The gates of the royal castle closed behind them with a deep thunderous sound.
Stone grinding against stone and the soldiers locked the sealing of the main castle gate. They tightened the Chains so the heretics would not enter the gate by any chance.
The message was clear. The kingdom had already decided. Rodric and his soldiers were no longer welcome inside the walls they once protected. The king decided to execute them, but Valor whispered something to the king that made the king smile and the king kicked them out of the castle city gates.
Outside the city gates Kael's combined army gathered in uneasy silence.
On one side stood the Royal Vanguard Legion Rodric's soldiers who had once fought proudly under the banner of Ardenthal.
On the other side stood the towering figures of the Abyssal Bone Legion their skeletal forms radiating cold violet light.
Two armies. Two completely different origins. Now forced to stand together under a single command and neither side trusted the other even till now, because what just happened till now its still because the presence of the undead.
Rodric watched the closed gates for several long seconds.
His fists trembled.
"That… was my king."
The pain in his voice was raw.
He had fought for Ardenthal his entire life.
Led soldiers into battle. Lost comrades. Protected villages. Defended borders.
And now the same kingdom had labelled him a heretic and a traitor.
Rodric turned toward Kael slowly.
"My lord… this isn't right."
Kael stood calmly, observing the city walls.
"Calm down this was bound to happen."
Rodric looked confused.
"You… knew?"
Kael nodded slightly.
"Yes, but I didn't know that person would get involved."
Because the moment Kael had seen Strategist Valor standing beside the throne everything had become obvious.
This entire situation had been constructed carefully, deliberately and strategically.
'How did he have the connection with the king of this 25th floor, and If I managed to clear this floor and get the first rank that would instantly tell him that I am the Line Emperor.
Shen Yao floated beside Kael arms crossed with clear amusement.
"That man is clever to stir all these traps to his advantage."
Kael agreed silently. Valor had created a perfect battlefield.
One where Kael would be forced into conflict against two enemies at the same time.
The enemy empire approaching from the outside and the kingdom of Ardenthal attacking from the inside.
If Kael chose to defend Rodric's soldiers he would become the kingdom's enemy.
If he abandoned the skeleton legion he would lose half his strength.
Either choice would weaken him.
Rodric spoke again.
"My lord… the king… he must have been misled."
Kael turned his gaze toward the castle towers.
"Yes., he was misled by that person called Valor"
Rodric blinked.
"…You believe that?"
Kael answered calmly.
"Yes."
Rodric fell silent because deep down, he understood. The king had spoken those words himself by the influence of Valor. This made the kings words to be forced and seems to be controlled by Valor.
Valor had simply given him a reason to believe and kings who believed something rarely changed their minds.
A deep horn echoed across the plains. Kael's gaze shifted toward the horizon a massive army was approaching. Rows of soldiers marched in disciplined formation.
They had heavy cavalry, shield infantry, archers and siege weapons.
And at the center of the formation stood a large war banner a black wolf crest.
Rodric recognized it instantly.
"…The Empire of Varkas."
The rival empire their long-time enemy.
Rodric clenched his jaw.
"They must have heard about the chaos here."
Kael observed quietly and came to a conclusion that the Empire of Varkas was also invited to the battlefield by Valor.
This was another piece of Valor's plan.
Rodric's voice grew tense.
"My lord… if they attack while the kingdom sees us as traitors…"
Kael finished the thought calmly.
"Both sides will kill us."
Rodric nodded grimly.
The kingdom would attack them from behind. The Varkas Empire would attack from the front.
They would be crushed between two armies a perfect military trap.
Shen Yao laughed softly.
"That strategist which you said called Valor he really wants to evaluate us and especially you."
Kael remained calm.
"Don't you think this is the wonderful opportunity?"
Rodric stared at him.
"…Opportunity?"
Kael looked toward the approaching imperial army.
Rodric was beginning to realize something.
His commander was not worried even slightly and that realization was both reassuring and terrifying.
Behind Kael tensions between the two allied armies were reaching a breaking point.
One of Rodric's soldiers stepped forward angrily.
"Captain al this happened because of the undead army we shouldn't be standing beside these monsters!"
He pointed at the skeleton warriors.
"They are cursed undead!"
Another soldier shouted.
"The king had branded us heretics because of these undead which are filth to this land!"
Several soldiers once again started to raise their weapons. Even the soldiers who were saved by the undead soldiers even they agreed to everyone's protest.
Across from them the skeleton legion stood perfectly still. But their glowing eyes turned toward the shouting soldiers.
The air grew tense.
Rodric stepped forward quickly.
"Stand down!"
But the anger was too strong. One soldier stepped forward and swung his sword toward a skeleton warrior. The blade struck the bone and a loud clang echoed.
The skeleton did not move and the soldier froze.
The skeleton slowly looked down at the sword embedded in its ribcage and then it gently removed the weapon and handed it back.
The soldiers were stunned. Rodric was stunned.
Even Kael watched with interest.
Shen Yao chuckled.
"Actually the undead soldiers are being more mature than the knights."
Kael nodded.
Because the skeleton legion had evolved beyond mindless undead.
They followed only command and instinct in the battle.
Rodric stepped between the two sides.
"Enough!"
His voice echoed across the army.
