Chapter 452: The Black Lion Castle

Chapter 452: The Black Lion Castle

The Uklas Mountain Range lined the southernmost border of the Kiehl Empire. This rugged, mountainous border had been guarded by the Black Lion Knights of the Lionheart clan for the past three hundred years.

Up until now, the Black Lion Knights had prevented all attempts made to cross the border by the barbarians from the Samar Rainforest. Even if they did receive some support from the Empires border defense army to do so, the Black Lions couldnt help but be overwhelmingly busy as they had to juggle their duties with handling the Lionheart clans internal matters as well as keeping up the training of their knightly order.

However, starting from next month, they would have much more leeway with their time than they had ever had before. This was because the hundreds of tribes living within the gigantic Samar Rainforest would be integrating into a single Greater Tribe.

The Zoran Tribe.

It was a large tribe that had been competing for hegemony within the Samar Rainforest from the very beginning of the tribes history. The young, twenty-three-year-old Chief of the tribe, Ivatar Zahav, had succeeded the position of tribal chief just two years ago. Ivatar had then destroyed the Kochilla tribe, which had been spreading chaos throughout the forest at that time, and had erected the Zoran tribes flagpole on their former enemys territory.

This incredible feat wasnt accomplished by Ivatar and the Zoran alone. The Zorans were able to win their war against the Kochillas because of the help they received from the Hero Eugene Lionheart, Saint Kristina Rogeris, and the Tower Masters of Aroth.

However, it was Ivatar who had personally gone to the Lionhearts to look for their help. The warriors of the rainforest had recognized the young Great Chiefs power and wisdom and had submitted themselves to him, voluntarily tattooing the Zoran tribes markings onto their bodies.

Two years after that, the Zoran tribe, led by their Great Chief Ivatar, managed to achieve something that no person or tribe in the entire history of the Rainforest had ever achieved, a grand unification of all the tribes in the forest. Ivatar also established new laws for the Rainforest and declared that his people would never attempt to invade the Kiehl Empire by crossing the Uklas Mountain Rage.

The Great Chief, Ivatar Jahav, a man frowned thoughtfully.

The declaration hadnt just been empty words. Ivatar had publicly revealed his friendship with Eugene Lionheart and expressed his respect for the Lionheart clan and the Kiehl Empire. This had taken place at an exchange of ideas during the banquet in Shimuin a year ago.

He has a backbone that is almost unbelievable for someone of only twenty-three years of age. If he had been born at any other time, he could have aimed to become the protagonist of the era, the man admitted.

With such youthful spirit, ambition, and fate, Ivatar could have eventually climbed out of the forest and attempted to conquer the entire continent. However, Ivatar wouldnt be able to reach such a heaven-defying fate.

Because the protagonist of todays era wasnt Ivatar.

Such were the thoughts of Klein Lionheart, the Head of the Council for the Lionheart clan. Klein Lionheart didnt have the slightest doubt about the previous statement. Even someone other than Klein would have given the same response when asked, Who was the current protagonist of the continent, no, of the entire era?

It was the Hero, Eugene Lionheart.

Since Eugene was born into the world, the era had begun to change. The changes brought about by Eugene had left their mark on the most recent pages of history. If Eugene had not arrived in this world, the continent wouldnt have been able to survive until this day.

The reason that the Zorans were able to conquer the entire Rainforest is also thanks to the help that Eugene gave them in their war against the Kochillas. So the Zoran are willing to make an alliance with the Lionhearts and Kiehl is also because of Eugene, Klein mused.

In land area alone, the Rainforest could rival an empire, and it was impossible to estimate the exact number of the tribal natives who lived in the rainforest while rejecting more advanced forms of civilization. The native inhabitants of the rainforest were truly savages.

Or at least, that had been the case until now. Ivatar wanted peace with Kiehl. He had also expressed his intention to slowly adopt civilization while avoiding crossing the line that would force the tribes to resist his efforts.

Ivatar also hoped to have various exchanges with the Lionheart clan.

