redvbooks Chapter 367: Upper hand
Chapter 367: Upper hand
"All the Hinterlands Clans came together and came to a decision. We can’t allow the Athrimir to grow more than they already have, or they will start oppressing us in the future. This is the Borderland, and it is expected. We all know the rise of the Athrimir. They were an insignificant branch family, and yet they grew into what they are before they were cut down." Eirikr paused, his eyes sweeping the room.
The room was silent, but there were myriads of expressions. Most were shock and stunned surprise, including from Vale.
’...my clan was such a problem? Just how powerful had Father’s reach been for him to be feared so?...’
A lot of people were also hearing it for the first time, and they couldn’t hide their shock.
"The Athrimir did not need our trades. They have tamed Rifts and have the resources to spend. They used it to neuter several powerful Master Knights," Eirikr smiled with a sinister expression. "But they couldn’t act so openly..."
"Well, they did make a play later, but someone was blocking their paths."
Vale instantly stiffened. He remembered the Grandmaster that came to attack their walls. ’...so the High Clans had been in our business for years! That’s why we, the Athrimir, dared not expand. It’s why, for people that like war, the Hinterlands are relatively peaceful...’
Vale did not know why they were restricting the Hinterlands. But he did know that the one that must be doing the blocking was the Old Man through the Hollow Grave!
A lot of things clicked into Vale’s mind, and his eyes shook. From Athrimir to Ito, to Akatsuki and Matsumoto. They had all been puppet dancing on the palms of those greater than them.
Vale shivered. And now it seemed they were finally selling the Hinterlands to the Tachibana. The Tachibana Clan just had to become the branch family of some High Clans, and they could have everything.
Vale nearly laughed out loud. The games on the chessboard were even greater than he had anticipated. And who could even imagine the stage the High Clans had set? Who knew the price of the Hinterlands?
But still, something struck Vale. What exactly made the Hinterlands special? Why did they want people who were called backwards and lowlife?
Ah!
Something strange was definitely going on!
"....and so, with help, we drew away all the useful Master Knights in Athrimir while their clan leader fell into madness. Today, we will reap the fruit of that!"
Eirikr smiled with satisfaction as he looked at everyone. "It has been long, but it is all worth the wait!"
The people in the hall began to stand up one by one and bow to him, congratulating him and praising his foresight.
"The Matsumoto and the Ito Clan are also aware. As such, we have redrawn the map of the Hinterlands! From now on, there are only two prominent Clans! The Ito and the Akatsuki!"
The words drew murmuring and shock through the whole gathering, but what Vale found most interesting was the fact that Tachibana wasn’t counted as a Clan anymore.
Just as Eirikr finished speaking, the WaterLord Freya stood up. A tall woman with cold eyes and a bold face, she was dressed casually in light armor, her right hand severed at the elbow. She bowed slightly. "I bring you good tidings from my Clan leader, and his dedicated words that the promise made between you still stands."
All the words were just formalities. After all, they’d spent days talking about how to share the land, population, and resources. They were just putting on a show for the people.
Vale watched everything darkly, his attention held by the people kneeling.
Eirikr nodded on his throne. "And I will uphold my end. The two remaining Clans must look out for themselves after all."
Then his attention shifted to Vale’s side. His dark eyes suddenly cold and gloomy as he proclaimed in a heavy voice. "Matsumoto is now part of the Akatsuki Clan! You are now my vassal."
As one, every Company Captain rose to their feet and then dropped to their knees, speaking in a unified voice. "Yes, my Lord! We obey the Akatsuki!"
Only Vale and Isolde were left standing awkwardly as everyone’s attention focused on them. They quickly knelt as well.
Eirikr’s satisfaction grew. "You may rise. We have talked of this, and we will do more later."
"Now then, how should we dispose of the Master Knights and officers of the Athrimir Clan?"
WaterLord Freya stood up instantly. "Lord Eirikr, they are the most loyal to the Athrimir. They won’t serve us, and thus they have no use."
Eirikr nodded, a small smile on his face. "Master Knights are hard to come by, and capturing one alive is even more difficult than fighting them. As per our terms, they’ll be refined into pills and shared."
Vale froze. His blood turned to ice water, and his heart stopped beating for a moment.
Wait....what?
Of course, he wasn’t new to the knowledge of refinement using Master Knights. And it’s especially common for Master Knights because they hold the most essence and their cores are more substantial than all the ranks under them. And they are used for only one thing, for other Master Knights to consume in becoming Grandmasters.
Grandmasters are fundamentally different. They are Immortals, at least they can be called that. Even the original rules of the world start to fray around them, and thus they can fly naturally and don’t age unless they want to. The difference between a Grandmaster and a Master Knight is so vast that most can’t even dare to dream about it.
Naturally, to reach such a rank, it’s going to take an astronomical amount of essence and devouring of cores. Vale didn’t know the technicalities, but he knew that Master Knights refined into pills or potions could help in the journey to becoming a Grandmaster.
The refinement of Master Knights isn’t really a diabolical secret or something that’s totally frowned upon because, first, it’s not easy to find a Master Knight that can be subdued and then refined. Second, Master Knights in the Hinterlands are precious commodities.
Vale had expected his Master Knights to be jailed and then drained of essence to power formations and such.
But refinement? Killing them?
Eirikr was still speaking. ".....I hope the Matsumoto brings the Alchemists that will do the refinement."
Kaelthorn nodded and bowed. "Of course. This is Isolde, and she’s good at such things! We can start now if you want!"
Vale felt as if he had been slapped. The Matsumoto knew? They knew what was going to happen? Isolde knew?
Of course they did! No wonder they only wanted to attack at night after his men had been dealt with by Eirikr so that the Athrimir would have no protection.
Beside him, Isolde stood up and smiled as she bowed to Eirikr. "My Lord."
And even though her mouth stopped moving, Vale could still hear her voice. "Don’t do anything foolish. Remember, your goal is to return to Athrimir. You can easily cultivate Master Knights again after this!"
What a joke!
She began to move towards the prisoners, her power as a Master Knight flowing around her. When she got there, she brought out different materials from her storage ring, all etched with enchantments and reeking of blood.
She said to Eirikr, "Although the others are not Master Knights, they can still be refined and added. Their little powers are still something."
"Go on." Eirikr waved.
Just then, Isolde turned back to him with a small smile, her eyes radiating victory. "With that cuff in your hand, you can’t use your artifact. You’ll be easy to retrieve. This is payback, Vale Athrimir. The upper hand now belongs to me!"
With that, she raised her dagger directly above Slya and then brought it down with lightning speed.
But suddenly a hand was there, slender and smooth. The hand caught the dagger casually as if it required no effort at all.
Everyone was shocked, and they traced the hand to a young man, thin and frail with a long face. How could such a frail person have the strength to stop a Master Knight?
Of course, the person was Tong. He smiled. "Ah, lady, I don’t think Master will be pleased if you kill Captain Slya."
Isolde was just as stunned. She tried to pull the dagger away, but it was futile. Even flooding her hand with essence didn’t help. Instantly, she scanned the man in front of her with essence and yet couldn’t find anything unique. Even worse, the young-looking man was cuffed with restricting cuffs!
Her sense of danger warned her, and she quickly released the dagger, moving back. "You....what the fuck are you?"
Eirikr stirred on his throne, his face as displeased as his voice. "Why are you disturbing my fun? I thought I told you to cuff all of them!"
The Jade Glass stood and bowed. "He’s cuffed, My Lord!"
"Then..what the fuck is happening!"