Chapter 269: Taking Matters into Their Own Hands

Chapter 269: Taking Matters into Their Own Hands



"Dark Energy Confinement!"

Suddenly, a dense black fog surged from Galina's fingertips, rushing towards Ren with immense force. This was Galina's secret dark spell, a last resort for self-preservation.

Ren spurred his horse forward, and the hardened electrum on his knight gauntlets instantly transformed into a shield for defense.

However, the next moment, Ren felt as if he had struck a real cloud of fog with his shield.

The black fog was indeed in its fog form, without any sign of an explosion, but the instant it made contact with the shield, Ren felt as if he had been encased in amber, unable to move any faster than a snail.

Galina, who had turned back to check the situation, finally breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing Ren ensnared. After some thought, she decided to play it safe and cast another group slowdown spell on Ren, the horse, and the warhound.

The battle could be divided into four distinct parts.

Of course, the most crucial aspect was that once the signal was received, the local observer would immediately send people to provide non-combat assistance.

"Hmm? A new Golden Rank Team? But this name sounds vaguely familiar!" Colin, the supervisor, expressed his confusion.

"Hmm? Diamond Rank?" Colin asked with skepticism.

Thanks to the swift warhorse 'Blackie', when Ren returned with Galina's body, there were still die-hard followers of the Black Flame Cult resisting on the battlefield.

This was the first time that Kraya, the genius knight maiden, had been so deeply impressed by a man.

However, at that moment, Kraya herself wasn't entirely sure of her feelings.

"My objective, or rather, my mission, was to go to Minster. These guys suddenly attacked us, so I took care of them."

Kraya unfolded the note and, after a quick glance, handed it to Ren, saying, "Ren, it's just as we expected."

"Alright, Supervisor Colin."

McKin thought for a moment before replying, "It's not like there haven't been Golden Rank Swordmasters who came to assassinate Galina before. But she managed to escape using illusion techniques, and then the Empire's situation became unstable, so the matter was put on hold. I never expected that she would end up dying at your hands."

As soon as the female staff member left, another female staff member hurried in with a report, saying, "Supervisor Colin, we have an urgent intelligence report from Wales County."

"This guy seems to be the high priestess of the Black Flame Cult in Wales County. Perhaps you can find out from her why they attacked us," Ren said as he threw Galina's body at Kraya's feet.

Seeing that Ren was unharmed, Kraya felt a wave of relief.

In short, once triggered, it would emit a special signal, allowing nearby observers with corresponding receiving devices to view information such as the signal's location and the name of the Swordmaster.

Ren nodded and said, "Yes, the intelligence from the Swordmaster Branch shouldn't be wrong."

"Based on the subordinate's address, it seems that the opponent was a high priestess?"

The answer was obvious; it must have been that Golden Rank Swordmaster who had dealt with this formidable foe.

"I completed the investigation mission on the Colossal Guardian, and I even killed a Colossal Guardian!"

But the next second, the clawed hammer suddenly extended!

"Hmm, let me take a look!"

And without any hindrance, Ren's movement speed suddenly increased! This drastic change from slow to fast caught Galina off guard, and she barely had time to instinctively raise her arm to block the attack.

"I'll take a look!" said Colin, a middle-aged balding man with a slight belly, who was one of the four deputy commissioners of the Intelligence Hall and the person in charge of the Intelligence Hall for the night.

This earned him two attribute points and two skill points, bringing his remaining attribute points to 8 and his remaining skill points to 2.

At that moment, Kraya was charging towards him, intending to provide support.

And just like that, the young Ren had dealt with him.

Oh well, let the people in the mission hall deal with these troublesome matters!

Although Kraya had her family's special channels for intelligence, the Swordmasters were still a more reliable source.

In this battle, Ren earned 5 Golden Skill Points, which added to his previous 2 points, brought his total Golden Skill Points to 7.

Before leaving, McKin also took the bodies of 'Wild Bull' Bardalis and another black-robed monk, as both of them had Black Flame Guardian Tokens on them.

However, he never expected the situation to escalate to such an extent! From the intelligence perspective, he might not have known about it before the battle, but after the fight, as the observer of Wales County, he should have been aware of it. His lack of awareness was a dereliction of duty.

When Ren reappeared on the battlefield, everyone present gradually stopped fighting.

The fact that Golden Rank Swordmaster Ren was able to use such a powerful Technique, aside from Magic, highly suggested that he was a Great Knight.

"Also, that person was the planner and perpetrator of the Flashgold Town massacre."

However, before the incantation could be finished, Galina's smokey eye makeup widened in shock!