Klein had no reason to refuse him. The Lionheart clan was a martial clan with three hundred years of history. At the same time, it was the sole lineage left by the continents last Hero and was also the family to which the current hero, Eugene, belonged. When the time came for Eugene to battle against the Demon King of Incarceration, the Lionhearts would raise their swords for Eugene and stand at the frontline of the battle.

They were also in a situation where a war with Nahama was imminent. Even after devoting most of their time to training, it still felt like that wasnt enough, but with the Zoran tribe uniting the Rainforest, that would free up the time usually spent guarding the border. In addition to that, the Great Chief Ivatar was making a personal visit to the Black Lion Castle while leading his most elite warriors to take part in some joint training with the Black Lion Knights.

As a warrior, Klein was pleased to see this take place, but he still let out a reluctant sigh, If, at all possible, I had hoped that something like this would only happen after I was already dead.

Klein had never once intended to become the Head of the Council. Klein had always seen himself living a leisurely and peaceful retirement in his later years, then either dying at an appropriate age or going into seclusion.

Dont spout such weak words, Klein, Carmen, standing next to him with her arms crossed, shot him a glare.

Initially, she and the Third Division, which she led, were meant to be stationed at the main estate along with Gion and his Fifth Division, but they had arrived here today at the Black Lion Castle to serve as Ivatar's opponents.nove(l)bi(n.)com

Unlike Klein, who, despite his muscular appearance, was sporting gray in his hair and beard, Carmen maintained a perfectly youthful body and face. If anyone who didnt know the actual situation were to look at Carmen and Klein, they would think that the two were grandfather and granddaughter.

However, the two were actually siblings. Moreover, Carmen was even Kleins older sister. Currently, Carmen was the most senior elder of the Lionheart clan, and even including the collateral lines, there were very few people who were older than Carmen.

As such, by all rights, Carmen should have become the Head of the Council, but she had insisted that she would not be stepping down from her active duty as a Black Lion and had instead shoved the honor of becoming the Head of the Council onto her younger brother, Klein.

Subjugating all of the Demon Kings was the will of our founding ancestor, the Great Vermouth, and the mission of our Lionheart Clan. To think that you wouldnt feel grateful and honored to have lived to see the era in which our mission will finally be fulfilled, and are instead letting out such weak words. Can you even still call yourself the younger brother of the Silver Lion and the Head of the Council for the Lionheart clan? Carmen scolded as her golden eyes flashed dangerously.

As befitting of a younger brother who had been tormented by Carmen ever since their childhood, Klein hunched his shoulders and said, Sister, I didnt mean it like that. Its just, if at all possible

Carmen silenced him, Shut up, Klein.

..., Klein meekly obeyed.

Carmen frowned, Could it be that your heart really hasnt been set pounding by the turbulence of this era? In my case, I am glad that I can help fulfill the Lionheart clans mission while I am still in my prime. Im also excited to be able to see a Hero like our founding ancestor with my own eyes and even more excited to be able to fight the Demon Kings along with him.

..., Klein stayed silent.

Together with the Hero, I will be able to complete my path as a true knight. After we finish chastising Nahama, which has been led astray by the evil of black magic, we will eventually battle against the Demon King of Incarceration. My blood boils when I imagine raising the Lionheart flag high over the battlefield once everything is over, Carmen said excitedly.

..., Klein didnt respond.

Why arent you saying anything? Carmen demanded. How dare you ignore me when Im speaking.

But youre the one who told me to shut up, big sis. Struck by Carmens piercing glare, Klein quickly changed the subject, To think that my great-grandnephew would turn out to be the Hero! I cant believe that hes already defeated a Demon King! I still cant help but wonder if this is a dream.

If I hit you, you should be able to tell right away whether or not this is a dream, Carmen threatened.

The aura of power around the man was such that it made even the Demon King of Fury seem laughable. It felt like dark power, but there was something foreign about it.

No was that really the case? It wasnt truly unfamiliar, either. It reminded Carmen of when Eugene had used the Moonlight Sword.

No, its different, Carmen realized.

