Chapter 326: The King of Blades

Chapter 326: The King of Blades



Sam paced back and forth in the living room, deep in thought. After a moment, he said, "It seems we need to find a new place to stay."

"Garcia, continue to keep an eye on Ren's residence," Sam instructed.

"Yes, Commander. Oh, and there's something else. Ren has moved," Garcia suddenly remembered and added.

"What? Moved?" Sam raised an eyebrow and looked at Garcia.

"Yes, I've personally checked it out. The original residence is now empty, and he has relocated to a new mansion in the Noble District, lavishly decorated to the standards of a count," Garcia explained.

The reason Garcia hadn't mentioned this earlier was because Ren and the elven maiden were not present, and it was uncertain whether the operation would proceed or not. Therefore, there was no need to report this information.

"The Noble District? That's a bit troublesome. The defense level there is even higher than in the Administrative District," the bald, muscular man said, stroking his chin.

"It's not a big problem, Garcia. You go and investigate the patrol frequency and defense strength of the Noble District's guards. Calculate the time window we'll have for our operation," Sam instructed after a moment's thought.

"Yes, sir," Garcia replied.

"Estevan, you're in charge of arranging the evacuation route after the mission. Remember to set up decoys and mounts in advance," Sam continued.

"Yes, boss," a tall and thin team member nodded in agreement.

---

Meister.

Habsburg Castle, Training Room on the first floor.

"Evelyn, would you like to practice swordsmanship with me?" Klaj asked with a smile.

Evelyn was taken aback by Klaj's words.

'Is this considered as me taking on trouble for Miss Anna?' she thought. 'Captain, you owe me a favor for this!'

Evelyn glanced at her captain, Ren, who also seemed slightly surprised. After a moment's thought, she reluctantly nodded and said, "Miss Klaj, I heard that you're a Great Knight, but I'm a Peak Knight. I hope you'll go easy on me."

Ren, sensing something amiss, coughed.

Just as he was about to speak, Klaj suddenly smiled and said, "I was just joking, Evelyn. You're so beautiful, and I wouldn't want to hurt you and upset your captain."

Klaj teased as she looked at Ren with her beautiful eyes.

"If you want to spar, I'd rather practice with your captain, who's as tough as an old shoe," she added.

Hearing Klaj's words, Ren couldn't help but feel relieved.

He instantly understood Klaj's intention.

'I see, you've noticed my red-haired beauty, but I'll give you face and won't embarrass her. Still, my status is higher than hers,' Ren thought.

"Of course, Klaj. I'll be your sparring partner," Ren replied.

Meanwhile, Anna, standing nearby, watched this exchange with her bright eyes, her thoughts unknown.

In truth, seeing such a beautiful female teammate in Ren's squad couldn't help but stir up a bit of jealousy in Anna.

However, such situations were quite common among the nobility, and Klaj, who had grown up in this environment, knew how to position herself. Still, it was necessary for her to occasionally display her own prowess.

This was the reason for her earlier actions.

Klaj held her greatsword diagonally in the center of the room, and in the next moment, a cyan aura began to swirl around her long legs.

"Huh? Is that a bloodline talent ability?" Remir, who was watching from the sidelines, exclaimed in surprise.

"Yes, it's a speed-boosting talent ability," Neorlo nodded in agreement.

Great Knights with exceptionally fast speed were often a headache for wizards and wizard apprentices to deal with.

Klaj dashed forward like a female leopard, her greatsword slicing down with incredible speed.

Ren calmly blocked her attack with his staff.

Upon contact, Ren felt that Klaj's strength and speed had increased slightly compared to the previous day.

The clash of their weapons created a continuous shower of sparks, and with each impact, a white wave of air seemed to surge outward.

Often, before one wave had fully dissipated, another would explode into existence, and multiple white, ring-shaped waves of air could be seen in the air at the same time.

These rings of air also traced the paths of their movements.

The originally blurry high-speed figures now had clearer trajectories.

Ren could clearly sense Klaj's improved strength.

However, he couldn't quite figure out the reason for this improvement.

Was it because Klaj's bloodline had been awakened, entering a period of rapid growth?

Or was it because she saw him sparring with Evelyn and felt a bit unhappy about it?

'Could it be that because of what happened between us yesterday, Klaj's bloodline potential has been unlocked?' Ren shook his head, dismissing the thought.

Regardless, he had to give way to this future countess with whom he had just established an intimate relationship.

