Rokk Doombone tore his axe free from the shattered head of the last stone soldier. Cracks raced through the construct's body before it finally collapsed into rubble at his feet. These enemies had been weak in strength but vile in design. Even when limbs were crushed and torsos split apart, they continued to crawl and strike, driven by a will that did not belong to them. Only total destruction stopped them, and that truth had cost him dearly.
One hundred orcs lay dead across the field. Two hundred more groaned in pain as healers rushed among them. For a battle against lifeless stone, the price was humiliatingly high. Worse still, there were no spoils, no weapons, no armor, no captured enemies. Nothing but broken rock and wasted blood.
Rokk snarled and slammed his axe into the ground.
"Gather the fallen. Carry the wounded," he growled.
The warriors obeyed at once, lifting their dead brothers and supporting the injured as the army withdrew toward the camp. As they moved, Rokk issued new orders. The number of watchmen was doubled. Patrol routes were widened. No blind angles would remain. This defeat was not born from weakness, but from carelessness. He had believed this region too quiet, too insignificant for a serious strike.
He had been wrong.
As he marched across the wasteland, the wind dragging scent of decay across the ground, his mind churned. This attack had not been random. Someone had tested their defenses, probing for weakness. Stone soldiers did not appear by chance.
Someone was watching.
Someone was planning.
Rokk's grip tightened around his axe.
Whoever was behind this would pay in blood.
…
Leo drifted on the surface of his flying carpet, his body stiff with exhaustion. After several seconds, his eyelids twitched and slowly opened. A small, relieved smile crossed his face.
Elna leaned closer. "Is it over?" Concern tightened her voice.
Leo kept his breathing steady, his expression controlled despite the battle's outcome. He had never been physically present in the fight. From the first strike, he had directed every soldier from a distance. His illusion magic paired with his creation spell let him command artificial minds and bodies as if they were extensions of himself. He had seen everything through them.
He turned his head toward Elna. "All of them are gone. Every soldier I created was destroyed."
Her shoulders tensed.
"The orcs are far stronger than expected," Leo continued. "Even their weakest fighters match a B-rank warrior. One of them was different. That one was stronger than the rest. I'd place him at A4 or A5 rank."
Elna's eyes widened. "Then do we stay and fight?"
"No." Leo answered without hesitation. "We need to locate the camp that was defending this part of border. Then we move to Aclisa."
Elna nodded.
They flew for another hour. Smoke soon darkened the horizon. Burned trees stretched across the ground like broken spears. Charred earth crunched beneath the wind. Corpses littered the battlefield. The smell of blood and rotting flesh hung thick in the air. A bit farther away, when the camp came into view, Leo guided the carpet lower.
Leo brought the carpet down before the camp's gate.
Soldiers rushed out at once. Armor clattered. Spears and swords leveled at his chest.
One stepped forward. "Who are you?"
"I'm Victor Black," Leo said evenly. "Student of Grandmagister Alexia Clayden."
The soldier froze. "What?"
Several exchanged confused glances. The front man lifted his weapon again.
"That's impossible. If you were truly her student, you wouldn't be unknown to us."
Leo met his gaze. Mana surged from his body in a visible pressure wave. The soldiers stiffened as if their muscles locked in place. Weapons dipped.
"I don't have time for this," Leo said. "Tell me who commands this camp."
Before any of them could answer, a man stepped out through the gate.
He studied Leo closely.
"You've changed a lot," he said.
Leo's gaze fixed on the man stepping through the gate. The shape of his stance, the familiar mana presence, recognition came instantly.
"Klaus," he said.
His voice stayed steady as he walked forward. At the same time, he released his control over the soldiers. The invisible pressure left their minds. Shoulders loosened and blades lowered toward the ground. Confusion spread through their ranks, but none of them were injured.
Klaus approached as well. Surprise showed plainly on his face, followed by cautious interest. They gripped each other's forearms in a firm handshake. For a brief moment, neither spoke. Both measured the changes time and war had carved into the other.
Klaus's eyes moved to the woman at Leo's side.
"And who is this beautiful lady?" he asked, friendly, but alert.
A faint smile appeared on Leo's lips. "Klaus, this is my wife, Elna." He turned slightly. "Elna, this is my friend Klaus."
Elna inclined her head politely. Klaus blinked, clearly caught off guard.
