- Fantasy Lord: Start with Daily Intelligence
- FLDI Chapter 162
“Buzz!”
A ripple of energy spread outward as an overwhelming burst of life force erupted from Stein. A blue light enveloped him, and the pendant hanging around his neck floated into the air.
“Boom!”
Thor’s lance, imbued with immense power, struck directly, a force capable of piercing even the tallest tree. Yet, it was stopped cold.
Stein’s body was flung across the battlefield, landing some distance away.
Thor’s brow arched slightly.
“As expected,” he muttered, more bemused than surprised.
The Campbell family, one of the kingdom’s mightiest marquis houses, was known for its deep resources. Stein, as one of its more promising heirs, naturally carried safeguards.
Even Thor, despite his lesser lineage, had received protection from his father before departing. It would have been foolish to think a family as ancient as the Campbells would send their scion without ample support.
“Cough, cough!”
“Who are you?” Stein demanded, his voice ragged as his wounds began to heal. The pendant emitted waves of light blue energy, rapidly restoring his vitality.
Despite his recovery, Stein’s expression was grim. His gaze fixed on Thor, a mixture of fury and disbelief in his eyes.
This was the Northern Province. Who would dare attack him—Stein Campbell? He wasn’t just some baron’s heir; his father was the Marquis Campbell, one of the kingdom’s most influential figures. Not even the Marquis of Leyman would dream of such an affront.
Yet here he was, being assaulted outright.
Thor gave no answer. Ice magic swirled around him, and the wind elements from his mount, Nia, gathered at his feet. A palpable sense of cold and fury filled the air as the two forces melded, amplifying Thor’s killing intent.
“Boom!”
Thor tugged on the reins, and Nia bolted forward, a streak of speed almost impossible to track. The unicorn, now a third-tier beast, moved faster than most Earth Knights could ever hope to match.
Stein, though his wounds were healing, couldn’t keep up with the speed.
“Third-tier? Impossible!” Stein’s pupils contracted sharply as he realized the truth. The sheer absurdity of it left him stunned.
In his moment of shock, Thor struck again.
“Boom!”
“Buzz!”
The knight’s lance met the pendant’s life force shield, resulting in another thunderous impact. Stein felt the same crushing force slam into him, sending him flying once more.
This time, he managed to steady himself mid-air, but the blue glow of his pendant was dimming, cracks beginning to show in its once-pristine surface.
“Damn it!” Stein cursed, his face growing darker.
His eyes darted toward the distance, only to see his guardian knight, Adelibek Rivell, being similarly overwhelmed. His opponent was another wielder of aberrant life force.
This one’s aura was that of a mere great knight, yet he was suppressing a Earth Knight like Rivell. The sight left Stein dumbfounded.
When had the world become overrun with such power? Two great knights with aberrant life force fighting as if they were on par with Earth Knights? It was unthinkable.
A chilling realization struck Stein like a lightning bolt.
“Cult of the False Gods… you’re with them, aren’t you?” he spat, his voice trembling with fear and rage. “How dare you attack me? This is the Northern Province! The royal army is stationed here! You’re courting death!”
The mention of the Cult sent a shiver through Stein. As a Campbell, he knew the kingdom’s ongoing struggle against the cult’s power. Even the kingdom’s strongest forces could only suppress them; they were a force to be reckoned with.
That they would target him specifically was a terrifying prospect.
Thor froze for a brief moment, his expression under the mask twisting in bemusement.
Did Stein just hand him a scapegoat?
The Cult of the False Gods? It was perfect. If anyone investigated, Thor could simply let them run with this convenient narrative.
It was almost comical. If Thor’s goal had been mere robbery, he might have spared Stein out of gratitude for the convenient cover.
But he wasn’t here to rob—he was here to kill.
Thor charged again, his icy aura intensifying. This time, he held nothing back. Frost magic surged around him, and for a moment, an ethereal ice spirit flickered into view beside him.
The temperature dropped sharply, frost spreading across the ground in a widening circle.
Stein, sensing the growing threat, discarded his musings about the cult. Fear overtook him as he realized the danger he was in.
“Boom!”
The knight’s lance and Stein’s sword clashed, the impact shaking the forest. Life force energy burst outward in all directions.
Stein’s life force was undoubtedly stronger, but Thor had more than just raw energy on his side. The combined force of his ice magic, Nia’s wind energy, and their unrelenting momentum tipped the scales.
“Crack!”
The blue glow of the pendant faltered as a sharp crack spread across its surface. The next moment, the light dimmed and fizzled out entirely.
Stein’s face twisted in horror as he reached for something inside his cloak, but Thor gave him no time.
“Boom!”
Thor struck again, the force shattering what little protection Stein had left. Ice rapidly spread across Stein’s armor, freezing it solid.
“Cough, cough!”
Stein coughed up blood as he was hurled into the distance. His golden armor lit up with faint runes, deflecting some of the force. But even those defenses were fading.
Desperately, he fumbled for the object inside his cloak.
Before he could retrieve it, a chilling wave of frost enveloped his body, paralyzing him. The golden runes on his armor flickered weakly, fighting against the cold, but it was a losing battle.
