Chapter 286: Spreading Influence

Chapter 286: Spreading Influence



"Colonel Stanley, is General Edward in? I have an important matter to report," Colin said, preparing to step forward.

"Wait!"

"Colin, you're in your forties, and you're still so impulsive," Colonel Stanley said, glancing up.

"Colonel Stanley, I received an urgent and confidential message from Olenna. According to regulations, I need to inform General Edward immediately." Colin hesitantly lowered his hand.

As the Deputy Governor of the Intelligence Hall, Colin was nearly two levels lower in rank than Colonel Stanley, so he spoke with restraint.

"General Edward has an important guest. What's the matter?" Stanley didn't intend to make things difficult for Colin and spoke plainly.

At that moment, Gomez Archbishop and General Edward sat facing each other, discussing something serious.

"My old friend, based on the information you provided, our team in Wales County took down the Darkflame Cult in the area, and after some interrogation, we obtained valuable intelligence."

"One piece of information, I believe, will definitely interest you. It's about the Darkflame Cult's purpose for being so active in Maistre County."

Gomez paused, his expression turning solemn.

"I think so. The Darkflame Cult's ultimate goal is likely the resurrection of an ancient demon legionary in the underground of Maistre County."

"An ancient demon legionary?" General Edward's expression turned serious.

"Even if they manage to resurrect him, wouldn't his soul essence be weakened? How strong could he be?"

"True, but even with the weakening, he'd still possess legendary power. Otherwise, the Darkflame Cult wouldn't go to such lengths."

"Indeed, a legendary power is a significant problem," General Edward said, his expression turning grave.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

At that moment, the sound of knocking echoed untimely.

General Edward's brows furrowed, and he called out, "Enter!"

Colonel Stanley stepped forward respectfully, "Your Excellencies, please forgive my interruption. This is an urgent and confidential letter from Deputy Governor Olenna of the Task Hall."

Stanley's eyes narrowed, unsure of Colin's intentions. He opened the letter and began reading intently.

"What!"

Stanley exclaimed in surprise, his expression incredulous as he read the letter.

"This..."

Stanley glanced at the letter and then at Colin, seeking confirmation.

He was about to say, "How is this possible?"

But the letter clearly stated that Princess Menia, the Imperial Griffin Knight known as the 'Red Queen', personally confirmed the Darkflame Cult's ancient demon legionary as an epic powerhouse.

For Princess Menia, one of the Empire's Guardians, to make such a judgment, the possibility of error was nearly non-existent.

The truth was clear: this information was highly likely to be true.

"Though I found it hard to believe when I received the intelligence, I trust Princess Menia's judgment and Olenna's decision to report this to General Edward," Colin said, seeing Stanley's shocked expression.

Stanley nodded, deep in thought.

After some consideration, Stanley decided it was best to inform General Edward immediately.

Given the involvement of Princess Menia, General Edward wouldn't blame him for the interruption.

At that moment, inside General Edward's office, Gomez Archbishop and General Edward sat facing each other, their discussion serious.

(End)

“Your Excellency, I believe you should take a look at this immediately.”

General Edward glanced at his secretary, Stanley, knowing his usual composure. Despite the presence of an important guest, Archbishop Gomez, he nodded, “Alright, heeded the call.

He nodded, “Alright, I'll take a look.”

Archbishop Gomez's attention, who was conversing with Edward, was also drawn to the letter.

After all, the topic they had just discussed was about the Darkflame Cult in Maistre County.

General Edward took the letter and opened it, his expression immediately froze, his face unable to conceal his shock!

Archbishop Gomez, seeing his friend's rare loss of composure, was concerned.

“Could it be that I'm too late?”

“The Darkflame Cult has found and resurrected an ancient powerful being?” Archbishop Gomez wondered.

The next moment, General Edward exclaimed, “An Epic-tier being?”

“This...”

Even General Edward, who had weathered many storms, was hearing this for the first time. This was indeed the first time he had heard of the killing of an Epic-tier being!

