The following morning, Kahn, Vildred, and Oga made their way into Rathna, the grand capital of the Rakos Empire. The sight before them was a testant to the city's magnificence and fortified nature.
Towering walls, rising to 80 ters, surrounded the city, their imposing presence a symbol of the empire's impenetrable defenses. Above, floating security islands hovered, overseeing the air traffic while monitoring the capital for any potential threats.
The airspace was bustling with activity. Massive cargo and transportation ships moved in and out, their hulking forms dwarfing the smaller, private vessels.
Among them were heavily armored warships, stationed to ensure the security of the city's borders. It was clear that Rathna was more than just a city; it was the beating heart of the Rakos Empire, a fortress designed to withstand any incursion.
However, Kahn's group had to exercise caution. The Bran Castle, his mobile fortress, couldn't be brought here. The security chanisms at the capital's borders were too advanced and would imdiately detect an unregistered and unidentified property like the castle, categorizing it as an invader battleship.
To avoid drawing attention, Kahn relied on his mastery of the True Dinsion, a power that allowed him to bypass even the most intricate of barriers.
With unparalleled precision, Kahn, Vildred, and Oga effortlessly maneuvered past the city's formidable defenses. The guards, magical detection arrays, and surveillance systems were none the wiser as the group casually infiltrated the capital.
An hour later, their journey led them to the northern section of Rathna, specifically to the 157th district... better known as the Rukon District.
This area had a unique significance for Kahn. It was a district filled with activity, ho to countless industrial sites and factories, where the hum of machinery and the buzz of laborers filled the air.
Within the True Dinsion, the trio hovered above a particular factory. It was no ordinary site... it was the birthplace of the Bloodborne Blacksmithing Company.
After Albestros moved to the border of Verlassen Fiefdom, establishing a new base of operations near the enigmatic land, the original factory in the Rukon District underwent a significant transformation.
It no longer served as the core of the Bloodborne Blacksmithing Company but instead beca a crucial branch; a distribution hub for the capital.
Finished products from the main headquarters were stored here and then delivered throughout Rathna and beyond, ensuring the company's influence remained strong within the empire's heart.
Despite its importance, the factory had no saint-level protectors stationed there. Yet, this didn't make it vulnerable. Only a fool would dare cause trouble for Albestros, the most celebrated blacksmith in the Rakos Empire.
Even leaders of noble factions, powerful and influential as they were, sought his favor and respected his craftsmanship. To cross him was to invite ruin.
Standing atop the facility and gazing down at its bustling operations, Kahn's expression turned somber and reflective.
"This place made realize that I wasn't just responsible for myself," he said, his tone heavy with the weight of the past.
"I beca responsible for everyone who worked for ... their lives, their livelihoods."
The mories surged back, vivid and unrelenting. In the early days, when Kahn was still building his empire, he had unknowingly walked into a battlefield of political and economic power plays.
His attempt to lower the prices of his products to outmaneuver the competition seed like a smart business strategy. But it wasn't allowed by the Chamber of Comrce, an institution heavily influenced by those in power, who had no tolerance for disruptors like him.
What followed was a brutal retaliation. Those who couldn't beat him in fair competition resorted to hiring an underworld organization known as the Red Right Hand.
Their thods were rciless and indiscriminate, killing over a hundred of Kahn's employees as a warning. The factory beca a blood-stained reminder of how dangerous the ga of power could be.
Kahn clenched his fists as he recalled the aftermath. "I didn't just sit back and watch," he said, his voice steely with resolve.
"I tracked down their base, uncovered every last one of them." His tone turned cold, a stark contrast to the nostalgic warmth monts earlier.
"I destroyed the entire organization... burned them to the ground. And I made sure 90% of those murderers never saw another sunrise."
Vildred and Oga stood silently beside him, neither speaking nor interrupting. They understood this was a deeply personal mont for Kahn, a mont tied to his growth, not just as a leader but as soone who bore the weight of countless lives.
"This factory," Kahn continued, his voice softening, "isn't just a place of business. It's a reminder.
A reminder that the cost of power is steep, and protecting those who depend on you requires strength... not just physical, but the will to do whatever it takes."
HUMM!
HUMM!
It was then that Kahn felt it... a peculiar sensation deep within his chest, as though an invisible string tethered to his heart was gently being pulled, guiding him.
It wasn't painful or overwhelming, but it was undeniable, like a subtle yet persistent beacon calling to him.
"I've felt it ever since we entered the capital," Kahn said, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "Looks like this is a sign of who I'm ant to et first."
Vildred raised an inquisitive brow, but his sharp eyes glimred with understanding. "A connection, you say? Perhaps it's fate... or soone tied to your past."
Oga, ever the silent shadow, gave a slight nod of acknowledgnt and spoke with a smirk.
"It is both."
******************
A few more hours passed and Kahn's group left the capital.
"Where are we going? Do you even know the directions?" asked Vildred, the sage.
"I'm just following my heart." responded Kahn as they paced through the true dinsion and finally reached vast dilapidated city ruins.
BOOM!!
At this mont, a massive shockwave was felt by them but the key difference was that no skirmish was appearing in front of their eyes.
"It's an isolation barrier hiding a battle between saints." spoke the royal dragon.
"Sofna alem fsuriora." chanted Kahn and soon, a previously invisible barrier appeared.
Their trio passed through the barrier, their presence still undetected and unknown by those within.
What the trio then encountered...
Was a battle to death between two 5th-stage saints.
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