Chapter 384: Collision

Chapter 384: Collision

Three middle-aged people, two men and one woman, approached, all dressed in earth-yellow mage robes.

The leader, a middle-aged man, held a short staff made of tumor wood, with a fist-sized earth-yellow sphere at its top.

Even the servants around them, who knew nothing about magic, could sense a palpable surge of power within the earth-yellow sphere, making their hearts uneasy.

Duke Dram's gaze quickly swept over the staff in the man's hand.

He knew that the earth-yellow sphere at the top of the staff was infused with a large amount of earth elemental essence.

Earth elemental essence was difficult to collect, and the crystal sphere was not easy to make. Overall, this was a rare treasure that could significantly enhance the power of earth element magic.

It was also the staff of the so-called strongest legendary Carver, Harold.

The male mage on Harold's left, although around the same age as Harold, had a much less robust aura, appearing to be at the peak of a Second-Level Mage.

While he would be considered a near-legendary powerhouse outside, he seemed somewhat overshadowed by Harold's presence.

As for the female mage, she appeared to be in her thirties or forties, the most charming age for a woman, but in reality, she was over fifty years old.

However, being a mage, she aged slower than ordinary people and took good care of herself, so her face still looked quite youthful and charming.

Her thin, slightly upturned lips gave off an air of pride and sharpness, suggesting she might not be the easiest person to get along with.

"Welcome, Lord Harold!" Duke Dram stepped forward enthusiastically.

"Your Grace, you're too kind," Harold bowed slightly and smiled.

Although Harold's face was also filled with a smile, it seemed to stem from his own formidable strength, giving off a sense of detachment.

Soon, the group settled into the luxurious living room of the Dram family.

"Your Grace, I heard about Greenwood's matter. Please accept my condolences."

"Thank you!"

After some pleasantries, Duke Dram gestured for Butler Owen to hand a stack of papers to Harold.

"Lord Harold, these are some of the previous records and intelligence on the opponent."

Harold took them and initially skimmed through casually, but as he quickly reached the end, he let out a soft 'Oh,' and a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes.

"Oh, he killed the Venom Dragon and Corpse Splitter Greg."

The latest record, naturally, was the most recent and best indicator of the opponent's current strength.

However, Harold was merely surprised.

If one could avoid or resist the Venom Dragon's venom attacks, the difficulty of defeating it would be significantly reduced.

This meant the Venom Dragon's strength was lowered from the peak of the legendary tier to the late legendary tier.

On the other hand, the fact that he could kill Corpse Splitter Greg made Harold pay more attention. As a mage, he was quite familiar with certain bloodlines.

He knew that Greg had giant blood, and when he activated his bloodline talent, 'Boulder Battle Body,' his defense was comparable to a rock giant.

If Ren waited for Greg to exhaust his strength and then killed him after he forcibly detached from the Boulder Battle Body, it wouldn't be a concern for Harold. But if Ren killed him while he was in his battle body, it would be worth taking seriously.

"Lord, is this Ren very strong?" The female mage, Caroline, who idolized Harold, couldn't hide her surprise and became curious about Ren.

"Yes, he's quite capable. Take a look," Harold handed the intelligence about Ren to Caroline.

"Your Grace, what are your plans?" Harold turned to Duke Dram.

Although Harold had no doubt about his ability to deal with Ren, at his level, he couldn't simply kill someone for money or an item like the top assassins of the Black Blade Organization.

Especially since Ren has a clear official identity as an Imperial Elite Swordsman and a formally recognized noble."

So, Harold needed a suitable reason to act or, at least, a reasonable 'excuse.'

"It's like this, Lord Harold. I've contacted the female relatives of those brutally murdered by Ren, including Greenwood's mother, to go to the Imperial Noble Court to plead their case."

"Although, according to our intelligence, the Swordmaster Headquarters will soon rule this as self-defense, and in principle, the Noble Court won't accept the case. But we'll have the elderly and women appeal to the judge's emotions, telling the story from their perspective."

"Additionally, we'll use our connections to lobby the judge, explaining the situation rationally."

"The main goal is to have the Noble Court judge summon Ren to the court and understand the situation."