Fortunately, the extraordinary combat skill he was practicing, 'Skill Rockydoro's Guardian Staff', was primarily focused on defense.

A few minutes later...

"Clang!!!"

The two clashed, their weapons ringing out in the air as they recoiled from the impact.

Kraya's ample chest heaved as she struggled to catch her breath. Clearly, the recent burst of power had taken a toll on her, even as an awakened Bloodline Great Knight.

The scene left Ren's team members in awe.

"Wow, are all the Captain's friends this...insane?"

"Miss Kraya looks younger than me, but her combat strength has already surpassed mine," Vieri exclaimed, his eyes wide with disbelief.

Although he had been following Ren and had grown accustomed to witnessing such extraordinary talents, Kraya's performance still left a profound impression on him, especially considering she was a woman.

"Hmm, I can barely keep up with her. Winning seems highly unlikely," Angus nodded, his face grim.

Evelyn was even more shaken. She had never imagined that Kraya, with her slightly better figure, possessed such formidable strength.

Initially, Evelyn thought that although Kraya was a Great Knight, she, as a Peak Knight with her Druidic abilities, could still hold her own. But now, it seemed the gap between them was much wider than she had anticipated.

Ren, meanwhile, glanced at the system prompt:

【Your skill, Rockydoro's Guardian Staff, has improved. Experience gained: +981】

【Congratulations! Your skill, Rockydoro's Guardian Staff, has reached level 6】

【You have engaged in combat. Weapon Master (Legendary) experience gained: +43】

Upon seeing that Rockydoro's Guardian Staff had reached level 6 (277/3000), Ren's eyes lit up! The training session with Kraya had proven even more effective than with Angus.

"Ren, let's go again!" Kraya said, catching her breath.

The sudden request left everyone speechless. They exchanged glances between Kraya and Ren, silently agreeing to keep quiet.

"Your body..." Ren hesitated, unsure how to respond.

"My body is fine," Kraya replied, her face flushing with embarrassment. She misinterpreted Ren's concern about her physical condition after their intense training session as a reference to their intimate encounter the night before.

"Alright, let me know if you get tired," Ren nodded.

With Kraya's 'assistance,' Ren managed to level up Rockydoro's Guardian Staff to level 8 just before the banquet.

During the banquet, Kraya regained her composure as the lady of the Habsburg Castle. Her graceful demeanor and refined conversation skills made everyone feel warmly welcomed.

After the banquet...

As Ren contemplated returning to the training room, a message from the sky caught his attention. Anna had left the Habsburg Castle alone.

Surprised, Ren didn't have time to inform the others. He quickly followed Anna's trail.

Soon, Ren discreetly trailed Anna to a wooded area in the Noble District, designated for greenery.

A loud eagle's cry echoed through the sky.

A massive eagle circled above Anna's head twice before diving down rapidly.

Ren's heart tightened at the sight, but he soon noticed Anna's calm demeanor. This prompted a realization.

Remaining at a distance, Ren watched as the eagle landed, its wings flapping. In the next moment, the eagle transformed into a tall, graceful woman standing beside Anna.

"Aunt Delana, why did you come yourself?" Anna asked, her head bowed, her small, fair hands clutching her skirt, resembling a child caught doing something wrong.

"If I hadn't come, I feared you'd run off to the Imperial Capital!" Delana, the elven lady, scolded with a hint of concern.

Despite the slight reproach, her words carried a deep sense of care and affection, like a mother scolding a child she had been searching for.

"Did you sneak a peek at the secret letter in my drawer?"

"Yes!" Anna's head dipped even lower, almost burying her face in her chest.

"You, I didn't tell you because I was worried you'd constantly fret about your mother's situation and rush off to find her. You have no idea about the background and strength of the Axson Auction House."

"I know," Anna lifted her head, her beautiful eyes meeting Delana's.

"You know about the Axson Auction House's background?" Delana was now the curious one, her flawless face expressing surprise.

But she quickly shook her head, "You don't know! You think what you've seen of the Axson Auction House in this county city is all there is?"

"The Axson Auction House is a vast organization spanning the entire Dragoon Empire. They have branches or outposts in most major cities."

Delana extended her slender, fair hand, gently brushing Anna's hair away from her forehead, and continued, "You must be careful, my dear."

In the eyes of Delana, Anna was still just a child.

"Aunt, I know. Their headquarters are in the Imperial Capital of Temriel, and the auction house's internal structure is intricate with many shareholders. Even each branch has local powerful nobles as investors."

