Chapter 330: The Eaglehorn Knight

Chapter 330: The Eaglehorn Knight



"Hmm, unlike the frequent giant beast sightings in various parts of our Federation, I heard that the Dragon Empire has been in turmoil recently, with many heretical organizations emerging."

"That's right. For the Dragon Empire, with its outdated and corrupt administration, it's difficult to eradicate these heretical groups. One could even say that it's the perfect breeding ground for them."

"Indeed, Lady Traena. Therefore, humanity's hope lies in the thriving Federation, not the decaying and declining Empire."

"Well, the Dragon Empire still retains many ancient killer moves passed down from ancient times, and their strength should not be underestimated. For example, they have the Dragon Knights."

"The entire Dragon Knight training system is treated as top-secret by the Dragon Empire. When dealing with awakened giant beasts, it's safe to say that Dragon Knights have an advantage over our Empire's developed giant war golems."

Upon hearing this, the middle-aged officer paused to think, then nodded in agreement. "Indeed, I hope that your visit will make the Empire understand that only through cooperation can we better face this...calamity."

The officer carefully chose his last word, as both he and the Federation had not anticipated the current situation, and 'calamity' seemed like the most fitting description.

"Hmm, let's hope everything goes well."

---

In Rain's study, his conversation with Olenna continued.

"By the way, Lady Olenna, do you know the purpose of the Federation's visit to the Empire this time?" Rain suddenly thought of a question and asked.

"Well, I'm not entirely clear on that. You know, diplomatic affairs are handled by the Empire's foreign liaison department. But if you're interested, I can ask someone to find out." Olenna apologized.

"It's fine, I was just asking casually. How's the situation in the other counties recently?" Rain shook his head.

He wasn't particularly concerned about the Federation's intentions; it was just a casual inquiry.

"Currently, the situation within the entire Minster Province is relatively stable. You've already resolved two of the most likely crisis-triggering events on your own."

The capable middle-aged woman's beautiful eyes fixed on Rain as she covered her mouth and chuckled.

"Oh?" Rain was surprised that the two tasks he had completed in his jurisdiction were the ones most likely to trigger a crisis.

From another perspective, whether it was the ancient Blood Curse Nagas or the Serpent Sect, legendary figures had been dispatched this time. It might not have been easy for a regular Swordbearer Division in a province to handle them.

If the mission had failed, there was a high chance that the situation in a significant portion of the region would have deteriorated rapidly.

"Yes, Lord Rain."

"However, the situation in the surrounding provinces is not good. For example, in Vaz Province, an ancient heretical sect that should have long been eradicated—the Plague Cult—has suddenly revived, and the situation is worsening."

"In Noam Province, not only has the Serpent Sect's activities become more frequent, but the Limb Sect has also repeatedly struck, causing numerous tragedies. Even General Edward has received a plea for help from the Swordbearer Division in Noam Province."

"Hmm? Why don't they seek aid from headquarters?" Rain was puzzled by this news and looked up at Olenna for an explanation.

"The personnel at headquarters are currently stretched thin."

"Most of the Imperial Guardians have been assigned to guard the Imperial Capital, so the responsibility of countering heretical high-end combat power falls on the Swordbearer Divisions and the local governors in each province."

At this point, Olenna couldn't help but sigh. "Alas, most provinces are under tremendous pressure right now! Fortunately, we have you, Lord Rain, in our division. General Edward is indeed wise."

"Overall, we can only hope that the Emperor recovers, allowing the Imperial Guardians to be fully mobilized, and the situation will quickly turn around."

"I see." Rain nodded.

However, Rain disagreed with Olenna's last statement.

It wasn't that he didn't wish for the Emperor's recovery, but as far as he was concerned, his strength was his only reliable hope and support.

Everything else was not a hundred percent guarantee.

Speaking of Noam Province, Rain remembered Langger, Alex, and Frey, whom he had fought alongside. He wondered how they were doing.

"Actually, our side, which is the eastern part of the Empire, is still in a better situation. In several provinces, especially those near the Frostwind Tundra, heretical activities are rampant. I've heard that several county towns have already fallen."

Noticing Rain's interest in the overall situation in the Empire, Olenna shared another piece of news.

"Hmm? Frostwind Tundra? Is the situation there that bad?" Rain was surprised by this information.

Olenna stiffened, as if seized by Rain's aura, and quickly nodded. "Yes, the news came through official Empire channels, so it's accurate."

However, she was also curious as to why Rain seemed particularly concerned about the situation in Frostwind Tundra. Upon receiving confirmation, Rain fell into deep thought.

When he heard 'Frostwind Tundra,' the image of a fiery-figured girl carrying a large shield—Lagrey—naturally came to mind.

It's been a while, and the other party hasn't sent him any letters.

