He Snapped Necks at the Drop of a Hat

Metternich spent twenty years of his life on this divination.

This is an extremely high price to pay for anyone.

But for him, a "professional gambler," it seemed like he didn't care at all.

In his own words, if it weren't for Rein's appearance, he would have surely died on the "Fate Card".

"Lifespan" is just a number; "luck" is the most important factor determining how long a person can live. It's like chips on a gambling table; only what you win in the game truly belongs to you.

Even if his physical lifespan was originally supposed to be eighty years, if he couldn't overcome that hurdle, the rest of his lifespan would be completely meaningless.

Gamblers are all about gambling on fate.

"So... you're going to stay by my side?"

Rein was also surprised to hear Metternich's statement.

A "three-eyed evil god" with unknown abilities, is all you need is one more person by your side?

If we're talking about truly skilled individuals, Rein has quite a few around him. Not to mention the overtly known Ymir, Raven, Tuster, and some other hidden arrangements. In the Oma Imperial Capital, no one can kill him.

If it truly is a "death calamity," it shouldn't just be as simple as gaining another legendary combatant.

Metternich: "Yes."

Rein: "Why?"

"."

Metternich shook his head, indicating that he himself did not know what would happen.

But he did explain his reasons for doing so.

"In this hand, I am the 'clown.' No one can take my place."

Metternich turned over a black and white Joker Card.

He uses playing cards for divination.

He also explained the current situation in gambler's terms, "In our Gambler Sequence, there's a saying that two ' JOKER Card together are the best hand under any rules. Unless, of course, your opponent has the ability to destroy the entire poker rule set."

"."

Upon hearing this, Rein seemed to be deep in thought.

He had colorful Joker Card, while Metternich had black and white Joker Card. Put them together, and you get a royal flush?

Could it even trigger a qualitative change?

Metternich continued, "It now seems that the rule on the Ice Ridge Wasteland is 'Fifth-tier Extraordinary.' Under this rule, no one can surpass the order of laws. I speculate that the evil god does not have the ability to break through this rule, or perhaps what is happening here is not worth the price He pays to break the rule."

After thinking for a moment, he added, "Furthermore, according to you, during the reign of the Monkell Civilization, the Black Emperor Moises was defeated by these Three-Eyed Race. Therefore, I also speculate that the restrictions on this Ice Ridge Wasteland may have been set up by the Black Emperor to protect this land under the mist, and us, the descendants of the 'Seventy-Two Divine Generals' of that time!"

"I see."

Rein listened and nodded.

He hadn't expected that Metternich would analyze so much just from what he had said.

But upon reflection, I realized that this explanation was the most reasonable.

Whether it was the battle in "Black Wind Territory" or Master Cavo's personal challenge, both encounters confirmed that the evil god's combat power was indeed unparalleled in the world, but it had not broken through the upper limit of "Fifth-tier Extraordinary".

Moreover, it is highly likely that the humans on the Ice Ridge Wasteland are descendants of the "Seventy-Two Divine Generals".

Although this law restricts all Transcendent individuals from surpassing the Fifth-tier Extraordinary, it also serves as a form of protection in another sense.

The world beyond the mist contains true gods. It's hard to imagine how a human race without "god-level powerhouses" could survive.

At present, at least within the fifth tier, the Transcendent beings in the Misty World are very powerful.

The next day, early morning.

The Oma Imperial Palace was bustling with activity.

Early in the morning, various princes, hereditary dukes, marquises, and heads of powerful clans who hadn't attended court for many years all arrived at the palace.

During the more than six months that Spurglin XV was bedridden, he held almost no large-scale court assemblies, and the royal council hall had not been so lively in a long time.

Everyone understood that today was likely the day to announce the most important issue of imperial succession.

"Hey! I heard His Majesty's health is getting worse and worse, and he probably only has one or two days left."

"Yes, the results will probably be announced at today's court assembly."

"With the princes vying for power and the lower classes of Omar in turmoil, it's good that the succession to the Imperial Throne is decided sooner rather than later. I wonder which prince will inherit the Imperial Throne."

"."

The ministers and nobles huddled together in groups of three or five, whispering among themselves from time to time.

It makes little difference to these high-ranking nobles who chose to remain "neutral" regardless of who becomes emperor.

The empire needs them to function, and their families control the population and Mechanical City. Whoever ascends the throne will have to be on good terms with them.

"Look, the people from Black Dragon City are here."

Just then, someone shouted, and everyone's eyes turned to that direction, and the entire council hall fell silent instantly.

Upon closer inspection, Rein, dressed in a plain white general's uniform, and Ymir, wearing a light blue princess dress, slowly walked into the venue.

A group of four.

No guards were allowed in the palace; the only ones accompanying him were old man Tuster and a young man in a black tailcoat with his hat pulled low.

Upon seeing Rein and his group enter the venue, the nobles all took the initiative to greet them.

"Your Her Highness the Eldest Princess!"

Ymir

"Aunt."

There are various names for it.

Many of the white-haired old men were Ymir's elders in terms of seniority.

