The Sword Emperor Transmigrates-Chapter 234

The decision to launch an expedition to the southern seas was finalized, and in less than a day, all the necessary procedures were approved—an extraordinary feat given the size of the Cardenas family.

Typically, the larger an organization, the slower the process from decision-making to execution; thus, a matter like dispatching an expeditionary force could take months without raising any eyebrows.

However, the unique authority of the Three Noble Houses—granting them nearly limitless operational freedom—combined with centuries of experience, made such a rapid response possible.

The Order of the Golden Dragon would form the expeditionary force, joined by three knight commanders. At last, they would emerge from their shroud of secrecy.

“Oh, you’ve changed a lot since I saw you,” remarked Demian, the White Dragon Commander, who had not been part of the Spriggan Frontier.

He whistled lightly, congratulating Leonard on his remarkable progress. While Demian had always believed Leonard would ascend to the Demigod Tier eventually, he hadn’t imagined it would happen so soon.

Similarly, becoming the commander of the Order of the Golden Dragon was an equally surprising feat. Among the commanders, the Order of the Golden Dragon had long been regarded as a nuisance—troublesome due to their wayward tendencies and excessive strength. Since the commanders were aware of their nature and origins, they were naturally the most wary.

They were ambitious but misguided, making them difficult to handle with their great strength. If they were sent to the front lines and acted unpredictably, the repercussions would be severe, Demian thought to himself while examining Leonard closely.

Demian had expected Leonard to struggle at least a little with the Golden Dragon Order, but to his relief, Leonard seemed to have everything under control, his composure evident. Given Declan’s discerning nature, he wouldn’t have appointed Leonard as the commander without being confident that he could bear the responsibility.

With a polite nod, Leonard responded, “I look forward to working with you on this mission, Commander Demian.”

A mischievous glint appeared on Demian’s face. “Oh? I heard you spoke casually to Corbin.”

“That was in front of my subordinates, and I don’t have any prior connection with Commander Corbin.”

“Sharp with relationships, are you? At least no one’s going to underestimate you just because you’re young. Well, anyone foolish enough to try playing the senior card with a Demigod Tier knight would’ve already met their end.”

While raw power was an undeniable aspect of a knight commander, true leadership required the deft handling of relationships. Even the Hegemon King, famed for his unparalleled strength and strategic acumen, had fallen due to a lack of human management skills.

Leonard’s talent for leadership was not exceptional by itself, but the wisdom from his past life and nuanced understanding of people compensated for any gaps.

At that moment, a voice cut through the air, “You two seem close.”

Corbin, the Light Dragon Commander, stepped out from the shadow of a pillar, yawning as if he had just woken up.

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Leonard felt slightly embarrassed at the unintended eavesdropping, but Demian showed no such concern. “Were you lurking around and eavesdropping again? No wonder people say the atmosphere in the Light Dragon Order is suffocating.”

At that, Corbin smirked nonchalantly. “Isn’t it natural for a knight order responsible for intelligence to be cautious about every move?”

“There’s being careful, and then there’s overdoing it,” Demian retorted.

“It’s not very convincing coming from someone with your reputation for mischief. I’ll handle it my way,” Corbin replied, still smirking.

It seemed the two were not particularly close, as their conversation soon lapsed into silence. Fortunately, the awkwardness did not last long. The space in front of them began to shimmer, drawing their attention

“They’re here,” Demian spoke first. “Want to bet on how many will come from the Pentagon?”

“For a mission of this scale, there should be at least two,” Leonard replied.

The plan was to conduct simultaneous operations against the Demoniac worshippers in the far east and the Outer God cult in the southern seas. Both were located in regions where the Arcadian Empire’s influence didn’t really reach.

Delaying one operation to focus on the other would only give the remaining faction time to hide or flee, making future operations even more difficult. Once the enemy went into hiding, finding them again would take a long time. Both the Cardenas and Wickeline families had invested considerable effort into this plan.

Right on cue, two mages emerged from the distorted space between the commanders. One was a girl with long black hair riding a broom, and the other, a man whose wide-brimmed hat concealed most of his face.

It was Cruella and Nicholas, ranked third and fifth among the Pentagon of the Wickeline family.

