Chapter 406: Dragon's Valley
Chapter 406: Dragon's Valley
"Yes, Lord Ren." The Steel Mage Swordsman nodded in agreement.
Upon hearing that the Black Flame Sect was involved, Claire's expression revealed understanding. After all, this was the same cult that had caused trouble in Meister.
It seemed that while Ren's identity as a Swordsman was one reason, the trouble they had encountered this time was, to some extent, connected to the Habsburg family.
Claire felt a sense of guilt and said, "Lord Ren, I didn't bring many guards from the Imperial Capital, and they aren't particularly strong. But I can assign a few to ensure Lady Olenna's safety."
She didn't offer to have the guards protect Ren's manor.
Firstly, there weren't enough of them.
Secondly, she had just noticed that although many of the guards in the manor had disabilities, their eyes were sharp, and they had handled the recent battle at the manor's entrance with calm and order. They seemed to be experienced veterans of the military elite.
At that moment, Luther and Halowen exchanged glances, both thinking, 'He's attracting too much attention.'
Ren had just been challenged by the Tide Sword Saint's disciple at the Dragon Rider Reserve Camp.
Before that incident had even concluded, this new crisis with Lady Olenna being targeted for abduction by the Black Flame Sect had occurred.
Moreover, according to the latest intelligence, a powerful Serpent Cult expert had arrived near the Imperial Capital, and his target was also Lord Ren.
This left the two men at a loss for words.
Luther, in particular, was well aware that Ren had inflicted significant losses on the Sea God Cult while in the Tundra.
In other words, as far as he knew, Ren was a thorn in the side of at least three cult organizations!
However, Luther had already made up his mind.
Not only did he greatly admire Ren's strength and was one of his supporters, but the Snyder family and Ren were also business partners in the gold mines. Who else would he support if not Ren?
Most importantly, Luther believed in Ren's potential, and he was certain that if Ren could overcome this challenge, he would become an Epic-level top-tier powerhouse.
"Lord Ren, if you need more manpower, the Snyder family's guard squad in the Imperial Capital can be dispatched to assist you," Luther offered.
Hearing Luther's words, Halowen glanced at him, slightly surprised by his decisiveness.
But Ren's potential, along with the previous letter from his father, Duke Munster, quickly convinced Halowen to make a decision as well. "Lord Ren, the Bavarian family can also provide some guards," he said.
"Thank you for your kind offer. I appreciate your help," Ren nodded, not refusing their assistance.
At this moment, Raglara, who had been silent until now, looked at Claire and then at Ren, saying, "Ren, the Norton Tribe has always been your loyal ally. High Priest Rom and Clan Chief Dalius specifically instructed me before my departure that if you ever need the tribe's assistance, you only need to inform us."
Claire's heart silently acknowledged, 'Indeed, a Barbarian Tribe female warrior.'
However, she couldn't help but wonder when and how Ren had established a connection with the Norton Tribe, located in the distant Tundra.
Moreover, it seemed that Ren had a close relationship with the tribe, almost like allies.
It was common knowledge that the Barbarian Tribes maintained a cautious attitude towards the Dragone Empire, keeping a certain distance.
Nevertheless, Claire didn't find it appropriate to inquire about Ren's affairs at that moment.
After some discussion, Ren's manor and Lady Olenna's safety were both secured to a certain extent. Claire also planned to send a warning message to the Habsburg family in Meister.
Soon, Halowen and Luther returned to make the necessary arrangements, leaving only Ren, Claire, and Raglara at the scene.
Just as Ren was beginning to feel a bit overwhelmed and unsure of what to say, his sister Mint came running downstairs with a lively demeanor. She curiously looked at Claire and asked, "Brother, who is this sister?"
Although Claire was meeting Ren's sister Mint for the first time, she had heard about her from Ren before.
Claire crouched down and removed a gem brooch from her top, offering it to Mint, "Is this Mint? Here's a small gift for you as a token of our first meeting."
"No, I can't accept it. My brother told me not to accept gifts from anyone except for Anna or Raglara," Mint replied firmly.
Hearing Mint's words, Ren could feel the sweat forming on his forehead.
"Mint, you can accept this gift from Sister Claire," Ren quickly signaled to Mint with his eyes.
"Really? That's wonderful! Sister Claire, your legs are so long and you're so beautiful," Mint exclaimed.
"I love the gift you gave me," Mint praised Claire enthusiastically.
Although Claire had grown up surrounded by such flattering words, she had become immune to them.
