Laura listened carefully to every order Ethan gave. He instructed all units to assemble outside the eastern gate. He would not depart until every single soldier was in position and fully prepared.
Ethan then turned toward the lifeless body of the man he had executed earlier. Without hesitation, he grabbed the corpse by the arm and dragged it across the stone floor.
A dark trail of blood followed behind him, stark and unmistakable.
mbers of LionArk who witnessed the scene trembled in fear. This was not sothing they were accustod to seeing.
They had fought battles before, but this level of brutality, this deliberate display, was different.
Ethan hurled the corpse and its severed head beyond the eastern gate. The body did not imdiately fade away as most defeated players did.
It remained there, sprawled in the dirt, soaked in blood, serving as a grim warning to anyone watching.
Bloodblade Ashura was still in his hand. Ethan did not sheath it.
With a brief command, he summoned his mount. The warhorse materialized beneath him, lifting him smoothly onto the saddle as if responding to his intent alone.
The crimson aura surrounding him had not faded, and the oppressive presence he exuded made the air itself feel heavier.
His orders were carried out without delay. Units 1, 2, and 3 assembled outside the eastern gate in perfect formation.
Each unit contained three elite assault teams, soldiers chosen specifically for their high attack power and combat efficiency.
Within each unit, the mber with the highest ATK stat stood at the front as the unit leader.
They lined up neatly before Ethan, disciplined and silent, their eyes filled with focus rather than fear.
Fifteen thousand soldiers stood ready.
Ethan himself would lead them into battle.
Laura arrived at his side, looking up at him as he sat astride his horse. "Do you need to go with you?"
Without turning his head, Ethan replied calmly. "Stay in the city."
He continued, his tone steady and deliberate. "You will oversee Units 4, 5, and 6. Keep the city secure and maintain coordination."
"I can stay in contact through private chat," he added. "Report anything unusual imdiately."
Laura nodded, fully understanding the weight of her responsibility. "Understood, Sir Ethan."
Ethan urged his horse forward, riding slowly along the front of the assembled forces. He studied their faces carefully.
Not a single soldier showed fear. There was no hesitation, no doubt.
Instead, what he saw was confidence.
They believed in victory.
Ethan opened his map interface and marked the enemy city with a red symbol. A red mark was never placed casually. It signified a target marked for destruction.
"The conflict has begun," Ethan announced, his voice amplified so all could hear. "Redemption Sword and Scavenger have planted their spies in the desert region."
Murmurs spread through the ranks.
"They know the desert offers greater advantages than the tropical region," he continued. "That is why they are desperate."
"Let us blind them," Ethan said coldly. "Destroy the spy guild."
"YEAHHH!"
The roar of thousands of voices thundered through the desert. The sound ignited sothing deep within Ethan’s chest.
A small smile curved his lips as he turned his horse eastward and began to ride.
Behind him, the army followed.
Laura remained standing outside the eastern gate, her gaze fixed on Ethan’s retreating figure. The crimson glow of his Ashura Mode gradually disappeared into the distance.
Hanss approached and stopped beside her.
"In the end," he said quietly, "war was inevitable."
"Ethan has beco more sensitive lately," Laura replied.
Hanss turned to look at her, then smiled faintly.
He understood Ethan better than most. That temperant had been shaped by years of loss and unending resentnt.
Its breaking point had been when Silver Star seized Mavelard from LionArk.
Back then, Ethan had acted recklessly, charging into the city alone. Everyone had known Silver Star was one of the Big Three guilds at the ti. Yet Ethan had still attacked.
As long as his enemies still existed, Ethan would continue to carry that sharp edge.
"That is a good thing," Hanss said, crossing his arms. "Sensitivity ans awareness. He knows the threats around him."
Laura nodded in agreent.
She realized she herself had been too gentle in a world overflowing with injustice. Perhaps Ethan’s heightened vigilance was not cruelty, but protection.
Elsewhere, the march toward the enemy city took four hours.
Along the way, other guild cities saw the massive army advancing. These cities belonged to non-core mbers of the Eastern Alliance. Reports were quickly sent to their respective leaders.
Many team leaders questioned Ethan’s actions.
"What should we do?" one mber asked his leader.
"That force is enormous," the leader replied. "We must take advantage of this montum. This is a chance to show our resolve."
He turned and issued commands for additional troops to mobilize. Other cities made similar decisions.
One by one, soldiers left their cities and followed the direction of LionArk’s march.
The leader of Unit 1 rode up beside Ethan. "Soldiers from allied cities have arrived. They request permission to assist."
Ethan, still enveloped in Ashura Mode, turned and nodded once. He had no objections.
Even without them, I could erase that city in under an hour.
But their presence carried aning beyond raw power.
Twelve additional forces joined them, representing twelve different cities, all mbers of the Eastern Alliance.
Eventually, Ethan slowed his horse to a halt. Behind him, the combined forces stopped in perfect unison.
The total number of soldiers had grown to twenty five thousand.
Fifteen thousand from LionArk. Ten thousand from allied cities.
"There," soone shouted from the enemy walls. "That is LionArk!"
"Everyone prepare defensive magic formations!" an enemy commander yelled.
From afar, shimring protective dos rose around the city, overlapping and reinforcing one another.
A massive barrier of magic enveloped the entire settlent.
Yet even as they ford it, the enemy knew.
They knew who stood before them.
"Combine your attacks and break the barrier," Ethan commanded.
Unit captains relayed the order instantly. Long range skills lit up the battlefield. Fire, ice, lightning, and compressed energy slamd into the do. Explosions rippled across its surface.
Ethan frowned slightly.
Not enough.
"Lyodra."
A soul servant panel appeared before him.
[Mode Aggressive Soul Servant:]
[3. Lyodra Vulkanis || Lv. 10 || S Rank || Passive: Aggressive || 2500 MP]
Lyodra’s chibi form floated forward, her small body glowing red. She wore a dress of living fla, and in her hand was a sword ford from molten lava.
Ethan t her eyes. "Destroy that barrier."
Lyodra did not speak. She nodded once.
She shot forward, gripping her lava blade tightly, and slashed at the protective do. The first strike left no visible effect.
The second caused faint cracks. The third made the cracks spread rapidly across the surface.
CLANG!
The barrier shattered.
Enemy mages cried out as they were thrown back by the backlash. Many were injured, unable to maintain their spells.
Cheers erupted from the allied army. The first obstacle had fallen.
"Bring down the city gate, Lyodra," Ethan ordered.
Lyodra flew forward again and struck the western gate with her blade. The attack failed to break through.
Ethan narrowed his eyes.
So it requires a specific threshold of force.
He advanced his horse and ordered all units to stand by. They complied instantly.
When he reached the optimal distance, Ethan tightened his grip on Bloodblade Ashura and swung it sideways.
A crimson slash surged forward, carrying overwhelming destructive force. Those who witnessed it felt awe and fear at the sa ti.
BLAST!
The western gate exploded.
The city walls crumbled, and a clear path opened straight into the heart of the enemy city.
"Attack!" Ethan commanded.
The combined army surged forward like a tidal wave, charging into the broken city as the desert echoed with the sound of war.
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