Once her army came to life, their bodies began to move, subtle at first, and yet very fluidly one must say. 

A body that was made out of wood, and yet possessed the flexibility of flesh. 

An uncanny statement one must say, but it happened, a strange concept was introduced through the power of creation. 

Despite being sculpted entirely from wood, formed from the exact shapes Mize had imagined, they moved with uncanny grace.

You know how statues suddenly became alive and started kicking ass. 

Their limbs didn't flow like water, they moved like people. 

Necks turned from side to side. 

Fingers flexed and curled.

Each figure took a moment to adjust to its body, shifting its weight, testing joints, finding its center of gravity.

Then.

Zoom!

They dropped to one knee in perfect unison.

The sound thundered across the plain, a deep, rolling impact that echoed like a drumbeat. 

Heads bowed, one hand clenched against the earth, the other resting on the bent knee in a salute of absolute loyalty.

At the front, the Ten Blades knelt deepest, the most pious. 

Their eyes gleamed with obedience, and also with something rawer.

Reverence. Awe. 

And most definitely, a fanatic devotion that clung to their every breath as they gazed up at the floating figure above them.

It was deliberately engraved into them, Mize's design, intentionally done so. 

“We thank the Mother of Life for granting us the opportunity to join the realm and taste of living!”

Their voices rang out with fervour, zealous, frenzied, borderline worship. She liked it this way. 

But before their words could stretch into excess, Mize raised her hand. 

A pulse of force swept through the air like a gentle gust, lifting all of them smoothly to their feet.

She cut through their worship with a single sentence.

“Spare me your unnecessary words. I don’t have time for that.”

“…Ah?”

“Y-Yes!”

The Ten Blades stumbled over their response, quickly snapping into a sharp salute.

Without missing a beat, Mize continued, her voice crisp. 

“From now on, your one and only purpose is to serve me and this territory.”

Then she flicked her wrist.

In an instant, a rush of information surged into their minds, memories, data and awareness of the current situation, battlefield layouts, enemy numbers. 

It took only seconds, but the weight of knowledge settled inside them like they'd lived it.

A fake memory? 

A bunch of false and fabricated origin story, odd... 

But it worked perfectly. 

And then, her command:

“Now go. Spread my wrath to those monsters.”

“Yes, Mother!”

The ground trembled as the vast army began to march across the plain, heading straight toward the battlefield.

Their steps were heavy. 

Boots pounded into the earth, each armoured figure equipped with massive shoulder-bolted weapons and thick power suits that clanked and groaned with every movement.

Boom.

Boom.

Boom.

Their footsteps were a storm, a relentless, rhythmic cascade that shook the very land as they moved beneath Mize’s steady gaze.

A moment later, she issued a private command to the Ten Blades.

“Lead them around for now, strike when the time asks for it"

“Yes.”

They responded in perfect unison, then took to the sky. 

Without much hesitations, they began orchestrating the army’s movements, coordinating the entire force from above like silent conductors in a vast war symphony.

Much like Liam’s shadow summons, Mize’s creations possessed a powerful communication network. 

Distance meant nothing. Instructions flowed effortlessly. 

At the top of the chain, the Ten Blades relayed orders down the pyramid, guiding the army with near-perfect synchronization.

Then, in a flicker. 

Mize vanished from the air.

And reappeared… right on Liam’s lap.

The Yama Lord blinked in surprise, releasing a small sigh as his hand instinctively reached up to pinch her ear.

“Could you not appear so randomly like that?”

Ark... Her ear was tugged gently, while his other hand circled around her, adjusting her posture so she fit snugly against him.

He gave her belly a light rub, soft and squishy, and visibly irresistible to him.

With a playful pout and the faintest grin, she declared, “I just went and created my own army.”

“Your own army?” Liam raised an eyebrow, amused. 

His hand trailed down her waist, then snaked around to wrap both arms around her, hugging her back into his chest with a firm squeeze.

She didn’t object to the closeness. 

In fact, she leaned into it, partly because she enjoyed it, and partly because the ever-rising system points in her status screen made it hard to resist.

“Yeah.” She bobbed her head with pride, her eyes gleaming like rubies. “A very powerful army.”

“Oh yeah?” Liam chuckled, rubbing the top of her head with his chin. “I’m sure it is.”

“Hmmm~” Mize melted into his affection, her eyes narrowing in pure satisfaction. 

She looked genuinely pleased to be fawned over like this.

Meanwhile, the battlefield was entering a lull.

Liam’s forces had defeated the wave, thanks largely to his tier six summons stepping in.

Without them, the fight might’ve dragged on longer.

Now came the regroup.

His army began forming lines again, this time stretching out in a long formation several kilometers across, facing the dome’s edge like a living wall.

Mize noted the numbers had swelled again.

1.7 million.

Her eyes narrowed. 

She couldn’t help but wonder, how many more could he summon?

Snuggle…

Snuggle…

She shifted, turning to face him fully, legs curling behind his waist, locked, her body wrapped around him like a lazy koala.

Liam didn’t mind. If anything, he welcomed it. Having his lovely, clingy wife draped over him like this was a sensation he could get used to.

Especially with the way her soft body pressed close. 

Even through the layers of clothes, he could feel himself react, poking her stomach, heated. 

