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Chapter 1178: Spirit Rinsing (1)

Rhode wasn't aware of Angelina's tragic encounter, but he wouldn't care less about her anyway. Even though Angelina was also one of his card spirits, it was a pity that she was ranked the lowest in his mind. This was apparent from the fact that after Rhode resolved Lilian's issue, led everyone to the drawing room, and described his earlier experiences, he didn't even ask Marlene about Angelina's whereabouts.

If Angelina knew about this, perhaps she would start to doubt whether her loyalty to Rhode was enough. But it was a pity that Angelina and Erin were trapped in the massive and intricate underground maze. The Dark Curtain had completely cut off all spiritual connections between Rhode and Angelina, which the latter couldn't seek help for her predicament. This inadvertently aided Rhode in avoiding a dangerous case of decreased likability from another one of his card spirits...

The completely ignorant Rhode also learned from Marlene about everything that happened, including how Ion stirred trouble with one of the twin dragons and tried to steal his dragon essence. After hearing Marlene's words, Rhode and Marybelle puckered their brows at the same time.

"Is that man sick of living already? Could it be that he is influenced by Chaos? It shouldn't be. Ion is a dragon soul heir, no matter what. Logically speaking, he shouldn't be influenced by Chaos so easily. Even though he is the ruler of the Country of Darkness, a Dark Dragon isn't an undead creature, after all. Couldn't he resist any form of erosion from Chaos like Lilian? Not only that, but why did he also become more aggressive?"

After listening to Marlene's introduction, Rhode couldn't wrap his head around the situation. The Dark Dragon was a living being, so the effects would be limited even if he were to be eroded by Chaos. This was obvious from the fact that he fled immediately after his attempt to snatch Rhode's dragon essence failed, which proved that the Dark Dragon hadn't gone entirely insane yet. Logically speaking, his failed attempt angered the Void Territory and Country of Law simultaneously and he should behave himself by tucking his tail between his legs. But now, why was he still trying to start a full-scale war?

At that moment, only Marybelle, Marlene, Alice, Cassidy, Lize, Anne, and Rhode were in the study room. Rhode's younger sister and Sonia had gone to accompany Lilian and find ways to alleviate her situation. Meanwhile, Canary and Mini Bubble Gum led their original selves around Grandia for a casual stroll.

"I think I know the answer now."

To everyone's surprise, the one who answered Rhode's question wasn't Marlene, but was Marybelle, who had been with him, instead. Everyone shifted their curious gaze to Marybelle, waiting for her answer. Despite that, Marybelle didn't answer immediately as she turned to Cassidy, who sat at the side instead. Upon sensing her gaze, the seemingly nonchalant Cassidy let out an 'eek' like a frog stared at by the snake and stood upright immediately.

"Cassidy."

"... Yes, Big Sister Marybelle. What can I do for you?"

"I heard from Marlene that you attacked the Dark Dragon. Did you hit him with your blade?"

"I..."

Upon hearing Marybelle's question, Cassidy hesitated for a few moments and nodded. She realized vaguely that she might have done something wrong. Marlene and Alice exchanged looks with each other as though they understood what Marybelle meant. Gazing at Cassidy who lowered her head, Marybelle let out a groan.

"You used your power of contrast, right? Marlene clearly warned you not to use it as you wished. Why didn't you listen to her order?"

"I... Yes... I'm sorry, Big Sister Marybelle. Please don't punish me, please don't punish me!"

Cassidy prostrated herself on the bare ground in a posture of surrender and everyone who noticed her shivering body and pale expression couldn't help but feel emotionally moved by her. Despite that, Marybelle apparently was unperturbed. where she merely swept a glance at the prostrated young lady before shifting away her gaze. Upon witnessing Marybelle's expression, Cassidy turned deathly pale and put up a desperate expression like a prisoner who just received the death sentence and would be executed immediately. But it was a pity that Marybelle paid no attention to her at all. She grunted and spoke.

"Punish yourself."

"Yes... Big Sister Marybelle..."

After hearing Marybelle's order, Cassidy swayed and stood up listlessly. She dragged her feet to the bookcase at the corner of the walls, pulled out three books that were about half a meter each, and stacked them above her head, facing the wall...

Seems like the distinction between superior and inferior also exists among the deity warden sisters.

Rhode thought to himself.

"... In other words, it is due to Cassidy's power of contrast that the Dark Dragon became that madman?"

Shifting his gaze away from the stake-like Cassidy standing foolishly at the corner of the walls, Rhode knitted his brows. He had experienced the prowess of Cassidy's power of contrast for himself. Earlier, when Rhode heard about the Dark Dragon being struck by her power of contrast, he did have similar thoughts about its consequences. Perhaps after heading back to the Country of Darkness, the Dark Dragon might end up calling Erin his big sister instead. But now, it seemed like the situation was worse than that.

