Everyone stared, awestruck, at the sheer destructive power unleashed by the Grand Master. None of them had ever witnessed anything like it; it was truly eye-opening. In terms of raw force, perhaps only Liliya could compare… and even that felt like a stretch.

  Kai stood frozen, heart pounding, fists clenched. This is the power I need. But even this, this overwhelming might, wasn’t enough. Not enough to change the world. Not enough to go home. Not enough to be free.

  The stronger he became, the more memories he absorbed. The more he understood, that, still, after everything, he was just a small fish in an ocean of monsters.

  Nerva beamed with joy as he dashed towards Theo, who remained kneeling in the dust. The others held their ground, keeping a respectful distance.

  “That man is very strong,” Umbra murmured, voicing what both she and Kai were thinking. “Even with all the power we’ve gained… we’re still prey in this world.”

  Scry had awakened mid-battle, his eyes gleaming with excitement.

  ?“That was incredible,” he said, grinning. “We need to get him to show us that again, or better yet, teach you.” He sent the message through their group channel.

  “Both of you, be careful how you act,” Kai warned, his voice low but firm. “We don’t need to make an enemy of someone like that.”

  ***

  Nerva strode across the scorched earth, the air still thick with heat that clung to the skin like a second layer. He approached Theo, who remained kneeling amid the devastation, and let out a hearty laugh.

  “Well, brother, it seems you’ve finally surpassed me. Good job,” he said, offering a hand to help him up.

  With a tired smile, Theo grasped it and stood. Pyris, her mana spent and her task complete, quietly returned to his inner world.

  “Well, well… if it isn’t my old brother, who found a new monster to raise and left me all alone,” Theo joked, clearly happy to see him.

  The two embraced in that rough, wordless way only warriors could, firm, brief, and full of meaning.

  “That Francis sure had some nasty tricks up his sleeve, huh?” Nerva teased.

  “Don’t remind me,” Theo muttered. “I should’ve left him alive just to torture him later. One nasty rat, hard to kill, that one. But now’s not the time to rest. We march on Rond. It’s time to absorb it into Fallhaven.”

  His expression hardened as he spoke.

  “I agree,” Nerva nodded. “With the head of the house gone, the rest will crumble quickly. But we also need to find out if Cecily is dead or alive.”

  “I know,” Theo said grimly. “Where’s Lisa?”

  “She’s safe. Her brother’s watching over her,” Nerva replied with a reassuring smile.

  “Brother, huh?” Theo raised an eyebrow. “Not sure what to think of that. From your stories, he sounds like a problem. Maybe even crazier than me.”

  Nerva chuckled. “Well, he did wipe out nearly half of Rond’s army on his own. Then he took down a peak Master Knight from the Voiceless League, solo. I’d say we could use a man like that.”

  “Damn, Nerva,” Theo sighed. “Every time I hear about him, I owe the boy more and more. At this rate, I’d have to give him a daughter… if I had one.”

  “Alright, enough nonsense,” Theo said, his tone shifting. “Grab those five swords, whatever’s left of his armor, and everything else that bastard had on him. I’m not leaving anything behind.”

  He whistled for his mount, already turning to rejoin his men in the distance.

  Nerva sighed and began collecting everything into his storage, Francis’s body included. After all, everything the man had was worth a fortune. Then, without another word, he followed after Theo, calling forth his own mount.

  ***

  Theo and Nerva descended on their mounts, landing before the assembled forces of Fallhaven and Kai’s group. The ground trembled beneath the weight of their arrival, and the soldiers looked up with awe and anticipation.

  “Men!” Theo’s voice boomed across the field. “Today, we are victorious! The forces of Rond have been annihilated, and now we march on their capital. From this day forward, Rond will be no more!”

  A thunderous cheer erupted from the army, their voices echoing across the battlefield.

  Theo and Nerva dismounted and approached Fallhaven’s commanders. “Pius, lead the men to Rond. I’ll join you shortly after I speak with our new allies.”

  “Yes, my lord!” Pius saluted sharply, then turned to the troops. “Men! Follow me!”

  With that, he and the other commanders mounted up and led the army westward, a sea of mounted men flowing behind them.

