Kingdom Bloodline

Chapter 98 Arakka Mu
Yongxing City, XC District, Black Street Brotherhood, Headquarters Building.

"You mean, Rhoda and the Reverse Curved Blade?"

Anton, one of the six leaders of the Black Street Brotherhood, nicknamed "The Ripper," took a bite of bread and asked indistinctly, "What's wrong?"

“It seems to be Rhoda’s son,” Maurice, another member of the Big Six, said impatiently from the other side of the long table, his arms crossed and resting on his large belly.

“You know, that good-for-nothing was kept here by me to take care of beggars, until he messed himself up and died on Red Street that day... Because of this, Rhoda, Lancer, and I had a very strained relationship.”

"So Reverse Blade is really unhappy? Sunset Bar has already closed down?" Anton chuckled, taking a sip of ale. "What a pity, I quite liked that girl in the bar...tsk tsk, that figure."

“Her last name is Surreyton, you can’t afford to mess with her.” Morris’s cold words left Anton speechless.

“I haven’t been back for a long time, so I’m not really sure,” Anton swallowed his bread. “After what happened in the Duchy of Sera, have the Saridon brothers still not shown their faces?”

“The Prison Chainscythe has been tracking them for years, even cooperating with the Secret Service for it,” Morris shook his head. “They fought against Little Saridon twice, but didn’t gain the upper hand.”

“And what about Big Surreyton?” Anton followed up, “the one who killed Eddie II…”

“It’s best not to mention him,” Morris sighed. “You know, back then at the palace gates, whether it was intentional or not, he saved Blacksword’s life… Blacksword has held a grudge about it all these years, and has been tormented by it.”

"And they will eventually have to fight each other."

Anton sighed.

Just then, a figure wearing a scarlet cloak pushed open the door and sat down at the table.

Morris and Anton's expressions both turned serious.

Until the figure in the scarlet cloak spoke.

This caused the other two to turn pale with fright.

"Explain yourself clearly!"

What does it mean to lose contact?

Anton slammed his fist on the table, looking at Corbion Lancer, one of the six giants, with a surprised expression, and asked in astonishment.

“What I mean is,” Lancer said, clutching his scarlet cloak and frowning, “we haven’t received any messages from Ramon since seven days ago. The last time he sent a message was on the eastern border between Star and Exter.”

"There's only one explanation—he encountered an enemy."

Morris crossed his arms and pondered, "His mission was merely to distract the Secret Society with the news of the 'reappearance of the mage' so that we could safely obtain the weapon. Once the Black Prophet discovers that he is not actually a mage, he will naturally give up the pursuit, right?"

The fat man shook his head, looking puzzled: "An ordinary gangster doctor—whether it's a secret room or a shady department, there's no reason to arrest him."

“No, they certainly have no reason—unless this is an operation by our adversaries targeting our Brotherhood, or even our backers… Many people suspect our powerful backers,” Lancer said somberly.

"And you and I both know that Ramon is no ordinary gangster doctor!"

"Targeting us, and with sponsors?" Anton was startled. "Targeting us, you mean the Blood Bottle Gang? Although Qi Mages don't usually show up... they've definitely been quieter since Red Street. Catherine and Nekra are both abroad!"

Lancer shook his head: "I have inside information that they have found the Blood Mage—their counterattack against us will probably begin soon. I'm worried that they may have discovered Ramon's importance to us."

He tapped the table lightly: "If it were a Blood Mage who made the move... sigh."

“The key is our sponsors!” Maurice pondered seriously. “If Ramon falls into their hands, it will inevitably endanger the safety of our sponsors… Perhaps we should give them a heads-up?”

“We can’t risk being exposed by contacting our sponsors,” Lancer said, his eyes gleaming. “I suspect this might be a trap—Morat loves playing these bait games. Maybe the Black Street area is already swarming with Secret Service spies, just waiting for us to make a mistake.”

Even more frightening is...

If it wasn't Morat and his secret police, but rather the masterminds behind it all...

Lancer remained expressionless, but did not voice his concerns.

“No, without Ramon, our research on the weaknesses of magic users will inevitably stagnate... In the past eleven or twelve years, we have only just made some progress.” Anton clenched his fist tightly: “And we don’t even know the origin or capabilities of that weapon, we haven’t uncovered anything.”

“And he knows too many secrets about us and even our sponsors,” Morris immediately looked up, his face serious. “Are our people available on the border between Star and Exeter? For example, Anton, your crystal smuggling team over there?”

