Boom!The mountain gate was destroyed by Dray's axe with a thunderous crash, shattering the night's calm. Dray fiercely charged inside the base as the axe shattered the gate in front of him.I slowly entered the base, letting Dray take the lead while I moved gently through the billowing dust."Argh! Who's there?""Intruder! The base is being attacked!"The gate was destroyed, and the dust and debris from that filled the entire entrance hallway. The base was already in disarray when Dray entered.The guards awoke one by one from their sleep and hurriedly fled outside brandishing their swords and spears.They were destined to be sliced up like vegetables.Swoosh!Slash!Dray simply barged in and carelessly swung his axe. He didn't even need to employ skills for this kind of people, who were primarily C-rank and B-rank.With the exception of the size difference, they were similar to ants that he could tread on and quickly kill.The vicinity was suddenly filled with screams, and the anima
"Where the hell?" I muttered a curse.I had trouble picking up anything, even with my senses that could cover the whole mountain.The elderly man and woman appeared to be the only experts at this base. And they had complete control over everything.It was now impossible to locate the Cloud City residents who had been abducted.As if they didn't exist in the first place.But how is that possible? This was the very spot where Rui had claimed the life talisman could indicate their whereabouts."Urgh…help…" I locked my gaze on the guard at my feet. My eyes became icy. Even though the questioning was brief, the guards genuinely replied that they were unsure. Additionally, I could see that they weren't lying by the look on their faces.There was little reason for these guards to lie; they weren't the kind of people who would risk their lives to protect the Azure Dragon family. They had recently been employed as a guard."How could you not know?" But my frustration only got worse.I grabbe
Boom!Suddenly, a loud noise could be heard coming from the far end of the hidden base. No one checked that region because it was only a mountain wall.The entire mountain began to tremble along with the sound, and mayhem broke out as both the guards and the robbers fled in terror.It appeared as though the mountain roof would collapse on everyone and bury them for all time.The mountain continued to tremble but didn't fall, and then an abruptly overpowering smell of blood appeared.When they detected the aroma, everyone's expressions changed dramatically. Even if someone killed 100 people, there wouldn't suddenly be such a strong and overpowering bloody smell. “This…!”“Charge! Fast!” I spoke hastily. Everyone moved and flew after my words towards the corner where the disturbance was coming from."What exactly is going on?" Mark couldn't figure it out. As a mercenary, his work included murder and bloodshed. But he had never before inhaled a smell that was so overpoweringly strong
“Everyone, relax. A question comes to mind.""Is the coiling, serpentine object that was encircling that person the spirit body?" I enquired glumly."Yes, that is the situation. The young master is right when he expresses that the spirit body doesn't appear to be completed. It ought to be characterised like a genuine, corporeal snake, not like an aura!" Realizing this, Russell smacked his thigh."That also explains why the attack of the young master broke the spirit body so effortlessly," said Rakan. Mark was the only one who didn't know anything about it. Indeed, it was the first time he had heard the phrase "spirit body." He did not have access to information that was discussed among the empire's high-ranking nobility because he was a mercenary."How did you people learn about the spirit body? Have you ever seen one in person?" With curiosity, I inquired. I was also running out of time. I sent someone flying, and he should be standing up any moment now, and I wanted more details.[
“Lightning Serpent!” Instantaneously, lightning-quick, Lexus drew his blade. He pointed at the hole and shot out a thousand lightning bolts, immediately lighting up the entire base in a split second.Those lightning bolts slithered through the air like snakes, striving directly for the hole's depths.Crackle!Snap!"This is not their fight, order everyone below the A-rank to leave the base immediately!" Lexus commanded his knights to depart immediately, his face solemn.While Mark was in an uncomfortable situation, Russell, Rakan, and Erik followed suit. He was still in the B-rank even though he was the head of a band of mercenaries.He wasn't sure whether he should depart or not.As soon as Rakan saw it, he told Mark, "I will leave it to you to make sure no one enters the base.""Understood." Mark sighed and joined his companions outside.In the pseudo-S-rank, even though Zagan's foundation was shaky and had become demonic due to the breakthrough, the power he possessed was real, an
Rakan, Russell, and Lexus materialized immediately in front of Zagan. They unleashed their attacks in a frenzy before Zagan could even conceive of attacking again.Earth, fire, and lightning.A sword, a spear, and a hatchet.At once, Zagan came under a barrage of assaults of every sort. The impacts drove Zagan, who was no longer protected by his spirit form, deeper and deeper into the ground. His already naked body was dripping with fresh blood, and he bellowed in rage.It was obvious that his physical constitution was only powerful enough to support a peak A-rank rather than an S-rank.After a few movements, he was no longer able to fend off the combined attacks of three sixth-circle A-rank and one seventh-circle A-rank.Erik Vale, who was only in his 30s, was already in the sixth circle. This was the distinction between lesser and higher nobles.Erik quickly attained the sixth circle thanks to his family's abilities, while Count Rakan and Count Russell took decades of arduous traini
