- Fantasy Lord: Start with Daily Intelligence
- FLDI Chapter 172
[Daily Intelligence Update]
[1: There is a thousand-year-old ancient tree 30 miles to the west. If you split it, you can obtain a Divine Tree Fruit.]
[2: A group of unicorn ants will pass 50 miles to the east in three hours. Their biting power is extremely strong.]
[3: A herd of unicorns will pass 20 miles ahead tomorrow at noon.]
[4: A Star Moon Fruit will ripen 1,000 miles to the west.]
[5: A group of Earth Dragons will begin their search for food 500 miles to the north in five hours.]
[8: Ten days later, in Autumn Leaf Territory, the Bloodthirsty Werewolves will hold a grand Divine Awakening. However, due to the arrival of the Tulip Kingdom and surrounding kingdoms’ forces, the awakening will fail midway, and instead of the Divine Presence, only the Divine Ruins will fall.]
[9: Fifteen days later, the Bloodthirsty Werewolf leader’s Divine Awakening will fail, and part of its body will split off and sneak into the Northern Province, attempting to reach the Northern Glaciers via the Maine River.]
As the intelligence reports poured in, Thor and his group continued their journey to the north. After just a few days, they had already collected a significant amount: two Divine Tree Fruits, information about a Star Moon Fruit, and other valuable magical plants.
In less than five days, the value of these findings had already exceeded four or five thousand gold coins. Even without relying on the territory or the Eagle Chamber of Commerce, Thor felt that just using the daily intelligence system alone would bring him substantial rewards.
After all, the Northern Province was vast, and its resources were unimaginable. Even the parts of it currently controlled by the Tulip Kingdom only represented the tip of the iceberg. The Northern Province still held untapped wealth waiting to be discovered.
Thor felt like he had a god’s-eye view: as long as the treasure was within his range, the daily intelligence would update it. This removed the need for him to search for resources like others. He could simply collect what was presented to him.
Even the dangers that might arise were addressed in the reports, offering solutions to avoid them.
This gave him an undeniable advantage over others, but Thor quickly dismissed this thought.
While the exploration rewards were great, they didn’t provide stability. Without a territory, advancing in this world would be much harder. Having a territory meant he could gain a barony now, and potentially move up to a viscountcy, count, marquis, and even duke in the future.
Without a territory, his chances of further promotion were slim.
Moreover, owning a territory didn’t just provide a noble title. A land-owning noble could attract talent and command loyalty. Without land, even nobles lacked the power to draw in talented individuals.
The difference was considerable.
—
In the jungle, a massive bonfire burned brightly. A wild boar was quickly butchered and then roasted on the fire.
“How far are we from the northern front?” Thor asked casually, the smell of roasted meat in the air, turning to Steve for an update.
“My lord, we’re about 100 miles from Autumn Leaf Territory. We should be able to reach it in two days,” Steve replied, checking the map before giving Thor a precise answer.
“Two days?” Thor nodded thoughtfully. “We need to pick up the pace.”
Five days had already passed, and the day of the Divine Awakening mentioned in the intelligence reports was getting closer. If they delayed any longer, they risked an unexpected situation. Thor decided they would head there immediately. As for the other resources mentioned in the daily reports, they could wait for later.
“Understood!” Steve and the others, though puzzled, didn’t argue and immediately got to work.
—
The next day, they set out again, and the pace of their journey quickened.
Two days later, they arrived at Autumn Leaf Territory.
What they saw upon arrival was nothing short of shocking. The once prosperous land now appeared completely barren. Black scorch marks dotted the entire landscape, and the ground had turned dark red. A ruined outpost stretched from one end of the horizon to the other. The outpost was dotted with dark brown patches and deep craters, and one section of it had been severely damaged but was currently being repaired.
Even though Thor had suspected this outcome, seeing it firsthand left him stunned.
“This…” Pelos, too, gasped, his words trailing off as he couldn’t find the right way to describe the devastation.
The others were similarly shocked, including Raine and Carter. Even Thor inhaled deeply, the grim state of the place making the severity of the battle clear.
Indeed, the situation had been dire. The kingdom’s second wave of reinforcements had arrived, bolstered by three dukes and royal forces. They not only cleared numerous orc tribes from the Northern Province but also stabilized the three defense lines.
Autumn Leaf Territory had been one of those defense lines.
But that was all. Despite the reinforcements, orc tribes continued to assault Autumn Leaf’s defenses, including third- and fourth-tier orc clans. Almost every day, large numbers of orcs fell before the outpost, and many powerful warriors from the Tulip Kingdom perished in the defense.
Even the supporting nobles suffered considerable losses. The noble lords who had initially come to gain merit and prestige had seen their numbers dwindle.
With the heavy losses, fewer noble lords were willing to continue seeking glory at the front lines.
The arrival of Thor and his group surprised the knights stationed there.
“Fighting orcs?”
“You actually dared to come here?”
“Wait here!”
One knight spoke in astonishment, but quickly went to report.
Thor was soon greeted by a courtly count responsible for the defense line.
“Not bad, the kingdom needs lords like you!”
“An heir of Dresrosa!”
“Here’s the deal: the western front is also under the charge of your Dresrosa family. You should head there.”
“Light!” the count called.
A knight quickly approached.
