Summoning the Holy Sword

What’s the situation?

Rhode and Lize came to a halt and exchanged looks. At this moment, Joey murmured his way out of the campsite miserably and his face was bruised with blood flowing out from his nostrils. He spotted Rhode and Lize and ran up to them hurriedly. “Boss?! Boss, you’re finally back! Why didn’t you tell us earlier? Let me tell you. Today, Miss Lize commanded our ambush so well against the idiots of the Southern Legion… Frankly speaking, I was a little worried from the start, but I never expected that Miss Lize would do this great…”

“Alright, I know about this,” Rhode gestured and pointed to the campsite. “What’s happening inside?”

“There…” Joey’s blooming smile faded instantly like a withering eggplant. He let out a bitter smile and rubbed his badly battered face awkwardly. “Actually, it’s much nothing, Sir. The captives are just causing a ruckus…”

Rhode gazed at Joey curiously before turning to Lize and nodded. Both of them headed into the campsite quickly while Joey followed with a helpless smile. Shortly after, Rhode spotted the source of the uproar. A dozen mercenaries crowded around the empty field where the inarticulate curses sounded from. The mercenaries seemed to be watching a show idly as though there was something interesting going on.

“What’s going on?” Rhode knitted his brows and said.

The mercenaries were startled to see Rhode behind them and they swiftly made way for him. A young man clad in the armor of the Southern Legion laid in the middle of the empty field. He seemed about 28 years old and had short, brown hair. Not only was his swollen face terribly battered, but he was also covered in filthy smoke stains. Marfa and Randolf stood beside him and they seemed to be speaking to him. They revealed looks of surprises after spotting Rhode and they quickly came to him and saluted.

“Leader, you’re back.”

“Sir, long time no see.”

Of course, this general eventually died in the sea of Undead Army. This was the only possible ending for this reckless approach to war and Rhode wasn’t surprised at all.

However, Rhode didn’t expect to see him here.

But this is truly interesting.

It seemed that this was a blessing in disguise. He came all the way to Paphield’s frontline and actually caught a huge fish. He had considered recruiting future generals of the Munn Kingdom to strengthen his forces and it wouldn’t be right if he didn’t take John in.

Rhode had decided.

“Loosen the ropes.”

Rhode gestured to his mercenaries and they untied the ropes on John. Meanwhile, the other mercenaries gazed vigilantly. After all, they knew that this man wasn’t easy to deal with. Now that they had untied the ropes, this fella may cause an even bigger trouble. But… Is he even capable of doing anything in front of Leader?

The young man didn’t create a ruckus as the mercenaries had expected. Instead, he puckered his brows and rotated his numbed wrists. He took two steps back while looking at Rhode. “Mr. Alander, never did I expect to meet you here. It seems that I wasn’t captured for nothing.”

“You know who I am?”

Rhode was a little surprised because he couldn’t remember meeting this young man before. The corner of John’s mouth twitched and he revealed a mocking smile. “Are you kidding me? Mr. Alander? It would be even more shocking if the entire South hasn’t heard of your big name by now. Furthermore, your features are so…”

John scanned Rhode from head to toe. Then, he spread his arms apart and shrugged. Rhode didn’t expect him to be this observant. He thought that John was a one-track minded and ferocious man. But it seemed that this man wasn’t as impulsive as he had imagined. Actually, this was to be expected because… how could he have led his army against the Undead Army if he relied on simply being brave and fierce?

Rhode nodded at John and beckoned before turning to the tent. “Follow me, Mr. John. I have something to discuss with you privately.”

They entered the tent and John sat down on a chair that he had dragged from the side. Rhode folded his arms and looked at the young man. After a brief silence, John let out a bitter smile. “Alright, I give up, Mr. Alander. Surely you didn’t invite me in for tea, right?”

“Of course not, Mr. John. In fact, there’s something I want to discuss with you,” Rhode shook his head. “I want to ask if you’re interested in joining Starlight?”

John twitched his brows. “Join your Starlight Guild?”

The young man gazed at Rhode as though he was looking at a monster. He shook his head. “You sure do love to joke, Mr. Alander. I am a soldier of the Southern Legion. Why would I be a mercenary in your Guild?”

“You were.” Rhode waved his hand to interrupt John. He narrowed his eyes and lifted his head proudly. “But now, you’re a captive, Mr. John. Besides… You might even be a dead man soon.”

“…” John fell into silence. But shortly after, he shook his head. “I’m sorry, Mr. Alander. I am a soldier and soldiers would rather die than submit. I would rather die on the battlefield than to live a life under you.”

“Is this your pride as a Southerner?” A strange glint flashed in Rhode’s eyes.

In the game, although John battled alongside the Munn Kingdom after taking his revenge on his father, the conflict between the South and North wasn’t as intense as now. At this point in time, the South and North had officially broken off their relations, so would John retain this notion? If he were a true loyal supporter of the South, Rhode had no need to continue this conversation anymore.

“Yes, part of it. But most importantly, I have something that I must attend to and I must do it personally. I’m sorry, my views on the North isn’t as terrible as the Southern Parliament’s. But we’re each on our own now so it doesn’t matter.”

“But, the dead can’t accomplish anything.”

“I’m not dead yet, Mr. Alander.” John showed a confident smile.

Although Rhode didn’t know where his confidence stemmed from, Rhode was sure that he wasn’t someone who would resign to his fate.

John strode toward the exit. “If you asked me in to talk about such boring matters, I’m sorry to disappoint you, Mr. Alander.”

At this moment, Rhode spoke with a casual tone. “… Is it about the Rockefeller Family, Mr. John?”

John came to a halt and turned around with a slightly ashen expression.

“How do you…”

“I think you may have forgotten, Mr. John,” Rhode knew that his risk paid off judging from John’s expression. “I’m a noble and there’s no lack of gossip among us. ‘The Shame of the Rockefeller Family’. I’ve heard about this rumor.”

“…!”

Indeed. John sulked instantly as soon as he heard the sensitive term. He clenched his fists as wrath burned within him. He glared at Rhode furiously. “Mr. Alander, are you trying to mock me?”

“Of course not. I’m just saying that we can make a deal.”

Rhode said without any change in his expression, but he was actually nodding inwardly. Rhode sensed that he had reached the Peak Elite Stage at level 39. Just one more step and he could transcend into the Master Stage and become a Swordsmaster. No wonder the mercenaries couldn’t pin him down even when his hands were tied.

But it was a pity that even though he was only a level away from Rhode, the difference in strength between players and aborigines was massive. “As long as you’re willing to join my Guild and work for me wholeheartedly. I can promise you that I will wipe the entire Rockefeller Family out of this world.”

John felt a shiver down his spine and widened his eyes at Rhode unbelievably.

Rhode twitched his brows and approached John, standing by the tent entrance. “What do you think about this deal, Mr. John?”