He got a System for Upgrading his Warriors, Developing his Fortress and became the Strongest Lord!

would you like to manage your own Army participate in exciting battles subjugate other races develop your own Fortress well the hero of our story has such an opportunity because he had the system of the almighty Lord with its help he could develop his Warriors and discover new technologies fascinating development capturing fortresses fighting for territories a lot of unique races epic battles that take your breath away and much more that's what you will see in this story let's start at the beginning with the moment when our hero Richard arrives in the city of Solen after being

transported to this world he finds himself in the body of a bastard of the famous Orlando family Richard has many reasons for being in this city he hopes to start a new chapter in his life here armed with the system of the Supreme Overlord upon arriving at the city Lord's Chambers he learns the bad news that his father Calvin Orlando has died Richard's half-brother Winger Orlando now sees him as a threat but Richard remains indifferent the Lord glaring demands that Richard give up the Orlando name and assist Winger in removing any obstacles if Richard agrees

Winger will give him 500 gold coins to support his new territory when a box is presented to him Richard opens it to find a pile of gold coins A Satisfied smile crosses his face as he realizes this will be perfect as the starting capital for his new life relieved that a deal has been made the Lord relaxes but Richard isn't content with just the money he calmly states that the Orlando name holds great honor and Glory the most valuable Legacy left by his father surrendering it would require more compens ation the Lord momentarily taken aback

quickly offers 1,000 gold coins with no interest on the condition that Richard buys everything from the city Richard agrees and asks if the Lord has a group of Barbarian Highlander slaves in the Coliseum the Lord understanding Richard's plan to use them as troops warns that taming these barbarians will be difficult even with 1,000 gold coins they might not obey him Richard having done his homework is undeterred the Lord then orders his men to escort him to the arena as he rides in the Chariot he reflects on his 10 years of life in this world sometimes

missing his once happy life when a servant asks about the tune he is humming he vaguely replies that it's just a simple song from his hometown the scene shifts to a deeper exploration of Richard's past he was once homeless killed as a thief and discarded like trash after reincarnating he took over the host's body and acquired the mighty Lord system growing stronger each day initially he aimed to become a knight but his father's sudden decision to pass on his title to Richard disrupted those plans fortunately he obtained the certificate of pioneering lordship in time and

fled to Solen City escaping his family's wrath at the Coliseum he informs the owner that he wants to purchase all the barbarians to form troops and expand his territories the owner thrilled at the prospect of a large sale eagerly leads them inside as they walk through the corridor the owner warns him that The Barbarians are Fierce and often injure other Fighters costing her a fortune in medical expenses she advises caution but his interest only grows as he observes the Monstrous creatures lining the the corridor his excitement Peaks when the owner mentions that The Barbarians can

Slaughter and eat crocodiles impressed by their self-sufficiency and fighting prowess his determination to subdue them intensifies the owner wonders if he is crazy unaware that he possesses the most powerful Lord system on the continent as he reviews the systems attributes he feels ready to showcase the results of his hard work over the past 3 years reaching the high platform of the Beast Arena he loudly announces to The Barbarians below that he has purchased all of them knowing they won't EAS easily submit he proposes a wrestling match the winner gains Freedom while the loser becomes his

subordinate a hulking Barbarian named Russell steps forward to challenge him muscles bulging with power Russell prepares for the match meanwhile the platform owner drenched in sweat fears the repercussions if anything happens to Richard on her territory she quickly orders her attendants to persuade him to reconsider but he insists he is following the city Lord's orders and has no right to interfere as Richard braces for the fight The Barbarians mock him laughing at the little boy who dares to challenge Russell one even warns Russell to go easy fearing problems if the Aristocrat dies but Russell is

determined to show no mercy the fight begins with Russell charging at Richard headbutting him with brutal force he grabs Richard by the shirt and slams him to the ground with a resounding bang as Richard lies on the ground Russell sneers disappointed that it took only one move to defeat him The Barbarians cheer while the platform owner dispares fearing her Coliseum might be shut down for good but then Richard grabs Russell's foot and slow slowly stands up with a smug grin he had let Russell make the first move not wanting to be accused of bullying with

a powerful punch to Russell's stomach he sends the Barbarian crashing to the ground Russell stunned struggles to comprehend how an aristocrat could withstand his attacks meanwhile Richard begins radiating a golden fire a skill honed over the years through the Lord's system how could he lose to someone with such poor skills enraged Russell charges again but this time Richard effortlessly flips him over his shoulder and slams him to the ground now Russell finds himself pinned under Richard's foot unable to believe he has been bested by a thin Aristocrat refusing to admit defeat Russell stands up determined

to re-challenge Richard calm and confident Richard agrees to another round the other barbarians can't bear to watch Richard grabs Russell and repeatedly slams him into the ground asking if he still hasn't given up bruised and swollen Russell stubbornly refuses to tap out the other barbarians urge him to surrender pointing out that he has already lost 10 times even Russell is shocked at the outcome just then a female Barbarian steps forward proposing a fight with Richard as the leader of the barbarians she seeks to free her people by defeating him Richard excited by The Challenge declares

that the real show is about to begin Gunther the Barbarian leader attacks with lightning speed catching Richard off guard suddenly the system alerts Richard the Barbarian leader named Gunther has been detected as a hero distracted by the alert Richard is hit by Gunther's steel fist forcing him to stumble back despite standing his ground Richard is curious about Gunther he has never encountered a hero of her rank before but Gunther doesn't give him time to recover launching a Relentless series of strikes The Barbarians cheer wildly and even Richard's followers feel uneasy Gunther's assault is just the

beginning she picks up a massive Rock and hurls it at Richard with a loud crash Richard is buried under the rock the Coliseum owner worries that a Lord has just been stoned to death in her Arena Gunther stands proudly but then a voice emerges from Beneath The Rock shocking everyone including Gunther Richard pushes the Rock away and Gunther swiftly moves to his side wrapping an iron chain around his neck and slamming him to the ground Richard doesn't struggle but seems satisfied with Gunther's performance with a light pull he snaps the chain apart shocking The Barbarians

even Gunther is stunned top Craftsman forged this chain to restrain giant beasts and even she had been trapped by it for years yet Richard broke it effortlessly with his bare hands impressed by her strength and strategy Richard sees Gunther as the perfect subordinate but Gunther feels mocked Furious demands that Richard respect her and give his all in their battle Richard calmly replies that she is still chained unable to fully unleash her power now it is his turn to show what he is truly capable of he raises his right fist gathering strength and lunges forward his

fist slicing through the air Gunther blocks but Richard follows with a crushing overhead strike the ground shatters on impact and Gunther barely Dodges The Barbarians watch in awe as their Chief is overwhelmed by Richard's strength suddenly Richard grabs Gunther's throat she struggles but can't break free as Richard raises his left hand to strike Gunther closes her eyes expecting the end but instead of hitting her he shatters the iron ring on her body stunned Gunther's heart races as she processes what just happened after taking down the female leader Richard turns to The Barbarians and gives them

a choice they can continue challenging him or choose to follow him Richard extends his hand as a sign of cooperation Gunther takes his hand and stands up declaring that Richard is now their new leader Richard announces that he will become the Lord and needs their strength to grow together The Barbarians initially uncertain eventually shout their agreement to join him follow his orders and call him their boss amidst the cheers Richard receives a prompt from the system as he looks at the flood of requests to join his team Richard realizes he has officially taken the first

step in his journey toward becoming the Supreme Lord but the journey through this wild world is fraught with chaos and bloodshed countless ambitious individuals have risen to become Lords crafting their own realities yet most of met their end in despair leaving this world behind though Richard eagerly anticipated his future Adventures he knew it wouldn't be wise to stroll through the streets with a group of half- naked barbarians so he led them to the city's equipment store as they entered the barbarians were as excited as children marveling at the dazzling array of Gear Richard however didn't

even glance at the display he went straight to the owner Negan dwarf explaining that he was there to outfit his brothers having heard that the shop offered top quality weapons sensing he was dealing with an expert the owner pressed a button on the wall the building's walls rotated revealing an impressive arsenal of weapons Richard asked the owner to equip each of his men with a lance and three throwing Spears after a quick calculation the owner informed him that the total cost would be 750 gold coins but Richard only produced a few gold coins the owner

sneering with contempt was about to press the button to close the door and dismiss him mocking him for being poor Gunther seeing this began to protest but Richard calmly told her to wait he then pulled out a legendary piece of equipment the dragon slayer sword and handed it over the owner trembling with excitement realized that the man before him must be someone important to possess such a weapon he immediately agreed to let Richard purchase everything on credit Richard returned the sword and instructed The Barbarians to take a lance three throwing Spears and leather armor each

Negan dwarf couldn't refuse and ordered his employees to quickly equip everyone The Barbarians now armed and outfitted were ecstatic at this point Gunther approached Richard and asked about their next move Richard smirked and said they were about to claim a land that rightfully belonged to them as Richard and his group set out to find a territory someone watched them from afar through binoculars it was the goblin Chief Harrison beside him stood the null Chief whose Jackal Army was ambushed on a nearby Hill they were eager to loot the supplies and weapons from Richard's troop the

null Chief was impatient to attack confident in their numbers which outmatched Richard's group 5 to1 but goblin Harrison assuming Richard was brainless ordered them to hold off until Richard's group ventured deeper into the hinterland meanwhile Gunther had already sensed that something was off she reported her suspicions to Richard who was aware of the possibility of a monster Ambush she asked if he had a plan Richard turned to his group and commanded them to Halt he instructed them to form a circle with the carriages securing the livestock and goods inside in preparation for an imminent attack

without delay he retrieved a bag of pills and distributed them explaining that these were Oriental Elixir designed to enhance their strength heed urged them to take the pills quickly and get ready for the battle ahead most of the group swallowed the pills immediately while a few remained skeptical Richard reassured them insisting that their boss was trustworthy in truth the pills were nothing but flower balls a ruse to cover up the power of the Lord system Richard opens the system panel and sees that most of the barbarians are third level Spearman except for Gunther who stands

out as an independent hero unit the system is incredibly powerful making it possible for units to level up quickly through constant battle if the barbarians had figured this out it could have caused a riot so Richard cleverly used dumplings as a distraction holding a magic pill in his hand he whispers that soon everyone will experience its power meanwhile the goblins and jackals watching them notice the barbarians have stopped moving the null declares that it's time for their enemies to Die the golden Chief punches him in the chest questioning why he seems so pleased the null

guesses The Barbarians might be protected by something sacred but the goblin chimes in saying The Barbarians have stopped because they're scared of the Goblin's strength and have decided to surrender unimpressed the null yells that they don't care about that and commands his troops to attack and loot The Barbarians as the monsters charge down from the hill Richard quickly orders his army to get ready for their first battle the null eager for Bloodshed instructs his forces to kill everyone before taking any loot the fight is about to break out with both sides gearing up for The

Clash Richard grabs a spear and hurls it at the approaching enemy with Incredible speed the spear cuts through the air heading straight for Harrison he easily deflects it by raising his armored arm and the spear flies off piercing a Goblin's skull in the distance Harrison tells his army that while their opponents are strong they aren't strong enough to be feared he shouts to his men that they outnumber the Enemy by a wide margin and urges them to attack all at once Richard's side is clearly at a disadvantage because of the difference in numbers The Barbarians

start to lose confidence and doubt their abilities one of them mutters that no matter how strong they are they can't possibly defeat such a large army a jackal attacks but one of the barbarians knocks it down with a punch another Barbarian stabs a jackal in the stomach with his weapon the jackals being relentless start killing The Barbarians a massive Goblin fights several Barbarians at the same time Russell and another Barbarian find themselves surrounded by goblins and jackals Russell swings his weapon at the jackals calling them dogs but three jackals attack him at once meanwhile another

giant Goblin grabs a barbarian with one hand and squeezes him so hard that the barbarian's body bursts like a bubble Gunther sees what's happening and asks Richard what they should do Richard orders Gunther to hand him another spear then he attaches a flaming spearhead and launches it at a troll on the other side the spear hits its Mark killing the troll instantly and frightening the other monsters causing them to retreat at the same time the successful attack boosted the morale of Richard's side with the systems blessing on their side The Barbarians began to fight more

bravely suddenly Russell also stood up slamming the Jackal that pounced at him just then the null Chief appeared behind behind him ready to deliver a fatal blow but Richard had already thrown a spear that pierced through the null Chief's body right after that Richard drew his dragon slayer sword and shouted that the leaders of the bandits were dead and that the enemy had lost their fighting Spirit he urged his men to take advantage of this moment and launch a fullscale attack encouraged by his words the Barbarian spirits soared and they started to dominate the battle

Gunther realized that Richard had been targeting the enemy leaders all along and that standing on the carriage gave him a better view of the battlefield Richard quoted an old saying to capture Bandits First Catch the leader now only Chief Harrison's Army remained the ones who had originally planned the Ambush the goblin clenched his teeth calling The Barbarians a bunch of losers and Ordinary People urging them to see the consequences of their actions a foul poisonous green energy began to radiate from him Richard noticed this and remarked that the goblin seemed like a chief he then

questioned if the goblin had planned this Ambush and wondered if he wasn't afraid of falling into the hands of more powerful races The Goblin leader laughed explaining that the closest threat was at the high mountain Fortress several miles to the east it was a place that was easy to defend and hard to attack besides he doubted the Cobalts there had the courage to come out and steal his loot Richard was surprised by this unexpected opportunity he had been worried about not finding a suitable territory with a Sly grin he said he felt bad that the

goblin leader couldn't get his spoils so he would give him the dragon slayer sword as a gift instead Harrison immediately became alert and prepared to defend himself but in the blink of ey Richard swung his sword decapitating him the other Goblin minions were stunned and began to flee taking advantage of the situation Gunther quickly ordered the capture of the remaining Bandits Richard checked the system notifications and saw that most of the barbarians had leveled up from level three to level four the nearby barbarians felt their Newfound strength believing it was due to a mysterious Oriental

pill just then his men brought in two captured trolls seeing that the horses were dead Richard decided the trolls would pull the supplies instead declaring them the new Marshals as Richard studied the map he noted that their next destination was the high mountain Fortress a large troll pulled a cart behind him with Richard sitting on it studying a map he noted that this troll was quite fast and at this pace they would soon reach the high mountain Fortress the system panel appeared in front of him again displaying his various stats including weapons Richard realized that

each Improvement gave him bonus points for his personal attributes the store button was still inactive and he needed to increase his power and throwing skills first weapon Mastery could be enhanced through battles but his attribute bonuses were natural with no magical abilities involved being 10 times stronger than an ordinary person he wondered if he'd keep getting stronger imagining himself becoming a muscular giant just then Gunther informed him they had arrived at the base of the high mountain Fortress Richard stood up taking in the view of the Mountain's base the calm water and the greenery around

them he commented that it wasn't such a bad place seeing the clear water in a nearby pool a group of Barbarians jumped in and began washing themselves causing Gunther to feel a bit embarrassed two barbarians approached with Dead Rabbits noting the abundance of Wildlife and suggesting they go on a big hunt Richard thought they had impressive survival skills Richard noticed Gunther sniffing her hand and suggested she take a bath and rest after their recent battles he mentioned a Hidden Pond nearby and assured her he would keep an eye on The Barbarians Gunther blushing and grateful

