When Aldred was about to leave, particles began to gather in the distance and formed into Count Heled.
Aldred squinted. "Hoo, so you can revive yourself? Impressive."
Count Heled breathed in and out. It was clear that he expended a huge amount of energy to revive himself. Aldred's godly eyes informed him that Count Heled lost 15% of his original strength, and he was currently wounded terribly.
"I want you as undead." Aldred smirked which sent a chill down Heled's spine.
Aldred appeared right in front of Heled and beheaded him. Thick dark shadow engulfed him and disappeared.
He put the Phantom Doomblade back into his inventory and rubbed his hand. He looked down and saw the golems and the robots rebuilding and repairing the city.
"These army are not strong enough."
Suddenly, space and time warped beside him and Corduul appeared. "That is because you did not allow our aircrafts to attack, master. These robots are only used for certain missions. Our true firepowers are the cannons installed on the aircrafts."
Aldred laughed. "I guess that is true. Let's go inside the castle."
The both of them floated down and walked inside the castle. The guards there trembled and took a few steps back.
"You kill the Count! You kill the Count! I will avenge him with my life!!!"
A man roared and rushed at him, swinging his blade directly at Aldred's neck.
With a clang, the blade ricocheted as if he just struck against a thick steel. The soldier's arms trembled in pain and the blade fell to the ground.
"Your Count is dead. And so is your Diamond Ranks. Drop your arms and go. This is my mercy to you."
Aldred could care less about these guards. They presented no threats to him in any form. Even if they told his existence to other powers, they would know about him sooner or later anyway.
Snapping his fingers, Count Heled appeared beside him in his undead form. The man knelt on one knee and bowed his head.
"Count Heled!!!"
"Is that really Count Heled?"
"Your Count has now become my eternal subordinates. He will follow whatever my command is."
The guards' morales dropped after that. Count Heled was turned into undead. It was hard to believe, but the fact was right in their eyes.
The dead of the Count meant that the entire province would be taken over. Usually, this meant war, but Aldred did not represent any kingdom of this continent. He simply came and took over the capital city.
The guards had overheard the conversation earlier, and they too thought that the kingdom would make Aldred their allies since he was more powerful than Count Heled.
But they still did not know what would happen.
The guards eventually dropped their armor and weapons, then walked away. 6 meter talls robots and golems watched their every move. If they dare to do anything stupid, the price would be death.
In the throne room of the castle, Aldred sat on the throne with Corduul standing beside him.
"What happen to the rest of the Diamond Ranks?" Aldred asked.
"They are all eliminated, master."
Count Heled actually had more than one hundred Diamond Ranks serving him, but before they all could aid him in battle, Corduul already sent his mechanical legion to kill them off.
"Too bad, I cannot turn them as undead. Well, not that I would like to turn every Diamond Rank into undead anyway. I want only the strong ones."
"Master, it seems like we have to stop expanding our territory for now."
"Why?"
"The satellites detected an eruption of a powerful energy in the center of this kingdom. I am afraid said individual could can destroy us with ease. We advice to play the long-term strategy."
"Do you think they are Adamantite Ranks?"
"We calculated 97% that they might be Adamantite Ranks."
"You think I cannot defeat them?"
"Not in your current situation, master."
Aldred sighed. "Alright, I was thinking of fighting one actually, but maybe I should not be so foolish."
"Master, someone wants to meet you."
Aldred nodded and the gate opened, revealing a Platinum Rank magicians walking in.
"What do you want?" Aldred asked.
"I would like to offer you my service, my lord." The magician knelt.
"What kind of service would you be able to give me?"
"Diplomacy. My lord, I am sure you understand that the nobles will not simply stay quiet about this. They will find ways to sabotage you, my lord."
"I have the power to defend myself."
"That is true. But it's better for us to benefit from an alliance rather than take loss from making enemies. Maybe I need to change my wording a little my lord. What I offer is not diplomacy, but the ability to turn enemies into friends."
"You think you can do that merely with words? Those nobles at the very least are at Diamond Ranks. They will see you lesser than ants."
"That is why this job is perfect for me, my lord."
Aldred laughed. "Fine. Ruhnan Noku, the son of Heihmir Noku, from now, you are my diplomat."
Ruhnan widened his eyes when he heard his name being called. From the moment he met Aldred, he had never mentioned his name. But Aldred even know his father's name.
What power… what kind of power was that?
There were some magicians that were able to cast a nasty curse simply with a name. If Aldred had that power, he would be the scariest magician to ever live.
Not only he had an army of powerful golems, mastery in swordmanship, but he also had the power of a magician?
This was too unreal!
But Ruhnan was glad he took the opportunity to come here. Becoming this man's subordinate had to be the right thing to do, because he had never seen someone so skillful in almost every realm before.
And maybe, just maybe, Aldred would grant him power he could only dream to achieve.
"Ruhnan, your first mission to make allies. I want to trade resources to become even stronger than before.
Ruhnan smiled. "In that case, I have some ideas, my lord. Why don't you join Withokere University."
"University?"
Ruhnan nodded. "In Withokere University, there are several Adamantite Ranks and numerous High Diamond Ranks professors to teach students there. Only Diamond Ranks are allowed to enter the university, and they have to have the blood or a strong connection to nobility to enter. If not that, then they have to be extremely wealthy."
"Joining a university… what is the benefit of joining in?"
"You can access to vast amount of books, and even have the privilege to listen to lectures from Adamantite Ranks professors. The resources in the university is simply cannot be compared to any noble house at all. It is the best place to get stronger, so much so that people could even sell their own brother to join."
"And you can get me access this university?"
"I will get it done, my lord. It will take me a few days to teleport to the capital, but I will finish it as soon as possible."
"Hmmm, no problem. One of the aircrafts will bring you there along with some robots and golems. I want to show them my power."
"Yes, my lord."