"Wife," he repeated, quietly.
Then he looked past them at the soldiers still recovering their senses.
"You seized control of an entire squad in seconds," Klaus said. "No chant. No warning. How strong have you become?"
Leo gave a short, restrained smile. "Not strong enough." He let the words settle before asking, "Are you in command here?"
Klaus shook his head. "No. I reached A-rank, but this battlefield needs more than that. Frank Pichard leads the defense."
"Oswald Boll's student?" Leo asked.
"Yes. An A2 necromancer."
Leo's expression hardened. "That won't be sufficient. I crossed paths with the orcs earlier. Their commander is at least A4. Possibly stronger. He commanded the field like a veteran general. There may be more of his level."
Klaus's face darkened. "That matches our reports. Grandmagister Oswald was stationed here, but he returned to the city hours ago for an emergency council. He left two large-scale traps behind in case the line collapses."
Leo considered this carefully.
"Then I must go as well."
Klaus frowned. "You're leaving now? With your power, you could turn this front around."
"I have another duty," Leo said. He paused, then lifted his hand slightly. "But I won't abandon you."
A small sphere of pale creation-light formed above his palm and vanished from sight. For a minute, nothing seemed to happen. When it returned, it slipped quietly back into his hand. Klaus did not sense the exchange, but something in Leo's tone reassured him.
"Very well," Klaus said at last. "Give my regards to Grandmagister Alexia."
Leo clasped his hand again.
He stepped onto the carpet. Elna joined him. The carpet rose smoothly into the smoke filled sky, carrying them away from the camp.
…
Leo raised one hand and formed a transparent barrier around the carpet. The rushing wind struck the shield and split aside instead of tearing at their bodies. With the resistance gone, the carpet surged forward, its speed doubling.
An hour later, the spires of Aclisa finally appeared beneath them.
Leo did not descend toward the lower city. He angled the carpet higher, toward the upper districts that floated above the capital. He could already sense the defensive barrier wrapped around it, layered, ancient, and powerful. Most mages would have needed permission to pass.
Leo did not slow.
He extended his hand. A vast sphere of condensed creation mana unfolded from his palm and expanded outward in a silent wave. The barrier shuddered as the spell rewrote its structure instead of breaking it.
In the next instant, both Leo and Elna disappeared from open air, slipping cleanly through the city's defenses without leaving a ripple behind.
…
In the highest tower of the Kingdom's Magic Hall, a massive chamber stretched upward, six stone pillars rising like silent sentinels to the vaulted ceiling. Around a round table, three S-rank mages sat, their presence radiating authority. Ten A-rank mages lingered nearby, their expressions tense, the air heavy with the weight of strategy and imminent danger.
"Archmage Hellen is engaged in battle with the prince of the Northern Kingdom," one A-rank reported, voice low and measured. "Even with Timon Warns at her side, they can't stop him."
"He's cunning… and relentless," another A-rank muttered, eyes narrowing.
"We need more forces," a third added, brow furrowed.
Bernal Galvan exhaled and looked toward Oswald Boll, arms crossed over his chest. "Oswald, what's the situation in the north?"
Oswald shrugged, casual but confident. "Not critical. There's only one A5 to contend with. I can handle him."
Bernal nodded slowly. "Then we can spare an S-rank for the Kingdom of Light."
The other A-ranks murmured in agreement. "That's the sensible choice," one said.
A sudden pulse of raw mana swept through the chamber, making even the pillars hum with energy. All three S-ranks stiffened, sensing the approach of someone immensely powerful. The hall's door opened with a soft creak. Oswald and Alexia rose immediately, eyes scanning, hands ready, while Bernal remained seated, fingers interlaced beneath his chin.
A man and woman entered, their footsteps echoing across the stone floor. The man's gaze swept the room before settling on Bernal.
"You can't do that," he said firmly, his tone calm but resolute.
"Who are you?" an A-rank shouted, conjuring a fireball in their palm. The heat of the magic made the air shimmer.
Alexia's eyes widened in recognition. Before she could speak, Oswald vanished and reappeared in front of the man, his presence erupting like a storm.
"How dare you enter this place?" Oswald demanded, mana thrumming around him, radiating pressure that made the room itself seem to bend. The air rippled. Even a B-rank would have been flattened under this force.