thanked him later in a secluded Green Spot surrounded by Stones Gunther bathed in the Hidden Pond relaxing and enjoying a well-deserved break under the cover of the night Richard and his group made their way to the Mountaintop and found the high mountain Fortress Richard announced to everyone that this place would be their new base camp seeing the two Cobalts guarding the entrance Richard and Russell exchanged a look of disdain without hesitation Richard gave the order to attack inside the Fortress the Cobalt leader was relaxing With His catfolk companion at that crucial moment Richard kicked the

door open the Cobalts were so startled they stuck out their tongues and began yelling for the guards just then one of Richard's men reported that all the Cobalts outside had been dealt with furious the Cobalt leader glared at Richard and said attacking his forces was a huge mistake he warned that he had a dozen Allied tribes nearby who wouldn't let this attack go unpunished but Richard wasn't interested in listening he immediately tied the Cobalt leader up and hung him in the air terrified the Cobalt quickly apologized seeing that he was now submissive Richard untied him

and let him go as the Cobalt fled he glared back at Richard with a look of hatred and vowed to get revenge one of the barbarians commented that he hadn't expected them to capture the high mountain Fortress so easily but Gunther replied that the Cobalts were useless Richard told everyone that the Fortress was spacious had a wide field of view and plenty of water the open view allowed them to See For Miles around after a while Richard pulled out a map and called everyone together for their first combat meeting a nearby Barbarian asked if they

really needed to fight again Richard explained that there must be a reason why such a good location was occupied by a weak group like the Cobalts it was likely that there were more Cobalt troops in the surrounding area Russell chimed in warning that since they had released the Cobalt leader earlier he might come back with reinforcements Richard replied that he had spent a lot of money equipping everyone with weapons and gear this time instead of seeking out enemies one by one they would let them come to them they would wait for the enemy to gather

and then take them all out at once to make more profit after settling into the Fortress The Troop celebrated however Gunther turned to Richard and asked why the Bandit hadn't made a move despite the time that had passed Richard enjoying his meal replied that she was being too impatient and suggested they wait a bit longer the peaceful days lasted only 2 days Richard's men soon discovered a large army stationed not far from The Fortress wiping his mouth Richard smiled slightly and said it was time to take action since their Fortune had come to them that

night using binoculars Richard scanned the enemy camp and saw the Goblins sleeping seizing this opportunity to assert control over the high mountain Fortress he decided to act he instructed that only Gunther's Squad would join him in the attack while the rest of the barbarians and the trolls would stay behind to guard The Fortress The Barbarians agreed and Richard suggested they finish the job quickly as The Barbarians approached the sleeping goblins in their tents Gunther opened one of the tents and swiftly killed the goblin inside with her sword the noise woke the other goblins and a

battle erupted watching his troops move in an organized manner Richard quietly opened his system panel the system had given them more than just strength before they were a group of simple-minded Barbarian an who didn't understand the importance of coordination now they had become an Elite Force capable of forming effective battle formations suddenly Russell noticed something strange as the ground began to shake violently he was thrown aside as a massive Goblin with two horns the dragon Goblin emerged the dragon goblins started chanting spells and goblins began popping up from the ground like groundhogs this sight frightened

everyone including Richard who realized that the situation was becoming more challenging than expected but that wasn't all the Goblin let out another loud roar and a massive Beast resembling a pangalan appeared lifting the dragon Goblin onto its back the sight of this enormous creature terrified The Barbarians again a goblin riding the pangalan mocked them calling them stupid losers he then pointed his weapon at them and demanded they be punished by the power of the dragon's blood Gunther was ready for action she threw a spear directly at the Beast however as soon as the spear touched

the creature it bounced off harmlessly the goblin laughed wickedly taunting her that her flimsy spear was no match for his BEAST's armor he called her a loser and declared she would soon understand the power of Dragon Blood before launching an attack as Gunther watched the creature charged at her with Incredible speed right in the middle of the crisis Richard dashed in front of Gunther and grabbed the beast's leg with both hands the Beast looked down at Richard in disdain intending to throw him off but with a yell Richard threw the goblin off the Beast causing

the monster to crash heavily to the ground the surrounding goblins were stunned and began screaming in fear Russell couldn't help but Wonder at Richard's strength the dragon Goblin struggling to get up muttered that this couldn't be happening Richard grinned At The Mention Of Noble Dragon Blood and sarcastically suggested that the Goblin's nobility might surrender Furious the goblin gritted his teeth grabbed his weapon and lunged at Richard swearing never to give up Richard swiftly dodged the attack and delivered a powerful punch to the Goblin's face still defiant Richard adjusted his cloak and walked away confidently reminding

everyone that he had finished the fight as quickly as he had promise promised meanwhile Richard checks the characteristics window as The Barbarians celebrate having a weapon with Dragon Blood he noticed that his levels had increased and he gained 175 experience points deciding to use these points Richard allocated them to enhance Gunther's strength Gunther called Richard over showing him the Pengalin they had captured and tied up she offered it to him as a gift nearby some barbarians opened large boxes that contained only two gold coins revealing their dire financial situation Richard chuckled and remarked that it

seemed the Goblins were also having a tough time Gunther then asked what they should do with the monster Richard considering the Pengalin potential meat patted it on the head and named it windchaser he set a clear condition if the Beast disobeyed it would be served as food for everyone just then Richard noticed the store icon was now available he saw an old-fashioned night spear priced at 800 dins since his wallet was empty he could only choose weapons at a discount after making the purchase a light Shone over Richard and the night spear appeared before him

catching it he realized he was finally starting to understand how the system worked Gunther asked if the boss could even use special magic at that moment Richard sensed some movement nearby a barbarian informed him that it looked like a group of jackals engaged in a robbery Richard scanned the area with his binoculars and spotted a wealthy Caravan remarking that it was no wonder the jackals were attracted to it the Caravan loaded with carts and horses was surrounded and its Defenders were preparing for a fierce attack Gunther asks him if they should step in Richard points

out that this isn't just any Caravan and helping them could be good for their business and help expand their territory at the same time the leader of the jackals demands that the people hand over all their money claiming they're in Jackal territory now an old man from the Caravan responds that they are with the Voya Trading Company and warns that if they are harmed the Imperial Army will come after them the jackals just laugh at this their leader smirking says they're Bandits do they really think mentioning the pompel Empire will scare them with that he

orders his to attack the wealthy Caravan one of the caravan's Defenders tries to hold off the jackals and urges the old man to run but before he can escape an attacker strikes the old man from behind he falls to the ground bleeding pleading for Mercy saying he'll give them the money the Jackal leader scoffs saying it's too late for mercy no one is coming to save him suddenly a spear flies through the air and pierces the leader chest he coughs up blood and everyone is stunned Richard who threw the spear comments on how well it

performs Gunther immediately commands his barbarians to kill the jackals The Barbarians obey charging into battle without hesitation the jackals are caught off guard and have no idea who these attackers are Richard leaning casually against a tree remarks that these jackals are just a bunch of Bandits and decides he'll just watch this time as the barbarians take them down Gunther confidently orders his men to split into two groups Richard observes that while The Barbarians are strong as a leader he values a disciplined Army which he believes is crucial for their future battles all the jackals were

defeated with only two two still standing one of them decided to make a run for it which annoyed the other he shouted asking if his companion was really running away the one trying to escape replied that if he hadn't figured it out yet Richard and The Barbarians would have destroyed the alliance between the goblins nulls and jackals the other Jackal then realized the truth exclaiming that Richard the legendary Noble known as the lord of the wild had appeared out of nowhere he finally understood their dire situation and yelled that they were doomed and they'd better

run both jackals sprinted away as fast as they could but suddenly a windmill emerged from the ground and knocked them aside a monster then captured the two jackals Richard was confident that his army could handle the rest of the jackals without his help they were no longer the disorganized group they once were a barbarian finished off the last Jackal and reported back to Richard a merchant approached Richard thanking him for his help and calling him a warrior promising to spread the word of his bravery Richard not one to be modest replied that if they wanted

to repay him they should do so with money the merchant was taken aback by this response then a girl with long Golden Hair stepped out of a cart and with a s smile commented that as expected from a greedy Aristocrat Richard was indeed fascinating a merchant girl from the Voya Trading Company steps out of the cart and introduces herself as Annie she turns to The Man Behind her calling him rudo and asks if he's all right rudo nods saying he is fine Annie bows and thanks Richard and The Barbarians for rescuing them Richard laughs and

boasts that his soldiers are brave and that the jackals are no challenge for them meanwhile The Barbarians standing nearby mutter among themselves calling Richard arrogant and complaining about how he never Praises them during normal times Annie addresses Richard as Lord and says she has a request for him Richard asks what she needs Annie explains that they have suffered heavy losses and that many of their people are injured or dead making it impossible for them to complete their trade deals with the remaining Caravans she hopes they can stay with Richard and his group for a while

Richard replies without any sympathy that staying on his estate is expensive bragging that it's known as a five-star heart back in his homeland Annie responds that she intends to pay with money and weapons she then orders rudo to bring an item rudo presents a turquoise ball with stars on it Richard asks what it is and Annie tells him to watch closely the ball floats into the air and grows larger Annie explains that it is a communication Crystal which she uses to send a message to their trading house for help Richard asks when their reinforcements will

arrive she replies that it will take at least 3 days as they are too far from Horan the cunning Richard is still convinced that this is no ordinary care aravan he sees an opportunity to make a lot of money once their business begins he tells them to come along declaring that he Richard the lord of the Highland Fortress will never turn away friendly guests Annie thanks him for his kindness they soon arrive at The Fortress Richard observes the Caravan members setting up on the street tending to the wounded by bandaging their injuries Annie instructs rudo

to give a healing potion to the injured soldiers she pours a blue liquid from a vial into a large bucket as he watches Richard realizes that this is a legendary healing potion one that is out of his reach due to his lower status this potion blessed by a highlevel magician and strengthened with mid-level magic can heal wounds instantly Richard recalls all the details he knows about this potion especially its high cost and realizes as he suspected that this is indeed a very special Caravan as nightfalls Annie asks rudo if he has checked on all the

victims he responds that while they have no shortage of money or supplies half of their group is either injured or dead Annie reacts with sadness lamenting over the loss of so many lives Ruto reassures her saying that they were fortunate Richard saved them otherwise the situation could have been much worse Annie turns to Ruto and asks what he thinks of Richard rudo replies with admiration noting that Richard is indeed a formidable Lord when the jackals attacked their situation seemed dire but then Richard's soldiers appeared and completely reversed the odds his troops fought with such strength

and skill that they were clearly A Cut Above the Rest Annie agrees wholeheartedly acknowledging that their survival was entirely thanks to Richard and his impressive forces at this moment Richard thinks about the caravan's well equipped soldiers their gear appears even more impressive compared to his four barbarians who are currently fighting over weapons they can't seem to share watching them Richard reflects on how he managed to acquire the caravan's armor without spending a penny and received Fred's battle axe as a reward from the system with a smile he concludes that his soldiers have also grown stronger

suddenly Gunther approaches him and urgently says something is wrong Richard noticing her Panic asks what's going on The Barbarians also turned to listen Gunther finally explains that she saw a large armed group of half human half horse beings heading their way Richard is confused at first wondering what she means by half humans and half horses as he looks out he sees people with the torsos of horses coming towards them these centaurs are approaching the gate led by a silver-haired girl at the front her name is Heather from the Gail Clan and she holds a sword

in her hand suddenly Spears fly toward them Landing heavily on the ground nearby Heather notices the force behind the throws and orders her group to keep moving forward Richard holding a spear is surprised that they are ignoring his warnings he hurls another spear with all his strength and The Barbarians do the same one of the spears flies directly at Heather but she deflects it slicing the spear in half with her sword she then orders her group to stop realizing it's too dangerous to continue at this range Heather pulls out a white handkerchief ties it around

her sword and raises it waving it as a sign of surrender Gunther remarks to Richard that this Centaur is clever then turns to him and suggests that they may have surrendered Richard says they should probably go meet them but he orders the barrier gate to remain closed since their true intentions are still unclear Richard approaches Heather and asks her to explain the reason for their visit Heather bows and introduces herself as the leader of the Gail Clan saying they have come with good intentions Richard introduces himself as the lord of the Highland Fortress Heather quickly

asks if he is truly the Invincible Richard from the martial arts competition in the southern Province Richard smiles and asks if she has heard of him she replies that his reputation has spread far and wide and even the Gail Clan who live in the wilderness has heard of his Feats Richard gives a charming smile and says that his reputation is exaggerated Heather then holds out a piece of wood and tells him they have come to share important news Richard takes the board and asks what it says admitting he can't make out any of the writing

Heather explained that the local people were planning to raise an army and sent her this invitation as a warning some of the other barbarians gather around Richard as Heather continues explaining that the Highland Fortress once belonged to Cobalts now that an army is forming Gunther interrupts pointing out that the locals have always hated their conquerors and assumes Richard knows what that means Richard grips the board with one hand and crushes it into pieces he states that the locals want to reclaim the Highland Fortress Heather nods confirming he's right and adds that the Cobalts have also

Enlisted the help of shamans and Sorcerers whose Powers should not be underestimated Richard starts to reply but Heather bows and kneels placing her hand on her chest in a gesture of respect she openly offers her clan help recognizing the great challenges he will face Richard asks why they are willing to help him instead of those who want to take back the Fortress Heather explains that the Gail Clan once belonged to the orc Kingdom and never allied with the locals or became Bandits she then shares the story of her tribe where everyone worked in the fields

and lived a peaceful life her people were known for their good manners and had a rich culture of poetry and Chronicles some were painters While others played musical instruments now they hope to align themselves with a powerful Lord to restore the Glory Days of their Clan Richard looks out the window and comments that the Gale Clan really wants to join as the system has received their request he checks Heather's profile noting that she is afraid of fire and skilled with both long and short bows as well as a heavy machete he observes that these centaurs

are capable of fighting from a distance he leads Heather and her clan to the estate and introduces Heather as the leader of the Gail Clan he admits that they have received some troubling news Annie asks what makes the news so terrible Richard explains that the Cobalts and jackals will soon declare war on them again alarmed Annie asks soon Richard thinks this will happen Richard considers for a moment and then estimates they have about 10 days hearing this Annie and rudo become anxious about what to do next while Gunther and Russell are excited at the prospect

of more battles Heather reports that although the locals have formed an army it is made up of various Races they have organized their efforts dividing tasks and preparing food for the troops who will need at least 10 days to arrive Richard states that even though the enemy is formidable they have 10 days and that's plenty of time he pulls out a map spreads it on the table and tells everyone that he has devised a strategy to defeat their foes Gunther cheers up and eagerly asks if the boss already has a plan he wonders if he

can share it with everyone the boss replies that they'll find out when the time is right and for now they shouldn't worry turning to Annie the boss says that to face such a strong enemy he has a favor to ask of her she tells him to go ahead he then asks to borrow 500 gold coins without hesitation she calmly says it's not a problem and if it helps she'll just give him the 500 gold coins Richard bowing slightly says the Highland Fortress will always appreciate her generosity later that night while examining weapons from his system