As the leader of the Maistre Swordsmen Branch for eight years, he had rarely encountered the killing of an enemy Legendary-tier being, let alone an Epic one.

Most of the time, they dealt with Near-Legendary-tier beings.

But this time, the news was about the killing of an Epic-tier being, which explained his shock.

“General Edward, could it be that you've obtained accurate information? The Darkflame Cult is resurrecting an Epic-tier being?” Archbishop Gomez couldn't contain his curiosity and interrupted General Edward, who was still in shock.

“Archbishop Gomez, you should take a look yourself.” General Edward thought for a moment and handed the letter to Archbishop Gomez.

His mind was in a bit of a jumble, unsure how to explain this matter to Archbishop Gomez. The best approach, of course, was to let him see for himself.

Although this was confidential information from the Swordsmen Branch, due to the involvement of a cult, the Swordsmen Branch would usually share intelligence with the Goddess Church.

Additionally, as the leader of the Maistre Swordsmen Branch, General Edward had the authority to judge the matter.

At this moment, General Edward was contemplating the name 'Rein'.

He certainly had an impression of this young man, especially since he had made an impression by single-handedly defeating an Obsidian Giant.

However, what he hadn't expected was that in just a few days, this young man had accomplished something astonishing—the killing of an Epic-tier being! Even with the suffix 'severely damaged', it was still an Epic-tier being!

No matter the prefix, it was still an Epic!

“What? You've killed one?” Archbishop Gomez's eyes, which had been half-closed, suddenly widened, staring intently at the letter, his face filled with shock.

“Indeed, and it was personally confirmed by Her Highness Princess Maistre, so the result should be accurate. I understand your shock, my friend.” General Edward nodded in agreement.

He hadn't expected that while they were discussing how to handle this issue, the problem had already been resolved.

“My friend, I'd like to ask a favor of you.” General Edward spoke up.

“This young man Rein, who killed the Darkflame Cult's ancient hero Mong, has been branded. As you can see from the letter, I'd like to ask you to do your best to help remove it.”

“This... I can't refuse, and I've never encountered the will of an Epic-tier being before, so I can't guarantee success.”

“However, this young man Rein should be one of your trusted subordinates, and I'll do my best for this matter.”

“Moreover, I'm also very curious to meet this young man. The letter doesn't mention how he killed an Epic-tier being from the cult.”

“Haha, my friend, I'm also curious. We'll know in a couple of days.” Hearing Archbishop Gomez's question, General Edward couldn't help but laugh.

---

Meanwhile, in the training room on the first floor of the Hubert Duke Manor in Maistre County.

Rein was currently using the talent 'Metal Transformation Spell' to rephrase it?

Rein clearly remembered his previous state.

When he was at the 'Intermediate Steel Body' level, transforming fifty kilograms of hardened gold into a Pseudo Warhammer took approximately 0.3 seconds.

But now, after testing it nearly ten times, on average, it took around 0.18 seconds, a reduction of about forty percent.

This improvement was indeed significant!

Apparently, after advancing from 'Intermediate Steel Body' to 'Advanced Steel Body', his elemental affinity for metal had also increased significantly.

Otherwise, such an effect would be impossible.

Don't underestimate the improvement from such a short period of time. From a different perspective, within the same duration as before, Rain can now transform more metal for offense and defense.

For instance, the time it used to take to transform three Crane Shields can now be used to form four, significantly enhancing his defense.

The time it took to transform a two-meter-long greatsword can now be used to create a three-meter-long one. Although it's not forty meters, it can still catch opponents off guard in battle.

"The most crucial part is that the enhancement in Metal Elemental Affinity doesn't just boost the power of your innate Metal Magic, but all Metal-type spells."

As a low, incantation echoed, Rain cast a Sharpening Spell on the recently transformed greatsword in his hands.

The pale silver glow was even more intense than before.

This meant the Sharpening Spell was even more effective!

"It seems like the next step is to search for more Metal-type spells," Rain thought to himself.

