Arms Race (Part 2)

"When!"

Another crisp sound rang out.

The Battlefield Wheelchair Man patted the Ogre slung over the ogre's shoulder and said excitedly, "And this one too, the [Thunder Hammer-IV], a major release from our Klaubert Group!"

Naven's pupils contracted again.

This is what's called a "cannon"! This weapon played a crucial role in the Sixteenth Holy City War, even killing several Titan Divine Descendant!

Now, as long as they pay enough Gold Coin, they, the Kassand, can also possess such a thing! They can also use it to shoot down the enemy's Angel Divine Descendant! The Battlefield Wheelchair Man affectionately stroked the cannon barrel and continued, "The barrel of this smoothbore cannon is made of a special alloy, which can effectively cool down and prevent the barrel from exploding."

"And this new type of shell is even more remarkable. It is Blossom Shell meticulously developed by the Imperial Arsenal. The warhead is filled with gunpowder and will explode upon hitting the target, causing maximum damage to the enemy."

"Come on, let's show this to this customer."

The Ogre Artillery accepted the Silver Coin from the Battlefield Wheelchair Man before placing the cannon on the ground, skillfully calculating the angle, and then loading the shells.

"Boom!"

The shells traced graceful arcs through the air.

It exploded hundreds of meters away, scattering shrapnel like blooming flowers—truly deserving of the name "Blossom Shell".

Naven looked into the distance, his expression one of surprise.

In terms of sheer destructive power, it is no less than a third-ring Fireball, and in terms of range and area of effect, it is simply overwhelming.

Noticing the other person's expression, the Battlefield Wheelchair Man immediately felt reassured.

With his hands on his hips, he said smugly, "This is the Empire Hammer, the absolute weapon of war, the only choice to start a large-scale war!"

Naven asked impatiently, "How many Gold Coin do these rifles and cannons cost?"

The Battlefield Wheelchair Man, however, kept everyone in suspense for a moment, then asked with a smile, "Do you know how much the Thrace Kingdom spent on that batch of weapons?"

Naven shook his head.

"Each of their rifles costs 99 Silver Coin, while each cannon costs 30 Gold Coin."

Naven's eyes widened immediately.

It's so cheap?

The price of this cannon is not even as much as a Fireball scroll.

"That's why our Klaubert Group's products have always been of high quality and low price, striving to bring the best experience to our customers."

The Battlefield Wheelchair Man continued, "The two products I'm introducing to you far surpass the batch sold to Thrace in performance and appearance, so we've slightly increased the price—that shouldn't be unreasonable, right?"

"Certainly."

Naven nodded; he was prepared to be ripped off.

"However, out of respect for the friendship between His Your Majesty Keosius and His Majesty Otis, we can offer you a friendly price."

"Each [Wyvern Flame-I] costs 128 Silver Coin, and each [Thunder Hammer-IV] costs 39 Gold Coin."

The Battlefield Wheelchair Man clutched his chest, making a gesture of reluctant sacrifice.

"This is almost cost price, which is our bottom line. What do you think?"

Before Naven could respond, the Battlefield Wheelchair Man sighed heavily again.

"Well--"

"Although His Your Majesty Keosius remained neutral during this war, he had a favorable impression of the Kassand Kingdom and always believed that His Majesty Otis was the rightful heir of the Fadlan."

"In that case, for His Majesty Otis's sake, we'll simply do a loss-making business and give you an unprecedented discount!"

"If you can place an order for more than 60,000 rifles or more than 7,000 artillery pieces at once, we will give you a 20% discount!"

Naven's lips twitched slightly as he watched the exaggerated performance of the Battlefield Wheelchair Man.

But he was still quite happy, for he was finally able to make a greater contribution to the Kassand Kingdom!

"Alright, I will go back immediately to discuss it with Otis and give you a precise figure as soon as possible."

"OK!"

The Battlefield Wheelchair Man was overjoyed.

But after a moment's thought, he took out a beautifully engraved Gold Coin —the obverse of Gold Coin was a lifelike and majestic dragon head, while the reverse was Embers of the Burned Emblem with vertical pupils and flames.

This is the latest Gold Coin issued by the Empire Bank, which has begun to circulate widely within the Empire. Its official name is "Ginar," and due to its unique shape, it is also known as the "Gold Dragon Head" or "Emperor Coin."

"Your Lord Navin, I forgot to tell you earlier that our Klaubert Group only accepts settlement in Ginar. You will need to purchase an equivalent amount of Ginar from the Empire Bank before proceeding with the transaction."

"Okay, thanks for reminding me, I'll keep that in mind."

Naven nodded, not paying too much attention.

He observed it carefully and found that the weight of the Gold Coin was not much less; in his opinion, this was just a way for the empire to make money by minting coins.

The Battlefield Wheelchair Man took out an exquisite wooden box and came closer.

"By the way, would you be interested in taking a look at this collector's edition pistol?"

"This is a prized possession that many imperial generals carry close to their bodies, and even Marshal Dolo cherishes it."

And so, in a friendly atmosphere, the Battlefield Wheelchair Man successfully completed his sales pitch once again.

A few days later, the Kassand delegation headed north again.

Meanwhile, the Klaubert Group received a huge order from the Kassand Kingdom, surpassing the previous order from Thrace, which once again caused a nationwide sensation.

Four hundred thousand [Wyvern Flame-I] rifles and thirty-six thousand [Thunder Hammer-IV] cannons.

Countless ammunition and shells.

A total of over two million Gold Coin.

Battlefield Wheelchair Man have once again become the top-selling product this month, enjoying immense success.

However, some people question whether he was able to get such valuable opportunities every time because of his special relationship with the Steel Frenzy.

Meanwhile, in the vast Fadlan region to the south, the war between the Kassand and Thrace intensified further.

Because the Embers of the Burned Empire sold arms to both sides in the war, Kassand and Thrace recruited a large number of civilians into their armies, gave them simple and quick training, and equipped them with guns and ammunition purchased from the Empire.

The war spread from the Holy City region to every inch of the border between the two countries.

Across the vast territory of Holy Fadlan, Gunsmoke and gunfire filled the air as people who once stood tall for the same empire fought each other to the death.

With the backing of the Embers of the Burned Empire, the brutal game of war seems to have taken on a new form.

A new era is dawning.

"Those guns and artillery are the source of disaster. We keep buying more and more powerful and expensive military equipment, only to find that the land beneath our feet has become a scene of devastation."

"The people of the former Fadlan fought each other, but none of them were victors. Their blood nourished the monster in the north, making it grow stronger and stronger, until—its wings covered the entire continent."

—Navin Bessarius Afterword