Rumblings of Power: An Omen (1)

Not far from the plaza of the Saint Sigurd Cain Estate, Avril, elegant in a sweeping blue gown, stood hand-in-hand with Princess Yuna, who was clad in fiery red battle attire. A dozen or so Versailles Guards attended them.

"What are you standing there for? Go say hello!" Steve gave Francis a nudge, then briskly walked off. "I'm going to prepare the carriages. I'll pick you up shortly!"

Francis could only force a wry smile, steeling himself as he approached the Imperial Capital's two most beautiful young women.

"Esteemed Princess, Miss Avril, greetings!"

"I'm quite well, but Avril hasn't been herself lately!" Princess Yuna scrutinized Francis from head to toe.

After days apart, Francis's demeanor had transformed dramatically. Gone was the sickly frailty of his past; in its place was an exceptional, dashing air. No wonder Avril had fallen for him!

She glanced at the blushing Avril, who seemed utterly at a loss for words, and inwardly sighed. *Oh, my foolish sister, why don't you speak up!* She gave Avril a gentle nudge.

Avril jolted as if waking from a dream, hastily saying, "Francis, h-hello, I…"

"Haha, I've been quite well recently. For breakfast today, I had roasted steak and mushroom soup, and for lunch, well, I plan to eat on the road…" Francis rambled on, utterly beside the point.

Truth be told, within the Imperial Capital, Avril was the one he feared most. While Princess Yuna found him quite intriguing, it was merely that—intrigue. A princess who hosted banquets daily had surely seen countless noble youths; Francis wasn't so arrogant as to believe she'd truly fancy him. But Avril… it seemed she genuinely had. The look in her eyes was clearly more than simple interest!

*Sigh, if I can avoid it, I will!* After rambling for a bit, Francis feigned looking up at the sky, laughing, "Oh my, look at the time! If the two of you have no further instructions, I must be on my way!"

With that, he turned and began to leave.

"Wait!" Avril’s words caught in her throat. Francis, meanwhile, ducked his head and hurried away.

"Next year, I will definitely get into Battle God Academy!" Avril cried out.

*Next year? If it comes to that, I’ll just drop out next year!!*

Francis fled in disarray.

The world of Battle Gods comprised three continents. The Lanning Empire was situated on the northern Aethelgard Continent, and the Battle God Academy was located on a large island five hundred li southeast of Aethelgard. This island was known as 'Battle God Isle'. To reach Battle God Isle, one had to board a ship at Antwerp Port, the largest harbor in the southern Lanning Empire and indeed the entire Aethelgard Continent. Furthermore, ordinary vessels could not approach Battle God Isle; only ships specifically chartered by the Battle God Academy were permitted.

Under the protection of a hundred mercenaries and twenty Saint Sigurd Cain family fighters, thirteen carriages proceeded in an unbroken line along the official road of Livik Province in the Lanning Empire. The rear ten carriages carried over a dozen large chests, filled with disaster relief funds converted into silver coins. The first three carriages were reserved for Francis and his companions.

Inside one of the carriages, Aliza munched on bread, a pouting expression on his face as he said, "Young Master, I miss Uncle Foye!"

"Now, Aliza, be good. Uncle Foye is old and can't travel long distances. We'll go back to see him during the annual holidays!" Francis consoled Aliza as if speaking to a child.

Despite his towering, powerful physique, our Aliza often behaved like a little child, requiring constant coaxing!

Beside them, Steve was utterly engrossed in a restricted-rated picture book. Hearing Aliza, he looked up. "My dear Aliza, you're already fifteen years old! It’s time you started doing some adult things. Come, join your young master in studying this!" He wagged the picture book, its cover emblazoned with large characters: *Selected Ladies of Aoms*.

"My dear brother, are you trying to corrupt Aliza?" Francis glared at Steve. "He's still a child!"

"A child? Can a child tear a grown man to shreds?" Steve stared at Aliza's powerful muscles, a lingering fear in his eyes.

Just days prior, a band of desperate scoundrels had attempted to seize the disaster relief funds. Aliza had erupted in a killing frenzy, brutally tearing a Two-Star Fighter limb from limb. The scene had been bloody, cruel, and utterly sickening!

Francis felt a surge of nausea recalling the incident. Changing the subject, he asked, "We're still over a hundred li from Antwerp Port. How come we haven't seen any signs of the flooding? Has the disaster already ended?"

"Impossible. This flood was caused by an earthquake at the mouth of the Newin River, which blocked the waterway and caused upstream flooding. They say it’ll take half a year to thoroughly clear the riverbed, so it couldn't possibly be over so soon!"

Even as Steve spoke, his eyes remained glued to his picture book. Just then, a family fighter who had been scouting ahead rode his horse to the carriage side, respectfully reporting, "Young Masters, we've encountered bandits ahead, again!"

"Bandits, you say?" Francis chuckled. "Well, what are we waiting for? Just like last time, we split it seventy-thirty!"

The last group of bandits – oh, those poor wretches torn to shreds by our adorable Aliza – had failed to seize any loot. Instead, Francis had turned the tables, 'robbing the robbers' and securing a hefty windfall. Of the more than one hundred gold coins they'd obtained, he kept seventy for himself and gave thirty to the mercenaries, resulting in universal delight!

The fighter hesitated. "Young Master Francis, this time there are too many of them. Please, you and Young Master Steve should take cover, or you might be caught in the crossfire!"

"Oh? Let me see. Do make sure to protect me!" Francis said.

Francis jumped down from the carriage and saw it. Ahead, there were five or six hundred individuals, all wielding sharp blades and clad in hardened armor, arranged in neat formations. This didn't look like a band of bandits at all; it was clearly a military unit!

The Saint Sigurd Cain family fighters and mercenaries had already taken up their positions, and both sides faced each other in a tense standoff.

It was the first time Francis had witnessed such a large-scale confrontation, and he couldn't help but feel a thrill of excitement. "Big brother, come take a look!"

"No need to look," Steve replied, without taking his eyes off his picture book. "There are no true masters among them. Come back in. The guards can handle this outside!"

Francis relaxed. Still, he didn't want to return to the carriage. As the saying went, thieves and robbers were practically family; a pickpocket naturally felt an affinity for highwaymen. In his previous life, Francis had even had a few sworn brothers who were bandits.

He shouted, "Who's in charge up there? This is a Saint Sigurd Cain family convoy, carrying disaster relief funds donated by the Holy Church and endorsed by His Majesty, Bargnar, King of Lanning!"

From the ranks of the 'bandits' stepped a bald, burly man. Clad in only a deerskin loincloth, his upper body bare, he gripped a massive wolf-tooth club. "Haha, who cares who you are? Leave the gold, and I’ll spare your lives. Otherwise…"

BOOM!

He slammed the wolf-tooth club into the ground, instantly carving a foot-deep crater!

"Tsk tsk!" Francis shook his head, sighing. "These brigands… they truly bring shame upon us practitioners of society's shadowy arts! Robbery is already so lacking in technical skill; can't they at least be a little more professional?"

Francis appraised these 'amateurs' with the discerning eye of his past life. He scoffed, "Useless lot!"

"You little bastard, you dare insult me?! Brothers, move—"

Before he could finish, a mighty roar erupted from the carriages. "You bastard! You dare insult my Young Master?! I'll tear you all apart!"

Aliza leaped from the carriage, striding with immense power as he charged toward the bandits.

But just then, a colossal RUMBLE!

It was as if the heavens had shattered and the earth had fractured, reaching from the highest heavens to the deepest earth. A dull, thunderous roar seemed to echo throughout the entire Battle God World.