Simultaneously, Alfie felt a pang of shame as he realized that regardless of his actions, his focus remained solely on the present. Adrian, on the other hand, possessed the foresight to anticipate everything that would unfold afterward."I'll go open the gate," Alfie said, departing.Less than two minutes later, the defensive formation opened, revealing an entrance toward the city tower. Rufus and his fleeing companions were ecstatic, racing into Leafall with fervor. Alfie, managing the defensive formation, observed their entry and promptly closed it again, thwarting any pursuers from following.After Rufus, Ilyas, and their dozens of elite Grandmaster guards entered the city, they gasped for breath at the city gate. Upon looking up, they beheld a young man standing before them. With the exception of Ilyas, none of them recognized Adrian.Rufus, upon seeing Adrian, surmised that the latter was likely one of the individuals from Silverboa now occupying Leafall. He perceived Adrian a
"Jed is dead, and you used his identity to deceive me?" Rufus released his grip on Ilyas, stumbling backward in disbelief. The few guards standing nearby also realized they had been duped by Ilyas."Sir! Allow me to execute this traitor for you!" one of the guards said."Leave!" Rufus bellowed in anger.Rufus, renowned for his wisdom and valor, discovered himself deceived by Ilyas at this crucial moment.‘Jed’s dead?’ Disappointment crossed Rufus’s face. He and Jed had competed fiercely for decades, harboring mutual hatred. He had long wished for Jed's demise. Yet, upon learning of Jed's death, a twinge of sadness washed over him."He's gone..." Rufus muttered to himself."Sir, this isn't a setback! With Jed's demise, you'll be the first to surrender to Silverboa. You'll surely earn their favor!" Ilyas said.Bang!Rufus, consumed by his emotions, erupted in rage, “The first to surrender? Yes, it may bring benefits, but it will also brand me with the mark of shame!"After being
"You truly are an exceptional individual. Rest assured, now that we've chosen this path, I will treat you with respect," Rufus declared earnestly.This time, Rufus meant it. Despite his previous deep suspicions of Ilyas, he now placed full trust in the latter.Once Ilyas had been attended to and bandaged, Rufus asked softly, "So, what's our next move?"Ilyas's eyes gleamed, but he said calmly, "Do you know who that man was just now?""No. Do you?" Rufus asked, his curiosity over Adrian's identity piqued."I can't say for certain, but I have some suspicions," Ilyas replied. Gazing up at the city tower, he continued softly, "Do you know why Silverboa unexpectedly clashed with Obscura?"Rufus appeared puzzled."It's because of recent events in the capital of Silverboa. There was a shift in power dynamics between the pro-peace and pro-war factions...""You're referring to the replacement of the crown prince of Silverboa?""Exactly. After the crown prince was replaced, the pro-war
However, before Quintin could lead his two hundred thousand troops to catch up from the horizon, Sid had already consolidated his over one hundred thousand troops and advanced toward Leafall from hundreds of meters outside the city. Thus, Adrian still needed to hold out for a while until Quintin's reinforcements arrived."Just one more hour," Adrian murmured, glancing toward the other end of the horizon and shaking his head. The enemy commander would undoubtedly take notice, so the next wave of attacks would be exceedingly fierce.And Adrian's foresight proved accurate. Sid, concealed within his camp, had indeed spotted the ominous black cloud on the distant horizon."That's the direction of the coastline," Jeremiah remarked, staring at the shifting smoke and clouds in the distant sky, his voice tinged with disbelief."Could he have orchestrated all of this?" Jeremiah pondered with suspicion.That man named Adrian, his arrival on that specific day, his seizure of Leafall on that v
Ilyas and Rufus exchanged glances."What was that?" Rufus, not very fluent in Silverboa City's language, thought he might have misheard."He's disrespecting us, my lord," Ilyas shrugged."No, I meant the sentence before that.""He said that Sir Adrian will halt the advancing army.""I heard correctly..." After Rufus surrendered, he had already anticipated what he might face, so he didn't care about Alfie's insult. What truly concerned him was Adrian. He had leaped down from the city tower and was going to confront the army. There were 180,000 people there! Was this guy crazy?The two stood on the city tower, silently observing the man walking toward the front of the army."Is he really going to do this?" Rufus muttered to himself."My lord, you haven't witnessed his true abilities...""Is he the one who killed Jed?""Yes. He dispatched Sir Jed with a single strike of his sword. No one can stop him!" Ilyas said in shock.Rufus shook his head. How could just one person possibl
They all wielded the distinctive weapons of the Imperial Military Academy, dressed entirely in black—the unmistakable attire of the Special Operations Preparatory Department, signifying their identity. However, these uniforms were only introduced after Adrian had departed from the Imperial Capital and the war had truly commenced. Hence, Adrian didn't possess one of these uniforms.Perhaps some might question: what impact could the arrival of three hundred individuals have on a war involving over a hundred thousand, or even the ownership of a city? Three hundred ordinary people surely couldn't determine the outcome of a war.However, the members of the Special Operations Preparatory Department were a breed apart. Before enrolling in the Imperial Military Academy, they were already formidable warriors. All of them were under twenty years old, yet they possessed exceptional skills. Wherever they were placed in the world, they stood out as remarkable individuals. In terms of ability and
If these three hundred individuals had encountered Obscura warriors at sea, it would undoubtedly hinder their progress. Thus, they proceeded cautiously, actively avoiding any encounters with Obscura’s forces. This cautious approach enabled them to swiftly reach Leafall.With the arrival of the Special Operations Preparatory Department, Adrian's burden was significantly eased. Though he had contemplated giving up earlier, he now harbored confidence that the situation would be resolved. As expected, within the next half-hour, these three hundred individuals cleared the area surrounding Leafall. Despite continuous reinforcements from Obscura, their offensive was ultimately hampered."Sir Sid! Why not command our men to encircle and strike down those three hundred men?" Jeremiah pressed, walking alongside Sid with evident concern. If they didn't eliminate those three hundred, breaking through Leafall's defenses within an hour would prove challenging."It's too late." Sid sighed in despa
With the arrival of the Special Operations Preparatory Department and Quintin's army, the outcome of the battle near Leafall had become inevitable. This development was beneficial for both the residents of Leafall and Adrian's group. Under Adrian's governance, the residents of Leafall had endured considerable pressure, not from any direct actions from Adrian, but from the psychological strain of living in uncertainty. Once the situation in Leafall was resolved, Adrian would undoubtedly depart. Therefore, for the residents of Leafall, this was undoubtedly welcome news.If Quintin were to assume control of Leafall, the city, having already endured the ravages of war, would likely remain free from further conflict in the foreseeable future unless other factions from Obscura launched counterattacks in subsequent conflicts, which seemed highly unlikely. Quintin's arrival prompted the complete mobilization of the entire nation for war. Obscura now faced not only Quintin's two hundred thousa