novelraw Chapter 261 - 255: New Intelligence and Ed’s Breakthrough
Chapter 261 - 255: New Intelligence and Ed’s Breakthrough
Raylo looked at the creature lying on the ground like a pile of sludge, yet his heart remained untroubled.
A Shaper from the Void Realm, a Great Monarch plotting an invasion... It all sounded like a far-fetched tale straight out of a minstrel’s epic, yet it had just unceremoniously landed right in front of him.
The secret was too heavy, and too remote.
With Black Stone Territory’s current strength, thinking about how to resist an invasion from an Otherworld was no different from an ant worrying about when the sky would fall.
Rather than worrying about it, he should first deal with the troubles at hand.
He waved his hand, summoning two Personal Guards. They dragged away the Illusion Monster—which had completely lost the will to resist—like a dead dog and threw it into the deepest dungeon.
"Moonlight, nice work."
Raylo rubbed the large white cat’s head. Moonlight squinted its pale gold eyes in comfort, purring contentedly as the tip of its tail curled up in pride.
Raylo slept restlessly that night.
「The next morning.」
[Daily Intelligence Refreshed]
[1: The Young Black Dragon, "Black King," in the eastern Black Stone Mountain Range, has successfully enslaved the Ogre Tribe of Roaring Cave. He is forcing these Ogres to mine a rich iron deposit for him, as he intends to forge a suit of Metal Dragon Armor.]
[2: Your Personal Guard Captain and the commander of the Moonlight Knight Order, Ed, has recently been practicing his swordsmanship alone late at night. He seems to have had some insight and is not far from breaking through to become a Tier Four Sky Knight.]
[3: The lord of the neighboring Silver Moon Territory is hosting a grand knightly tournament. He has promised that the final victor will win his daughter’s favor and a wealthy estate.]
[4: Due to the pollution of the Black Water River by Poison Fang and Blood River, the water flowing downstream has recently become murky and highly toxic. Large swaths of farmland in several human territories have been contaminated, and livestock are dying in large numbers.]
[5: At dusk today, a Scorpion-tailed Lion will emerge from the Black Water Mountain Range. It will remain in Black Stone Territory for two weeks. The Scorpion-tailed Lion is a Tier Four Magical Beast, and the venom in its tail stinger is so potent it can even paralyze a Giant Dragon for a short period.]
[6: A squad from the Light Holy See’s Holy Temple Knight Order has been lost near the Abandoned Ruins while pursuing a Necromancer. The Holy See has issued a lucrative bounty for their rescue.]
[7: In seven days, a Red-robed Bishop will arrive in the Fiery Sun Kingdom. His mission is to coronate the new king, Karachi, and to oversee the Light Holy See’s affairs within the kingdom as its representative.]
[8: The Light Holy See has issued a papal decree defining Giant Dragons as evil creatures. Any partnership with a Giant Dragon not sanctioned by the Holy See is now considered "siding with evil" and an act of blasphemy. This move has drawn fierce opposition and condemnation from the various Giant Dragon Kingdoms.]
[9: In the Hanhai Desert, east of the Thunder Dragon Duchy, the King of the Golden Country has issued a worldwide invitation. He seeks someone to enter the Sleeping Pyramid and awaken his Queen, who has been asleep for three hundred years. The reward is a gold mine and a hereditary marquisate.]
[10: On the back of the Eternal Giant Turtle, the previously withered areas have begun to sprout lush green vegetation again. Over the next month, the Eternal Giant Turtle will aggressively conquer multiple magical beast populations along the Black Water River.]
Sunlight penetrated the castle’s thick glass windows, casting mottled patterns of light and shadow on the stone floor.
Ed was on the verge of a breakthrough.
This news dispelled the gloom that had gathered in Raylo’s heart overnight.
Confronting the invaders from the Void Realm was still a distant concern, but strengthening his own power was a tangible and urgent matter.
Ed was his most trusted right-hand man. His strength was Black Stone Territory’s strength.
"Someone."
A Personal Guard entered and knelt on one knee.
"Go and ask Captain Ed to join me for breakfast."
"Yes, my lord."
