Imperial Crown.

Chapter 605 A Little Bit of Hardship
The wind howled, and the snowflakes fluttered down.

In the northwest, pure white snow has finally fallen again.

"Ehha"

Ferdinand, like an old dog nearing the end of its life, struggled to its feet and leaned against a wooden post of the broken bridge. This position made it slightly more comfortable and gave it a semblance of dignity.

With that punch, Raven's chronic illness erupted completely. The chill seeped into his limbs and bones, shattering his internal organs. His fighting spirit dimmed and lost its luster, rendering him utterly useless. Medicine and even the gods could not save him. There was no chance of survival.

Watching Raven slowly approach, his long, narrow shadow cast by the faint morning light resembled the approaching Grim Reaper. Unbeknownst to them, the two had been locked in a fierce battle from the dead of night until dawn.

"call--"

Ferdinand let out a long breath.

Only now did Ferdinand fully understand Raven's entire scheme.

Raven kept appearing behind him, even at the cost of an ear! This not only lulled him into a false sense of security about Raven's close-range attacks but also misled him into the trap of believing Raven could only lurk behind him. Even so, Raven still felt it wasn't enough and deliberately threw out the Burning Sun to distract him, ensuring that his punch would be fatal in one strike!
But Ferdinand still had a great deal of confusion in his mind—how exactly did Raven discover his weakness? And when did he discover it?

If we really look at it this way, didn't he already discover and begin planning the deception the moment Raven first appeared behind him?

correct!

That golden light!

Ferdinand remembered. When he found Raven before, Raven's eyes were gleaming with a dazzling, eerie golden light. Had he already noticed that then? Had he held back all this time for this punch? Had he managed to build up so much foreshadowing?

If so, then Ferdinand understands; this must be Raven's secret. It's also the reason he's become so powerful so quickly over the years. Of course, it's also inseparable from Raven's personal effort, luck… and cunning.

"I lost." "It's not unfair at all."

Ferdinand thought to himself. This was also a way of putting an end to the "victory or defeat" of his own life and the impending battle.

The saying "the layman sees the spectacle, the expert sees the details" perfectly describes this situation.

In layman's terms, for the hundreds of thousands of onlookers, all they could see was Raven and Ferdinand fighting desperately and relentlessly... until finally, the despicable Raven used some trickery and delivered a sneak attack that defeated Ferdinand.

Only Ferdinand, one of the parties involved, can truly understand how deep Raven's plan was and how ruthless he was in his madness in order to deliver that punch!
Keep in mind that if his final punch hadn't landed on his own back but instead clashed with Raven's, Raven would have been crippled or killed! The two would have absolutely perished together!

Ferdinand was even confident that if he disregarded the risk of "damaging his origin" and used the Boundary Fang again, the power unleashed by the World-Suppressing Divine Weapon would be enough to kill the exhausted Raven with a single punch.

"It's all a matter of timing and fate."

Ferdinand sighed softly.

Are there any historical examples of a fifth-tier warrior defeating a sixth-tier warrior? Yes! And many. But Ferdinand is different. He was born into a ducal family and is a genius who fought his way up from the vast and complex ducal family system! From birth to the present, he has never lacked a good education, combat experience, high-level enchanted artifacts, or superior battle aura techniques... Compared to Raven, who came from a thug background, he has almost completely crushed all his advantages!
Logically speaking, he should have easily defeated Raven, who was nearly 14 minor realms higher than him.

But isn't that precisely why everyone is in an uproar now?

"Raven!"

With all his might, Ferdinand hoarsely cried out, "Before I die, I have one last request." "I hope you will grant it." He had assumed that Raven, having won this life-or-death duel, would readily grant his last wish. However, all he received was Raven's utter silence.

Only the resolute strides of his approaching figure. Each step seemed to precisely align with the rhythm of Ferdinand's heartbeat. Despite Ferdinand's best efforts to suppress it, the fear that grew within him increased with Raven's approach, surging like a flood breaking through a dam.

"The martial spirits of all direct descendants of the Vandorian family are the 'Annihilation Ark.'" "After I die, I must not be buried in the ground, but rather a ship-shaped coffin must be prepared for me for a sea burial." "I think," "North Sea Lake would be good." Swallowing hard, Ferdinand couldn't care less about anything else and bluntly stated his request.

"Hahaha" "Hahahaha" "Hahahahahahahahahaha"

Raven paused, then suddenly threw his head back and burst into laughter. Yet everyone could hear the sorrow and bitterness in that laughter. There was not a trace of pleasure, not a trace of joy, not a trace of delight… If Ferdinand hadn't repeatedly confirmed his condition, he would have thought Raven was the one who was about to die. The laughter gradually subsided, and a hoarse, mournful chant drifted from the wind and snow: "The skillful labor, the wise worry, the incompetent have no desires, they eat their fill and roam freely, drifting like an unmoored boat…"

"Marshal, do you mean that while you were alive, you held the highest position in the court, wielded immense power, and enjoyed all the riches and beauty of the continent... "and after your death, you still want to be buried in a ship-shaped magic vessel, so that your body and soul can also be free and comfortable?"

