaken palace and return, their standing in the spirit would forever change.


    After all, there was also a hierarchy in the spirit world. Those that did great in the mortal world naturally, had a place for themselves in the spirit world. But knights like Eder and the others, whose lords were still alive, had no sea of glory waiting for them. They lived like commoners in the afterlife, their spirits at rest but not truly at peace.


    Life in the spirit world was relatively peaceful and lacked the constant strikes like how things were in the mortal world. Yet, in order to rise in power, one had to seek out dangerous lands. Because of this, many spirits had met their eventual demise!


    Asher came to a stop before the mountain pass.


    "I thought you were going to return?" he said, glancing over his shoulder at the knights.


    Eder stepped forward, resting a firm hand on Asher''s shoulder. "We shall escort you through the mountain pass. Consider it an act of gratitude."


    Without waiting for a reply, he strode past him and the other knights followed.


    As the other knights walked past him, Asher''s eye met with Jed''s, prompting him to squint his eyes after the ponytail knight had walked past him.


    ''He doesn''t harbour good intentions toward me,'' Asher mused.


    With slightly furrowed brows, he walked into the mountain pass and after a few steps into the fog, he discovered the silhouette of Alex and the other knights, prompting an eyebrow raise.


    "They''ve come to welcome us. Draw your swords!" Eder''s voice rang out as he reached out for his spear and brandished it.


    From behind, Asher gazed at the glowing fiery eyes that seemed to pierce through the fog.


    There were countless pairs of them!


    Grr! Grr!


    Their chorus of growls fell into his ears, blending with the sharp sound of the knights'' swords leaving their scabbards. Alex instinctively retreated toward Asher, while the other knights ran toward the approaching threat.


    Just when the knights were a few meters away from the beasts, the creatures opened their jaws and unleashed flames like an actual flamethrower!


    The sudden inferno caught the knights off guard. Mahil and Mushi barely escaped with severe burns, while the others were able to deflect the flames.


    "Mahil, Mushi!" Their eldest, Merari rushed toward his brothers.


    At that moment, the fog parted, revealing their attackers¡ªmassive grey wolves with burning eyes and razor-sharp claws. Their fangs blared as they lunged at the knights in great numbers.


    The knights fought fiercely, their extraordinary skill and experience on full display.


    But in the face of the endless fire-breathing wolves, they seemed to be struggling to hold their ground.


    Eventually, the knights faltered when Jesiah was ambushed by four wolves at once and lost his footing.


    A wolf sank its teeth into his hand, another clamped down the other, while a third drove its claws into his back, sending him crashing to the ground. The wolves did not let this opportunity go as more rushed him, but just then, a violent gust of wind blasted them away, sending some several meters away, while others slammed hard against the mountain wall.


    Above Jesiah''s bloodied form, Alex hovered with his wings spread wide. A glance and one could see that the fallen knight was close to his deathbed and they had only just reached the entrance to Goliathsgrave!


    With this, Eder now understood why many dreaded this place!


    "Fall back!"


    He roared, slamming his spear into the ground. Bolts of lightning crackled across the earth, electrocuting a dozen wolves until they couldn''t move. But before their bodies could stop twitching, more wolves stepped on these weak wolves, lunging toward him with their vicious fangs bared.


    Eder unleashed his force in a sweeping arc, slaying the wolves in one move. But then¡ªa flicker of orange light reflected from the corner of his eyes. Fire!


    Before he could react, it was already before him.


    But at that instant, a towering ice wall shot up, blocking the flames. Eder stared at it, the sound of his heart booming in his ear¡ªhe had seen true death''s gaze a breath before.


    Asher sprinted past him and swung his sword upward. Jagged ice erupted from the ground, splitting the battlefield into two with some dead wolves lying impaled atop the frozen spikes. With a swift thought, tall ice spikes rose up from the black soil, piercing through the oncoming wolves.


    He closed the distance between him and David, whose body had transformed. Not only had he taken his monstrous form, but his muscles had swollen to an even greater size than he had seen before. It seemed as if the more the blood was around, the stronger he became!


    David ripped the wolves apart with his bare hands, his saw-like teeth shredding through their flesh. He moved with the speed of a predator and the raw strength of a saintly knight, he was bulldozing through the wolves¡ªbut with every strike, his injuries mounted.


    Then¡ª


    "Awoo!"


    A chilling howl echoed from behind.


    Asher turned, his eyes widening. Hundreds more wolves poured into the valley!


    "My God! This land truly is a grave for men." Merari gasped. He glanced at his sword and then at where they had come from.


    Seeing the army of fire-breathing wolves, Asher wished he had his elite Grand Aegis Infantrymen with him but alas, he was with a bunch of knights who¡­ S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Were not loyal to him!

 Chapter 274 - 274: Into The Spirit World [10]

    Cracking his neck with a heavy exhale, Asher assumed a heavy sword battle stance in the shura art¡ªboth of his hands were wrapped around his sword, his back slightly hunched. His golden eyes narrowed instinctively.


    ''Output can''t be used every time but if I time it right moment, I''ll be able to maximize its effect.''


    Before him, the army of gray wolves loomed, their fiery, ravenous eyes reflected in his golden eyes. He remained in the same position, holding his ground¡ªuntil the gap between him and the wolves vanished!


    In that instant, as dozens of wolves lunged, crimson light flared from the fine steel sword and Asher moved. With a sharp cry, he unleashed a sweeping horizontal slash, releasing a seven-meter crescent of sword light that cleanly sliced through the air¡ªfour wolves lost their legs in a single stroke!


    Before the bodies even hit the ground, with a swift movement, he was past the wolves without legs, swinging his sword downward and cleaving a wolf into two. He took a step to the side, pivoting on his right foot and twisted backwards, evading the flames unleashed by two more wolves.


    Unfortunately for them, as Asher''s left leg touched down, he turned forward again¡ªhis sword, once again emanating force, came down with an oppressive momentum. Both wolves, along with the three more behind them, perished!


    A wolf lunged at him from his right but its claws met Asher''s sword and in the next moment, Asher stabbed the wolf straight through its left eye. Without missing a beat, he abandoned his grip on the sword and struck his knee into the face of another wolf that attacked from the opposite direction.


    The impact sent the wolf tumbling, its body lying limp. Immediately after doing that, Asher reached for his sword, but before he could reclaim it, a wolf chomped down on his arm. However, after continuous fortification by his force, a mere diamond-ranked beast couldn''t sever his arm with just one bite.


    Although he felt the pain, Asher didn''t even show a flicker of expression on his face. He lifted his clamped arm along with the latched wolf that refused to let go and drove his sword through its abdomen.


    As blood poured on the blackened soil, he tossed the corpse aside and looked at the others that surrounded him.


    He was surrounded by hundreds of wolves. Only a handful of their total number had gone after the others!


    Upon noticing that the wolves were about to breathe flames, Asher calmly raised his free hand. Ice erupted around him¡ªsharp, jagged and towering, forming a structure akin to a tent built with three sticks, where the top would always be a lethal point.


    Flames rained down from all sides, engulfing the ice!


    Yet when the fire subsided, the ice remained untouched¡ªneither had it been scorched nor melted. Instead, at that very moment, the ice shattered. Each shard transformed into an elongated spike, piercing outward in a deadly storm¡ªkilling over 20 wolves in an instant!


    Swoosh!


    Asher leaped over the ice catastrophe and landed amidst the pack of wolves. If one could look closely, one would notice that Asher''s second leg had not yet touched the ground.


    Raising the leg higher, Asher''s eyes gleamed before he struck the ground.


    Boom!


    Empyreal Sigil Stomp! S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A sigil of the Ashbourne, 200 yards wide, burned itself into the ground, its searing heat leaving a reddish-orange mark¡ªhot enough to scorch a human. The surrounding wolves died pathetic deaths in an instant while dust rose up, shrouding Asher''s figure.


    His golden eyes remained fixed on his once-damaged arm as the sound of a wolf rushing toward him reached his ears. Without raising his head, ice rapidly coated that arm, forming a gauntlet. He threw a punch, The strike connected with the wolf''s head, sending it crashing into the mountain wall before it fell to never rise again!


    Yet, more fiery eyes glowed in the mist.


    "These things¡­ don''t they feel fear?"


    Asher asked himself.


    He flicked off the bloodstains from his sword and assumed a stance to face the approaching wolves. Had he been with Euodias, his output would have inflicted devastating damage and the sword''s innate skill would also have helped him in slaughtering a massive amount of these beasts in an instant.


    Had Sirius been with him, these wolves would have either bowed to his authority or fallen under their combined attacks, especially with synergy on his side.


    He exhaled and looked at his right hand which was slightly transparent. From his fingers to the right part of his chest¡ªall of that had turned slightly transparent. This meant he was dying and losing blood fastened the process¡­ so summoning the spirits of his predecessors had to be the last resort.


    With all his options laid out, he made his decision¡ªhe would go full-out with Kryos! Although it might destroy this mountain pass, it was much better than dying to diamond-ranked wolves!


    Right at that moment, a transparent figure with long, snow-white hair appeared beside Asher. Just as this figure was gaining colour, something crashed down from the sky and a great voice echoed.


    "Thunderclap!"


    A booming voice rang out.


    Blue lightning and thunder erupted from the fog with a great noise that forced Asher to his knees.


    Alarmed, he turned his head to his right but the figure, most definitely the Kryos spirit, the very entity that made his talent the only living talent to ever exist that was about to reveal itself was gone.


    However, with it, he also noticed that a great amount of his force was gone!


    Eventually, the great dust fog died down and Asher saw a towering white bear, its body adorned with tribal markings and braids cascading down its neck looking down at him. Its powerful limbs supported its body like pillars to a building and from the joints of those powerful legs came out sapphire spikes¡ªand two more protruded from its back.


    Staring at this imposing white beast, Asher wondered.


    Where was the man who had spoken?


    "What''s a mortal doing in the land of the dead?"


    When the white bear spoke, Asher fell on his buttocks, his expression frozen with shock.


    Lamech, the mythical beast, the white bear, squinted at him.


    "Clearly, you haven''t seen a talking mythical beast before. So tell me, boy¡ªhow on earth does someone as inexperienced as you possess the Conqueror of Stars?!"


    Lamech''s voice boomed as he closed the distance between him and Asher, his smoldering ice-blue eyes locked onto the sheathed sword hanging on Asher''s waist.

 Chapter 275 - 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 blackened 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.


    Eder, who also sat in the cell along with the other knights, turned to him.


    "I guess that means you have a day less to live." Jed spat with a faint smile.


    Alex shot him a glare so sharp that it seemed like the situation would explode into a fight in the next instant.


    Asher lifted his head. "It''s been 86,400 seconds since they have kept us in this flimsy wooden prison. Clearly, it isn''t meant for long-term imprisonment."


    "86 what?!" Mushi''s eyes almost popped out.


    "You were counting the seconds this whole time?!" Merari, the eldest of the brothers, exclaimed.


    Asher sighed, "I wanted to keep myself in check. Unfortunately, it''s not like I can fight a beast stronger than an ancient-ranked knight."


    He spat the words out, but Eder frowned. He could sense an underlying tone that didn''t sound as defeated as Asher''s words were supposed to be.


    "We didn''t want to be here but you had to grab that sword! You caused this!" Jed scowled.


    According to Lamech, Ithamar had drawn Asher to the mountain pass and from there, a dozen bears¨Ceach strong enough to slap a sacred-ranked knight to death¡ªhad herded them straight to the Forest of Shadows!


    "Jed." Eder shot the ponytailed knight a warning glare before turning to Asher once again and asked. "Are you certain that they''ll come for us?"


    "No."


    Eder frowned.


    "They''ll come for one or two of us. Not all." Asher responded.


    "And you think you''re the one they''ll come for?" Jesiah raised an eyebrow.


    He wasn''t too antagonistic about Asher as much as before¡ªespecially after Alex saved him from being ripped and torn to pieces by those wolves.


    Just then, a rustling sound made them all turn toward the approaching tigress.


    Almost instantly, all of them turned to the tigress, who with a flick of one of her three tails swung open the cell door.


    "The one with white hair. You''re summoned."


    Asher rose to his feet and walked out. The moment he stepped out of the cell, vines slithered down from a tree and wrapped tightly around his wrist, causing him to grimace.


    "Why bother?" Asher muttered. "I''m sure you''re strong enough to kill me if I try anything funny."


    Zillah, the three-tailed tigress, gave a nod of approval to the large condor perched on the tree''s branch before averting her gaze to Asher.


    "The fact that you possessed Ithamar makes you dangerous¡ªeven to the strongest of us."


    Asher''s eyes flickered. "But you''ve taken the sword. I''m like a beast without fangs and claws."


    "You would have been," Zillah said, "but Ithamar refuses to be drawn. Clearly, it wants to follow you back to the mortal world."


    Asher raised an eyebrow. He was honestly waiting for the right moment to activate his talent¡ªperhaps summon one or two of his predecessors if the beasts made attempts to end his life. But it seemed like Ithamar had turned the situation in his favour.


    ''Follow? More like it wants to take over my body and wreak havoc. You can''t hinder an ambitious sword.''


    He thought inwardly.


    As Asher walked, he saw numerous beasts, but the one that stood out the most was a white wolf adorned with glowing azure symbols, lying peacefully by a pond with its eyes closed.


    Then, ever so slightly, its eyes opened, revealing delicate sapphire irises. At that moment, all Asher could think of was a companion for Sirius. But then reality struck¡ªSirius was dead and so was this wolf. And if he didn''t leave the spirit world soon, he would be too.


    "What kind of beast is that?" Asher subconsciously asked.


    Zillah arched an eyebrow. "That was once an ordinary wolf until it developed a yearning for the moon. That desire drove it to evolve into a mythical beast¡ªthe Moon Chasing wolf.


    All its life, it has been chasing after the moon only for it to die and come to this world where neither moon nor sun exist."


    "Ah¡­ I see¡­"


    They soon arrived at a clearing where the trees formed a circular enclosure. Zillah halted, staring right into Asher''s eyes¡ªnot a casual glance this time, but a piercing stare.


    "When I look into your eyes, all I see is Scar," she said coldly. "And it makes me want to rip you to shreds."


    The tigress'' sudden coldness made Asher''s brows knit together. His eyes slowly narrowed, confusion creeping in.


    ''Scar? Who is that?''


    That was how Zillah ended the discussion and then he found himself inside the enclosure, standing before Lambert, who rested calmly on a fallen tree with only its roots intact.


    Beside him sat Ithamar!


    "Mortal. Tell me, why do I perceive Scar around you?"


    Lamech cracked open an eye and a crushing weight bore down on Asher¡ªnot from any exertion of force, but from the sheer presence of the being before him!


    "Who is Scar?" Asher asked.


    Lamech''s eyes narrowed. "You don''t know Scar?"


    "I don''t."


    "Then why are you here?" Lamech frowned deeply.


    "I came for my wolf."


    Hearing this, Lamech''s eyes flickered. He recalled a certain wolf months back, a wolf he once called friend, a wolf who had fought beside him against Belial.


    That wolf had the same gaze Asher had now.


    "You must be Asher Ashbourne." S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    There was something different in Lamech''s voice now. Not the deep, commanding weight from before but something¡­ sad. Something pitiful.


    Was he¡­ being pitied?


    Lamech rose, his towering frame overshadowing Asher. "The wolf you seek is gone. I admire your courage to journey into these lands but consider that wolf dead¡ªand return."


    Asher finally caught onto something and his eyes gleamed.


    "Consider?" he repeated.


    "The fact that you said ''consider'' instead of telling me if he''s actually dead means Sirius isn''t dead. So tell me¡­ where is he?"

 Chapter 276 - 276: Into The Spirit World [12]

    "You''re a stubborn mortal. I said leave!"


    Lamech''s roar sent a gust through Asher''s hair, making it flutter. Yet, the response he expected never came. Instead, Asher looked straight into his eyes without flinching.


    But what truly shocked Lamech wasn''t Asher''s defiance¡ªit was the towering man, standing behind him.


    The man was 7 feet tall and had long snow-white hair that flowed down to his waist. He was draped in a robe with a simple cloth wrapped around his waist, his bare feet pressed against the blackened soil.


    His facial features were too beautiful to behold¡ªmarred only by a deep scar across his face.


    The living talent!


    The man behind Asher wasn''t just a guardian. He was Asher''s very talent¡ªmanifested into a form, shielding him from dangers that even Asher himself hadn''t sensed.


    ''His talent actually lives!''


    And right now, it stood behind him.


    "You are Kryos'' vessel!" Lamech''s voice dropped, his once-commanding aura flickering.


    Asher felt a palm press against his back. He turned and froze. His eyes widened at the sight of the tall, handsome, white-haired man smiling at him.


    "You''ve been trying to kill yourself ever since we met, Master. Can you stop?"


    "You''re Kryos?" Asher asked.


    The spirit shook its head. "Kryos was my first master. You are the fifth."


    Lamech''s voice rang from behind. "You need your force¡ªretrieve it now."


    The spirit nodded. "He''s right. I am made from your mana and will continue to absorb it as long as I stand. Your current self cannot sustain me for long."


    Lamech snorted. "Stop being polite. You can''t sustain him for even a whole minute!"


    The moment Asher heard that he retrieved his energy and the spirit vanished into nothingness.


    After that, he looked over his shoulder, his gaze locking onto Lamech.


    "Plans have changed," Lamech declared. "Others can leave. You will not."


    _____


    Below the vast skies littered with countless stars shimmering ever so softly stretched an endless expanse of blackened soil.


    In this desolate place, one could see something massive stirring.


    On a closer look, a giant serpent lay coiled, its jet-black scales gleaming faintly in the starlight. Its head rested atop its own coiled body.


    In this form, it gave the illusion of a small hill!


    Suddenly, this creature that seemed to be in a deep slumber lifted its eyelids, revealing a pair of crimson irises that burned like embers.


    A forked tongue flickered as it parted its mouth and ushered a soft, feminine voice, deeply enticing and unremarkably familiar to those who were privileged or cursed to hear it.


    "You''re all here."


    Belial, the legendary snake rumoured to have swallowed a dragon, had spoken.


    Before her stood three formidable beasts¡ªher trusted generals.


    Kirin, a dark-maned lion.


    Scar, a scarred white wolf.


    Loki, a four-eyed eagle.


    "You summoned us so abruptly. What is it that could have bothered the queen?" Scar, a wolf with three grievous marks on its left eye, matching the talons on Loki''s feet spoke coldly but respectfully.


    "Watch your tone, General Scar." Loki squinted at Scar, a glint of anger flashing through his sharp, steely eyes.


    Kirin merely glanced at the two generals before bowing to Belial. "You called for us, My Queen."


    Belial squinted, her gaze gleaming with pleasure. "My eyes in the air have spotted something miraculous."


    The delight in her eyes deepened.


    "Humans."


    "What?!"


    Loki, the oldest general, was shocked to his core. Kirin and Scar merely frowned. They didn''t see the importance of this news.


    Humans? Aren''t they weak and pathetic?


    Belial lifted up her head. "The White Lotus has taken the humans in their custody in the Forest of Shadows. But this time, I won''t let them have their way."


    The glimpse of Ithamar she had seen through the bird''s eyes made Belial''s heart tremble. Her undeniable rule over Goliathsgrave could be broken with that cursed sword!


    "Scar, you have the largest army. Gather your wolves and lay siege to that forest until every last one of those White Lotus is dead. Loki and Kirin will support you with their entire forces."


    Uncoiling herself, Belial added, "And I will be there."


    Those words made a great impact as they fell into the generals'' ears.


    "Finally¡­" A murderous glint flickered in Loki''s eyes.


    "I would love to taste human meat. What about you two?"


    Kirin chuckled. "I prefer feasting on Lamech''s corpse."


    Both turned to Scar, but he was already walking away. Even until he left their line of sight, Scar didn''t utter a single word.


    While the Red Moon was preparing for a devastating assault¡ªone where Belial, the beast almost none of the White Lotus had ever seen, was planning to take the field¡ªAsher stood against Lamech in a distant forest, far from where the community was.


    Lamech had informed him that Belial must have learned about him and Ithamar through the birds in the skies and she would without a doubt march for the forest.


    The reason behind it was that Belial was a mythical beast with an ability to enchant. Over half of the beasts in Goliathsgrave had fallen under her spell!


    And unfortunately, among them¡­ was Sirius!


    Once a proud warrior of the White Lotus, Sirius had lost against Loki, fallen under Beliar''s enchantment and been transformed.


    From the White Lotus to the Red Moon, Sirius eventually became their general!


    And now he was known as Scar, the general with a great wolf army, a former ally of the White Lotus who had taken more lives than any Red Moon general, who had never identified with the White Lotus.


    In simple terms, he was a friend turned enemy who had done worse than a long-time enemy!


    Now, Asher stood before Lamech, his sword drawn out.


    "Come at me."


    Lamech''s voice boomed.


    Swoosh!


    Asher lunged, assuming the heavy sword stance. He closed the gap in an instant and unleashed a swapping horizontal cut.


    Lamech deflected it with the spike protruding from his forelimbs¡ªbut Asher wasn''t done. After that cut, he followed with a vertical downward slash.


    Lamech closed his eyes.


    And when he opened them, his gaze sharpened into a glare.


    ''So many openings!''


    With a brutal swipe, he slammed his right forelimb into Asher''s chest causing his ribcage to crack and cave inward!


    Yet that wasn''t all, Lamech followed up with another strike to Asher''s face, shattering his skull!


    Boom!


    Asher''s body crashed through a tree, then slammed into a second one.


    Zillah who was watching this from the sidelines screamed at the top of her lungs.


    "Lamech!! He''s just a human!"


    "No! He''s Kryos''s vessel! He bears one of the four most powerful talents in existence in his body¡ªyet he fights like a fool!"


    Zillah''s pupils trembled as she stared at Asher''s state.


    Wasn''t¡­ the human already dead?! S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 277 - 277: Into The Spirit World [13]

    After a grueling week of intense training under Lamech without being able to see anyone and constantly teetering on the verge of death¡ªAsher progressed at an outstanding pace.


    Finally, after a week, he sat cross-legged, a fine sword planted firmly into the soil beside him as Lamech approached.


    "Come. Let me see what you have learned today."


    Asher rose to his feet, opening his eyes and wrapping his fingers around the hilt of the fine steel sword while his gaze locked on the white bear.


    Swoosh!


    With a light tap of his foot, he closed the gap between them in an instant, unleashing a slash that appeared horizontal at first glance but was slanted to a subtle angle to seal off any openings!


    Lamech squinted in approval before blocking the strike and lunging for Asher''s throat. His attack was swift and effective, but Asher''s footwork granted him an undeniably stunning agility.


    Before Lamech could follow through, Asher had already shifted to the right and had unleashed a horizontal cut while moving forward.


    Lamech breathed out white mist as he slapped the sword away, momentarily losing his balance due to poor positioning. Rising onto his fours, he breathed out again¡ªthis time, a thicker, frost-laced mist.


    His eyes narrowed.


    Asher had entered a new threshold. A realm where he no longer needed to release his frost deliberately but could let it flow naturally within him!


    This meant that although there was no ice in sight, the sheer cold radiating from him would inflict unbearable pain on those nearby¡ªsometimes even freezing them solid!


    Even Lamech, an ancient-ranked mythical beast, felt the chill!


    ''This monster¡­ I had no expectations that he would master it in just one week¡ªlet alone transform his entire fighting style!''


    While speaking inwardly, Lamech watched Asher shift his stance, his sword tilting downward.


    Then¡ªhe moved.


    He burst forth, unleashing a swift cut that sliced through the air, immediately followed by a clenched fist. The moment Asher''s knuckles touched Lamech''s shoulder, jagged ice spread outward.


    Had it been anyone else, the frost would have pierced through their flesh, killing them instantly. But Lamech''s hide was far too tough.


    "You''ve done well." Lamech nodded, watching Asher slide his sword back into its scabbard.


    "Focus on refining your cut¡ªmake it sharper, strong. Belial''s army will soon be at our doorpost."


    Asher tilted his head. "What about Sirius? Even if piercing his heart with Ithamar can restore him, how can I do it when I can''t wield the sword?"


    "When the time comes, I shall be there to assist you."


    Hearing that, Asher nodded and walked away with Lamech.


    _____


    Deep within the Forest of Shadows, a rowdy camp of humans gathered, some leaning against trees while some were perched on the branches above.


    "It''s been a week since I saw Asher," Eder muttered. "Last I heard, the chief of the White Lotus has been training him."


    The others turned to Alex, who had been training with the White Lotus ever since Zillah warned them of the impending war.


    "Are we going to fight with those beasts?" Mahil asked, his eyes shifting to Eder.


    "We have no choice," Eder replied.


    "Would you prefer leaving when a mythical creature¡ªone that is capable of enchanting and taking over your consciousness¡ªalready knows about your presence?" David sighed.


    "The birds in the skies are its eyes," Jesiah added, staring at his sword. "We can''t escape being seen."


    "Then why would that bear train Asher and not us all?" Jed scowled. "What makes him so special? Just because he is a lord?"


    A tense silence fell over the group as everyone looked at him with varied expressions.


    Jed barely had the time to react before Alex spoke¡ªhis voice eerily calm.


    "Jed¡­ I do not appreciate the way you speak to my lord." His tone was ice-cold. "And I have made up my mind¡­ to kill you"


    The moment those words came out of Alex''s mouth, all eyes were fixed on him.


    Witnessing the cold glare Alex gave to Jed, Eder was certain that the man wasn''t joking.


    "¡­If you don''t plead for forgiveness."


    Shing!


    "Come and make your lord proud, loyal dog!" Jed unsheathed his sword, pointing it at Alex''s face.


    Alex responded in an instant. His sword swung upwards so fast that Jed barely had the time to react. Stunned, Jed stumbled backwards, swiveling as he swung his sword horizontally in a desperate counterattack.


    Swish!


    Alex touched his cheek, his eyes narrowing upon the sight of his bloodstained fingers.


    Boom!


    His wings sprouted, this time as if made of pure gold and a radiant halo formed above him, radiating formless pressure that filled the air.


    His black eyes revealed a bright golden glow and his fiery energy erupted around him, enveloping the entire place.


    "W¡­ what!" Eder stuttered, his eyes wide open.


    The others also could only stare, unable to believe the transformation that had unfolded before their very eyes.


    Was this Alex''s true form all along?!


    The sheer force radiating from him was overwhelming. Even Eder, the strongest among them, felt humbled by the overbearing force. One moment, Alex was hovering in the air¡ªthen, in the blink of an eye, they found him right before Jed.


    As their swords clashed, Alex''s sword cut through Jed''s like it was paper. Before Jed could retreat, Alex''s head smashed into his skull, sending him flying 100 yards away.


    Eventually, he crashed into a tree with a loud thud, causing the branches to shake and leaves to fall on the knight.


    "So you''ve been holding back all this while," Jed spat, staggering to his feet, only to see Alex standing right before him once again with his sword poised at his abdomen.


    "One more word, and you die."


    Jed stiffened.


    "Alex, that''s enough," Eder spoke with an amicable tone.


    The others, even David who believed himself second only to Eder, stared at Alex in silence, his expressions amid as Alex overflowed with golden-coloured force.


    In this state, Alex was too glorious to be considered a mere human.


    How could someone like him be loyal to a man as young as Asher? Was there more to him than his strength?


    While the knights grappled with these thoughts, elsewhere in the desolate part of the forest, Asher was seated cross-legged with his eyes closed, alone.


    His mere presence caused layers of frost to appear on the ground, tree trunks, branches, leaves¡ªeverything within 100 yards around him!


    His mana flared out in a dazzling mix of gold, white, blue and crimson glow. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He had mastered internal absolute zero!


    Anything or anyone 100 meters around him would freeze almost instantly. Even if they were knights with strong bodies, breathing the air in this space would be painful and gradually their organs would also start failing from the creeping frost.


    At a certain level, the cold became extremely unbearable. Agonizing.


    This was that level.


    This was Asher in his new rank.


    The Saint Rank!

 Chapter 278 - 278: Into The Spirit World (Final Battle 1/3)

    From a forest densely populated with tall trees, Lamech emerged with some bears, staring at the horizon that was packed with thousands of growling wolves!


    Ahead of them stood a 7 foot tall wolf which had pure crimson eyes, powerful legs, lethal looking claws that gleamed like the blades of a dagger and a cold, almost frightening look.


    One of this wolf''s eyes had three marks. This made it hard for the wolf to open that eye, which is the left, properly. For this, the wolf could be mistaken for a one eyed beast!


    About 20 meters to Scar''s right, stood Kirin with several beasts of different species behind him, all ready to pounce on the White Lotus.


    Loki was perched to stop a boulder, his gaze as piercing as ever.


    "Red Moon has gathered their entire army. This battle might be the deciding battle for the ruler of Goliathsgrave."


    Zillah said softly. She was currently behind Lamech.


    Lamech''s grave tone fell into her ears. "I would have been relieved if we had to face her generals and her great army alone, but¡­"


    His eyes began to glow as lightning crackled over his body. "...She also came."


    "What?!"


    Zillah exclaimed. Just then, a giant snake revealed her large head. Although she was behind the massive army and her body couldn''t be seen, the size of her head could be captured vividly.


    "It''s been a while, dear Lamech." Belial spoke, her enticing voice spreading far.


    Lamech snorted. "Your tricks won''t work on me."


    Belial squinted. "Oh, I know. I am not here for you but for the sword. Give it to me and I''ll let your little group live."


    Although there was a gap of about 1000 yards between them, their voices were loud and clear.


    "If you wanted just the sword, you wouldn''t have gathered your army and you, especially wouldn''t be here."


    Lamech''s eyes met with Belial''s at that moment and he watched the snake hiss.


    "Kill them all."


    Roar!


    Kirin ushered a reverberating roar, one that made the tree leaves in the forest rustle and all of them rushed down the hill, into the valley of blood.


    Although this valley that was in-between both armies was called the valley of blood, it was pitch black instead of red.


    However, it had the carcases of several beasts, big and small, a tale of past wars.


    Roar!


    Lamech lifted his forelimbs, exposing his canines as he roared. Almost instantly, his form changed.


    He became a bear with two legs! His forelimbs transformed into arms with gleaming claws, the fur around the top of his head and neck grew and formed thick braids attached to golden rings at the bottom.


    Crackle!


    Lightning crackled on his mighty form. The spikes protruding from his elbow, and back here longer and we''re glowing as if charged with lightning.


    The atmosphere around Lamech changed but he wasn''t the only one who changed. About a dozen bears behind him also transformed into bulky humanoid bears.


    This was no doubt, a beastman form. The famous war state of the guardians of Imperial Cyrenia, a state distinct to a dangerous species¡­


    The Volibears!


    "White Lotus, charge!" Lamech pointed at the thousands of wolves and other beasts rushing towards them.


    Zillah suddenly became three, and all three had one tail each. With elegance and ferocity, she raced across the field, hundreds of beasts on the side of the White Lotus racing beside and behind her.


    On the backs of some beasts were the knights while Alex flew above them, his form like a golden beam, streaking through the air.


    High above the White Lotus was Lamech who had launched himself into the air. His eyes were covered in lightning and a great amount of lightning crackled outside of his body, connecting his body to the ground like tendrils.


    He opened his palms which had sharp claws at the end of the fingers and jammed them together.


    Thunderclap!


    Lamech performed that battle skill the moment he landed in the midst of the Red Moon army and a great explosion occurred.


    All that was left around Lamech was scorched land. None of the beast left a corpse!


    He opened his hand, allowing lightning to form what looked like a spear.


    Bronte Akontion!! S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    (Translation: Thunder javelin.)


    Lamech threw it toward Belial but an ape appeared in the way and a mighty explosion occurred.


    Only the legs of the ape survived the impact as both it and beasts around were scorched until their bones remained!


    Belial hissed.


    She looked around the battlefield but couldn''t spot the one with Ithamar.


    Without care of the beast that gave its life for her, she hissed.


    "Where is the human with white hair?!"


    Deep inside the forest of shadows, Asher scoffed when he saw Belial searching for him. Right beside him stood a black panther, his height which had a crystal horn.


    This mythical beast had a unique ability which was the ring on the ground that displayed the ongoing war.


    Right now, he squatted before this massive portal, watching Alex and the knights combat beasts.


    Lamech had asked him to stay back, stating that he was a crucial factor in the battle and his mission was to wait for the right time to engage Scar.


    While thinking about his mission, Asher looked at Sirius.


    "You have changed." He said with a bittersweet smile as he recalled people stating that he had changed.


    How funny was it that he was saying the same to his wolf.


    He watched Sirius, engulfed in ominous crimson flames burn hundreds of White Lotus and pierce a greater number with ice spikes.


    Watching it rain havoc on the battlefield, Asher took a step forward but Night, the black panther''s voice held him back.


    "Asher! It''s not time yet!"


    Asher ground his teeth. The more Sirius killed, the greater the hate towards him.


    If he allowed this to continue, won''t the people that were supposed to aid him turn against him?!


    Boom!


    Asher''s eyes widened when he saw Loki kill a hundred White Lotus, by shredding them to pieces with its control over the air.


    A formidable cry left its beak as it landed on the corpse of a leopard and locked its gaze on Merari who fought beside a Bow-Horned Bull!


    ''Human!''


    Loki''s four eyes narrowed in delight.

 Chapter 279 - 279: Into The Spirit World (Final Battle 2/3)

    Belial lifted up her head and hissed. Formless ripples left her mouth and instantly, over a thousand White Lotus turned against their comrade!


    The tide turned in favor of the Red Moon, and with Scar, Kirin, and Loki, the Red Moon''s advantage grew larger and larger.


    "Belial!" Lamech stormed towards Belial, his eyes filled with fury and hatred. Leaving death in his wake, he seemingly became more scary than Belial at that moment.


    "How pathetic." Belial snorted, and at that moment the eyes of a Volibear beside Lamech became crimson.


    Normally, Belial could not enchant these Volibears because their mental resistance was too strong but now that her men were dying in hundreds, she had the space to break through the mental barrier of one Volibear.


    Just as Volibear swung its right arm, aiming to rip Lamech''s throat, Lamech grabbed his arm and flung him over 500 yards away!


    Dust rose as he slammed the earth several times. He is also slamming some beasts in the process.


    Seeing this, Belial squinted. "Such cruelty to your own kin."


    While watching Lamech decimate her men and close the gap between them, Belial remained calm and nonchalant.


    "You have left the one whom you are supposed to protect because of your hate and anger. Unfortunately, this act benefits me massively."


    Indeed, as Belial had said, her army gained more ground.


    In the chaotic valley, Merari pulled his sword out of a blood horse. He could feel a cold gaze so he turned, his eyes widening as he beheld Loki licking his beak.


    "I bet you will taste better than wolf meat." Loki chuckled.


    Dread fell on Merari. He found himself struggling to lift up his sword-wielding arm. It almost felt as if his arm was tied to a boulder but it wasn''t; he could tell this was fear incited by Loki''s presence.


    He watched Loki spread his massive wings and fly toward him but as his talons came down, a tigress slammed Loki.


    Both beasts crashed and a fearsome brawl that raised a thick dust fog began. As Merari scrambled to leave the premises of the spreading fog, he saw the tigress fly past him and crash on the ground, bleeding heavily.


    Seeing that this imperial-ranked beast had countless wounds from the eagle, Merari''s knees buckled.


    With slow, deliberate steps, Loki walked out of the fog, his eyes filled with ridicule and slight anger as he gazed at the human and the tigress. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Loki ignored the wound on one of his wings and dashed toward the tigress but she was too agile.


    Yet, her agility was no match for his perception. Though, he couldn''t hit her directly, he could hit where he predicted she would go.


    Knowing this, Loki swung his right feet, his three claws cleanly cutting through Zillah''s doppelganger''s abdomen!


    The tigress struggled but succumbed to the bleeding and Loki slammed her head to the ground but refused to remove his feet from her head.


    Turning, he glanced at the human who couldn''t even stand.


    "Remain there." He spat.


    "Why?"


    Loki was shocked to hear the man speak. Right then, Merari rose to his feet, his eyes bloodshot.


    He brandished his sword. "A knight is trained to fight and die with honor." He revealed a bittersweet smile.


    "Come¡­ I want an honorable second death."


    He shot forward and unleashed an upward slash.


    Loki snorted and waved one of his wings and a fierce gale sharp enough to slice through boulders swept past Merari.


    Loki sighed. "I forgot I wanted to eat him whole. Nothing remains of him¡ª!"


    Seeing the ice that appeared out of nowhere, Loki''s eyes widened. All of a sudden, he felt the temperature drop and it kept dropping at a fast pace.


    Almost instantly, white mist came out of his nostrils!


    Alarmed, Loki gazed at the human who had snow-white hair squatting on top of the ice wall that defended Merari.


    His cloak had lots of holes, probably from the gale but he remained unhurt.


    With eyes brighter than gold and more attractive than amber, a cold, almost furious expression, and two swords strapped to his waist, this human made an impression that marveled Loki.


    Asher''s hair wasn''t as short as before. Now, it almost covered his eyes and had also reached the back of his neck.


    He wasn''t in a world where a comb existed. Neither was he in his position as a lord or his hair would have been combed all backwards and that would have brought out his impressive facial structure.


    His presence alone caused the beasts, foes, and allies to roar and scream as the cold was causing them pain.


    Sensing the commotion caused by his presence alone, Asher shrouded his force so much that it seemed as if he had become a gold-ranked knight!


    Loki''s head went backward while his eyes widened. Shock was written all over his face as he beheld this monstrosity before him.


    Removing its feet from Zillah''s doppelganger, Loki faced Asher.


    "I see you are Kryos'' vessel and the wielder of Ithamar."


    "I am."


    White frosty mist left Asher''s lips as he replied and rose up. His hand went to his sword.


    Shing!


    As the last part of Asher''s sword came out of the sheath, Loki''s claws were before him! With a burst of force, Asher leaped into the air, raining crescent sword lights on Loki.


    Loki countered the sword light with his wind gale.


    "Hehehe, I never thought I''d face an incarnation of the great Kryos. Digging into your flesh will satisfy my thirst for centuries!"


    Loki swung his wings but Asher zigzagged his way through the gale and swung his sword downward.


    It hit Loki''s scaly feet and sparks flew. Asher hissed and quickly chose to improve by throwing an upward punch.


    Although the punch was thrown into the air, the jagged ice that rose up from the ground pierced through Loki''s already damaged wing, causing the eagle to scream out of anger.


    It opened its mouth and spat condensed air¡ªit had the shape of a javelin and Asher didn''t even have time to respond as he was about to cut off Loki''s wing.


    Puchi!


    Blood splattered on the blackened soil.

 Chapter 280 - 280: Into The Spirit World (Final Battle 3/3)

    Puchi! S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The condensed air, in the form of a slightly transparent javelin, opened a hole in Asher''s right thigh as it flung him some meters backward.


    Loki squinted. "Your Kryos frost might be powerful but the element of air is superior!"


    It lunged forth, about to chomp down on Asher but he held its beak with both hands and for the first time, Loki screamed.


    It could feel the ice spreading into its body, painfully hardening its internal muscles. Loki shook his body with all his might, struggling to throw Asher away but he remained stuck to it.


    Asher''s golden eyes became like those of a predator, causing Loki''s eyes to sink.


    "Let me go!"


    He flung his head upward, throwing Asher into the air. Midair, Asher''s eyes became pure white and a woman clad in crimson armor appeared.


    Shing!


    She unsheathed her swords, the plume on her helmet dangling as she cut off Loki''s wing and planted the other dagger into Loki''s abdomen!


    The general screamed but received a heavy blow from Asher, who borrowed the momentum of his fall to slam its head.


    Boom!


    Loki''s fall made the dust of the earth rise. Ariel lifted up her swords to pierce through Loki''s head but she sensed a dangerous presence behind her.


    Swiftly, she turned and crossed her swords in a defensive posture. Seeing that the attack she expected did not come, Ariel squinted, staring at the huge white wolf calmly staring back at her.


    "Sirius." Her eyes shook.


    Grr!


    Sirius exposed his tooth as he began to growl. In a blink of an eye, he was already before her. Unfortunately, his claws were deflected by her swords and he received a knee blow to his jaws and without an opportunity to rest, there came a crimson sword light!


    Sirius burst into flames and unleashed a torrent of crimson flames from his mouth but a wave of force protected Ariel.


    She stood in the midst of the flames, undeterred and in a calm state of mind. Just as she was about to move, Asher''s palm held her right shoulder.


    "He''s mine."


    Both of them stared into their white eyes for a brief moment. Ariel finally nodded.


    Swoosh!


    Asher dashed toward Sirius, his mana completely unveiled. His extreme cold doused Sirius'' flames to the extent that the already burning flames became warm to those around!


    Growling, Sirius dashed toward Asher. Never did they ever imagine that a day would come when they would be against each other in a battlefield.


    Never did Asher imagine he would raise his sword against Sirius nor did Sirius think of nurturing a murderous intent for his master.


    Slanted, jagged ice rose from the ground and made him stuck, allowing Asher to sheath his sword.


    Ice covered his right and left arms, from the shoulder down to the fingers. His knuckles were fortified to deal piercing damages and Sirius felt it from the punch Asher landed on the right part of its face.


    Howling in pain and rage, Sirius increased his size from 7 feet to 9 feet, breaking the ice in the process.


    ''Sorry, buddy.''


    Asher said. Right then, the knights appeared, throwing chains around Sirius and exerting their power.


    Asher remembered using this tactic when Sirius underwent one of his painful evolutions. Then, gold-ranked knights held him but not eight knights, most of whom were sacred and saintly, struggled to keep Sirius in place.


    "He''s about to grow again, pierce his heart!" Eder bellowed.


    ''He''s moving too much. If I try that and miss, Sirius will die.''


    With this in mind, Asher took the chains held by Mahil and Mushi, the weakest amongst the eight, entwined them, and dragged them with all his might.


    Boom!


    His monstrous strength forced Sirius to tilt downward but the wolf struggled with all its might even as the chains damaged its limbs!


    "It''s mad!" Jed gasped, thinking of letting go and fleeing as Sirius was slowly overpowering them.


    Asher scanned the battlefield, searching for Lamech only for him to find the Volibear engaged in a battle thousands of yards away with Belial.


    The explosions of their battles alone changed the terrain! Lightning and thunder fell like the rain yet Belial had the upper hand.


    Maybe¡­That giant snake had actually faced a dragon, won against it, and even swallowed it!


    Averting his gaze, he saw Ariel floating midair inside a windball.


    She flew toward him, her eyes cold and emotionless. Stretching forth her right arm, her palm folded inward and Sirius faltered.


    Ariel had used her blood control on his heart!


    This gave the knights the opportunity to tighten their hold. Sirius also felt weak, causing his size to reduce until he was about 5 feet.


    Hatred boiled in its crimson eyes as it glared at the human standing right before it. This human was none other than Asher.


    Asher pulled Ithamar from its sheath and instantly, his fingernails became hardened claws, as did his right arm turn crimson.


    But it stopped there for Ariel placed her palm on his back, resisting Ithamar along with him.


    Lifting the blade, Asher plunged the entire blade into Sirius'' heart!


    "No!"


    A scream came from far away. Without a doubt, it was from Belial!


    With his teeth clenched and his eyes filled with hope, Asher pulled Ithamar out.


    Both his eyes, Ariel''s and that of the knights, widened with disbelief when they saw Ithamar had no bloodstain and there was no wound on Sirius!


    "What kind of sword is that?!" Jed muttered to himself.


    Ariel vanished with a soft smile hidden under her crimson helmet.


    "We did it." Merari fell on his knees.


    However, in that moment, a pressure higher than any they''ve faced fell upon them.


    It was Kirin, Belial''s undefeated general!


    Alex looked at Asher, who was on his knees after sheathing Ithamar. That cursed weapon had taken a great toll on his lord''s mind.


    "I''ll hold it back. Take His Lordship away and keep him safe until Sirius awakens."


    Alex rose into the air as he ordered like a true BloodBlade for the first time since he arrived in the spirit world.


    "Alex¡­"


    Asher gazed at him. Alex smiled. "You must live for everyone waiting on the other side."


    With a single flap of his wings, Alex was far away from them.


    Crackle!


    A lightning spear flew past Alex. Unfortunately, Kirin grabbed the spear with his sharp tooth and crushed it!


    This dissolved the thoughts of valiantly facing Kirin from the minds of the knights as they considered doing as Alex had said.


    It took more than bravery to face Kirin. And an undying loyalty was greater than casual bravery.


    "Is this foolishness or an insult?" Kirin thought. Alex''s figure reflected in his pupils, the same pupils that had seen Volibears, which he had slain and ripped their heads off.


    The earth imploded as Kirin shot forward, clashing with Alex''s sword! The impact sent Alex crashing into the ground.


    He looked at Asher, who forced himself to his feet and his conviction grew stronger as faces of those in Ashkelon flashed through his eyes.


    "Take him away!"


    Ignoring the pains of his aching body, Alex assumed a proper stance, unleashing his force to its limit.


    "Argh!"


    They clashed again and he was pinned to the ground with a tremendous shockwave spreading outward along with a violent wave of dust.


    Grr!


    Kirin looked down at the bloodied human who didn''t consider that he had no proper armor.


    "Die!"


    Just as he was about to smash Alex''s head, a golden lightning bolt fell from the sky, causing Alex''s body to arch as his eyes turned pure gold!


    A giant golden phantom, one that had massive wings crackling with lightning and a gleaming white apparel, stood behind him.


    Kirin with eyes as wide as saucers stared at Alex, whose hair had turned golden, his skin whiter than snow and a formidable energy erupted from him.


    Boom!


    It was as if the entire world quaked, lightning flashing on the surface of the earth and eradicating over 30 percent of Belial''s army!


    "The awakening of another messenger¡­!" Kirin couldn''t believe his eyes because the man before him had evolved into the very same being that¡­


    Killed the First Men!


    He had become¡­ A messenger of God!

 Chapter 281 - 281: Awakened Volibear Hide

    Loyalty, this seemingly well-known term in Boundless, was a severe sense of commitment and dedication from a servant to a lord but there comes a certain point where even a god is impressed.


    Alex''s loyalty had reached that point. It had transcended a point where he had completely let go of everything, including the honor of his service and in return, he gained what countless spirits and mortals yearn for.


    Becoming an immortal!


    Crackle!


    After flying right through Kirin, Alex hovered, looking at the charred corpse that couldn''t be recognised as the great black mane general.


    His celestial presence was fleeting as he kept ascending. His eyes remained on Asher''s until he vanished into the starry sky, leaving Asher with nothing but a stunning status panel.


    [Name: Shomer M''el (Guardian from God)


    Age: ???


    Rank: ???


    Talent: ???


    Loyalty: 100 (+1!)


    Job: ???]


    A little smile appeared on Asher''s face. "What a spectacular way to escape this infested world." He spat, feeling glad that Alex would no longer be stuck in the spirit world alone and also a bit sad that a friend was gone.


    Maybe one day, they would meet again but for now, all he could say was¡­


    "Thank you."


    While saying that, Asher looked at the thousands of beasts, Shomer M''el, whose mortal name is Alex had slain.


    All three evil generals were dead, and the generals of the White Lotus were greatly injured but in exchange, they slew thousands, reducing Belial''s army greatly.


    Asher looked at Ithamar with great respect in his eyes. He was a Saint Ranked Swordsman and yet, Ithamar consumed his stamina!


    At his rank, he could fight for a week straight and still walk out breathing fine yet this frightening sword had absorbed all that stamina in one gulp!


    And this was with the aid of Ariel Ashbourne, an imperial-ranked knight!


    Asher couldn''t imagine the horror of what would have happened if it had been him alone resisting Ithamar''s spread.


    A foreign thought came into his mind, one that wasn''t from him!


    The interruption only meant one thing!


    Sirius had awakened!


    Turning, Asher gazed into Sirius'' crimson right eye. The left couldn''t open properly.


    It seemed like Shomer M''el did more than just kill their enemies, his energy also quickened Sirius'' recovery.


    After all, he was taken over by Belial for months.


    Sirius approached and lowered its head and Asher touched the wolf''s head with his own. "Did you kill her?"


    Asher chuckled. Hearing Sirius speak was unusual but the question he asked made him feel amused.


    Sirius still didn''t forget Black Rose!


    "I did."


    As he caressed Sirius''s head, the wolf became transparent and entered into his heart. Without being told, Asher knew it had gone to the mortal world.


    Releasing a weak yet relieved sigh, he turned, his eyes dilating at the sight of Belial slithering away from the battlefield.


    "Where''s Lamech?"


    ¡­


    Asher stood amongst the other beasts, like Zillah, the Moon-chasing wolf, Night, and some others, looking at Lamech.


    The Volibear sat on the tree trunk, where it usually sat. Although it''s been hours since the war, Lamech did not revert to his normal bear form.


    He remained in his war state. And from Night, Asher realized the moment Lamech left his war state, he would die.


    His tough hide was scarred at different places with grievous wounds inflicted by Belial that couldn''t heal.


    It was said that wounds caused by Belial inflicted much pain like thorns pressed into an open wound!


    Yet, Lamech''s face remained stoic.


    "Young Ashbourne." Lamech faced Asher with a soft human smile. Now that his face was restructured, he wasn''t limited to showing expressions with his eyes.


