"514." Naikda announced after counting the number of people gathered outside the village.
"Almost all the people from the mine are here, even that mine guard his family are here." Karn said while eying the burly guy, standing among the crowd with his wife and a teenage son and a daughter.
"Master Ian was right, thankfully we prepared enough carriages." Barnes said while glancing at 50 carriages neatly lined outside.
Honestly, at first he thought it was a complete waste of money and resources, but now looking at the crowd in front of him he can only swallow back his complaints.
"You recorded everyone of them here right, now let's depart, Ahh right Barnes, what happened with Karn's parent's." Ian questioned.
"They're already inside the carriage, I've used the strongest sleeping powder available in the market, they will stay in a slumber state for atleast two more days."
Ian gave a nod before ordering for there departure.
Soon, around 50 carriages carriages 519 people and a black cat departed from the gates.
Inside the carriage, Karn glanced at his parents sleeping peacefully in the corner before asking Ian.
"You said we are going to meet a 'Martial Emperor is it really alright."
"Why you're scared or what?" Ian said with a sarcastic tone.
"A Martial Emperor can flatten us all in the ground with a mere slap of his hand, Only an idiot won't be scared of such an entity." Karn answered begrudgingly.
Stanley added his opinion in the mist. "I don't really understand, why such an entity would join us,unless Master Ian has something that could entice even an Martial Emperor."
As all three pairs of eyes inside the carriage glanced at Ian, but the forementioned black cat merely yawned went back to taking a nap.
As an hour passed by, and the carriage finally reached their first stop of their destination, as the group of three leaded by a black cat got out of the carriage before standing infront of the familiar house.
"Gulp~So this is where a Martial Emperor lives." Karn gulped as looked at the place, he visited again after a long time with a completely different light.
"Jeez, Do I look okay, I can't make a bad first impression infront of an Martial Emperor." Barnes immediately started ruffling his clothes, while tiding himself.
Naikda was the quietest among the group, but a strange hint of expectations and excitement could escape Ian's eyes before he the group hastened their steps and entered the abandoned house in front of them.
As the group entered the backyard, Ian marched forward, instead of introducing himself and the group he went straight to the point, while talking towards the direction of the house.
"I have a proposition that you might be interested in Martial Emperor Rustom."
As those word's left Ian's mouth, a sudden noise of rattling, could be heard as an figure suddenly descended out of that abandoned house.
"You're those brat's, who entered my house and stole my herbs a few years ago, just who the hell are you guy's ? and how the hell do you know who I am?"
A middle aged figure who appeared to be in his mid fifties, grey hair and beard appeared in front of them.
As he slowly glanced at the group of infront of him before glancing at Karn "Hooh!, Reaching
'Two Stars' just with in two years, Not Bad Not Bad at all." as he swept his glance and immediately glanced towards the cat in front him.
"Now,what the hell is this ?, I have seen my shares of strange things, but a talking cat sure tops it all."
"Let's not waste our time on idle clatters, I have a proposition that you might be interested in."
Rustom gave a strange glance towards Ian before he spoke his mind "Just what could you possibly offer, that could entice me, and if you know my identity you must already be aware of the state that I am in."
"What I'm offering you is a solution to that problem of your's." Ian said with a confident tone.
"Do you have any idea how I got into this state, Just go back ,I've already tried everything I possibly could, even gulping down an entire 'Heroic Grade' Potion,there's nothing that could possibly help me." Rustom said with a helpless tone "I appreciate your words but you should go back now."
"You're Right,I don't have the means to help you right now, but I'll give you my word I can cure your injuries one day." Ian said with a promising tone.
"Empty talks, if you people have nothing else to say I would like you to take a leave." As Rustom turned his back to take his leave, the familiar voice interrupted him again.
"Your Family, I know where they are right now, if you help us I'll tell you there location."