However, it was important to consider who was speaking. Mint's innocent eyes and adorable demeanor made it impossible for Claire to doubt her sincerity.
"Sister Claire, let's go play outside, shall we?" Mint suggested.
"Sure.
"Upon Claire's invitation, Ren readily agreed.
She also wanted to inquire about her sisters, Anna and Raglara.
Soon, the two of them arrived in the front yard and began digging and planting flowers.
'By the way, Mint, where's the Anna you mentioned earlier? I don't seem to see her around,' Claire casually asked after a while.
'She's not here. Anna left,' Mint replied.
'Hmm? Left? Has she been gone for long?'
'No, Anna left just a couple of days ago. Then, Raglara arrived yesterday.'
'Hmm?' Claire glanced at Raglara, who was still inside the villa discussing something with Ren. She thought to herself, 'Did she arrive just yesterday? Perhaps I've been overthinking things.'
Perhaps, the relationship between Ren and Raglara was that of combat partners.
Although the Dragoon Empire had a relatively open attitude towards relationships between men and women, privately, the nobility had numerous lovers, but on the surface, they still adhered to the principle of monogamy.
Claire had a high level of acceptance towards such matters, but she couldn't help but have some thoughts and discomfort in her heart.
After all, what girl in love wouldn't want her partner's undivided devotion?
The same speculation also crossed Raglara's mind, but she was different from Claire, the daughter of a count.
Ren had saved Raglara's life, and from the beginning, she felt a little guilty about intruding on Ren and Anna's relationship. So, after the intimate moment in Shiny Gold Town, she quietly left and returned to the tundra.
From start to finish, she believed that Anna was Ren's partner, but now it seemed that Ren's romantic history was more complicated than she had imagined.
Meanwhile, in Marshal Alfred's office.
General Augustus frowned as he looked at a report in his hand and said, 'Marshal, as you predicted, although the empire used the advanced selection of Dragon Knight Cadets as a cover, the recent activities of the cults in various places seem to indicate that they have already sensed the empire's plan.'
'The insider we identified earlier must be of a high rank.'
Marshal Alfred, with his silver hair and goatee, nodded and said, 'This was expected.'
'However, this also helps us narrow down the suspects. For now, there are only a few people on the list.'
'Of course, the most important thing is that we should take this opportunity to resolve the hidden dangers in Dragon's Valley Secret Realm.'
General Augustus nodded and said, 'Yes, Marshal, resolving the hidden dangers in Dragon's Valley is of utmost importance.'
'For the personnel entering the Dragon's Valley Secret Realm, I'd like to additionally recommend one person—the one who killed Harold, Ren.'
It's not that the Swordmaster Headquarters didn't trust Ren, but because the headquarters had already decided on the personnel for this top-secret mission three months ago.
At that time, Ren had not yet arrived in the Imperial City, and his abilities were not yet revealed.
Naturally, Ren was not on the list.
'Oh? It's him. Did Ren also participate in the Dragon Knight Cadets selection?' Marshal Alfred asked in return.
'Yes.'
'Good. With his abilities, he's a great choice, and if he enters the Secret Realm, he will also be qualified to know about this matter.'
'Yes, Marshal, I think so too.'
'Then, I'll find time to discuss the details with Ren as soon as possible.' General Augustus nodded and said.
'Great!'
That afternoon, General Augustus met with Ren in his office.
As soon as Ren entered, General Augustus sized him up, his eyes gleaming with admiration. 'Ren, your rate of progress is truly astonishing. It's incredible how much you've improved in such a short time.'
If it weren't for Ren having undergone several magic detection tests, General Augustus might have suspected that he was some sort of divine incarnation.
'Thank you, General Augustus. Your praise will be my motivation,' Ren smiled.
'Please, have a seat, and let's chat casually.'
'Sure!' Ren nodded.
He naturally knew that General Augustus had something important to discuss, but he wasn't in a hurry.
As expected, after some small talk, General Augustus's expression turned serious, and he said, 'I called you here because there's an important matter I'd like you to participate in.'
'I'd like to hear more about it,' Ren nodded.
'The second phase of the Dragon Knight Cadets selection will take place in the Dragon's Valley Secret Realm. Your Highness Ren, how much do you know about this Secret Realm?'
'Not very clear. I heard that all personnel who have participated in the Dragon's Valley Secret Realm selection have to sign a confidentiality agreement with the empire,' Ren shook his head.
He had asked Luther about this before, but Luther couldn't reveal much due to his oath.
The only thing that was clear was that the Dragon's Valley Secret Realm was a rather special Secret Realm, one that the empire highly valued.
