Chapter 382: Underlying Turmoil

Chapter 382: Underlying Turmoil

"Alright, Donald." At this moment, Augustus General lightly tapped the table with his fingers and made a decision.

"Ren, from what we know so far, your actions were in self-defense. However, the headquarters will still need to conduct an investigation. Therefore, for the next two weeks, you are not allowed to leave the Imperial Capital of Tamriel. Do you have any issues with that?"

"Of course not, I will cooperate with the headquarters' investigation," Ren replied with a smile.

"Very good."

"By the way, Ren, you completed the task of killing the Venom Dragon as soon as you arrived at headquarters. Well done. Before the results of your investigation come out, your task reward will be settled as usual, unaffected."

"Thank you, Augustus General," Ren bowed slightly in gratitude.

Apparently, the Augustus General in front of him seemed to be a little biased towards Ren, as his speech, which started with a low tone and ended with a high note, testified.

Although Ren didn't know the specific reason, it didn't affect the task reward settlement and the exchange of special items, which was naturally the best outcome."

Ten minutes later, Ren left the conference room.

He first went to the mission hall and settled the task of killing the Venom Dragon. Then, he headed towards the private residence area exclusively prepared for Electrum Swordbearers.

It couldn't be called a villa because there was almost no yard.

In fact, in the land-scarce Imperial Capital of Tamriel, it was already quite challenging for the Swordmaster Headquarters to allocate a separate area for private residences for Electrum Swordbearers.

Moreover, this condition far exceeded the treatment of the Diamond Star Swordbearers in the Munster Branch, so Ren naturally had no complaints.

The first floor was the training room, the second floor was the living room and dining room, and the third floor was the study and bedroom.

The training room was on the first floor, considering that some Electrum Swordbearers followed the path of knighthood, and their physical strength was too powerful. Even if the floor could be reinforced, the second and third floors were still prone to being penetrated.

"Knock knock knock!"

Just as Ren had entered his private residence, there was a knock on the door.

"Sir Ren, General Augustus asked me to inform you to pay attention to the movements of some families," said the young female colonel who had been in the meeting earlier, appearing at the door with a smile.

"Good! Please convey my thanks to General Augustus for his concern," Ren nodded.

Although Ren didn't know the reason, he didn't feel too curious about General Augustus's intention to help him. He believed that he would naturally find out the reason soon enough.

At the same time.

In a luxurious mansion within the inner ring of the Imperial Capital.

Butler Owen hurriedly walked down the carpeted corridor, ignoring the servants' greetings on both sides. He only slowed down when he reached the study, where he knocked on the door after straightening his collar and taking a deep breath.

"Come in!" The deep voice of Duke Dram resonated.

As Butler Owen entered the study, he saw Duke Dram reviewing documents behind a large rosewood desk. "Your Grace, the mission has failed!" he reported in a low voice.

"Hmm? Did the 'King of Assassins' from the Black Blade Organization not arrive in time? Or was there a problem with the Venom Dragon task?" Duke Dram didn't expect Ren to 'kill three with one blow,' so he instinctively thought there was an issue with the coordination.

"Neither. The 'King of Assassins' from the Black Blade Organization arrived on time, but including the Venom Dragon, they were all killed by that Ren."

Upon hearing these words from his butler, Duke Dram's quill pen paused in his hand, and he was momentarily stunned. However, he quickly realized that the task failure his butler was referring to was different from what he had in mind.

"What about Greenwood?" Duke Dram asked anxiously.

"Young Master Greenwood also died at Ren's hands."

"What!" Duke Dram stood up abruptly, his face filled with shock. "And what about Greg, the 'Corpse Splitter'? As a family advisor, did he escape alone?" Duke Dram asked angrily.

"Er... Advisor Greg also died on the spot!" Butler Owen replied, still with a hint of horror in his eyes.

When he first received the news, he was even more shocked than Duke Dram was now.

For a while, the entire study fell into a prolonged silence.

After a long pause, Duke Dram finally sat back in his large chair, his entire body seeming to shrink. "Tell me the details of the entire matter," he said slowly.

"Yes, Your Grace."

Immediately, Butler Owen meticulously repeated all the intelligence he had obtained to Duke Dram without missing a word.

After a moment of contemplation, Duke Dram asked, "So, Marquis Ulrich's second son, Chandler, and Mia, the heir of the Jenkins family, also died at the hands of this Ren?"

"Yes, Your Grace," Butler Owen confirmed.

