Chapter 485: Mouth-Watering Reinforcements

Chapter 485: The Mouth-Watering Reinforcements

With Rydal's departure, Ronin brought his inspection to a close.

The knightly order he had stationed here comprised two thousand seven hundred formal members, accompanied by nearly three thousand logistics personnel.

In times of peace, these supply workers and soldiers could set aside their weapons to implement his military farming system, coaxing sustenance from the very soil.

He could not fathom his own fondness for agriculture; perhaps, in the deepest recesses of his soul, there existed a profound, immutable love for the earth.

There was nothing wrong with that.

Evoking the Wind Shadow art, Ronin ascended into the skies above Watchkeep to observe the disposition of his adversaries.

His spiritual perception rippled outward, encompassing a radius of over thirteen li, effectively bringing the entirety of Watchkeep under his mental domain.

"The garrison at Watchkeep is quite substantial," he murmured.

Through his mental probe, Ronin roughly estimated the enemy strength to be around six thousand, a figure that nearly mirrored his own forces.

In truth, should war truly erupt, the masses below would stand no chance against his current arsenal, were he to unleash the ninth-tier spell, Ruinous Storm, or Starfall of Fire.

Even if survivors somehow endured, the knightly order stationed at Zephyr Hills would merely need to advance and reap the remnants, quickly securing absolute control over the camp.

Ronin already felt the absolute deterrence that came with peerless might; the enemy would either have to field an opponent of his caliber, or dispatch a vast assembly of professional knights and mages, outfitted with a bounty of transcendent gear, just to earn the right to oppose him.

Yet, it was abundantly clear that Watchkeep possessed neither.

"I am merely a ninth-tier transcendent now. Once I ascend to the legendary realm and master the Primordial Source energy, even their human-wave tactics and hoards of transcendent equipment will be utterly futile."

Should Ronin achieve legend status, he might well emulate the first Emperor Orlant, using sheer martial dominance to force the nobility to bow, thereby becoming the sole sovereign and founding an empire.

At present, Ronin's knightly cultivation had reached its peak, and his progress as a mage stood at (5368/30000), meaning a breakthrough to the legendary realm would take four years at most.

If his kingdom had not yet risen by then, could he follow Emperor Orlant's path, compelling the lords to submit through absolute force before crowning himself king?

In comparison, Ronin still preferred the path of martial conquest via armies, for such confrontations would purge a vast number of aristocrats from the old order, thereby easing the difficulty of forging a new one.

Had they all surrendered willingly out of fear of his might, dealing with them would prove far more troublesome than sweeping them away on the battlefield.

Of course, all of this would have to wait until the Holy Storm organization was thoroughly eradicated.

"Oh?"

Ronin perceived a sizable army marching toward Watchkeep some thirteen li away.

"Logistics? Or reinforcements?"

He spread his wings of wind and drew closer, the expanse of his spiritual awareness stretching along with his movement.

"This host numbers at least six thousand, equivalent to the combined martial strength and supply lines of two standard knightly orders."

Ronin was certain that this column constituted the reinforcements destined for Watchkeep.

"It seems they discovered that Zephyr Hills was entrusted to my defense, hence the sudden surge of troops. And yet, do they truly believe two ordinary orders can withstand a Blazing Sun Knight?"

Harboring doubts, Ronin lowered his altitude, unfurling a Light-Weaving Shadow-Folding spell scroll to scrutinize the advancing legion with meticulous care.

What met his eyes filled him with unexpected delight.

"That robed echelon must be mages. My word, twelve mages—quite a lavish display."

"Ah, and one, two, three... a full seven mana cannons."

"There is even a detachment of mana archers!"

Withdrawing a detection device crafted by Sophia from his spatial ring, Ronin found no anomalous fluctuations, indicating that no alien energies resembling Shamanic Soul power lingered nearby.

Thus, these people were untainted.

"Should this entire force surrender and enlist under my banner, it would be of immense benefit to me."

His gaze drifted toward the twelve-man squad of mages.

One could never have too many mages.

Consequently, the thought of blasting them to cinders with his spells became rather unpalatable.

"I shall confer with Rydal upon his return, to see how we might swallow this force with the absolute minimum of casualties."

Meanwhile, Rydal and Denny, each astride a griffon, soon arrived over the lands of Red Pine Keep.

Peering down from the heavens, the vistas painted by the crimson maples blazed with a fiery intensity.

Such scenery held a profound allure for Rydal, who possessed short red hair and an affinity for the fire element; if circumstances permitted, he would have loved nothing more than to wander through these woodlands.

