Lance Charging on the Arkship, but Without a Mount — Chapter 38

"And Doctor Kal'tsit, the matter troubling you should be related to that mysterious Doctor. Rhodes Island's poor operations now should also be connected to that Doctor's absence. You must have a plan. That Doctor does not seem to have died in battle, but rather to have gone into seclusion. Your plan should be to find him, am I right?"

Kal'tsit let out a long breath.

"I have to say, your guess is very accurate, Mr. Claude. Now you can tell me your plan."

Claude revealed a genuine smile. Only now did he truly feel confident.

Claude left the office with a smile. He had successfully achieved his goal, though it had startled Doctor Kal'tsit. After careful consideration, she had ultimately agreed to his proposal. At this moment, something that could be called ambition arose within Claude for the first time, and the feeling made his blood boil.

He had made an extraordinary decision, and he would devote all his wisdom and strength to making it happen.

A hand suddenly landed on his shoulder, but he did not rush to turn around. He had already known who it was when she was still ten meters away.

Finding his reaction boring, she circled around to stand in front of him.

"Why aren't you surprised at all? I didn't make a single sound with my footsteps."

Centaurea looked at Claude curiously, waiting for his answer.

"It's a special technique. I'll teach it to you later; it should be very useful for you." Claude adjusted his cloak. "Did you need something?"

"Can't I come find you if I don't?"

"But I know you do."

Claude stared unblinking into Centaurea's eyes until a blush rose to her face.

"I just saw that there are a lot of shops here, and I wanted to go look around with you."

"Then let's go. No need to waste time."

Claude answered almost without hesitation, leaving Centaurea stunned for a moment.

"You agreed just like that?"

"Didn't you want me to?" Claude suddenly laughed, earning himself an eye roll.

The two headed toward the shopping district together. Centaurea suddenly reached out and grabbed Claude's cloak. Claude glanced at her, then held out his hand.

Seeing that the girl was still hesitating, Claude stopped looking at her and turned to keep walking, but he did not withdraw his hand. Then, just as he had expected, a gentle touch landed in his palm.

"Welcome... Mr. Claude!"

Claude looked at the Feline girl with dark purple hair in surprise. He had not expected to run into her here as well.

"Miss Melantha, do you work here too?"

"Actually, a few good friends and I opened this shop together. We come here during breaks from training." Melantha wore a server's uniform. They were currently in a cake shop with rather good business; small groups of Operators could be seen enjoying cake and black tea here. It was a very Victorian-style afternoon tea.

"Then please arrange a table for us." Claude hung the helmet he had been carrying at his waist, then followed her directions to a seat by the window. Centaurea sat across from him.

A menu was soon placed before Claude. He looked at his companion questioningly.

"You can order. I've never been here either; I only heard others recommend it."

"Then let's have some cookies. These look very good. And two chocolate cakes. Tea too, otherwise it'll probably get too rich."

No one objected, and their order was delivered shortly afterward. Things like cookies and cakes were generally made beforehand and kept in display cases. Anything that needed heating was lightly warmed before being served, so it arrived very quickly.

He bit into a crisp cookie filled with peanuts and other nuts, which burst with a rich, sweet fragrance. After eating several in a row, the sweetness became a little cloying, so he took a sip of black tea to balance the taste in his mouth.

He picked up another cookie. This one had a milky flavor, gentler and richer. Claude ate with great satisfaction. No wonder the shop had such good business—the chef truly had skill.

Using the small complimentary fork, he lifted a piece of chocolate cake. The crisp chocolate shell on top had long since hardened and shattered under Claude's movement, revealing the golden cake and cream beneath. In his mouth, the layers were distinct: the mellow chocolate, the smooth cream, and the soft cake combined easily to lift one's mood.

The two spoke very little while eating. Their experiences had made them that way. Claude in particular treated food with great seriousness; he even carefully scraped clean the remaining cream from his cake with his fork. Such meticulous movements inevitably drew attention from others.