Anna's eyes sparkled with a hint of stubbornness as she spoke to her aunt.

"Hmm?" Delana's eyes widened, genuinely surprised this time.

It was as if she had just realized that the child in her eyes had suddenly grown up.

"You really know?"

"No, what you said isn't a secret, but it's not information you can easily come across. Anna, who have you been in contact with recently?"

"Don't tell me it's through your good friend Ren. With my understanding of the administrative system of the Dragoon Empire, it's absolutely impossible for a small-town deputy law enforcer to know such information."

Delana emphasized the words 'good friend' and looked at Anna with a serious expression.

"It's not like that, Aunt Delana. Ren is no longer a small-town deputy law enforcer; he's now a viscount!"

At the mention of Ren's name, Anna's face flushed slightly, but she quickly realized her mistake and waved her hand, correcting her aunt's 'error'.

The error-free version is available on 69shu.com!

"Hmm? A viscount?" Delana paused for a moment, but her heart was filled with skepticism.

The longevity of elves and their relatively well-preserved ancient texts allowed most elves to have a better understanding of the human empire's structure.

"How is that possible? He wasn't even a baron half a year ago. How could he become a viscount? Anna, you need to be careful. Human men are very good at sweet-talking."

Hearing this, Ren couldn't help but speak up.

Moreover, he understood the purpose of her visit. Although it was out of concern for Anna, he couldn't let her 'slander' him, could he?

"Ahem."

"Who's there?" Delana immediately became alert, her beautiful eyes filled with sharpness.

"Ah, Ren! You..."

"I saw you sneaking out in the middle of the night, and I was worried about your safety, so..." Ren slowly emerged from the dense forest with a smile.

"You're Ren?" Delana's guard slightly relaxed, but the confusion in her eyes intensified.

The Ren she remembered was a skinny boy shorter than her, but now, the tall and muscular youth before her wore a secret silver armor and exuded an extraordinary aura.

His eyes were bright and piercing, like the brightest stars in the night sky.

"Yes, Lady Delana. We met once before by the carriage, do you remember?" Ren took a couple of steps forward and bowed slightly to Delana.

Ren naturally held respect for this aunt who cared about Anna.

Hearing Ren mention the details of their previous encounter, Delana nodded, beginning to believe that the person before her, who seemed to have transformed into a different person, was indeed Ren.

"Wow, you've changed so much!"

"I'm starting to believe what Anna said. Your strength is more than enough to be a viscount of the empire." Delana's beautiful eyes scrutinized Ren as she spoke.

Ren understood that she wasn't admiring him but assessing his strength.

"Ren, are you really willing to help Anna find her mother?" Delana asked seriously after a moment of thought, her eyes fixed on Ren.

"Of course."

"Without any reward?"

"No need."

"According to human sayings, not asking for a reward often means wanting more, or even everything." Delana shook her head and sighed.

"This..." Ren was momentarily dumbfounded. He hadn't expected Delana, Anna's aunt, to suddenly say such a 'philosophical' sentence.

"Aunt Delana, Ren is a good person," Anna said weakly from the side.

"Alright, Ren. How do you plan to help Anna? Are you going to the Imperial Capital together? Please forgive my frankness, but even with your strength, it might be difficult to achieve your plan in the capital."

"Well, Lady Delana, I'm actually a shareholder of the Axson Auction House's Minster branch. So, I'll first use the auction house's internal channels to find out the specific whereabouts of Anna's mother."

Ren thought for a moment and spoke honestly.

"Hmm?"

"You're a shareholder of the Axson Auction House's Minster branch?" This truly surprised Delana.

For a moment, Delana was at a loss for words.

Indeed, if that was the case, then Ren was the best choice to find his sister.

After a while, Delana, having processed the news, spoke, "Ren, I'll go to Minster with you to see if what you said is true. If it is, I can agree to let Anna stay and help you find Darena."

"By the way, Darena Hawkmoon is the name of my sister and Anna's mother."

"Of course. Actually, I was planning to return to Minster tomorrow, but Lady Delana, you might need to disguise yourself a little."

"After all, the beauty of elves can attract a lot of unwanted attention."

"That's fine. Don't worry, I won't cause you any trouble."

"Delana nodded."

As soon as Delana finished speaking, she swiftly cast a spell.

Under the moonlight, a cluster of sparkling lights flashed across her face, and her exquisite features began to slightly distort, making her face appear rounder. Her skin also became a shade paler.

