Chapter 181: Angry Freddy
About seven or eight minutes later, Kaelon and Raymond left the castle, repeating the same lines over and over as they went.
Kaelon: "Did I really lose to the Baron?"
Raymond: "Yes, you really lost. I saw it with my own eyes!"
Their minds were a complete mess.
It wasn’t that they were slow to accept reality; the scene had simply been too shocking.
Even at full strength, Kaelon hadn’t lasted two seconds before Duane pinned his hand to the table, completely immobilizing him.
The two of them had personally watched Duane grow from a Basic-level Warrior step-by-step into an Advanced Warrior.
Making so much progress in close to a year had already led them to label him a genius.
But they never imagined that after just two or three months of not inquiring about the Baron’s strength, he would suddenly transform into an Earth Tier Warrior.
And from the looks of it, he wasn’t just any ordinary Earth Tier Warrior.
They didn’t know how to describe such talent; the only explanation was that he’d been possessed by Carter.
Meanwhile, Duane was drinking Hot Spring Mountain Tea to refresh himself. He began to meditate, and would train his Magic Shield afterward.
While his personal strength was a secret, it wasn’t one he had to keep from *everyone*.
Kaelon and Raymond were exceptions.
After all, the two men had followed him when his future was uncertain and he had nothing; their loyalty was extremely high.
Telling them his true strength would also make it more convenient for Duane to move about Black Forest Island on his own.
He wouldn’t have to deal with his men constantly trying to persuade or stop him out of concern for his safety.
’According to the plan we just made, I’ll head into the depths of the Hot Spring Mountain Range in five days.’
Five days from now would be January 2nd, year 3051 of the Shadow Mist Calendar.
This way, Duane could celebrate the new year in his territory and also observe the first selection competition between the Guards and the Militia.
’But before I go, I need to master the Combat Technique, Sword Rain Storm.’
Sword Rain Storm was a Combat Technique acquired upon reaching the Perfection stage of Basic Swordsmanship Skill Level.
Only an Earth Tier Warrior possessed sufficient Fighting Qi and precise control to execute this Combat Technique.
Once mastered, a single thrust of the sword could unleash dozens, even hundreds, of Sword Auras. Each aura would follow its own path to strike the target, making it impossible to defend against.
Duane had a feeling that once he trained this Combat Technique to Mastery, he would be able to threaten even a Celestial Tier Warrior, despite not having reached that tier himself. It would absolutely become his trump card!
...
「Starfall Islands.」
After the former Star Sea Duchy was conquered by the Akutas Kingdom, it fractured into numerous factions.
Among them, the region on the eastern coast of the Starfall Islands known as the Scorching Wind Territory was the fiefdom of Viscount Freddy Yalvis of the Akutas Kingdom.
At this moment, Freddy was standing on a reef by the coast.
His brow was knitted on his chiseled face, and a hideous scar on his left cheek made him look exceedingly serious and unapproachable.
"Are you done yet, Sarah?" he urged impatiently.
A few steps to his side, a stand held a blue Crystal Ball.
A Female Mage was currently manipulating it.
"It’s ready, my lord!"
Magic Power flared in her hands as she channeled it into the Crystal Ball.
In the blink of an eye, an image appeared on its surface.
Freddy strode closer to observe, his brow still furrowed.
The Crystal Ball displayed rows of warships, looking as if they were heading out for a naval battle.
"The Sail Banner! That’s the flag of the Kennedy Clan!"
Freddy’s expression grew grim.
He didn’t understand why the Kennedy Clan would station so many warships to loiter near the Starfall Islands.
"Wait!"
His gaze narrowed. "Pan the view a little to the left!"
The Female Mage gave a grunt of assent, and without any apparent motion, the perspective projected by the Crystal Ball began to slowly shift left.
"That’s a warship’s command banner! The one leading them is Knight Marles!"
He was familiar with most of the neighboring kingdom’s Celestial Tier Warriors, and when it came to strength in naval combat, Marles was undoubtedly ranked among the very best.
"Dammit, what in the world is going on?"
The color drained from Freddy’s face. The Silent Shore hadn’t just sent a huge fleet of warships; they had even sent Marles to lead it personally.
If anyone were to suggest they were just out for a leisurely cruise, he, Freddy, would be the first to call them a liar.
"Men! Report what is happening here to Duke Star Sea at once!"
Although the Crown Prince had stationed Freddy in the Starfall Islands with the intent of counterbalancing Duke Star Sea, the Duke was still the greatest Lord here.
In the event of an invasion from a neighboring kingdom, Duke Star Sea was the first person Freddy would have to seek for aid.
However, before his men could even begin to carry out his order, a fast horse came galloping up.
