Ozuna City

The yellow shining sun started rising from the ground and the first slither of sunlight was peeking over the skyline of the great city of Ozuna. It gradually rose onto the sky untill the outlines of the houses were becoming clearer and even the leaves on the trees were looking more green than grey, dawn was here for sure.

Ozuna city was the biggest and also the most powerful city in the southern region of the Mulan kingdom. Just like Sky suppression city, Ozuna city was the first line of defense of the Mulan kingdom against the Nicholas Empire.

The city was very huge and cannot be compared with the other cities or towns located in the southern region of the Mulan kingdom. If one stood on a mountain a few miles away, they would discover that Ozuna city was a few hundred square miles of land with beautifully built buildings.

The whole city was filled with a magnificent atmosphere, and even when it was midnight, the city would still be illuminated by lights. Even though the southern region was in chaos and the Tulip family who was the overlord of the city was in decline, Ozuna city was still as magnificent as always as there were many other powerful nobles families that governed the city along with the Tulip family.

One can even say that Ozuna city was the center of the southern region as there were many kinds of trading businesses, including magic potions shop etc.

Currently, after the news of the treasure left behind by Henry in the Black Mist forest, the city was overcrowded as countless mages and warriors came rushing from all corners of the continent. The streets were filled with many carriages and horses amidst the large crowd. In fact, the staggering amount of people currently residing in the city easily caused people to perspire.

While many people continued to rush in the city, the Marquis was making a killing by making them paying tolls and taxes before they could enter the city and the forest.

Black mist forest was located behind Ozuna city, and also all the lands in the in the southern part of the region was bestowed to the Tulip family by the previous king which made the Black Mist forest part of their territory as well. As such, as the lord, he had the power to restrict people from going to the black mist forest.

Before, it would have been impossible for him to do or even think about such a thing, but with the presence of the 4th imperial prince of the Djage empire within the city and the extermination of the group of bandits that were hiding in the forest, the Marquis of Ozuna city felt as though he was the true lord of southern region and no one could disobey him in this place. Well, except for that little freak that had taken over his mansion.

With him in Ozuna city, no one dared to cause trouble or refused to pay their taxes or tolls to enter the forest and the city.

Not only the Marquis, but every single businesses owner such as Inns, restaurants, weapons shop were making a killing as well. Ozuna city was the only city close to black mist forest which made it the only place for people looking for the treasure left behind by Henry to stay.

They still needed a place to stay, to eat or to entertain themselves because even though it was said that there was a treasure in the Black Mist forest, who knows when they will be able to find it or if that information was even true, to begin with? they couldn't just sleep in the forest all the times as there were many magical beasts living there. As such, Ozuna city was the perfect place for them to stay while looking for the treasure.

While the city was going through some changes due to the arrival of countless people that came looking for treasure, an oddly isolated courtyard house seemed to be completely unaffected by the changes or the chaos outside.

This courtyard house was located in the central area of the city. Currently, in the courtyard, there was a youth with purple-black hair running around in the huge courtyard with weights strapped around his body, legs, arms, and wrists.

Two hours later, after he was done running without taking a break, he immediately moved on push-ups, sit-ups, oblique sit-ups, leapfrog and all kind of movements that were not from this world.

Not too far from that youth, there was also approximately a hundred people that were following his leads. However, along the way, some of them began practicing their swords arts, spear arts and so one.

This youth was none other than Shad, of course, the 4th imperial prince of the Djage Empire.

After using the red lightning energy to strengthen his body and increased his speed while fighting the thousands of bandits by himself, Shad had realized that his body was still weak and could not fully use the red lightning energy within his infinite space. Furthermore, he also realized that the red lightning energy was far more demanding than the white lightning energy as it was much stronger and powerful.

The amount of time he used to hold on before his body gave in while using the white lightning energy decreased in half while he was using the red lightning energy. It was like his stamina and endurance has decreased while using the red lightning energy. It was one of the reasons that he did not dare to battle against the six giant animated corpses and took out the main culprit instead. His body was at its limit at that time.

Furthermore, there was no way for him to use the white lightning energy again because it had completely disappeared as the red lightning had taken its place when he had fused with the eye of the red lightning dragon. No matter what he did, he could not summon the white lightning energy, it was as though the white lightning energy had upgraded into the red lightning energy which was more powerful and destructive.