After eating the last cookie, Claude clapped his hands in satisfaction. Though his precise and elegant eating had not gotten any cream or anything else on his hands, he still liked doing it.

"Miss Melantha, could you settle the bill for us?"

After paying, Claude and his companion pushed open the door and stepped outside.

"Come on, to the next place."

"Don't worry about weight today. Once we're done eating, we'll train extra tomorrow."

It was not until after five in the afternoon that they had finally eaten and drunk their fill and walked out of the last shop. Both were feeling rather lazy, so they found a bench and sat down, watching the sunset gradually descend.

They talked there for a long time. It was not until around six that they went their separate ways. As usual, Claude went to the training ground. The children were resting today, but he still liked to train for at least two hours every day.

Claude held his lance and practiced thrusting in the training ground. This most basic of techniques could no longer improve through training alone for him. Every thrust produced an enormous sonic boom. The piercing shriek created as the cold gleam of the lance tip tore through the air made onlookers shudder, unable to imagine the destruction that would result from being struck by it.

His thrusts remained meticulous. This was the lance's most powerful attack; movements such as sweeping, smashing, and lifting primarily served supporting roles, bridging the gaps between attacks. He stomped forward heavily and unleashed a full-force thrust. The air in the training ground let out a piercing wail, and even the shaft trembled from the force of the blow.

Claude smoothly and neatly withdrew his lance, then frowned at the slightly warped shaft once more. When he had seized the landship before, the lance shaft had been damaged by his immense strength. Although he had forcibly bent it back afterward, the problem of it being too fragile had not been resolved.

An idea suddenly came to Claude. He recalled Miss Vulcan. She seemed to be a craftsman highly skilled at making weapons through traditional methods. Perhaps he could ask her whether the lance shaft could be improved, making it sturdier and more durable.

Without wasting time, Claude hurried toward Vulcan's workshop. She probably had not gotten off work yet at this hour, and perhaps Ceobe would be there as well.

A few minutes later, Claude knocked on the workshop's door. The lights were indeed still on, and before long, he heard someone coming to open it.

Vulcan looked at Claude outside the door in surprise, unable to understand why he had come looking for her instead of resting at this hour. Only when she saw the lance in his hand did she realize why.

"Mr. Claude, do you have a weapon-related issue you need my help with?"

"That's right, Miss Vulcan. I want to replace this lance's shaft with something sturdier. The current shaft cannot withstand my strength."

"Of course. Please come in, Mr. Claude."

Entering the scorching workshop, Claude sat in his usual spot. Ceobe was not there today; he did not know where she had gone. That child was always popular and had already made quite a few friends here. Even Claude could not always find her accurately.

Vulcan went into the inner room and began rummaging around. It seemed to be where she stored materials. Before long, she emerged carrying several lance shafts. She went over to the forge, placed them on the ground, then beckoned Claude over.

"I already examined your lance just now, Mr. Claude. If you want to replace the shaft, we'll have to recast the joint between the spearhead and the shaft. That will take quite some time. First, take a look and see whether any of these materials are suitable. If not, we can go find Closure. She always has quite a few good things on hand, though they won't come cheap."

Claude nodded and crouched beside the forge with Vulcan, beginning to inspect the materials.

The Rise of the Reunion Movement: Chapter 72 — Army

Claude remained aboard Rhodes Island's landship, but he had sent Centaurea out. Standing on the deck and watching the familiar armored off-road vehicle disappear into the distance, Claude felt a trace of worry. Though he knew she was the most suitable person for the mission, there was never any such thing as safety on this land. He had no idea whether his subordinate would encounter danger.

He did not waste time dwelling on it and quickly chose to trust his companion. Just as he had said before, he had made up his mind long ago.

The landship raced through the yellow sands toward its predetermined destination. Beyond twisted mountain ranges and barren plains, massive Originium mines could occasionally be seen erupting from the ground like crystalline hedgehogs, glittering brilliantly beneath the sunlight.

