- Fantasy Lord: Start with Daily Intelligence
- FLDI Chapter 202
Over the course of more than a month, under Joseph’s leadership, the construction efforts in Eagle Town began to unfold on a grand scale.
Compared to the previous state, the size of the town had expanded by at least ten times, if not more.
The streets were now flooded with goblin slaves, who, being the cheapest form of labor, played a crucial role in the transformation of Eagle Town—no, at this point it should be called Eagle City, as it had begun to take on a real shape.
Along with the influx of a large population, the city was constantly changing, evolving with every passing moment.
Walking through the streets now, Michael, Chesir, and Marshall could not help but feel like they were experiencing something completely new.
“You know, Young Master Thor is truly a born leader,” Chesir remarked with admiration. “Even if the Count himself were to come, he probably wouldn’t be able to imagine that this is the result after less than two years.”
“Yeah, who would have thought?” Michael also expressed his amazement.
“Haha, if you stay here long enough, you’ll discover even more astonishing things. The incredible things Young Master Thor has achieved are not limited to what you see now,” Marshall chuckled as he added.
As he had said before, having spent more time here, he understood better just how extraordinary Thor was. His brilliance could be seen in every aspect of his work.
Even though Marshall had mostly been focused on preparing for his own breakthrough to Earth Knight during his time in Eagle Territory, even the brief moments of contact with Thor and his people had left him deeply impressed.
“Is that so?” Chesir laughed. “Now you’ve got me curious. Maybe I should stay here for a while.”
“Haha, if you’re willing, Young Master Thor would certainly not disappoint you,” Marshall said, laughing heartily.
The three of them continued their conversation as they walked along the streets of Eagle City.
The streets, now somewhat bustling, were full of smiling commoners, slaves, and knights. It gave the impression of a city that was truly coming to life.
By the way, Marshall,” Michael suddenly spoke up as if remembering something. “I heard that Rayne has been training with a teacher. Is that true?”
Michael had seen Rayne before and was aware that he had broken through to become an Earth Knight. He had also heard rumors that Rayne was learning from someone.
Michael couldn’t help but be curious about who this teacher could be—someone capable of guiding Rayne in his training.
Since when did the Northern Province have such a powerful knight?
“Indeed, it’s true, but I don’t know much about that teacher myself,” Marshall replied after a moment of thought. “I’ve only heard that he came from the Empire.”
“From the Empire?” Michael and Chesir both looked at each other in surprise.
Neither of them had expected the teacher to be from the Empire.
Compared to the Kingdom, the Empire was far more elevated, and within the Kingdom, the Empire was almost legendary. To hear that someone from the Empire had come to the Northern Province was shocking.
“Yes, that’s what I’ve heard. But you know, I don’t know much about him. Michael, Chesir, do you want to go meet him? I believe that Mr. Neil Morton is currently teaching Rayne at Training Ground No. 1.”
Marshall nodded thoughtfully, then glanced at the sky and added with a smile, “If you’re interested, we could go and see.”
“Teaching Rayne!”
“Sure, let’s go take a look.”
“Honestly, I’m curious about what kind of knight would come all the way from the Empire.”
Michael and Chesir exchanged glances, both surprised, but in the end, Michael nodded in agreement.
He was intrigued by the idea of someone training Rayne, especially considering that Rayne had already become an Earth Knight. Whoever was teaching him must be at least a peak Earth Knight, if not more.
After all, only a peak Earth Knight would have the qualifications to instruct someone like Rayne.
The idea that there might be a peak Earth Knight in Eagle Territory—aside from himself—was quite unexpected. It piqued Michael’s curiosity.
Seeing their interest, Marshall didn’t hesitate and led the way toward Training Ground No. 1.
Half an hour later, the three arrived at the training ground.
Indeed, Rayne was there training.
An elderly man was also present, teaching him.
From afar, they could even hear an impatient voice.
“Rayne, how many times have I told you? The most important part of the knight’s breathing technique is maintaining a calm mind. You’re too distracted right now, how can the technique be effective like this? You can’t even maintain your focus during a fight!”
“Yes, that’s it!”
“Come on, let’s spar a bit. I’ll use my early Earth Knight strength to fight you.”
The sounds of the two sparring soon filled the air.
The three men instinctively slowed down, watching the scene with interest.
But as they observed, Michael’s face gradually turned serious.
It wasn’t because Rayne, who was also an early Earth Knight, was being easily overwhelmed, but because of the movements and techniques of the elderly instructor.
The techniques weren’t complicated, nor were they extraordinary life-force skills. They were simply basic knight swordsmanship.
Yet, despite this, the elderly man easily blocked every single attack from Rayne.
Even though Rayne’s body crackled with lightning, and his terrifying life force surged, it still couldn’t break through the old man’s defenses.
“What incredible control of life force,” Michael muttered to himself, deeply shocked.
Naturally, both Chesir and Marshall were equally astonished.
Chesir, who had recently broken through to mid-Earth Knight, might not have seen as much as Michael, but he could still sense the overwhelming skill at play.
In contrast, Marshall hadn’t felt anything quite as intense.
“That teacher is truly strong,” Marshall said with a sigh. “He’s probably at least a late-stage Earth Knight.”
“No, it’s more than just that,” Chesir shook his head. “He’s likely a peak Earth Knight.”
“No, not a peak Earth Knight,” Michael disagreed, his face serious.