Red Pine Keep stood squarely in the heart of the forest, sprawling across an immense tract of land. It was a structure of relative opulence, likely erected at the cost of considerable labor.

"We have arrived!"

Denny guided Rydal down onto the griffon platform. "Come along, Rydal. I shall go ahead to announce our presence; wait in the hall for a brief moment."

"Very well," Rydal replied courteously.

The two entered the fortress hall, and as Denny departed to deliver his report, Rydal sat alone upon a bench, waiting in absolute tranquility.

There was no looming tension of impending warfare here; he surmised that the Crown Prince's summons did not pertain to the coming conflict.

Perhaps it was merely a simple desire to meet?

In the rear courtyard, within Garret’s study.

Denny had long anticipated the Crown Prince's displeasure, and indeed, the moment he finished recounting Ronin’s affairs, the latter's countenance darkened, hinting at an imminent storm of fury.

"Are you telling me that Ronin has arrived, yet refuses to see me?"

"Yes, Your Highness."

Denny could only nod against his better judgment; he had no wish to offend Ronin, yet he dreaded provoking the ire of the man before him even more.

"Marquis Ronin likely has urgent matters to attend to, which is why he cannot spare the time to visit."

Garret sneered coldly. "That wretched place? What urgent matters could there possibly be?"

"Enough. You are dismissed." He waved a dismissive hand.

Denny pressed a hand to his chest in a respectful bow and turned to leave, but stopped after a couple of paces. "And what of Rydal?"

Garret raised his head, casting a flat glance at Denny. "That is none of your concern."

"As you wish."

Watching the man depart, Garret clenched his fists tightly.

He was the Crown Prince, the commander-in-chief of the front lines, and Ronin’s brother-in-law; by all accounts, Ronin should have come to pay his respects.

Yet now, the man had the audacity to send a nameless commander in his stead, preferring to hide away in that desolate pit of Zephyr Hills rather than experience the exquisite surroundings of Red Pine Keep. It was a blatant insult.

In the past, he had never harbored such intense loathing and resentment for an individual; the world had merely perceived him as proud and conceited.

But Ronin’s emergence had unlocked the narrow-mindedness, extremism, and utter folly hidden within Garret’s heart, a malice that grew worse with each passing day.

Rydal waited and waited within the vast hall.

From the morning through midday, and deep into the afternoon until the sun began its final descent, he caught not a single glimpse of Garret.

"Is this intended to be a deliberate slight?"

Yet Rydal possessed an immensely steadfast disposition, and he felt no anger rise within him.

But being left here for most of the day had already pushed him to his limit.

He stood up and walked out of the hall, saying to the guard beside him, "If Prince Garrett asks, tell him matters await my attention in Westwind Hill. If there are any instructions, send a letter directly to me."

He was loyal to Ronin. Although Garrett was the overall commander, orders from him were only partially followed.

For Reidar to wait quietly for so long was already a significant concession.

The guard hadn’t even had time to respond before he saw Reidar stride out, soaring toward the griffin platform.

Just as Reidar was about to mount the griffin and prepare to leave, Garrett’s figure descended onto the platform.

"What’s this, Reidar? Did I permit you to leave?"

Behind him arrived three tall knights clad in heavy armor, seemingly not lacking in strength.

Reidar released the griffin’s reins, handing them to a nearby guard for safekeeping.

"Your Highness, I have waited here for most of the day, only to receive your disregard. As commander of Westwind Hill, I have the duty to care for my troops and our defenses, not to waste time here."

A flash of anger appeared in Garrett’s eyes. As the saying goes, the servant reflects the master.

Ronin showed him no courtesy, and Reidar behaved similarly.

Moreover, how could a commander without status remain so composed in his headquarters?

"I summoned you here—this is a military order."

Garrett narrowed his eyes. "You left without my permission, which is defying a military order! In my command, those who defy orders face light punishments like imprisonment or fines, or severe ones like execution! Have you considered the consequences?"

Upon hearing this, the three behind him wore mocking expressions; they knew the prince intended to assert his authority.

"How does Your Highness plan to punish me?"

Reidar was neither provoked nor showed fear. He glanced at the three behind Garrett.

"Do you intend to join with those three behind you and kill me here?"

"Defying an order yet appearing so relaxed and indifferent—is this the caliber of commanders under Ronin?"

Garrett sneered. "Today, I will make you understand the consequences of defying a military order!"

Before his words finished, he suddenly waved his hand. The three armored knights behind him immediately stepped forward, encircling Reidar tightly.

The atmosphere instantly tensed to its peak.

(End of chapter)