Richard asks Heather if centur are skilled with bows and arrows she replies that the Gail Clan has the best archers Richard browsing the weapon store through his window checks the bows and arrows section and notes that the equipment is expensive supplying soldiers is costly he makes a purchase and a purple bow with a white feathered arrow appears out of the light he hands it to Heather asking her to try it out Heather a bit surprised asks if he uses magic he responds with a smile saying it's just a little trick she takes the bow Knocks

The Arrow draws it back and shoots at a tree or rather at a bee flying nearby the bee is split in two Richard Praises her saying her technique is excellent and as expected these Centaur will strengthen the Highland fortress's long-range defense Heather bows and thanks Sir Richard for letting her use such a heavy bow saying it's been a long time since she last did Richard smiles back laughs and says she can start raining with it tomorrow suddenly rudo rushes over and says something is wrong he kneels and reports that they found the Caravan reinforcements but

it looks like they've been attacked Richard immediately calls Heather to investigate Annie seeing the wounded begins to cry calling the attackers vile Jackal when Richard arrives he asks Annie what happened she explains that it looks like all the reinforcements have been wiped out bodies are scattered everywhere Richard suggests sending the Caravan back to Solen saying the Highland Fortress is no longer safe one of the wounded soldiers suggest suggests taking the healthy men and horses arguing that even if they encounter jackals they'll be able to fend them off but Annie disagrees insisting she can't abandon the

wounded members of the Caravan who risked their lives for her Richard with a greedy smile says that in such a dangerous situation the rent will go up and what he sees is worth 2,000 gold feeling defeated Annie tells him to do as he pleases meanwhile Heather examines the Spears and tells Richard that the spear smells like Chinese Pine and that the attackers seem to have forged the tips themselves Richard inspects the sharp end and remarks that it's hard to believe the locals or Savages could have done this Annie responds saying that there are more Savages

than they might think she mentions the powerful tribes in the far north where large groups of thousands of adult soldiers often fight for territory and Forge their own weapons Annie adds that the strength of these tribes is far greater than that of the local Savages Heather turns to her and asks if she means the Caravan was attacked by Ice natives Annie confirms this expressing concern that the arrival of the ice natives changes everything Richard agrees saying it's clear the ice natives have joined the war Gunther with ambition in his voice suggests that they should all

come at once so he can take them down in one blow Richard nods saying Gunther is right they'll just capture everyone in One Go 10 days later the Centaur rush to Richard reporting that they've spotted the enemy he asks where they are now the Centaur explains that the enemy has set up camp at the foot of the mountain about 50 Mi away and it looks like they plan to attack tomorrow Richard pleased with this news says they've been waiting a long time and now the moment has finally arrived Richard fiercely draws his sword and commands

his army to prepare for battle he tells them to cut off the enemy's heads and use them as Bowls the Barbarian Army moves forward with excitement shouting with their weapons drawn as centur ready their bows and stomp their Hooves in anticipation as Richard straps on his armor he feels its heavy weight Annie turns to him asking about his strategy and how he plans to act he says they will first launch two rounds of arrows and then charge he believes that if they can kill a 100 enemies the rest will Retreat on their own rudo and

Annie are shocked at this straightforward plan Richard standing confidently assures her that everything will be fine and tells her not to worry meanwhile a group of goblins marches through the mountains led by their Jackal leader riding a large Jackal Beast the leader looking at the small number of soldiers says that if this is all the Lord has then they're simply asking for defeat he then turns to the Cobalt Chief saying they need to end this battle quickly the Cobalt replies that there's no need to rush because their leader Lord Richard is quite formidable through binoculars

they see Richard standing beside windchaser the enemy leader notices the large number of soldiers gathered this time and decides they must crush them without hesitation the jackals and goblins launch a direct assault on the Fortress Richard ready for battle reflects on how life was given to them by God but sadly they do not cherish it he raises his weapon high and commands everyone to prepare for war meanwhile The Jackal Army charges forward with orders to bite their enemies to death Heather pulls back an arrow in her bow and the other sent follow her lead when

the command to fire is given a volley of arrows is released all at once one Arrow hits a jackal killing it instantly but a goblin deflects another with its Shield the two huge armies Clash each determined to kill the other goblins swing swords and throw Spears wildly but windchaser deflects their attacks with ease The Barbarians fight bravely showing no fear in the face of the enemy as the distance between the two armies closes the ground suddenly cracks open and a dragon Goblin emerges Richard tells winch ER to show everyone his strength windchaser leaps into the

air crashing down with great force and crushing the Goblins below Richard strikes one Goblin with a large fork-like weapon and cuts down another with an axe Russell and Gunther take turns cutting through the Goblins ordering their forces to leave no one alive windchaser crushes Jackal with its paws two goblins with weapons charge at Richard but he pulls out his weapon which transforms into nunchucks he deflects their attack but falls down in the process realizing these goblins are stronger than he expected as three more goblins attack him at once he quickly takes them all down while

he is fighting Gunther and Russell are amazed at his strength saying that the Lord is almost as powerful as the devil watching from above with binoculars The Jackal leader and the Cobalt Chief see that their soldiers have been wiped out the cobal panics exclaiming how terrible the situation is and wondering how this could happen the Jackal tells the sorcerer to cast a spell meanwhile the shaman begins chanting strange and familiar spells summoning fire from a pool of lava the two leaders are pleased confident that Richard's Army will be destroyed Richard turns around and sees the

fireball realizing it's the Shaman's magic under the Shaman's command the fireball transforms into a fiery Dragon he warns everyone to be careful he gets ready to block the attack and raises his weapon but it unexpectedly breaks he didn't anticipate the heat wave from the fire to be so strong the fire spreads everywhere causing The Barbarians to feel afraid as the shaman spells are very powerful one of the barbarians says it's the first time he's been injured Richard states that they need to figure out how to deal with the shaman since it seems like she controls

the fire with a wand Heather approaches Richard and asks if he's okay he tells her she arrived just in time and points to the shaman asking if she can shoot from such a long distance Heather replies that she can do it easily Heather gives the command and the Centaur pull arrows onto their bows as soon as Heather says fire everyone releases their arrows she orders them to keep shooting and they obey a large number of Arrows fly toward the enemy The Jackal calls it a reain of arrows and tells the Goblins to protect the shaman

by the fire goblins with shields rush to guard the shaman Richard swings and throws his spear while ordering a surprise attack the Jackal believes everything will be fine if they protect the shaman but mid-sentence the spear hits him directly the force of the spear knocks him back taking down the Goblins guarding the shaman the Shaman's wand breaks and the fireball Falls onto their own Army of goblins and jackals goblins are burned by the fire and collapse to the ground Richard notices the fire spreading around them the Cobalt observes Observer tries to help Chief Jackal but

quickly realizes that he's already dead he turns to the shaman and asks what they should do next the shaman stir something in a bowl and without the wand a purple flam likee energy appears thinking the Battle Is Over Richard says it's time to clean up but suddenly he sees the Goblins who were previously Dead Rising up from the ground they've been possessed by the Shaman's magic which Richard realizes is making them bloodthirsty the goblins and jackals stand up Suddenly and attack without using weapons Richard swings his sword at a jackal slicing its body into pieces

he kills three attacking goblins in the same way and continues moving forward Gunther is also fighting he reaches the shaman and says that he has finally caught them the Cobalt admits defeat and the shaman sits on the Cobalt's shoulders trying to escape he asks if they really think they can run away he takes off his helmet and throws it at them knocking the shaman off the Cobalt's back he approaches the shaman and menacingly says that he has caught him the shaman turns his head revealing that it's actually a witch he laughs saying he didn't expect

the shaman to be a woman while holding the shaman by the tail he asks Gunther what happened to Nate one of his barbarians she replies that Nate has a serious wound and needs medical help Richard throws the shaman to the ground saying that she's killed many people and orders her to save Nate the shaman looks away and explains that she was forced to attack Richard's Army asking not to be called Hay but by her name modar with a threatening expression he asks if she dares to argue and warns that he will make her suffer in

every way possible the sh sh immediately panics raising her hands in surrender and agrees to help she casts a spell near Nate who suddenly wakes up groaning and moving his hand everyone watches closely their faces filled with surprise and anticipation the shaman leaning back looks exhausted and says she is tired The Barbarians surround Nate amazed that he is fully healed and his wounds have disappeared as if they never existed Richard realizes that Moder is powerful in both destruction and healing he decides that she could be a valuable asset at the Highland Fortress Gunther then asks

him what they should do with the jackals and goblins he responds that they need to clean up the battlefield and make all the survivors submit to him one barbarian notes that they have caught a lot this time he looks out the system window at the many requests and is pleased to see several upgrades Russell the hero is upgraded to a first class warrior with an axe and gains two character points Gunther distracted by his question asks what they'll do with the witch Moder lying quietly on the ground Richard picks up the Cobalt by the leg

and orders him to take the witch with him and find their base Richard splits Heather's leveling points between strength and speed deciding this will work Heather informs him that they couldn't get any information from the magician he asks if they tried torturing her she replies that they used all sorts of threats and torture but she didn't say anything he confidently says catching a phoenix is not as easy as catching a chicken and offers to show them how it's done he stands up and walks toward them the Cobalt is tied up by its legs and arms

hanging against the wall the shaman tries to Rebel threatening to turn them all into insects if they hit her again Richard Richard and Heather enter the room the shaman immediately sits down calling him pompeian and asks him to control his subordinates who don't respect her Richard Smiles calls her hey again and demands to know the location of her base the witch annoyed yells that she's already told them she won't say anything and that she has the blood of a dragon in the middle of her speech Richard punches her in the face sending her flying Heather

is shocked by his sudden action he lifts the shaman up and asks again where her base is she quickly responds that it's in the m mountains 200 mil away he then asks how many warriors are left in their tribe she immediately says there are none left as they've all been defeated he warns her menacingly that if she's lying he'll break her teeth she panics and insists she's telling the truth explaining that all the soldiers went to war and only old women and children are left he then asks how many spells she knows with wide eyes

almost in tears she explains that there are many different shamans in the wild and that having the blood of a red dragon she has mastered Fire magic completely she adds that the Minotaur shamans can control the element of Earth create avalanches and destroy the ground while the troll shamans control trees and plants killing all living things he thinks about this and remarks that the Wilderness is much more dangerous than he expected he calls Heather and tells her to find Gunther and come up with an attack plan the Barbarian asks what they should do with the

Cobalt and the witch he says they are useless and orders them to be buried behind the mountain Shaman quickly protests insisting she is still useful and can help them he asks how she could possibly be of help she replies that when she came to the Highland Fortress she saw two giant monsters who had the unique talents of a shaman she claims that as a shaman herself she can train them turning them into powerful and unpredictable shur shamans with an endless supply of Mana 2 Days Later Richard plans to demolish the Highland Fortress the slaves he

brought back have been working tirelessly to rebuild it when Heather asks about his plans Richard explains that after the demolition they will begin constructing defensive structures around the Fortress then they will use Granite to reinforce the foundation making the entire structure much stronger this time Richard is determined to make the Fortress the most formidable and unbreakable castle in the wilderness he give Heather a new mission to lead a small team to scout out the enemy base the shaman had mentioned and confirm if her claims are true when she asks if he wants her to eliminate

the enemy forces he makes it clear she only needs to gather information the village is mostly populated by elderly women the weak and children so she and the centaur will need to be quick and efficient Heather agrees mentioning that 2 days ago she felt the wind beneath her feet as if it was urging her forward she assures him she would lead the team and return promptly with the report he cautioned her to stay vigilant and ensure her team's safe return after sending Heather on her Mission he heads to The Back Mountain to check on the

trolls training progress seeing they aren't tapping into their magical potential he questions whether their training had gone deep enough so far there hasn't been any noticeable Improvement the shaman feels Richard seem unaware of her true power so she decides to cast a spell the magic immediately alerts the trolls causing them to instinctively awaken a counter skill she informed Richard that one of the trolls had activated the stoneskin art skill she adds that to avoid being hit the troll had also developed the ability to turn invisible The Awakening of Shaman focuses on the harmony between time

place and relationships which explains why the other troll hadn't awakened any special skills yet Richard considers the ability to turn invisible might seem a bit underwhelming but at least it is still a magical skill just then Annie called out to Richard from behind he asked if they had returned safely to Corin City she replied that they were planning to transport some goods for trade with the darwinian tribe and happened to cross paths with him Richard approached the cart and inspected its contents which were packed with coal he asked why there was such a great trade

in Coal Annie explained that they used the coal to trade with the dwarves for gold coins and fur aware of this Richard asked why the dwarves needed so much coal she explained that last year the dwarves had discovered an iron or vean in Lake bayu 150 Mi west of high mountain Fortress which was why they had been purchasing large quantities of coal at that moment Richard suddenly received a letter from The Lord of Corin City ordering all Nobles expanding their territories outside to return to the city almost immediately Heather came running towards him looking distressed

Richard was surprised by her early return from the shaman tribes 400 miles away and feared she might have been injured or attacked along the way Heather reported that there was no immediate threat in the Jackal and sh Shaman's tribe though they did come across some injured soldiers however on their way back they passed through a dwarf Village and found piles of dwarf corpses scattered across the ground as they wondered who could have committed such a brutal attack a huge black figure appeared before them without hesitation Richard identified the attackers as ban Heather was surprised and

asked how Richard knew Richard explained that he had learned from the letter sent by the Lord of Corin city which warned everyone to return to the city because a large wave of barmen had been spotted moving south putting many Nobles in danger but Richard a proud warrior had no intention of fleeing like a coward instead he ordered Gunther and the others to rest and prepare for what was to come Richard then turned to Annie and remarked that her business with the dwarves seemed unfinished he suggested she hand over the coal instead Annie was confused by

his request but Richard quickly clarified he needed the coal because he had built a factory and was crafting his own weapons for the Fortress he emphasized that they needed a steady supply of weapons to face the unknown enemies they might encounter Richard then asked Gunther about the weapon he had commissioned Gunther confirmed they had built it according to Richard's specifications Richard moved to unveil it revealing a massive flaming Cannon Before Their Eyes he explained that such a weapon existed only in his true Homeland leaving Annie and the shaman stunned by the sight of the advanced

technology as night fell Richard and his group arrived at the Dwarf Village the ground was littered with corpses and marked with the footprints of ban Heather shuddered recalling how the ban had come in large numbers and they they had only survived by fleeing as fast as they could Richard reflected that if he hadn't upgraded the speed attribute of his Centaur tribe they might not have made it out alive Richard instructed his men to search the area for anything useful but they came back empty-handed Annie standing to the side calmly remarked that bean were a violent

and greedy race that wouldn't leave anything of value behind Richard however disagreed believing that value could mean different things to different people he suddenly spotted a jar filled with a dark liquid inside a tent upon closer inspection he realized it was a jar of soy sauce it seemed the bean hadn't realized the worth of soy sauce Annie intrigued asked what was so delightful about it Richard replied that if they took the soy sauce back to Corin City they could open a restaurant and make a fortune his entrepreneurial Spirit even impressed Annie a seasoned Merchant later

