Chapter 296: Intelligence and Information

Chapter 296: Intelligence and Information



"This...is probably going to be difficult. After all, the opponent defeated Grant in three moves, clearly a formidable opponent."

"That might be the case for me, but not for the Captain." The Scorpion Maiden subtly praised Captain Asimov.

Captain Asimov smiled and said, "Scorpion Maiden, Iron Man is right. The opponent killed both Grant and Elais, and their strength is not to be underestimated."

"Also, is this all the information the branch has gathered? Only the information about the opponent joining the Swordbearers and the situation when they killed Grant." Captain Asimov turned to look at Drake, his expression slightly displeased.

"Is there any information about Elais' battle with Ren?"

Not knowing how to respond to this question, Drake called for Viscount Fabien.

"Well, the intelligence capability of the Minster branch is limited. Additionally, Elais' battle took place in Minster, and it is said that it occurred within a room, with only Ren and Elais present."

Iron Man carefully examined the map and calculated the distance between Ren's residence and the Swordbearer branch. He spoke in a deep voice:

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Without hesitation, in an instant, Ren allocated all 6 skill points to the spell 'Metal Barrier'.

At that moment, large patches of dark clouds drifted in from the distant horizon, seemingly indicating that a fierce storm would soon descend upon Minster.

Indeed, a moment of distraction in battle could result in the enemy seizing the initiative, leading to a passive situation.

Ren was slightly taken aback upon hearing Neror's words.

"But it's still not fast enough." "If I had 3 more skill points and reached level 12, the casting time would be 0.25 seconds. Only then could it truly be considered a masterful illusion."

Of course, there was a significant difference in strength between the current giants and the ancient giants; otherwise, the Orens family wouldn't be so fixated on the ancient giants' fangs.

However, although Neror's expression was calm, his heart was filled with turmoil.

He discovered that after only about 0.5 seconds of casting time, a triangular shield made of hardened mithril surrounded him.

Nenor suggested, "Ren, you should consider..."

Suddenly, Ren thought of something else.

"Yes, Lord Ren, this shield-bearing hulk often causes misunderstandings. In fact, the inner side of his shield is lined with javelins, and he only uses the shield after transforming through his bloodline."

"Thank you, Lady Olena."

"Lord Ren, please continue," Lady Olena said with a smile, seemingly eager to help Ren.

"Yes, Captain Asimov was a descendant of a bloodline noble, but his bloodline was too diluted to awaken. When he was younger, he struggled to become a Full Wizard. Later, he voluntarily became a test subject in his mentor's bloodline fusion experiment, but surprisingly, the experiment succeeded."

To Ren's surprise, Neror, the 'local expert,' was highly efficient.

Even though wizards generally had longer lifespans, this was still almost an impossible feat.

Even if it were possible, the chances would be significantly reduced.

"Lord Ren, do you want me to inform Evelyn and the others about this?"

"Additionally, it's rare for all three of them to act simultaneously. It seems they consider you, Lord Ren, as a significant threat."

After Neror left, Ren stood up and looked down at the training ground from the third-floor window.

"Hmm?"

Ren checked his attribute panel, and the remaining skill points totaled 6.

However, this was probably the case for top-tier powerhouses.

"No, I just want to understand their movements." Ren shook his head.

After thinking for a moment, Ren conveyed the general situation to Neror telepathically.

Ren nodded.

"Lord Ren, don't you know that as a Golden Rank Swordbearer Captain, you can access confidential information through the Swordbearer's internal intelligence system? And as a Diamond Rank, it's even easier for you."

For a moment, Ren felt as if he had entered a mysterious space, constantly practicing the spell 'Metal Barrier' for decades. His incantation became more and more concise, almost instinctive, and faster! After Ren digested the memory, he silently recited the spell once more.

Ren checked his attribute panel: Physique: 46, Strength: 46, Agility: 46, Spirit: 55, Will (Hidden Attribute): 3. "All my physical attributes are at 46, but I'm still quite far from the attribute requirements of the Annihilation Force Field."

Jokingly, if Lord Ren were directly introduced to the Intelligence Department, would he continue seeking her help in the future?