'Yes, but Your Highness Ren, you are now qualified to know the related secrets. Of course, the content must not be leaked.'
'I understand.' Hearing this, Ren straightened his body slightly and nodded.
General Augustus paused for a moment, then began to slowly explain, 'The Dragon's Valley Secret Realm is a large-scale Secret Realm and the empire's most important Secret Realm.
Within the Secret Realm of Dragon's Valley lies almost all of the Empire's young and adolescent dragons, living there until they reach maturity and evolve into adult dragons.
"They remain in the Secret Realm until they become adult dragons, reaching Epic-level strength, and then they are transported out."
Noticing Ren's confusion, General Augustus preemptively continued without waiting for Ren's question.
"You might be wondering why the Empire keeps the young and adolescent dragons in the Dragon's Valley Secret Realm. The reason is simple: the Secret Realm has a unique energy environment that accelerates the growth cycle of these dragons."
"It can increase their growth rate by about three to four times."
"I see," Ren said, raising an eyebrow.
No wonder, even accounting for various combat-related deaths, the Empire's dragon population still shows a slow upward trend. This must be the Empire's most important Secret Realm.
It takes around two to three hundred years for a dragon to reach adulthood.
With a fourfold acceleration, it means the Empire can possess an Epic-level dragon in just five to six decades.
"The problem now is that some strange phenomena have occurred within the Secret Realm. The Grand Star Mages have used special magic devices to observe that some of the young and adolescent dragons are going berserk and attacking their own kind."
"Moreover, the situation has been worsening over the past year. The cause has been identified as the unique spatial structure of the Secret Realm, which has allowed the invasion of creatures called Void Beasts."
"These Void Beasts have infected some of the young and adolescent dragons, causing drastic changes in their temperament and gradual physical mutations."
"We refer to these mutated dragons as Void Dragons."
"What is the mission this time?" Ren asked after some thought.
"First, we must eliminate the young dragons infected by the Void Beasts. There is currently no known method to reverse the infection."
"Second, we will activate and place three special devices within the Secret Realm to strengthen its defenses."
"There's one more issue, General Augustus. Given the importance of this matter, why aren't the Imperial Guardians entering the Secret Realm?" Ren asked, puzzled.
"Any individual within the Secret Realm whose strength exceeds the Legendary tier will be expelled. Additionally, we've considered methods to conceal the strength of Epic-level individuals to allow their entry, but the cost is too high."
"I understand," Ren nodded.
"Let me add one more thing. Each time we open the Dragon's Valley Secret Realm, we require five Fourth-Rank Dawn Mages to cast the activation magic array together. Moreover, the opening of this teleportation magic array consumes a significant amount of resources."
"So, we've typically done this once every five years. But this time, due to the urgency of eradicating the Void Beast invasion, we're opening the Dragon Rider Reserve Camp selection ahead of schedule."
"One last question. Do these adolescents infected by the Void Beasts show any changes in strength?" Ren inquired.
"According to ancient records, creatures infected by Void Beasts should experience a boost in strength, and their attacks may become more bizarre. This mission will be challenging."
Ren nodded in agreement.
Indeed, he was relatively well-informed about dragon strength.
The adolescents' strength was typically at the late Legendary tier or the peak of Legendary, and their formidable power was further enhanced by the dragons' innate physical prowess and talents.
If mutated abilities were added, it would undoubtedly make them even more formidable.
This explained why ordinary adolescent dragons were no match for their infected counterparts.
At this moment, General Augustus's expression grew more solemn as he spoke, "The situation becomes more complex because the heretic cult seems to be aware of the anomalies within the Secret Realm."
"They are mobilizing their forces in the Imperial Capital, though we haven't identified their method of interference. Still, it's clear they plan to disrupt our operation."
"This is a significant problem," Ren acknowledged, his face turning serious.
With their side in the open and the enemy in the shadows, the only certainty was the enemy's intention to act, but their specific actions remained unknown, making their response more challenging.
"Therefore, we've gathered the Empire's top-tier Legendary individuals, including our Swordsmen, the Imperial Military, and the elite forces of the Senate's Inner Guards."
"However, there are some other uncertain factors, stemming from within the Empire itself. So, Lord Ren, please be fully prepared." General Augustus said, his gaze fixed on Ren.
"Alright, General Augustus, I understand." Ren nodded.
"Here is a memory crystal containing information about the Dragon's Valley Secret Realm." General Augustus handed Ren a memory crystal.
