A/N: Wow. The backlash over chapter 63 was worse here than over at my Patreon 😭. I thought i could live out my masochistic fantasies though Loki, but you all had to ruin it for me!!!!!
Fine. I heard you loud and clear :(. Loki will stop being a pussy towards Luminous. And he won't lose the fight on purpose. DAMN (My heart aches)
NB: This Chapter is mainly to address this situation. So don't pay too much attention on the writing quality.
Also It's my birthday on the 23rd of March ✌😑. If any of you feel like blessing me early for my birthday
You can tip any amount from $1 on [ko-fi.com/tenten100]. . Thank you in advance :)
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Night had fallen over Lubelius.
The city had not yet recovered.
Even now, deep into the night, the sound of rebuilding still drifted through the capital. Stone being lifted. Timber being set. Voices calling to one another through the dark.
But in one chamber—
There was only silence.
A long room of white stone.
A war table at the center.
Maps spread across its surface.
The route to the Barren Lands had already been marked days ago.
Supply lines.
Rest points.
Engagement zones.
Emergency fallback routes.
Everything that needed deciding had already been decided.
This was the final meeting.
The last one.
Before they marched.
At the head of the table stood Hinata Sakaguchi.
Her arms were folded.
Her expression was calm.
As always.
Around the table stood the rest of the Ten Great Saints.
Leonard Jester.
Arnaud Bauman.
Bacchus.
Litus.
Garde.
Fritz.
Saare.
Grigori.
And Glenda Attley.
No one spoke at first.
The room did not need words immediately.
It only needed everyone present.
Finally
Bacchus broke the silence.
"…So this is it."
He stood with both hands resting on the table, staring down at the marked location in the wasteland.
"The last night before we head out."
Litus exhaled slowly.
"Don't say it like that."
Bacchus glanced at her.
"Like what?"
Litus folded her arms.
"Like we're marching to our deaths."
Bacchus gave a small shrug.
"That depends."
Garde snorted.
"You always know how to improve the mood."
Bacchus smirked faintly.
"I try."
Across the table, Saare had his eyes fixed on the map.
His expression was harder than usual.
No jokes or irritation.
Just focus.
Glenda noticed and tilted her head.
"You've been quiet."
Saare didn't look up.
"I'm thinking."
Glenda blinked once.
"…That serious, huh."
Saare finally lifted his gaze.
"We already fought that Angel."
The room went quieter.
Saare continued.
"We all know what that felt like."
His jaw tightened.
"That thing was absurd."
Grigori gave a slow nod.
"Agreed."
He stood with his hands clasped behind his back, calm as ever, but even he could not entirely hide the tension in his face.
"It was not a fight any of us could measure normally."
Arnaud's eyes narrowed slightly.
"And tomorrow…"
He looked toward Hinata.
"…we are walking toward a Primordial. A similar type of existence."
That was the heart of it.
The truth none of them had said aloud yet.
The thing they fought in Lubelius had not even been the real enemy.
That alone had changed the atmosphere of the room.
Fritz rubbed the back of his neck.
"…When you put it like that, it really does sound awful."
Leonard finally spoke.
His voice was even.
Controlled.
"That is exactly why we're here."
All eyes shifted toward him.
Leonard rested one hand on the table.
"This room isn't for fear."
"It isn't for doubt."
His gaze moved around the Saints one by one.
"It's for clarity."
No one argued.
Glenda leaned one hip against the edge of the table and looked toward Hinata.
"So then, Commander."
Her tone was lighter than the others, but not careless.
"This is the last time you can still tell us to turn back."
A few of them smiled faintly.
Hinata did not.
She simply looked at Glenda.
Then at the others.
And answered.
"No."
Fritz exhaled through his nose.
"Yeah."
"Didn't think so."
A faint chuckle went around the room.
Hinata stepped forward.
Her hand came to rest on the edge of the table.
"The battle has already been decided."
Hinata's voice remained quiet.
"We accepted the challenge long ago."
"We have spent these last days making preparations."
"Gathering information."
"Reviewing formations."
"Reviewing our losses."
"Reviewing our limits."
Her eyes shifted across the room.
"This meeting is not for strategy."
A pause.
"It is to make sure that when we leave this room…"
"…none of you carry uncertainty with you."
Silence.
Then Leonard nodded once.
"That is fair."
Bacchus straightened slightly.
"Then I'll say it."