All this time, Rain had assumed that the situation was because Lagre had returned to the barbarian tribe and wanted to go back to her original life.

But now it seems that might not be the case.

This made Rain's heart fill with a hint of worry.

However, he is no longer alone, nor is he the small deputy of Flashgold Town that Lagre knew.

With the vast organization of the Empire's Swordsmen behind him, he can gather accurate information before making further plans.

"What about the news from Frostwind Tundra? Can Lady Olenna find out?" Rain thought for a moment and asked.

"To be precise, it's the barbarian tribe in Frostwind Tundra," Rain added.

After all, Frostwind Tundra spans several imperial provinces, and some areas are too remote or even beyond the empire's borders.

So, it was necessary to clarify with Olenna.

For Rain, his concern was naturally the barbarian tribe where Lagre lived.

"Hmm? The barbarian tribe?" Olenna's mouth slightly agape, clearly taken aback by Rain's request.

Rain's focus on the tribe stirred a sense of embarrassment, and his body reacted in a rather indecent manner.

However, Olenna quickly realized what was happening and nodded, saying, "Of course, Lord Rain, no problem. I'll get in touch with someone to investigate the situation of the barbarian tribe in Frostwind Tundra."

"Thank you, Lady Olenna. Please handle this matter as soon as possible," Rain nodded.

"I'll take care of it as soon as I get back," Olenna nodded with a slight smile.

Just then, a knock on the door sounded.

"Knock, knock, knock!"

"Come in!"

A guard entered, holding a stack of papers, and said respectfully, "Lord Rain, the artist has finished painting the portraits of the attackers from last night, as you requested."

"Good, put them on the table," Rain nodded slightly.

"Yes, my lord," the guard placed the papers on the table and bowed before slowly retreating.

However, the guard's words caused Olenna's heart to race!

What! Lord Rain was attacked last night?!

"Lord Rain, were you attacked last night?" Olenna's eyes widened in astonishment.

She had just taken a rare day off yesterday, and since she didn't go to the Swordsmen Division in the morning, she was unaware of the attack on Rain's residence the night before.

Of course, the main reason was that Rain had dealt with the attackers so swiftly!

Aside from a large hole in the western wall of the residence, there was no other visible damage.

"By the way, Lady Olenna, could you help me contact headquarters again, like last time, to investigate a few people?" Rain handed the stack of portraits to Olenna.

They were the portraits of Sam, 'Earth Dragon Knight' Hansal, and a few others.

Some of the portraits were incomplete, requiring the artist to spend considerable time and effort to finish them.

Ever since the beautiful Jennifer became a shareholder of the Axson Auction House's Mystra branch, Rain could conduct investigations through her internal channels. But after some thought, Rain decided that it would be better to follow two lines of inquiry simultaneously.

After all, the matter involved the people behind Sam's team, as well as clues about Anna's mother, and relying solely on Jennifer's channels might lead to misinformation or inaccurate messages.

"Alright, I'll contact headquarters right away. Additionally, this attack on you is a serious provocation to the Swordsmen Division in Mystra, and I'll immediately report this situation to General Edward," Olenna said, her expression turning solemn.

No joke, this wasn't the first time, and the capable woman decided to inform General Edward about the incident and seek punishment for those responsible.

"It's a nuisance," Rain smiled slightly.

After Olenna left, Rain finally had time to review the combat records from the previous night:

[Congratulations! You defeated a powerful enemy and gained 7 Golden Skill Points!]



[Congratulations! Your Will (Hidden) Attribute has improved!]



[Congratulations! Your Thousand Blade King profession level has increased!]



[Congratulations! Your Thousand Blade King profession level has increased!]



After last night's battle, Rain's new epic profession, 'Thousand Blade King', leveled up three times, reaching level 4, granting him 3 attribute points and 3 skill points.

Combined with his previously remaining points, he now has a total of 4 remaining attribute points and 5 remaining skill points, along with 28 Golden Skill Points.

Rain crossed his arms and paced back and forth in the room, deep in thought.

"Since I acquired the 'Master Weapon Proficiency' skill, aside from using the 'Soul Fragment Impact' technique, which requires a warhammer, there isn't much difference in power when using different weapons."

"Of course, when using secret techniques, the power varies significantly due to the different levels of the techniques."

Rain glanced at the 'Thousand Blade King' profession panel, which listed numerous extraordinary combat skills, including two-handed warhammers, two-handed great swords, shields, one-handed axes, daggers, brass knuckles, ironwood staves, bows, lances, and spears.

Ren was instantly dazzled by the overwhelming array of Extraordinary Combat Skills.

Upon closer inspection, he noticed the distinctions.

Some of the Extraordinary Combat Skills had already been elevated to the Master Secret Technique level, such as the Two-handed Warhammer and Two-handed Greatsword.