The girl laughed lightly, eyeing the trio. “What’s this? Are you all here to welcome us?” she teased. “We’re not late, are we? I hope you’re not rushing us.”

Corbin stepped forward to greet them. “Of course not. Welcome to Cardenas, Lady Cruella and Sir Nicholas. It’s been a while since your last visit.”

Watching from behind, Demian muttered softly, “Lady Cruella and Librarian Nicholas, huh.”

“Librarian?” Leonard, curious about the unusual title, tilted his head slightly.

Without turning to look at him, Demian offered a brief explanation, “He’s the Grand Magus in charge of the Arcane Society’s library.”

The Mage Tower and the Arcane Society had fundamentally opposing views, yet they shared the belief that knowledge ought to be meticulously archived and safeguarded.

For generations, mages in positions of power guarded their knowledge closely, knowing well that maintaining their edge required relentless learning and the careful hoarding of secrets. As such, the position of librarian carried great weight, even within the Arcane Society, where all members enjoyed access to the vast repository.

“...Wow, definitely a Demigod Tier knight, huh? It feels like just yesterday I saw you in Nastrond. Your growth is truly staggering,” Cruella said, directing a wry smile at Leonard.

“Good to see you again, Lady Cruella,” Leonard replied, unable to suppress a bitter grin. Such reactions were common enough by now.

“Let’s save the reminiscing for after the journey,” Demian interjected. “The window for using the spatial portal is limited, and we can’t afford to miss it.”

He was right. Without wasting time, the two Grand Magi and the three knight commanders stepped outside to join the Order of the Golden Dragon already assembled in front of the spatial portal. While their combined force was formidable, their numbers were not so large as to cause logistical issues.

The thirty-six Golden Dragon Knights stood in perfect formation, heads held high, awaiting Leonard’s command. Even Demian and Corbin, who knew well how those knights used to be, were impressed by how disciplined they had become in just a month. Previously, these knights had been known only for their raw individual strength. The mages, unfamiliar with their past, were equally astonished.

“Wow! They do live up to their reputation as the ultimate weapon of Cardenas,” Cruella remarked, eyes wide with admiration.

“Did they artificially awaken their dragon genes? Incredible,” added Nicholas, scrutinizing the knights with interest.

Each of the thirty-six knights possessed the power to overwhelm a Class 8 Archmage, and not even the secret trump cards of the Wickeline family could compare to them. Demian and Corbin, aware of the knights’ past reputation as troublemakers, exchanged knowing, amused glances.

“An elite force of this scale is truly unparalleled. It would be a disgrace if we struggled against some Outer God cult,” Cruella noted.

“I agree. If the Cardenas family is putting in this much effort, we should also show some sincerity,” added Nicholas, stepping forward.

He moved to activate the spatial portal. As his palm made contact with it, the dormant portal hummed to life, and the runic inscriptions emitted a radiant glow.

As expected of a Class 9 Grand Magus, Nicholas did not stop at channeling mana but also fortified the magical formation, ensuring they could traverse thousands of kilometers in a single leap.

What would normally take over ten minutes to prepare was completed in an instant. The spatial portal’s interior shimmered with multicolored swirls, like bubbles reflecting light.

“Phew, this should suffice,” Nicholas said, wiping the sweat beading on his brow as he stepped back.

Unlike the usual chaotic activation, the spatial portal remained steady, the mana turbulence settled, and the tremors beneath their feet stilled.

After one last check, Cruella nodded approvingly. “Perfect! People of Cardenas, you’re good to go. This portal will take you straight to Atlantis.”

“Thank you. Then, we shall proceed,” Corbin responded, and Leonard, reading the unspoken command in Corbin’s eyes, stepped up.

Contrary to popular belief, the Order of the Golden Dragon did not actually possess more authority than the other orders; Leonard had merely been appointed leader by Declan’s will.

Standing before the portal, Leonard took one last look at the Golden Dragon knights, the other commanders, and the two Grand Magi. He had no need for a flowery speech—just the fire that would set their spirits ablaze.

“Troops...”

Though they were fewer than fifty, their combined power held the potential to unite the continent under one banner. One would even be justified in calling them an army.

Locking eyes with each Golden Dragon knight, Leonard turned away.

