Rocky's reaction greatly surprised Cyril, who had expected an angry explosion but instead, saw no trace of fear on his face when he learnt the size of Baron Wolin's fleet; rather, his expression turned oddly serene.
This left Cyril somewhat perplexed. Had he not made himself clear?
That was a fleet composed of thirty Floating Warships!
Cyril felt that Rocky hadn't yet grasped the full implications of what thirty Floating Warships meant, so he felt compelled to explain it again: "Rocky, that's thirty Floating Warships!"
"Oh, I know."
Brought back to attention by Cyril's voice, Rocky nodded casually and then asked, "Cyril, what kind of warships make up Baron Wolin's fleet?"
The type of warship varied greatly in combat capability, so it was difficult to judge the combat strength of a fleet merely by its numbers; the quality factor also needed to be considered to truly gauge a fleet's strength.
"Well..."
This question made Cyril think for a while before he spoke: "Baron Wolin's fleet is his private military, so I don't know much about it. However, considering his status and standing within the families, the fleet's quality should be fairly decent, at least comprised of third-generation Floating Warships.
However, its major components should be third-generation Reconnaissance Ships, because large warships are too expensive, and Baron Wolin, not being a City Lord, cannot afford them."
"Also, Baron Wolin is a Void Magic Warrior and owns a suit of fourth-generation Void Magic Armor."
"Oh? Is it a mass-production type or a specialized type?"
"The mass-production type. I've seen him wearing it, I remember it being the Eagle Claw Type 3."
"Eagle Claw Type 3..."
Rocky nodded and recalled the specifications of the Eagle Claw Type 3 Armor in his mind.
A few days ago, while he was shopping for armor for Liliya, he had spent an entire day at the weapons market in Eternal City, looking at dozens of armors, substantially enhancing his understanding of Void Magic Armor.
And the Eagle Claw Type 3 that Cyril had mentioned, Rocky had just happened to see.
This was an assault type armor, known for its speed and versatile attack capabilities. Although it was a mass-production model, its combat performance was excellent, thus its price was much higher than that of typical mass-production fourth-generation armors. Rocky remembered that it cost at least sixty thousand Gold Coins.
This meant that Baron Wolin not only owned a fleet of thirty warships but was also a Void Magic Warrior; this really did pose a bit of a challenge for Rocky.
However, it was just a challenge, not a cause for despair.
Let's not forget that he also had several hundred thousand Gold Coins unspent! If he were to spend all that money, then the power at Rocky's disposal would be no less than that of Baron Wolin!
So after a brief moment of thought, Rocky turned to look at Cyril.
"Cyril, the information you've shared with me is very important, thank you for telling me all of this."
Even though he was indifferent towards the members of the Mairente Family, Rocky had to acknowledge the extreme importance of the information Cyril had provided. With this intelligence, he wouldn't be engaging in an unprepared battle, and instead, could make sufficient preparations to face Baron Wolin before his arrival. He had to thank Cyril.
But after expressing his gratitude, he changed his tone, "Cyril, I can tell you're a decent person, you at least recognize some of the wrongful practices of your family. But, as you said, there are some matters beyond both our controls, so..."
"You no longer need to feel any guilt towards me, let's consider the matter between us settled."
After saying this, Rocky turned and walked away, not just straying slightly, but leaving the ballroom with Liliya and others and heading back to Star of the Sky.
Just as he had said earlier, he did indeed feel some gratitude towards Cyril, but as he had also mentioned, there were certain things they simply could not change, such as the Mairente Family's attitude toward Rocky and Rocky's perception of the Mairente Family. These matters were not something Cyril or Rocky could control by themselves, no matter how much they tried.
Therefore, for both her benefit and his own, Rocky believed it was better to clearly define boundaries between them. Otherwise, when Rocky stood on the opposing side of the Mairente Family, things would become very troublesome!
Yes, that was Rocky's decision; he was prepared to stand against the Mairente Family!
This was a choice made out of desperation, yet it was his only choice. Perhaps, in the eyes of the Mairente Family, he and Thunderhawk City were merely parts of the family to be manipulated at will, but Rocky did not see it that way.
Now, he would no longer let any person or family dictate his fate, and if anyone still wished to treat him that way, they had better be prepared to lose a piece of flesh!
So if the Mairente Family wanted a battle, then let there be a battle!
"..."
Meanwhile, when Cyril gazed at the receding figure of Rocky, he sighed with a sense of melancholy. He hadn't expected things to turn out this way.
In fact, he had many things he wanted to say to Rocky, like advising him to use the flying capabilities of Sky City to escape as far as possible, as that was the only way to avoid Baron Wolin's fleet. As for expecting Rocky to defeat Baron Wolin by sheer strength, Cyril had never even contemplated such a fantasy, as he saw it as utterly impossible.
Baron Wolin might just be a nominal noble without a Sky City, but don't forget he was still a member of the Mairente family. This status gave him access to more resources than an ordinary city lord, otherwise how could he possibly afford to maintain a private army?
Thus, although the family would not officially intervene this time, Baron Wolin alone had enough strength to forcibly take over Thunderhawk City. It was precisely because of this strength and confidence that his faction agreed with the family's decision not to intervene.
Unfortunately, Cyril hadn't yet managed to express these thoughts before Rocky had already left...
Elsewhere, after Rocky had left the ball, he went straight back to the Star of the Sky and called everyone to his room.
"...The situation is as I have described. I'd like to hear your opinions."
Since the conversation between Cyril and Rocky had been private, even Liliya and others who had attended the ball did not know what had happened until Rocky gathered everyone together and repeated everything that Cyril had told him. Only then did everyone understand the situation.
"My lord! Of course we strike back!"
Upon understanding the whole backstory, Monte was the first to jump up, "My lord! Thunderhawk City must not be bullied like this; it's too much! Let that certain baron come, and we'll kill him!"
The naturally hot-tempered Beastman roared as he waved one hand, seemingly ready to engage in battle at any moment.
"My lord, Thunderhawk City is not what it used to be. I think if we prepare adequately, we indeed can fight a battle."
At this moment, Aileen also spoke up. She wasn't as impulsive as Monte, but while maintaining her composure, she still suggested a battle.
"What do you think? Can we fight a battle?"
"It's all up to you."
Glancing at Rocky who was seeking her opinion, Liliya smiled slightly, showing complete indifference; she really didn't care much and would definitely stand by him in any action he decided on.
"Lin Feng, Lord Jack, what do you think?"
"We'll follow the lord's lead."
When asked for their opinions, Lin Feng and Old Jack immediately bowed their heads. Both were well aware that in such a time, they definitely should not speak out of turn, as it would surely bring them no good, especially since they were far from being Rocky's confidants.
"Since that's the case…" Rocky surveyed the room, then let out a smile, and slowly said, "We need to begin preparations now. If we're to fight, we must not only fight beautifully but must also ensure we win!"