"Backup! We need backup! I repeat— BACKUP!"
A cha Rider’s voice crackled through the comms, frantic and full of dread.
"Roger, what’s going on? Everything alright over there?" a female voice asked from the other end.
"Of course not, Madam!" he shouted. "The Western Front—there’s a monster out here! A powerful summoner riding a C-Tier Infernal Wyvern! He’s tearing us apart! We need reinforcents, now!"
There was a pause.
"Calm down, Roger. Reinforcents will arrive any minute. But we’re stretched thin here too. No one expected them to bring an army this size..."
"Thank you, Madam! Thank yo—"
"Aaaaah!"
His voice cut off with a scream of terror as he was ripped away by getting dragged into a terrifying cyclone of fire.
---
"Infernal Tornado!"
Atop his wyvern, Igaris raised his hand and cast the ability.
Flas burst from his palm, twisting into a spiraling vortex of raw destruction. The inferno swelled rapidly, expanding until it beca a towering tornado of blazing death.
He hurled it down to the battlefield, careful not to strike his own forces.
But even with precision, there were no guarantees.
If soone was unlucky enough to be caught in it... he was sorry for them.
But this wasn’t a ga.
This was war.
And in war, there’s no room for rcy.
Not everyone gets to be a saint. Or a rciful Hero.
Within 30 minutes, Igaris and his team had nearly wiped out the Western Front’s defenses.
When he landed on the scorched earth atop Serynthia, the ground trembled beneath them.
His subordinates stood frozen, stunned into silence by the sheer dominance they had just witnessed.
> "Captain Darkfire really lives up to his na..."
> "He took down most of the C-Rank chas by himself."
> "We were so wrong about him. He’s younger than us, yet far more capable."
> "Haha... we’re really lucky to have him as our leader."
The quiet murmurs of respect spread through the ranks like wildfire, until Igaris’ sharp command cut through the chatter:
"Lieutenant. Inform Command: the Western Front is cleared. Awaiting further orders."
Without another word, Igaris climbed back onto Serynthia’s broad, scorched back.
From his movents, it was clear that he wasn’t staying here.
"Captain, where are you going?" soone called out.
He didn’t turn around. Instead, his gaze remained fixed on the far horizon, where smoke t sky.
"There’s sothing I must take care of."
Then, after a brief pause, he added:
"Until then, I appoint Lieutenant Wendy Werner as acting Captain of the Spearhead Unit."
With that, he tossed his communication tablet onto the ground and soared into the sky on Serynthia’s wings, leaving behind no explanation—only dust, fire, and awe.
The summoners just stood watching, quiet and still, like children abandoned by a storm they only now realized had protected them.
--
The news of Igaris abandoning his unit spread through the command center like wildfire.
The higher officials were furious at his blatant disregard for protocol and responsibility.
They didn’t yet label him a traitor or a Deserter, not until they knew what he was planning.
On top of the Fire Dragon, Master Leon stood with arms crossed, brows furrowed in deep frustration.
"He abandoned his team at such a crucial mont? Just when we were about to breach their primary defenses?"
He clenched his jaw, voice low with disbelief.
"That brat... has he gone mad?"
Beside him, Nina looked equally stunned. Her usually confident expression was replaced by visible confusion.
"Is he really a coward, Master? Or... is there sothing else we don’t know?" she asked, her tone uncharacteristically uncertain.
Leon didn’t respond imdiately. He glanced at the tactical map, then at the fading communication feed from the Western Front.
Finally, he spoke:
"No... nothing is certain yet. At least... I’d like to believe he has a plan."
His voice softer as he was unsure now.
The preliminary clash lasted for six brutal hours, but in the end, the Freedom Force erged victorious, thanks to their overwhelming numbers and sheer determination.
Yet, everyone knew—this war was far from over.
The enemy was regrouping, ready to unleash their terrifying elite units in a full-scale counterattack. When that happened, the true battle would begin.
But for now, Freedom Force had enough ti to fortify, to prepare.
They swiftly moved to claim nearby territories, aiming to turn the battlefield into an unbreachable fortress, a wall of resistance no enemy could easily penetrate.
---
anwhile, Igaris walked alone along a dirt road, far from the frontlines.
His appearance had changed. He now looked like an ordinary countryside boy with plain clothes, and unassuming presence.
It was a deliberate choice to blend in paradise. Because, If anyone connected him with Rebels, he would be in deep trouble.
His goal was simple but deeply personal:
> To find Roxanne and Isadora.
For reasons he couldn’t fully explain, he missed them deeply.
The warmth of that small hut, the quiet comfort of shared als, and their laughter during simple days; they all flashed through his mind like distant dreams.
A soft breeze blew as he continued forward, his sharp eyes scanning the surroundings.
Despite being in a coastal region, he could see signs of developed life.
Modest, but well-crafted Wooden and concrete houses stood scattered across the land. It suggested the edge of civilized territory, though not quite a full-fledged city.
"How far is the city from here?" he wondered silently.
For now, he decided to find shelter in one of these outer houses. Perhaps he hopes to find a kind local who would give him food, or more importantly, information about Paradise.
The reason Igaris was more confident about finding them in Paradise was tied to a suspicion he had long carried. Roxanne was a cha Rider, and likely ca from a well-established background.
Why else would soone like her end up in the Forsaken Land, cut off from perfect society?
There had to be a story behind it. Sothing happened with her and his predecessor.
Perhaps betrayal, loss, or so deeper conflict none of them could yet see.
He didn’t understand why she chose to abandon him there. But deep in his heart, he refused to believe it was out of cruelty.
There had to be a reason.
A painful, hidden reason.
One that mattered.
And he intended to uncover it.
Reviews
All reviews (0)