“Advance.”

Then, without waiting for a response, he stepped through the shimmering vortex. Just before the peculiar distortion of space overtook his senses, a surge of battle cries erupted behind him, like a dormant volcano finally awakening.

That was the moment when the rusty sword, long forgotten as the family’s disgrace, was finally drawn. Though the Order of the Golden Dragon had long been praised as the strongest within the house, now they would finally get to prove their true worth—not as vessels of Ancestor Cardenas but as warriors writing their own saga.

A small, faint smile touched Leonard’s lips, spurred by that realization.

* * *

The Atlantis Maritime Alliance was a coalition of islands and archipelagos that could hardly be considered a single nation. Its economy and military depended on trade fleets and adventurer teams circulating within its borders. With no set national boundaries or identity, the region had developed without stability, but anyone capable enough could find success there.

The marine resources and monster byproducts from the Second and Third Sea Districts alone were akin to striking gold. The Fourth Sea District, accessible only to Rank B adventurer teams and above, and the Fifth Sea District, where only Rank A and above were permitted, were famed for yielding vast fortunes commensurate with their dangers.

“The rate of expansion in the Sixth Sea District has tripled compared to last month. At this rate, half of the Fifth Sea District will be overrun in less than three months.”

“Can’t we identify the cause?” asked Gordon Haywood, the de facto leader of the Council of Atlantis, scowling as he clenched the armrest.

“It’s difficult. Of the adventurer teams that surveyed the border between the Fifth and Sixth Sea Districts, only one returned, and they refused to set sail again. No one will accept a commission to enter the Sixth Sea District.”

Gordon slammed his fist down and roared, “Why the hell is the sea, calm for centuries, suddenly turning upside down?! Someone must be pulling the strings! Yet we can’t even begin to investigate, let alone find a reason? Are the adventurers of Atlantis really that incompetent?!”

Having dealt with Gordon for years, the other man wisely chose silence, knowing that responding or arguing would only stoke the fire. He waited for the storm to pass.

“Phew... It’s not your fault. I understand,” Gordon finally sighed, gulping down several cups of water as he calmed. Becoming the head of the Council of Atlantis had been a remarkable achievement, but within months, a crisis loomed—one that made the Moby Dick incident seem trivial by comparison.

The expansion of the Sixth Sea District was tantamount to a natural disaster.

Even in their heyday, the Aquamarine team had to risk life and limb every time they ventured there. If conditions have worsened, any expedition would obviously be much more dangerous than before. Even rallying Aquamarine, Zaratan, and Wild Hunt together wouldn’t offer a viable strategy.

Dispatching the full force of the Atlantis Maritime Alliance would only lead to death in the Sixth Sea District. Uniting the disparate groups itself was an enormous task, and even if everything aligned perfectly, they were still woefully short of power. Not even conscripting the Tower Masters from the continent could guarantee victory.

Abandoning Atlantis and fleeing crossed Gordon’s mind, but the thought of everything he had built and accomplished weighed him down.

Just then—

“Councilman! Councilman Haywood!” A secretary burst into his office, breathless and disheveled.

“Di-Distinguished visitors from the Arcadian Empire have arrived!”

Gordon blinked in shock. “What? We had no meetings planned, no word at all. Who has come that warrants such urgency?”

“It’s... well...” The secretary, pale and frantic, managed to stammer out, “Th-They say three knight commanders of the Cardenas family and one knight order, as well as two Grand Magi from the Wickeline family have come...!”

“...What? W-Who and what now?!”

If they had come to conquer Atlantis, this would have been the moment to flee without looking back. The secretary added a few more words, barely holding himself together. If he had spoken any later, Gordon might have actually activated a teleportation magic array to escape.

“Sir Leonard, formerly of Aquamarine, is among them.”

“...That’s what you should have started with, you dumbass! Where are they being received? Never mind, I’ll go to them!”

Gordon bolted from his office, intentionally forgoing any magic and sprinting at full speed. His tie flapped wildly, and his sleeves were unbuttoned, making his sense of urgency clear. However, his seasoned political acumen always shone in the way he handled such situations.

Within seconds, Gordon arrived at the hall where the delegation was being welcomed.