Chapter 507: Tyrion's Decision

Chapter 507: Tyrion's Decision

"Let's set this matter aside for now. Our top priority is to quickly gain control of this Sky City." After a moment of contemplation, Deputy Speaker Bertrand waved his hand and said.

"Considering the scale, even if the Dragon Empire were to mobilize all its national resources, it would take several years and a massive investment of both financial and human resources to create a Sky City as large as the ancient goblin capital."

"Moreover, compared to the Empire, the Federation has far superior technological reserves and a larger number of engineers, which gives us a natural advantage in integrating and controlling the Sky City."

"If we can gain control of the Sky City sooner, we will have a significant advantage for a considerable period. What do you all think?"

"Alright, that's a shame." General Randall shrugged his shoulders and said.

"Deputy Speaker, I agree with your opinion. I suggest we immediately begin exploring the Sky City."

"Currently, Lord Tyrion, Lord Hernandez, and the young Lord Rayne—these three have only explored up to the B2 Level of the Sky City."

"Undoubtedly, this was a failed exploration, but the results were astonishing", the old pipe-smoking man, Councilor Nelson, commented.

"Councilor Nelson, I believe I should remind you of something. You might have forgotten that Lord Tyrion and the others' primary mission was not exploration, but to rescue Lord Helm", Trina countered sharply.

"Fair enough, Councilor Trina. My main point is that I believe the B3 and B4 Levels of the Sky City Ruins hold even more surprises for us."

"Perhaps, the discoveries to come will greatly accelerate our Federation's control over the Sky City. What do you think, Councilor Trina?"

Nelson smiled, undisturbed by Trina's interruption.

"On that point, I agree", Trina nodded.

But she knew that Nelson, the old fox, had some ulterior motive, otherwise, he wouldn't have taken such a roundabout approach.

"Here, I suggest the military take the lead in the initial exploration. There are many Federation powerhouses with military backgrounds, and the military can quickly coordinate these powerhouses for subsequent explorations", Nelson said with a smile to General Randall.

At this point, Trina naturally understood that the other party was trying to curry favor with the military.

"Thank you, Councilor Nelson, for your trust in our military! Coincidentally, Lord Alvin and Lord Garrett have just completed their previous mission and are well-suited for the exploration of the Sky City."

"Deputy Speaker, what do you think about having these two lords join Lord Tyrion to explore the ruins again? I believe we should gather more intelligence before the Federation mobilizes more powerhouses."

General Randall turned to Bertrand for approval.

The beautiful Councilor Trina's red lips moved slightly. She had wanted to say something, but Randall's words made sense in certain aspects. Indeed, the information from only the B2 Level of the floating city was still insufficient.

Before the Federation mobilizes more powerhouses into the ruins, intelligence work needs to be prioritized.

"Alright, General Randall, please communicate with these two lords. I will quickly apply to the parliament to mobilize as many powerhouses as possible to explore the Sky City Ruins."

Bertrand glanced at Trina, pondered for a moment, and then nodded in agreement with Randall's suggestion.

"You're too kind, this is my duty", Randall bowed slightly and smiled.

As the meeting concluded, General Randall and Councilor Nelson left the meeting room one after the other.

In the dirigible corridor.

"General Randall, this time I've brought a bottle of thirty-year-old Calvaborde wine. Would you like to drop by for a visit?" Nelson smiled and extended an invitation.

"Of course, I wouldn't miss Councilor Nelson's fine wine", Randall replied, both out of gratitude for Nelson's support during the meeting and as a gesture of parliamentary etiquette.

A few minutes later, in Nelson's luxurious cabin.

After some pleasantries, Nelson swirled his wine glass and said, "General Randall, actually, I found your initial suggestion very reasonable."

"Thank you, I have already felt Councilor Nelson's support. However, since Deputy Speaker has decided to set it aside for now, we can only abandon it."

"Ha ha, actually, this matter doesn't necessarily have to be handled by us, or even the military. It doesn't even need to involve the Zalaran Resistance. After all, allowing the resistance to kill members of the Imperial Delegation on Federation soil would be a difficult stain to explain."

Nelson spoke with a confident expression.

"Oh?" General Randall frowned, momentarily puzzled by what the other party meant.

