Disciple Of The Three Kings [EN]: Chapter 101

The Three Kings’ Disciple (102)

101

Two weeks had passed since the Bartella Knights had taken refuge at the Blood King’s Castle.

The Knights were in such a critical state that they needed that much time to recover. However, there was another reason why Ro-woon didn’t open the gates for them even after they were healed.

It was akin to being detained.

The Bartella Knights, renowned as the best in the world, had never experienced such treatment before.

“I’d like to request a match again today.”

They seemed to have no complaints about their situation.

“Very well.”

Kanehlich and Do Mu-seong drew their swords.

Flash!

Sparks flew from the clash of their blades.

Kuguaaang!

A powerful shockwave rippled outwards.

Another similar sparring match was taking place nearby.

“Please, take care of me!”

Goliath, with his massive physique, was sparring with Han Do-baek, the Cold-Blooded Blade.

“I’ll give it my all.”

The cold energy emanating from Han Do-baek’s sword froze the floor, even trapping Goliath’s lower body in ice.

“Ughhh!”

Thick veins bulged on Goliath’s face as he let out a guttural scream.

Jjeoeoong!

The ice, which seemed unbreakable, shattered instantly.

Thud!

Goliath moved with surprising speed, despite his size.

Currently, all the Bartella Knights were constantly sparring with the Blood King’s Castle warriors under the guise of rehabilitation.

They weren’t just sparring.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The Blood King’s Castle was undergoing restoration work without a moment’s rest.

They didn’t hesitate to participate directly, even wielding hammers.

There was only one reason why all of this was possible.

“Don’t rest.”

Pile.

It was because of her, the commander’s, orders.

In fact, the Bartella Knights’ behavior was unlike that of other knight orders in Einheart.

The Empire’s knight orders were aristocratic, and the Church’s knight orders were rigid.

Not all of them were like that, but most were.

The most important factor in determining the nature of such knight orders was the commander.

“A knight should know how to repay a favor.”

It was Pile’s influence.

“Yes, Ma’am!”

The knights replied firmly.

“Repay a favor, my ass.”

Ro-woon appeared behind her and said.

“What favor are you talking about when you’re bothering the Blood Cult warriors?”

From the moment they could move, the Bartella Knights had been requesting sparring matches constantly.

“Speak properly.”

Pile said to Ro-woon with a narrowed gaze.

“It wasn’t us who asked for the sparring first, it was you.”

“It was that lump called Goliath who did it first.”

“That’s true, but….”

Pile smiled faintly.

“It’s helpful, isn’t it?”

The Blood King’s Castle warriors.

They certainly had a sharp edge like blades.

But in Pile’s eyes, they were unfinished blades.

‘Experience.’

She had recognized at a glance that they lacked experience.

They might have experience fighting monsters, but they didn’t have experience in fierce battles.

“Bartella was at the forefront of the battlefield. If we sparred, even the Empire’s knight orders would welcome it with open arms.”

“Well, you’re not wrong….”

Ro-woon said with a dumbfounded expression.

“Why are you talking like that?”

Pile, who had been speaking informally, was now speaking respectfully to Ro-woon.

“Haa. So, you’re finally admitting it.”

“Admitting what?”

“That you’re my benefactor.”

The owner of that warm back she had leaned on in the past was this man.

“And how can a knight’s honor remain if I treat the master of this vast world carelessly?”

“Nonsense.”

Ro-woon said, looking at the Blood Cult members mingling with the knights.

“It seems like the time has come.”

Pile said, sounding slightly regretful.

“Yeah. I got a message from outside. They said the cleanup is mostly done.”

Cleanup.

There was no need for a long explanation.

“It’s time to leave.”

The time had come for the Bartella Knights to leave the Blood King’s Castle.

***

“The Azure Dragon Corps has expressed their gratitude.”

Ha Se-min, who had come in person, reported to Ro-woon.

Since the matter was so important, he had decided that it was appropriate to report directly.

“The Anti-Demon Faction’s position was also that the peace treaty should be maintained.”

The Anti-Demon Faction.

They were the forces, including Jongnam and the Namgung Clan, who insisted on eliminating the Assembly.

They also did not want the peace treaty to be broken.

“War was a means of nurturing and justifying demons.”

Above all, war required power.

Although the war had continued with each side having different goals, if the balance of power had been broken, the war would have already reached an extreme.

The Assembly had cultivated demons for that power.

“Peace is a means of suppressing demons.”

Therefore, the Anti-Demon Faction supported the peace treaty.

“Due to the disappearance of the Bartella Knights, we were able to confirm the Assembly’s impudent movements. Some were directly dealt with by the Vice-Chief of the Ghost Valley, and some were just observed, as agreed with Namgung Mu-jin.”

The Ghost Valley.

They were now regaining their past glory.

‘The best assassin group.’

Having learned the Blood Arts through the merger with the Blood King’s Castle, they were slowly overcoming their weaknesses.

There were many problems in the beginning because they didn’t take many requests.

‘With the heart of a server-!’

With a strange slogan, their skills were improving rapidly.

What did serving have to do with killing?

‘It’s a noble will.’

Well, it seemed like they had a special meaning, so he just let it go.

“What about the Bartella Knights’ treatment?”

They had entered South Korea as visitors and had been the subject of much public attention.

Officially, they were missing due to a terrorist attack.

Because of that, the political situation had been rapidly changing, but those who knew the situation had moved separately, and it was barely being maintained.

However, if they reappeared, the chaos would increase.