Richard decided they would camp at the site overnight rudo asked his father why they were staying when they had only come to scout out the enemy he insisted they should leave only after seeing the barmen themselves during the Expedition Annie appeared worried she suspected that the bearmen and the dwarves were locked in a conflict and thought it best to avoid getting involved however she struggled to understand why Richard was engaging in this war Richard explained that since she seemed to grasp the situation she must also understand why the bean had started this war Sue quickly

realized that the two tribes were likely fighting over control of the Iron Mine in a time when primitive weapons ruled whoever controlled the resources had the advantage if the baren and the dwarves could compete for it why couldn't they seize it themselves eles Annie still tried to persuade Richard arguing that a large scale War like this might be too much for the high mountain Fortress Army to handle Richard replied confidently questioning why she had followed them if she believed it was too dangerous he reminded her that the strength of the high mountain Fortress was far

greater than it had been in the past just then Gunther and Russell arrived with three cannons and a magical group of three Wizards Richard pointed out that they also had Brave and skilled Barbarian Warriors and an archery unit he continued to persuade Annie St that with her support they could win this war he believed that if he could win her over he could establish connections with the dwarves so he proposed a deal he would give her half of the iron ore if she agreed to cooperate Annie accepted the offer with his entire Army lined up

Richard drew his Dragon lay sword and stood at top a high tower he shouted that this battle was not only for the high mountain Fortress but also for themselves they must become the unyielding force that could crush their enemies his words ignited a fierce determination in the soldiers below were now fired up and ready for battle under the cover of night Richard LED his army to the dwarf's castle he had planned to strike first but a group of rabbit folk got there ahead of him he quickly ordered his men to hide watching the rabbits raiding

the castle he wondered why rabbit folk were involved in a battle between the bearmen and the dwarves Annie explained that these rabbits were vassals of the barmen Gunther told him that powerful races often recruit weaker ones as vassals forcing them to do menial tasks Richard surprised by this Revelation asked why they hadn't told him sooner they replied that they didn't expect a lord like him to be unaware feeling embarrassed he noticed the little Shaman nearby and playfully tapped her head telling her to Bow by then the rabbits had already climbed over the wall unnoticed by

the Dwarven guards the rabbits quickly gained the upper hand and launched a final assault the guards shouted that enemies were approaching from beay Lake hearing this all the walls defenses were alerted believing the Baran had started their attack the battle began with the dwarves shooting arrows at the rabbits the rabbits defended themselves with shields as they rushed toward the gate crossing the lake less strategic dwarves opened the gate to seize the rabbit attackers seeing this chance the rabbit Chief ordered a full-on assault suddenly a cannon blast sent a large group of rabbits flying to the

chief's surprise Richard stood in the distance with a smug look ready to take his turn in the battle the enraged rabbit Chief thinking reinforcements had arrived for the dwarves turned the attack toward Richard and charged at him but he was ready for the attack and the rabbits were no match for his Barbarian Army he SL flashed through the rabbits as if they were mere vegetables while his troops fought with Fierce determination the rabbit Clan quickly lost their strength and couldn't resist Gunther chanted that their strength lay only in numbers and could be crushed with a

single blow suddenly Richard felt the ground shake and turned around at first he thought it was an earthquake but then he saw a massive Shadow looming behind him the giant was many times larger and more powerful than anything he had seen leaving him in awe of its sudden presence the be men roared and swung their flail with one powerful arm the blow struck Richard with a bone crushing force and he could do little to defend himself the impact sent him flying far back seizing the moment the bearman leader ordered his army to attack although the

barean didn't have an advantage in number his troops were formidable the well-trained Centaur units acted as rear guards countering the bearmen with deadly arrows that struck with Precision meanwhile three armored rabbits stood ready with the one in the center wielding a spear and directing the reserve forces to advance the castle loomed large as a swarm of small figures approached and two voices repeatedly shouted to kill them all the shaman began casting a spell hurling a series of fireballs at the ban at the same time one of the trolls trained by the shaman activated a stone

skill that shattered the Bean's swords then used fire to drive them back on the city wall the dwarf tribe was momentarily confused the chief dwarf Lobby couldn't identify who their unexpected Ally was on the battlefield his Commander Sendak urged him to allow their forces to join the fight against the bearmen but l be refused instead he ordered Sendak to assist the injured soldiers leaving the battle to Richard's Army below a mob of three giant bman charges toward Richard's Army determined to show them his power he activates his system unleashing a massive swirling energy that strikes

beasts leaving him stunned the force of the tornado sweeps away the surrounding rabbit folk now Richard and the Beast stand face to face ready for combat he strikes at one of them with his sword but the Beast quickly blocks it with metal chains recognizing the beast's immense strength he swiftly activates the skill Vault of heaven and with lightning speed slices it in half with a single devastating blow this battle was a piece of cake for him thanks to his unbeatable system on the other side Gunther charged at a bean shouting a challenge as she prepared

to strike The Clash was fierce with the ban swinging its massive sword Gunther barely managed to block the attack but the ban landed a powerful blow sending her flying and crashing into the ground seeing this Russell couldn't hold back and hurled his double bladed axe at the be man however his weapon didn't leave a scratch suddenly a flash of light sliced through the air instantly decapitating the ban it was Richard using the trolls Invincible artifact to launch an assault everyone rushed to check on Gunther's condition despite suffering a potentially deadly blow she was unharmed protected

by the trolls Stone skin and invisibility spells these spells could be cast not only on the Trolls but also on teammates over a wide area as Gunther and her group celebrated what they thought was a total victory red smoke suddenly flooded the battlefield to their horror the fallen bearmen and rabbit folk began to rise within the smoke the shaman with her vast experience and knowledge quickly recognized the spell as the madness art she realized only the Minotaur of the waning moon tribe could cast such magic and feared that this tribe might not be far away

she explained to Richard that in the southwest of the Pompei Empire lived the torrent Orcs tribe a group of Fierce and aggressive Minotaur known for their wild nature and Mastery of the Shaman's preserved spells they were almost unbeatable in battle earning them the name blood hoof tribe back on the battlefield the resurrected barmen and rabbit folk charged at Richard's forces once again Richard began scanning the area for the one who had cast the spell the shaman informed him that the enemies were only in a state of partial berserk which meant the Caster was not present

on the scene hearing this he felt relieved this group of revived soldiers stood no chance against Gunther and his team who cut them down with ease the troops chanted in Victory as Richard turned his attention to aiding the dwarves by driving away the ban hoping to earn a share of the iron ore in return He approached the front of the dwarf castle where the dwarves eyed him wearily and asked his purpose he introduced himself as Baron Richard lord of the high mountains Fortress of the Pompei Empire however when Lobby spotted Annie with him he immediately

ordered the gates to be opened and warmly welcomed her much to Richard's irritation as he was referred to as Annie's sidek kick Richard feeling slighted considered calling Lobby shabby instead of by his name Annie explained that Lord Richard had come to help Lobby replied by thanking God for their protection and enabling them to survive the attack which annoyed Richard further he felt the dwarves should be thanking him not God once inside the castle Lobby confessed he never expected them to arrive in time Annie told him that she and Lord Richard had learned of the Bean's

Invasion plan prompting them to rush to the dwarf's aid knowing they couldn't hold back the attack alone overwhelmed Lobby tearfully admitted that without their help his forces would have been completely wiped out upon seeing his reaction Richard couldn't help but chuckle Lobby thinking he was mocking him glared at him in Anger Richard tried to awkwardly deny that he had laughed but the tension was clear then Annie stepped in saying that Richard was a famous warrior in pompy a man who had come to help Dwarf fortress out of genuine concern hearing this Lobby guessed his DUI

and cultivation might be pretty profound DOI in general display the powerful abilities of Marshall Warriors skills that Richard had never practiced in his life skeptical Lobby questioned how he could have gained such Fame as a warrior with a Sly smile he replied that his peers had helped him in battle Annie sensing the growing tension whispered quietly to Richard that's enough Lord Richard she then asked Lobby about his plan to face any future attacks from the bareen noting how they had barely survived the current conflict Lobby clearly exhausted said he just wanted a night's rest and

would strategize the next day Richard requested accommodation for his troops and Lobby said that the tribes ston houses were available for them as they walked away Annie continued to advise him not to take Lobby's blunt replies to heart but he harbored deep disdain for Lobby in his eyes an emotional and tearful leader like Lobby stood no chance of winning this battle Annie responded that not everyone was Fearless in war to which he replied that while everyone fears war and death Victory comes to those who make their enemies fear them even more with that they headed

to rest elsewhere two armored figures lay on the ground one injured reassured the other that they'd feel better once they were outside the other annoyed stood up and warned them to be quiet not wanting to alert The Barbarians and trolls nearby upon reaching their resting room Richard was able to lie down and nap but Heather had to kneel on the ground to rest the room the dwarves had prepared was simply too low for someone of Heather's height suddenly the house shook violently Richard instantly alert sat up in bed and went to the window to investigate

the intensity of the Tremors made him suspect a looming threat it quickly became clear the minotaurs had returned this time bringing the ban with them for Revenge meanwhile on the walls a group of dwarves quickly sprang into action grabbing their horns and sounding the alarm before long a large army had assembled in front of the Seagate as Richard and his group stood before the dwarves he could sense the lingering resentment in the Dwarven Army after all he had mocked them earlier while they were in the castle but Lobby responded boldly reminding them that the waning

moon tribe and the minors were coming at full force he told them they were about to risk their lives for their tribe his Commander Sendak also shared a plan to divide the Imp Of Orcs before launching an attack he pointed out that due to their short stature their enemies would have to stoop down to attack them giving the dwarves a natural advantage in battle the proud Dwarven Army however refused to let Richard and his group Take the Lead determined and confident they marched forward to confront the enemy themselves seeing the stubborn pride in the dwarves

Richard could only smile and let them have their way Gunther joked with Heather about her height playfully warning her that it was dangerous because she might get hit by the Orcs Heather shot back reminding him that she wasn't that short suddenly Heavy Rain began to fall the soldiers were growing fearful that the fierce minotaurs might breach the city overhearing their concerns Sendak dismissed their worries and urged them to focus on their duties as they watched the minotaurs and barmen charging toward them Richard wished he could capture some alive to sell to the Coliseum Gunther cheerfully

agreed noting it would bring in a substantial profit amid the chaos the dwarfs drenched in sweat and terrified marveled at the calm demeanor of the high mountain Fortress people thinking they must be insane standing on the Fortress wall Lobby asked Richard if the cannon they had used earlier was still functional Richard reluctantly admitted that they had already run out of cannonballs Lobby then turned to Sendak and inquired about their supply of crossbow bolts Sendak informed him they had only six left with no other choice Lobby decided they would have to use the remaining crossbows very

carefully against the approaching minotaurs however the dwarf's plan was too simple after just one charge the enemy easily defeated and Scattered them realizing it was time to unleash their key weapon the dwarves waited until the enemy was within range of them and then fired all the crossbows at once one bolt struck a Minotaur in the eye taking him down but the others failed to cause significant damage soon the enemy reached the city Gates watching his army being slaughtered Lobby began to sweat in fear realizing they were now doomed Gunther asked Richard what their next move

was he replied that the minotaurs had gone mad making them difficult to handle his face became serious he glanced at Gunther and asked why he hadn't seen his magic team after so long she informed him that the shaman had tried to escape after sensing the danger but had already been caught he grabbed the shaman by the arm and exclaimed in Anger questioning how she could attempt to flee at such a crucial moment he called her a disgrace and reminded her that even if the enemy possessed the madness art she still had bloodthirsty magic when Lobby

heard the words bloodthirsty magic it was as if he had found a lifeline and he urged her to use it immediately but Richard ignored him and instead ordered the shame of to cast the bloodthirsty Magic on the rampaging minotaurs this command shocked everyone and Lobby was certain he had lost his mind Richard however simply gave a mysterious look and told Lobby to stop talking nonsense and follow his orders the shaman left with no choice complied she infused the already frenzied minotaurs with bloodthirsty magic when she saw the effect the shaman was convinced that Richard had

completely lost his mind the shaman struck a pose and an aura enveloped her completely as Richard urged her to cast The Magic quickly the aurura began to materal iiz above the minotaurs then encircled them the minotaurs started to feel an overwhelming energy surging through them seeing the Minotaur suddenly stop the nearby dwarf soldiers seized the opportunity to escape but now the minotaurs had gone berserk and fear gripped everyone at the sight of the Raging beasts the shaman tried to flee but Richard caught her and demanded that she open her eyes and observe closely the Minotaur

now infused with bloodthirsty magic appeared even more aggressive he explained that the larger the creature the greater The Strain on its heart he had had deliberately combined the Spells knowing it would push the minotaur's hearts beyond their limits as the burden on their hearts became too great The Minotaur began to collapse everyone was stunned by the outcome but Richard calmly gained 600 experience points and coins for killing three giant minotaurs the others still bewildered asked him what he had done he explained that everything follows its own rules the minotaurs were powerful warriors but had their

limits their strength came from their Madness which put immense strain on their hearts the bloodthirsty magic was the final blow that pushed them over the edge Lobby finally understanding excitedly realized that the magic caused the minotaur's internal energy to pile up until it exceeded the limits of their bodies triggering a deadly condition in short Richard had used the minotaur's own powerful bodies against them Richard had already identified the flaw in both the madness art and bloodthirsty magic Lobby praised his clever move but the shaman tried to take the credit proclaiming that she had done all

the work Richard however quickly reminded her of the punishment for desertion viewing her as a seasoned Shaman who should know better he continued to scold her with harsh words accusing her of fleeing just because they faced a strong enemy and now trying to claim victory he added that while his Fortress would rise to Greatness her experience and commitment remained low just like her courage these words brought the young girl to tears despite the tense exchange they approached the minotaurs to check if they were truly dead although it was clear that the visceral Hemorrhage had killed

them Richard felt a Pang of regret he had hoped to sell one to the the Coliseum though the blood hoof trib's attack had been temporarily halted Richard sensed that a more dangerous storm might be brewing and the Dwarven stronghold could become even more perilous noticing a crossbow bolt embedded in one of the Minotaur he asked Lobby if all their weapons were forged from the iron ore in beayou Lake surprised Lobby confirmed that they were with the system at his disposal Richard felt no fear he knew that as the war dragged on he would get what

he needed for now he planned to focus on helping the dwarves he kindly suggest suggested that Lobby should start making more crossbows and bolts as they would be crucial in the future however Lobby looked troubled he explained that while making arrows was easy preparing the bed crossbows was much more challenging Sendak then invited Richard to come with him and see the problem they were facing firsthand upon arriving at the castle Richard found it amusingly short to which the Lord remarked that he never expected to accommodate humans Lobby then showed him the crossbow beds they had

built many and they were incredibly powerful with long ranges Richard suggested attaching binoculars to improve their aim Lobby explained that the real problem was the lack of strings since the crossbow beds were made entirely of Steel ordinary sheep tendons couldn't withstand the tension they had discovered that dried and dehydrated giant Monica leech tendons could work but those were rare and couldn't be bought with money hearing this Richard had an idea and eagerly asked if he had some gold coins Lobby puzzled asked if he was planning to sell Monica leeches Richard with a hint of apology

admitted that he didn't Lobby silently cursed him thinking Richard talked a big game but didn't have what was needed seriously what a let down Richard then told him that the centur use comoto Dragon tendons to make bow strings while he couldn't buy Giant Leeches he could purchase other substitutes from the system Mall excited by the idea he agreed it was a great plan Richard mentioned that he would need some gold coins to make the purchase Lobby assured him that thanks to their trade gold wasn't an issue for the dwarves even more thrilled Richard urged him

to quickly bring more gold the soldiers quickly brought the gold and one of them asked Commander Sendak why they needed such a large pile of coins Sendak explained that Lord Richard would use it to get them crossbow strings the soldiers speculated that Richard might have other motives besides helping them another Soldier agreed suggesting they should be cautious around him however Sendak objected reminding them that Richard had previously saved them and without his help they would have nothing now the kodo dragon tendons were being fixed onto the crossbows Lobby informed him that while the new bow

strings were more durable they wouldn't last long if they faced a large number of enemies again he asked if Lobby was afraid of losing the war tearfully Lobby admitted that after half a month of fighting many of their men were injured or dead and they couldn't bear more losses seeing Lobby so fearful he revealed that the true cause of the war was the iron ore he suggested that they withdraw from Lake beu for now since the enemy was after the iron ore they could wait until the enemy fought amongst themselves and weakened before taking back

