Lord blessed by the elves

Chapter 122 Dangerous Mission
"What?! This is impossible!" Bran screamed like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, his face filled with disbelief. "How could he... He used to be at the academy..."

Haynes finally couldn't hold back any longer and let out a mocking laugh, interrupting his son's rambling. His voice was like ice: "Fool! You've been his classmate at the Knight Academy for so long, and you can't even tell that he's already broken through to the Bronze Realm? Or do you prefer to believe that he only recently broke through by chance?"

In Haines’s view, there is only one truth: Kruze must have already broken through to the Bronze Knight level, but he has been hiding his strength all along!

His purpose was likely to avoid being conscripted by Count Campino to participate in the previous dangerous war.

This cunning and forbearance made him even more wary.

Of course, it's also possible that Reyes instructed them to do so, since the battlefield is fraught with danger and anything could happen.

If Haynes had known about this earlier, he would have seized the opportunity on the battlefield to kill Kruze.

Bran was utterly devastated by his father’s cold words and Cato’s confirming gaze. He stood frozen on his horse, his face pale and his lips trembling, unable to utter another word.

That insane desire to challenge was extinguished as if doused with ice water, leaving only endless embarrassment and a chill that seeped into one's bones.

If Kruze really is a Bronze Knight, and possibly broke through earlier and has a more solid foundation... then wouldn't his so-called challenge be nothing more than self-humiliation, or even... suicide?

Baron Haynes gazed in the direction where the Lion Fangs' army had gone, the last trace of hesitation in his eyes replaced by ruthlessness.

Reyes's promotion, Kruze's potential hidden strength, and the public humiliation he suffered gnawed at his heart like venomous snakes.

“Reyes…you’ve been hiding this well.” He practically spat out the words through gritted teeth, his voice low and venomous. “But now that I’ve discovered your secrets, don’t blame me for being ruthless. Just you wait and see.”

A wicked plan quickly took shape in his mind.

If the heir Kruze, who has shown amazing talent and potential, is eliminated, the future of Lion's Fang will inevitably suffer a heavy blow. Even if Reyes becomes a baron, his influence will be greatly diminished without a successor.

As for how to deal with Reyes himself… Haines’s eyes flickered.

Once in Campino, a city teeming with all sorts of people, with careful planning, one can always find an opportunity to temporarily distract Reyes or create chaos to give him a chance to strike.

He had even begun to sift through his mind for outlaws or forces lurking in the shadows that he could use.

At the same time, Kruze, who was having a pleasant conversation with Lista and Shumer of the Boar Territory, suddenly froze with a gentle smile, as if he had been pricked by an invisible icy needle.

It wasn't the content of the conversation, but rather the sudden, cold, and familiar notification sound in my mind:
【Ding! 】

[Advanced side quest triggered: Assassination!]

[Mission Description: Your father's rise to power exposes you to the darker side of nobility, simultaneously arousing the fear and murderous intent of your enemies. Successfully survive the impending assassination attempt.]

[Quest Rewards: Energy Crystals x40, Elven Forging Manual (Beginner) x1]

Mission Failed: Death!

A chill instantly shot up Kruse's spine and to the top of his head, causing him to involuntarily tighten his grip on the reins.

Assassination!

Moreover, the system explicitly indicates that it is an "enemy," meaning the target is clearly oneself!

Without much thought, Haynes's face, twisted with jealousy and anger, immediately came to mind.

I just humiliated the other party, and then I triggered an assassination mission. This is no coincidence!
"Kruze? What's wrong?" The observant Shumer noticed the sudden change in his expression and asked with concern. Kruze quickly suppressed the turmoil in his heart, forcibly regaining his previous composure, and even managed a slightly apologetic smile: "Nothing, I just suddenly remembered a small matter in the territory, and I got a little distracted. Let's continue."

He gave perfunctory replies, but his mind was already on the danger he was about to face.

The rewards of energy crystals and elven forging manuals are certainly tempting, especially the latter, which is of great significance to his improvement of forging techniques in his territory, but the prerequisite is that he has to be alive to get them!
What methods will Haines use?
Was it an ambush on the road?

Should we make our move in Campino, a place where prosperity and chaos intertwine?

How many people will be sent?
How strong are they?

Countless questions swirled in his mind.

He subconsciously touched the Tang sword at his waist, feeling its icy touch, and his eyes gradually sharpened.

It seems that this trip to Campino was far more dangerous than he had imagined.

Awards, social interactions, and even potential marriage alliances became secondary.

The primary task is to survive!

He had to be more vigilant and inform his father, Reyes, of the news as soon as possible, in a discreet manner.

Kruze was anxious, but he was troubled by not being able to directly inform his father of the system's warning.

He can't exactly say, "I have a voice in my head telling me someone wants to kill me," can he?

That would just be dismissed as a hallucination caused by travel fatigue.

All the way, he racked his brains for a plausible excuse that would alert his father without revealing his secret, but unfortunately he still couldn't come up with a perfect one.

However, he had already made up his mind that he would never leave his father's side easily, not even after arriving in Campino or during the entire ceremony.

The sheer power of a Golden Knight is enough to deter most petty villains.

However, when he heard Elena's clear, slightly impatient voice calling from inside the carriage, his expression instantly turned even more unpleasant.

"Big brother! Big brother! How much longer until we reach Campino?" Elena poked her head out of the car window, her chestnut hair fluttering in the wind, her face filled with weariness of the long journey and anticipation for the new world.

Kruse forced himself to suppress the gloom in his heart, tightened the reins to slow the horse down, and rode alongside the carriage. He forced a gentle smile, as always, and patiently replied, "Almost there, Elena, we'll be there soon."

The little girl was clearly dissatisfied with this perfunctory answer. She pouted and complained, "Father said the same thing! 'Almost there, almost there,' he's said it so many times along the way, but every time it still seems like we have to walk for ages!"

Kruze was amused by her innocent and carefree complaints, and the heaviness in his heart seemed to be temporarily relieved.

But this ease lasted only a moment before a chillingly fierce glint flashed in his eyes.

Elena and Rezael!
He suddenly realized a fatal problem that he had overlooked!

If the assassin finds that he is always close to his father and has no way to attack him, will he turn his attention to his younger brother and sister who are less protected?
Especially the innocent and naive Elena, who is the easiest to take advantage of!

(End of this chapter)