HideousGrain
patreon
Path to Prosperity - B3 Chapter 10
🕑 Added 2024-10-25 10:00:06 +0000 UTCThe only sound resounding in the sparring area was the chipped blade flying through the air. It landed in the sand at the edge of the arena, swallowing the last sounds.
Nobody uttered a single word for a good minute until a member of the Kingsguard couldn’t contain himself anymore.
“Oh shit,” He blurted aloud right before the sound of metal colliding rang out alongside a “Shut up!”
The Kingsguard’s words broke the ice, and the remaining members started gossiping with each other. At last, the Old King stepped forward to pat his son’s shoulders,
“You’ve gotten rusty.”
Phillip winced and dismissed the Armor of the Everlasting Night, his eyes glued to the ivory blade. The Old King inspected the ivory blade and chuckled inwardly. The King’s weapon had been a powerful Artifact, yet it chipped just like that.
The Old King’s eyes drifted to Dragon Fang and glimmered in excitement. Then he looked at Percy with even more excitement.
“I didn’t think you would get used to the changes of your body this quickly,” He praised his grandson, “If you keep growing like that and equip a bunch of Artifacts then…”
The Old King stopped mid-sentence, but that was fine. His intention was clear.
“To think I instinctively used my Ego. I thought it was unfair to use my Ego when I’m already an Ascended,” Phillip Kain mumbled, only for a chuckle to escape his lips, “I’m such a fool.”
The Weaponmasters struggled to contain the Kingsguards’ excitement and gossip since they were also shocked to the core. Most had witnessed their King’s power in the past. They were already in the Kingsguard or had already advanced to the ranks of a Weaponmaster during the war with the Beast King a decade ago. The King’s prowess was something they remembered clearly, yet they couldn’t help but feel that the crown prince was more oppressive.
He might not be as strong as the King just yet, but the crown prince’s presence was more burdensome. It was only a matter of time before the crown prince would surpass his father. Maybe he would reach the same realms as his grandfather!
“You are strong…” The Queen whispered as if she didn’t want anyone to hear her, but Percy did.
You mean stronger than you expected?
Percy thought, a faint smile blossoming.
“I don’t know if this will help you calm down, but I think I’m ready to participate in the envoy. I can do it,” Percy declared confidently. " Please trust me with this!”
A moment later, he revealed his individual interface to his family.
『Percy Kain』
[Ego – Coin of Prosperity]
[Tier] – [Master-4]
—
[Dragon Fang (Syreablade)] – [Growth⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐], [Dragonblood ⭐],
[Gnoll Warrior (Elite –⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐) – [Blade Mastery⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐],[A Hunter’s Smell⭐], [Basic Strength Boost⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐], [Berserk ⭐⭐⭐⭐]]
[Blueflame Hawk (Elite – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐) – [Hawk Eyes ⭐⭐⭐] – [Frostbite ⭐⭐⭐⭐], [Basic Agility Boost ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐], [Silent Reaper ⭐] ]
[Capture Card – No Inhabitant – Mythical]
『Coin of Prosperity』
Prosperity: 28,101,521
➛Consume
“What in the Seven Hells is that?!” Phillip cursed, “Is that a Monster Card with four Augmentations? No. There are two of these…I’m not seeing things, or am I?”
He looked at the Old King and the Queen, but both were too stunned to say a thing.
“The Gnoll Card had three Augmentations, but I could add a fourth one when it reached the Elite potential and evolved into the Gnoll Warrior. Maybe I can add a fifth Augmentation once the Gnoll Warrior evolves again. But then again, I’m not sure if it will evolve the moment it reaches the Evolved Potential,” Percy mumbled. He tilted his head and added, “I should have tested that before using most of my fortune to unlock [Dragonblood]. Then again, [Dragonblood] is quite powerful. I’m not sure if it was worth the equivalent of 21 Imperial Coins, but I would guess so.”
The more the royal family listened to Percy talking, the more color drained from their faces.
“21 Imperial Coins?”
“Your Ego can evolve your Monster Cards? Is there a limit to your Ego’s potential in the first place?”
“Seven Hells!”