    "You have less than four days remaining. Your mortal body would begin to reject your spirit if you do not return."


    His deep voice fell into Asher''s ears.


    Asher revealed a bittersweet smile.


    Seeing this Lamech chuckled. "You don''t know how to return. Hahaha, is this bravery or foolishness?"


    Although he laughed, Asher could see Lamech was dying.


    "All the imperial Volibears are dead. We didn''t expect Belial''s powers to have grown to such an extent but he''s greatly wounded now."


    "His forces are also severely weakened." Zillah added.


    Lamech responded with a nod. "Come, Asher." S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Asher walked up to the bear who rose as he approached.


    Lamech placed his index finger on him¡ªhis hardened claws pressed against Asher''s head.


    "It''s time."


    A white mist left him and entered Asher. In a blink of an eye, Asher discovered Lamech had reverted to his normal bear form while he was strangely taller and had white fur all over.


    He had thick braids attached to golden rings, long claws that could cut through steel, overwhelming power running through his veins and a visually stunning outlook.


    Right now, he looked like a Volibear in its war state. The only difference being he still had clothes on.


    [Ding! Host has gained a third talent: Awakened Volibear Hide!]


    This was a talent similar to his brother, ¨¢th¨¢natos Immortal Ragnarok Hide, a talent that both made his brother powerful and undying!


    As he clenched his fist, lightning crackled on the surface of his bulging muscles. He looked at the two long braids that ran down his chest, almost reaching his waist!


    His claws, which seemed as if they were created from blue crystal, crackled with lightning while one of his eyes glowed so bright that blue mist drifted off it.


    He didn''t have spikes protruding out of his elbows and shoulders like other Volibear but his own war state looked even more imposing.


    [Talent grade: First Order Zenith!]


    Hide talents were talents that covered the human with an empowered physique created by the talent host''s force.


    Meaning that Asher didn''t transform into a bear as if injured greatly in this state, his actual body would be seen.


    It was like wearing a living suit of armor!


    Asher squatted, staring at Lamech''s lifeless body. His hide retracted into his body, and he began to dissipate until he vanished completely.


    His journey in the spirit world had come to an end.

 Chapter 282 - 282: All Eyes On Ashbourne County

    A young woman whose well-shaped, beautiful face carried a smile filled with longing sat on a couch¡ªarms on the windowsill, eyes slightly quivering but fixed on the raindrops trickling down the glass.


    It was drizzling outside and from this high vantage point, she could see people inside this massive castle going about their activities.


    Her long gray hair cascaded down to her slender waist, slightly revealed by the gown she wore, which revealed a good section of her back.


    Since she wasn''t going out, Mary saw no need in dressing conservatively. The joy she once had when she arrived in the Dukedom of Mormonts vanished after the news of her brother''s death and the tales of the wonders of the Ashbourne territory.


    The Evergreen olive oils became sought after so hungrily because over a hundred thousand civilians in Ashbourne County had advanced to the bronze rank without training for one day!


    These were people who were doomed to remain as ordinary iron-ranked civilians! When nobles heard of such a miraculous oil, they began to purchase huge quantities for themselves but Ashbourne County had shut down sales and closed their borders.


    For the past two months, no one had heard of anything other than the ongoing war on the Great Dividing Wall.


    It was said that Count William had gathered the forces of the Wildlands and sought to claim Ashbourne County, starting from reclaiming his city, Tiberias.


    Mary recalled Asher''s looks when he sent her off and her eyes moistened.


    It was recently that she understood the burdens of a noble because now that she was the last member of the Ashbourne household, the eyes of ravenous noblemen were on her.


    Several nobles, from viscounts and counts in Mormonts and beyond, were after her hand in marriage¡­ all to claim the county for themselves.


    And the Mormont household restrained her from escaping to Ashbourne County because of the ongoing war.


    Knock! Knock!


    Mary turned toward the wooden door. She stepped down and approached the door, wrapping her hands around the knob and pulling the door inward.


    Standing out was a castle guard clad in gambeson.


    "My Lady, your presence is requested." The guard bowed his head.


    Mary sighed. "Wait, let me put on a cloak."


    ¡­


    Boom!


    "Lady Mary Ashbourne has arrived!" A guard declared as the doors were pushed open and Mary walked into the dining hall, her luxurious cloak dancing behind her.


    Seated on the long dining table were Yuna, Kohath, and Lady Jessica.


    Mary noticed the possessive light in Kohath''s eyes and his supposed gentlemanly smile, which gave her goosebumps.


    Lady Jessica, Kohath''s mother and the Duke''s second concubine, smiled amicably. "Come, dear, sit beside me."


    Yuna pulled the chair beside her. "I brought her into this castle."


    She glared at Lady Jessica. Clearly, Lady Jessica wasn''t her mother.


    Mary''s shoulders came down, a sign of relief as she sat beside her friend. They both smiled at each other before averting their gaze to the sumptuously prepared meals carefully arranged on the white linen-covered table.


    While slicing the steak on a white plate, Kohath cleared his throat.


    "Have you considered my request? A union with a marquis such as I will guarantee the rise of your household."


    Mary squinted and Yuna dropped her cutleries. "Do you want to force her to marry?!"


    Kohath smiled. "Little sister, you are protected by us but Lady Mary has to make a choice to keep her household alive. The count has had great success so far and would soon conquer the Great Dividing Wall if she doesn''t make an alliance to strengthen the Ashbourne domain."


    Yuna frowned.


    "I''ll speak to the Duke. I''m sure he''ll be able to help."


    Kohath chuckled. "Go on then." The confidence in his eyes made Yuna apprehensive.


    "Dear, don''t you want to help build from where your late brother stopped?"


    Lady Jessica tilted his head, her tone soft as she gazed at Mary''s conflicted face.


    "My brother¡­" Her eyes flickered as she recalled his expression and gait. "... Can''t be dead."


    Lady Jessica''s expression changed abruptly while Kohath slammed his cutleries on the table.


    "It''s all over, Tenaria. Even the newspapers in the Sacred Flame Empire have had it as their main topic for months and do you know why?"


    Kohath got up. "Because he was killed by a top assassin and every soldier in his castle was wiped out. His death was the most dishonorable death recorded in the history of nobles since the New Age!"


    Mary ground her teeth but refused to utter a word.


    "If you refuse to be of use to this household, we cannot guarantee that we shall continue to shelter you."


    "You do not speak for this house!" Yuna retorted furiously.


    Kohath ignored her. "I''ll say this one more time¡­ Your brother, Count Asher of Ashbourne County, the white wolf, is dead and buried! He rots while we speak!"


    Kohath turned heel and left.


    ¡­


    Thousands of kilometers away, inside the walls of a temple, a man whose eyes have been closed for almost a month opened them.


    His vibrant golden eyes shone.


    This man was none other than Asher Ashbourne, the white wolf of the north!


    He blinked.


    The first thing he saw was Sirius lying before him and below the altar were Lord Winter and Isaac conversing.


    "Lord Winter."


    Hearing his voice, both men turned toward the altar.


    "Y¡­ You''re alive?!"


    Asher raised an eyebrow. "Was I supposed to be dead?"


    Lord Winter shook his head and began to laugh. After Sirius possessed the wolf they caught and they watched the body transform until it looked exactly like how Sirius was in his spirit form, they expected Asher to awaken, but his life force kept depreciating.


    An hour ago, they considered him dead but because of Sirius, no one could go remove his body.


    And to their greatest surprise, the man they considered dead was speaking.


    Isaac''s pupils dilated when he sensed Asher''s force. "Not only did you traverse the realm of the dead but you also came back stronger. What are you now, Achilles, the man who has walked the land of the dead?"


    Sensing recognition in Isaac''s voice, Asher smiled, stunning both Lord Winter and Isaac. The Asher they knew barely smiled and when he did, it wasn''t the good type.


    Asher caressed the sleeping wolf. "It''s time to return to the confines of the throne." Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 283 - 283: Have It In My Palm

    When people saw the towering, seven-foot-tall wolf with a scar over its left eye, they scrambled from the streets, some diving straight into their stalls for cover.


    Even veteran winter knights froze in their positions, unable to move until the wolf walked past them. The sheer pressure it exuded nearly drove one of the knights to his knees, but his comrade steadied him with a firm grip on his shoulder.


    "Sirius, you''re frightening the people."


    Asher glanced over his shoulder, squinting at Sirius, who was busy taking in his surroundings. He found this new environment¡­ strange.


    Had Nineveh grown smaller after his death?


    "Sirius."


    At the sound of his name, the wolf''s ears perked up. It turned toward Asher, noting the faint creases on his forehead.


    Just as Sirius was about to shrink his form, a voice cut through the air.


    "Let him be," Lord Winter said. "The people need to know that Kryos has his wolf."


    Isaac chuckled softly but minded his own business. He hadn''t said a word to Asher since they left the temple, and Asher felt his odd behavior intriguing.


    "This place¡­" Asher''s gaze swept over the bustling crowd, his brows raised. "What happened during the past month?"


    Lord Winter smiled. "Two strongholds have made an alliance with us. They call it the Achilles Alliance."


    Asher narrowed his eyes. "Achilles Alliance?"


    "The lords of the strongholds want to meet you and they also proposed having your paladins stationed in their strongholds to fend off beasts and beastmen."


    Asher''s lips curled into a smile, but his words remained cold. "My paladins go where I go. I''m not releasing them to take orders from any lord other than I."


    Lord Winter''s eyes gleamed upon hearing his words.


    ''I suppose his noble side is back. No longer just a straightforward soldier.''


    "Then what are you going to do?" Winter pressed. "This is an opportunity you can''t miss if you plan to expand your domain into these parts."


    Asher''s gaze drifted to the towering winter castle. "Tell them to prove themselves worthy of the alliance, and I''ll send my Frontline troops to their keep."


    ''Frontline troops? He sounds so confident about them.''


    Isaac, who quietly walked behind him, noted.


    "Actually," Lord Winter continued, "Gilead Stronghold has an abundance of redwood trees¡ªthe ones that are known to be almost as strong as steel. As for Ramoth stronghold¡­"


    Asher followed Lord Winter''s gaze and spotted a woman clad in leather armour inlaid with steel at some critical areas¡ªher chest, shoulders and legs.


    She wore a hood that concealed most of her face, but the woman wasn''t the most striking thing in sight. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was the creature underneath her.


    This creature was as tall as a horse but had a body that could compete with a bear''s! But its limbs weren''t as short as a bear''s.


    The most unusual and eye-catching feature of this creature was its face¡ªwhere a snout should have been, there was a sharp, curved beak, making its face similar to that of an eagle!


    Its golden-brown fur shimmered as it strode through the street, heading toward a different sector of the stronghold.


    "It''s called an Arkon. Arkons, in general, possess remarkable intelligence, impeccable sight, powerful bodies and exceptional stamina. They can easily bring down any Cavalry with horses as mounts."


    Lord Winter turned to Asher. "And it''s a beast found in the Ramoth region. They promise to grant you one as a gift."


    Asher paused. He couldn''t envision a future for himself on that war mount, but he could see something far greater¡ªa legion of thousands of knights riding Arkons.


    Perhaps, he could form a formidable force, one that when seen by other nobles from afar, would send fear creeping into their souls, one that would inspire dread at the mention of his house.


    A cavalry greater than the Bladebreakers!


    But such an ambition might not be fulfilled without investing lots of resources and time.


    Through training the paladins, Asher had discovered a crucial secret the upgrade system never told him!


    He could actually create a more powerful troop if he invested time and refined their potential himself, forcing out what was inside of them and having the system smoothen the rough areas. This was the reason the paladins were stronger than any other units in the county.


    They didn''t become soldiers through the transformation tower. Unfortunately, the transformation tower had its perks¡ªit could mass-produce capable soldiers in exchange for a price.


    However, to create the best of the best, units that stood a head taller than the already frightening soldiers produced by the constant upgrades of the system, they needed both human and system contributions.


    In other words, a skilled instructor from the very beginning!


    It was already too late for those who were already upgraded to reach the expertise of these paladins.


    The system had dumped huge amounts of information after each upgrade, but the paladins had to get this information gradually and in the process, they needed it to sink deeper and make their own distinct imprints in their memories.


    After minutes of silence, Asher finally opened his mouth "I want more than one."


    He then turned to Isaac. "I also want to hire you to be an instructor for a new troop I plan to create."


    Isaac raised an eyebrow. "What kind of troop?"


    "A cavalry."


    "He''s more skilled in raising assassins." Lord Winter said casually, but those words struck deep into Asher''s mind.


    Assassins.


    Wasn''t that the greatest weakness of his domain right now? The lack of a secret unit whose sole duty was to weed out the spies in his domain and execute secret missions.


    With a powerful organization of adept spies at his command, he would have Ashbourne County within the palm of his hand!


    "I''ll make sure to send men to you," Asher said "I''ll pay you a hundred gold coins for each one you train."


    The offer made Isaac''s eyes widen a bit, but he masked his reaction quickly.


    Was Asher always this wealthy?


    "I''ll take that offer," Isaac replied, "but in exchange, I want 100 full sets of diamond-ranked armour. Bring me 100 men, and I guarantee only two will survive the training."


    Asher smiled a bit. He understood that it would be hard to train assassins¡ªespecially the dreadful kind he had in mind.


    "I''ll send you a thousand men. I expect at least 90 assassins, those that you can personally approve of at the end."


    "Two hundred sets of diamond-ranked armour."


    "Deal."

 Chapter 284 - 284: Crimson Sky

    Lord Winter tapped his staff against the ground, his smile never faltering.


    "You came out from the spirit world much stronger than you were before entering it¡­ You''re one step closer to the peak of your profession."


    His words shifted the conversation from the previous topic.


    Asher frowned slightly. Quite clearly, he was astonished that Lord Winter had seen through him.


    "Even the beast behind us has some unique traits as well. Nether Flames and Fiery Crimson Eyes¡ªboth formidable abilities." Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Asher glanced at Sirius.


    "Those crimson eyes of his allow him to see as far as 62 miles¡ªmore if he''s on high ground¡ªand it''s as clear as you and I stand before him now. On the other hand, his flames have mutated into nether flames because I don''t believe any mortal being can awaken the nether flames¡ªit can only come from the spirit world."


    Asher raised an eyebrow as he noticed Lord Winter deliberately avoided mentioning what the nether flames could do.


    "What exactly can it do?"


    Lord Winter glanced at Sirius with a solemn expression. "Thye burn both flesh and spirit. That beast has become too dangerous to exist."


    Asher''s expression darkened. At that moment, he could sense a cold, unfriendly intent in Lord Winter''s gaze toward Sirius¡ªbut it vanished in the next moment.


    "You felt it, didn''t you?"


    Lord Winter chuckled warmly.


    Unfortunately, Asher couldn''t smile anymore and Lord Winter wasn''t surprised by the hostility in his eyes.


    "Boy, how would you feel if you have a sister and there''s a man who wants her by force?"


    "Displeased. Furious. I would kill him for even nurturing such intentions."


    Lord Winter''s smile deepened. "That''s the same way I feel knowing this beast of yours will rid people of another chance in the spirit world. It grants them true death! Isn''t that enough reason to kill it?"


    Asher frowned.


    "Your talent is too great for me to kill you. If I kill the beast, I''d have to kill you as well¡ªand I don''t want that. Kryos must live. And not just that¡­ Lord Ashbourne must live too."


    Winter faced him with a smile. Asher could tell that he sincerely meant what he said but his guard remained high.


    Sensing his wariness, Lord Winter paused. "Besides¡­"


    He turned to face Asher. " ¡­ You can''t do a thing if you decide otherwise, so¡­"


    His left eye glowed. It was akin to staring into a bright light in the desolate depths of the night.


    Yellow-orange light flickered and suddenly, Asher found himself staring at a vast, burning field. A massive tree was burning in the center, its branches, leaves, and trunk untouched by the inferno consuming it.


    Then, just as suddenly, he found himself staring at Lord Winter, who slowly walked away as if nothing had ever happened.


    "¡­ you need to stop being so defensive."


    BADUM! BADUM!


    His heart pounded, the vibrations spreading to the rest of his body. Yet there was a certain chill that enveloped his skin, like a damp, hairy cloth clinging to his flesh.


    Goosebumps rose in waves, his entire arms filled with an army of them.


    Filled with both awe and dread, Asher had to force words out of his mouth. "You''re an Awoken One!"


    "Your first ancestor was among the Awoken Ones who fought during the Dark Age. Howbeit, he is good at masking himself as an imperial-ranked knight."


    Asher felt his world spin.


    The Awoken Ones were individuals who had surpassed the peak of their profession and opened up their internal worlds from where they tapped immense power.


    Against an Awoken One, an army was meaningless. Hundreds¡ªif not thousands, depending on their rank¡ªcould be sent to their deaths in a mere attempt to kill an Awoken one.


    Notwithstanding, only those with Zenith Grade talent could ascend to become such frightening powerhouses.


    "You look at me with such respect that I''m afraid to tell you."


    "Tell me what?" Asher raised an eyebrow while Lord Winter glanced over his shoulder.


    "Your beast isn''t what I''m concerned about¡­ it''s you. No matter their rank, a human''s lifespan is 400 years. But once you exceed the ''Exalted rank you start to die."


    "What?!"


    Lord Winter revealed a bittersweet smile. "You''re already close. A few more ranks and you will reach the Exalted rank. Stop there if you wish to live out your full 400 years. Beyond that threshold, no man is to wield such power¡­ and so, we gradually die."


    Asher fell silent. So they were rising up the ladder of strength only to be killed by it?


    What kind of logic was this?


    "Look at me. Without the blessings of God, I would have died long before my 290th birthday."


    Lord Winter smiled.


    "Who are you exactly? You claim to be a priest of I Am, yet your world is full of flames meant for battle. You are called Lord Winter, but your awakened domain burns like fire. It doesn''t make any sense."


    "Because I am a knight, boy. I became a priest because of the God of that temple¡­ and a lord with this staff¡­"


    "My lord!"


    Isaac interrupted with an urgent cry to stop Lord Winter before he could reveal too much.


    ''That temple can also change professions!'' Asher''s gaze shifted toward the structure which was far away with growing interest. It had several perks that he didn''t just believe proved I Am was a God that existed¡ªhe wanted that temple in Nineveh.


    "Captain!"


    Upon hearing a call, Asher turned to find they had reached the castle. To his left stood the three hundred paladins, cloaked in their long robes, their broad round shields strapped to their backs, and tall spears¡ªeach a head taller than them¡ªplanted firmly into the ground.


    "We greet the arrival of Achilles!"


    Their harmonious voices rang in perfect sync as all of them dropped to one knee, pressing their right hand to their chest and lowering their heads.


    "Still assembled," Asher murmured.


    "We were waiting to hear the news of your return from the dead," Eleazar said with a soft smile.


    For some reason, seeing how they were so well-prepared, Asher felt like they knew about his awakening.


    "How did you know that I have awoken?"


    "Through the sky."


    Asher looked up, his eyes widening as he beheld the ominous crimson clouds overhead.


    ''Ithamar!''


    He had forgotten his sword.


    Suddenly, a puddle made of crimson water almost like actual blood formed at his feet. From it, a sword began to rise.

 Chapter 285 - 285: His Return

    When Lord Winter saw the blood-coloured handle and the entire length of the sword neatly sheathed, his pupils trembled.


    He recalled the vision he had seen when he used foresight and peered into the future¡ªthis very sword had been on Asher''s waist! S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Did this mean that sending him to the spirit world hadn''t altered the future, but instead brought Asher one step closer to it?!


    If someone observed Lord Winter closely, they would see that his fingers, which were wrapped around the staff, were trembling violently.


    Asher was already a saintly being. That left only the Imperial, Ancient and finally the Exalted ran before he ascended into the ranks of the Awoken Ones. And considering his powerful talent, Lord Winter doubted that day was much far from now.


    Did it mean something would happen during this period that would make Asher even colder than the broken man who had arrived here?!


    One of his greatest reasons for living was to make sure Kryos never became like his brothers¡ªbecause if he did, the world would once again face destruction.


    After a long moment of thought, Lord Winter''s eyes gleamed and his confidence returned.


    Meanwhile, the others remained cautious of Ithamar because of its oppressive aura. Asher grabbed the sword, slung it over his shoulder and gestured for Lord Winter.


    "Shouldn''t we proceed into the castle?"


    Lord Winter smiled.


    Unbeknownst to him, while he had foreseen the future, there was one unpredictable variable¡­


    The system!


    A force that had escaped even his extraordinary talent without him being aware of it.


    _____


    Days later¡­


    Clas in a hooded cloak, Asher felt his hair bounce as he rode atop Sirius''s back, the wind whipping past him.


    They traversed the grassy plains while his sharp gaze remained fixed on the tall, grayish-white mountains a mile ahead.


    Behind him, 300 paladins rode on their horses in formation, their cloaks billowing like banners in the wind. Cynthia, Moses and Simon rode alongside him, but due to Sirius''s height and speed, Asher was naturally ahead of them, leading the way.


    The sun shone brightly overhead, casting a glorious golden light upon the mountains while leaving dark shadows across the plains.


    "We''re on Ashbourne soil once again, buddy." Asher ran a hand over Sirius'' head, a handsome smirk tugging at his lips.


    Sirius squinted, then, as if to express his delight, shot forward at a faster pace, increasing the gap between him and his men.


    Suddenly, Asher''s eyes sharpened. He could sense something tearing through the air and it was incredibly fast!


    He couldn''t even see it because it was carefully concealed in the brilliant glow of the sun!


    Puchi!


    A massive projectile buried itself into the ground beside him, kicking up dirt and grass. Asher turned his head, his eyes narrowing at the sight of the enormous bolt¡ªlarge enough to kill a rider and his mount!


    It was the ballistic bolt!


    "A ballista!"


    Asher''s eyes flickered. Four months ago, there was no such thing as ballistas in his county¡ªonly trebuchets existed.


    But now¡­!


    "Ready for combat!"


    He said, slightly excited to see what his soldiers could do against a supposed invader. He would never try such with other troops, not even the King''s Swordsmen¡ªbut the paladins, they were a resilient bunch.


    There was a reason they called them Transcendents!


    At his command, the paladins seamlessly shifted their formation into a phalanx¡ªwithout even breaking their full-speed charge!


    They pulled out their shields and leaned forward, bracing for the incoming bolts.


    And as expected, about six bolts came in the next volley¡ªbut three froze mid-air. In the next moment, the wooden shafts of the bolt burst apart and the steel heads crumpled inward, collapsing into small, dense balls!


    Seeing this, Asher''s gaze flicked to the brown-skinned man beside him, his golden braids tucked beneath his helmet. His right hand was raised¡ªa silent declaration that he was the one responsible for such a miraculous feat!


    The knights clad in impressive black armor, their pauldrons adorned with a single spike and white cloaks bearing the sigil of House Ashbourne, stared in disbelief. Bolts capable of killing beast knights had been halted mid-air as if caught by an invisible force.


    To be able to execute such fine control, they had to be facing a saintly being!


    Realizing the gravity of the situation, the captain who stood behind the man manning the ballistas turned to his left. "Send word to commander Adam. We have invaders from Edom."


    Every Frontline Legion knight stationed at the ballistae regimen possessed the talent of great eyesight, but amongst them stood a boy clad in leather armour¡ªsmall yet formidable.


    His eyesight was even sharper than that of an eagle and standing atop the mountain, he was like a king in his realm of power.


    He was the same boy who had once fought Nero for a place among Asher''s castle guards. Fortunately, he found his own spot. Soon, he''ll be twelve yet he was already valuable in a city that had a population of over a hundred thousand civilians!


    "Captain." Lucas, the eagle-eyed boy turned his head toward the captain.


    The captain also turned toward him.


    "The man leading them¡­ he rides a wolf. A white wolf."


    Upon hearing that, the captain''s expression darkened beneath his helmet, his lips curling into a sorrowful smile.


    "Sirius is dead."


    Lucas nodded.


    "Reload the fire rune arrows. Don''t let them cross the three-hundred-yard mark!"


    The captain''s orders rang sharp, and Lucas responded without hesitation.


    "Understood!!"


    More bolts rained down again¡ªbut the paladins evaded each and every one of them, eliciting a frown from the captain.


    His squadron was one of the best long-ranged units in the Legion and dealt the highest damage. And yet, here they were¡ªbeing made a mockery before these invaders!


    His pride as an Ashbourne elite took a hit.


    "They''ve crossed the two-hundred-yard mark! They''ll soon reach the gate!"


    Lucas exclaimed.


    "Even if they do¡­ they''ll meet their end there."


    Right now, they stood a thousand feet above the ground, perched atop the mountain!


    Just as the captain said Asher reached the gate below¡ªonly to be met with an unyielding shield wall.


    And before that wall stood a man, his arms crossed, his breathing deep and thunderous, like that of a primordial dragon.


    It was Commander General Adam!

 Chapter 286 - 286: Walls of Ashkelon

    When the paladins saw the towering general¡ªseven feet and two inches tall¡ªclad in heavy pitch-black armor with a helmet that didn''t even allow them to get a good look at his eyes, unease settled over them.


    Adam inhaled deeply, preparing for a mighty dragon roar that would no doubt reduce these invaders into a blood mist. But then, his breath caught. His eyes froze at the sight of the figure before him.


    Sirius.


    Although the beast looked a bit different and had a wilder, feral aura instead of the calm, noble presence it once carried, Adam was certain that it was Sirius!


    His irises dilated.


    "General, what are your orders?!" a soldier called out when he saw that the enemy was getting closer but the general had yet to give any order.


    Adam didn''t answer. Instead, he lifted his right hand.


    "Stand down," he commanded without even sparing a glance at the men behind him.


    Though uncertain, the soldiers obeyed, raising their spears to a neutral stance.


    They exchanged puzzled glances, a bit confused as to why their general had given such an order.


    As Adam squinted, the approaching wolf slowed its pace. And as it neared, the hooded rider pulled back his cloak.


    "Sir Adam. It''s been a while."


    Asher smiled.


    Adam''s expression shifted¡ªfrom slight confusion to dawning realization, then shock.


    This was his lord! The features were different¡ªwhite hair, lighter skin¡ªyet the presence was unmistakable. And beneath the cloak, Adam could sense it: a stronger, more formidable build.


    His lord wasn''t the same man who had left the county. He had changed¡ªhis appearance, his temperament and his strength!


    Thud!


    Adam fell to one knee and slammed his fist into his breastplate as he bowed his head.


    "I hail the arrival of His Lordship!"


    Gasps rippled through the ranks. The soldiers'' eyes widened before they too fell on their knees, their cloaks fluttering in the breeze as they stared at the man many had presumed dead for the past four months.


    ''He''s back!''


    Thanks to the display beneath, Lucas''s heart pounded in his chest. His eyes lit up in excitement and he sprung to his feet.


    "He''s back!"


    "What?" The captain turned sharply, as did the other guards.


    "It''s his Lordship. The White Wolf has returned!"


    The captain''s eyes widened. "Lower me down this instant!"


    Even as he gave the order, he was already marching towards the elevator at a fast pace. "Lucas!"


    "Sir!"


    "Come with me."


    Lucas felt like he couldn''t breathe due to excitement and fear. Was he going to meet him¡ªthe man who took off the head of an Archduke''s son?


    The man who took Count William''s capital and drove his Elvin daughter mad? The White Wolf who had annihilated the jackals for attacking the keep?


    The warrior lord that all the powerful generals of the county submitted to? The man who built the Great Dividing Wall, splitting a vast section of the north?!


    Lucas could hear his own heartbeat¡ªloud and heavy, as though his heart might burst out from his chest.


    Now that His Lordship had returned¡­ what would happen? Would he shift the tides of the war at the Great Dividing Wall?


    Would he save the county from Count William''s barbarian army?


    While Lucas was filled with excitement and patriotic thoughts for the county, the captain''s mind was filled with how he was going to impress Asher.


    Although he wasn''t planning on lying, it still didn''t change the fact that Asher''s return was a great opportunity for him.


    While this was going on, Asher stared down at his men, feeling both melancholic and at ease.


    He was back home.


    "How have you been, General?"


    "Expecting your return."


    Asher raised an eyebrow. But when he glanced at the expressions of the soldiers, he knew Adam spoke the truth.


    "The county must not be in its best state, then," Asher murmured. "Let''s go."


    Sirius took two steps forward, then halted.


    "Before I forget¡­" He gestured toward the warriors behind him. "These men behind me. Make sure they''re well-fed and sheltered. They''re your lord''s personal troop."


    With those words, he rode in with Adam by his side.


    The paladins and the Frontline Infantry stared at them until they couldn''t see them anymore.


    After moving through the mountain passage for a short while, they emerged into a vast field, spanning countless kilometres.


    Hundreds of soldiers trained in formation. And beyond them¡ªthousands of farmers tended to their crops in the fields.


    Their wheat was growing nicely.


    This vast field was enclosed by four towering mountains, created by the system when Ashkelon was sent underground.


    These mountains served as a formidable defense. Without them, an enemy force could easily block Ashkelon''s routes, sealing its fate in battle.


    But with the mountains, the attackers had only two choices¡ªeither they had to scale a thousand feet of sheer rock or force their way through the heavily fortified gate. Even if they succeeded, they would still only reach this outer field. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Unfortunately, this wasn''t Ashkelon. To truly enter Ashkelon, they had to breathe another gate¡ªone attached directly to the mountain like the first gate to see the passage to Ashkelon itself.


    Ashkelon had a total of eight gates: four Great Gates and Four Minor Gates. The four Great Gates were the gates that one could see from outside the mountains, while the four Minor Gates were positioned at the backs of the mountains, which led directly into the city. It was here, at one of the Minor Gates, that Asher stood.


    "Count Asher has returned. Pay your respects!" Moses roared, his voice carrying across the gathered soldiers. Adam, unable to speak, simply watched.


    The moment he said that the soldiers set their eyes on Asher and fell on their knees.


    "We hail the Count!"


    Asher''s gaze swept over them, and a hush fell. Some of the men, feeling the weight of his stare, began to sweat.


    Crank! Crank!


    A mechanical sound drew Asher''s attention. Turning around, he saw a massive wooden structure attached to the mountainside, stretched from the ground all the way to the summit!


    And right now, there were two figures, a man and a boy being lowered down in what looked like a wooden prison but Asher knew it was an imitation of an elevator.


    An elevator was a prison anyway¡­ people didn''t just know about it.


    Seeing such an innovative structure, Asher''s eyes flickered with interest. "Who built that?"


    "Mr. White," Adam answered. "After the incident, Ark White went back to work and also brought out designs he had created during his days of depression. This was one of them. The ballistae was another. We finished the construction two weeks ago."


    "And you''ve been building it for how long?"


    Asher turned to Adam.


    "Three months and a week with a workforce of 20,000 men."


    Asher was impressed. He would have to pay Ark White a visit. That man had officially transformed into a living treasure!


    At that moment, the lift reached the ground. The captain opened the door and walked out, followed closely by the young boy behind him.


    He took in the sight before him¡ªhundreds of soldiers, frightening diamond-ranked and gold-ranked knights on their knees made the captain certain that this white-haired man was truly their lord.


    He noted that Asher looked a lot more handsome than he seemed in the picture they had and a bit bigger in muscle mass but his gaze¡­ that remained the same.


    It was a gaze he was used to as a footsoldier.


    The gaze of a warrior.


    Thud!


    Both he and Lucas dropped to one knee.


    "We hail the return of His Lordship."


    "You came from up there?" Asher pointed toward the mountain''s peak.


    "Yes, My Lord."


    "Then¡­" Asher dismounted. "¡­Take me there."


    As he was led into the lift, Asher observed the men at the massive wheels. Blessed with strength-enhancing talents, they were able to turn the thick wooden handles, rotating them in slow, steady circles. The ropes¡ªeach as thick as a grown man''s two fingers together¡ªtightened, pulling the elevator steadily upwards.


    When Asher reached the top, he first faced the wind but the sight of the vast expanse was too grand for him to consider the distress of the wind.


    Seeing him gaze at the expanse silently, Lucas spoke from behind.


    "Now that you are back, I''m sure we''ll win the war."


    Asher glanced at the young boy from the corner of his eye.


    "What war?"


    ....


    End of volume 3: Into The Depths.


    Thank you for reading up to this point. Asher''s wild journey as a commoner has reached its glorious end, I''d say.


    Await the next volume: Duke Of Ashes

 Chapter 287 - 287: Enemies On All Sides

    A woman stood atop the magnificent Great Dividing Walls, gazing down at the battlefield strewn with thousands of corpses. Most of them had fallen to trebuchets, ballistae and volleys from archers.


    With the Goshen Longbow Archers in their ranks, Ashbourne''s ranged units were complete¡ªcapable and powerful enough to wreak havoc in the ranks of the enemies.


    Like the sight before her, the results were clear: thousands of barbarians lay scattered across the grassy plains, their curved swords glinting among the bodies.


    But this woman knew that these men had been sent to die.


    They were not the real army.


    For the past two months, they had been at war with Count William Tigris, who had turned the Wildlands his stronghold.


    With the barbarian clans gathered under his banner, he was able to amass a great army capable of standing toe to toe with the Ashbourne elites¡ªnot through skill, but through sheer numbers.


    Count Ashbourne commanded over 100,000 men capable of fighting, yet they had a little over 20,000 on these walls!


    And the county wasn''t just fending off the barbarians; rival noble houses circled like vultures around a dying animal. She knew that the noble households wanted to feast on this juicy meat which was the Ashbourne county.


    Sadly, the county was at its weakest now that the Count was away.


    Batting her long lashes, the beautiful fairy turned away. After straight two months of ceaseless battle, she had grown used to seeing corpses!


    "What is he planning now?" Sapphira muttered to herself.


    From the first week of the war, she had moved over and joined the battle alongside her healers and knights, who were now known as Temple Servants.


    The reason was that she had awakened a new talent that was unlike any seen before, a power that marveled all the top figures of the county.


    Her talent was similar to that of a summoner but her summons empowered her Temple Servants, making them several times stronger than they were meant to be.


    Over these past two months, she had been given several titles: Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Destroyer of Men!


    Resplendent Lotus Sword Queen!


    Ashbourne Saintess!


    Her fame has spread beyond the borders of the county¡ªinto the territories of Dukedoms, other counties and even the outskirts of Intis kingdom.


    Several nobles had also written letters promising to have her as their wife on the grounds that she abandoned the county.


    Unfortunately, all the letters ended up in flames, burning as she watched their ashes scatter in the wind.


    Clad in a silver breastplate pressed against her white flowing gown that fluttered ever softly, Sapphira stood with quiet grace. The leather belt around her willowy waist tilted slightly to the right because of the weight of the sword strapped to it.


    Her right hand rested firmly on the sword''s hilt.


    "Ah¡­"


    Her light pink lips slightly parted and a soft breath escaped them.


    Lifting his head, she gazed at the forests beyond the plains solemnly. "What is he planning now?"


    She turned. "I have to report to the Regent. We lost four hundred in this battle and¡­" her eyes flickered to the fallen barbarians on the battlefield.


    "They lost over three thousand."


    Calmly, she walked past several towering Aegis Legion soldiers stationed along the wall. Their massive builds, impressive weaponry and oppressive presence were nothing more than a passing breeze to her.


    The sun shone on them casting long shadows over the walkway.


    Two months of intense war weighed heavily on the economy of the county, especially now that the teleportation channels have been deactivated.


    Revenue was low.


    There was no one they could trust so it was better to face enemies outside the walls than fester them within.


    Baron Claude Flameheart, ruler of Goshen, had argued this countless times in the council meetings, yelling about how they were destroying what Asher had painstakingly built.


    The county had stopped growing. They were able to sustain themselves¡ªfor now. But for how long?


    And then it dawned on Sapphira.


    Count William''s plan was cruel in its simplicity. He wanted to starve them, to incite rebellion from within. Though the plan was simple, it was effective.


    He was using their wall and lack of allies against them!


    ''Where are you?!''


    Sapphira turned her gaze to the north, lingering at the top of the Great Dividing Wall before stepping into the lift that carried her to the ground.


    Below, hundreds of white tents stretched across the field, each crowned with the black Ashbourne flag. Soldiers bustled about¡ªsome clad in full armor, others in tunics and pants and those who were in the logistics department could be seen all around, doing their own thing.


    To her right, men chopped wood to set up massive flames in the flame towers that would help them keep watch during the nighttime.


    Their banter fell into her ears as she walked by. Unfortunately, all eyes began to veer towards her.


    Even after fighting alongside them for months, they still gazed at her with awe and reverence.


    At a mere word from her, all these men could become her servants. Some would even kill for the chance. This was the extent of the side effect of her talent.


    She was a glorified object for men.


    They all wanted to claim her for themselves.


    Even to the extent that they would kill anyone in their path.


    Revealing a small smile, Sapphira waved at them in greeting, but her simple gesture led to chaos as some waved back fervently.


    Luckily, these men were on her side. Instead of trying to fight over her, they would fight for her.


    Just then, a golden-haired woman with sharp facial features and a pair of dragonfly wings fluttering on her back descended from the sky.


    She wore a breastplate over her priestly garment, like Sapphira. But unlike Sapphira, she carried both a sword and a metal lantern, its blue flames glowing ominously.


    That lantern held the life force of the summoned creature Sapphira had placed inside her. Once the flame died, the creature inside of the priestess would split apart¡ªcrippling the priestess forever!


    This was the reason only those who were loyal to a fault dared to receive this gift of power.


    "I greet the Grand priestess."


    The healer fell to one knee.


    "Mia," Sapphira addressed her, her voice cool and commanding, her mind still preoccupied with the thoughts of the county. "Is there a problem?


    Mia hesitated. "It''s about the Count¡­ He''s back."


    Mia looked at Sapphira.


    Sapphira''s expression didn''t change¡ªat first. But then, slowly, her eyes widened, showing signs of doubt.


    Mia wouldn''t lie or joke about something like this.


    "Where is he?"


    "Ashkelon. He has summoned all nobles, counselors and generals to meet him in Nineveh. In three days,"


    Three days? It was impossible. The journey from the Great Dividing Wall to Nineveh would take two weeks on horseback¡ªunless, of course she accessed the teleportation channels!

 Chapter 288 - 288: They Fear Him

    Boom!


    The heavy doors of the hall in Ashkelon Manor swung open with a resounding crash after being pushed. Asher, clad in a white linen tunic and tight black leather pants, tilted his head toward the source of the noise.


    His white tunic, with its deep V-neck, was laced in a zigzag pattern, allowing him to adjust the opening to a modest degree. Tucked neatly into his pants, the white fabric draped effortlessly over his lean frame.


    At both sides of his waist hung Euodias and Ithamar¡ªthe only two swords on the entire continent that wanted nothing more than to cause the demise of their master, driven by their own selfish reasons.


    As the door continued to open wider, footsteps echoed through the grand hall before they fell into his ears.


    Asher raised an eyebrow. He had been staring at the mural of himself and had no intention of leaving his position, so he simply leaned back since tilting his head was the only option to see who was coming in.


    Since the guards hadn''t announced anyone, it meant that this person must be either someone who was close to him or¡­


    Tapk!


    His eye narrowed in on the boot, its edge slightly visible beneath a flowing gown.


    ''Oh¡­''


    ¡­ The ruler of Ashkelon.


    Katarina strode into the hall, appearing like a woman in her late forties. The sight made Asher''s eyes widen in surprise. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Katarina¡­ is that you?"


    Katarina dropped to one knee, a knowing smile on her lips. "Do I look appealing to your eyes?"


    Asher squinted. Only one woman had ever spoken to him so boldly, both before and after learning of his true identity.


    Baroness Katarina!


    "Humph!" Asher snorted and strode toward his throne.


    As she watched his back, Katarina subtly scanned the room, searching for the presence she had felt moments ago. When she finally turned back, her breath caught.


    The sight of Sirius'' crimson eyes and scar almost made her lose her bearing but the wolf averted his gaze, sparing her from his oppressive stare.


    ''Not only has his wolf changed¡­. He has, too.''


    Katarina''s eyes narrowed as she gazed at the handsome man whose snow-white hair could be the cause of envy for many, sitting on the throne, one leg crossed over the other.


    Emanating from him was the air of a natural noble and without even a word, she felt humbled by his presence.


    Truly, he was back and quite different from his former self.


    "Baroness."


    Asher''s voice pulled her from her thoughts. She met his gaze.


    "I have seen what you have done with Ashkelon since my departure¡­" His lips curled into a smile.


    "¡­ And I am glad that I entrusted its care to none other than you. Once I ascend to the rank of Duke, you have my word¡ªyou shall be my first Viscountess."


    Hearing his words, Katarina felt her heart pound. This was the greatest honour she had ever received in her lifetime.


    As a viscountess, her lineage would forever be of the noble bloodline and it would be safeguarded from ever falling back to the rank of Baron.


    "I''m deeply grateful for such a reward, My Lord."


    Asher smiled slightly before leaning forward. "Now tell me¡­ how did you grow this young? Your appearance cannot change unless you have reached the ranks of Imperial, but you''re still at the Silver rank."


    Katarina rose to her feet. "It''s the work of Evergreen olive oil. I bathe in it every night before resting. After three months of use, it transformed my appearance."


    Asher''s eyes widened. All he saw was an opportunity to make his county extremely rich!


    Women would do all they could to get their hands on the evergreen olive oil if they discovered it could do something like this!


    Seeing Asher''s expression, Katarina knew Asher had no idea of what had happened in the county all this while.


    It seemed like he really had left. She had thought he might be hiding somewhere, watching them from the shadows.


    "My lord, the Evergreen olive oil has done more than just make the wrinkles vanish. According to the latest count, it has also elevated 100,000 civilians to Bronze rank."


    Asher''s eyes flickered. One had to know that to advance beyond iron-rank, one needed talent and most of these people had none. And still, the Evergreen olive oil accomplished the unfathomable.


    Hearing this made Asher feel apprehensive. Such a miraculous oil would no doubt attract the ravenous eyes of nobles. Even someone like Prince Aaron, his brother in relation to talent, would take an interest in his county!


    "So the eyes of the households of the north are on us."


    Katarina lowered her head. "They are."


    "Then before they form alliances to bring us down, we should demonstrate our might and secure allies of our own. This war gives us a perfect opportunity."


    Katarina raised her head. "You''ve heard about the war?!"


    "I have. I have already sent letters to all the officials. Ride with me to Nineveh tomorrow¡ªwe shall meet them there."


    "As it pleases you." Katarina bowed.


    After she left the hall, she found Adam leaning casually against the wall.


    "You want to meet him?" she asked.


    "No," Adam smirked. "I was waiting for you. So¡­ what do you think of him?"


    Katarina glanced at the closed double doors, then back at Adam.


    "He has changed¡­ from a lord to a great lord. His goals and ambitions have risen and we must either strive to keep up¡­ or be left behind."


    Adam''s smile widened. "Perfect analysis. One look at his personal troop and you''ll see the reality of what you''ve just said."


    _____


    A short while later, a carriage stopped before the barracks. Katarina stepped out with Adam by her side.


    Soldiers bowed as they passed, and she acknowledged with light smiles¡ªuntil her gaze fell on a cluster of tents, set away from the main barracks.


    Just the men standing guard near them made her eyebrows rise. They were like living masterpieces of sculptures. Full of hardened muscles, and piercing and emotionless eyes. Powerful shields rested at their sides, tall spears in hand and a feral aura radiating from them.


    A mix of noble training and primal wildness. They were men with the trained minds of a knight combined with the powerful bodies of a barbarian berserker!


    Berserkers had ceased to exist for centuries, yet these men gave her a sense of the kind of monstrosities she had only read about.


    Even without seeing them in action, Katarina could feel their superiority.


    "How many of them are there?"


    "Three hundred."


    "All of them are this strong?"


    Adam sighed. "No¡­"


    Katarina exhaled, relieved.


    "¡­There are some that are much stronger. I don''t know what these men went through but it feels like they went through a forge and came out tempered."


    Alarmed, Katarina spoke. "Can His Lordship control such men?"


    Adam''s gaze flicked toward the tent and then he glanced at her.


    "Control?" He let out a low chuckle. "They fear him."

 Chapter 289 - 289: War Council

    Boom!


    "Welcome His Lordship!!" A guard bellowed as the massive doors swung open. The officials seated behind him immediately rose to their feet.


    They were gathered around a rectangular table inside the war council hall¡ªthe smallest hall in Nineveh''s castle.


    At the far end of the hall was a platform with a stone throne dominating its surface. All eyes turned away from the throne and toward the door.


    Their eyes narrowed at the sight of the tall man clad in a fur-padded cloak. His snow-white hair threw them off for a split moment¡ªit didn''t match the portrait hanging above the throne.


    But they still recognized him.


    However, none of them expected to receive a wave of such oppressive aura flooding into the room.


    "We hail the return of His Lordship!!!"


    To Asher''s right stood Katarina, a small smile playing on her lips. On his left was Adam, his face showing no obvious expression.


    Behind Asher, however, the massive wolf made the officials raise their guard.


    Eritrea, clad in a flowing black gown, blinked several times as she took in Asher''s new look.


    Aquila, dressed in a gradient one-piece ocean-blue gown, parted her lips slightly in surprise.


    Compared to the princely man walking in the hall, she remembered that Asher had been an average-looking young man. Now, his once-soft features had expression hardened, and he looked someone else entirely, his presence unmistakably that of a seasoned ruler.


    One look, and she knew¡ªthis was a man who wouldn''t hesitate to take her life if she tried to act what she once did to save her father.


    ''He has grown.''


    Aquila sighed. Unbelievably, the icy Mage''s lips curled up into a rare smile as she watched him walk into the hall, his steps echoing against the stone floor.


    Seated closest to the throne, Kelvin let out a gasp. He recognized the pure, familiar smile Asher flashed him¡ªsomething he had known since he was young, but something had changed.


    Asher walked past him and took his seat on the throne.


    The old Asher would have definitely hugged him.


    Kelvin smiled faintly. ''He''s like his grandfather.''


    Eritrea, Aquila, Kelvin, Baron Flameheart, Katarina, Adam, Paul, Lambert, Ark White, Alec, Nero¡­ and an empty seat!


    Asher''s gaze lingered on the seat. The chair belonged to the Ashbourne Grand Priestess.


    For a brief moment, his eyes darkened, but he cleared his throat.


    "You may sit."


    Just as officials moved to take their seats, the doors were pushed open again.


    Asher''s eyes settled on the enchanting woman clad in an elegant white gown that accentuated her womanly figure.


    Their eyes met. Golden and violet!


    In that instant, Asher realized why this otherworldly beauty wasn''t his. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was his own doing.


    Unlike other men, he had never put in the effort because of his past trauma holding him back.


    He shook his head and clenched his jaws before shaking his head.


    Sapphira saw all this and quickly dropped to one knee.


    "I apologize for my late arrival, My Lord. I was delayed by urgent matters in the Olive Expanse."


    "Urgent matters? What is more urgent than this?" Kelvin raised an eyebrow. Although he was fond of Sapphira, he wouldn''t let go of any form of disrespect toward the Count.


    If General Alec was in his seat, she should have been here before the Count''s arrival.


    Sapphira''s fingers trembled slightly. No one else noticed¡ªbut Asher did. His eyes widened slightly.


    Sapphira was no ordinary woman who would lose her voice or demeanour because of a question or pressure. She was a fighter.


    Her gaze flickered toward the table, laden with several expensive wines, roasted meats and many other lavish delicacies.


    "His lordship has been away for a long while¡­" she said softly. "I''m sure no one has prepared his calming drink. The matters of the county are bound to weigh on him even more, so I made sure to bring green tea."


    Asher blinked.


    Everyone in the room was stunned, some officials glanced at Asher, as if trying to decipher the spell he had cast over a woman who could bring kings to their knees¡ªone who had gone the extra mile to bring him tea.


    Beneath the table, Eritrea clenched her fists.


    Asher blinked before his voice cut through the silence.


    "You have it?"


    Sapphira stepped aside as Cynthia walked into the hall, carrying a tray. On it sat the tea in question.


    Without hesitation, Sapphira went straight to her seat, joining the other officials in watching Asher take a sip.


    His eyes gleamed.


    Noticing that gleam, a beautiful smile spread across Sapphira''s face.


    "Is he flustered?"


    Lambert leaned toward Paul, his voice low, trying to reason why Asher kept staring at the tea like a man frozen in time.


    After a pause, Asher took another sip¡ªthis one slow and deliberate, as if to satisfy himself, before facing the gathered officials.


    He took a deep breath, feeling more like himself again. The calming effect of the green tea was miraculous, as always.


    Kelvin rose and whispered something into his ears.


    Asher nodded. "I have heard of your efforts in my absence¡ªand the pressure the county now faces at the hands of an old foe, House Tigris."


    Everyone''s attention rose.


    "I propose a full-scale war. So far we have already lost over 4,000 men and over 400 diamond-ranked Aegis soldiers to the barbarians in this so-called battle of attrition. Resources are being wasted and the county''s treasury is dwindling by the day."


    His gaze sharpened.


    "My Lord¡­" Baron Claude began carefully. "Count Tigris might be trying to bait us. He has many nobles on his side."


    Asher raised an eyebrow. "A lord without a domain has more allies than us? Is that what you''re telling me, Lord Claude?"


    Claude fell silent.