After leaving the Swordsmen Headquarters and boarding the carriage, Ren reviewed the conversation with General Augustus, which had been information-heavy.
Ren had considered refusing the mission, but after some thought, he realized that by entering the secret realm, he had already been involuntarily drawn into the task.
Furthermore, if the intelligence reports were accurate and there were indeed adolescent dragons infected by Void Beasts within, he had even more reason to go.
He should take the initiative and rush to the task.
Because those infected adolescent dragons were the resources for his advancement.
Having made up his mind, he naturally prepared thoroughly and tried to enhance his combat power as much as possible.
Ren thought for a moment and instructed the carriage driver to head towards the school's campus.
Soon, Ren arrived at Master Mogaro's laboratory.
As soon as he stepped inside, he noticed that although less than a week had passed, the Hellfire Golem in the laboratory was already taking shape.
The progress seemed to be more than halfway completed, likely due to the previous experience in golem crafting.
Although this golem had undergone some improvements, most of its structure remained unchanged.
Master Mogaro, who had been lying on the golem, stood up when he saw Ren enter and said, "Ren, I estimate that it will take about three more days to finish."
"Master, is there anything I can help with?" Ren asked proactively.
"Hmm? Do you have free time at the Swordsmen's headquarters?"
"Since you have the time, it would be great if you could help. You need to make two cannon barrels and engrave runes on them. I was even thinking of troubling Lord Bradley with this task."
During their chat, Master Mogaro took a bottle of strong liquor and gulped down a mouthful.
"Of course, Master," Ren readily accepted Master Mogaro's arrangement.
After all, the reason his master was so busy was for his golem, and it was only right for him to lend a hand.
"Good day, Master Ren!" Audrey and Alicia immediately greeted Ren with a bow.
"Yes, Audrey, Alicia, you've been working hard," Ren replied with a slight smile.
As Ren had reached the third rank of Crystalized Wizard, his innate magic, Metal Transformation, was even more precise than before. In just a few minutes, he had crafted the two cannon barrels.
Master Mogaro, standing beside him, was almost dumbfounded.
The cannon barrels required the highest precision, and although they were made of a special alloy steel, the difficulty of transforming them with Metal Transformation was more than double that of ordinary steel.
Even for a third-rank Crystalized Wizard like Vice Master Bradley, it would take an entire day to craft them.
But Ren, his own disciple, had finished the task in just a few minutes.
Was he a natural-born puppet crafting genius?
"In that case, we can finish it today," Master Mogaro said.
"Um, Master, if I help, how long will it take to make an enhanced Hellfire Golem?" Ren asked.
"Hmm? Do you have a challenging mission coming up?" Master Mogaro immediately sensed something from his favorite disciple's words.
"Well, not exactly, but I'm participating in the Dragon Knight Reserve assessment, and I might need it later," Ren thought for a moment and decided not to mention the mission, only mentioning the Dragon Knight assessment.
"Dragon Knight?" Master Mogaro clicked his tongue a few times and eventually shook his head helplessly, sighing.
"A Dragon Knight in his twenties... It's been years since the Empire had one."
"However, sometimes being too outstanding can be a double-edged sword!"
"Dragon Knight?!" The voluptuous Alicia, standing nearby, felt her head spin at the news.
Was the strongest student of their school about to become a Dragon Knight?
Even Audrey was momentarily stunned by Ren's words.
After all, although Ren was powerful and held a high position, in the eyes of the Empire's citizens, there was still a significant gap between a Swordsman and a Dragon Knight.
The difference was akin to that between a baron and a duke!
With Ren's involvement, the progress of the enhanced Hellfire Golem's construction soared.
By late afternoon, the golem was almost complete.
Master Mogaro dusted off his hands and said, "Ren, it's ready for testing now."
"However, the mana consumption will be higher than before, so be extra careful."
Although the reminder was somewhat unnecessary, Ren felt a warmth in his heart. "Yes, Master."
The enhanced Hellfire Golem before them was significantly taller than the previous version, with two pitch-black circular cannon barrels protruding from its shoulders.
The barrels were not long, as they fired not traditional cannonballs but fireballs and shadow arrows.
Due to the golem's increased size, its outer shell had been thickened, especially at the joints, where the metal protection was almost doubled.
Additionally, three small furnace devices were distributed across the golem's back, each supplying power to the two cannons, the chest cannon, and the entire body's drive.
As the activation spell was chanted, a thumb-sized beam of yellowish light illuminated the enhanced Hellfire Golem.
(End of Chapter)
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