Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Many gazed in astonishment with their mouths wide open. Even though the strange-looking Ocean Elves had stunned them, the black figures were even more terrifying.
They were two-meters tall, enormous creatures like knights clad in heavy armor. Pitch-black, solidified lava formed their structure while scarlet lava flowed within the visible openings on their bodies.
They stepped out of the deck and the entire platform was in complete stillness. Everyone gazed at one another at a loss. Of course, they were concerned about Rhode failing to recruit 5000 soldiers. However, this was ultimately his own problem, so they couldn’t gather any data even if they wanted to. But they didn’t expect that the so-called 5000 soldiers were these terrifying creatures!
After a few moments, one of the knights stepped forward in large strides. He let out a snort.
“Mr. Rhode, I hope you can give us an explanation.”
“Explanation?”
Rhode lifted his chin and looked at the knight arrogantly in disdain, which left the latter grinding his teeth and holding in his wrath.
“They are your soldiers?”
“Yes. Is there any problem?”
Rhode twitched his brows and shot a look, to which the knight turned pale instantly from his imposing legendary aura despite Rhode having just entered the Legendary Stage not long ago. Rhode’s harmless glance was as though sharp knives brushing against the knight’s skull. The knight kept his smile and the thought of a retreat emerged in his head. However, he gritted his teeth and said, “Alright then, can you please explain how you got into contact with the demons?!”
The others weren’t too surprised by the knight’s words. After all, these huge creatures were indeed too horrifying. Even though the Ocean Elves were also strange-looking, at least they were pleasing to their eyes. However, these huge creatures were pitch-black and burning in flames from head to toe. Their eyes resembled two round, dazzling red gems and their menacing mouths resembled the extended jaws of wolves. Moreover, their fiery spears made them look as though they were the private guards of the demon lord.
Without a doubt, the anti-parliament forces didn’t believe that Rhode would lead a group of demons here. This was the Light Mainland and the Munn Kingdom was a country ruled by an Archangel. However… they were still curious to hear his explanations. After all, these creatures were unsettling.
“Demons?”
Rhode’s tone was full of the superiority that city people had when they spoke to country bumpkins.
“Don’t spout nonsense if you don’t know anything, Mister. You even dare to speak off the cuff without being able to differentiate elemental creatures from demons? Please show us the evidence before you accuse me of my connections to the demons. If not, I will need the Light Parliament to give me an explanation.”
“You…!”
The knight turned ashen instantly while members of the anti-parliament forces behind him chuckled because it was usually the people of the Country of Light behaving this arrogantly toward the people of other regions. This was the way they spoke to others—with their heads held high and looked down upon the other party as though they were the most brilliant humans in this world while the other party was nothing but beggars and country bumpkins. But now, Rhode gazed at this envoy from the Country of Light like he was a retard, which thrilled the members of the anti-parliament forces.
The knight widened his mouth, but was speechless because the fire elemental creatures were mostly aggressive, which was why Rhode only allowed the Ocean Elves to roam the fortress and didn’t summon the fire elemental creatures after attaining the Fantasy Key to the Fiery Plains. After all, even though the fire elemental creatures were bold and powerful in the battlefield, they would impose too much pressure on the humans if they roamed freely in the fortress. Of course, Rhode could summon them to serve sentry duties. But after serious considerations, it would truly appear as though fire creatures protecting their demon lord’s castle no matter how one saw it… Moreover, there was also a clear relationship between the fire elemental creatures and hell. Many low-level fire elemental creatures fought against demons, which was why the fire elemental creatures were often mentioned in the legends of the demon army. However, it would be the subjective views of humans to judge the fire elemental creatures as evil based on the legends. The creatures from the four elemental worlds basically held no moral principles. To put things nicely, they were considered neutral in their stand and to put things bluntly, whoever provided milk was their mother and as long as one summoned them, they had the duty to serve their master.
From this point of view, the elemental creatures were indeed model laborers.
The reason why the fire elemental creatures emerged around the demons in large quantities wasn’t because they loved demons. Instead, it was because the demons held natural abilities to manipulate the power of flames, which made summoning the fire elemental creatures easier. On the other hand, the demons would have a hard time summoning a water elemental creature like Agatha. One would be judging blindly if one were to determine that the water elemental creatures belonged to the kindness camp while the fire elemental creatures belonged to the evil camp. In the ice prison on the fifth floor of hell, there were tons of Ocean Elves who served the ice demon lord. However, ordinary players didn’t have the opportunity to enter the depths of hell, so they couldn’t possibly know this fact.
The knight glared at Rhode fiercely before stepping back in silence. At this moment, the alliance representative who stood beside him wiped his sweat. He gazed at the mysterious ‘fire elemental creatures’ behind Rhode cautiously and gestured.
“Alright then, please come this way…”
“Hold up!”
Suddenly, someone growled and a burly middle-aged man strode out of the crowd with an enormous double-handed sword on his back. He wore an exquisite set of armor and there was a pattern of a blooming scarlet flower on his white cape. Many of the observers involuntarily shrunk while Rhode’s brows twitched. However, thanks to his poker face, no one detected the change in his expression. The middle-aged man went up to Rhode and stared coldly. Then, he turned to the alliance representative.
“As a member of the alliance, I think that these creatures will bring factors of uncertainties and instabilities to our alliance. I don’t allow these creatures to get off the boat!”
“But, Sir Gorden…”
The alliance representative put up a troubled look.
“Sir Overlord has said it. They aren’t…”
“I don’t believe the lies of the barbarians from the Munn Kingdom. I only believe my eyes!”
The man named Gorden let out a grunt.
“I think we should investigate these creatures and shouldn’t bring risks into the Winter Castle just based on the rubbish from the people of the Munn Kingdom!”
“Haha…”
Suddenly, Rhode burst into laughter. He squinted and gazed at the man arrogantly.
“I recall that the agreement the Light Parliament signed clearly stated that the alliance has no commanding rights over me, isn’t it?”
“I have no interest between your agreement with the Light Parliament, country bumpkin.”
The man lifted his head proudly.
“This is my castle and I have the final say! Do you hear me?”
“What if… I refuse?”
Rhode narrowed his eyes.
“Refuse?”
The man knitted his brows and his stone-cold, statue-like face forced out a menacing smile.
“You don’t have the authority to refuse.”
“That’s too bad then.”
Rhode shrugged. Then, he held his sword hilt with his right hand.
“Even though I dislike battles upon meeting, I’m already prepared for this. As a dog of the Light Parliament, it seems that you’re lacking discipline…” Rhode said and the place turned deadly silent.
