Supreme Bloodline Evolution System

Max remained near the doors, looking back at Caratacus over his shoulder. The promise had taken him slightly by surprise, though no more than the brief rise of his eyebrows revealed.

He had expected another warning, perhaps even one final attempt to renegotiate the agreement, but instead, Caratacus had placed the future of his entire kingdom upon Max’s victory.

He slowly turned around to face him properly.

"I understand what you’re doing," Max said, taking one measured step away from the doors.

Caratacus lowered the glass from his lips without drinking. He rested one elbow against the armrest, his expression remaining calm as he observed Max from across the chamber.

"And what exactly am I doing?" Caratacus asked.

"You don’t believe I can defeat the Imperial Court Empire." Max continued toward him, stopping several steps away from the table. "That is why you can make such a promise without hesitation. If I lose, you surrender nothing. If I somehow win, you become the vassal of someone powerful enough to destroy the greatest human empire on this continent."

Caratacus’s fingers moved slowly around the stem of his glass, while a faint smile threatened to appear on his lips.

"I would call that recognizing every possible outcome," he replied.

"I would call it placing a bet you don’t expect to pay." Max folded his arms across his chest and tilted his head slightly.

The smile Caratacus had attempted to suppress finally appeared.

"Does that offend you?" he asked, raising one eyebrow.

"No." Max shook his head, appearing more amused than insulted. "I would probably make the same bet in your position."

Caratacus raised his glass slightly in acknowledgment.

"Then we understand one another," he said.

"Not completely."

The smile on Caratacus’s face weakened as Max took another step toward him. There was no visible release of mana, nor did black mist gather around his body, yet something about his approach made the private chamber feel smaller.

"I will defeat the Imperial Court Empire," Max said, his voice calm enough to carry more weight than a shout. He unfolded his arms and allowed them to rest at his sides, his fingers curling slightly as he held Caratacus’s gaze. "After that, I will defeat every kingdom, empire, and ruler foolish enough to question my strength."

Their eyes remained locked across the room.

Max never spoke Caratacus’s name, nor did he directly threaten Britana, but neither man needed the meaning explained. The warning rested between them as clearly as a blade placed upon the table. Caratacus could become his ally, eventually bow as promised, or discover what happened to rulers who mistook Max’s patience for weakness.

Caratacus’s jaw tightened for only a moment before his expression relaxed. He lifted the glass to his lips and finally drank, refusing to show any further discomfort beneath Max’s stare.

"Then I suppose I should begin practicing how to bow," Caratacus said after lowering the glass, his tone carrying enough humor to conceal whatever concern remained beneath it.

Max’s smirk returned as he unfolded his arms.

"Make sure you do it properly when the time comes," he replied.

A quiet laugh escaped Caratacus as he leaned back into his chair, gently rotating the remaining wine inside his glass.

"I will look forward to seeing whether your confidence is justified, King Maximus," he said.

"You won’t have to wait long." Max held his gaze for another moment before turning back toward the doors.

This time, Caratacus did not stop him.

The maps and documents were delivered before sunset, just as promised. Max was given access to a detailed map far more valuable than anything commonly sold to merchants or travelers. It showed the recognized borders of the human kingdoms, their principal roads, fortified crossings, military stations, and several hidden paths Britana used to move messengers during times of conflict.

The path into Frankindia had already been marked in dark-red ink.

Using the main roads would have been faster, but it would also have placed Max before hundreds of soldiers, merchants, and Imperial Court informants. Instead, Caratacus’s people prepared a route passing through old hunting grounds, abandoned military roads, and narrow paths that had disappeared from most modern maps.

Before leaving, Max exchanged his black outer clothing for a plain dark-brown traveling cloak. It concealed most of his body and lacked any symbol connecting him to Voidstar. He disliked hiding who he was, but starting a conflict with the Imperial Court before learning what had happened to Clotilde would only make his search more difficult.

The documents identified him as a wealthy independent merchant traveling to negotiate the purchase of magical materials. It was not a perfect disguise, especially since he carried no cargo, but the royal seals attached to the papers would prevent most Britanian officers from asking unnecessary questions.

