The sun was slowly setting, and as winter approached, the villagers respectfully added firewood to the stove in the cottage and asked Ryan what he would like to eat for dinner. They were willing to do their best to provide for him, but Ryan said he had brought his own food and did not want to trouble them.
Still, the villagers brought Ryan two fish and a rabbit.
Sitting by the stove on a ground padded with wood and straw, Ryan gently embraced Veronica's graceful body and spoke softly, "We still have several hours before sunset. Vampires typically prefer to be active after ten or even eleven at night. Before then, we..."
"Ryan! You scoundrel!" Veronica interrupted him, stepping on his foot hard, her face red with embarrassment: "Don't you realize where we are?! Wait until we're back in your domain, I'll keep you company more there. It's too dirty here, and we might be seen."
"That's not what I meant, my great witch!" Ryan protested: "Veronica, I'm not that kind of person. With a big battle ahead, how could I think about that? I meant for us to have a good talk."
Only then did Veronica give him a sideways glance, pushing away the hand Ryan had around her waist, and said, "What does my great knight want to talk to me about?"
Ryan's blue eyes reflected the flames in the cottage, and the Grail Knight was silent for a long time.
"Did you ever think I would have a day like this? A God's Chosen Champion? A Baron in truth?" Ryan added a piece of firewood to the fire, somewhat despondent.
"I always believed in you, Ryan, my man," Veronica's expression softened, holding Ryan's rough hand: "I just didn't expect it so soon. There are less than a thousand nobles in all of Britannia, even including all the Grail Knights, it's less than fifteen hundred. You have already entered the core of this nation. You have done very well."
"But I am not satisfied," Ryan shook his head. After a moment, he continued: "Veronica, did you know? The Lady told me that another Eternal Champion of Chaos has been born in the North."
"Another Eternal Champion of Chaos?! But... it's only been a little over a hundred and fifty years since the Great Holy War, hasn't it?" Veronica exclaimed in surprise.
"The birth of an Eternal Champion of Chaos has nothing to do with time, my dear," Ryan said, gently stroking Veronica's hand and continuing.
As the Lady of the Lake said, the birth of an Eternal Champion of Chaos has nothing to do with time because there is no concept of time in the subspace. It is always endless warfare and chaos.
The most classic example was discovered by the high elf archmage Teclis. A recently fallen high elf was able to find a record in the annals of the great war between Anarion and Chaos thousands of years ago. This fallen elf, turned into a Champion of Slaanesh, was killed by Anarion's army.
This makes one shudder to think about. Is the fall of some destined? Is the future of the world destined for darkness?
Ryan doesn't know, and even the Emperor cannot provide an answer.
Also, do the four gods of Chaos really need an Eternal Champion?
Actually, not really, because the greatest pleasure of the four Chaos gods is still waging war against each other in the Chaos realms of subspace. The material world is just a small snack for them in their leisure time, and they're not very interested in the world-ending desires of the Eternal Champions.
Therefore, the trials set by the four gods for the Eternal Champions are incredibly difficult. If the trialists die in the process, it's their own fault, and the gods get some amusement. But if someone really passes the trial, then such a high-quality henchman can meet their needs.
Since the portal of the ancient saints was destroyed, only five Chaos Champions have passed the trials and become Eternal Champions of Chaos. So logically, the current Eternal Champion, Acheron, should be the fifth.
Then why are there only records of the first and second Eternal Champions of Chaos (the first "Uniter" Morkar, the second "Anointed" Asavar Kul) leading armies south?
Because the other two didn't have the chance to unite the northern tribes before they were killed early by other demon princes or great Chaos sorcerers.
"I need your help, Veronica. I need more of your help," Ryan said, deciding not to say more. He simply said to Veronica: "First, get the domain construction right. I need to build a strong army and a stable rear."
"Since I'm here, of course, I'm here to help you, Ryan." Veronica smiled sweetly: "I've already discussed it with Chairwoman Magarita. Once the wizard's tower is built, Garon will set up a branch here. We will send some witch apprentices regularly to learn and practice, and also help you build the domain."
