But... isn''t this still not quite right?

    After pondering the situation in his mind, Leon''s brow furrowed slightly.

    The Crolock Kingdom, though incredibly strong, was lightly populated and couldn''t afford heavy casualties. It also held a lot of advanced technologies, making it extremely easy to profit from "international trade," so it usually acted reasonably.

    This nation wasn''t the kind that was uncooperatively aggressive, and it would not resort to force unless absolutely necessary. Especially concerning energy purchase transactions, it was so generous that it was almost frightening.

    So if it were a typical energy resource, given the Kingdom''s usual stance, it should have opted to hand over the mining rights in exchange for a large sum of money and technological support from the Crolock Kingdom. Why choose to go to war? Sёarch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

    Or, to put it bluntly, the muscular capacity of the Kingdom and the Crolock Kingdom weren''t even on the same level. The latter could likely just flex slightly, and given the Kingdom''s traditionally weak foreign policy, it would probably surrender immediately. How could it escalate to the point of war?

    "Are you sure?"

    Secretly grabbing the Black Goat''s horn, Leon seriously asked,

    "In the future, will the Kingdom really escalate to necessary war with the Crolock Kingdom over those explorers'' mining data?"

    "I know nothing."

    Though he said he didn''t know, he raised his hand to point to his graying temples and said solemnly,

    "I already told you, guess for yourself!"

    "…"

    No need to guess, your soul has already given me the answer...

    After observing the middle-aged man''s intense yet steady Soul Flame, confirming his truthfulness about witnessing a future Crolock Kingdom attack, Leon frowned and asked,

    "So why?"

    Noting that middle-aged Joshua wasn''t bluffing—although disagreeing with his rash attack on the Boarding Tower and the ire it drew from the Crolock Kingdom—Leon still asked:

    "What exactly did those explorers uncover? How could it lead to such chaos?"

    "Do you want to know?"

    Glancing at Leon''s furrowed brow, the defeated middle-aged Joshua let out a cold laugh, gleefully saying,

    "If you want to know, go ahead and lead a raid on the Boarding Tower and seize the mining records!"

    Ha, little Baskin, even though you''ve thwarted me now, I believe that once you see those documents, no matter what you think, you''ll eventually make the same choice as I did!"

    As he spoke, the middle-aged man pointed remotely at Leon in challenge, full of resentment,

    "Just wait! The facts will prove to you who is really right between us!"

    "…"

    "Besides, don''t think you can capture me."

    Eyed variously around the room, surrounded by faintly looming Rebels, the middle-aged man said with disdain,

    "Don''t waste your energy. As soon as there''s any danger, I''ll be teleported away immediately! You damned traitors, you''ll forever…"

    "Prince Joshua."

    ?!!!

    Hearing his name from "little Baskin," the middle-aged man was taken aback, choking on his unfinished threats and looked with shock at Leon across the room.

    The Rebels inside the room, initially unaware of the name''s significance, quickly connected the dots upon seeing his expression, gazing in astonishment at their Predecessor leader.

    …

    "Judging by your expression, I must have guessed correctly."

    Seeing that the middle-aged version of Prince Joshua seemed ready to flee, Leon, lacking the means to hold him back, had to reveal his identity.

    Having successfully achieved his goal, stalling the withdrawal of Prince Joshua once more, Leon discreetly tapped a small mirror, signaling Young Ha to urge Senior Emma, then calmly inquired,

    "Prince Joshua, I''m curious—what exactly have you experienced in the future to change from an arrogant, naive prince into your current self?"

    "…"

    "Little Baskin... you truly are a terrifying person..."

    Silent in contemplation for a while, middle-aged Joshua drew a silk cloth from his pocket and wiped the thin powder off his cheekbone, revealing the two iconic irregular freckles in the Rebels'' bewildered eyes.

    "That''s right, I am Joshua... but not the foolish prince of now, rather the Joshua of the future: the last King of the Kingdom!"

    "This... this..."

    "How is that possible!!!"

    "A prince? The Rebel leader is a prince!"

    Facing the middle-aged Joshua, who calmly confessed his identity, all the Rebels faltered, the bald woman in the staunch leader''s faction grasping her head in utter Pain.

    If the Rebel leader was a prince and the entire group he built by hand, then what exactly had they been opposing all this time?

    A bunch of fools!

    He cast a disdainful glance at these former subordinates, then turned his eyes back to "little Baskin" across the room, perplexed,

    "Tell me, how did you discover me?"

    "…"

    Actually, it wasn''t me. Another you had a Nightmare, and after Senior Emma conferred with the director, they deduced your existence after ruling out other possibilities. I merely piggybacked on their conclusion.