In the resplendent grand hall of Moonlight Castle, three distinguished guests arrived at Jesus’s invitation.

Two of the three were tall, imposing Knights clad in black armor.

They were stern and unsmiling, their expressions frigid. The two-meter-long greatswords on their backs perpetually radiated a dangerous aura.

The third, however, was a different sort entirely.

His skin was pale as snow, his tall, slender frame completely enveloped in a black mage’s robe. Framed by his long red hair, he gave off a distinctly demonic air.

"Please wait a moment. The Count will be here shortly."

Idrisa, who was in charge of their reception, arranged for servants to wait on them and sent word to the Count of Moonlight Valley.

The demonic-looking man glanced around, the corners of his mouth twitching upward. "The Meteor Knight from last time was named Ramsay, wasn’t he? I don’t seem to sense his presence here."

A chill went down Idrisa’s spine. For some reason, he was deeply reluctant to interact with these three; they always gave him an eerie, indescribable feeling.

"Ramsay is not in Moonlight Castle."

The news of Ramsay’s possible death had not yet been made public, so naturally, Idrisa wouldn’t mention it to outsiders.

Jesus entered the hall shortly after. Idrisa bowed, then led all the servants out.

"Gentlemen. It’s been some time. How are you finding Moonlight Forest?"

The demonic-looking man, who had been sitting, rose to his feet with a wickedly charming smile. 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

"Your domain is truly beautiful, my lord. Black Wound, Madman, and I were so captivated we couldn’t tear ourselves away. Had you not sent for us, we might have lingered there for quite some time."

Jesus took a seat. After a few pleasantries, he got straight to the point.

"I’ll agree to work with you."

He paused. "But I have one extra condition: you must prioritize my safety."

The demonic-looking man’s interest was piqued. He read between the lines. ’Could something have happened in Moonlight Valley? Is Jesus’s life in danger?’

Connecting this to the absent Meteor Knight, he had reason to suspect something had happened to Ramsay.

However, he didn’t press the issue. Instead, he offered a sincere and friendly smile, bowing elegantly.

"I, Mephisto, on behalf of Lord Flame Wings, officially welcome you to Holy Storm! From this day forward, you are our agent in the Oduin Kingdom. As our ally, your safety is naturally under our protection!"

Jesus had long heard of Holy Storm, a powerful organization that had risen in the Tricia Kingdom.

It was rumored that this organization had planned and executed several recent major uprisings in the Tricia Kingdom, seizing a swath of land for themselves, much like the Polante Thief Gang had done.

The difference, however, was that while the Polante Thief Gang was annihilated, Holy Storm had not only survived but had even been granted legitimacy by the Tricia Kingdom.

The reason for this, according to Mephisto, was that the leader of Holy Storm, Lord Flame Wings, possessed the Power of a Silver Moon Level Peak, and when they unleashed their full might, they could even rival a Proud Sun Knight!

Jesus was inclined to believe this claim, but he remained skeptical about the true extent of Flame Wings’s power.

’A Proud Sun Knight... how many years has it been since anyone has seen one? Who would dare claim to be on par with the Proud Sun Level?’

Still, he had to admit that the three men before him were incredibly powerful.

The trio’s leader, Mephisto, was a rare Great Mage. Of the other two, the darker-skinned Black Wound was a Meteor Knight, while Madman was a Golden Knight.

A trio of their caliber would attract unwanted attention wherever they went.

Under normal circumstances, Jesus would have been more than happy to have such powerful experts approach him for a partnership.

But this Holy Storm Organization’s goal was anything but simple. They sought to emulate the legendary Emperor Orland, end the stalemate between the two Kingdoms, and establish a new Empire—the Holy Storm Empire.

Although Jesus inwardly scoffed that they were dreaming a little too big, he also saw an opportunity.

’He had always felt he was meant for more than being a mere Count. He deserved greater power, higher status, and a vast domain.’

