Chapter 341 – Strong Force

Although Punk and Ben Lajie’s travel speed was very slow, this “slowness” was only relative to the dozens of times supersonic speeds typical of Master-Level powerhouses. In reality, the small mana rays could still achieve speeds comparable to sports cars on Earth. Therefore, before Mila and Chikasa had fully risen above the horizon, Punk and Ben Lajie had already arrived at the City of Enchanting Maple Flowers.

As a royal capital, the City of Enchanting Maple Flowers was exceptionally grand. Its seventy-meter-high walls made the entire city resemble a massive iron barrel. This design, capable of defending against large magical creatures, not only represented sturdiness and awe but also symbolized the pinnacle of architectural craftsmanship in a Kingdom.

The enormous walls were entirely constructed from high-quality red-fused bricks, with low-level but numerous magical inscriptions carved across their surfaces. Under the morning light, the energy within these inscriptions shimmered with sparkling brilliance, adorning the red bricks with a lavish yet dignified elegance.

Ben Lajie was right—the Maple Leaf Kingdom of the past must have been extraordinarily prosperous. Apart from lacking a Legendary powerhouse as a Kingdom Protector, the Kingdom’s national strength, territorial expanse, and economic level likely surpassed those of an ordinary Imperial Kingdom.

But unfortunately… that was only a long time ago.

Approaching the towering city gates of the Maple Leaf Kingdom, Punk and Ben Lajie dismounted from their mana rays and chose to proceed on foot. This was not merely an act of courtesy but also to ensure they could react swiftly to any unforeseen circumstances.

In fact, Punk’s vigilance extended beyond this. As they neared the City of Enchanting Maple Flowers, he had even prepared Dual Casting and two fully constructed spell models. Should any danger arise, Punk could react instantly and counterattack.

Punk’s caution was not without reason, for at the desolate city gate on this quiet morning, he had already spotted a handsome man on horseback from afar—Joni Zordas!

Sensing the aura of a Master-Level powerhouse in the royal capital of the Maple Leaf Kingdom, who else could it be but Joni Zordas himself?

Perhaps to convey an attitude of dominance, Joni’s “welcoming ceremony” did not commence when Punk entered the territory of the City of Enchanting Maple Flowers. Instead, this Holy Warrior with sharp eyes had arranged a “distinctive” welcoming ceremony right at the city gate.

Six hundred Apprentice-Level Holy Warriors, led by sixty Formal-Level Holy Warriors, were arranged into six perfectly aligned formations. All six formations stood at the city gate, three on each side, leaving a long passageway in the middle. Joni Zordas himself stood at the center of this passage, watching the two figures approaching from a distance.

Undoubtedly, this elite force composed entirely of professionals was the Holy Warrior army of the Zordas Family. Moreover, it appeared the Zordas Family possessed considerable capability in military development. These professional soldiers were entirely different from the “armies” formed by ordinary adventurers, exhibiting unparalleled discipline.The faint morning light reflected sharply off the golden armor, each soldier standing like a statue in the chilly wind. Even as morning dew blew against their faces, not a single expression changed. These warriors appeared as meticulous as robots, their mere presence at the city gates exuding an indomitable aura of resilience!

“Tsk, tsk, tsk. Even after centuries apart, the Holy Warrior army of the Zordas Family remains as awe-inspiring as ever.”

Witnessing Joni’s “welcoming ceremony,” Ben Lajie conveyed his admiration to Punk through mental transmission, visibly moved.

“Shut up! You’d better act like a reclusive master now, not some bumpkin gaping at the world like a fool!”

Punk’s reply was both sarcastic and resigned. Look at Joni’s comrades—though their strength might be lacking, their presence was formidable, clearly a steadfast army ready for battle!

Then he glanced at the chubby old man Ben Lajie beside him… Still grinning without a hint of seriousness at such a time. With this guy around, they were already at a disadvantage in presence alone when facing Joni and his Holy Warriors.

“Fine, no presence it is. One playing the tough role and the other the mild one could still be a negotiation tactic. In a way, Ben Lajie’s foolishness might highlight my dominance… right…”

Having long abandoned any expectations of Ben Lajie, Punk sighed inwardly and resignedly fixed his sharp gaze on Joni Zordas alone.

By now, Punk had reached the periphery of the Holy Warrior formation. Under the “flanking welcome” of both armies, he unabashedly stared at the silent Joni.

As a Master-Level powerhouse, Joni, merely over seven hundred years old, was still considered young. Compared to the weathered (or foolish) aura of an “old man” like Ben Lajie, Joni radiated sheer dominance and sharpness.

He had only one arm, the left sleeve hanging empty, yet this man was like an unsheathed sword. His piercing eyes held no killing intent but were unbearably sharp, as if he might strike with a blade at any moment—utterly dangerous.

As a level-seventeen Master-Level Holy Warrior, Joni, mounted on his horse, wore only low-grade armor enchanted with Apprentice-Level spells. The gilded edges seemed hastily crafted, confirming that his financial ruin was no exaggeration… Yet, despite this, the stern Holy Warrior remained imposing. From the moment he laid eyes on Punk and Ben Lajie, he showed no intention of dismounting or greeting them, his gaze even carrying a hint of the disdain often held by holy devotees toward spellcasters.

Seeing Joni’s attitude, Punk knew this guy had likely already learned about his and Ben Lajie’s investigation in the Dragon Roar Kingdom—unsurprising, as Truth’s Thought must have informed Joni when they accepted the “dragon-slaying” mission. However, the two Master-Level powerhouses had only now arrived in the Maple Leaf Kingdom. Calculating the time, it wasn’t hard to deduce they’d already conducted inquiries in the Dragon Roar Kingdom.From this, Jiaoni must have realized his lie had fallen through. Now, instead of showing any sign of apology, he displayed a domineering side, clearly trying to convey to Punk: “The righteous me has deceived you despicable mages—what are you going to do about it?”

…………Truly domineering, truly manly.

Perhaps Jiaoni also knew that after pulling off such a deceitful act, apologies and goodwill were meaningless. So he simply revealed a resolute and forceful side, attempting to use this “strength”—which Punk saw as nothing more than a bluff—to let the deception fade away unresolved.

Joni Zordas’ battle-hardened aura was indeed intimidating. If he were facing only a newly promoted level fifteen mage or a “soft target” like Ben Lajie, this irreparable deception might have indeed been brushed aside—after all, with a formidable enemy at hand, internal strife would be nothing short of suicide.

However, Punk was not one to back down. When dealing with such an unyielding and socially inept individual, he would only respond with even greater force—what’s so hard about trading insults? Bring it on, let’s hurt each other!

(End of Chapter)