Proofread by Thomas F

Rider Lv. 15

Rider Lv. 16

[Skill Gained: Rein Flow]

When I looked at the text in front of me, a smile couldn’t help but appear on my face, with a hint of surprise.

It took me over six months of constant training to gain two levels. Here, I did it in a single ride of a few hours, and that ride wasn’t smooth.

How many levels do I gain when I am able to ride it smoothly after fully braking it?

I had gained two levels, but also a skill: a passive skill and a rare one at that. I didn’t expect to acquire such a skill, but I’m happy to get it.

Rein Flow.

It is a passive one that provides seamless control. I would help ride through different terrains, obstacles, and other things.

It’s a beneficial skill, especially in battle or riding in difficult terrain.

Speaking of the monster, I used my skills to look at it and saw it struggling against the cage. Hitting with its legs and lightning bolts.

The cage is made of a strong material, and it will not break; however, the presence and disturbance it creates are affecting the other beasts.

The others are trying to calm it down. Using their skills, but they aren’t working.

“Calm Boy!” I ordered, activating the Calm Touch and Command Projection, while simultaneously suppressing legacy and artifact on it.

Immediately, it calmed down.

A moment later, a large apple appeared in its mouth, while projecting the command to remain calm.

I will be going there, but it will be late afternoon, and it is only morning right now.

It will need to learn to live there, at least until it is fully tamed. It is a dangerous monster; it could kill a lot of people if it went out of control.

‘I will need to look in on it every hour,’ I said to myself, before deactivating the skill and getting up from the bed.

Twenty minutes later, I am walking underground for my training with Bell.

I am excited for it. I had not told her or anyone else that I had understood the method. I didn’t get a chance, and besides, I want the knowledge to be confined to a small number of people.

Click!

I reached the door and opened it, then walked inside.

As always, Bell is there with her eyes closed.

A few minutes later, she finally opened them.

“Congratulations on the method,” she said, surprising me. “How do you know?” I asked. To that, she didn’t reply, other than smiling.

“The next course should be for you to focus more on the method to learn its deeper mysteries.”

“You had only harnessed what’s on the surface, but there is a lot more power deeper. That takes time, and you do not have that.”

“So, we will move to the others. I am going to teach you the remaining three. “You can peruse the one you liked or all three,” she stated.

“Ok,” I replied, feeling excited.

The next moment, I felt her aura forming a fractal that resembled a scale. No, not a scale, but a shield.

“Bark Shield,” she said, and the next moment. It formed into a conclave oblong shield with a rough surface. “It is a defensive method, quite powerful,” she added, before turning to me.

“Attack it with the method.” She said, and a moment later, aura came out of me and formed a fractal.

In an instant, it transformed into a cyan blade. A surprise appeared in her eyes, and they turned emotional for a moment, before they returned to their impassive self.

I am curious, but didn’t ask. Instead, I sent a cyan blade toward the shield.

Bam!

The blade that tore through the Lv. 40 Bear Monster had been stopped in its tracks by the shield.

“Impressive,” I commented. To that, she smiled.

“You try now,” she said, and I nodded. The next moment, the aura came out, forming a fractal as I thought about bark and all its defensive properties.

Nothing, the fractal formed, but no shield had appeared in its place. Seeing that, I sighed. It’s not going to be easy.

She dissolved the shield, and the next fractural began to form.

“Next is physical strengthening, called Sap Pulse, if you learned it. You will not have to strengthen your body with raw aura,” she said, and a moment later, a purple line appeared.

Like a tattoo, it covered her body. Making her look like a warrior.

“It feels powerful,” I noted. “It is,” she replied and moved at incredible speed.

“It strengthens every part of the body, which means it will not be physically stronger, but also faster and harder to harm,” she added.

It made me very excited, and I tried immediately, but like the Bark Shield, I didn’t get the essence of Pulse Sap as well.

“The last one is Root Mind. It is a mental method; it is a defensive one that will protect you from the soul attacks,” she stated, and a pointy-shaped fractal turned and materialised into the method.

It didn’t bring any significant change, other than covering her temple with root designs, which made her look mysterious.

I tried it, but failed as usual.

“It’s going to be hard,” I said. “It will be, but keep trying. Even a single one of them will help you tremendously in your battle against the undead.

A few minutes later, we began to fight, and this fight was different because we were both using aura methods. Despite that, the result was the same.

She beat me thoroughly.

