Golden Star.
White Tusk Mountains.
This place is named after a Demigod- level White Tusk Giant Elephant that inhabits the area. It is home to many evil magical beasts and is also rich in various precious Transcendent resources.
A fierce wind swept through, carrying with it violent demonic energy, and earth-shattering roars echoed. A colossal elephant-like beast, three hundred meters tall, with skin as black as iron and four hooves reaching for the sky, was chasing a black raven with eighteen pairs of wings, hundreds of eerie eyes, and surrounded by an aura capable of freezing one's soul.
On the back of a crow, a person repeatedly looked back against the strong wind.
"Run, senior..."
The burly man in armor looked back at the giant elephant behind him and shouted urgently.
If Gustavo were here, he would definitely recognize these two old acquaintances, the man and the raven, at a glance.
Arthur and the Hundred-Eyed Nether Crow.
The urging voice from behind made Hundred-Eyed Nether Crow speak up in annoyance, "What's with the urging? You're just a stupid creature without any intelligence. Look at you, years have passed and you haven't made the slightest progress."
Arthur's face turned pale. "You make it sound so easy. This is Epic life form. I'm only at the Tier Nine; I can't even withstand its Sanctuary."
"Tch, it's all because you're weak and can't withstand the soul impact of bloodline awakening. If your willpower were strong enough, you would have already achieved Legendary status through bloodline leap, and you wouldn't be so pathetic," said Hundred-Eyed Nether Crow, sounding disappointed.
Upon hearing this, Arthur couldn't help but curl his lip. "You make it sound so easy. Can anyone withstand that kind of soul-shaking impact?"
Surrounded by millions of dead souls, it was like falling into Hell, as if one's soul could be torn apart at any moment—it was terrifying beyond measure.
If I had that kind of terrifying willpower, I could achieve Legendary even without the help of the Hundred-Eyed Nether Crow's bloodline!
These thoughts could only be grumbled in his mind, but Arthur said aloud, "Can't you teleport? Hurry up and use it, or we'll be caught."
"Shut up," the Hundred-Eyed Nether Crow hissed. "What do you know? This entire area is shrouded in a terrifying force field. If we teleport, it will inevitably create strong spatial fluctuations, thus awakening the owner of that force field. That guy is most likely Demigod. If it has already targeted us, we're truly doomed."
"Demigod?" Arthur turned even paler with fright. If such a mythical being were to attack him, escaping would be a pipe dream.
"What should we do then?" he asked hurriedly.
"No need to rush, it's just an Epic Tier Two magical beast. Running away is easy enough."
The Hundred-Eyed Nether Crow smiled contemptuously, then its eighteen pairs of wings flashed with black light, and the Mist rose and turned into a fog. A few seconds later, it suddenly exploded, turning into more than a dozen Hundred-Eyed Nether Crow, which flew in all directions.
The giant elephant's bewildered, enormous pupils were clearly stunned, as if it had never seen such a scene before. It even hesitated for a long time. By the time it made a decision and prepared to continue the pursuit, it was too late. The despicable black bird that had stolen its offspring had already vanished without a trace.
In a secluded valley, a flash of black light appeared, and the Hundred-Eyed Nether Crow and Arthur appeared.
"How about it, kid? When have I ever lied to you? Getting rid of that idiot was a piece of cake, wasn't it?" Hundred-Eyed Nether Crow said smugly, but he couldn't hide the weakness in his voice.
After spending several years together, Arthur had long since figured out the temperament of this ancestor hidden inside his family's inherited armor.
He's arrogant, stubborn, and loves flattery, but he's incredibly kind to his junior, not only teaching him diligently but also protecting him as he grows up. He's a very caring and supportive grandfather figure.
The only downside is that he likes to make fun of himself all the time, and he has a sharp tongue.
"Of course you're amazing, senior. So, what should we do next? Could you give us some advice?" Arthur said with a fawning smile.