“It’s tough,” Anton the Ripper gritted his teeth. “The atmosphere there has been tense lately. Caravans are afraid that Starfall and Exter will start a war, so they’re no longer going to the area around Dragonbreaker Fortress. My men were also evacuated a long time ago…”

"Moreover," Anton said, his face ashen, "if Blood Magic Masters are not much weaker than Air Magic Masters... let alone our subordinates, even if there are only a few of us, sending any number of us would be suicide."

"Perhaps there is another way," Lancer murmured.

The other two looked at him.

All that could be heard was Lancer, the "Eye of Sleeplessness," speaking softly:
"As for the border between Starry Sky and Exter... Black Sword isn't far away, so we can go there to search for Ramon."

“And I have already handed that weapon over to him.”

"If he really encounters a Blood Mage."

"Let's test the performance of that weapon beforehand."

--------

The sun rises.

With a sullen face, Thales was protected on horseback by Sonia. The group passed through sentry posts and fortresses, walked up a narrow slope, and slowly entered the magnificent Broken Dragon Fortress through the southern gate.

It's much colder here than in the birch forest.

The snow layer was also much thicker, almost up to an adult's ankles.

This is a large fortress, but the two layers of walls make the space between the fortress gates and the inner walls rather narrow.

With Sonia's help, Thales dismounted, and the soldiers took the seriously injured Wyatt, Rolf, and Jorah behind him to receive treatment.

He observed a corner of the fortress, where the layout of the buildings and the personnel posts were all well-organized.

The soldiers on duty either patrolled the main roads and walls of the fortress or stood guard at various locations.

The quartermaster in charge of logistics and supplies kept urging the laborers transporting the supplies back and forth. In several large stables, the cavalrymen were skillfully washing their mounts.

On the other training ground, several teams of newly recruited soldiers, led by several veterans, were practicing defensive and slashing techniques in an orderly manner.

In the distance, several squads of soldiers who had just returned from duty were lining up to put away their weapons and receive their rations from the quartermaster.

Jenard followed behind Sonia, warmly embracing a dozen or so tough veterans who seemed to be old acquaintances.

Is this the northern barrier of the Star Kingdom?

“That’s Baron Mu’s royal standing army, which has just been expanded,” just then, Putilai, leaning on a tree branch and dragging his injured body, walked up behind him and looked at the group of new recruits training. “They haven’t fought much.”

Thales nodded.

“I thought you would at least leave her—that important queen—in Dragonbreaker Fortress. You know, we are already stronger than her.”

Putila said quietly, "Whether she was deceived or not, she attacked the mission's convoy and committed numerous atrocities."

"And then what? Arrest her and spank her?" Thales shook his head: "She is a political figure from the Eastern Continent. We need many legitimate reasons to keep her here, and there will be a lot of diplomatic trouble."

and.

It also involves magic users.

It involves my secret.

The less trouble the better.

Putila raised her eyebrows.

Thales sighed. "Believe me, the real culprit is still at large, and letting Cortrina go is just asking for trouble for him."

Jenn's face appeared before his eyes.

Whatever your reason for wanting to kill me.

I will not sit idly by and wait to die.

Moreover, Thales thought to himself: I may have found the key.

The key lies in the conversation on the day of the trip—something must have touched a nerve with Jenn.

Otherwise, he would not have made such an unwise move, deceiving his allies and endangering himself.

“And she’s still carrying that black coffin,” Thales continued, his words causing Putila to frown slightly. “Having that thing with her is tantamount to letting the Blood Mage come after us again.”

Although she will definitely come looking for me.

I will never let you suffer.

Thales sighed, thinking worriedly.

“Don’t worry,” Puttier said slowly, as if he could read Thales’s mind. “Exter also has his own legendary anti-magic weaponry.”

"The number is even greater than the stars. It is the country with the most legendary anti-magic weapons in the world—after all, it is the Northland that has spared no effort in fighting the calamity in the final war."

Thales nodded reluctantly.

“As for the calamities, they won’t be interested in you unless you’re interested in them,” Putila said with a deep gaze and a hidden meaning in his words.

Thales was deeply shaken.

Putila.

What does he mean?
Just then, Sonia's authoritative voice came from ahead:

"what happened!"

Thales and Putila both looked up curiously, gazing ahead.

It looked like a gallows, now crowded with soldiers who weren't on duty.

A man stood on the gallows, being escorted by soldiers behind him.

It looks like they're going to be executed.

An officer who appeared to be in charge recognized Sonia and said somewhat awkwardly:
"Lord Satherley... he, this man is a deserter."

