Chapter 532: Chapter 505: Speeding

Sanburn and the other two Leaders looked at each other in dismay. They knew the two men before them weren’t bluffing, and that any attempt to hide the truth or lie could bring instant disaster.

Sanburn took a deep breath and did his best to keep his voice steady.

"Lord Duke, we... we don’t actually know the specific battle plan. We were only ordered to cross the border, make camp, and await further instructions."

"Oh? Awaiting instructions?"

Ronin’s eyebrow twitched, his gaze piercing. "And do you really think you could survive crossing the border with so few troops?"

"Well..."

Sanburn was speechless. They had resisted this nonsensical order as well, but a military command was absolute, and they had no choice but to obey.

"Speak," Ronin said flatly. "My patience is limited."

The three Leaders exchanged a complex glance. At this moment, their choice was simple: die stubbornly or reveal their secrets.

In the end, it was Sanburn who spoke up. "We have indeed heard some whispers... about certain potential changes within your kingdom, the Oduin Kingdom, which are supposed to help us occupy Mist City."

"Changes?"

Ronin’s brow furrowed slightly. ’What kind of change could possibly allow three Knight Orders to conquer Mist City?’

Suddenly, his thoughts were thrown into chaos, and a tremor, the likes of which he had never experienced, ran through his very soul.

’Is this... Carlos?’

He closed his eyes and focused his senses. Though he was a great distance from Wubei Territory, he could sense that Carlos didn’t seem to be there.

’This direction... is it the Screaming Sea, or Mist City?’

’What is it doing there?’

Ronin sent out a mental command, ordering Carlos to come to him at once.

But after a long moment passed, the griffin’s position hadn’t seemed to change at all.

HUM!

Ronin’s aura suddenly exploded outward. An intense, suffocating pressure instantly enveloped the three men before him.

In a flash, he appeared before Sanburn and seized him by the throat. "Talk! What’s going to happen in the Oduin Kingdom!"

Sanburn felt as if he were shrouded in the aura of death itself, and an icy chill spread through his body.

He was a Silver Moon Knight, after all—a powerful existence who stood proudly above others in his region. Yet in front of Ronin, he couldn’t even form the slightest thought of resisting.

’He’s too strong... just too strong.’

"I... I really don’t know, my lord!"

"Our three Knight Orders have been stationed at the border. We only recently received orders to relocate here, so we’re not clear on the details!"

Caton and the other Leader, Hogney, started to panic. As they hesitated on whether or not to step in, Ridder struck them down. They collapsed to the ground, feeling as if their bones had been shattered, unable to move a muscle.

The leap from the Proud Sun Level to Legendary was a qualitative one, as vast as the gulf between the Meteor and Gold levels.

Ronin’s grip tightened, and Sanburn’s face began to turn purple. Unable to make a sound, Sanburn could only shake his head frantically, his eyes filled with a desperate plea for his life.

With a casual flick of his wrist, Ronin sent him flying like a cannonball into the nearby forest. He crashed through countless trees before finally slamming to a halt.

Sanburn ignored the pain racking his body and immediately scrambled onto one knee, not daring to entertain a single thought of escape.

"Lord Duke, we truly don’t know the details! Our superiors only ordered us to cross the border, with no instructions for what came after."

Ronin checked Carlos’s position again. The griffin still hadn’t moved.

Bound by the Master-Servant Contract, the griffin could not possibly disobey his command. This meant Carlos was currently unable to move.

And the only person who could have made Carlos leave Wubei Territory was Blanche.

’Has something happened to Blanche?’

"Something might have happened to Blanche. I need to return at once."

"I’m leaving things here to you, Ridder. If any nobles from the Oduin Kingdom attempt to attack Mist City, you have my permission to kill them on the spot!"

"Also, do your best to keep the fighting outside of Mist City’s walls."

"I understand, my lord!"

Ridder bowed to accept his orders. "Only... should I not go with you?"

’He knew Blanche was carrying the Lord’s child. The Lord’s heir was far more important than any city.’

"You’re too slow; you wouldn’t be able to keep up. Besides... we can’t afford to lose Mist City!"

As he spoke, he had already shot off into the distance, moving so fast that he created a sonic boom.

’That’s definitely not Proud Sun Level!’

Sanburn was utterly shaken. "Sir," he stammered, "could Ronning Duke... could he be a Legendary expert?"