Raven emerged from the snowstorm and stood before Ferdinand, asking earnestly.

Ferdinand lowered his head and remained silent.

“You’re right.” “Ferdinand.” “I am indeed a rogue posing as a nobleman.” “I am different from you.” “From everyone.” “But do you know?” “Nobles like you often only see their own interests and ignore the desires of others.” “We” “have never been the same kind of people.”

"rest in peace."

Raven raised his right hand and swung it at Ferdinand again.

"Raven!" "Don't hurt my father!"

Suddenly, a shout rang out from the city wall. The fourth-tier warrior, Akery, leaped down, sword in hand, charging towards Raven! After meticulous deduction and calculation, Akery determined this was the perfect opportunity! It would showcase his bravery, impress Ferdinand, and allow him to take advantage of Raven's weakened state. After all, Raven had lost his ears; it was clear that although he had won this battle with difficulty, he was utterly exhausted.

"Noisy!"

Raven rolled his eyes and coldly shouted. Then, from a distance, he unleashed a palm strike. Indeed, Akery's guess was almost spot on. Raven's current state was truly terrible. But it was still far beyond what a fourth-tier transcendent being could even dream of! His internal battle qi was truly depleted; the Desolate Fall Imprisoning Heaven Palm could no longer possess the overwhelming and terrifying power it once had! The palm formed from his battle qi was only slightly larger than Akery's.

boom

The fourth-tier Akori was stuck to the city wall. He looked exactly like a fly that had been swatted to death on the wall.

However, what happened next terrified those on the city wall! Raven's palm strike not only flattened Akori, but also cracked a hole in the seemingly impregnable city wall! The widest part of the crack was more than a foot wide. Although it didn't cause the wall to collapse like Ferdinand's previous collision with it, the sheer size of the crack was far more visually striking!

Without even looking up, Raven finished off Akori. Without further hesitation, he unleashed a punch that turned Ferdinand, along with his bones, into beads of blood like a string of candied hawthorns.

Boom!

Thunder suddenly roared, and the wind and snow intensified.

The sky, which had almost brightened, was plunged into darkness again in an instant. A series of mournful thunderclaps echoed overhead. Thick bolts of purple lightning, as thick as water vats, flickered and weaved within the clouds, like a monstrous beast baring its fangs and claws, trying to pierce the clouds and descend upon the world.

This is the universal grief of heaven and earth after the fall of a sixth-tier powerhouse.

The same thing happened when Adjani died. That's why Ferdinand and K the Joker discovered Adjani's death so quickly.

"what?"

Raven let out a soft exclamation. He had discovered that among the blood beads that Ferdinand had transformed into, there was a silver-white bead. However, footsteps were already approaching behind him, so Raven didn't have time to investigate further and simply stored all the beads into his blood ring. Then, he reached out and grabbed the spatial ring that Akery had embedded in the wall, handing it to Hu Xia and saying, "After we enter the city, any surrendered soldiers who are willing to stay will be rewarded with 2 gold coins each." "Those who are unwilling?" "One gold coin each as travel expenses." "Master!" "How are your injuries?" Eric asked anxiously.

"No problem."

Raven shook his head and forced a smile: "Just a little bit of hardship."

He then quietly put Ferdinand's ring, the Boundary Wedge Fang, and his own ear into his pocket.

"Fire!" "Fire now!" "Bomb those scumbags down there!" "Bomb Raven to death!" "Avenge the Marshal!"

Suddenly, someone shouted an order from the city wall. It was clearly a fourth-tier transcendent commander.

These stubborn beasts! Ferdinand and Acori have both died, yet instead of surrendering, they dare to put up a last-ditch resistance!

As Raven and Ferdinand fought to the death, the orc army and the Eagle Legion in the wilderness became excited and surged towards them recklessly. They were very close to the city walls. After all, Ferdinand was right next to the Broken Bridge. It was probably because of this that the enemy thought they had seized the opportunity.

There are at least two magic crystal cannons on the city wall. If the enemy fires one of them, there will probably be tens of thousands of casualties!
"Sir!" "Quickly hide!" The timid Hu Xia was already trembling with fear and hurriedly shouted to Lei Wen.

But Raven ignored him, staring intently at the city wall.

"Mumble mumble" "Gurgle mumble"

Before long, a strange roar suddenly resounded above the clouds.

How can I describe this sound?

It's a unique sound produced only by chest resonance! It's a terrifying sound, like the violent friction of gravel against metal! It's a deep, resonant sound that can send shivers down the spines of any creature that hears it!

"I forgot to tell you." "I have more than two dragons."

Raven soared into the sky, looking down indifferently at the people on the city wall, and said coldly.

As Raven finished speaking.