This was a special one-way communication method, a function exclusive to Golden Rank Emblems, used to call for non-combat assistance.

But in terms of the opponent's strength, the Black Flame Cultist in the Dark Ritual Array and the 'Wild Bull' Bardalis were slightly inferior, so Ren did not receive any Golden Skill Points as a reward for the previous two battles.

Observer McKen's eyes widened in surprise as he noticed the body of a woman in black robes lying on the ground beside him. It was Galina, and he was utterly shocked! After all, Galina was well-known for her exceptional Illusion Technique, making her extremely adept at self-preservation.

"This is the Black Flame Cult High Priestess of Wales County, Galina!"

[Congratulations, your Wizard (Legendary) profession level has increased!]



Just now, Ren had relied on the Golden Conch Medal granted by the Wind and Sea Goddess Church, which contained a divine Technique called 'Exorcism', to instantly break free from the confinement.

Therefore, Ren decided to have the remains sent back to Minster.

The Black Flame Cultists witnessing this scene had vastly different thoughts.

Observer McKen dared not delay and quickly came over in person after some thought.

He knew that although these Cultists were quite capable, they were not even Great Knights, and they certainly couldn't defeat this giant.

Soon after, Observer McKen arranged for the remains of the Colossus Guardian and Galina's body to be covered with a canvas and escorted away.

Four tempered steel blades formed from Hardened Electrum suddenly elongated by over a dozen centimeters, piercing into Galina's smooth forehead! Galina's eyes widened in shock, and her body convulsed violently before going still.

As the two spoke, they approached the temporary camp, but when Ren saw the massive remains of the Great Axe Guardian, he suddenly remembered something.

"Wales County Observer McKen urgently reports: Golden Rank Swordmaster Captain Ren has killed the Black Flame Cult High Priestess of Wales County - Galina, two Black Flame Guardians, and..."

"Sir Colin, there's an urgent report from the Imperial Army's Special Department, the Earthshaker." A female staff member hurried over, reporting with a slightly rushed tone.

Galina slumped to the ground, and the Black Veil, which had been weakened by the Advanced Technique 'Crushing Hammer', could no longer withstand the blow from Ren's Clawed Hammer! "Pop!"

"Two Golden Rank missions?"

At the top of the hall, there were two deep tunnels resembling vents, but instead of people, flying creatures like birds and bats entered and exited.

"Yes, the 'Maister Siege Hammer' team has accepted the mission." The female staff member promptly reported.

Quickly understanding and reporting various important situations in the region was one of the most crucial responsibilities of an Observer.

Ren's eyes narrowed in thought.

Ren took the report, nodding.

Ren's Clawed Hammer, after breaking through the Black Veil, continued its forward momentum, striking Galina's raised arm! "Blocked?"

"I'm Ren. May I ask who you are?"

"Yes, Sir Colin, the new team captain is indeed Ren Kallen, and the two team members are Evelyn and Captain Li Hua, respectively. Evelyn's Swordmaster Branch record: Joined the Swordmasters, completed Bronze Rank, and completed Diamond Rank."

Ren took out the golden emblem representing the Golden Rank Swordmaster from his chest and rubbed his thumb on the name engraved on the back of the emblem three times.

He observed the Colossus Guardian again, specifically the area around the enormous cavity in its midsection, which was the size of a washbasin, but there were no residual energy traces.

At this moment, Ren suddenly remembered that he hadn't checked the system prompt yet.

"That's not the case." Ren was taken aback, shaking his head.

Holding Galina by the back of her neck, he lifted her like a dead snake and leaped onto the Swift Warhorse 'Blackie', heading back to the temporary camp.

Kraya sheathed her greatsword and approached him with concern, asking, "Ren, are you okay? What happened?"

"The Flashgold Town massacre was planned and executed by this 'Bloodstained' individual." Kraya expressed her surprise.

Looking at the blade that had pierced her arm and was now just a centimeter away from her forehead, Galina's pupils constricted in fear.

Ren nodded.

"By the way, Sir McKen, I need your assistance with something. I'd like to have Galina's and the Colossus Guardian's remains sent to the Swordmaster Branch in Minster."

However, his expression suddenly changed, and he said, "Quickly, report this information to the mission hall, with the following annotation: Suggest immediately notifying Sir Ren that the enemy's strength exceeds expectations, and the mission to kill Raksool is temporarily suspended!"

Since the Intelligence Hall operated 24/7, four Deputy Commissioners were assigned, working in shifts with four groups and three shifts.

"I recall Bishop Sean mentioning that this medal contained a divine Technique called 'Exorcism', but it required recharging before it could be used again."