“Slice!”
A cold blade traced across Stein’s neck. His eyes widened in shock as the world grew hazy. His body collapsed to the ground, lifeless. Ice spread quickly, encasing him in a frozen sculpture.
Thor stood over the frozen corpse, exhaling deeply.
“Finally…” he muttered, shaking his head. “Killing a scion of a top noble family really is no small feat.”
He glanced at the lifeless form of Stein Campbell, now frozen solid. Had it been any other Earth Knight, they’d have died seven or eight times over by now.
Thor couldn’t help but laugh grimly.
Thor’s icy life force combined with Nia’s wind element and raw momentum was a devastating force. Against most early-stage Earth Knights, a single strike would leave them gravely wounded, with a second strike sealing their fate.
But Stein had layers of protection: first, the life force pendant, then his golden armor, and who knows what else hidden in his arsenal. If not for Thor’s speed and decisive action, things might have turned unpredictable.
Thankfully, invoking the power of the ice spirit allowed Thor to freeze the runes on Stein’s golden armor, immobilizing him before he could unleash another trump card.
Thor sighed and shook his head, his gaze shifting to the distant battlefield.
Nearby, Raine approached, breathing heavily, his silver armor shattered nearly beyond recognition. Despite the wear and tear, Raine had prevailed; the lifeless body of Adelibek Rivell lay in the distance.
“Well done!” Thor said with a smile, clapping Raine on the shoulder.
Though Raine’s strength was slightly below Thor’s, his feat was equally remarkable: as a great knight, he had slain a Earth Knight, albeit one who was injured. Such an achievement was nothing short of extraordinary.
“Thank you, my lord,” Raine replied with a proud smile.
Thor nodded in acknowledgment and then turned back to Stein’s frozen form. The frost around Stein began to dissipate, revealing his lifeless body.
Thor crouched down beside Stein, his hands moving deftly.
To leave without looting the corpse? That would be an affront to the principles of any self-respecting traveler—or tactician.
As expected, the haul was substantial.
From Stein’s body, Thor retrieved twelve gold cards and fifteen silver cards, along with a mysterious vial of potion. Judging by the way Stein had desperately tried to retrieve it in his final moments, it was undoubtedly valuable.
The bounty left Thor beaming. Twelve gold cards alone amounted to 120,000 gold coins, and the silver cards added another 1,500 coins.
This single operation had netted over 121,500 gold coins—a staggering fortune.
For comparison, Thor’s entire territory, even factoring in hidden income, struggled to generate 50,000 gold coins annually. The Dresrosa family itself likely didn’t exceed 100,000 coins a year in clear revenue.
The sheer wealth on Stein’s person spoke volumes about the economic prowess of the western provinces.
And this was merely a portion of Stein’s fortune—his convoy still carried untold treasures, and his lands held countless immovable assets.
Thor’s mind raced as he marveled at the prosperity of the western provinces.
In just over a decade, Stein, a baron, had amassed wealth far exceeding that of many earls. This, despite not fully consolidating control over the western provinces’ resources.
If Stein had succeeded in doing so, the resulting riches would have been unimaginable.
Thor stood and issued orders to his knights.
“Prepare the area. Make sure to leave no trace.”
“Yes, my lord,” came the prompt reply.
The knights worked swiftly, scattering the remains of magical beasts and coating them—and Stein and Adelibek’s corpses—with the thorny bramble sap Thor had prepared beforehand.
Though the Dresrosa family no longer feared the Campbell family, Thor preferred to avoid unnecessary complications. As someone well-versed in pragmatism, he knew the value of discretion.
In the wilds of the Northern Province, covering one’s tracks was easy, especially with the right materials.
Within minutes, the knights had completed their task. The corpses were left surrounded by bramble sap and beast remains. Thor raised his hand, signaling the group to withdraw.
He didn’t bother with Stein’s convoy, though it undoubtedly held more valuables. Transporting such goods was risky and complicated, and the convoy might attract unwanted attention. Better to leave it for “fate” to claim.
As Thor’s group departed, the scent of the thorny sap began to spread.
The forest came alive with movement as magical beasts were drawn to the scent.
“Roar!”
“Awwooo!”
The guttural cries of beasts echoed as one after another emerged, their crimson eyes gleaming with hunger. They descended upon the battlefield, devouring not only the remains of the magical beasts but also Stein and Adelibek’s bodies.
What followed was a chaotic feeding frenzy. Even the traces of the battle were obliterated by the rampaging beasts.
As more magical beasts gathered, skirmishes broke out among them, further erasing any evidence of what had occurred.
From a distance, Thor listened to the cacophony of beastly roars, a faint smile playing on his lips.
The forest would ensure that no one could piece together what had transpired here—not unless they could turn back time itself.
The sun dipped lower in the sky, its golden rays painting the horizon in hues of red and orange.
Thor’s silhouette, astride Nia, was bathed in the warm light of dusk as he departed.
Tomorrow, he thought, would mark a new chapter for the Northern Province.
(End of Chapter)