CHAPTER 1528: CHAPTER 776: ANKA’S TRIAL

This statue stands over ten meters tall, depicting the image of a tall man, with his face obscured by a red scarf and mask, and a high, billowing red cape behind him.

This is another unique feature of the statue; neither the red scarf nor the cape is painted red, but the color comes from the material of the statue itself, while the rest of the statue is the usual grayish-blue.

It is unknown whether the stone is naturally formed, or shaped by someone using the Stone Shaping Spell.

"Anka Estate!" At the first glance of this statue, he recognized the identity of the place; this statue was none other than the creator and sole owner of the estate, Anka Balisk.

If a ranking of the Ghost Manor of Battle Valley were made, all the people of Battle Valley would unhesitatingly cast their first vote for this manor.

It is not because the ghosts within the manor are particularly ferocious, but because it holds significant representative meaning for Battle Valley.

If we speak of the individual in Valley history who came closest to being the King of the Valley, it would be this very person, the lord of Battle Valley, Cloak King Anka.

Everyone in Battle Valley is well-versed in his story, and most Valley People are very clear too. It is their childhood bedtime story, teaching countless Valley People that even if they cannot achieve the glorious feats of Anka, they must become like him—humble, tirelessly enduring. One can fail but must never lie down grumbling and refuse to get up, must regroup and rebuild confidence, uphold justice rather than indulge in empty talk.

You’ll probably have to defeat me first.

This is the favorite saying of all Valley warriors, as it was once the catchphrase of Cloak King Anka.

Anka Balisk himself was a genuine Battle Valley native, but he was an abandoned child, raised in an Elf community, where he learned knowledge about caring for the forest, military skills, wisdom, and patience and compassion towards others, and he did not harbor resentment towards humans for his past abandonment.

In his youth, like most of the Valley’s young, he was influenced by the wealth of the Sambiyan Kingdom and went there seeking opportunity. He and his brothers formed a mercenary group named Armored Cloak.

Under Anka’s leadership, the Cloak Warriors achieved remarkably brilliant success as mercenaries, serving one Sambiyan employer after another.

During this process, they inevitably became involved in their employers’ dark secrets—ruthlessly extracting every ounce of profit and value from the Valley People, and even selling them as slaves to Ser or farther when they had been completely exploited.

When those Sambiyan merchants discovered that the Cloak Warriors were unwilling to join their ranks, they mercilessly cast them aside, placed bounties on their heads, and hired同行 to eliminate them. They were forced to leave Sambia and return to Battle Valley.

Here, Anka and his companions found many local merchants colluding with the Sambiyan merchants to exploit and manipulate the Battle Valley people by manipulating markets, lending at usurious rates, and hiring armed thugs. The good people here worked as hard as cattle and horses, and though the lands produced abundantly, they still found themselves deep in debt and with empty stomachs.

They decided no longer to run but to lead the good people of Battle Valley in rising up against these evil merchants and driving them off this land. Amid cheers, Anka became the lord of Battle Valley.

As a lord, Anka remained diligent and dedicated to improving his people’s security and prosperity, tending to them like a diligent farmer caring for his livestock. The Cloak Warriors settled here, safeguarding the entire Battle Valley.

In less than ten years, Anka transformed Battle Valley into a peaceful, prosperous, and strong land. Yet, merchants from other valleys brought news of their harsh living conditions, suffering not just from monster harassment but also from the dual exploitation of tyrannical rulers and Sambiyan evil merchants.

In 1038, Anka declared himself the King of the Valley. He first persuaded the residents of Shadow Valley and Taser Valley to cooperate with Battle Valley, joining his rule, and then unleashed a furious tide, sweeping through other valleys, swiftly defeating his enemies, and appointing trusted Cloak Warriors as lords or Sword Lords of the various valleys.

In just one year, the banner of the Cloak King spread across all valleys except Bow Valley and High Valley. Within only two years, the Valley People began to support and love their king because his governance was just and honest,

but his approach infringed upon countless interests. He not only fought various monsters and bandits but also dealt with the relentless pressure from Sambia. In battle with an Evil Mage, he was struck by a curse.

Since then, he was plagued by an incurable disease of decay, with his body slowly rotting in different areas. To maintain his image before the Valley People, he had to cover himself with a red scarf, mask, and red cape. For most of his rule, he appeared this way, leading to his moniker, the Cloak King.