Chapter 991: Defeat in a Single Blow!

Doomsday’s information was very detailed indeed. Before Doomsday turned twenty-eight, his life was ordinary. He had a mid-tier almighty beast bloodline called the Fantasy Hawk.

Although this Fantasy Hawk was a mid-tier almighty beast bloodline, unlike a mid-tier almighty beast bloodline its ability was of little value as it was very weak. Therefore, Doomsday was just like countless ordinary people before twenty-eight and used his almighty beast bloodline to become a bodyguard of an aristocrat.

Initially, Doomsday’s life might have gone on in this manner right up until his death, but in the year he turned twenty-eight, something had happened. The aristocratic lord to whom he was loyal had erupted in a clash with another lord. Both armies of the two territories ruthlessly killed each other.

In the end, the lord who Doomsday was loyal to was defeated, and the entire territory was slaughtered until there was nothing left.

At that point, Doomsday seemed to vanish without a trace. Even the information of Phantom’s Intelligence Team had no records of this period at all. Only after a full decade, Doomsday suddenly appeared once more.

No one knew where Doomsday emerged from, but once he did, the first thing he did was to massacre everyone within that aristocratic lord’s territory; even the young children. No one was left behind and the aura of death soared to the skies.

With this as a prologue, the entire Holy Dragon Empire was shaken up. The ruling powers of the empire’s royal family declined year after year, no longer powerful enough to constrain the numerous, massive territories of the empire. Therefore, the turmoil of the Holy Dragon Empire soon arrived.

Rivers of blood ran in every place Doomsday passed by. The royal family had once sent three full-shifting formidable existences to punish Doomsday, but he easily killed them in the end.

After that, the name of Doomsday was gradually born and indicated that wherever he went, it was as if doomsday had arrived. The place would fill with a frightful, bloody carnage.

“Disappeared for ten years!”

Naturally, Merlin took note of Doomsday’s greatest secret, which must have been those ten years when he vanished. From a mere inheritor of a mid-tier bloodline, he had become one of the top-level existences of the whole Holy Dragon Empire in one leap. Doomsday merely had used a decade for that, which was really unbelievable.

There was no doubt that Doomsday had done something in those ten years he disappeared. It very likely involved an enormous secret, one which belonged only to Doomsday himself.

In truth, it was not just Doomsday. Amongst those leaders of the rebel armies, which one did not have a secret? Each of them seemed to have appeared from thin air and became the most top-level existences all at once. It was precisely due to these mysterious and powerful rebel army leaders that the Holy Dragon royal family was not as powerful as they wished to be because they were only able to put up with the present chaos of the empire.

“Deputy Minister, you did not guess wrongly. Those ten years in which Doomsday had vanished must surely involve some momentous secret. It’s just that other than Doomsday himself, no one would know about this matter.”

Merlin bobbed his head and put down all this information on Doomsday. As for the contents of this information, he had already memorized everything. Merlin even told the members of the Intelligence Team, “Keep a close eye on Doomsday, and in particular, pay extra attention to those ten years when Doomsday disappeared. If there are any updates, you must tell me at once.”

Merlin became more and more interested in the ten years when Doomsday had disappeared. Back then, Doomsday had nearly forced Merlin to expose his Illusory World, which would destroy Merlin’s foundation. Merlin was not someone who would forgive so easily.

“Haha, Leon, you’re here indeed!”

Suddenly, a tall and muscular man came from the outside with many people following behind him. Merlin turned around and frowned slightly. This muscular man was the Combat Team’s Team Leader, Hert the Ursus King.

This Hert approached Merlin purposefully and his tone did not sound too courteous. No matter what, Merlin was now his immediate superior. However, Hert still dared to call out Merlin’s name so frankly. This in itself was provocative behavior.

“Hert?”

“Leon, back then you were the Deputy Team Leader of the Combat Team. Even if you’ve become a full-shifting contender, you’re still a Deputy Team Leader! The Minister made an exception in promoting you to Deputy Minister. I have an objection to this. We’re all members of the Combat Team, so let’s use the methods of the Combat Team to settle this. How about that? I myself want to see, now that you’re a full-shifter, how powerful you are. Killing that idiot Black Gorilla King isn’t much of a feat, you know.”