"In Westing City, the Imperial Delegation and the Federation had a close and seamless collaboration to slay the 'Ice Sea Titan' Gazrian. However, I heard that this incident greatly angered the Sea God Cult, which launched several relentless attacks along the Federation's long coastline for several days."

"The information is accurate", General Randall nodded in confirmation.

"Hmm, what if, by some unfortunate coincidence, the exact time and route of Lord Rayne’s or the Imperial Delegation’s return were inadvertently leaked to the Sea God Cult by the Zalaran Resistance’s spies?"

"Of course", Randall finally understood what Nelson was getting at and instantly grasped the purpose behind it.

"I see, Senator Nelson. You are truly acting in the best interests of the Federation. I believe you will receive a lot of support from the military in next year’s Speaker election."

"Thank you, General Randall. For the Federation! Cheers!" Nelson smiled contentedly.

"Cheers!"

The two men lightly clinked their glasses and drank in one go.

Retheron Canyon, Cave Camp.

In a luxurious tent at the center, Rayne was sipping tea and chatting with Saint Sword Tirion and a few others.

Suddenly, Helm entered with a frown. "His Excellency Hernandez, we’ve just received an urgent message. There’s a Sea Beast incursion on the coast of the Andor Principality, and they need you to provide support as soon as possible, preferably today."

"Is it that urgent?" Saint Sword Tirion, who was chatting with Rayne, furrowed his brow.

He had a vague feeling that something wasn’t right.

"Perhaps it’s because my powers are more effective near the coast. Besides, the Andor Principality isn’t far from here, so the arrangement makes sense. It’s just a shame I couldn’t spend more time with Lord Rayne."

Hernandez didn’t see any issue and took the note from Helm with a smile.

After all, while there were many water wizards in the Federation, only five had reached the Fourth Tier Dawnbreaker level, and he was the closest.

"His Excellency Hernandez, our conversation has been very enlightening. I hope we can meet again soon", Rayne said with a smile.

At that moment, Saint Sword Tirion said to Hernandez, "I feel it’s a bit rushed. Normally, after completing a mission, you should be given some time to rest. Could the situation have worsened?"

"Perhaps", Hernandez nodded.

"His Excellency Tyrion, you also have an urgent, confidential message", Helm said, handing another note to Tyrion.

"Hmm?" Tyrion’s brow furrowed as he quickly opened and read it.

"Could it be that you have a mission too, Tyrion?" Hernandez teased.

"No, it’s about someone from the Imperial Military coming here to gather information about the mechanical monsters and Goblin Corpses in the ruins."

"Ah, I see. That makes sense. The B2 Level battles were mainly between you and Lord Rayne. Given Lord Rayne’s status, it’s appropriate for you to provide the information."

"I was hoping you might be heading back too, and I could have an extra pair of hands. Looks like I’m out of luck", Hernandez said with a laugh.

"Helm, please make the arrangements for me. I’ll prepare to leave now."

"Wait a moment, His Excellency Hernandez. I have another message."

Helm smiled at Hernandez and then turned to Rayne.

"Lord Rayne, the Imperial Delegation has already left the capital, Antuhol, and is on its way to Zetaya. They are expected to arrive early tomorrow morning."

"Oh?" Rayne raised an eyebrow. That was convenient.

He had already achieved his goals at the ruins and had even gained some unexpected rewards. It was time to head back.

"Are you leaving for Zetaya today or waiting until tomorrow morning? I was thinking, if you leave today, you could travel with me and His Excellency Hernandez. That way, I can show you some of Zetaya’s sights."

"Huh? Helm, are you leaving too?" Rayne asked, curious.

Tyrion and Hernandez also looked at Helm when they heard this.

"Ha ha, Lord Rayne, I have you to thank. Your Metal Dawnbreak Killing Move gave me a lot of insight. I feel I can try to reach the Dawnbreaker level."

"So, I requested to return to Antuhol as soon as possible yesterday", Helm said with a smile.

"Congratulations, Helm. In that case, I’ll leave early and travel with you and His Excellency Hernandez", Rayne said with a smile.

The journey from Retheron Canyon to Zetaya would take a few hours. If he left now, he could explore and rest in Zetaya for the night, and meet up with the delegation early the next morning.

"Congratulations, Helm", Hernandez said.

"No wonder I felt your aura was different these past two days. Congratulations, Helm", Saint Sword Tirion added with a smile.