    "Where has your expertise gone?"


    "The nobles I reached out to are demanding an exorbitant share of our domain''s products."


    "Is that so? Remember their faces, because they shall come to beg."


    Baron Claude could only stare at Asher in shock for his unwavering confidence.


    "What about the closest noble household? The Mormonts?"


    "They''ve remained silent. Clearly, they want to see us prove if we are worthy of being their ally, but¡­"


    Asher glanced at Kelvin. "But what?"


    Kevin hesitated. "They''ve made their intentions clear¡­ by sheltering Lady Mary these past months."


    Asher''s pupils shook.


    "Mary has returned from the Sacred Flame Empire."


    "Yes, but she has been threatened by many nobles, both within and outside of Mormont lands, all seeking to marry her. Their eyes are on the county."


    A chilling aura spread through the call, causing everyone to breathe out thick white mist!


    "I see."


    Asher''s voice was colder than anything they''d ever heard¡­ Even Aquila''s icy demeanor was nothing compared to this.


    This frost¡­ it felt like death!

 Chapter 290 - 290: A Grand Vision

    "They want to coerce her?"


    The treachery and vileness in the hearts of nobles no longer surprised Asher because¡­


    They had made him evolve in the past as well.


    But his fury at this moment knew no bounds.


    Mary was his only remaining blood. The last Ashbourne, aside from himself.


    How dare they treat her like an object?! S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "They believe you are dead," Aquila murmured.


    "Oh. They must know that I''m not."


    Everyone furrowed their brows when Asher said that. They all understood what he meant¡ªspies had infiltrated the domain.


    And it wasn''t a surprise. With nearly a population of half a million people in the county, it gave nobles countless opportunities to sneak in their spies to scout information about him.


    His return had never been a secret.


    "It''s a good thing that they know," Asher said. "I''ll root them out in due time. But for now, we must prepare to face Count William."


    "With the walls on our side," a general stated, "he''s bound to¡ª!"


    "Attrition is disadvantageous, General Alec. If we want to prove our overwhelming strength, we must face Count William in a field battle."


    Alec''s eyes widened.


    "But my lord! Count William commands the Wildlands barbarians¡ªmen known to ride horses from a young age. There is no cavalry that can match those horsemen."


    Lambert sighed. "Our cavalry might stand a chance if our numbers were bigger. But right now, I only have 5000 men."


    "All diamond-ranked?" Asher asked.


    "No, my lord. 2000 fully trained cavaliers and 3000 squires. The squires are gold-ranked."


    Asher''s expression didn''t waver. "Ready them. General Alec, how many can you send to battle?"


    "10,000 Aegis soldiers will be able to march into the field, Your Lordship. But I''m afraid even the Aegis soldiers will have a tough time against the horsemen of the Wildlands. Their heavy weaponry is unlike the sword wielded by high-plain noble armies. They are heavier and deal greater damage."


    Although Alec spoke rationally, Asher could see the fire burning in his eyes. His general sought to use this as an opportunity to test his troops against one of the most feared infantry killers on the continent.


    History was filled with records where the wild barbarian horsemen fought against noble armies, and in every instance, infantry forces always suffered disastrous blows. Even cavalry units, despite their endured crippling blows. But for the infantry, the foot soldiers, it was always a massacre.


    In all, facing the wild barbarian horsemen would be the greatest challenge any Aegis knight had ever faced.


    But¡­ if they could triumph over it, the troop''s fame would spread across the northern parts of the continent¡ªperhaps even beyond.


    "Prepare them," Asher commanded. "If we do not crush Count William''s forces, we shall suffer the consequences."


    "My Lord¡­" Nero rose to his feet. Asher looked at the soon-to-be twelve-year-old boy who already resembled a young man about to leave his teenage years.


    "¡­If the nobles are aware of your return, doesn''t that mean Archduke Nubis will soon know of it?"


    Asher wrapped his hands around the armrest of his throne and rose to his feet. "I eagerly await his response. What about you?"


    Nero smiled. He recalled the pain-filled training he had gone through these past four months with the name of the Archduke branded into his heart.


    What were all these scars on his arms for? What was the suffering for?


    "It will be a pleasure to see what it shall be."


    Asher smiled.


    "Baron Flameheart, I would like you to head to Winter stronghold and purchase 5,000 war mounts called Arkon. Take 1,000 volunteers with you and hand them over to the man who asks."


    Claude bowed in acknowledgement.


    "Baroness, three strongholds from the depths will send envoys to you. Treat them well and establish favourable trade relations. I am entrusting this with you."


    "I shall not disappoint you, Your Lordship." Katarina bowed.


    Finally, Asher turned to the blacksmith and master architect seated at the far end of the rectangular table.


    "Mr. White, your contribution and efforts have been invaluable to this county."


    Ark White stood.


    "Name whatever you desire and it shall be done."


    Ark White took a deep breath. "I want Silverleaf to be upgraded. The town lacks many amenities, yet it continues to grow. Also, the town guards are too few to handle the expansion. If this is left unchecked, I''m afraid ¡ª!"


    "Consider all granted."


    [Ding! Do you wish to upgrade Silverleaf Bastide from a Tier two town to a Tier three town? Yes or No?]


    ''Yes.''


    Ark White blinked. "Additionally, the Blacksmith Association which was formed a month ago needs funding. With our current numbers and machinery, we are unable to handle the country''s needs efficiently."


    "Speak with my regent. He''ll make sure all that you need concerning funding is settled. Anything more?"


    Ark White hesitated, momentarily dumbfounded.


    "We shall end this meeting here for now," Asher declared. "Commander Aquila, Eritrea¡ªyou will both march to the Great Dividing Wall. Only commander Adam shall remain in Ashkelon to prepare his troops."


    "Prepare?" Adam raised an eyebrow.


    "Yes. You shall lead an army and march into the depths two months from now to face a great army of beastmen. Our allies in the depths are counting on us and I believe this is an opportunity to spread the name of your House in the history of the inhabitants of the depths."


    "It shall be my pleasure." Adam slammed his fist against his chest.


    After Asher left, some lingered to chat while some left as quickly.


    In the hallway, Asher glanced at Kelvin. "You look young."


    "Tch." The half-butler adjusted his monocle.


    Asher chuckled.


    "Do you think it''s the right decision to go right into war the moment you return? Nobles might see you as a bloodthirsty man."


    "As long as I can secure the Dukedom of Mormonts as an ally before Archduke Nubis makes his move, it will be worth it. With the Duke as an ally, we can fortify our walls against the battle that is to come."


    "Battles?"


    Asher glanced at Kelvin from the corner of his left eye. "The world is about to be plunged into chaos. This peace we seem to have is very fragile, it will shatter even before you blink."


    "If so, we need to build an army stronger than what we have now¡ªto survive."


    "Indeed," Asher replied. "An army that consists of more than just human knights."


    A vision flashed in his mind¡ªan army led by him, not just of men, but of many races, standing united under his command!

 Chapter 291 - 291: Stakes on Ashers Head

    "What is the number of Count William''s troops?" Asher inquired softly.


    "About 65,000 barbarians, and along with that, his own troops should be about 20,000. That puts us against 85,000 men¡ªover 50,000 of them knights."


    Creases formed on Asher''s forehead. "Without a domain as large as ours, he can''t sustain an army of that size."


    Kelvin shook his head. "The supplies of every clan are brought to the camp and they also raid the villages and towns in Mormont''s domain."


    Asher narrowed one eye. "Then why are they so quiet?"


    "Because once a troop is sent into the Wildlands they become trophies for the barbarians. They could only set up keeps to protect their borders."


    Asher exhaled sharply. "Count William is indirectly giving the barbarians strength and courage. Such an army cannot be controlled for long¡ªthey''re bound to bite the hand that feeds them."


    "I see. What about Ark White''s request? Funding the town''s development will affect the resources needed for the war."


    Kelvin quickly asked the moment the thought popped up.


    Asher blinked. "It''s done."


    "What?" Kelvin was confused.


    _____


    Days later, a lone man on horseback halted before the tall azure walls made entirely of ice, his pupils trembling.


    Silverleaf''s wall had grown to a staggering 20 feet, reinforced by thick, rectangular pillars that held it in place.


    The wall''s size alone was intimidating and just above the thick steel gate¡ªthe only steel gate of such size in the county¡ªa black flag fluttered on top of the wall as the wind billowed.


    The soldiers, once clad in simple leather armour, now stood in steel plate armours, gripping the finely crafted steel spears.


    ''My Lord!''


    The rider''s pupils trembled heavily.


    _____


    Count Naaman Ira rode into a sprawling camp filled with tents, horses and rowdy barbarians. The air was thick with loud voices, consistent banter resulting in wrestling matches and the constant neighing of restless horses.


    The remnants of once-towering trees¨Cnow reduced to a few inches of stumps, one would easily realize that this vast field was once covered with tall trees.


    Unfortunately, they had to be cut down for the camp to be prepared. These camps were hidden inside a forest, using it as a cover to avoid Ashbourne scouts'' prying eyes.


    Coin Ira''s eyes narrowed as he passed a grisly display¡ªthe sight of corpses impaled on stakes. The sight of their torn attire made the count know that these men were scouts from Ashbourne County.


    These were the ones that were caught, killed and put on display. A show of their dominance, the barbarians called it.


    "A disgrace." The chief guard rising beside Count Ira muttered. "Count William allowed such a dishonourable act on knights?" S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "He can''t transform the barbarians completely," Count Ira replied. "Letting them keep trophies is a small price for their loyalty, especially to alleviate the pain of losing over 30,000 men."


    The chief guard frowned deeply. "But these are men¡­ Knights no less. It is disrespectful to strip them off their armor, and desecrate their bodies in such a manner!"


    The chief guard struggled, his voice wavering with barely controlled anger.


    "Watch your tone," Count Ira warned. "This should teach you never to fight those above you. This is the price that a prideful count such as the White Wolf has to pay."


    As they got closer to the biggest tent, Count Ira dismounted. He smiled at Count William who stood outside the tent, both of his hands clasped, his expression unreadable.


    At Count Ira''s approach, Willian freed his hands and the two men embraced.


    "It''s been a while." Count William said.


    "Truly." Count Ira replied with a small smile.


    "What news do you bring this time?" Count William asked as they entered the tent and sat before a round table draped with animal hide.


    "Good news."


    Count William raised an eyebrow, clearly doubting.


    "I assure you, my friend," Ira continued, "it''s good news."


    Count William tapped his finger on the wooden table, his gaze piercing yet calm. "Then let me hear it"


    Count Ira''s lips curled into a malicious smile. "He''s out."


    Hearing this, Count William narrowed his eyes. "The Ashbourne boy?"


    Count Ira clicked his tongue, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "Correct. You were right. He was clearly in hiding but with the pressure on his domain increasing with each passing month, he couldn''t stay hidden forever."


    "I see." Count William''s expression sharpened. He had suspected that Asher wasn''t dead because things in the Ashbourne domain had remained far too orderly.


    That was why he had chosen the strategy of attrition. If Asher was truly dead, he wouldn''t appear, even when his subordinates inevitably turned on each other because of their conflicting ideals.


    But if he was alive¡­


    He would appear.


    "So he is alive."


    "My sources confirm he is on the move to the Great Dividing Wall, bringing the entire county''s forces with him."


    "He reacts like a child." Count William spat coldly.


    Count Ira smiled. "It''s an opportunity to bring an end to the man who made your daughter mad and ruined your relationship with the Archduke. Ah, before I forget¡­ the Archduke sent a word."


    "What was it?" Count William leaned back, his expression colder than before as Count Ira''s words brought back old memories.


    "Bring him Asher Ashbourne''s head and he shall forgo everything¡ªincluding the death of his favourite son."


    Count William slowly rose to his feet, his towering frame casting a shadow over Count Ira.


    "Consider it done."


    _____


    Deep inside a dark Cavern with candles flickering their orange warm light, heavy footsteps along with deep breathing could be heard as a jotunn, a blue-skinned being that looked like the evolved version of an orc¡ªwalked through.


    A helmet adorned his head, adorned with the tusks of a mammoth. Unlike the design of other helmets, the tusks in this helmet were made face-downward so that they were before his rock-hard chest.


    He stopped before a pitch-black void, from which a piercing chill emanated, and dropped to one knee.


    "I greet the Great Dark One. The man you seek, Asher Ashbourne, has resurfaced. He is heading to the Great Dividing Wall to battle your birth father, Count William Tigris."


    "Is that so?"


    A cold, feminine voice cut through the darkness. A woman covered in a black cloak emerged from the darkness, her beautiful face marred by scars, and her prominent scarlet eyes gleaming.


    Her lips curled up into a slow, enchanting smile. "I see why I loved him at a young age. He gave me the freedom to do as I pleased."


    Her gaze darkened. "And this time¡­ I want his head."


    A mere glare from her made the jotunn exhale sharply, his breath turning into mist in the chilling air.

 Chapter 292 - 292: Zenith

    Asher, seated on Sirius'' back, gazed at the vast plain before the Great Dividing Wall, where white tents sprawled like scattered petals.


    His eyes danced around the vast field, quickly locating the weapons of war¡ªmassive structures covered by large clothes and secured with stones.


    Hundreds of men grunted and strained as they hoisted the trebuchets up the wall using thick ropes.


    Even diamond-ranked knights found the task exhausting, their stamina drained by the sheer effort.


    The Temple Servants moved swiftly, healing bruised palms gained during such gruelling labor.


    "We''re lowering the old trebuchets for these new ones," Kelvin murmured beside Asher, still on horseback. "They can launch large brimstones to 1000 yards and have a lever to adjust their range, increasing its range to a maximum of 1200 yards."


    Asher''s eyes narrowed. "They got the blueprint of the design I created?" He remembered the day he had combined multiple trebuchets together to create a single one that was more powerful and capable of hurling brimstones.


    However, he hadn''t expected that the blueprint would be out so fast.


    "It was a combined effort of Blacksmith Dan, Mr. White and several mages," Kelvin explained. "The records and tomes from Tiberias have accelerated the growth of our mages. Some are on the verge of breaking into the diamond rank."


    "Good. Send a word that I commend them for their effort."


    A scribe trailing them quickly jotted it down.


    Turning, they glanced at the paladins who were riding their horses into the camp in tight formations, three at once.


    The long line stretched like a serpent winding through the field.


    "It''s been two weeks. The paladins seem to have blended well with the other troops," he noted.


    A smile formed on Asher''s lips as he spotted Eleazar assembling some tents while still on horseback. The soldiers around the tents would raise their hands in greeting, uttering words Asher could not hear, but the smile on Eleazar''s face suggested they were kind.


    It hadn''t been easy for Eleazar due to his skin tone. While other paladins had quickly forged friendships within days before the journey, Eleazar had remained isolated at first.


    "The boy with golden braids has potential," Kelvin remarked. "His ability to manipulate objects with his mind is outstanding."


    "It''s beyond that," Asher said. "In the future, he might match Nero."


    Hearing that, Nero, who rode silently behind them atop his Silver Blood horse, cast a glance toward Eleazar.


    "You don''t consider him a competition?" Asher questioned without looking back.


    "If he isn''t one now¡­ he won''t be then."


    Nero''s words made Asher and Kelvin chuckle. The scribe, on the other hand, shivered.


    Was this truly an eleven-year-old boy?!


    Nero was obsessed with training. As the last of BloodBlade lineage, the weight of legacy pressed heavily upon him. As a Titled Knight, he also had a mantle to keep.


    ''Training never ends.'' That was his motto, and it had worked for him. Now, as a Sacred-ranked knight, he could stand toe-to-toe with a saint, if only for a short while.


    This was a great feat considering fighting above ranks wasn''t that common. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Almost all the generals and commanders had reached their peak. A few like Nero, Eleazar, Paul and Adam were the future of the county.


    For now, some of them were nothing compared to the powerhouses like Aquila, Eritrea, Alex and Lambert, who had been at Asher''s side since the beginning. But in time, they would rise.


    "Where is Uriah?"


    Asher turned to Kelvin.


    "Over there." Kelvin pointed.


    Asher followed Kelvin''s finger and spotted the silhouette of a man perched atop a watchtower on the wall. A cloak draped over his shoulders, billowing slightly in the wind.


    "According to the report, he''s always up there, always watching," Kelvin continued. "Ever since his raven was killed, he merged with two red-tailed hawks and also reached the gold rank."


    "So he knows where our enemies are?"


    "Not exactly. They have a man with a certain talent¡ªsomeone who can pinpoint Uriah''s birds and have them killed. But he can still inform us when the enemy forces are on the move. Because of that, we have never been caught off guard."


    Asher hummed in approval. "How many men do we have now?"


    "Grand Aegis Legion consists of 20,000 Aegis Heavy Infantry, 4400 of them are fresh recruits. We also have 2000 Goshen Longbow Archers. The unit has increased to 3000 but 1000 remained stationed at the Goshen barracks¡­"


    Adjusting his monocle, Kelvin squinted at the paper in his hand and continued to read.


    "The Heavy Cavalry, the Bladebreakers, have 5000 cavaliers. There are also 2000 Stormbringer Archer Cavaliers and 200 mages."


    Kelvin breathed out. "That brings the total to 29,200 soldiers. If we include the Crimson Temple''s Dragon knights, we have 30,200."


    "Dragon knights?"


    "Lady Sapphira has awakened another talent, one believed to be linked to her origins. It''s the first summoner profession I''ve ever seen."


    "A summoner?"


    "Indeed. She summons a species of spirits called the predator dragonfly. They don''t need armor because it can develop a scale-like armor over their bodies when in a war state and they are permanently granted fairy-like wings."


    Asher narrowed his eyes. "And their strength?"


    "The scales are able to withstand blows from sacred-ranked weapons and also grant them the strength of a veteran diamond-ranked knight. In addition to their ability to fly and their shooting skills, they have been a major reason in preventing Count William from breaching the wall."


    "What else do you know?"


    Kelvin leaned back a bit, then coughed.


    "Once she breaks into the imperial rank, their ranks would increase."


    Asher narrowed his eyes further. ''This is a Zenith Grade talent¡ªno doubt about it!''


    "However, there''s a drawback," Kelvin continued. "She has to feed those spirits with her force and that hinders her growth. If she dies, her knights will all die once the fire which represents the energy dies. So, they make sure she''s safe. And as a fairy, she''s bound to live longer than all of us."


    "My Lord, your tent has been prepared!" Lambert''s voice called from afar.


    Asher nodded."Ah, I see. Let''s go."


    _____


    Later, Asher sat at his desk, scribbling notes about Sapphira''s abilities on a piece of paper. Kelvin would never lie to him so all he said was the truth.


    Which meant one thing¡­ Sapphira possessed a Zenith Grade talent!


    However, this wasn''t joyful news.


    He leaned back, staring blankly into thin air.


    The side effect of anyone with Zenith Grade talent was¡­


    Death!


    It gave them an incredible edge but it always came at the cost of life.


    With a heavy sigh, he dropped the ink pen. It was late. Several hours had passed since he sat down to write, think and analyze.


    His head ached so he glanced at his bed, considering rest.


    Boom!


    The ground trembled beneath him as an explosion ripped through the night!


    Without hesitation, he grabbed his swords and strapped them to his side before rushing out of the tent only to see flames rising into the night sky, engulfing the horizon.


    "The West Division is under attack!"


    Nero hovered behind him.


    "An attack?!" Asher''s voice was sharp. "When did our enemies breach the wall?!"

 Chapter 293 - 293: Hidden In The Fog

    Thud! Thud!


    Asher dashed toward the West Division, flanked by Nero and a dozen paladins who were guarding his tent.


    His mind raced with several thoughts, but his eyes never left the thick smoke billowing into the dark sky.


    As if that wasn''t enough, another explosion occurred, followed yet again by another, and another!


    A total of five tents erupted in fire, each explosion releasing a violent wave that blasted nearby soldiers, scorching the skins of the closest ones and wounding those farther away!


    Asher''s eyes widened. His right hand reached out, gripping Euodias. As he pulled his sword out, his speed increased.


    ''What is going on?!''


    _____


    Meanwhile, in the West Division, Paul, the General of the Goshen Longbow Archers, was on one knee, panting heavily.


    He was about to rush into that tent to awaken his men when the flames hit the tent and three others.


    Like the first, they all burst into flames. And like the first, everyone inside the tent was incinerated!


    The cause¡­


    A massive white tiger prowled toward him, its golden eyes locked into him. Behind it, hundreds of barbarians with bloodshot eyes and bloodthirsty aura clashed with the soldiers who were on guard and those who had managed to react in time.


    Unfortunately, the troops stationed in the West Division were the Goshen Longbow Archers, a long-range unit. Now, they were forced into close-quarters combat against melee force!


    And not just any melee soldiers¡ªbut warriors who had activated a troop talent called ''Berserk''!


    A troop talent that amplified their strength and regeneration.


    A deep, growling voice rumbled through the chaos.


    "Kill as many as you can. They''re filthy wastelanders, after all."


    The white tiger shimmered, transforming into a towering, broad-shouldered man with white hair and a short beard.


    Levi Tigris!


    Count William''s second son.


    He smiled at Paul as a barbarian threw a great sword which he grabbed effortlessly.


    Shing!


    Steel sang as he unsheathed the deadly weapon, dragging it against the ground as he closed the distance.


    Paul braced himself, expecting Levi to swing his weapon in a downward strike, and rolled left to evade¡­


    "Caught you!" Levi roared as flames exploded from his mouth!


    Paul crossed his arms, unleashing his full force as he rolled backwards, the heat searing his skin.


    Gritting his teeth, he exhaled sharply and suddenly sprung to his feet. But instead of facing Levi, he turned and fled!


    Seeing this, Levi let out a guttural laugh and breathed flames facing the sky. This time, the flames split into five curving downward, right toward Paul''s destination¡ªhis tent!


    Boom!


    Paul saw his rent reduce to an inferno right before his eyes.


    "General!"


    An archer burst from the darkness, carrying Paul''s bow and quiver in his hands.


    Levi''s eyes widened. He lunged forward, raising his sword and swinging it downward for a killing blow¡­


    But before he could, Paul kicked a short tree trunk straight at him.


    Levi was forced to halt and slashed through the wood with a single strike.


    By the time he split the trunk apart, Paul had laid his hands on his bow and scattered his arrows on the ground.


    Levi grinned. "Come! Let me see what an Ashbourne general can do?"


    While he yelled, two arrows arrived before his eyes. Tilting his head, Levi barely dodged them, but they scraped against his armor.


    Levi''s smirk faltered and eyes narrowed.


    Then¡ªhis eyes narrowed even further as he sensed that the arrows were coming back while three more were rushing toward him from the front!


    "You¡­!"


    He breathed flames again. The flames were so explosive that just upon contact with the arrows an explosion occurred.


    The blast resulted in a shockwave that flung both knights backwards.


    But as Levi tumbled through the air, two arrows pierced through the firestorm and planted themselves into his shoulder!


    Just between his breastplate and his pauldron.


    The pain only made him growl like a beast.


    The battlefield rang with the clash of weapons and the cries of men.


    Levi''s lips curled into a wicked smile.


    There was no doubt the barbarians were having the upper hand. With the Berserk talent in their hand, the barbarians had turned into relentless monsters, increasing their power and healing.


    But this talent wouldn''t last forever. They had to finish their mission and retreat before the effect of the talent wore off.


    _____


    "My Lord!"


    Nero stood before Asher who suddenly stopped running and stood in one spot for minutes!


    Nero looked at the worsened state of the West Division and then at Asher who instead of facing the burning West Division, was staring at the Great Dividing Wall.


    All of a sudden, Asher grounded his teeth as if a realization had struck him. "It''s a bait. The real target has been the wall all along!"


    "W¡­ what?!"


    "Find General Alec! Tell him to send the Grand Aegis unit to the walls¡ªNOW!"


    Sensing the urgency in Asher''s voice, Nero didn''t hesitate and shot off toward Alec''s tent at full speed.


    _____


    While this was going on, Uriah, the man always standing on the highest vantage point, frowned.


    For the last ten minutes, he had been watching something¡­ unnatural occur.


    It only dawned on him now that this wasn''t ordinary!


    At first, a strange fog enveloped the forest. But now, it had grown, spreading across the vast field, rising higher and higher¡ªup to the point where it was even taller than the walls!


    He had watched this fog grow to become something so monstrous. At first, it seemed like the night''s fog was drifting from the forest and since it started from the forest, he wasn''t suspicious.


    But something might be wrong.


    And suddenly, it hit him.


    This wasn''t natural!


    A chill ran down his spine.


    ''Is it a beast?''


    Suspicious, Uriah sent one of his red-tailed hawks into the fog. His eyes turned dull white as he shared its vision, watching it glide through the thick fog, unable to see anything beyond the swirling gray.


    Just as he was about to give up, the hawk suddenly burst into a clearer zone, where the fog thinned to a faint mist.


    His breath caught.


    He saw thousands¡ªperhaps tens of thousands¡ªof barbarians pushing siege towers!


    Over 15 trebuchets had been set and these siege towers, greatly better than the ladders they used were being pushed towards the Great Dividing Wall!


    One had to know that these siege towers built for him were a bit taller than the wall!


    Puchi!


    An arrow sliced past the red-tailed hawk''s right wing, shearing off some feathers with it!


    Alarmed, Uriah commanded the hawk to retreat. Heeding this life-saving command, the hawk shot upward, flapping its wings as hard as it could.


    More arrows whizzed past it, some far and some near.


    Some dangerously near too!


    Fortunately, it burst out of the fog, flew and swooped back to its master, perching on Uriah''s shoulder.


    Uriah turned to the Grand Aegis Heavy Infantrymen and Stormbringer Markswomen stationed on the wall. They stood there unaware of the horror advancing beneath the cover of the fog.


    "Blow the horn! Barbarians will soon reach our walls!!"


    The soldier inside the watchtower upon which Uriah stood grabbed a massive horn secured by thick wooden beams.


    He took a deep breath, his cheeks inflating, then blew with all his might.


    A deep, earth-shaking roar came out of the horn, echoing across the battlefield and alarming both the Ashbourne soldiers who were already in formation as they headed to the wall thanks to Asher''s prior orders and the barbarians who were inching closer to the wall!


    Then came the next threat. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After the roar of the horn died down, the fire-life eyes of the Ashbourne defenders reflected a terrifying sight¡ªmassive boulders wrapped in cloth, soaked in oil and set ablaze.


    Boom!


    Some slammed into the wall, sending debris and flames everywhere while others soared over, crashing into the camp behind!


    "Move!"


    Captains and commanders roared at the top of their voices as the priests summoned force fields to intercept the flaming boulders.


    But not all could be stopped. The places that were unfortunate were crushed by the boulder and fire took over, consuming everything in its wake!


    "To the wall!"


    Asher emerged from his tent, fully clad in Exodus, the Conqueror¡ªhis prized armor, forged from dwarven ore!


    With a solemn expression, he marched for the wall, leading a row of paladins, clad in their gleaming armours and flowing cloaks.


    He was led straight to the lift with some paladins and was taken up. The moment he reached the top, chaotic voices filled his ears.


    His eyes descended on a scene where Stormbringers shot lightning-packed arrows into the dense fog. When the arrow hit a barbarian, it would release a lightning blast and that would clear the fog, allowing the knights to see the dense population of barbarians they were to fight!


    Unfortunately, the fog swallowed the gaps almost instantly.


    "This fog is unnatural," Eleazar muttered at Asher''s side.


    "Indeed," Asher agreed. It was clearly a spell from a mage, a powerful one at that since it could cover over 3000 yards!


    Turning, he gazed at the Stormbringers Markswomen trooping into the walkway and taking positions.


    In a span of minutes, two thousand Markswoman lined the walls! The death toll among the barbarian side rose steadily¡ªuntil their siege towers finally burst out of the fog.


    Right before their wall!


    The Stormbringers swiftly retreated, making way for the Grand Aegis Heavy Infantrymen who planted their tower shields into the ground and pointed their spears at the towers in a solid formation.


    Boom! Boom! Boom!


    The doors of three siege towers that arrived at once fell, connecting the siege towers to the wall and barbarians poured out.


    In a swift motion, the Grand Aegis soldiers split their shield formation just enough to allow the Stormbringers who were on their knees to fire another deadly volley.


    The arrows pierced through the barbarians, throwing some of them off the plank.


    As the barbarians surged closer, the Grand Aegis soldiers closed the shield wall, thrusting their spears at the barbarians, in relentless waves, they impaled those who lunged toward them.


    Like a refined machine, the Grand Aegis soldiers cut down barbarians in droves. Their momentum kept increasing¡ªuntil something changed.


    A different set of barbarians stormed out.


    Like the others, they charged recklessly at the Grand Aegis men but were even more crazy as they jumped into the air, landing on the very spears that were meant to kill them!


    However, this time something was wrong.


    Their skins were hard to pierce through!


    Looking closer, one would notice that these men didn''t have normal skin tones.


    Their skins had a texture like that of a rhino!


    With terrifying strength, they swung their massive axes.


    The shield wall finally shattered.


    Chaos ensued.


    "Hahaha, kill these weak men!"


    A barbarian, towering at 7. 5 feet, considered a gaunt amongst his brethren, looked at the Aegis knight around him with a scoff and swung his cudgel.


    With a single swing, he sent the knights flying.


    But then, something flickered in the corner of his left eye.


    Before the barbarian could turn, someone had moved past him.


    Thud!

 Chapter 294 - 294: Spectacular Aim

    The barbarian collapsed to the ground, clutching his stomach as his pupils trembled at the sight of the golden-armoured man before him.


    Amid the chaos of clashing steel, Asher''s azure blade¡ªdistinct even among thousands of blades¡ªgleamed softly, its edge stained with crimson blood.


    A faint blue mist, too light to be taken seriously at first glance, hovered around the blade, exuding a subtle chill.


    Lifting his head, the barbarian met the piercing golden eyes hidden within the helmet with a crown at the top.


    Within the barbarian''s pupils, one could see the reflection of a slim barbarian with two short swords in his hand behind Asher.


    ''Kill him!''


    The hulking barbarian was about to grin when Asher, without so much as glancing back, plunged Euodias through the learning enemy behind him.


    The slim barbarian staggered, gasping, before tumbling off the wall.


    With a single step, Asher closed the distance and hovered above the huge barbarian¡ªwrapping his arms around the man''s neck and lifting him up with the intention of piercing his sword through him.


    Right at that moment, he sensed a scorching projectile hurtling toward him at a terrifying speed.


    Surely, it would slam where he stood!


    Asher squinted.


    When the boulder burst out of the fog, fully visible for all to see, Eritrea''s voice rang out, her eyes wide in shock and alarm.


    "My Lord!"


    Unfazed, Asher slashed the hulking barbarian before borrowing the same momentum to pivot and unleash a precise slash, splitting the boulder cleanly in two.


    Both halves of the boulder, frozen solid, crashed to either of his sides and tumbled off the wall!


    Then, he turned to meet Eritrea''s gaze.


    She smiled before swiftly turning and unleashing a volley of three constant arrows at once. Each of her shots soared over 500 yards, piercing through the armors of her targets and scorching them black!


    "Hold!"


    Alec''s roar pierced through the chaos. The general stood swinging his spear with familiarity, expertise, and great ease, reaping the lives of barbarians and slaying even gold- and diamond-ranked warriors alike while keeping a watchful eye on his troops.


    "Let Go!"


    The sheer number of barbarians was overwhelming, forcing Grand Aegis soldiers into a difficult position. Ale bellowed, and in unison, the soldiers took two steps backwards.


    "20 percent release!"


    All at once, 4000 Grand Aegis soldiers on the wall unleashed 20 percent of their battle force, strengthening their muscles, bones hardening and weapons gleaming with power.


    A faint mist hovered around the triangular heads of their spears.


    With renewed strength, they struck, their spears staining the battlefield red.


    After examining the wall, Asher realized the main problem wasn''t just the horde, it was the flaming boulders. They had ravaged sections of the wall''s walkway and worst, obliterated much of the camp!


    Dozens of flaming boulders had reduced tents to cinders, flaming spreading the land unchecked¡ªuntil Aquila took command.


    She raised a towering water octopus, its massive tentacles catching the boulders midair, extinguishing the boulder before letting them drop harmlessly to the ground.


    She remained suspended at the center of the elemental beast''s head, her hair billowing upward as her eyes glowed with a faint azure light.


    The giant octopus, nearly as tall as the wall, kept intercepting and quenching the fiery projectiles, preventing any further damage. Meanwhile, the Ashbourne trebuchets blew up the battlefield.


    Their brimstones killed any barbarian it touched!


    Unlike the barbarian trebuchets, which merely scattered fire, the Ashbourne weapon annihilated everything it touched, proving more lethal!


    Unfortunately, the enemy had adjusted. Their trebuchets shifted targets¡ªfrom the camp to the wall!


    Seeing this and the increase in siege towers, Asher strode toward a ballista.


    "Move aside."


    The soldiers hesitated, momentarily stunned, before quickly giving way for their lord.


    Asher seized the ballista, adjusting it with such speed that some of the soldiers feared it might throw him off. But Asher''s grip held it in place.


    He tilted the ballista slightly upwards and released three massive bolts.


    The bolts pierced through a trebuchet, 1600 yards away¡ªfar beyond the ballista''s typical range.


    The ballistic bolts destroyed the trebuchet, sending splinters flying. The boulder resting on it collapsed, destroying the trebuchet completely.


    "Reload!" Asher commanded.


    Two soldiers swiftly reloaded, locking in three more bolts. Asher turned the ballista toward another trebuchet.


    Boom!


    1600 yards away, the bolts struck their target, piercing through the thick wooden beams and embedding deep into the soil!


    "General!" A barbarian bellowed, forcing a white-haired man focused on the war to turn his head backwards.


    At that moment, another volley of bolts whistled through the air, piercing through another trebuchet, obliterating it!


    Cain Tigris frowned.


    Boom!


    Another trebuchet went down!


    His eyes widened.


    "Blow whoever is shooting those bolts into pieces!"


    But while the trebuchet controller crew struggled to adjust their aim, Asher continued his assault. One by one, the trebuchets crumbled¡ªuntil the last one was turned into ruins!


    Cain couldn''t believe it. Those trebuchets, all fifteen of them, were given to them by Archduke Nubis as a gift. And now, all of them had been wiped out, by one ballista!


    Who in the world was manning that ballista?


    "Levi has done his part. Let''s advance!" Determination flashed in Cain''s eyes as he charged towards the siege towers.


    Thousands of barbarians followed him, all of them filled with bloodthirstiness.


    "You''ve enraged them, My Lord."


    Eleazar said, eliciting a smirk from Asher before he drew Euodias.


    "Go after their siege towers."


    After saying that, Asher sprinted toward the nearest siege tower, where the barbarians had breached the Grand Aegis wall, ensuing blood and chaos on the battlefield.


    With a powerful leap, he wrapped his gauntlet-covered hand around a barbarian''s face and slammed his head into the hard stone! sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Clang!


    Another barbarian struck Asher''s armor with his clever, but the blade couldn''t even scratch Exodus. An azure glow¡ªthe reflection of Euodias¡ªwas the last thing the man ever saw as his head was severed!


    Mong with impossible speed for someone in heavy armor, Asher danced through the battlefield, cutting down barbarians effortlessly.


    Finally, when he had reached the edge of the plank, he turned toward Moses.


    Without needing to hear a word from Asher, Moses unleashed a wave of fire.


    Flames swallowed the siege tower in an instant, burning faster than anything they had ever seen.


    While this siege tower burned, a BloodBlade stood at the periphery of another siege tower, looking at the barbarians on the utmost floor¡ªthe one connecting to the wall.


    "Look, a stray knight," one of the barbarians chuckled.


    All of a sudden, sand began to gather at their feet, all the way from the ground!


    The sand was somehow manipulated to slither up the siege tower into the utmost floor!


    Boom!


    It burst apart, revealing the same BloodBlade standing in their midst.


    Some looked up, searching for him¡­


    But Nero was no longer there.


    He was now¡­ right among them!

 Chapter 295 - 295: The Sand Knight

    Swish! Swish!


    Nero swung his swords, their blades cutting through the barbarian''s hardened leather armour with ease.


    Before the first two bodies even hit the ground, he had already teleported several times. By the time the others fell, slain, he was elsewhere, only to reappear to kill again.


    Boom!


    The sand in the floor below erupted, revealing him. This time, even faster than the first. With each teleport, he cut through the charging barbarians, leaving behind only a thick, choking stench of blood in the siege tower.


    Their eyes narrowed upon noticing the dark shadow standing before the entrance, twin swords gleaming in the torchlight.


    A hulking barbarian forced his way to the front of the hesitant unit, his single eye burning with rage.


    "What are you waiting for, kill that¡ª!"


    Puchi!


    One of Nero''s swords pierced his forehead. His body hadn''t even hit the ground before Nero reappeared, yanking his blade free.


    The barbarians rushed and surged forward, swinging axes, khopesh, and swords. Unfortunately, Nero disappeared the next instant only to appear outside their encirclement.


    A fiery orange light flared from his blade. Energy surged through it, forming a radiant crescent sword light that slashed through the crowd, killing over a dozen men instantly!


    "AHH!"


    A sharp roar snapped Nero''s focus as a man leaped toward him. Without looking back, Nero blocked the axe, his back lowering due to the weight of the barbarian.


    The barbarian''s sheer weight had caught Nero off guard.


    However, he quickly swung his sword horizontally only for the barbarian to hook his sword with the axe before closing the gap between them and slamming his fist into Nero''s helmet, snapping his head back.


    The barbarian then released his grip on the axe, wrapped his thick arms around Nero''s waist and hoisted him up¡ªbefore throwing him over his head.


    Nero crashed into the sand.


    Dust rose up.


    The huge barbarian commander squinted through the haze, but couldn''t find Nero anymore. In the next moment, he sensed someone behind him but it was too late for him to react.


    "Argh!"


    A searing pain shot through his leg as Nero''s blade sliced the back of his knee. The next moment, his arm clamped the barbarian''s throat before flinging him over.


    With a grunt, Nero pinned the massive man off his feet and slammed him into the ground. The commander, traced in resistance, his muscles bulging, but Nero held him down with gritted teeth.


    The other barbarians charged out of the fog, aiming to intervene¡ªonly to be blasted away by an unseen force!


    From the same siege tower emerged men with steel-hardened muscles, overflowing cloaks and iconic round golden shields.


    A dozen of them trooped out, led by Eleazar.


    Crack!


    Nero twisted, finally snapping the barbarian commander''s neck.


    He then rose to his feet, staggering from left to right, his breath ragged. Rank-wise, he might have had the edge over the barbarian commander but that man was an experienced fighter!


    His skill and cunningness were praiseworthy.


    Turning, he saw the paladins in action. With precise efficiency, they deflected one strike and killed a barbarian with the other. At first, it seemed repetitive, but Nero soon realized they were changing their stances and posture to make sure their enemies were down in just two bouts!


    They first would receive a blow, and then strike in the very moment where it would be tough for the enemy to defend.


    They were like trained snakes, knowing how to inflict their venom, in this case, their spears into critical areas.


    Bodies piled up. Yet no barbarian could force these paladins to use more than two moves. The two most basic moves.


    Block and Attack!


    Nero pulled his sword from the ground. The deafening roar of thousands and the tremors beneath his feet signaled the incoming wave of enemies.


    "We should return to the wall."


    "Now!"


    Eleazar''s bellow cut through the chaos. He turned around and dashed for the siege tower, the other paladins following closely behind.


    From the fog, Nero saw barbarians burst out in overwhelming numbers.


    Alarmed, he teleported to the siege tower and held the door open, waiting for the paladins. The moment they jumped in, he slammed the door shut.


    Boom! Boom!


    The sound of heavy blows of barbarians hitting the door fell into their ears.


    "The stairs!"


    They began to climb the stairs. Just as they entered the upper floor, the sound of the door breaking fell into their ears.


    The door shattered the next moment and the thunder of barbarian heavy footsteps shook the walls of the siege towers as they furiously charged up.


    All of a sudden, it became a race.


    Suddenly, the moment the paladins reached the top, their demeanour changed and they turned sharply, forming a phalanx!


    Puchi! Puchi!


    The long silver spearheads shot forward, piercing deep into the first wave of barbarians before retracting.


    Deadly wounded and reeling, the barbarians stumbled back only to be met with brutal shield bashes that threw them against their comrades, resulting in a disorder. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Eleazar seized the moment. With a powerful strike, he shattered the floor beneath them!


    Both he and the paladins rushed off the siege tower¡­


    And there, right at the edge of the wall, stood Moses.


    The one-eyed flamethrower!


    Two large balls of flames swirling in his palms.


    Boom! Boom!


    The siege tower erupted in flames, collapsing and burying the trapped barbarians within!


    Roar!


    The terrifying roar of a tiger made them snap their heads to their right.


    To their shock, they discovered a massive white tiger tearing through the ranks of the Grand Aegis soldiers.


    With a single swipe of its paw, the Grand Aegis soldiers would be sent flying off the wall, vanishing into the dense fog below, into their demise!


    Cain.


    His golden eyes burned with fury as he let out a low growl, standing over Stormbringer. He had slain all the Grand Aegis soldiers around the Markswomen.


    He sensed a presence.


    Turning, his eyes clashed with that of a golden-armoured Swordsman racing toward him. All of a sudden, a white wolf climbed up the wall and the golden armoured man leaped, landing on the wolf''s back.


    The soldiers gave way, allowing the man to gallop towards him.


    ''Asher!''


    Cain''s eyes flickered.


    Without hesitation, he also raced towards Asher, leaping with both forelimbs outstretched, aiming to tear Asher apart¡­


    Unfortunately, Asher leaned down and swung his sword in an upward arc.


    A sharp sting tore through Cain''s body. When they separated, Asher''s gaze fell upon the bleeding tiger.


    Cain growled.


    Sirius unleashed a surge of crimson flames.


    Seeing the flames, Cain hesitated only for a split second before leaping off the wall, disappearing into the fog below.


    "Did he just kill himself?" Eritrea asked, lowering her bow after shooting down the last of the barbarians around her.


    Immediately after Cain''s fall, the barbarians retreated like the waves of the sea, disappearing back into the fog.


    Only the burning siege towers, fallen bodies and exhausted soldiers proved that a battle had occurred here not long ago.


    "We won¡­"


    "We won!"


    "Hahaha!!"


    Laughter rippled through the soldiers, but Asher remained still, staring at the fog with a grim expression.


    He knew¡­


    Cain wasn''t dead!

 Chapter 296 - 296: Beating Heart

    "Open the gate."


    Asher said, his voice calm.


    "OPEN THE GATE!"


    Moses bellowed at the top of his lungs, and the gates opened with a thunderous groan, allowing thousands of Bladebreakers to charge into the battlefield.


    They galloped forward like a tidal wave, lances thrusting and sweeping in deadly arcs. Barbarians fell, dropping like flies as they tried to run away.


    Asher watched as Lambert led the charge, bringing the Bladebreakers halfway through the battlefield before making a U-turn galloping back toward the gate.


    Tigris'' forces had taken a brutal hit¡ªAsher knew that much.


    But¡­


    Count William knew of his arrival faster than he had expected. Not only was he aware of Asher''s arrival, but he had also managed to procure high-ranking spell scrolls and siege weapons.


    Clearly, this wasn''t just a battle. The real target was him!


    Before Asher''s frown could deepen, Alec approached him. The massive knight''s armor was slick with blood.


    "My Lord!"


    He bowed his head.


    "I have a report. The West division succeeded in holding back those wild barbarians. General Paul was injured, and we lost 127 Archers in battle."


    Asher''s eyes narrowed.


    Losing so many archers was a heavy blow.


    "How many casualties on the enemy''s side?"


    "We''re not done counting. Levi Tigris fled with the remaining barbarians, but the Temple knights are after them."


    Asher turned. "Take me there."


    He wanted to see the state of the west division with his own eyes.


    Nero, Eleazar and two other paladins followed him as they made their way to the lift.


    Meanwhile, a fearsome battle erupted elsewhere.


    Sapphira gripped her hand tightly around her sword, clashing against a jotunn, a blue-skinned being even larger than an orc!


    Behind the Jotunn stood a blonde woman garbed in flowing black robes. Her hood had been pulled down, revealing sharp, calculating eyes.


    Before her eyes, the jotunn got hold of the heavy table from the centre of the tent and hurled it towards Sapphira. The fairy reacted instantly, sliding under the table, forcefully spinning on her knees and delivering a horizontal cut in a fluid motion.


    Her sword cut through the jotunn''s thick leather belt, which bore the gruesome trophy of a human skull!


    Roaring in fury, the jotunn swung down his axe in a devastating arc.


    Sapphira''s eyes narrowed.


    The next instant, her wings seemed to have flared to life, and then she moved.


    Swoosh!


    She then darted to the right, faster than the eye could follow, and before the jotunn could react, she slashed¡ªher sword carving deep into the jotunn''s right knee!


    "Argh!"


    The jotunn''s agonized shriek shook the tent, yet outside, no one could hear a thing!


    Seeing that the jotunn was losing, Liya''s eyes flickered, and ice rose up, locking Sapphira''s arms and legs in place.


    Liya smiled.


    The jotunn''s lips curled into a chuckle, his eyes darkening with a possessive gleam as he beheld the otherworldly beauty held down by the thick ice.


    Sensing the jotunn''s intentions, Liya ground her teeth. "Kill her."


    She snarled.


    Crack!


    Just as the jotunn raised his axe, fractures started appearing on the ice, and a white mist, shaped like a ghostly figure, erupted from Sapphira.


    Puchi!


    The jotunn gasped. Blood bubbled from his lips as he stared down at the sword that had pierced through him from the back, his eyes widened in disbelief.


    Behind him, there was another Sapphira. And the one trapped before his eyes, captured by the ice, just dissipated into thin air.


    Swish!


    Spikes of ice erupted from the ground, but Sapphira sliced them all effortlessly. Then, without hesitation, she surged forward, decapitating the jotunn before turning to face Liya.


    Swoosh!


    Like a phantom, she appeared before Liya, unleashing a swift, angular slash. Unfortunately, it missed¡ªLiya had vanished and reappeared near the tent''s exit.


    Her sudden appearance made the air distort, causing the tent''s flap to flutter.


    "Who are you, and what are you doing in his tent?!" S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Sapphira shot forth, thrusting her sword with the intention of piercing through Liya and pinning her to a beam.


    Clink!


    Her sword tip hit something metallic instead!


    A golden chest plate, to be exact.


    Sapphira''s pupils narrowed as she realized who stood before her.


    Asher!


    She had pointed her sword against Asher!


    Unaware of what had transpired, Asher had only wanted to walk past his tent towards the west division, but the movement of his tent''s flap caught his attention.


    Unbeknownst to him, that was also when Liya appeared there.


    Sapphira quickly retrieved her sword while Asher scanned his tent, which was now in shambles.


    Removing his helmet, he raised an eyebrow at her.


    "I sense a spell."


    His deep voice resonated in Sapphira''s ears.


    She turned but didn''t see the jotunn''s corpse.


    Was that dark mage trying to frame her?


    "I sensed a foul energy in your tent, so I followed it and discovered a dark mage. I apologize for destroying your tent, My Lord."


    Sapphira lowered her head.


    Looking at the dirt on her gown, the sweat beading on her neck, and the slight tremor in her stance as she bowed her head, Asher''s gaze softened, and he lowered his brow.


    "I can sense it, too. Whoever you fought against left the moment I touched the flap. But right now, I am more concerned about the county''s priestess."


    He took two steps forward, taking Sapphira''s left hand.


    "Are you alright?"


    Sapphira couldn''t come up with a response. Inwardly, her shock knew no bounds, even resulting in slight shyness, a trait she had never known in her life!


    The intensity of the fight against the jotunn became a child''s play as her heart pounded against her ribcage.


    The reason for her feeling this was because Asher''s other hand reached out for her chin and lifted her head.


    Their eyes met.


    Sapphira''s pupils shook.


    Inside Asher''s golden gaze, she couldn''t find the kind of desire other men had, but it was clear¡­ he wanted her!


    As she came to this conclusion, Sapphira felt her knees grow weak.


    She couldn''t believe what was going on in her body. Although she did find Asher appealing, considering their age difference and her sense of discipline, Sapphira thought she would never react like this.


    It was as if all her defences and sense of authority had melted away.


    The rapid beating of her heart, his soft touch and his beautiful golden eyes filled her senses.


    "I¡­ I''m alright."


    She barely managed to utter.


    _____


    Boom!


    A glass cup shattered, its shards sprinkling onto the ground with soft sounds that fell into the ears of the infuriated woman.


    Liya''s piercing blue eyes burned with vengeance.


    "Asher Ashbourne." she seethed, grinding her teeth.


    Through the hidden mirror inside the tent, she watched the two of them¡ªher fury growing with each passing moment.

 Chapter 297 - 297: A Dream

    "My Lord!"


    A voice called from outside the tent, and Asher halted. With a refined cough, he turned and headed for the tent''s entrance. Although still flustered, Sapphira followed him as she could hear the commotion outside.


    Just as Asher stepped out, he saw the Temple servants holding down a white-haired man who kept struggling against their grip, but it was futile¡ªthese knights, possessed by spirits, were far stronger than any ordinary ones.


