Rhett's heart stirred as he asked, "Oh? Lord Roy, is sothing troubling you? Feel free to share it with ."
Roy placed his hands on the dining table, gently drumming his fingers on the tablecloth. After a mont of contemplation, he finally spoke, "Sigh, to be honest, the reason I visited you last ti was to discuss my eldest daughter's marriage."
"Oh?"
Though Rhett had anticipated this, he maintained a look of feigned surprise, following it up with a thoughtful expression.
He slowly replied, "Please forgive , Lord Roy, but having been away from my territory for over a decade, I'm unfamiliar with many matters. I’ve only heard from Raleigh that your eldest daughter is nad Glenna?"
"That's correct. Glenna has always had a special fondness for mages," Roy said, his eyes fixed on Rhett, observing his reaction. Seeing no imdiate signs of rejection, he continued, "Ever since Raleigh visited Maplewood Town a few years ago, I've noticed that Glenna holds him in high regard.
"So... I was hoping to arrange a marriage between them. What do you think, Lord Rhett?"
Family alliances through marriage are common among nobility. If Raleigh hadn't already established a relationship with Krinna, Rhett would have seriously considered this proposal. However, since Raleigh and Krinna had found true love and were soon to formalize their bond, Rhett naturally respected his son's choice and had no intention of interfering.
Thus, he followed the course of action laid out in his previous simulation, subtly hinting at Raleigh and Krinna's relationship to Roy.
He then added, "However, I have another son—Taylors—who is currently single. If you're open to it, Lord Roy, perhaps we could arrange a match between him and your daughter?"
"Raleigh is with Krinna from Darn Town?" Roy frowned slightly before sighing. "Glenna is already 23, only a year younger than Raleigh, but six years older than Taylors. I don't think it’s a suitable match."
In truth, Roy believed that Taylors, an ordinary person without any special talents, would find it difficult to connect with Glenna, who was already a First-Level Knight. Moreover, Glenna's talent, in his eyes, was exceptional, with her testing results indicating a dium-level Dou Qi aptitude. Her advancent to Third-Level Knight seed almost certain.
Therefore, he saw Glenna and Raleigh, a mage, as a more compatible and reasonable match.
Rhett raised an eyebrow but chose not to pursue the topic of marriage further. With his knowledge of future events, he wasn’t in a hurry. He quietly continued his al.
For Roy, even though he hadn't achieved his goal of arranging a marriage, Rhett, a Second-Level Mage, was still a valuable connection.
Rhett stayed in Maplewood Town for another day and a half, during which Roy made sure to make the most of the ti, as nobles often lead leisurely lives, and this allowed him to further strengthen his relationship with Rhett.
Soon, the second night arrived. Before this, Roy had already taken Rhett on a tour of Maplewood Town and its surroundings, showing him all the sights and experiences the area had to offer.
That night, Roy suggested they visit a lively tavern in town to enjoy so local flavor. Rhett didn’t object; going with the flow suited his intentions.
As he thought to himself, "At this pace, the Tier-3 Dark Mage should reveal himself soon."
Accompanied by a few knights as guards, the two n set off into Maplewood Town.
Though Rhett appeared calm on the surface, he was already on high alert internally. One hand rested casually on his wand at his waist, while his eyes constantly scanned for suspicious figures or potential blind spots in his surroundings.
As they strolled toward the tavern, a Shadow Arrow shot silently from a nearby house, blending seamlessly into the night. Its target: Roy, who was walking to Rhett's left!
Roy didn’t imdiately sense the danger, but Rhett, who had been on guard, reacted almost instantly when he detected the abnormal fluctuations of dark energy.
Falling Rock Spell!
With a thought, Rhett summoned a massive rock, condensing a large amount of earth elents midair. The boulder ford in the air and descended directly onto the path of the Shadow Arrow, intercepting it perfectly.
Boom!
As the boulder struck, Roy, who was a split second behind in reacting, felt his heart leap in shock. Years of training kicked in, and he instinctively infused Dou Qi into his legs, swiftly dodging to the side.
The massive explosion and the ensuing shockwave rippled through the area, and a fragnt of the shattered rock struck Roy's back with a resounding thud. His face turned ashen, and he coughed up blood, feeling as though several bones in his back had been broken.
Lying on the ground, Roy glanced back at the scene, quickly piecing together what had just happened.
His eyes darted between Rhett and the direction of the Shadow Arrow's origin. A mix of fear and admiration surged within him as he realized that Rhett had just saved his life.
“That seed like a sneak attack by a Tier-3 Dark Mage... and Lord Rhett blocked it for ?” Roy wiped the blood from his mouth and, using his sword for support, struggled to his feet.
Gazing at Rhett's back, Roy couldn't help but feel a deep sense of awe. In that critical mont, not only had Rhett reacted swiftly, but he had also successfully protected him. This level of power clearly marked Rhett as a Tier-3 Mage!
