"Bring the messenger."

Ethan's tone was calm, yet there was a heaviness under his voice. Oliver bowed and left the room. Soon after, a pale-faced man stepped inside. He looked exhausted and shaken, as though he had ridden without rest.

He bowed deeply. "My Lord."

Ethan nodded and asked, "What is the Duchess command?"

The messenger gulped and straightened his back slightly, trying to maintain composure. "The Duchess has asked for reinforcement and your very presence. The Duchess plans to gather the full force at the City of Vancouver to resist the invasion of the Heretic group."

Lia's hands tightened against her dress. Diana looked tense, her jaw clenched.

Ethan narrowed his eyes and spoke, steady and low, "What is the situation? Give me a brief report."

The messenger wet his lips and began explaining. He described the fall of Noctis, the walls crushed by zombie hordes, and mages throwing devastating spells. The battlefield drowned in screams. Soldiers held the gates until flames swallowed them whole.

At the last moment,Lord Roen managed to evacuate most but by estimate 50% of people lost their lives

And above all, the sight of a Dark Priest commanding undead as if they were puppets.

When he finished, silence wrapped the room.

Ethan slowly exhaled. "So the reason why they were able to breach the gate so quickly is because of a Dark Mage on the other side."

"Yes, My Lord," the messenger answered. "There seems to be a Master Rank Mage. That is why your presence is needed."

Lia's eyes widened hearing this Diana stepped closer to Ethan and whispered, "Maybe a squad of Advanced Rank can take over. You do not need to go by yourself."

Tension filled her voice. She did not want him on that battlefield again.

Ethan did not reply. He raised a hand lightly, and they fell silent. A moment later, he told the messenger, "Wait outside."

The man bowed quickly and left the hall.

Rina and Sophia exchanged glances, though unlike Lia and Diana, neither looked afraid.

There was something else in their eyes. It was confidence.

Master Rank Mage. If someone like that stood in their way, it would be a deadly threat but they knew Ethan had broken through to Master Rank.

After a moment, Ethan looked at Rina.

She understood without needing further words. She placed her hand on his shoulder with a calm expression. "You can go freely. I will take care of this place. No matter the situation, I can guarantee that I will protect them."

Her voice held no room for doubt.

Ethan felt some of the pressure ease off his chest. "I trust you," he said quietly.

Sophia blinked in surprise, looking back and forth between them. "Huh? What do you mean, Rina? Protect us from what?"

Rina gave a small smile and responded softly, "It is just that I am at the Advanced Stage."

The words landed like a hammer.

Lia gasped. Diana froze. Sophia's eyes widened into disbelief.

Advanced Stage. That was a level only seasoned knights, veteran warriors and high level mage had reached. For her to reveal it so casually was shocking and yet reassuring.

But there was no time to stand in awe. Ethan began preparations immediately.

Within the next few hours, a force of three hundred men gathered in the courtyard. The best of Blank City. The strongest among them reached the mid-Intermediate Stage. The weakest were Late Beginner Stage.

They were loyal, trained, and combat ready.

He could have gathered one thousand, but that would raise suspicions from the royals. For now, three hundred would move faster and draw less attention.

Ethan stood in front of them, cloak fluttering under the cold wind. The sky was clouded, as if the world itself was holding its breath. Soldiers watched him with burning eyes, awaiting his word.

He looked at each of them. There was no fear in their stance. Some had families. Some had none. But all had chosen to stand alongside him in the battle.

Ethan took a deep breath and raised his voice, strong enough for the whole field to hear.

"Remember, we have only one goal. That is to slaughter the enemy."

A ripple passed through the soldiers and their hands tightened around weapons.

He continued,and his tone became colder, and sharper.

"But make sure to remain alive after. We have a family to greet us."

Their hearts pounded. Some swallowed. Others grinned. But every single one of them felt heat burning through their blood.

Ethan pointed forward. His eyes blazed with firm resolve.

"So now, let's depart."

The soldiers shouted together, voices shaking the ground.

"YES, MY LORD!"

The gates of Blanks opened.

Horses stamped against the earth. Armor clinked as the three hundred formed their formation.

Rina watched from the entrance,with her arms crossed. Sophia, Lia, and Diana stood behind her. They all watched Ethan's back as he mounted his horse.

Sophia whispered, "Please return alive."

Rina lowered her gaze and murmured, "He will."

Ethan did not look back. He just raised his hand, signaling the march.

"Move out!"

The formation advanced. Dust rose behind them as they rode.

A dark war gloomy war was waiting and Ethan was heading straight into it.

...

Vancouver City…

The air in Vancouver felt heavy. A dark pressure surrounded the city as if the sky itself watched every move. Barricades were already being raised at the outer walls, and soldiers rushed in different directions, their boots hitting the stone roads.

Inside the command hall, Emma stood near a long wooden table filled with maps and markers. Her gloved fingers pressed against the surface as she studied the formations. Her eyes looked tired, yet they still held a sharp focus.

Julia entered quickly and closed the door behind her. She breathed heavily as if she had run across the whole city.

"Mother," she said, trying to catch her breath. "More survivors just arrived from the western block. They said the heretics used some kind of corpse puppets to tear through one of the inner villages."

Emma paused and slowly raised her head. Her expression turned stiffer.

"How many did they lose?" she asked quietly.

Julia lowered her eyes. "Too many. The exact number is not confirmed yet."

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