"Contact Marquis Ulrich and Marquis Jenkins. This Ren is too bold and reckless. I want him to pay the price in blood!" The Duke's voice was filled with suppressed anger.

"As you wish, Your Grace."

Butler Owen understood Duke Dram's intentions perfectly.

The Ulrich and Jenkins families were both formidable forces, and as old Imperial Capital families, they had Legendary Powerhouse advisors. Their influence in the Imperial Capital was deeply rooted and interconnected.

When combined with the Dram family, it was a deadly combination, especially if this Ren had an ordinary background. He was as good as dead!

Several hours later, Butler Owen returned to the Duke's study and reported, "Your Grace, according to the news from the Swordmaster Headquarters, Ren has both witnesses and physical evidence. The current situation suggests that he will most likely be found not guilty."

"Currently, General Augustus has made the decision to merely restrict Ren's freedom, preventing him from leaving the Imperial Capital of Temerel for two weeks."

"Additionally, according to Admiral Donald's assessment, it seems that General Augustus and Marshal Alfred, who is currently away, both hold Ren in high regard. It will be difficult to change the nature of this matter with just Ren's influence."

At this moment, Duke Dram had regained his usual calm demeanor, showing no signs of the grief he had just experienced from losing his son.

After listening to his butler's report, he paused in thought before speaking, "You mentioned witnesses?"

"Yes, there are five of them: three from the Blade Squad of the Nom Province Swordsmen Branch, and two from the Swordmaster Headquarters."

"Contact the Nom Province and have them assign the Swordmaster Squad you mentioned to a task, then reach out to the Black Blade Organization. Ask them to handle it discreetly, preferably as an accident."

"Tell them that due to their previous mistake, the Dram family suffered heavy losses, and we hope there won't be any more issues this time." Duke Dram's voice was stern.

"As you wish, Your Grace. What about the two from the headquarters?"

No one dared to act within the Imperial Capital after the recent battle, which had led to an unprecedentedly strong defense in Temerel, with at least two Epic Powerhouses stationed there.

"Investigate their family background. If they aren't from the Imperial Capital, find their relatives and make contact. Then, have them dealt with while on their way to the Capital."

"Understood, Your Grace. That way, there will be no witnesses left," Butler Owen's eyes lit up.

"Hmm, and what about the physical evidence?" Duke Dram inquired.

"The body and weapon of the 'King of Assassins' from the Black Blade Organization, as well as the body of our family advisor, 'Corpse Splitter' Greg," Butler Owen replied respectfully.

"What does the Black Blade Organization's assassin have to do with Greenwood? Without witnesses, a single body is meaningless."

"As for Greg's body? Where is it currently stored? Is it at the Imperial Capital's Swordmaster Headquarters?" Duke Dram's eyebrows furrowed slightly.

"No, Greg's body is still at the Nom Province Swordsmen Branch, but it will likely be sent to the Imperial Capital's Swordmaster Headquarters next."

"Then there's no problem. Have someone handle it on the way," Duke Dram waved his hand.

"Without witnesses or physical evidence, we regain the initiative in this matter."

"The most troublesome thing about Ren is his official status as a Golden Rank Swordbearer. Without that, he has nothing to rely on. Alfred's appreciation won't help him now." Duke Dram's expression finally relaxed a bit.

"Your Grace, I'll take care of it immediately," Butler Owen's face lit up with joy.

At this moment, Owen had a good understanding of Duke Dram's plan.

Erase all evidence unfavorable to their side, then frame Ren for the arbitrary killing of his squad members. Once he was found at fault, the possibilities for manipulation were endless.

"I heard Ren's family is in Munster. Your Grace, should we send someone..."

"No, it's pointless and might provoke them into doing something irrational. If they go after me directly, will you be able to stop them?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, Your Grace. It was an oversight on my part," Butler Owen bowed deeply.

"By the way, Your Grace, there's one more thing. Our investigation revealed that Ren has close ties with the Bavaria family, and he's currently staying at their residence."

"It's only natural. The Duke of Munster would want to win over such talent from his own province. I'll have a talk with the Bavaria family."

"Also, Ren's strength..." Butler Owen paused, still feeling awe at Ren's power. "With the ancestor Pantoskock on our side, they can't stir up much trouble."

"Of course!" Hearing that name, Butler Owen's body tensed.

He was an Imperial Guardian, an Epic Powerhouse. It was because of him that the Dram family was considered an Imperial elite.

Who would have thought that this incident would involve such a powerful figure?

Well, Ren deserved to die. His actions were cruel and ruthless, and such people should be eliminated.