Lake Bayo after hearing his suggestion Lobby quickly waved his hands and refused refusal he explained that Lake beo held more than just iron ore there was also a secret that couldn't be revealed Richard began to suspect that the dwarves might be hiding something else beneath Lake beo at this time in the council Hall the dwarves debated whether to reveal the secret at the bottom of the lake to Richard Sendak pointed out that what was important to them might not hold the same value in Richard's eyes although they knew Richard was there for the iron ore

he hadn't resorted to forceful measures like their enemies moreover their strength was now insufficient to resist the coming enemy forces instead of guarding a secret and risking Annihilation it might be wiser to find an ally for protection after further discussion Lobby decided to show Richard the secret himself meanwhile two trolls had awakened a new magic the flowering art Richard irritated directed his anger at the shaman she defended herself reminding him that he always dismissed her teachings just like the ston Skin Art Annie advised him to be patient explaining that magic Arts often awaken randomly he

softening patted the Shaman's head encouraging her to work harder so that his sorcerer team could cast more powerful spells later Richard went with Sendak to Lake Bayou Dawning diving helmets they descended to the Lake's bottom where he was stunned to see thick iron chains wrapped around an ancient enormous figure a Titan giant he realized that the dwarves had been using the iron or mine as a cover to protect this hidden secret the group swam cautiously toward the giant whose massive eyes began to Glow with a red light sensing their presence when they surfaced he removed

his helmet and expressed his shock at discovering an ancient giant hidden beneath the water Lobby explained that they had stumbled upon the Titan while mining iron ore Richard then asked what had driven them to risk their lives to protect this giant with a chuckle Lobby revealed that this Titan was no ordinary giant it was the ancestor of the dwarf race Richard's mouth twitched in disbelief what kind of giant could possibly be the progenitor of the dwarves seeing his skepticism Lobby jumped back into the water as the Titan eyes glowed once again Lobby explained that the

giant Soul could sense the dwarf's blood and emit light he concluded that the Titan was their God Richard noticed that the red light emanated from the Titan's body just as Lobby had claimed providing the proof of their connection as an ancient magical species the Titans were far larger than even the giant dragons in a time of chaos their presence embodied power there was no doubt that the Titan wielding creation magic was the true ruler of the land erasing all threats in their path yet no creature can escape the cycle of life life and death and

history began to shift survival became increasingly difficult for the Titans their numbers dwindling until eventually they vanished from the earth Richard wondered why after discovering the Titan giant they didn't simply break through the mountain and take the giant away Lobby frustrated explained that it wasn't that they didn't want to it was that they couldn't the iron ore emitted a unique magnetic field that trapped the Titan's Soul within its eyeballs initially the Titan red light was strong but as they continued mining it dimmed significantly they had even issued a ban on further mining although Richard understood

their intentions he questioned whether they intended to guard the Titan until their deaths Lobby revealed that after years of study they had identified certain patterns they found that on the night of a full moon the Titan's power could be fully activated according to their Clan's ancient texts this Soul power could be passed down they had been attempting to cast spells on Full Moon Knights to inherit the Titans power in despair Lobby admitted that despite many attempts they had never succeeded one of the commanders informed Lobby that they had calculated that tomorrow would bring the fullest

moment of the moon this they believed would be their best chance to cast spells and inherit the Titans power Richard finally understood why this group of dwarves was so determined to guard Lake beu even at the cost of their lives he asked them why they were sharing this information with him weren't they afraid that he might become interested in the spirit Power Lobby explained that this spirit Power was the Titans final Legacy they feared more that no one would inherit this power and that it would remain sealed away never to see daylight rather than it

falling into someone else's hands the senior Commander though hesitant replied that they had discussed the matter if the dwarves failed to inherit the power perhaps Richard could try showing little interest he responded that if the dwarves had failed countless times what chance did a human like him have wasn't he just setting himself up for failure the senior Commander insisted that he might succeed because he was stronger than most Richard explained that the spirit and body are closely connected making it more likely for dwarves related by blood to succeed in something like this Lobby agreed laughing

and acknowledged that Richard had a valid point Richard then suggested they head back as staying too long could raise suspicions on the way back lobby asked him to keep everything a secret especially from Miss Annie Richard agreed and returned to the tribe's Stone House later as Richard soaked Gunther questioned his boss's sudden and suspicious absence Richard quickly fabricated a story saying he accidentally fell into the lake to change the subject he asked where everyone else was Gunther informed him that Miss Annie had gone to see the shaman training the trolls and Heather and the others

were on Sentry Duty Richard sighed hoping the dwarves could inherit the Titan spirit Power just as he was thinking this Heather came running toward him in a state of urgency she informed him that the enemy was approaching only 70 Mi away from the tribe attacking at this time was unfavorable for the dwarves he asked about the enemy's numbers and Heather reported that their army exceeded 5,000 soldiers Richard smirked it seemed there would be another big battle tomorrow night under the full moon despite the thunderstorm the dwarf Army quickly set up defensive fortifications with their Shields

up the fully armed soldiers gathered together forming an impenetrable wall against the enemy through his binoculars the chief of the barmen sneered at the sight of the Armed dwarves calling them hopeless he ordered his forces to capture the Dwarf Fortress Before Sunset the massive Army of barmen began their March toward the Fortress at this moment Lobby was terrified he he lamented that If Only They had two more days they wouldn't have to fight this battle they could inherit the Titan spirit Power seeing lobb's despair Richard urged him to stay strong reminding him that the Fortress

was counting on him just then the orc Alliance launched a full-scale attack seeing this Richard quickly ordered the archers on the city walls and Below to release a wave of arrows while the dense volley managed to kill many Orcs it couldn't stop the Relentless advance of the bare men and trolls the shaman stood at top the city wall continuously casting Fireball spells the entire Battlefield became a chaotic mix of smoke and fire both sides fought fiercely using all their skills to take down their enemies however with their Superior numbers and size the bearmen and minors

soon began to dominate the battlefield Richard saw the situation and immediately drew his sword charging into the battlefield he swiftly severed a bearman's arm saving a teammate in the process but this act also caught the attention of the bear King the bear King grabbed a meteor hammer and swung it at Richard Richard blocked with his sword but the force behind the blow was overwhelming the impact injured him which only fueled the morale of the Baran soldiers Richard eyes blazing with determination gritted his teeth and charged back into the fight the battle raged on from dawn

until dusk the battlefield was littered with corpses yet neither side was willing to surrender Gunther informed Richard that the enemy's numbers were overwhelming and that even though they had killed many it seemed endless he glanced at the system panel concern etched on his face this was the first time his forces had suffered such heavy losses watching the enemy forces continue to flood the battlefield he coldly gave the order to retreat the situation had become too dire to push forward their only hope now was to hold the castle and wear down the enemy until a chance

for victory emerged back at the castle the scene was Grim with countless soldiers dead or injured among them was Sendak who had also fallen in battle when Richard arrived and saw Lobby crouched in a corner crying bitterly he was Furious grabbing Lobby by the beard he demanded that he take responsibility as a Chief and rally his soldiers to fight the waning moon tribe reluctantly Lobby complied meanwhile sendak's death left Annie worried so she asked him about the state of the war already enraged he snapped pointing out that the waning moon tribe had forced them to

retreat and now the baren were on the verge of breaking through the Fortress gate though the trolls stonkin art had reinforced the gate the enemy's numbers were overwhelming and they had started climbing the walls to make matters worse the Orcs had also joined the waning moon in their attack seeing the trolls and shaman standing by as the Orcs scaled the walls Richard furiously demanded an explanation the shaman explained that the Heavy Rain had rendered the Wizards Fireball spells ineffective The City Gate was finally breached leaving a gaping hole the minotaurs and barmen were eager to

storm in Gunther informed Richard that the stonkin art could hold off the minotaurs for now but they needed to come up with a plan quickly Richard turned to lobby and asked how many soldiers they had left Lobby replied helplessly that only about 100 remained seeing the approaching minors Richard grinned with a bloodthirsty determination if they were going to win this battle each Warrior would need to fight as if against 10 enemies under Richard's command The Barbarians dwarves and Centaur charged together aiming to break the enemy's formation Richard fueled by adrenaline swiftly cut down a large

number of enemies the bear King then ordered his Elite forces to Target Richard his sword hummed with power as he spun it summoning a whirlwind of blue energy he unleashed the storm sending a massive wave of energy crashing through his foes Gunther couldn't help but Marvel at his boss's prowess though Richard had no time for flattery despite his efforts the enemies were outmatched the bareen continued their merciless assault and Gunther realized that if things continued like this they would be wiped out seeing the dire situation Richard turned and shouted for the shaman to cast bloodthirst

on the dwarves giving them the strength to keep fighting the shaman took a strange stance as he finished casting a brief spell Golden Light poured down from the sky onto the soldiers Richard quickly ordered his sorcery team to Channel as much magic as possible to him at the same time the troll cast ston skin on the dwarves the dwarf's eyes turned red and their strength surged when a rabbit folk struck a dwarf with a sword the sword shattered and the dwarf ruthlessly crushed the attacker before they could react soon the enemy forces were falling at

the dwarf's feet seeing this the bear King commanded the Sheep Army to charge but Richard was ready he ordered the troll to use magic to block the advance the troll cast a spell and giant trees sprouted up to the clouds splitting the battlefield in two the bear King was enraged by this but Richard was only getting started he patted the troll and jumped onto his back he instructed the troll to cast invisibility on him then moved stealthily through the trees toward the enemies the bear King cursed Richard's cunning but before he could react Richard's sword

pierced his chest the bear King couldn't believe Richard had quietly approached him from behind using invisibility to deliver a fatal blow the giant king fell to the ground and died with their leader dead everyone on the battlefield froze staring at Richard in shock someone in the crowd shouted that their King had been killed and Chaos erupted The Barbarians took advantage of the confusion cutting down many enemies as they tried to flee it was time to press the attack and secure Victory as the vast waning moon tribe Army retreated in panic Richard finally felt relieved he

had followed the old saying cut off the snake's head and the body will die after the fierce battle the castle was successfully defended though at a heavy cost however the fight had given Richard's men valuable experience just as Richard was checking his system panel Lobby approached him dressed in full ceremonial attire with his men Lobby informed Richard that tonight's full moon was the night they would hold the ceremony to inherit the Titans power he explained that this might be a once- in a-lifetime opportunity and they had chosen their strongest Soldier to attempt the ritual Lobby

hoped their ancestors would bless them tonight as it was the longest full moon in a century when the full moon was at its peak the dwarves jumped into the lake draining its water before beginning the ceremony Richard wasn't particularly interested but out of curiosity and previous agreement with Lobby he decided to participate the group made their way underwater and as the dwarves began casting their spells the Titan giant buried beneath the lake slowly began to rise to the surface Richard had also brought a shaman and a troll with him both excited to witness the spell

being cast on the massive Titan as the ceremony commenced the three strongest dwarf soldiers were chosen to attempt the inheritance of the Titans power Lobby swung a stick over his head trying to fend off the Towering figure like a butcher swatting lies Shaman quickly corrected him explaining it was a ritual to ward off bad luck but he wasn't buying it he questioned whether power inheritance was even reliable the shaman admitted she wasn't certain but mentioned that shamanic knowledge is passed down through generations similar to the dwarves Traditions Richard questioned the notion that Mages could look

down on Shaman especially if they possess the 13 secret Arts Shaman calmly explained that it's normal for them to inherit only about half of the Arts noting that even if a successor gains 90% of the knowledge they might spend their life struggling to master the missing 10% with the sound of a horn blown by one of the dwarves Flames get lit in a fire Circle right in front of the Titan then a candidate who had been pre-selected as the heir stepped into the fire Circle and solemnly chanted a spell on the side he asked her

in a low voice if there was any danger the shaman smirked saying that if the air could indeed inherit the giant Soul then these dwarves bodies would not be able to withstand it and there could be an explosion on the spot hearing this Richard broke out in a cold sweat and silently rejoiced that the power of the Soul had not been injected into his body at this point the dwarf undergoing the ceremony had finished chanting the spell but unfortunately nothing happened one after another the dwarf candidates entered the fire Circle but the results were the

same Lobby had a bitter expression and none of the carefully selected dwarves met the criteria one Commander begs the Titan to have mercy on them but there is no response Lobby felt a doom wash over him but then he remembered that Richard hadn't cried yet with a frown he urged Richard to give it a shot though Richard didn't take it seriously he reluctantly agreed and followed the others Into the Fire Circle as Richard stepped into the circle something unexpected happened the fire Circle began to Glow brightly Illuminating the area with an intense light the sudden

transformation startled Richard but none more so than the giant figure watching them the Giant's eyes started glowing Richard had inadvertently triggered something far beyond what anyone had anticipated the Titan eyes began to glow with a golden light growing brighter as if they were about to burst Midway through Richard quickly dodged aside suddenly the crowd noticed the silhouette of a creature appearing within the Giant's eyes a creature appears behind the Titan's eye shattering the Titan's eyes the cute little Divine Beast before them was born from the ancient god race inside the Titan Giant's body Richard wondered

how his little creature was related to the Titan could it have deteriorated because it had been long this little animal made the dwarfes shout ancestor in unison Richard sarcastically tried to show how touched he was by the Titan ancestor at the same time the shaman was more straightforward immediately suggesting they stew the creature to get some nutrition out of it suddenly the creature cracked out of the Titan's body and leapt Landing with a force that sent shock waves through the ground the impact echoing across the land the sudden movement once again shocks the dwarves Richard

sarcastically comments on the creature's lineage noting that as a descendant of the Titan it seems to like staying in high places he gests that this ensures the Titan didn't have any extramarital Affairs the small creature whose size matches that of the dwarves looks up to the onlookers and gets up on the trolls its eyes widened as it liked the trolls and they also couldn't hold back as their eyes widened at the sight of the adorable animal before him but Richard grabbed the creature to take a closer look and observed that its body had webbed skin

between its arm and body which seemed useful for gliding the dwarves crowded around eagerly to touch their cute ancestor creature however at that moment Richard suddenly felt F that something was wrong there seemed to be energy about to be released from the creature's body so he quickly threw it to the group of dwarves though the explosion was not fatal it was strong enough to blow away the dwarf's excitement unexpectedly the little animal had inherited the Thunder spell of the Titan race Richard was both surprised and delighted one dwarf alerted them about the Titan unsettlement the

