Thorin couldn't help but furrow his eyebrows upon hearing Asher's words, which piqued his interest.
He knew that Asher was a genius with unimaginable potential, but as of now, he didn't have the power to even mitigate the impact of this war, let alone single-handedly turn the tide of this war.
Nonetheless, Thorin felt that Asher wasn't the type to waste his time unnecessarily, so he asked, "What might that question be?"
"What is the Kraken's weakness?" Asher inquired, his voice steady and purposeful.
Thorin's brows subtly rose, not expecting this question as he responded in an aloof tone, "And what makes you think the Kraken has a weakness?"
Asher's lips curled into a sly smile, "Does it really matter?"
Thorin knew that Asher's reluctance to answer his question was likely because he didn't want to divulge how he had come to suspect a weakness.
But the Kraken was, after all, their strongest weapon, and revealing its vulnerability could put them at a disadvantage unless there was no other choice.
So he answered, "Even if it had one, why would I reveal it to you?"
Asher narrowed his eyes and posed another question, "Would revealing the Kraken's weakness be worse than enduring irrecoverable losses and potentially losing the Kraken forever?"
Thorin's expression grew serious as he considered Asher's words. Behind the iron doors, he had been working on something that could bring down the Kraken, but at a tremendous cost and with risks even he was unable to predict without any guarantee his House can regain control of it.
With a focused gaze, Thorin looked at Asher and admitted, "The Kraken indeed has a weakness, but it is not really a weakness since nobody can take advantage of it. Not even the queen."
Thorin's voice carried a heavy tone as he revealed the Kraken's only weakness, "The only weakness the Kraken has is the Life Pearl embedded on its heart. This pearl acts as a conduit of life energy for the Kraken, sustaining its massive size, regenerative capabilities, and its mana. If the pearl gets damaged, the flow of life energy could be disrupted, causing it to weaken, have its regeneration crippled, and even fall into a state of temporary dormancy."
Upon hearing this, a subtle glint flashed in Asher's eyes. It seemed as if a spark of hope had ignited within him.
Thorin, however, was quick to notice the change in Asher's expression. He narrowed his eyes, and his voice took on a more serious tone, "Don't get your hopes up. If there were a way to exploit this weakness, we would have done so already. The Kraken's heart is located deep within its massive body, closer to the center. Its heart is also well-protected by a sea of corrosive juices that would disintegrate even a low-level Soul Devourer in just a few minutes. Just the pain alone would make any Soul Devourer retreat within seconds. Of course, there are so many other dangers lurking within the belly of that creature that will prevent you from getting to its heart."
Inwardly, Asher felt that things were harder than he expected. He didn't know if he can even do this despite the confidence he was showing.
But he had already thought this through. If the Bloodburn Kingdom loses this war, then it will weaken so much that it will get further crippled by enemies, waiting for the right opportunity to strike.
And if that happens, then all his plans would have been for nothing, and he would never be able to get his revenge.
And so, there was no choice but to desperately try and see if he could succeed or not.
Pausing for a moment, Thorin fixed Asher with an intense gaze, "Now do you understand now why it's futile to pursue this weakness?" His gaze became absent as he added, "If it wasn't, we could not only end this war before it's too late like you said, but also let my House regain control of the Kraken without much risk."
Asher's expression barely changed after hearing everything as he subtly bowed his head and thanked Thorin for revealing the weakness of the Kraken, "I appreciate your candor, Lord Thorin. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll be taking my leave."
Thorin was taken aback by Asher's unshaken demeanor despite being told how impossible it was to exploit this weakness. He couldn't help but ask, "What exactly are you planning to do?"
With a casual shrug, Asher replied, "Why, I'm going to incapacitate the Kraken, of course."
And with that, Asher turned on his heel and walked away, leaving behind a baffled Thorin who couldn't even think of any words to say to that. Was this young consort really going to get himself killed?
Thorin stared at the retreating figure, his brow furrowed in concern and confusion. He had thought he knew what kind of man Asher was. But now, as he watched him stride away with unwavering determination, he realized that he had yet to truly comprehend the depths of his mentality.
But despite being impressed by Asher's confidence, Thorin felt that it was misplaced by the arrogance of a young genius just like so many others.
He didn't give it too much thought and returned to the hall behind the iron doors. Asher's life and death was least of his concern now.
…
Asher stood at the edge of the battlefield, taking in the chaotic scene that lay before him.
Rowena and King Moraxor were locked in fierce combat as the space around him was turning into a hellish purgatory.
Asher could discern that Moraxor was, without a doubt, a powerful Soul Devourer, at least at the mid-level.
However, the pressure was more on Rowena since Moraxor was supported by five of his generals who seemed to be powerful Soul Purgers.
In a normal battle, this wouldn't be considered fair but among demons and especially the Umbralfiends who were banished for thousands of years couldn't care less about fairness.
Still, he couldn't help but feel how impressive Rowena was to handle all of them on her own. No wonder, nobody ever dared to question her power. She was surely one of those geniuses who were only born once in a thousand years.
But the odds seemed to be stacked against the Bloodburn Kingdom, as the Kraken's relentless attacks continued to hinder their progress. Even though the Kraken had to hold back to avoid harming its own allies, it was still the driving force that tipped the scales in favor of their foes.
It was evident that if the tide did not turn soon, the Bloodburn Kingdom would be defeated soon.
Behind Asher stood one of his dependable vassals, Leonidas, still reeling from the shocking and audacious plan the royal consort had devised.
Leonidas could not help but express his doubt, questioning the royal consort with a respectful yet uncertain gaze, "Your Highness, are you certain about this? Have you truly thought this through?"
