Chapter 205: A Two-in-One Chapter

Chapter 205: A Two-in-One Chapter

Inside the carriage, Ren was engaged in an interesting conversation with Veronica about horse breeds.

For Ren, this was new knowledge.

Veronica explained, "The Jenny Horse is of medium build, agile, and has good endurance. It's commonly used by country gentlemen for hunting or by light cavalry in battles."

"Many noblewomen also prefer this breed for riding because of its docile nature and graceful gait."

Ren recalled the horses he had seen at the Shiny Gold Town's John Manor Stable.

Indeed, judging by their physiques, they seemed to be of this breed.

Veronica's claim seemed accurate; the Jenny Horse was likely the most common breed in the Empire.

It was worth noting that the twelve cavalry members she had brought were not ordinary soldiers.

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Among them, two were formally trained knights, and the remaining ten were well-trained, coordinated, and experienced squires, forming an elite naval squad.

In other words, he didn't need to wait like Veronica for the white seagulls to return with information. He could almost instantly observe and understand the enemy's situation.

If a few more groups of pirates were to arrive, the progress might reach a quarter or even a third of the way.

"I see," Ren nodded in understanding.

"One, two, three, four, plus that Black Sail Pirate Fleet vice-captain, there are five in total." The knight named Flado, who was in charge of the interrogation, pointed out the approximate locations one by one.

Two cavalrymen immediately unfolded a map of the Fishing Harbor Town and its surroundings.

Veronica chanted an incantation, and after a few seconds, a flock of white seagulls flew overhead, circling for a moment before descending.

So, keeping two alive might yield the latest intelligence.

During his knighting ceremony, he had defeated a fortune-teller and the 'Submerged' ship captain, Mara Nasr, who was also a Level 2 apprentice wizard and knew the 'Watergrass Divination Spell'.

Hearing this, Veronica, slightly excited, pulled Marika along to get off the carriage.

"Hmm, Major Marika."

The only one still alive and moaning was a bearded man with a missing left hand and an ironclaw.

"I'm not sure about this. With our strength, defeating a formal knight shouldn't be a problem, right?"

But two seconds later, a bright silver figure blocked his path.

"Alright, Veronica, if you keep acting like a child, I'll tell Lady Enius when we get back."

"They're probably pirates, and we might get some recent information about the pirates or the Sea God Church from them," Ren said, looking at Marika and then at the nearby cavalry.

Sending his horse would indeed be risky.

The injuries were likely caused by heavy weapons like hammers. But during the interrogation, the two captured pirate leaders were terrified! From them, Ren learned that he hadn't used any weapons; he had only relied on his iron fists to achieve such results. The entire battle was over in less than a minute, and it's worth noting that there were two formal knight-level pirate leaders and over twenty skilled pirates! It seemed Major Marika's previous description of Baron Ren had been rather understated. Ren, standing by the carriage, glanced at a system prompt:

"However, 'Bloodshot Archer' Phil doesn't seem to be there. Maybe he's hidden, or for some other reason, the white seagulls say there's no one below."

Ironclaw was stunned, and his face paled as he realized the enemy's strength far exceeded his estimation. They were likely peak knights, not the noble heirs he had imagined.

Veronica, having not witnessed Ren's fight, was slightly disappointed.

Ren looked on with a hint of envy at the scene before him.

Marika pointed out that Veronica's statement was merely her assumption.

The group mounted their horses and continued toward the Fishing Harbor Town, intentionally slowing down to wait for Veronica's bird reconnaissance.

"This..." The knight was about to say that Sir Ren might have gone ahead for reconnaissance.

Level 3 danger sense only conveyed a vague warning.

Marika's eyes narrowed, and she turned to a young knight beside her, saying, "Flado, interrogation is your specialty. You should be able to extract the information we need from them."

There was only one possible explanation for this situation.

Everyone exchanged glances, a bit bewildered.

"The 'Lock Horse' is about the same height and muscular build as your black horse."

"No wonder I felt so burdened when I was fully armed before the mutation. Even a slight sprint would leave me breathless." Ironclaw recalled his experience with 'Black Pearl' before its mutation.

At that moment, Ren expressed his desire to confront the vice-captain of the Black Sail Pirate Fleet, the infamous 'Bloodshot Archer' Phil. His previous frustration vanished, and he spoke with a hint of excitement.

This sudden declaration left the two of them momentarily stunned, unsure whether to be on guard or offer assistance.

