Chapter 64
Muker left, and Zero was left alone in the secret room.
Zero grinned. 'Young Master Joshua… I clearly told you, this is my investment in you.'
Muker was eventually turned away by Zero due to a lack of funds.
The result was natural. It was a million gold, after all.
A single communication crystal was worth a thousand gold, and a thousand gold was worth a few rural castles.
A million gold coins were more than a significant city's annual revenue.
Zero had requested such a large sum in such a casual manner that even if it were Marquis Villas himself rather than his vassal, the Marquis would still have no choice but to leave.
Of course, there was a reason why Zero requested such a large sum.
'He claimed that his goal was to graduate from the academy without drawing attention to himself. But due to a previous conflict with the Marquis of Villas' successor and an unexpected meeting with the Fourth Prince, he earned a great deal of attention.'
Moon Gate’s eyes were everywhere.
Zero had already noticed what was going on in Arcadia, which was like the front yard of the great intelligence group.
'Veron shen Villas… He will definitely want to take vengeance. Even if he can't get any information from us, he will look for information through other sources.'
Moon Gate had the most influence, but there were many intelligence agencies that could match them.
As the saying went—those who control information, control the world.
The Igrant Continent would have long been in Moon Gate’s hands if they could monopolize the continent’s information and its flow.
‘After all, the Master had instructed us to protect our valuable customer's information and also secure him any information that he needs.’
Zero's grin became wider. With this incident, Veron shen Villas would surely stay put.
Joshua was young, but his exceptional abilities and his relationship with the Fourth Prince meant that he was a formidable opponent.
Veron was already suspicious that Joshua was more than what met the eye as he tried to get to know the latter better. In addition, Moon Gate, a top-tier intelligence group, wanted a million gold as payment for Joshua’s information.
'Doubt will eventually become a certainty, and I'm sure that Veron shen Villas will get scared and abandon his petty quest for revenge once he realizes the consequences. After all, I know that he’s weak to the strong and strong to the weak.'
Zero quickly concluded his thoughts before gazing in the direction of the entrance. Being a branch manager was not an easy job.
"Will he find the red coin and put an end to this lengthy war?"
Zero eventually sank into deep thoughts.
***
"That was a risky move," said Agareth as soon as they returned to their shared room.
Agareth had always been smiling amidst everything so far, but for the first time, he wore a grim expression.
"What do you mean?" asked Joshua.
"Don't you really know? You’re insane for dismissing rapiers as garbage in front of the Sten Family’s second son!"
"I agree..." Icarus added on softly while Agareth rubbed his neck and sighed.
Joshua glanced at Agareth and chuckled. "I thought your free-spirited soul had never been the one to think about this kind of problem, but it seems that you know how to pay attention as well."
"This guy—" Agareth took a deep breath and muttered some calming mantra to himself before speaking once more, "Amaru is a petty person. You hurt his pride, so he will definitely try to injure you severely in that sparring."
"..."
“I’ll tell you more about his abilities. We’re roughly the same age, yet he can already feel his mana. Only a few students can do such a thing; it’s a basic skill, yes, but it’s a milestone for us. However, this only proves his ties with the great Sten blood—”
"You appear to be well informed on Amaru bron Sten."
Agareth froze for a brief moment, lamenting Joshua's interruption of his explanation. He nodded after taking another long breath. "I know him a bit well since Amaru and I were friends."
Agareth's usage of the past tense made Joshua freeze.
Icarus stepped in and explained with bright eyes. "The nobility knows of the intimate friendship between the Sten and Douglas Family heads."
The Sten and Douglas families lived close to each other, so they had little choice but to become friends.
At the empire's northernmost point, the two families share the closest border with Remegeton, which was also known as Death Land.
Agareth’s father, the head of the Douglas Family, had been the aide of the Sten Family’s current head, who was also known as the Commander of the North, for the longest time.
For a long time, the two heads were good comrades who exterminated the demons marching south from Remegeton.
"What, is that it?"
Agareth nodded slightly at Joshua’s words.
"There's something Amaru and I share in common. We’re the younger brothers of a skilled older sibling."
"..."
Joshua nodded. It seemed that he had finally grasped the situation. He didn't have to hear the backstory at all.?Agareth's situation was definitely like his but a bit more complicated. However, their circumstances were the same.
'Like any other family, the eldest son must have pushed him away in the corner. But unlike the opulent and peaceful Agnus duchy, the northern part of the country is a battleground on a daily basis. There’s no way they would have time to deal with family affairs even if they want to do so.