As it was getting late, Ren sent a message home via a guard and then rested in his new residence.

"Also, I must remind Lord Ren to be cautious, as all three of them possess unique talents."

"You're too kind."

"The three of them belong to the Crimson Peak Mercenary Group, led by Captain Asimov, which is affiliated with the Arcus Auction House. They have a particularly close relationship with the Orens Marquis family."

"According to the waiters, they have a powerful aura that makes people tremble in fear at first sight," Neror said solemnly.

"If we don't understand them, we might be caught off guard and suffer a defeat."

[Congratulations! Your Physique Attribute has increased!]



At that moment, a knock sounded at the door!

A maid-dressed servant respectfully served tea and snacks and then quickly left.

The casting time of half a second was almost comparable to that of a talent spell.

Rune Proficiency (Passive) Effect: Your success rate in engraving runes on armor is greatly increased.

A solemn aura filled the room.

"If we directly attack their residence, we'll only have three minutes before we have to retreat, and that's with taking out two street patrol squads."

"Yes, I heard that Diamond Rank Swordbearers can request assistance from the intelligence department of their branch."

But I'm not familiar with the head of the Intelligence Department, so I'd like to ask Lady Olena to introduce me."

Colin added, "Asimov has made quite a few moves, but none of them left any survivors. So, they must have some kind of trump card."

Just half a day later, the other party found out the situation and came to him again.

"Of course, you can also contact Lady Olena," Colin added after some thought.

"I'm not familiar with the Intelligence Department's officers in the branch. I'll ask someone else to look into it."

"Then we'll wait for a day. If there's no news tomorrow, we can take action at any time. Lord Drake, we'll trouble you to book a return airship for the three of us."

However, according to the intelligence, besides Asimov being highly likely to be the 'Heavy Gunner,' the other two are completely different from their appearances.

Ren had solidified 'Metal Transformation' as his talent spell, reducing his mental energy consumption to less than one-tenth of normal.

"No need for that yet. Just wait for my news," Ren shook his head and said.

"By the way, I had someone sketch their appearances, and they are quite distinctive. One is a seductive woman with a scorpion pattern on her forehead, one is a burly man carrying a giant shield, and the leader is a middle-aged man holding a short staff."

Based on their appearances, the burly man is likely a melee-focused, frontline fighter, while the Scorpion Woman is probably an agile assassin or a controller.

If it were him, he would have known all the details about the promotion.

Because he had met Ren.

Asimov, on the other hand, is the squad's 'Heavy Gunner.'

He had read about this Crimson Peak Giant before.

Normally, even other metal-type wizards can directly transform metal ingots into armor forms, but this is equivalent to casting a Tier 1 spell, and the mental energy consumption is not insignificant.

"Or, did it merely reduce the influence of the Demonic Flame Mark?"

At the same time.

"Another production-related core ability?"

[Congratulations! Your Agility attribute has increased!]



If he didn't have something to rely on, most people would not be so calm when facing him.

And if he failed, Ren would transform the Secret Silver Plate Armor again and engrave it anew. The efficiency was so high that it was almost dozens of times faster than the normal forging process! After just over an hour, Ren had completed the 'Create 10 pieces of Inscribed Plate Armor' requirement for the Great Armorer's promotion.

In an instant, a flood of memories about the spell 'Metal Barrier' entered Ren's mind.

It is said that this giant's bloodline has not gone extinct, and there are still some remnants in remote and isolated areas.

He didn't return yesterday, so naturally, he had to go home today.

"Lord Ren, if you need intelligence, you can contact me directly. I'll take care of contacting the Intelligence Department for you," Olena immediately took on the task.

Ren and Olena sat facing each other in the reception room.

"So, we have no way of knowing the specific details of the encounter," Fabien shook his head and said.

Now, if Ren were to say that his talent spell is 'Metal Barrier,' it would be hard to distinguish truth from fiction.

"Looks like I can just open a blacksmith shop and still make a fortune."

"I want to inquire about these three people. They are all from the Imperial Capital, can the branch help me contact the capital as soon as possible to obtain intelligence?"

[Ding! Promotion to Great Armorer (Superb) successful! Strength +2, Constitution +2, Intelligence +3! Obtained Great Armorer core ability: Rune Proficiency (Passive).]