"Lord Rhett... is truly formidable!"
A raspy voice interrupted his thoughts. “Hmm? Blocked it? How did you discover I was hiding here?”
A figure cloaked in black slowly erged from the shadows of the nearby building.
Rhett narrowed his eyes slightly, scrutinizing the figure. Though the hood concealed most of the man’s face, Rhett could still make out the deep wrinkles of an old man.
“Looks like he's not young anymore...” Rhett mused. But regardless of his age, knowing who the man was, Rhett had no intention of wasting ti with pleasantries. He seized the initiative, swiftly casting Earth Spike as the dark mage stepped into view.
Swish!
The black-cloaked figure shot out a Shadow Arrow, dispersing the gathering earth elents before they could fully materialize.
“Hmph!” the black-cloaked man snorted coldly.
“An Earth Mage, also at the peak of Tier-3. How co I’ve never heard of you before?” The black-cloaked man eyed Rhett cautiously.
He then cast another Shadow Arrow, this ti followed by a Shadow Blade, a Tier-3 dark spell known for its moderate power but exceptional stealth.
When cast in the darkness, the Shadow Blade rged completely with the night, making it almost impossible to detect.
Rhett’s expression grew serious. Despite his extensive combat experience, he knew it would be difficult to track the trajectory of a Shadow Blade in the dark.
With a thought, a yellowish glow enveloped him. To counter the Shadow Blade, Rhett activated Rock Light Shield, a protective barrier of earth elents.
Feeling a surge of security as the yellow shield surrounded him, Rhett focused intently and cast another Falling Rock spell.
He wasn’t unfamiliar with fighting dark mages and had already devised a battle plan in his mind.
“Hmm? Sothing’s off... The angle of that falling rock is rather tricky,” the black-cloaked man thought, his heart tightening with unease. Though he managed to dodge the boulder in ti, the booming impact and the cloud of dust that followed weighed heavily on him.
Earth Spike!
Falling Rock!
Rhett unleashed his full power, bombarding the black-cloaked man with a relentless assault, leaving him in awe of Rhett’s spellcasting prowess.
Boom!
Thud!
The combination of spikes from below and boulders from above created a deadly crossfire. Every ti the black-cloaked man dodged to the right, another falling rock would follow from the left. And when he tried to evade the falling rocks by moving forward, an earth spike would pierce towards his throat.
The precision with which Rhett’s attacks targeted vital points soon had the black-cloaked man scrambling in panic, struggling to keep up.
Cold sweat dripped from his forehead as he realized he was facing a powerful foe. What began as a simple test of Rhett's strength had quickly escalated into a dangerous battle.
Though they were both Tier-3 mages, the black-cloaked man found his Shadow Arrows barely threatening in this fight. anwhile, he was constantly on edge, fearing for his life.
Watching from the sidelines, Roy’s eyes filled with admiration as he slowly began to understand the situation. It seed that the assailant was gradually being pushed into a corner.
Earth Spike!
Rhett maintained full control of the battlefield, demonstrating his exceptional combat skills. Before long, he had maneuvered the black-cloaked man into a "trap" of his own making.
Over a dozen earth spikes jutted out from the ground around the dark mage, forming an impassable maze of obstacles. Boulders and spikes alike littered the area, leaving no clear path for the black-cloaked man to escape.
With less and less space to maneuver, the dark mage found himself constantly at risk of crashing into the surrounding stone formations.
“Damn it, I can’t let this continue,” the black-cloaked man thought, swallowing nervously as his unease grew.
Although Rhett hadn’t managed to land a decisive blow yet, it was clear that if the fight dragged on, his situation would only worsen.
Realizing that fighting Rhett head-on wasn’t wise, he decided to retreat. “Hmph, if I have to abandon Maplewood Town for now, I can always head to Gold Digger Town and take that fat woman’s heart instead!” With this thought, the black-cloaked man cast another Shadow Arrow at Rhett, then enveloped himself in a cloak of darkness, preparing to retreat.
Rhett’s eyes flashed with cold determination, and he imdiately gave chase.
The dark mage had cast Dark Cloak, a powerful concealnt spell. If he managed to escape Rhett’s line of sight, it would be nearly impossible to track him down in the darkness.
Seeing Rhett in pursuit, Roy shouted, “Everyone, go support Lord Rhett! Gozar, you stay behind and summon all the knights from the castle!”
As the knights around him sprang into action, rushing off in different directions, Roy clenched his fists, staring after Rhett as he disappeared into the distance.
Ten minutes later...
Rhett, still trailing the black-cloaked man, smirked coldly.
“Hmph, you can’t escape.”
Once outside Maplewood Town, Rhett no longer had to worry about revealing his Earth Spike spell in public.
The dark mage, still shrouded in his Dark Cloak, glanced back and noticed that Rhett was still relentlessly pursuing him. His expression turned grim as he realized that Rhett had no intention of letting him go.