"Has little Ethan grown some balls? I recall you fleeing from me and labelling me a demon." Isla laughed, and her attention eventually returned to the two counts and Lexus."Excellent job. Although I'm not sure how you did it, you all did an excellent job in defeating this monster. All of your mana has been restored, but the demonic aura on your body has not completely disappeared. The four of you will be taken care of by my people when you descend the peak.""I apologize for arriving late. The four of you will receive the compensation you are due, so don't fret."Everyone remained quiet.Perhaps no one dared to speak in front of such a powerful individual. One could argue that all S-rank individuals were of a different breed.If you say the incorrect thing, you could irritate them and risk getting smacked to death.As a result, even I stayed silent.Lexus indicated with his eyes as he led. As he descended the slope, everyone followed him.As she observed the four fighters' silhouette
“A reward?” I asked."Yes." Duchess Isla didn't go into much detail. She had returned here after visiting the capital. She had departed for the city less than ten minutes earlier.She moved so quickly, it astounded me. I doubt that I could get to the capital in ten minutes, despite trying my hardest and moving at the fastest possible pace. But she only went back and forth for ten minutes.Monsters.S-ranks are unquestionably not humans.While the young guy was sitting calmly inside the tent, Duchess Isla was obnoxiously staring at him."The Duke's son has been behaving strangely since meeting Riel Alheim." That's what Princess Ladia told her.It puzzled her even more.Weird?Ethan was the child of Duke Ifrit, whereas Riel Alheim was the son of her sibling. She had no idea how they had connected.And to make matters even stranger, this young master Ethan, who was meant to be at C-rank, was now exuding aura levels that were almost as high as the sixth circle.The princess didn't conside
"Hey! Why should we listen to a brat like you?" The interjection came from the back of the crowd, a young soldier, his face flushed with anger, his eyes blazing with defiance. The rest of the soldiers turned to stare, their expressions a mixture of curiosity and apprehension.A genuine smile spread across my face. Finally, someone had the audacity to speak up. A flicker of satisfaction ignited within me. This was exactly what I had been hoping for, wasn't it? Didn't this feel like the natural order of things?I had anticipated this moment from the very beginning. There was no way these esteemed scions of nobility and battle-hardened knights would meekly submit to the commands of a mere child. The moment I was elected commander of one of the three mighty armies, I knew this tension would inevitably arise. After all, who among these talented warriors would willingly follow a teenager with little to boast of in terms of accomplishments? And let's not forget the shadow of my less-than-st
Ladia couldn't help but castigate herself for her lapse in judgment. How had she not seen it before? If the involvement of the magic towers would significantly aid the Empire, then the impact of the very person who had defeated the magicians of the tower participating would be monumental.The princess's heart thrummed with the realization, chiding herself for taking so long to come to this epiphany. Was Ethan's proposal the correct course of action or not? She no longer dwelled on the question.With a steely gaze, Ladia announced, "I have reached a verdict."The room fell silent as all eyes turned to the princess. The final decision lay in her hands, and she was ready to reveal it. The anticipation hung heavy in the air, and Ladia took a deep breath before continuing. "I have decided to accept Ethan's proposal."A murmur of surprise rippled through the room, but Ladia held up her hand for silence. "I believe that Ethan's plan, with a few modifications, is the best course of action for
My suggestion ignited a firestorm of debate among the upper echelons of the capital. The princess convened her officials in the grand throne room, where the air was thick with tension and uncertainty as they deliberated their next course of action. Ultimately, the march toward the City of Aran was postponed by a full day, a delay that weighed heavily on everyone present. The officials found themselves divided, caught between two stark choices: should they attempt to reclaim the nearby City of Aran from the Beast Kingdom, or should they focus their efforts on retaking the more strategically significant City of Northfall?"But, Your Majesty," one of the officials interjected, his voice rising above the murmurs of the assembly, "as we stand now, we cannot afford to risk an attack on the Northfall Fortress! I have heard reports that the beastmen have fortified their walls and laid even more traps to ensnare us! If we allow this farce to continue, we will be nothing more than lambs led to