Titan giant standing in the middle of the lake seemed to have completed its Mission and began to crumble bit by bit and the dwarf's Heart filled with tears to see it it anyhow watching the cute creature Richard named it sichu after countless battles and hardw victories Richard makes his way back to his Fortress sitting with him Annie asked why he wanted to hurry to The Fortress they hadn't even talked about their condition for cooperation he replied just forget about it she will get her share anyway hearing it she gets annoyed and inquires that Richard and

the dwarves must hide something from her the master of Deceit Richard gulped and tried to convince her but suddenly sichu popped out from behind him surprising Annie she could hold it but admire its cuteness Richard grabbed it while squeezing it like a stress ball telling her the dwarves wanted to worship and serve it until it grew up but as he moved away the creature stopped eating so they had no choice but to give it to him Richard holds a baby bottle and feeds the creature cautioning it not to drink too much or it will pee

itself a few days later everyone safely reached the Fortress after some time Annie left with the merchant soldiers promising to bring more people again in the next few days to establish a trade contract but she never showed up instead the leader of Solen City came with his people Richard welcomes him Lord Praises Richard as he has been hearing his name often recently all the bards in Corin City have been singing about the legend Richard Richard bowed respectfully and asked if he was just passing by or going on a trip Lord Solen taken aback by this

told him that he had come specially to meet him surprised by this new outcome Richard thinks he is less interested in welcoming men to his Fortress Lord Solen offered Richard to sit for a meal mentioning that he had acquired re ired some valuable ingredients this idea appeals to Richard and they both sit down together however he immediately regrets his decision when he discovers that the delicacy Lord mentioned is a giant squid as they prepare to eat sichu runs up to Richard leaps onto him and gives him a nut to crack he obliges but instead of

handing the cracked nut back to sichu he eats it himself leaving the little creature disappointed and regretting its decision to ask for help during their conversation Lord Solon comments on C referring to it as a magical Beast because it exhibits signs of Elemental energy Richard corrects him explaining that the creature is a Titan descendant after this clarification he gives the Beast a few more nuts which it eagerly eats before quickly running off as they continue to cook the squid he thanks Solon for consistently supporting him throughout his pioneering Journey which has helped him navigate the

challenges smoothly Solen acknowledges this but adds that Richard might still be curious as to why he offered his support in the first place Richard wonders if he is prone to long-winded explanations but the Lord begins discussing pompei's political and religious factions Solon explains that Pompei has been divided into two major factions for years one faction supports the Holy Light Church hoping Pompei can be integrated into the vatican's domain the other faction is loyal to the goddess of ice and snow resisting ties to the Vatican the Holy Light Church is the predominant religious faction in the

human world with many countries having holy in their names however in pompei's northernmost territories where ice and snow disasters are common the people have a deep-seated belief in the goddess of ice and snow as they eat the squid Richard asks him which faction he and Richard's half-brother Winger align with the Lord replies that they belong to neither faction identifying as Mages who do not believe in Gods thus remaining neutral Richard also shares that he doesn't believe in Gods as he finds it impossible to believe in something without evidence of its existence Solen agrees noting that

unbelievers like them are rare which is precisely why he decided to help Richard because rare species are worth protecting Richard is taken aback by this Revelation and becomes frustrated the Lord however seems to take pleasure in the taste of the squid and continues with the conversation Richard asks if the Lord intends to recruit him into the neutral faction Solen admits that this is indeed his plan however this idea is repulsive to Richard he clenches his teeth and expresses his frustration pointing out that in any dispute the neutral ones are constantly attacked by both sides Solon

agrees but advises that if Richard has to choose a side he should select the Holy Light Church Solen then shifts the conversation to economics placing three coins a gold a silver and a copper coin on the table to explain the value of each faction he explains that the people of Pompei could adjust the value ratios of the coins to make calculations more accessible still they don't likely because the goddess of ice and snow has 12 wings and 24 oracles Richard understands the significance of the coin but decides to go after the small profit and pick

up the gold coin he explains that having a little is better than having nothing at all since he is still poor he also reminds Solon that he still owes him a thousand coins Solen humorously adds that the debt now totals 1,01 coins including the gold coin Richard just picked up Richard realizing this quickly throws the gold coin back to avoid adding to his debt after their chat Solen prepared to leave Richard feeling a bit disdainful thought the Lord treated his Fortress like a place one could come and go from at will he told Solon it

was a privilege to come go whenever he pleased the Lord responded that while he had this particular privilege it was merely an old man's privilege not something to Envy he then encouraged Richard by reminding him that a vast world of opportunities awaited their exploration Richard asked if the Lord regretted missing those opportunities when he was younger noting that now he couldn't rise to a high position or accept the shame of a low one the Lord disagreed and mentioned being allergic to giant beaver brain powder which still made his neck itch despite this he preferred avoiding

the severe migraines it prevented he remembered Richard about the a decision he had to make meanwhile Richard was more interested in sunbathing with chichu in the lake water surrounded by the beautiful grassland of his Fortress to his surprise Annie arrived with her trade carts in toe clearly taken aback by the breathtaking view of the Fortress Richard explained that the two trolls had used their fertility magic to transform the area into a lush grassland as Annie observed the many dwarves bustling around the Fortress she sensed something a miss and questioned Richard asking if he had struck

some sort of deal with them while she was away he hesitantly confessed that he had indeed made agreements during her absence Annie then pointedly asked what he was up to noticing that he was lounging in the daylight with two new female Maids Richard ever the charmer explained that he was simply being kind-hearted offering Refuge to tribes people left helpless after the war and giving them jobs within his Fortress he craftily invoked the non-existent idea of the shaman allegedly saying that she had suggested taking in the women and children who had no one to rely on

and giving them positions as Maids the shaman was of course incredulous Annie however introduced another woman a naturalist named M Buckland from the white tiger Clan who was an expert in her field she greeted Richard who was quite impressed by her buckin mentioned that they could call her by her nickname Tang by who Richard was surprised by the similarity in name to Tang boho a famous painter from his world buckin was here to study the Wilderness around the high mountain Fortress not indulge in art Richard welcomed her pleased that she didn't seem like the type

to be a burden a short while later Gunther and the other barbarians were preparing to depart on a trip Richard instructed her to bring as many barbarians as possible to settle in his Fortress she assured him she would bring an entire tribe with her he then asked Annie to keep an eye out for fighting manuals in the market on his behalf soon after Lobby thoroughly exhausted approached him with news that the shaft furnace was finally complete and the blacksmiths were preparing to operate it now large clouds of smoke billowed from behind the Fortress signaling the

birth of an Armory industry with the help of the dwarf tribe A sufficient number of blacksmiths and ample ore Richard had successfully established the high mountain Fortress arm industry Richard's arm industry had developed an impressively advanced armored Warrior suit along with many high tier weapons when Gunther returned she was shocked to see that the Fortress was now producing such luxurious Goods she asked Richard about the warrior armor and he explained that Lobby had designed it for a specific purpose it only requires the Press of a button to instantly open up allowing for quick done because

of this feature it was named fast equipped armor Lobby even gave it a powerful name Titan armor Richard decided to test the armor himself but when he tried to remove it he found it difficult he asked Gunther for help and she teasingly questioned if it was the fast equipped armor Lobby rorted saying the armor is indeed fast equipped but he never claimed it was fast to take off just then a maid informed them that some lizard men had come to see Richard he went to the tower used binoculars to observe the short lizard men and

decided decided to turn them away thinking they were not a strong enough combat Force Gunther suggested interrogating the lizardmen believing they were passers by but Tang urged her to calm down she suddenly remembered that these lizard men were likely heading to Pompei when Richard asked why Tang explained that Emperor sagur had been attacking and weakening powerful orc races for years which was fairly common however Richard didn't understand the significance so Annie cautioned him not to underestimate this group of lizardmen who were often called Dragon Tamers Richard was astonished to hear this but Annie clarified that

these dragons weren't true dragons they were dragon-like beasts known as terrain dragons as the discussion heated up Richard clearly annoyed scolded Annie for talking halfast and not being more direct earlier flustered by his Outburst she hesitated to respond which only increased her frustration sensing the tension Tang calmly stepped in commenting on the unique nature of the sear people to ease the situation she explained that training dragons and lizard men are born side by side but they have no connection to Beast Tamers and are only related by blood making the title of dragon Tamer somewhat misleading

as Tang described their breed Richard asked how large the terrain Dragons Were she replied that they were slightly smaller than his iron eating armadillo with hooved feet and a specialty and charging at enemies realizing his mistake in turning them away Richard cursed under his breath binoculars in hand and quickly ordered the soldiers to let the lizard men stay the night in the Fortress when Tang asked what his intentions were he gave her a Sinister grin and replied that he simply wanted them to stay Tang deduced that Richard wanted to establish friendly relations with the Lizardman

but doubted they would cooperate however to her surprise Richard had already won them over with his cleverness and to her even greater astonishment they had started calling Richard their Lord she asked what sweet talk he had used to achieve this and he casually revealed that he had offered each of them a strength enhancing magic potion in exchange for staying at his Fortress he suspected they might bring more of their kind later as Richard and the two trolls were playing cards they suddenly noticed their glasses of water trembling he realized it must be the arrival of

the Invincible overlord's terrain Dragon regiment to welcome the incoming lizard men Richard and his group stood at The Fortress Gates CIU was terrified as a dazzling number of beasts rushed toward them Gunther turned to Heather and asked if her Army could hold off the incoming forces she responded that there was no way her Army could withstand the might of the lizard men Richard watched as the naturally bulky Cavalry thundered toward them shaking the ground with every step Annie remarked that terrain dragons deserved stronger Riders than the SAR people Richard countered by explaining that their blood

relation made them a perfect match however Tang added that this blood relation comes at a high cost for the mothers as many weak females die giving birth to twin eggs a Lizardman named Abu then approached Richard introducing himself as the leader of the Segar people he asked Abu what he thought of his Fortress Abu looked around and told him that it was indeed very prosperous satisfied Richard allowed the Lizardman inside and handed over the promised magic potion for which Abu expressed his gratitude as they DED together he learned more about the Segar people and their

connection to the terrain dragons he was surprised that the system automatically recognized terrain dragons and speculated that in time terrain dragons might also receive similar recognition especially if the Segar people continued consuming magic potions after a while Tang asked Richard if he was still searching for a fighting manual Richard eagerly wondered if she had one to offer she replied no which annoyed him to make up for it Tang asked if he had ever heard of the holy prayer art Richard already familiar with it explained that it allowed for the movement of objects through mental focus

and when combined with physical effort it could result in unimaginable strength however he noted that this art had been lost over time so he wasn't interested in Old obsolete practices Annie agreed knowing that this art was outdated tang with a satisfied smile commented that young people today either worship the entrance without thinking or belittle it without standing she then asked Richard how much power he could harness with just one fist unsure he decided to test his strength he delivered a supersonic punch in the air blowing out a candle flame far away and estimating that he

could lift about two tons Tang continued asking if he knew how much more strength the holy prayer art could bring him when he asked her to elaborate she revealed that this art increased strength proportionally this Revelation surprised Richard as he realized that the stronger would get even stronger and the weaker would become even weaker his interest peaked as Tang explained that once the holy prayer artart was practiced to a certain level it also significantly increased magic resistance she then handed him a manual explaining that she had come across it when she was young and traveling

it was the first age practice Manual of the holy prayer art as Richard opened it he read about Nero a swordsman who had mastered both magic and martial arts 3,000 years ago during the early hidden era of the element spring tide despite the difficulty of mastering both disciplines Nero excelled in the holy prayer Arts which didn't rely on elements and advanced his magic skills to the level of a mage Richard could hardly believe what he was reading however Tang sipping her drink confidently remarked that the manual could be a relic preserved over centuries or just

a doodle made by someone in a later generation with an eager expression Tang leaned forward and asked if she could serve in the internal affairs position of the high mountain Fortress Richard smiled warmly and assured her that she could while reflecting on the situation he noted that the internal affairs of the Fortress hadn't seen much development yet he believed that having someone as knowledgeable as Tang was perfect for the role filled with enthusiasm Tang spread her arms wide and expressed how wonderful this opportunity was she described the high mountain Fortress as a place of raw

development brimming with vitality and determination she admitted that nothing had touched her heart more than this place next day Richard revisits the parchment paper and discovers that the holy word prayer technique is both robust and straightforward consisting of five major stages that progress from low to high these St ages in ascending order are sunlight Starlight Moonlight yahwa sun and the highest level Apocalypse at the lowest level sunlight Richard can harness its power for half an hour each day during which his strength will increase by 50% he realizes that with each advancement to a higher level

both the duration and the amplification effect will double this suggests that true Mastery will only be achieved through practical application of the technique rather than mere theoretical knowledge motivated by this understanding Richard immediately begins planning how to to implement it Ordinary People Take months to comprehend even the introductory symbol of the holy word prayer yet the parchment indicates that by merging the warm current into the wheelie egg and entwining it with the heart one can formally enter the sunlight stage his eagerness pushes him to melt the warm current overnight so he can begin the sunlight

stage first thing in the morning Richard shifts his Focus from mundane concerns to more pressing matters as he checks his system panel to his profound surprise the Lord system has already updated the holy word prayer technique efficiency he then contemplates using all of his free points to enhance his Mastery of the technique these 57 free points were saved with great effort as they were earned through several brutal battles and gaining them becomes increasingly difficult as one progresses Richard looks like he's had enough and is ready to take action no longer holding back his emotions he

initiates the ultimate evolution of the first Ascension in the Thousand Years Hall and invests 30 free points into this technique as he does he feels energy condensing in his heart say expecting it to be the H egg a powerful Aura then surges around him sharpening his eyesight to the point where he can see things in Greater detail the aura soon concentrates in his hands making him feel as if he can command the forces of nature at will clenching his fist as the aura intensifies Richard recalls that Tang had also recommended this valuable technique motivated by

this memory he adds the remaining free points to make it overwhelmingly powerful the thought of his commanders admiring his advancement particularly Tang who might even idolize him fills him with excitement however his excitement turns to frustration when he realizes that none of his commanders seem to notice any changes in him determined to share his progress Richard turns to Tang as he begins to mention the hily egg she interrupts him remarking that she's already read about it Tang then attempts to condense the magic that Richard has already mastered but in the process she ends up proving

herself a bit of a fool feeling frustrated Richard begins to consider his team nothing more than a bunch of fools after a while Lobby approaches him inquiring about the bronze weapons still stacked in the warehouse Tang also asks Richard about the bronze weapons he explains that some Wilderness people had Unearthed ancient weapons which he then captured he recalls that among the weapons was a sword from the neero Rebellion era likely of great value with shared excitement tang and Richard decide to check out the bronze weapons when Richard sees the large stack of bronze weapons he's

incredulous at the sheer number finding it almost exaggerated while a bit of luck can bring success expecting too much seemed unrealistic to him he notes that bronze isn't as common as wild cauliflower and its high price reflects its Rarity meanwhile Tang notices that the weapons are incredibly well preserved and her curiosity drives her to an unconventional appraisal method she licks the blade upon tasting it she realizes that these weapons must have been preserved in ancient tombs now she admires the sword up close almost hugging it to her face reving in her Discovery Richard looks visibly

concerned probably thinking that this is isn't how a sword should be handled despite his concerns he orders his soldiers to summon the shaman believing she might know the true value of these weapons the shaman is quickly brought to him and Richard with a menacing look asks if she had seen similar bronzes when he was in her tribe she replies that she had indeed seen such weapons before stirring Richard's excitement as he eagerly anticipates learning their origin about half a year ago the shaman traded the bronze weapons with her neighbor to the east at that time

many tribes were bringing in bronze weapons because they were much cheaper than iron ones however Richard's excitement quickly faded when the shaman dismissed the bronze as useless rubbish this stirred Fury within him but he managed to calm himself knowing the Shaman's ignorance he assigned her a challenging task in a formal manner she had to find the origin of the bronze leading a team of 10 soldiers and he warned her that she couldn't argue with him at all as the story unfolds the shaman begins her search for the source of the bronze after a few brutal

fights the high mountain Fortress Richard had established gradually trans forms into an Alpine Fortress and then into a Scarlet devil Fortress the open circulation of bronze Goods helps her Trace their origin back to ancient ruins on her way back to the Fortress she expands her group of soldiers to a 100 Richard is surprised when he sees them thinking another troop had come to attack his Alpine Fortress Tang observes that the origins of these people are too mixed to identify their Clans frustrated Richard orders that each of them be given a sickle and sent to cut

grass for the cattle when Richard sees the Goblins working so efficiently he is is impressed with the land stretching for about 100 Mil he orders the shaman to select a reliable guide and gather a group of people he wants to see what is happening for himself after being reassured he plans for the Shaman's troop to trade crops for hundreds of tons of wheat however the terrain dragons prove to be problematic as their insatiable appetites make them seem useless despite this recognizing the dragon's potential value Richard instructs the Shaman's troops to return and guard the Alpine