Sonia frowned and looked at the person on the gallows.

It was a young man with black hair, brown eyes, and slightly dark skin. He struggled to raise his head in front of the gallows and shouted, "I am not a deserter! I am not!"

He was wearing a tattered cotton shirt, his hands were tied behind his back, and he still shouted defiantly at the onlookers:
"They were separated from their group, and I went back to rescue them! I didn't run away!"

"Just look at the blood on my weapon!"

Thales watched all this and whispered to Putilay:
Have we already engaged the enemy?

“It’s probably a small-scale conflict,” Putile pondered. “It seems Lombard is still not giving up.”

Thales sighed inwardly.

The officer in charge of the hanging looked at the struggling black-haired youth and said disdainfully, "This guy is lying!"

"His spear was stained with blood, but it had long since been broken in two!"

"Running back with a broken weapon in hand, and then telling me: You went back to save people?"

"I didn't!" the young man, his hands bound behind his back, cried out anxiously. "It wasn't broken in two! It's my spear! It... there are two of them, one in my left hand and one in my right! I can use them at the same time..."

"Enough! You fisherman spouting nonsense!" The officer in charge waved his hand, his face grim. "Arguing won't help you! Behave like a northerner and get straight to the point..."

"and many more!"

Sonia looked at the person in charge with a grim expression:
"He was a soldier I recruited locally. Shouldn't he have consulted me before executing him?"

The officer was taken aback: "Uh, but the evidence is conclusive, we've consulted Baron Mu..."

Sonia interrupted him impatiently:
"Put him down, I'll personally find out what happened—then carry out the execution."

The officer in charge frowned: "But this is Baron Mu's order... He said..."

"Mu?"

“I am the commander of the Dragonbreaker Fortress,” Sonia said in a deep voice. “Mu has only been here a few days. You and he are just temporary reinforcements stationed here.”

The fortress flower's face turned cold:
"Or do you have a problem with my command?"

The officer paused, looking around with a troubled expression.

But the fortress flower's majesty and prestige forced him to obey.

The black-haired man on the gallows breathed a sigh of relief, then was taken down and forced to lie down in front of Sonia.

"Soldier, state your name and affiliation!" Sonia approached him and said coldly.

The young man suddenly realized:
"Wello, my name is Willo, the Flower of the Fortress!"

The young man looked at Sonia gratefully, panting, and said:
"Willon Ken!"

"They were pikemen conscripted from Zaratan County!"

"And... I really am not a deserter!"

Just then, a commotion broke out in the crowd.

A bright but impatient, deep male voice drifted from afar:

"Satherrei!"

Sonia frowned deeply and looked up in the direction of the voice.

"I heard you're openly causing me trouble again?"

Thales looked curiously toward the commotion and saw the soldiers parting to the sides.

This was a man of medium height but robust build, wearing a simple breastplate and blue wrist guards, with short chestnut hair.

He had a high-bridged nose, sharp features, and a pair of light green eyes filled with fierceness. He strode out from the crowd, carrying a conspicuous silver and black metal bow on his back. Behind him followed a dozen expressionless swordsmen and shieldmen.

"Wow! It's him!" Behind Thales, Ada, who had covered her face again, seemed to have found something amusing and whispered, "A fight is about to break out! A fight is about to break out!"

The soldiers on both sides whispered among themselves, many looking at the approaching man with expressions of excitement and nervousness.

Thales was taken aback: Who is he?
This man seemed to exude an aura of aggression, and his gaze sent chills down one's spine.

This gave Thales a sense of danger, just like the silver-black bow behind him, which seemed to be on the verge of being fired at any moment.

Sonia looked at the man with a serious expression and said slowly:

“Arakka Mu”.

"Once again, you've interfered with my troops while I was away!"

Arakka Mu?

Sounds a bit familiar.

Thales scratched his head.

“Your Highness,” Putila sighed deeply from behind and said in a low voice, “I wonder how skilled you are at mediating conflicts?”

Thales glanced at Putila with a puzzled look.

What do you mean?
"Your troops?" Araka, his aggression palpable, pointed at Willo Ken on the ground and coldly replied to Sonia, "You mean these cowardly deserters conscripted from local villages?"

“I’m not a deserter! I just…” the young Willow began nervously again.

But he was interrupted without mercy by Arakka before he could finish his sentence.

"Shut up, deserter!" The man carrying the silver-black metal bow roared in anger.

Arakka's fierce gaze shot directly at Willo, forcing the latter to retract his words.