  Theo turned to Kai’s group, a warm smile breaking through his battle-worn face. “Xarion, Liliya, you two look like you’ve seen better days.”

  “You’re one to talk,” Liliya shot back, flashing a teasing grin.

  Xarion stepped forward and embraced him. “Brother, even dragons would envy your control over fire.”

  Theo chuckled. “My old friend, I can sense you’re not far behind. We should spar again sometimes, like in the old days.”

  Then his eyes fell on Zara. His expression softened. “Zara, dear. How have you been? I hope Nerva hasn’t been… well, Nerva.”

  “I’m good, Uncle Theo,” she said with a smile. “I’ve got some big news, but we’ll talk after all this is over.”

  “Good, good. I can’t wait.” He smiled warmly. He’d watched her grow up, and in many ways, she was like a daughter to him.

  Then his gaze shifted, landing on Umbra in her human form. His eyes widened slightly. “Well now… and who is this tall goddess?”

  “I’m Umbra, a Tigerhawk. My respects, strong one,” she said with a graceful nod, her smile calm and confident.

  “A Divine Beast?” Theo blinked. “But you look almost… human. How is that possible?”

  “It’s a long story,” she replied simply.

  “I see. Well, I’d love to hear it at one point, if you don’t mind,” he said, clearing his throat.

  “Sure,” she said, her smile deepening. “If you spar with me.”

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  A flicker of her aura danced around her, subtle but unmistakable.

  “Was that… aura?” Theo asked, blinking again.

  She nodded.

  A Divine Beast with an aura… and she looks this human? he thought. She must be something truly special. He couldn’t deny it; she was stunning, but also fierce.

  Nerva elbowed him in the ribs, snapping him out of his thoughts. A king falling for a beast? That was far from proper.

  “You were hiding this, weren’t you?” Theo whispered, half-accusing. “Sneaky bastard.”

  Nerva coughed lightly, then quickly changed the subject. “Anyway, this here is Kai, the man you owe quite a bit to.”

  Kai stepped forward and bowed his head. “Nice to meet you. I suppose Your Majesty has heard a lot about me.”

  The group burst into laughter.

  “What are you trying to pull?” Liliya laughed. “You don’t talk like that!”

  Theo chuckled. “It’s fine, my boy. No need for formalities, I’m not one for etiquette. I’m beyond grateful for everything you’ve done. We’ll talk more once the war is over. For now, Zara will take you all to my castle. Nerva and I must head to Rond.”

  Kai nodded. “As you wish. We could use some rest.”

  “Alright, you heard the man,” Nerva said. “I’ll go with him and teach those bastards a lesson. You all wait for us in Fallhaven.”

  Zara nodded. “Okay, everyone, let’s call our mounts. Umbra, you’ve done more than enough already,” she added with a chuckle.

  Nerva summoned the gryphons, and the group mounted up. Kai and Umbra took to the skies on their own wings, unfurling from their backs.

  As Zara led the group toward Fallhaven, Theo and Nerva soared into the sky. Theo drew Pyris and waved it a few times, sending out bursts of aura to burn the remains of the dead as they flew westward.

  “Say, Nerva,” Theo said, glancing sideways. “That Umbra… she’s something else. Even her wings are beautiful.”

  “She’s not just a pretty face,” Nerva replied, his tone thoughtful. “She loves to fight, protects her own fiercely, kills without hesitation… but she can be incredibly kind too.”

  Theo smirked. “So, you do like her, you bastard.”

  “Don’t talk nonsense,” Nerva muttered, though a faint blush crept up his cheeks. “We need proper human women to carry on our family names. You know that as well as I do.”

  The two flew faster, catching up with their army. Behind them, the land still smoked and crackled from the immense heat, as corpses and metallic remains crumbled into ash. It was a fitting way to send the dead on their way, preventing the spread of disease and denying any vile figure the chance to scavenge from the fallen.

  ***

  It was late afternoon when Kai and the group arrived at the fortified walls of Fallhaven Capital.

  “Who goes there?” one of the guards shouted, raising his bow.

  “Rollo, lower your bow, you idiot! Can’t you recognize me, you damn fool?” Zara snapped.