“My lord!” the knight saluted.
“Please guide Baron Thor to the western front, where Lord Bryan is stationed.”
“Yes, my lord!” The knight responded with respect.
Thor expressed his thanks to the count and, with the knight named Light leading the way, made his way to the western front.
His curiosity piqued, he hadn’t expected to hear news of his family here.
—
The next day, Thor arrived at his destination on the western front and met Bryan, the Dresrosa heir.
Bryan was a burly man with a thick beard and one eye missing. According to seniority, he was actually Thor’s older brother.
The Dresrosa family had spread across the entire Tulip Kingdom, and Bryan’s family was one of the branches. His father had become a courtly viscount, and Bryan inherited that title. He had arrived with the kingdom’s reinforcements to the northern defense line.
“Ha-ha, Thor!”
Bryan’s eyes lit up when he saw Thor and strode over.
“Brother Bryan!” Thor greeted him warmly, moving to embrace him.
“Thor, I just got the news that a Baron Thor from the Dresrosa family has come to the northern front to fight the orcs. I was a little surprised,” Bryan said, grinning. “I didn’t expect it to be you. Well done! I’ve heard a lot of good things about you lately.”
“The nobles from the Northern Province can’t stop praising you.”
Bryan’s tone carried a hint of admiration.
The admiration in Bryan’s gaze was genuine.
What he had just said was no joke; he had truly heard about Thor. In fact, when Bryan first heard the news, he himself had been taken aback.
As a direct descendant of Dresrosa, Bryan knew very well how difficult it was to establish a territory. The fact that Thor had become a baron in less than two years was almost unheard of in the history of the Dresrosa family, which spanned centuries.
“Brother Bryan, you flatter me,” Thor chuckled, shaking his head. He then followed Bryan to the battlements of the outpost.
Their group was assigned to guard this particular section of the outpost and the ten magical crystal cannons stationed there.
The battle at this outpost had been particularly fierce. Before them, a large gap was visible in the massive fortifications. As they walked across the battlements, the stone slabs beneath their feet were stained with blood.
“This isn’t flattery,” Bryan said, his tone serious. “This is your ability. Even Uncle Engel would commend you for it.”
Bryan spoke with a hint of envy in his voice. Though he was already a viscount, he knew the difference between being a land-owning noble and a court noble.
Thor’s baron title was far more prestigious than Bryan’s viscountcy, and in addition to that, Thor had a much brighter future ahead.
“By the way, Thor,” Bryan continued, his expression shifting to one of concern, “how long do you plan to stay? This place isn’t one to linger for too long. The orc attacks have been getting more frequent lately. It’s dangerous here.”
“More frequent?” Thor raised an eyebrow, instinctively inquiring.
“Yes. After we came to assist, the orc assaults initially slowed down a bit, but for some reason, since the start of this month, they’ve been increasing again. Just recently, several fourth-tier orc tribes even appeared to the north.”
“If you’re hoping to earn military merit, this isn’t the place for that,” Bryan added, glancing around to ensure no one else was listening before continuing in a hushed tone. “It’s too risky here.”
“Thank you, Brother Bryan. I understand,” Thor nodded in acknowledgment. “I probably won’t stay long. Most likely just another half a month. I’m very close to earning enough merit for a viscount title—only a few hundred points left. Once I get that, I’ll leave.”
Thor spoke with seriousness, the reason for his journey to the Northern Province now clear. Whether others cared or not, Thor had made his preparations.
“A few hundred points?” Bryan mused, considering the situation. “That’s true. Recently, this area has been one of the only places where merit points are still available.”
“Alright then,” Bryan said, his voice steady. “Let’s see if there’s any orc activity in the coming days. If there is, I’ll join you, and together we might be able to take down a third-tier orc and a few second-tier orcs.”
Bryan nodded, unsurprised by Thor’s decision.
Thor was not the only noble lord seeking merit in the Northern defense. Many lords from expanding families had made similar choices, and Thor was simply one of them.
“Wait!” Thor hesitated at Bryan’s words.
“Don’t refuse,” Bryan insisted, his tone firm. “Uncle Engel helped my father a lot back in the day.”
“However, Thor, you must promise me one thing: after this, leave quickly. If we do face a fourth-tier orc assault, we might not be able to hold them off here.”
Bryan’s face was serious as he spoke, his usual jovial manner replaced by one of sternness.
“Understood.” Thor took a deep breath, forcing down his rising emotions, then nodded. “Thank you, Brother Bryan.”
He didn’t say much more, as the impending Divine Awakening was weighing on his mind. There would be no need for explanations once that event took place.
“Thank me for what?” Bryan chuckled. “We’re brothers, after all.”
“Come on,” he continued with a grin. “It’s almost mealtime. You won’t find food like this back home, so I wonder if you’ll be able to stomach it.”
Laughing, Bryan led Thor into a small gathering area by the walls.
As soon as they entered, several figures greeted them.
“Hey, Bryan, got a new recruit?”
“Oh, ho-ho, is this your Dresrosa ‘eaglet’?”
“Bryan!”
“Hi!”
Voices rang out, and Bryan returned the greetings with enthusiasm, occasionally introducing Thor to the others. Thor smiled and returned the greetings, appreciating the warm atmosphere among the soldiers.
(End of Chapter)