"Cowards don't deserve to talk to me."

he said coldly.

Willow Ken, standing on the gallows, looked completely lost, his mouth opening and closing, before finally drooping down in a pitiful state.

The atmosphere in the arena was getting worse and worse.

"Hey, Mu."

Sonia's face darkened.

"You're on my turf, and you've accused my soldiers of desertion and cowardice without verification." Sonia, the fortress's flower, seemed to be brewing her anger. She looked sharply at Arakka and said, enunciating each word clearly:
"Are you provoking me?"

Thales felt the atmosphere growing increasingly tense, and the soldiers around him didn't dare to breathe.

Arakka suddenly grinned and burst into laughter.

"If you say yes, then so be it."

Under Sonia's increasingly terrifying gaze, Arakka withdrew her smile and glanced at Thales with an unsettling look.

"So, you brought the prince back?" Alaka smiled and shook his head.

Thales smiled at him and nodded.

But Arakka Mu merely smiled dismissively, seemingly unconcerned about the prince's overtures, which surprised Thales.

The prince remembered.

This is the Baron Arakka Mu who commanded the troops in King Kessel's reply to Exter's messenger, "Baron Mu has led two thousand royal standing troops to Dragon's Lair."

Unexpectedly, he dared to confront Sonia Sathere and the Flower of the Fortress without showing any weakness.

Baron Mu let out a soft breath and looked at Sonia, saying calmly:

"What, just because you've pleased the king's little brat, do you think you have the right to condone deserters?"

The king's little brat?

The surrounding soldiers erupted in another uproar.

Many eyes turned to Thales.

Thales's face also turned ugly.

“He said he wasn’t a deserter,” Sonia said, her face grim. “He deserves a chance to defend himself.”

"The Star Legion never takes life lightly."

Thales' heart skipped a beat.

Star Legion.

Willow, lying on the ground, was overjoyed and nodded vigorously, but seeing Mu's expression, he chose not to speak.

“Never take life lightly? Truly worthy of being the captain of the 'Star Legion's' personal guard.” Arakka laughed, “He carries out your duke’s beliefs meticulously.”

Thales remembered that Sonia was once Eddie II's younger brother and a member of John Star's Star Legion. It seemed that her status and rank were not low—Captain of the Royal Guard.

"Oh, right, how did the Duke die?" Alaka turned his head and stared intently at Sonia.

The flower of the fortress suddenly changed color!

"He, so kind and compassionate, was betrayed by those he 'never underestimated'," Arakka said sarcastically, watching Sonia's trembling face. "He died at the hands of his most trusted guards!"

"What was that traitor's name again... Norfolk?"

Sonia clenched her fists, her expression unreadable.

"Yes, these are the Duke's Guards of the Starshine Legion, personally trained by Sonia Satherley!"

Thales stared in astonishment, his mouth agape.

Arakka's words clearly stirred up a lot of people's emotions.

Because Thales sensed that the temperature around Sonia dropped instantly the moment those words were spoken.

The dozen or so fierce soldiers behind her, including Jenard, all changed their expressions.

A dozen burly men with fierce expressions stepped forward and stood behind Sonia.

Behind Arakka, the expressionless swordsmen and shieldmen also looked grim. They surrounded Baron Mu, gripped their sword hilts, and stared coldly at their opponents.

The two sides faced off with swords drawn.

Sonia's pupils contracted slightly. She stepped forward slowly, her expression cold and stern, staring directly at Arakka, who was the same height as her.

Arakka stared back at her coldly.

"Pah!" Sonia spat at Araka's feet without any politeness, which could even be described as extremely rude.

“You’re just a barking wild dog, Arakka.”

Alaka just chuckled and didn't say anything.

“Of course, I remember now, the Crimson Year,” the Fortress Flower said coldly, looking up at the chestnut-haired man.

"Prince Horace died on the spot, but you have returned alive."

Thales' heart skipped a beat.

Prince Horace? The Sword of Light?

This time, it was Arakka's turn to have a drastic change in expression.

His eyes were filled with hatred and rage.

"who knows……"

"is that you……"

Sonia chuckled sarcastically as she said:
"You stabbed him in the back?"

Thales no longer needed to doubt the meaning of the "contradiction" in Putila's words.

Because the next moment, Araka's fist and Sonia's palm...

They were filled with anger, and they clashed violently in the air!
----

The eastern border between Stardust and Exter, around the Lonely Tower.

"No, I can't smell that fraternity doctor."

"I can't go any further... The road ahead leads to the Dragon-Slaying Fortress, and I've heard that the two countries are at odds—I don't want to get involved in the battle."