"Roar!" "Roar!" "Roar!"

Above the clouds, three roars, like thunderclaps, echoed in succession! Then, the three dragons swooped down from the clouds, unleashing a torrent of dragon breath upon the city walls!
"Aa ...

For a time, the scene on the city wall was utterly horrific. No words can adequately describe the shock and horror of the sight!

However, Raven remained expressionless, not even blinking. These people deserve to die.

If this scene were accompanied by the theme song "Main Title" from Game of Thrones, the sense of epic scale, grandeur, weight, and historical significance would reach its zenith.

Besides the deceased Zolzann and the yellow dragon Smaug, Raven also possesses the red dragon Drogon, the green dragon Vashion, and the emerald dragon Rhaenyra. Drogon, the eldest, is 110 meters long. Vashion, the third, is over 80 meters long. Rhaenyra, the fourth and only female dragon, is also over 80 meters long.

The deceased Smaug was the second oldest, and his body length was over 90 meters.

Therefore, it is clearly no longer appropriate to call them baby dragons.

Rumble—rumble—

As the three giant dragons spewed their breath back and forth in a crisscrossing motion, the stone walls could no longer hold up, letting out a deafening roar as they collapsed. A large section of the moat, which had already been set ablaze, was immediately extinguished.

"All right."

With Raven's command, Drogon, Vassil, and Rhaenyra ceased their dragon breath attacks, though their gazes remained fixed on the enemy forces within the city with intense hatred. Clearly, these three dragons knew that these were the culprits who had killed their mother and brothers! Drogon and Vassil grabbed a magic crystal cannon and flew off into the distance.

The order not to damage the magic crystal cannon was naturally given to the three of them by Raven in advance.

As the three dragons flew away, a nauseating stench of blood and burnt flesh rose from below. At least 6 to 7 enemy soldiers perished from the dragon's breath. The remaining enemy soldiers either surrendered on the ground or fled or hid when things turned against them.

Before a dragon, even the most ordinary soldiers are cannon fodder. Just a bunch of cold, lifeless numbers.

"I need to go into seclusion immediately." "During this time, you will stay here, clean up the battlefield, gather the defeated troops, sort out supplies, and integrate logistics..." "The surrounding forces of Beihai Province must either join us and pay money and grain to show their loyalty, or be slaughtered directly." "Be careful not to leave any hidden dangers." "Cut off our own escape route."

Raven explained to Hu Xia and Eric.

"Yes," Hu Xia and Eric shouted in unison.

Even after the three-headed dragons slaughtered so many people, Ferdinand still had over 20 soldiers! There were at least another 10 enemy troops remaining within the city. Receiving the surrendered soldiers was a lengthy and complicated task. It would certainly take several months. This wasn't Eivor, where you could just kill them or cut off their thumbs. After receiving them, they would have to be reorganized, dispersed, and reassigned based on the actual situation. It was incredibly troublesome.

"Furthermore," Raven suddenly instructed Hu Xia, "sink the bodies of Zolzahn and Smaug into the Goddess Sea. "On the edge of the Goddess Sea, erect a monument to Ferdinand. After I go into seclusion to heal my injuries, I will lead people to pay homage."

“…,… huh?” Eric was stunned. “Sir, didn’t you just reject Ferdinand?”

"Ugh"

Raven looked at the veteran who had followed him for many years, sighed softly, shook his head, and left without saying a word.

After Raven's figure disappeared into the distance, Hu Xia explained, "Lord Eric, although Ferdinand is dead, the Vanderaria family still exists. "The Marquis still needs to win over the Vanderaria family's support."

“Oh.” “I see.”

Eric suddenly realized. Then, mimicking Raven, he sighed sincerely, "Politics is so complicated." It's nothing like military affairs, which are simple—it's either you die or I live. Even now that he understood, Eric felt he couldn't quite do it. What kind of logic is there in worshipping the enemy? That's just too…hypocritical.

“Let’s go,” Hu Xia said. “We’ll be busy for a while.” Hu Xia understood Eric’s thoughts, and he himself found it hard to accept, but wasn’t this reality? A sense of relief welled up inside Hu Xia… relief that he wasn’t a high-ranking noble. He didn’t need to think about these things all the time like Lord Raven. At the same time, a feeling of disgust also welled up inside him… disgust for this kind of political game where “once you change sides, you change your mind.”

Like Acori, before becoming Duke and achieving his goal, he hated all those who discriminated against illegitimate children and all the rules that did so. But believe it or not, once he inherited the dukedom, his hatred and ruthlessness towards illegitimate children would surpass that of ordinary people. And this is a classic example of—changing positions leads to changing mindsets.

Upon arriving at the castle, Raven found a relatively secure secret room. He ordered Hyena and his men to guard the room, instructing them not to disturb him while he was healing without special permission.

"You...you're not dead?!"

Raven focused his mental energy into the Blood Ring and exclaimed in astonishment.

……

(End of this chapter)