To this end, he had long coveted Wushan Territory.

But under the current order of the Kingdom, he couldn’t make any overt moves.

The purpose of these three from the Holy Storm Organization in coming to the Oduin Kingdom was precisely to muddy the waters and create chaos.

With the established order in disarray, Jesus would have far fewer reservations about seizing Wushan Territory.

Furthermore, they had promised him that once the Empire was established, Jesus, as its agent, would be made a Grand Duke of the Holy Storm Empire.

Whether or not he became a Grand Duke was a distant concern; Jesus couldn’t afford to think that far ahead.

What mattered to him was the opportunity that bringing in Holy Storm would create.

But doing so would be tantamount to betraying Oduin, which was why he had been hesitating for so long.

It wasn’t until yesterday, after he began to suspect that Ramsay and Angus were dead, that Jesus felt his own life was in danger and finally made his decision.

Being branded a traitor to Oduin was a problem for another day. His priority now was to ensure his own survival, to make it through this alive and unscathed.

Next, the two parties finalized the terms of their cooperation.

First, Jesus would provide Mephisto with a town and assign a population of at least thirty thousand to serve as Holy Storm’s base of operations in the Oduin Kingdom.

Second, Jesus was to place a Knight Order under Black Wound’s command to guard this new base.

In return, Mephisto would have Black Wound remain at Jesus’s side to guarantee his safety. He would also, to a certain extent, obey Jesus’s orders and resolve certain problems for him.

"If you want to create chaos, I want you to make Wushan Territory your first target."

Jesus said coldly.

Holy Storm’s primary purpose here was to sow chaos and create opportunities.

That being the case, what better target than Wushan Territory, which was just beginning to recover from its period of weakness?

Jesus could use this as an opportunity to avenge Ramsay and Angus, vent his own frustrations, and create an opening for a northward expansion.

"My Lord Count, I’ll need you to provide us with detailed intelligence on Wushan Territory."

Jesus answered without hesitation. "Not a problem!"

He then relayed all the intelligence he had on Wushan Territory, even including the probable murders of Ramsay and Angus.

"Wushan Territory is indeed an excellent target, but a direct assassination would not be the best approach."

A sharp glint flickered in Mephisto’s eyes. "What we need is greater chaos. We need to get more people involved."

"Oh?"

Jesus’s heart skipped a beat. This slender man was dangerous, yet he found himself feeling a flicker of anticipation.

"What do you have in mind?"

"First, we must strengthen our own side."

Mephisto smiled mysteriously. "Tell me, my Lord Count, do you have any desire to become stronger?"

Jesus frowned. ’One moment he’s talking about getting more people involved, and the next he’s asking if I want to become stronger. What’s the connection?’

Though confused, he still replied, "Every Knight wishes to become stronger. I am no exception."

Mephisto made a gesture, and a black orb materialized in his palm.

"I have a way to make you a Golden Knight in a single day. I wonder, would you like to give it a try?"

Jesus’s eyes widened. "What do you mean?"

"Exactly what I said."

Mephisto shrugged, and the black orb in his palm pulsed with a dark light.

He shot a meaningful glance at the two Knights beside him, Black Wound and Madman.

WHOOSH! WHOOSH!

The two moved in unison, seizing Jesus from both sides before he could even react.

At the same time, Mephisto raised a hand and cast a barrier, sealing all sound within the room.

"What are you doing?!"

Jesus roared, his voice a mixture of terror and fury.

He knew how strong they were, but this made no sense. ’We have a mutually beneficial partnership! There’s no advantage for them in turning on me!’

"With Ramsay by your side, we wouldn’t have dared to be so brazen. But now that he’s gone, the terms of our cooperation will have to change."

As he spoke, the black orb in his hand began to radiate an intense, inky light.

"Relax. It is an honor for you to join us."

Mephisto’s voice was deceptively soothing. "We’re not going to hurt you."