    Their dark, scaly dragonfly armor was imposing and coupled with their reinforced dragonfly wings; these knights didn''t seem human at first glance.


    Levi''s gaze locked onto Asher''s before shifting to Sapphira. His pupils dilated the moment he laid eyes on her.


    Sapphira''s eyebrows furrowed.


    "Destroyer of Men. A pleasure to meet you."


    Nero''s eyes widened.


    Such blatant disregard for his lord dug deep into his bones.


    The sound of his heavy footsteps fell into Levi''s ears, and before the second son of Count William could react, a fist covered in exquisitely forged metal gauntlet slammed into his face with brutal force.


    The blow was so strong that it forced Levi from the Temple knights'' grip, burying his face into the soil.


    As Levi lifted his head, dirt and sand dropping from his hair, he caught sight of a soldier approaching¡ªtaller, broader, and more formidable than the others.


    His cloak fluttered, revealing his muscular arms laced with scars. A golden helmet covered most of his face, only revealing his piercing, cold eyes.


    "Don''t touch him, Levi."


    Asher''s command felt like a supernatural force that calmed the rippling in a lake.


    Renowned for his strength amongst the paladins and undeniable loyalty, Levi turned his head, gazed at Asher for a split second and then took a step back.


    "Another Levi? And here I thought that I was the only Levi in these parts." Levi Tigris spat out dirt and salvia.


    Then, he turned to Asher.


    "Release me, and I''ll have my father spare your life."


    "You?" Asher said, stepping forward.


    Levi revealed a broad smile. "You doubt me?"


    Asher shook his head. "Not at all." He crouched, meeting Levi''s gaze. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "On the contrary, I do think you have a use¡­"


    Levi''s smirk deepened¡ªuntil Asher rose to his feet.


    " ¡­ And that is to be used as a bargaining token for an alliance with House Mormont."


    Levi''s eyes widened.


    "How dare, you filthy Wastelander!" Before he could finish, the knights closed his mouth shut.


    Asher turned to the scribe standing behind the knights and was watching the scene.


    "Prepare a letter and send an envoy to deliver it to House Mormont."


    "My Lord¡­" Sapphira''s voice made Asher pause, his brows raised in curiosity.


    "You can''t send just any envoy to House Mormont."


    "She''s right." Eritrea, standing by the side with her arms crossed, added.


    Asher turned to Simon. "Can you deliver the message?"


    "Perfectly." Simon bowed, pressing his folded palm against his chest.


    Asher nodded.


    "Also¡­ send my greetings to my sister."


    _____


    A few hours later, Asher stood atop the Great Dividing Wall, his fur-padded cloak and hair fluttering in the wind as he watched the paladin ride away.


    Dust trialed the path of the rider and his horse as they approached the looming dark forest ahead, the faint starlight barely illuminating their path.


    Yet, all Asher could think of was Mary''s reply.


    The night seemed to have stretched endless as he stood there, two paladins flanking his side at a respectful distance, about a dozen steps away.


    Tapk! Tapk!


    Footsteps fell into his ears, causing him to turn his head to the right.


    He squinted upon seeing the black-haired woman clad in her priestly white garment approach. Without her armour, with her hair untied, she looked like she had just stepped into this world from a different one.


    "Stunning," he muttered, the words escaping before he could stop it.


    Sapphira blinked. "Indeed, the night sky is the best thing there is."


    Asher glanced up at the sky, littered with shining stars, before turning his gaze to the enchanting woman beside him.


    "Those stars are far away, locked in a world of their own while we can only gaze. I''d rather admire the one that is close to me."


    Sapphira chuckled. "And how do you want to do that?"


    She glanced at him, her eyes curious.


    Without hesitation, Asher wrapped his arms around her waist, drawing her close. Their eyes met, and for a moment, neither spoke.


    Sapphira could only blink, caught in the moment.


    Then, with a light smile, Asher let go of her, his fingers trembling gently from his own boldness.


    Exhaling softly, he turned to face the field beyond the wall.


    "Alec told me that you stand here every night, staring at the sky. I wanted to see what could attract my priestess so much."


    Sapphira leaned against the bulwark. "Then we can watch it together."


    For a moment, they both gazed at each other; one clad in a thick fur-padded cloak that went all the way to his heel, while the other only in a flowing gown with wide sleeves at the hem.


    A dozen meters away from them, paladins stood at attention, their spears pointing skyward and their shields covered by a bluish hue, a result of the dim starlight.


    "I don''t recall seeing that on you before," Sapphira nodded as she looked at the sword poking out of Asher''s cloak.


    Following her eyes, Asher glanced at the crimson hilt.


    "It''s a sword I got from the spirit world. I pulled it from the depths of a sea called the Red Sea."


    Sapphira frowned slightly. "I can feel an unfriendly force from it."


    Asher chuckled. "Ithamar isn''t a friend."


    "As a Swordsman, your swords should be your companion, a partner that has endured life or death encounters. It builds a bridge between you and that weapon, birthing the spirit of swordsmanship¡ªan extension of yourself forged through battle. But, all your swords seem to want to do is kill you."


    Asher smiled. As the wind blew his hair, its cool, refreshing feeling washing over him, he said, "There will come a day when these very swords will fight on my behalf. A day where they will submit."


    Sapphira fluttered her long eyelashes several times as she studied him. "Subduing weapons as special as yours will take more than just a powerful rank, it would take an unshakable will."


    "I know." His voice was quite certain. "I only pray that you will be by my side when that day comes. Because I can sense that it won''t be far from now."


    Before Sapphira could respond, a soldier walked up to them and bowed his head.


    "My Lord, there is word from Baroness Katarina. She has had a dream."

 Chapter 298 - 298: Preparations

    Asher and his generals all sat around a round table, staring at the scribe who was done reading the letter with different expressions.


    One thing was evident in their expressions¡­


    Disbelief!


    "A dragon?!"


    Paul exclaimed. Others understood why the general would react in such a manner. The dread of a dragon!


    The most powerful mythical species in the legends. Creatures that existed in the First Age and Second Age. They died after the fall of the Second Age, and at the birth of the Dark Age, all of the dragons and other mythical beasts like the Firebird and much more went into extinction.


    Many said, since they absorbed an enormous amount of force, Abyss force eventually corrupted them leading to their shortened lifespan, stumped procreation and in the end¡­ death!


    It was one of the reasons Mythical beasts, the ones that remained, had contracts with men, disconnecting their unreserved connection to the world and attaching it to man.


    That way they lived longer but weaker than their predecessors.


    "Is this a joke? Was her letter messed up by someone?" Lambert said, his expression filled with disbelief and slight anger.


    "A dragon." Aquila muttered under her breath, Eritrea kept silent while Sapphira was deep in thought.


    Alec sighed.


    "My Lord, what do you think?"


    Asher lifted his head from the letter. "Lady Katarina''s dreams have never been proven false. She speaks the truth and it would be foolish to ignore."


    Everyone swallowed their reservations after hearing this.


    "And she mentioned a wyvern." Asher added.


    "But my lord. Even a wyvern will be able to rip my armoured unit apart and its breath could kill any of us seated here. It''s well known that a fully grown wyvern can kill saints."


    A grave look took over everyone''s faces. Even Sapphira had a change of expression.


    "Katarina said she saw only one wyvern and it would be a blue frost wyvern. I''ll handle it. The rest of you focus on dealing with the other part of the prophecy¡­ Count William''s entire army."


    "We''ve been at war with the count for over two months. Why is he suddenly utilizing all his troops?" Sapphira muttered out loud.


    "I am the reason."


    Asher looked at her and then at the others. "Tomorrow, we will face an army of 56,000 barbarians in the field. Tigris Black Tiger Cavalry, a wyvern and some other secrets which even Katarina couldn''t gain access to."


    The weight of this war sank deeply into the generals. Losing could mean the destruction of the wall and the fall of the county and even when they win, there would be severe losses.


    However¡­ they had to win or die on the battlefield or even worse be bound in chains and become slaves for the rest of their lives.


    Ashbourne County was a safe haven for them and only until now did it dawn on them.


    Lambert ground his teeth. His cavalry had always crushed their foes with little to no damages but this time they would face the fearsome barbarians.


    Men born to mount horses!


    And the black tiger cavalry. The most elite cavalry that had fought against the strongest cavalry in the north.


    The Mormont cavalry!


    "What is the plan?" Eritrea leaned forward, placing his hand on the table.


    Nero took a step forward, and laid a large map on the table.


    "A masterpiece drawn by Uriah. It contains an overview of the field, the entire Wildlands until the borders."


    Asher rose up pointing at areas he spoke about. "Our army will build a wall before the forest. In the baroness vision we fought on our wall and lost so we shall face them on the field. The space on the wall is limited and if it falls, those behind would also die. Hence the wall would be the reason for our loss."


    "Fighting in the field puts us at an obvious disadvantage, my lord. The wall covered our weakness but the field won''t." Paul said.


    "It''s the only way to win, General." Alec retorted.


    "My Lord, the Grand Aegis Heavy Infantrymen will hold the frontline. We should be able to hold back the barbarian horseman despite their numbers."


    "How about we stretch the shield wall to cover the width of the field?" Aquila suggested.


    "It would break. We should concentrate on building a moving domain."


    Sapphira suggested right after.


    Everyone turned to her.


    Seeing this, she chose to continue. "The Grand Aegis shield wall should be large enough to contain the rest of the troops inside. While the others, like you, my lord, your personal troop and the cavalry would remain behind, watching from the rear."


    "A dome shaped domain?" Alec asked.


    "A rectangular one should have more space for the archery units. Archers should be the best to deal with the barbarian horsemen."


    "They won''t be able to touch us but we''ll be able to reduce their numbers." Eritrea nodded softly.


    "It''s a good plan but we haven''t considered commanding knights like Cain, the Count''s first son, known to be the strongest knight in their army under the saint rank. Enos, barbarian general with a talent that allows him to create a stronger version of himself. He''s a saint-ranked barbarian and his other self is much stronger! Lastly, the count himself."


    Alec puffed out.


    "The count has never fought before so we don''t know his combat ability but he won''t be weak." S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Asher picked up a cup and drank half the content. "We shall find out tomorrow. Make sure the men examine their armor, sharpen their swords and get proper rest. Tomorrow will decide the fate of our land."


    Thud!


    He dropped the cup.


    ¡­


    After the meeting, Asher went to his tent and sat crossed legged. He began the breathing exercise until he sank into the realm of meditation.


    Several hours later, he opened his eyes, feeling refreshed and with great vigor. He lowered his head to his palm burning with crimson flames.


    ''Finally, I have access to synergy once more. But this flame¡­ it''s the one that burns the soul. The Nether Flames, grantor of true death.''

 Chapter 299 - 299: It Has Begun

    At the break of the next day, when the fog was thick and the air damp, the massive gate groaned open, and thousands of Ashbourne soldiers marched onto the field.


    Two months of relentless battles had brought an end to almost every grass on the field. Some areas had developed scorched craters, remnants of trebuchet bombardments.


    Their armours clinked as they marched. After thousands of infantry and archers had exited the entrance, horses neighed, and Lambert''s cavalry followed in perfect formation.


    The next unit after Lambert''s cavalry were the paladins, the most formidable unit composed entirely of sacred-ranked knights!


    It was common knowledge that Asher''s generals were all at the sacred rank, except for Sapphira, who stood half a step away from reaching the imperial rank.


    In the entire county, only Asher and Sapphira bore the title of Saints.


    Clad in his gleaming golden armour, Asher rode at the forefront of the paladins.


    Above them, hundreds of Temple Servants soared, led by the Sapphira herself.


    This imposing array of Asher''s army made Duke Mormont and Archduke Nubis raise an eyebrow.


    From the comfort of their grand castles, both the dukes observed the spectacle through the hovering portal created by a special class of mages known as The Messengers.


    Unlike the conventional mages, who mastered offensive and defensive spells, these specialists wielded spatial elements. It allowed them to open portals, transporting them across long distances or even opening more portals.


    Unlike other mages, their only focus was to meet the needs of their lords.


    These messengers were hidden under cloaking spells, watching the march. Through the portals opened beside them, the dukes could see the Ashbourne troops.


    In Mormont castle, Duke Ohad Mormont sat on his throne, his eyes slightly narrowing as he beheld the elite troops advancing across the battlefront and toward the forest.


    Seated on the long table below his throne were his two sons and only daughter, along with Mary.


    None of them, not even Mary, could believe that such an army had emerged from the wastelands!


    On the other hand, Archduke Nubis frowned deeply.


    "It''s a good thing that you had Count Wyvern agree to send one of his wyverns," he murmured. "The Count of the wastelands is a shrewd man who has been deceiving other noble houses all this while. To have built an army of this scale¡­ he must have already been planning for war from the start."


    Vladimir Nubis, Archduke Nubis''s first son¡ªa cripple, yet sharp in wit¡ªspoke softly, his words dripping with venom. Although despised by his father for being a cripple and living in the shadows of his younger brother, he still had his value.


    "As soon as the wyvern appears, this battle will be over."


    Archduke Nubis'' declaration carried a chilling finality.


    While the dukes watched, Asher''s troops stopped 300 yards away from the forest and swiftly began to set up their formation.


    As the Grand Aegis soldiers went into position, the sound of thousands of heavy footsteps, that of men and of horses, fell into their ears.


    In no time, barbarians emerged from the forest''s depths, their bodies marked with red, blue and black war markings.


    With various tattoos on their bodies and different kinds of weapons, they flooded out of the forest like a tide of ants!


    Cain, riding his black tiger, chuckled at the ridiculous sight of his foes. Compared to their barbarian horde, the Ashbourne soldiers seemed pitiful, and what made it even worse was their stupid decision to abandon the safety of their walls.


    From where he sat, he could see them standing hundreds of meters away, standing tall with their tower shields and their cloaks billowing in the cold morning air. Cain could only imagine how much of Tiberias''s treasury Asher had drained to equip such an army.


    He ground his teeth.


    The growl of a tiger from behind made him turn. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    His father, Count Ira, had arrived, riding a massive black tiger with white stripes. Beside him, Enos sat atop a muscular horse, reputed to be the fastest in all of the Wildlands.


    "There he is." Count William''s voice was steady, his gaze fixed on Asher and his forces that were far behind the main Ashbourne army.


    "Send the word," he ordered. "Release my son Levi, and I will consider sparing your lives¡ªand that of your family. Refuse, and this county will burn."


    Without hesitation, Cain sent an envoy. The rider had barely made it towards the Ashbourne army before a crackling arrow, charged with lightning, slit the air.


    The shot struck the envoy''s house. The horse collapsed mid-air, and the envoy was sent flying through the air, crashing violently across the ground, leaving a trail of craters in his wake as he slammed across the land a couple of times.


    Then, a single command followed.


    "Fire!"


    The Markswomen and the Goshen archers released their drawn bows, sending armour-piercing arrows soaring into the fog-covered sky.


    These arrows, however, were no ordinary projectiles. Some glowed with blue lightning, while others blazed with orange flames as they reached their peak before arching downward only to fall like deadly raindrops.


    "Charge!"


    Enos roared as his men fell like flies. The explosive impact of the arrows also sent their bodies and debris flying, plunging the battlefield into chaos.


    "Kill!"


    The barbarians'' horsemen raised their khopesh high.


    Rumble!


    They surged forward, kicking up dirt as they thundered towards the Ashbourne soldiers in great numbers.


    More volleys of arrows rained down from the sky like an endless storm that reaped lives by the hundreds¡ªboth men and their mounts collapsing under the onslaught.


    "Nock, lift, aim¡­"


    Paul drew his bow to its limit.


    "¡­ Fire!"


    Thwack! Thwack!


    Their bowstrings snapped while the arrows streaked into the ranks of their enemies, knocking some riders clean off their horses.


    Meanwhile, Paul''s three arrows danced across the battlefield, killing nonstop until the arrows were caught midair by a giant barbarian.


    They actually got stuck in his tough skin, but he remained standing.


    "Here they come! Shields!"


    Alec''s shout rang out. The heavy infantry slammed their shields into the ground before aiming their long spears at the incoming cavalry.


    "Brace yourselves!"


    Standing in the heart of the formation, Alec scanned left and right, ensuring that his men were ready to face the enemy.


    "Strengthen your feet, concentrate on your enemies!"


    Through the narrow gap in the shield wall, he saw the cavalry upon them. The earth rumbled as if announcing their imminent arrival.


    "Our wall does not fall¡ªnot to the barbarians! Hold!!!"


    His roar was the last thing before the cavalry clashed with the Grand Aegis Heavy infantry.


    The ruthless spears of the Grand Aegis Heavy Infantry pierced with ruthless precision the horses and riders alike, filling the air with screams and the scent of blood.

 Chapter 300 - 300: The Shadow Rider

    High above the battlefield, two red-tailed hawks soared above the fog. From their vantage point, the ground seemed like a sea of shifting shadows. But the moment the hawks took a steep dive downward and broke through the layers of the fog, the true chaos unfolded¡ªclanging of steel, cries of men and explosions filled the once peaceful atmosphere.


    "The wall holds!!"


    Commanding General Alec''s voice booed as he retrieved his spear in one swift, seamless motion and thrust it forward again.


    With each thrust, he could feel his spear''s blade piercing into flesh.


    Boom! Boom!


    Loud sounds fell into his ears, a result of the forceful efforts of the barbarians trying to break the shield wall.


    Alec''s soldiers dug in; their feet shuffled on the soil as they struggled to hold the barbarians'' relentless assault, thrusting their spears with brutal efficiency.


    This battle was a contest of strength and endurance. Alec had no idea how long had passed, for he knew that a minute was like an hour in intense battles like this.


    Sweat poured down, soaking their undergarments while their eyes remained glued on their targets even as their veins bulged with effort and muscles were pressed against the metal plates.


    "Hold!"


    Each time Alec roared, he could see some of his men who had slowly begun giving up reignite with strength.


    He commanded. He fought. He monitored. He strategized. All at the same time.


    Yet his eyes remained steady, and his movements were in sync.


    This formidable general had mastered a strange, self-taught technique of the six senses! This technique allowed him to be able to do different things like separate a part of his senses to think, to fight, and to monitor his men!


    Enos, riding along the periphery of his troop, noticed this.


    ''The strength of these troops lies in their General. Humph!''


    A black mist seeped from his body, twisting and splitting until it formed another figure¡ªa perfect duplicate of himself atop a horse.


    They had the same hairstyle, the same stance, and even seemed to be riding the same horse.


    The only difference between the two was that this other figure was like the darkness of the night, and his tattoos were glowing purple.


    Even his khopesh burned with an eerie purple light.


    Rumble!


    The shadow rider surged forth, tearing his way through the battlefield. Sometimes, he made his mount jump over other barbarian riders and performed feats that even the most seasoned warriors would deem impossible.


    A trail of dirt and dust rose in the shadow''s wake.


    From the battlements, Asher, along with Sapphira, Aquila and Lambert, noticed the powerful rider charging toward the wall.


    Asher''s gaze sharpened.


    "It''s Enos," Sapphira said urgently. "His shadow is impervious to swords and any sharp weapons we can think of. It''s even physically stronger than Enos himself. I''m afraid General Alec can''t win this battle."


    Asher knew she wanted him to send her and the Temple Servants to the frontlines to offer aid.


    But that would be reckless. The battle had only just begun. Throwing all his cards down before giving Alec a chance would be unwise.


    "Wait¡­" Asher said softly.


    Although concerned, the generals could do nothing but just watch as the shadow approached the wall.


    While others spoke, Alec suddenly caught sight of a foreign figure made of darkness itself heading straight toward him.


    "Earth mages!" he roared.


    The mages behind the archers began to chant spells before they slammed their staffs against the earth. A subtle ripple flowed outward as soon as the staff hit the soil.


    In the next moment, over a hundred earthen spikes, hard enough to pierce through steel and a few inches taller than a fully grown man, erupted out from the ground.


    Dust rose, and the great sounds and shouts ceased. In just a moment, the entire battlefield had fallen silent.


    When it settled, the Grand Aegis soldiers peered through the gaps in the shield walls only to see that the barbarians they had been fighting before were all impaled to death by the jagged stones!


    Alec closed his eyes and breathed out deeply, but in that instant, he heard the unmistakable sound of hooves hitting the ground.


    Swoosh!


    A shadow rider burst out of the fog.


    Seeing this, Alec didn''t hesitate and dashed forward, smashing through the wall as he went¡ªbut he didn''t seem to care.


    The shadow rider''s khopesh slashed downward. Alec blocked the blow, but the curved end of the khopesh hooked onto the shield, ripping it from his arm and flinging it far out of reach.


    Alec didn''t hesitate and retaliated by unleashing a sweeping strike, his strength so powerful that it sent the shadow''s horse crashing to the ground!


    Before the shadow could react, Alec was already above it, his spear raised, about to plunge down and strike the enemy.


    Unfortunately, the shadow reached out for his ankle and hurled him across the battlefield.


    Boom!


    Alec crashed against an earthen spike before landing on one knee.


    With a single leap, the shadow was before him once again, his khopesh descending to cleave Alec into two halves.


    Gritting his teeth, Alec threw himself to the side and drove his spear at the shadow''s fourth rib at that very moment. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The impact forced the shadow to retreat as he staggered.


    At the rear of the barbarian forces, Enos clutched his rib, grunting as blood stained his lips.


    "That cursed knight!" He spat, his eyes turning bloodshot.


    Seizing the moment, Alec rose to his feet and closed the gap between them¡­


    But at that moment, the shadow, as if waiting for him, spun before slamming a powerful punch to his face.


    The power of the punch sent Alec to his knees, yet with nothing but sheer resilience and will, he raised his spear and blocked the khopesh''s follow-up strike.


    Clang! Sparks flew as their weapons clashed, their eyes locked in a fierce battle.


    "Argh!" Alec roared, shoving the shadow away.


    While he was breathing heavily, the shadow, still relentless, closed in again.


    This time around, Alec could feel it¡ªthe ground rumbling beneath his feet.


    Thousands of barbarians were coming. The second wave!


    Knowing that he had no time, he grabbed the shadow''s khopesh and ground his teeth hard.


    "Enos, come face me yourself!" he bellowed.


    He slammed his head into the shadow''s forehead. The impact sent the dark figure staggering backwards for a few metres before it collapsed and dissolved into nothing.


    On the other hand, Enos suddenly fell off his horse. His warriors rushed toward him¡ªonly to find his eyes rolled black and blood trickling down from his nose.


    He was unconscious!


    "He survived!" Sapphira muttered, her eyes narrowing as she watched Alec retrieve his weapons and walk toward the wall.


    Behind him, thousands of barbarians emerged from the fog, some mere meters behind.


    "The power of a half-giant should never be underestimated, Lady Sapphira," Asher remarked.


    "True," Aquila replied, watching the scene unfold. "But if he doesn''t reach the line fast, the barbarians will overrun him. And if the Grand Aegis move out to help their commander, the wall will be destroyed."

 Chapter 301 - 301: Its Here

    Huff! Huff!


    Alec''s ragged breathing made his men feel anxious. They needed just one command to rush to his aid, but Alec remained adamant.


    The rumbling grew worse, and the ground beneath them trembled.


    Turning his neck, Alec spotted the barbarian riders closing in fast; their khopesh raised high.


    Their long black hair whipped in the wind as they rode, their faces looking hideous with the different swirling patterns of tribal markings.


    "He''ll die! Break the wall!" a captain roared.


    Just at that moment, Stormbringers leaped over the Heavy Infantrymen, releasing three lightning-packed arrows.


    Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!


    Alec could feel the air itself vibrate as the arrows zipped past him. The first row of barbarian riders fell, their horses tumbling in a chaotic tangle! sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This fall resulted in a series of chaos in the ranks of the riders.


    Stormbringers kept unleashing volley after volley, thinning the horse until Alec reached the wall.


    The sharp metals scraped the soil as the Grand Aegis soldiers moved their shields, opening passages for the Stormbringers and Alec to swiftly rush in.


    "Close the wall!"


    Boom!


    The wall sealed up just as the barbarian riders were upon them, their spears bristling akin to the spikes on a porcupine but not as dense.


    However, this time around, the barbarians changed tactics. They made a sudden turn instead of crashing against the barrier, creating a great dust fog.


    And from the swirling dust fog emerged giant barbarians!


    They towered over the battlefield¡ªdozens of them, each a foot taller than even the seven-foot-tall Grand Aegis soldiers!


    Wielding massive axes, attached firmly to their forearms by a dirty cloth, they struck their axes downwards.


    Clang!


    No matter how mighty they looked, the axes couldn''t cleave through the shield, but the power behind the blow sent the Grand Aegis soldiers reeling. Some dropped to their knees. Others were flung backwards!


    Arrows swooshed out, but only a few of the giants were hit. The others swung their axes recklessly, slamming the Ashbourne soldiers out of their formation.


    "Break!"


    Alec''s voice rang out, and the wall shattered. The Grand Aegis soldiers stopped being stationary targets, and they picked up their shields before advancing.


    "Second wall!"


    About 200 Grand Aegis soldiers who had formed the first wall engaged the giants while the others reformed the wall.


    They watched as their comrades fought the giants¡ªonly to be consumed by the relentless tide of barbarian riders.


    Some soldiers closed their eyes, clenching their teeth hard. They knew those men were sacrificed to preserve the formation.


    Alec, still on his knees, looked at the healer. The man gave a single now.


    This meant he was now ready to fight.


    Although he was not at his peak strength, it didn''t matter.


    "We hold until the wyvern reveals itself. We hold until our breath ceases¡­" he muttered while walking towards the frontline.


    His grip tightened.


    "For Ashbourne!"


    His voice shook the battlefield.


    "For Ashbourne!!!"


    Hundreds of meters away, Asher watched it unfold.


    After the first wave of soldiers lost their lives, the second wave followed.


    The barbarians kept sending the giants, and for every 200 Ashbourne soldiers who perished, twice as many of Count William''s army died.


    But from the look of things, it didn''t seem like Count William would even bat an eye if all the barbarians died.


    The fact they hadn''t yet seen the price made Asher realize that the barbarians had been given the most enticing promise.


    The promise of women, riches and land!


    The barbarians saw his people as their prizes, so no matter how much they lost, the barbarians believed they would restore everything once they had conquered and had his people under their control.


    Bezerk neighed softly.


    Asher turned to the white wolf resting beside him.


    "Sirius."


    The wolf met his gaze. Rising to his feet, his force flared from his body, and his form expanded until he towered 14 feet tall!


    With a low growl, Sirius traversed the distance in a single bound, leaping over the wall. The moment his paws landed on the ground, flames erupted from his mouth, engulfing the nearest barbarian giants in flames.


    The enemy riders who were making a turn, expecting things to be the same, were shocked to see the giant wolf standing in the midst of their burning men.


    Sirius''s right eye was locked onto them, while his left remained shut, making the scar across it more visible.


    "Is that¡­ Sirius?" Mary''s voice shook as she stared at the once blue-eyed wolf she caressed in the fields of Silverleaf.


    That wolf in her memories was nothing like the feral beast who was turning men into human torches. That Sirius had been gentle.


    The sight of this Sirius alone made her fingertips cold.


    "An Ashbourne pet beast."


    Ohad Mormont squinted, his expression turning solemn. The presence of a pet beast this powerful meant only one thing.


    House Ashbourne had risen!


    Yuna was startled. Since Asher was younger than Mary, she had never seen him the way Mary always used to describe him, but the sight of Sirius ripping barbarian riders apart had now changed her point of view.


    This wolf was nothing like the one Mary had!


    This wolf was like a beast that had emerged from the wild forged in the battle of survival, while Mary''s wolf was like a cherished pet that had never been exposed to battle.


    Grr!


    Sirius'' deep growl reverberated through the battlefield. His claws sank deep into the soil, his eyes gleamed, and in the blink of an eye, he was upon a barbarian rider.


    Seeing Sirius bringing down the formation of the riders, the Grand Aegis soldiers broke their formation and dashed into the battlefield.


    Puchi!


    Barbarians were pierced and thrown off their horses. And as the battle raged on, the barbarian unit slowly fell into shambles!


    The Grand Aegis soldiers, alongside the archery unit clad in their impressive armor, had the advantage in battle. Although many fell in their ranks, the barbarians suffered greater losses.


    The best way to make a cavalry useless was to rob them of their speed. With their momentum broken, the barbarians became nothing more than stationary targets!


    "Black Tiger Cavalry, Advance!!" Count William roared.


    Rumble!


    Cain and Enos, who had been healed by Sofia by now, charged alongside Count William. Their ferocious black tigers raced through the plains, heading for the chaotic battlefield.


    Asher lifted his right hand, his fingers curled into a fist.


    Then, he suddenly opened his hand and tilted his palm towards the battlefield.


    A horn blast echoed from the walls. Lambert rode away on his side, riding toward his unit.


    The Bladebreakers charged into the battlefield, their cloaks and plumes fluttering in the wind as their muscular horses left dust in their wake.


    Swoosh!


    Aquila also vanished, leaving only Asher and Sapphira behind.


    "The wyvern still hasn''t ¡ª!" Nero''s words were abruptly cut off as the unmistakable sound of wings flapping fell into their ears.


    Then, a roar followed.


    It was here!

 Chapter 302 - 302: Monstrous Wolf

    Roar!


    Asher lifted his head, his eyes gazing at the dark silhouette looming in the clouds, heading for the battlefield. Even from hundreds of meters away, its oppressive might had already descended over the battlefield.


    Shing!


    Steel whispered as Asher drew Euodias while Bezerk surged forward. Behind him, the paladins thundered in formation, their warhorses trembling the earth, while the temple slaves soared above, their fluttering cloaks marking their passage. Together, they traversed the battlefield with imposing might.


    Cloaks fluttering, weapons poised, and eyes fixed on the rapidly encroaching creature.


    Roar!


    When the wyvern burst from the forest, it began breathing out a deadly stream of ice upon the Ashbourne main army.


    Seeing the lethal frost, Alec dashed toward it, his massive frame propelled forward, and his heavy steps caused the earth beneath his feet to sink a little bit more than normal.


    "Argh!"


    With a powerful yell, he leapt over a great distance, landing before the soldiers with his shield raised. The mouth of the draconic engraving on his shield opened up, swallowing the ice. But even as it absorbed the attack, frost began to spread outward, slowly engulfing the metal shield.


    Noticing Alec''s resistance, the wyvern rider stopped the beast''s assault and guided it to land. The moment the wyvern landed, its slitted eyes sized up the Grand Aegis infantrymen around it with their shields raised.


    "Humph!"


    The rider scoffed.


    With a single sweep of its tail, the wyvern sent the heavy infantrymen hurling into the distance as if they were as light as a feather before its might.


    After letting out a growl, the dark blue-scaled beast lifted its head, an eerie blue light glowing along the length of its neck.


    Once again, it breathed out another blast of frost from its maw.


    But its frost was met with an identical wave of frost that came out of Alec''s shield!


    Infuriated, the wyvern lunged toward Alec, its wings and hindlimbs propelling it forward with a terrifying force. Alec braced himself to block its strike, but the impact sent him hurtling backwards for several meters before he crashed against the frozen ground.


    When he rose up, his eyes hidden beneath his helmet narrowed.


    A massive gash had marred his shield!


    Before his eyes, Alec saw as the giant beast continued its assault, breathing ice on his men. Tightening his grip around his spear, Alec was about to charge toward the wyvern¡ªonly to freeze in place.


    Before him, something unnatural was happening.


    Roots made out of ice erupted from the battlefield a few meters ahead, twisting and growing before his eyes.


    A stump grew, and from there, it thickened into a trunk. Branches extended outward; leaves sprouted like frozen blades!


    Alec lifted his head, gazing at the top of this extraordinary tree that had come from seemingly nowhere.


    But the tree wasn''t alone.


    His shock increased when he noticed that other trees were sprouting, transforming the battlefield into an entirely new terrain made out of ice!


    Strange kinds of plants grew out, transforming the battlefield into an unrecognisable terrain.


    "W¡­ what in the world is this?" Count William frowned as he slowed down his advance. He reached out, his fingers brushing against one of the ice trees¡ªcold and strangely hard!


    Then his gaze veered.


    Through the ice forest, a golden-armored figure was charging with an elite force following him. Even without being told, William knew the truth.


    This was Asher''s doing.


    He was the only one capable of releasing such great force. A force so immense to fill a vacuum!


    "Such might. So, Asher Ashbourne¡­ you''ve been hiding this power from the world this whole time!" he scowled.


    Shing!


    "Yet even this may not be enough. A wyvern, though lesser than a pure dragon, is still a powerful force to be reckoned with."


    His sword gleamed as he brandished it, his tiger lunged forward, closing the gap between the Black Tiger Cavalry and the Bladebreakers.


    The clash between both elite cavalries began as they surged toward one another, their lances poised for a deadly collision.


    Shockingly, the Bladebreakers held the upper hand, thanks to the height advantage of their mounts! The species of horse they rode were anything ever seen or heard of before.


    Where in all of the high planes had anyone encountered horses with bone spikes protruding from their joints?


    What kind of horses were these?


    Willam frowned. He had gotten used to the temple knights, but these horses were a new surprise. Just how many more secrets were hidden behind those walls?!


    ''They do have an advantage, but so do we.''


    A slow smile spread across Count William''s face.


    Their advantage was numbers!


    One of the greatest strengths in any battle!


    "Commander, to your left!" a Bladebreaker bellowed.


    Lambert turned sharply. About two thousand barbarian riders were fast approaching, dust rising behind them as the earth trembled, announcing their arrival.


    The situation on their side was daunting but not as dire as the battle against the dragon!


    It was the only creature on the battlefield that was capable of shattering the ice trees and breathing frost, powerful enough to freeze the bodies of sacred and saint-ranked knights alike!


    "Split!"


    Asher''s command rang out, and the paladins swiftly split into two groups.


    With a thunderous impact, the wyvern slammed its claws to the ground, lowering its long, sinuous neck before breathing out a freezing gust that blocked the path of the other paladins breaking away from Asher.


    A dreadfully crimson light flared from Asher, enveloping his mount and his men, giving them the ability to close the gap. The sheer oppressive might of the wyvern was enough to take the fight out of any knight, but with Asher''s protection, the paladins stood their ground.


    "You Westerners!" The wyvern rider bellowed, his voice grim. "Die¨C!"


    Bam!


    Sirius slammed into the wyvern, sending the rider lurching to the other side.


    ''I almost fell!'' His eyes widened in shock. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Kill that wolf!" He yelled.


    The wyvern bared its fangs and snapped its jaws shut¡ªbut before they could connect, Sirius breathed out a torrent of flames, scorching the beast''s mouth!


    Smoke billowed out of the wyvern''s mouth as it trashed its head violently.


    With a low, guttural growl, Sirius swelled itself in size, pinning one of its massive forelimbs against the wyvern''s neck. Drool dripped from its fangs as it glared at the dumbfounded rider.


    "Where did this wolf come from?"


    The rider gasped. All his life, he had been exalted as a wyvern rider.


    Even entire dukedoms feared his county because of the wyvern''s might, but here he was¡­ facing an even greater terror.


    A wolf whose shadow darkened even the sun!


    His pupils shrank in fear.


    "Yonna, take me out of here!" He cried out, but before the wyvern could react, a massive ice pillar erupted from the ground, trapping its head in a frozen vice.


    Sirius lunged forward, seizing the moment. With a gleeful growl, it swallowed the rider whole¡ªgrinning as it crushed his tiny bones between its fangs!


    At that moment, the wyvern raised and wrenched itself out of the ice before forcing itself out of Sirius. With a powerful swipe of its spiked tail, it launched a heavy slap to Sirius''s face, forcing the wolf to stagger back.


    With a mighty beat of its wings, the wyvern generated a gust of wind that blasted the knights around and their horses tumbling away.


    But just then, a clean white sword light sliced through its left wing, eliciting a cry from the wyvern.


    It turned toward Sapphira, snarling, but was forced to ignore her as the paladins hurled their spears at it. The weapons pierced through its thick scales, making it roar in pain.


    Desperate, it unleashed a reckless blast of frost everywhere, engulfing everything in a blinding, icy fog.


    But even within the gaze, its dragon senses allowed it to see the brilliance of force¡ªand at this moment, two bright forces stood before it.


    One was a man clad in golden armor, and the other was the white wolf behind it.


    Both of them charged at it at once.


    Sirius pounced, clamping on to its tail, stopping it from flying. Realizing that its escape was cut off, the wyvern inhaled deeply, preparing to breathe out another frost blast¡­ but Asher burst through the icy mist, his sword raised aloft.


    Its runes shone softly.


    Slash.

 Chapter 303 - 303: Dragonborn

    Euodias slashed deep into the wyvern''s neck, carving a massive gash. Its blood splattered onto the ground, hissing as smoke rose from the earth. The wyvern''s blood was so acidic that it could blind a knight¡ªwhile the blood of a pure dragon could melt an imperial knight''s body with ease!


    Despite its injury, the wyvern flapped its wings and twisted its neck, sinking its fangs into Sirius''s shoulder. Asher''s eyes locked onto its heart and saw that it was glowing.


    It was about to unleash frost!


    Knowing this, he darted beneath the beast and plunged his sword into its chest. Grunting and gritting his teeth, he forced the blade deeper, ignoring the blood splattering on his armor and making sizzling sounds.


    "No!"


    Count William froze mid-battle when he heard the wyvern''s dying screams. He turned toward the source of the cries only to see what his mind would have never dared imagine¡ªan heir of the dragon''s bloodline pinned down by a wolf, while a man was pulling out his sword from its heart.


    "Boy! We must kill him now!"


    Rumble!


    Cain redirected 500 cavaliers and charged toward Asher alongside his father. By doing so, they abandoned their elite cavaliers to the Ashbourne Bladebreakers but clearly, his father, Count William, saw greater value in Asher''s head.


    He would sacrifice anything for it¡­ even his own younger son, Levi!


    Boom! S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Asher stood over the wyvern''s fallen corpse, panting heavily as his lips slightly parted.


    [Upgrade material found: Wyvern''s scale.]


    [Would the host like to upgrade the armor, Exodus the Conqueror? Yes or No?]


    [Upgrade materials found: Wyvern heart & Wyvern''s eyes.]


    [Before these vital parts lose their potency, would the host like to fuse them into the half-giant, Alec, thereby upgrading him into a half-blood Dragonborn? Yes or No?]


    [Note: Dragonborns were once a species of humans, forged in the laboratories of mages through the vile, unused knowledge in alchemy. They can sense powerful beasts, especially those with dragon blood and are attracted to the blood of dragons, thus feasting on it.]


    ''Do it.''


    [Warning: Due to the effects of bestial instincts, your general''s loyalty may become unstable. Proceed with caution.]


    [Do you wish to proceed? Yes or No?]


    Asher turned to Alec, who was on his knees as the battle went on. The general had spent his force and stamina and had pushed himself to the limit right from the start of the battle. Three hours of relentless battle had left him drained, and the wyvern''s assault had finally incapacitated him.


    A little bit to the left, Asher saw Eritrea and Paul locked in a fight against a black shadow. Enos had sent it. There was no doubt¡ªit was here to kill Alec.


    "Go. Kill Enos."


    Sirius let out a soft growl before turning and dashing off. Asher then shifted his gaze back to the glowing text before him.


    ''Do it.''


    Boom!


    A golden beam laced with crackling lightning struck from the sky, engulfing Alec. A wave of mana, a much superior energy, blasted outward in waves. The energy was so powerful that the portals through which the dukes were watching the battle flickered and were destabilized, exposing their hidden messengers.


    Seeing this, the messengers quickly hid behind trees, their eyes wide as they beheld the thunderous transformation.


    While Alec''s evolution raged like a storm¡ªunleashing windstorms, frost waves and thunderous sounds, the upgrade of Asher''s armor, Exodus, was more subtle.


    Light connected his armor to the wyvern''s corpse and by the time the soft glow faded, his once golden-white armor had transformed¡ªblackened and reinforced with layers of diamond-shaped scales!


    Yet, traces of gold remained on the chest section of the armor along with the helmet''s forehead, but the rest was reinforced.


    Asher hit his sword against the armor but it didn''t make the usual sound of metallic clang that would occur when metal touches metal was absent.


    This time¨Cthe sound was different.


    The sound was quite dull¡ªheavy.


    Lifting up his sword, he saw his own reflection through the crystal clear azure blade. For a moment, even he couldn''t believe the man in the reflection was himself.


    Just then, the golden light surrounding him faded into blue before vanishing completely, revealing a towering figure¡ª7 feet tall, with long, flowing hair. His pupils had narrowed into slits and were glowing with an eerie, piercing blue light.


    Since his breastplate had dematerialized, one could see the blue crystal heart embedded into his chest. Standing there, Alec looked like a sculptor''s masterpiece, his chiseled muscles on full display.


    A chilling force billowed out of him, and the crimson light that had once manifested upon releasing his force had transformed¡ªnow a swirling mix of blue and white.


    "What in Tenaria is that?"


    Count William frowned while Cain''s spine tingled at the sight before him. Even though Alec was simply standing there, he emanated a murderous intent so thick that it could shatter the mind of any ordinary human.


    A being that could kill someone with a mere gaze!


    Count William was shaken. Meanwhile, Count Ira, who was still at the periphery of the battlefield, sensed a presence and was forced to turn to the man approaching him.


    It was the Archduke''s messenger.


    "My Lord, I''m here to transport you to safety."


    Hearing this, Count Ira frowned.


    "Safety? Our men will clearly overpower the Ashbournes soon eno¡ª!"


    His words were cut off. From the corner of his eyes, he saw a flash of blue light. It was Alec''s eyes and yet his gaze alone had frozen thousands of their soldiers!


    An oppressive force descended upon the battlefield.


    The momentum of Count Tigris'' troops faltered, while Asher''s men fought even more valiantly. Meanwhile, across the battlefield, Sirius had located Enos and was in a heated battle against him and his men.


    Seeing the wolf breathe flames that were capable of roasting dozens, Count Ira hesitated.


    "My Lord, the wyvern is dead. And if I''m not mistaken, that man is now a man-beast. His state of balance is far beyond what Lord Slade ever achieved in his prime!"


    Hearing this, Count Ira''s breath hitched.


    "And¡­ the strongest warrior on this battlefield hasn''t even entered the fight." The messenger''s voice was grim. "I can sense something inside Count Asher, a force¡ªdenser and thicker than anything I have felt before. He''s no mere lord."


    Count Ira''s pupils shook.


    Could it be¡­?


    Could the prophecy be true?


    With the rise of the abyss force, House Ashbourne was destined to rise from the ashes.


    Just as Archduke Zenas had emerged from the Dark Age¡ªan era where knights and nobles perished, where he thrived and now¡­


    Another Ashbourne had risen.


    From ruin. From the ashes of this fallen house.

 Chapter 304 - 304: Death Of The Tiger Lord

    "Dad, we should withdraw our men."


    Cain''s voice was firm, but the glare from William made his grip on his weapon falter. His fear for his father knew no bounds.


    "I must have his head."


    Count William dismounted.


    "Asher Ashbourne!!" he roared, releasing a faint white mist from his body. Before they knew it, the mist had thickened, becoming a fog that swallowed the count whole.


    From within the fog emerged a towering white tiger, walking on its hind legs, its deep growl rumbling through the battlefield. The sight of it made many soldiers, Ashbourne and Tigris apprehensive.


    Boom!


    A thunderous force sent Count Tigris hurtling into the sky before he landed 150 meters away, just a dozen meters from Asher. His intimidating form, more brutal than even the famous beastmen of the legends, was backed up by the feral aura emanating from his fluttering white fur.


    Roar!


    His roar was so loud that even the cloaks of the paladins before him fluttered.


    Asher turned from Alec, who was decimating Tigris forces, to the count, his eyes sharpening by the second until they became ice cold!


    This was because Count Tigris had slapped a paladin away with a mere wave of his massive hand before proceeding to wrap his hand around the head of another paladin and slamming him into the ground. The earth imploded from the force!


    Undeterred, the remaining paladins lifted their spears and jumped into the fray. But their spears couldn''t even inflict more than just some flesh wounds on the count who had an imperial knight body and his talent form had an even tougher body!


    Sacred-ranked weapons just couldn''t harm him.


    Bam!


    Tigris threw a punch, but the paladin mysteriously vanished before impact. His sharp eyes tracked the movement to a different spot¡ªabove him was Nero.


    Swoosh!


    Nero closed in on him, tilting to one side to evade and at the same time swung his sword at the count''s wrist. It was a well-calculated strike that failed because his weapon wasn''t any different from a rusty blade before Count Tigris'' hide.


    Roar!


    The count roared, spittle flying everywhere as he retaliated with a powerful punch.


    Crash!


    Nero slammed into the ground, groaning, his armor had caved inward, pressing against his chest!


    "Leave him!"


    Asher''s command cut through the chaos and fell into the ears of the relentless paladins who were ready to sacrifice their lives before the count could reach him.


    Grr!


    Nearby, Sirius, who was feasting on the wyvern''s corpse, lifted up its head, blood dripping from its maw.


    "This is my fight, boy."


    Asher swung his sword as he strode forward while Count Tigris also charged at him.


    With a steady exhale, Asher wrapped his fingers around Euodias''s hilt.


    Empyreal Sigil Stomp!


    Instead of spreading the scroll skill, he concentrated on compressing it, making it as small as the sole of his boot but borrowed the blast to propel himself toward Count Tigris. That sudden acceleration caught Count Tigris off guard¡ªhe barely had time to react before Asher was upon him.


    It was like he had teleported.


    Slash!


    Asher''s blade cut open Tigris''s right knee before slamming his abdomen with his elbow and unleashing one final slash at his neck, all in a single swift, fluid movement.


    Count Tigris froze.


    His eyes were wide, reflecting his pure, undisguised shock.


    Thud!


    He first fell on the knee that had been cut before his head topped to the ground.


    If one were to look closely, they would see that his ribcage had also caved inward.


    Such monstrous strength.


    The Count had never encountered anything like it before.


    In that same moment, jagged ice spikes¡ªtwisted, crooked, and lined with thorns¡ªerupted from the ice trees, impaling hundreds of barbarian cavaliers!


    Then, Asher picked up the severed head, which had now reverted back to the human form. The expression on his face displayed his shock.


    "Your Lord is dead!"


    His voice thundered across the battlefield. Those warriors who were far away and locked in battle froze mid-strike as they noticed that the other had done the same.


    When their eyes fell upon Count Tigris''s head in Asher''s hand, his gray-white hair swaying in the wind, blood trickling down his neck¡ªsilence consumed the battlefield.


    The Count, the man who had kept the wasteland under his firm control for decades¡­ the one who once stood at the peak of a great county, the Tigris county which he had built for himself.


    The Tiger Lord was dead!


    Viscount Syria and several other lords who were the spectators of the battle couldn''t believe it.


    "Take me out of here!" Count Ira shrieked.


    The messenger immediately obeyed and opened a portal. The lords turned their horses and bolted into the forest, some tried pleading with Count Ira to take them along. But the man acted like he never knew them and entered the portal with only his own men.


    Panic spread like wildfire. Thousands of barbarian riders turned their heels and fled towards the forest, causing a massive dust cloud to rise in their wake.


    When Cain, fleeing with his men, spotted Sofia, he didn''t even hesitate and grabbed a spear from one of his men before stabbing it right through her, pinning her to the ground.


    "Serves you right," he snarled, grinding his teeth.


    "My Lord, hurry!" his men urged.


    While his enemy fled, Asher tossed Count Tigris'' head aside.


    "Embalm it. It will make a fine gift for Archduke Nubis."


    He spat coldly.


    Nero nodded. "My Lord¡­" He hesitated but continued, "Are we not going to chase?"


    Asher''s gaze remained fixed on the fleeing army while he declared. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "We shall march into that forest and take every inch of that land under our emblem. They''re just delaying their eventual end, nothing more."


    Step. Step.


    Alec approached.


    Asher narrowed his eyes, searching for any hint of hesitation or disloyalty, but all he saw was an even stronger conviction.


    "My Lord, grant the Grand Aegis Legion the honor of claiming the wildlands in your name." Alec dropped to one knee.


    Although he looked smaller, the formidable might radiating from his pulsing crystal heart made Asher ascertain Alec''s current rank.


    Saint!


    Alec was the first saint-ranked general under his command and the first man to shatter the limits of his talent!


    "Arise," Asher commanded. "Recover and claim it."


    Alec nodded.


    Asher''s eyes subconsciously drifted toward the priestess, who was tending to the soldiers in critical situations. He found himself lost in her world but for some reason, it unsettled him when she smiled so beautifully at them.


    It was needed but still¡­


    "Sigh."


    Neigh!


    Simon and Eleazar rode over, leading his prized warhorse, Bezerk.


    Asher climbed into the saddle, stealing one last glance at Sapphira before nudging Bezerk''s abdomen softly.


    The beast snorted before galloping toward the walls with an entourage of soldiers following closely behind him.

 Chapter 305 - 305: Lost Daughter

    Clip! Clop!


    From the second floor, through a window, garbed in just pants and a loosened robe that revealed his hard muscles, Asher watched the soldiers below clad in armour moving around in a strict formation.


    A week had passed since the war ended, and the news of their victory spread like wildfire. From the towns in the borders to the great cities in the heartland of other dominions, his name and fame echoed.


