Chapter 436: An Acquaintance in the Black Phoenix Dynasty

Charlot Mecklenburg opened his eyes, and countless feathers sprouted from his body. Wings grew from his back, his frame shrank slightly, and his deep, luminous eyes seemed to pierce the darkness.

This was the form of a Silver Falconman!

Charlot could feel the bloodfire combat energy within him transforming once again.

When orcs transform into humans, their internal powers are sealed. Conversely, when humans transform into orcs, their internal powers are also sealed. However, when an orc shifts into another orc tribe’s form, the bloodfire combat energy is not sealed but instead adopts the attributes of the new tribe.

When Charlot transformed into a warrior of the Redback Bear Tribe, he gained the special ability known as Bear Strength.

When he became a Silverback Gorilla, he awakened the ability of Titanium Body.

Now, as a Silver Falconman, the ability that emerged was Eagle Eye.

The Red Viper, Charlot's extraordinary weapon, could provide eight different attributes: enhanced speed (sevenfold Swiftstep Techniques), Life Devour, ultra-long-range precision, Folded Void, Eagle Eye, Bear Strength, Adrenaline, and Sleeplessness. Among these, Eagle Eye was an auxiliary ability, invaluable to transcendent individuals who excelled in ranged attacks—whether archery, throwing knives, or spear tossing.

Although Charlot often used Eagle Eye, he did not inherently possess this ability; he relied entirely on his extraordinary weapon to provide it.

Charlot had recently chosen the third form of Beast God Transformation because he feared that while flying with the Blood Rhinoceros, a lack of blood energy or an unexpected situation might cause him to fall from the sky. This transformation served as a contingency plan.

Silver Falconmen were naturally gifted fliers and born hunters.

Feeling the surging mysteries within the bloodfire combat energy, Charlot mused on its vast potential. Human cultivation systems varied widely. Some drew from the nine Orthodox Gods, others from the philosophies of great human sages, while still others from foreign gods or obscure origins. These cultivation methods often produced energies that were mutually incompatible. Knights could not wield magic, mages were ill-suited for melee combat, and some transcendent paths—like dreamwalkers and extreme aerialists—were unsuitable for combat altogether.

For Charlot, when he took on an orc form, he could not utilize Blood Glory, and when the Leopardman Tumisan took on a human form, he had to practice human-specific secret techniques separately.

However, orc bloodfire combat energy had a singular origin: the Dragon God. All orc tribes shared this source, but the results of their cultivation differed greatly. The Lionmen and Bearmen possessed entirely distinct bloodfire combat energies, as did the Leopardmen and Elephantmen. Even within the same species, abilities varied by tribe. Redback Bears were prone to awakening Bear Strength, while Grindstone Bears often gained Iron Skin.

After briefly experiencing the sensations of being a Silver Falconman, Charlot returned to his human form. For him, Beast God Transformation was a useful skill but not one requiring excessive effort.

Having just practiced the transformation, Charlot felt a mild mental agitation due to the berserk attributes of the bloodfire combat energy. Unable to sleep, he stood before a map.

He stared at Sesath for a long time, then clapped his hands together and muttered, “I’ve decided—Sesath will be our next conquest.”

However, reaching Sesath from Charlot's current territory required passing through four noble domains. These were no minor fiefs; the region included two countships, one viscounty, and one barony.

Their knightly orders were already on high alert and had formed a coalition army. Although Charlot was confident of victory, it would undoubtedly come at a cost.

Charlot disliked unnecessary losses. “How can I divide these four nobles and break their coalition?” he wondered aloud.

“I may know countless stratagems in theory, but when it comes to execution, flaws are inevitable.”

Charlot was deep in thought, attempting to draft a battle plan.

As he knew all too well, he was no military strategist—not even an armchair general. When leading troops, his strategy emphasized caution, favoring fights where he held overwhelming advantages.

For example, when facing Chloe Hadrian, he had chosen to have several Saint-ranked individuals gang up on her…

At the time, Chloe had berated him: “Charlot, what’s the point of this? You ambushed me with multiple Saints—how can anyone respect a victory like that?”

Charlot had dodged the question, offering no direct reply.

If Charlot himself had faced Chloe in open combat and captured her before both armies, he would be hailed as a hero.

If he had delegated the task to his subordinates, it could still count as leadership.

But organizing a group of Saints to overwhelm a single ordinary transcendent? Even Chloe herself found it absurd.

She had confronted Charlot more than once afterward: “What were you thinking, pitting so many Saints against me?”

Such incidents highlighted Charlot’s combat philosophy: he valued his subordinates’ lives deeply. He was willing to pay a higher “price” to minimize casualties, which explained his ability to consistently expand his forces and maintain high morale among his troops.

However, Charlot was aware of the limitations of this approach, such as increased logistical pressure and missed opportunities. Nonetheless, he persisted in this strategy, prioritizing lives over expedience.

Suddenly, someone reported to him: “Count Mecklenburg, a visitor claiming to be an old acquaintance has arrived.”

Charlot thought to himself, “I have no acquaintances in the Black Phoenix Dynasty.”

He hurriedly summoned the old housekeeper and prepared to meet this mysterious guest.

To Charlot’s astonishment, the visitor was indeed an old acquaintance: Andreas, the youngest Saint-ranked individual of the Black Phoenix Dynasty and son of Viscount Constantine, the dynasty’s strongest warrior.

Andreas no longer exuded the youthful confidence of their first meeting. Instead, his face was weary, and his demeanor subdued. He greeted Charlot with a faint nod, devoid of any fighting spirit.

Charlot quickly offered Andreas hot floral tea and a bowl of steaming noodles.

Noodles were not a common dish in Fars. Sometimes, when Charlot missed his homeland, he indulged in this small “invention.” Although noodles were simple to make, this preparation method had not yet been introduced to the Old Continent.

Charlot, anticipating that Andreas might struggle with chopsticks, thoughtfully provided a fork to spare him embarrassment.

Andreas accepted the food without ceremony. After a few bites, though visibly downcast, he showed a glimmer of appreciation. “Have you heard about what happened between my father and the Count of Bretagne?” he asked.

Charlot smiled slightly. “You mean His Majesty, the King of Bretagne.”

“I never thought I’d see the day when we’d fight side by side,” Charlot added.

Andreas scoffed, twirling the noodles around his fork and eating in large bites. Yet, tears began to fall from his handsome face, dropping into the bowl and adding a bitter taste to his meal.

Charlot understood Andreas’s emotions but had no comforting words to offer. He dared not try.

This was the harsh reality once described by a Western politician: “Between nations, there are no friendships—only interests.”

Those who believed in friendship and promises had long perished or were on the brink of extinction.

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