"My lord, Earl Ashman·Thorn has arrived at the castle! He demands your immediate return!"
"What?"
Freddy thought he had misheard. He strode over to the messenger and demanded, "Who did you say is here?"
The subordinate looked up at the Viscount looming over him. That hideous scar struck fear into his heart, and he quickly lowered his gaze.
"My lord, it’s Earl Ashman who has come!"
Freddy’s expression grew grave.
Ashman·Thorn. An Honorary Count of the Akutas Kingdom, a Hereditary Viscount, and a Celestial Tier Peak Warrior. He was a subordinate deeply trusted by both the King and the Crown Prince.
A man like that wouldn’t appear in his territory without reason.
And he certainly wouldn’t use the tone of a command to order him back to the castle.
’Something has definitely happened!’
Freddy glanced back out at the sea. The Silent Shore’s fleet was invisible to the naked eye, but he knew Marles’s warships were out there.
’Is war about to break out?’
With no time for further thought, he vaulted onto his horse and galloped toward the castle.
Before long, Freddy saw Earl Ashman outside the castle.
The powerfully built warrior sat grim-faced atop his horse, clad in light armor, and had not dismounted.
"Earl, long time no see! What brings you all the way out here?"
Freddy offered his greeting, then quickly added an apology.
"These servants have no sense of propriety, leaving you to wait outside the castle. My sincerest apologies!"
Earl Ashman’s voice was hoarse. "You’ve caused trouble, Freddy. His Highness the Regent King is extremely displeased!"
Freddy frowned. ’Even if the Pruck Kingdom is about to attack the Starfall Islands, it’s not my fault. Why is he hitting me with accusations right off the bat?’
"What is that supposed to mean?"
He was immediately displeased. "Who has been slandering me to His Highness?"
Ashman glanced from side to side. "Let’s talk inside."
"Fine!"
Freddy dismounted. "Please!"
On the way, he observed Ashman closely. The man was clearly not here for a friendly visit; his entire demeanor screamed it.
Freddy couldn’t figure it out.
A short while later, they arrived in the main hall.
Freddy couldn’t wait any longer. "Now can you tell me? What trouble have I caused?"
Ashman asked, "Did your men go to Black Forest Island in the Pruck Kingdom?"
Freddy’s heart sank.
His men had indeed gone there. According to a captain who had already returned, Garrot wanted to pull off a major score to ease the food shortages in the Scorching Wind Territory.
Raids were commonplace, especially against foreign nobility.
In Freddy’s opinion, as long as the job was done cleanly and their identities remained hidden, there was no reason not to be bold.
So, when he had first heard of Garrot’s operation, he had been pleased.
"Your silence is answer enough."
Ashman’s voice was grave. "Your men—your Gale Corps—have been captured by Baron Duane of Black Forest Island. He has appealed to King Eric, reporting your crimes and requesting his protection."
"Impossible!"
Freddy’s eyes widened in utter disbelief.
"I know Garrot’s strength perfectly well, and he even had a Level 4 Mage for support! That Baron Duane has no powerful bodyguards. There’s no way he could have captured my men!"
When he first heard about the plan, he had considered it a sure thing, a no-risk venture. The thought of Garrot failing had never even crossed his mind.
"This kind of denial is meaningless. Your men underestimated their enemy."
Ashman said coldly, "As we speak, the Pruck Kingdom has massed troops on the border of the Akutas Kingdom and has already begun launching raids."
"You just came from the coast. I imagine their fleet has made its way to the Flowing Silver Fjord by now, has it not?"
Freddy fell silent.
In his heart, he already knew Ashman was right.
But he still refused to accept such an outcome.
Assassinating a noble of another kingdom, only to fail and be captured—it was an utterly shameful affair.
Now the problem had escalated. Even though Freddy hadn’t planned or executed the assassination himself, the debt would be laid at his door.
Ashman produced a private letter from his breast pocket. "This is a confidential letter for you from His Highness. Read it."
Freddy hastily took it, broke the seal, and began to read.
When he saw that Duane was demanding five thousand Gold Coins, three warships, forty thousand Slaves, and four thousand sets of standard-issue weapons and equipment, he laughed in fury.
"A little Baron on some deserted island is demanding this much? Isn’t he afraid of choking on his own greed?"
The rage in his heart began to boil.
But when he read that the Pruck Kingdom was proposing to jointly develop the Scorching Wind Secret Realm in exchange for a thirty percent share of its resources, he finally snapped.
BANG!
Freddy smashed his palm into the sofa beside him, shattering the brand-new furniture into splinters.
"Those damn greedy ghouls! How dare they demand the resources of my Secret Realm!"
He was seething with rage. "Impossible! I will absolutely never give them anything!"