All the A-rank mages instinctively stepped back behind the pillars, shielding themselves from the raw energy.
But the man did not flinch. Pressure radiated from him in equal measure, meeting Oswald's force head-on. The two stood face-to-face, the tension between them palpable, a battle of sheer magical will held in stillness.
"Wait, Oswald," Alexia's voice rang out, sharp but steady. The mana of both men faltered, ebbing slightly as if acknowledging her command. "That is my student, Victor."
"Even if he is your student, he can't be here," Oswald said, his eyes still sharp, voice edged with warning.
Leo met Oswald's gaze without flinching. "I'm an S-rank now," he said evenly. "And I have more information than any of you. Stop wasting my time."
The words struck Oswald like a blow. His jaw tightened, and his mana flared slightly around him, making the air thrum with pressure.
Before the situation could escalate, a calm voice cut through the tension.
"Oswald, let's hear what they have to say," Bernal's tone was measured but firm.
Bernal. The S2 elemental mage, widely regarded as the strongest among them. When he spoke, even Oswald felt the weight of authority in his words.
Oswald exhaled sharply, then nodded. He stepped back, allowing space. The other A-rank mages also closed ranks around the table, curiosity and caution written across their faces.
Leo waited until everyone had settled before speaking. "The orcs have a thousand soldiers at least," he began, voice calm but precise. "And they're not ordinary troops, they have tricks designed specifically to counter S-rank mages. That's not all. In three months, the God of Light will be free, and a massive battle will erupt. The orcs in the north must be eliminated before that happens. Splitting your forces now would be catastrophic."
Bernal's gaze sharpened. "And the Kingdom of Light?"
"The Creator's forces are handling that," Leo replied.
"Creator? You mean the same god who stopped the God of Light? How can you know this?" one of the A-ranks asked, suspicion and awe mingling in their voice.
"I know because I am his vessel," Leo said simply. "In three months, the Creator will face the God of Light in battle."
Oswald's eyes widened, his voice rising. "You're telling us… another war between gods is coming?"
Leo nodded. His tone held no exaggeration, only fact. "Yes. And when that happens, the other gods will react. The world will change, and only those who understand the full scope can survive."
He paused, letting the weight of his words settle. Then he began to reveal the hidden history: the Shadowland, long-forgotten wars, betrayals, and the rise of the God of Magic. Every detail he gave was precise, unflinching, and heavy with consequence.
When he finished, silence fell across the hall. The A-ranks shifted uneasily, but even the S-ranks were still, absorbing the full scope of what had just been revealed.
The weight of truth pressed down on them all.
"You expect us to believe this?" Bernal asked, disbelief heavy in his voice. "That the God of Magic we've worshiped for centuries is actually a former elven archmage who sided with the Betrayer?"
"That is the truth," Leo said. His expression did not change.
One of the A-ranks spoke, still visibly shaken. "Then our magic itself comes from the Goddess of the Moon? She's the one who grants us power?"
"That is correct, in a way." Leo answered.
Alexia folded her arms, thinking carefully. "If what you say is true, then when the gods go to war, three gods will stand against us. We will have only the Goddess of the Moon on our side. That is not a favorable position."
"The Goddess of the Moon can restrain the Mad God," Leo said. "The Beast God is weakened after we destroyed two of his fragments. Our greatest threat is the God of Magic. But if the S-ranks of all three kingdoms unite, we can stop him."
Bernal shook his head slowly. "Even united, I doubt S-ranks alone can defeat a god. And even if we could, how do you plan to gather them in time? These are three separate kingdoms with rival interests."
"The Pope once held back the God of Light alone," Leo replied. "We have three S-ranks in the Kingdom of Magic, one in the Kingdom of Light, and at least one in the Northern Kingdom. We also have near S-ranks Archmage Hellen and Selina of the Red Rose. Her abilities may prove decisive."
Oswald stared at him. "Selina? The pirate queen? You intend to rely on a pirate?"
"If we want our world to survive, we cannot afford pride," Leo said firmly. "We will need every capable hand."
He drew a slow breath, letting the gravity of his next words sink in.
"You are the first step of this plan. The God of Magic is most likely to strike here first. In three months, we must resolve the orc war and the Northern Kingdom's threat."
His eyes swept across the chamber.
"If we fail, we don't lose territory. We lose everything."