Ryan didn't respond, thinking that the Garon Council also had their own considerations, but he couldn't refuse because he indeed needed the witches' help.
As Olica said, the power of the Lady of the Lake took up too big a proportion in his foundation. He needed a new force to balance it.
After chatting for a while, the two ate some dry food and enjoyed the natural taste of roasted fish and rabbit.
Outside, the moon was high in the sky, and the cold was getting deeper.
Ryan signaled that it was time to act, and Veronica nodded. The witch changed out of her favorite coat and skirt and put on a fiery red combat leather jacket and pants, while Ryan donned his spirit-crafted power armor: "Such exquisite armor, did your Lady give it to you?"
"No, this was given to me by my father." Ryan put on the power armor. Driven by spirit energy, the whole armor shone brightly, a powerful spirit energy shield appeared inside the armor, and then Ryan carried the one-and-a-half-meter long Goddess of Vengeance on his back, took up his Griffin Warhammer, and led his mount out of the cottage.
Outside, all the villagers had gathered. They stood silently, watching the Grail Knight and the witch beside him leave.
Each held a candle, shouting the name of the Lady of the Lake, then placed their hopeful gazes on Ryan.
This was hope, responsibility, and pressure. The Grail Knight was the embodiment of the eight knightly virtues. He was the last hope of the people of this nation.
Under the moonlight, the cold autumn wind enveloped the sky, and the soft soil gradually became harder. Ryan and Veronica led their horses, Ryan looking at the small woods and suddenly smiling, "Does it feel a bit unusual?"
"The situation is different now, my great knight." Veronica walked in front of Ryan without turning back: "You are now a great noble."
The witch under the moonlight was beautiful, but Ryan had no time to appreciate it because he soon discovered the traces of the Blood Knight.
Or rather, the Blood Knight deliberately left these traces, making it easy for Ryan to find.
He was looking for the Blood Knight, and the Blood Knight was looking for the Grail Knight.
Following the road, Ryan and Veronica entered the southwestern part of the Charlon Forest. From here, they were not far from Ryan's domain. Riding at full speed, it would take only three or four hours to arrive.
The dense forest trees had mostly shed their leaves in autumn, leaving behind a ground covered with fallen leaves and dry branches. The dark forest became even gloomier, with chaotic bushes and a gloomy atmosphere pressing on the nerves of Ryan and Veronica.
"Do the Blood Knights hate the Grail Knights so much?" The legendary witch, not happy about traversing the forest at midnight, brought up a topic: "Is it advantageous for them to confront Grail Knights in the forest?"
"No, my dear, first, the Blood Knights are vampires, and even the dumbest of them know not to suck blood right next to the road. As for the Grail Knights... Indeed, Blood Knights are very powerful, but they are still vampires, like normal vampires, they also have strong bloodlust, so they must find their own blood source," Ryan replied as he moved through the forest, answering Veronica's question. "However, they believe that, like their leader Ebol-Walace, they can suppress their bloodlust through promotion and greater power."
"In fact, some Blood Knights have successfully overcome the bloodlust problem by ascending to the Holy Realm. Like the so-called progenitor of the Blood Dragons, Ebol-Walace, he ascended to the Holy Realm by personally killing a red dragon, drinking its blood to lift the curse of the master necromancer Nagash and gaining more powerful strength. Thus, Ebol-Walace disbanded his followers, letting them seek challenges themselves. If they ascend to the Holy Realm on their journey, they will also be forever free from the vampire curse, and Ebol-Walace will appear and summon them back to his ranks."
"Mission Knights view Blood Knights as prey and enemies, and Blood Knights view Grail Knights as prey and enemies. Sometimes it's like that, the hunter becomes the hunted." As soon as Ryan finished speaking, he and Veronica stopped simultaneously.
There was a movement ahead.
Under the faint moonlight, on the clearing between the forest trees, a figure shrouded in blood-red light, wielding a lance and a giant shield, stood in the dark forest, confronting a fully armed Bretonnian ranger knight.
