Arnold's Difficult Journey

Chapter 226 Arnold's Difficult Journey

Meanwhile, on the Arnold family's ship, the Grey Sturgeon.

"Is this... Boulder?"

Kyle Arnold, one of the most outstanding members of the Arnold family's younger generation, stood on the bow deck, gazing at the distant island silhouettes faintly visible in the sea mist, and murmured to himself.

His tone carried a complex mix of emotions, a mixture of wariness of the unknown territory and a desperate, almost futile, hope.

Since their failed attempt to establish contact with the Tower of Eternity a few years ago, the Arnold family has faced increasing difficulties in the South Seas.

Geographically, they were closer to the mysterious and powerful dark wizards of the Silent Forest, and were often ostracized and suppressed, causing their family business and influence to shrink.

Just when they were about to abandon their base in the South China Sea and consider moving their entire clan to a more remote sea area, a cataclysmic change that swept through the entire known wizarding world occurred, and the Wizarding World War broke out!

Ultimately, the Shadow Lord, Sik Lane, broke through to the legendary fourth-level wizard and established the vast Eternal Night Dynasty.

What astonished all the smaller factions even more was that the white wizard faction, led by the Eternal Tower, and the black wizard faction, led by the Silent Forest, which were originally hostile to each other, actually submitted and united as subjects of the Eternal Night Dynasty!

Now, the Arnold family, who originally wanted to survive between the two camps and remain neutral, has been completely caught in an awkward and even dangerous situation.

Their previous attempt to align themselves with the White Wizard had earned them a "stain" on the Black Wizard's list, and now that the Black and White Wizards are on the same side, they are caught in the middle, becoming a marginal force that is distrusted and may even be purged under the new dynasty system.

After the establishment of the Eternal Night Dynasty, it vigorously integrated resources from all sides and strengthened its control over peripheral areas such as the Boers Islands.

Although, like Arnold, all the neutral forces in Aikar have submitted to the Eternal Night Dynasty, the survival space for families like the Arnold family, whose history is unclear and whose stance is not firm, is not optimistic.

"Young Master Kyle, we have received news that Lord Mochamo of the Eternal Night Dynasty has issued the highest bounty for the two miners who escaped from Erbin Island."

An old servant of the family approached Kyle and reported in a low voice, his face filled with worry.

"The entire archipelago is in a frenzy; everyone's looking for those two. The bounty is—the qualification to travel to Aikar and a title from the Eternal Night Dynasty."

"Aikar?! A title!?"

Kyle's pupils constricted sharply, and he almost cried out in shock!

As a wizard from the native land of Aikar, he knew better than any native of the Boers Islands what those two words meant when put together!

That was not just a leap in power and status, but a true passport to the core of the Eternal Night Dynasty, an honor that countless wizard families struggling at the bottom of Aikar dreamed of but could not obtain!

He instantly understood the terrifying allure of the bounty and foresaw the madness and chaos that the Boers Islands must have descended into at this moment.

This is no longer a simple manhunt, but a storm of greed ignited by the Eternal Night Dynasty itself, sweeping across the entire borderland!

Seeing Kyle's shocked expression, the old servant nodded heavily, confirming the news's authenticity, and added, "Yes, young master. The entire sea is now like boiling water; countless ships and wizards are frantically searching for those two people."

Our original plan to contact Lord Euler is probably going to be—”

Kyle abruptly raised his hand, interrupting the old servant.

His heart was pounding in his chest, not from fear, but from a crazy idea that struck him like lightning!

The Arnold family is now in an awkward position, unable to find its place in the new order of the Eternal Night Dynasty, like a rootless duckweed.

The reason I came to the Boers Islands is to find the former head of the Boers Islands, Euler!

After all, Euler was an elder who had followed His Majesty Lord Night Lord Sik Lane since his early days!

Submitting humbly can only earn one a meager existence, and it is difficult to gain true recognition and status.

But—what if—what if they could come out on top in this frenzied hunt that has swept across the entire archipelago?

What if the Arnold family could find those two people, or provide crucial clues, to offer this incredibly significant "pledge of allegiance" to Mochamo and the Eternal Night Dynasty?!

Then their previous "stain" of trying to side with the White Wizard will be insignificant!

They will become a family that contributes to the new dynasty!

Not only will they be able to gain a foothold in the Burs Islands, but they may even be able to return to the core of Aicar and obtain titles and honors that they never dared to imagine!

This idea almost made Kyle's blood boil!

Risks? Of course there are!

But now the entire family is standing on the edge of a cliff. Following the rules will only lead to death. Taking a gamble might lead to a brighter future!

