Lord: I can see loyalty.

The atmosphere at Frido Tower was so oppressive it was suffocating.

Vio turned his gaze from the window and swept it over the people inside the room.

The knight captains lowered their heads, their faces filled with shame and self-reproach. Cohen leaned against the wall, his brows furrowed.

Jimmy and Gina stood beside him, saying nothing.

"Captains, you may go down now," Vio said calmly. "Strengthen port defenses, take turns guarding the watchtowers, and everyone be ready for combat at any time tonight."

"Yes!" The knight captains were overjoyed, bowed, and hurriedly left.

The door closed, leaving only Vio, Jimmy, Gina, Cohen, and Vincent in the corner.

Vio stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the enemy troops who were setting up camp in the distance. The afterglow of the setting sun shone on the beach, turning the warships and tents into a blood red.

"What do you think?" he asked.

Jimmy was the first to speak: "Sir, if you ask me, it's not that we can't win. The militia and knights combined can easily defeat those Northern Continent warriors. Derek's small force is simply not enough."

He paused, his tone becoming serious: "But the problem is... the price is too high."

Vio did not speak.

Jimmy continued, "Those warriors from the Northern Continent are all insane. Even if our men win against them, they will suffer heavy casualties. What's more, Derek's men are also watching us like hawks."

"Not only that, there are others." Gina rarely spoke, her voice cold and clear. "Ulysses, Finn, if they attack while we're weakened..."

She didn't finish her sentence, but her meaning was already clear.

Vio nodded; this was exactly what he was worried about.

Of course we can win a fight, but what happens after we win?

The Southern elite will suffer heavy losses, but will the other pirates in the West let this opportunity slip by? That fake knight Ulysses and that old fox Finn will definitely not let this golden opportunity pass them by.

By then, Frido, Marie, and even the southern homeland will become their prey.

Therefore, we cannot delay; we must act swiftly and decisively.

He turned around and looked at Cohen.

"Have you found out the background of those warriors from the Northern Continent?"

Cohen shook his head, his face grim: "The Brotherhood started investigating as soon as the battle began."

"But the time was too short. All we know is that they came from the Northern Continent and their leader's nickname is 'Sea Bear.' We haven't found anything else."

Vio frowned.

The Brotherhood had been operating in the West for some time, yet even they couldn't figure out the background of these outsiders.

"Go investigate further," he said. "Send more people; I need to know more about them."

"Yes." Cohen turned to leave.

"etc!"

The door was suddenly pushed open, and a familiar figure strode in.

It was Axel.

His face still bore the weariness of battle, and his body was stained with blood, but his eyes shone with an astonishing brightness, and his expression was unusually serious.

Just like the expression on his face when he first joined the Southern Territory.

"No need to investigate." He walked up to Vio, knelt on one knee, and said, "My lord, I know that man's background."

Vio's eyes lit up.

"Stand up and speak."

Axel stood up and took a deep breath.

"Arnold the Sea Bear, a madman from the Northern Continent. I met him back when Derek and I were hanging out in the Northern Continent."

He paused, his gaze becoming deep, as if recalling something from long ago.

"The Northern Continent is completely different from our place. It snows for more than half the year, and the land is so barren that even grass can't grow. People who can survive in that place are all tough guys."

"They don't believe in any sun god, they don't believe in any fate, they only believe in one thing... that they can enter Valhalla after they die."

Jimmy couldn't help but ask, "Valhalla? What's that?"

Axel glanced at him and slowly explained, "It's the faith of those madmen in the Northern Continent."

"They believed that those who died in battle would be taken away by the Valkyries and sent to Valhalla, where they would eat meat and drink wine every day, fighting until they died, so..."

"So they're not afraid of death," Vio continued.

"It's not just that they're not afraid," Axel said with a wry smile. "They seek death. The more heroic their death, the greater their chance of entering Valhalla. That's why these madmen fight differently from others."

"Others think about how to live, they think about how to die in a way that is as enjoyable as possible."

Silence filled the room.

Vio's mind flashed back to the images of the Northern Continent warriors he had just seen on the battlefield.

They grinned and charged toward the blades as if it were not death, but a grand celebration.

"And what about the nickname 'Sea Bear'?" he asked.

Axel shook his head: "There are many theories. Some say it's because he looks like a bear, some say it's because he tore apart a field bear with his bare hands, but what I saw with my own eyes is..."

He paused, his voice lowering.

"Fifteen years ago, a small country in the Northern Continent hired us. Our enemies were a group of mountain barbarians who were experts at sneaking in. One night, the barbarians infiltrated our camp and killed more than a dozen of our men."

"Arnold was sleeping by the fire when the barbarian slashed his neck, and guess what? The knife broke."

Jimmy raised his eyebrows slightly, somewhat incredulous.

"Perhaps the knife was dull to begin with... But after he woke up, he took down five armed barbarians from the Northern Continent with his bare hands. The remaining three tried to run away, but he chased after them and sent them all to the Temple of Heroes with a single punch each."

After Axel finished speaking, he looked at Vio.

"My lord, that fellow can hardly be called human anymore; he's a monster."

Vio remained silent for a long time before finally smiling slightly.

That smile startled Axel, and also made Jimmy and Gina exchange bewildered glances.

"A monster that isn't afraid of death?" Vio stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the campsite in the distance where bonfires were being lit.

He turned around and glanced at everyone in the room.

"You may leave now. Strengthen security tonight, but do not launch any attacks."

Jimmy raised his head slightly: "Sir, what are your plans...?"

"I'll deal with him myself then," Vio interrupted him, his tone unusually calm.

"My lord!" Axel said anxiously, "That fellow is not someone to be trifled with! Even you..."

"Of course I know," Vio looked at him. "But as you said, they're seeking death. Sending your warriors to fight them head-on will only put them at a disadvantage."

"I'd like to see if you really want to go to Valhalla."

Outside the window, night was deepening, and in the distant camp, campfires were burning brightly, with the faint sound of the rough laughter of the warriors from the Northern Continent still audible.

Vio withdrew his gaze and looked at the crowd in front of him.

"If they really want to go, I'll tell them that the Earl of the South is willing to give them a ride."