Others were at the Advanced Secret Technique level.

And some remained at the Intermediate Secret Technique level, with little to no improvement.

"It’s still a bit chaotic. It would be great if all these Extraordinary Combat Skills could be consolidated."

"For example, if they could all be integrated into a single Extraordinary Combat Skill, with multiple Secret Techniques branching out from it, that would be much simpler," Ren thought to himself.

Just as this thought crossed his mind, the system prompt sounded:

【Detected host's special Epic Class ‘Thousand Blade King,’ capable of merging all Extraordinary Combat Skills into one. Merge? Yes/No? This merge will consume 22 Golden Skill Points. After merging, all derived Secret Techniques will reach the Master level.】

(Note: After merging, the names of individual Extraordinary Combat Skills will no longer be displayed separately, except for Secret Techniques. However, the host will still be able to use the relevant Extraordinary Combat Skills.)



(Note: After merging, the new Extraordinary Combat Skill will be refined, and the host's experience Points in each Extraordinary Combat Skill will be converted into the new Extraordinary Combat Skill at a certain ratio.)



"Hmm? It’s really possible?"

"Is this a special feature of the Epic Class ‘Thousand Blade King’?"

"And all derived Secret Techniques will reach the Master level?" Ren's eyes lit up with joy at the thought.

"Does it require 22 Golden Skill Points?"

"Currently, I don’t need many Golden Skill Points for my Sorcery. Even if I use 22 points, I’ll still have 6 left, which is one more than the regular Skill Points."

"Even for future Puppetry research, this should be enough for a while!"

After a moment’s consideration, Ren decided to merge them.

After all, once merged, all Secret Techniques would reach the Master Level, and combined with the talent ‘Master Weapon Proficiency,’ Ren would Be Able To Deliver Master Secret Techniques with Every Move.

He would essentially become a human Walking Artillery! Ren felt this was the Correct Way to Utilize the Epic Class ‘Thousand Blade King.’

As Ren Chose “Yes,” a vast flood of memories concerning Nine Extraordinary Combat Skills Instantly Flooded His Mind.

For a Moment, Ren Felt As If He Were In a Mysterious Space, Continuously Practicing and Comprehending These Nine Extraordinary Combat Skills, Extracting Their Essence and Integrating Them.

When Ren Regained His Composure, It Felt As If He Had Spent Nearly a Century in That Mysterious Space, Leaving Him Slightly Dazed!

At This Point, the System Prompt Followed:

【Would You Like to Rename the New Extraordinary Combat Skill? Yes/No】

"Hmm? Another Name?"

"Let’s Call It the Thousand Blade Combat Skill!" Ren, Not Bothering to Think Much, Glanced at the ‘Thousand Blade King’ on His Class Panel and Thought to Himself.

Just as Ren Was About to Head to the Training Room to Test the New Combat Skill, He Felt a Sudden Sensation and Looked Out the Window.

After a Pause, Ren Smiled.

"Finally Entering the Maturity Stage, Huh?"

Shortly After, a Knock on the Door Was Heard, Followed by a Clear Child’s Voice: "Brother, Anna Sister Sent Me to Call You. She Says Bloodfeather Is Growing Up."

Ren Quickly Opened the Door, Smiling as He Ruffled His Sister Mint’s Head, Saying, "Let’s Go See."

"Okay!" Mint Grinned, Taking Ren’s Hand and Leading the Way.

Soon, Ren and Mint Reached the Woods Behind the Estate, Where Bloodfeather’s Nest Was Located. At the Moment, Anna Was Calming Bloodfeather.

Although Anna’s Aura, Whispers, and Touches Had Calmed Bloodfeather, Ren Could See That Bloodfeather Was Still Excited and Restless.

Bloodfeather Would Occasionally Let Out Loud Calls, and Its Ostrich-Like Claws Continuously Scratched at the Ground, As If the Internal Changes Were Causing It to Become Agitated.

But This Was Clearly a Good Sign!

"Anna, Is Bloodfeather About to Enter the Maturity Stage?" Ren Asked with a Smile.

Last Night, Ren Had Fed Bloodfeather the Feather of a Thunderhead Eaglebeak, Expecting It to Break Through to the Maturity Stage Immediately.

However, to Ren’s Surprise, After Excitedly Swallowing the Feather, Bloodfeather Quickly Returned to Its Nest and Curled Up to Sleep.

"Yes, Bloodfeathers Just Awakened, But the Energy from the Feather Has Already Spread Throughout Its Body While It Was Sleeping. It’s Currently on the Verge of Breaking Through to the Maturity Stage, Hence the Agitation," Anna Said, Relaxing Slightly as She Nodded.

Ren Nodded in Agreement.

