Holder Rivers left Blackstone Pass, filled with shock and unease.
All the way, he suppressed the turmoil in his heart, his mind constantly replaying Roderick Blackstone's deep and sharp eyes, and the guard force behind him, forged like steel.
Upon returning to Riverrun, he immediately sought an audience with My Lord Duke Edmure Tully.
"My Lord Duke, this subordinate's trip revealed that Blackstone Pass... is no longer as it once was," Holder knelt before Edmure Tully, his voice trembling slightly.
Edmure Tully, a slightly corpulent, plain-faced middle-aged nobleman, was lazily leaning on his throne, idly toying with a gold coin.
"Oh? That boy still has some small cleverness, knowing how to put on airs and scare a young knight like you who hasn't seen much of the world?" Edmure dismissively pursed his lips; he had never taken the Blackstone Family seriously.
"No, My Lord Duke! This is absolutely not putting on airs!" Holder suddenly raised his head, his tone urgent, "The walls of Blackstone Pass have been repaired, old but sturdy. The most astonishing thing is their guard! Those hundred soldiers, all in black armor, wielding exquisite steel swords, are well-trained, their steps uniform, their eyes fierce, like wild wolves! Their armor and weapons are even superior to Riverrun's most elite guard!"
The gold coin in Edmure's hand fell to the ground with a 'clink', and the lazy expression on his face instantly vanished, replaced by a hint of solemnity.
"What did you say? Superior to my guard? How can that boy possess such strength? The Blackstone Family is so poor they can barely make ends meet!"
"This subordinate would not dare to deceive My Lord Duke! I saw it with my own eyes, felt it myself! That killing intent cannot be faked! Moreover, they are also training another guard, though their equipment is slightly inferior, their discipline and morale far surpass what they once were. Roderick Blackstone also introduced a newly discovered mine, which they are now mining day and night, and there's a blast furnace ironworks, emitting thick smoke day and night..."
Holder recounted everything he had seen and heard at Blackstone Pass, his voice filled with uncontrollable fear and awe.
Edmure's face darkened.
A barren, marginal minor family, under his very nose, had quietly risen, even possessing strength that surpassed a part of Riverrun.
To him, this was undoubtedly a provocation and a hidden danger.
"Additionally, Roderick Blackstone also announced that Blackstone Pass has abundant supplies, welcoming all refugees to come for food and work. He even openly demonstrated outside the city gate, saying that any jackals daring to covet Blackstone territory would be bloodied under these sharp steel blades..." Holder also relayed Roderick's warning.
Edmure slammed his hand on the armrest, roaring, "Arrogant! Simply arrogant! Who does he think he is? Tywin Lannister?!"
Despite his fury, a deep sense of vigilance rose in Edmure's heart.
The Blackstone Family's anomaly was beyond his control.
He had intended to seize the opportunity to weaken Blackstone, and even annex its territory, but he never expected to be defied by the other party instead.
However, considering the current volatile situation in The Riverlands, especially the restless movements of House Lannister, he dared not easily offend a suddenly hardened vassal.
He decided to temporarily hold his ground and continue to observe.
"Let him be arrogant! When winter truly arrives, without food, without allies, his so-called elites will be nothing more than lambs to the slaughter!" My Lord Duke Edmure said with a grim face, waving his hand to dismiss Holder.
Though he spoke disdainfully, suspicion and apprehension had already taken root in his heart.
The news quickly spread throughout the western Riverlands, especially to those families who had generational conflicts with the Blackstone Family—Erwin Fowler of House Vance and Gregory Grover of House Grover.
These two families originally viewed Blackstone Pass as a juicy piece of meat, and now hearing of the Blackstone Family's sudden strengthening, they were both surprised and enraged.
Erwin Fowler had for generations contended with the Blackstone Family over a fertile pasture, while Gregory Grover had long coveted the mines of Blackstone Pass.
They were not as concerned with the bigger picture as Edmure, nor did they have the powerful foundation of House Tully.
They were more accustomed to letting swords do the talking.
"A mere wet-behind-the-ears boy, his father's bones not yet cold, dares to be so rampant!" Gregory Grover, an old nobleman with a fierce countenance and bloodshot eyes, roared in his castle.
His knights were also agitated, believing this to be an open provocation from Roderick Blackstone.
"He just got a few good pieces of armor and trained a few militiamen, and he thinks he's the Lion of Lannister?" Erwin Fowler was more cunning; he proposed at the family meeting, "We cannot give him a chance to establish himself! It would be better to teach him a lesson while his wings are not yet fully grown!"
Soon, the two families decided to join forces and launch a surprise attack on Blackstone Pass.
Their objectives were clear: to seize the Blackstone Family's grain and recently mined ore, preferably to abduct some people, and to kill Roderick Blackstone, installing a puppet lord favorable to them.
They believed that House Tully would not intervene in such small-scale family conflicts for now.
Roderick, however, had long anticipated this.