It turned out that Hert the Ursus King was not happy that Merlin, from being one of his subordinates, had become his superior. Nonetheless, this was the Minister, Farron’s decision. Hert had always respected Minister Farron very much, so he dared not oppose Farron directly. Even so, he ultimately felt that, even if a Deputy Minister had to be elected, he was the best candidate and not Merlin.

In Hert’s plans, he could become the Deputy Minister while Merlin became the Combat Team’s Team Leader. Only then would this be a win-win solution. Therefore, he was full of discontent and immediately vented this towards Merlin.

Merlin smiled. All of their burning stares were fixed upon him. In fact, many people did not understand why he had become Phantom’s Deputy Minister. Even if he had slain the Black Gorilla King, could he actually compare to Hert the Ursus King? It should be known that Hert had also killed a full-shifting contender before. Moreover, it was an accomplishment of killing a full-shifter with a mid-tier almighty beast bloodline.

Only Iza, Shiya, and the rest were not concerned. Conversely, they were worried about Hert. “The Team Leader is too reckless. Still, although he’s more approachable, he’s actually very proud too. How could he tolerate Leon becoming Deputy Minister? Perhaps only a fight would calm the Team Leader down.”

It was not just the Combat Team. Even the members of the Intelligence Team, the Logistics Team, the Research Team, and so on, had received the news and all came here, staring at Merlin and Hert. This was the most fighting force amongst all of Phantom’s various teams so far.

“Alright, Hert. Let’s do this right here. You may attack,” Merlin spoke evenly. He knew that if he did not face this challenge today, he would surely not have much dignity left as a Deputy Minister in Phantom from then onwards.

“Right here? Are you trying to destroy the Intelligence Team?”

Hert knitted his brow and laughed coldly.

“That won’t happen. Attack.”

“Alright.”

Hert did not waste more time chatting and let out a roar. Instantly, he shapeshifted fully, becoming an enormous Blackbear and exuded a fearsome force. This was his true shifted form, the Ursus King!

The black Ursus King extended its massive claws, and without any hesitation, swiped at Merlin as it whistled through the air. This swipe had the force of nearly two hundred tons, and even the air itself was compressed, emitting sounds of escaping pressure.

This strength was definitely greater than the Black Gorilla King!

“As expected of the Team Leader of the Combat Team. The strength of the Ursus King is truly greater than the Black Gorilla King! However – a match of strength?”

Merlin laughed. With his current form, would he be concerned about a match of strength? Perhaps only some Supreme Talents would make Merlin feel slightly apprehensive.

Of course, that would be mere apprehension!

“Boom.”

Merlin lightly reached out with a hand, after which his arm swiftly shapeshifted, forming a massive paw. He stretched it out, turned it over, and smacked it down. Instantly, a rumbling sound boomed incessantly in their ears. Moreover, that frightening power was something that would make everyone remember this blow.

Furthermore, this was merely a casual strike from Merlin. He had only shapeshifted one arm.

“How is that possible?”

As Hert the Ursus King stared at that gigantic paw, he felt almost suffocated. This was not a Supreme Talent. As a full-shifting fighter himself, Hert knew very well that this was definitely not a Supreme Talent. Just like him, this was the purest strength!

“No, no, Supreme Talent, Enhance, let me break out!”

Hert unleashed a furious cry as his body expanded by an additional size. His muscles bulged, containing terrifying power. It turned out that Hert had activated his Supreme Talent, and his Supreme Talent just so happened to be strength itself, able to upgrade his physical attributes twice over. This was a rather fearsome Supreme Talent, as it would amplify his physical attributes.

It was by relying on this Supreme Talent that the Ursus King had steadily occupied the position of the foremost contender amongst Phantom’s various teams, second only to the enigmatic and formidable Farron. His Supreme Talent had played a part in this. Thus, after sensing Merlin’s threat, Hert at once unleashed his Supreme Talent, exploding with his mightiest strength.

Nonetheless, Merlin’s eyes merely flashed an admiring look, but his gigantic paw did not change at all and still smacked down directly and viciously towards Hert.

“Bang.”

There was an immense crash as Merlin’s blow seemed to have struck everyone in their hearts which made them feel a sinking sensation.

Dust and smoke filled the air. Hert the Ursus King that was so full of extraordinary vigor a moment ago was now lying pathetically on the ground. His body force had not vanished, but he had been ruthlessly smashed past the ground’s surface.