Fortress which is now their home he then Parts with his Carriage a week later Annie encounters Richard on the road and asks about his business he points to the stack of bronze weapons in his Carriage which she notes could be useful however she remarks that such a large quantity of ancient weapons would overwhelm the market driving down their price Tang asked him where the rabbit people were he replied that he had seen a beautiful Fresco on the wall so he decided to let them stay while he figured out a way to Chisel it down she

asked if he wasn't worried they might run into trouble with someone he said there was nothing to worry about asking what could happen and who would waste their time going after a bunch of rabbits at the same time the widespread leakage of bronzes had caught the attention of another Force the brown bear roar Army of the Stewart Kingdom commanded by Hendra gerv Venton Hendra had also arrived at the ruins where the rabbit people stayed Hendra genton was from the Stewart Kingdom one of the three great Nations as a kingdom that rivaled Pompei in strength Hendra

was the grandson of the true Marshall of the realm born into a wealthy and Noble family with a bright future ahead head of him people like Hendra were made for the upper echelons of society unfortunately things were far from straightforward after training alongside his brothers only Hendra was sent to the frontier where he became the brown bear roar Army Commander the steuart kingdom had strict rules about how Legions were named the name of a legion alone could reveal a lot the elite Frontier armies were named after natural disasters like Fury of the storm the second

tier Legions took their names from powerful magical beasts like Dragon Fighters the weaker third Legions were named after ordinary animals like brown bear wild boar and elephant as the 27th Hendra he likely wouldn't have any opportunities for promotion but Hendra was not one to give up easily a few months ago while fighting Bandits he discovered they possessed many ancient bronzes he immediately began investigating and soon found the source back at the site one of his soldiers asked if they should capture the rabbit people alive and torture them for information Hendra disagreed saying they would eventually

talk if they were defeated he ordered every one to set up camp rest and eat preparing to attack after Sunset meanwhile the rabbit people were still trying to Chisel away at the Fresco but it proved too hard one kept an eye on the Goblins they had paid in advance who now seemed to be having fun instead of working they decided to leave tomorrow's problems for another day and called it a night agreeing to go to sleep one rabbit named fitty pittz seemed troubled and went out into the bushes to relieve himself as the night wore

on hendra's men mercilessly killed all the Goblins he asked one of his soldiers if they had gotten useful information from the Goblins the soldier confirmed that the Goblins had indeed stumbled upon the bronzes by accident hendri questioned why he hadn't seen these Treasures yet the soldier explained that a Pompei Noble had arrived before them 3 days earlier and taken everything now they realized they were not the first to find the source of the bronzes the soldier mentioned that the noble was a pioneering leader from Pompei based in the Alpine Fortress Hendra seemed to know of

them describing them as powerful like a Holy Light descending from God however he thought that Richard A minor leader in their group probably didn't know much about them and wouldn't be a threat still it seemed a conflict was brewing if the people of Pompei discovered what they were up to there could be trouble Hendra also realized they would be in danger if their actions were found but if they managed to bribe a minor leader to keep quiet it might be a while before anyone found out the soldier estimated they had about a month Hendra suggested

that if the bodies were disposed of by Griffins perhaps no one would ever find out suddenly he noticed a foul smell and asked if his soldiers had pass gas it was fitty pittz who had managed to remain hidden in the bushes while relieving himself back at Alpine Fortress Tang was updating Richard on the ruler of the Stewart Kingdom a monarch named Balon who was known for being a clever thinker with many ideas Bon had appointed several ambitious young officers to the Garrison knowing that when these officers sought promotions they would invest their own money into

building up their armies this strategy worked well because of this Tang asked Richard if he knew how much gold had been added to the National treasury in a a single year she then revealed that it was an astonishing 100,000 gold coins Richard and his commanders were shocked by the amount and asked what bony used it for Tang explained that balony was Infamous for his gluttony and Indulgence Richard finished her thought commenting that it was simply corruption just then two rabbit folk entered the room dragging a very troubled fitty pits with them Tang had warned about

the situation so Richard was surprised to see them in his unsteady voice fitty told Richard that someone was planning to attack Alpine Fortress watching the shattered shards Richard and his companions discussed the brown bear Army to prompt a strategic discussion Tang informed Richard that Stuart's Legion typically consisted of around 4,000 men and that the Brown Bear Flag signified a Garrison Legion she assured him there would likely be no more than 3,000 soldiers at most so he need not worry Richard however questioned whether a legion wasn't the highest ranked unit pointing out that What mattered most

was whether the enemy had a mage with their army he recalled how Mages had been incredibly effective in battles against the before and expressed concern that if the other side had a highlevel mage it could turn the tide against them even though they had a shaman and two trolls Tang advised Richard to stay calm explaining that while highlevel Mages were indeed powerful they were far fewer in number compared to lower level Mages an He also mentioned that bony was highly suspicious so highlevel Mages were only assigned to armies during times of war and since it

was currently peace time there wouldn't be any Mages present Richard was taken aback by Annie's sharp insights as he had always thought of her as just a financial junkie who didn't know much about anything else with a touch of flattery Annie couldn't resist adding that the supporters and opponents were so vocal that everyone in the country was aware of the situation except for him Richard was confused and asked how many years ago the event happened wondering why he couldn't remember it Annie casually said it was over 20 years ago because for her it was recent

actually she was 114 years old frustrated by the elves long lifespan Richard irritably remarked that he wasn't even born then Tang intervened in their conversation and steered them back to the main issue Richard recalled that most of the time their Mages despite being a bit foolish were still better than the enemies with only 3,000 soldiers to face and possibly no Mages among them he thought confidently clenching his fists in excitement and declared that if the enemy dared to come they wouldn't leave alive Tang was shocked pointing out that even if everyone in Alpine Fortress joined

the fight they wouldn't have more than 600 guards she was stunned by Richard's boldness in dismissing an army of 3,000 with just his own Own Strength however Richard and Annie ignored her concerns and eagerly discussed the loot they would enjoy after their Victory Annie asked if they had requested reinforcements but he arrogantly said asking for help wasn't his style and ended the meeting with quick preparations underway by the people of Alpine Fortress they got ready for war the entire Alpine Fortress was located on the west side of the river and to prevent any damage Richard

decided to set the battlefield on the east side to make things look convincing he ordered a fake Lord's Hall to be built on the river's East Bank designed to be eye-catching and realistic second General HHA used his soil fertility technique by the river causing wild grasses and reads to rapidly grow forming a green wall along the riverbank 20 days later the two sides finally faced a direct confrontation despite the skill of Hendra Scouts they were no match for the centaur's Swift legs and the accuracy of their archers the result was clear as they swiftly eliminated

hendra's patrols Heather informed Richard that she spotted some heavy Cavalry approaching but Richard was more interested in the enemy's equipment than their intentions after careful observation he concluded that the enemy wouldn't be able to reach the battlefield in 20 days except for their Ranger troops meanwhile Hendra was frustrated by Richard's clever use of centur as Rangers but saw it as a feudal struggle before their Inevitable Defeat confident in his army strength he believed they would easily Crush Richard once they arrived two days later weary from travel hendra's troops faced another setback as their Carriage Wheels

kept getting stuck slowing them down even more despite this Hendra couldn't afford to abandon his 200 strong heavy Cavalry which was crucial to his battle strategy finally he was shocked when he spotted Hendra forces through his binoculars after waiting so many days he only saw a ragtag group of shabby Knights their front lines were armored but their backs were barely covered and their horses were only half armored Furious he mocked them saying they were so poorly equipped they couldn't even afford proper armor he couldn't believe Hendra would dare to bring such an ill-prepared Force thinking

he would be easily defeated on the other side Hendra noticed that Richard's troops were well equipped in iron armor and their strong formation was far from ordinary their gear and numbers were more than he had anticipated catching him off guard since he had underestimated them one of his soldiers pointed out the nearby Reeds which die off yearly but had grown tall and thick like a small Forest the soldiers feared there might be an ambush hiding behind them however Hendra brushed off the concern arguing that the muddy ground would prevent horses and soldiers from Gaining enough

speed for a surprise attack he turned to his troops and encouraged them to push forward and crush the enemy ordering them to advance information the commander gave the signal to shoot arrows and the first volley of the battle was launched the arrows struck Richard's troops but they were well-armed and defended themselves effectively Gunther suggested launching another attack but Richard told her to wait as he had a surprise planned for the enemy as the battle continued both commanders displayed a strong sense of confidence Hendra feared that Richard's forces might escape to their alpine Fortress while Richard

worried that hendra's brown bear roar troop might discover his Ambush despite their concerns both sides were focused on their strategies with Heather sticking to the defense and not revealing any plans for the offense Gunther reported again saying the enemy was only 20 yards away hearing this Richard ordered all the barbarians to charge the giant barbarians sprinted towards the enemies catching the brown bear roar Army off guard as they suddenly faced A Rush of giant charging Warriors realizing they had fallen into an ambush Hendra knew he couldn't risk losing his main forces so he commanded his

heavy Cavalry to attack immediately fully armored and ready for battle the heavy Cavalry charged toward the barbarians Hendra felt more at ease believing these reinforcements would strengthen his initial assault he told his men to hold their ground and take defensive positions but before the Cavalry could reach them The Barbarians crashed into the brown bear roar Army and launched a fierce attack hendra's troops struggled to defend against the Relentless barbarians and his heavy Cavalry was still too far way to help Hendra was sure his flanking maneuver would catch the enemy off guard but then he heard

noises from the reads terrain Dragons Were emerging from The Tall Grass charging straight for his heavy Cavalry Richard had cleverly positioned the dragons nearby and now the heavy Cavalry had no Escape Route the Cavalry tried to retreat as the giant dragons closed in but it was too late the dragons reached them and began tossing the armored soldiers into the air like ragd dolls several heavy Cavalry soldiers attempted to Counterattack the terrain dragons but were easily thrown into the air along with their horses one after another many Cavalry soldiers tried to Halt the terrain dragons but

none could withstand the ground shaking Onslaught following the terrain dragon's devastating assault the sorcerers took their turn the shaman conjured a hollowing fireball technique forming a massive Fireball above hendra's remaining forces and reigning fire down on the battlefield wreaking havoc on the soldiers formations the Shaman's trolls also Unleashed magical lasers at the surviving Cavalry soldiers combining their efforts to severely weaken hendra's Army from frustrated by the damage inflicted Hendra patted his Griffin and commanded it to immediately eliminate the three enemy Mages with its powerful Wings the giant Griffin charged toward the three Mages who were

too absorbed in battling the soldiers to notice the approaching danger meanwhile Hendra instructed his remaining troops to prepare for the actual phase of the battle suddenly the shaman spotted the Griffin charging toward them mowing down everything in its path with deadly intent panicked she warned the trolls that they were being targeted and urged them to flee but the clueless trolls failed to grasp the gravity of the situation as the Griffin neared it opened its massive jaws and Unleashed a stream of fire the shaman had no time to escape so she quickly cast a spell to

counter the attack the two immense Flames collided above the battlefield intensifying the war's tension on the ground Richard had also entered The Fray a group of soldiers surrounded him ready to strike but he cut them all down with a single slash of his sword one terrified Soldier overwhelmed by Richard's power muttered that he was a monster in a Fierce and dynamic battle Hendra the armored Warrior charges forward with overwhelming speed and power at Richard Richard prepares to meet hendra's assault raising his sword in anticipation as the two Collide Hendra unleashes a powerful strike that causes

the ground to erupt with energy and debris despite the impact Hendra remains unshaken Standing Tall and confident amidst the chaos his unwavering presence is acknowledged by his followers who praise him certain that with Hendra around things will definitely improve as they faced off Hendra demanded to know his name Richard spat on the ground and retorted that he didn't deserve to know his name he then questioned the reason for the unprovoked invasion of the Alpine Fortress and brought up hendra's Rebellion against his death penalty asking if he had any last words annoyed and infuriated by his

remarks Hendra snarled that when he kills him he'll make sure to chew up his broken mouth first with that he darted towards Richard with Incredible speed in an instant Hendra lunged at Richard his blade slicing through the air with Fierce intent but Richard smirking quickly raised his sword to block the attack sending sparks flying as their blades collided without hesitation Richard countered with a swift slice his calm and practiced movements keeping him one step ahead Hendra struggled to keep up forced to adjust with each strike as Richard dodged and weaved effortlessly he launches a decisive

strike and although Hendra manages to block it the force of the blow knocks him to the ground despite this setback both Warriors quickly rise and charge at each other again he remarks that Hendra has successfully blocked his first three attacks showing he has trained hard on the other hand Hendra is relieved thinking that Ru and DUI's defensive technique worked well without it his sword wouldn't have withstood Richard's attacks hendra's face twists into a cunning grin believing Richard's life is about to end three soldiers are sneaking up behind him ready to strike however Richard notices their

eager Expressions revealing their surprise attack smiling confidently he activates a hidden power within him causing a bright energy to radiate from his body Richard boldly declares his Counterattack as the soldiers close in and unleashes a powerful slash sending a wave of energy toward them the attack is so overwhelming that it scatters the soldiers effortlessly Richard's quick reaction and hidden strength catch soldiers off guard leaving them stunned meanwhile the shaman is fleeing with the trolls desperately crying for help as a giant Griffin chases them the Griffin breathes fire again the blast hitting the trolls and sending

