Chapter 46: The First Battle of the Giant Mecha – Section 9

At that moment, Duke Bosisi truly thought Black Hair had gone mad. After all, he was the real winner of that ambush. If this news spread—no, it would definitely spread—Black Hair’s name would become a hero celebrated by all humans. All merchants would be proud to do business with him. All girls would be honored to meet him, and even those factions that had always stayed on the fringes of the main powers would be proud to follow in Black Hair’s footsteps!!
Reputation, power, wealth, territory—everything would rush toward him from all directions at the slightest nod from Black Hair, overwhelming him. How could he not know such a great opportunity?
No, that was absolutely impossible. Black Hair was a lord, and a ruthless one at that. Bosisi didn’t believe he wouldn’t understand the implications. So, there was only one explanation for Black Hair saying those words:
He was showing pity to him, bestowing charity on him!!
Shame!!!
In an instant, Duke Bosisi was overwhelmed by the sense of shame brought on by his own imagination. He even stood up and shouted wildly. His loud voice, far from that of an old man, made the walls tremble slightly.
But no matter how loud the voice, it couldn’t scare anyone—let alone Black Hair standing before him. So, in the face of Duke Bosisi’s furious anger, Black Hair merely frowned slightly before sighing deeply.
“Ah, what a headache. Your Excellency, the Duke. Why haven’t I heard of your fiery temper before? If I had, maybe I would have chosen a different way to speak. Alright, alright. I admit your voice is loud, but it’s not good for your health. Calm down and let me explain, shall we? Maybe things aren’t as you think. This isn’t charity at all.”
“Not charity?” Duke Bosisi raised an eyebrow, a hint of contempt in his eyes. “Very well, then I’m curious to hear your explanation!”
With that, the powerful duke sat down straight across from Black Hair. He picked up the red wine on the table, filled a glass for himself, and drank it in one gulp. The rich aroma filled his stomach, and the duke’s expression improved significantly.
“Wine is a good thing. It can help people forget many worries,” Black Hair said calmly, observing the duke’s actions as if understanding his thoughts.
“But if one drinks only to forget worries, it means they’re just avoiding them.”

“Stop talking nonsense. You don’t need to say these things to me. When I was adjusting my mindset, you didn’t even know where to find milk. Hurry up, I’m waiting for your explanation.” Duke Poseidon waved his hand to cut off the Black-Haired man’s words, his tone showing slight impatience.

“The explanation is actually simple,” the Black-Haired man said, unwilling to provoke him any further upon seeing this. He raised one finger. “I don’t want others to know that I possess snake fangs.”

“Snake fangs? Are you referring to those giant mechs you use?” Duke Poseidon frowned, seemingly picking up something from the Black-Haired man’s words.

“That’s right,” the Black-Haired man nodded.

“You’ve noticed that too. It’s a very formidable weapon. Especially in the hands of humans who are already accustomed to fighting with mechs, its power is beyond imagination. Its combat effectiveness is also perfect. But…” The Black-Haired man paused, a glint in his eyes. “If the enemy learns about this weapon in advance, they will surely come up with ways to counter it. Then the surprise element I need won’t work. That’s why I ask you to take on the results of this battle alone.”

“…” Duke Poseidon fell silent for a moment, his mind racing.

Indeed, what the Black-Haired man said was clearly a perfect explanation. But Duke Poseidon knew it was probably only part of the reason. The other part, naturally, was his own reason. Although the Black-Haired man didn’t say it, he still took care of his emotions.

It was a kind gesture from a lord. If he failed to show gratitude now, it would be rather inconsiderate. With that thought, the corners of Duke Poseidon’s eyes twitched slightly, and his voice softened a bit.

“That makes sense. But how do you know the enemy didn’t pass on that information during the battle just now? You know, gathering information about the opponent is a basic skill every fleet must master in war.”

“I’ve thought about that too. That’s why I deployed the Bakr insects earlier. All information from the anti-space realm is intercepted by me. As for whether it’s effective, I can’t guarantee it.” The Black-Haired man frowned. After experiencing the Emperor Moore’s tactics, he no longer fully trusted the Bakr insects, which used to be highly effective. So he naturally couldn’t be too confident.

“However, compared to such information gathering, I’m more afraid of spies within the human ranks. Your Excellency, you must be aware of the spy incidents that occurred some time ago. Although you and Marshal Wick resolved that matter together, we can’t be sure if there are any other spies.”