Only Hert knew that Merlin had been holding back. Otherwise, this blow would have immediately crushed him to death. Merlin’s strength was unbelievably formidable. Hert had only felt such a terrifying force from Minister Farron.

Just from this blow alone, Hert knew that Merlin and himself were both in completely different leagues. Merlin was a contender that could be placed on par with the mysterious and powerful Minister Farron who was one of the most superior existences in the entire Holy Dragon Empire!

“Hert, let’s end this here. How’s that?”

Merlin’s arm had returned to its original appearance. Before that, Merlin had merely used the strength of his shapeshifted arm, perhaps not even mobilizing a tenth of his power. Not even Merlin understood how strong he really was now.

“Cough cough… Deputy Minister, I accept defeat wholeheartedly!”

Hert the Ursus King struggled to stand up. Just one shapeshifted arm of Merlin’s was enough to defeat him. This made him understand profoundly that Merlin was a great existence on the same level as Minister Farron.

“Alright, it’s over now. Everyone, head back to your teams.”

Merlin waved his hand and the surrounding people immediately dispersed. After this battle, Merlin’s position in Phantom was especially solid. He could even rope in some factions to contend against Minister Farron in the future.

However, Merlin thought that there was no need for so much trouble. He could defeat Farron directly and be done with it.

Defeat Farron; if someone learned of Merlin’s intention, they would think he had gone mad. Farron had managed Phantom for decades, and his position had always been steady as a mountain. No one had actually defeated him. Of course, no one knew how strong he really was either.

“Honorable Deputy Minister, Minister Farron is asking for you.”

Suddenly, a man from the Intelligence Team reported timidly to Merlin.

“Minister Farron?”

A smirk tugged at the corner of Merlin’s lips as he fell silent for a moment. “Let’s go and pay the Minister a visit then.”

Following that, Merlin trailed behind this person from the Intelligence Team, heading into the depths of Phantom Headquarters.

Phantom Headquarters was exceedingly complex. The various sorts of mechanisms and secret passages were endless. Although Merlin had become the Deputy Minister of Phantom, he had only been part of Phantom for a short time and did not understand the layout of Phantom Headquarters.

After passing one secret passage after another, Merlin came to a stone room. The man who had led the way now stopped and stood outside the door, pointing towards the room. “The Honorable Minster is waiting inside.”

Merlin had no doubts. Who else would have such a clear understanding of this place other than Minister Farron?

Soon enough, Merlin walked into the secret chamber. This space was rather dark, but even in the darkest night, Merlin could see the situation clearly within the room.

“Splash.”

There was a sudden sound of flowing water. Merlin looked over with a steady gaze. There was an immense blood pool and it was still boiling over. What was terrifying was that, in this boiling blood pool, Farron was silently immersed in its midst.

“Deputy Minister Leon, come in.”

Farron languidly stood up from the blood pool and casually draped a blue robe over himself. After seeing Merlin coming in, Farron smiled and said, “Within this blood pool is the blood of all the rebel army leaders I’ve killed. Most of these are fourth-form shifters, as well as a few occasional full-shifting contenders. At a level like mine, it’s hard to improve my strength. I was hoping that this blood pool might be somewhat useful.”

Although Farron’s voice was calm, Merlin felt a chill spreading throughout the secret chamber. Perhaps the blood pool did not only belong to those rebel army leaders, but also those who opposed Farron or the royal family. They too would ultimately become a part of this blood pool.

“Deputy Minister Leon, you’ve just defeated Hert?” Farron asked breezily.

“Ah, it’s just a fluke,” Merlin’s emotions were calm as well as he replied mildly.

“Oh? That was no fluke. Hert’s strength is greater than the Black Gorilla King. For you to defeat him so easily is actually very astonishing to me. It looks like I’ve somewhat underestimated Deputy Minister Leon in the past. Still, this is good. The stronger you are, the better it will be for our Holy Dragon Empire. Even if you surpass me in the future, I can even yield this position of Minister.”

Merlin did not know what Farron really meant. He was somewhat in the dark.

“Minister, you’ve asked me to come here. Do you have any orders?” Merlin asked respectfully. At least for now, Farron was still the Minister and one with the highest authority within all of Phantom.