"Duke Dram, even if he's summoned, with the ruling from the Swordmaster Headquarters, won't you lose this case for sure?" Another male mage, Darren, frowned and interjected.

Although he was a Second-Level Liquidization Mage, his temper was rather fiery, and he had just stopped without understanding Duke Dram's intentions.

"Hehe, Lord Darren, we are well aware that we can't win this case, but we merely need to go through the official process of a court summons."

"According to the rules, during a court summons, everyone involved must cooperate and be present to explain the situation."

"At that moment, if this Ren refuses to cooperate, Lord Harold and the rest of you will have a legitimate reason to take action." At this point, Duke Dram's face showed a hint of satisfaction.

"I see." Darren glanced at Duke Dram and nodded, secretly thinking, "Old fox."

These old noble families were indeed all cunning individuals. Even if they themselves were not familiar with the empire's rules and regulations, there would be someone within their families who was. They managed to find such a loophole.

"However, these actions will have to wait until the Swordmaster Headquarters issues an official ruling. It's estimated to take two to three days. Once the ruling is made, we will contact this Ren and arrange a negotiation outside the Imperial Capital."

"During the negotiation, the court's summons officers will arrive at the scene, and at that time, this Ren will resist cooperation."

"What if the other party cooperates willingly?" Caroline couldn't help but ask.

"Hehe, most of the court's enforcement officers are our people. Even if the other party cooperates, they will still turn it into non-cooperation." Duke Dram laughed and said.

Although the two before him were both Second-Level Liquidization Mages, in his eyes, they were as pure as the white ice cap on the tundra when it came to political scheming.

"Very well, since Duke Dram has a perfect plan, we'll wait for the notification." Harold stood up and said.

"Thank you, Lord Harold! By the way, regarding the Mountain Heart, my people have found some clues. I believe that after this matter, we should be able to handle it." Duke Dram casually mentioned as he saw Harold off.

Harold looked at Duke Dram and said, "Then I'll trouble you, Duke Dram."

He was well aware that the Dram family actually possessed a Mountain Heart, but before the matter was concluded, any information about the Mountain Heart from Dram's mouth would always remain at the level of 'having some clues.'

But that was fine. At least the other party had agreed.

Once he killed this Ren, the Mountain Heart would be delivered.

Harold was about to break through to the Tier 4 Dawn Wizard stage, and he needed a large amount of rare resources to assist in his breakthrough.

Some items were extremely hard to find, and even if he wanted to collect them all, it would take time and energy. With the help of these powerful nobles of the Empire, collecting many of these items would become much easier.

Especially the Duke Dram before him, Harold knew that he was one of the shareholders of the Dragon Empire's largest auction house, the Axson Auction House, and in many provincial branches, he held a controlling stake.

This gave him a natural advantage in resource collection.

Through a secret channel, Harold also learned that the Dram family possessed a Mountain Heart that he urgently needed.

The Mountain Heart was an extremely rare and precious Earth-type treasure, only formed within the body of a deceased Mountain Giant. Mountain Giants were super-giant creatures with Epic Combat Power, and they hadn't been seen within the Empire's territories for at least several hundred years.

Besides the fact that the Mountain Giant's combat power far exceeded his own, even if one did appear, it would be killed by the Empire's guardians with Epic Combat Power. It was simply beyond his reach.

Therefore, for now, he still needed to deal with these old noble families.

However, once he broke through to the Tier 4 Dawn Wizard stage, he wouldn't need to bother with these trivial matters.

At the same time.

Bavaria Manor.

Ren snapped out of his thoughts in the room.

He had about three days left until his restriction ended. Ren thought for a moment and then went to the exchange counter at the school's headquarters.

There was a rare sight of a halfling or gnome-blooded girl at the counter. Despite her height of only around 4 feet, her figure was well-proportioned and not deformed.

"Hello, can you help me check which Metal-type Magics I can exchange?" Ren asked.

As he spoke, Ren handed over a crystal-like object, similar to a memory crystal, as his school identity proof.