"These skeletons fought beside us! they saved your lives!"
Some soldiers lowered their weapons reluctantly. Others still looked uncertain. Trust was fragile.
And wars between allies were often the most destructive.
Kael finally stepped forward.
The moment he moved the entire battlefield quieted. Both armies turned toward him.
His presence alone carried a strange weight now. The aura he had forged across the previous floors had not disappeared.
Even when suppressed it lingered faintly around him.
Kael spoke calmly.
"We are surrounded by enemies."
He pointed toward the approaching Varkas army.
"Those men will kill you."
Then he pointed toward the castle walls.
"And those men will also kill you."
The soldiers looked between both forces.
Realization slowly spread.
Kael continued.
"If you fight each other you die."
Silence filled the battlefield.
Rodric nodded slowly.
"My lord… what do you suggest?"
Kael's gaze hardened slightly.
"We will win this war."
Rodric almost laughed.
"…Against two armies?"
Kael answered simply.
"Yes, trust me this will work out."
Shen Yao smirked.
"This is where things get interesting."
Inside the castle balcony strategist Valor observed everything. His sharp eyes studied Kael carefully.
The man beside him spoke nervously.
"My lord strategist, are you certain this will work?"
Valor answered calmly.
"Yes."
The noble looked uncertain.
"What if the commander survives?"
Valor smiled faintly.
"That is the point, he must survive this war, I don't care about this kingdom and his army."
The noble blinked.
"You want him to survive?"
Valor nodded.
"Of course, because I have to be certain about something and this stage is the good way to test him."
Because this floor was not about destroying Kael. It was about measuring him and testing him
Valor still suspected something. Something impossible. Something he had not yet confirmed.
He watched Kael again.
"Show me."
Valor whispered quietly.
"Show me if you truly deserve the title I suspect."
Outside the city walls Kael began giving orders.
"Rodric."
Rodric stepped forward immediately.
"Yes, my lord."
"Just like in the previous battle, you will command the Royal Vanguard Legion."
Rodric nodded.
"Understood."
Kael then turned toward the skeleton army.
"And I will command the Bone Legion."
Every skeleton immediately straightened. Kael pointed toward the hills nearby.
"Defensive formation."
The skeletons moved instantly with perfect coordination and perfect obedience.
Rodric watched with amazement.
They were moving like trained soldiers now and not like monsters.
Kael continued issuing commands.
"Archers to the ridge."
"Shield line in front."
"Cavalries hold position."
Rodric blinked.
"You're preparing for siege defense"
Kael nodded.
"Exactly."
Rodric looked toward the approaching Varkas army.
"They'll attack within minutes."
Kael answered calmly.
"Good, let them come, let them face our evolved army."
Rodric had stopped questioning things.
Because every decision Kael made had worked so far.
The plains outside Ardenthal transformed rapidly.
Skeleton warriors built bone barricades. Human soldiers positioned shields. Archers climbed rocky slopes.
Within minutes Kael had created a defensive fortress using the terrain itself.
Rodric looked impressed.
"You've really studied war just from the training and experienced battle."
Kael simply said,
"I'm still learning."
Shen Yao laughed quietly.
"You're terrifying you know that when you say I'm just learning."
Because Kael was learning far too quickly. His understanding of battlefield strategy was evolving in real time.
Rodric spoke again.
"My lord… what about the kingdom's army?"
Kael glanced toward the castle walls.
"They will wait."
Rodric frowned.
"Why?"
Kael answered calmly.
"They want us weakened first."
Rodric realized he was right.
The kingdom army would wait until both forces exhausted themselves and then they would strike.
Kael looked toward the approaching imperial army.
"Which means…"
Rodric finished the thought.
"We must defeat them quickly."
Kael nodded.
"Yes, Captain you are very smarter after you evolved."
"Thank you, my lord, it was all your grace."
The enemy army stopped roughly one kilometer away.
Their commander rode forward on a black warhorse. He studied Kael's army carefully.
His voice carried across the plains.
"Traitors of Ardenthal!"
"You stand with undead!"
Rodric shouted back.
"You dirty Varkas, today is the day your army will perish once and for all"
Kael gave a thumbs up for Roderick's words
The imperial commander laughed.
"Today your kingdom dies."
Kael stepped forward.
The commander's eyes narrowed.
"And who are you?"
Kael answered simply.
"I'm the commander of this army which you branded as traitors and I'm the one who ends this battle."
The commander smirked.
"Arrogant."
He raised his sword.
"ARCHERS!"
Thousands of bows lifted. The battle was about to begin.
Kael turned toward his army. His voice remained calm.
"Hold formation."
Rodric repeated the order loudly.
"Hold!"
The first volley of arrows darkened the sky.
Rodric braced himself. But Kael simply raised one hand.
A thin glowing line appeared in the air. Then another and another.
Hundreds of luminous lines spread across the battlefield like invisible walls.
Absolute Boundary Definition.
The arrows struck those invisible lines and shattered instantly.
Thousands of arrows disintegrated mid-air.
The battlefield froze.
The imperial commander's eyes widened.
"…What?"
Rodric stared in shock.
Kael lowered his hand slowly.
"Now."
His voice was quiet.
"Advance."
And the war for the 25th Floor truly began.