The large cart used by the Black Flame Cult to transport the remains played a significant role.

However, the meaning behind the reinforcement was vastly different. Besides demonstrating strength, reinforcement also conveyed concern and trustworthiness, and it was more likely to touch the hearts of those being protected.

At the same time, the job level experience of the Weapon Master (Legendary) also increased significantly, reaching lv8 (5121/7000).

"Please wait a moment, I'll check."

"What?" Colin was shocked. No, could this new Swordmaster, Ren, be so powerful? Could it be that he completed the Diamond Rank task solely through his own abilities?

Ren nodded, feeling pleasantly surprised. He had expected there would be related tasks, but he hadn't anticipated such high rewards.

(Note: The above skill experience has already benefited from the exclusive talent 'Primary Extraordinary Insight', with a 30% increase.)



[Congratulations, you have defeated a strong enemy and obtained 3 Golden Skill Points!]



After receiving the urgent message, he knew that a battle had likely taken place here.

"Hmm?"

This made Observer McKen's expression even more peculiar. The words he was about to blurt out stuck in his throat. After a moment of thought, he swallowed them back and reorganized his thoughts: "Cough, Sir Ren, you're truly formidable. You managed to complete two Golden Rank tasks in passing."

A loud sound of a heavy object hitting the ground echoed!

[Congratulations, you have defeated a strong enemy and obtained 2 Golden Skill Points!]



"When fighting against a cult, the goddess church's medal is quite useful," Ren thought to himself.

Before this, whether it was killing the 'Ice Messenger' Grant or charging through the enemy's 'Dark Ritual Array' and crushing it, Ren had displayed his formidable personal strength.

"Miss Kraya, I'm fine."

An hour ago, Wales County's Observer, McKen Clinton, received an urgent message signal from a Swordmaster named Ren, who had sent it from Colmar Town to Ezz Town.

The female staff member reported while showing a look of surprise.

Several staff members were riding a lift with a basket, moving up and down.

As soon as Ren saw Kraya, she also noticed him returning.

"But I have other tasks here, so..."

"No need to be formal, is Sir Ren here?" The middle-aged wizard waved his hand.

Ren felt that this Giant Axe Guardian, including Galina, was likely registered with the Swordmaster Branch in Minster.

The Giant Axe Guardian and Galina behind them were still formidable, naturally falling into the category of strong enemies. After the battle, they provided 3 and 2 Golden Skill Points, respectively.

"I recall the branch issued a task to kill Raksool. Is anyone taking it?" Task Officer Colin seemed to have thought of something and asked.

This made the cavalry, who had just been attacked, immediately draw their bows and aim, staying alert.

In fact, ever since Ren returned and punched 'Wild Bull' Bardalis to save her, Kraya's mindset had begun to subtly change.

In the center of the hall stood dozens of circular, spiral-shaped towering bookshelves, but instead of books, they were filled with numerous pieces of information and intelligence files.

At such close range, Ren finally delivered the finishing blow, ending the opponent! Ren took out the medal with the golden conch pattern from his pocket, and the faint blue light on it dimmed significantly.

These birds and beasts carried intelligence of different security levels, falling into the hands of the staff members, who quickly worked on decoding, archiving, reporting, or forwarding them.

Seeing Galina in Ren's hand, like a dead snake, the last shred of hope in the hearts of the loyal cultists instantly vanished.

"However, Ren, the fact that you could get the High Priestess of Wales County to take action seems to indicate that this guy with the nickname 'Bloodburner' might be even stronger than Galina. If you really intend to kill him, you must be extra careful."

"Pfft!"

"Oh, and Sir McKen, I'd like to ask if there are related tasks for these two in the Swordmaster Branch?" Ren pointed to Galina's corpse and the remains of the Giant Axe Golem and asked.

"My current location is Wales County, which means the High Priestess in front of me is most likely the leader of the Black Flame Cult in Wales County?"

After about an hour, a small team of elite rangers, guarding a middle-aged man in a wizard's robe, quickly arrived near the temporary camp.

"Of course, Sir Ren. Leave it to me!" Observer McKen said with a smile.

'Bang!' Galina's body, covered in darkness, was struck with a near-basin-sized dent. The Skull Hammer's head was just a few centimeters away from hitting her forehead. But in an instant!

"Huh?"

"Hmm?"

In the underground Intelligence Hall of the Swordmaster Branch,

"Hello, Sir Ren. I'm McKen, the Observer of Wales County."

He checked the system: [You have experienced a battle, Weapon Master (Legendary) experience +873]



McKen shook his head slightly.