"Sure, Lord Ren, according to your permissions, you can inquire and exchange for any Magic up to Tier 2 within the school." The gnome girl took Ren's crystal proof and inserted it into a slot. Soon, she enthusiastically said.

"Oh? What if I want to inquire about Tier 3 Magics?" Ren raised his eyebrows.

He had expected this situation, just like the Swordmaster Headquarters, different permissions meant different tiers of exchangeable items.

"If you want to view Tier 3 Magics, according to school regulations, you need a historical contribution of over 10,000 points."

"Historical contribution points?"

"Yes, the total of your contributions to the school, including those you've already used, should exceed 10,000 points."

"In simple terms, the cumulative total of your historical contribution points and your current contribution points should exceed 10,000 points.

The Dwarf girl explained, "I understand," Ren nodded.

"By the way, Lord Ren, there are four Metal-type magics of Second Rank and below that you're looking for."

"I've already displayed them on the Wisdom Slate. You can take a look."

Ren raised his eyebrows, clearly delighted, but as he read through the list, his joy faded significantly.

Among the four Metal-type magics, he had already mastered three of them: 'Sharpening Technique', 'Metal Transformation', and 'Metal Barrier'.

The only one he hadn't mastered was a Second Rank magic called 'Iron Armor Spell'.

From the name alone, it was easy to guess that this was a defensive Second Rank magic, which was slightly different from what Ren had hoped for - a potential offensive Second Rank magic.

The exchange price at the bottom, 3500 Contribution Points, was just within his reach. He had earned 3700 Contribution Points as a reward for submitting the Metal Arm remains to the school.

However, he still needed to review the description of this magic before making a decision.

After a moment of thought, Ren asked, "Can you show me the specific description of the magic?"

"Of course, Lord Ren." The Dwarf girl skillfully operated the system, and the black Wisdom Slate in front of Ren updated its content:

"Iron Armor Spell: Second Rank magic. Consumes a certain amount of Mental Energy to activate a specific magic model, drawing upon the surrounding metal energy particles to form a layer of iron armor over the caster's body."

Ren nodded slightly and said, "Help me exchange for this Iron Armor Spell."

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

"Yes, sir."

Soon, Ren left the exchange counter with a scroll emitting a magical aura, satisfied with his new acquisition.

He quickly returned to the Bavaria Manor and, after closing the study door, settled down to seriously study this new magic.

Previously, the First Rank defensive magic 'Metal Barrier' had become almost as powerful as a Second Rank magic due to Ren's multi-faceted enhancements.

Ren believed that if he could quickly master this Second Rank defensive magic, 'Iron Armor Spell', its defensive power might even rival that of a Third Rank magic.

"Layered armor" was naturally welcomed by all, and if he had mastered this 'Iron Armor Spell' before his battle with the projection of the Sea Goddess, Hela, the entire fight would have been much more manageable.

One hour later, as Ren recited the incantation, his body was enveloped in a thick, grayish-black, metallic sheen-emitting film after three seconds.

Due to his Super Metal Element Affinity and the boost from Advanced Steel Heart Meditation, the current Second Rank magic 'Iron Armor Spell' was even more powerful than described on the scroll.

The thickness exceeded the half-finger thickness mentioned on the scroll by nearly a third.

At this moment, a system prompt appeared:

【You have learned Iron Armor Spell, and your related comprehension has increased!】

【You have understood a new skill: Iron Armor Spell】

【Your skill Iron Armor Spell has improved. Experience Points +4】

Simultaneously, a new icon appeared below the War Hammer Mage (Legendary) panel.

The icon depicted a mage covered in a thick, smooth, grayish-black film, emitting a subtle metallic sheen. The smooth surface was clearly not armor, as armor had joints, while the covering had none.

The text below the icon explained:

Iron Armor Spell lv1 (1/100)



Iron Armor Spell lv1 Effect: Consumes a certain amount of Mental Energy to activate a specific magic model, drawing upon the surrounding metal energy particles to form a layer of iron armor over the caster's body.

(Note: Casting time is 3 seconds.)

Ren had no hesitation in investing 11 skill points and 8 golden skill points into the Tier 2 Magic 'Iron Armor Spell'.