“By the way, Mimi,” he murmured, fingers lazily tracing along her side, “can I ask you for a favor after this event?”

“Mhm?” Mize peeked up, her expression curious and innocent. “What is it?”

That delicate, doll-like face made it hard not to smile.

Liam gave her cheek a gentle pinch, earning a soft, muffled hurm in return.

“The territory’s going to get even bigger,” he explained, “and I want you to decorate the empty plains. We can’t build everywhere, and leaving it blank ruins the view.”

“…Ohhh?” Mize raised a brow, clearly not buying the sincerity of his reasoning.

Something smelled off. But he said it so earnestly, she let it slide.

He must have his reasons, she thought.

And in truth, it wouldn’t cost her much effort.

“Then you wouldn’t mind if I added some of my ideas too?”

“I wouldn’t,” Liam replied smoothly, his golden eyes locking with hers, deep and warm, like molten sunlight. 

Her breath caught, and she quickly turned away, resting her chin on his shoulder.

“Good,” she muttered, cheeks flushing.

And then.

BOOOOMMM.

Another wave struck.

This time, a long horn blast echoed across the plains as a massive portal tore open in front of the territory’s dome, dragging both of their attention forward.

“…A horn?”

“Now that’s an entrance.”

They spoke at the same time, eyes narrowing as a horde emerged, larger than before.

Easily double the size of the previous wave.

Roars shook the earth. The atmosphere turned chaotic.

Refugees and Awakeners watching from afar dared not approach. They knew better. No one wanted to be caught near the storm.

The horde surged forward, wasting no time.

“Here they come,” Liam muttered, one hand gripping the throne’s armrest, the other still wrapped protectively around Mize’s waist.

She said nothing, scanning the field with narrowed eyes, her expression darkening.

“…There’s tier sixes this time.”

“I know.” Liam’s voice was calm. “Trouble.”

He raised a hand.

And instantly, his own tier six summons launched into action.

Streams of radiant energy ripped through the sky above the advancing horde. 

Dozens of humanoid figures darted into view, each cloaked in unique energies, trailing destruction in their wake.

Moments later, they fell upon the enemy.

Their aim was simple, flush out the opposing tier six monsters and eliminate them before they reached the lines.

Each of the tier 6 shadow summons unleashed their attacks in distinct and devastating forms.

One came down as a massive fist, the size of a building, its impact compressing the air before it shattered downward with a deafening force. 

Another sliced through the sky like a giant claw woven from pure darkness, cleaving the atmosphere before slamming into the enemy line.

In a single breath, the monster horde was hit head-on.

Boom.

Boom.

Boom.

They hadn’t even neared the dome, yet the vanguard was already punched full of holes, their charge faltering as ruptured bodies and scorched earth broke their momentum.

Which, in itself, was exactly what Liam and Mize wanted.

Just as they expected, a sudden surge of powerful energy rippled out from deep within the horde. 

Not one or two, but dozens, all rising in violent response, slightly outnumbering Liam's own tier 6 summons.

In the blink of an eye, before the shadows could regroup for another wave of attacks, streaks of light blasted upward from within the horde, lancing through the sky toward them with terrifying speed.

The shadow summons reacted in sync, pivoting mid-air, raising their arms, and unleashing counterstrikes in a seamless motion.

Boom!

Boom!

Boom!

Each clash cracked through the sky like thunder. 

Winds spiraled outward in violent shockwaves, tearing across the battlefield and throwing some of the monster horde into disarray, more collateral damage, though unintentional.

As the haze lifted and dust finally began to clear, their enemies emerged into view.

Neither fully monstrous nor truly human.

Some took the head of a beast, and the body of a human, while some other possessed the lower half of an animal, and the upper half of a human. 

Strange..

“Half-human?” Mize narrowed her eyes, her tone laced with disgust.

“Seems like it,” Liam muttered, stroking his chin thoughtfully. 

“They’re strong, at least physically.”

He had caught it. 

The moment their two forces collided, these tier 6 monsters hadn't used spells or techniques. Just brute strength.

“Then they must lack in the other part” Mize murmured. “Which is good"

“Not exactly,” Liam cut in, his gaze locked onto the half-blooded creatures. 

His voice dropped, serious, “Their skin… it’s resisting energy attacks. Probably a slight immunity?"

That made her pause.

Mize’s brows furrowed. Her gaze sharpened, focusing on the strange figures in the distance. 

Then her lips parted slightly, eyes widening in realization.

She frowned. “That’s… troublesome.”

Liam gave a casual shrug. “Doesn’t matter. If brute force is what they want, I’ll bury them with numbers. If my summons fall, I’ll just summon more. Simple.”

But Mize didn’t look reassured. She turned to him with a steady look. “What about tomorrow? We both know they’re escalating. A tier 7 might show up next. Can you summon a tier 7 too?”

His expression didn’t change. 

Then, Liam shook his head once. “Not yet. My summoning is tied to the territory’s tier. And right now, the conditions to upgrade it are... strict. I only have tier 6 and some hidden cards in my sleeve"

“I see…” she murmured, her voice softer now.

“But don’t worry.” He reached over and gently ran his hand over her head, fingers brushing her hair with a familiar ease. “I’ve got a plan.”

“You always do,” she muttered with a small pout, eyes drifting back to the battlefield, her expression thoughtful, lips pressed together.

Suddenly...