After realizing all this, Shad had decided to train and strengthen his body all over again to increase his stamina and endurance so he can fully use the red lightning energy.

Currently, there was an immense power within him but because his body wasn't strong enough, he could not unleash his full power. Also, after he has fused with the eye of the red lightning dragon, his mana has drastically increased as well. Right now, when Shad reverted his red lightning energy back into mana, the amount of mana was comparable to that of a 7th class mage, but because of his unique situation and constitution, Shad could only be considered as an early 6th class mage at most. However, when he uses the red lightning energy, even a 7th rank warrior or a mage would have some trouble in defeating him.

While Shad was undergoing his morning training session, a small black hole suddenly appeared within the courtyard and a devasting beauty came out of it.

" Di you get it?" Asked Shad without even looking at the person coming out from the black hole while being immersed in his training.

" I am sorry young master, but Lady Lisa couldn't get the rest of the books from her family, especially after the rumor of the treasure left by Henry in the Black Mist Forest. Also, she asked me to tell you that she was truly sorry for not being able to help you any further." Answered Monalisa with an apologetic look on her face.

" It's ok, she has done more than enough and next time you see her, tell that I owe her a favor for her help." Answered Shad with a disappointing look on his face.

After he has heard the rumor about the treasure left behind by Henry in the southern region of the Mulan Kingdom, more precisely, the Black Mist Forest, Shad was in rush to read the rest of the diaries because he knew more than anyone esle that the rumor circulating about the treasure in the black Mist forest wasn't baseless. Henry had indeed left something there, but it wasn't a treasure like they thought but the Pod that he had used to make it into this world.

Shad didn't care that there were a lot of people looking for it even though there might be something of value inside, what bothered him the most was the fact that they had found someone out there that could read Henry's diary. In another word, someone had already beat him to it and already know everything about what Henry had left behind.

Shad knew the importance of Henry's research and his findings which was why he was a little worry about those things falling into the hands of someone else other than him.

" Monalisa, I want you to go back to to the imperial capital and tell my great-grandpa that I want to talk to him urgently," Shad said after making a decision.

" Yes young master," Answered Monalisa. she looked very tired and her face was a little pale.

Seeing the look on her face, Shad couldn't help but felt a little guilty. Monalisa was his most trusted subordinate and also the person that worked the most even without possessing any actual combat power.

During the fight against the bandits, it was because of her that the Lightning Corps was able to move to one village to another in a blink of an eye which allowed them to keep up with the bandits attacking many villages at the same time and day. Aside from that, she was the one that was running Shad's all errands as he trusted her the most and her ability allowed her to get things done in a flash.

Before Monalisa could even open the portal to travel to the imperial capital, Shad quickly moved next to her and softly kissed her on the lips in front of all the Lightning Corps and said: " Please forgive me for making you work that much."

This sudden kiss took the bold Monalisa off guard. She was completely flushed, especially when she saw that the members of the Lightning Corps including the four imperial knights were looking at her.

She quickly opened the portal and left in a flash without saying anything like a cat that had her tail stepped on. Even though they have done it already, but no matter how daring she was, she was kinda shy being kissed like that in public. Nonetheless, she was very happy right now because her young master had truly accepted her if he was daring enough to kiss her in front of people.

" Mark, after you are done with your training, I want you to take the Lightning Corps and give the Marquis a hand in handling the security of the city." He said before he went inside to change himself and head out.

Even though Ozuna City was governed by the Tulip Family. However, in the last ten years, the Tulip family's overall strength has gone down the hill. They have lost many of their talented soldiers, generals, and younger generations fighting against the bandits and beast tides to keep the city safe from harm.

Currently, among the two powerful nobles family that resided in the city such as the Arthur family and the Ascathon family, the Tulip family was the weakest of them all. While the Tulip's family overall strength was slowly decreasing, the other two families were getting stronger and stronger and even control more than half of the city.

Furthermore, even though the Tulip family was considered as the overlord of Ozuna City, it was in name only. The true ruler of the city was none other than the two families. There was always disputed between them and the other two families even tried various methods to lower the Tulip family's prestige in the city as well as their power.

As such, Shad knew that they did not have enough manpower to secure the city with all these people coming in. He didn't really care about what family rules the city or their fight, as long as they were loyal the Mulan kingdom and the Djage Empire. Furthermore, he did not plan on getting involved.