Chapter 139: Two magical weapons

The communication pulse faded as Harrison’s body went limp, his tactical radio falling silent forever. But the damage was done—somewhere in the jungle depths, Lord Vance would receive confirmation that his investigation team had encountered forces beyond their capabilities.

’Clever bastard. Turned defeat into a strategic victory.’

Ethan’s Apex Mane form stood over the captain’s corpse with grudging respect. Here lay a warrior who’d understood the true meaning of duty—sacrifice that served purposes greater than individual survival.

But respect couldn’t change tactical reality. Harrison’s final act had compressed their operational timeline dramatically. Lord Vance would know within hours that significant opposition existed in this territory.

’Time just became my most precious resource.’

The transformation dissolved as human consciousness reasserted control over predatory instincts. Ethan’s wounds stung with each movement, but his enhanced healing was already sealing damaged tissue.

’Seven elite operatives eliminated. But now their Lord knows we exist.’

Harrison’s shattered communication crystal lay in crystalline fragments around his corpse, its magical components still radiating residual energy. The device’s design suggested sophisticated magical engineering—technology that could coordinate operations across vast distances.

’Military-grade equipment. This organisation has resources beyond what Vincent revealed.’

Ethan devoured both bodies of the gold-rankers.

Unfortunately, none of their talents were owned by him, rendering them useless. But at least, he had gotten twenty stat points in total.

<+11 Strength>

<+11 Agility>

Ethan felt a significant boost in strength immediately.

’I’ve reached mid-gold rank…’

<Human: Ethan Brandon>

<Rank: Mid-Gold>

<Talents: Fire (D), Water(D-), Crystal Manipulation (D), Speed (E+) , Wind(E+), Protective Shield (F+), Accuracy Enhancement (F+), Regeneration (F+), Dagger Wield (F-), , Mental Enhancement (F)>

<Transformations: Apex Mane(Mid-Gold), Crystal Butterfly(Low-Gold), Lazy Monkey(Peak-Silver), Tunneler Behemoth(High-Silver), Crystal Ape (Mid-Silver), Panther (Mid-Silver), Silver Serpent (Mid-Silver), Harpy(Mid-Silver)>

<Level 7>

<Health Points:2800> <Mana Points: 2950>

<Strength: 329> <Agility: 316> <Intelligence: 295> <Vitality: 280>

<Free Attributes: 15>

<Skills: Basic Footwork (Novice – 94%), Swordsmanship (Novice – 60%), Mana control (Novice – 85%)>

…

The ornate crystal formation in Lord Vance’s private chambers erupted in a cascade of brilliant light before shattering into countless fragments. The sound echoed through the opulent room like breaking bones, each shard carrying the weight of catastrophic news.

Vance’s eyes snapped toward the destruction, his irises blazing with cold fury as he processed what the crystal’s death meant. The communication device had been linked directly to Captain Harrison—its destruction could only signify one thing.

’Dead. Both of them are dead.’

Without hesitation, he seized the woman draped across his lap and hurled her aside with violence. She crashed into an ornate side table, expensive crystal goblets shattering around her as she hit the marble floor.

“AHHH!” Her scream of pain and terror filled the chamber, but Vance ignored her completely. The sound barely registered in his consciousness as calculations consumed his attention.

’ Torres doesn’t die easily. Harrison even less so. Whatever killed them…’

He strode toward the destroyed communication crystal with predatory grace, his bare feet silent against polished stone. Glass fragments crunched beneath his weight as he knelt to examine the remains.

The crystal’s final transmission had carved coordinates into the chamber’s floor—precise magical signatures that marked the exact location where his captains had met their end. The southern desert, exactly where Vincent’s team had vanished days earlier.

’It’s in the same direction as Vincent…it’s the same enemy.”

Vance’s fingers traced the etched coordinates, his mind processing implications of two captains’ deaths.

Two of his most capable captains, backed by five Peak-Silver operatives, had been eliminated completely.

’No survivors. No retreat. Total annihilation.’

The impossibility of the situation sent ice through his veins. Harrison commanded Mid-Gold capabilities while Torres brought Low-Gold experience to any engagement. Together, they represented enough firepower to conquer most territorial Lords single-handedly.

’What kind of opposition could eliminate them so completely?’

Behind him, the woman’s sobbing continued as she struggled to rise from the wreckage of furniture and crystal. Blood trickled from multiple cuts where sharp edges had found flesh, but Vance paid her distress no attention whatsoever.

His mind cycled through possibilities. Another Lord, certainly—no lesser organization could field capabilities that matched his captains. But what rank? What capabilities? What strategic objectives?

’High-Gold minimum. Possibly Platinum.’

The thought of facing Platinum-rank opposition sent excitement through his body rather than fear. Such enemies represented challenges worthy of his full attention—opportunities to test capabilities he’d spent years developing.

’Finally. A real opponent.’