At that moment, Rain suddenly looked up and glanced at the door of the training room.

A familiar graceful figure entered his sight.

It was Kraya.

"As expected of the one who slew an Epic-level Powerhouse, Rain. Your senses are truly sharp. You noticed me as soon as I entered," Kraya teased with a smile.

However, Rain could sense a hint of fatigue hidden beneath her beautiful features.

"Miss Kraya, are you done with your tasks?"

"Yes, I've finished for now. I just completed the arrangements for the injured and fallen guards, and I've also assigned people to fill in the tunnel entrances in the garden overnight."

"I've also coordinated with the Griffin Squadron from Fisherport to increase their aerial patrol frequency," Kraya briefly summarized her recent tasks.

Rain nodded in agreement.

Kraya had always been burdened with numerous trivial matters, especially after the battle, which made her even busier.

As the highest executive officer of Myister, Count Habsburg's severe injury left Kraya with additional responsibilities. Fortunately, she had received training in administrative affairs from a young age, making the transition smoother.

"Rain, after such an intense battle, why don't you take a rest? No wonder you've made such remarkable progress in such a short time," Kraya said.

"Talent is essential, but your diligence surpasses most people," she couldn't help but exclaim.

Despite her lingering doubts, like the soul-absorbing spell Rain used and the one that healed his pet's wounds, she wondered where he had learned them.

These spells didn't seem like something a Swordbearer would typically acquire.

Perhaps he had some extraordinary encounters.

"Well, thank you, Miss Kraya, but I'm not as diligent as you imagine," Rain smiled.

"By the way, Rain, you can just call me Kraya from now on."

"And about the mark Princess Menia mentioned, do you feel any discomfort?" Kraya approached, her beautiful eyes glancing at Rain apologetically.

"Don't worry, Kraya. When we return to Minster, I'll visit the Wind and Sea Goddess Church. I don't think it'll be a problem," Rain assured her.

"Yes, Rain. Thanks to your bravery, the Habsburg family was spared. If not for you, not only my father but I might have..."

"This is an excellent-level Breath Technique, and apart from the Habsburg family's Bloodline Breath Technique, it's the only excellent-level Breath Technique I have, the Flame Lizard Breath Technique."

"I'm not asking you to change your Breath Technique. I just want you to take a look; perhaps your exceptional Knight talent will give you some inspiration."

"If I had known about your incredible talent earlier, I wouldn't have taught you the Bear Breath Technique. It's a waste of your Knight talent. I don't want the Breath Technique to become a bottleneck for your path to becoming a Legendary Powerhouse."

Kraya handed him a pale yellow parchment scroll.

"Okay... Thank you," Rain hesitated but accepted the scroll containing the Flame Lizard Breath Technique.

Rain was no longer a novice, so he was well aware of the numerous issues involved in changing Breath Techniques.

The biggest challenge was that his body had already adapted to the previous Breath Technique and consumed the corresponding advanced potion to reach the Extraordinary level. Changing it now would require a period of adjustment.

With luck, or a body capable of withstanding such changes, it might be manageable, but more often, it led to failure and a significant decline in strength.

However, for an excellent-level Breath Technique, he had been planning to search for one in the Swordbearer Division for reference but was delayed due to the spell exchange matter.

Unexpectedly, Kraya had prepared one for him.

Additionally, Rain was grateful that Kraya had taught him the Bear Breath Technique when he was still a young servant.

And so, relying on the Bear Breath Technique, Rain awakened two Extraordinary Traits, 'Gigantism' and 'Iron Skin', with the aid of the advanced 'Bear Palm' potion from the Ironmane Bear King.

These were also the precursors to the Intermediate Talent 'Intermediate Colossal Strength' and 'Advanced Steel Body'.

"Rain, the moon tonight is so beautiful." At this moment, Kraya walked to the window of the training room and looked up at the night sky.

"Indeed, it is." Rain suddenly realized that he had never truly admired the moon since coming to this world.

