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Chapter 219: Rhett vs. Hogus
🕑 Added 2024-09-20 05:44:59 +0000 UTCWith the territory's development on track, there wasn’t much that Rhett needed to do, especially when it came to specific tasks. It was enough to ensure that his subordinates fulfilled their duties.
Rhett didn't spend much time at the Iron Brothers Forge. After confirming everything was in order, he inspected other businesses, such as the inns and restaurants set up by Rilai's people, all of which were running smoothly.
The managers of the family businesses had been carefully selected by Rilai. They were trustworthy and had been with the family for a long time. Moreover, Rilai spent most of his days at the Darkhawk City administrative office, so he had the means and energy to oversee things, ensuring there were no issues with the family's ventures.
The last stop on his inspection tour was the Nightingale Tavern.
Located in the commercial district, right in the heart of the busiest street, the Nightingale Tavern occupied a prime location.
The tavern was relatively enclosed, with bright lights even during the day. It wasn’t too rowdy at this time, but the occasional burst of raucous laughter from patrons could be heard. The tavern was a place to relax and unwind, where people could let loose without worrying about the noise.
Rhett’s arrival caused a brief lull in the noise, but the lively atmosphere soon returned.
"Welcome, my lord! It’s been two months since I last had the honor of serving you. Your presence remains as striking as ever," the bartender, Rum, said humbly.
Over time, even as he grew more familiar with his lord, Rum found himself becoming more respectful.
Since the Nightingale Tavern had moved to Darkhawk City and received Lord Rhett's support, the number of extraordinary patrons had increased significantly. The conversations were much more profound than those in Littlehawk Town, where the clientele were mostly commoners. Often, Rum found himself struggling to understand some of the terms being discussed—things he had never heard of before. But one thing was always clear: Lord Rhett's name was spoken with reverence and admiration. Hearing this constantly had deepened Rum's realization of just how powerful his lord was and how highly others regarded him.
Rhett took off his dome hat and placed it on the bar's right side, saying leisurely, "Rum, make me a Rainbow Swirl."
"An honor, my lord!"
"And don't forget the blueberries."
"Of course, sir. I've made a note of it on the liquor cabinet—I remember it every time."
Rhett glanced at the white note stuck to the cabinet and raised an eyebrow. "Well done."
"Your praise fills me with energy."
Listening to Rum's flattery, Rhett chose to sit at the bar rather than elsewhere, deciding to quietly enjoy his drink.
A few minutes later, the Rainbow Swirl was served.
The open vortex of the drink swirled with six colors, with the darkest hue being the blueberry juice.
Rhett took a gentle sip, savoring the blend of alcohol’s numbness and the sweetness of the juice—a unique and stimulating flavor.
"That drink looks pretty good. I'll have one too."
A stranger's voice suddenly spoke up.
A young man in a teal coat slowly approached.
He had short teal hair, deep blue eyes, and crystal-clear, fair skin, with a handsome and youthful appearance. He sat down directly next to Rhett.
Rhett turned his head sharply, sizing up the newcomer. Behind him were two tall and burly knights who, while appearing relaxed, were clearly focused on protecting the young man. In the corners of the tavern, a few more extraordinary individuals had appeared at some point, their depths unreadable to Rhett.
Rhett's expression remained unchanged, but his heart skipped a beat as he guessed the identity of the man beside him—Third Prince Hogus of the Kinlan Kingdom!
"Today is only September 4th. Could he have arrived in my territory a day early?" Rhett wondered.
But he quickly composed himself and smiled elegantly. "Knight, it seems we are fated to meet. Consider this Rainbow Swirl a small gift from me."
He then turned to Rum and instructed, "Please prepare a Rainbow Swirl for this distinguished guest."
"No problem. I'll get right on it."
The young man's eyes briefly flashed with a hint of recognition. "Count Rhett, you are indeed as talented as the legends say..."
In front of the Third Prince, Rhett responded with modesty, "Just luck. Compared to some of the geniuses in the royal family, I still have some distance to cover."