"You..." Marika's intention to report the incident caused Veronica to sigh in disappointment. She lowered her head slightly, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment, and fiddled with the hem of her robe, choosing to remain silent.

Veronica knew that Marika was speaking the truth, and this was her way of showing concern.

"It seems we've caught a big fish by the tail," Veronica said, her voice tinged with excitement.

Suddenly, a scream erupted from the left side of their patrol team, accompanied by the sound of snapping tree branches and the distinct cracking of bones.

Ironclaw felt a chill run down his spine as he turned to see the slender man lying in the bushes, his fate uncertain.

Veronica didn't hold it against Marika, understanding her concern.

"My Lord Ren, I believe there's an enemy ambush ahead," Veronica said, her brows furrowed.

Ren nodded in realization.

"Who said that!" Veronica exclaimed, her face reddening as she glared at Marika.

[Active Skill: Beast's Eye]



Control the beasts under your command and use their vision to observe the surrounding environment.

They were now very close to Fishing Harbor Town.

Ren's silver armor shone brightly, appearing as pristine as ever, without a trace of blood, not even on the two weapons he carried on his back.

Ironclaw was about to strike when Ren's figure vanished before his eyes.

[Core Skill: Beast's Eye (Active)]



"If Lord Ren is handling the combat, I'll take charge of scouting!"

[You have engaged in a battle. Knight (Beyond Normal) experience +36]



Marika hesitated.

"Indeed, Phil is skilled in long-range attacks. Your witchery might not give you the upper hand, and I noticed your weapons..." Marika glanced at the two heavy weapons on Ren's back.

"The enemy has been eliminated!" Ren confirmed with a nod, agreeing with Veronica's guess.

She nodded, but still offered a word of caution to Ren. "Lord Ren, although he's only a senior knight, he has a record of defeating a peak knight. Are you certain you can handle him?"

About ten minutes later...

"Phil Cratz, vice-captain of the Black Sail Pirate Fleet, senior knight, master of archery, age unknown. He's a rare god-like archer among pirates, earning the title 'Bloodshot Archer'."

The silver figure that should have been standing in front of the carriage was now mysteriously behind them.

However, they didn't seem to be very strong.

In just a few strides, he reached the women.

The weapons on his back were either a pair of two-handed war hammers or two-handed greatswords, which naturally caught Marika's attention.

Strangely, the pirate corpses on the ground showed no visible wounds, yet it was clear that most of them were dead.

"Originally, I planned to infiltrate a small pirate group, the Roger Pirates, through a spy and gradually locate the bases of several large pirate fleets and the Sea God Church."

It was only after 'Black Pearl's' mutation that things became much easier.

Flado, the young knight, listened in on the conversation and spoke up, still puzzled by Ren's swift combat resolution. He quickly led five cavalrymen into the forest, intending to engage with Kadar Martial Arts and earn some experience points.

Veronica suddenly considered a possibility and pointed her fair finger towards the forest, asking, "My Lord Ren..."

If Kadar Martial Arts could reach Level 6 on this trip to Fishing Harbor Town, he could save some skill points.

"The person in charge of this matter is their vice-captain, Phil Cratz."

"I didn't expect to directly catch a large pirate fleet, the Black Sail Pirates," Marika said, equally delighted.

"In general, large pirate fleets have one or two mysterious side-occupations and practice the Mind Control Spell. When new pirates join, they are carefully screened to identify spies."

The person was nowhere to be found! Ironclaw looked around, scanning the area, but to no avail.

The white seagulls flew in one after another, each soaring towards different directions of Fishing Harbor Town.

Suddenly, he spotted a silver figure ahead and pointed, exclaiming, "There!"

"Pirates?"

After the seagulls finished their reports...

Veronica seemed skeptical about Mary's previous statement regarding Ren's combat prowess. As an apprentice wizard, her perception of 'strong combat' differed significantly from Mary's.

"But smaller pirate fleets don't have such personnel, so it's much safer to infiltrate with a spy."

"Of course, Veronica, this is where we need your magic." Marika said with a smile.

Veronica nodded, indicating that she understood.

"Hmm?" Veronica and Marika turned to look, and they saw Ren emerge from the forest, his pace seemingly slow but actually quite swift.

It seemed that Marika's preparations before coming to Master County were quite thorough, as she appeared to know the Black Sail Pirate Fleet inside out.