The Hundred-Eyed Nether Crow had shrunk to the size of a palm, transforming into an ordinary raven, and perched on Arthur's shoulder.
After hearing Arthur's question, it tilted its head, a profound glint in its dark pupils. "This planet is teeming with creatures corrupted by Primordial Demonic Qi; the situation is probably quite complex."
Arthur's heart tightened. The Hundred-Eyed Nether Crow was always fearless; if there was anything he feared, it must be extremely dangerous.
Glancing irritably at the panicked Arthur, Hundred-Eyed Nether Crow said, "Don't worry, you're so weak, no one will bother with you."
"Uh..." Arthur choked, but then he thought, wouldn't he be perfectly safe if that were the case?
"However..." Excitement gleamed in the eyes of the Hundred-Eyed Nether Crow, "We might have struck gold this time. Although this planet is strange, it is fertile ground for the Nether Crow Clan to grow."
"What do you mean?" Arthur was a little confused.
"Simply put, as creatures of the Underworld, the Hundred-Eyed Nether Crow Clan feeds on all kinds of demons and monsters. The evil spirits and monsters that ordinary people avoid like the plague are all resources for our clan's growth. All kinds of Magic Creature on this planet are food for us, do you understand?" The Hundred-Eyed Nether Crow flapped its wings, its eyes filled with fanaticism, seeing the dawn of a rapid recovery of its strength.
Arthur was even more confused. Food?
Are you sure it won't be the two of us who become food for those giant beasts?
Facing Arthur's suspicious gaze, Hundred-Eyed Nether Crow once again showed a look of disappointment, tapping his head and saying, "We can't afford to mess with the strong, can't we find something weaker? You've already reached the peak of the Tier Nine tier, not far from breaking through to the Legendary. If you can devour a Legendary beast, you'll definitely advance. Once you break through, our bloodlines will merge, and hunting Epic magical beasts will be a piece of cake. At that time, we'll snowball and devour all the Magic Creature on the entire planet. Wahaha, I'll definitely be able to recover to the Demigod realm."
The Hundred-Eyed Nether Crow grew increasingly excited as it spoke, envisioning a bright future. Arthur, spurred on by its enthusiasm, his eyes gleaming, realized that becoming Legendary being would be the best outcome—what Transcendent being wouldn't want to become powerful?
"But what about Ashes? What if the people chasing us have also come to this planet?"
"Ashes..." The Hundred-Eyed Nether Crow's gaze sharpened, and his expression darkened.
The reason it and Arthur came to Golden Star was that they were being chased by the Crimson Shadow Squad. While fleeing for their lives, they both accidentally entered a spatial wormhole. When they reappeared, they were inside this boundless and enormous mountain range.
"Why are the Ashes chasing us? We didn't do anything to them!" Arthur scratched his head, completely baffled.
He went through his past years again and again, but still couldn't find any way he had offended this behemoth from the Elven Plane.
As for the Hundred-Eyed Nether Crow, that's even more impossible. This ancestor had been half-dead and slumbering inside the inherited armor. After waking up, he stayed with me the whole time.
The man and the crow exchanged a glance, still completely bewildered.
If I can't figure it out, I'll just stop thinking about it.
The Hundred-Eyed Nether Crow flapped its wings and said, "What do you care about this damn Ashes? Once I, your ancestor, recover my strength, I'll fear no one. As for those who are chasing us, although we're no match for them now, as long as we have time to devour more magical beasts, the day when the balance of power shifts won't be far off!"
With things having come to this point, Arthur had no better option than to obey the Hundred-Eyed Nether Crow's arrangement.
After a brief rest, the man and his crow went out hunting.
Meanwhile, in a courtyard located in the western district of a bustling city called Forest Fire City.
A gentle breeze rustled the leaves, and a red-haired youth stood in the dappled shadows.
His face was unnaturally pale, the veins in his neck were very visible, and you could even see the blood flowing inside. His pupils were an eerie crimson, and upon closer inspection, they looked like a crescent moon floating in them, appearing beautiful and smiling.
