Recently, a major event shook the Ursus Empire.
Not long ago, Talulah, the adopted daughter of Duke Kashchey, returned to Kashchey's domain and formally inherited the ducal title, becoming one of Ursus's new grand dukes.
If that were all, it wouldn't have been such a big deal. While the transfer of a ducal title was no small matter, it wasn't enough to shock the entire nation—especially since Talulah herself didn't carry the same fearsome reputation as Duke Kashchey. Had she not suddenly ascended to the position, many people might not even have known who Talulah was.
What truly drew attention, however, was what happened shortly afterward.
Another Ursus grand duke—Duke Beagur, the man who controlled the Third Army Group—suddenly seemed to lose his mind. For reasons no one could explain, he voluntarily transferred control of the entire Third Army Group to Talulah, who had only just inherited Kashchey's title.
That was an entire army group.
Just handed over like that.
No one knew what relationship existed between Duke Beagur and Talulah, nor what methods this newly appointed grand duke had used to obtain command of the Third Army Group.
But shortly after the transfer, news broke that the Third Army Group had begun large-scale mobilization.
That single piece of information sent shockwaves throughout Ursus.
"What is she trying to do?! I'm asking you—what is she trying to do?!"
Deep within the palace of Chernobog's Holy Imperial City, the current Emperor of Ursus, Fyodor Felagimirovich, roared at the assembled bureaucrats and nobles below him.
Ursus had been without major wars for a long time. None of the surrounding nations were making trouble. Under such circumstances, a grand duke suddenly mobilizing troops and preparing for war could only mean one thing.
And that begged the question—
Who was her target?
At that moment, Fyodor looked like someone who had just had his toe stepped on in some far-off Warhammer universe—so anxious he would have been hopping in place if the setting had allowed it.
The nobles and officials in the palace exchanged uneasy glances.
A grand duke rebelling was no trivial matter. Minor figures like them dared not speak recklessly, while those powerful enough to influence the situation preferred to wait and observe.
As a result, the entire hall remained silent—save for the Emperor's furious shouting.
Seeing this, Fyodor realized these people were useless.
He waved them all away and decided to deploy the imperial family's secret weapon.
"This is no ordinary rebel," he snarled.
"We must strike with heavy fists. Dispatch the Imperial Guards. Infiltrate Kashchey's domain and kill Talulah!"
The Imperial Guards—also known as the Emperor's Blades—were a unique Ursus force created through rituals and specialized technological armor that siphoned power from malevolent entities.
They were the most terrifying military force in all of Ursus, feared by anyone who knew of their existence.
A single Imperial Guard was enough to massacre multiple elite, well-equipped units. Against weaker nations, a handful of them could overthrow an entire regime with ease.
In past wars, once the enemy leader's location was known, the Imperial Guards' decapitation strikes had never failed. They could claim the rebel's head in the shortest possible time.
Even if they encountered an enemy capable of matching an Imperial Guard, they could self-destruct, triggering a phenomenon known as National Obliteration, annihilating themselves, their target, and all nearby protectors in one devastating blast.
They were, in every sense, a nightmare.
And now, Fyodor intended to use these imperial blades once more—sending them to make the newly appointed Grand Duke Talulah "take flight."
That very night, ten Imperial Guards were dispatched straight to Kashchey's domain.
And then—
They never returned.
What happened?
Days passed. No Imperial Guards came back. No reports arrived of any major disturbance in Kashchey's territory.
Fyodor grew increasingly restless.
Ten Imperial Guards.
Even if they were used as suicide troops, there should have at least been an explosion—some kind of noise.
But instead, they vanished without a trace.
No reports. No signals. Nothing.
Just what kind of monster was lurking inside Kashchey's domain?
Surely there couldn't be some colossal beast hiding there… right?
Meanwhile — Kashchey's Domain
In stark contrast to the tense atmosphere spreading through Chernobog and the rest of Ursus, Kashchey's domain was almost peaceful.
Now elevated to the status of Grand Duke, Talulah was personally organizing members of Reunion to reclaim wasteland and prepare for farming.
Under normal circumstances, this would have been absurd.
It was winter. Ursus's soil was notoriously barren. Forget farming—even grave-digging would be a nightmare, as the frozen ground was as hard as stone.
But these limitations meant nothing to Wendigos.
Dozens of Wendigos strode across the wasteland. Without tools, they simply raked the ground with their claws, effortlessly overturning earth as hard as rock, as if it were tofu.
Around them, Reunion's infected members watched in awe, witnessing firsthand the raw physical power of one of the ancient Teekaz Ten Courts.
Looking farther out, one could see Wendigos cooperating with the infected to erect greenhouse frameworks, shielding future crops from the biting cold.
Watching from a higher vantage point, Talulah felt utterly stunned.
In the distance, Patriot and FrostNova were equally speechless.
After all—
Where in the world had all these Wendigos come from?
"How did you do this?"
Talulah asked in disbelief, turning toward Mebius and An Xora beside her.
Not long ago, when Mebius had shown up with an entire group of Wendigos, Talulah had seriously wondered if she was hallucinating.
Because honestly—how was anyone supposed to stay calm seeing something like this?
"It's nothing more than a bit of intelligence combined with the right technology,"
Mebius replied calmly.
"Quite simple, really."
What kind of technology creates this many Wendigos? Are you sure you're not cheating?
Talulah desperately wanted to ask—but after some thought, she swallowed the question.
According to their agreement, her role was simply to follow An Xora's and Mebius's directives. She didn't need to know everything.
"More Wendigos will continue to arrive over time," Mebius continued.
"Once their numbers are sufficient, we'll have the Third Army Group cooperate with the Wendigo forces and expand outward—straight toward Chernobog, where the Emperor resides."
"For now, focus on farming. I'm already developing a new strain of crops. After expansion—and once Ursus is fully taken—you won't have to worry about food shortages."
"With these greenhouses, you can also grow rarer fruits and vegetables. Arrange things as you see fit."
"And don't worry about further Imperial Guard attacks. Losing ten at once is enough to make even the Emperor hesitate for quite some time."
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