***
Two days later.
Despite severe limitations in manpower, resources, and infrastructure, Lotus City managed to assemble a fighting force.
It was far from a perfect army, lacking advanced equipnt and elite training, but it existed—and under the circumstances, that alone was an achievent.
In total, fifty combat units stood ready to be deployed to the battlefield.
Each unit represented sacrifice: exhausted fighters, limited supplies, and citizens who had chosen to stand their ground rather than flee.
Lyra had returned to Lotus City the day before.
The reason was simple but terrifying. Reports had begun to circulate—consistent, detailed, and impossible to ignore—that a large-scale war was no longer a distant threat.
It was approaching, steadily and relentlessly.
When Lyra passed through the city gates, she slowed her steps. Her gaze lifted almost instinctively, drawn toward the horizon.
There it was.
The canyon.
Her people had secured it.
The strategic canyon, once under the control of the Desert Eagle Guild, now bore the presence of Red Javelin.
Flags fluttered proudly, guards stood watch, and supply routes had already begun to form. For a brief mont, Lyra felt sothing she hadn’t felt in a long ti.
Pride.
She had never imagined that Lotus City—a city often dismissed as insignificant—would manage to reclaim such a vital location.
Holding the canyon ant control over movent, trade routes, and military advantage. It was a symbol of defiance against the larger powers dominating the desert region.
For that mont alone, Lyra believed they had a chance.
But Ethan had already made sure she understood the reality.
The canyon was not the end of their troubles. It was the beginning.
There was another danger moving toward them—one far greater than Desert Eagle alone.
Ethan could not tell her the full truth. He knew better.
If he openly stated that the allied forces were preparing to eliminate him specifically, Lyra and the others might co to a devastating conclusion: that Ethan himself was the root of their crisis.
That by associating with him, Lotus City had painted a target on its own back.
So Ethan frad it differently.
He explained that the combined forces were forming to reclaim the canyon and to begin a systematic invasion of desert-region cities.
Lotus City was simply in their path—an obstacle that needed to be removed.
If that were the case, then cooperation beca unavoidable.
If Ethan was right, then Lyra and the others had no choice but to work alongside him to stop the allied army before it reached the city.
"Our scouting teams will deploy their soul servants again," Ethan said during the briefing. "They’ll cover the tropical zone and map enemy movents and formations."
It was midday when Ethan and Lyra gathered at the Town Center.
The atmosphere was tense. Every person present understood the stakes. This wasn’t just another skirmish or territorial dispute.
What they were facing could decide whether Lotus City survived or was erased entirely.
Ethan stood at the center, calm but firm. He outlined his strategy with precision.
"The strike team will be led by LionArk and myself," he continued. "Once the scouts finish mapping enemy forces outside their city, we move in and attack."
"And the canyon defense?" Kai asked.
"They stay put," Ethan replied without hesitation. "The high ground gives us a significant advantage. Giving that up would be a mistake."
Kai nodded slowly. "Understood."
Ethan scanned the group. "Any questions?"
No one spoke.
The plan was straightforward. Dangerous, but logical.
"Don’t act on impulse," Ethan warned. "Stick to your assigned roles. Listen to your unit leaders. If you break formation, you die."
"Yes, Sir Ethan," the group responded in unison.
Just as the eting concluded, a Red Javelin mber rushed into the Town Center. His breathing was heavy, his armor dust-stained.
"Report," he said urgently. "Enemy forces have appeared at the canyon front. They’re requesting negotiations."
Ethan’s eyes narrowed.
Negotiation was a polite word for what this truly was.
This was leverage.
The enemy had numbers on their side. Far more than Red Javelin or LionArk could field. Their request wasn’t born from goodwill—it was confidence.
"We should use this chance to negotiate a ceasefire," Lyra said after a mont.
Ethan didn’t object.
Allowing Lyra to act as negotiator made sense. She was the captain of Red Javelin, respected and recognized. If anyone could buy them ti, it was her.
"LionArk and I will prepare," Ethan said. "If things turn bad, we strike imdiately."
Lyra turned toward him, offering a faint but sincere smile. "I’m counting on you, Ethan."
The decision was made.
They departed soon after, each leading their respective forces. Lyra rode with Red Javelin toward the canyon front, while Ethan and LionArk took up positions above.
A shout echoed across the battlefield as a Red Javelin mber announced their arrival.
Lyra and Ethan rode in on horseback—a sight reminiscent of ancient wars, where steel and resolve mattered more than numbers alone.
Horses had been distributed to combatants after a week of preparation. They weren’t mandatory, but Ethan chose to ride one anyway, if only to experience it.
Lyra continued forward, stopping at the front line.
Ahead, three white tents stood side by side. Above each one flew a different guild banner.
Three guilds.
One of them was Desert Eagle.