“Hmm. I understand.” Duke Posisi nodded. He knew the dark-haired man was referring to the leak of news about his recent visit to the Moor Empire. It was he who had dealt with the noble who leaked that information.
“But,” Duke Posisi changed the subject. “If that’s the only reason, it seems a bit too trivial. After all, secrecy can only last for a while, not forever. No matter how hard we try to hide the news of the giant mechs, it will eventually leak. By then, won’t all your efforts be in vain?”
After saying that, the duke glanced at the dark-haired man with a strange look, as if he could see through his mind.
It was a look the dark-haired man was familiar with. Whenever he detected something unusual, he would also look at others that way. Generally, no one could remain calm under such a gaze. Once their composure was broken, their secrets would be revealed instantly.
In short, it was a form of pressure built up over time, often used in psychological battles. Unfortunately, however, this gaze had no effect on him.
But its ineffectiveness didn’t mean the dark-haired man couldn’t speak. In fact, when he asked to meet with Duke Posisi, he had no intention of hiding anything from him.
“It won’t take too long. A few months will be enough.”
“A few months?” Duke Posisi narrowed his eyes slightly. “You’re quite bold.”
“Not bold. Just enough,” the dark-haired man replied with a smile. “You have to pay a price to get something. If I don’t work hard, what will my men eat? The things we got recently were divided up before they even cooled down. I didn’t get much for myself.”
“…” Duke Posisi was momentarily speechless. Wasn’t this self-reproach and cursing oneself? The so-called division wasn’t just taking a few giant ships from him—ships that were already left over from his own efforts. Having seen the power of the giant mechs, Duke Posisi didn’t believe the dark-haired man had really shared any good things with them.
Even so, Duke Posisi couldn’t say much. After all, those were the assets the dark-haired man had earned through hard work and risk. The fact that he was willing to share his gains with them was already a great honor. Without that support, he likely wouldn’t have even half of his fleet left by now; he would have been completely destroyed long before the dark-haired man appeared.
After a brief silence, Duke Posisi’s voice suddenly grew low.

“Though you say it so casually, I can tell. This time is definitely different from last time. With black hair, maybe you should consider other methods or unite more people. You know, in this regard, Wick and I have always been on your side.”
“I know. You’re a leader who understands the bigger picture. It’s an honor to know you,” Black Hair replied with a smile. “But I still don’t intend to change my plans. Times are changing, and sometimes, having more people isn’t enough to solve problems. Among humans, only I know the Moor Empire best. So I have no choice.”
“Very well. I know your personality.” Grand Duke Poseidon studied Black Hair for a while until he was sure nothing could be changed, then nodded slowly.
“Three months, how about that?”
“Seven months, at the least. And during these seven months, unless there’s a large-scale invasion by the Moors, I won’t appear again. You and Marshal Wick should handle all defensive tasks. Also, to strengthen your forces, I’ll continue to supply you with blueprints for giant ships and highly powerful real ammunition.”
“Why so much time?” Grand Duke Poseidon was shocked. “How much preparation do you need?”
“I can’t say exactly. But it’s always better to be thorough, right? Seven months. Help me keep this secret for seven months, and I’ll give you a big surprise,” Black Hair replied carelessly with a laugh.
After some thought, Grand Duke Poseidon finally gritted his teeth. “Alright. I’ll help you keep this secret for seven months. During that time, Wick and I will handle all of humanity’s defensive tasks. And to ensure secrecy, I’ll take measures when I return.”
“Thank you very much,” Black Hair nodded, the smile fading from his face.
He knew what Grand Duke Poseidon meant by “measures.” In fact, his appearance today had been too impressive. Everyone in the First Fleet had seen it. With so many eyes watching, it wouldn’t be easy for Grand Duke Poseidon to keep it hidden. Those measures would surely be coercive. If nothing went wrong, the First Fleet wouldn’t appear in Grand Duke Poseidon’s battle lineup for the next seven months.
There was nothing he could do about it. Black Hair sighed deeply and stood up.
“Well, I’m leaving now. Remember, I never appeared before you today.”

“Mm. I did everything by myself. Tomorrow, I will become a hero to humanity,” replied Grand Duke Poseidon slowly. Then, looking at the figure of Black Hair heading for the door, he suddenly spoke just as the person was about to open it.
“Black Hair!”
“Hm?” Black Hair stopped but did not turn around.
“Thank you for today,” said Grand Duke Poseidon slowly, emphasizing each word.
“You’re welcome.” The door opened, and Black Hair’s figure quickly disappeared down the hallway.