The Blood Knight was clad in black armor adorned with various patterns of death and slaughter. He held a corrupted weapon with dark runes inscribed on the ancient weapon, glowing red. His giant shield still bore the knight's crest of the original Blood Dragon Knights, but the emblem and crest had turned into the shape of a wicked dragon and dragon wings.
The Nightmare horse exhaled stinky green flames in the cold autumn air, staring at the young ranger knight before it. The ranger knight opposite the Blood Knight looked very young. He was dressed in chainmail + guards + a falcon helm, and raised his lance high, challenging the Blood Knight: "I am Cybot-Le-Changell, come to eradicate evil in the name of the Lady, for Bretonnia! Mount your warhorse, raise your lance, and accept the judgment of justice! May the Lady of the Lake grant me victory!"
After speaking, the young ranger knight raised his lance high, challenging the Blood Knight. The ranger knight was very nervous, his forehead slightly sweaty, and his raised lance somewhat shaky.
After a few seconds of awkward silence, the Blood Knight spoke, unlike many undead, his voice was full of confidence and calm: "Go away, young man, I'm not looking for you. I have no interest in such an unequal fight. You're lucky, Bretonnian ranger knight. I just drank enough blood, so go away, child."
A hysterical anger surged in the young knight's heart. The young knight decided to ignore the Blood Knight's nonsense. He had seen the corpse of the farmer, clearly, the Blood Knight had just had a feast.
"For the Lady and Bordello, for Bretonnia!" So the horse galloped forward under the young knight's command. Relying on the weak moonlight, the ranger knight's heart had never been so excited and fanatical. The powerful Blood Knight was right in front of him, and as long as he could defeat it, he would almost win the Lady's favor. He even wanted to shout loudly to express his joy.
The Blood Knight's expression was almost invisible behind his helmet, only showing that he stood still, allowing the ranger knight to charge at him.
"Ha!" "Crack!" The ranger knight's roar and the sound of his lance breaking almost sounded at the same time.
I succeeded! Such a perfect textbook-like attack, Cybot-Le-Changell could feel the sound of the lance's iron head piercing the Blood Knight's chest. That was the sound of a lance entering flesh, and no creature could withstand such a perfect strike! At least the young ranger knight thought so!
So he turned around, his lungs filled with cold air, the ranger knight eagerly turned back, wanting to check his achievements, but before he could see what had happened to the Blood Knight, he heard applause.
The Blood Knight was clapping.
"A very beautiful and standard lance thrust, young man, I felt it, alright, now ride your horse, take your shield, and leave this forest." The Blood Knight's voice was still calm and confident: "I enjoy this kind of horseback lance combat, but not with weak knights like you. I warn you for the last time, leave here, my strength is beyond your imagination."
After speaking, the Blood Knight grabbed the lance head stuck in his chest. He simply used brute force to pull out the iron head, and aside from a little blood on the lance head, the Blood Knight's wound healed rapidly, disappearing within ten seconds, erasing the ranger knight's achievement.
At this time, the smile on the ranger knight's face had not even faded and was frozen.
Cybot-Le-Changell felt his hands trembling, his body shaking, and his head dizzy. At some point, he really wanted to run away.
Run away, escape from this forest, this place, the formidable enemy in front of him was simply unbeatable. A perfect lance charge was the strongest attack method of the ranger knight, and even that could not harm his enemy?
The Blood Knight noticed the ranger knight's wavering eyes.
But this wavering disappeared quickly. The young knight threw the broken lance handle aside, then shakily drew his long sword.
"Clang!" The long sword unsheathed, emitting a pleasant sound. Cybot-Le-Changell gripped his long sword tightly, raising his shield bearing the trident crest of the Sea God family.
"I have prayed to the Lady many times, and I have seen her supreme appearance in paintings."
"I am the Lady's knight, in the face of evil, I would rather die than retreat, in the face of darkness, I fear nothing!"
After speaking, the young ranger knight galloped again.
"For the Lady! For Bretonnia!"
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