At the Swordmaster Headquarters.

Inside the training building, Ren approached the reception desk and inquired, "Is there a Magic Power Testing Room here? And I'd like a private room, please."

"Yes, sir, but there will be an additional fee."

"That's fine," Ren nodded and handed over his Electrum Rank Swordbearer Emblem.

The young female clerk's eyes widened slightly, and her face showed surprise. She respectfully took the emblem and said, "Sir, please follow me."

Soon, Ren followed the clerk to the third floor, where she explained, "Sir, these single rooms are all for Second-Rank Magic testing, and the last two are for Third-Rank Magic testing."

"Let's go to the Third-Rank Magic testing room then."

"Yes, sir," the clerk knew that Ren was an Electrum Rank Swordbearer, so she didn't find it unusual for him to test in the Third-Rank Magic room.

As the clerk opened the door, Ren saw a spacious room of at least 400-500 square feet, with several devices that seemed somewhat familiar to him but appeared more intricate.

For example, there were four devices resembling Gatling guns with multiple tubes, which Ren knew were for testing defensive magic.

A giant cylindrical metal ingot with a magical silver coating was used to test offensive magic, but it was much larger than the one in the Minster Swordsmen Branch, weighing at least several dozen tons.

"Sir, is this your first time here? Do you need me to give you an introduction?"

"No, thank you," Ren waved his hand.

He was already familiar with these devices.

After some thought, Ren decided to test his offensive power first.

He walked up to the giant cylindrical metal ingot on a sliding track and waved his hand, causing a giant silver net to appear out of thin air and shoot towards the smooth surface of the ingot!

"Whoosh!"

The metal net, formed from the Second-Rank Magic 'Cutting Net', embedded itself deeply into the metal ingot.

The original version is available at 69 Book Bar! 6=9+Book_Bar.

The dozens of tons of metal, on the sliding track, wobbled slightly.

This wasn't because Ren's magic power was weak, but due to the nature of the 'Cutting Net' spell, which had a highly concentrated and contained power.

A spell like Fireball, with its outwardly powerful nature, would have caused the metal block to move violently.

Meanwhile, on the black Wisdom Slate, a large number appeared - 118!

With his super-high metal element affinity and the special effects of the Advanced Steel Heart Meditation, Ren's damage from a mere Second-Rank Magic spell nearly reached the lower limit of Third-Rank Magic.

Typically, the power of Third-Rank Magic spells ranged from 120 to 200 degrees.

And this wasn't even Ren's Magic Kill Skill, 'Multi-Cut Nets'.

Immediately after, Ren began testing the damage of his kill skill.

"Metal Transformation!"

"Cutting Net!"

"Sharpening Technique!"

"Magic Kill Skill: Multi-Cut!"

As Ren's lips parted slightly, three tightly woven metal nets appeared in front of him and, in an instant, rushed towards the test metal block!

"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"

This time, the dozens of tons of metal on the sliding track shook violently back and forth, with a high frequency but not a large amplitude.

Suddenly, Ren's expression froze.

The black Wisdom Slate displayed a number that would astonish anyone - 185!

"The last time I tested, I hadn't yet cultivated the second layer of Advanced Steel Heart Meditation, and the attack power of my Magic Kill Skill was around 143 degrees."

"But now, its power almost surpasses over 80% of Third-Rank Magic spells." Ren pondered.

"The super-high metal element affinity, combined with the special effects of the Advanced Steel Heart Meditation, results in a massive boost."

"I should focus on collecting metal-based magic. Maybe I can even combine them to create new Magic Kill Skills."

"There's only one Third-Rank Magic spell left here at headquarters, 'Thorny Iron Ball'. I'll have to pay more attention to the schools later."

Ten minutes later.

Swordmaster Headquarters Exchange Hall.

"Hello, sir. How can I help you?" asked a young and beautiful female clerk as she noticed Ren approaching. She bowed politely and smiled sweetly.

"I'd like to exchange some magic," Ren said as he handed over his Electrum Rank Swordbearer Emblem.

"Of course, sir. Please wait a moment." The female clerk, surprised by the Electrum Rank Emblem, respectfully took it with both hands and inserted it into the card slot.

"Please exchange the Third-Rank Magic spell 'Thorny Iron Ball' for me."

Hearing it was a Third-Rank Magic spell, the clerk was even more shocked. It was a spell that only Tier 3 Crystalized Wizards could learn, and even at the Swordmaster Headquarters, Tier 3 Crystalized Wizards were few and far between.