them flying suddenly a spear slices through the air piercing the Griffin's beak and wounding it Heather appears commanding the centaurs to fire at the Griffin the creature has no time to defend itself and a volley of arrows pierces its body killing it instantly the soldiers are now even more terrified seeing their Lord's Griffin defeated so quickly Hendra charges forward with intense Fury in his eyes shouting angrily as he leaves a trail of dust and grass in his wake Richard remaining calm and composed easily deflects hendra's Relentless assault with a Stern expression he taunts Hendra pointing

out that he initiated the attack yet now accusing them of being the aggressors Richard delivers a powerful kick to Hendra chest as he speaks sending him stumbling backward quickly recovering Hendra swings his sword again confident in his magic Armor's Fire Element protection he believes the armor will retaliate with elemental damage every time he is struck thinking that the more Richard attacks the stronger his counter will be however as Richard continues his Relentless attacks he feels the strain his initial confidence turns to worry as Richard shows no signs of slowing down each attack coming faster and

harder than the last Panic sets in as he wonders why the fire ele Elemental damage isn't affecting his opponent the scene climaxes when Richard's final blow shatters his sword breaking it into pieces overwhelmed and defeated he falls to his knees his Spirit broken along with his weapon acknowledging his defeat Richard kicked him to the ground telling him that a weapon was just a tool he doesn't deserve to lead if he can't fight without it the fire element of hendra's magic armor was truly powerful Richard's hands were burning from the intense heat Hendra was even more

shocked to see this realizing that the fire element's Counterattack power was strong enough to burn a person three to five times over overwhelmed with fear he started to weep and surrendered seeing their leader Hendra give up his Army's morale crumbled and they too accepted defeat meanwhile Richard's Army erupted in celebration over yet another major victory Gunther approached him and asked if they should begin imprisoning the defeated Soldiers with a confident smile he agreed ordering them to start with Hendra with tears in his eyes Hendra pleaded with them to remove his magic armor first before taking

him away as his armor was removed Richard looked at it with disgust focusing on where he had kicked it he felt embarrassed for damaging the armor himself Annie and Tang asked what had happened to him he showed them the damaged spot on the armor mentioning how much it hurt his pride Annie thought he was injured and was ready to use a half bottle of holy water Tang however noticed a rare magical Crystal embedded in the armor and pointed out its high value for crafting magic equipment she suggested they give it to a blacksmith to replace

the armor assuring them it would work just as well he was unsure if the armor would still be real or fake Tang reminded him that he couldn't use it regardless since it wasn't his size realizing she was right he threw the armor aside deciding to focus on more pressing matters he then suggested they could demand a high ransom for the captives and offered to leave that task to Tang she readily agreed to take on the responsibility Annie added that the loot baggage and horses should be sold to Cologne estimating they could make a significant profit

he mentioned that he still planned to Stew some horses for meat Annie suggested that instead they sell the prisoners to the Chamber of Commerce in coron city which specializes in dealing with captives as it would be easier than handling it themselves Richard's eyes lit up with excitement realizing that selling each prisoner could bring in four to five gold coins which would be considerable wealth after Annie and Tang left he realized his business skills were lacking compared to theirs he understood that strength alone wasn't enough he still needed to learn many rules and lessons which gave

him a headache however he knew that selling the bronze weapons would significantly increase the gold in their bank and help lift them out of poverty after the battle even the scar lizard men improved gaining a lot more muscle the terrain dragons also showed signs of growth their muscles swelling Richard noted that they were gaining valuable experience in Team battles which was exciting as night fell he had dinner with Annie and tang tang told him she planned to go to kaun to exchange gold coins and strongly suggested him join her she explained that their enemy then

was the steuart Garrison and that tensions with Pompei had been high in recent years therefore he needed to report his battle with the Stewarts to the House of Lords he was unsure if this would be considered an official intrusion by the Stewarts thinking it might be overblown she countered that it wasn't his call to make surprised he asked if Pompei might use this situation to stir up trouble Annie chimed in saying to leave the politics to their leader as long as they made a move as a group they could benefit from it Richard agreed and

decided that Annie would assist them on this journey in a few days the story continued as they spent 6 days collecting spoils and captives before setting off he watched Tang manage a long line of soldiers with admiration among the prisoners was Lord Hendra who was in rough shape suddenly he shouted claiming he knew Richard was practicing the holy word prayer Hendra tried to step out of line as he spoke but the guards quickly restrained him Richard teased him saying he shouldn't make such statements especially with his long mustache Hendra insisted that only the holy word

prayer with its lack of Elemental fluctuation could give Richard such power Richard dismounted and admitted he was right but there was no reward for the correct answer answer Hendra stumbled toward him asking what level he was at since not even the fire elements Counterattack could affect him he reluctantly admitted that something had gone wrong and couldn't advance to the apocalypse stage Hendra was stunned and exclaimed in disbelief about the apocalypse wondering how it could be possible he was shocked that Richard had already reached the Sunburst stage just below the apocalypse still he was appalled that

Richard was so intent on claiming this place curious he asked what exactly Richard's problem was with a grin he replied that his problem was he hadn't even reached the Zinga stage yet the Revelation was too much for Hendra who fainted on the spot after a few days of travel Richard and his party finally reached Solen City Richard couldn't help but think about how quickly time had passed as he arrived it felt like he had come to Solen city alone Only Yesterday unsure of what the future held but now things were different he was no longer

the man he used to be he was now the Lord of thousands of elite Warriors and hundreds of Centaur Rangers returning to this familiar Place gave him a whole new perspective While most of his group followed Annie to complete their business Richard explored the city independently he made his way to a bar but as he sipped his ale he found it strange without ice the bartender apologized explaining that ice was too expensive to store just then a group of thugs barged in loudly ordering drinks and tossing a few coins on the counter the bartender quickly

pointed out that the money they offered was nothing but worthless copper one of the thugs a big man angrily asked how he dared to question the payment of his Lord Richard unimpressed watched them rant and rave the giant Thug then claimed that their lord was none other than Baron Richard of Alpine Fortress at this Richard nearly choked on his drink in shock another Thug casually slung an arm around Richard's shoulders saying he'd already heard of Baron Richard Richard dryly responded that he had indeed heard the name the bartender asked if they meant Baron Richard who

was highly respected by the Wilderness tribes the big thug laughed boasting that their lord had recently defeated an entire Stewart Legion with just 300 men the fake Richard grinned arrogantly pretending to be the tales hero as he listened Richard realized Annie's movements were faster than he' thought news of their arrival had spread through the city in just a few hours playing along Richard calmly told the faker that he was in fact the baron of Alpine Fortress the faker agreed without missing a beat then dramatically drew his sword slashing it into the table and declaring it

the dragon slaying great sword people began to believe the thug was genuinely Richard thinking that if he could swing the dragon slaying great sword with such ease he must be the real deal but Richard knew better he could tell that the sword was a cheap imitation of light iron only a fraction of the weight and strength of natural iron eyeing the thugs Richard asked if they were Gunther and Hut surprised by the Bold question they responded with a blatant lie but Richard pointed out that Hut was supposed to be a centur caught offg guard the

faker claimed his excellent writing skills had simply led to such wild rumors Richard then repeated his earlier cynical wisdom that most things people say are lies and if something seems logical but goes against mainstream beliefs it's probably so well crafted that it only appears to be true Richard told the crowd that he still believed the real Hut was a centur to his surprise the crowd began questioning if Hut was fake then wasn't Richard and Gunther fake too but they pointed to the giant sword insisting that if it wasn't Richard who else could it be at

this the real Richard Finally Revealed his identity the crowd was stunned into silence the big thug trying to maintain his act mockingly asked Richard where he was headed Richard casually replied that he was going to the noble courts panicking at the risk of exposure the thugs claimed they were also headed there but suddenly remembered they needed to check on their Caravan so they quickly left annoyed by the whole encounter Richard is soon joined by Annie who asks about the thugs Richard brushes it off calling them old acquaintances however he mentions that the Caravan is ready

but he needs to go to the noble Court to look for Solen when Richard arrived at the court a maid approached him and asked why he was there she informed him that Lord Solen had gone to Alpine Fortress a few days ago to meet him he was shocked and asked when Solen had left she replied that it had been 4 days ago realizing the irony he remarked on how perfectly they had missed each other just then he felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see Solen his face pale and exhausted speaking close to

Richard's ear Solen muttered that he had made him work hard to track him down seeing Sol's weary appearance he asked what had happened to him Solen explained that to return from Alpine Fortress as quickly as possible they had pushed six fine horses to their limits and even used wind magic to speed up he asked why Solen was in such a rush to see him Solon revealed with a severe expression that Pompei was going to war with the stewards Richard was taken aback by this Revelation Solon asked him to follow and handed him a letter after

pulling back the curtains observing Sol's dramatic gestures he jokingly said with a smile that they were setting the mood for a romantic date however as he opens the letter he is shocked to find a command for revenge over the attack on him declaring war on the struts stunned he tossed the letter aside exclaiming that war was declared over such a minor issue still he felt flattered that his Alpine Fortress was at the center of such a significant event he told Solon that the Majesty is protective though the attack on the Alpine Fortress wasn't that severe

Solon then revealed that he was not the real reason for the war Stout had actually declared war on them first handing him another letter which encrypted that Pompei Nobles had attacked Hendra during a routine Patrol and died while trying to assist enraged Richard tore up the letter frustrated that the Alpine Fortress was wrongfully blamed for a sneak attack when he hadn't even killed Hendra Solen added that since Stout won't admit to the truth there's no way to prove it and the conflict has reached a point where only War can resolve it he pressed for more

details and Solen informed him that 5 years ago Pompei and stout discovered a rich magic crystal mine on a disputed border the vast Reserve sparked a fierce disagreement over ownership pushing both sides toward War realizing the stakes he understood that the war was inevitable due to the mine Solen admitted he feared the impending War but Richard dismissed his concerns asking what there was to fear Solen then told him he would need to stay for a few days because someone important wanted to meet him curious Richard suggested they meet right away but Solen explained that the

person was busy Richard assumed it was the governor of the Northeast but to his surprise it turned out to be the Majesty himself the administrator of Pompei after some days they arrived at the Majesty's place where they were warmly welcomed and Richard found the Majesty surprisingly Pleasant the Majesty quickly reached the point stating that the two countries had declared war on each other he then asked Richard who was a nominal part party to share his thoughts confused Richard didn't quite understand what was meant by nominal party Solen clarified explaining that the Majesty referred to the

need for a heroic figure to Rally the people's morale during the war he understood but felt a growing dread because such figures are often sent to the front lines and rarely make it back he definitely didn't want to be part of that when the Majesty asked who Richard thought would be a more suitable hero he ever the cunning strategist quickly suggested that the chief of the noble Court Lord would be perfect for the role Solen though irritated was also clever enough to see through Richard's Ploy he sternly told Richard not to be rude pointing out

that the hero had to be him as his name was already listed on the war declaration between the two countries as the Lord of Alpine Fortress the Majesty chuckled telling Richard not to see it as a burden he then instructed Solen to pour a glass of wine for everyone while Solen went to fetch the drinks the Majesty informed Richard that the military was ready to Grant him the eagle Knight title emphasizing that it was was a rare honor especially during peace time Richard always crafty responded with mock humility explaining that their Countryside guard at the

Alpine Fortress was so poor they couldn't even fend off common thieves then with a Sly grin he suggested that he might consider accepting the honor if they were given half of the Supreme Court Mage Corp as Solen returned he overheard Richard's bold request and couldn't help but admire the audacity the Majesty understanding his hesitation agreed to discuss it later but had another pressing matter to address he mentioned that a tribe of scars who were supposed to respond to the Pompei call had mysteriously disappeared halfway through the Wilderness Richard's face turned pale when the Majesty pointed

out that the Alpine Fortress was in that Wilderness the Majesty asked if he knew what had happened to the scars stressing that their bore heavy Cavalry was essential and irreplaceable Richard who had been smug earlier now found himself dramatically overreacting likely in an attempt to change the subject he quickly urged the Majesty to drop the topic and with exaggerated emotion claimed to feel a fire of Justice burning within him this was likely his way of trying to distract from his discomfort as he eagerly volunteered to take on a task involving the eagle Knight hoping to

shift the focus away from the uncomfortable questions the Majesty noticing his Sudden Change in demeanor asked if he had reconsidered Richard then declared with fervor that it is the duty of every pompeian to serve their country the Majesty chuckled remarking that as an eagle Knight Fame and Prestige come naturally he added that Richard's guards would be temporarily assigned to the Dragon claw Legion with significant autonomy this again irritated Richard as the dragon's claw was Infamous for its brutal and bloody battles he knew that no one emerged from those conflicts unscathed whether Friend or Foe Solen

then informed Richard that his Royal Highness also served in this Legion Richard was taken aback to learn that the Majesty's son was part of it the Majesty confirmed saying that his son bedrick was indeed there surprised by this Richard thought a legion with the prince in it must face the least dangerous battles and reap the most rewards later during a bre break he told Solen that the Majesty's Vision seemed impaired Solen replied that it was nearly gone but that his Majesty's Mastery of vindictive cultivation was so Advanced that he could sense the world through a

combination of spiritual and vindictive power Solon explained that the previous Kings of various nations were often weak in strength not due to lack of intelligence but because power consumes energy and time however their esteemed Majesty sagas had managed to excel in both hearing an old man praise another so earnestly made Richard feel awkward he told Solon to stop and asked if they should go to dragon's claw first to get familiar with it which Solen agreed was necessary they headed there immediately passing by soldiers training for war a soldier approached them asking about their business Solen

introduced Richard as Baron of the Alpine Fortress and explained that they were there on the orders of his majesty to observe a particular event upon reading the Majesty's orders the soldier was stunned and quickly LED them inside seeing the Soldier's reaction both of them exchanged confused glances the soldier brought them to a room and after knocking opened the door inside a group of fakers was deeply engrossed in planning something with the soldiers enraged Richard wanted to kill them on the spot Solon was bewildered by what was happening however one big guy among them quickly apologized

asking Richard as an eagle Knight to forgive their little joke insisting that they meant no harm Richard asked who they were he said he was bedrick both of them were surprised to know it Solen couldn't believe he was the son of the Majesty sagas noting his tall figure and slightly dark skin bedrick says that his father must have mentioned him to them but they were also confused that he didn't look like the s's son or suspected him to be a fake replacement now the other two also reveal their true identities one of them was a

member of the Court Mages burn and the other was a high-ranking swordsman at the court of coron Richard was overwhelmed by them after all he considers them a typical combination of stubborn master and traitor most Kings have multiple heirs making competing for heirs easy but in this respect sas's Majesty is unique with bedrick as a child Richard commented on the ominous sign signaling the potential downfall of the country he then scolded the soldier questioning why he didn't recognize His Highness and if he hadn't seen them before the soldier clearly confused admitted that he had never

actually seen His Highness or the others Richard's temper flared as he questioned how that was possible considering that Royal Highness bedrick had served in the dragon's claw for years he couldn't understand how the soldier hadn't met him bedrick intervened explaining that although he was officially listed as serving there this was his first time actually being present he continued noting how each new generation seemed to be getting worse Richard with a Sly hint reminded him that he too was part of that younger generation