Chapter 51: Chapter 41: Destiny’s Choice? Reinhardt’s Strength

The price was betraying the Iron Blood Battle Group, betraying his current comrades, and bearing the lifelong stigma of being a coward and a traitor.

To choose to fight alongside Dietlinde, facing the crushing pressure of three full Knight Orders, would mean certain death.

In that moment, Reinhardt could almost hear the cruel mockery of fate.

But it was a shame.

Fate had ultimately chosen the wrong person to mock.

Because he was Reinhardt.

Just as Adrian had said in his final parting words when he left Frostfire Fortress: "Stand where the light shines, Reinhardt."

That handsome, noble Knight had perhaps foreseen that the young Knight Reinhardt, under painful torment, would birth a boundless rage that would blind his eyes.

But what he didn’t know was that Reinhardt had never surrendered to hatred! His noble ideals had never once wavered!

Facing these Imperial Rebel Army soldiers from the Dragon Hunter Battle Group in a civil war between comrades, he felt no will to fight—only a cold calm.

’Are these Knights truly rebels?’ he constantly wondered.

After reviewing the service records of these three "rebel" groups, he had come to a different interpretation of Adrian’s warning.

’Someone high up in the Empire wants to force the Steel Knight Order to commit treason, just to eliminate them.’

But the glory and tradition of the Steel Knight Order could not be tarnished. Vice Commander Erich led his men to fight to the last man at Frostfire Fortress, refusing to live a disgraceful life under the name of a traitor.

They were Knights of the Empire.

Even in death, they had to carry their honor, standing to greet it where the light shines!

Reinhardt understood. Adrian wanted him to inherit the glory and tradition of the Steel Knight Order and continue the fight.

Now, the truth of the great upheaval of 1438 was right before his eyes. Reinhardt would not let this opportunity slip away.

He was certain that the commanders of these three rebel Battle Groups knew something.

When less than fifty meters separated the Iron Blood Battle Group and the rebels, Dietlinde led the charge toward the enemy Earth Knight, steeled for death.

Suddenly, a dark purple figure, like a phantom moving at a speed the naked eye could barely follow, broke away from the Iron Blood Battle Group’s formation and slammed head-on into the Earth Knight wearing the Dark Gold Dragon Bone Helmet.

A heavy Giant Axe crashed against the Earth Knight’s shield!

The collision of the two Knights’ Power kicked up a terrifying gale that rapidly spread across the battlefield!

The sudden turn of events not only stunned the Knights of the Iron Blood Battle Group, but even the three rebel Battle Groups from the Dragon Hunter Battle Group failed to react in time.

The speed of the dark purple figure was far beyond their imagination!

After a brief moment of shock, the faces of the men behind the Earth Knight changed drastically, and they cried out in alarm!

"This is bad!"

"Lord Heinrich! Watch out!"

"Protect the Commander—!"

They were the main Knight Order of the Dragon Hunter Battle Group’s third echelon, with a seven-hundred-year history. They had been through countless wars and faced all kinds of powerful enemies.

They hadn’t thought much of the Iron Blood Battle Group’s strength.

In their eyes, a single charge was all it would take to crush the Iron Blood Battle Group with ease!

Although they were also confused as to why the other side was calling them rebels, they figured it wasn’t too late to ask after they had subdued these Knights.

However, the appearance of that dark purple figure was far beyond their expectations!

The two squad leaders who had been following right behind the Earth Knight Heinrich even broke out in a cold sweat!

Both of them held a Four-star Military Rank, yet they could only barely track the dark purple figure’s movements. If their opponent had been an Earth Knight, the consequences would have been unimaginable!

Because in that instant of closing the distance, with neither side knowing the other’s Special Ability, it was highly likely to result in a terrifying one-hit-kill scenario!

Fortunately, the dark purple figure was only an Official Knight, far from having advanced to Earth Knight.

Dietlinde had never seen Reinhardt use his Knight Power. She only knew from his file that his Power was an Extraordinary Armament called Morphic Armor.

Her peripheral vision only caught a wisp of a dark purple afterimage, and she felt a high-speed rush of air brush past her. By the time she reacted and looked back, the warhorse beside her was already riderless.

’Reinhardt...?’

Meanwhile, as Reinhardt’s Giant Axe crashed down heavily on the Earth Knight Heinrich’s shield, their eyes met in mid-air.