Joshua was right.
Agareth briefly gazed into the distance before continuing. "The second son has no say in any family affairs and stuff regarding inheritance… Anyway, there isn't much about my childhood. Amaru and I just got closer to each other because of our circumstances."
"Well…" Icarus breathed a sigh of relief.
"In any case…” Agareth was like his usual silly self once again, as if he was trying to shift the conversation's focus. "I want you to know that I know Amaru better than anyone else, so rather than being stubborn, I hope you will apologize first."
"..."
"I don't want my new friend to be destroyed," Agareth added and stared at Joshua.
Joshua also stared at him for a moment before erupting into laughter.
"What's so funny?"
"I'm not interested in your friendship or whatever your game is, but one thing should be clear…"
"..."
"Are you saying that the weak should apologize to the strong just because the strong are strong?"
"That—"
Joshua spoke before Agareth could refute.
"It must be fun to bend over and apologize while smiling at them like an idiot."
"Ash! You know that Agareth is just concerned…"
"Who’s concerned about whom?"
"...!"
Icarus could only shut his mouth in response to Joshua's words.
"Excuse me, but I don't like to humiliate myself. Since I have the skill, it should be fine for me to show them what I’m made of."
"..."
"Do your best if you want to change your fate. And don't waver in your beliefs." Joshua muttered before standing up.
"If you don't want to live your life in the shadow of someone else," he added.
Agareth went agape and was rendered speechless in response to Joshua's words, and he looked as if something had awakened inside of him.
Joshua then stepped out the door, leaving a completely silent room in his wake.
***
Aside from the Avalon Imperial Academy's rigorous standards, life after class was somewhat unrestricted.
Some saw the school as a way to reinforce the imperial family's power by holding the successors of each house hostage. As such, the imperial family made sure not to make anyone feel that they were being held hostage.
As a result, cadets could go anywhere after class without that much of a consequence. The Imperial Academy wouldn’t take action unless a cadet skipped classes.
Joshua went to his own training facility. It was a tiny mansion on the edges of Duke Agnus' sphere of influence. There was no one else here because Lucia had already moved over to Duke Agnus' mansion.
It was the ideal place to concentrate and train in peace.
'Ah, this place is really good.'
Joshua nodded as he examined his body.
Within his body, two tremendous energies continuously collided. It felt somewhat uncomfortable, but Joshua had already gotten used to their existence.
The energies seemed like they were ready to run rampant at any moment, but they stabilized when a new power was introduced.
Of course, Joshua was aware of that power.
‘Bronto.’
It was a powerful primordial stone that never lagged behind the preceding two energies.
Even Joshua had no idea of Bronto’s true might, but it was assisting him.
'I can do this.'
Joshua opened his closed eyes, and he saw a completely different realm. It was a brand new realm unique from everything he had accomplished in his lifetime.
He hadn’t done this before, so it was impossible for Joshua to calculate how strong this new power was.
'Magic Spear Arts Level 3.'
It was an unprecedented three-layered mana, with divine power, demonic power, and Bronto's power infused into Joshua's existing mana.
Joshua moved his mana gently and delicately as if he were coaxing a baby. And he gradually guided the two massive energies that had already been pushed into one corner by Bronto.
Unbeknownst to him, an electric current started flowing in all directions with him at the center. At the same time, veins bulged on Joshua's forehead.
'Just a little bit more...!'
Joshua's body was drenched in sweat.
‘Is that all there is to it?’
The sweat that had trickled down his body formed a viscous liquid on the floor that looked like stagnant water.
It even emitted a foul odor that stung his nose.
'The divine power and demonic power’s relationship is similar to that of water and oil. I can’t mix them at all, so let's not try to combine the two energies.'
‘Don't force yourself… let it flow...’ he muttered to himself like a mantra.
Bronto patiently built a road using Joshua’s ancient mana technique as the foundation, and Joshua proceeded to guide the two opposing powers down the road. He also guided Bronto through the road, even though Bronto didn’t have to go through it.
"..."
‘How long has it been since I started?’
Joshua’s energy started to stabilize amidst the storm, and he eventually underwent a transformation.
The iron rod-shaped Lugia on the floor started trembling.
As if they were being drawn into Joshua's body, the electric currents flowing in all directions started to fade. Joshua eventually absorbed those currents, and his eyes finally opened.
With a thunderous boom, black and white lightning burst in all directions.
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