As soon as Aengus admitted that he was the one who had slain the Beast Lord, some of the officials began to fear him.
What kind of strength must it have taken to kill such a creature and claim the God-Weapon? Some began to cast aside any malicious intent they had toward him.
“Captain Zero, I would like to join you,” the female commander, Raya, said hurriedly, showing eagerness at his confident aura.
Aengus looked over at Commander Raya and gave a nod of approval. She was a tough woman with some stealth skills, making her a good choice to take along.
“I would like to join as well, Captain Zero,” Commander Zain said, standing up with enthusiasm for the mission.
“Me too, Captain!”
“Don’t forget me.”
Quickly, a team of seven was formed with the permission of the generals and Crown Prince Malcolm. Duke Milroy had no choice but to agree to the plan.
“Hey, I’d like to join as well…” Duke Milroy added with a hint of embarrassment.
Aengus and the others looked at him strangely.
“What? I’m just going to check on things. You’re taking all the S-Ranks, so I thought I should join while Leon and the others handle the attack afterward… Don’t think I’m joining out of care for you all. I just want the mission to succeed,” Duke Milroy muttered, avoiding their gaze and trying not to appear too eager.
Aengus studied him and, judging by his expression, sensed no malicious intent, nor any trace of greed in his eyes.
Crown Prince Malcolm asked, “Captain Zero, what do you think?”
Aengus replied indifferently, “I have no problem as long as he doesn’t become the problem child.”
Crown Prince didn’t mind the lack of honorific after considering Aengus’s strength, just like the Generals.
“Haha…”
Rather, Crown Prince Malcolm and General Leon laughed amusedly.
“Who else could talk to the mighty Northern Duke like this, except him?”
General Leon agreed with the idea, believing it would help ensure Ethan’s safety. Whatever Milroy’s goal might be, it couldn’t exceed the imminent threat of the kingdom’s doom. If there’s no Araknis Kingdom, there will be no throne.
Moreover, his suspicion that the Northern Duke had eyes on the throne was perhaps due to his own overprotective tendencies.
The Crown Prince seemed friendly with the Duke, always calling him “uncle.”
“Uncle, be safe! And bring us victory!” Crown Prince Malcolm cheered his uncle with an elegant bow.
“Sure, my boy! We will be victorious. Tell my royal brother that we’re at war, and we won’t stop until we achieve victory!” Duke Milroy laughed with a domineering tone. Of course, he didn’t look Aengus in the eye, feeling a hint of embarrassment.
“Long live the Kingdom of Araknis!”
“Long live the King!”
The officials and commanders roared in unison, raising their spirits high.
“So, Captain Zero, the plan is set, right? You’ll all give a surprise attack using your special skills like you told us, and then we’ll attack after getting the signal. Can we count on you?” General Felix asked, wanting to confirm.
“No problem, General. I’m ready to deliver the good news,” Aengus answered calmly, standing straight.
“Good!” General Felix smiled, pleased by his response.
“Ethan, meet your teammates before you go. And take care of yourself ; we’ll be there when you need us. And one last thing, don’t kill all of them. We need them in the Holy War against the demons,” General Leon said gently, thinking far in future.
“I will try, General.”
Aengus had that in mind as well. He knew if he killed them all, there wouldn’t be enough soldiers left to lead the Liberation Army’s war for peace.
Aengus, Commander Zain, and the others quickly left to inform their trusted subordinates to lead the soldiers to war according to the General’s autonomous command until they returned.
General Leon watched Aengus’s back, thinking about the promise he made to Ethan.
The plan was to establish peace and order between both worlds. Perhaps, there was still hope of realizing the dream he once had. With this, he could create a safe haven for his future children and Claire.
—
Aengus quickly informed Aria on his behalf, secretly.
“You’re going on a secret mission? Can I come along?” Aria asked.
They were alone together inside his tent.
Aengus gave her a light kiss on the lips.
“No, you can’t. You need to lead the soldiers on my behalf, alongside Captain Dior and Ren. I’ve informed them briefly. Just be patient, Aria. This will be over soon, I promise. And you know my strength—no one can hurt me,” Aengus said, removing his lips from hers.
Aria touched her lips and tugged at his sleeve as he was about to leave.
“Be careful, Ethan. I’ll be waiting!” she said with watery eyes.
“Yes, I will—for us!”
With that, Aengus disappeared into the darkness of the night.
Aengus, Raya, Zain, and Duke Milroy quickly gathered behind a sloping mountain.
As the leader of the mission, Aengus explained his plan. It involved using his skill, Shadow Monarch’s Dominion, to make them all nearly invisible in the darkness of night.
The others nodded, finding the plan plausible, though Duke Milroy raised a question.
“Hey, can you really do that?” he asked in doubt.
Aengus answered with action. He instantly touched the Duke’s forehead, releasing a pulse of glowing dark energy.
In the blink of an eye, Duke Milroy transformed into a shadow, leaving the physical world behind. Under the dim moonlight, Milroy’s shadow was barely visible, almost untraceable.
“Now, does anyone have any doubts?” Aengus asked coolly.
The others, witnessing the transformation, shook their heads vigorously.
“Very good! Now, let’s start!”
One by one, Aengus turned them all into shadows—Commander Raya, Zain, and the other four members.
Experiencing the shadow world was new to them, but they quickly adapted, finding it as natural as walking in the physical world.
They followed Aengus like lackeys, who, now fully embodying the power of the Shadow Monarch, blended seamlessly into the darkness.