Ren focused his senses and indeed, not far ahead, there seemed to be numerous shadowy figures.

Although these enemies were no match for the elite Navy squad, it was still a formidable force.

Suddenly, everyone was taken aback, and they couldn't help but focus their attention on Ren.

"Of course, Major Marika, leave it to me."

As for Veronica, if the enemy specialized in bird transformation, Ren guessed that they would be countered by the 'Bloodshot Archer'.

Ironclaw immediately clasped his hands over his abdomen and started convulsing on the ground, like a giant shrimp that had just been caught and was flailing on the shore.

"Where did he go?" Ironclaw asked, puzzled, following his original line of sight.

"Bang bang pa!"

Because he possessed the Beastmaster's core skill, 'Beast Eye'.

"Hmm? Major Marika, isn't this a good thing? Do you need help?" Ren asked.

Veronica thought for a moment and said, "I've scouted five locations, and in four of them, there are elite pirates near the designated spots, just as the pirate leader described."

The following time was spent waiting.

"Let's go and take a look ourselves. Earlier, you talked so much about Baron Ren's combat power. Now's our chance to see it in action."

"I can do it alone. Normally, with the 'Black Pearl', it should take about an hour to complete a circuit like this."

The two official knights of the Navy glanced at each other, about to say something to Ren.

Usually, when facing a veteran knight like Phil who was proficient in archery, the most reliable opponents would be knights with sword and shield or hammer and shield, as they could effectively block the opponent's attacks with their shields.

As they entered, they were stunned! Before them was a large area where trees were broken as if a hurricane had passed through, and the ground had pits that appeared from time to time, the cause of which they couldn't fathom.

Seeing Ren's slightly puzzled expression, Marika explained, "Also, they are expensive to purchase and rarely circulate outside. They are mainly used by high-ranking nobles, official knights, or heavy cavalry."

"It's a White Owl that I raised myself, with a wingspan of four meters," Veronica said, spreading her arms to indicate the size.

'Whoosh!' Ren's figure flickered, and he vanished from his original spot.

The group of people here was likely part of a planned operation.

"The 'Lock Horse' is a breed developed by the Empire in Lock County, specifically for heavy cavalry or fully-armored knights during charges. They have high load-bearing capacity and fast sprinting speed but are less agile."

"Phil Clatz?" Marika's expression turned serious.

Just as the two leading knights were about to greet Ren, they were surprised to see him step down from the wagon, his back adorned with a sword and hammer.

However, it was clear that Veronica did not agree with Marika's assessment. Her twin ponytails bounced as she said, "Major Marika, you underestimate me. Even if the opponent is a veteran knight and a master archer, they would never be my match."

Ren nodded, indicating that he understood.

"Chirp chirp! Coo coo!" The White Gull flapped its wings and flew to Veronica, locking eyes with her for a few seconds before taking off again.

However, his frequent glances at Ren were noticeably different from before, filled with admiration and reverence.

Based on the previous encounters with the Blood Sail Pirate Fleet, this was likely the case.

"They are an elite group from the Black Sail Pirate Fleet, tasked with ambushing caravans along the roads west of Fishing Harbor Town, depending on the situation."

Ren couldn't help but feel a twinge of disappointment.

"Hmm, Major Marika, let me take another look at the map."

Hmm? This made Marika hesitate for a moment.

"Why is there an extra knight?" Ironclaw asked, eyeing the newcomer with displeasure.

At that moment, a small, emerald-green bird landed on the wagon and hopped inside, chirping and chattering at Veronica.

Riding in a wagon was a typical trait of noble-born knights.

"Where is Baron Ren?"

"According to the leader, Ironclaw, the Black Sail Pirate Fleet and two other small pirate fleets divided the territory around Fishing Harbor Town's entrances and exits. Each group has been sent to plunder."

"The problem isn't a problem. Some brothers might get injured." Ironclaw glanced at Ren and answered confidently.

Ren was taken aback.

Marika looked at Ren and saw that he was calm, without any signs of coercion or worry. She knew that Ren had great confidence in his abilities.

Indeed, even a mosquito's leg is still meat.

Before Ren could ask, Veronica took the initiative to introduce the 'Lock Horse'.

Hmm?

The two women exchanged a glance, momentarily speechless.

After all, as long as the enemy's rate of fire was fast enough and their attacks powerful enough, even with numerous modified birds, they would merely be moving targets.