At This Point, He Noticed the System Prompt:

【Host’s Pet Bloodfeather, Influenced by the Thunderhead Eaglebeak’s Feather, Is Rapidly Growing!】

【Rapid Growth in Progress】

Bloodfeather Became Even More Restless!

It Would Occasionally Flap Its Wings, Its Entire Body Trembling as If Ants Were Biting It All Over.

Simultaneously, Its Blue-Purple Feathers Gave Off a Misty Glow, and Its Claws Grew Sharper and Longer at a Visible Rate!

After Several Minutes,

Suddenly, Two Bumps Appeared on Bloodfeathers Forehead. Quickly, Two Horns Emerged from the Bumps, Continuing to Arch and Fork, Forming a Pair of Antlers!

Seeing This, Ren Was Briefly Stunned, Then His Face Lit Up with a Smile.

Alright!

Because this reminded him of something Veronica had said, "One of the distinct features of a mature Bloodfeather Griffin is that a pair of antlers will grow on its head!"

Several more minutes passed.

With a high-pitched eagle cry, the Bloodfeather Griffin underwent a dramatic transformation.

Its body was now almost the size of a full-grown warhorse, and its wingspan reached over four meters, nearly five meters. Its sturdy muscles were clearly visible, and its claws and beak emitted a faint dark aura.

From its physical traits, it was evident that it excelled in close combat.

At this moment, the system started flooding the screen with notifications:

[Your pet Bloodfeather Griffin has entered maturity!]



[Your Taming skill has increased, gaining 1018 experience points]



[Your Beast Sacrifice (Legendary) profession experience has increased by 399]



(Note: The Bloodfeather Griffin has awakened its talent abilities 'Claw Strike' and 'Iron Beak Thrust.')



Seeing Bloodfeather entering maturity ahead of schedule, Rain couldn't help but smile.

It wasn't that Bloodfeather would provide much assistance in battle, but because he could finally try riding a griffin like a griffin knight, soaring through the skies.

"Hmm? Two talent abilities?"

"Claws? Beak? It's indeed a fierce combat-type bird!" Rain thought as he observed the awakened talents.

Although it didn't awaken a long-range attack ability, Rain wasn't disappointed at all. After all, one couldn't have everything.

Circling around Bloodfeather, Rain nodded in approval.

He reached out and stroked the vivid blue-purple feathers of Bloodfeather, feeling their smoothness and softness.

At this moment, Bloodfeather gently bumped Rain with its antlers, as if conveying a message.

"Oh? You're more eager than I am," Rain said with a smile.

He understood Bloodfeather's intention, which was to let him mount it and take him for a ride.

As a Druid, Anna also understood this and couldn't help but cover her mouth and giggle.

Only Mint was a little confused, but she soon understood.

Rain lightly tapped his toes and leaped onto Bloodfeather's back.

Bloodfeather spread its wings and flapped them a few times, creating a gust of wind.

Suddenly, Rain's body rose into the air, and he felt a thrilling sensation like riding a roller coaster in his previous life.

He felt his body suddenly ascend, and then he saw the ground below rapidly moving away.

Riding Bloodfeather, they flew higher and higher, soon reaching the same height as the main peak of the Hoska Mountain Range.

After some gliding, turns, and acceleration, Rain became familiar with the flight pattern of the Bloodfeather Griffin.

Rain also felt the faint blue wind swirling around Bloodfeather, and he knew that with his weight and Bloodfeather's body size comparable to a colt, they wouldn't be able to fly without at least a ten-meter wingspan according to the laws of physics.

But this was the extraordinary world.

At this moment, seeing Bloodfeather's relaxed and carefree demeanor, Rain knew that the current load was far from its limit."

A flash of inspiration crossed Rain's mind.

"If that's the case, then who knows what might be possible," Rain thought, his eyes lighting up. He controlled Bloodfeather to descend slightly.

At the same time, the hardened mithril on his forearm was activated, covering Bloodfeather's body like mercury.

Initially, Bloodfeather cried out a few times, seemingly uncomfortable.

But after Rain made some adjustments and avoided the joints, Bloodfeather seemed to calm down.

Soon, a griffin with a surface resembling an armored beast appeared before Rain's eyes.

"Like this, it's like wearing armor, and it's less likely to get injured in close combat."

"It's just more expensive!"

"To defend against physical attacks, you'll need more hardened mithril, and to defend against sorcery energy attacks, you'll need more radiant ore."

"Besides covering Bloodfeather, I'll need to reserve some for myself," Rain quickly thought of the preparations he needed to make.

"Right, I can now try the power of the lance!"

"With the mount's charge bonus, how much can the top-tier secret technique 'Armor Piercing Strike' of the lance be amplified?"

Rain's eyes lit up.

At that moment, he focused his gaze on the large white rock wall of the main peak of the Hoska Mountain Range.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end