- Fantasy Lord: Start with Daily Intelligence
- FLDI Chapter 52
Chapter 52: The Magic Crystal Cannon
Time passed slowly, and after Thor returned to his territory, everything settled into a steady rhythm.
Eagle Ridge was entering a phase of rapid development. Large tracts of farmland were being cultivated, and the various construction projects in the territory were gradually falling into place. At the current pace, it was likely that within a year, the initial phase of Eagle Ridge’s pioneering efforts would be complete.
Thor’s progress was remarkable, thanks not only to the support of his father, Count Engel Dresrosa, but also to his **Daily Intelligence System**, a unique advantage no one else could match.
As night passed, Thor busied himself with the affairs of his territory. And then, a piece of good news arrived.
The **Magic Crystal Cannon** had been completed.
Early in the morning, on a large open field, several knights dragged a massive, light blue object that resembled an artillery cannon from Thor’s previous life.
This was the Magic Crystal Cannon.
Even the goblin leader, **Asach**, was present, following closely behind the cannon.
“My lord, this Magic Crystal Cannon requires magic cores to function, preferably Tier 2 or higher. Its range extends up to two kilometers,” Asach reported cautiously to Thor.
“Tier 2 magic cores?” Thor nodded thoughtfully. “Raine!”
Raine quickly jogged over, handing several Tier 2 magic cores to Thor.
Over the past few months, Eagle Ridge had been actively hunting magical beasts, so they had collected a number of Tier 2 magic cores.
Asach swiftly took the cores and began the process of loading them into the cannon.
Moments later, the Magic Crystal Cannon emitted a faint blue glow as a magical array lit up on its surface, and energy quickly gathered.
*Boom!*
A deafening roar resounded, and the next instant, the cannon unleashed a terrifying blue beam of energy.
*Boom! Boom!*
In the distance, the beam obliterated a dirt mound, sending dust and debris flying into the air.
When the blue light dissipated, the mound had completely disappeared.
Watching the scene, Thor couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow in surprise. The cannon’s power far exceeded that of cannons from his previous world. Even a Tier 2 magical beast would likely be obliterated by a direct hit, and not even a great knight would be able to avoid it. As for ordinary people, they would be torn to shreds in an instant.
“Impressive,” Thor remarked, clearly pleased. “Asach, how many more of these Magic Crystal Cannons can you make?”
Thor’s gaze shifted toward the goblin leader, asking with a note of curiosity. The **Thunderstone** wasn’t limitless, so Thor wanted to know how many cannons could be produced from the current supply.
“We can make up to four more cannons, my lord,” Asach replied respectfully after a moment of thought.
“Four more?” Thor nodded. “Good. Have one more sent over when it’s ready. Also, you’ve earned a great contribution this time, Asach. You’ll receive 100 merit points for this. For each additional cannon you craft, you’ll get another 50 merit points.”
Although four cannons felt a bit low, it would suffice for now. Two could be stationed at the mine, and two at Eagle Ridge, ensuring the security of both locations.
“Thank you, my lord!” Asach beamed, bowing deeply in gratitude.
Merit points were extremely valuable to the goblins as well. Thor had promised that with enough merit points, they could establish their own territory—a goblin land of their own. The very thought filled them with excitement.
After once again dangling the prospect of a bright future for Asach, Thor instructed Raine to carefully store the Magic Crystal Cannon to prepare for any potential threats.
Threats.
Yes, Thor was well aware that danger could be lurking. In this world, there was no such thing as a completely hidden secret.
Thor couldn’t stop selling **Black Iron Armor**, as it was his primary economic pillar. But as long as he continued the trade, it would inevitably attract attention. Once people noticed the scale of his operations, they would start investigating.
It wouldn’t be hard for someone to discover the existence of his **large iron mine** or that he had **goblins** and possibly even an **alchemist** working for him.
With such discoveries, there would undoubtedly be those who couldn’t resist taking action.
This was an unavoidable consequence.
Over the past few decades, more than fifty barons had been enfeoffed in the Northern Province, and countless pioneering lords had emerged. Yet, fewer than one-tenth remained. While many had been destroyed by orcs and magical beasts, territorial conflicts and power struggles were equally responsible for their downfall.
In the chaotic Northern Province, where order was scarce, anything was possible if the prize was enticing enough.
A large iron mine and an alchemist’s knowledge were more than enough to tempt many lords—and even nobles—to take action.
Thor was actually waiting for such an opportunity.
Building trade routes wasn’t easy. Although Racios Assad’s progress had been smooth so far, that didn’t mean obstacles wouldn’t arise. Sooner or later, challenges would come.
Thor needed to declare his presence in the Northern Province.
He also needed to demonstrate his strength.
Only then could Racios Assad’s trade routes become secure, and only then would Eagle Ridge truly establish its footing.
Although the territory had been established, similar settlements sprung up every year. What mattered was being able to hold onto it.
“I wonder who will come for me first,” Thor murmured to himself. “Maybe I’ll let that idiot try.”
His thoughts drifted to the fool from the **Emerson family** he had encountered in Loren City. Perhaps using him as a starting point wasn’t a bad idea.
The Emerson family had enough status, and their strength was significant. They would make a perfect stepping stone for Thor to announce his arrival.
But Thor soon shook his head and dismissed the thought.
That fool from the Emerson family would be dealt with eventually, but now wasn’t the time.
Thor needed to ensure everything was in place first.
The Emerson family, after all, was a **Count family**, just like the Dresrosa family, and they were even slightly stronger. Thor had also recently learned that the reason the fool had two great knights was due to support from his mother’s family—one of the top families in the **Frostmoon Province**.
While the fool himself might not be particularly impressive, there was no telling if he had hidden resources. Attacking him first might not be the wisest choice.
Thor’s gaze shifted to the map in front of him.
Compared to the crude map he had before, this one was far more detailed—a product of months of work.
It depicted not only the surrounding landscape but also the locations and information about neighboring pioneering lords and nobles.
Around the Maine River Valley, there were three baronial territories and seven pioneering lordships. The three baronial families were the **Lawrence Family**, the **Valmir Family**, and the **Gratton Family**. Of these, only the Lawrence family hailed from an established lineage, while the other two were pioneering families who had risen through conquest.
The Lawrence family, on the other hand, originated from the **Southmoon Province** and was weaker than the Emersons and the Dresrosas, possessing only one earth knight—and only at the early stages of that rank. Among count families, they were considered one of the weakest.
Thor’s gaze swept across the map before finally settling on the **Lawrence family**.
(End of Chapter)