    House Ashbourne''s strength was no longer a secret. He was no longer just a warlord¡ªhe was an official lord, known throughout Tenaria.


    And the white envelope resting on the polished table beside him was proof. It bore the seal of Duke Ohad Mormont himself, inviting him to a ball.


    This was no doubt an invitation for an alliance!


    A faint smile graced his handsome face.


    "Halt!"


    The troop below came to an abrupt halt, their movements so precise that one would doubt if they were statues and not actual humans.


    These were the paladins that would accompany him to the ball, dressed in expensive silk tunics and pants befitting noble knights. Cloaks draped over their horses as they marched about under Sir Moses'' command.


    Though elegant, the attire was unfamiliar to them. They would need to get used to it.


    Everything about their attire was black¡ªexcept for the emblem on their cloaks.


    Asher turned his gaze toward Cynthia, who was working on his attire.


    "How does Alec fare?"


    "He''s alright," she answered. "Although he can now see in the dark and has grown much stronger than before, he hasn''t shown any strange behavior. In fact, he''s preparing the recruits for training."


    "I see. His heart is set on conquering the Wildlands."


    Asher tilted his head, his eyes drifting the distant north. It has been two months since he left the depths and this marked the first week of the third month.


    The Edomites would soon begin their march toward the Winter Stronghold.


    This meant the depths would be embroiled in war this winter!


    Without his forces, the winter stronghold and every other human stronghold would fall. And the moment they did, his domain would be left vulnerable to the Edomites, the Dothans and countless other clans.


    This might mean an endless war.


    Such a scenario would slow down the county''s growth and Asher wasn''t going to let anything stop his growth.


    His mind was set on growing his territory because it was the only way to survive in this cruel world.


    His gaze drifted before settling on the vast labyrinth of houses, kissed by the brilliant sunlight. Thousands of people moved through the streets¡ªin carriages, horsebacks, carts and on foot.


    Once, this small town had a little over 5000 people, stricken with poverty. But now, it was flourishing and was tens of thousands strong. This is what he took pride in.


    His people.


    His land would be a paradise.


    Here, no slaves would be found.


    Here, the oppressors would be executed in public.


    "Those spies¡­" he muttered, deep in thought. Soon, the assassins sent to Winter Stronghold would return, unleashed into the county to hunt down the spies and their networks.


    "My Lord¡­"


    Cynthia''s voice pulled him from his thoughts.


    Asher turned.


    "You''ve done well," he said to her, his gaze settling on the neatly laid-out attire on the bed. It was far better than the one he had worn to Count Wiliam''s daughter''s birthday party, yet this wasn''t the attire he would don to honour the Duke''s ball invitation.


    Shortly after donning his attire, he strode out of the room with Cynthia following closely behind him. Taking large strides, he descended the stairs, straight toward the dining hall.


    As he walked in, countless maids and servants were making their exit, leaving behind a dining table filled with an extravagant feast. The rich aroma filled the room like an invisible fog.


    Kelvin stood right next to his seat, wearing a warm smile.


    Unfortunately, the maids and servants seemed terrified of that warm smile. Even with his new position, Kelvin had not relinquished his right as the butler.


    The moment Asher took his seat, Kelvin let out a heavy sigh, prompting him to tilt his head. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "What?"


    Kelvin glanced at the long, nearly desolate table. "The table has eleven more seats, yet only you sit here. Soon, it will be two years, my lord. You need a family. Maybe that is the reason I haven''t passed on¡ªmy predecessors can''t allow me to go over there while you remain alone."


    "Tsk!" Asher clicked his tongue while wearing a scowling expression. "You won''t be going anywhere for a long time, Kelvin. If you dare to die, I''ll have the dark mages summon your soul from the spirit world."


    Kelvin''s eyes widened.


    "My Lord! My time in this world isn''t infinite!"


    "I don''t care. You''ll die when I want you to." Asher replied while enjoying his meal. While his head facing the table, a faint chuckle escaped him, one that Kelvin couldn''t see.


    "The carriage is ready. You were supposed to be in the Mormont capital before the ball."


    Asher sighed. "There was too much work to do. I couldn''t just head for Vale while leaving my domain in shambles after months of long war."


    "I''ll leave by noon¡­ and inform Sapphira about my departure."


    Kelvin raised an eyebrow, then a bright smile formed on his lips. "I shall do so."


    _____


    Step. Step. Another Step.


    A towering white bear, standing on its two hind legs, ascended a grand staircase¡ª10 meters wide and 15 meters long! By the sides of the grand stairs stood rows of tall soldiers, clad in full armor, their iridescent wings folded neatly behind their backs, their eyes fixed straight ahead.


    It was as if they couldn''t see the large bear-man.


    This bear-man bore an uncanny resemblance to the Voldibears Asher had met in the Spirit World but this one looked more imposing with long dreadlocks that cascaded down to his abdomen. Metal rings bound, some of the dread locks and those rings looked like they weighed quite a lot.


    A massive greatsword rested on its back.


    He knew the power these guards possessed. One wrong move and all of them would surround him in mere seconds!


    Quickening his pace, he ascended to the magnificent palace at the top of the staircase. The moment his foot touched the reflective marble floor, a deep, sonorous voice rang.


    "Gerald. It''s been a while."


    Gerald, towering at a staggering 7 feet, looked at the 5 ''9 foot tall man with multicoloured dragonfly wings folded at his back. His long black hair flowed freely to his back and he wore a silk tunic, one arm clad in armor from the pauldron to the gauntlet.


    "Prince Jared. It''s an honour to be in the thoughts of the heir of Cyrenia."


    Jared smiled. Then he turned, gesturing to his father and mother on their thrones at the end of the hall.


    With a nod of approval, Gerald stepped forward and knelt before the emperor and empress.


    "Your Majesty, it is an honour to be before your presence, but I come bearing great news."


    Geriant lifted up an eyebrow.


    "What is it?"


    "Your lost daughter has been found. We got a signal of her force in the land of humans. She must have awakened her heritage talent."


    "What?!"


    The empress, Argenta, rose to her feet while Jared, standing near the door, stood frozen in place.

 Chapter 306 - 306: Unknown House

    Geriant''s brows knitted together.


    "In the land of humans."


    Gerald responded with an affirmative nod. "Through the tracking artifact, we discovered that she indeed is beyond the mountain range that separates our lands from the humans."


    Geriant rose to his feet, his aura suffocating. "Are you certain of this? Are you telling me that humans were the ones who abducted my child?!"


    Gerald stayed silent for a while before answering. "¡­We are not certain of that, Your Imperial Majesty. The thief could have crossed paths with a human, and the child was taken."


    "That''s a flimsy excuse!" Jared roared from the back.


    Being in the presence of three enraged members of the imperial family, each capable of taking the lives of wherever they desired in the empire with a mere word, was a daunting experience for anyone.


    Yet, Gerald maintained his calm. As the most powerful knight of the four dukedoms of Cyrenia, he had dealt with cases more dire than this.


    And he had the authority to speak against the emperor if the moment demanded.


    This was one of such moments.


    "You want a war, then?!"


    His sharp gaze met Jared, glaring at the emperor''s firstborn and heir.


    But in the true sense, he was speaking to all three of them.


    "I want my daughter back. I don''t care if the human lands have to burn," Argenta, the silver-haired fairy, declared coldly. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Her eyes didn''t quiver despite the fact that a word from her could cause the death of hundreds of thousands.


    "If bringing back my sister would mean a war I would very well face it. The knights of Cyrenia will not cower from a fight against the humans in that land," Jared added.


    Gerald sighed deeply. "You speak like a child despite being over 200 years old. The knights in the human lands are not like those here. The ones here aren''t as shrewd or twisted in mind as those over there."


    Geriant shut his eyes for a long moment before opening them again. "War is not an option."


    "Your Majesty!"


    "Father!"


    Argenta and Jared both exclaimed, with expressions twisted in shock.


    "A wise decision, Your Majesty," Gerald said. "We the knights of the peacekeeper order and the mages will do our utmost to retrieve ¡ª"


    "No."


    "Your Majesty¡­?" Gerald''s eyes widened upon hearing the emperor''s short yet firm retort.


    "Send no squadron, no troop, no mage, or any nobles."


    At this point, Jared and Argenta had ugly expressions.


    Even Gerald was confused. Did the emperor for the sake of the empire plan to abandon his daughter?


    However, each member of the imperial bloodline had the power to form elite troops through their potent talents.


    "I send you, Gerald, the nameless knight and Cyrenia''s anchor. Go and bring my daughter back to me."


    Gerald''s eyes grew wide.


    "Y¡­ Your Majesty, what about the abyssal creatures? The time for the prophesied apocalypse draws near."


    "I trust you will be back before then and with my daughter by your side."


    "Then, I shall go."


    With a final bow, Gerald turned on his heel and left with large strides. He knew why the emperor had sent him. Sending him was no different than sending hundreds of thousands of knights!


    After all, he was the strongest knight in the empire.


    And to be the strongest, one had to step into the forbidden realm of power.


    The realm of the Awoken One!


    _____


    The rhythmic trotting of horses and the gentle creaking of the wheels of a carriage fell into the ears of the natives of Vale, the capital of the Dukedom of Mormonts.


    On this broad, well-paved street, dozens of carriages could be seen rolling past, accompanied by men on horseback.


    Inside one of these carriages, Asher leaned his back against the plush red cushion, his body sinking into the soft foam as he crossed one leg over the other.


    He was dressed in the manner befitting a noble¡ªa long silk trench coat, exquisitely made by his best tailor, Anna from the silk made by the silkworms gained as spoils from Zebulun.


    Beneath it, he wore a black shirt, fitted pants and long black boots adorned with silver buckles.


    Clad in such finery, Asher looked like the young prince from the Sacred Flame Empire.


    Seated opposite him was Nero, his attire in stark contrast to Asher''s. He was clad in black gambeson over leather pants, with long boots and a pair of arming swords strapped to his waist.


    His curly hair fell over his forehead while his eyes remained focused on the crowd outside, his demeanor tense and focused¡ªnothing like Asher''s relaxed ease.


    The crisp sound of a page-turning fell into his ears, followed by Asher''s deep voice.


    "We''re here for a ball. Don''t be so tense."


    He averted his eyes from the book and gazed toward Nero.


    The kid also looked at him.


    "But my job here is to protect you, not to dance."


    Asher raised an eyebrow. "Who trains you?"


    Nero was startled. "You and Uncle Alec."


    "Good. Then understand this¡ªI brought you here to mingle with the young nobles. One day, you shall ascend, and take the position of a noble that your father couldn''t live to gain."


    Nero blinked, momentarily thrown off. This was outside his scope of understanding. Was he going to be dancing with some noble girl?


    He would much rather spend the entire night swinging his sword at a tree.


    Asher''s next words sealed his fate. "It''s an order from your lord."


    When Nero looked away, Asher smiled.


    The boy reminded him of a young Alex.


    Outside the carriage, twelve paladins, garbed in expensive clothes with their weapons at each side of their mount rode in formation.


    Six rode before the carriage and six rode after. But what drew the attention of the public more than that was the golden helmets'' covering part of their faces.


    Clip! Clop!


    The hooves of the war mounts made sounds as they struck the cobblestones with a steady rhythm.


    Moses gazed at the magnificent castle ahead, a structure leagues beyond anything else in their county, his expression solemn.


    "I''ve never seen a black flag with the head of a white wolf before. Which House is this?" a passerby asked.


    "I don''t know. Could be one of those small barons," a man standing outside his shop replied lazily since he had no customers.


    "Tsk! What kind of baron rides in such an expensive carriage and has soldiers dressed like that? Have you taken a proper look at the wood of that carriage or the material those men are wearing." another man who had been watching the convoy the entire time scoffed.


    The shop owner shrugged. "I''m neither a carpenter nor am I a tailor. Besides, why should I care?"


    "Oh, you should." The man''s tone darkened. "Inside that carriage is the man who beheaded Archduke Nubis'' son and ignited several wars in the north. His soldiers are all forged in battle, making him possess one of the strongest armies in these parts."


    The man turned to the frozen shop owner.


    The man then leaned in. "Around him, you whisper¡ªor he''ll remove your head as he did Count William. He favours beheading I hear."


    Chills seeped into the shop owner''s being.

 Chapter 307 - 307: The Count & His Sister

    In a grand hall with towering windows from which bright light flooded in, illuminating dozens of luxuriously dressed people.


    Apart from smelling rich, the men had a similar design of trench coats over their attire while the women wore ball gowns. These gowns were tight at the right places, most particularly at their torso and loose from their waist down¡ªdesigned to accentuate their figures.


    Some, however, opted for daring silk dresses that clung desperately to their figures like a second skin.


    These women held power and two of them stood before a table, their fingers delicately wrapped around half-filled glasses of wine.


    Mary leaned in close to Yuna. "There are so many eyes on me. Are you sure these clothes were the right choice?"


    Yuna cast a sidelong glance, giving her the ''are you serious'' expression. "Who else should they be looking at? When I was younger, Count Tigris'' daughter hugged all the attention for herself. Naturally, as an elf, she was the desire of many men and her talents were already in bloom but mine were mere sparks back then."


    Turning to Mary, Yuna''s voice softened. "What I''m trying to say is that you are not the same woman you once were¡ªnot even the girl from the academy. Your brother isn''t just a noble now; he is a count. And not just any count, a powerhouse in the north."


    The corner of Mary''s lips curled into a small smile.


    "And he''s coming here. You have to look good, or he won''t be happy. Trust me, my father does not want your brother displeased¡ªnot even in the slightest."


    Mary''s eyes widened. She could hardly believe Yuna spoke about the duke, a man whom she couldn''t imagine as someone who would want to please someone.


    Especially not someone as young as Asher.


    "To make it even better," Yuna continued with a smirk. "My father loves those who have beef with the Archduke."


    All of a sudden her eyes widened. "Will your brother come with the infamous Ashbourne pet beast?"


    Mary blinked. "Infamous!"


    "I did some reading. Every ruling Ashbourne pet beast¡ªfrom the first, Shura, to your brother''s¡ªis known to be executor. They''ve fed on dozens or even hundreds of humans. Their bloodthirstiness makes them second to the legendary dragons."


    "I don''t think he would bring Sirius to the ball¡­" Mary replied, though she didn''t sound certain.


    What disturbed nobles the most was the Ashbourne code¡ªan ancient law that always allowed them to bring in their pet beast wherever they went, should they wish to.


    Denying the beast access meant denying the Ashbourne lord access. And since no Ashbourne lord had ever betrayed another lord, there was certain trust given to them, and so this code was permitted.


    After centuries, the great name of Ashbourne had slowly returned to the lips of the region''s powerhouses.


    "A pleasure ladies, allow me to introduce myself."


    A calm, measured voice cut through the conversation, making the girls turn. Their eyes widened slightly at the sight of the man standing before their eyes.


    Lucas Adamos, a man who attended the Sacred Flame academy along with them and the son of Count Adamos. White locks fell down his olive skin and his piercing red eyes bore into their souls.


    Dressed in a crisp white shirt, tailored white trousers and a dark green trench coat fastened at the neck with an almond-colored button, he looked appealing to the eyes.


    The man had a soft smile playing on his lips.


    Adamos!


    An ancient house, much like the Ashbournes. But while the Ashbournes ruled with their monstrous pets, the Adamos line wielded a different kind of power¡ªthey fused with the spirits of the beasts they killed.


    That way, they would possess the traits of the consumed beast¡ªuntil they found a better one.


    "Lucas. You came!"


    Yuna and Mary were visibly awestruck. Lucas was a senior who had graduated along with Slade''s batch and while not many knew his strength, his intellect and composed demeanor were well known.


    Known as the second brightest star, it was no wonder that the girls were amazed.


    "I came with my father. It seems Duke Ohad has something appealing to draw him out of that castle."


    Lucas chuckled.


    Then, he turned to Mary. "I don''t believe I have ever officially introduced myself to you personally. I''m Lucas Adamos."


    Mary offered a soft smile and extended her hand. Lucas took her fingers gently, pressing a brief peck to the back of her palm.


    "Mary Ashbourne."


    Lucas'' eyes went wide. His eyes had been drawn to Yuna as she looked absolutely stunning and fiery with her long red hair but this beauty with a calm air beside her was not just anyone!


    He had assumed that she was one of those noble women who admired him. There were lots of them, so he wasn''t surprised at her slight squeal.


    "Y¡­You''re an Ashbourne?" His voice faltered.


    Yuna raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Dozens of nobles were out to get married to her a month back. Didn''t you hear of it?"


    Just as Lucas shook his head, the main doors leading to the entrance of specially invited figures swung open. Two towering knights pushed them aside, revealing the figure beyond.


    The host visibly shivered at the sight of the man approaching, but in the next moment, he adjusted himself and opened his mouth.


    "Please, dear honourable guests, welcome the White Wolf, Conqueror of the Wastelands, War Bringer¡ªCount Asher Ashbourne!"


    A sudden wave spread throughout the entire hall. Who wouldn''t turn when someone was introduced with such an array of titles?


    Step. Step. Another Step.


    A tall, unmistakably handsome man with pure snow-white hair that caressed his chin emerged from beyond the door.


    His black attire contrasted starkly with his pure white hair. His fair skin and vibrant golden eyes gleamed, making it seem like they were actually embedded gemstones.


    His gaze¡ªcold, authoritative, yet strangely calm¡ªswept across the crowd.


    Following closely behind him was Nero.


    "You might want to come out now," Asher murmured with a faint smile. A tiny wolf peaked out his trench coat pocket.


    The host was stunned.


    Before the eyes of dozens, Sirius cutely tumbled out, and in the next moment, grew until his head reached Asher''s shoulders!


    "It''s him!" S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lucas'' pupils trembled.


    Mary and Yuna stood frozen as they watched Asher descend the golden staircase, his movements effortlessly refined.


    "That''s him! The one who killed Count William in three moves!"


    A noblewoman gasped, covering her mouth in shock as she stared at Asher.


    The man beside her looked doubtful. "He doesn''t even look like he is 25."


    "He''s not."


    "What?!"


    Asher didn''t know if it was because of Sirius but everyone gave him space much wider than what the decorum demanded.


    Nero chuckled. He could understand their fear. After all, this was a beast that was capable of fighting a wyvern!


    Suddenly, while looking around, Asher turned his head to his left and his gaze landed on three figures.


    Two women and one man.


    And one of the women¡­ was someone he had been yearning to meet.


    A woman who troubled his heart with guilt. The one he had sent away despite her pleading to stay by his side.

 Chapter 308 - 308: Another From Earth

    Taking large and purposeful strides, Asher made his way over, but the moment he reached her, all his momentum vanished.


    Asher stood still, gazing at her face.


    His elder sister.


    How come he never appreciated this before? And how had he come to love her even when they hadn''t even exchanged a word for over a year?


    "Your hair is white¡­ and short. Don''t you enjoy combing your long hair anymore?" Mary asked, her lips pressed together.


    "No one has ever combed it ever since you stopped," Asher replied, his voice slightly hoarse.


    The other two weren''t in his eyes. The only being reflecting in his beautiful eyes was Mary.


    Her face, to be exact.


    Mary pouted. "You must have cut it because you became a training maniac once again. Too busy to care for it huh? You were never used to other maids after all." S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Asher placed his right hand on her shoulder. "Naive. It''s more than that¡­ but I''d appreciate it if you''ll comb it once¡­ if you decide to return home with me."


    Mary chuckled. There was this attractive boldness radiating off her that Yuna and Lucas never knew she had.


    Was this the real Mary?


    "You''ve also grown tall¡­" Mary mused, wrapping her arm around Asher''s right arm. "¡­And quite muscular."


    Suddenly, her attention shifted.


    "Sirius! What happened to your eyes?!" Mary pulled away from Asher and held Sirius'' face in her hands.


    Yuna was astounded.


    Yes, Mary was Asher''s relative, but pet beasts were a different matter. Being close to the master didn''t mean the rule applied to the pet beast.


    These beasts had a mind of their own.


    Seeing her best friend, a girl shy to talk while staring into the eyes of those she spoke to, holding the face of a beast that had defeated a wyvern, a relative to a dragon, floored Yuna.


    Unfortunately, this wasn''t her concern anymore. Asher had turned his focus to her and Lucas and his gaze wasn''t as soft as it had been for Mary.


    "Red hair. You must be a member of the prestigious Mormonts." His voice carried a refined authority. "As I was introduced earlier, I am Asher Ashbourne."


    For a moment, Yuna was struck dumb. Asher''s looks, demeanour and refined aura coupled with her knowledge about his strength elevated him even further in her heart.


    "Yuna. Yuna Mormont," she finally said.


    Asher bowed slightly, held her hand and brushed his lips against her knuckles before ushering a smile.


    Yuna felt it instantly.


    A spark, an electric jolt ran through her body the moment Asher''s lips touched her knuckles.


    That wet touch sent signals into her brain.


    Asher took half a step back before turning to Lucas, who had already extended his hand.


    "Lucas Adamos. A pleasure to meet you, Lord Asher Ashbourne."


    Asher shook his hand. "Likewise."


    "Oh, before I forget¡ªthis is Nero, my Bodyguard."


    Asher gestured toward Nero who was shocked to receive the looks of all three outstanding figures.


    "He looks young," Mary remarked.


    "He''s twelve," Asher said flatly.


    "What?!"


    Everyone''s eyes widened. Was this some sort of joke?!


    From his appearance, Asher didn''t seem more than a year older than Nero but upon hearing his actual age, the three were floored.


    "Find him a partner," Asher said, winking at Yuna.


    The rate of her heart shot through the roof and names popped up in her head at that instant. She was already matchmaking at an insane speed.


    "I''m your BloodBlade, I should always be by your side!" Nero protested.


    A servant approached, offering a glass of almond-colored wine. Asher picked up one and then glanced at Nero.


    "Today, you''re just a bodyguard. Have fun."


    After a moment of consideration, Asher added. "Just a dancing partner."


    His eyes were stern.


    Mary chuckled, while Yuna swiftly called a good-looking woman who led Nero away.


    Just then, a buff man with short red hair and a neatly trimmed beard walked up to them. His authoritative aura made him almost as intimidating as Ohad Mormont himself. Yet, when he finally stood before Asher, it seemed like the ferocious waves of the sea had crashed against a mountain.


    "Would you not introduce me?" he asked, nudging his sister playfully.


    Yuna inclined her head. "Forgive my insolence, Lord Asher but this is my brother, Korah Mormont. My father''s firstborn."


    Korah bowed slightly in greeting.


    Asher returned the gesture. "An honour to meet one of Mormont''s finest knights."


    They then clasped hands in a firm shake.


    At the high table that was reserved only for House Mormont¡ªthe table of the organisers of this ball¡ªa man with long red hair lounged at the leftmost seat of the 10-meter-long table with one leg crossed over the other. His sharp gaze lingered on Asher and Korah, a cold gleam flickering within his eyes.


    Beside him was a beautiful woman, the second concubine to Ohad Mormont and mother to this young man.


    "Kohath, go introduce yourself to your future brother-in-law."


    Jessica spoke softly.


    "Tsk! He parades himself with such authority," Kohath scoffed. "I''m 44, and he''s just 23, if I remember correctly. Isn''t he supposed to be the one doing the greeting?"


    Jessica''s eyes hardened. "You both are counts and if you want his backing, do as I say. Once you have his favor, the girl will naturally be yours."


    Kohath glanced at his mother and exhaled sharply but obeyed. Rising to his feet, he descended from their lofty position into the crowded hall, navigating his way toward Asher.


    As Kohath approached, Asher noticed a shift in Mary''s demeanour and traced her gaze to the man approaching him.


    His eyes narrowed.


    "A pleasurable afternoon, Lord Asher¡ª"


    "Here, I''ve spent too much time. I must greet the Duke." Asher handed his wine to Lucas, took his sister''s arm, and walked right past Kohath without so much as a glance.


    "!!" Kohath''s eyes widened to the extreme.


    Korah barely spared him a glance as he walked away while Yuna and Lucas also went after Asher, leaving him stranded in an empty, awkward spot.


    To make matters worse, he could hear whispers rippling through the hall.


    After all, what were nobles without gossip?


    ''Asher Ashbourne¡­!''


    Veins popped up on Kohath''s forehead, his eyes darkening with a faint crimson hue. Seething, he turned his gaze toward Asher¡ªonly to see him chatting with his father.


    Boom!


    The door opened once again and a gorgeous woman clad in a sleek black one-piece sleeveless gown with a slit running up her thigh walked in.


    "Lords and Ladies, Countess Nephis Nyx of the Intis kingdom!"


    Asher turned.


    "!"


    His eyes widened.


    That woman, why did she look exactly like Lia from Earth?!

 Chapter 309 - 309: Asher, The Fool

    ''W¡­ What''s this?!''


    Asher doubted his eyes.


    But after blinking several times, the sight remained unchanged. That woman looked exactly like Lia. Not just similar. They were identical. Down to the last detail!


    He had once been her boyfriend, close enough to know every small difference on her face. Combining that with the countless hours he had spent studying her features without her knowledge, sometimes subconsciously, sometimes deliberately with the intention of creating Liya, had made him an expert when it came to recognizing her.


    He could even pick her out of a crowd without hesitation, much less now when she was the center of attention and everyone in the room was parting to give her way.


    Even nobles felt inferior in her presence!


    Nobles!


    Asher''s pupils trembled. The sight of Nephis'' brought back memories he had long sealed away¡ªmemories of his broken self.


    He had barely begun to take baby steps away from the damage done to him in the past, and this was when his past decided to show up!


    Asher could feel his heartbeat quickening. His right arm twitched, expecting the feel of his sword''s hilt.


    One swing and he would end it all, but this would be a weakness.


    No. He wasn''t that Asher anymore. A man that would react on impulse, a man without backup, a fool that trusted without reserves.


    That man didn''t see the darkness of the world, but he saw it now.


    A soft sigh escaped his lips.


    "My goodness, Intis'' crown jewel is here!"


    "A mage from a lineage of mages¡­ She must be an envoy from the Intis ruler."


    One must know that one exceptional mage was an extremely rare find, even rarer than discovering a mythical ore mine, but this Nyx family had produced generations of exceptional female mages right from their founder!


    They were one of the backbones of Intis''s rise to royalty!


    At this moment, Nephis ascended the platform with an elegant grace. She glanced to her left, meeting the gaze of Eric Adamos, lord of Adamos county, and smiled.


    Count Adamos had risen from his seat to greet Asher. Even Duke Ohad Mormont was on his feet. Now, all three of them faced this young woman, who looked like she had barely entered her twenties.


    "Duke Ohad Mormont," Nephis greeted, her voice smooth and sweet¡ªexactly as Asher remembered.


    This made his eyes narrow further.


    Was this woman truly a copy of Lia on Earth? Or somehow, like him, did she also come here?


    Then why did she look exactly the same?!


    "It is an honor to receive an envoy from Intis," Ohad said. "And not just any envoy¡ªone with the fame of spell fighting against an ancient-ranked mage. No mage in their forties has ever accomplished such a feat since the end of the Glorious Age."


    Nephis smiled.


    "I barely survived that fight." She remarked.


    "Count Nephis, envoy of King Reuel, I, Eric Adamos, am honored to sit in your presence," Eric said, placing a hand over his chest.


    Nephis stretched forth her hand, and Eric, the powerful count who was said to have killed a hundred skilled men with nothing but a beast bone, bowed slightly, took her hand and kissed her knuckles.


    Nephis''s smile blossomed.


    Finally, her sapphire gaze settled on Asher.


    Duke Ohad and Count Eric exchanged strange glances. They found it strange that Asher had not said a word since Nephis arrived.


    She represented a king, so it was right to act friendly for the king''s name at the very least.


    The two men had already assumed the worst.


    After all, Asher was the only one among them with a noble kill count.


    And not just any nobles¡ªhigh-ranked ones.


    "Count Asher¡­" Nephis called out, her gaze locking onto the dangerously handsome man before her. Since she arrived in this world, only Reuel, her fianc¨¦, had ever made her feel the way she did just from his looks alone.


    Naturally, she loved only the best, and Reuel was just that. She was the whisperer who had made him slay his own father, all for her ambition to become queen.


    But this man right here¡­ a man who had destroyed a noble house to rise to the position of count¡­ carried an even superior air.


    It was strange.


    How could a man possess such attractive eyes, yet it made her feel like she was staring into a prison of endless flames.


    Those eyes were like golden flames¡ªbeautiful yet unspeakably dangerous.


    Was this truly the Count she had heard so much about?!


    He was more than the rumours.


    Reuel had been right. With him, they could expand their reach, swallowing the Eternal Immortal Empire. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Count Nephis¡­" Asher gently grabbed her hand. He could feel the gaze of the crowd locked on him, the piercing gaze of her bodyguards, Mary''s innocent gaze, Yuna''s distaste and Nero''s vigilant gaze from afar.


    The closer he leaned, the stronger the pull, something seemed to be screaming at him that he knew this woman.


    She wasn''t just Nephis.


    She was the woman that broke his life, shattering it like glass.


    A hot burst of sharp air escaped Asher''s lips as he kissed her knuckles lightly before standing upright.


    Nephis, as if enjoying such authority, smiled softly. "Count, I heard you built your county starting as a defenceless cripple. That''s a fascinating topic."


    Asher''s eyes flickered.


    "It is," he said with a slow smile. "It happened right after the scandal on Earth."


    Nephis''s eyes widened. She tilted her head as if she hadn''t heard him right.


    "What? What did you say?"


    At that moment, a visible white mist curled from Asher''s eyes. The temperature dropped to the negatives without warning.


    People''s breath became misty!


    All because that single sentence had confirmed it!


    This woman¡ªNephis¡ªwas Lia!


    Nephis took one step back. "Who are you?"


    Duke Ohad Mormont and Count Eric Adamos exchanged confused glances. Had these two met before?


    They couldn''t understand, but seeing Asher release his powers, Duke Ohad placed his hand on Asher''s to calm him down.


    But before his hand could graze Asher''s shoulder, an intense chill surged up his arm. Frost spread in an instant, turning his skin blue with frost all over it!


    Duke Ohad yanked his arm away, his eyes widening in horror.


    What in the world was that ice?!


    Step.


    Step.


    Another Step.


    After taking these three steps, Asher was just inches away from Nephis. Then, he leaned forward.


    His eyes were shining brighter than before.


    "Don''t you remember me?" His voice was low, a haunting whisper. "Asher, the fool."


    His words shook Nephis'' world.


    Rather than hiding from his daunting past, Asher decided to face it head-on. To look at it straight in the eye.


    He wasn''t the Asher from earth anymore, he was now a wolf¡­


    The White Wolf.


    "A¡­ Asher!!"


    Realization flashed in Nephis''s eyes.

 Chapter 310 - 310: Next Age

    It can''t be!


    Disbelief flickered across Nephis'' face, but it soon changed to scorn the moment the realization dawned on her that this man was the same Asher.


    He also died in that building, and it wasn''t as if she hadn''t thought of it several times, but that thought had died away with time.


    Suddenly, Nephis began to laugh.


    "It seems you were born to be lesser than my true choice. Here you are¡ªa mere count with a pathetic county under your rule, and he is a king of a kingdom respected by every duke of the north."


    Asher raised an eyebrow.


    "Wyvern killer?" She scoffed. "Humph! You managed to kill one wyvern, but House Wyvern has over a thousand more!"


    A cold gleam flashed through her eyes. "The pain will forever plague you because you''ll never have a woman like me."


    A proud smirk graced Nephis''s beautiful face. Her tone was audible for the count and those close, such as the count''s relatives, to hear.


    Asher knew she wanted to humiliate him publicly.


    Looking at her proud face, Asher simply smiled. "Welcome to the north."


    His smile widened a bit. There was no rage in his eyes, just a condensing look and a tinge of disgust.


    "I assume Reuel is your king," he continued. "Send my greetings, I appreciate his effort. Without his actions, I wouldn''t be who I am today."


    For some reason, Asher felt a strange relief settle in his heart. An emotion that came from nowhere but was firm in its presence.


    He was truly lucky that this woman was taken away from him.


    Had she remained by his side, he wouldn''t have discovered this part of him. Her betrayal, though heartbreaking, had given him a chance for rebirth.


    After uttering those words, Asher''s oppressive aura came down. Many who were on the ground, slowly dying, found life returning to them once more.


    Asher turned.


    "Argh!"


    Nephis lunged at him, but a sword light flashed. Nephis''s eyes focused on the young, curly-haired young man standing between her and Asher, both his swords drawn.


    Asher gave her a sidelong glance. That look alone sent a surge of fury through her.


    She felt as if she had lost something, and it made her feel empty. At least his hate kept him bound to her, but without it, Asher was truly walking away from her.


    That shouldn''t be possible.


    No one walks out!


    No one!


    "If we march at your walls, it will surely fall."


    Such a heavy threat carried weight, but it only made Asher''s eyes grow cold once more.


    "Come, then." His voice was soft, almost amused. "I shall return the heads of all your generals to you in beautiful boxes. And in the end, that of your beloved king''s."


    Asher replied with a soft smile that made Nephis scream inwardly. She wanted nothing more than to rip the flesh out of Asher''s face, but she couldn''t afford to lose her decorum in front of so many.


    "I swear it. Ashbourne will burn," she hissed. "And with it, your pride and your sister."


    Finally, with a maddened smile, Nephis felt at peace when she saw that intense fury in Asher''s eyes.


    She couldn''t be more happy that he had a weak point.


    "And I swear it. As long as Vale stands, Mormonts shall stand by House Ashbourne."


    Duke Ohad declared strongly, causing Nephis''s eyes to dilate.


    "You would dare go against Intis?" she demanded. "Don''t forget we are the only ones that can guarantee you victory against House Nubis."


    "That was in the past, Lady Nephis," another voice answered, calm and unwavering.


    Eric Adamos retorted calmly.


    "House Adamos stands with House Mormont. Their enemies are our enemies."


    "Y¡­ You fools!" Nephis spat.


    Duke Ohad frowned. "I believe you are no longer welcome, Lady Nephis," he said coldly. "Greet Duchess Nyx and inform her that she has failed in training her daughter."


    "You!"


    Nephis glared at Asher, hatred oozing from every fiber of her being.


    With a swift turn, she stormed out of the hall, her bodyguards hastily following her.


    Duke Ohad led Asher and Eric out of the hall as the healers were sent in to rescue some nobles in dire situations.


    The Duke was certain that after this incident, almost every noble in the north would be afraid to hear the mere mention of the name Ashbourne.


    As it would make them remember this ball forever.


    He even brought war into a ballroom!


    Maybe next time, no one should introduce him as War Bringer.


    _____


    While this went on, the three lords stood in a balcony, gazing at the cityscape as the breeze caressed their hair.


    Asher''s action of clearing his throat broke the silence. "Reuel is now your enemy."


    "I wouldn''t keep a brat who murdered his father in his sleep as an ally either," Ohad Mormont said with a chuckle.


    Eric nodded.


    Asher''s gaze turned cold. "He killed his father!"


    He had been too busy with his own problems to notice the details of the power shift in Intis.


    "Oh, you weren''t informed?" Eric raised a brow. "That brat murdered not just his father but the rest of his family. Only his sister remains, and she''s currently fighting against him with a group of rebels. Intis isn''t exactly united anymore."


    Ohad''s voice was laced with a measured tone as he cautioned. "I will not intrude into your past with Countess Nephis Nyx, but I''ll advise you to watch your back after provoking a woman able to stand against an ancient-ranked mage and survive."


    Asher responded with a small nod.


    Gazing at the city below, he breathed out. "Why support me?"


    Duke Ohad''s face became solemn. "The inevitable is coming."


    Asher furrowed his brows. "What?"


    "War." Eric sighed heavily. "The peace we''ve enjoyed has come to an end. Everyone is preparing their forces, and so is His Highness, Prince Aaron. Once he marches out with Count Wyvern at his side, every noble will have two choices: either fight to the death or pledge their loyalty to him."


    Asher frowned. "He wants to recreate the empire."


    "Indeed." Eric. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "There are three empires, four kingdoms, two independent dukedoms and two independent counties which hold power in this world. One out of the four kingdoms, the two independent dukedoms and counties were once united as one empire. Which means there are now two empires¡­ and one broken one."


    Ohad sighed.


    "The empires are ready to let out the devourer and split the world into three parts as it once had been."


    Asher''s eyes narrowed deeply. Was this what Lord Winter had warned him about?


    The war his brothers were about to start¡­ was this the war that would bring the end of this age?


    Throughout history, whenever war consumed the entire continent, it signified the death of an age and the birth of another. But each war costs a lot.


    Both for all races and for their world itself.


    "This is the reason we three must form an alliance to fight back," Ohad suggested. "Lord Asher, what do you say?"

 Chapter 311 - 311: An Attack

    Hours after the ball.


    "That fool!" Kohath cursed at the top of his lungs as he barged into the dining hall, stomping towards the table, fuming.


    The maids and servants who were preparing dessert quickly distanced themselves from the table and watched Kohath lay his hands on the tablecloth, yanking it with all his strength.


    The sound of plates crashing, food splattering, glass cups shattering, and the yelps of some soft-hearted maids filled the atmosphere as they covered their mouths.


    "He dared to humiliate me in front of everyone! How dare that arrogant brat!"


    Kohath spun in fury and approached a chair before slamming it against a servant who was about to run, making the man tumble.


    Blood streamed down his head, but it didn''t satisfy Kohath. He approached the servant, lifted the chair and slammed him a couple more times until the chair was destroyed.


    "Who built these fake chairs? Have him executed!"


    He turned only to see his mother at the door, looking at the mess he had created.


    He rose up.


    "Don''t look at me that way." His eyes were no different from that of a vulture, and his voice boiled with uncontrollable fury.


    Wrapping his bloodied hand around another chair, he locked eyes with a trembling maid.


    Bam!


    Jessica watched as he brutally hit the maid until she was barely hanging on to life by a thread.


    Huff~ Huff~ S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Panting, he looked at his mother. "What do you have in mind?" His tone was much calmer.


    Jessica leaned against the doorframe. "Instead of taking out your anger on the weak¡­ why don''t you strike the one who caused you the humiliation?"


    Kohath scoffed. "What? That bastard barely released his force, and we were already halfway to the land of the dead. How do you hurt a man like that?!"


    Jessica snorted. "He might be strong, but not all Ashbourne are that strong."


    Kohath cocked his head, his eyes moved about in confusion but then it settled in.


    Mary Ashbourne!


    His eyes shone.


    "Mother¡­" A smile spread across his face as he kissed his mother''s forehead and hurriedly approached the door.


    "Don''t do it yourself," Jessica advised. "Remember he sent one of the Tigris boys here. Use him. The enemy of your enemy is always your friend." She smiled knowingly.


    Nodding frantically, Kohath left. After he left, Jessica turned to the servants and maids, her gaze hardening.


    "Clean up this mess, and the Duke shouldn''t know about this."


    "Yes, Mistress!!"


    _____


    The wet slap of the soles of a boot against the wet floor fell into the ears of disheveled men and women locked behind bars.


    Most scrambled to the gates of their cells, stretching their hands at Kohath and the two soldiers trailing behind him.


    Kohath didn''t even spare them a glance and walked straight to the last cell in the dungeon, a cell that had a sealed gate.


    It wasn''t the usual iron bars but a steel door!


    "Open it."


    One soldier inserted a key, twisting and turning it until the door clicked open with a metallic creak. Both guards then pushed the door away, revealing a white tiger crouched on the cold floor, looking at them in silence.


    Levi''s death gaze made the guards stiffen, but Kohath was confident that Levi understood there was no way he could force himself out of here.


    "Levi Tigris, son of Count William Tigris. I come bearing news that your father is now late, beheaded by the same man who sent you here."


    The white tiger''s eyes narrowed. Then, in a fluid motion, he morphed into his human form.


    "What about my brother?"


    Levi''s lack of empathy made Kohath quite shocked, but he quickly composed himself. "I''d assume Count Asher has him working in the mines¡­ or has fed him to his wolf."


    Levi''s gaze changed. Although his force was sealed off, the sheer pressure he gave off was daunting.


    Kohath smiled. "I have a proposal for you. Disfigure Mary Ashbourne, and I''ll make sure you leave the north before anyone traces you."


    Levi grunted.


    "No need to sound displeased," Kohath continued. "She''s in this castle, and I''ll make sure there are no guards around her."


    "When?" Levi said just one word, and it excited Kohath more than anything.


    "When the moon comes."


    "Till then."


    Levi sat on the cold floor, leaning against the wall.


    "Till then."


    Kohath replied.


    _____


    A gray-haired woman sat on a bench in the garden, looking at a small letter in her hand.


    She had little to no idea what Asher would think if he saw this letter, so she hid it from her.


    This letter was from a man!


    Unlike others that made her run into her room and shut the door in panic, she found herself pacing around the garden, the spot they were supposed to meet.


    She looked at the castle at times and then around her, but unbeknownst to her, the man who had sent the letter stood behind a window looking down at her.


    He had spoken to Yuna about Mary, and Yuna went ahead to arrange this meeting when she figured out Mary wasn''t really against it.


    But, as much as Lucas would love to spend the night chatting with the damsel down there, he feared one man.


    Strange thoughts came to his mind.


    What if Asher planned to wed his own sister?


    After all, they were the only Ashbournes remaining, and if they wanted a purer generation, it would be best to wed each other.


    It was uncommon now, but in the First Age, it was the norm, even in part of the Glorious Age!


    If that was Asher''s plan, then merely being around Mary could cost Lucas his head.


    While he was drowned in his own thoughts, a figure emerged from the darkness, creeping towards Mary with a short sword in her hand.


    Though the figure''s aura was stealthy, Lucas could very well feel the animalistic force hidden inside that man.


    Bam!


    The window was pushed right open.


    "Mary!"


    At this moment, Levi burst forth with a terrifying speed¡ª


    But Mary manifested her wings and shot into the sky.


    Her graceful flight stunned Lucas, but in the next moment¡ª


    RIPP


    A short sword pierced through one of her wings, leaving a trail of blood in the air as she curved, falling back downward with greater speed!

 Chapter 312 - 312: Unwanted Self & Hellhound

    Mary let out a soft gasp, her hair fluttering upward as she fell. There was something wrong with her body, she couldn''t just seem to control herself.


    It wasn''t as if this was the first time she fell from the sky.


    Everything around her spun at high velocity but in the midst of this confusion, a fiery orange phantom burst out of the window Lucas was in.


    An arm wrapped around her and before she knew it, everything had stopped spinning.


    Lucas gently laid her on the grass before looking at Levi, cloaked in a hood who quietly went to the spot the short sword fell and picked it.


    The slight yet deep growl coming from him made Lucas frown deeply. It was as if he was staring right at a tiger.


    Mary grimaced at the sight of the open wound in her right wing.


    Although Lucas wanted to say comforting words, there would be no better way to comfort Mary than to deal with the attacker.


    And so, he rose to his feet, approaching Levi with strong steps.


    "This is unwise." Lucas said.


    Levi chuckled. "Perhaps."


    He burst forth, slashing the short sword at the unarmed Lucas'' throat but the Adamos heir wrapped his fingers around the dagger keeping it in place!


    Right before his neck!


    Levi''s eyes narrowed.


    Drip. Drip.


    Blood coated the short sword and fell down in droplets, splattering on the grass.


    Levi could see the pain and anger in Lucas'' eyes and without warning, the sword grew hot!


    Flames burst out of Lucas body, irises gained the colour of lava, fangs grew out of his mouth, claws protruded from his fingers and toes as his clothes slowly burnt away.


    Finally, a fiery phantom of a three headed hound, as big as a human appeared behind him, its ferocious aura flared so high the guards at other vicinities sensed it.


    The calm, good looking Lucas was replaced by a burning feral man. Cold and brutal.


    The blade of the short sword melted as the grass around them disintegrated into dust.


    Bam!


    Levi punched Lucas'' face. A blow that would kill a knight simply made Lucas tilt. In the next moment, his expression distorted and he lunged at Levi.


    His claws tore through the cloak, opening deep marks in Levi''s flesh and scorching the wound at the same time.


    Pain shot to Levi''s brain!


    "!!!"


    Stifling his scream, white fog burst out of him as he morphed into his tiger form. With a powerful leap, he went head on with Lucas.


    Lucas simply grabbed his face ignoring the claws that sank into his flesh.


    "Burn!"


    Levi screamed as fire consumed his face. His screams went far but died fast.


    Thud!


    Lucas dropped the corpse on the ground as his flames died out. His fangs, claws and phantom vanished leaving him like he once was.


    But his half burnt clothes spoke otherwise.


    Lucas stood there facing the corpse. He didn''t even turn to Mary, an action she found strange.


    "Lady Mary, you can go get yourself treated. The problem has been dealt with."


    After uttering those words, he took one step and froze.


    This was because of the figure standing just 10 meters to his right, just under the moonlight.


    "... You couldn''t be far." Lucas chuckled bitterly, averted his gaze from Asher and walked away without glancing at Mary.


    He didn''t want to see her expression.


    It would just be like the others. No one was able to accept this bloodthirsty part of him after seeing his other part.


    A major flaw of his talent is that once active, he would surely possess traits of the merged beast and his beast was known for its cruelty and ferociousness.


    He would have never wanted Mary to know about this side of him. In fact, it was the reason he refused to become a knight.


    Some talents weren''t gifts, they were a curse and Lucas considered his talent one.


    Asher stood there, his hair tousled by the extreme speed at which he moved to get here. His expression colder than ice and his golden eyes, magically piercing through the darkness.


    He was there just in time to witness the formidable hellhound kill its prey. Yes, even a white tiger was a prey to the hellhound!


    But there was something in Lucas'' eyes that made Asher feel pity.


    Self loathe.


    He saw a man that loathed himself¡­ a part of himself that was the major part that is.


    Mary remained there, her hand stretched out for Lucas but the young man never knew because he never looked back.


    Asher sighed.


    He knew why Mary didn''t call out to him. She was a woman that respected boundaries. Even when she wanted more.


    Just like when he sent her away.


    In the same light, she respected that Lucas acted strange for reasons known only to him and it might be linked to her so she refrained from causing more hurt.


    Seeing this misunderstanding, Asher felt a pang in his head.


    But he swiftly brushed it off and approached Mary.


    "Is he okay?"


    Mary asked him.


    Asher looked at the direction Lucas left in.


    "You''re the one injured." Then, he gazed at Levi who had reverted to his human form. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Tigris."


    Sirius approached them, sniffed the burnt corpse and looked around.


    "What is it?"


    Sirius didn''t reply but its gaze pierced through the darkness, locking on a red haired man who covered himself in a cloak and disappeared.


    Its eyes narrowed.


    At this moment, Mary''s wolf approached, nuzzling Mary as she caressed its head.


    "It''s okay."


    She whispered to her wolf.


    Heavy footsteps fell into their ears as dozens of heavily armoured men trooped into the burnt garden.


    "Lord Asher!"


    Asher carried Mary. "Get me your apothecary."


    ¡­..


    A/N: Thank you for sticking with this work during my tough stages which was primarily caused by my health. Although my situation isn''t that that can be cured so simply, I''ll be able to upload constantly by God''s grace from now on.


    I''ll also use this medium to say I''m also working on a new project and according to the process of the research, it might come end of march or April. (Started since January btw. And I do research on notebooks so no eye pain there. Hehe)

 Chapter 313 - 313: Academy

    Boom!


    Asher, stained by his sister''s blood, walked into Duke Mormont''s courtroom, where the Duke, Count Adamos and his son were.


    From their dressing, Asher knew the lords had retired for the night but the incident pulled them out of their beds.


    Still, his expression was as cold as when he faced Nephis.


    "Lord Asher¡­" Duke Ohad called out, seeing Asher''s unpleasant expression.


    "I sat in the comfort of my room and my only sister was nearly killed. There were no guards in the vicinity, why is that?"


    Duke Ohad took in Asher''s cold, sharp words with a little smile on his face.


    Then his expression became solemn. "It''s a scheme probably to destroy our alliance. There is no reason for me or Lord Eric to harm your sister. Do you think there is?"


    Asher breathed out, his eyes narrowed. "I doubt. But I did sense animosity from your son."


    Duke Ohad raised an eyebrow. "My son?"


    "Yes. The son of Lady Jessica and the Count of Demas, Kohath Mormont. At the ball my sister showed signs of fright the moment he appeared."


    Lord Eric frowned.


    "Lord Asher." He said meaningfully.


    Asher ground his teeth. "I''ll leave him with a warning. Should this repeat itself¡­"


    He held his tongue. It would be best the Duke interpreted the rest himself.


    "I assure you. It won''t happen again." Duke Ohad breathed a sigh of relief but inwardly, he wanted to throw Kohath into the dungeon.


    He wasn''t a fool.


    Somehow Levi left his cell, somehow no guard saw it, somehow the soldiers designated to guard the garden were nowhere to be found?


    All this meant there was an inside man!


    And who else other than the man that had threatened Mary several times. Kohath had met him because of Mary but was rebuked.


    However, it seemed Kohath didn''t know when to stop.


    Asher turned heel. He stopped, turning his head toward Lucas.


    "Thank you. You are welcomed to Ashbourne county at any time and I owe you for my sister''s life."


    Lucas without looking at him nodded.


    Just as Asher reached the door, Count Eric cleared his throat.


