227: The new Duke of Fury Bear

Three days later, Klimp brought definitive news to Renn.

Grand Duke Karl Angry Bear, who had awed the North for two hundred years, had been assassinated by a Shadow Assassin in his own study. Renn had received this shocking news and, before he could make any arrangements, received a message from Belmont.

On the message Magic Array, a weary-looking Belmont appeared before Renn's eyes.

"Renn, your wedding with Alistair will have to be postponed. Perhaps you've also heard that my father suffered an assassination attempt by the Assassins Court."

"Your Highness, is His Grace the Grand Duke alright? For the Assassins Court to be so audacious as to assassinate a Grand Duke of the Kingdom—they are challenging the Kingdom's bottom line. His Majesty will not forgive them."

Belmont remained silent for a moment before speaking the truth.

"Renn, my father has already been murdered. Those despicable assassins used a special, potent poison that caused my father to lose his strength to resist."

"I will definitely make those despicable scoundrels pay in blood!"

Belmont's eyes were bloodshot. Karl's sudden murder, and the fact that he himself had nearly died at the hands of the Assassins Court, combined with the succession of major upheavals, had dealt a massive blow to Belmont.

"Your Highness, His Grace the Grand Duke has truly been murdered? Are those assassins really that powerful?"

Having the news confirmed by Belmont again, Renn still felt it was somewhat inconceivable; he had personally witnessed Grand Duke Karl's strength.

"That Shadow Assassin used special means to lie low in Rage Bear Fortress years ago, and was only exposed recently. That damned Assassins Court had their eyes on my father a long time ago."

"Renn, let's leave it at that. Your wedding with Alistair is postponed until after my father's funeral. I have many things to handle here, so I won't say more."

Belmont was in no mood to talk further; the thorny issues he had to deal with were simply too numerous.

"Yes, Your Highness!"

Just as Belmont closed the message Magic Array, an attendant beside him stepped forward to report:

"Your Highness, Count Horn has arrived with a group of nobles and requests an audience."

"Hmph!"

Belmont gave a cold snort, a flash of ruthlessness crossing his eyes.

"Let's go. I want to see exactly what that old thing Horn wants to do."

Belmont strode toward the Thunder Hall.

At this moment, inside the Thunder Hall, Horn was waiting for Belmont's arrival with over a dozen nobles. Opposite Horn's group, Evans led another group of nobles, standing in opposition to Horn and the others.

Horn looked at Evans expressionlessly, while the pot-bellied Evans rarely failed to show his signature smile today; he stared back at Horn with a cold face for a few seconds before ignoring him.

Just as Horn was about to say something to Evans, the heavy doors of the Thunder Hall were suddenly pushed open with a loud bang. Everyone's gaze was instantly drawn there, and Horn swallowed the words at the tip of his tongue to look toward the entrance.

Belmont walked slowly into the Thunder Hall with steady steps, followed closely by Count Lambert and his party. This gave the observing Evans a start; he hadn't expected the relationship between Lambert and Belmont to be so deep.

"Prince Belmont, His Grace the Grand Duke has been assassinated. There may still be assassins lurking within Rage Bear City. I suggest that I organize a powerful team to root out these despicable assassins and avenge His Grace the Grand Duke."

"Horn, please watch your form of address. Standing before you is the new Grand Duke of the Raging Bear, His Highness Belmont Angry Bear. How dare you address His Highness by name?"

Facing Horn's suggestion, before anyone else could speak, Lambert, standing behind Belmont, was the first to question Horn, interrupting his proposal.

"The new Grand Duke?"

The eyes of Horn, Evans, and the others widened in unison as they stared at Belmont.

Belmont surveyed the crowd, giving everyone a deep, piercing look.

"It's good that you are all here. I am now officially notifying you of His Majesty the Golden King's appointment."

As Belmont spoke, he produced the letter of appointment personally signed by the contemporary Golden King Bjorn.

"His Majesty has officially appointed me as the new Grand Duke of the Raging Bear Territory. Everything in the Rage Bear Territory shall be inherited by me."

As he spoke, a violent power of thunder erupted from Belmont's body, and a dazzling Thunder Rune appeared on his forehead. That familiar Thunder Rune made everyone present tremble.

"Son of Thunder?"

"Your Highness, you have already obtained the recognition of Lord Volrigard?"

Evans looked at Belmont in surprise. He had actually been somewhat prepared for Belmont to inherit the title of Grand Duke, as Grand Duke Karl had been arranging for Belmont to take over from the beginning.

None of Grand Duke Karl's other blood descendants could threaten Belmont's status as heir.

It was just that Evans hadn't expected Belmont to obtain the recognition of the Ancient Magic Bear so quickly and become the new Son of Thunder.

"What? Is it not obvious enough?"

"Count Evans!"

Belmont's eyes, radiating thunderous power, looked toward Evans. His current strength was as great as his father Karl Angry Bear's, perhaps even greater than his father's in his later years.

"No, Your Grace!"

Evans timely lowered his head and knelt on one knee to show his loyalty to Belmont. The group of nobles behind Evans immediately performed the same action.

On the other side, Horn looked at Belmont with complex eyes. Sensing something, Belmont turned to look at Horn, who was staring at him.

"Count Horn, do you wish to test the difference between my thunder and my father's?"

Belmont took two steps forward. The thunderous power on his body grew several shades thicker, and the signature phantom of the Thunder Magic Bear appeared behind him.

Looking at the phantom of the Thunder Magic Bear, Horn finally lowered his head and offered his loyalty.

"I pay my respects to you, Your Grace!"

All the nobles in the Thunder Hall knelt on one knee toward the new Grand Duke of the Raging Bear to offer their loyalty.

"Salutations, Your Grace!"

Having subdued Horn, the thunderous power within Belmont's body did not recede; instead, it erupted from within the Thunder Hall. The Thunder Hall seemed to be activated, responding to Belmont.

An even more powerful thunderous force erupted from the Thunder Hall and shot straight into the clouds. The powerful fluctuations of energy made the entire Rage Bear City tremble.

The soaring thunderous power transformed into a phantom of a magic bear, remaining in the sky for a moment before gradually dissipating.

The vassals in Rage Bear City, who had been feeling uneasy due to the recent lockdown and search for assassins, cheered upon seeing the magic bear phantom in the sky. The originally turbulent Rage Bear City seemed to return to calm in an instant.

After resolving the first difficult problem of his tenure, the newly appointed Belmont prepared a funeral for his murdered father while vigorously searching for the Shadow Assassins of the Assassins Court.

Meanwhile, the news of Grand Duke Karl Angry Bear being assassinated by the Assassins Court began to spread wildly within the Kingdom of Asriel. The Grand Dukes of the Four Borders and the Golden Royal Family all responded after receiving this news.

As the protagonists of the assassination incident, the Assassins Court and the Shadow Assassins saw their notoriety skyrocket. Various legends about the Assassins Court circulated wildly within the noble circles of the entire human kingdom.