His escape route had been carefully planned in advance—he had scouted the area thoroughly, just in case.
Ahead of him lay a forest, where the darkness would provide the perfect cover for his dark magic.
Different types of mages had their own strengths and weaknesses. Just as earth mages were more formidable in land-based combat, dark mages excelled in stealth and ambush tactics, especially in the cover of night.
As the black-cloaked man considered how best to turn the tables on his pursuer once they reached the forest, he suddenly sensed a disturbance in the earth elents above him.
Realizing the danger too late, he instinctively tried to dodge, but a yellowish blur streaked through the air.
A sharp Earth Spike sliced across his neck, leaving a long gash. Seeing the attack, the black-cloaked man’s eyes widened in terror.
“Earth Spike! How could he know Earth Spike?!”
It quickly dawned on him that a Tier-3 mage wielding Earth Spike had likely consud a bloodline potion!
“Damn it, if I had known this would happen, I wouldn’t have co here tonight.” Regret filled his heart as he realized he had severely underestimated the danger of attacking this baron’s territory.
Rhett, ruthless and silent, pressed his advantage. Another Earth Spike shot towards the dark mage’s rear, aiming for a critical strike.
Feeling a chill down his spine, the black-cloaked man fired off a Shadow Arrow, but it collided with the Earth Spike, causing a loud explosion of elental energy.
Although he avoided a fatal injury, the impact sent him flying backward, crashing to the ground two ters away.
“Cough... We can make a deal. If you let go, I can give you...” The black-cloaked man tried to negotiate, but before he could finish, the earth trembled beneath him.
Another Earth Spike erupted from the ground, slicing through his right leg.
Rhett remained cold and relentless. He had no intention of showing rcy until his opponent was completely incapacitated.
Ten minutes later...
An Earth Spike pierced through the back of the exhausted dark mage, draining the last of his strength. His face twisted in disbelief as he collapsed to his knees, unwilling to accept his fate.
With one final move, Rhett readied another earth spike, poised to strike through the dark mage’s head if he tried anything.
Only then did Rhett approach the fallen man.
He reached down and pulled back the dark mage’s hood, revealing a deeply wrinkled, elderly face.
“Cough... Please, spare ... I can tell you a shocking secret!” The dark mage gasped out in desperation.
Rhett’s expression remained indifferent. “First, tell your na.”
“Corder... My na is Corder, and I’m part of a group that conducts evil alchemy experints. They’ve committed countless atrocities,” Corder confessed, gauging Rhett’s reaction.
He had expected the ntion of the evil alchemy organization to elicit excitent from Rhett. After all, bringing such information to the kingdom would be a great rit.
But to his surprise, Rhett’s face remained calm.
Without hesitation, Rhett replied, “Tell everything you know about quickly advancing to Tier-4 Mage.”
For Rhett, information about the evil alchemy organization was no longer relevant. The most valuable knowledge now was how this man had managed to advance to Tier-4 Mage so quickly, as hinted in a previous simulation.
Corder’s pupils constricted, and his pale face grew even paler. “So... you’re after the Blood Source?”
Rhett’s interest was piqued. “Blood Source? What Blood Source?” He had never encountered such a term before.
Realizing he had stumbled upon sothing significant, Rhett decided to simulate the conversation, just in case Corder died before revealing the full secret.
“Simulate one day.”
“Tell everything, and I’ll spare your life,” Rhett offered calmly.
Corder’s eyes darted around as he sneered, “If you want to know the core secret of the Blood Source, you’ll have to release first. Otherwise, you’ll never find out.”
Rhett sighed, shaking his head. He saw no need to continue the conversation—this was just a simulation, after all. Since Corder wasn’t willing to cooperate, he could try other thods.
With that, Rhett employed the various brutal interrogation techniques he had honed over his years on the battlefield, putting them all to use on Corder.
...
When the simulation ended, Rhett watched as Corder “ca back to life” and sighed.
He had overestimated the man’s willpower—after just a few rounds of torture in the simulation, Corder had spilled everything.
The real Corder, oblivious to the fact that Rhett now knew all his secrets, looked at him with a hint of smugness. “If you release , I’ll tell you where the Blood Source is. Otherwise, you’ll never find it.”
In his mind, he believed that since Rhett knew about the Blood Source, he wouldn’t dare kill him before obtaining it.
But Rhett simply smirked and said, “Is that so?” With a thought, he summoned another Earth Spike, swiftly ending Corder’s life.
The dark mage’s eyes widened in disbelief as he fell to the ground, his life extinguished by a final blow.
Rhett bent down, taking out a small knife to carefully retrieve two tiny pearls from Corder’s stomach.
As the moonlight bathed the scene, the pearls—known as Blood Sources—glowed faintly with an eerie red light.
Rhett examined the two pearls between his fingers, his eyes filled with curiosity.
If not for the information he had extracted from Corder, he would never have guessed that these pearls were the product of a Blood Elf!
...
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