The session lasted for two hours instead of three. I have to go to City Hall early to meet the intelligence official from the merchant state.

I went back to my room, showered, ate breakfast, and then walked out.

Usually, I stay in my office for at least half an hour, but today, I cannot. Soon, I was in my carriage, moving toward the city hall.

The park looked more crowded, but not with locals, with tourists. A lot of them are coming to the legacy while they can.

It is a different picture when the carriage leaves the park.

The streets are less crowded, and there are fewer people. The rate of leaving may have lessened, but people are still going, including the girls.

Their numbers have exceeded one hundred.

A few minutes later, the carriage reached the city hall, and I walked out.

“They had come; they are currently in a meeting with Chief Cartar and the others.” Informed Lola as I stepped into my office.

Soon, I will have to join them. Until then, I plan to finish a little work.

“Any messages from Carla?” I asked. “Yes, the meeting with the ambassador is at two in the afternoon,” she replied, and it put a smile on my face.

We were able to get a meeting with the ambassador of Kalgha Dominion. Let’s hope she will make progress. We are willing to offer something good in return.

“And Rutto?” I asked. “He is meeting these nobles today,” she replied, putting the list in front of me.

I asked for a few more things before turning to the files in front of me.

Even at the current state, with people leaving, there is still a lot of work to be done. There would have been more if not for my giving some responsibilities to Valentina.

“They are ready for you,” Lola informed.

I closed the file I was working on and walked out. I reached the conference room a minute later. I didn’t immediately enter. Instead, I prayed to every god for a moment.

I don’t want good news; I don’t think my luck would be that good, but I don’t want it to be all bad news.

I genuinely don’t need bad news right now.

Step!

With that, I nodded at the guards and stepped inside. Immediately, I knew I was getting bad news, as I looked at the faces of Shaun and the others.

Everybody important is here: Shaun, Stone, Cardin, and Valentina.

“Lord Silver,” greeted the half-elf. “Mr. Marysel,” I replied.

“I hope you have good news for me?” I asked as I took the seat in front of him. “It’s the news, my agency sent me to inform you,” he replied with an unreadable expression.

“So, what is it?” I asked. “The kingdom of Vris’alud and the Merchant States of Western Zenid are going to sign the agreement tomorrow,” he informed.

I felt like the earth had collapsed under my feet, because it means one thing only.

The two will be able to leave Ashton Harbor; they are very powerful Lv. 40 powerhouses with aura and the artifacts.

For nearly a minute, I didn’t speak at all, before taking a deep breath and turning to the man in front of me, with the hope that this is only bad news there is.

“These won’t be final till signing, but there are a few things in it that will affect you,”

“First, our hidden powerhouse won’t act if those above a certain level leave a certain place,” he replied. Confirming what I had just thought.

“Second, we will stop providing you with intelligence. Third, we will stop providing the intelligence and resources to the Imperial Navy against the forces of the Vris’alud.”

“Fourth, we will not provide you with any war aid. Fifth, we…”

Each point sank me deeper and deeper into despair.

He finished at six and looked at me, while I remained frozen in my place.

It wouldn’t be wrong to say that Greltheaven and most of the region remained standing because of the help the merchants had provided.

Without their help, the majority of the region would have been conquered within the first month of the undead arriving here.

Now, that had disappeared.

They will not only stop the powerhouses at Ashton Harbor, but also prevent the ships from passing.

They might not have used their ships to stop the undead, but they stopped due to the intelligence and resources they had provided to the Imperial Navy.

This means most undead ships will now be able to come directly to the region, because it will be hard for the weakened Imperial Navy to stop them.

I sighed in acceptance. It is a reality that I have to accept.

Though it is the last thing I want to do. The only thing I want to do right now is rage, but that’s not an option.

“What is the merchant’s state getting from the agreement?” I asked.

“I do not have the privilege to tell you that, but the merchant states will release a few details after the agreement is signed tomorrow,” he replied.

I know, they will get a few things. It is for which they were negotiating.

There was a silence for a few seconds before the man pushed a thick binder toward us.

“This is the last set of intelligence we will be providing you,” he said. I didn’t even touch it and looked at the man directly.

“What’s in it?” I asked. I don’t think there will be any news worse than what he already told us.

“A lot of things, but most important of all is related to the man, named Solivos Yark.”

“He had survived the battle of Panar and advanced to Lv. 40,” he replied, pushing me even deeper into the oblivion of Despair.

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