The Old King glanced at the Weaponmaster and Kingsguard and sighed in relief when he was certain they didn’t hear a thing. Rumors about the fortune Percy was spending on his enhancements would spread like wildfire.
“Continue your training,” He commanded. The Weaponmasters hinted at a polite bow again and returned to their units.
“I think we have a lot to talk about,” The Old King commented as he turned back to his family. He flashed his white teeth and winked toward Percy, “We have to prepare our crown prince’s first mission as the crown’s ambassador!”
***
To say that they had a lot to do was an understatement. Percy had no idea what he was supposed to do in the Beastlands in the first place. He might have volunteered to negotiate with the Beast King and to give his utmost to convince the Beast King that the crown and the kingdom’s pillars of support had nothing to do with the kidnapping, but that was not all.
Percy’s mission was to gain the Beastmen’s trust and respect. Ensuring that they would believe the Kainesh Kingdom’s innocence was only one step in his mission. Once the first step had been achieved, Percy was to strengthen their connection, possibly trade with the Beast King and his people and to convince them that they had to unite their forces against their common enemy; The dangers emerging from the Seven Hells.
This was going to be incredibly difficult, so Percy was forced to learn more about diplomacy. He also had to study and understand the Beastlands’ traditions thoroughly.
That was only the beginning of the things Percy had to do, yet it was already incredibly challenging. Percy wasn’t the best student after all. He was trying hard, but it was unfortunate that he had a etiquette problem. Percy struggled desperately until he learned that the strongest Beastmen had more monster-like traits, which affected their manners.
Thus, he sought the most simplistic solution; He had to be strong enough so that nobody would mind his lack of manners!
Unfortunately, diplomacy lessons, study sessions to learn and understand the Beastlands’ traditions, and various other lessons his parents and grandfather tried to squeeze into his smoking brain weren’t everything he had to do.
Percy couldn’t neglect the Dragon Nest, Dragon Lair, and the Dragon Knight Order just like that. He couldn’t bring the Dragon Knight trainees with him. They weren’t up for a task like that just yet and were better off staying in the capital to train like there was no tomorrow.
Thus, Percy invested heavily in the Dragon Knight Order by preparing Wyvernblood Horse Cards for them to bind and mount once they reached the threshold of becoming Knights. It was their graduation gift and precisely what the Dragon Knights needed to be ready for battle. Wyvernblood Horses were fast mounts, highly durable, and possessed near-unlimited stamina. Percy could Ego-enhance them with powerful Augmentations as well. They were perfect for the Dragon Knights.
“Put enough money, Artifacts, and Monster Cards aside, Your Excellency,” One of the Weaponmasters responsible for the Dragon Knight trainee’s development pointed out, “We received some requests from the Kingsguard and a few Imperial prospects. They wish to join the Dragon Knight Order. Their transfer request stirred some rumors which is also why some less known commonbirth Egos and young Gifted applied to join the Dragon Knight trainees as well. There are some diamonds in the rough, which the Kingsguard will take if you reject them.”
Percy chuckled, “I won’t reject anyone who’s hard-working and loyal. Tell me how much you need, and I will prepare everything!”
He didn’t have infinite coins to splurge, but his fortune had yet to be used up. That was also why he did exactly that. He either consumed or invested most of his Imperial Coins and gold coins until less than 100 gold coins remained in Percy’s pockets. There was no need to be saving so much gold if he could invest it instead. Percy wouldn’t need much money in the Beastlands either way. At least, he didn’t think so.
The Dragon Knight Order needed lots of funding, but so did the Dragon Nest and Dragon Lair. Percy had to invest enough into both organizations to keep them running during his absence. That was also how he ended up not investing anymore Prosperity into himself. Instead, he Ego-enhanced over a thousand Armaments, dozens of Monster Cards, and countless accessories. He went as far as Ego-enhancing more than ten thousand potion vials to stock up for the months he wouldn’t be in the capital.
However, even then, Percy didn’t feel like he had adequately prepared.
Everyone else told him that he would be fine, yet Percy couldn’t help but feel restless.
“This is driving me crazy,” He mumbled the day before his departure, “I feel like I’m forgetting something!”