“Not a peak Earth Knight?” Chesir asked in confusion.
“Not even a peak Earth Knight could do this,” Michael said gravely. “At least not when dealing with that terrifying, otherworldly life force on Rayne’s body. To deal with it would be far from simple.”
Chesir, still confused and puzzled, looked at Michael, waiting for him to explain further.
“That aura,” Michael murmured softly. “It reminds me of the Count.”
His words were quiet, but the implications were enough to send a shiver down the spines of both Chesir and Marshall.
“You’re kidding, right?”
“How… how could that be?”
Both of them spoke in unison, unable to believe what they were hearing.
Their gazes instinctively shifted back to the training ground and then to Michael.
“I can’t say for sure either,” Michael responded after a brief pause. “Let’s go and find out.”
The conversation continued as they made their way toward the training area.
Meanwhile, on the training ground, the elderly man had already begun instructing Rayne in combat techniques.
“Focus on this! And this!”
“Also, don’t forget this! What are you doing, Rayne?”
“Do you want your arm to be hacked off? Thunder Life Force is strong, yes, but when facing the Lord’s alien Life Force, your lightning won’t be enough!”
The deep voice of Neil Morton rang out.
Neil Morton was deeply focused on teaching Rayne. Though he sensed the arrival of Michael and the others, he didn’t pay it much mind. He had known who they were for some time and didn’t feel the need to be secretive.
Rayne, on the other hand, was unaware of their presence, his entire focus absorbed in Neil’s teachings. It was clear that Neil Morton’s guidance was incredibly beneficial.
Despite his recent breakthrough to Earth Knight, Rayne had already made significant progress under Neil’s tutelage, further improving his abilities.
As for the occasional grumbling from Neil, Rayne had long since grown accustomed to it. He adjusted his Life Force as instructed, following the key points Neil had emphasized.
Neil was quite pleased with Rayne’s responsiveness. The young man’s talent was truly exceptional, one of the brightest in the Empire.
If Rayne were to study at one of the Empire’s academies, he would be qualified to participate in the Empire’s inter-academy competitions.
In the future, barring any accidents, Rayne would certainly become a Saint Knight.
And from what Neil could sense during this visit, Rayne had undergone yet another change.
It wasn’t just about becoming a Saint Knight—Rayne might even reach a higher level.
Such a possibility made even Neil Morton, no stranger to remarkable talent, feel a twinge of envy.
“Alright!” Neil finally said, waving his hand to signal an end to the training. “That’s enough for today. Take a few days to consolidate your foundation. Don’t rush to breakthrough again—your last one was too hasty and it’s left your foundation somewhat unstable.”
“Yes, Master!” Rayne nodded respectfully, a smile on his face.
But soon, he noticed Michael and the others standing nearby.
“My Lords Michael, Chesir, Marshall!” Rayne immediately greeted them, his tone filled with respect.
“Rayne, who is this?” Michael asked, smiling as he nodded at Rayne, his curiosity piqued.
“Old man, Neil Morton,” Neil muttered, giving them a disdainful look.
“Mr. Neil, sorry to interrupt, but may I ask what level your knight skills are?” Chesir, not minding Neil’s blunt attitude, asked with a hint of curiosity.
“Sky Knight,” Neil Morton glanced at the group again and responded dismissively.
“Sky Knight!”
Michael and Chesir were both visibly shocked, and Chesir couldn’t help but murmur under his breath.
Even though they had suspected as much, hearing it confirmed still sent a wave of shock through them.
A Sky Knight was the highest-ranking knight in the Kingdom.
With the rarity of divine or Saint Knights in the current era, a Sky Knight was almost enough to support the development of an entire family for a century.
Now that the Dresserosa family had a Sky Knight, it would ensure their place among the Marquis families.
A Sky Knight was an extraordinarily important figure in the Kingdom.
None of them had expected to find a Sky Knight in Thor’s Eagle Territory.
Of course, they still didn’t know that Neil Morton was not just a regular Sky Knight. He was actually at the peak of Sky Knight rank, nearly reaching the level of a Saint Knight.
Even though he had not fully recovered from his injuries, his strength far surpassed the vast majority of Sky Knights in the Tulip Kingdom.
The very fact that Neil Morton was a Sky Knight was enough to leave them stunned.
The three of them exchanged glances, their hearts stirred with deep unease.
Michael’s mind was racing, and his expression grew more serious.
A Sky Knight in Eagle Territory… Even after the shock wore off, Michael couldn’t shake the concern gnawing at him.
“Mr. Neil, I’ve heard you’re from the Empire?” Michael steadied himself and asked cautiously.
At Michael’s question, Chesir and Marshall also reacted, concern evident in their eyes.
A Sky Knight was far from a simple presence in the Kingdom.
There were few Sky Knights in the entire Kingdom, and aside from the royal family and the three dukes, only the top ten Marquis families possessed a Sky Knight, usually just one.
The arrival of such a figure could not be without reason, and their motives were unclear.
Moreover, they wondered if this could have anything to do with the Church of the Alien Gods.
They certainly didn’t want Young Master Thor to be drawn into any kind of dangerous situation.
It seemed that Neil Morton understood their unease and confusion. He glanced at the three of them, clearly exasperated.
“Enough with the probing, all of you. I owe the Lord a favor, so I agreed to stay here for a while.”
“As for my identity, I am Neil Morton, instructor at the Imperial Canaan Academy.”
(End of Chapter)