Ethan nodded in satisfaction, then stepped forward and gave Elira a firm pat on the shoulder. "You've been fighting for a while now. Take a break—you've earned it. Leave the rest to me."

But Elira wasn't backing down.

"My Lord, let me handle them! I can do this!" she insisted, her voice fierce with determination.

Before Ethan could respond, she darted forward like a streak of lightning, plunging straight into the enemy ranks. The massive wings of the Skytear Demon Moth on her back beat furiously, unleashing wave after wave of rune-charged energy that tore through the enemy lines with devastating force.

"Charge! Attack! Don't hold back!"

"Kill them all!"

Inspired by Elira's fearless assault, the warriors of Emerald Castle couldn't hold themselves back any longer. One by one, they unleashed their power and surged forward, following her lead into the fray.

A thunderous roar erupted across the battlefield—

"BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM…"

The clash exploded into full-blown chaos from the very first moment, the battle instantly reaching a fever pitch.

The Emerald Castle army had undergone a massive transformation in recent times. Their overall strength had reached unprecedented levels, and their combat power was nothing short of terrifying.

The Kazzan Empire's forces were formidable, no doubt—but against the newly empowered Emerald Castle army, they were clearly outmatched.

Barely ten minutes into the fight, the tide had already turned. The Kazzan Empire was on the back foot, their elite fighters falling one after another.

Ataneya was especially unstoppable. Her tail lashed out behind her, radiating raw, destructive energy that swept through enemy lines like a living storm.

It didn't take long before the Kazzan forces were utterly routed.

But—

It quickly became clear that this wasn't their main army. This was just a vanguard unit, a probing force sent to test the waters.

If it had been their full strength, the battle wouldn't have ended so easily.

"Looks like the real fight's still ahead," Ethan muttered, frowning as he stood among the fallen enemies, inspecting their bodies.

Judging by the signs, it wouldn't be long before a much stronger force came knocking. And whether Emerald Castle could withstand that next wave… well, that was anyone's guess.

Just then, Andona came running over, breathless and urgent, clutching a circular emblem in her hand.

"Master! I found this on the battlefield. I had it analyzed—it's not from the Kazzan Empire. It looks like it belongs to another faction entirely. From what I can tell, the Kazzan Empire might be fighting on multiple fronts right now."

Ethan's eyes lit up.

That was huge. If another power was keeping part of the Kazzan army busy, then this was the perfect chance for Emerald Castle to strike hard and fast.

"Are you sure?" he asked, grabbing Andona by the shoulders and shaking her slightly, his excitement barely contained.

Andona nodded quickly. "Absolutely. And from the looks of it, this other faction is no pushover either."

"Perfect." Ethan's voice turned sharp with command. "Rally the troops. We're going on the offensive!"

The Emerald Castle army assembled at once, their momentum building like a tidal wave as they marched toward the Kazzan Empire's territory.

The conflict between the Kazzan Empire and Emerald Castle had long since passed the point of no return. There was no room for compromise—only total annihilation.

And Ethan had no intention of waiting around to be crushed. This was their moment.

Time to strike back with everything they had.

But right now—

It really did seem like their chance had finally come.

…

The Kazzan Empire was in complete chaos.

What was once a fearsome, unified military force had now been split four ways. One division had been sent to attack Emerald Castle—and had been completely wiped out. Another was locked in battle with the Dorinval Empire. A third was struggling to hold off the Silvermoon Dominion. And the last group? They were holed up, guarding the capital.

No one could tell if the Kazzan Empire had grown too arrogant… or just plain reckless.

Who in their right mind would pick fights with multiple powerful factions at the same time?

And right now, the so-called king of the Kazzan Empire—Caedor—was sitting on his throne in the heart of the capital. But he didn't look like a ruler in control. If anything, he looked… off. Distant. Like his mind was somewhere else entirely.

"Has the army we sent to Emerald Castle returned yet?!"

His voice thundered through the hall, raw with fury. Everyone present flinched. These were powerful individuals in their own right, but Caedor… Caedor was something else entirely. He had reached the peak of Tier 18—a level of power that made even the bravest warriors tremble.

Just the pressure of his presence was enough to crush the air out of the room.

"N-not yet, Your Majesty," one of the commanders stammered. "But our scouts report that Emerald Castle's forces include several extremely powerful individuals. It's unlikely they'll be able to return anytime soon. And even if they do… it'll probably be with heavy losses."

BOOM.

The moment the words left his mouth, a terrifying wave of pressure exploded outward, shaking the very foundations of the palace. It spread like a storm, blanketing the entire throne room in suffocating force.

"All this time… and they still haven't dealt with a bunch of nobodies from who-knows-where?" Caedor's voice was ice and fire all at once. "Who was commanding that army? When—if—they return, execute them. I want to see if anyone else dares to waste my time again."

No one dared to speak after that.

Heads lowered. Bodies frozen. Not a single soul moved.

Because the truth was… this was all part of Caedor's plan.

Every battle, every loss, every drop of blood spilled—it was all feeding him.

His body was fused with the throne itself, surrounded by thick, vine-like tendrils that pulsed and writhed like living things. They weren't just decoration. They were conduits—feeding him power.

And those vines? They stretched far beyond the throne room.

Their roots reached all the way to the battlefields of the Dorinval Empire and the Silvermoon Dominion. As long as the fighting continued—no matter who died, friend or foe—Caedor would keep growing stronger.

"What are you all still standing around for?" he snapped. "Send more troops. All three fronts. I need more power."

The moment he gave the order, the officials scattered like frightened animals, scrambling to obey.

Because they knew—if they hesitated even a second too long, their own power would be drained next.

Each of them carried a vine inside their body, hidden deep within their chest, wrapped around their heart. It was a direct link to Caedor. If any of them so much as thought about rebelling, the vine would grow wild inside them—piercing through flesh and bone, ripping their power away in an instant.

They knew this.

They knew it was a trap.

They knew Caedor was using them.

But none of them dared resist.

And none of them dared run.

...