The Devil's Cage

Outside the camp, Perry Kaner together with the Elder who Kieran saw once before was peering angrily at Celty and another unfamiliar middle-aged man.

Both sides refused to give in and even drew out their swords and crossbows at each other.

Kieran easily sensed a grudge from their eyes as they glared at each other.

Regarding the existing grudges between the Viper and the Raven, it was clearly mentioned in "Words of Sect" but it didn’t specifically state what happened between the two.

Still, Kieran could draw a general guess based on pieces of words.

The fight for resources, disciples and most probably the expansion of their forces.

Regardless of what it really was, it was enough for both sects to be hostile against each other.

As Kieran arrived before the four of them, both sides grunted coldly to voice their disdain and eventually placed their attention at Kieran.

"2567, if I have to work with these dirty crows, I won’t do it even if I have to break my vows!" Perry Kaner said in a decisive tone.

"You are not even the Prime Viper and yet you control the whole sect. As expected of the Viper Sect after being eliminated once eh, now all you can do is hide in the drains and act like a loach!" Celty laughed coldly.

"Celty, what rights do you have to judge us, you amateur cook that unworthily occupied a spot among the crows! If you have the mood to joke, why not spend more effort in locating your Crown Raven! Perhaps he might be holding up in some rotten place, waiting for your rescue!"

The Elder beside Perry Kaner refuted back without holding back.

"Pietro, you should be thankful that the Viper Sect was eliminated once before, otherwise how could your last decadent among the eight branches of the Viper Sect rise to power? You should really be thankful to those traitors."

Celty looked at the Elder with a smile, as though he wasn’t agitated at all. He sounded calm and voiced out his words clearly.

On the other hand, the Elder Pietro seemed to have suffered a stab at his weakness, his face turned sour and his hand even reached out to his sword.

"Wanna have a go at it?"

Celty raised his hand and a cluster of fire burned above his palm.

A fight was about to break out in front of Kieran but he had no intentions to stop it.

He glanced over Celty, Pietro, and landed his attention on the middle-aged man beside Celty slightly before turning it to Perry Kaner.

She did it on purpose! She wanted to pick a fight with the Ravens and hoped that she could lower her contributions from this sudden fight.

Otherwise, based on Kieran’s understanding of her, she wouldn’t have made such a reckless move.

She just suffered a mutiny within her own sect yet she wanted to provoke other outer enemies in times of turmoil, even a common man wouldn’t have done it let alone Perry Kaner who was a smart woman.

But when it was related to benefits...

So she wanted to snatch the spoils of war from a stingy person?

Even if she was a God, Kieran would destroy her without a doubt!

Kieran’s eyes turned cold, he allowed his killing intent to overflow and cover the four of them. He went along with the flow and repositioned his steps, blocking both sides from retreating.

Perry Kaner’s face turned sour. She made mistakes in her plan again before Kieran.

The last mistake she made was displaying her strength and this time, the display of her character.

The session should be about discussing but it turned into a fight when Kieran intervened.

"Even against the Prairies’ army, he wasn’t that eager for the Viper Sect’s help? Or... is his relationship with the Raven Sect is much deeper than I thought?"

Perry Kaner pondered in her mind as she glanced over to Celty and Maxim with the corner of her eyes.

She always had a grasp about her enemy’s information, whether was it Celty or Maxim, none of them should be here.

Unless...

As the thought came into her mind, she raised her hands up, expressing her will to step down.

"I’m willing to offer a better reward for the help you’ve given us. Obviously, the basics and Thousand Viper ranks are inappropriate for now and I couldn’t give you any Myriad Viper ranks skills because of my vows but [Viper Steps] and [Dormant Viper] are available."

Undoubtedly, Perry Kaner altered her initial thoughts.

Kieran was sure that she was going to give up either some basic or Thousand Viper ranks skills.

Their contract didn’t specifically mention the ranks of the skills, Kieran only limited it to the skills he hadn’t learn.

Celty and his comrade turned suspicious after what Perry Kaner said but their face turned following what she said.

"But even the ultimate skills of Myriad Viper ranks, you seem to have quite the attainments as well, which even I couldn’t but be jealous of," Perry Kaner said slowly.

She wanted to provoke the Raven Sect into doubting Kieran.

Kieran knew but he didn’t even react to her provocation.

He too was completely surprised by the Raven Sect’s arrival and couldn’t even get a clear idea on why were they here. It would be best when someone else tested their intentions on his behalf.

Kieran saw how Celty and Maxim’s face turned worried after that, he then reached out his hand without further hesitation and said: "I want [Dormant Viper]."

"Not a problem!"

Perry Kaner didn’t hesitate too and handed a goatskin scroll to Kieran.

It wasn’t a manuscript but a copied version, judging from the edges of the goatskin and wooden stick, it has been around for quite some time.

Surprisingly, the system recognized it as a skill book.

[Discovered skill book, Dormant Viper. Learn? Yes/No]

Kieran glanced over the people in front him and put the skill learning on hold.

"I need you to bring your men forward as promised. The latest would be two days later, and I want them to be here in Lightning Fortress!"

"Of course!"

Perry Kaner agreed. She glanced the Raven Sect members once more before leaving quickly.

The surprising appearance of the Raven Sect forced her to alter her plans but she would still reach the same goal by different paths.

As Perry Kaner left with Pietro, Celty and Maxim walked over to Kieran.

"I thank you again for saving my life... Where’s the Fire Raven?"

Celty bowed politely, he really didn’t look like a person who had an arrow plunged into the back the day before.

"What now? You are still thinking that I am the Crown Raven?" Kieran asked in a raised brow.

Kieran wouldn’t want to get involved in such a misunderstanding because he knew if he would fake it, the ending would be ugly.

"No, no, no!" Celty shook his hand repeatedly and looked anxious, seemingly trying to find a response to Kieran’s words.

"Greetings Lord 2567!"

Maxim beside then stepped up before Celty and said on behalf of him, "All thing happens for a reason. It might be out of coincidence or necessity... before we get a clear picture of things, any judgments are irresponsible words without proof."

"We hoped that you can tell us more and at the same time we will provide you with corresponding rewards. About the Prairie invasion, if it was the problem you looked to solve, then we will make this problem easier to solve! Of course, not in the ways of the Viper Sect!"

Maxim bowed again when he finished.

Kieran squinted when he saw Maxim bow.

Of course, Kieran needed assistance after he chose the hardest way to defend against the Prairies’ soldiers. The defending troops stationed in Lightning Fortress were not something that he could heavily rely on.

If the war goes along with the tide, they might be of some use but once the situation went south, all the defending troops would fall in one strike.

Kieran nodded when he thought about the hopeless troops.

"Follow me."

Kieran then brought the two Raven Sect members into the Warren defending campsite.

...

Meanwhile up north of Lightning Fortress, a squad of scout riders appeared at a farther spot from the Prairies’ main camp.

The riders had a red flying dragon seal on their left chest armor.

The emblem of the Flying Dragon!

...

While laying down on the soft carpet and was surrounded by a couple of beautiful maidens who were feeding him with grapes, the Prairie King opened his eyes suddenly.

A sudden silver radiance shone within the tent and made the maidens all tremble in fear as they knelt down.

"You have finally arrived..." The Prairies King muttered.