Scene shifts to the next day, where everyone in the South Ryehem camp was already up before dawn, preparing for the battle they all knew was inevitable. The morning air felt heavier than usual, and though it was still dark, a tense silence hung over the camp like a storm waiting to break.
Everyone knew today wasn't just another fight — today, there was a dragon attack to anticipate.
Shang stood at the war table in the command tent, studying the latest battlefield reports. His sharp eyes didn't miss a single detail. He knew well that Isabela, the Empress, could handle dragons on her own — she'd fought far deadlier things before. But still, it wasn't the dragons he was worried about. It was what North Ryehem might be plotting behind the scenes.
Turning to Darius, Shang asked, "By the way, how did you manage to escape from North Ryehem and make it back here, especially in that condition?"
Darius, sitting on a chair nearby, still bandaged and pale, managed a weak smile. "I owe it to my clan's secret techniques," he replied. "Techniques passed down for generations. Without them… I wouldn't be standing here."
Shang smirked. "Well, I'm glad you made it back. Once we return to South Ryehem, you'll need to tell me everything you learned while you were out there. Every detail could make a difference."
"I'll be ready," Darius promised, his voice steady despite his injuries.
Soon after, as expected, the attack came. The soldiers of North Ryehem charged toward the South Ryehem borders like a dark tide. Their numbers were no greater than usual, but the atmosphere felt different — desperate, almost frantic, as if they knew something no one else did.
South Ryehem's forces met them head-on. Flames lit up the battlefield as Ezabela burned through ranks of enemies, while Arthur used his Spiritual Force Manipulation to reflect enemy attacks back at them. Kazuki, now at Body Refining Tier 3, moved quicker and struck harder than before, though he kept a low profile to avoid drawing attention to his breakthrough.
Despite the intensity of the assault, South Ryehem once again held the line. The borders remained equalized, neither side gaining ground.
As the battle died down, Kazuki approached Shang, wiping blood from his cheek. "How many more days are we going to fight like this?" he asked, his tone a mix of exhaustion and frustration.
Shang sighed, glancing at the bloodied battlefield. "Who knows," he murmured. "But everything… eventually comes to an end."
That night, after the camp had quieted and the wounded were being treated, Kazuki lay in his tent staring at the ceiling. Sleep refused to come. His mind replayed the battle, Darius's warning about the dragons, and a troubling thought that wouldn't leave him alone.
Those dragons… those two adult dragons must be from the Dragon Nest.
He closed his eyes, picturing the giant beasts. When they left their lair, maybe they weren't just hunting. Maybe they went to meet the Emperor of North Ryehem. What if there was a deal… an offer they couldn't refuse?
Kazuki's mind raced with possibilities. In exchange for attacking South Ryehem, the Emperor probably promised them enough food to live out the rest of their lives without needing to leave their nest ever again. A lifetime of safety… for one act of betrayal.
His jaw clenched.
But they're being used. And when those two dragons fall in battle — because they will, if they fight Mom — the baby dragons will be left alone. Orphaned in a world that fears them.
Kazuki turned to his side, feeling a tight knot in his chest. I don't know why, but that thought… it pisses me off.
He sighed, closing his eyes and trying to clear his head, but deep down, he knew that sleep wouldn't be coming anytime soon.
Outside the tent, the night air was thick with tension. The soldiers of South Ryehem stayed on high alert, weapons within arm's reach, because they too sensed it — tomorrow wouldn't be an ordinary battle. It would be the start of something far bigger.