A chill snaked down Ryle's spine. Ethan's suggestion hung in the air, heavy and suffocating, like a shroud woven from despair. To attack City of Aran, a fortress city now bristling with tens of thousands of Beast Kingdom soldiers, felt like a declaration of utter annihilation. Even Lance, their most valiant commander, had fallen captive within its walls.Ryle's brow creased into a deep furrow. He, too, was a commander of the Initiation Army, a man who had tasted the bitterness of defeat and the sting of loss. He couldn't fathom how Ethan, this newly appointed leader, could so blithely propose a course of action that reeked of self-destruction."I cannot, in good conscience, agree with your plan," Ryle stated, his voice laced with a mixture of disbelief and frustration. "As we stand now, attacking Northfall City is a fool's errand, a suicide mission. We are scattered, depleted, and outmatched. We must first rally our remaining forces, regroup along the borders, and then, and only then,
"Ryle Green, step forward!" the Royal advisor said, seeing Ryle was in a daze.Ryle coughed and stepped forward, his heart pounding with excitement as he knelt before the Princess."Ryle Green, you are hereby granted authority over fifty thousand soldiers," the Princess said, her voice like a melody that soothed the soul. "You shall be the commander of the Vanguard Army!"With a snap of her fingers, the Princess bestowed an insignia upon Ryle's shoulder, its glow of light like a beacon of hope in the face of the looming threat of the Beast Kingdom."I will crush those beastmen for you, Your Highness!" Ryle said, his voice filled with determination and resolve.The Princess smiled, her eyes filled with pride and hope. "We have faith in you, Ryle," she said. "Together, we will defeat the Beast Kingdom and restore peace to our lands."Princess Ladia nodded, a hint of a smile playing on her lips. "I expect a lot from the younger generation, Ryle," she said, her voice laced with both encou
The Dwarven Kingdom, a land renowned for its glittering wealth, held its breath. The Brightwing Empire’s meager offer, a desperate plea for aid, was all they had to entice the notoriously hard-drinking mercenaries. Even if their weapons were outdated, their reputation for unmatched effectiveness in battle preceded them. Surely, that would be enough.“Your Majesty,” a guard murmured, his voice barely a tremor in the air. “They have arrived.”Princess Ladia, lost in a labyrinth of thought, startled slightly. She had wrestled with the decision for what felt like an eternity, but finally, a solution had emerged. All that remained was to face them, to meet their gaze and offer her hand in this desperate alliance.Viscount Lamiel, a man whose arrogance was only surpassed by his thirst for gold, strode into the royal garden, flanked by a legion of equally boisterous mercenaries. Princess Ladia recognized most of them – the nobles summoned by the crown, their faces etched with a mixture of g
The scene unfolded with brutal efficiency. Several soldiers, their faces grim and resolute, descended upon Drew and the other soldier, their movements swift and decisive. There was no struggle, no desperate pleas for mercy. They walked away with heads bowed, accepting their fate with a stoic silence that spoke volumes of their resignation.Ryle, his expression a mixture of weariness and amusement, ran a hand through his hair, a sigh escaping his lips. "What a waste of a perfectly good sleep," he muttered, his voice laced with a hint of exasperation. "Young men like myself need our rest, yet everyone seems determined to disrupt my slumber over such trivial matters."His gaze shifted to me, and a playful smile curved his lips. "Allow me to introduce myself," he said, extending a hand towards me. "Ryle Green, third son of Count Green, and as you might be able to tell, the future commander of this very army." He spoke with an air of unwavering confidence, his words carrying the weight of
Two soldiers from a rival camp, their boots crunching on the gravel path, happened upon the conversation. One soldier, his face contorting with barely suppressed mirth, clamped a hand over his mouth, desperately trying to stifle a chuckle. His companion, sensing the impending eruption, jabbed him in the ribs with an elbow, a silent plea for decorum. But the laughter, like a trapped spring, was too powerful to contain. Tears welled in the soldier's eyes, threatening to spill over as his shoulders shook with silent mirth. Finally, with a strangled cry, he burst into a full-blown guffaw. "Hahahaha! If it's the Young Master leading us! Hahaha! We'll be able to… Pft! Hahaha!"The sound of his uncontrolled laughter echoed through the camp, drawing curious glances from nearby soldiers. Gaston, his face a mask of confusion and irritation, turned to the source of the amusement. "Excuse me, but what's so funny?" he demanded, his voice laced with displeasure.The soldier, still gasping for br
The unyielding army of the Ice Demon City had been journeying for a considerable number of weeks, traversing a multitude of cities and towns along the way. During our sojourns, we would occasionally restock our supplies, find respite in taverns, and often in the great outdoors, before resuming our arduous trek.Given the unfortunate circumstances, we were informed that the Ice Demon City was the most distant of all cities from the capital. This reality meant that we were among the last to receive the urgent message, compelling us to join the ranks of the other nobles and their armies in the capital.It was in the fourth week of our relentless march that we finally arrived in the grand and magnificent Capital city. The journey had been long and arduous, but our determination never wavered, as we knew our presence was required in these critical times. I had already surmised that the majority of the other nobles and their forces would have already amassed in the capital, readying themse