The moon in this world was slightly larger than in his previous life, but due to the distance, there were no spots visible on its surface, making it even more radiant.

The two of them remained silent, quietly gazing at the night sky.

The next morning, dawn broke.

Through the window, Rain could see the garden that had been pitted from the previous night's battle. It had been leveled, although the flowers and shrubs had not yet been replanted, but the trees in the corner remained lush and verdant.

A light rain must have fallen in the early hours, as the leaves were still wet, with droplets glistening at their tips, reflecting a faint golden mist in the morning light.

Rain thought for a moment and then returned to the training room, intending to test the effects of 'Advanced Steel Body'.

However, his plan was interrupted by Kraya's sudden appearance.

As for the Flame Lizard Breath Technique, he decided to study it later.

So, Rain skipped breakfast and went to the training room alone.

With the Metal Transformation Spell, the hardened fine gold in his hand swiftly transformed into a two-handed greatsword, and on its broad surface, numerous four-pronged darts emerged.

"Blade Storm!"

In an instant, Rain spun with the two-handed greatsword like a top, and as a powerful whirlwind swept around him, the four-pronged darts also spun at high speed, accompanied by a strong air current, striking in all directions!

"Ding! Ding! Clang! Clang! Clang!"

If one listened carefully, they would notice that the clanging of metal was much denser than when Rain had previously used Blade Storm.

The reason for this was that in the past, Rain could only generate seventy to eighty four-pronged darts in a short time. If he wanted more, it would take longer, resulting in noticeable pauses in his technique.

This could be fatal in combat.

But now, with Rain's increased affinity for metal elements, he could produce around one hundred and twenty darts in the same amount of time, layering them on the greatsword.

After the dust settled, Rain stepped forward to inspect.

Indeed, this time, he found that on the ironwood dummies within a thirty-meter radius, some had twelve to thirteen darts, while others had six or seven.

From this perspective, his Advanced Secret Technique 'Blade Storm Modification' was also a beneficiary of the 'Advanced Steel Body' Talent.

Its power had increased by about twenty to thirty percent.

"It's just... it consumes more Hardened Fine Gold!"

"It seems that at most, I can only use it three times. If I try a fourth time, the Hardened Fine Gold might not be enough." Rain suddenly thought of a problem, and his expression turned slightly unpleasant.

After some thought, Rain couldn't come up with any particularly good solutions to make up for this shortcoming.

"However, it's unlikely to encounter a situation in a battle where I'd need to use 'Blade Storm' three times in a row, right?"

For the Talent 'Advanced Steel Body', its primary purpose was, of course, defense.

Rain instantly transformed a dagger and, with fifty percent of his strength, drew it across his arm. Instantly, a faint silver-gray glow flashed on his skin, leaving not even a hint of a white mark.

This instantly delighted Rain.

"This level of defensive strength seems much stronger than the Intermediate Steel Body."

Next, Rain kept increasing the strength of each slash with the dagger.

Finally, at ten percent of his strength, he barely left a white scratch on his skin, but it didn't break.

This both surprised and pleased Rain.

After some thought, Rain cast 'Sharpening Spell' on the dagger and gradually increased the strength of his slashes.

This time, the Hardened Fine Gold dagger, with the 'Sharpening Spell' and seventy percent of his strength, barely scratched the skin.

"It seems that if we measure it in 'degrees', my 'Advanced Steel Body' defense is around 15 to 20 degrees. I'll have to wait until I return to the Swordsmen Branch to test it to know for sure."

"But overall, even if a Grand Knight were to break their limit, they'd probably struggle to injure me."

"I wonder if the defense will hold up against magical attacks."

"If I have this level of defense against energy attacks, I can basically ignore entry-level magical attacks."

With this thought, Rain's eyes lit up!

After testing the impact of the Talent 'Advanced Steel Body' on his combat power, Rain returned to his room.

After a short rest, he opened the sheepskin scroll Kraya had given him the night before, which contained the 'Flame Lizard Breath Technique'.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end