"Highly likely."

Marybelle was untroubled on basing the situation with guesses and punishing Cassidy without any concrete proof. She nodded simply and her expression sank. But judging from the current situation, her guess might be close to the truth. After all, it was within everyone's expectation as to how Ion behaved. Although his actions were certainly out of character, there were still some telltale signs at the very least. He went on and suddenly conducted himself in a completely different style like a sneaky assassin unsheathing his dagger and challenging others to 300 rounds of just and honorable battles. It would only be ridiculous if one didn't see this as something bizarre. And now, it seemed like the huge change in Ion's personality was due to him being attacked by Cassidy's power of contrast, where his personality had a 180 flip. If this was the case, the situation would be much more troublesome.

I wonder if Erin is fine over there.

At this thought, Rhode shook his head and stood to his feet.

"So my dragon essence is inside you, Marlene?"

"Yes, Rhode, please wait a moment..."

Marlene said. She extended her hand, shut her eyes, deciding to release the dragon essence kept inside her. But at that moment, she suddenly felt Rhode grabbing her hands. At the next moment, Rhode pulled her into his embrace.

"Save the trouble. There's a more convenient method."

"Huh, Rhode?"

Upon hearing Rhode's remark, Marlene couldn't help but widen her eyes. Then, before she reacted, Rhode pressed his mouth against her soft lips, prying open her mouth with his nimble tongue and slithered through. At that moment, Marlene lost herself. She stood blankly on the spot, giving in to his demand.

"Ah, Big Sister Marlene, you're so cunning! Anne wanted to be the first!"

At a short distance away, Anne grumbled in annoyance. However, Marlene wasn't in the mood to console her at all as she couldn't even pull herself away. The dragon essence stored inside her surged upon detecting the presence of its owner. The sensation of the hot, flowing spiritual power made Marlene feel like she had melted entirely, merging into one with the man in front of her. The shock from the contact between their spirits made her mind go blank. She closed her eyes, instinctively feeling the spiritual power being absorbed by Rhode. After several minutes, the insatiable Rhode loosened his clasp on Marlene, who had turned red through and through. The young lady couldn't stand upright and fell into his embrace weakly. After a few moments, she shivered, before pulling away from Rhode and looking at the surroundings shyly. Meanwhile, Alice was reading the heavy book before her and didn't seem to notice anything. Cassidy, on the other hand, continued to face the corner of the walls obediently. On the other side, Lize stared at the sleek floor in a flushed complexion as though some intricate, ancient patterns were on them. Marybelle lifted the teacup and casually savored the fragrant tea. Anne was the only one who glared at Marlene fumingly like a child with her toy taken away.

"Really, Big Sister Marlene is so cunning. If Anne knew this would happen, Anne would have volunteered to protect Leader's dragon essence."

"No, I'm not..."

Anne's remark was like the last straw. Marlene blushed and waved her hands around in a fluster. But she eventually didn't stand up for herself as it seemed like deep down, she also acknowledged her 'crime'. Looking at Marlene's response, Anne curled her lips in silence. Since the suspect had 'pleaded guilty', only legal punishment was awaiting now. No, wait, it didn't seem to fit this scenario.

"Ahem... Rhode. Hmm... Your Majesty Rhode."

Marlene let out two awkward coughs and finally calmed herself down. She gazed at the man with a flushed complexion, took in a deep breath, and forcefully held down her pounding heart.

"... If it is just like what Marybelle said, will Her Highness Erin be fine?"

"Hard to say."

Rhode said and shrugged hopelessly. From the start, he wasn't that concerned about Erin because he knew more than Marlene and the rest about the traits of Chaos. Besides, Erin was considered the earliest person who fought against this mutated version of Chaos, so she wouldn't be caught unprepared when she faced them again. But if it were as Marybelle guessed, that the suppressed Chaos and the Order he grasped switched over due to Cassidy's power of contrast, Erin would be in danger. No matter how powerful Erin was, she was only a night wyvern, after all, and couldn't compete against dragon soul heirs. Although Rhode was worried about her, it was a pity that a slow remedy didn't address the current emergency. For that, Rhode was equally powerless in this situation.

"By the way, Rhode."

Marlene recalled something and clapped her hands softly.

"I sent Angelina to the Darkness Capital to gather information about the undead creatures..."

"Angelina?"

Upon hearing Marlene's words, Rhode was taken aback. He raised his hand to stop Marlene from speaking, closed his eyes, and began calling out to Angelina. Even though Angelina was unlike Marlene and the rest who were pure card spirits, there weren't too many differences between them in terms of functionality as card spirits. Shortly after, Rhode realized that something was amiss. Not only could he not contact Angelina, but he also couldn't locate her using the spiritual communication as though something blocked off his probing. When Rhode tried to penetrate deeper, everything became blurry to him.