As the Iron Armor Spell rapidly advanced from level 1 to level 20, a flood of memories about the Tier 2 Metal Magic 'Iron Armor Spell' surged into Ren's mind.

Ren seemed to have entered a mysterious space, practicing the Tier 2 Magic 'Iron Armor Spell' for over a hundred years, with insights on increasing casting speed flashing through his mind like a revolving lantern.

"Take on a mission?" Claire and Bianz couldn't help but look at each other again, feeling that they couldn't quite keep up with their captain's train of thought.

Captain!

The news outside was all abuzz. These old noble families were obviously planning to take action against you.

And you still want to take on a mission and leave?

In fact, Ren had known about the headquarters' decision yesterday. Female General Tatyia had secretly visited him again, conveying the higher-ups' wishes for Ren to act quickly. Once he left the Imperial Capital, they would not let go of this heaven-sent opportunity.

In a way, this meant taking the initiative, as they could choose the location and time.

Meanwhile, outside the Noble Court of Capital Temerel, things became lively. Several luxurious carriages with noble emblems arrived, and many elderly, weak, and women and children from Duke and Marquis families alighted from them.

The guards at the court entrance were naturally cautious, and soon these people were ushered into the court's mediation room.

"Your Honor, my child, Greenwood, has always been filial, but he was cruelly murdered by his Swordbearer colleague, Ren."

"Yes, Your Honor, my child, Chandler..."

Each one spoke with deep emotion, tears streaming down their faces. This made the young male judge, who was unaware of the truth, feel indignant.

"Hasn't the Imperial Swordmaster Headquarters made a ruling on this matter?" The young judge asked after a moment's thought.

At the same time, the young judge also instructed his subordinates to contact the Swordmaster Headquarters to understand the situation.

"Sir, although Ren is young, he is exceptionally powerful and highly regarded by the upper echelons of the Swordmasters. Therefore, the Swordmaster Headquarters' handling of this matter is clearly unfair."

"Your Honor, since that's the case, the response from the Swordmaster Headquarters isn't that important. It's better to have Ren come to the Noble Court for you to question him in person, isn't it?"

At this moment, several court insiders exchanged glances and began to persuade the young judge.

"This..." After being influenced by their words, the judge fell into deep thought.

Although the Swordmaster Headquarters seemed to have already made a judgment, having the person involved come to the court for questioning was within his rights. Additionally, this was to appease public anger.

Soon, a summons for Ren to appear in court for questioning was issued.

That afternoon, Ren took on a mission at the Swordmaster Headquarters and left Capital Temerel with Claire and Bianz.

This news was immediately known to certain people, and after deliberate misdirection, Ren's actions were interpreted as an attempt to evade.

When Ren and the two women stopped at a small town called Tavlin, about a hundred miles from the Imperial Capital, a team in Court Enforcement Division uniforms blocked their path.

"Sir Ren, I'm sorry, but according to the Imperial Noble Court's summons, you need to come with us for questioning."

"Oh? The Noble Court?" Ren looked at the team, which included at least one Title Knight and a Tier 3 Crystalized Wizard, and couldn't help but find it amusing.

When did the Noble Court's Enforcement Division become so powerful?

A single enforcement team had two Legendary Tier powerhouses.

Seeing this, Claire and the others felt tense, and Claire already had her hand on a Tier 2 Defensive Spell Scroll.

The scroll was provided by Female General Tatyia and given to the two women by Ren. The more advanced the magic scroll, the more geometrically difficult it was to create, making it precious and valuable.

"Sure, let's go." Ren smiled.

Hmm?

Now, many in the Court Enforcement Team looked at each other in surprise.

Wasn't Ren known for his strength and arrogance? Why...

"It's a pity, Sir Ren, that your cooperation came too late." A middle-aged man in uniform shook his head, then straightened his face and shouted, "Everyone, attention! Sir Ren refuses to comply with the court summons, we will now proceed with forced execution!"

At that moment, three men in earth yellow mage robes happened to pass through the town, watching the scene with smiles on their faces.

"Oh? Is this your reliance? Good, I like how you twist right and wrong." Ren glanced at the three men in the distance and smiled.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end