Starting With an SSS-Rank Swordsmanship Talent

Chapter 534: Imperial Army Arrives

Half a month passed in the blink of an eye. Nothing eventful happened, so Alaric was able to complete his daily mission five times. If he hadnʼt had to do some administrative tasks, he would have completed more.

With his efforts, he managed to increase his mana from 460 to 470 just from his mana training alone. He also received 15 stat points for completing five daily missions.

Alaric distributed them directly to his mana, pushing it to 485.

I can advance to the next realm in a few more days, but is it safe to advance here?

Advancing to the Mythical realm would cause an unusual phenomenon that would attract the attention of many people. He had seen it during his fatherʼs advancement.

Alaric was afraid that he would be targeted during his advancement.

Should I advance here or wait until we return to North Pine Town?

He pondered deeply.

While he was immersed in his thoughts, a notification suddenly popped up in front of him.

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Mission: Conquering Harune III

Mission Difficulty: Easy

Donovan Cleavesnow has commenced the execution of the members of the Harunian Imperial Family under the direct orders of the Astanian Emperor. The execution was carried out in public and was witnessed by many citizens of Harune.

The people are now filled with uncertainty about the future of their nation. Give them hope by choosing a new ruler who will take the helm and correct the mistakes made by the previous rulers.

Rewards: 200 Battle Points, 20 EXP, 20 Stat Points

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Seeing this notification, Alaric narrowed his eyes.

So that means all of them are dead, including their crown prince.

The crown prince of Harune coveted his motherʼs beauty so Alaric hated him to the core. His death brought him relief and satisfaction.

With a faint smile, he headed back to the mansion.

”Your Highness!” He heard an urgent voice just when he was about to step inside the mansion.

He turned around and saw Aldrin running towards him, his face covered in sweat.

”What happened?” Alaric furrowed his eyebrows.

Aldrin stopped in front of him and took a deep breath. ”The imperial army is coming! With their marching speed, they should reach Midgard before nightfall.”

Alaricʼs expression lit up. ”Oh? They are finally here, huh? I thought we had to wait for another half a month.”

Aldrin was also excited. The arrival of the imperial army meant that they could go home soon.

”Yes, Your Highness!”

Alaric chuckled when he saw Aldrinʼs excited face. ”Tell everyone to prepare a banquet for our guests. They must be properly welcomed. Do you understand?”

”Your servant understands! I will inform our people right away.” Aldrin nodded eagerly.

”If you need more manpower, just tell Yvanna. She will give you everything that you will need.” Alaric reminded him.

After giving him a few more instructions, Alaric headed inside the mansion to make his own preparations.

He wanted to be presentable by the time the guests arrived.

…

Evening came and the highly anticipated guests showed up. They were the military officers of the imperial army.

Dressed in his formal clothes, Alaric welcomed them at the entrance of the banquet venue.

”Welcome, everyone! I know you are tired from the journey so I had everyone prepare a banquet for you so that you can get to relax with some food and entertainment.” Alaric greeted the imperial army commanders.

All of them were Transcendent Knights. Some were already renowned warriors whose names were etched in the Astanian Dragon Leaderboard, but there were also a few of them who werenʼt in the leaderboard.

I donʼt know any of these people. They must be the experts secretly nurtured by His Majesty.

He could tell that these unknown experts were strong. If they had chosen to publicize their strength, they would be in the top 20 in the leaderboard.

There was one particular warrior who stood out from them all. It was an old warrior with a gnarly scar on his neck. He looked incredibly intimidating and he always wore a serious expression, making him seem unapproachable.

At this moment, Redden suddenly approached him and whispered into his ear.

”Your Highness, that old man is the Commander of the Dragon Guards. Most people donʼt know him. Even the high-ranking aristocrats donʼt know anything about him.”

”The public recognizes Lord Christon Evander as the strongest Transcendent in all of Astania, but in truth, itʼs that man. His name is Tristan Stonefist.”

”Stonefist?” Alaric raised an eyebrow. He hadnʼt heard of a prominent household that carried this name.

Redden nodded, his face looking grim. ”Thatʼs right. His Majesty bestowed him this surname because Commander Tristanʼs fists literally hit like a stone.”

”Oh? Really now?” Alaric was intrigued by this.

He used his Appraisal on Tristan and was left stunned by the latterʼs attributes.

Insane… I thought Galanar or Caecus was the strongest Transcendent, but this guy… I think the three of them are on the same level!

Noticing his gaze, Tristan glanced in his direction.

When he realized that it was Alaric who was looking at him, Tristan nodded respectfully.

Alaric returned the gesture with a nod of his own.

This guy is also an impressive warrior.

It seems like I have underestimated the depth of Astania. To think that there are hidden experts like this man…

The banquet program began after greeting the guests. Various local performers performed on the stage.

While the performances were ongoing, Alaric interacted with the imperial army commanders, including Tristan. He wanted to befriend these people since he might have some dealings with them in the future.

To his surprise, he found out that Tristan was friendlier than he seemed. The old warrior became more talkative with the influence of alcohol. He even joked about Redden who was the former Deputy Commander of the Dragon Guards.

”Your Highness, let me tell you. When Redden was still young…”

”Commander, stop exposing my dark past!”

Redden could only facepalm himself in embarrassment.

The banquet hall was filled with laughter.