This person is none other than Crimson Shadow's leader, Feiyue Yilainuoke.
Da da da!
The crisp sound of her high heels clicking on the ground rang out as the stunningly beautiful Weiermila, in her red dress, gracefully approached, like a swaying red rose.
"How are your injuries?" Red Shadow Weiermila asked in a captivating, alluring voice.
As Feiyue Yilainuoke turned around, it became clear that there was a huge hole in his chest, with flesh writhing inside, yet it was slow to heal under the influence of a domineering force.
Long, slender fingers brushed across the wound, then she put the blood-stained fingertips into her mouth. An unnatural blush rose on Feiyue's pale face before she spoke coldly, "I never imagined that Golden Star, which was universally believed to be Destruction, not only still exists but has also redeveloped into Transcendent civilization."
Red Shadow Weiermila nodded slightly, a hint of apprehension on her face. "Fortunately, the humans here are corrupted by demonic energy and unable to follow the normal path to Transcendent. Otherwise, with the terrifying amount of Transcendent resources here, there's a high probability that Demigod Transcendent could be born..."
"Heh, if that's the case, we'll never leave the Golden King." Feiyue Yilainuoke chuckled coldly, then continued, "We must find a way to contact the organization. Golden Star is an untapped treasure trove; that single mother tree-level Golden Maple Tree is priceless. If the organization can secretly swallow the entire Golden Star, its resources will undoubtedly increase dramatically. We can also use this to gain organizational rewards and perhaps even rise to the ranks of Star Pillar- level cadres."
Red Shadow Weiermila wholeheartedly agreed with her husband's words.
"But... the communicator still can't connect to the outside world. The magnetic field here completely blocks communication between the inside and outside. Even the tracker is malfunctioning, working only intermittently," Weiermila said helplessly.
"Regardless, news about Golden Star should only be known to our own people. Those two must be found and eliminated completely!" Feiyue Yilainuoke said coldly.
"Then we'll just have to wait. You're already on the Golden Kingdom's wanted list, so it's not good for you to show your face in public. Continue to recover from your injuries. Let me lead the search for those two guys for now, okay?"
"Okay! But keep an eye on the trackers at all times. Once tracking is restored, everyone must assemble immediately and begin the hunt!"
Golden City.
Majestic and ancient, the towering, dark blue city walls bear the mottled marks of time, as if witnessing the trials and tribulations humanity has endured since the post-apocalyptic era.
As the capital of the Golden Kingdom, the city sees a constant influx of people coming and going, with crowds thronging the city gates.
Lancelot, transformed into the Nulong Jiedun, easily passed the checkpoint and entered the ancient city by scanning his face.
The residence of the second prince.
Located in Dongcheng District, this area is a gathering place for high-ranking officials and dignitaries, where every inch of land is extremely valuable.
Inheriting the rugged architectural style of ancient times from the Golden Star, and incorporating the hardness honed over thousands of years, the architecture of Dongcheng District is a concentrated embodiment of the architectural art of the Golden Kingdom.
The buildings were generally tall and angular, yet simple and practical. As Lancelot walked along, he felt as if he had entered a vast military camp, full of iron horses and swords, ready for battle.
"The people here are truly full of martial spirit..."
With a sigh in his heart, Lancelot looked at the tall gate in front of him.
Four bas-relief totems stand on either side, their wolf-like and tiger-like guards with eyes as sharp as hawks. Their armor is not new, but full of marks from being carved and chiseled, clearly left from the battlefield. Combined with the martial spirit of these iron-blooded soldiers, a single glance would likely kill an ordinary person with a weak heart.
Lancelot, unconcerned, stepped forward and said, "I am the Nulong Jiedun, I request an audience with the Second Prince."
The booming sound, like thunder, exploded in the guards' ears, like the roar of a dragon, terrifying to the extreme. This was to demonstrate their identity and avoid being mistaken for swindlers and thrown out.