"Thank you for your blessings, all three of you", Helm beamed, clearly delighted by the encouragement from the three Epic-Level Warriors.

With the departure of Rayne and her two companions, half a day later, a group of five arrived at Cave Camp.

The group consisted of two men clad in heavy, bright silver armor with golden patterns, wielding tower shields, dressed as heavy knights. A woman followed them, carrying a large bow and wearing dark leather armor, with a pretty face and a well-proportioned figure. Another woman, also in leather armor, wore a black hood that partially covered her face, revealing a pair of alert, beautiful eyes. She was relatively petite but moved with a nimble gait.

At the center of the group was a middle-aged man in a red wizard's robe.

The middle-aged man held a dark red staff, his hair meticulously combed, his chin slightly raised, and his expression somewhat haughty.

Upon seeing Tirion the Sword Saint, he finally showed a hint of a smile and said, "Majesty Tirion, it's been a long time!"

"Majesty Alvin, welcome. You arrived faster than I expected", Tirion replied with a slight smile.

Alvin was a Fire Dawn Wizard who had previously served in the military. Though he and Tirion were not particularly familiar, Tirion had heard of Alvin's haughty nature, including his public declaration that anyone below epic level was "trash."

As for why it was Alvin, it was likely due to the report from Helm, which mentioned that high-level fire magic could counteract the Black Mist in the ruins.

"Not only me, but Majesty Garrett will also arrive in an hour."

"Hmm? This suggests that the military isn't just here to ask me about the situation", Tirion frowned.

If it were just for information, Alvin wouldn't have been the ideal choice. The military's decision to send two Epic-Level Warriors at once indicated a deeper purpose.

"Of course, Majesty Tirion. This time, we are here not only to gather information from you but also to ask for your assistance in the initial exploration. This isn't a personal request but a decision made by the Federation Council."

Alvin handed Tirion a note as he spoke.

"Since it's a decision by the council, I'll do my best to cooperate", Tirion said after quickly glancing at the note.

However, he had a bad feeling about it.

Initial exploration? It didn't seem quite right.

Just as Tirion was about to ask, Alvin preempted him.

"Majesty Tirion, is there no way to re-enter through the Gate you came out of? If I recall correctly, that was Gate 3, which leads directly to Sky City's B2 Level, right?"

"Yes, but that Gate is extremely sturdy. Moreover, we triggered an alarm when we left, so re-entering could likely result in encountering unknown enemies", Tirion replied gravely.

"That's a shame. It looks like we'll have to make an effort to go down from the upper levels to reach B3 Level."

"Wait, B3 Level?" Tirion's eyes widened in shock as he looked at Alvin.

"Of course, or did you think Majesty Garrett and I were just here for fun? B3 Level is just a small goal", Alvin said, slightly displeased.

"Don't be ridiculous, Majesty Alvin. You have no idea how dangerous it is down there."

"Not at all! Unless your information is incorrect, the most challenging mechanical monster you faced was a Prototype. Majesty Garrett's lightning attacks can short-circuit mechanical monsters in a certain area, and I can handle the monsters formed by the Black Mist."

"With our specialized team configuration, I believe we can uncover more secrets of the Sky City Ruins, don't you agree, Majesty Tirion?"

"No! You haven't truly been inside. Even if this is a decision by the Federation Council, I have the final say. I will accompany you to the entrance of B2 Level, but after that, I will leave. That's my limit."

Tirion the Sword Saint clearly remembered Rayne's warning.

She had advised him not to enter B3 Level unless he was certain of his safety.

Additionally, Tirion himself had no desire to delve deeper into the Sky City Ruins. As a Sword Saint, he was unlikely to find anything to enhance his combat abilities during further exploration.

What concerned him most was the attitude of Alvin and the military exploration team.

Their mention of the "small goal" of reaching B3 Level suggested they were not taking the unknown dangers within the Sky City Ruins seriously.

"In that case, Majesty Tirion, there's no need to trouble you with the exploration. I will propose to the military that Sword Saint Gutierrez be sent instead", Alvin said with a grim expression.

Gutierrez?

At the mention of this name, Tirion's face darkened.

Every Federation strongman knew of his strained relationship with Gutierrez. The deliberate suggestion to replace him was a clear message.

"Since that's the case, farewell. Good luck, Majesty Alvin."

Tirion's face clouded with anger as he turned and left.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end