'Even a mosquito's leg is still meat.'

"It's not that," Ren said, gripping the gauntlets of his plate armor. "I've been sitting for a while and wanted to stretch my legs a bit."

He noted that his Kadar Martial Arts had reached Lv. 5 (204/2000), marking a tenth of his progress, and nodded slightly in satisfaction.

Hearing this, Ren asked a question that had been on his mind for a while: "Major Marika, why doesn't the Navy plant spies within the large pirate fleets instead? Wouldn't that be more convenient?"

"But its combat power is only comparable to that of a seasoned Knight."

Unfortunately, such reckless individuals were still a minority.

[Your skill, Kadar Martial Arts, has improved. Experience gained: +109]



"Before? I don't recall that."

The man immediately started running towards the forest on one side, while the thin man ran in the opposite direction.

For a group of thirty to forty bandits, they could almost always finish the fight without taking any damage.

However, as the cavalrymen were cleaning up the pirate corpses, they soon noticed something unusual. Most of the dead pirates had shattered sternums, or their right chest cavities were caved in beneath their chainmail, suggesting broken ribs that had pierced their hearts.

When Ren returned to the wagon, the two women had just stepped down from it less than half a minute ago.

Hearing this, Ren's brows furrowed, but he quickly relaxed. "I didn't expect we'd encounter a roadblock so close to Fishing Harbor Town."

The white seagulls began to return one by one.

As Ren stepped down from his horse, not far from the road, Ironclaw was scolding the man who had been responsible for reconnaissance moments ago.

Marika looked puzzled, thought for a moment, and shook her head slightly.

"Yes, Major Marika," the young Knight replied, his expression equally grave.

Ironclaw and the thin man turned to look, and their faces immediately contorted in shock.

Marika shook her head. "It's not that we don't want to, but we can't."

Moreover, the man had weapons on his back, which he hadn't taken off, and he had defeated most of them with his bare hands.

Ren could smell the distinct sea-soaked scent on the man, a telltale sign of a pirate who had spent years at sea.

"Although we have the means to interfere, there's still a certain risk involved."

Watching Ren open the carriage door and descend, Veronica nudged Marika with her elbow. "Was this how Lord Ren was before? He seems like a battle maniac."

"Major Marika, if the enemy is only a seasoned Knight, I believe I can handle it without any issues."

Unlike the white seagulls, if White Beauty died, as an important contracted creature, it would cause significant damage to his mental energy.

"Major Marika, Baron Ren, Miss Veronica, the interrogation is complete," the young Knight reported.

A Knight who had truly experienced battles wouldn't act like a socialite riding in a carriage. "Hey, where did that Knight go?" the observing thin man exclaimed in surprise.

Seeing Ren gripping the door handle, preparing to exit the carriage, Major Marika couldn't help but express her surprise. "Lord Ren, are the enemies ahead that strong? Do you need to personally step in?"

The cavalrymen, having received Veronica's signal, halted and began to be on guard.

Ren thought for a moment and suggested, "Why don't we start with these four points first and clear them out? Perhaps we might gain new intelligence from them."

"However, Lord Ren, your black horse, although it vaguely resembles a 'Locke Horse' in its physique, would be mistaken for one by most people."

Ren didn't choose to kill the man.

"White Beauty?" Ren asked, puzzled.

His assessment was based on the likelihood that the man was a noble-born Knight, pampered from a young age, lacking in actual combat experience, and ultimately becoming a formal Knight with the help of his family. However, his combat power was only that of a seasoned Knight.

Five minutes later, the interrogation ended, and a young Knight named Flado came to report.

"This...won't it alert the enemy? Our team moving like this is quite eye-catching." Marika seemed unconvinced.

"By the way, who among you is skilled in interrogation?"

Veronica looked around but didn't spot Ren, so she turned to the Knight standing guard nearby and asked.

However, after some thought, Ren decided to go down and check.

"Lord Ren, did you miscalculate the time it took to kill the enemies?" Veronica asked, slightly skeptical.

"Never mind, three minutes per point should be enough."

"Does it only take three minutes to kill a group of elite pirates? That's a bit exaggerated." Veronica's eyes widened in disbelief.

"No, it only takes half a minute to kill them, at most, not exceeding one minute. The remaining two minutes are for interrogation." Ren thought for a moment and answered seriously.

Happy May Day, everyone!

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end