  Rollo squinted, then began to tremble. “Z-Zara! Please don’t poison me again, I beg you, it was a simple mistake!” he pleaded. He had trained in the same generation as Zara under Nerva’s tutelage and had endured hellish sparring sessions with the infamous woman.

  “Remove the barrier, we’re going in. And let the citizens know the war is over. The armies of Rond have been annihilated, and the king and my father are now leading the charge on Rond!” she shouted loud enough for the entire city to hear.

  People began pouring into the streets, cheering and clapping.

  Kai watched in awe. The city was a perfect blend of magical wonder and medieval architecture, just like the ones from his games.

  The guard opened a passage through the barrier, and the group flew through, heading straight toward a pristine castle surrounded by magnificent gardens, decorated with impeccable taste.

  Kai scanned the streets, the shops, the signs, and the people, amazed and thrilled. This was the first city he had entered on Sacra, and it was a sight he would never forget.

  The races of Fallhaven were mostly human, with a few beastmen and even some Divine Beasts, recognizable by their more pronounced beastly features. There were other races too, ones Kai had never seen before, though they were fewer in number.

  “What are those small, burly black beings?” Umbra asked aloud. It was her first time in such a place as well, and she was eager to learn.

  Liliya chuckled. “Those are Cinderfolk. They own many of Fallhaven’s best forges, shops, and magetech research centers.”

  Kai observed them closely. They resembled dwarves from fantasy movies, but their skin was mostly pitch black, with glowing mana lines running through their bodies. Their hair and beards were either deep red or white. Some had skin of darker tones, others had almost reddish hues. Truly wondrous people.

  “Interesting. Are they strong?” Umbra asked again.

  “Well, their bodies are incredibly sturdy, and they’re born with inherent resistances to specific elements. So yes, they can be very strong, but most focus on their craft,” Liliya explained.

  Umbra nodded and continued flying, her eyes wide with curiosity.

  The group landed in the main courtyard of the king’s castle.

  Hearing the commotion, Barnacus rushed outside, smiling as he saw Zara.

  “Lady Zara! It’s you! Did something happen?” he asked, both relieved and concerned.

  “And who are those suspicious people over there?” he added in a whisper, gesturing toward Kai and Umbra, who were still stretching their wings.

  “They’re the reason we won the war. So, you’d better be polite,” Zara said with a smirk.

  Barnacus paled, then cleared his throat and bowed. “Welcome, oh mighty warriors, to the Sorgaz Estate.”

  Kai and Umbra chuckled as Kai summoned Lisa and Lucius from Arcanum.

  The two took a deep breath of fresh air. Lisa spotted Barnacus and squealed with joy, leaping onto his back.

  “Uncle Barnacus, you’re here!” she cried, hugging him tightly.

  He embraced her, smiling warmly. He already knew part of her story from Theo, and his heart clenched. “Welcome back home, dear.”

  With Lisa in his arms, he turned to the group. “Come inside. You can clean up, and we’ll have dinner while we await good news,” he said kindly.

  “Servants! Summon the stablemaster, have him feed Sir Nerva’s beasts,” he ordered, pointing at the gryphons.

  “Wait!” Kai called out. “There are still some who need help.”

  He reached out through his Arcanum to a woman sitting on a bed, cradling her crying child. His voice echoed gently in her mind.

  “ I’ll take you outside now. It’s safe, okay?”

  The woman nodded. In a shimmer of light, they appeared in the open air. She inhaled sharply, tasting freedom for the first time in a while.

  Barnacus stared for a moment, confused, then quickly understood the situation. His voice rang with authority:

  “Servants! Take care of these two. Bathe them, feed them, and give them a room in the servant quarters. We’ll find a proper place for them later, and a job in the castle.”

  The woman looked up at the man’s warm gaze, then at the majestic mansion behind him. Relief washed over her like a tide. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she whispered:

  “Thank you… all of you.”

  Barnacus nodded and led the others inside.

  Kai smiled at her. “Good luck, and if you need anything, ask for me, I’m Kai, okay?” he said as he stepped through the towering front doors. Behind him, the woman bowed gently, hope flickering in her eyes.

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