This enormous machine had excellent shock absorption measures. No matter how complicated the terrain, riding aboard it never felt overly bumpy. Of course, as a precaution, most facilities here were fixed to the deck. Claude stood here and gazed into the distance as hot winds mixed with dust rushed toward him, striking his black armor. Some dust bounced away, while some remained on it.

Countless thoughts churned fiercely in Claude's mind as he continuously refined his plan, his fingers unconsciously tapping against the railing. He always liked to formulate a plan before battle, combining all the intelligence he currently knew. Like a spider weaving its web, he would use a carefully crafted net to capture his prey.

"Old man, you should know Chernobog's exact layout, right?"

"What are you asking that for?"

The voice entered Claude's mind, while an exquisite little metal cage hanging from his waist began to glow.

"Don't play dumb."

Claude's words seemed to rouse the old Black Snake's fighting spirit for once, and he refused without hesitation.

"I will not help you. Besides, with your current strength, wanting to capture a mobile city is sheer fantasy. Ursus's army groups will never let this go. Even if you succeed in taking it, you won't be able to hold it."

"Is that so?" A cold smile appeared at the corner of Claude's mouth.

A sense of foreboding rose in Black Snake's heart. He could never see through the young man before him. Claude was clearly only a young man, and there had never been any news of an immortal like him. There were no suspicious points in his life history either; no matter how one investigated, he was merely an ordinary Kazimierzian.

"Duke Koschei, you were already a duke of Ursus when that country was founded. You hold an exalted position in Ursus, so why would someone as distinguished as you appear within a little girl?"

"..."

"Did you think I hadn't noticed? I did find a few clues back then, but it was only after capturing you that I truly figured it out."

"For a treacherous man like you, I refuse to believe you did this without a purpose. So what was that purpose? It had to bring you enormous gains, which was why you personally went to erode a girl's mind. What benefit would you gain if you could make her fall?"

"Talulah seems to be a Draco, right? I heard that Victoria's Draco have long since gone extinct, and Draco are the rightful heirs to the throne. Could it be that what you sought was Victoria?"

Black Snake was now grateful that he could not sweat, while also relieved by the mistake in Claude's line of thought.

"No."

Claude smiled.

Black Snake immediately realized what had happened.

"You can read my mind!"

"It's not mind reading. I can only sense some emotions. I put a great deal of effort into making this cage that holds you."

Without even turning his head, Claude continued.

"Then the next question. Which country is your true target? Higashi? Kazimierz? Sami? Or... Yan?"

"..."

"Looks like it's Yan."

"Then let's continue. How many Yan cities lie near Ursus? As far as I know, the closest one is Lungmen. Was that the original target?"

"You...!"

"Looks like I was right."

"Then how would you create an excuse for war? If you needed a plausible pretext, the other side would have to act first. How could you force them to strike first? To wage war against such a powerful country, the excuse certainly could not be too flimsy. It would be best if it were some kind of 'fact.' And you would have to act immediately before your opponents could react."

"Let me guess... Would you send troops into their territory? No, that would be too stupid, and the truth would be uncovered easily. Would you use a mobile warship to approach them and force them to open fire? No, that's not right either. Though it's close, a mobile city has plenty of ways to deal with a warship. Besides, sending a warship into enemy territory is itself a declaration of war. That would be entirely redundant. Then would you have a mobile city approach them? Mobilizing a mobile city requires weeks of preparation. During that time, no one could be certain Lungmen would not move as well. Once Lungmen was in motion, the plan could be declared a failure..."

Immortal Black Snake was already in despair. He realized that he could not even destroy himself now. Because of a moment's greed, he had completely turned himself into someone else's toy. All the intelligence and knowledge in his mind were now completely undefended.

"Ah, what am I thinking? Mobile cities can be dismantled. As long as the core city is detached, it can be set in motion in only a day or two, and it would be far faster than an ordinary mobile city. Am I right?... Mm, looks like I am."