"Oh?" The young man asked with interest, "Count Rhett, who do you think is the most talented in the royal family?"
Rhett thought for a moment before replying, "Well, that would have to be the first king, Mandes, who shouldered great responsibilities and saved the nation from turmoil. His talent and ability were second to none."
The young man nodded. "You're right. But among those still living, excluding the Saint Domain, who do you think has the most talent?"
Rhett rubbed his chin. "In my opinion, that would be the Third Prince..."
Hearing this, the young man's smile deepened. He asked, "What makes you think so?"
"I've heard that he once trained on the Coldstream Front, achieving remarkable battle records. His wind-element combat skills are said to be swift and elusive, and he reached the peak of Earth Knight level at a very young age," Rhett explained, sharing what he knew.
In truth, Rhett was only familiar with the Third Prince's history. He knew little about the other princes and princesses. But there was another important reason for his choice—the Third Prince was standing right next to him...
"Count Rhett has a keen eye!" The young man's gaze brightened as he praised Rhett.
At that moment, Rum brought over the Rainbow Swirl. The young man took a casual sip, smacked his lips, and then set the drink down on the bar without much interest, continuing, "This is my first time in Darkhawk City, and I'm unfamiliar with many places. How about you show me around, Count Rhett?"
"It would be my pleasure!" Rhett replied, grabbing his hat.
The knights continued to follow the young man closely as the two of them left the tavern. The powerful figures that Rhett had sensed earlier also rose and followed.
As they walked through the maze-like streets, the two remained silent until they reached the less crowded extraordinary district. It was then that Hogus finally spoke, glancing around at the brand-new streets and commenting casually, "Count Rhett, it seems you’ve figured out my identity?"
"I had a hunch, but I wasn't certain. I just thought that anyone traveling with such powerful escorts must be someone important," Rhett replied calmly.
Hogus wasn’t surprised that someone had noticed his identity—he hadn’t exactly been trying to keep it a secret.
"But how did you know I was the Third Prince?" Hogus asked, puzzled. It was one thing to recognize someone as important, but to guess his identity so accurately? That wasn’t easy.
"I didn’t guess. You told me yourself," Rhett shrugged.
"And your earlier praise..." Hogus hesitated.
Rhett coughed lightly. "Well, there’s a chance that... I might not know much about the royal family. Most of what I said earlier, I heard from friends."
Hogus couldn’t help but laugh. "I see. But it makes sense. As a newly risen noble, it’s understandable that you wouldn’t have access to as much information as the older families. Your rapid rise is like a shooting star, and you may not yet have established the same connections."
He had done his homework on Rhett before arriving and noted that Rhett differed from most nobles. His lifestyle wasn’t overly lavish, and he didn’t seem to indulge in hedonism. At first, Hogus found it hard to believe, but then he considered Rhett’s long military career and it made sense.
"Well, I haven’t had much time for socializing. Since leaving the Coldstream Front three or four years ago, I’ve either been training or managing my territory."
The answer was full of holes, but Hogus raised an eyebrow, sensing that Rhett didn’t want to delve into the topic. So he tactfully changed the subject, looking down the street at a bustling corner. "There sure are a lot of people over there. I’m guessing they’re all here for Panlong?"
"Your Highness has a sharp eye!"
"Haha, it’s the same in the capital. The Daoton Merchant Guild has people lining up outside its doors."
"Oh? Have you read Panlong, Your Highness? I’d be honored to gift you a copy..." Rhett asked, feigning ignorance.
"Not only have I read it, but I also enjoyed it immensely," Hogus replied. He had high praise for Panlong. It was the most exciting fantasy novel he had ever read. Although the language wasn’t flawless, the plot and ideas were unparalleled—something that only a new genius could create, not an experienced master.
"Really? I’m deeply honored," Rhett said, pretending to be flattered.
Hogus nodded approvingly and then asked, "By the way, I’m curious—what exactly is the Wind Ripple profundity you describe in your book? From what I know, there isn’t a ‘ripple’ among wind-element profundities."
