Chapter 130: Individual Choices (Part Two)

“Ollie, you and Melancholy Uncle go first. I want to take the rest of the children and escape together. A true Hero should not fear hardship. I am a Knight. The Courage creed will grant me strength!” Arno said, his eyes clear and resolute.

“Arno, your current strength is insufficient to protect these children and safely escape the fortress. You and Ollie go to the gathering point. I will find a way to lead this group of children out.” Ancestar said.

“Melancholy Uncle…” Arno tried to say more, but Ancestar immediately interrupted him: “You are a Knight with true Heroic qualities. You must remember your promise! You promised to protect Ollie. That is your responsibility. And I, I promise you, will protect these children. As Knights, let us fulfill our respective promises!”

Arno was momentarily speechless. He felt this was wrong, but he couldn’t refute it.

“I just had an insight. I planned to teach you carefully later, but for now, you must feel it. Remember this feeling: infuse your innermost creed and will into your Inherent Mana, and then let it feed back into your heart. This is Heart Force.”

Ancestar wrapped his large hands around Arno’s heart, front and back. He cycled his Heart Force from Arno’s heart, through a full cycle, and back into the heart.

Arno felt as if he saw a solitary Knight holding a lance. Behind him was a throng of figures: shabbily dressed slaves, healthy-faced Freemen and Citizens, children, elders, women, and a group of black-robed Wizard Apprentices.

The Knight stubbornly raised his long lance, urging his mount to charge into an army composed of Demons, Devils, and Divine Descendants.

Boom!

Arno felt like he understood something, yet also understood nothing.

“Remember it, Knight Arno! That power is called Heart Force. If we survive and escape the fortress, remember to call me Master!” Ancestar said with a sunny smile, shaking his golden, wavy hair.

“We will definitely survive and escape the fortress! That is a Knight’s promise! And I absolutely will not call you Master, Melancholy Uncle,” Arno said resolutely to Ancestar, then made a face at him.

The Wizard Apprentices received the message one after another. Some immediately set off. Others, like Betty, took their families. However, only Knight Ancestar undertook the protection of strangers to escape the fortress.

Ancestar looked at the naive apprentice he had just manipulated, sighing softly.

“It’s a good thing Arno is rather foolish and easily steered with a promise. You are still young, Arno. You have a beautiful love and future waiting for you. You cannot be in danger here.”

His eyes hardened. He drew his longsword.

“But I am different. I should have died in that battle 10 years ago. Let me fulfill a Knight’s promise, and truly act like a Knight. Come! That enemy is worth a fight!”

He walked with firm steps into the relief home, woke up all the orphans, and, as a well-traveled, wandering Knight, Ancestar’s eloquence was good. He successfully convinced the children of the relief home to follow him in escape.

Meanwhile, the dark worshipers gathered. Led by Alexius Rona, they prepared to attack the Divine Descendants. All of this was witnessed by Dikens, who had quietly tracked them.

Dikens trembled. He never expected the Grand Leader of the dark worshipers to be the Royal Descendant, Alexius Rona. This was earth-shattering news, comparable only to the dark worshipers infiltrating the fortress for treason.

Many images flashed through his mind: his father and brother were still in the Northern March. Only the young him was favored and sent to the Royal City, where he became a disciple of Great Hero Arnold Bain, learning refined martial arts.

He still remembered his father’s hopeful smile, his elder brother’s warm hand, and his second brother’s complex expression of envy and hope. That was his last sight of his family.

Shortly after arriving at the Royal City, he received a letter from the Northern March Fortress: the Rona family had been suddenly attacked by dark worshipers. His father and brothers were all dead.

Dikens stared fixedly at Alexius Rona. His mouth opened, letting out a silent roar. He remained motionless, like a corpse, waiting until the dark worshipers had all scattered to attack before quietly rushing toward the residence of Great Hero Moore Rona.

A graceful figure emerged from the darkness. Her every gesture was filled with charm. Looking at the retreating Dikens, her red lips slightly parted.

“Little rat, if I hadn’t shielded you, with your pathetic level of concealment, Alexius would have discovered you long ago. I was just wondering how to alert the Divine Descendants in the fortress ahead of time. You appeared right on cue. What a coincidence.”

She gently stroked her fair, ivory-like arm, a smile playing on her lips, utterly devoid of any meaning.

“I wonder who else is planning to be the fisherman in this situation?”

Accompanied by a laugh as clear and alluring as a bell, the graceful figure gradually disappeared.

When Dikens arrived at the residence of Great Hero Moore Rona, he found Kent Rona there as well.

“Sir Moore, Sir Kent. I just witnessed the dark worshipers gathering at Third Street and then scattering to attack various places in the fortress!” Dikens immediately knelt in the hall of Moore Rona’s residence and shouted urgently.

“What! Are you certain your information is accurate?” Moore Rona immediately stood up and walked toward Dikens.

“I stake my head on it, Sir. Furthermore, I learned a secret that I must report to you alone!” Dikens said with fierce resolve.

Moore Rona pondered briefly, then waved his hand, dismissing everyone else. Dikens stood up and leaned forward to whisper.

“What! You said…” Moore Rona’s face was shocked. He was about to utter the name but was immediately silenced by Dikens covering his mouth.

“Sir, I fear he has ears here. We must be cautious.”

Moore Rona’s face flushed crimson with rage. He gasped for air and said, “Organize the men! Act immediately! Go to his residence! Also, notify the entire fortress to be on high alert. All Divine Descendants gather here!”

Ollie and Arno were still quickly running toward the first alley near the South Gate. They left early, and the relief home was not far from the South Gate, so they arrived quickly.

“Where is that Emissary named Bayen?” Arno asked. Through the Grimoire’s prompt, Arno knew that one of the people in front of him was a Wizard Apprentice.

“You don’t recognize black cat Bayen? He’s the one on the wall.” A muscular man wielding a gigantic axe replied. His family—men, women, and elderly—clung tightly to him.

“Hey, are you the Emissary? When are we leaving the fortress?” Arno jumped onto the wall, squatting in front of black cat Bayen, and asked.

“In half an hour. I will lead everyone who arrives at the gathering point out, including your family and friends.” Bayen said with some anxiety.

“That means we still have time. Thank you, Black Cat!” Arno jumped down from the wall and ran to Ollie’s side.

“I need to go assist Melancholy Uncle and the others. A Knight must keep his promises! I swore I would help my brothers-in-arms and fight for the defenseless. I believe this is that time, Ollie. You support me, right?” Arno asked Ollie with a serious expression.

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