"Understood!" the one-armed Rank-7 master roared, his bloodshot eyes blazing with the sheer madness of a cornered beast. Ignoring the agonizing pain radiating from his severed shoulder, the man viciously bit the tip of his own tongue. He spat a mouthful of blood mist onto the short sword in his left hand, forcefully igniting a forbidden blood-burning art to push his remaining Rank-7 spiritual energy to its absolute limits! Meanwhile, Maxime gripped the hilt of the Sacred Relic bestowed upon him by Lily with both hands. Squeezing out every last drop of the Rank-7 Grandmaster aura within his body, he channeled it all into the Masterwork-tier blade. The sword erupted with a three-meter-long, blood-red sword beam so intense it visibly distorted the night air! Theodore stood tall amidst the wreckage of the tent, holding Serena tightly against his left side. His right hand tightened around the hilt of the Northern Sky-Splitter. He raised the frost-covered silver blade before his chest

The frost-covered blade of the Northern Sky-Cleaving Sword halted a mere millimeter away from the slender neck of the figure hidden in the shadows. The sharp gust of wind from the forcefully arrested slash blew back the figure's hood. Silvery-blonde hair instantly fluttered beneath the moonlight, framing a beautiful face that was now deathly pale from terror. A pair of tear-filled sapphire-blue eyes stared straight into Theodore's crimson irises. "You... P-Princess Angela?!" Theodore exclaimed, his voice choking with sheer shock. The boiling rage that had consumed him, assuming the woman was Lily, instantly crumbled. His Rank-7 killing intent vanished like smoke scattered by a gale. Realization struck Theodore in a flash. That sapphire-blue arc of light that had nullified his sneak attack moments ago... it wasn't a coincidence, but this girl's strike! "Lower your weapon... it's me... I mean no harm, truly," Angela whispered, panting heavily. The princess's body slumped a

"You were pulled back from the gates of death, Commander," Kael, who stood not far away, spoke up, his voice brimming with immense relief. "The Young Master nearly destroyed half of this encampment to save you. However, you truly owe your life to this grand healer." Serena's silver eyes slowly shifted toward the figure kneeling before her. A young woman with beautiful silvery-blonde hair. Her travel garments were soiled with dust, but it couldn't hide the aura of elegance and extraordinary beauty radiating from her face. In her hand, she held an empty crystal bottle that emitted a faint green spiritual glow. Serena frowned. Her battlefield survival instincts kicked her mind into high gear. "Who are you? The Northern Iron Cavalry doesn't have a female soldier with your features, let alone one who possesses a healing heirloom of that caliber." Hearing the demanding question, Angela took a deep breath. She stared straight into the silver eyes of the Northern Iron Wolf that pier

"Postpone our plan to return to the Northern Fortress! Hold our ground and do not move tonight!" Theodore commanded suddenly, his voice piercing through the stillness among the shattered ruins of the tent. David, who had been issuing instructions for clearing the area, froze instantly. Serena, having just received a thick cloak from her guard, also turned her head with furrowed brows. "Postpone our return? Brother, what is your plan?" Serena asked with a frown, her voice still somewhat weak yet laced with sharp scrutiny. "Our supplies are dwindling, and we stand right outside the gates of the imperial capital. Lingering here without certainty only invites catastrophe." David stepped forward, pressing a clenched fist against his chest in formal salute. "Young Master, Commander Serena is correct. Tonight, we thwarted the Emperor's assassination attempt. The safest course is to withdraw the entire army back to the North before the imperial court realizes their failure." "Safe?" Theodo

Maxime did not reply. He simply bowed his head deeply, his chest heaving violently as he struggled to draw in as much oxygen as possible. Blood dripped from the gashes between his fingers. His dented iron mask reflected the light of the room’s torches dimly. “Answer me, Maxime!” shouted Emperor Aldous, his face turning deathly pale as he saw that his elite assassin’s right arm had been completely severed at the shoulder. “Where is Theodore Cordova’s head?! Where is the proof that the heir to the North is dead?!” “He… he’s a monster, Your Majesty…” Maxime’s voice sounded so hoarse and fragile, as though his entire soul had been shattered that night. “We… we were nearly killed by him.” “Killed?!” That single word exploded like thunder in the emperor’s ears. Aldous stumbled backwards, his foot catching on a shard of glass. The old tyrant’s face turned crimson with a mixture of indescribable rage and fear. “You brought ten high-ranking shadow assassins, and you yourself are a Rank-7