    "Lord Asher, I might have found a solution for your population situation."


    Asher raised an eyebrow. His eyes darted over to Duke Ohad and his expressions showed the duke had knowledge about this.


    "With the population in the Wildlands exhausted in months of war, there are no large populations in these parts but you can buy from Everad."


    Asher''s eyes narrowed.


    "Slaves."


    "There were once free people but due to wars and other unfavorable conditions they became prey to the slave traders of Everad. Besides, those people raid towns on neighbouring islands or mainlands and sell them."


    "!"


    "They can bring them through my port, you don''t have to worry." Duke Ohad spoke.


    Count Eric nodded.


    "I want professionals in blacksmithing, sewing, architecture, masons, miners, and those with the most miserable physique."


    The last request puzzled the lords but then they remembered the miraculous Evergreen olive oil and other wondrous farm products in Ashbourne county that can transform the body of an ordinary farmer into that of an iron-ranked soldier!


    This meant that Asher could purchase tens if not hundreds of thousands of slaves because these were the ones no one wanted.


    "I see." Duke Ohad couldn''t help but approve with a nod.


    ¡­


    After Mary''s injury was taken care of, Asher returned to his domain to make preparations for the incoming population.


    So far the county has 455,000 people, a massive number for a mere county but his domain was so large that all he needed was the title of a count to consolidate this massive domain as his.


    Right now, as a count he was the guardian of the wall but Aaron Nethaneel, Second Highness of the empire could grant other nobles landed rights but they would be below him.


    Asher wanted to start developing the county. Build roads, massive farms, massive expansions on cities and even creating settlements since he planned to have a million plus population!


    It was time to start a full scale development so his domain would be a paradise when the time of darkness arrives.


    For that to happen, two things were crucial. An elite army and a robust economy.


    Asher wanted an independent rulership like Count Adamos and Duke Mormont but for now he was under the prince.


    To others this was stupidity but to Asher it was an opportunity. A title bestowed by the prince would be stronger than those who gained from other lords.


    The reason was because the Empire had existed since the First Age. It held more weight, more influence and longevity.


    Even if the empire were to fully crumble, the title wouldn''t!


    That didn''t mean if the empire was conquered, the title would remain. In fact then, the title was nothing but a death sentence because with it one can always have claims to rulership!


    By the time they reached Nineveh, Mary, who thought she was already numb to shock, gasped at the sight of the grand walls.


    Even with other great fenced cities in the domain, Nineveh still stood apart.


    Although it had a small population of 60,000, the complexity of its walls made Nineveh, a stronghold, would be extremely daunting to face.


    After a series of upgrades, the stronghold now sat at the top of a hill! With only one wide path leading to the plains.


    This meant any attack had to come through one way as the other sides of the mountains were rugged and falling from there would only mean as there were earthen spikes all around the hill, except for the front gate path.


    Seeing Mary''s reaction to Nineveh, Asher chuckled.


    "Even if every city is conquered, I don''t plan for Nineveh to be listed amongst them. The walls are plastered with green clay making them extremely sturdy and smooth. Not even a ballistic bolt can go deep enough to get a firm grip."


    Mary looked at him, appalled.


    "In there the finest knights in all of Ashbourne are trained."


    "Finest?"


    "Yes. They are the same as the knights escorting us. The paladins." S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "What makes them stronger than their counterparts?"


    "Their brutal training method. Each of them has to be able to kill beasts of their rank to ascend from basic paladins to advanced paladins and finally transcendent paladins."


    Hearing all these, Mary couldn''t imagine the strength of these paladins but from Asher''s description they had to be quite imposing.


    "Asher, I have something I wanted to speak to you about."


    "Oh? Pray tell."


    Mary looked at Asher, right into his burning eyes.


    "I want to open a school."

 Chapter 314 - 314: Good News

    Since a strong foundation led to advantageous results, Asher was on the same page with Mary.


    Starting a school that would train kids would produce far-reaching effects, ensuring they reached their full potential after they were selected and advanced.


    A scholar could grow into a man of great intelligence and foresight¡ªan asset to a mage and invaluable to a lord.


    A footman could become a knight, tougher, more skilled, and way stronger than his peers.


    This was a cheat in the system. The reason the Grand Aegis Heavy Infantrymen were classified as heavy infantry and not light infantry like the Frontline Legion was because of their origin.


    After dozens of attempts, Asher had finally figured out the system''s pattern. This meant simply recruiting soldiers and transforming them into knights through the transformation towers in the barracks to produce weaker versions of the said profession.


    This meant that even if they reached gold rank, his soldiers would never be as strong as the first, who had been properly cultivated from the start¡ªat least, not right away.


    It would take a while¡ªsometimes months, sometimes years¡ªfor them to be as good as the knights. But by then, wouldn''t the other soldiers widen the gap even further?!


    "I''ll let Kelvin know," Mary said, smiling blissfully.


    ''A school, huh?''


    Asher thought over the idea as the carriage climbed the hill and into the stronghold. The creak of its wheels fell into his sensitive ears along with the bustling streets, but he brushed them off and settled deep inside his mind.


    A skill he had learnt through meditation.


    The ability to detach himself from reality and delve into the subconscious.


    In the long run, building the school would make his domain self-reliant. He wouldn''t need to hire them from other domains or wait in hopes that they would come along with the population trooping in or gained from wars.


    But to build his roads, he needed a saint architect. Leaving it to the system would consume an absurd amount of money.


    But if he asked Kelvin and they had the resources and money, he would gladly let the system handle it¡ªafter all, it did the job better than any man.


    _____


    Not long after they entered the castle, Mary was led to her quarters while Asher went straight to his study.


    His eyes lingered on the tome in his grasp as he pressed his palm into the sunken mark, his expression unfazed even after feeling the sharp prick.


    Rumble!


    The study trembled as a mirror went backward and slid into a hidden compartment, revealing an ancient, dusty staircase that disappeared into the darkness.


    With a soft sigh, Asher lit up a torch and walked down the spiral staircase until he reached the bottom.


    At the bottom was a squarish room with nothing except for an old short column, hooks that once held swords and dust. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Whew!


    He blew away the dust from the top of the pedestal and placed the tome upon it.


    Just as he turned to leave, the tome fluttered open on its own, its pages flipping until an empty page, yellowish and worn out like the others, appeared.


    Then, stroke after stroke, a name was being written on the page.


    Stunned, Asher approached the tome, his eyes wide in shock as he watched his name appear.


    Just after that came a record of his wars, his achievements, his temperament, his subordinates, his weapons and even his allies.


    Asher''s gaze returned to the title, his eyes narrowing as he processed what he had just overlooked.


    "Duke of Ashes, Asher Ashbourne, fifth Duke of House Ashbourne!"


    Has this tome lost its senses?!


    All this while, he had only now discovered that this tome was actually a relic. And to prove him right, a newly drawn, detailed map of the land beyond the Ash Mountains began to spread across the page.


    So this was how the Ashbournes acquired their maps.


    After a while, he went back to the study, still confused at the title on the tome.


    But just as he sat down, his attention was drawn to the two sealed letters on his desk.


    Pristine and white!


    His brows came together.


    The seal on the first letter was that of the emperor''s!


    And only one person could use the emperor''s seal! It was the Second Highness!


    Asher opened the seal and unfolded the letter. As he read it, his eyes widened.


    _____


    Your feats as Count, defender of the wastelands, have spread to every bright and dark corner of the empire. By curing down the rebel lord¡ªCount William Tigris¡ªyou have proven yourself more than worthy.


    This deed shall by no means go unrewarded. Therefore, I, prince Aaron Nethaneel, rightful ruler of these lands, hereby bestow upon you the title of Duke.


    Earned by merit and unwavering loyalty to the empire.


    Henceforth, the lands from the Great Dividing Wall and the Wildlands to the extreme ends of the Ash Mountains and beyond are rightfully yours.


    Signed. Prince Aaron Nethaneel.


    _____


    Silence reigned the room for several minutes as Asher reread the letter. Again and again.


    He had been thinking of how to deal with Aaron, should he send nobles with land claims to disturb him just like how he used him against Count William? But he got this.


    Did prince Aaron understand the worth of House Ashbourne? Or did he simply want a lackey?!


    Someone to use at whim?!


    "Regardless," Asher murmured, a smirk forming on his lips. "I should show gratitude. I''ll have Dan forge him a gauntlet made entirely of gold."


    He wasn''t going to hide his capability like before. He couldn''t step onto this stage and back out because of fear.


    Besides, if there was one thing he had learned, it was that wars strengthened his army. Soon, his forces would be a terror to the world''s powers.


    Asher''s ambitions were growing. He could feel it¡ªa change inside of him, a thirst to consolidate his power and throw away any form of control over him.


    Gently folding the letter, he inserted it into the envelope and just then remembered the second one.


    "Who sent this?!"


    He thought, staring at the unfamiliar seal depicting wings for a long time.


    Finally, he opened it.


    It was a simple request, someone was asking to go on a hunt with him.


    Asher was puzzled, but the moment he saw the name, his heart throbbed.


    "Sapphira Cyrene!"


    From the context of the letter, she wanted the hunting to be just the two of them.


    Click!


    The door swung open, and Kelvin stepped in, bowing slightly. "Apologies, my lord. I wasn''t present in the castle when you arrived. Prince Aaron and¡ª!"


    "Prepare my horse, I leave for Nimrim tomorrow."


    Kelvin''s eyes widened. "But my lord, your attention is needed at the winter stronghold!"


    "So I should ignore Priestess Sapphira''s request to go hunting together? Well then¡ª"


    Kelvin stiffened. The moment he heard the name, his tone shifted. "That''s an important matter, my lord. She might be dying as we speak. It''s best if you leave today."


    Asher blinked.


    Even he hadn''t expected such a response.

 Chapter 315 - 315: Assassins Delight

    After tossing about throughout the night, Asher decided to send a letter to Sapphira, informing her he would arrive the next day and he swiftly ordered for all the merchants with excellent jewelleries to line up in his castle.


    Nimrim was a remote area in his county and even if people began to talk about his strange order or even link it to a woman, he would definitely get to Sapphira before word got to her.


    Sitting on his throne, leaning against one hand, he exhaled.


    "It''s almost noon, Kelvin." Worn out from the continuous disappointments shown by the merchants, Asher sighed.


    Kelvin kept his chin up. "Giving up means you don''t want to impress her and trust me my lord, it isn''t hard for a woman like that to attract even the second highness and that is even if you married her."


    Asher glanced at Kelvin. "Is that so?"


    He scoffed right after.


    Kelvin smiled as the next merchant, a familiar man walked into the hall.


    It was Jon.


    "My Lord."


    Jon and his daughter, Jane went on one knee. Asher''s eyes quickly settled on the box Jane held.


    "What do you have?"


    Jon smiled. "The assassin''s delight."


    The name made both Kelvin and Asher intrigued.


    Clack! Clack!


    Jane unlocked it and opened it, revealing a hair pin. A violet, hair pin with flowers at the head and from those flowers fell three tiny silver chains.


    Each chain at the bottom had a luminous sapphire crystal.


    Jon took it from Jane. He approached Asher with wide strides all while wearing a wide smile. "It''s just a beautiful hair pin infused with force to emit such otherworldly glow¡­"


    Shing!


    He grabbed the part where the flowers were like it was a hilt and pulled. To the shock of everyone in the room, a slender blade emerged from the other side which served as a sheath.


    Asher''s eyes narrowed.


    Jon smiled. "It''s a lady''s ultimate self defense. These flowers once injested are poisonous and these beautiful glowing gemstones can cause harmless but blinding explosions once thrown. It''s an accessory by one of Sacred Flames finest. I believe any woman would love the assassin''s delight."


    Kelvin looked at Asher.


    Asher thought hard.


    Would Sapphira love something like this?


    Considering her profession as a priest, would she really poison people or stab that mini rapier into men''s throats.


    The word "men" made him see the hair pin in a favourable light. At least, if she couldn''t reach out to her sword on time, the hair pin would be less than an arm''s length away.


    And it was equipped with all the necessities that could aid a woman escape a critical situation.


    In a way this jewelry was life saving.


    "Name your price."


    Asher said with a calm tone.


    "It''s just a hundred thousand gold coins, My Lord."


    Just?!


    He barely spent 100 gold coins for the wind chimes bracelet he gave to Liya.


    "... Or we could exchange it for 10 percent less of tax fees for all goods brought in by my merchant guild for the rest of the year."


    "I''ll give you the amount you called." S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Jon was startled. Clearly, such an astronomical amount would make even the wealthiest count in Sacred Flame falter.


    Considering that the jewellery was expendable.


    To Asher, he just wanted whatever he would give to Sapphira to cost him.


    He couldn''t bargain over it.


    Shortly after the trade was over, Jon noticed Jane''s expression as they walked through the grand castle''s hallway.


    "You''re disturbed. Why?"


    "He''s changed. I can''t even find a connection between him and the baron we met here over a year ago."


    Jon sighed. "I heard his growth is linked to his mysterious talent. Who knows, he might have awakened a powerful talent like those in the First Age."


    Jane''s eyes widened. "But those with such talents are either emperors or relatives to past rulers of the empires."


    "He''s an odd one then."


    Their footsteps echoed until they were gone.


    ¡­


    A raven haired woman whose barefeet almost touched the ground, calmly hovered before the massive evergreen olive tree watching workers move about.


    There were hundreds of workers, most of them were pushing wooden wheelbarrows loaded with olives while few were in tree''s labyrinth of branches.


    Some branches were so huge that a man could ride a carriage on them! The height of the tree was 600 meters!


    The stunning sight of a 600 meters tall tree that seemingly pierced through the clouds was never normal neither would it ever become so for the people of Nimrim.


    So far, although with an extremely small population, Nimrim produced a huge percentage of the county''s revenue and had the highest number of healthy folks.


    Some said it was because of Sapphira''s talent that made the earth happy while some said it was because of her ability to heal.


    "What happened to her?" Sapphira''s expression was solemn as she saw some folks pushing barrows filled with black olives!


    Mia, also a beauty but with blonde hair sighed. She was the one in command if Sapphira wasn''t around and also the only human closest to Sapphira.


    "We don''t know yet but her yields are turning bad."


    Sapphira flew to the tree. The moment she moved, the temple knights flew at a faster pace, ordering the workers to move aside.


    "Stop."


    Sapphira said coldly. She glared at Joseph, their captain causing him to lower his head.


    Then, she proceeded. The moment she laid hands on the tree, a green glow ran from the root to the top.


    In the next moment, the flowers became greener and it began to rain olives. Sapphira turned back with a normal smile that was nothing short of mesmerising on her face.


    Just as the people were clamouring for safety, some horsemen could be found galloping toward the scene.


    Dust rose behind them.


    Sapphira squinted.


    As they got closer, her heart suddenly began to beat stronger and faster than before.


    It started the moment her eyes met that burning golden eyes embedded into that well defined face.


    The only time he gazed at her with such softness and intensity was after the fight in his tent.


    Neigh!


    Bezerk raised his forelimbs, tilting upward and neighing loudly before walking on all fours.


    "Hop on."


    Asher stretched his hand.


    But to his dismay, there were signs of fear in her eyes!

 Chapter 316 - 316: A Kiss

    "Asher¡­"


    Her voice was soft yet fragile, barely more than a whisper as it fell into his ears.


    Asher doubted his eyes and ears. Was this truly the same woman who could cut down dozens of men twice her size? The one who led one of the most imposing troops in the county.


    "¡­Asher, when have you ever seen me outrightly ride a horse?" Sapphira asked softly as she seemed to have regained her composure and tone.


    But before she could steady herself completely, a snort from Bezerk destroyed all that she accumulated composure, and she instinctively took a step back.


    Asher gasped.


    Was Sapphira¡­ afraid of horses?!


    He blinked twice, wanting to confirm as this was one of the basic and most common practices of everyone in Tenaria, unless they were too poor to afford a horse. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Or¡­


    His eyes settled on her wings. ''She probably never needed a horse since she could fly anywhere she wanted and look even more eye-catching than any rider.''


    Even after coming to this conclusion, Asher tilted his head, his nose wrinkling as he dived into the depths of his thoughts.


    Was it that she never had the curiosity to ride a horse?!


    But then, why had she once asked him for a silver-scaled horse?


    "Why did you ask for the silver-scaled horses then?"


    Sapphira flipped her hair, gently tilting her head to one side, lips pressed together.


    "I was going to learn," she said, "but you wouldn''t even part with a single one of your precious catches."


    Asher let out a forced chuckle to brush off the accusation.


    "Come. Bezerk doesn''t bite."


    Sapphira raised an eyebrow. She could see Bezerk''s knife-like teeth in full display, just hidden behind the metallic muzzle strapped over its mouth.


    It was well known that the count had thousands of carnivorous horses, and amongst them, Bezerk was king.


    It was said it only ate less than Sirius!


    "He fed before I rode him here."


    Sapphira hesitated but then slowly floated toward Asher.


    Seeing this, Joseph¡ªthe same man who had barred Asher from the temple¡ªinstinctively stepped forward.


    "My Lady, allow your servants to escort you!"


    "One more word from a mere soldier like you," Nero cut in coldly, stepping between them, "and I shall strike. Mind you, I shall not strike twice."


    His gaze was cold, and his words as sharp as the cold touch of a knife''s blade.


    Asher dismounted and, without hesitation, took Sapphira by the waist and lifted her onto Bezerk''s back. She let out a soft gasp, her fingers twitching as Bezerk''s name brushed over them.


    The soft touch eased her nerves slightly, but she found solace when she felt Asher''s chest behind her.


    As he reached for the reins, his arms pressing onto both of her sides, he could hear her hitched breath.


    "We''ll be back in a day."


    Then, the earth beneath them trembled as Bezerk shot off, racing through the plains before they vanished from sight.


    Mia turned to Nero, whose sharp, authoritative gaze swept across the remaining soldiers.


    ''Isn''t he just twelve!''


    _____


    Lost in the comfort of each other''s company, neither of them noticed the passage of time or how far Bezerk had run¡ªuntil they found themselves navigating through the unfamiliar woods!


    Only then did they realize that they were outside the boundaries of scouted areas.


    Just then, Bezerk burst out of the forest, and before they could react, all three of them found themselves inside water.


    Asher was the first to rise up, followed by Sapphira and finally, Bezerk, the horse that had lost itself to sheer speed.


    Staring at the shocked Asher, Sapphira burst into laughter. "I have never seen you with that expression before."


    With a scoff, Asher splashed water at her before turning to face the vast river that stretched endlessly to the horizon!


    "Is this the Azure River? The one that runs around the entire continent?"


    "It can''t be. The Azure River is supposed to be at the extreme eastern edge of the Ash Mountains."


    The moment Sapphira said that, both of them turned to their left¡ªonly to find that they couldn''t see the great mountain range.


    It had stopped miles away!


    "Just how far did Bezerk run?" Sapphira muttered in disbelief, staring at the energetic horse that had already climbed out of the water.


    Asher''s gaze flickered to Bezerk, checking if the box was still securely strapped to it. When he confirmed it was safe, he let out a relieved sigh.


    Sapphira narrowed her eyes at him.


    "You knew about Bezerk''s speed?"


    Seeing she wasn''t onto him, Asher quickly went on with her to make sure she didn''t notice anything out of the ordinary.


    "I knew he was exceptionally fast, but he has never run this fast."


    His gaze then returned to the river. "Sapphira, if this is truly the Azure River, it opens a new opportunity for the county. We would be able to connect the lands beyond the mountain range to the high plains. This forgotten route is heaven-sent."


    "This river is a double-edged sword, Asher," she cautioned. "It may bring us opportunities for trade, but it also provides a path for our enemies. If the Everads find out about us, they''ll surely attack."


    Asher''s eyes narrowed.


    "Then I won''t build a city at the harbour. I will build a fortified town first. And the city will be there¡­"


    Asher pointed at the horizon.


    "On the water?" Sapphira raised her eyebrows.


    Asher smiled. "Yes."


    He could already envision the unique designs they had for lords that would fulfil certain requirements and own legendary grade cities.


    These included flying islands, and some even had ships as large as estates. These were ships that spanned kilometres in length and breadth and could traverse the sea!


    Just imagine a behemoth of a ship carrying tens of thousands of men, moving on the sea!


    He would become the overlord of the sea!


    Splash!


    Sapphira suddenly emerged before him, splashing a wave of water on his face.


    "Can you build such a thing? Is it even possible?"


    Sapphira asked, a hint of jealousy in her voice as the river seemed to have snatched Asher''s attention than it did.


    Asher opened his lips to reply, but the words caught in his throat.


    His well-developed curves were dangerously highlighted by her soaked clothes clinging to her skin, but the allure of her rosy face was even more devastating.


    And worse, she was so close.


    His Adam''s apple bobbled, and without knowing how or when, Asher inched closer.


    Sapphira instinctively leaned back, her body slowly sinking into the water, but before her face could disappear beneath the crystal blue water¡­


    Asher''s lips brushed against hers.


    "!!"


    Sapphira felt a shiver run through her body in a split second, leaving her breathless.


    It left her wanting more, but Asher didn''t go beyond a peck.


    It wasn''t because he wanted to stop but because he was forced to.


    Something or someone in the forest was watching them.


    And¡­ it had far too many legs than it should be possible for a human being!

 Chapter 317 - 317: Foresight

    Neigh!


    Bezerk reared up, lifting both its forelegs into the air with a sharp neigh. Immediately, Asher dashed toward the shores, water splashing as he threw his legs forward.


    Sapphira rose up. Her wings trembled at an insane speed, scattering away the water droplets as she shot into the air.


    By the time Asher reached the frightened Bezerk, Sapphira was already flying over him.


    Asher tanked out her sword, tossed it into the air, then wrapped his hands around Euodias¡ªalso strapped to Bezerk¡ªand pulled it out of the scabbard.


    Shing!


    He mounted Bezerk and rode into the forest. Luckily, the trees here were spaced far apart, with little to no grass¡ªonly clinging to the roots of the trees.


    The soil beneath was brown and damp.


    Holding his sword angled toward the ground, Asher leaned down to evade tree branches.


    Then¡ª


    ''What in the world is that?!''


    His eyes narrowed.


    A bit far away from them stood a rider on horseback. But this horse was no ordinary one. It had a long braided mane that gleamed golden, contrasting with a light brown body inscribed with ancient runes stretching from its shoulders to hooves.


    This horse had six legs, and from the knees down, they seemed to be made of ethereal light!


    The rider atop it looked no different from the horse. It seemed as if they were both carved out of the same source.


    The rider''s skin had a similar tone and was donned with a heavy golden breastplate on top of a tattered white garment that barely came down to his thighs.


    A metal eye patch covered one eye, while the other pulsed with streaks of lighting. In his right hand, he gripped a halberd that occasionally crackled with golden-white bolts.


    Although this being was several meters away, its sheer size, which dwarfed a human, made Asher feel the trembling it caused as it tried to run away from them.


    It felt as if a dozen men were riding on their horses!


    The rider turned as if glancing at them, his long, braided white hair flowing down to his waist, his braided beard similarly woven into braids.


    Then¡ªhe roared.


    Asher saw the creature''s sharp, black, pointed teeth, and his eyes narrowed further. His grip on his sword tightened.


    "A guardian mythical beast!"


    He could barely believe it. Even amongst the mythical beasts, guardians were rare¡ªso rare that they might have never been mentioned because no one had ever lived to tell the tale.


    Everything on that mythical creature¡ªthat appeared like armor and clothing¡ªwasn''t crafted; it was actually made by Tenaria itself.


    Guardian mythical beasts were created by the world to protect specific zones and it seemed like the Azure River was one of such places.


    If he didn''t kill it, this beast would cause havoc to the people he planned to send to build a settlement here to establish a city ship!


    While he pondered his next move¡­


    Whoosh!


    A grayish-white crescent sword light sliced through the sky but the golden rider evaded it effortlessly even as it was trying to run away.


    Instead, a tree was cut down in its place.


    "Gyaa!"


    The golden rider let out an enraged roar and then suddenly turned around.


    Asher was stunned, but he quickly reached and raised his sword.


    The golden rider spun his halberd, his lightning-filled eyes locked on Asher.


    Boom!


    In an instant, he shot forward.


    Asher barely had the time to react before he was sent flying in the air at a crazy speed.


    Just as he was about to hit a tree, Sapphira caught him.


    She spun him mid-air before throwing him right back at the golden rider.


    For the first time, Asher felt like a ragdoll.


    But his experience as a warrior kicked in.


    Utilising the momentum he was thrown at, he slashed at the rider''s horse mid-flight before tumbling on the ground.


    He hit hard, rolled and then quickly sprang to his feet¡ªready for the next strike.


    Turning, he saw the horse bleeding profusely from its throat. It staggered and fell to the ground, but the rider rose up, lightning crackling through his body.


    "Gyaa!"


    The rider screamed, his hair flying up as if charged with electricity. With a single stomp, the golden rider vanished¡ªonly to appear before Asher the next instant and unleash a horizontal cut.


    Asher blocked it, groaning softly as the sheer force pushed him back.


    Swoosh!


    Sapphira dove down, her blade slicing through the golden armor and opening a horrible gash through the rider''s flesh from his neck down to his waist!


    As blood gushed out, bolts of lightning shot out, blasting Sapphira backward and sending her crashing through several trees. Each tree blackened, turning into charcoal and crumbling to pieces while Sapphira lay at the end of it all.


    Cuts and wounds marred her kneeling frame, but her grip on her sword remained firm. Though wounded, her eyes were still sharp and never wavered.


    Clang! Clang!


    Asher met the 8-foot-tall golden raider''s heavy strikes head-on, their blades clashing with relentless power. Finally, he twisted his sword, deflecting a strike and forcing the rider to stagger to the side, leaving his torso exposed.


    Seizing the moment, Asher drove his sword through the rider''s lower abdomen. Lightning crackled as the sword pierced through its skin, but it couldn''t spread across the blade.


    "This sword isn''t made of metal ore alone!" he spat as he pulled Euodias free and unleashed an upward slash.


    The golden rider roared, thrusting his halberd to unleash a lightning blast, but Asher rolled to the left just in time.


    Ice erupted from the ground, piercing the golden rider''s legs, making him let out an agonizing roar that echoed through the forest!


    With one final strike, Asher slashed his sword, sending a fan of ice to surge upward. The jagged ice spikes tore through the golden rider, splitting him into two.


    Huff! Huff!


    Asher turned to Sapphira as she approached, her steps slow but steady. Her radiant smile didn''t match her torn attire and dirt-stained face.


    _____


    ''Death!''


    A golden eye that seemed to be swirling with galaxies closed shut, and when it opened again, it burned with white lightning.


    Seated atop a six-legged horse, this creature stared at the white haired man and the black haired woman with wings in the river it was meant to protect.


    It had just seen its future. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Masking its aura, the golden rider vanished into the forest.


    Asher, Sapphira and Bezerk never knew it was there.


    _____


    Splash! Splash!


    Asher strode towards the shallow waters, carrying Sapphira in his arms. He could feel her soft skin through the wet garment and searched for dry land, afraid that he might not be able to control himself.


    His gaze flicked toward the spot where the golden rider once hid, and then he looked away.


    The forest ahead was quite thick, its towering trees promising shelter.


    "Put me down," Sapphira murmured.


    As he set her on her feet, her face remained flushed and rosy after that kiss. It wasn''t new to Asher, who had come from Earth. But for Sapphira¡­ that had been her first kiss!


    "Asher," she said, her voice much quieter.


    "No one has come in contact with this river for over a century. Are you sure beasts don''t lurk in its depths?"


    Asher studied the river, his brows furrowed. "I''d like to see what can destroy the city ship."

 Chapter 318 - 318: Superior Being

    Some minutes later, both of them began toward their right, seeking to discover a brook in the forest, connected to the river but shallow enough for them to find fishes.


    Asher had pulled off his gambeson, gloves, boots and left only his shirt and pants on. The others were left dry.


    His eyes examined the forest as he walked by.


    "You know¡­"


    Sapphira stopped, drawing his attention.


    He turned his head backwards, facing her with a raised brow.


    He squinted when she just stared at him.


    "Asher, I''ve wanted to ask since you returned. What happened to your hair?"


    "I awakened a talent."


    She blinked. "You''re one strange man. Awakening your first talent tens years late and still awakening another. Your first one makes you a threat once you bleed, what does this one do?"


    Asher raised an eyebrow. "I do not recall informing you about my talent."


    "You don''t have to. I did my own research and it''s not hard to get information from men."


    "I see. My first talent connects me to my predecessors once I bleed. With their experience, knowledge and talents at my command, I become much stronger than my base form."


    Asher sighed as he resumed walking. "The second however is less broad but of a higher order. Kryos."


    The temperature around them decreased. Ice spread across the land creeping up trees at an alarming rate!


    Asher opened his hand and an ice spike came out.


    "Kyros isn''t a secret. Houses founded centuries ago or linked with knowledgeable mages would know about it. It''s one of the talents of the first men to walk this land."


    Sapphira looked at him. "It must be a powerful talent then. The power to unleash and control ice to your desire without uttering spells makes you a higher threat than mages but¡­"


    "... You''ve changed from the past Ashbournes. Your house stuck to discipline and never allowed change, a trait that took them to the peak. They were ambidextrous, could wield the elements of their pet beasts and were excellent Swordsmen. The Grays, they called them. You''re walking away from that and soon, I believe it might be long lost in the past, covered by the dust of time."


    Asher unsheathed Euodias and looked at his reflection. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Sapphira''s feet touched the earth and left light prints as she made her way from his side to his back.


    "The first Ashbourne built his code but it has been weathered by time and the glory days are long gone. You, my lord, are not another Zenas."


    Asher''s pupils shook. The picture that was seared into his mind was that of Lord Zenas because not only was he the first man he saw when he came to this world, he was also a powerhouse that single handedly built House Ashbourne.


    "You''re Asher. I believe you are bound to be greater than Zenas. You are the next generation of Ashbournes and your rule won''t end at being a Duke. The north is yours."


    Asher looked at Sapphira.


    "You''ll step out of the shadows of Lord Zenas by conquering the depths, uniting the races instead of unwanted slaughter and you shall build a dominion greater than any that stands or once stood."


    Asher sheathed his sword. "And where shall you be?"


    "By your side as a loyal servant. I say this because I believe there lies greater prospects in you but Kelvin, your regent doesn''t see further than the boundaries set by the old Ashbournes. He''s bled and will bleed more for you but his scope might keep you in chains."


    "Hmm¡­ We are but humans, Sapphira. We''re bound to emotions and flaws. Only God isn''t."


    He closed the gap between them, looking down while she looked up.


    Their eyes met.


    "Sparing other races would not be beneficial, I¡ª!"


    "I, Alex and Eritrea have been of benefit to your cause, my lord."


    Asher narrowed his eyes. "They are half humans."


    "And I?" Sapphira blinked. "You may speak your mind. I will not hold it against you."


    At this moment, Asher knew he faced a woman with a hundred years of knowledge and experience under her belt.


    She wasn''t the same woman who melted under him a while ago.


    "I have seen what beastmen has done to my people. I have read about how dwarves built walls with thousands of humans as foundations! Elves disregarded and taught us in exchange for our fellow kin as slaves!"


    Seeing the anger in Asher''s eyes, Sapphira calmly replied. "Humans first gave the beastmen horrible impressions as they mocked and used them for hard labour. Elvin women were victims to all races and humans did the trade. Mind you fairies suffered the most."


    Asher''s eyes flickered.


    "I don''t know what kind of fairy I am, Asher but I''ve had dreams. Visions of what was done to my kin and have you seen me draw my sword against them. I rule them¡­ even better!"


    Sapphira exhaled. Her eyelashes fluttered as she looked into Asher''s burning eyes.


    "Pain has turned the races against each other. We don''t need someone who is right or wrong, we need someone who is superior."


    "I did have plans to build an army of different races except the beastmen."


    Sapphira exhaled in relief. "Start from the beastmen. Show them you can be superior but if they take your mercy for granted, kill them."


    Asher gave a silent nod.


    He wrapped his hands around her and drew her into his embrace.


    Sapphira couldn''t formulate words as Asher gently caressed her hair.


    ¡­


    Hours later, both of them sat in the woods, a good distance from the river leaning against one tree while the fire crackled.


    The sun had set and the whipping of Bezerk''s tail and gentle snorts disturbed their ears.


    Clack!


    Asher threw the bones of a fish into the fire before turning toward Sapphira. His lips curled into a smile when he saw her fast asleep.


    "Nature is still her home."


    He chuckled.


    "We ended up hunting fish."


    Far away, the golden rider watched with furrowed brows.

 Chapter 319 - 319: Golden Riders Allegiance

    Step. Step. Step.


    Footsteps echoed in Asher''s ears, pulling him from sleep. Though only a few hours had passed since he was asleep, he rose like a zombie, his golden eyes piercing through the darkness.


    The campfire had burned out.


    He instinctively grabbed Euodias lying by his side and rose to his knees when he saw a creature riding a six legged horse emerging from the trees, taking soft steps forward.


    Asher''s eyes widened.


    Shing!


    Euodias left the sheath, its azure blade gleaming softly in the dim light.


    Contrary to the fierce battle he had expected, the golden rider plunged his halberd into the ground, dismounted, and fell to one knee.


    His horse also bowed the knee.


    "Gyaa." The rider spoke, but all Asher could hear were guttural, discomforting sounds.


    [Ding! Guardian mythical beast, Golden Rider, has bowed the knee, showcasing his allegiance to you.]


    [The language barrier has been lifted.]


    "Speak." Asher rose to his feet.


    "I¡­ did not come¡­ to fight."


    "You''re the protector of the river?"


    The golden rider responded with a single nod. "The¡­ path to it."


    ''Path to it?'' Asher glanced at the forest, and understanding dawned on him.


    "Why do you protect it?"


    The golden rider lowered its head and remained silent for a while before it lifted its head once again and finally spoke.


    "It is my cause from the day of my creation. I was¡­ meant to preserve the¡­ mythical beasts of the elements. To do so¡­ all must die."


    Lightning crackled in its right eye, making Asher frown.


    Noticing his apprehension, the golden rider continued. "Fear not, young one. We¡­ are of the same cause, for you bear the gift of the First Men. The living ice."


    Asher lowered his guard. Those who knew about Kyros either sided with him or loathed him based on what the past bearers of the talent had done.


    He looked straight at the creature''s eyes and what he seeked appeared.


    [Name: Golden Rider]


    [Age: 2,700!]


    [Rank: Imperial]


    [Talent: Foresight (Third Order Zenith), Storm (Third Order Zenith), Water Walker (S). S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Job: Keeper of Cedar forest]


    [Loyalty: 84]


    Foresight: [Foresight peers through time, granting the bearer the ability to glimpse the near or distant future.]


    Storm: [Storm harnesses the power of thunder, lightning and wind to unleash ravaging disasters or channel into the clouds to bring a rain of lightning and thunder bolts.]


    Water Walker: [An imperial-ranked horse capable of moving on any water body.]


    Asher''s brows knit together. "How have you existed for thousands of years yet remain at this rank?"


    "Mythical creatures created for purposes like mine do not grow in strength. We were all born as Awoken Ones, but the endless wars of the races have fractured the order of energy until we are left with a much weaker version of what we existed as in the First Age."


    "You cannot use force?" Asher frowned.


    The golden rider shook his head. "No. I wasn''t created like the races that can adapt. We¡­ I am stuck the way I was created. As of now, I still use the mana within my veins."


    Asher couldn''t even imagine how massive the Golden Rider''s mana pool had to be for him to be able to retain mana despite having been using it for thousands of years.


    But unlike the golden rider''s body, Asher''s own body functioned as a unifier¡ª absorbing the broken energy and fusing it back into the ancient energy¡­ mana!


    "I shall send men to build, but they won''t destroy the forest. Do not be bothered."


    The golden rider could only nod in silent acceptance.


    _____


    The next day, Asher and Sapphira rode Bezerk toward Nimrim. As they rode into the small city, Asher''s gaze swept over the Frontline knights and the increased number of paladins.


    Most of them were on horseback, their presence discomfiting the civilians.


    "What happened?" Sapphira asked.


    "We''ll find out." Asher''s voice was solemn.


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    When they reached the city hall, Asher saw dozens of paladins, Nero and¡­ Adam!


    "Commander."


    Asher dismounted.


    Adam rose up. "My Lord, we searched everywhere for you. There''s a word from Winter Stronghold."


    Asher frowned. "What happened?"


    "They''ve been under attack for a week now. They fear the stronghold will fall before we arrive."


    Asher''s eyes widened. He turned to Sapphira.


    "I''ll send some temple servants with you."


    "I need you to ride with me."


    "As you command, my lord." She bowed her head.


    Asher faced Adam. "The main army¡ªwhere are they?"


    "Far north, three days away from Winter Stronghold."


    "Then we will meet up with them. Send letters to the mage commander¡ªinform her of our need for her mages. And Sapphira¡­"


    Asher lifted her onto Bezerk once again and climbed up behind her.


    "We''re going to Nineveh."


    Rumble!


    The soldiers mounted their warhorses and followed him. By the time Asher rode out of the small city, thirty riders trailed him, their cloaks billowing in the wind as they charged toward the horizon.


    _____


    Three days later.


    Step. Step.


    Two men clad in full plate armour stood atop a wall marred with cracks, sword marks and bloodstains.


    Their cloaks billowed softly in the cold air. Unlike the stationed guards, neither of them wore a helmet.


    "Four thousand men." Isaac sighed. Before them, the battlefield was strewn with corpses spanning as long as their eyes could clearly see.


    Behind him, the stronghold reeked with the stench of the dead.


    Just before he came here, they had burnt a heap of bodies¡ªsoldiers who had fought under their banner.


    "We won''t survive the night." Anderson gazed at the enemy encampment that spread beyond the battlefield, a sea of tents that stretched into the distance.


    There, their foes ate and laughed.


    There, Edomites and Dothanites danced and drank from the same barrel.


    Their uniting force?


    Kryos!


    "I''ve used every strategy at my disposal to keep the stronghold standing, but this is the end. Lord Winter will have to step up, and once he does¡­"


    "He''ll die," Isaac said. It felt like a weight beyond his capability was placed upon him.


    "Once the city lord dies, the Winter Stronghold will cease to exist. If this is our fate, we can''t change it. Go, prepare the rest of our men¡ªwe fight the Dothan princess tonight."


    Anderson chuckled softly.


    Isaac walked away.


    "What about those angels?" Anderson asked suddenly.


    Isaac paused. "The angels of death answer only to one man, and he''s not here."


    "So you¡­ their instructor can''t control them?"


    "No." Isaac exhaled. "We wait for white hair¡­ or we meet in the afterlife."


    With those words, he walked away.

 Chapter 320 - 320: Gods Wrath

    The skies littered the dark skies, their light shining bright above, but the earth below was drowned in darkness, broken only by the flickering flames of torches.


    The moons hid their light tonight as if they were unwilling to witness the bloodshed that was about to happen on the walls of Winter Stronghold.


    A thousand men, clad in armour made up of patches of steel and leather, manned the towering walls, gazing down at the army of 7,000 Dothanites!


    The shortest among them stood at seven feet, while the tallest stood at eleven! These beings, though they bore some resemblance to humans, were direct descendants of the giants of old.


    Draped in armour made from beast skins, with horns of different kinds adorning their heads like prideful trophies, they were true predators of men.


    Their swords, daggers, axes, and hammers looked archaic, yet no knight hoped to be on the receiving end of their strike.


    Out there in the field, they had no discernible order. They swarmed the fields like a group of densely packed ants.


    Before them stood their commander, a woman! She had a bushy tail swaying behind her and red fox ears that twitch atop her head. She leaned on a massive axe as tall as her!


    None of the knights on the wall could imagine just how a woman could swing such an absurd axe.


    Her attire left little concealed, revealing her toned abs, bulging biceps and contours. A body that was the perfect fusion of beauty and muscle!


    "Commander Isaa," she said, her voice carrying across the battlefield. "I''ve heard much about your bravery. Come, face me, Zilphah Sier, in a one-on-one battle. If you win, this city gets to see the sunlight once more."


    Isaac lifted up his hand, and archers drew their bows.


    "Tsk! Coward!" Zilphah spat. Explore stories on My Virtual Library Empire


    At that very moment, arrows shot into the sky and made a parabolic curve as they headed towards her troops.


    "Onwards!"


    Lifting her axe, she charged towards the wall with thousands of her kind following her. Unfortunately, some were hit in critical spots and fell, but the rest jumped over their corpses, roaring as they closed in on the wall.


    "Fire breathers!" Zilphah bellowed.


    A dozen warriors ran past their comrades, creating a great distance between themselves and the main troop before they opened their mouths and tilted their heads upwards.


    Flames erupted from their mouths, soaring so high in the air that they reached the top of the wall!


    Isaac unfurled his huge wings, flapping them without reserve. The gust he generated was enough to keep the flames at bay!


    "That''s him," Zilphah murmured, a smile creeping onto her lips.


    She shot forward at a great speed and flung her axe into the air. It tore through the air while burning with orange and blue flames!


    Unsheathing his sword, Isaac clashed with the axe, causing a massive shockwave to rip through the battlefield. The force not only blew him backwards but also destroyed the formation of the soldiers along the wall.


    "Ice wall!"


    Anderson''s voice rang out bellowed as the barbarians reached the wall. Some soldiers pressed their hands against the wall, and ice spread out until it covered the wall in a frozen barrier.


    "Shoot!"


    Ice spikes shot from the wall, killing barbarians in droves by impaling them. Some tried to break the spikes¡ªonly to be skewered by another before they could react.


    Seeing this, the 12 flame breathers blew their flames in unison, converging their flames into forming a massive flameball and then allowed it to fall on the wall.


    Isaac noticed this and flapped his wings, generating a massive cyclone, but it was barely able to nudge the fireball before it erupted in a blinding explosion. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The blast sent hundreds of barbarians flying away. Smoke rose, blurring the battlefield, making it hard for those on the wall and those on the field to see.


    "What happened?!" Anderson squinted through the haze.


    "The wall!"


    Shouts came from behind, making him and other soldiers rush to the other side and look down.


    Anderson''s eyes widened. A gaping hole had been blasted through the wall!


    "We''re doomed." His face turned ashen.


    The soldiers on the wall were their last line of defence. With the wall now breached, they would be forced to fight in an open field, which was a disadvantageous position for them.


    Nevertheless, he wasn''t about to give up.


    "Move down now! No barbarian should cross that wall!" Anderson roared.


    Then, he turned to Isaac, who was single-handedly holding back Zilphah and the barbarian''s large-scale attack.


    Unfortunately, his heart sank, that turn allowed him to see the Edomites racing out of their camp in the number of thousands!


    He could see thousands of black order knights, scarlet order knights and gray order knights!


    Gray order knights donned armour that was famed for being the most durable amongst the powers of the Depths.


    These soldiers were imperial-ranked knights, all of them!


    The best of the best in Edom. These rats had been trained in darkness, tortured to do the impossible for them to survive.


    To don that armor, they had to be worthy of it and to be worthy of it, they had to embrace their monstrous side.


    Two hundred of them were now marching onto the battlefield!


    Anderso swallowed hard. He was just a saint. He wouldn''t even last three strikes from them!


    "Activate the ice mines!"


    He roared. Ice spikes suddenly shot from the ground, killing hundreds of barbarians, yet it wasn''t enough to dampen their morale, barely slowing them down.


    By the time Anderson descended from the wall, the battlefield was chaotic. Soldiers were facing barbarians fiercely, but the barbarians were pushing through relentlessly!


    Step. Step. Another step.


    A woman appeared at the entrance of the desolate street.


    His eyes brightened. "Naomi. Where have you been?!"


    "Preparing potions," she said hastily. But as soon as she arrived, flames burst out of her staff in the form of a bird.


    Without any warning, the flames consumed Anderson instantly.


    He screamed, struggling against the inferno. But when Naomi saw that he was trying to subdue the flames, she unleashed another surge of flames at him.


    The soldiers froze, stunned. Some couldn''t believe their eyes as they watched their commander burn. Anderson wasn''t the strongest warrior, but his mind had won them battle after battle. And now¡­ he was burning before their eyes.


    No one had suspected the true danger lay among them.


    By the time Naomi stopped, all that remained was a blackened figure of a man.


    "You fool¡­ you have the blessings of I Am." The blackened man said before he collapsed.


    Naomi was perplexed, but she raised her staff toward the soldiers.


    "Burn!"


    This time, no matter how many times she muttered the spell, it didn''t work.


    Clack! Clack!


    The rhythmic tapping of a staff fell into her ears, prompting her to turn.


    The soldiers took that opportunity to close the gap, but Lord Winter raised his hand.


    "Interfere, and you shall face God''s wrath," he said. "You should have incurred the wrath of men, Naomi."


    Dread fell on the magician. She had no idea what was wrong, but something felt odd.


    Something was out of place.


    Could it be that¡­?


    Had her lust for greater power, which led her to side with the Edomites, sealed her fate with doom?

 Chapter 321 - 321: Horrors Of Gods Wrath

    Suddenly, flames erupted from the hand holding the staff. The staff disintegrated into dust while she screamed before collapsing to her knees.


    The surrounding soldiers quickly distanced themselves.


    "Argh!" Naomi''s shriek tore through the air as she screamed at the top of her lungs while the flames engulfed her arm and then continued to spread downward, consuming her entire body but sparing her face.


    "L¡­ lord Winter¡­!" She stretched out her hand toward Lord Winter, desperation filling her voice. But Lord Winter stood motionless, watching as the flames consumed her whole.


    His pupils trembled.


    "It''s truly a pity." He sighed heavily.


    The intense heat radiating from the fire was unbearable, affecting even those within a hundred-yard radius. It almost felt like their skins were melting off!


    And yet, such flames kept burning Naomi. They could see her skin melt off only to regenerate at a terrifying speed.


    She was trapped in an eternal state of regeneration and destruction while being consumed by flames hotter than anything they''d ever seen or felt.


    Lord Winter''s body trembled.


    Such cruelty!


    Worms burrowed out of Naomi''s charing flesh, the fire seemed to have no effect on them as they feasted on the screaming woman.


    Lord Winter faced the soldiers who were so frightened by the sight that they lost their strength. "Let not your hands grow weary of holding your weapons," he commanded, his voice unwavering. "She broke the covenant with I Am and took his blessings of life while thinking she had only fooled a man. But even when we are at the verge of our end, let this be a lesson¡­ never incur the wrath of God. It would be better if you raise your weapons at me."


    Naomi''s screams rose to an unbearably high pitch, but the old man clenched his teeth and walked past her.


    A part of him wanted to plead¡ªfor mercy, for her quick death, but he might take her place.


    It would be better to slit his own throat than beg on Naomi''s behalf, not only was her torture simply related to her flesh, her spirit was suffering too.


    Her very spirit was being ground to dust, bit by bit.


    There would be no afterlife for her. Only oblivion. A punishment for the decades of her atrocities and schemes.


    "Go."


    Lord Winter dropped his staff on the ground. As it struck, the white wood twisted and coiled, transforming into a snake¡ªsnow-white, with pitch black eyes. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This was a weapon blessed by I Am, thus it could transform into a divine relic. The staff didn''t just have the ability to bless a selected few, in fact, it was the manifestation of a mythical beast!


    The white snake!


    As the snake slithered toward the hole, which was now filled with barbarians as the winter soldiers had fallen to their heavy blows in droves, especially without the morale of their commander, it grew bigger!


    The snake grew as it moved.


    By the time it reached the wall, it had expanded to an impossible size¡ª60 yards in length!


    Hiss~


    A white mist rolled out of its mouth, freezing everything in its path. The barbarians turned to ice, and the hole was sealed with it as well.


    Then the serpent climbed over the wall, unleashing frost at the enemy ranks!


    "What in Seir''s name is that?!" Zilphah exclaimed at the sight as the monstrous white snake caused disaster in the ranks of her men.


    Their weapons bounced off its scales. With a single movement, the creature could either crush them, freeze them, or send them flying into the unknown with a mere flick of its tail.


    Isaac''s expression turned cold when he took in the sight of the massive snake. He flew high, then turned his gaze toward the old man on the wall. Find your next adventure on My Virtual Library Empire


    Lord Winter stood there, his hands clasped behind his back, his eyes fixed on the battlefield.


    Could this be called a battlefield any longer?


    Fighting out there was Isaac and the white snake against seven thousand Dothanites and the incoming twenty thousand Edomites!


    Swoosh! Swoosh!


    Black figures appeared on the wall, all of them cloaked in darkness, wrapped in black, silver masks which seemed to be interwoven with darkness and the masks gleaming under the pale light.


    About 300 of them stood on the wall.


    Lord Winter had released the Angels of Death.


    Isaac had spent months training them, torturing, traumatizing and reforging them, molding their minds and bodies into something new over the months.


    Over a thousand had come for the training, but only 300 had survived.


    And yet, Isaac was displeased at their appearance.


    To him, they weren''t ready. Some weeds still needed to be plucked out, and for that to happen, they needed to undergo more brutal training.


    But for now, they would serve their purpose.


    "Angels, kill as much as you can."


    Despite his discontent, he gave an order.


    The angels ran some steps down the wall and leaped into the air. As they fell, barbarians charged toward the wall!