“It has been decided that they were being protected by the Galaxy.”

Ha Se-min said.

“The Galaxy, having obtained intelligence, rescued the Bartella Knights right before the terrorist attack and protected them, sharing this fact only with some members of the Assembly.”

“The Galaxy’s name will rise even higher.”

And.

“They’ll also make more enemies.”

The eyes watching the already growing Galaxy were not kind.

At first, they were thought of as just another force like the Iron Sword Alliance, but with the Galaxy’s rapid growth and the Assembly’s recognition, they had begun to check the Galaxy.

“It was bound to happen sooner or later anyway. Don’t you think?”

“That’s right.”

That’s how everything is.

Once something reaches a certain orbit, it accelerates.

Now that the world’s political situation is changing…

“Be thoroughly prepared.”

It was time to be fully prepared.

“Well, that’s obvious. Besides, we’re the ones who benefited the most.”

Ha Se-min smiled with tired eyes.

“Commander Pile said she would connect us with Einheart. If things go well, Black Moon might be able to advance into the West for the first time.”

* * *

‘I’ll be in Korea for a while. See you again.’

Pile said goodbye with a rather stiff tone.

The Bartella Knights had left the Blood King’s Castle, and everything was being handled as Ha Se-min had prepared.

There was some confusion, but everything was happening within expectations.

However, one unexpected thing happened.

The people gathered in the Galaxy Guild House’s conference room.

“An S-class gate has been discovered in Gyeonggi Province.”

Kang Eun-ha proceeded with the meeting as if she was used to it.

“As you all know, S-class gates are treated as special gates, and their exact rank cannot be determined.”

Unless it was a special case, the exact rank of an S-class gate could not be determined unless one entered and began to attack it.

‘Cheonma Cave.’

It was the same as back then.

It looked like an S-class gate on the outside, but what was hidden inside was the Cheonma Tomb.

‘SSS-class.’

In reality, its danger level was so high that it was called the highest existing level, SSS-class.

That was why S-class gates were high-risk gates that even martial arts guilds avoided.

But at the same time, it was also a place of opportunity.

“Since it appeared in Gyeonggi Province, it’s within our sphere of influence, but….”

Kang Eun-ha said.

“According to the Gate Management Act, S-class gates are places that cannot be attacked arbitrarily, even if they are within one’s sphere of influence.”

It wasn’t unconditionally within the sphere of influence.

If the one who controlled the sphere of influence was someone like the Iron Sword Alliance.

‘They can’t attack the S-class gate.’

If that happened, the danger would increase.

S-class gates would devour those who entered and grow.

That was why the Gate Management Act was created.

“If the guild that controls the sphere of influence is deemed unable to handle it, they can request assistance from other guilds.”

“And the one who makes that judgment is the Association Army.”

The Association.

It was referring to the Player Association, not the Assembly.

Kang Eun-ha nodded at Ro-woon’s words.

“We applied for the attack first, but it has been put on hold, and according to intelligence, the Association has already requested the attack from another place.”

Faces distorted at Kang Eun-ha’s words.

This was nothing less than the Association ignoring them.

“Where?”

Only Ro-woon, with a relaxed face, asked in a languid voice.

“It’s Mount Hua.”

Mount Hua, huh?

“Interesting.”

A faint smile spread across Ro-woon’s lips.

* * *

In the end, the Galaxy’s S-class gate attack was rejected.

At the same time, the Association announced that there was a guild in discussion to attack the S-class gate that had appeared in Gyeonggi Province.

-In discussion with Mount Hua.

It was the story that they were in discussion with Mount Hua.

Rumors began to spread as a result.

-Mount Hua is encroaching on the Galaxy’s territory.

-Mount Hua can’t just stand by and watch Gyeonggi Province.

-Mount Hua has begun to stretch its limbs.

Like Bartella, Mount Hua had been at the forefront of the war.

They had returned with the peace treaty.

And they were….

“The current political situation in South Korea is not to their liking.”

Ro-woon read the contents of the newspaper.

“No one is unaware that the Iron Sword Alliance was under Mount Hua. Unlike Gangwon or Chungcheong, Gyeonggi is Mount Hua’s territory, no matter what anyone says.”

A monotone voice.

“The Galaxy controls Gyeonggi, and Mount Hua has no intention of letting them be.”

It was more of an editorial than an article.

“Although the Galaxy is expanding rapidly, if Mount Hua moves….”

The article ended like that.

Smirk.

Ro-woon said with a faint smile on his lips.

“Is this Mount Hua’s intention?”

The man in front of Ro-woon flinched at his words.

“We need to check. If Mount Hua has such thoughts, we need to prepare as well.”

But the man who had flinched soon regained his composure.

“Are you saying you’re going to prepare for war with Mount Hua?”

The man had a deep smile on his lips.

“If necessary.”

He froze, unable to imagine Ro-woon’s next words.

“If someone tries to destroy my house, what does it matter if it’s a dog or a tiger? If I’m going to be bitten to death anyway, I might as well try to fight back. Don’t you think?”

Ro-woon said without losing his composure.

“But one thing is for sure.”

He put down the newspaper and clasped his hands together.

Then, looking at his opponent, he said.

“The starting point of the war between Mount Hua and the Galaxy….”

Smirk.

“It’s because of you.”

“Th, that’s absurd!”

“Then are you saying that some crazy reporter who’s ready to die wrote this article?”

Ro-woon said.

The man sitting in front of Ro-woon.

An old man with a grizzled appearance, but one who had quite a lot hidden inside.