Ethan didn’t need further confirmation. The others were undoubtedly affiliated with the Redemption Sword Alliance.
He brought his horse to a halt at the canyon’s edge and looked down.
Hundreds of soldiers filled the ground below, standing in disciplined formations.
LionArk mbers followed Ethan’s lead, spreading out along the cliff to maintain defensive coverage.
Lyra lifted her head and glanced back.
Ethan t her gaze and gave a single nod.
She dismounted and entered the tent with two guards at her side. The fabric closed behind her, cutting off all sound.
No one outside could hear what was said inside.
Ethan stepped closer to the edge of the canyon. His eyes remained fixed on the enemy forces below.
Compared to Lotus City’s fifty units, their numbers were overwhelming.
"What do you think will happen?" Kai asked quietly.
"We stay alert," Ethan replied. "And wait for Lyra’s decision."
Ti dragged on.
Minutes turned into an hour.
No one lowered their guard.
So believed Lyra would find a solution that spared both Red Javelin and LionArk.
Others suspected the negotiations would only delay the inevitable. No one truly believed this war would end cleanly.
Finally, the tent opened.
Lyra stepped out, flanked by her guards.
Ethan noticed it imdiately.
Her expression was tense. Her eyes lacked certainty.
anwhile, the three guild leaders behind her were smiling—laughing even.
That alone told Ethan everything he needed to know.
This is bad.
He didn’t know what had been agreed upon, but the result beca clear monts later.
The enemy forces began to move.
Their formations shifted smoothly, guided by the three guild leaders.
They were advancing.
Lyra walked back toward her troops without issuing any commands. She leaned toward her guards, whispering urgently.
Kai rushed to her side.
Ethan stayed where he was.
"WHAT?!" Kai shouted.
Lyra nodded, her face rigid with resolve.
Kai’s fists clenched. His body trembled.
He couldn’t believe what he was being asked to do.
But if he refused, Red Javelin would be annihilated.
"LISTEN UP!" Kai shouted, forcing his voice steady.
"This is a direct order from Captain Lyra!"
"Ethan and LionArk are officially declared enemies of Red Javelin!"
Shock spread instantly.
Cries of protest rose from Red Javelin’s ranks. Confusion, disbelief, anger—everything erupted at once.
LionArk mbers stiffened, realizing they were now surrounded on both sides.
Ethan felt sothing snap inside his chest.
Betrayal.
Disappointnt.
Rage.
Lyra—the captain who had stood beside him—had publicly turned him into an enemy.
That alone proved she had lost the negotiation.
"What do we do, Captain?" a LionArk mber asked, panic evident in his voice.
Ethan stepped forward.
In his hand, Bloodblade Ashura materialized.
The mont he gripped it, the air changed.
A violent red aura burst outward. Glowing crimson markings spread across his body like burning tattoos, pulsing with power.
The sheer pressure of his presence made even seasoned fighters recoil.
[Mode Ashura Activated]
"Use everything you have to defend yourselves," Ethan commanded calmly.
"I’ll take care of the rest."
"I’ll fight them all."
LionArk stared in shock—but none doubted him.
They had seen what Ethan could do before.
If he could conquer an entire city, then traitors and enemy armies were nothing more than obstacles.
I knew it.
Lyra surrendered too easily.
At least Luna’s cooldown ends tomorrow.
For now... Sera will do.
"Sera!"
[Mode: Aggressive Soul Servant]
[1. Seraphelis | Lv. 500 | SSS-Rank | Passive → Aggressive | 10000 MP]
Golden light erupted as a small, chibi-like figure flew forward.
In an instant, Sera transford.
Her form expanded into that of an adult woman clad in a radiant gold dress, her blade forged from pure light.
"I hate traitors," she said coldly. "More than anything."
"Sera," Ethan called.
She turned.
"Handle the enemies on the other side of the canyon," he said. "I’ll deal with everything here."
"Understood, Ethan!"
A flash of gold exploded across the opposite cliff.
Sera surged forward, her attacks swift and rciless. Red Javelin mbers fell one after another, unable to react. Any blood that touched her dress vanished instantly, leaving it pristine.
Lyra watched in horror.
On Ethan’s side, chaos erupted.
He charged forward, unleashing every skill he possessed. Each strike was decisive. Each step forward left bodies behind.
Blood flooded the cliffside and poured down like rain, soaking the enemy forces below. Panic spread rapidly.
Ethan had chosen.
There was no retreat now.
Only one outco remained.
Kill Ethan—or die trying.
Lyra’s face went pale.
Kai turned toward her, his eyes filled with fury.
"You made the wrong decision, Lyra."
"I... I didn’t know what else to do," she whispered.
Kai clicked his tongue bitterly.
"Because of you," he said coldly, "Ethan won’t let a single Red Javelin mber survive."
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