"Seems like something went wrong."

Rhode opened his eyes and shook his head. He was certain that Angelina was still alive because if she were dead, she would return to his side immediately. Angelina was essentially a card spirit. But now, he couldn't contact her and this proved that her location was enveloped in an extremely powerful enchanted field, causing him to be unable to find her exact position...

"Do we need to send someone to check on the situation? For instance, someone like Nell..."

"No, put this matter aside for now. Since Angelina is a vampire, she won't die easily even if she wants to. There won't be any problem unless she is beyond redemption from the erosion of Chaos. Currently, what's most important is Lilian."

Rhode waved his hand airily and tossed the pitiful Angelina aside immediately. Fortunately for Angelina, she didn't know what was happening on this side. But in fact, what Rhode said wasn't wrong. Compared to Erin and Angelina who were miles away, Lilian who was with them was most worthy of his attention. Earlier on, Rhode received news from Sonia that Lilian had woken up. It was apparent that she had made her decision.

Upon entering the room, what came into sight was Lilian's limpid eyes. Even though she suffered unimaginable pain all this time, her heart still hadn't changed the slightest. Upon looking at her eyes, Rhode couldn't help but feel his heart aching. It seemed like she had made her decision, and it wasn't the one he hoped to hear.

At this thought, Rhode let out an inward sigh, before displaying a smile and gazing at her.

"How do you feel, Lilian?"

"I'm alright, Big Brother Rhode... It doesn't feel as painful as before..."

Lilian said and turned to the young lady who smiled quietly and sat on the bedside.

"I didn't know you have a younger sister, Big Brother Rhode."

"It's a long story. If you want to know, I will find some time to tell you about it."

Facing Lilian's question, Rhode smiled, before dwindling his expression and gazing solemnly at the little girl.

"So I heard you've made up your mind?"

"... Yes."

Facing Rhode's serious gaze, Lilian hesitated and nodded firmly. She lifted her head stubbornly, her bright eyes glinting unwaveringly. Looking at her expression, Rhode let out an inward sigh.

"Alright then, tell me your decision."

"I want to accept the spiritual rinsing, Big Brother Rhode."

Even though this was an expected answer, Rhode turned grim after hearing her answer. An incomparable energy exploded from his body, overwhelming the little girl like a tall, enormous mountain. Lilian turned pale instantly. But even so, she bit her lip tightly and gazed at Rhode resolutely.

"... Are you sure about that? I suppose you're already aware that the pain isn't tolerable for everyone. It can also be said that no one remains sane after experiencing the agony."

"Yes, I heard about it from Big Sister."

Lilian said and shifted her gaze to the young lady who maintained her smile.

"But I've decided to accept the spiritual rinsing ritual... Big Brother Rhode, I hope all of you won't feel sad for me. Since this was caused by my immaturity, I should be the one to face the consequence. No matter what, I'm a dragon soul heir who has this responsibility, right?"

After listening to her answer, Rhode started at her. Then, he let out a long sigh, shook his head, and stood up.

"Although I guessed this was going to be your answer, it is still hard for me to accept it. But since you've already decided, I have no reason to stop you."

Rhode replied, shifting his gaze to his younger sister. Upon detecting his gaze, the younger sister smiled and stood up.

"I've persuaded her, Big Brother. But Little Sister Lilian is more determined than you think."

Facing the younger sister's response, Rhode shrugged in a complete loss for words. Then, he raised both hands and announced.

"Let's get started then."

Chapter 1179: Spirit Rinsing (2)

Rhode extended his arm, while his younger sister who sat opposite him also stretched her right arm forward. Both of them drew a circle in midair and two golden lines emanated from their fingertips swiftly. Shortly after, two exquisitely gorgeous magical rituals appeared out of thin air, spinning as they closed in on Lilian. The little girl began to float off the bed, gnashing her teeth as she looked as white as a sheet. A translucent, human-shaped bubble emanating a hazy glow emerged from her body, gradually breaking away from her. That was Lilian's spirit and also her essence. At the same time, her right arm turned pitch-black like a rotten and decomposed matter.

This looks really serious.

After separating Lilian's body and spirit, Rhode and his younger sister couldn't help but exchange looks, spotting the shock and uncertainty in each other's eyes. It seemed like Marybelle's concerns weren't groundless. After materializing Lilian's spirit, the group witnessed silks of darkness proliferating from her right arm and spreading to other parts of her body. It was like a stain on white jade, subtle yet glaring. Looking at this scene, Rhode's heart sank. Even though he knew how hard it was to deal with Chaos, he didn't expect things to be this tough.

"What should we do, Big Brother?"

"Subdue the Chaos presence, force it back, and we will activate the spiritual rinsing again. Then, Marybelle will be in charge of eradicating it. Is that alright?"