Asher turned to face Leonidas, his eyes sweeping across the stoic expressions of the five hundred Dragon Legion soldiers who stood ready to follow his orders.
The Dragon Legion was an elite and compact army that boasted of five hundred battle-hardened Dracovores. Each of these warriors had gone through grueling training and selection processes, making them a force to be reckoned with.
They were garbed in sleek black armor adorned with dragon motifs, which seemed to seamlessly blend with their muscular forms. The armor appeared to have been forged from a rare metal, and then enchanted by Darren, giving it an otherworldly, shimmering sheen.
Each warrior wore a helm shaped like a dragon's head, complete with menacing, piercing eyes and curved, pointed horns that served to strike fear into the hearts of their enemies.
It cost Asher quite a fortune to train just 500 of them but he felt it was worth it, especially in this situation where he can make use of them for a specific mission rather than simply engaging in the battlefield.
With a confident smile, Asher replied, "I know how my plan sounds, Leonidas, but desperate times call for desperate measures."
As he spoke, his gaze shifted to the side, and he raised his eyebrows in anticipation, "Ah, the Battlemaster has arrived."
Ceti rode toward them on her steed, leading a thousand-strong army, with her mother Merina seated behind her.
Her long silky red hair danced in the air while her bountiful breasts subtly bounced within the restraints of her breastplate.
From a distance, anyone would feel that she was the perfect embodiment of beauty and strength.
However, right now, her blue eyes had a glint of thinly veiled frustration and anger as she approached Asher.
Dismounting her horse, Ceti was stopped in her tracks as a fully-armored woman descended from the sky, landing gracefully in front of her. Her cape billowed dramatically as she touched down. It was Eradicator, who had arrived on the scene, swiftly pushing the confused Leonidas aside.
Approaching Asher, she declared with an air of concern and authority, "Your Highness, I must inform the queen of your dangerous plan. There is a very real chance it may result in your death," she said, her words blunt.
Asher had known that asking Ceti for help directly might prove fruitless due to the situation between them.
Thus, he had enlisted her mother, Merina's aid, to persuade her.
Surprisingly or not, this approach had been successful, and Ceti seemed to have agreed to his plan.
However, during Merina's conversation with her daughter, Eradicator had become privy to the details of his plan and now sought to prevent him from executing it.
But Asher expected this and actually wanted Eradicator to learn of his plan so that he could use her.
Still, fully aware of Eradicator's unwavering dedication to protecting him, Asher knew he needed to find a way to circumvent her resistance, "As per my wife's orders," he reminded her, "you are to watch over me but not to interfere with my actions. Do you truly wish to disturb and distract the queen in the midst of battle by reporting this and cause unforeseen consequences?"
Eradicator hesitated, glancing toward the fierce combat that engulfed the queen. She was torn between her loyalty and her concern for Asher's safety. It seemed as though Asher was the one person who could make her feel helpless and uncertain.
Sensing her indecision, Asher proposed an alternative, "If you wish to fulfill your duty as my protector, then assist me alongside the others in making our way to the Kraken. Ensure that you get me inside safely."
Eradicator stood still for a while before slowly nodding, her resolve strengthening after seeing no other way, "Very well. I will help you all the way by following you into the belly of the Kraken as well."
Asher raised his eyebrows subtly, marveling at her determination. He didn't know if she was foolishly brave or a bit too dutiful and loyal for her own good.
Nevertheless, he had nothing to lose and welcomed her support, which he was banking on, "That will be more than enough," he said, appreciating the dedication she had shown.
Just as Eradicator stepped away, Ceti confronted him, hands on her hips, struggling to hide the frustration on her face.
The tension between them was palpable, like a thunderstorm ready to strike, "Are you willing to take responsibility if the soldiers I brought die because of your plan, and nothing good comes out of it?" she demanded.
She couldn't restrain herself from letting out some of her worries and frustration. This was honestly too much.
She found it hard to believe that she was even going along with his stupid plan. Not too long ago, she had been leading House Drake's vassal soldiers alongside Silvan, fending off Umbralfiends attempting to infiltrate their kingdom.
Then, her mother, Merina, appeared with Asher's request. Despite her strong misgivings, Ceti reluctantly agreed, swayed by her mother's pleas after failing to convince her. She couldn't bear to make her mother plead for too long.
Ceti had no doubt that Asher's plan was too reckless and foolish. But her poor mother was seemingly brainwashed by Asher, making her mother feel that Asher's plan was rock solid.
Still, she refused to risk all of her soldiers on this gamble, bringing only 1,000 of them to the battlefield. Their lives were her responsibility, and she couldn't help but demand that Asher take responsibility for the consequences of his plan if she were to order her soldiers into following him.
Asher scoffed, stepping closer to Ceti, his face mere inches from hers as he said in a low yet hard voice, "How dare you be so brash and ask me to assume responsibility when you're their commander?" he retorted, "It's your duty to assist a royal member during wartime, and since you're already here, there's no turning back. You better follow or get punished for disobedience, understood?"
Ceti's nostrils flared as her frustration reached a boiling point. She couldn't believe that Asher had the gall to evade responsibility for his own plan. It seemed she had underestimated his crudeness. He was the worst!
If only she didn't come here, she could have easily made an excuse that her soldiers were preoccupied with their own battles and wouldn't be able to help him. He also wouldn't be able to do anything about it.
But now, with Asher staring her down, that was no longer an option.
Merina observed the heated exchange between her Master and her daughter with concern etched on her face. She understood her daughter's worries, and she too feared for her master's safety.
But after serving him for over a year, Merina had learned to trust in his resolve and determination. As his loyal servant, she resolved to stand by him, prepared to offer her assistance even in his plan, for her strength had grown to that of a mid level Soul Slayer.
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