Free Web NovelChapter 137: Bait and Switch (1)
"Just you?" Nadia asked, her eyes shifting from Kane’s calloused hands to the massive axe resting against the wall behind his chair.
"You are just going to walk into a swamp and wrestle a lake monster alone?"
"I’m not going to wrestle it, Nadia," Kane smirked, standing up from the table and grabbing his weapon belt.
"I’m going to split its skull, drain the lake, and get back to the palace in time for dinner. Walk with me to the southern gate and show me where your scouts found those tracks."
"I am coming too," Misha stated, setting her porcelain spoon down with a soft clink.
"No, you’re not," Kane replied instantly, not even glancing back.
"I will come anyway," Misha noted, her tone completely serene and utterly unbothered by his refusal.
A ripple of genuine amusement swept across the breakfast table.
Thora let out a loud snort, nearly choking on her roasted meat.
Sarah hid a smile behind her teacup, while Kessa chuckled from the corner, flipping her dagger with practiced ease.
Even Firlia, usually so composed, offered a stifled giggle into her napkin.
Hearing his entire war council laughing at him, Kane stopped strapping his belt.
Turning around, he glared directly at his white-haired oracle.
"I’m not joking, Misha," Kane warned, dropping his voice into that dangerous tone.
Misha simply shrugged her delicate shoulders, her golden rings pulsing lazily.
"I am not either."
’I conquer half a continent, shatter imperial fleets, and terrorize rebel leaders, but I cannot even order my own wife to stay in her room,’ Kane realized, a mixture of annoyance and respect swirling in his chest.
"You cannot track a beast hiding underwater," Misha pointed out, stepping away from the table to stand beside him.
"Water conceals footprints and scent. It dilutes sound. If you wade into a swamp blind, a predator can strike your legs before you even know it is there. I can see its mana trails. I will guide you."
Kane frowned, running a hand over his jaw as he weighed her logic.
’She is correct,’ Kane calculated, his combat instincts taking over.
’Fighting submerged enemies without any kind of sonar or tracking ability is a fool’s gamble. Knowing exactly where that creature lurks gives me the opening strike.’
"Fine," Kane agreed finally, pointing a stern finger at her.
"But you stay with Nadia. Keep far away from the shoreline. If I see you stepping within striking distance of that water, I will throw you over my shoulder and carry you back here myself. Deal?"
"Deal," Misha nodded, already moving toward the doorway.
Turning back to the gathered women, Kane started barking orders to organize the rest of the day.
"Thora, get back to the training yards. Sarah, start firing those useless bureaucrats in the southern ministry. Firlia and Lyssel coordinate the rebel labor force. Do not wait for me to return before making decisions."
Leaving his council to their assigned tasks, Kane walked out to the courtyard, securing a sturdy stallion from the royal stables while Nadia retrieved her own mount.
Misha rode perfectly sidesaddle behind Kane, her arms wrapped gently around his waist as they rode out through the southern gates.
Sunlight baked the southern roads as they left the capital behind.
Rolling fields stretched out on either side, though most were spoiled and barren, waiting for Greta’s new system seeds to take root.
"Has it killed anyone?" Kane asked, keeping his eyes on the horizon while his horse maintained a steady trot.
Nadia’s face turned grim, her grip tightening on her reins.
"We had people missing at first. Two fishermen from my village just never came home. We assumed they drowned until a third boat vanished entirely."
"No remains?"
"None," Nadia confirmed, shivering slightly despite the warm air.
"That is what terrified the locals the most. Even when someone drowns, the river eventually returns them to the banks. This thing leaves nothing behind. It swallows them completely."
’A predator that eats its prey whole,’ Kane analyzed, mentally preparing for a large-scale target.
’That means a wide jaw radius and a lot of internal stomach acid. I need to avoid getting bitten at all costs.’
Two hours of steady riding brought them to the edge of the southern reservoir.
Pulling his stallion to a halt, Kane stared out over the vast expanse of the lake.
Shadowed, ink-like water stretched out for miles, bordered by towering reeds and rotting cypress trees.
No birds chirped in the branches.
No frogs croaked along the muddy banks.
The entire ecosystem felt paralyzed, suffocated by the presence of an apex predator claiming the territory.
Gliding down from the saddle, Kane reached up to help Misha dismount, setting her carefully on the dry, solid ground well away from the slippery banks.
Nadia tied her horse to a distant tree, keeping a wary eye on the still surface.
"This is where we found those webbed tracks yesterday. What is your plan now, Lord Kane?"
Instead of answering immediately, Kane opened his floating interface.
[System Interface: BloodFang Market]
[Current Treasury Balance: 12,000 Gold Coins]
’If Misha and Nadia are going to stand anywhere near a boss fight, they need insurance,’ Kane figured, filtering the glowing shop menu to display consumable buffs.
[Item: Lesser Healing Draught]
[Cost: 50 Gold Coins]
[Effect: Rapidly repairs minor tissue damage and restores stamina.]
[Item: Mana Replenishment Vial]
[Cost: 75 Gold Coins]
[Effect: Recharges depleted magical reserves instantly.]
[Item: Iron-Skin Elixir]
[Cost: 150 Gold Coins]
[Effect: Coats the user’s epidermis in an invisible, temporary shield. Deflects blunt trauma and resists piercing attacks for ten minutes.]
[Item: Swift-Wind Tonic]
[Cost: 100 Gold Coins]
[Effect: Increases movement speed and agility by forty percent.]
[Item: Eagle-Eye Extract]
[Cost: 100 Gold Coins]
[Effect: Enhances visual tracking and extends sight range significantly.]
Selecting the third option without hesitation, Kane purchased two vials.
Small glass bottles filled with silver liquid materialized directly into his palm.
"Drink this," Kane instructed, tossing one vial to Nadia and pressing the other gently into Misha’s hands.