"Nulong Jiedun? Please wait a moment, I'll go report to His Highness." A guard bowed respectfully, then turned and jogged into the mansion, while Lancelot stood quietly waiting.
Before long, a large group of people arrived, led by a young man who looked to be about twenty-eight or twenty-nine years old, with a beard and a clear and upright expression.
He was the second prince, Adelia, a legendary military genius renowned Golden Kingdom.
"Based on the intelligence we've gathered, it's estimated that 95% of the Second Prince's Transcendent talent points are allocated to the War Domain, including but not limited to various aura skills that boost morale, soldier fitness, and healing, as well as similar warfare-related domain abilities that increase his strength with the number of allies he has..."
Looking at the Second Prince Adelia walking towards him, Lancelot thought to himself that in order to become a war god in the Transcendent world, in addition to having an explosive talent for commanding troops, special abilities were also essential. Otherwise, it would be almost impossible to make those arrogant and fierce generals submit.
"General Jiedun, it's been a long time."
Upon meeting, the second prince warmly embraced him, appearing quite familiar with him. In reality, however, the relationship between the Nulong Jiedun and the second prince was not very close; Zetton was a Neutral Faction.
Lancelot was not intimidated. When the Steel Feather Cloak Replication the identity of the Nulong Jiedun, it also included some of his most memorable memories, including the figure of the Second Prince Adelia. This shows the Second Prince's status in the army.
After exchanging pleasantries, Lancelot followed the second prince into the mansion and directly explained why he had come to seek refuge with him.
There was no beating around the bush, no veiled secrecy; it was a very direct statement: give me the resources to break through to Epic, and I'll risk my life for you.
His raw, brute image perfectly matches the character of Nulong Jiedun, and it's also a common way for many soldiers to communicate.
On the battlefield, the situation is ever-changing, and there's no time to play games with you. Most generals who have actually fought tough battles on the battlefield are straightforward.
One is one, and two is two!
So, after hearing Lancelot's words, the second prince, Adelia, had no doubt whatsoever. He punched Lancelot on the shoulder and laughed, "You rascal, you won't work for me unless there's something in it for you, huh?"
Lancelot remained silent, but his meaning was clear: who would work for you without benefits? That's nonsense.
Are you my father or my son?
The second prince didn't mind this attitude at all; on the contrary, he became even more gentle and promised, "Don't worry, follow me, and I will definitely gather enough resources for you to break through to the Epic level. But before that, tell me first, do you intend to go to the army or stay by my side?"
"There are no battles to fight in the army, so there's no chance to gain merit. But by Your Highness's side, I might be able to protect you if you're assassinated," Lancelot said frankly.
One of the guards beside the second prince immediately glared angrily, "Nonsense! With us here, how could His Highness be assassinated?"
Lancelot glanced at him and said dismissively, "His Highness is in danger because of you."
The two men immediately confronted each other aggressively, which was actually a common occurrence in the Golden Kingdom.
Hunters are inherently influenced by demonic blood, making them generally prone to extreme personalities. Coupled with the environment within the military, almost all soldiers in the Golden Kingdom have this kind of explosive temper, and it is not uncommon for them to spar and fight over verbal disputes.
Seeing this, the other guards not only didn't stop him, but instead cheered, "Aweier, he's just a newcomer, so arrogant! Let's take him down!"
"Jiedun, you used to be a general. It's too shameful for you to bow down to a mere guard."
Hearing the sounds coming from beside him, Lancelot almost laughed. These guys were just a bunch of troublemakers.
In a normal country in the Elven Plane, the second prince, as the eldest son, should have spoken up to stop it in this situation.
Don't forget, this is the Golden Kingdom.
These hunters, who emerged from the post-apocalyptic era and fought for food with ferocious and savage monsters, all had abnormal thought processes. Even the seemingly righteous second prince was a cunning and wicked fellow. So, instead of stopping them, the second prince took two steps back and looked at the two with a smile.