Only four riders accompanied him out of the capital.

They did not leave through the main gates. A servant led them beneath the palace and into a narrow stone passage that descended through several locked barriers before opening beyond the inner walls. Horses were already waiting inside a private stable used by royal messengers, allowing them to disappear from the capital without passing through the crowded streets.

They rode until long after the sun had vanished.

The first part of their path followed a narrow road hidden between heavily forested hills. The trees grew close enough to block most of the moonlight, forcing the riders to rely upon small crystals covered by thick cloth. Only a faint glow escaped through the openings, illuminating enough of the ground for their horses to avoid exposed roots and loose stones without revealing their presence from a distance.

Max remained near the middle of the group, allowing two riders to lead while the others followed behind him. The men spoke very little. Each had been personally selected by Caratacus and appeared to know the hidden roads well enough to travel through the darkness without consulting a map.

Shortly before sunrise, they reached an abandoned watchtower buried beneath vines and years of uncontrolled growth. From the outside, it appeared ready to collapse, but one of the escorts moved several stones near its foundation and revealed a narrow entrance leading into a dry underground shelter.

Fresh horses, water, and sealed packages of food had already been stored inside.

Max barely rested. He studied the map while the others slept, memorizing the routes leading farther into the human lands. Several lines marked known Imperial Court positions, while small black symbols identified locations where their informants were believed to operate.

The number of symbols bothered him.

The Imperial Court did not merely watch its own borders. Its influence spread through nearly every surrounding kingdom, reaching merchant associations, military stations, and even some royal courts. If Max had flown directly toward Frankindia, it was possible Augustus would have learned of his destination before he arrived.

They resumed traveling two hours later.

Their route carried them through a narrow ravine where the remains of an ancient road were hidden beneath loose soil and weeds. Farther ahead, they crossed a river using a wooden platform concealed beneath what appeared to be an ordinary fisherman’s hut. The structure was large enough to carry two horses at a time, forcing them to cross in separate groups while an elderly keeper controlled the ropes from inside.

Nobody asked Max’s name.

Caratacus’s golden seal was shown only twice during the journey. The first time, it convinced a patrol to abandon the road before seeing Max clearly. The second allowed them to exchange their exhausted horses at a remote military outpost without recording the identities of the riders.

For the rest of the journey, they avoided soldiers entirely.

Whenever scouts appeared on the main roads, the group disappeared into the trees or followed paths that looked too narrow for mounted travelers. They slept in abandoned shelters, hunting cabins, and once beneath the remains of a stone bridge while a merchant caravan passed overhead.

Max found the secrecy irritating, but he could not deny its usefulness. For the first time since leaving Voidstar, he felt certain that his movements had not already reached the ears of the Imperial Court.

Several days later, the forests began to thin, revealing the fortified border separating Britana from Frankindia.

A tall stone wall stretched between two hills, blocking the easiest route through the region. Frankindian banners hung above the battlements, while soldiers moved between mounted crossbows and reinforced towers with far more urgency than Max had expected. The main gate remained closed even though daylight had only recently appeared.

Dozens of wagons and travelers were gathered outside. Some shouted toward the guards, while others had already begun setting up temporary camps beside the road.

Max pulled his hood farther over his face as their guide approached the gate with the royal documents.

"We carry authorization from King Caratacus," the man called, raising the sealed papers above his head. "Open the gates and allow us passage."

A Frankindian officer looked down from the wall.

"No one enters!"

"These documents grant us royal passage," the guide insisted. "Inspect them yourself if you doubt their authenticity."

"I don’t care whose seal they carry," the officer answered, his hand resting firmly upon the hilt of his sword. "The border is closed until further notice."

Max guided his horse forward, stopping beside the Britanian escort.

"Why?" he asked.

The officer’s eyes moved toward the hood concealing most of Max’s face.

"Because a war began yesterday," he replied. "And Frankindia is no longer allowing anyone through its borders."