This feeling was far worse.

If it had been at any other time, Carmen would have been far more focused on that pure white mask, but the current Carmen didnt have the mental capacity to spare for such thoughts.

Fwooosh!

White flames engulfed Carmen. These were the flames of the Eighth Star of the White Flame Formula, the highest level that any of the Lionhearts had been able to achieve since their founding ancestor, Vermouth.

Carmen pulled her pocket watch out from her vest. In her head, she could picture her subsequent movements. She would leap up towards him and attack while shouting the same thing she always did, Form change.

But she wasnt able to do any of that. This was because the figure, which had been floating in the sky just moments ago, had at some point arrived right in front of Carmen.

This was the specters first time seeing Carmen in person.

However, he knew who she was. Ever since he had first been resurrected as a Death Knight and had become possessed with a desire for revenge against his former comrades, he had been gathering information about the Lionheart clan, those who had inherited Vermouths blood.

Carmen Lionheart, the specter recalled.

With the exception of Eugene, Carmen was said to be the most skilled expert in the entire clan. It would seem that such an assessment had been made without any exaggeration. If faced with such a level of skill before he had become the Incarnation of Destruction, he would surely have struggled.

Was I really that weak? the specter asked himself.

As the specter raised his hand, Carmen was left without any time to even shout form change.

Clickclickclick!

But at the same time that Carmen suddenly swung a punch at him, the pocket watch transformed into a heavy gauntlet around her fist. The wind pressure and flames released by the force of her fist pushed away the nearby Klein.

As Carmens gray hair fluttered in the air, the flames around her expanded. Her punches were launched one after another. Carmen then leaped towards the flames she had just expelled, and the scattered flames of the White Flame Formula, which had been fluttering around her like a lions mane, were pulled back towards Carmen once more.

Tchtchtchk!

The gauntlets form shifted. Carmens fist, which had grown so large that it seemed out of balance with the rest of her body, pierced through the flames.

Booooom!

What a heavy blow, the specter observed.

Carmens outstretched fist had made contact with something. However, there was no sensation of having damaged or broken the object she had struck. It was like she had hit a wall that could never be broken. Instead, it felt like the fist she had used to hit him would be the first to break. But that didnt prevent Carmen from pulling her fist back for another attempt.

Transform, Carmen said as pure white light erupted from the exact center of the Black Lions dress uniform that Carmen was wearing.

Snick!

Light that was as sharp as a razor tore through the uniform. This intense light enveloped Carmens whole body.

This was the transformation sequence for one of Shimuins greatest assets, a magic set of armor that had been made using a part of a Dragonheart, the Exid. On top of that, Carmens exclusive set of armor had been reinforced by Gondor and the other dwarven craftsmen using the scales and leather of Raizakia.

White Flame Dragon, Carmen shouted as her transformation came to an end.

Now wearing a black and silver colored Exid, Carmen raised her left fist while her right fist was still extended. Initially, while her right hand was equipped with the Heaven Genocide, her left hand wasnt wearing any equivalent piece of equipment.

But that was no longer the case after she had transformed. The Lion-Dragons left arm seemed to transform into the left arm of the Demon-Dragon, as Carmens arm was wrapped in flames of pure mana. The nails of her left hand were now sharp enough to match the power of Heaven Genocide.

Carmens eyes flashed as her Demon Dragons left arm was shot forward. The flames amplified by the Dragonheart created the image of a massive dragon around her fist.

Boooooom!

With a loud explosion, the specters body flew backward.

In fact, it was possible for him to have withstood the blow without flying backward or even dodging the attack but the specter hadnt chosen to do so.

He had seen what Carmen Lionheart was capable of. That was enough for now. The specter halted the flight of his body and landed on the ground.

Thats how it is, hm? the specter muttered.

Right as the specter landed on the ground, a surge of killing intent, along with actual attacks, came flying at him from all directions.

The specter continued to muse, So these are the descendants of Vermouth.

This was the Lionheart clan.

The fact that not a single person had tried to escape brought a smile to the specters face.