The other followers also consciously dispersed, forming a circle around the two. Some used their abilities to reinforce the ground, while others released crystallized energy to construct a barrier, creating a closed, super-sized octagonal arena in just over ten seconds.
The scene before him caused Lancelot's eye to twitch slightly. Judging from the guards' practiced movements, this probably wasn't the first time they'd done this.
This isn't just abundant martial virtue, it's off the charts!
Of course, the ruling group of the Golden Kingdom couldn't possibly be completely mindless.
"It seems this can be considered an interview..." Lancelot thought to himself. Hunters all have a fighting spirit, and without a fight, their ranking on the hunter list alone will not convince them.
At this moment, Aweier had already assumed a fighting stance, his body covered in Demon Pattern, with silver hairs like steel needles emerging from his skin, his vertical pupils like a dragon, his mouth split open, revealing sharp teeth, and his eyes radiating an extremely fierce light.
That gaze was very much like that of some kind of creature.
"Honey badger?" Lancelot tilted his head, leisurely sizing up Aweier.
"Honey badger? What's that?" Aweier was stunned. He had clearly absorbed the blood of the Platinum Dragon Badger.
"Uh... a very powerful and fierce creature," Lancelot explained.
Aweier smiled proudly, "Of course, the Platinum Dragon Badger is the fiercest fighter!"
"Hey, you two, are you going to fight or not? Stop dawdling like women!"
The people below started stirring things up again.
Aweier couldn't resist any longer. After saying "I'm starting my attack," he was enveloped in an extremely dazzling white light and vanished instantly.
"Furious Dragon Fire Domain!"
A deep roar echoed throughout the arena. As Aweier disappeared, a scorching wave of fire suddenly spread out from Lancelot's center, engulfing the entire arena.
Below, one of the guards maintaining the barrier's expression changed, and he immediately increased the power output, "Damn, Jiedun's flames are so fierce, they almost burned through my barrier!"
The second prince's eyes flickered slightly, and his opinion of the Nulong Jiedun quietly rose.
On the ring.
After Lancelot unleashed his Furious Dragon Fire Domain, the flames spread throughout the area, instantly catching sight of Aweier.
At this moment, the latter had already suddenly attacked his right side, unleashing five crescent-shaped energy blades as claws, fiercely grabbing at his waist with an exceptionally ferocious attack.
"Haki!"
Boom!!
A dark, oppressive aura suddenly spread out, Aweier, who was already close at hand, suddenly felt a tremor in his heart, and his smooth movements inevitably became sluggish.
An opening appeared, Lancelot laughed heartily as he swung his iron Iron Fist. The fist, covered in dragon scales, slammed into Aweier's cheek like a flaming meteor hammer, sending sparks flying.
Seeing stars, Aweier flew away as a streak of light, but his resilience was not to be underestimated. He adjusted his posture in mid-air, opened his mouth full of sharp teeth, and let out a roar that sounded like a dragon but was not quite.
In an instant, a ring-shaped sound wave spread out, surrounding Lancelot who was about to give chase. The intense vibration contained in the sound wave caused Lancelot's vision to go black, and he stopped in his tracks.
In reality, this amount of sound waves was nothing to him and not worth worrying about, but as the Nulong Jiedun, he couldn't show off so much right now.
Aweier is also Legendary Tier Three being, and Lancelot must not take his attacks lightly.
"An opportunity!" Seeing that he had ' Nulong Jiedun ' under his control, Aweier was overjoyed. Then, his whole body was filled with platinum light, which condensed into a ball of platinum light in his chest and shot out in a spiral beam.
Thump!!
Beam hits!
As the aftermath spread, onlookers focused their attention intently, ready to rush out and salvage the situation at any moment.
Then, what happened next left them speechless.
Suddenly, a terrifying, dragon-like silver-blue armor appeared on the surface of ' Nulong Jiedun '. The platinum beam struck the armor's surface, shattering it like an egg hitting a rock, without causing any damage.