This is how it is with Established Nobles; they intermarry for generations, and there are always some degree of kinship between the large families.

The Princess, who was once ostracized from Omar by this group of people as if she were a "plague," has now returned.

It was the same group of people, but their attitudes had changed dramatically; they were now as warm and welcoming as if they were their own flesh and blood relatives.

Respect is always linked to strength.

The memory of yesterday's attack on the Royal Academy of Sciences by eight hundred Mechanical Knight in Black Dragon City is still fresh in everyone's mind. Everyone understands that this once-disgraced Princess holds an "invincible Mechanical Legion" in her hands. Her rise is unstoppable.

Most of those who spoke up were high-ranking nobles or relatives, Ymir had to deal with them one by one.

Of course, she didn't forget to introduce Rein to everyone.

"Congratulations! Congratulations on the formal alliance between Omar and your 'Black Dragon City' from today onwards. Your Highness Ymir, please take good care of your uncles and elders back home."

"Ymir, your Black Dragon City certainly occupies a good location. I've heard that your Karatva Basin produces high-quality coal and iron ore resources? I happen to run some mines in the Empire and have no shortage of large-scale equipment. We can do business together then."

"Uncle, my territory happens to produce high-quality grain. I've heard your territory is developing very well, and you must need a lot of grain. If you have any needs, just let me know. We're family, no need to be polite!"

"Your Her Highness the Eldest Princess, I heard that the Mechanical Academy in Black Dragon City also recruits students from both empires? That rascal from your uncle's family happens to have some mechanical talent; he's your cousin Thomas. You met him a few years ago."

"."

Business mutual flattery is always the same old stuff.

Power, money, resources—a kind of exchange of interests.

Of course, there were also all sorts of people trying to curry favor with them.

From any perspective, "Black Dragon City" is now a highly attractive piece of "fat meat".

Resources, technology, population, geographical location—any one of these aspects would make the two great empires covetous.

If it weren't for their strong military support, these guys would probably have already considered plundering by force.

Rein was not good at socializing in such high-society circles, and sat there with an indifferent expression.

Even when someone greets him, he only nods politely.

We waited like that for about half an hour.

The morning assembly still did not take place.

An imperial attendant came to deliver a message saying that the Old Emperor was not in good spirits and was resting, and that it would probably take some time.

As Rein sat in his seat, his mind was racing, trying to figure out where exactly the so-called "death calamity" that Metternich had divined for him was.

The council chamber is now divided into four distinct groups.

The neutral nobles, the faction of the Second Prince, the faction of the Fourth Prince, and the faction of the Eighth Prince.

The three princes who had a chance to inherit the Imperial Throne and the various old families that supported them all stood together, most of them being pot-bellied noblemen.

The guards were all outside the palace, and the few military officials who held power were not of very high Extraordinary Rank. Looking around, in the huge council hall with hundreds of people, only a few old generals had reached the Fifth-tier Extraordinary.

But clearly, Rein didn't think any of these things could threaten his life.

His gaze occasionally drifted towards the group of the Second Prince, but he didn't see the white-robed missionary from City of Radiance.

I heard that guy is currently in the back hall using divine magic to "heal" the Old Emperor.

As luck would have it, just as Rein was pondering what tricks the missionary might have up his sleeve, the man walked in through the front door.

As soon as he entered, the surrounding crowd immediately gathered around him.

Everyone asked in unison, "Master Mirel, how is His Majesty?"

Everyone perked up their ears at this question.

The missionary replied solemnly, "His Majesty's condition is not very good, but after treatment, he is fully conscious. He should be able to attend court after a short rest."

Upon hearing "fully conscious," everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

This means that the decision on the succession to the Imperial Throne still rests with the Old Emperor, and no one can interfere with it.

But Rein, who was listening from a distance, narrowed his eyes slightly.

Conscious?

Hehe, I guess it's so that it's easier for you to control it.

Metternich, standing behind Rein, spoke up at this moment, his tone strange. "Tsk tsk, I never imagined City of Radiance had such methods. No wonder Second Prince Calen, despite being in such a weak position, still had such a high chance of winning in the divination."

Rein stroked his chin and said, "Therefore, we must not allow someone who has been brainwashed by an evil god to inherit the Imperial Throne."

Metternich smiled and said, "Don't worry. Omar is about to collapse, no one can be the emperor."

Upon hearing this, Rein's expression changed slightly, but not much.

He naturally believed that the squinty-eyed man had the ability, and added, "The succession to the Imperial Throne is a minor matter, but we need to find a way to stop those guys from City of Radiance from continuing to spread their Evil God Worship through such means."

Metternich thought for a moment and nodded, saying, "This is indeed a bit of a problem."

As they were chatting, unexpectedly, the Second Prince Calen walked straight over with the white-robed missionary.

"Auntie, you've arrived."

Calen politely bowed to Ymir, then glanced at Rein beside her and greeted him, "Mr. Rein, it's an honor to meet you. I had intended to invite you to my home, but yesterday's meeting was too rushed."