Honestly, I have no idea. You should ask me, I Eat Tomatoes... Rhett had anticipated this question from the Third Prince, so he had already prepared an answer. Without changing his expression, he replied, "A lot of the content in the novel is fictional. The Wind Ripple was actually inspired by earth-element magic and profundities. When I was planning that part of the story, I had just mastered the earth spell ‘Earthquake’ and learned about the earth profundity ‘Gravity Field,’ which can create chaotic vibrations not just on the ground. That’s where I got the idea for Wind Ripple."
"Hmm, that makes sense," Hogus nodded.
"I have another question. The Supreme God of Light in your book—what kind of figure is he? And what about the Hell Plane? It sounds so real. Do gods really exist beyond the Saint Domain? Where did you get your inspiration? And..."
Hogus had a lot of questions, most of them centered around Panlong. It was clear that he was genuinely fond of the novel, but gradually, Rhett noticed that Hogus was more interested in the depictions of the realms beyond the Saint Domain, the higher planes, and the like.
After all, in this world, there was no one known to have surpassed the Saint Domain—at least, Rhett hadn’t heard of any.
Rhett’s impression of Hogus shifted. Outwardly, the prince displayed the luxury typical of royalty, but internally, he seemed to have an intense desire for power. His love for Panlong might be closely tied to this. If the fantasy world had been different, with a different power system, the effect might not have been the same.
As they chatted, they eventually reached the city gate.
"Count Rhett, would you be interested in a spar?" Hogus asked with a smile. He figured that anyone who could create a power system like that in Panlong must have a solid understanding of combat. Besides, Rhett had spent years on the Coldstream Front, showing excellent battlefield skills early on, so Hogus was curious to see what he could do.
Rhett hesitated for a moment.
Hogus frowned and asked, "Are you afraid of getting hurt? Don’t worry, we’ll stop before things get out of hand."
Then he turned to glance at his entourage and added, "Plus, with these powerful guards, nothing can go wrong."
"Well then... I’d be honored," Rhett finally agreed. Of course, he wanted to spar with Hogus—it was the perfect chance to prove his strength and potential. But accepting too eagerly might have seemed odd, so he had to play it cool.
"Good! Some nobles would have wasted half the day hemming and hawing!" Hogus chuckled, his eyes gleaming with understanding. "You’re straight to the point, as expected from someone who’s served in the military."
So this counts as being straightforward? Rhett thought with mild amusement but kept his expression neutral. "I know of a quiet, spacious spot, Your Highness. Please, follow me."
They arrived west of Coldcrystal Lake, at the Twin Horn Peaks, where Mok and Fireclaw had once fought.
Apart from the two small mountains, the area was wide open, with only sparse vegetation.
Hogus’ five guards—three Sky Knights and two Archmages—took up positions at the points of a pentagram, forming a protective perimeter around the battlefield.
With such power, the two mid-level fighters could go all out without fear of unintended consequences.
At that moment, Rhett and Hogus stood a hundred meters apart, each at the foot of a small mountain, facing each other.
The scene was utterly silent.
When a bird cried out in the sky, both men moved at once.
Rhett leaped back, casting a control spell as he went.
"Rockfall!"
Though he had the wind element at his disposal, he was still too slow compared to Hogus, a Level 6 wind-element knight. He had to act quickly to limit Hogus’ speed or disrupt his movement.
Thunderous boulders rumbled down from the sky!
"Rockfall, huh? Not a threat! If this is the extent of your tactics, the fight will be over soon," Hogus said, his eyes fixed on Rhett. He held a purple-gold longsword, and he hadn’t brought a shield, intending to focus entirely on offense and speed.
His movements were incredibly fast, like lightning streaking across the ground, leaving a long rainbow trail behind as his sword aimed straight for Rhett’s throat!
"So fast!" Rhett focused intensely. In his mental perception, Hogus was like a gust of wind, his body glowing with strange combat aura, his steps creating countless chaotic afterimages. Clearly, Hogus was using a high-level movement technique.
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