However, the Nulong Jiedun seized the opportunity. Suddenly, a pair of dragon wings formed from lightning appeared on his back, and he transformed into lightning. After flashing several times, he arrived in front of Aweier.
Immediately afterwards, a hand resembling a dragon's claw pressed down hard on Aweier's head.
Boom!!
The ring exploded, sending dirt and rocks flying. The crowd below grimaced, feeling sorry for Aweier.
"Do you submit?" Lancelot roared, his Haki spreading wildly, like a prehistoric beast roaring at the moon.
Aweier did not answer.
Just as Lancelot was about to continue, a hesitant voice came from below the stage, "Um... Aweier... he seems to have fainted."
"Um??"
Lancelot removed his hand, looked at Aweier, whose head was buried in the pile of rocks and whose body was twitching from time to time, and muttered, "So fragile?"
The other guards exchanged bewildered glances, wanting to say, "That attack you just delivered was Epic- level, wasn't it? It's perfectly normal for Legendary life form to be unable to withstand it."
"Alright, alright, the sparring is over, Jiedun wins." Second Prince Adelia finally stepped in to smooth things over.
Lancelot took the opportunity to leave the ring.
Aweier was quickly awakened, and his bewildered eyes shrank back instinctively when he saw Lancelot, like a mouse seeing a cat.
The others were quite surprised to see this. Aweier was usually fearless and had been beaten up before, so how could he have been left with psychological trauma after being beaten up by Nulong Dragon Jiedun?
What these people didn't know was that Lancelot's "Haki" had a remarkably powerful effect on people's minds.
With a tremor of his body, the heroes bowed down in reverence; this was no exaggeration when applied to him.
Don't let Aweier's current fear fool you; once Lancelot takes the initiative to talk to him and engage in conversation, it won't be long before this guy becomes a die-hard fan of Lancelot.
This isn't the forceful control of Gustavo's Parasitic Spider Eggs, but rather a subtle, pervasive taming, akin to personal charisma.
Of course, to achieve this, you must also have a high charisma attribute; otherwise, people will only continue to be afraid.
In short, the combination of "Haki" and Lancelot's high charisma, along with the "Charm Aura" ability, creates a wonderful chemical reaction.
Of course, the others were unaware of this. What everyone present was most concerned about was the True Dragon Mecha that Lancelot was wearing.
Although only a portion of its power was released, the five-star premium-grade True Dragon Mecha was still extremely Rare in the Golden Kingdom, which was lacking in Transcendent weapons. Some people even directly inquired about it.
"Nulong, where did you get your armor? From some ancient ruin?" The speaker's eyes burned with desire, his gaze lingering on Lancelot as if it were tangible. If Lancelot didn't know that he was eyeing his True Dragon Mecha, Lancelot would have seriously questioned the guy's sexual orientation.
Once the first person spoke up, the other guards and attendants chimed in with their own questions. Some even became overly familiar with the place and started touching it, looking completely infatuated, which was quite an eyesore.
Faced with this scene, Lancelot appeared very generous, even somewhat carefree. He twirled around a few times with a hint of swagger and said, "How about it? Pretty good, right? I stumbled upon this armor in an ancient ruin while adventuring in the ' Sea of Lava ' a while ago, and I salvaged it from a skeleton. It can enhance my combat power in every way. The only downside is that this armor is lightning-attributed, which isn't perfectly compatible with me..."
Hearing the boastful yet regretful tone of Nulong Jiedun, the others all showed contemptuous looks. They hated this kind of Versailles person the most. Damn it, they wanted to punch Nulong's nose out of place.
Amidst the noise and commotion, Lancelot, with his "Charm Aura," quickly became one of the people under the Second Prince's command, even starting to call each other brothers. The speed at which he integrated into the group amazed the Second Prince, but he wasn't too surprised.
After all, whether it was Nulong Jiedun, Aweier, or the other guards, the vast majority of them had once been members of the military, and they already had a sense of camaraderie and similar temperaments, so it was reasonable that they quickly became familiar with each other.
