Challenge

"If you manage to survive my barrage of attacks for one minute, then I will agree to your plan. Else, we follow mine. Now that you have become an intermediate rank acolyte, you are an incredible asset to the Landragon Household. I won't allow you to die because of greed. I apologize for my unfair treatment, but perhaps it is your hatred against me that kept you alive during all these years. In the end, blood is thicker than water. You said you wanted to raise the status of the household. Everyone in the family wants the same. I promise you a great wife, loyal subordinates and all the magical resources that cross our territory. In exchange, if I win, you will become the [Landragon Wizard], and a symbol of our household"

Arthur smiled. This was quite the interesting offer.

[Ice Shield]

Instantly, an orb of frozen elemental particles surrounded Arthur. The sight evidently shocked both Frederick and John, who had not seen a spell for decades. Acolytes were this rare after all. The Porfield Kingdom being a knight Kingdom did not help much either.

Frederick, however, smiled.

He had fought against acolytes in the past, and slayed more than four Elven Druids who had been hired to fight for the Dalian Kingdom. He knew that this flashy magic could be broken down by knight killing techniques.

Instantly, Frederick rushed and wielded his great sword with severity. Each strike possessed the intent to kill.

[Your spell [Ice Shield] absorbs 16 points of damage]

[Your spell [Ice Shield] absorbs 12 points of damage]

[Your spell [Ice Shield] absorbs 13 points of damage]

Unless Frederick could unleash an attack that could pierce through the Ice Shield threshold, then the spell would be active. Arrows, sword strikes and even regular beginner-level spells were not enough to pierce through the [Ice Shield] defenses.

This was the strength of ice elemental acolytes. Although their attacks were not very powerful in comparison to flame-type acolytes, their ability to protect and slow down opponents was second to none.

As an intermediate-rank acolyte with 9 points of magic power who possessed [Ice Physique], his [Ice Shield] could absorb up to 23.4 points of damage, exactly twice his magic power attribute multiplied by 130% thanks to his [Ice Physique].

Frederick continued to unleash knight killing techniques but quickly understood that his efforts were in vain: "I will unleash my trump card, then"

Arthur became serious, since [Heavy Vertical Strike] also happened to be his signature skill. It had been created by a Grand Knight after all. The Landragon Household was 324-years-old, and it had been founded by a hero, a Grand Knight who had fought the kingdom's enemy with bravery, courage and overwhelming strength. He was not very fast, nor stubborn. However, the Landragon Household Founder was quite famous as a man with overwhelming strength. Legends said that he had once killed a human magus, breaking through his defensive spells with a single knight killing strike in an ambush.

This was textbook history which all noble heirs knew. It was a source of pride for anyone carrying the Landragon surname.

Just as Frederick moved forward to crush Arthur's spell, he was surprised to see his own son chant once more. Frederick didn't hesitate and unleashed his strongest technique. Stomping the ground, screaming to unleash his full power, Frederick's sword was about to strike the ice shield when suddenly, Frederick found himself unable to use his arms.

Fearful, he tried to retreat, but found his legs and arms to be numb and unresponsive.

He was a proud knight, with nine points of strength, yet he had been unknowingly trapped into a block of ice.

[Frozen Seal]

This was one of the four spells Arthur had learnt during his trip. With his understanding of magic and ice element, learning low-grade spells had become a very quick process. He had spent a small amount of EXP to fasten the process too, since it wasn't a large amount to begin with.

Unfortunately, the spell could only imprison individuals with less strength than he had magical power. In a matter of seconds, the ice was breached under Frederick's extreme stubborness. Still, his whole body was numb, and he could not move normally. He was slow, his breathing erratic, and his eyes in complete disbelief.

[Name - Frederick Landragon | Class - Level 12 [Intermediate] Knight

HP - 72 / 90 |

Attributes:

Strength – 9 | Agility – 3 | Vitality – 9 | Magic Power - 1

Status - Frozen Ailment [Physical Stats decreased by 40%]

Skills - Intermediate Swordsmanship (64), Horsemanship (45), Spear Mastery (40), Strategy (30), Leadership (25), Etiquette (20),...]

Knight Skills - Heavy Vertical Strike (34)

Enchanted Item - Landragon Heirloom Sword [Heavyness Rune]]

"I guess one minute passed", Arthur spoke

John couldn't believe what he was seeing.

His whole life, he had been told that acolytes were inferior to knights. His library was filled with books telling the tales of Grand Knights Killing magi, knights slaying acolytes.

Yet, his own brother, ten years younger than him, had bested their father, an intermediate-rank acolyte recognized by the King himself. The Guardian of the South, which instituted fear in countless knight-level bandits and knight Households, which kept the Southern Dalian Kingdom in check...had been bested by a boy, his brother no less, who was not even an adult.

Frederick smiled. Tears were flowing down, tears of joy, that is.

"I didn't have any chance to defeat you to begin with, did I?", he spoke with excitement and slight fear at the terrifying experience of being frozen alive he had just gone through

Arthur smiled: "Well, let's say that the reason why Dorian invested so much resource into me is partly due to my talent to kill"

Frederick stayed silent for a moment, before saying: "Fine. I will then follow my sons' suggestion. We will follow your plan thoroughly. We won't fully commit to the incoming war opposing the Elderwood County and the Lark Barony. Instead, we will change our suppliers of salt and rid ourselves of Baron Lark's leverage against us. How do you suggest we take advantage of this situation?"

Arthur asked his father: "You wanted me to become the [Landragon Head Wizard], right? I will accept this position, but you have to give me full access to magical resources you have accumulated over the years. There is no way a knight like you, who has encountered acolytes before, would sell magical materials which can't be bought with gold coins alone"

Frederick nodded: "I do have a small collection of goods we have confiscated...What do you want to do with them?"

Arthur smiled: "I am an acolyte. I will see what I can refine with those magical resources. Anything I refine will be sold to Baron Lark, who knows the true value of the items I will make. We will make a fortune out of Baron Lark's predicament, while our support will weaken the Elderwood Faction. The Count Elderwood will then require our help, and spend tens of thousands of gold coins so that we lend our forces to him. Debts will accumulate, and we will be able to earn the [Starlight Ore Mines] or part of it by the time the war ends"

John shook his head: "Father is the Count's vassal. When our lord is commanding us to come and fight, we can't ask for monetary rewards"

Arthur smiled: "Which is why Father will not participate in this war. Without him, no one can use the [Landragon Legion], the elite heavy-infantry of our castle. You and I are different. We swore no oath. We are thus not bind by these laws. We can ask for monetary rewards"

Frederick smiled: "The Count won't be satisfied with 50 horsemen. I don't mean any direspect, son, but it's not a unit that can change the tides of the battle. This is why I will lend you 150 more men, infantry, archers, horsemen to give you more weight. The both of you will fight under the Count's command and accumulate achievement, while minimizing losses"

John nodded, and shook Arthur's hands: "I didn't respect you until now...And I apologize for that. As the [Landragon Head Wizard], your status are equal to that of Father, and I will follow your orders"

Arthur smiled. John probably was reassured by his decision not to pursue the title of [Lord]. However, even if John inherited the household, he wouldn't be superior to Arthur. No one was more loyal to the Landragon Household than John himself. He would commit atrocities, if it meant making the territory stronger.

This was a nice turn of event