Chapter 824: Child of the World

Ronan tears into the blue-haired water demon like a wild beast, ripping pieces from her and devouring them.

Barbarossa's anger vanishes. Puzzled, he asks Henwell, "How did you know he would win?"

"Did you know all along? Were you simply waiting to trap me?"

Henwell shakes his head. "I didn't. I only knew that hatred can drive a person beyond their limits."

"Love can do the same. Unfortunately, the little fellow feels far more gratitude than love toward Peace Haven."

"The people he loved, and the people who loved him, are already dead."

"All I could do was nurture the seed of suspicion in his heart and use hatred to draw out his potential."

Barbarossa remains unconvinced. "Why do I still feel that you're hiding something from me?"

Henwell says, "Whatever else may be true, you lost. Are you going to break your word?"

Barbarossa falls silent for a moment. "No. I can serve you for five hundred years."

"But during that time, you must create a body for me."

Henwell agrees. "Very well. You have made a wise choice."

Barbarossa presses him. "Henwell, if you had lost, would you have kept your promise?"

"Of course! I am not a man who breaks his word."

Henwell pauses. "I would have killed you, though."

"Letting you dissipate freely would still set you free."

"And if you go back on your word, I will erase your will and turn you into an inanimate object."

"The intelligence and knowledge you possess are quite important to me."

"But I have no desire to keep a hidden danger by my side."

"My superior sent you to me as an aide, but I have run out of patience with your antics."

Barbarossa stares at him for a long moment, then bursts into wild laughter. "Hahaha... Henwell! You truly are despicable!"

"As you wish, I will help you continue down the road ahead."

"Now I am beginning to look forward to seeing what sort of future someone like you can create."

Henwell smiles faintly. "Heh... Likewise, Barbarossa. Neither of us is a good person."

"Believe me, I am the best partner you will ever find."

Barbarossa grins. "Henwell, now that we're on the same side, tell me why this boy matters so much to you."

"Don't give me that nonsense about the intelligence in the water demon's mind."

"If you want, I can soul-search the water demons your people have captured right now."

"And you have plenty of other ways to obtain intelligence about divine-abomination creatures."

"There must be something special about this child, something that makes you value him so highly."

Henwell smiles without answering.

He watches Ronan finish devouring the water demon, thoroughly satisfied.

Better still, the Worldlight around the boy has grown denser.

Ronan is important, but he is important to Peace Haven.

What matters most to Henwell is the Power of the World radiating from him.

After all this time, Ronan is the first person other than the kings in whom Henwell has seen the Power of the World.

Henwell wants to know what the Power of the World expects Ronan to accomplish and how a Child of the World grows.

The answer will help him when he eventually contends with the favored children of fate.

Once Ronan finishes digesting the water demon's soul, his mind grows clearer and his fury ebbs.

He forces out a delighted smile, opens his eyes, and prepares to curry favor with Henwell and the others.

Then his expression freezes.

The formation falls away. Snow lands on Ronan's shoulders, and the cold clears his head.

There is not a trace of blood outside the formation.

The members of Akta's squad are standing nearby, waving excitedly at him.

Anzo and the others, who looked murderous moments ago, give him a thumbs-up.

Henwell, who had worn the smile of a schemer, now looks perfectly calm. He gives Ronan a slight nod.

Henwell wipes the blood from beneath his nose, brushes the snow from his clothes, and walks out of the academy.

The hideous evil dragon looks back and grins. "Little one! I misjudged you."

"Very good. This is your reward for fighting so tenaciously."

Barbarossa opens his mouth, and a miniature dragon phantom lands on Ronan's shoulder before sinking into his body.

Henwell leaves with the Lord Iron Guards. The members of Akta's squad start toward Ronan, but Gallagher stops them.

Wiping the blood from his nose and mouth, Gallagher says, "We still need to observe his condition."

"Stay at the academy tonight. You can see him tomorrow."

Ronan finally asks, "What exactly happened here?"

Back at the manor, Anzo and the others mock Dalton. "You have no eye for a situation at all. Couldn't you tell we were acting?"

"You stood there like a fool and nearly gave us away. If our acting hadn't been so good, you would have ruined everything!"

Dalton snorts. "You call that miserable display acting? I saw through it at once!"

Clarke says helplessly, "It doesn't take much to deceive a child."

Dalton immediately agrees. "Exactly! You only deceived a child. What are you so proud of?"

Clarke curls his lip. "Give up your post as captain of the guard and let me take over. You can go command the Recruit Training Camp instead."

Henwell taps the table. "Enough. None of you will remain at my side for what comes next."

"The Lord Iron Guards now number 5,300. Keeping all of you beside me wastes your abilities."

"I will draw out three hundred men to form a combat company and secure the supply route north."

"The remaining five thousand will form five combat battalions. Each battalion will take one thousand reservists selected from the Training Base."

"Dalton, take the First Battalion to the Northern Mountain Front and deal with the Northern Mountain Raiders' high-end combatants."

"Clarke, take the Second Battalion to the Expeditionary Zone and serve as its high-end combat force."

"Pinas, take the Third Battalion to the Southern District and assist the Southern Theater Army Group."

"Strite, take the Fourth Battalion to the Eastern District and gather high-level intelligence for the Eastern Theater Army Group."

"Anzo, take the Fifth Battalion west from the Western District, cross the lands west of Livos territory, and enter Kriye City in Peace Haven's name."

"Kriye City is a tangled place. Elite forces from every faction have gathered there to aid the Western Federation."

"Display the might of our army, but do not let anyone use you."

At last, Henwell looks at Windsor, the only female senior commander in the Lord Iron Guards. "Windsor, you will stay behind and oversee recruitment and screening at the Training Base."

"You will also arrange security for the supply convoys heading north. You are meticulous, so I can entrust these matters to you."

Everyone is taken aback. Dalton speaks first. "My lord, if all of us leave, who will protect you?"

Henwell glares at him. "I'm practically invincible. Why would I still need you to protect me?"

Henwell sighs. "The Lord Iron Guards are Peace Haven's finest warriors."

"You carry the best equipment and receive the best training."

"You should not remain at my side as little more than a ceremonial guard."

"That would be a shameful waste of resources and of your talent."

"In the past, I had too many enemies and could not guarantee everyone's safety. Sending you out would have invited assassination."

"Now the Calamity War is imminent, and I have reached the Glory Rank. It is time for you to show the world what you can do."