Although the system's Intelligence Insight function could not directly predict the future, combined with his memories from before his transmigration and his understanding of the original plot, he knew that the surrounding covetous nobles would never give up so easily.
And Holder Rivers' feedback would only accelerate their actions.
Therefore, after Holder left, Roderick not only did not relax his vigilance but further intensified his defenses.
At the mine, he ordered the construction of simple wooden watchtowers and dispatched more guards to patrol.
In the farmland, he deployed a portion of the Old Guard, stationed in key areas in small teams.
At the same time, he divided all the elite Blackstone Guard into three shifts, rotating on the city walls, and maintaining the highest state of combat readiness at all times.
"Winter is coming, and beasts always strike when things are most vulnerable," Roderick said to Captain Beren and Shadow Guard Number One, "We must let these jackals know that Blackstone Pass is no longer a lamb to be slaughtered!"
Captain Beren's eyes gleamed with fanaticism.
Since following Roderick, he felt his life had embarked on a new chapter.
Watching his Old Guard grow stronger under Roderick's training, his heart was filled with pride and confidence.
"My Lord, all outposts are deployed, and the Blackstone Guard is ready to sortie at any moment!" Shadow Guard Number One reported steadily.
Three days later, on a cold, howling night, the watchtower on the southern border of Blackstone Pass suddenly lit up with warning fires.
"Enemy attack!!!"
A sharp horn blast pierced the night sky, followed by the sporadic whizzing of arrows and the metallic clang of weapons.
"A combined force of House Grover and House Vance, about three hundred men!" the returning guard reported breathlessly, "They are attacking the outpost at the southern pasture! The vanguard of about a hundred men is rapidly advancing towards the pass!"
Roderick stood on the highest level of the castle, watching the flickering torches in the distant darkness.
He showed no panic, but rather a cold smile.
"They've arrived, even faster than I expected."
It was a good thing he had already formulated a comprehensive plan.
"Shadow Guard Number One, lead fifty Blackstone Guard, go south from the East Gate, cut off the enemy's retreat, and outflank their vanguard from behind!"
"Captain Beren, you lead the remaining fifty Blackstone Guard, plus all the Old Guard and new recruits, a total of one hundred and fifty men, sortie from the West Gate, and strike directly at the flank of the enemy's main force! All longbowmen, equip flaming arrows, and await my command!"
Roderick gave his orders in a deep voice, his tone decisive and clear.
"Yes! My Lord!" Both responded in unison, executing the orders without hesitation.
Roderick did not choose to defend within the city but instead launched an active offensive.
He knew that the enemy had come to plunder and to make a show of force.
If he merely defended passively, even if he repelled the enemy, the prestige of the Blackstone Family would be difficult to establish.
What he wanted was a war of annihilation, a victory that would thoroughly deter all petty villains!
He himself led twenty personal guards and thirty archers, quietly taking a small path to outflank the enemy's vanguard, hiding near the inevitable route of their advance at the edge of a dense forest.
This was a race against time, and a test of Roderick's strategic vision and his army's execution.
The night was deep, and the cold wind howled.
Soon, Shadow Guard Number One's fifty elite Blackstone Guard, like ghosts, silently outflanked from the east, successfully cutting off the enemy vanguard's retreat.
Well-trained, they launched a precise surprise attack, leveraging their familiarity with the terrain and the cover of night.
Blades of fine steel gleamed in the darkness, each strike claiming a life.
The enemy vanguard, mostly knights of House Vance and a few infantry from House Grover, were at this moment eager to attack Blackstone Pass, completely unprepared for a rear assault.
Under Shadow Guard Number One's surprise attack, they instantly fell into chaos.
Just then, Roderick saw it!
The main enemy force also appeared at the predetermined ambush site.
It was an open area, flanked by low hills and sparse, snow-covered trees.
About two hundred soldiers from 'Grover' and 'Vance' were shouting as they advanced.
"Loose arrows!" Roderick commanded.
The flaming arrows from the thirty archers instantly shot out, streaking across the night sky like meteors, accurately landing in the center of the enemy's main force.
The dry winter vegetation and crude tents were instantly ignited, flames soaring into the sky!
"Charge!!!"
Captain Beren roared, leading one hundred and fifty Blackstone Guard and Old Guard, charging out from behind the western hills like tigers descending from a mountain.
Their newly crafted steel armor gleamed in the firelight, and earth-shattering war cries erupted from their mouths!
"For Blackstone!"
"For My Lord Roderick!"
The morale of this force reached an unprecedented peak.
Their fine steel weapons ruthlessly cut down the enemies who were thrown into chaos by the fire.
The main enemy force had not expected the Blackstone Pass guards to dare to launch an offensive, much less to suffer such a sudden and fierce ambush.
They were instantly surrounded, caught in a two-front battle.
Gregory Grover of House Grover and Erwin Fowler of House Vance turned pale.
They watched their troops being cut down by the Blackstone Guard in the firelight as if they were chopping melons and vegetables; the disparity between well-trained elites and a chaotic rabble was fully exposed at this moment.
