BXBX NOVEL Chapter 190 Secret Base
Leon couldn't help but stretch his tense lips into a subtle smile.
As soon as he heard Eli's voice, the mess in his heart started to settle down and his mind became clear.
"Uhn, I'm fine. We are able to do the operations successfully. But there's just something unexpected that happened along the way. But we are alright." Leon replied with an assuring tone.
"That's good to hear!" He could hear the relief in Eli's tone. "Are you going home then?" He then heard her say with a gentle tone.
Leon felt his heart get pinched upon hearing Eli's question. However, he had to ensure that the captives were secured first before going home. As much as he wanted to say that he would go home, he had to do otherwise.
"I still have to settle the aftermath. Eli everything's fine now, please calm your mind and take some rest." He answered in a coaxing tone.
On the cottage, Eli was still wearing an unwilling expression but it was Kayden who intervened and convinced her.
"Leon's right, Little Sister, you need to get some rest. I'll go standby for Leon's matter." He said, nodding at Eli as a sign of assurance.
"You heard him, Eli, please take a rest." Leon seized Kayden's assistance and immediately followed up.
"... alright… Just keep safe, hopefully you still have time to rest too.." Although Eli could feel that Leon would not have time for rest because of the operations and the homecoming tomorrow, she still hoped that Leon wouldn't neglect his health.
"I'll do my best." He replied.
After the call, Kayden ensured that Eli had already come back to the bedroom with Little Han before contacting Leon.
Initially, Kayden wanted to go to the Blade's hidden base to see the captives and help in the investigation on site. But Leon insisted on setting aside the matter first.
Leon and the Blades still had to ensure the security within the dungeon where they placed Hasta and Igor. They also had to ensure that whoever would visit the dungeon in the future should have their identities protected.
The matter about Igor and Hasta was no longer limited to Kayden, Eli, and Leon. Emperor Valentin, the Grandpas, and even the Temple were all interested in this case. As such, Leon had to take additional precautions in case there would be any mishaps.
The Blade's hidden base was located in an area significantly far from the Crimson Blade's barracks and even the palace. It was located in the boundary of the capital towards the north.
One could say that the northern part of Seirende was the most peaceful and neutral part of the Empire. This was because there were several mysterious forces located there, one of the most well-known was the Silver Dew Elves.
Leon chose to capitalize on the reputation of this place to establish his secret base for the entire network of the Blades.
He chose the deepest part of the Gullfoss Mountain Range, which physically sets the boundary between the northern territory and the capital.
The dense and reclusive Gullfoss Mountain Range became a major danger zone for travelers and merchants wanting to cross between the two territories. It was filled with hidden dangers such as poison haze, deadly quicksand, and countless beasts.
There were only two ways to safely pass through the northern range, first was to use the nearest teleportation arrays to go to the territories.
Another one was to use the official trail linking the capital and the north. This way, there would be sentries strategically placed along the road that would guard against danger and rescue those in need.
Leon used these facts in order to naturally hide his base away from the enemy's radar. No one would risk their lives exploring this mountain range that no one has been able to decipher for thousands of years.
With his team in tow, Leon used the access portal from the Crimson Blade's barracks to immediately teleport to the secret base. Now that Leon was a tycoon in supreme mana stones, they could easily power these teleportation portals!
Immediately, the portal brought them into a mossy cave that has been hidden on the edge of the mountain cliff. A blade used a drop of his blood to activate the mechanism for the hideout entrance.
This was one of the security features Leon installed in his base. Only Leon and the members of the Crimson and Roaming Blades could activate the mechanism.
A magic circle appeared in front of them and suddenly revealed a staircase leading further down. Leon and the others proceeded to thread the hallway which was brightly lit by moonstones.
After some time, the heart of the base was revealed. It was a large open area that was naturally formed by the rock formation of the mountain range.
Leon's team preserved the stalactite and stalagmite formations in the entire area through a powerful seclusion array. This will also ensure the stability of the mountain range.
The less modification in the cave, the safer it would be for them.
In the open area, there were buildings made of brick and stones that could serve the needs of the Blades, it was like a mini-city inside the hideout.
There's a central office, dungeon, library, laboratory and even forge rooms for the creation of the Blade's weapons.
"Let's take the captives to the solitary confinement area." Leon immediately mobilized the team and divided the work amongst the men.
Some came with Leon in securing the two captives, some did the work in keeping each and every confiscated weapon and items safe for further study. Some were even tasked to do the inventory and recording of these items.
Everyone worked efficiently without questioning their assignments.
Leon, on the other hand, had Igor and Hasta completely naked and inspected in case there were also hidden mechanisms on their body.
Not holding back, he openly used his S level optical spells such as the Bypass Spell to scan every nook and cranny of the captives' body.
He didn't want any accidents to happen to them, any attempts for them to contact their comrades nor to suicide must be apprehended. After that, he had his men dress the two in plain clothes.
As they still couldn't start the interrogation, Leon ordered his men to ensure that they would stay unconscious within the next six hours.
Leon calculated the remaining time, he only needed to appear for the homecoming. This was also to ensure that he would not be suspected of the sudden disappearance of the two knights.
If they get lucky, the enemies could only notice their disappearance after two days. But if not, he didn't care because he knew that he had done all the things he could to protect his side's interest.
After ensuring everything had been carried out, gathered the Blades and explained himself to all of them.
"I know you all have been confused by what you all saw earlier." He started to address his subordinate's concerns. With a serious look in his eyes he glanced at the shining eyes of his subordinates and continued.
"As you all have witnessed, I am not only a person with devourer abilities, I can also use caster and summoner magic. To make the long story short, I have inherited my late grandfather's gift, the Open Paths Constitution!"
Although the Blades tried to prepare their minds and hearts for this confession, they couldn't help but feel their throats dry and get agitated upon learning the true abilities of their master.
A Legendary Open Path Mage!!! Living! Alive in front of them!
What's more, it was their very own Leader! Their Master, the Wielder of the Blades!
There's a great sense of reverence and pride swelling up from their hearts!
Sniff!
No one knew who started to create sounds of muffled cries, but once they heard it, the valiant looking men all started to cry.
It was not just simple tears of joy, but a cry of relief and sorrow upon learning the truth.
The Creator knows how much they saw their Master stay low and get ridiculed by almost everyone in the Empire.
They heard them slander his name viciously. They even called him a trash prince.
They called him incompetent and too unvaluable to be even called a prince of the Empire, just because of this low assessment.
They even rejoiced when he was always sent away from the capital as if he was a plague that everybody had to avoid.
Even when he brought countless victories in the Empire, he never experienced the people cheering him nor even thanking him whenever he came home.
The Creator also knows how much they struggled to swallow the heartbreak they witnessed, Crimson and Roaming Blades alike.
They have long wanted to retaliate to these people and show them what kind of person their Master really is.
They felt like it was all unfair.
Unfair that their Master genuinely loves the Empire even though the people don't love him back.
Unfair that he had to sacrifice his childhood, his youth, his very own flesh and blood for the sake of these ungrateful people.
Unfair because he had to go through all this. Going even as far as to hide his abilities to protect himself and the people he deemed as important.
Unfair that even if they already know the truth, they know that they couldn't get out there and shout outside the world, how powerful their master is!