Hearing this, the peaceful expression on Rustom's face crackened, as he glared towards Ian with a vivid angered face, the group instantly became horrified as they thought Ian might have infuriated a 'Martial Emperor'
"Are you testing me right now, let me tell you even if I am injured and just a shadow of my past self, I am more than capable of killing you and your group without breaking a sweat."
"I know despite your injuries, you still carry the strength of a 'Martial Grandmaster', just like how I know your family managed to escape from the secret passage you built below your house, before the army of the Kronos Empire attacked your Kingdom."
Gallant Rustom, a commander of a small neighbouring kingdom, which got conqured by the ambitious expedition of the Kronos Empire, he sneakily let his family out of the kingdom, before valently fighting for his country, but luckily he managed to escape with his life, but his entire country fell into ruins, while him being completely stranded from both his country as well as his own family.
"Now calm down a bit and make up your mind, we don't have all day you know." Ian said despondently.
Rustom closed his eyes and cleared his mind, after a while he opened his eyes, as those peaceful eyes he had earlier were back before opening his mouth.
"Fine if you tell me the whereabouts about my family I'll follow your every command, I'll follow you no matter what, if you want I am ready to take an oath."
"There's no need, I believe you I know how much you value your word." Ian said Immediately as he was already aware of the character of Rustom.
Although Ian was no longer an omnipotent god like he used to be, but he still has a million years of experience and Myriad of knowledge of his world, although he might not know a lot about ordinary people like Karn or Barnes, but when it comes to major individuals he had kept his eyes on them, with Rustom being one of them.
He has watched the entire life that rustom led with his very own two eyes, Ian was confident enough to even say he knew more about Rustom than Rustom himself.
"As for your wife she passed away three years ago, as for your son, he has opened his own shop in the outskirts of Gandhar City."
Rustom had a deep frown on his face when he heard about his wife passing, its been 15 years since his kingdom collapsed, and it appears his wife couldn't bear the burden alone and passed away, but there was still a light in his eyes when he heard the news about his only son. he was just Eight years old, when they were separated, he could help but imagine, how his twenty three year old child would look like right now.
"Are you really serious about, what you just said ?."
"Listen carefully, if what I said checks out I just need three things from you, 1- Join our Army,
2- Take Naikda has your disciple, 3- Use your Adventurer Badge to open a new branch of adventurer guild in Khar plains." As Ian stated his conditions, while Rustom listened to it attentively.
None of those conditions, were unreasonable according to rustom if leads to his family, thought Ian still kept being insistent on treating Rustom's injuries, but he didn't gave much thought to it, before Ian called Naikda forward.
As Rustom gave a glance towards Naikda, before noticing this little girl here has an excellent natural born physic, he might not be losing anything from teaching this girl.
As those both forementioned individual went through a proper ceremonial bow required to take a disciple of a Martial Artist.
"Alright then, let's go to our final destination, our new home The Khar plains." Ian announced before the group four along with their newly added member entered the carriage.
"Ahh Right, you're free to take those herbs if you want, they are completely useless to me." Rustom said nonchalantly, before he took a meditating posture while sitting in the corner of the carriage.
Ian looked at the three, who were glancing at him with an evident drool in their eyes.
"Fine just go ahead, Although we are going to sell it instantly, you see we are in a desperate need for funds."
As those three made a dispirited look, Ian immediately added "You guys can take thirty percent of what you earn."
Hearing those, the three musketeers immediately charged towards the backyard. As those three left he felt a pair of eyes staring right at him.
Noticing the stare, Ian immediately asked
"Is there something you want."
~Ahem~ Rustom made an embarrassing cough, before asking.
"Just what in the hell are you, you are definitely not strong, but your eyes seems wise while you possess Myriad of knowledge, the reason I was convinced you're telling the truth was because of your eyes, it seems how should I put it ' limitless'.
Ian gave a sigh before speaking
"I've said it before I'll say it again, I'm merely Just an Ordinary Cat."