The captain's strength is indeed formidable, and he is naturally gifted.

"Considering they are from the Imperial Capital, the fastest way is to use the Swordmaster's internal intelligence system to retrieve information from the capital. These three should be quite capable, and the headquarters should have records of them."

"In other words, we can only start from their residence."

Thinking of this, Ren frowned slightly, as two days had already passed.

Normally, it would take decades of hard work for a wizard to achieve such an effect, and they would have to focus solely on mastering this one spell.

Olena had long believed that as long as Ren didn't fall, he would undoubtedly become a legendary figure in the Empire.

"That's convenient," he thought to himself.

The two sat down in the reception room, and Ren rang the bell.

[Note: After promoting to Great Armorer, the original Armorer's panel will be integrated into the Great Armorer's profession panel, and the original Armorer's core abilities will be retained.]



After incurring another favor from Ren, he finally got the chance to report to Lord Ren privately.

However, it was strange that Captain Neror felt that their captain could handle the situation.

"That's not necessarily true. What if the other party is from a wealthy family?" The Scorpion Woman saw Iron Man refuting her and didn't get angry at all; instead, she smiled happily.

"It's estimated to take at least another week," Fabien recalled the situation he knew and said.

Although he knew that the Marquis of Rosby was merely a shareholder in the Axson Auction House, the tone of his voice didn't reveal this fact.

Could it be that the stronger one's strength, the more trouble they can cause?

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The Axson Auction House's strength is indeed among the top in the entire Empire.

"Mutant Bloodline Heir?" Ren heard these words and was surprised.

"Asimov, leader of the Crimson Peak Mercenary Group, Tier 2 Liquidation Wizard. He has merged with the blood of the Crimson Peak Giant, and the entire mercenary group is named after him. His displayed abilities seem to specialize in fire magic."

Previously, he had high hopes for Ren's strength and future prospects. Otherwise, as a marquis's heir, he wouldn't have chosen to join Ren's team.

Ren successfully advanced the profession level of the Great Armorer (Transcendence) to lv4 (3/1000), gaining 3 skill points and 3 attribute points in the process.

"Captain, you wanted to see me?"

The production speed of the Secret Silver Engraved Plate Armor increased exponentially. Finally, as evening approached, Ren...

[Prerequisites for Armorer Promotion to Great Armorer: 1. Armorer level 5 or above; 2. Strength, Constitution, and Intelligence of 15, 15, and 18 points, respectively; 3. Independent forging of any qualified Inscribed Plate Armor components, 10 pieces; 4. Mastery of knowledge related to inscriptions. Do you meet the current conditions for promotion to Great Armorer? Yes/No.]



"He immediately counter-killed his mentor and, upon investigation, discovered that he had been infused with the essence of the Crimson Peak Ogre's blood, thus gaining the talent 'Madness'—a rapid spellcasting ability."

Ren immediately revealed his purpose.

Interesting.

"Captain, it seems your intuition was correct. They don't seem to want a peaceful transfer of shares. According to their insiders, three extraordinary combat personnel arrived from the capital yesterday evening."

As Neror spoke, he handed Ren three sketches.

"Hmm? Is there a conflict involving Ren that requires the involvement of the Swordmaster Branch? As a Diamond Rank Swordbearer, you can always rely on the Swordmaster Branch as your strong support, as long as you are not at fault."

"I was planning to practice more, but now it seems time is not on my side. I need to level up."

"Haha, Drake, if the leader takes action, does it matter if they are a Silver Rank or a Golden Rank Swordbearer?" Scorpion Maiden seemed rather disdainful of Drake's suggestion.

Soon after, Ren left the Swordmaster Branch with Veri and headed towards the manor.

However, instead of immediately starting the production of the Secret Silver Engraved Plate Armor, Ren left the room and went to the Task Hall.

At this moment, Ren swiftly transformed the Secret Silver Ingots into components of the Knight's Armor set, and then began inscribing runes on the pieces.

"The problem is that the streets of Minster are currently under high surveillance. By the way, Fabien, how long will this heightened alert situation in Minster last?"