    A few meters from the ground, the angels launched daggers attached to chains, embedding them into their foes. With a sharp pull, they yanked the chains backwards after striking their targets.


    As the daggers ripped free, they came out along with sprinkles of blood through the air and whipped it around, slitting the throats of at least three barbarians each!


    Then, they landed.


    While the angels of death slaughtered the barbarians attempting to climb the wall, the snake ravaged the main army. So far, it had killed six of the twelve fire breathers, and hundreds of barbarians lay in pieces!


    "Argh!"


    Zilphah screamed as Isaac''s speed increased, and he sliced through her exposed abdomen.


    He wasn''t the same as those lustful barbarians over whom she flaunted her superiority by exposing her abs.


    To him, it was a weakness to exploit!


    Three fire-breathing barbarians exhaled torrents of flames at him, but Isaac simply wrapped the flames in a wind sphere and dispersed it effortlessly.


    "Enough!"


    He left afterimages as he cut through them in a single motion before turning his full attention to Zilphah, who was now standing all alone.


    Flames erupted from Zilphah''s axe. "You''re dead."


    Isaac scowled. Without uttering a word, he lifted up his single-edged sword.


    The number one rule he had lived by in his century-long life and the same that he had drilled into the angels of death was:


    You''re only allowed to be angry. Transform your pain into rage. Your fear, your doubt, and everything else went into your rage because it was very well the driving force behind every strike.


    Isaac had lost hope.


    Asher was too late.


    But¡­ he would lessen the number of enemies Asher had to fight. Unbeknownst to the master assassin, he was fighting for Asher!


    He closed the gap, deflected Zilphah''s axe, and slashed her chest down to her abdomen before pulling his other hand backwards¡ªwhite air came out of Zilphah''s mouth.


    Her eyes rolled back, and she slumped to the ground.


    Isaac looked at the air, watching it dissipate.


    His wings spread wide.


    Then, he turned his head over his shoulder, searching for his next kill.

 Chapter 322 - 322: For Achilles

    "Take those walls, I''ll deal with the beast."


    A deep, reverberating voice rang in the ears of the Edomites. Without hesitation, they broke their formation and advanced towards the wall. Meanwhile, their General, the pillar of Edom¡ªGeneral Aldrich, clad in a whitish-gray armour, strode forward with large strides. His target: the white snake.


    His strides transform into a dash.


    With both his hands gripping his massive sword, he raised it high and he closed the distance and swung his sword downward.


    Using output at that moment, he then released a massive crescent sword light that crackled with thunder and lightning!


    It struck the serpent, piercing through its scales. The beast recoiled, turning its massive head toward Aldrick before breathing a surge of frost from its maw.


    The seven feet tall rat general, leaped out of the way with an instant burst, narrowly escaping the freezing blast.


    Mid-air, he launched another beam that also opened a massive gash.


    Thud!


    Lord Winter fell on one knee, groaning softly.


    "May it rain!" Aldrich roared, his voice echoing and as if obeying his command, the dark clouds above lit up.


    It rumbled as lightning and thunder moved within them. And in the next moment, the elements came together and unleashed a strike on the white snake.


    The bolt of lightning slammed into the white serpent, eliciting a deafening shriek. Writhing in agony, the beast retaliated. It unleashed another breath of frost, sweeping across the battlefield. The attack turned hundreds of Edomites and Dothanites into sculptures of ice.


    "Vile beast!"


    Aldrich lifted up his sword, lightning crackling through his massive build.


    He swung downward.


    Clang! S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    An endless wall of ice surged up to meet his blade, halting his strike.


    Finally, something was able to stop Aldrich from killing the snake.


    "This ice¡­ he''s here."


    Aldrich turned toward the east, and indeed, there he was¡ªflanked by the company of thousands, all holding torches. Their armors gleamed under the fiery glow.


    The frontline legion!


    Aldrich''s eyes, hidden behind his helm, narrowed as he gazed deeply at the man atop a white wolf.


    His bearing was unnatural.


    The earth shook as their forces stormed into the battlefield like a flood of steel men. Their feet and hooves of those on horses trampling heavily against the ground.


    Asher could hardly believe the destruction before his eyes. Even he hadn''t expected the Dothanites to ally with the Edomites in this war.


    Winter was already in ruins.


    Rumble!


    "For Achilles!"


    A loud horn echoed from the south, seemingly from afar. A short moment later, men clad in leather armour burst from the forest, charging into the battlefield in the number of thousands.


    They were the men from Ramoth Stronghold!


    "For Achilles!"


    Another horn sounded from the north, and the trees in the forest began to shake in hundreds!


    Then, they emerged, men mounted on bears with eagle-faced helmets, their banners rippling in the wind. Behind them, thousands of foot soldiers joined the fray.


    In a blink of an eye, Asher''s force had swelled. What had begun with 10,000 light infantrymen had now become an army of 20,000 men fighting under his name!


    The earth trembled mightily.


    The battlefield shifted. The Dothanites and the Edomites¡ªwho once held the advantage¡ªwere not surrounded on all sides, and although they still had the advantage in numbers, the situation was no longer favourable for them.


    They weren''t facing an enemy on one side but from all sides!


    "Away from the wall! Form a wall!" Aldrich bellowed.


    They weren''t the ones launching a siege anymore. They were under siege!


    The Edomites scrambled to reposition. But before they could fully form their defensive line¡ª


    Flames erupted.


    Riding beside his lord, Moses hurled fire into the enemy ranks.


    The inferno engulfed the Obsidian Order knights, rendering their armor useless, but the Scarlet Order knights continued to press on, their bodies still burning as they advanced!


    Eleazar''s eyes shone softly, and the weapons of the fallen rose up, plunging themselves into the living soldiers.


    Some Obsidian Order knights staggered, discovering their armors squeezing in on them. In the end, they were squished to death by their very own armour!


    Boom!


    Something leaped from behind the paladins and landed about a dozen meters ahead of them with a heavy thud, scattering dust and debris from the impact.


    And then¡­


    Roar!


    About a hundred knights dropped to their knees as blood seeped out of their orifices. Such a spontaneous, devastating attack successfully brought the halt of the wall.


    "Spears!"


    Aldrich bellowed, and over a thousand spears shot toward the Ashbourne troops. But before they could land, a dome-like barrier, seemingly made out of glass, formed around them and covered them.


    The barrier moved at a fast pace along with them, defending them from every long-range attack as they advanced until they were in range for close combat.


    High up in the air, hidden from sight of all, Sapphira lowered her hand, allowing the barrier to drop. And in an instant, the Ashbournes crashed into the Edomites.


    Metal met metal.


    Within Sapphira''s pupils reflected a lone figure¡ªthe man clad in a fur padded cloak, riding a white wolf. With a single sweep of his long sword, his enemies crumpled.


    Even in the array of dazzling knights like Nero, Adam, Moses and Eleazar, he was in a league of his own.


    While the others replied on their talents, he simply fought with his sheer strength, and that was enough to bring down the Obsidian and Scarlet Order knights in no more than two strikes.


    Each crescent blade of energy he unleashed carved through the ranks, while Sirius breathed nether flames, incinerating those who were unfortunate to have come in his line of sight.


    "Kryos!"


    Aldrich closed in, his sword swinging in an upward arc. Once again unleashing an output. Output consumed a great amount of force because it allowed a knight to launch long distance attacks, but because of the consumption, knights used it sparingly but it didn''t seem to be the case for Aldrich.


    Sirius countered with a stream of flames and then charged towards Aldrich while Asher swung his sword downward.


    Aldrich met him head on, their swords clashed, resulting in a thunderous shockwave. But to Asher''s astonishment, Aldrich pushed inward, slamming his shoulder into Sirius. Enjoy exclusive chapters from My Virtual Library Empire


    Seeing that Asher now lacked balance, he swung his sword, aiming to remove his neck in one clean strike, but another sword blocked Aldrich''s!


    CLANG!


    It was Isaac''s.


    Lightning crackled out of Aldrich''s body, a sign of his fury. Sirius growled as some black spots had formed on it due to the lightning.


    Asher patted Sirius. "I''ll handle it."


    Asher could sense the power surging within Aldrich. It was of similar element to the Golden Rider but much more potent. A fight against him in recklessness would only end with one result¨Chis death.


    While Aldrich and Isaac clashed, Asher dismounted. Fog gathered around him, swirling thick as a storm.


    And from the mist, something massive emerged.


    A Volibear in its war state!


    Thick, braided hair danced on his broad, fur-covered chest. His arms, as wide as a man''s thighs, featured ice blue claws, and one of his eyes blazed with an azure glow.


    Euodias pulled with light in his grip, so bright that its colour shifted from azure to purple.


    Behind him, the phantom of a giant wolf appeared.


    Its growl rumbled through the battlefield, stirring the very souls of those who heard it.


    Bam!


    Aldrich slammed Isaac to the ground and was about to pierce his sword through him when Asher appeared at the corner of his eyes, his hulking frame emitting mist from his mouth.

 Chapter 323 - 323: Surrender or... D...IE

    Aldrich slammed Isaac to the ground, raising his sword to pierce through him for a fatal strike when Asher appeared in the corner of his eyes, catching his attention. Asher, with his hulking frame emitting mist from his mouth, charged forward.


    Aldrich quickly turned his sword to parry Asher''s horizontal slash, but the sheer force sent him flying backward.


    He rolled, rose up to his feet again, only to be met with Asher''s knee slamming his chin, followed by an upward slash.


    Euodias could only leave sparks against Aldrich''s armor but failed to cut through. Seizing Asher''s momentary shock, Aldrich clenched his fist, preparing to throw a punch.


    Lightning crackled around his fist¡ª


    But before he could unleash it, Isaac''s sword plunged through a gap in Aldrich''s shoulder armor.


    He then let go of the sword hilt and gathered and compressed air into an arrowhead before firing it at Aldrich''s back.


    It pierced clean through and emerged from the front!


    All of this happened in less than a second!


    Aldrich''s eyes trembled. ''I¡­ I didn''t see him.''


    Ice surged from the ground, sealing Aldrich in place.


    "You boys think you can kill me?!"


    Rumble!


    Lightning crashed from the sky, meeting the surging lightning that erupted from his body. Twin bolts, thick as arms, connected in a blinding explosion as the lightning from the sky and his body met.


    The battlefield brightened as the flames exploded outward, carving a crater that was 300 feet wide!


    Only the ground under which he knelt remained intact.


    He rose up, sword in hand, gaze locking onto Asher, who had covered himself with his ice in time, but it was also covered in burn marks.


    His once regal white mane and locks were now blackened, with some patches burnt off!


    What remained of his ice armor were ice shards littered everywhere.


    On the other hand, Isaac was in a worse state.


    His wings were in a battered state, burn wounds could be seen on his face, chest, hands and legs.


    He was on his knee, holding onto his single-edged sword for support.


    "Carnage."


    Aldrich''s voice was barely above a whisper, yet the sky answered. Another bolt descended from the sky, but to his shock, the bolt hit an unseen glass-like barrier above!


    His eyes widened.


    The lightning''s glow let him notice a winged woman hovering above, like a celestial entity against the storm.


    More bolts of lightning rained down, but the barrier remained strong. Aldrich''s brows knitted together.


    Boom!


    Asher reappeared before him, his claws inches away from his face. Aldrich barely evaded the attack, retaliating with a swing of his sword.


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    But out of nowhere, another barrier stopped the sword, allowing Asher to claw open a gash on the armor!


    Aldrich, pissed off and frustrated, growled and kicked Asher with such force that Asher tumbled for 200 yards!


    Yet, he rose up, shook his mane and closed the gap once again but it wasn''t only him this time, Isaac closed in simultaneously.


    Both of them struck at the same time, but Aldrich unleashed another lightning blast. This time, the barrier blocked the lightning and pushed inward¡ªjust enough for Asher''s claws to pierce Aldrich''s chest and Isaac''s sword to plunge into Aldrich''s thigh!


    A deep grunt escaped Aldrich''s lips. Lighting and thunder, more concentrated than the last, erupted from every part of his body, and a colossal bolt, as thick as a pillar, descended from the heavens.


    Sapphira fortified her barrier, but under all the power, it couldn''t hold much!


    The barrier shattered like glass.


    And in that split second, when no word could be uttered, a name echoed from her depths.


    ''¡­Asher!''


    Sapphira''s gaze dropped and her expression changed as she watched in horror that Asher and Isaac were both grabbed by Aldrich.


    All three of them were in the blast!


    In that instant, it seemed as if the night itself had been erased.


    The heat alone pulverised thousands of soldiers¡ªhumans, Dothanites and Edomites alike!


    It was like a nuke. The explosion was so powerful that the shockwave alone ruptured the eardrunks, leaving the soldiers deafened by its force.


    As the explosion died down, crimson flames billowed out from a being that looked barely alive.


    Seeing him heavily burned to the extent there wasn''t a semblance to what he once was, tears fell from Sapphira''s eyes of their own accord.


    Then¡­ he moved.


    With his eyes filled with rage and pure white, Asher drove his foot into Aldrich''s chest, forcing him to stagger backward.


    "H¡­how did you survive an ancient''s full force?" Aldrich''s voice wavered; he just couldn''t believe his eyes.


    Even his armor had liquified under that heat. The land itself had been scorched barren. Yet, somehow, this man still stood. Though it seemed like he would die at any second, he was standing nonetheless.


    "You!"


    Multiple voices echoed from Asher''s mouth. "You cannot stop us!"


    Ice erupted from the ground, piercing through Aldrich from all directions. Wind coiled, forming a Sphere around Asher, lifting him into the air.


    "I can hear your second heart." Although various voices came out of Asher''s mouth, Ariel''s voice was prominent.


    Aldrich''s eyes widened.


    Asher clenched his fist, and the next instant, blood spurted out of Aldrich''s mouth; his eyes widened to the limit as his body convulsed.


    A sword out of ice materialized in Asher''s grip. And with one clean slice, he severed Aldrich''s head. Frost began to spread instantly, encasing the general''s entire body in ice, frozen in a state of eternal shock.


    The battlefield fell into stunned silence.


    Asher looked at the thousands of Edomites and Dothanites who stood frozen, unable to comprehend what they had just witnessed.


    Asher''s burning white eyes turned to them, his murderous intent radiating like a storm.


    He could almost imagine rising hundreds of ice spikes to wipe a huge portion of them in an instant, yet in this almost uncontrollable state of anger and the fury of his predecessors, his eyes drifted to Sapphira.


    She was just a few meters away.


    Clearly, she was so much worried that she had forgotten that he was dangerous in this state.


    Memories of when he had massacred everyone kept playing in his head. The reasons why he should do it were everywhere.


    Right now, he bore the pain of his predecessors, more than the great four. Their failures, their pains, their regrets, all fueled into this pure, unbridled rage.


    Not even an ancient-ranked knight could last under such wrath.


    "S¡­" Asher ground his teeth, his hands trembling heavily, but he kept his eyes on Sapphira.


    If he looked away, maybe he might succumb to the urge and massacre every last one of his foes.


    "Surrender or¡­ D¡­IE"


    The words tore from his throat, raw and unstable.


    Then, his eyes became normal almost immediately, and his control over his air element slipped, and he began to fall.


    Sapphira caught him. She trembled as she watched his burnt flesh heal while they descended. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Without a word, the Dothanites and Edomites dropped their weapons and fell on their knees while the human soldiers stepped forward.


    In the face of absolute power, no one could think of anything else but submission.


    [Host, you have advanced to the imperial rank by forcing your body and mind to endure pain, hard decisions and near death. You have also chosen to build beyond the boundaries of humans.]


    [Reward: ???]

 Chapter 324 - 324: Mine Alone To Touch

    After the war, the balance of the domains¡ªDothan, Edom, Winter, and Ashkelon¡ªshifted.


    Humans rose to the top, and many of them, having forgotten the will of the man they once followed, sought to exact vengeance against the Edomites and Dothanites.


    After the day of the war, the races waited for Asher to make an appearance. But he never did.


    All people remembered was that he looked half dead when he fell into the fairy''s bosom.


    Three months have passed since then and during this time, small human towns had taken laws into their hands to exact vengeance, hunting down stray Edomites while the Dothanites turned against them.


    The rumours were that the chief of the Dothanites and the closest man to being a giant in this era was furious at the death of his sister and had waged war against the Edomites.


    Finally, the truth of the matter came to light¡ªthe chief of the Edomites was nothing more than a figurehead.


    The true power behind the Edomites had been Aldrich.


    _____


    Step. Step. Several footsteps echoed down the grand hallway.


    A striking woman, her black cascading beneath a hood, moved with measured grace. She wore priestly robes adorned with gold and precious jewels, a row of four-winged priestesses trailing behind her.


    Amongst all of them, only her head was covered by a hood.


    She walked into the inner chambers of the Ashkelon manor. The paladins standing guard at the door stepped aside and pushed open the massive oak doors.


    Sapphira''s violet eyes trembled as she gazed at the unconscious man lying on the king-sized bed. His long white hair spilled all over his chest, and his body remained completely motionless.


    Though all the wounds on his body had healed just a few days after the war, he refused to wake up.


    His coma had shaken the domain. It had resulted in distress throughout the region, with the lords being on their feet, restless.


    Now that the Mormont and Adamos were on their side while Intis, Wyvern and Nubis were against them, their lord couldn''t fall. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    No one could replace him!


    Sapphira turned to Nero, who sat silently on a wooden chair, his hands clasped together. The depth in his gaze made it seem like she was looking at a man in his thirties.


    "Any signs?" she asked.


    Nero shook his head. "Still the same."


    "The nobles and officials are growing angry. They are upset at the chaos going on in the depths and are prepared to dispatch troops to restore order."


    Nero''s eyes widened, and he rose up abruptly. "It would cause a war! Those people only bow to Lord Asher!"


    "I believe the same," Sapphira said, her voice calm but firm. "But the elders of the court are more than just me. And they are not wrong. Those people are ruining the peace we bled for¡­"


    His eyes softened. "He bled for it."


    "They''re hurt. They''re exerting vengeance out of pain, and only His Lordship can put an end to it," Nero murmured, stepping closer to Asher''s bedside.


    He looked at the man who had grown so much in such a short time.


    In mere months, Asher had transformed. He now appeared like a man in his early thirties with a chiseled, beautifully defined chin and long snow-white hair that could reach his back!


    His frame had grown broader and more powerful. His muscles, firm and well-defined, bore the signs of unnatural growth. Even without flexing, his six abs were fully in view.


    His white eyebrows were sharp as swords, giving him an air of quiet menace.


    "His rapid growth stopped a week ago," Nero said. "Do you think he will awaken soon?"


    "I pray so," Sapphra whispered.


    Suddenly, creases formed on Asher''s forehead, startling both of them.


    Shua!


    The next instant, his eyes opened.


    After several months of darkness, those outstanding golden eyes brimmed with life and saw the world once again.


    What lay before his vision was something Asher had never expected.


    [Reward: King''s Body.]


    [Warning: This transformation will alter your bone structure, muscles, ligaments, and vessels and potentially increase your organs.]


    ''Organs?!''


    [Your spirit now inhabits the King''s Body, a vessel so powerful that it surpasses the boundaries of humans. You possess two hearts to sustain the immense amount of oxygen your powerful body demands, and the second heart may also serve as a lifesaver should you lose one. Additionally, your king blood is now considered a resource, capable of forging nightmare-grade troops, but this process can be highly lethal. Proceed with caution.]


    Nightmare grade troops?!


    Aren''t those the highest tier forces?!


    "My Lord!"


    Just then, two familiar faces appeared in his line of sight¡ªNero and Sapphira.


    Their presence triggered the memories of the war, and instinctively, Asher rose up and began inspecting his body.


    Compared to his current physique, his former one, which he admired a lot, made it seem mediocre at best. He wasn''t just large but also well built, and even according to humans, he was sculpted for perfection.


    Finally! The system had worked on him!


    The amount of raw mana coursing through his veins and muscles was just so much that he was afraid that even the slightest action would release it.


    The mana stored inside of him was simply too staggering!


    In God''s name, what rank was he right now?


    Sapphira and Nero exchanged glances as they saw numerous expressions flash across Asher''s face.


    Then, after a while, his gaze focused on them.


    "We greet His Lordship!"


    Both of them fell on one knee. Asher came down from the bed, standing at an imposing height of 6''10 feet.


    "Rise."


    Both of them obeyed and rose up.


    Asher smiled at Sapphira, stepping forward to gently wipe the tears that threatened to fall from her trembling eyes.


    Then, without hesitation, he pulled her into his embrace before turning to Nero.


    "What happened?"


    "You have been unconscious for three months, My Lord. Your newly conquered lands are in shambles."


    "Nero!" Sapphira exclaimed, but Nero ignored her.


    "Humans are at the necks of Edomites and Dothanites, and they have also picked up arms to fight back."


    "I see. Where are we?"


    "We are in Ashkelon."


    "Hmm¡­ What do you propose?" Asher lifted Sapphira''s chin, meeting her gaze.


    "You should appear before them and restore peace. There are bigger factions that might take advantage of this chaos."


    "Peace?" Asher arched a brow. "How do you propose we achieve that?"


    "A city. Unite them under one banner. And those who refuse to obey¡­ will be left out. Whatever happens shall fall on them alone."


    A slow smile formed on Asher''s lips. "Nero. Where is Blacksmith Dan''s masterpiece¡ªone I entrusted to you?"


    Nero reached out beneath his collar, pulling out a spiral ring on a rope around his neck. Unlike an ordinary ring, this one carried weight¡ªnot of gold, but of meaning.


    He had never been able to give Sapphira the Assassin''s Delight in person because of certain circumstances, but this ring, although not as expensive, was closer to his heart.


    He had Blacksmith Dan forge it after he returned from the depths and realized how foolish he had been to ignore Sapphira.


    "You might be kind in heart, a weakness many shall call it, but it is this weakness I want to protect. You are a side of me that I have lost¡­"


    Sapphira''s eyes trembled.


    "Though this isn''t how I planned it. I choose to put this ring on now because the moment calls for it."


    Asher twirled a strand of her hair before slipping the ring into it, letting it dangle.


    "Your hands are meant to handle the ill, the weak, the wounded. They belong to many. But your hair¡­" His fingers brushed through them, his voice a quiet promise. "Those are mine alone to touch."


    He smiled, took one step, sealing the gap between them before caressing her hair.


    Then, he turned to Nero and gave his final command.


    "Send word. I have awakened."

 Chapter 325 - 325: Count Alec Lyon & Eritrea, the keeper

    A day later.


    Seated on his throne, Asher gazed at the people before him¡ªall on their knees.


    "Welcome back, Lord Asher!"


    Their voices echoed far in unison, so loud that the paladins in the hallway far away from the hall and in the corridors could hear.


    Equipped with their round shields and their tall spears, the paladins stood tall along both ends of the hall. Although they were not as massive as the Grand Aegis soldiers, no nobleman or official in the hall dared to underestimate them.


    Even the weakest of them could take down at least six Grand Aegis soldiers before going down¡ªand even then, he would die with one more!


    One had to know that the Grand Aegis legion had the best and the sturdiest armor, and they were the pride of the northeastern alliance!


    Ashbourne County¡ªMormont Dukedom ¡ªAdamos County.


    They were literal metal men, clad in metal that weighed several hundred kilograms!


    Yet these paladins, who didn''t even have proper armour, had the power to bring six of them down!


    Asher spoke, his voice calm yet commanding. "Rise. I am pleased to be back amongst you, breathing in the land of the living."


    Everyone gathered stood at their seats. Kelvin Salvatore, Baron Claude Flameheart, Baroness Katarina, Sapphira, Eritrea, Alec, Lambert, Aquila, Adam, Paul and some lower ranked officials.


    Kelvin, standing beside him, held two rolled-up scrolls, while paladins with ceremonial black coats and mantles stood behind him.


    No one was allowed to wear armor today, and that confused the generals since they had always worn their armor when meeting Asher.


    To them, Asher was more warlord than a noble.


    Asher''s gaze swept across the room. "Some of you have stood with me both in joy and suffering since the very beginning. Alec¡­"


    Alec stiffened, caught off guard upon hearing his name.


    Kelvin stepped forward. "Come forth."


    Alec emerged from the crowd, and Kelvin handed him a scroll, and then he knelt before Asher.


    "Henceforth, I grant you the name Lyon. Alec Lyon, from this day you shall be known as Lord of the great city of Tiberias, Guardian of the Great Dividing Wall and General of the Grand Aegis Legion. In honor of your brother''s sacrifice, you shall rule over Tiberias and the lands that span the great wall."


    Alec bowed his head. "Your wish is my command." sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Asher''s lips curled into a smile. "You knelt merely as a general but now rise as Count Alec Lyon, Shield of Ashbourne."


    Two paladins stepped forward, draping a black coat which had the emblem of House Ashbourne over Alec''s shoulders.


    He rose up. Though his face remained stoic, his right hand trembled. He could remember where he started¡ªwith his twin brother, as sons of a humble farmer.


    Today, he stood in a massive castle and would soon be returning to his own!


    ''Rest in peace, brother.''


    He said inwardly.


    Somewhere beyond the mortal sight, a being gleaming with golden light watched this with a gentle smile on his face.


    ''I am at peace, brother.''


    Alec turned, rejoining the others. Their gazes had changed.


    Kelvin spoke again. "Eritrea wolf."


    Eritrea stepped forward, her hand clasped behind her back, her piercing gaze locked onto Asher''s.


    Asher rose from his throne. "Knight Eritrea, the Eagle Eye of House Ashbourne. You have remained devoted to your cause and your oath sisters. It is time you were rewarded."


    Eritrea dropped to one knee.


    The look in her eyes said it all¡ªshe only needed him as her reward. But Asher couldn''t give her that. Not because she was unfit, but because she couldn''t handle him.


    He needed more than a bed partner, more than a warrior. Still, Eritrea had a special place in his heart, and as a close friend, she knew it.


    While he never rose up for Alec, he did for her. This was his way of honouring their relationship and the sacrifices she had made back when he was just a Baron.


    Step. Step.


    Asher descended from the throne platform, approaching her with slow, steady steps.


    Eritrea blinked several times, her long eyelashes fluttering as she stared at that perfectly built man approaching her with graceful steps.


    Even she hadn''t expected him to become this¡­ beautiful.


    By no means did he look feminine; if anything, he was the epitome of masculine, both in character and build. But this level of beauty was too much to simply be dubbed as handsomeness.


    She had to step out of that boundary to give a description that satisfied her heart.


    His white hair caressing his shoulders, those burning golden eyes and wide shoulders¡­


    The White Wolf!


    "Remember this day," Asher said. "It is the day you knelt as a knight and rose as the Keeper of the Sanctuary. The forest, from Silver Leaf to the Ash Mountain Pass and as far as it spans, is yours. I still remember your father''s dream¡ªto conquer all the tribes. You are entitled to that land. Go and make them all kneel."


    Indeed, the forest was home to several other tribes, including the land where the Ashbourne tomb lay.


    Asher had understood that from the way the system had built Eritrea''s barrack in the woods¡ªshe wouldn''t be too pleased with fenced cities as she would be with the wild.


    So, he gave the forest to her.


    Her tribe had once stood there, and now, other tribes that had evaded their radar would have to face her.


    Eritrea bowed deeply. "You won''t regret this. I, the keeper, will make sure that I am worthy of this great honour."


    Kelvin handed her a scroll, and the paladins draped a mantle over her shoulders.


    "From this day forward," Asher declared, "the forest will be called Stormbringers'' Nest¡ªa place where you and your sisters will thrive."


    Eritrea smiled. She took one step, leaned in and whispered. "I still won''t be far from your walls. Watch out, big wolf."


    Then, she turned and walked back.


    Kelvin looked at Asher, and although Asher saw suspicion flickering in his gaze, he didn''t bother clearing whatever his butler/regent had thought about.


    "That will be all," Asher announced, his voice carrying through the hall. Then, his golden eyes swept over the gathered figures. "I have heard of the troubles in the depths, and I shall settle them."


    He turned toward the grand doors. "Shall we proceed to the dining hall?"


    The doors opened, and Asher began to walk toward the entrance. The others waited for him to pass before following behind.


    As he walked, Asher extended his hand, and Sapphira took it.


    Eritrea scowled as she watched them walk ahead of the others.


    "So he actually made her his fianc¨¦e," Lambert murmured, his eyes widened.


    Paul nodded, observing the unusual sight. "He even wove her ring into her hair. That''s the first time I''ve seen something like that."


    "It makes sense, though," Lambert said softly.


    Paul shot him a look. "I hope you are not planning to copy His Lordship. He put a lot of thought into impressing his woman, so think of a different way."


    Lambert''s eyes widened. Nothing else came to his mind except doing it Asher''s way. Even the normal finger ring didn''t appeal to him.


    "Commander Aquila."


    Meanwhile, Kelvin approached the white-haired beauty garbed in a blue and white gown.


    She turned, her sharp gaze meeting his. "Lord Regent."


    "His Lordship would like your presence on his journey to the depths together with the apothecary head."


    Aquila glanced towards the back of her lord, then back at Kelvin.


    She nodded.

 Chapter 326 - 326: Upgrading Winter Stronghold

    Clip! Clop!


    Hundreds of civilians gathered at the two sides of the main street, filling shops and empty spaces alike.


    All of them were staring at the men and women on horseback. Some had to gaze at Asher for a long time before they recognised him.


    "It''s Achilles!"


    "What?! Didn''t he burn to death?"


    "It''s him, I swear!"


    "It''s true. Those men are his paladins, the transcendent ones!" S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The soft whispers grew louder and louder until someone from the crowd yelled. "Achilles!"


    Asher turned.


    Seeing that, the people all fell on their knees. Some of them bowed their heads. This act not only stunned Aquila and Sapphira but it also awed the white haired man in the Winter castle, watching from a window.


    "I hear you kill your fellow freemen." Asher spoke while moving. His voice though soft echoed throughout the street as it was as silent as a graveyard.


    "The Edomites did me much harm as they did you but we should grant them this grace because what comes for us all is too great for one race to fight."


    A man rose up. "Those rats enslaved my brother!"


    Asher turned to him. "Is he dead?"


    Stunned, the man shook his head. "He still lives but serves those beasts!"


    "By my word, he will be free. All who have been enslaved will be freed and those who abused them more than it''s met shall face judgment. Does that satisfy you?"


    The man was short of words. He could only nod.


    "Lord Achilles, my daughter is also there!"


    "Lord Achilles, my father¡­"


    "Lord Achilles, the¡­"


    "Lord¡­"


    Voices rose up from everywhere.


    "Worry not. All that live shall be freed and those who were killed for unjust reasons, I shall punish their killers."


    Sapphira''s lips curled upward. She covered her head in a hood in order to snatch the attention from Asher.


    After all, her talent never failed to make her the major focus of attention everywhere she went.


    While the people echoed his name, Asher went into the castle. He went straight to the council hall and there found the old lord seated on his throne.


    He looked weary. The wrinkles on his face had multiplied by several folds, making him look so old that Asher feared he might drop dead at any moment.


    The other seats were empty. After burning from the night until the morning, Naomi finally died, a punishment for killing someone who saw her as family and her hidden schemes.


    "Where is Sir Isaac?"


    Lord Winter smiled bitterly. "He didn''t have the kind of regeneration you were blessed with. He was lethal but wasn''t durable. Alas, that is the fate of an assassin."


    Asher''s pupils trembled.


    "He''s dead."


    "No."


    The moment he said that, Asher saw a man fly in through the window. His black wings spread out, blocking the light.


    "You''re alive." Isaac said. Apart from his unsurprised expression, he looked the same without a scratch or a scar from the battle. This further confused Asher.


    "He was almost burned to ashes when I found him." Lord Winter chuckled softly. All of a sudden he began to cough.


    Isaac looked at him with concern.


    "Hmm¡­ Boy, I am glad you are back. If you had been one more month late, you wouldn''t have seen me."


    Asher''s expression turned grave. It was now he remembered, Lord Winter using his staff held back over twenty thousand soldiers with the weakest being diamond-ranked knights!


    Further facing Aldrich who was so powerful that not even he and Isaac, an ancient-ranked assassin could handle.


    Aldrich was indeed a powerful knight. Naturally, assassins had more advantage than a knight in a one versus one but that rule did not apply to Aldrich.


    Once you struck him, expect a greeting from a lightning bolt. The more lethal the hit, the greater the bolt.


    Killing him from a distance as Ariel did by crushing his heart was the best.


    "I better return to exploring with my remaining lifespan. Winter is no longer my burden."


    Asher remained silent. He watched Winter descend from the throne. "I see you want to unite the races. A noble cause that would help you face the abyss army."


    "Wait."


    Asher said all of a sudden as Lord Winter was about to leave the hall.


    "Witness the transformation of the city before you leave."


    Lord Winter raised an eyebrow.


    Asher approached the window and looked at the vast stronghold.


    ''Begin.''


    [Host, upgrading the Winter Stronghold to a legendary grade city, a grade above the mythical grade no longer has a cost. The events that have occurred are enough to satisfy them.]


    [Selection¡­.]


    [Which legendary city do you want?]


    [A) A Three Walled Domed City


    [B) A Flying City


    [C) A Floating Paradise]


    From the descriptions, Asher discovered the flying city would be more suited for a fortress, a city built solely for war. They could move it into war fronts or other cities. From there, his men would descend or launch their trebuchets and ballistas at their enemies.


    The three walled domed city would be a massive city with three walls, each being taller than the other.


    Although this city would suit his needs, the floating paradise was a better choice. It had both the space for the population needed, a fenced city and floated above the ground!


    ''I chose the floating paradise.''


    Boom!


    Immediately, the earth shook causing him to grip tight onto the window sill.


    "What happened?!" Isaac was alarmed.


    "Hold onto something."


    The moment Asher said that there was a great quaking. The excited people on the streets began to run helter skelter.


    There was chaos.


    "What is going on?!" Isaac bellowed.


    Boom!


    It was as if something pulled out. What seemed to be a feeling turned into a reality when they began to feel heavy.


    The feeling was strange and discomforting. The same feeling a person who entered the elevator for the first time would feel.


    A great amount of earth pulled out of Tenaria''s crust and continued ascending until it was a solid 100 meters above the ground!


    ----


    A/N: Author here. Alright, for a great review which would touch my hidden heart, I will upload one extra chapter on Monday!

 Chapter 327 - 327: Floating Paradise

    A large piece of land, spanning several kilometres, floated 100 meters above the earth. The stronghold right at the centre of the floating island began to enlarge.


    The wall grew from 15 meters to 30 meters tall. And not only was it made out of bricks and covered in green clay, making it much harder and twice as durable as any other wall.


    It was 10 meters thick, providing enough space for soldiers to manoeuvre and an undeniable structural integrity.


    The buildings inside the wall transformed at a rapid pace. The frozen stone houses were rebuilt with new stones and wooden beams with all having fireplaces.


    The interlocking connection of the houses was outstanding, allowing for the creation of connecting roads and wider streets, all neatly paved with cobblestones.


    Trees, dozens of meters tall with fat fruits, able to nourish and energise those from the Silver-rank and below grew at several sections of the city!


    Another wall was constructed around several kilometres away from the first wall. It circulated the city. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    From a Bird''s eye, it looked like a city within a city! The second wall was 50 meters in length and 15 meters thick!


    Behind the walls, houses, streets, markets, grand halls, taverns, auction houses were all built. But none in both walls could compare to the Lord''s Estate.


    The estate''s gate made the third wall.


    This estate had several story buildings, lavishly and exquisitely decorated with sculptures, murals of the old and new rulers of Ashbourne and Winter.


    Giant sculptures of Anderson and some heroes of war like Jacob who died before Asher came stood in the cities, like giant guardians.


    Their life-like appeal and intimidating aura made people gawk at the miraculous craft from a distance.


    Beyond the walls was a vast flourishing greenery. Tall trees, shrubs, grasses and some hills!


    This was an entire island capable of thriving with hundreds of thousands! A paradise for man.


    Nothing like this had ever been seen in all the domains in Tenaria!


    After the transformation ended, Asher let go of the window sil. He took a good look at the council hall which had transformed into a 25 meters long hall paved with marble.


    The throne, placed on a platform of about a dozen steps. This time it was made of metal and stone instead of the pure stone thrones in other cities.


    Other than the unique look of the throne, it had a higher elevation than the others.


    "The sacred hall." Isaac muttered softly.


    Lord Winter looked at Asher deeply. "How are you not dead with the ability to manipulate reality?"


    Asher raised an eyebrow. "What?"


    "The greater the talent, the deadlier the flaw. Talents in the zenith grade grants death. Why do you think men with great unstoppable powers never lived long enough? We would have had giants and great warlocks of the past ages rule in this age but they''re gone. Why?"


    Asher frowned.


    "Great power means you won''t last long. Your lifespan might expand to four hundred now that you''re an imperial-ranked Swordsman but your Zenith talent will kill you at 200 or a little later. It makes me wonder if you''ll live till thirty."


    Lord Winter''s words dropped like a bomb on Asher.


    He didn''t know much about the system. But he did know he had two zenith talents. From the way Lord Winter spoke, he was certain the effect could be stacked?!


    His expression hardened.


    "I would have carved my name on Tenaria before then."


    Lord Winter and Isaac noticed the key word ''Tenaria'' instead of history.


    "Hahaha, I see. Nevertheless, your talent has made me see what I never even dreamed of. A city that floats, high above the reach of our foes."


    Lord Winter marveled at the sight from the window.


    "I believe the outer city is for the other races?" He turned toward Asher.


    Asher glanced at him and back at the grand view. He nodded. "They have their differences so it is better they stay behind different walls but in order to leave the city for any reason, humans will have to pass through them and if they have reasons to visit the Lord''s Estate to make complaints, they would surely pass through our kin."


    Isaac, amazed by this idea, spoke. "Their small interactions will thaw the gap between them and render the wall inconsequential."


    "Indeed." Asher responded.


    While they had their conversation, the massive hole left by the city, expanded beyond the shadow of the floating island and was filled to the brim with water!


    He along with Lord Winter and Isaac left the hall. They moved through the wide hallway which had lots of sculpted knights to the courtyard, where they mounted horses and rode to an elevated platform several meters wide.


    It was a teleportation channel.


    Along with the mounts, they ascended, stood upon the channel and vanished like pixels. In the next moment, Asher, Isaac, Lord Winter, Nero and some paladins appeared below the floating paradise.


    They were stunned to see the vast water body before them.


    Tilting his head upward, Isaac gazed at the bottom of the island. Jagged rocks, like a mountain faced upside down, was the only way he could describe the bottom of the island.


    It was literally pulled out of the earth!


    His gaze toward Asher changed subtly but noticeably.


    "You''re a monster." Lord Winter shook his head. Completely, astounded by this.


    "I believe we should have no problem moving other strongholds into paradise."


    "Who wouldn''t want to live up there, high above several nobles." Nero chuckled.


    The paladins laughed softly.


    "We shall return to Nineveh." Asher said sternly as he could feel their longing to look down at the world from up there.


    Their laughter ceased abruptly.


    "Paradise has vast lands beyond the city. People could build settlements there, in the serene depths of the forest or grasslands."


    Isaac said softly.


    "I shall send envoys to Gilead and Ramoth. Also to the Edomites and Dothanites. Those that chose to bow the knee shall be granted citizenship as Ashbourne citizens but those that do not shall be left for the abyss beast."


    Others agreed with Asher''s words.


    "Now then, let''s return." Asher said looking at the teleportation channel, a couple meters away covered halfway with grass.


    ...


    Hurried footsteps fell into the ears of two 8 foot tall women clad in white studded leather armour inlaid with metal at their torso.


    When they saw the black haired 6 foot tall woman clad in a similar white armour, a battle skirt with a sword strapped to her waist, a round shield strapped to her back and a golden rope at her waist, they bowed their heads.


    "Lady Morgana."


    Morgana glanced at these giant like women and their Warhammers. "I want to see my mother."


    Both of them glanced at themselves. Unanimously, they pushed the heavy stone door, allowing Morgana to walk through.


    Morgana walked into a hall. In the center of the hall was an exquisitely sculpted round table with a map of the Silver moon kingdom on it.


    Several female generals and two men stood around the table. The most iconic woman was the golden haired mature looking beauty clad in a white garment and adorned with gold.


    She stood at an impressive height of 7 feet!


    That woman was none other than Queen Artemis, daughter of Artemis, granddaughter of Artemis.


    Every ruler was baptized and when they emerged they would look like that and bear the name of the founder of Silver moon.


    Then, they would copulate with several men to produce the perfect woman who would be groomed to take over.


    Morgana was the next in line to become that epitope of beauty and allure yet inherently stronger than men.


    Within the lands of the silver moon, men were under women. Here was a woman''s land!


    Their unique ideology made them consider other dominions on Tenaria a filthy place in need of cleansing.


    "Mother."


    Morgana fell on one knee like a well trained soldier. Her toned muscles and scars spoke of her tough experience, like fighting other female warriors and beasts.


    To be appointed as the perfect woman amongst the dozens of daughters her mother had, Morgana had to be truly special.


    It was more than just looks. She had to be able to be the best warrior, the most feared in the lands of silver moon and beyond.


    And Morgana, a woman at 39 had achieved that by journeying into the sea of vipers and returning with the seven heads of a hydra!


    The hydra was a creature with records of slaying and eating knights at the Exalted rank and countless ancient-ranked knights!


    No one had encountered it and came back the same but Morgana, a woman broke this curse and made the sea a hub for voyagers.


    None of the previous Artemis had ever achieved this so Morgana was seen as the greatest queen the kingdom would ever have and her glorious feat gave her the name.


    Godslayer!


    Because the hydra was known as the god of the sea.


    Silver moon had plans of nurturing her until she had fully tapped into her potential but that plan crumbled because of the Galvia Empire!

 Chapter 328 - 328: Death Knights Of Galvia Empire

    Rumble!


    A hundred and two riders leaned in to reduce the air resistance as they rode through the woods. All of them were women!


    They emerged from the forest and Morgana came to a halt. Others also came to a halt.


    Their eyes were fixed on the settlement ahead. All that remained of it was corpses of people and animals, blackened grass, and destroyed properties.


    Even flies and crows that were attracted by the corpses were also dead!


    "Such vileness." Elah, the most powerful male knight in Silver moon spat with furrowed brows.


    Morgana frowned. "Death Knights. They will spread their plague throughout our lands if we don''t kill them quickly."


    "It''s only one Galvia ship that came to our shores. They shouldn''t be more than one hundred Death Knights and yet they''ve massacred a village of 400 people in one night!"


    Elah ground his teeth.


    Death Knights were a result of Galvia''s dabbling in forbidden alchemy. This empire loathed Magi force and anything that wasn''t a knight.


    For this, the Nightfire kingdom was their sworn enemy and they had launched a war by sending a fleet of Death Knights!


    These knights were known to have implants called abomination. It made the knights the ultimate weapon of death.


    Coming in contact with them meant contacting the plague. Even breathing close to them could be dangerous. Everything about them, from blood to their presence spreads incurable illnesses!


    Just one ship had reached their shores and a settlement was already gone.


    "Let''s move."


    Morgana kicked her horse. It neighed, turned and they followed the blackened path left by the Death Knights.


    Even the grass they stepped on withered and became black, making it easier to track them.


    After an entire day of pursuit, Morgana and her women reached the outskirts of a town.


    Morgana''s pupils shook at the terrifying sight of the town in flames. Screams and cries echoed from the town along with the crumbling of burning houses.


    Unable to control her rage, Morgana rode into the town. The moment she entered, she saw knights clad in pitch black armor dragging women and children to the town square.


    The men were cut down mercilessly. These knights had pulsing red eyes and the parts of their skin revealed were dry and gray!


    They let out deep, menacing growls.


    When they spotted her, they let go of their captives and drew their swords, growling heavily.


    Morgana knew these were men who had been transformed into monsters through forbidden alchemy.


    Galvia saw mages and any form of Magi force as the evil of the world but she saw them as a greater evil.


    Her right eye glowed. In the next moment, she unleashed a scorching beam that sliced through the armors of the Death Knights!


    Black goo poured from the fallen knights. The captives scrambled away but who mistakenly breathed in held their throats, gasping for breath.


    Their faces became white with blue veins protruding from everywhere.


    Morgana rode past them and arrived at the town square. To her shock, she saw dozens of Death Knights with flame torches surrounding about a thousand peasants, consisting of women and children.


    When the only Death Knight wearing a dark blue cloak saw her, his red eyes gleamed.


    "H¡­ Heretic!"


    Shing!


    Over fifty Death Knights tossed away the torches, unsheathed their swords and faced Morgana.


    "Onward! For the Emperor!"


    The captain pointed his great sword at Morgana.


    Rumble!


    A hundred and one riders emerged a couple meters behind Morgana, their swords drawn as they got ready to engage.


    "Queen''s Glaive!"


    Elah roared, his right arm burst into blood tendrils that morphed into a large one edged blade!


    He leaned closer, his eyes locked on Morgana who was about to clash with the Death Knight. Her foolish decision would cost them their lives but he didn''t care.


    Since she chose to be foolish, they would all be foolish.


    Suddenly, an orange beam shot out of Morgana''s right eye, cutting through the Death Knights like tofu!


    Just by turning her head, she massacred all fifty Death Knights before spending time on the captain until there was little left of him!


    In what seemed to be in a blink of an eye, a dreadful charge became a charge against fallen foes.


    ''Her Eye of Horus is an unmatched talent!''


    Elah gasped, a soft breath leaving his slightly open lips.


    Both he and the hundred women slowed down and eventually came to a halt.


    Elah made his horse approach Morgana. "These people can''t be saved, My Lady. They''ve been touched by the Death Knights. We should complete what they wanted to¡ª!"


    Elah''s breath hitched when Morgana glared at him with her Eye of Horus activated.


    His soul almost left his body.


    Knowing that Morgana could cut through a castle wall with the powerful beams of that special eye, he didn''t think for a moment that his helmet would protect him.


    The eye gained a soft emerald light and an eye appeared in the sky above the town.


    A soft green radiance washed over the town, cleansing the illness and restoring the people to the peak of their vitality.


    Some even gained extra years to live as their old illnesses or handicaps were gone.


    Huff! Huff!


    Morgana panted. She was a knight at the Exalted rank, struggling to break into the ranks of the Awoken Ones and become the youngest to ever become an Awoken One.


    But in order to heal a little more than a thousand, she had almost exhausted her force. This made her feel dread for Nightfire that was currently facing a fleet filled with Death Knights.


    It meant they faced at least ten thousand Death Knights!


    Nightfire kingdom, the last home and pride of mages would certainly fall if they had no counter.


    "Galvia has made their move on Nightfire but this company proves we might be next on their list."


    Morgana turned to Elah. "Will mother allow us to aid Nightfire? They''re our neighbours. It''s obvious that we''ll fall if they fall."


    "You might have to speak to her in person." Elah responded.


    Grunting in anger, Morgana turned her horse and rode away. Elah rounded up the others and they followed her.


    If Galvia had truly set out to conquer the seas and not settle their feud with Nightfire then, united, they would fall!


    Elah tightened his grip on the reins.


    ¡­


    Paradise.


    Two figures, a white haired woman garbed in a blue garment and a bald man with a monocle on one eye clothed in a black garment with golden linings at the hem approached a huge black door inlaid with gold to make it more regal.


    It was Aquila, Grand Mage of Ashbourne mages and James, the chief of the Ashbourne apothecaries. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The moment their eyes settled on the paladins, the paladins pushed open the door, revealing the sacred hall.


    Seated on the throne was none other than their lord.


    Asher Ashbourne.

 Chapter 329 - 329: Angels Of Death

    "My Lord!!"


    Both of them fell on one knee right in the centre of the hall.


    "Rise." Asher rose to his feet and walked to the large rectangular window, stretching from the ceiling to a few feet away from the floor.


    From there, he could see the bustling city. It had been two weeks since paradise was created, Lord Winter had left with his hand Isaac after handing over the angels of death to him.


    In these two weeks, people from Ramoth and Gilead had filled the inner city, raising the population to a staggering 87 thousand humans!


    The outer city had over 50,000 rat beastmen who had fled from Edom. With Aldrich dead, many came running to him after hearing of his return.


    Clearly, the rat beastmen lacked faith in their chief!


    Aldrich was just the general!


    As for the Dothanites, they were just about 5000. Most of them refused to leave Mount Seir, the mountain of the last giant.


    The 5000 were also reduced daily as most of them were warriors and their families were in Mount Seir!


    Apart from the fame of his title, Achilles, the people were also afraid of the coming winter. At least, no beast tide would attack them when they were 100 meters above.


    Secondly, the farm products made many drop whatever attachments they had to their homelands. Still, a stubborn few remained in their homelands and Asher refused to force them.


    They would come running when it was winter and then, they would be treated as refugees and not citizens!


    He had spent these two weeks having meetings with the leaders of these strongholds and visiting their lands. He also made sure there would be no conflict between humans and the beastmen.


    He had been extremely busy these two weeks and the news of Galvia''s attack on Nightfire added more pressure on him.


    "What is the result?" His voice, slightly hoarse, rang.


    James brought out a vial from his pocket. In it was a bright crimson liquid.


    "Your blood can indeed grant special abilities but all the beast we tested it on died shortly after mutating."