"How could the weak Reunion Movement obtain the core city? How could the powerful army groups around Chernobog allow them to seize the city? If they did not actively cooperate, it would be impossible... Looks like I got that right too."

"I can be certain you cannot send any information back. Will your other bodies continue the plan?... Very good. Then thank you for your generosity, Your Grace. I'll gladly accept this city. I believe it will be put to better use in our hands."

He lightly tapped the metal cage twice, blocking out Black Snake's furious curses.

"If you were not in a soul state, I wouldn't have obtained this information so easily. I have to say, you really are a good man. Thank you again for your contribution to the liberation of the Infected."

The metal cage seemed to tremble. Claude could barely suppress the smile at his lips. Teasing this fellow every day had practically become one of his little hobbies.

"What wonderful weather."

"Alright, Mr. Claude. This is the shaft. Are you satisfied with it?"

Miss Vulcan stood before Claude and showed him the black lance shaft in her hands. Yesterday, they had searched for a long time without finding any shaft capable of withstanding Claude's strength, so they had gone to Closure as planned. The petite Sarkaz woman said she did have a high-strength alloy she could provide, but it would not be cheap. She claimed to have developed it herself, and that it was impossible to buy anywhere else.

Claude saw at a glance that she was inflating the price, so he immediately cut it in half. After a round of bargaining, he finally got a price he could accept. Although the Sarkaz woman looked pained, Claude knew she had still made quite a profit.

They then received two pieces of silvery metal, which Miss Vulcan forged into a new lance shaft. Claude had come on time to collect his weapon.

Looking at the newly refurbished lance in his hand, Claude went with Miss Vulcan to the weapon testing area to test the new shaft's strength.

The results satisfied Claude greatly. Even when he used the lance as violently as possible, it would no longer suffer irreparable deformation. This metal possessed exceptional toughness and strength, fully capable of withstanding Claude's full power. It still had a metal core, wrapped in polymer and rubber. The shaft was also inlaid with circuits for conducting Originium energy, allowing it to channel Originium Arts smoothly while providing a considerable boost.

After dispersing the violent lightning around the lance tip, Claude put away his weapon with satisfaction. He then solemnly thanked Miss Vulcan. Without her help, it would have been difficult for him to restore his primary weapon before this great battle.

After paying Miss Vulcan the compensation she deserved, both were satisfied with the cooperation. Claude had used money he had saved himself this time and had not touched the organization's funds. Yet after merely repairing his weapon, his remaining personal savings had been completely spent.

To deceive their greatest enemy, Claude decided to keep Talulah as the public leader. This way, they could capture Chernobog at minimal cost. By the time their enemy realized what was happening, the mobile city would already belong to them.

Of course, Claude would not be overly optimistic. He had prepared several contingency measures. No matter which part went wrong, they would not be utterly defeated.

Most importantly, he had Black Snake, someone who knew everything about Ursus. With him, Claude could almost stand undefeated.

Because this fellow was still rather important to him, Claude had even carved several unique runes onto the cage. They could slowly absorb energy and nourish the soul within, ensuring that he would not suddenly vanish into ashes.

Claude sat quietly on the bed in his room, entering that eager state of preparation once more.

Now, the general was waiting for his army, ready to lead them to a true victory.

A few days later, Rhodes Island's enormous landship suddenly came to a stop. It was clearly an unprepared emergency stop, and many people were thrown to the ground by the violent shaking. Fortunately, Rhodes Island's excellent shock absorption system kept the shaking from becoming too severe, and no one was injured.

Yet countless Operators gathered on the deck, staring dumbfounded at the sight before them.

A massive landship blocked their path, and it appeared to be a model used by the Ursus military. Everyone discussed it uneasily, not knowing why Ursus's army had intercepted them. But no one thought it was a good thing. Ursus troops had long been infamous, and today, they might even have stopped them to rob them.