"Yes, sir. The exchange price is 3 Electrum Rank Emblems and 27,000 Merit Points. Are you sure you want to exchange it?"

"Yes."

After completing the Venomous Flying Dragon mission, Ren earned two Electrum Rank Emblems and a large number of Merit Points. After allocating a small portion to Claire and Bianse, Ren had enough, including his previous savings, to exchange for this Third-Rank Magic spell.

After leaving the testing room, Rayne decided to secure his gains first.

As Greenwood was a well-known figure at the Swordmaster Headquarters, and with Mia and Chandler's deaths, the news spread like wildfire throughout the entire headquarters.

"Hey, did you hear? Greenwood and his group are dead," a young man who seemed to have just heard the news whispered to his companions nearby.

"What? Is it that Greenwood from the Dram family?" one of his companions exclaimed.

"What task was it?" another companion assumed they died during a mission.

"It was the Venom Dragon mission, but they were killed by someone!"

"Which cult was it?"

"It wasn't a cult, but one of our headquarters' own Electrum Rank Swordbearers, named Rayne!"

"What?!"

"Wow!"

"That's a bombshell!"

"Yes, who would dare? Don't they know the Dram family is a Guardian family?" The Swordbearer speaking was a native of the Imperial Capital, Temerel, and was well aware of the Dram family's power.

At this moment, everyone turned to the first young man who spoke, hoping to hear more secrets.

It was common knowledge that the Swordmaster Headquarters had many missions recently, and the difficulty was significantly higher than in previous years. As a result, many Swordbearer squads had suffered casualties.

So, if Greenwood's group died due to mission failure, although the number of deaths was a bit high, it wouldn't have caused such a sensation.

Who would have thought that they were all killed by someone from their own headquarters?

This revelation carried a lot of implications.

"Quickly, tell us what happened?"

"Well, I only heard a rough idea. You can also ask around later." After thinking about it, this young Iron Rank Swordbearer began to narrate.

"Hey, did you hear? Greenwood and his group were killed by someone." The speaker was an heir of a noble family who was familiar with Greenwood.

Their group was similar to Greenwood's, all heirs of the Imperial Capital, and naturally knew Greenwood.

"What? Is this true?"

"It's absolutely true. The one who killed them was one of our headquarters' Electrum Rank Swordbearers, named Rayne!"

"Can the Dram family let this go? Even an Electrum Rank Swordbearer can't handle this!"

This scene played out repeatedly within the Swordmaster Headquarters.

When Rayne returned to the Bavaria Manor, he encountered an old friend from Marne Province - the Chimera Knight, Luther.

Luther was chatting with Halowen.

"Knight Rayne, we meet again," Luther said with a smile, noticing Rayne's surprise.

"Knight Luther, your arrival in the Imperial Capital is faster than I expected," Rayne greeted with a smile as well.

"Haha, did Knight Rayne forget that tomorrow is the registration day for the Dragon Knight Cadet?"

"Hmm?"

Rayne then remembered that he had always known the assessment day was on the first Sunday of the Harvest Moon, but he had forgotten about the registration day.

Luther's arrival made the Bavaria Manor livelier, and as the host, Halowen naturally prepared a grand dinner, which Rayne and Anna both attended.

That night, Rayne didn't bring up the matter of Anna's mother's clues with her. He planned to bring it up once he had more clarity.

The next morning, Rayne and his group rode their flying mounts and arrived early at the northeast corner of Temerel, outside the Sixth Ring.

Before them stood a tall and ancient circular building, resembling a Roman Colosseum from Rayne's previous life, with a three-tiered structure, each level adorned with Doric columns and arched designs.

At the spacious entrance, eight Sword and Shield Full Armor Guards stood at attention.

Above the entrance, a fountain featured a towering, over ten-meter-high statue of five dragons in various poses, some soaring and others diving, all incredibly lifelike.

There were no signs or plaques at the entrance; the five-headed dragon emblem spoke for itself.

The guards seemed accustomed to such arrivals and calmly approached Rayne's group as they landed:

"Are you here to register for the Dragon Knight Cadet program?"

"Yes," Luther nodded and presented a letter.

"Please proceed inside, and someone will assist you."

Soon, as they entered, Rayne finally saw the interior in its entirety.

It was at least three to four times the size of a football field but didn't feel spacious due to the numerous flying mounts already inside, some even larger than Luther's Chimera.

Even Gryphons were present in various sizes, with some larger than Luther's mount.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end