...
A simple breakfast was laid out on the dining table in the study.
Crispy bacon, white bread slathered with honey, and warm milk.
Moonlight had woken at some point and was now crouched by Raylo’s chair, with its own portion of breakfast set out before it.
There was another portion beside it, originally prepared for Coal Ball, but the little one had been fast asleep ever since overexerting himself using the Void Anchor magic yesterday.
Ed entered.
He wore his knight’s uniform, his posture as straight and tall as a pine tree.
"My Lord."
Ed placed a hand over his chest in a salute, his movements impeccable.
"Sit, Ed."
Raylo gestured to the chair opposite him.
"Have something to eat with me."
Ed sat down, a little stiffly, his back held ramrod straight.
"Try the bread. It’s fresh from the kitchen."
Raylo pushed a piece of bread toward him.
"Thank you, my lord."
They ate breakfast in a quiet atmosphere.
Raylo didn’t rush to the point. Instead, as was his custom, he asked about the patrols in Black Stone Territory and the progress of the new recruits’ training.
Ed answered each question calmly and methodically, his replies clear and organized.
"I hear you’ve been training very hard lately."
Raylo set down his knife and fork, wiped his mouth with a napkin, and asked in a seemingly casual tone.
The hand Ed used to hold his glass of milk paused for a moment before he spoke frankly.
"Black Stone Territory grows stronger by the day, and more and more powerful individuals flock to your side. If I don’t strive to improve, I’ll soon be left behind, unable to lead the charge for you anymore."
His words were simple, yet they carried a steely resolve.
Raylo looked at him—the knight who had followed him since he had nothing. His face was now weathered by hardship, but his eyes were brighter than ever.
"Your loyalty is beyond question, Ed."
Raylo smiled.
"But hard work alone isn’t enough. Sometimes, you also need a little push."
He took a Crystal Bottle from his Space Ring and placed it on the table.
The bottle was no bigger than his palm, made entirely of transparent crystal, and it contained a sky-blue liquid.
The liquid seemed to have a life of its own, swirling and flowing slowly within the bottle. Countless fine, star-like motes of light rose and fell within it, emitting an awe-inspiring pulse of Magic Power.
Ed’s gaze was instantly drawn to it.
He felt the Fighting Spirit within his body begin to stir uncontrollably, as if drawn to it by some irresistible force.
"This is..."
Ed’s voice was a little hoarse.
"A Sky Knight’s Breakthrough Potion."
Raylo said.
"A masterpiece from Master Barnaby. I believe it can be of use to you now."
BOOM!
It was as if a clap of thunder had exploded in Ed’s mind.
A Sky Knight’s Breakthrough Potion!
It could greatly increase the success rate of breaking through to become a Tier Four Sky Knight, clearing away the obstacles of a bottleneck.
Ed shot up from his chair, took a step back, and fell heavily to one knee on the cold stone slab with a dull thud.
"My lord! This... this is too valuable! I cannot..."
"Stand up, Ed."
Raylo said.
Ed tensed, then slowly rose to his feet, but the ecstatic look on his face didn’t fade in the slightest.
"There is no reason to refuse."
Raylo picked up the Crystal Bottle, walked over to Ed, and pressed it into his cool hands.
"You’ve earned this. Your loyalty is worthy of it."
Ed looked into Raylo’s calm eyes, a thousand words caught in his throat, but he couldn’t utter a single one.
He remembered the day Raylo had invited him to join Black Stone Territory, and his blood boiled with renewed passion.
"Black Stone Territory needs a Sky Knight."
Raylo clapped him on the shoulder.
"I need you to become stronger, Ed. Our future enemies are far more terrifying than you can imagine."
Ed took a deep breath and stopped refusing.
He knelt on one knee again, his posture now incredibly solemn.
He raised his head, his gaze fervent and devout.
"My sword, my life, and my soul will forever be pledged to you, my lord."
There were no flowery phrases, only the most sincere and simple of oaths.
"Go on."
Raylo nodded.
"Ed, I will be waiting for your good news."
"Yes, my lord!"
Tightly clutching the Potion, Ed turned and strode away.