Farron gave Merlin a deep look and was silent for a long while before he slowly spoke, “Deputy Minister Leon, Her Highness the Princess Royal is also a member of the royal family who ultimately serves His Majesty.”

Farron’s voice was deep. This was practically a warning to Merlin. It looked like His Majesty the King was not too happy with the actions of the second prince, the Princess Royal and so on. He had not yet abdicated the throne and was still the king of the Holy Dragon Empire’s royal family. As for how the Holy Dragon Empire had practically fallen apart under his rule, His Majesty the King did not think that it was his fault.

Farron was on the king’s side. There was no need to doubt this. Farron’s words, on some level, represented the king’s stance.

Merlin could join the king as well but he would not gain many benefits in doing so. Moreover, the Princess Royal would share her authority with Merlin, even share everything. Could the king do that?

After a moment of thought, a smile crossed Merlin’s face and he said calmly, “Minister, I’m devoted to the empire. The Princess Royal can attest to that. Her Highness had done me a favor, so I simply helped her out with some small favor. I believe that His Majesty the King wouldn’t find fault in this.”

Merlin’s words instantly caused the atmosphere to become tense.

Now the king was even more afraid of the Princess Royal, for no reason other than the fact that she had obtained Merlin’s support. Initially, Farron had thought that Merlin could be controlled, maybe even become a powerful assistant under him.

However, now it seemed like Merlin had refused completely. There was even a vague feeling of confrontation. Merlin’s force was faintly discernible, but it made Farron feel as if frightening energy would explode at any time.

In this period, Merlin must have grown stronger significantly!

Farron was silent for a long while before finally heaving a long sigh. “Marquis Leon, the Holy Dragon Empire is currently plagued by external and internal strife. We all serve the empire. That’s the most important thing. You must remember that the king represents the empire! Alright, you may leave. Henceforth, you’ll still be in charge of the Combat Team. As for the other teams, they’ll report to me directly. In the future, when you’re familiar with the various teams in Phantom, I’ll let you take charge of other teams.”

Merlin stood up and ceremoniously bowed to Farron, then left right away. The final arrangement that Farron had made regarding his duties was actually a limitation.

A lofty Deputy Minister, only in charge of the Combat Team; this was totally unusual. This time, it was assumed that Merlin had broken off with Farron and the king. From then on, there was a possibility that Merlin might face more obstacles within Phantom.

Nonetheless, this was nothing much. As long as he had formidable abilities, Merlin could establish a faction belonging to him within the Combat Team, acting as the Princess Royal’s most faithful support.

“The royal family is really bogged down by conflict…”

Merlin shook his head and immediately left the secret chamber.

Within the secret chamber, Minister Farron’s face gradually turned cold and the entire room seemed shrouded in a chilly layer of ice.

“The Princess Royal is really willing to invest her capital, allowing Leon to enter the secret chamber with the Sacred Lion Beast. Has Leon broken through or not? Based on his appearance, he still had not broken through to his Supreme Talent, yet there’s still a dangerous feeling about him…”

Farron’s expression was grave and uncertain. He had no authority to prevent the Princess Royal from entering the place with the Sacred Lion Beast. Not even the king could stop her. This was the royal family’s encouragement towards their descendants. Only those whose bloodline was especially concentrated, who had made special contributions to the royal family, could enter.

The Princess Royal met all these conditions, so she could bring Merlin in.

Nonetheless, Farron did not sense that Merlin possessed any powerful Supreme Talent, but Merlin had easily defeated Hert. In addition, Merlin had exuded a faintly discernible force of danger just now which made it hard for Farron to determine the truth.

“Oh the royal family, still caught in this adversarial, deadly struggle. Father and son, father and daughter, sibling and sibling, everyone’s in open and secret conflict. If they were to gather all their strength, what would Doomsday amount to?”

Farron could not hold back a sign. He had an unparalleled understanding of the situation within the royal family. Still, he was loyal to the king and would never betray him. Therefore, even though he was unwilling at times, he could only obey.

Perhaps in the not-so-distant future, Farron had a premonition that between him and Merlin, only one could live…

“To think that the young fellow back then had grown to such a stage. I don’t know if this is good fortune or a disaster.”

Farron entered the blood pool once more, quietly shut his eyes, and steeped himself in the blood pool.

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