Bryce rushed into Nathaniel's quarter and stumbled as he went. His clothes were soaked with sweat, and his face still wore the pallor of fear.At that moment, Nathaniel was seated at his desk. He stared into the dim glow of a single lamp, lost in thought. Upon hearing the sound of frantic footsteps, he frowned and looked up."Y-Your Highness! Something terrible has happened," Bryce stammered. He burst through the door and was too panicked to bother with formalities."What's wrong?" Nathaniel asked with a frown, and he looked annoyed.The mansion was so large that the explosion of the main gate earlier hadn't alerted him."Your Highness, Zeus and Hera, the royal gods from the Hall of Gods, just barged in and attacked us. General Derin tried to stop them, but Zeus raised his hand and struck him with a lightning bolt. General Derin… He was killed on the spot."Bryce forced himself to calm his nerves and quickly recounted what had happened earlier. He had seen his share of battles, s

The moonlight was veiled by thick clouds that night.After returning to his mansion, Nathaniel was plotting how to saddle Matthias with the explosive threat posed by Zeus and Hera.He chose Matthias over Tristan because Matthias commanded the largest power base. With his military background and strong followers, he was the perfect candidate to deal with the two royal gods from the Hall of Gods. Nathaniel hoped they would destroy each other in a deadly struggle, allowing him to swoop in and reap the rewards.After mulling it over, he stood up and gave his order. "Tell Bamon Niles, Wane Brutson, and Cronus Liam to meet me in the study in an hour.""Yes, Your Highness," the guard at the door responded and promptly left the room.An hour later, the three men arrived one after another. They were Nathaniel's most trusted advisors—sharp, dependable, and always ready with a plan."Greetings, Your Highness."The trio entered together and greeted Nathaniel with practiced respect."Plea

At dusk, Matthias and Seamus sat across from each other in the Mosey mansion. They were locked in an intense game of strategy. The terrain model between them had become a battlefield, and each move was met with a calculated counter. Anders stood beside them as he silently observed their game without interrupting.Eventually, the game ended after Seamus placed a white flag in the terrain model and conceded defeat."Your Highness, your grasp of warfare is truly remarkable," he said. "Your tactics are sharp, unpredictable—almost otherworldly. There's simply no defending against them. I've always considered myself a strategist, but clearly, I'm nowhere near your level."He chuckled and shook his head, then took the white towel the maid handed over and slowly wiped his fingers."You flatter me, Uncle Seamus. It was just a lucky break, that's all," Matthias replied humbly.Though he was born into royalty, Matthias never dared to assert himself in Seamus' presence. After all, Seamus

The Gilded Chamber stood in the heart of the inner city. It sold valuable items such as panaceas, artifact weapons, and rare martial arts manuscripts.Only dignitaries and martial arts experts ever stepped through its doors. Ordinary people couldn't afford to glance at the price tags, let alone buy anything.Inside, Cassius Hawke, an elderly man with gray hair, lounged comfortably in a reclining chair as he listened to music. He held a small metal flask in one hand and occasionally took a sip.At that moment, a luxury car screeched to a stop at the entrance, leaving long black streaks across the stone pavement.Before the vehicle had even stopped, Matthias opened the door and jumped out. The second he walked into the Gilded Chamber, he started issuing commands."Get your chief out here! I have something important to discuss," he barked."Looks like no one told you how things work around here," Cassius said coolly, not even looking at him.He stayed reclined in the chair with his

Neville's roar silenced the soldiers.They all stared at their general, whose eyes were bloodshot and his entire body trembling with fury. For a moment, no one dared to speak.They understood his pain and shared his rage. That was why they'd lost control earlier.But they had to control themselves. After all, it was a basic military discipline. No matter how deep their hatred, they had to hold it in until they received the order to attack.Still, their silence didn't mean their anger had cooled. If anything, it burned hotter with every second, growing heavier and more dangerous as it waited for release.Just then, the tense silence was broken by three black sedans speeding toward the compound and stopping at the main gate.When the soldiers saw the license plate on the lead car, they immediately cleared a path. Matthias had finally arrived.When the car door opened, the prince stepped out, followed closely by five elderly men in suits.They varied in shape and stature—tall, s