He was already preparing to use his power as an Earth Knight to swat this reckless Four-star Military Rank Knight away.

But a young, not yet fully mature voice suddenly spoke next to his ear.

"What really happened in the autumn of 1438?"

Upon hearing the mention of autumn, 1438, the rapidly escalating Power emanating from Heinrich abruptly halted, and his pupils contracted!

The thundering of hooves echoed across the Northern Grassland.

No one heard what Reinhardt had said.

In their view, the dark purple figure struck and then immediately retreated, landing in front of Dietlinde’s warhorse. His tall, imposing back, writhing with dark purple energy, radiated a terrifying aura, forcibly halting the Iron Blood Battle Group’s advance.

The Earth Knight Heinrich frowned slightly. He reined his horse to a sharp stop, raised his right hand, and roared, "All units! Cease the attack!"

Dietlinde was now both shocked and furious!

She was shocked because Reinhardt’s strength was just as he had claimed—he was a genuine Four-star Military Rank Knight!

But what infuriated her even more was that this bastard, relying on his strength, had dared to disobey orders and act on his own! He even publicly stood in the way of the charging formation!

If she hadn’t decisively halted the charge, the Battle Group would have fallen into chaos from Reinhardt’s sudden obstruction before they even clashed with the enemy!

She was a twenty-year veteran. She knew that in war, one had to maintain momentum. If you stopped halfway, the disparity in strength between friend and foe could easily lead to a drop in morale, resulting in a full-blown rout!

’Without my command, Reinhardt charging out of formation was already a serious violation of the Battle Group’s discipline. Now he’s blocking them? What is this bastard trying to do?! Is he trying to commit treason along with the enemy?!’

It wasn’t just her. Maxim—the young Knight with a bird’s nest of messy brown curls who loved bragging to Reinhardt about his veteran status and was always full of hot air—his small eyes were wide as saucers in shock!

’No way! I was just shooting the breeze with my buddy, but Reinhardt, you’re actually a Four-star Military Rank Knight?! HUH?!’ 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

Dietlinde vaulted off her horse. She threw down her helmet and stormed over to Reinhardt. Although she was a female Knight, she was only half a head shorter than the 1.9-meter-tall Reinhardt.

She shoved Reinhardt’s shoulder forcefully, her anger uncontrollable!

"You bastard! Do you have any idea what you’re doing?!"

Reinhardt deactivated the Extraordinary Armament on his face. His gaze went over Dietlinde’s shoulder, meeting the eyes of the Earth Knight in the Dark Gold Dragon Bone Helmet for a moment. Then, he lowered his head slightly to look at Dietlinde, his expression blank, but his tone sincere. "I’m sorry. There are some things I have to figure out. I am willing to accept any punishment when we return to the Battle Group."

Dietlinde wanted to punch Reinhardt in the face, but her raised hand eventually fell. Clenching her jaw, she furiously pointed her right index finger at Reinhardt’s nose before turning and storming away.

Though she loved Reinhardt deeply, this was war! Not some child’s play back at the barracks!

If they weren’t facing a powerful enemy, she would have had Reinhardt tied up and given him thirty lashes as punishment!

The Knights of the Iron Blood Battle Group stared at Reinhardt, their expressions a mix of anger and disbelief. They couldn’t understand what this new recruit, who had only recently joined them, was trying to do.

Reinhardt took three steps forward, alone, to face the Imperial Knight Orders that had now completely surrounded them. The cold wind blew through his short black hair. His brow was furrowed, his face resolute, as he declared loudly, "Three days ago, we received an order from Corps Headquarters to quell a rebellion."

"But I believe they would not betray the Empire, and they would not betray the honor of a Knight."

Heinrich’s brow furrowed tightly. His expression was just like Erich’s had been when Reinhardt questioned him—heavy, unwilling to answer.

After a long silence, he looked directly into Reinhardt’s eyes.

"What do you want to know?"

"The answer."

After the brief exchange, Heinrich suddenly smiled. It was as if, in that moment, he understood Reinhardt’s origins—which Knight Order he had once belonged to.

The aura of his Power began to climb, growing stronger and stronger.

He swung himself off his horse.

A suit of dark gold armor, like the scales of a Giant Dragon, began to form over his body, shimmering with a golden light. Heinrich raised the Dragon-Hunting Giant Spear in his hand, his expression suddenly grave. "Young Knight, if you can make me move a single step, I will tell you the answer you seek."