He looked around at the others.
"We might lose."
No one flinched.
Because no one there was childish enough to pretend otherwise.
Litus let out a slow breath.
"Yes."
"That's true."
Garde crossed his arms.
"But that doesn't change anything."
Bacchus looked at him.
Garde's expression remained firm.
"If it's dangerous, we fight it."
"If it threatens the World, we stop it."
"It really is that simple."
Saare gave a quiet nod.
"This is our job."
Glenda smiled faintly.
"And here I thought we were going for the scenery."
That earned a low snort from Fritz.
"Barren Lands."
"Yeah."
"Beautiful place."
Even Hinata's expression softened by a fraction.
Only a fraction.
Then Arnaud spoke.
"We should still say it plainly."
The room quieted again.
Arnaud's voice was low, but carried weight.
"If anyone here wants to withdraw…"
"…say so now."
Nobody spoke.
Not one of them.
Arnaud looked around the room.
At every face.
At every expression.
Then he gave a small nod.
"Good."
Grigori finally stepped forward.
"The support formation remains unchanged."
He pointed to the map.
"Leonard will coordinate the main body."
"Arnaud and Bacchus will anchor the forward line."
"Litus and Garde support the left and right pressure rotations."
"Fritz remains free-moving to intercept."
He then looked toward Saare, Glenda, and himself.
"The three of us will stay flexible."
Saare nodded.
"Fine by me."
Glenda tilted her head.
"And the Commander?"
Grigori looked toward Hinata.
Hinata answered herself.
"I go straight for him."
No surprise there.
Fritz gave a dry laugh.
"Of course you do."
Leonard's expression didn't change.
But he did speak.
"Do not overextend."
Hinata looked at him.
Leonard held her gaze.
"This is not Lubelius."
"This is not a battle where we can afford emotion."
A pause.
"You are our center."
Hinata said nothing for a moment.
Then she gave a small nod.
"Understood."
Glenda let out a breath.
"Good."
"Because I really don't want to drag your body back home."
Hinata looked at her.
Glenda smiled.
A little too brightly.
Hinata sighed softly.
"I don't intend to die."
Bacchus grinned.
"Perfect."
"Neither do I."
Litus glanced at him.
"That makes three of us."
Bacchus looked offended.
"I always intend to survive."
Garde snorted.
"You just usually don't plan how."
That got a little more laughter.
A little more life.
Hinata's gaze moved across them one by one.
"Tomorrow is not about pride."
"Not about proving something."
"Not about glory."
Her voice grew a little harder.
"It is about finishing what has already begun."
A long silence followed.
Then Saare spoke.
"…You always know how to make things sound grim."
Hinata looked at him.
Saare's mouth twitched slightly.
Then he continued.
"But fair enough."
He folded his arms.
"I'm in."
Glenda raised a hand lazily.
"Obviously."
Grigori nodded.
"Likewise."
Garde gave a short grunt.
"Same."
Litus nodded once.
"I didn't come this far to turn back."
Bacchus grinned.
"If a demon's waiting, then let's make him regret inviting us."
Fritz shrugged.
"Honestly, I just want this over with."
Arnaud gave a rare faint smile.
"That still counts."
Leonard stood straight.
His expression was serious.
As always.
But his voice carried quiet conviction.
"We march together."
"We return together."
The room fell silent one final time.
Then Hinata stepped closer to the center of the table.
Slowly—
She placed her hand down.
One by one, the others followed.
Leonard first.
Then Arnaud.
Bacchus.
Litus.
Garde.
Fritz.
Saare.
Grigori.
Glenda.
Ten hands.
Stacked together over the map of the Barren Lands.
The room held its breath.
Bacchus was the first to speak.
"…Tomorrow."
Garde followed.
"We finish it."
Litus nodded.
"And we come back."
Fritz muttered,
"In one piece, preferably."
That drew a quiet chuckle.
Glenda smiled.
"I can work with that."
Saare looked at Hinata.
"Commander?"
Hinata looked at all of them.
At the hands stacked together.
At the people who had fought beside her for years.
At the Saints she would lead into battle tomorrow.
Then she spoke.
"Prepare yourselves."
Her voice was calm.
"At dawn…"
"…we march."
And then slowly breaking apart.
The meeting was over.
Tomorrow
The Ten Great Saints would leave Lubelius.
And in the Barren Lands
A demon would be waiting.
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