But excitement had to be tempered with tactical realism. If his enemy commanded Platinum-rank power, direct confrontation would require careful preparation. Overwhelming force applied with precision rather than gradual escalation.

’No more testing. No more reconnaissance. We need to prepare.’

Vance rose from his examination of the crystal fragments, already formulating deployment strategies that would eliminate this unknown threat permanently. The coordinates provided targeting information—no need for additional intelligence gathering.

He activated the remaining communication crystals throughout his fortress, their harmonic resonance carrying his voice to every corner of his domain. Military commanders, magical specialists, and administrative coordinators—everyone would receive simultaneous briefing.

“All senior personnel to the war room. Immediate deployment authorisation. Priority Alpha.”

The announcement echoed through corridors and chambers as his organization mobilized with efficiency. Years of expansion warfare had created systems that could transition from peaceful administration to military operation within minutes.

The woman behind him had managed to stand, her expensive dress torn and bloodstained from her violent impact with furniture. She pressed herself against the chamber wall, terror making her tremble as she witnessed the transformation of her casual lover into something approaching a force of nature.

’Should I… should I leave?’ she whispered, afraid to draw attention but equally afraid to remain.

Vance’s cold gaze fixed on her. For a moment, she served as a useful outlet for the violent energy building within his body.

’Stress relief has value. But time constraints take priority.’

“Get out,” he commanded with casual dismissal.

She fled immediately, expensive heels clicking against marble as she ran toward the chamber’s exit. The sound of her retreat faded into insignificance as Vance focused on more important considerations.

His organisation represented the accumulated power of systematic territorial conquest—every victory adding capabilities while eliminating opposition. There are very few Lords who should be able to withstand such overwhelming force concentration.

’Unless they command capabilities beyond standard territorial development.’

The possibility that he faced another empire builder rather than isolated resistance created fascinating tactical challenges. Empire versus empire—a conflict that would reshape the entire regional power structure.

’Good. Stagnation breeds weakness. Conflict drives evolution.’

Military footsteps echoed through the fortress as commanders responded to his summons. The war room would soon host the largest strategic planning session in his organization’s history.

’Total war protocols. Everything I’ve built unleashed against a single target.’

But beneath his excitement, cold calculation recognized the risks involved. His enemy had demonstrated capabilities that exceeded his previous threat assessments. Underestimating such opposition could prove fatal.

’Harrison and Torres weren’t weak. Whatever killed them commands genuine power.’

The destroyed communication crystal’s fragments caught light from ornate chandeliers, each shard reflecting distorted images of the opulent chamber. Wealth accumulated through systematic conquest surrounded him like trophies of successful predation.

’All of this depends on maintaining military supremacy. Challenges to that supremacy require elimination.’

Vance’s amber eyes blazed with anticipation rather than concern as he contemplated the coming conflict. Win or lose, the engagement would provide validation of three years’ systematic development.

’Time to discover whether quantity overwhelms quality.’

The war room awaited his presence, filled with commanders eager to demonstrate their worth against worthy opposition. Maps would be studied, forces allocated, and strategies refined until victory became certainty.

But the destroyed crystal’s coordinates burned in his memory like a brand—physical proof that his previous assumptions about regional power distribution had been catastrophically wrong.

’You killed my captains. Impressive. Now let’s see how you handle everything else.’

The hunt was about to begin in earnest.

Outside his chambers, the fortress buzzed with activity as three years of careful preparation transformed into operational reality. Every corridor filled with armed personnel while magical systems were charged to full combat readiness.

’War. Finally, a war worthy of the name.’

Vance smiled with predatory satisfaction as he prepared to demonstrate why systematic conquest had never failed him yet.

’Tomorrow, you die. Tonight, I plan your destruction.’

The coordinates glowed with residual magical energy, marking the location where his empire would either expand or meet its first real challenge.

’Time to find out which.’

The sun rose like a golden blade cutting through the jungle canopy, painting trees in shades of amber and crimson. Ethan moved through the scattered remains of Lord Vance’s elite force.

Storage rings came away from their fingers. Each dimensional space contained treasures accumulated through years of successful conquest—cores, crafting materials, and weapons that came from looting.

Harrison’s ring proved particularly valuable. The Mid-Gold captain had hoarded advancement materials, his dimensional storage containing enough cores to supply a small army.

Forty-three Bronze cores. Eighteen Silver cores. Three Gold cores.

The wealth represented months of territorial raids compressed into portable form. Resources that would accelerate his territory’s development while strengthening his subjects’ capabilities.

Every advantage counts now.

Inside the storage rings, Ethan found magical weapons, too. Clearly, they were lucky to drop a few magical items. There were only two magical weapons, but they were both tier 2. A sword and a spear.

Ethan decided to take the sword for himself whilst giving the spear to one of his talented subjects to increase their firepower.

Satisfied with his collection efforts, he activated Enhanced Speed and departed the killing ground. Behind him, jungle scavengers emerged from concealing vegetation to claim what remained—nature’s way of erasing evidence.

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