Thanks to the True Dragon Mecha, Lancelot's strength barely made it into the Epic tier.
For the Golden Kingdom, which lacked Demigod combat power, Epic represented the pinnacle of individual strength, and thus, Lancelot received exceptionally good treatment.
A few days later, the entire noble class of the royal city knew that the Second Prince had gained another great general under his command: Nulong Jiedun.
Some are happy, some are sad.
Families and officials who favored the second prince sent gifts to Lancelot and actively sought to cultivate his relationship.
Meanwhile, the second prince's biggest rival, the eldest prince Yadunisi, was once again drinking alone in his palace.
"The second son has gained another powerful general, Nulong Jiedun, a top-100 hunter. According to intelligence, he even seems to possess a very powerful Transcendent weapon that can significantly boost his combat strength... It's infuriating! I'm clearly the eldest son, so why do so many experts choose to side with the second son?!"
The eldest prince, with a gloomy face, gulped down one glass of wine after another, his face soon turning flushed and his emotions becoming increasingly agitated.
Seeing this, the subordinates exchanged glances, and one of them said, "His Highness the Second Prince has been trained and grown in the army since childhood. Later, he led troops into battle and won many victories, winning the hearts of the people and increasing his prestige. Nulong Jiedun was once a regional commander and also served under the Second Prince. The two have a connection, so it's not surprising."
In reality, the subordinates wanted to complain: Don't you know why they sided with the Second Prince?
The second prince is a legitimate hunter, accepted by the hunter world. You, the eldest prince, are just a weak, untrained hunter. Expecting hunters with strong fighting spirit to join you is out of the question; you'd better offer several times more money.
As for the military... those soldiers, more uncouth than hunters, only recognize those who can lead them to victory. The eldest prince? Sorry, who is that? I don't know him!
Of course, the subordinates dared not say these things aloud, but even their restrained words deeply distressed the eldest prince. He lamented, "If Father hadn't made me stay in the rear and not lead the troops into battle, the military wouldn't have been so thoroughly infiltrated by the second prince..."
As soon as the words were spoken, the expressions of everyone present changed drastically. One of them even stood up instinctively and said seriously, "Your Highness, be careful what you say!"
The eldest prince, Yadunisi, who was originally drunk, immediately snapped to his senses and sobered up. He could slander and fabricate stories about his second son as he pleased, even curse him without a care. But when facing the king of the kingdom, as the father of the Golden King, he had to be careful with his words at all times.
After ending the conversation, the eldest prince put down his wine glass, sat up straight, and asked, "Are we just going to let the second son grow too powerful and ignore him?"
This problem is indeed the most pressing issue facing the Prince Group right now.
The threat posed by the second prince is growing increasingly serious; if this continues, the chances of the eldest prince obtaining the throne will only decrease.
Given this situation, as a subordinate who shared the same fate as the eldest prince, he was naturally unwilling to accept it.
Since we can't outmaneuver you openly, we'll resort to underhanded tactics.
Then, the Crown Prince's chief strategist, Laiangdima, spoke up, "Your Highness, throughout history, to achieve final victory, one must strike first and deliver a fatal blow, giving the enemy no chance to retaliate!"
Upon hearing this, the room fell into an instant silence; you could hear a pin drop.
A series of subtle glances met; some frowned, while others' eyes gleamed.
The eldest prince was startled and instinctively intended to refuse, but as the face of his second son, Adelia, flashed into his mind—that repulsive smile—he swallowed his words. Instead, he uttered a seemingly hesitant yet encouraging and urging question, "You mean..."
Having become the chief strategist, Laiangdima knew the eldest prince extremely well, and upon hearing the latter's words, he immediately discerned his superior's intentions.
A qualified subordinate, of course, should speak out what the leader is hesitant to say. So Laiangdima immediately said decisively, "While the Second Prince is still young and his high-end combat power has not yet completely reversed the situation, let's seize the opportunity to eliminate him once and for all. The other princes are either too young or incompetent. Then, His Majesty will only have you as his outstanding heir. Won't the throne be within his grasp?"