"A week? We don't have that much time to waste here. I still need to go back to the capital to get my nails done." Scorpion Maiden's tone rose as she tapped her beautifully patterned nails and said discontentedly.

"Of course, Ren. Do you have the names of these three individuals?" Olena took the sketches, quickly scanned them, and replied promptly.

If they continued this conversation, a quarrel seemed inevitable, so they stopped there.

"Thank you, Colin."

"Among them, the leader, Asimov, is a rare descendant of a mutant bloodline."

"Does Ren have family? Would coercion be effective? He looks young, so he probably lacks experience in handling matters." Scorpion Maiden asked.

Colin glanced at the information in Ren's hand and added.

Additionally, Ren felt that after increasing his willpower, the influence of the demonic flame mark on him seemed to weaken slightly.

Ren realized that establishing connections early was crucial, and he didn't mind Olena's enthusiasm. He believed that it would make things more convenient.

"If we only have two minutes, the chances of capturing them alive are slim. We can only hope that they are powerful enough to withstand the leader's Magma Fist without dying too quickly, haha." Scorpion Maiden seemed to have thought of something and laughed again.

Ren felt a warmth in his heart.

The next morning, as Ren was having breakfast, two system prompts suddenly appeared:

"Ren, for any future intelligence needs, you can contact me directly."

"Not for now. I want to understand their situation first."

"Huh?"

Half an hour later, Neror arrived at Ren's room.

"Scorpion Maiden, whose real name is unknown, possesses the bloodline talents of Swiftness and Poison, and is skilled in Wind Blade, Venom Dart, and other spells. She is also proficient in bandaging and herbal medicine."

[Core Skill: Rune Proficiency (Passive)]



"Ren, hello. I'm Colin, the Deputy Director of the Intelligence Hall. Nice to meet you."

"Hmm, Neror, do you know anyone at the Axson Auction House in Minster?" Ren put down the Secret Silver Shoulder Armor he was crafting and gestured for Neror to take a seat.

"I guess I'll have to find someone to gather information."

In the Deputy Director's office...

Asimov smiled and said, "It's not that simple."

Ren narrowed his eyes.

"They are likely affiliated with the Axson Auction House or the Orenz Marquis family from the capital."

The efficient middle-aged woman spoke with certainty.

"The opponents are currently staying in the Minster Swordmaster Branch for an extended period. We can't storm the branch."

Ren's main concern was to inform his family to stay indoors for the next few days.

"No, we don't have three minutes. Don't forget that this is the provincial capital, and there are Griffin Knights patrolling the skies." Asimov shook his head.

It could also be that Ren's strength had left an impression on Asimov.

When Ren opened the door, he saw a middle-aged man with a slight build and curly hair, smiling warmly at the door.

Their talent, 'Madness,' increased spellcasting speed, which was different from compressing syllables.

"Olena, there's something I might need your help with."

"Does increasing willpower allow one to actively erode the demonic flame mark?"

As the spell 'Metal Barrier' suddenly leveled up from lv3 to lv9!

Ren felt that the young boy with an overbearing aura had an unfathomable gaze, as calm as a deep pond.

"It seems the opponents are planning to take action.

"As soon as Ren and the others left the Swordmaster Branch, the news came in," said Colin.

"The Black Flame Cult seems to be keeping a low profile. Their manor is located approximately 850 meters away from the branch, but the actual distance by path is around 1,200 meters."

Colin's face lit up as he shared this information with Olena.

"The portraits you gave me, Neror," Colin said, handing them to Olena. "I'll have our people inside the auction house keep an eye on them. If anything unusual happens, we should be able to detect it."

"I'll take care of it," Neror assured him.

"It's not a good idea. Even if they have family, would you just surrender and be captured?" Iron Man, a burly man, argued.

"They'll keep their useful bodies intact and come after us for revenge later," Iron Man said, his face turning solemn as he seemed to recall something painful.

Ren nodded in agreement.

"Talent Ability?"

"What's going on, Captain? Are you going after them?" Neror asked, his face turning serious.

Ren once again experienced the benefits of having a powerful ally.