He clenched his fist tightly, his nails digging deep into his palm, using the pain to keep himself as calm as possible.

He looked at the old servant and the core members around him, his eyes burning, his voice slightly hoarse with excitement, yet carrying an undeniable determination: "The plan remains unchanged. We still need to find Lord Euler as soon as possible to express our submission; this is the foundation of the family's survival! However..."

He abruptly changed the subject, his eyes gleaming with a hunter's light.

"We must do everything in our power to obtain this 'pledge of allegiance'!"

He no longer focused his gaze on a particular island, but instead surveyed the vast and chaotic sea before him: "Lord Mokamo's bounty has turned the entire Burs Islands into a giant sieve, with everyone frantically searching for it."

Those two miners were no ordinary people. To escape from a place like Erbin Island, they must have had extraordinary abilities or some kind of support that we don't know about.

They could be hiding anywhere—on some unknown islet, on a disguised merchant ship, or even using methods we don't know about to change their appearance! So—"

At this point, Kyle looked conflicted, but in the end, he still spoke.

"Have the family bring out their sacred heirloom!"

Kyle practically gritted his teeth as he said those words, and even he felt a pang of fear as soon as he finished speaking.

The surrounding family members, especially the old servant, had drastic changes in expression, revealing an incredulous look.

"Young Master! No! That sacred artifact—that sacred artifact is the family's last remaining treasure, passed down from our ancestors through countless generations. Now, it only has one last chance to be used! Using it here and now, what if—"

The old servant's voice trembled, stemming from his deep concern for the family's ancestral heritage.

Kyle was well aware of the implications of this.

That sacred heirloom is said to be a treasure left behind by a brilliant ancestor during the family's heyday. It contains mysterious and unpredictable power, capable of revealing a glimmer of hope in dire straits or locking onto elusive targets.

However, its use comes at a great cost and is limited in number; by his generation, it was only for the last time.

Once used, regardless of success or failure, the family will lose this last trump card.

He closed his eyes, his mind flashing rapidly through the ostracism his family had suffered in recent years, the decline of their businesses, the fading luster in the eyes of his clansmen, and the suffocating oppression that followed the establishment of the Eternal Night Dynasty.

Submitting humbly might bring temporary peace, but it will never bring respect or a future.

What the Arnold family needed was an opportunity to rise again, a chance for the entire Eternal Night Dynasty to acknowledge their contributions—he suddenly opened his eyes, all the struggle gone, leaving only a resolute determination: "There's no 'what if'! Old Lent, can't you see the situation now?"

His voice was deep and powerful, carrying an unquestionable authority.

"Aikar has already unified the country, and the situation is set!"

If our Arnold family cannot seize this opportunity to make outstanding contributions and demonstrate irreplaceable value, we will only be able to struggle at the bottom of the new order until we are completely forgotten or swallowed up!

That sacred relic, left in the treasury, is nothing more than an antique that gradually loses its meaning!

He surveyed the crowd, his gaze sharp: "And now, the opportunity is right before us! By finding those two miners, we will offer not only human lives, but something of paramount importance to the Eternal Night Dynasty!"

This achievement is enough to clear our name, restore our status, and even allow us to return to the core of Aikael!

Using this last chance, if it can bring about the revival of the family for a hundred or even a thousand years, is worthwhile!

He took a deep breath and commanded decisively, "Immediately send a top-secret message back to the family, explaining the implications and requesting the elders' council to make a decision. Send the sacred object here as quickly as possible!"

Meanwhile, as planned, we proceeded to Broken Spear Island to pay our respects to Lord Euler, while simultaneously employing all conventional means to investigate that...

The whereabouts of the two miners.

Once the sacred object arrives—we'll give everyone a surprise!

Old Man Rent looked at the almost burning will in Kyle's eyes and knew that further persuasion was useless. Moreover, deep down, he was also shaken by this gambler's spirit.

He nodded heavily: "Yes, young master. This servant will make the arrangements immediately."

The order was swiftly carried out. An encrypted magical message traversed space, flying towards the Arnold family's secret stronghold somewhere in the South China Sea.

Kyle walked alone to the ship's railing, gazing at the mist-shrouded distance, the sea breeze caressing his cheeks, slightly flushed with excitement.

His hands gripped the cold railing tightly.

This is a gamble with everything at stake.

If they win, their family will rise from the ashes; if they lose, they will be doomed.

Meanwhile, in the cave shrouded by ancient power on Black Reef Island, Aji, under Erm's guidance, was attempting to more precisely control the vast, ocean-like power within the bracelet, completely unaware of the upcoming, more precise and dangerous search triggered by a sacred relic.