Soon, Kraya searched Galina's body and found several items: a crystal orb, a Black Flame High Priestess token, multiple Black Flame prayer scrolls of different types, and a piece of paper.

"Read it."

"Hmm?" McKen looked puzzled and continued, "But isn't Sir Ren here specifically to kill them and complete the task?

【You have experienced a battle, gaining 321 experience points for the Wizard (Legendary) class.】

Even though he could defeat her, killing her was a whole other challenge!

As McKen followed the trail of battle, his eyes widened in shock upon seeing the colossal remains of the Giant Axe Guardian. This was the very Colossal Guardian they were instructed to keep an eye on! Previously, he had received a message from above, asking him to pay close attention to whether the Black Flame Cult in Wales County was creating any Colossal Guardians. He had even sent people to search, but to no avail. He never expected that one would be created right under his nose and then destroyed! He glanced at the surrounding Knights, including the noble girl, all of whom were Peak Knights.

According to McKen, these two should also have related tasks, even though they weren't Golden Rank. Still, there was no need to waste them.

As he approached the temporary camp, he saw the trail of destruction, the crisscrossing trenches on the ground, and over a hundred corpses that were undoubtedly Cultists. He was quite surprised.

This was the High Priestess of the Black Flame Cult in Wales County!

"If that's the case, there might be a wanted task for her in the Swordmaster Branch in Minster."

This indicated a call for non-combat assistance from a Swordmaster.

A one-star task meant a one-star Golden Task, which represented a reward of a Golden Medal.

The entire hall operated around the clock, so even at night, it was brightly lit and bustling with activity.

Observer McKen looked at Ren's calm expression, his face contorted in confusion, thinking to himself, 'Your expression doesn't seem to reflect the difficulty of the task, and there are no visible injuries on your body.'

"This seems to be some secret technique of the Arcadia Sword Technique?"

If that was the case, then this task could still be carried out. Suddenly, Colin thought of a problem, and the annotation on that piece of intelligence he had just received seemed inappropriate.

Kraya reminded him.

"Killing Galina is a one-star Golden Task, investigating the Colossal Guardian is a two-star Golden Task, and you've killed one. I estimate it will be at least a three-star task." McKen explained.

Especially when the Knights saw Ren carrying the fleeing female Cultist High Priestess towards them, they all looked at Ren with admiration.

Ren thought for a moment and then looked down at the corpse on the ground.

The Black Flame Cult-related tasks he had taken on were all within Myester County, not Wales County.

"An urgent message from the Earthshaker: Raksool's strength exceeds expectations, and the Saber Leopard Team has been annihilated! Additionally, the Serpent Sect seems to have sent an envoy to Myester, but the purpose is unknown."

"Ren? The Maister Siege Hammer? I remember! He's that talented Swordmaster newcomer!" Colin suddenly recalled something.

"Lord Ren, I never expected her to die at your hands."

Ren released the Crushing Hammer and clenched his fists.

"It seems that after arriving in Myester, I'll need to ask Bishop Sean for help with charging."

"Hmm?"

【You have experienced a battle.】

Only then did Ren retract his Clawed Finger. "Pfft!"

What caught Ren's attention was Kraya, who was wielding a Greatsword and occasionally spinning 360 degrees, creating a circular blade that slashed through the air, killing a large number of gray-robed Cultists.

This clearly didn't align with the normal promotion speed and procedure for a Swordmaster newcomer, and Colin also realized that she had completed a Diamond Rank task when she was still Silver Rank, indicating that someone had given her special approval.

"You may not know this, but one of the Swordmaster tasks I took on was to kill this Raksool."

【Congratulations! Your Wizard (Legendary) class level has increased!】

"Miss Kraya, that explains it. The Black Flame High Priestess from Wales County came to assassinate you at the request of Raksool, who is known as the 'Bloodburner'."

Ren nodded and said, "Indeed, her Phantom technique is quite formidable."

This was a hall with a height of several dozen meters. On the hall's floor, nearly forty to fifty staff members bustled about.

Undoubtedly, in terms of strength, this Lord Ren was likely among the top-ranked Swordmasters in the Swordmaster Branch.

The flawless version is available at 69 Book Bar! 6=Book_Bar original novel!

Colin tugged at his sparse hair and said with a troubled expression, "Combine the urgent message from the Earthshaker and this piece of intelligence, and report it to Task Officer Umaz of the Task Hall."

"Oh, Lord Colin, how should we annotate this in the Intelligence Hall?" asked the female staff member beside him, blinking her big eyes.

According to the rules, all intelligence reported or forwarded by the Intelligence Hall needed to be annotated.

"I suggest letting Lord Ren make the decision!"

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end