anwhile—
Sacred Continent,
Holy Blades Empire.
Inside the Hall of Radiance—a towering, majestic chamber bathed in Light Force and built with extravagant splendor—Wisdom Angel Cain sat high upon a throne flanked by statues of angels. His wings, pure and radiant, folded slightly behind him, while countless shimring particles of Light Magic floated around him, pulsing with a terrifying, overwhelming power.
But despite the divine aura surrounding him, Cain’s brow was furrowed. He tapped his fingers rhythmically against the armrest of the throne, the dull thuds echoing through the hall like a warning drumbeat.
Sothing was clearly troubling him.
Kneeling at the base of the throne was a man clad in heavy armor etched with powerful magic runes. A long, razor-sharp spear rested quietly on the ground beside him. He remained motionless, head bowed, silent for a long ti.
Anyone familiar with the battlefield would instantly recognize his armor—it belonged to the Champion Knight Order, one of the three elite cavalry legions of the Castle faction.
The Champion Knight Order wasn’t just any legion—it was the oldest and most powerful of all the Castle’s cavalry forces. Within the Castle faction, their na carried imnse weight and authority.
Cain finally broke the silence. His voice was calm, but heavy with concern.
"Lorns... if things keep going the way they are now, how much longer can we hold out?"
The knight didn’t hesitate.
"Respected Angel," Lorns said, his voice low and grim, "if this continues, our chances of victory are close to zero. Inferno has sent two King-class powerhouses into the war, and Dungeon has deployed one of their own. Between them, they’ve fielded nearly forty orange-tier Legendary heroes. Even with Lord Mikael fighting on our side, it’s barely enough. And more importantly... our current strength just isn’t enough to sustain this kind of defensive war."
He paused, then continued, his tone growing darker.
"So far, the Holy Vanguard Empire and the Divine Bow Empire are on the brink of total collapse. The Sacred Sentinel Empire, the eight duchies that split from the Holy Griffon Empire, and the Divine Priest Empire—they’ve all suffered heavy losses, so worse than others."
"Especially those eight duchies... their situation is dire."
"At this point, the only empires still standing are the Royal Griffin Empire and our own Holy Blades Empire. And that’s only because of your presence, and Lord Mikael’s. Without you two, we’d have fallen already..."
Lorns finally looked up. His face was hard as steel, but there was a flicker of unease in his eyes.
"...But even so," he said slowly, "I’m not sure how much longer we can last."
"Yeah... defending is always the harder fight," Wisdom Angel Cain murmured, nodding slightly, his eyes flickering with thought.
He knew all too well where their weaknesses lay in this massive war between the factions. As the side being attacked, they’d been on the back foot from the very beginning—restricted, reactive, and constantly forced to split their forces.
The presence of so many empires under their banner ant they had no choice but to defend. And that ant spreading their troops thin, trying to protect too many fronts at once. It was a logistical nightmare—and a strategic disadvantage.
They had no initiative. No control.
anwhile, the Inferno and Dungeon factions? Their armies ca and went as they pleased—striking fast, retreating faster, with no hesitation and no regard for collateral damage.
Even soone with zero military experience could see the difference. And that difference was killing them.
In just over a year, the war had spiraled so far out of control that the entire front was on the verge of collapse.
Cain let out a long, weary sigh.
"Lorns," he said, his voice low but steady, "tell what you really think."
"Don’t hold back. I want your honest opinion."
"Yes, sir." Lorns nodded, his eyes sharp with resolve.
"Lord Cain, the biggest problem we’re facing right now is that we simply don’t have the manpower to defend all these empires. Defensive warfare only works when you’re fighting in a limited area with equal strength. But as the battlefield expands, the defender’s burden grows exponentially. There’s just too much to protect."
Cain gave a small shake of his head. "I know all that. Be more specific."
"Yes, sir..." Lorns hesitated for a mont, then clenched his jaw and spoke.
"My recomndation is that we abandon the Holy Vanguard Empire, the Divine Bow Empire, and the Holy Griffon Empire. We consolidate around the Royal Griffin Empire and the Holy Blades Empire as our core strongholds. Then we use the Sacred Sentinel Empire and the Divine Priest Empire as our spear and shield—one to strike, the other to hold."
"Only by dividing the war into distinct zones can we create breathing room—and maybe even turn the tables and start hunting them instead."
"With you and Lord Mikael leading the charge, and the full might of the Light Alliance behind us, we can hold those four empires. Unless those damn Inferno devils or those disgusting Dungeon bugs want to throw everything they’ve got into a final, all-out war, they won’t break through."
Cain didn’t react. His expression remained calm, unreadable—like he’d already seen this coming.
"Then that’s what we’ll do," he said flatly. "Lorns, go to the Royal Griffin Empire on my behalf. Tell Mikael our plan. I doubt he’ll object."
They say angels are rciful, kind, the embodint of light and hope.
But the truth?
Their thods were cold. Calculated. Ruthless.
They would sacrifice anyone—anything—for victory.
Even themselves.
But they didn’t see it as sacrifice.
They called it devotion.
Yes—whether it was giving up their own lives or throwing others into the fire, as long as it brought results, as long as it led to victory, it was all worth it. All part of the greater good.
That’s why, even among their allies, no one truly trusted the angels.
Because everyone knew—when the ti ca, when the pressure was on—the angels wouldn’t hesitate to stab their own allies in the back.
And they’d call it duty. They’d call it sacrifice. They’d call it noble.
That’s the other side of the angels’ reputation.
Hypocritical. Disloyal. Cold-blooded to the core.
...
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