    Aquila took a step forward. "My Lord. Your blood has the ability to assimilate the forces, Magi, Battle and Abyss force and make them one. Once injected, it grants the ability to do feats impossible for the current professions of this era. Two weeks isn''t enough. We need more time to see all it can do."


    Asher glanced at her. He smiled and turned back to the view of paradise. "I can feel your excitement, Aquila. Like I told you both, I intend to create powerful troops connected to my blood. They shall exist as long as I exist."


    "I admire your dream, My Lord but it would be suicidal to try injecting such powerful blood into a human. Not even I can handle the potency of it!"


    Asher ascended his throne, looking at Aquila. "I knew you would never be able to achieve much in two weeks."


    "W¡­ what?" Aquila and James were stunned.


    "You might not know but the predecessors of this throne have sealed themselves away from me after I spared the Edomites and Dothanites. They cannot see my dream. But it also means I don''t have all the time in the world. This blood of mine is not for humans alone but those devoted to the cause of their lord."


    Aquila''s pupils shook.


    "My Lord¡­ such power can create soldiers never seen before. Are you certain this isn''t a wrong decision? Give us time, we¡ª!"


    Asher lifted up his right hand.


    "Winter is upon us. I have given you enough time."


    Boom!


    The huge doors opened.


    "Behold, one with my blood in his veins."


    Stunned, James and Aquila turned. Their eyes widened at the sight of a man clad in black studded leather armour, and a gray mantle wrapped around his shoulders, spreading down to his torso.


    It fluttered as he walked. His large hood hid his face.


    "He is an angel."


    Asher announced.


    James'' eyes widened further. "An angel of death. The unprecedented feat of three hundred assassins defending the wall of Winter stronghold was well known.


    What made the angels of death more popular was their sudden disappearance after the war.


    The angel stopped. His breathing, his heartbeat, his force, nothing, absolutely nothing could be felt from him.


    If they couldn''t see him they would doubt this angel stood beside them.


    James and Aquila subconsciously distanced themselves.


    "The gray mantle hides his force and presence. His leather armour is made of a black orc''s hide and the dagger strapped at his thigh is made of an ore called Warp stone."


    The angel unsheathed the one edged curved dagger and delivered a swift, lethal cut at his chest.


    It combusted into fiery lights, dispersing into the air. In the next moment, he appeared beside the throne with fiery lights flying off as if his clothes were burning.


    James staggered while Aquila squinted.


    Swoosh!


    In the next moment, the angel vanished without a trace. He didn''t use the dagger or they would see the burning effect.


    "Where did he go?"


    James looked around. He gasped softly when the angel emerged from the other side of the throne.


    He literally disconnected from a shadow!


    Gulp!


    "What in God''s name is that?" He muttered, unable to voice it out loud.


    "You used that ability that makes us stronger to fuse your blood in that angel. You''ve made him more than a soldier, he''s almost a nightmare."


    "That''s the point of an angel of death. They''re our hidden blades. They are meant to be the nightmares of our foes, those inside and outside our fenced cities."


    Asher responded.


    "But my lord, they would be too powerful."


    Asher glanced at the angel beside him. "These men are devoted to their cause. It takes devotion to be given the power of my blood."


    "Your blade."


    Asher ordered.


    The angel drew his dagger. "Do not use the power of the blood. Stab your throat!"


    Just as the dagger was about to pierce through the angel''s throat, Asher achieved his blood inside the angel''s body causing him to vanish as soon as he cut himself.


    Swoosh!


    He appeared below the throne''s platform.


    Asher looked at Aquila. "Conjure flames and burn your face."


    Her distorted expression made him chuckle. "That''s inhuman devotion. It takes time to make a human devoted to one purpose and one purpose alone, to serve the will of their lord."


    Aquila''s pupils shook.


    Swoosh! Swoosh! S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Two angels emerged from her shadow and that of James and stood behind them.


    ''I didn''t even sense them! How long have they been with me?!''


    "The moment you entered the hall." Asher replied as if he could read her mind.


    "Fret not, Lady Aquila and Sir James. My special ability can only create the first batch. The next ones and the variants will be up to you and conquering Mount Seir for that mountain is where the warp stone mine is."


    Nero, who had been standing like a statue the entire time, finally moved. He took several rolled up scrolls given by the system and gave it to Aquila.


    When Aquila opened it, she could see human images and diagrams deeply linked in alchemy and magic.


    She passed it to James.


    "I think we should focus on other professions. With enough research, we can create unrivalled knights."


    Her enthusiasm to beat the system made Asher raise an eyebrow.


    "I applaud your enthusiasm, Lady Aquila. I await results."

 Chapter 330 - 330: Baron Claudes Visit

    "Nero."


    Asher turned to Nero after the other two left.


    "My Lord." He faced Asher, his eyes sharp.


    "Prepare 200 paladins. We will go on an expedition to Mount Seir and forge an alliance with the descendants of the giants."


    Asher rose up.


    His intention was the warp stone. Actually, it was a unique metal ore and not a stone and apart from the little stock the Edomites gave to him, there was nowhere else to find it except Mount Seir.


    He couldn''t believe those half-giants sat on top of a mountain that had such a miraculous treasure!


    Luckily, no form of force could power the warp stone, only mana and he had abundance of it.


    His king''s blood also allowed him to transfer a tiny bit of this trait to his men but to access such honour, he wanted soldiers who were devoted to his cause.


    So much that nothing, absolutely nothing could change their loyalty toward him.


    Men like Alex!


    "When, my lord?"


    "Tomorrow. Before first light."


    The remaining two weeks before winter was a time to prepare, consolidate his forces and build the angels of death.


    For now, there were only 10 angels. There were 290 men ready to be injected with his blood but the number of survivors will be unknown.


    "Announcing the arrival of Baron Claude Flameheart, Your Lordship!"


    A paladin bellowed.


    "Let him in."


    The door was pushed open and Baron Claude walked in with large strides. At the centre of the hall, where a large circle with the emblem of House Ashbourne was carved into the marble and coated in gold, he went on one knee.


    Slightly lowering his head.


    "Greetings from Goshen, My Lord. Seeing paradise in person makes the fables of my butler ugly. Like the shadows that hide from the ray of the sun."


    Asher smiled. "Rise, Baron Claude. I hope House Flameheart is well. I see no increase in your size, does Goshen trouble you?"


    Baron Claude chuckled. "How could I add more flesh when the city grows daily."


    He rose from his knee.


    "I come bearing news from the eastern alliance."


    Asher raised an eyebrow.


    "What is it?"


    "30,000 slaves have been shipped from Everad to Mormont and are on their way to the great wall as we speak. We plan on making settlements for them as the cities are already crowded."


    "The idea of settlements is allowed. Let them know that they''re freemen and their home shall be on the azure river. I plan to build a city for them there."


    "O¡­ on the river?"


    "Yes."


    Claude was baffled but refused to pry since even he didn''t think a land could float yet here he was, standing on one.


    "As you wish, My lord. Duke Mormont says more are coming since you required 200,000 of the lowest slaves. Even those without limbs and physically deformed were your own words."


    Asher raised an eyebrow. He didn''t remember going that far. Did Lord Mormont and Adamos misinterpret him when he opted for the unwanted slaves.


    With the system he could upgrade their bodies thus gaining their loyalty without much work. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "And this would take how long."


    "Over a year."


    This month made it exactly two years since he came to Tenaria. Another year didn''t seem much for such a large population.


    "We''ve mined a good portion of the gold mine and I suddenly came to the thought of our own currency. We export evergreen olives, we have the best food and farm products, some surrounding nobles purchase several carriages worth of wheat from us and we also sell armor and weapons. Though we haven''t found our footing in this trade, the olive oil alone is enough to consolidate a great revenue for the Dukedom."


    "In all these words, your idea is to disconnect from the empire."


    Baron Flameheart smiled a bit. "He just sent his envoys to take taxes from Goshen and Tiberias. These cities are the biggest and bring in a large portion of the dominion''s revenues."


    "He did what?!"


    Asher leaned forward, his expression turned solemn.


    "The envoys came to record all that Goshen has earned for the last nine months in order to cut their share."


    Asher''s face grew cold.


    ''So it''s true. He is making moves to unite the empire.''


    "We are indeed his vassals, My Lord." Baron Claude stated.


    "Indeed. Comply with his demands but do it wisely. An all out confrontation will be detrimental to us for now."


    Baron Claude bowed. "As you wish. We shall start building the settlements once I return."


    "Go in peace. May I Am be with thee."


    Baron Claude was shocked. Did Asher just make mention of a god?!


    He looked at Asher and saw the little smile on his lips.


    Unbeknownst to Claude, Asher had several interactions with this unseen being, from transporting the living into the world of the dead, to the torture of Naomi.


    The torture itself made Asher understand that this being, as benovelent as he seemed was more ruthless than he.


    He respected such balance and since for unknown reasons I Am chose him as the next bearer of Kryos, he also decided to be beside him.


    After all, what backing was greater than that of God?!


    Although his understanding was lacking. I Am remained a mystery as much as his system.


    While walking away, Claude remembered the name and suddenly recalled the story of the burning woman.


    The hair on his body rose.


    He looked at the closing doors and gulped.


    Fear of the unknown took over him.


    It was said Naomi was punished because of her betrayal. Does this mean every lord in House Ashbourne would face such punishment now Asher had accepted this same being!


    He entered his carriage and they rode straight to a crowded place. Looking out his window, he saw the sculpture of a screaming woman, her hand raised toward the sky with worms protruding out of her burning flesh.


    It was Naomi!


    Even after death, she was left as a sculpture. A reminder to all!

 Chapter 331 - 331: Blissful Night

    Step. Step. Another step.


    With shadows flickering in the blind spots of the candles Asher walked through the hallway, the vast view of the city in his left and paladins standing guard at his right.


    After a hectic day, he was on his way to his room. Nero was right behind him. The gentle clicks usually heard from armour couldn''t be heard from him as he had mastered the art of silence!


    Although it seemed inconsequential, Nero was slowly making his way to the top of the world. No one knew there was a twelve year old sacred-ranked knight somewhere in the north!


    A colour blind one.


    A few metres away from his door, Asher''s nostrils were stung by rich perfume, coming from his room!


    His eyes narrowed.


    The fingers of his right hand twitched, craving for the leather touch of a sword''s hilt.


    Asher came to a sudden halt.


    "You''re dismissed."


    Nero was stunned but saluted, turned heel and walked away.


    Asher looked at the paladins right before his door, Eleazar and Levi, the strongest amongst the paladins and his brows furrowed further.


    Holding the handle, he looked at both men, his brows locked in contemplation.


    The rich fragrance was thicker than ever, coming from behind the doors.


    With a deep breath, he pulled the door open, his eyes slowly yet surely widened at the sight of the woman elegantly seated on his bed.


    His eyes trailed her exposed, white legs glistening under the orange light of the candle to the light, purple gown that seemed to be slightly transparent. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Cold wind blew against Asher, rooting him in place.


    The sleeveless gown was held by a black leather belt and it was made in a way that her beautiful legs were in full view!


    Her raven hair cascaded down her back and her skin obviously oiled with evergreen olive oil and some fragrances glistened temptingly.


    Her lips, her eyes, everything about her exuded max allure.


    "Asher¡­"


    Sapphira called out softly when she saw him unmoving.


    Step. Step.


    Asher took two steps, turned and closed the door. Then he turned back to her but refused to leave the door.


    "Why are you here?"


    "You don''t want me here?"


    Her question threw him off for a moment. With a sigh, he walked toward his table, unbuckled the belt holding his swords and dropped it on the table.


    Then he unsheathed Euodias.


    He looked at the polished blade, seeing a part of his face.


    All of sudden, Sapphira appeared behind his reflection causing him to tilt his head toward her.


    His eyes locked on the ring on the single braid. It had a flower pattern with tiny diamonds that looked like water droplets after a night of dew.


    "Asher¡­ I don''t have parents so you have nothing else, no other requirements that hold you back. From the moment you gave me this ring, I became yours."


    Her soft palm touched his back.


    Asher turned completely toward her, held her cheeks gently and kissed her forehead.


    "Go back."


    The fervent desire in his eyes and his words didn''t match.


    "You would say that to your woman? Do you need another man fighting over me before you realize I am your wif¡ª!"


    Asher sealed her lips.


    "You asked for this!" His deep voice fell as he lifted her and approached the king sized bed.


    ¡­


    The night was long, warm, fuzzy and filled with several emotions all combined into one, flooding the mind like a flood.


    Unfortunately, all great things were bound to end. In this same blissful night, a man named Gerald, the nameless knight disguised as a human to enter paradise!


    A lean, tall man with long white hair like a woman''s stood in the streets of paradise, looking at the lord''s estate with squinted eyes.


    "So¡­ princess¡­ you now go by the name Sapphira."


    His deep voice echoed. Strapped to his back was a huge object covered in a gray cloth and tied with thick ropes.


    ¡­


    Chirp! Chirp!


    A blonde haired woman clad in a black dress walked into the lord''s personal bedroom with a small tray.


    A steaming cup was on it.


    She dropped it on the table and looked at the sleeping beauty on the king sized bed. Cynthia''s pupils shook when she touched the bed and found it creaking to her touch.


    Dread caught her heart at the intensity of the event last night. How could they make a bed that strong turn to this in just one night!


    Considering her in the position of Sapphira made her heart drop.


    Her lord might be appealing but she couldn''t handle this. Her corpse would be dragged out the next morning!


    Suddenly, Sapphira stirred and opened her eyes.


    Cynthia bowed. "Good morning, Lady Sapphira."


    Sapphira responded with a soft nod. She turned to the other side but Asher wasn''t there.


    "Where is he?"


    Cynthia took a letter from the table and handed it over to Sapphira.


    Off to Mount Seir. You are only permitted to rest today.


    Signed. Asher Ashbourne, your husband.


    Reading this, a blissful smile graced Sapphira''s face. Although it was a few words, it meant a lot to her that he sat down to write, sign and even seal it before leaving.


    "He also requested green tea for you."


    Cynthia brought the tray.


    "Thank you." Sapphira said softly, and took hold of the cup.


    ¡­


    With the aid of mages and their ability to open portals, Asher and two hundred paladins were able to reach the city of Edom after three days!


    When they rode into the city, it was already late but the welcome of Edom''s chief was pleasing.


    Rhythmic tapping of boots fell into the ear of Esau Ross, his wife Catherine Ross and their mages.


    "It''s them."


    Esau gestured for the grey knights to open the door and the moment they did, valiant men clad in armour and cloaks were revealed approaching the hall.


    Ahead of them was a man in a suit of armor that embraced his body. It seemed like the armor was made of leather but no one knew it was dwarven ore mixed with the scales of a wyvern.


    The swords at his waist dangled as he walked.


    Both his face and that of the BloodBlade clad in pitch black armor with the everlasting stain of blood across one eye hole and that of the paladins behind him were covered by their helmet.


    Esau rose up.


    "Achilles. It''s an honour to have you and your men here."


    The huge rat smiled.

 Chapter 332 - 332: Abominable Giant

    Asher took his designated seat, removed his helmet and set it on the table.


    "Chief Esau. Apologies for the trouble¡ªwe will leave at first light."


    "You haven''t troubled me at all." Esau shook his head. "After I received your message through the falcon, I made sure you and your men won''t lack a proper place to rest and have good food to eat."


    Esau clapped twice, and servants trooped into the hall carrying steaming bowls of rich, hot, meaty stew.


    When Nero saw the stew, his eyes narrowed. Even as a BloodBlade, the closest man to the ruler of his dominion, it was rare to see a stew so generously filled with meat.


    The aroma romanced his nostrils, making his mouth water against his will.


    Asher grabbed a spoon and scooped a portion of the stew with some meat and vegetables before putting it into his mouth and chewed on it softly.


    "This is good."


    Seeing him eat, Nero and the paladins followed.


    "It''s the meat of a four-horned deer," Esau explained. "It''s one of our prized livestock. It tastes much better than an ovok."


    The nodding of the paladins drew a chuckle from Esau. "In your letter, you mentioned you were heading to Mount Seir. Those Dothanites have been raiding the city, and with most of my people having fled to your paradise, I no longer have enough men to defend it."


    Asher lowered his spoon. "Why don''t you come to paradise? I''ll grant you two hectares of land in your name. No noble house will tax you, neither will you lower your head to anyone¡­ except me."


    Catherine Ross frowned, and the expressions on the faces of the mages soured. Asher could feel their anger.


    How dare he ask their chief to bow his head.


    "My city easily spans hundreds of hectares. Why should I settle for less?"


    Esau said softly, his whiskers twitching.


    Asher slowly exhaled and finally set his spoon down. "In two weeks, winter will be upon us. Your mages should be able to feel the raw, untamed force in the atmosphere. There will surely be an army of abyss creatures." S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He swept his gaze at all the gathered rat beastmen. "From the gates of your city to this place, I have fewer than a hundred men. Although you might have a dozen companies of Gray Knights, it won''t be enough."


    Asher''s words were like a sharp blade, but he knew the truth of them.


    He knew the power of the gray knights. They were formidable¡ªtowering and muscular as a well-built human, these rat beastmen had gone through cruel training under General Aldrich.


    During the war, none of the Gray Knights had died. They had only surrendered because their general, their light and hope, was slain.


    Those who faced them, on the other hand, were six feet deep or had been reduced to ashes. These knights could rival the paladins¡ªif not for the system that perfected them.


    Still, they were a force to be reckoned with.


    A troop that he desired.


    They were a heavy infantry unit with the agility of light infantry and the lethality of a swordsmen!


    "This would be a discussion for another day," Esau said with a flattering smile. "Maybe when you return from your expedition."


    Asher nodded.


    _____


    Some moments later, Asher retreated into a tent in the midst of other tents. The chatters of his men and the crackling of the flames they lit filled the night as he sat crossed-legged inside.


    After regulating his breathing, he shut his eyes. Almost instantly, he sank into the meditation state, drifting far into the depths of the unknown, peaceful realm, to the extent that he could vaguely see glowing things in the air despite his closed eyes.


    His concentration almost broke, but Asher let go of his curiosity and amazement, allowing himself to drift deeper.


    Shockingly, the deeper he went, the clearer his surroundings became. He could see the entire interior of the tent¡ªincluding himself!


    A 360-degree vision!


    At that moment, he felt as if he had broken into a new realm. This achievement made his heart beat with new found strength.


    Although he felt a tinge of disappointment that none of his predecessors¡ªnot even Atticus¡ªappeared before him, this new realm gave him a reason to be happy.


    His eyes opened.


    The chatter and crackling had vanished. Silence blanketed the camp like a graveyard, making him raise an eyebrow.


    "Has it already been so long?"


    Asher''s gaze drifted toward the three-hour sand clock, and he realized that he had been meditating for over three hours, yet it felt like a few minutes had passed.


    Step. Step.


    His eyes sharpened.


    "Nero."


    Asher called out, but no response came. He reached out for Euodias upon sensing that something was off.


    There was no way Nero would be asleep. He would usually wait until he was done meditating before going to rest.


    The footsteps continued.


    "Nero."


    He called out again.


    Still nothing.


    With furrowed brows, he approached the curtain, pried a small part open and took a peek.


    His eyes widened at the sight of two men clad in black hooded cloaks with two huge ogres standing behind them.


    ''Abyss worshipers!''


    And the paladins that were supposed to keep watch were all asleep!


    Asher stepped out. He looked at Nero, who lay fast asleep on the ground.


    "We made sure not even an Exalted-rank knight would be able to resist the sleeping potion in that stew," one of the figures said. "Yet here you are, standing. You''re clearly not an Awoken One, so tell me¡­ how are you still standing?"


    Shing!


    Asher unsheathed his sword. His voice was cold. "So¡­ this is the path Chief Esau decided to take."


    "Silence, human!"


    One of the ogres roared, brandishing its glaive.


    "Paladins!"


    Asher''s voice thundered as nether flames erupted from his body. His hair became flames and floated weightlessly, and his eyes burned with an eerie glow.


    In an instant, the man before them holding a sword transformed into a human torch, burning brightly.


    His voice rang through the camp like the howl of a wolf king, shaking the souls of the paladins, breaking the portion''s hold.


    Seeing the paladins rise up, the abyss mages summoned flames, but Asher was already upon them.


    He unleashed a horizontal, flaming sword light. The heat alone made the abyss mage flinch.


    Clang!


    An ogre countered the strike and closed in on Asher. But as it closed in¡­


    Asher suddenly opened his mouth.


    Nether flames surged forward, engulfing the ogre in black fire!


    "Argh!"


    The ogre howled, dropping its glaive and screaming as it trashed to quench the fire devouring it.


    Puchi!


    A spear of ice pierced through its abdomen!


    Thud!


    It collapsed to its knees.


    Seeing their ally fall and the paladins that surrounded them, the abyss mages acted in desperation. They slit their wrists¡ªdark energy surged and before Asher''s eyes, they merged with the remaining ogre!


    Roar!


    A towering shadow loomed over them.


    A ten-meter-tall, black-skinned giant stood in the midst of the burning camp, with bone plates covering its skin, towering over everything around it.


    Not even Asher expected such a result. In a blink of an eye, they looked like ants before it!


    "Human pest! You all will bow before the supreme force. You shall bow before the abyss!"


    The colossal giant bellowed, its voice sending ripples through the air, jolting the sleeping beastmen from their bed.


    "Fall back!"


    Nero bellowed, his voice cutting through the chaos as the paladins turned on their heels. But the giant reached out with its enormous hand, swooping three paladins in a single grasp.


    Seeing this, Asher leaped.


    He unleashed a massive crescent-sword light that tore through the night sky, carving deep into the giant''s chest. It let out a roar of pain before it let go of the paladins and clutched its wound.


    Roar!


    Wild abyssal force spread outward, affecting the paladins.


    Meanwhile, Asher propelled himself using his flames as he unleashed one sword light after the other, illuminating the night sky with his crimson flames.


    The trembles caused by the battle woke thousands of rat beastmen, causing them to walk out of their houses and see a tiny, flaming man fighting against a behemoth.


    The giant swung its thick, muscle-packed arm like a wrecking ball, attempting to swat Asher, but he was too fast. With a blast of flames from his left leg, Asher shot toward the right, evading the giant''s hand before he surged forward.


    The heat emanating from his body was so hot that even the paladins couldn''t withstand it.


    The tents caught fire!


    Yet, strangely, this fire felt so cold that it burned!


    An extreme contradiction that scorched everything in its path!


    Slash!


    Asher unleashed a vertical slash, pouring a massive amount of his mana into it. The giant tilted to the other side, narrowly evading it, but to its shock, ice protruded from behind, piercing through its two thighs!


    Roar!


    Asher lifted his sword into the sky. Flames exploded from the earth, consuming him whole and shooting into the sky.


    The massive fire pillar illuminated the entire small city like day, and it also spread flames, burning down dozens of buildings!


    The flames'' torrent kept ascending through the clouds, going so high that even those in Paradise could see its blurry form!


    "This force¡­"


    A mage guardian, Chief Esau''s family gasped. "It has exceeded the limits of the formants, My Lord! That man¡­ he is an Awoken One!"


    Crack!


    Catherine Ross''s expression darkened as she saw cracks spreading across their protective barrier. ''Could it be that even ten mages cannot block the blazing heat of one man?''


    Those were her last thoughts before the barrier shattered, and all of them were consumed by a formless wave that scorched their flesh at the speed of sound!


    Still in the air, Asher gazed down at the scorched remnants of the giant. His eyes filled with the intensity of the heat and the chill of ice that reflected the burning city.


    He had done this deliberately.


    Below him, an entity city was consumed in flames.


    Flames that could burn not just the body¡ªbut even the spirits!


    Just then, he felt a door open within him.


    His connection to his predecessors had been restored.


    "I did not commit mass genocide to please you," he murmured. "In fact, I didn''t do it at all."


    Asher landed before his paladins, who were still surrounded by flames. Although the flames burned around them, they were shocked to feel its warmth but no pain.


    "Those that bear evil against me shall burn. Those that do not¡­"


    Asher turned to the thousands of rat beastmen walking through the flames with wide eyes, unharmed, and smiled.


    "¡­Shall live."

 Chapter 333 - 333: Neros Mark

    Clink! Clink!


    The rhythmic tapping of metallic boots fell into Asher''s ears causing him to turn his head to the other direction.


    From there emerged dozens of Gray knights, moving through the flames like beasts of metal. He could feel the weight of their armour, like a burden never to be put off, a burden tied to their duty.


    Pish!


    The first gray knight plunged his sword into the ground and fell on one knee. Others followed and their voices reverberated.


    "We pledge allegiance to the one who cut down the pillar of Edom. Though broken, our will is yours to command!"


    They bowed their heads.


    Asher''s eyes narrowed. "Why should I accept men that turn to pay allegiance to the one that killed their general?"


    The first gray knight lifted his head. "It is an oath that binds us. The one who spills the blood of the general is bound to lead us. We are but servants to the oath."


    The knight''s deep voice fell heavily.


    Asher''s heart drummed. To think that these knights had been indoctrinated to their cause so strongly that their view toward him changed right after their general died.


    If they had ill thought towards him, the flames would have consumed them.


    But it did not¡­ S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Meaning, the Knight''s words were true.


    After a nod of acceptance, Asher slit his hand began to take deep breaths as his eyes became white. At first it was odd to the onlookers, but soon they figured out the flames began to mimic his breathing.


    When he inhaled, the flames would reduce and once he exhaled, it would flare up. After a couple of steps, Asher opened his mouth and exhaled.


    It was as if he puffed out steam that swept outward, quenching the flames in seconds!


    Steam left his mouth.


    Nero''s eyes shook.


    Asher glanced at him just then. "I never thought I''d see such monstrosity. Though through the eyes of another, I am marveled."


    Nero could hear Asher''s voice mixed with that of a stranger.


    "A BloodBlade!" Asher sounded shocked as he stood before Nero.


    "Kneel, boy."


    His tone deepened.


    Nero, though hesitant, fell on one knee, his head lowered.


    Asher touched his head. "I see you have the eye of a sand serpent. But that is a gift of my descendant¡­"


    "... Here is mine."


    Nero felt a fiery surge course through his veins causing his eyes to widen as the pain made his head throb.


    He clenched his teeth, trying to hold it in. His face became red, his veins glowing through his skin pulsed!


    "Argh!"


    A scream tore through his throat! Steam rose from his body causing the paladins who wanted to help to hesitate.


    Asher''s eyes became normal in the midst of this. He also went on one knee and held Nero''s face.


    "Don''t try to be strong. Let it out."


    "Argh!!!"


    A louder scream tore through the air, filling the hearts of paladins and beastmen with phantom pain and pity.


    Finally, a short while later, the pain stopped and Nero fell asleep right after.


    Asher rose up.


    "While we wait for him to awaken. Send word to paradise."


    "I shall do so, My Lord." Simon bowed.


    ___


    "Boy!!"


    A yell made Nero sit up.


    Everything was gray.


    He looked around and found himself in a forest. The ground was barely covered in snow and the snow flakes descending from the sky had almost covered his body.


    Turning his head, he saw a wolf prowling toward him. His eyes widened. His hands reached out for the swords at his waist but he didn''t see them.


    What''s worse, he wasn''t in his armour!


    Grr!


    More wolves appeared from behind the trees, surrounding him! Seeing seven wolves a little taller than 4 feet, Nero had no choice but to prepare himself for the worst.


    "Awoo!"


    "Awoo!"


    Two of them howled and a slight rustle fell into Nero''s eyes. His brows furrowed.


    In the next moment, dozens of wolves emerged from the forest, rushing toward him. They came from all sides!


    Nero punched the first one but others crowded him, biting into his flesh and clawing at any part of his body their claws touched.


    The snow became crimson.


    "Argh!"


    He screamed. His pain like a switch caused his snake eye to glow with burning intensity.


    A formless ripple spread out from his body like a blast and it incinerated the wolves and trees in a 100 radius!


    Bloodied and panting, he looked at the scorched ground, void of snow or grass and the trees that had a little part of the heavily burnt stump left.


    The wolves had no remains!


    "!!"


    His eyes widened.


    Almost instantly, Nero woke up from his dream, panting softly.


    "You''re up." Asher''s voice fell into his ears.


    Lifting his head, he gazed at his lord who leaned against the door with folded arms.


    He had a gentle smile.


    "Your Lordship¡­"


    Nero started but lacked other words.


    "Archduke Torah Ashbourne marked you because he was proud. Now, I don''t know what the mark does. Do you have any idea?"


    Nero recalled his dream.


    Could he really do that?!


    He closed his eyes.


    Asher raised an eyebrow. He stopped leaning against the door and approached Nero out of concern but two steps away from the bed, Nero''s eyes opened.


    His snake eye had a fiery intensity and then¡­


    Boom!


    Everything, from the bed, Nero sat on to the rest of the tent and beyond was incinerated!


    Asher untouched by the power of the heat looked around him. Everything was gone, and two paladins who stood just at the 100 radius mark gulped.


    They looked at the scorched ground, and where they stood.


    So close!


    Asher smiled. "You''re another step closer to being the strongest knight in my domain. Rest up. We leave at dusk."


    Walking away from Nero, Asher shook his head.


    "I''ll need another tent¡­ again."


    ____


    Thud!


    The floorboards creaked heavily under the pressure of the fellow that just entered a tavern in the outer city of paradise.


    The eyes of everyone in the tarven veered toward him with acute scrutiny. The beastmen were stunned to see the white haired human with an absurd object wrapped in a cloth standing at the door.


    No ordinary human would dare do such a thing as the tension between both races wasn''t dead yet.


    "Two cups of ale. For me and the one over there." Gerald pointed at a hooded figure sitting at a lonely corner.


    He walked over to the table and sat on the round stool.


    "I''ve heard a lot about you Mr. Crow."


    Gerald said softly.


    "I see." Mr. Crow, the hooded figure, responded after the ale was laid on the table. He stretched out his hairy hand from the cloak, wrapped his slender fingers around the handle and took a sip.


    "20 gold for each information."


    Smiling, Gerald dropped a pouch which Mr. Crow took and began to count.


    "It''s a hundred. First question. How is this island floating?"


    "Hehehe. It''s a wondrous feat of the lord of the paradise, Asher Ashbourne or Achilles around these parts. He also made the lake below."


    Gerald grunted.


    "Who is Sapphira?"


    "Oh? You want to know about the woman who makes every man fight to possess her because of her beauty. All I know is that all who have seen her testifies of her beauty. Some say Lord Asher has already claimed her."


    Gerald grunted, even deeper. He clenched his teeth, holding in his rage.


    ''The princess of Cyrenia, born with imperial blood. High above all other races is claimed by a mere human! Not even a king!"


    Gerald''s eyes gained a deeper shade of blue.


    "Got any other questions?"


    "Is she a fairy?"


    "If you want to know if she has four wings then yes. Don''t go after her though or his lordship will come for your head. A friendly piece of advice."


    Gerald snorted.


    "Does the lord of this place have any relatives?"


    "A sister I hear but she isn''t around these parts. Last I heard, she''s building something called an academy beyond the mountain range."


    Gerald rose to his feet.


    "That will be all."


    He stepped out of the tarven and looked at the lord''s estate built on a high ground, making it tower over the entire city.


    He had to admit. The lord of this city was an interesting human. After all, he had no heard of anyone with the ability to make an island float or create a lake so fast out of nowhere.


    Naturally, someone with such capability shouldn''t be someone who the Cyrenia empire could trifle with but he had not sense any threatening force since he left Cyrenia.


    Though there were powerful forces in his rader, none of them could threaten him.


    "Princess. I shall reunite you with your family and these people shall be punished for tarnishing your honour."


    He growled.


    Meanwhile, looking through one of the windows of the castle was Sapphira. She sat on a couch close to the window and rested her right arm on the window sill.


    The window was large enough to fit a human through. This was done to accommodate enough air and light into a vast room.


    ''Those flames looked like Sirius flames but Sirius is still here. Did anything happen?''


    She batted her long lashes.


    ''Asher¡­ stay safe.''


    ¡­..


    A/N: I went out so today''s chapter will be one but I promise three in the next upload!

 Chapter 334 - 334: Vengeful Chief Of Dothan

    About two hundred paladins on horseback stopped at the periphery of the forest, staring at the vast plain surrounding a tall lone mountain with giant barbarian men clothed in beast skins with unruly hair, loitering about.


    Carcasses of different large beasts could be found here and there, making the place more like a den of giant predators.


    These carcasses were the end results of their prey!


    The 7 foot tall barbarians were the shortest and weakest of them all as the paladins could see some barbarians were about 9 foot tall!


    And there were quite a lot of them!


    As the Duke''s guards, soldiers of the highest order were about 6 ''0" and sat on horses that were about 17 hands tall, were an overall of 7 feet tall.


    This was while seated on their mounts.


    For the first time the paladins felt apprehensive of their lord going alone.


    Although Nero was with him, they still didn''t feel at peace.


    "My lord, is it safe to leave the paladins behind?"


    Nero whispered while looking at the barbarians that had their focus on them. It was off-putting to have such large men stare at you expressionlessly.


    These were the true Dothanites. The ones they fought were just a bit over 7 foot and it wasn''t too odd because of the Grand Aegis Heavy Infantrymen there were 9 foot men here!


    What''s worse, they had quite a substantial amount of muscle mass on their massive skeletal structure.


    These were buff giants!


    If these were half giants whose bloodline had been diluted over the centuries, how tall were the pure giants?!


    "Dothanites! We come in peace!" Asher lifted up his hands as Bezerk kept walking.


    Some Dothanites picked up large bone clubs, some wooden clubs that were as big as a human while some, those with actual weapons, remained passive.


    "Peace?!"


    A voice reverberated from the sky causing Asher and Nero to lift their heads. They saw a figure fall from the mountain and land so heavily that they felt the tremors.


    Another landed behind the first.


    The first wore a helmet with towering wings on both sides with metal plates protecting his right arm. His thick beards caressed his bare chiseled chest.


    Standing at an impressive height of 12 feet, he was no doubt the most fearsome amongst the giants.


    Behind him stood a remarkable giant. His blonde hair packed into a ponytail, his eyes sharp yet strangely calm and his skin shone with bronze light.


    One of his arms, his right specifically, was made entirely out of metal that mimicked an actual arm!


    The veins, contours and everything an actual arm had, this metal arm had!


    It had a silver luster, one that was much brighter than that of his body.


    A steel titan!


    That was the name that came to Asher''s mind when he saw the second giant. Although his force wasn''t as intimidating as the first, he was simply remarkable.


    "To step into the sacred land of Dothan demanding peace is the wildest thing a human has ever done. I commend your courage, lad. Now¡­ What is your name?"


    Teman Seir, chief of Dothan pointed his Warhammer, made entirely out of a strange ore exuding soft blue luster at Asher.


    "I am Duke Asher Ashbourne, lord of paradise, known as Achilles in these parts. I am here to set up a trade. In your land is something I want and I can exchange it for something of your desire." Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Asher went straight to the point. These barbarians didn''t understand the flattering or weaseling of noble politics neither do they know how to entertain their guests so he wasn''t going to waste his time.


    On the bright side, they don''t also poison your food while smiling at you.


    "Achilles. You are the one who killed my sister, Zilphah." Teman''s voice grew deep.


    Nero''s expression changed and he secretly reached out for his sword.


    "It was a full blown war. Your men also killed my men and yet, here I stand."


    "Indeed¡­ here you stand." Teman growled. His darkened face contrasted to Asher''s plain, calm one.


    "You killed one of the last pure descendants of the royal giants and you stand here to mock us?!"


    Teman roared.


    Other giants, incited by his words, lifted up their weapons, taking menacing steps toward Asher and Nero.


    "I come in peace, I repeat once more. A fair trade. I shall have your strange ore and you shall have proper food and clothing from us. At least, your people won''t die this winter."


    Teman lifted up his hand. His men stopped and retreated.


    "If I propose the same yet I had slain your sister, what would you do?!"


    Nero looked at Asher.


    Asher sighed. "Act no differently than you. But I want you to act better than I would, for a battle between us will surely take a life."


    That will deepen the grudge."


    Teman placed his Warhammer over his shoulder. "Hahaha. You think you can kill me? A little human like you? Come then, let there be a duel between us. I represent Dothan as it''s Champion."


    "Ooo!"


    Other barbarians roared, their voices scarring birds from their resting place.


    As Bezerk took a few steps forward, Asher unsheathed Euodias. "I shall be the champion of paradise."


    "My Lord!"


    Asher turned toward the worried Nero, smiled and turned back.


    A circular field was created for them as everyone moved back.


    "You are one stone hearted human but for the death of my sister, I shall feed your corpse to the birds of the air and drink from your skull!"


    "Ooo!"


    The barbarians roared in excitement.


    Asher gently twirled his sword, his golden eyes, like two suns glowing with a dangerous intensity.


    Thud! Thud!


    The earth shook as Teman raced toward him. Asher kicked Bezerk causing it to dash toward the incoming half giant.


    Teman swung his Warhammer downward from his right, aiming to slam Asher like a ball.


    Seeing this, Asher veered Bezerk toward the other side, causing them to narrowly evade the hammer.


    In that moment, he broke into Teman''s inner space. He quickly slashed Teman''s knee, cleanly cutting through his flesh!


    Teman swung his hammer backwards. The wind alone tumbled Asher and Bezerk!


    "Kill!"


    The barbarians roared while Nero''s expression changed.


    By the time Teman turned, Asher had already raised one foot. A gleam flashed through his eyes and he slammed the foot into the ground.


    Empyrean Sigil Stomp!


    Boom!


    A 30 meters radius had a seething hot emblem carved into the earth and in the centre of it all was Teman.


    He was right where the wolf head was carved and thus, was severed into several pieces, leaving his Warhammer bloodied!


    Luckily, while he waited for Teman, Bezerk left the vicinity.


    There was strange stillness in the air as the Dothanites, feared for their strength and combat prowess stared wide eyed at their chief.


    A man who has never lost a battle.


    Defeated after two strikes!

 Chapter 335 - 335: Elden Ore

    Barbarians glanced between themselves and at Teman''s lifeless body several times before averting their gaze to Asher.


    There was a great sense of respect in their eyes.


    Strength was law¡ªthis was the only rule they followed and also the reason Teman had ruled for decades. The fear he had instilled in their hearts made them see him as a godlike entity.


    A man who could not be defeated.


    That had been the mindset of the Dothanites for decades, and it had slowly cemented itself as a law.


    Never oppose Teman!


    Omar Seir, Teman''s younger brother, who had his arms crossed all this time, finally took a step forward.


    "You proposed an exchange? We want the food and clothes. What do you want?"


    His indifference to his brother and sister''s deaths piqued Asher''s curiosity, but since things were now working in his favour, he saw no reason to poke into a supposed unpleasant past.


    His bronze skin shone brightly under the sunlight.


    "Warp ore. It has a blue luster and¡ª!"


    "I''ll show you where it is," Omar replied.


    Asher exchanged a glance with Nero before following Omar on horseback. After all, Omar was 10 feet tall!


    As they made their way, Omar suddenly asked, "You are the one chosen by I Am to be the lastborn of the First Men?"


    Asher nodded.


    "My brother was scared of you," Omar continued. "He was afraid you would end his rule, and his people would fight under the banner of a human."


    Asher glanced at him. Omar looked and acted more educated than others.


    "Then what about you?" Asher asked. "What is your take of me?"


    Omar glanced at him.


    "I think you are not human. Humans cannot rule other races. Many have tried and failed. But you¡­ God''s chosen can¡­ because you have transcended being just a human. I can see it in your eyes. They are not the same as any other human."


    Asher narrowed his eyes slightly.


    "It takes more than being a lord to drop the centuries of bloodshed and grudges between races," Omar went on. "I believe it takes the heart of a ruler. A true ruler¡ªlike the First Kryos."


    Sapphira''s face surfaced in Asher''s mind.


    He smiled. "I see."


    "We''re here." Omar gestured toward a cave large enough to accommodate a 10-foot tall man.


    Looking at the large head sculpted above the cave entrance, Asher''s eyes widened.


    "This was a dwarven mine?!"


    "It was, until our predecessors claimed it centuries ago," Omar nodded. "Shall we proceed?"


    Asher responded with a nod, dismounted and entered the cave. His eyes immediately fell on the broken rails that were once used to carry mine carts.


    ''The dwarves truly owned this mountain.''


    They walked deeper, and soon Asher began spotting the ores.


    "This is a dwarven ore mine," Omar said, gesturing toward the pile of stones emitting a soft blue glow. "And those ores piled over there exuding blue light are warp stones. From how they''re piled, you can tell that they''re considered waste since, compared to dwarven ore, those warp ores are weak."


    Asher could hardly believe his eyes.


    This was a dwarven ore mine!


    One of the strongest metals ever forged into the best weapons and armors was before his eyes!


    This could mean a complete upgrade for his military. It could skyrocket his men into the ranks of Tenaria''s strongest forces!


    If this mind was large enough, it would give his men a significant technological advantage¡ªone that lay in their weaponry and armor!


    And then there was the warp ore. The ore was considered useless to most, but for those who shared his blood, it held untapped potential.


    Asher''s perspective shifted. Mount Seir could become an industrial town if he played his cards right.


    "Edom has waged war against us because of this mountain," Omar mused. "With their technology, once they laid hands on this mine, they would grow powerful enough to rival Clan El. We would be nothing more than an obstacle in their path."


    Omar began.


    "With my brother dead, I am the next in line to lead Dothan. But I know well that many of us won''t survive this winter. I don''t want my people to die."


    Asher looked at him, tilting his head slightly.


    "You want to renegotiate the deal?"


    "Not for free. Come."


    Omar then led him into the depths of the mine. When they reached a cliffside, he pointed at the massive ball in the middle of the cavern below.


    Amid all the ore deposits, rail tracks, and carts, one thing stood out¡ªa massive, spherical object at the heart of it.


    "In exchange, you can have that."


    Asher narrowed his eyes. "What is it?"


    "A metal stronger than dwarven ore."


    Asher furrowed his brows. "You''re joking."


    [He''s not.]


    Asher''s eyes widened when he heard the soft, calm voice of the system.


    This was only the second time it had broken from its routine to speak to him directly.


    ''There''s an ore stronger than dwarven ore?!''


    [Dwarven ore was more well known because of its abundance. What you see before your eyes is the Elden ore. It is far superior to the dwarven ore, and that ball is the last remaining Elden ore in all of Tenaria.]


    ''Hmm¡­''


    Seeing Asher remaining silent, Omar decided to convince him. "My gift allows me to produce metal from my body and shape it into any weapon of my choice. But due to my lack of control, I deformed my arm, permanently making it look like steel. However, it also gives me the ability to sense metal ores and that right there is greater than the dwarven ore. I give you my word." sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Upgrade materials found: Elden ore & King blood.]


    [Double upgrade available: Advance your paladins beyond the rank of Great Paladins, elevating them directly to the rank of Adeptus Paladins. Yes or No?]


    [For ''Yes, '' you must be granted access by the owner or claim it forcefully.]


    Asher''s heart drummed.


    "What do you want in exchange?"


    "A place for me and the rest of Dothan in your paradise. I heard you have made space for both the Edomites and Dothanites."


    Asher smiled. "As you wish. Gather your people and make preparations. We shall all leave before winter."


    Omar, pleased and relieved, bowed his head at Asher before hurriedly racing out of the cavern.


    Asher didn''t know what to feel. It had been too easy this time. But the reason it was this easy was because Omar had dropped every shred of his pride to seek a better place for him and his people.


    They had no capable blacksmith, so the ores were of little use to them.


    ''The ore is mine now. Proceed with the upgrade of the paladins.''

 Chapter 336 - 336: Adeptus Paladins

    Swoosh! Boom!


    The slight tremor almost distablizing him. The Elden ore burst into golden white light, its parts zipping past him at supersonic speed!


    In a blink of an eye, the massive Elden ore was gone, leaving a huge hole in the middle of the caravan.


    Seeing this, Asher turned and raced out of the cave. His eyes locked on the golden beams connecting the earth to the clouds! S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He ran to the open field at what could be considered the front of the mountain and found all the Dothanites looking at the horizon where the paladins were.


    Two hundred golden beams, the size of a pillar that couldn''t be wrapped around by three grown adults could be seen in their place.


    A fierce gale blew outward, uprooting trees and sending waves after waves of dust and sand towards the Dothanites.


    Asher covered his eyes while taking firm steps forward.


    By the time he took his twelfth step, the golden beams vanished causing him to lower his hand.


    Blinking, he stared at the golden reflection closing in on him.


    When it came close, his eyes widened at the sight of the Adeptus Paladins!


    Each of them clad in golden armour, several layers thick with deep lines running across the frame of the sharp edged contours of their pauldrons.


    The same lines could be spotted on their chest plate, vambraces and boots. Heavily clad in thick metal, with helmets that had an anchor shaped crest above with another fan shaped crest above it.


    It went over the anchor shaped crest, making their intersection point look like a cross from above.


    Their cloaks were bright red. It covered their right pauldron, half of their chest plate and was pinned by a black brooch with a golden edge.


    The brooch had the emblem of a howling white wolf.


    Around their waist was another cloth. Red in colour and short. Their helmet was beautifully smooth, clearly done by a master of his craft.


    It had two rectangular openings for the eyes. With no other opening on the helmet, Asher''s eyes went down to their silver hair scattered over their shoulders.


    They held long glaives with ancient runes etched to the body of the gleaming blades. The shaft wasn''t silver but gold!


    Asher had never seen an armour so intricate in his two lives, the first as a designer of such and the second as a lord.


    These intimidating paladins had reached the level of Adeptus! A level that stated their extremely high mastery in the art of combat, iron willed devotion to their cause and years of brutal experiences forced into their brain and muscle memory.


    Their centraks had 20 cm long, curved golden blades protruding out of their forehead.


    Neigh!


    The imposing war horses neighed, some lifting their forelimbs high before stomping the earth heavily.


    These elite men, all of them were imperial-ranked clad heavily in an armor weighing several hundreds of kilogrammes and is almost impervious to blunt and sharp attacks!


    "Your Lordship!"


    Moses voice rang. He was at the forefront, his gaze filled with reverence toward Asher.


    All 200 of them dismounted, fell on one knee, pressed their right fist against their chest and bowed their heads.


    "We, the Adeptus Paladins. The lord''s glaives, tempered by battles to fulfil your will, kneel before your presence!!"


    Asher''s pupils shook as he beheld 200 imperial-ranked paladins, a profession higher than that of a knight before him.


    The other 100 he left in paradise and Nineveh had also received the upgrade so people over there would surely marvel at these machines of combat!


    "Arise."


    All 200 of the Adeptus Paladins rose as one and as Asher turned, he saw the Dothanites staring at him.


    No.


    The beings behind him with terror.


    Thud! Thud! Thud!


    The aura of 200 imperials forced them to their knees one by one until all the Dothanites in sight, except Omar were on their knees!


    Omar''s eyes kept trembling.


    How did sacred-ranked men suddenly move two ranks higher in a blink of an eye! Something that took decades, if not centuries since many never crossed the level of sacred or even diamond!


    [Congratulations Lord Asher, you have created a troop higher than the ranks of nightmare with an endless devotion for your cause. Five can defeat an ancient, 20 can hold an Exalted and 100 can stand against an Awoken One for a limited time!]


    [Such a feat of rank breaking soldiers is extremely rare. Your reward is freely¡­]


    [1) Upgrade Your BloodBlade.]


    [2) Upgrade Your Grand Priestess.]


    [3) Upgrade Your Pet Beast.]


    Asher was stumped. Sapphira might have already broken into the imperial rank. Another upgrade would take her to the rank of ancients!


    However, Nero is stuck at sacred and Sirius was at the imperial rank.


    His pet beast was being left behind like his predecessors did in their time but he couldn''t allow it.


    ''Isn''t Sirius due for an upgrade. He helped kill and even ate a wyvern.''


    [Lord Asher. I am the Lord Upgrade System but do know that I chose to do it freely back then because of your plight. I had to make sure you grow strong enough before demands would be made. Besides, those updated for a cost come out better than those that didn''t.]


    Asher''s eyes narrowed.


    ''I see. What would it cost to upgrade Sirius, if I chose to upgrade Nero?''


    [To upgrade Sirius to the Ancestor Wolf, a beast able to wield the elements of Magi force with hightened intelligence, the blood of 10,000 wolves will be required.]


    Asher sighed. As of now, Sirius and Sapphira were still powerhouses but Nero was already overshadowed.


    He held the position of a BloodBlade. His personal bodyguard.


    Nero couldn''t be weaker than his personal army or his position would become meaningless.


    ''Upgrade Nero.''


    Boom!


    A golden pillar of light fell on the young BloodBlade. Violent ripples blasted outward continually until some minutes later.


    Clink! Clink!


    Nero emerged still clad in black armour but with a chainmail as waistcoat, his swords gaining a shade of blue and his helmet was completely sealed.


    No opening at all!


    It forced him to utilize his most powerful advantage. His Dearth Sight that allowed him to see everything at once, though without colour.


    His red cloak held by a golden brooch right on his chest plate fluttered.


    The aura of an imperial whipped around him. Combined with Torah''s mark and the sand serpent eye, Nero was a formidable combatant in the ranks of an imperial.


    Maybe the only soldier able to defeat an Adeptus Paladin in a one on one combat!