Nekra, the leader of the Blood Bottle Gang's eight superpowered warriors, clenched his fists in anger, waved away his subordinates, and looked at the blonde, blue-eyed woman beside him.

"And also, couldn't you ask Lady Giza for a favor?"

hateful.

this woman.

Why was she the one who found the Blood Mage first?

One of the Blood Bottle Gang's superpowered warriors, second only to Nekra's other executive, "Phantom Blade" Catherine turned her head, revealing a bright yet inexplicably chilling smile: "Oh, it seems we've lost them again."

“As for Lady Giza,” Catherine chuckled, which fueled Nekra’s anger even more, “I already told you, she suddenly had some urgent business and went to the west for the time being.”

Catherine stared coldly at Nekra.

The Blood Mage trusts me more... and will only trust me.

Even if the Qi Demon Master is gone and "Chaotic Divine Weapon" Song is dead, the Blood Bottle Gang cannot be taken over by a fool like you.

But she was also extremely anxious.

A day ago, the Blood Mage was finally persuaded by them to come here with them to track down the Brotherhood's strange doctor.

But Giza seemed to suddenly sense something, and after hastily leaving behind the words "I'm going to take a look in the west," the mage disappeared before their eyes.

Good heavens, the road to the west leads to the Dragon-Slaying Fortress, where countless troops from both countries are stationed, creating a tense atmosphere, and there's even a fortress with a unique feature!
Even the strongest mage cannot fight against an entire army, right?
“We’d better settle things here as soon as possible,” Nekra said curtly. “The Blood Vial Gang has lost a lot of business, many partners have… The women of the Duchy of Sera are very unhappy about our cutoff of manpower, the Bone People in the desert have started contacting the Brotherhood, the Forerunners have even closed their trade with us, and those rude swordsmen have even come to question us about Groudon’s death…”

"We are pressed for time."

“I know,” Catherine shook her head. “They’ve gone even further, demanding that we provide more orphans… It’s time for us to regain our prestige.”

“So, that doctor named Ramon better be as important as you say!” Nekra looked at his colleague and rival with displeasure.

“Of course, this was leaked to us by the Secret Society through the Cullen family,” Catherine said, slicing off a tree branch in front of her and continuing forward. “The message said that if we capture that Ramon, we will gain access to many of the Brotherhood’s secrets.”

The Kulun family?
Nekra frowned.

“And you should stop having any illusions about the Kevin Deer family,” Catherine said sarcastically. “They don’t even consider us human.”

“Would the Cullen family be any better off?” Nekra retorted instinctively. “Perhaps this news is just the Kingdom’s secret service wanting us to cause some trouble for the Black Street Brotherhood!”

“That’s right,” Catherine said nonchalantly.

Nekra was taken aback.

He didn't expect that this woman would actually agree with him.

"The Brotherhood expanded too quickly, especially after that night in Red Street. Almost the entire underground forces in Yongxing City submitted to Black Street."

“So, some people dislike them and want to cause trouble,” Catherine stopped and frowned in thought, “and others want to catch the mastermind behind them. The Secret Society and the Cullen family probably have this goal—supporting us is the most direct way.”

Nekra sneered: "So, losing the battle on Red Street was actually a good thing?"

"That was a costly lesson, a reminder that even the most powerful magic users are not omnipotent," Catherine said, concealing the disgust in her eyes and trying her best to be sincere.
“In the past, we went our separate ways and even fought against each other, but on that night, we all lost our most capable subordinates and men… For the survival of the Blood Bottle Gang, perhaps it’s time for us to put aside our past grievances…”

Damn viper.

She cursed inwardly.

Did you think I didn't know that you were the one who killed Rolf?

One day...

Nekra remained silent for a while, seemingly considering Catherine's words in detail.

Finally, the red viper hesitated before speaking:

"Although I still don't like you."

"But I must admit, you have a point..."

"We are facing the biggest crisis since our founding, and we must work together to overcome it."

However, Nekra was deeply pondering in his heart:

That damn bitch.

Do you think I can't see through your act?
Catherine smiled. "I'm glad you think that way."

Nekra waved his hand, recalling the Blood Bottle Gang members, and shrugged indifferently: "We're in the same gang after all."

"And now... let's find that Brotherhood doctor, that damn Ramon!"

I'm updating early today, so everyone can go to bed early tonight. That's all.

By the way, @FlameHammerForgeDestiny—freshly baked green brush guy from the world of Errol!
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(End of this chapter)