Roy's message contained detailed information about the force inside the s.h.i.+p.

The Chasing Demon sect was busy setting the copying technique around the archipelago, it was obvious that they would have heroic rank cultivators investigating its borders.

With the human a.s.sets occupying the peripheral islands and the heroic ones protecting them from any threat that surpa.s.sed their level, the Chasing Demon could completely focus on the technique left by his master.

At least, that was what Noah could deduce.

He wasn't exactly aware of those matters, he had just supposed that those events were taking place while he defended the islands.

After all, he couldn't ask for confirmation to the elders but the battle plan seemed perfect for what he had guessed.

The fact that Elder Iris or someone else in the heroic ranks was watching over the borders of the archipelago was another confirmation to Noah's hypothesis, the sect was securing the borders before moving toward the internal islands.

'Fifty cultivators in the third rank, I would need to ask the other underground organizations' help if I want to contain the losses of the sect.'

Noah thought as he pondered about the incoming battle but there was one detail that didn't fit the power contained in the s.h.i.+p

'What's the point of having two rank 2 cultivators among so many powerful troops?'

The elder of the sect that had spotted the s.h.i.+p didn't describe the facial features of the invaders, only their cultivation level.

However, Noah knew how the Utra nation acted, the n.o.ble families were unwilling to see their power diminish, those powerful soldiers had to come from the human a.s.sets of the Royal dynasty.

'Judging from my current experience, I'd say that the entirety of the Royal family has at least six hundred rank 3 cultivators between the Royal army and the Royals, probably more. Taking the entirety of the archipelago isn't a problem if they were to use their full strength but this can be said for the other two big nations too.'

Noah thought.

He had only been a lone rank 2 cultivator with no experience when he was in the Utra nation, he couldn't understand the power that each n.o.ble family held.

Yet, after seeing so many organizations and countries, he could understand many things that concerned the human matters.

In his opinion, the Chasing Demon sect's power surpa.s.sed that of a large-size n.o.ble family of the Utra nation, his sect had been one of the strongest organizations in the archipelago for many years, long periods of peace and the constant acc.u.mulation of resources given by its position made it grow in ways that the n.o.bles families couldn't hope to do.

Nevertheless, the Royal family was the ruler of a powerful nation, the Royals had acc.u.mulated wealth from an entire country for two thousand years, they had to be at least three times stronger than Noah's sect.

That strength though had to be used to maintain control over the Utra nation, it couldn't be used for overseas campaigns recklessly.

Also, those two rank 2 cultivators were suspicious, they didn't make any sense among those troops.

'If this force is what I think it is, then there is a better approach to their invasion…'

As he thought of that, Noah sent a detailed mental message through his inscribed notebook.

Two weeks pa.s.sed quickly.

On island two hundred and seven, an inscribed s.h.i.+p arrived and fifty-two figures quickly jumped on the sh.o.r.e.

The sight was quite peculiar, two rank 2 cultivators were wearing golden clothes and were followed by fifty hooded rank 3 cultivators.

Errol and Ruth inspected the area before turning toward the cultivators behind them.

They immediately understood the meaning behind that gesture and a few of them left the group to inspect the seemingly desolate islands with their stronger minds.

Island two hundred and seven was one of the poorest islands of the archipelago, only a couple of rank 3 cultivators would be deployed there in its defense during normal times.

Of course, they would be accompanied by a decent number of rank 2 cultivators but, at that moment, the group from the Utra nation could barely sense any trace of life.

Then, faint steps resounded in the distance, the group from the Utra nation turned in that direction only to see a rank 3 cultivator with cold eyes walking toward them.

At once, Ruth and Errol's eyes widened in surprise.

They knew that Noah was in the archipelago but the details about his cultivation level were conflicting.

Once his ident.i.ty as the Hooded devil had been confirmed, they were sure that he had to be at least in the liquid stage of the second rank.

Yet, what had appeared in front of them was a cultivator in the third rank.

"Twenty-eight years, rank 3 cultivator, he is still a monster."

Errol commented softly when he saw Noah's nearing his group, he couldn't help but think loudly when he realized how much he had grown.

His surprise though would even increase if he was to know that Noah had been at that level for one year already!

"I see that Thaddeus didn't give up to the idea of forming a secret army, I don't see the point of sending you two along though."

Noah spoke, his uncaring tone didn't match the dangerous situation.

Ruth wasn't overwhelmed by feelings like Errol, she could immediately understand that something was wrong.

She wasn't surprised that the Hive was aware of their arrival, she had never hoped to reach the islands unnoticed but the underground organizations of the archipelago had never dared to oppose the troops of the continent for fear of the repercussions of the big nations.

Yet, their main target had appeared in front of them alone, it was obvious that there was some kind of trap waiting for them.

"Vance, come back with us. You know too much, we are the last warning before the Royal family sends heroic ranks cultivators after you. You can't hope to escape them."

Errol spoke, it was clear from his tone that he still cared about the companion with whom he had cleared the trials in the Royal Inheritance, his position in the Royal army was mostly due to what Noah had managed to save in there.

"You are not the last but the first warning, the truth is that the Royals weren't aware of my position until now. Also, my name is Noah, I thought you would be aware of that by now."

Noah shrugged his shoulders as he answered, the threat of cultivators in the heroic ranks going after him didn't seem to bother him at all.

"Then, Noah Balvan, are you ready to be captured and brought back home to answer for your crimes?"

Ruth took a step forward as she spoke those words, her hand was raised, ready to give the signal to the troops behind her to attack.