Roderick, longsword in hand, personally led the charge on the front line.
His swordsmanship was vicious and precise, each swing carrying a cold killing intent.
He did not kill for the sake of killing, but for victory, for deterrence, for the future of the Blackstone Family.
Under his leadership, the remaining twenty personal guards also charged into the enemy ranks like madmen.
The battle lasted less than an hour before it concluded.
The forces of Blackstone Pass achieved a complete victory with overwhelming superiority.
Of the three hundred enemy soldiers, nearly a hundred were cut down on the spot, and Gregory Grover and Erwin Fowler were captured in the chaos.
Most of the others were taken prisoner, with only a few managing to escape.
Roderick's blade was stained with the blood of his enemies.
He stood in the center of the battlefield, littered with corpses, the cold wind whipping at his robes, yet unable to cool the burning fire in his eyes.
"Count the casualties, clear the battlefield, and process the prisoners," Roderick's voice was calm and authoritative, "Escort all prisoners back to the Pass!"
"Yes, My Lord!" The guards responded in unison, their voices echoing through the night, filled with the joy of victory and fervent adoration for Roderick.
System Side Quest: Defeat the enemy forces that launch the first active attack on Blackstone Pass, and capture enemy lords or commanders.
Quest Complete! Reward: 300 overlord points, unlock "system store" War Module, special reward: 'Junior Military Academy' blueprint.
When Roderick returned to the castle, Rolan and Steward Greg were already waiting in the study.
They looked at the uncleared bloodstains on Roderick's body, their eyes filled with awe.
"My Lord, are you... are you alright?" Rolan asked with concern.
Roderick gently wiped the blood from his sword, his gaze as sharp as frost.
"I am fine." He slid his sword back into its sheath with a crisp sound. "In this battle, my Blackstone Guard, outnumbered, achieved victory with zero casualties, annihilating nearly a hundred enemies and capturing over two hundred. Erwin Fowler and Gregory Grover were both taken alive."
Rolan and Greg trembled with excitement upon hearing this.
This was nothing short of a miraculous victory!
Zero casualties, this was an unheard-of fantasy in the cold weapon warfare of Westeros!
"My Lord Roderick is wise and mighty!" Greg couldn't help but exclaim.
Roderick waved his hand, sat at his desk, and new system rewards appeared in his mind.
system store: War Module has been unlocked.
It clearly listed various siege weapon blueprints, advanced troop training programs, tactical guidance manuals, and even some fantastical items, all marked with exorbitant overlord points.
Special Reward: 'Junior Military Academy' blueprint.
Description: Can cultivate excellent military commanders, strategic planners, and tactical experts, greatly enhancing the overall quality and combat effectiveness of the army.
This was the real treasure! Roderick was overjoyed.
Cultivating talent was the fundamental key to maintaining the long-term stability of the family.
"Rolan, send raven messages tonight, dispatching battle reports to Riverrun, Winterfell, the Eyrie, and the Iron Islands," Roderick said in a deep voice, filled with confidence, "Tell them of the Blackstone Family's determination to defend its territory. At the same time, send people to escort the letters of surrender from Erwin Fowler and Gregory Grover, with my guards, to Riverrun, to present them to My Lord Duke Edmure."
This battle report would shock the entire Riverlands.
And submitting letters of surrender, in the laws of Westeros, meant that the Blackstone Family would henceforth have dominion over these two families, and could even annex parts of their territories.
Roderick would not be lenient.
He needed land, he needed people, he needed more resources.
As for House Tully, Roderick believed that My Lord Duke Edmure, upon receiving this astonishing battle report, would re-evaluate the true strength of the Blackstone Family.
He would not easily make an enemy of a vassal who could both defend himself and actively expand.
Instead, he might, to some extent, tacitly approve of the Blackstone Family's expansion, and even be pleased to see a strong vassal to check the surrounding areas, especially the pressure from the Westerlands.
"Greg, first thing tomorrow morning, gather all miners and mine ore with full effort. War always brings attrition, and we need more fine steel to replenish our armory," Roderick instructed, "Also, arrange personnel to tally battle losses and spoils. Especially food and weapons, which are currently the most scarce."
"Yes, My Lord!" Greg responded excitedly, already foreseeing the boundless future of the Blackstone Family.
Roderick walked to the window, opened it, and let the cold night wind blow across his face.
In the distance, the raging flames had died down, leaving only embers flickering in the night.
But the majesty forged from blood and iron had already permeated the entire Blackstone Pass.
Today's battle definitively proved that Roderick Blackstone was no ordinary noble.
His decisiveness, his wisdom, his ruthlessness, and his elite troops, who descended like divine soldiers, were enough to make all who harbored illusions about Blackstone Pass re-examine this once insignificant frontier lord.
With a resounding victory, he declared to the entire Riverlands, and indeed to the entire continent of Westeros, the formal rise of the Blackstone Family—or rather, of him, Roderick Blackstone.
This was only the beginning.
He would use sword and fire to write a legend belonging to the Blackstone Family.