The Aftermath of Battle

In the gunpowder grass manor of the Disputed Lands, Gendry quietly cleaned his mace. The dark, cold-headed mace was made of fine steel, but even it showed signs of wear from the battle.

In Gendry's room now lay two additional weapons: an arakh, the curved blade favored by the Dothraki that was half-sword, half-scythe, taken from the Meereenese gladiator, and the mace of his fallen comrade, "Mace." 

Gendry longed for a Valyrian warhammer; nothing was sharper than a Valyrian steel sword.

**Bloodline: Stormblood (Activated, 33% Awakened)**

Gendry saw the increase in his bloodline. The battle, especially the high-quality combat, had strengthened his Stormblood. He felt his physical strength and power continue to climb. Only by being on the brink of life and death, with an arrow on the string, could he better inspire his stormblood.

"I was once so obsessed with my iron chain, until I discovered the vastness of the world and the marvels of magic!" Qyburn said. "The people of Westeros are like being in a dim room, trying to extinguish the candles lit by magic. Instead of being like sheep in the dark, ignoring the truth, it's better to embrace it!"

"Maester Qyburn, what you seek is the truth! What I pursue is a sense of security and a carefree life," Gendry put down the mace. Gendry longed for a safe and relaxed life, the kind of happiness that only an unrestrained noble scion could enjoy.

Gendry's identity was too awkward, too close to the vortex of power. The Baratheon dynasty was inherently unstable, and fluctuations in power were bound to affect Gendry. Rather than being a pawn, it was better to be the player.

Gendry was older than Joffrey and was the king's eldest son, while Joffrey was the product of adultery. Even the existence of a bastard was a threat.

The Lannister family, and even his uncle, could pose a danger to him. Gendry was well aware of the fate of his bastard siblings; except for the noble bastard Edric hidden in Storm's End, the others would surely die if discovered by the vicious Cersei.

"Royal families can sometimes be just as bad. The families of Viserys I, the Usurper, and the Mad King were all in disarray, and King Robert wasn't much better. The king doesn't care about his children, while the queen is ambitious and courting disaster," Maester Qyburn complained, knowing that those legitimate children were like a powder keg.

Gendry was also familiar with those kings. King's Landing was still spreading their jokes. Viserys didn't handle the succession issue well, which led to the Dance of the Dragons. The Usurper indulged his desires recklessly, sowing seeds everywhere, and eventually laid the foundation for the Blackfyre Rebellion. The Mad King, as his name suggests, was not only mad but also suspicious of his wife and children.

"So be prepared! Maester Qyburn, whether my identity is exposed or not, the Lannister family will be our formidable enemy!" Gendry faced his opponent head-on.

The Lannisters were powerful and wealthy, with a population in the Westerlands second only to the Reach. But the Reach was fragmented, while under Tywin's iron fist, the Westerlands were united. Even the victorious Usurper Robert eventually chose to marry the lion.

"The situation is urgent, and we need manpower. It's a pity that I couldn't experiment on that Meereenese gladiator! I think he would have made an excellent tireless, invincible warrior!" Maester Qyburn was still reminiscing about the deceased "Rust" gladiator.

A gladiator who could break through in Meereen must have extraordinary physical fitness.

"Just like the Kingsguard in King's Landing, you should also have such guards around you! An invincible warrior might even surpass the White Knights, because the White Knights are always bound by emotions," Qyburn mused.

"There will be opportunities! But not now!" Gendry stopped Qyburn's regrets. They were currently just mercenaries in a mercenary company. Conducting such brutal experiments in the Wolf Pack would undoubtedly get them kicked out.

"In addition to creating invincible warriors, I am also very interested in those magical substances that leap elements. It would be even better if we could get a dragon egg. Your Grace, you also have a bit of dragon blood, and maybe you can hatch a dragon!" Qyburn said ambitiously. "If you get a dragon, even a small one, it will greatly help your cause!"

"Dragon! There have already been enough fools who tried to wake the dragon. But this is too difficult! Besides us, I think there is another pair of exiled siblings who have never given up!" Gendry knew the whereabouts of the three dragon egg fossils, in the hands of the fat magistrate of Pentos, but the conditions for hatching dragon egg fossils were too many and too strict.

He would rather search for dragon eggs elsewhere, more vibrant ones, which might have a greater chance of hatching. Dragonstone, King's Landing, Summerhall.

"You mean the Beggar King siblings!" Qyburn thought for a moment. "Their dragon blood is indeed the strongest, but other families have also tamed dragons before. For example, the children of the Sea Snake, even the Sea Snake's bastards, tamed dragons."

"We have other ways to gain allies! Although there are pros and cons, it is not a bad shortcut!"

"You mean Daenerys?"

Qyburn nodded, "Yes, Daenerys should be the most beautiful girl in the world! That girl has dragon blood, the blood of the ancient Valyrian gods! But beauty is just one of her many shining qualities, and there is also hidden power. You don't think that all the supporters of the dragon kings have vanished, do you? Think of Dorne, think of the Crabclaw Peninsula."

"Is that girl really that beautiful? How can you be so sure?" Gendry asked. Qyburn's age and experience might not have seen Daenerys, yet he was also a Daenerys fan.

"The True Dragon family has always been known for their inhuman beauty. I have never heard of an ugly Targaryen. Moreover, although I have not seen this girl, I have seen Prince Rhaegar." Qyburn shook his head and then fell into a reverie.

"Rhaegar was tall and handsome, with a pair of indigo blue eyes and silver hair. That pair of melancholic purple eyes, I guarantee it would make all the girls scream! Rhaegar's sister must be an unparalleled beauty."

Rhaegar's beauty was world-famous. Even after all these years, Cersei and the Griffin still couldn't forget. Daenerys' beauty was also top-notch in the known world, unrivaled.

"You're right, but we!" Gendry thought about the crazy plan, which was worth a try. "We are enemies!"

Qyburn shook his head, "Fortune and misfortune change with circumstances, love and hate change with interests. Once, Duke Orys was so loyal to the Targaryen family that he even lost an arm to the Dornish. Could the Conqueror Aegon remember that it was his friend's descendants who overthrew the True Dragon throne? Everything changes, not to mention that you both hate the Lannister family and both need that Iron Throne."

"I have to admit, you are a good persuader, Maester Qyburn!" Gendry smiled. He couldn't have it both ways; joining forces with Daenerys for restoration would inevitably offend many people. But if he wanted to touch that crown, he had to exert himself.

"A girl who has been hiding and running for her life since childhood, and a brother who is crazy and obsessed with the crown! What would she want?" Qyburn calmly analyzed.

"She would need a pair of strong arms, a pair of strong arms, a handsome, unrestrained, and invincible warrior! Your Grace, you have beauty and charm, and you are not short of strength. What we lack is a force to recruit the princess. You can be steel or silk, as long as you appear before her eyes, we have a chance!"

Gendry had to admit that Qyburn was right. The beauty trap was very effective for those who were in love, especially in this looks-oriented era. But how to intercept needed a good opportunity! Daenerys' value was not only in her beauty; she was also one of the keys and opportunities to awaken the dragon.

"We will get news of Viserys and Daenerys from the smugglers!" Gendry said. "The Disputed Lands have a long coastline, and the smugglers and pirates have a wide range of information!"

"I am very willing to make this beautiful thing happen!"