"Your Second Prince, it is an honor for me to meet you."

Looking at this uninvited guest, Rein also put on a polite smile.

He guessed it too; this guy probably thought he didn't know they had used methods to distort the Old Emperor's perception.

So, they're probably here to make amends.

After all, Ymir was his brother's staunch supporter, which meant that once the Old Emperor announced the right of Imperial Throne, "Black Dragon City" could become a powerful supporter of Calen!

Calen smiled and said, "I've heard that Mr. Rein is an outstanding fighter, possessing combat strength comparable to top-tier Transcendent."

"Your Highness flatters me. My skills are but a small matter and not worth mentioning."

Rein listened to the other party's praise, he humbly replied, but was slightly surprised.

What is this guy trying to do?

At this moment, a barely perceptible glint flashed in Calen's eyes, and she said, "I heard that Mr. Rein is now at the Transcendent Perfection of the Third Tier Transcendent Realm and is currently comprehending 'Fist Intent'?"

Rein knew that his information had already spread to all the major powers, so he wasn't surprised that the Second Prince knew it. He casually replied, "Yes."

Upon hearing this, Calen chuckled self-deprecatingly, "I simply don't have that talent. Even advancing to the Third Tier of the Transcendent was achieved through forced enhancement with magic potions, and I have no hope of ever reaching the Fourth Tier of the Transcendent. Mr. Rein's exceptional talent is truly enviable."

Clearly, Rein knew that the Second Prince hadn't come specifically to flatter him.

Sure enough, at that moment, Calen gave a signal, and the white-robed missionary beside him suddenly took out a jade box.

Noticing the puzzled looks from those around him, Calen introduced it with a touch of mystery, "This is the Philosopher's Stone, a family heirloom passed down through Master Mirel's family. It has a magical effect: it can put one into a 'wise state,' allowing one to easily comprehend the essence of martial arts!"

"Oh! There are treasures like this?"

Upon hearing this, Rein became genuinely interested.

If the Second Prince Omar could say that, then the efficacy of this product is probably genuine.

He never imagined that such a treasure existed in the world, helping people to comprehend the essence of martial arts.

But didn't those big shots like Mafat and Cavo say that they could only understand it themselves?

The threshold of the Fourth Tier of the Transcendent is indeed causing him a lot of distress. When someone brought out such a treasure, it immediately aroused his great interest.

The fleeting change in Rein's expression did not escape the eyes of Master Mirel; no one noticed the triumphant smile that flashed in his eyes.

"Nature."

At this moment, Calen nodded and said with a smile, "Although Mr. Rein is the Lord of Black Dragon City, from my aunt's perspective, we are not outsiders."

At this point, he gestured to the missionary beside him to open the box, saying, "Consider this Philosopher's Stone a small gift from me to Mr. Rein. You'll see its effects as soon as you see it."

If the contents of this box can indeed help people comprehend "fist intent" and advance to the Fourth Tier of the Transcendent, then it can truly be considered a treasure.

This is especially true for Rein, a hermit who seeks to advance to Transcendent level.

Rein had been looking forward to the "treasure" in the box, but his expression changed immediately when he opened it.

At this point, system notifications will also appear one after another.

[Ding! Serious warning: Unknown mental force intrusion, subconscious manipulation in progress, 0.1%]

Inside the box was a fist-sized fluorescent stone that emitted a hazy gray glow under the light.

The moment the jade box was opened, everyone present felt a sensation like a gentle spring breeze, instantly clearing their minds.

For someone like Rein, who is on the verge of comprehending the "intent of the fist," this feeling is particularly strong.

That feeling of "mental clarity" is very pleasant, as if one is immersed in ice water, with thoughts clearer than ever before.

At the same time, a refreshing feeling, as if he had been enlightened, made him vaguely feel that he was about to understand something.

At that moment, Rein finally understood that what this guy was saying wasn't a lie.

If he really had this Philosopher's Stone, he would probably be able to grasp that "comprehension of fist intent" that was like quicksand in his hands very soon!

Of course, this is on the premise that there is no system prompt.

Even a single glance reveals a 0.1% degree of tampering.

If he were to actually get his hands on it and try to understand it, it probably wouldn't take more than one night for some of Rein's own perceptions to be subtly changed!

Upon hearing the system notification, Rein's lips curled into a slight smile.

However, the smile he revealed seemed to have a deeper meaning.

He looked at the box and asked, "Is this Master Mirel's family heirloom?"

Calen, assuming Rein was interested, nodded and smiled, "Of course. This was discovered by Master Mirel's ancestor in an ancient ruin."

But before he could finish speaking, the figure of Rein suddenly turned into a phantom.

Before anyone could react, a gust of wind blew Calen's golden hair flying.

Then, upon closer inspection, she saw that Rein had already appeared beside Calen.

And in his hand, he was gripping Master Mirel's neck.

However, before anyone could react, a "crack" sound of bone breaking was suddenly heard.

In front of hundreds of nobles in the council, in the royal palace council hall, Rein snapped the neck of this Fourth Tier archmage without hesitation!