“Follow me, you three. I’ll have all of you settled with the rest of your friends,” General Leon said, leading the way.
Aengus and the two girls followed closely behind. Aria and Aengus moved with agility and speed, while Delilah’s armor made a light clanking sound as she moved.
—
“Get him, Sable!”
“You can do it, Drake!”
“Drake doesn’t stand a chance! Sable has lightning skills; he’ll win for sure!”
“So what? Our boy Drake has the Assassin’s Movement skill. They’re evenly matched!”
Near one of the camps, a duel was underway between two young soldiers, with Drake as one of the participants. However, he was struggling in open combat against his opponent, who had the advantage with lightning skills that made him faster. Drake was more skilled in surprise attacks and speed, but in this case, his opponent had the upper hand.
It was a friendly duel between two captains’ teams, offering a bit of entertainment during these challenging times.
Despite the friendly nature of the competition, Yona looked a little worried from the sidelines, cheering him on from time to time.
The two captains locked eyes fiercely, almost as if engaged in a silent duel of wills. Dressed in two-star military uniforms, they stood tall and dutiful, each refusing to back down.
Gradually, the victor emerged: the young man with lightning skills. His victory was hard-fought and narrow, but undeniable.
Drake, slightly out of breath, accepted his defeat calmly. The two competitors bowed respectfully and rejoined their respective teams.
“Haha… Now, Captain Dior, hand over those 200 silver coins!” The winning captain, a light-skinned man, laughed in triumph.
Captain Dior grumbled, “Fine, here you go. But don’t think I’ll forget this bet.”
The victorious captain grinned broadly as he pocketed the coins. “Good on you, Captain Dior. We need more people like you around so I can keep winning these easy coins, haha!”
“I’m sorry to let you down, Captain,” Drake said, approaching with an apologetic expression.
Captain Dior, a humble, middle-aged man, gave him a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry about it, Drake. Everyone loses sometimes; it’s all part of the game.”
Before they could continue their conversation, a sudden commotion erupted among the troops and knights nearby. Both men looked toward the source and were instantly taken aback—General Leon had arrived.
“Hey, the Ice Guardian himself is here! Let’s go greet him!”
“Wow, General Leon is as handsome as ever!” a few of the female soldiers whispered, eyes shining.
“Look, Princess Delilah is with him!”
“Yeah, but who are those two with them?” someone asked.
“Must be General Leon’s personal recruits. Let’s get closer.”
Hundreds of soldiers from both teams moved forward, gathering with excitement and murmurs.
Yona’s eyes lit up when she spotted Aria and Aengus, who carried themselves with a powerful, confident aura.
“Drake! Your sister and brother-in-law are here,” Yona exclaimed, nudging him. “Let’s go meet them. I’m sure they came to see us.”
Drake looked over, his spirits lifting at the sight of his sister and Ethan approaching.
“G-General, good day. What brings you here so suddenly? If you had just called, we would have visited you personally,” Captain Dior stammered, bowing respectfully alongside the other captain.
“Call your commander in charge, Captains. I have something important to discuss,” General Leon replied, his tone calm but urgent.
“Of course, General. Please wait here.” The two captains hurried off, and murmurs started to ripple through the gathering soldiers.
Meanwhile, Yona and Drake joined Aria and Aengus, their faces lighting up at the reunion.
“Ethan, did you finish your mission?” Yona asked in a low, curious voice.
Aengus gave a small nod, while Aria replied with a smile, though there was a hint of bitterness in her tone. “Yes, Yona, we finished it, and it’s all thanks to me.”
“Oh, did you get stronger, Sister Aria?” Drake asked, his eyes wide with excitement.
Aria chuckled, touched by her cousin’s enthusiasm. “Yes, Drake. I’m now A-Rank, and you wouldn’t believe what Ethan has achieved.”
Yona and Drake’s curiosity piqued. “How powerful is he now?” Drake asked, and Yona leaned in eagerly.
Aria smiled, careful not to reveal too much. “He’s now an S-Rank, much stronger than me. We’re here to join the war and help as much as we can.”
Her words left Yona and Drake speechless. They could barely comprehend the rapid rise in rank. “That’s amazing, Sister! But how did you two manage to grow so powerful so quickly?” Drake couldn’t resist asking, inspired to become stronger himself.
Aria’s expression softened, and she chose her words carefully. “It involved an extremely risky, exhausting hunt, Drake. I’m afraid it’s not something you and Yona could try safely.”
“Ohh, is that so?”
Yona and Drake exchanged glances, impressed and a bit of disappointed.
“Don’t feel discouraged, Drake and Yona,” Aria said gently. “I’m sure you two will grow strong one day, just like us. Just be patient.” She felt a pang of sadness seeing their disappointed faces, but she couldn’t risk revealing Ethan’s secret. Aria decided she’d ask Aengus to help them grow stronger when they had some time alone. For now, encouragement was all she could offer.
Their conversation halted as the two captains returned, accompanied by another figure. General Leon and Aengus turned their attention to the newcomer—a bearded, middle-aged man in a uniform bearing three stars.
From his recent discussions with General Leom about military ranks, Aengus now understood the significance of the stars:
1 Star – Foot Soldiers/Marksmen
2 Stars – Squad Captains
3 Stars – Squadron Leaders/Commanders
4 Stars – The Marshal
5 Stars – Generals
In this hierarchy, all knights and regular soldiers were bound to obey their superiors without question.
The commander, a man of high stature with command over hundreds of squad leaders, near fifty thousand soldiers—arrived before them swiftly.
He placed a hand over his chest and bowed at a respectful ninety-degree angle before General Leon.
General Leon acknowledged the gesture and signaled him to stand upright.
“It’s good to see you here, General. How may I be of assistance?” the commander asked, his tone respectful and attentive.