The advisors quickly analyzed the situation, but were thoroughly provoked by the eldest prince, Yadunisi, whose breathing became rapid. The little bit of brotherly affection in his heart shattered into dust. Before the throne, what brotherly affection was there? If I didn't kill the second brother, he would kill me.
Yes, I'm killing the second brother now just to prevent him from killing me later. It's self-defense!
The eldest prince, Yadunisi, desperately tried to find excuses for himself, and in the process, his determination to kill his brother grew stronger.
But as the elder brother and future monarch, the eldest prince Yadunisi still has to maintain a certain facade; he can't lose his persona.
"No, the Second Prince is my own brother. I watched him grow up. How could I harm him? Don't mention this again!"
However, this is what Laiangdima heard in his words.
"No (I can), the second prince is my own brother (I must find a good excuse, I can't let people think I killed my brother for the throne), I watched him grow up (I know him too well, he's a huge threat), how can I harm him? (This must be resolved quickly, I can't let a tiger grow up) Don't mention this again! (I must act quickly, it will be too late if I wait any longer, give me a way out, persuade me to agree!!)"
After the translation was completed automatically, Laiangdima put his mind to work and began to offer his advice.
At this point, everyone else in the room also realized what was going on. It seemed the eldest prince had long planned to assassinate the second prince, and had only invited them to the banquet to unify their thinking and facilitate the redeployment of their forces.
Having figured this out, the group began to persuade the eldest prince, following Laiangdima's lead.
The eldest prince's attitude also changed from initially resisting to gradually softening, then allowing him to approach, then playing hard to get, letting him rub against him, and finally completely... "Come in!"
Cough... something like that. Anyway, the eldest prince, Yadunisi, made the decision to assassinate the second prince and began secretly mobilizing high-level combat forces. He also activated the only hidden agent in the second prince's residence to investigate his younger brother's whereabouts.
As Legendary Tier Three hunter, the only way to kill the Second Prince is through a fair and square attack. Poisons and curses are merely unorthodox methods in the Golden Kingdom, where the Transcendent system is underdeveloped. It is simply impossible to kill a Legendary being using such methods.
Although the eldest prince, Yadunisi, did not wield much influence in the military, he was nearly ten years older than the second prince, Adelia. His early advantage, along with the immense political influence of his maternal clan, made his intelligence network second only to the king himself in the entire capital.
Ten days later, the eldest prince got his chance.
According to intelligence relayed from the undercover agents, the eldest prince learned that the second prince would be leading a group to the White Tusk Mountains in three days to hunt the magical beast Azure Wings, in preparation for the second prince's advancement to the Epic rank.
The advancement of the Hunter System is similar to that of the Bloodline Warlock; both involve seeking out high-ranking bloodlines within the same system, absorbing, refining, and fusing them to propel themselves towards higher levels.
Compared to those with Ability Energy, bloodline sorcerers are considered "skilled," while those with Ability Energy are "well-rounded."
That said, upon learning this information, the eldest prince immediately ordered the already assembled team of powerful warriors to arrive at the White Tusk Mountains ahead of time to set up an ambush.
He certainly wouldn't set off himself; it was too dangerous. Instead, he sat high on the fishing platform, waiting for good news to come.
Meanwhile, at the residence of the second prince.
Lancelot sat up in bed, a slight, enigmatic smile playing on his lips.
"The ' Eye of Secrecy ' is really useful!"
If one could see into his field of vision, they would find that Lancelot's gaze was fixed on another house not far away.
At this moment, the spy planted by the eldest prince, Wind Leopard Polieka, had just passed on important information to his boss and was sitting in a chair maintaining his weapon, completely unaware that his true colors had been seen through by ' Nulong Jiedun,' who had only recently arrived.
The eldest prince was right; the opportunity had arrived.
However, it's still uncertain whose chance this hunt for the Azure Wings will ultimately be!