’Legendary?’

Hogney and Caton, who were nearby, had just been wondering if they should try to fight back, now that Ronin had left and only Ridder remained.

Hearing the word "Legendary," they froze.

Ridder withdrew his gaze. ’Though he was a little worried, Ronin was enhanced by a double measure of Extreme Elemental Power, and his Knight Progress toward the Legendary Knight level was more than halfway complete. With that kind of power, he was already unmatched on the entire continent.’

’After this, I suppose his Legendary strength will have to be revealed.’

"Your judgment isn’t half bad."

Ridder remarked, "Even though I’m the only one here now, I’d advise you not to get any clever ideas. Because..."

As he spoke, his body slowly began to float, and he looked down on the three men from above. "I’m a Legendary too."

"Th-this..."

Sanburn’s throat went tight, his expression a mixture of shock and terror.

As for Hogney and Caton, they broke out in a cold sweat, their bodies trembling uncontrollably. Only moments ago, they had been planning to attack Ridder.

"The Lord Duke values talent. Since you aren’t minions of the Holy Storm, he will grant you a path to survival, just like he did for Placido of Watchtower Castle."

Ridder descended back to the ground. "You now have two choices. Surrender, or I will slaughter all of you right here."

His words were spoken softly, yet the three men found them impossible to resist.

"We... we surrender!" Sanburn said, his voice laced with bitterness.

"Excellent!"

Ridder glanced at the sky. "You will make camp here for the night. Tomorrow morning, take your men and station them ten li outside Mist City."

’He was tempted to use this group to launch an immediate counterattack on Mo’er City.’

’But with Ronin’s situation still uncertain, and no way of knowing if other nobles might attack Mist City, he decided to shelve the plan for the time being.’

Meanwhile, Ronin, empowered by the Wind Shadow Skill, was moving faster than the speed of sound. Sonic booms echoed continuously in his wake as he crossed the distance from the border to the skies above Mist City in the blink of an eye.

He had intended to fly directly to Wubei Territory to check on Blanche, but he was surprised to see David approaching from the north.

Ronin’s figure materialized in front of David’s Griffin, the sonic boom catching up a moment later. The immense shockwave caused the Griffin to shriek in alarm and nearly tumble from the sky.

"My lord!" David cried out, recovering from his shock.

"What are you doing, coming to Mist City?"

"My lord, Governor Elron asked me to bring you this letter. It was sent from Wushan Castle."

Ronin took it and scanned the contents quickly, his expression instantly darkening.

The letter contained early intelligence. At the time, the report said Bruno had run into a problem with his Cultivation and needed to rest quietly. However, based on that news and the unusual activity outside Black Pine Mountain, Lurans had deduced that His Majesty the King might be in grave trouble.

’His Majesty...’

Ronin’s brow furrowed. ’Don’t tell me there’s been a coup?’

He asked David, "Where was The Lady when you left?"

"She was in Wubei Territory. However, when I picked up the letter, Krami mentioned that three Griffin Knights from the Royal Capital had arrived to visit her."

Ronin swayed slightly as a terrible feeling washed over him.

In a flash of understanding, it all became clear. The enemy had sent Sanburn’s forces across the border only to have them hold their position. The entire purpose was to draw his attention and lure him away from Wubei Territory.

Then, they could lure Blanche to the Golden Feather Palace and take her hostage.

’As for the unusual activity outside Black Pine Mountain, that was probably Andrea making preparations, assuming that Wushan Territory was about to fall.’

’None of this was Bruno’s style.’

’Ronin had every reason to believe that Bruno had been deposed. This style of scheming was a perfect match for Garrett.’

"Fine. Just fine," Ronin seethed. "So this is how you want to play, is it!"

Ronin’s fists tightened, crumpling the letter in his grasp.

All this time, Ronin had shown Bruno respect, always abiding by the rules of the aristocracy’s game. He had never openly challenged the established order.

He had never expected that in the end, someone else would be the first to flip the table.

SCREE~

Just then, a low cry echoed from the distant sky. The Griffin beneath David heard it and answered with a call of its own.

"My lord, a Griffin is approaching."

Ronin looked over. With his Eye Power, he could clearly distinguish the insignia on its Armor.

It was a Griffin of the Royal Family.

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