Nenor was slightly surprised, realizing that his captain seemed to be solely focused on improving his strength and was unaware of the privileges of the Diamond Rank.

"Scorpion Maiden, you'll tail them and investigate. When they return to the manor from the Swordmaster Branch, we'll make our move," Asimov said, examining the intelligence report and making the decision.

Nenor's words caught Ren's attention.

"Don't be ridiculous," Scorpion Maiden said, her face changing. She knew she had inadvertently touched upon a painful memory for Iron Man, who was now taking things seriously.

"Greetings, Colin. Please come in," Ren said, recognizing him as the person Olena had mentioned.

With the assistance of the core ability 'Rune Proficiency', Ren once again began to engrave runes with divine assistance.

"Thank you for your thoughtfulness," Ren said, taking the sketch and examining it.

"Ren, based on the information you provided, we've obtained details about the three individuals from the capital," Colin said, opening the stack of documents and studying them carefully. "Iron Man, whose real name is unknown, arrived from the Eagle Federation three years ago. He specializes in javelin throwing and shield defense."

"That's why they're known as the Crimson Peak Mercenary Group," Ren added.

"Has something unexpected happened?" Ren asked.

With the investment of 3 skill points, the casting time for the spell 'Metal Barrier' was further reduced to 0.25 seconds, making it comparable to a Talent Spell!

"Oh? Are you planning to make a purchase or participate in an internal auction?" Neror asked with a smile.

At that moment, Ren once again appreciated the benefits of choosing 'Metal Transformation' as his Talent Spell.

After all, who wouldn't enjoy flattering a future Legendary Powerhouse?

Perhaps it was Ren's composure that made the difference.

"After the promotion to Great Armorer, you'll gain another wave of skill points," Ren said.

"If we're going for an all-out attack, we'll have to evacuate within two minutes at most," Ren replied.

"It seems the effects of the fusion with the Breathing Technique are starting to show," Ren said.

There were simply too many things that could drain a wizard's limited energy and time.

In short, after using 'Madness', the key to Scorpion Maiden's fast talking was her rapid speech.

Back in the room, Ren began crafting the 'Secret Silver Engraved Plate Armor'.

"Are we not waiting for the information from the Swordmaster Branch? I've already contacted someone to help with the investigation," Drake said hesitantly.

Without hesitation, Ren decided to proceed with the promotion! "Yes!"

Ren couldn't help but recall the Armorer's 'Armoring Proficiency (Passive)' and his own 'Rune Proficiency (Passive)', which almost formed a complete set of skills for crafting plate armor.

"Two days have passed, and there's still no movement from them. I have a bad feeling about this," Ren said.

The system prompt sounded:

"I'll contact the Intelligence Department immediately. Today, Deputy Director Colin should be on duty. I'll have him inform you as soon as there's any news."

"There was a slight misunderstanding earlier, but one of them, Drake, seems to be from the capital. He came on behalf of the Orenez Marquis family to discuss matters with me," Ren explained.

Although it was a rare opportunity for Ren to ask for her help, Olena knew that she had to make the most of it.

"A casting time of two seconds is still too slow. It's basically unusable in actual combat," Ren said.

Given Ren's rapid progress, Olena knew that he might be promoted and transferred at any time, so she wanted to build a good relationship with him.

That evening, with Vieri's assistance, Ren managed to upgrade the spell 'Metal Barrier' to level 3, reducing the casting time to 2 seconds.

Ren nodded.

"However, their distinctive appearances and the fact that they're from the Axson Auction House in the capital should make it easier to investigate their backgrounds," Ren said.

"Moreover, judging by their strength, they're no weaker than a Gold Rank Swordbearer Captain. Even the leader of the Crimson Peak Mercenary Group, Asimov, is no less formidable than a Diamond Rank Captain."

"I understand, Captain. This should be manageable," Ren said.

"This is all the information we have for now."

Nearby, one of the auction house staff members who had been tailing the group had a delighted expression on his face as he released a messenger pigeon to report the news.

A few minutes later, in a room on the second floor of the Axson Auction House in Mint City...

"Wow, I didn't expect that we'd be able to take action today!" Scorpion Maiden exclaimed with joy, tapping the paper and speaking to the other two.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end