Her pointed ears, in particular, had become almost indistinguishable from those of a human, but her noble aura remained striking.

Overall, Delana now looked like a dignified noblewoman with an exceptional aura.

When Ren and his team returned to the Habsburg Castle, they entered the hall where Neorlo, Angus, and Evelyn were chatting casually. As soon as they saw Ren, they turned around, noticing the unfamiliar noblewoman accompanying him.

They were surprised to see their captain, who had been gone for an unknown period, now returning with an additional stranger, a dignified noblewoman.

"This is my aunt, Delana. She will be returning to Minster with us," Ren explained.

"Greetings, Lady Delana!" Neorlo and the others quickly stood up, their faces showing a mix of shock and respect as they bowed slightly to Delana.

The aunt of Miss Anna?

Is it time to discuss marriage already? Has her family come to visit?

But how did the captain manage to win over Lady Klaj, who has such a powerful aura?

"Hello," Delana nodded in response, but she couldn't shake the feeling that they seemed to know she was an elf, as their gazes towards her were slightly off.

This made Delana wonder if her 'Disguise Spell' skills had deteriorated due to lack of practice, allowing them to see through her true identity.

That night, Anna and Delana shared a room.

As for Klaj, she refrained from sneaking into Ren's room in the middle of the night due to the presence of the other team members in the castle.

So, Ren was alone in his room.

"Women are indeed troublesome, especially when there are more of them," Ren thought to himself.

However, he quickly refocused his thoughts and practiced the Fire Dragon Breath technique.

Perhaps due to reaching level 18 in the breathing technique, Ren felt a subtle warmth in his body after completing the movements.

At that moment, two system notifications quietly appeared:

【Congratulations! Your Constitution attribute has increased!】

【Congratulations! Your Agility attribute has increased!】

"Hmm? If I add a few more points, I'll meet the requirements for the 'Blade King' class, which requires 50 points each in Strength, Agility, and Constitution," Ren thought to himself.

Suddenly, Ren felt a surge of energy, dispelling his initial plan to rest early.

He was now just one step away from advancing to the epic-class profession 'Blade King', only needing to master the extraordinary combat skill 'Rockydoro's Guardian Staff'.

"Let's finish this tonight!" Ren couldn't contain his excitement at the thought of the epic-class profession.

After a moment of contemplation, Ren left his room.

To increase efficiency, he decided to wake up Angus and Vieri from their slumber.

"Captain, is this really necessary at this late hour?" Angus and Vieri exchanged glances, their faces filled with bitterness.

Is our captain a bit too extreme?

It's almost midnight, and he's calling us to train with him.

"I've been having some insights," Ren smiled, explaining his decision.

Two hours later.

A system notification sounded:

【Your skill 'Rockydoro's Guardian Staff' has improved. Experience gained: +634】

【Congratulations! Your skill 'Rockydoro's Guardian Staff' has reached level 9】

"Alright, you can rest now. Thank you for your hard work!" Ren suppressed his excitement and expressed his gratitude to his teammates, who were on the verge of exhaustion.

Meanwhile, he quickly added a skill point to the extraordinary combat skill 'Rockydoro's Guardian Staff'.

As memories of practicing 'Rockydoro's Guardian Staff' flooded Ren's mind, another system notification appeared:

【Congratulations! You have comprehended the Basic Technique of 'Rockydoro's Guardian Staff': Guardian Staff!】

"Guardian Staff?! Excellent! I've finally mastered this last technique!" Ren's heart raced as he read the notification.

At this moment, he had no time to check the new icon on the Weapon Master (Legendary) panel or read the description of the new technique 'Guardian Staff'.

Without hesitation, he began allocating points.

After Ren had allocated points to both Constitution and Agility, reaching 50 points in each, the long-awaited notification for advancing to the epic-class profession appeared:

【Ding! Host has triggered the special advanced profession of Weapon Master (Legendary) - Blade King (Epic)!】

【Promotion to Blade King (Epic) requires: 1. Weapon Master level 9 or higher; 2. Mastery of nine different techniques; 3. 90% or higher in the second stage of Break Limit; 4. Any breathing technique at level 18 or higher; 5. Strength of 50 points or more, Agility of 50 points or more, Constitution of 50 points or more. Current conditions met. Do you wish to advance to Blade King (Epic)?】

【Note: Advancing to Blade King (Epic) will overwrite the Weapon Master (Legendary) profession panel.】

Without hesitation, Ren mentally affirmed, "Yes!"

【Beginning profession advancement...】

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end