Rhode gave a command quickly. Upon hearing his order, Marybelle nodded gently and retrieved her magic wand. Rhode glanced at the depressed Anne, Lize, Sonia, and the rest at the side, before shaking his head.

"All of you should wait outside."

"Why, Leader? We want to cheer on Lilian too."

Anne asked in displeasure as upon hearing Rhode's command, they were bewildered. However, Rhode apparently had no intention of granting them this opportunity. He looked briefly at Anne and shook his head.

"Best not to do that. The agony of the spiritual rinsing isn't tolerable for most people. Lilian may turn into a totally different person, so I think leaving her alone will be a relief for her. If you witness her losing self-control, I suppose she will never be willing to meet you again in her whole life."

"But... Okay then."

Even though Anne tried to come up with another excuse, Lize held her arm and made her stifle her words. Meanwhile, Sonia pondered for a moment, gnashing her teeth unwillingly and taking another look at Lilian, before finally leaving the room along with Marlene and the rest. Everyone was aware that this might be the last goodbye.

"Alright, there's not much time left. Let's begin!"

After ensuring that the rest had left the room, Rhode said quickly. He gazed at Lilian's spirit and gave a meaningful look to his younger sister. Upon realizing his intention, the younger sister moved her slender finger across the air. Along with this movement, a rune emanating the golden brilliance of the sun appeared in midair, hovering above Lilian's spirit. Shortly after, under the bright illumination of the rune, the traces of darkness in Lilian's spirit began to fade away like every weakling who instinctively sought support whenever they faced a powerful threat. The initially spider web-like black silk twisted and turned like worms, crawling as they retreated and once again, blending into the right arm that had turned pitch-black.

"Argh... Argh..."

Lilian gritted her teeth in torment. Although she had shut her eyes, her wild, twisted expression was enough to describe the tremendous agony—the pain of innumerable needle-like worms crawling, squirming, and munching her flesh. This suffering that penetrated deeply into her bone marrow was enough to make her insane. But Lilian held on, gnashing her teeth and tolerating the intense pain. Gazing helplessly at the little girl's anguished expression, Rhode let out an inward sigh. This was only the start and Lilian was already reacting in this tormented manner. Rhode wondered if she could survive the main spiritual rinsing phase. But now, there was no turning back!

"Second phase!"

Rhode yelled and raised his right arm. Along with this movement, the entire room vanished from sight all of a sudden, only to be replaced by a sky sprinkled with pure, lustrous stars. Meanwhile, Lilian's spirit was like the sun in this vast sea of stars; dazzlingly eye-catching. The black presence coalesced on her right arm wriggled to break free, but a certain invisible and massive strength pinned them down strongly. The black presence on Lilian's right arm waned alongside the scattered black silks as though it were a swept-up carpet.

"Argh... argh!!!"

Lilian's petite body struggled increasingly, stiffening and trembling constantly. She was like a beached fish, flopping to return to the water. But no matter how she wrestled, she couldn't break free as Rhode's power had imprisoned the entire space completely.

"Peel off!"

"Argh———!!"

The moment Rhode and his younger sister extended their right arms and held down together, Lilian widened her eyes abruptly and her petite body shuddered. Her head rocked left and right constantly as she gaped but couldn't utter a word. Although Lilian was mentally prepared for the pain, she realized this was far more agonizing than she had imagined. Along with the actions of Rhode and his younger sister, Lilian felt as though her skin were being peeled off heartlessly. Her entire body was burning and stinging in pain like she was submerged in the scorching lava lake, where unparalleled heat and affliction permeated her body and spirit.

The pitch-black, turbid presence of Chaos on her right arm would have evolved and extended a dozen tentacles like rotten chunk of flesh cut off from a human, lashing at the surroundings. However, with Rhode and his younger sister around to confine them, they didn't stand a chance at all. If it weren't for Rhode and his younger sister imprisoning them, perhaps this mutated Chaos presence that also contained the power of Order might turn the situation around and devour them instead. However, Rhode and his younger sister were somewhat experienced in dealing with Chaos now, so naturally they wouldn't allow Chaos to invade their realm. As a matter of fact, the area around the Chaos presence had completely turned into a vacuum in the realm of Order. In here, there were no Chaos or Order. There was only nothingness.

"Marybelle!"

"I got it, Your Majesty Rhode."

Upon hearing Rhode's scream, Marybelle stepped forth and widened her eyes to stare at the Chaos presence as though she were scanning and examining it. At that moment, the Chaos presence instinctively realized the dangers approaching. It began to struggle to break free from confinement. After a few moments, Marybelle raised her magic wand and tapped on it lightly.

Just very lightly.

The frantic Chaos presence stopped moving entirely like a robot that lost its power source and could no longer operate, maintaining its last position inside the void. At the next moment, it began to crumble, shatter, and disappear completely...

"Ah...!! Ah——! Ahh———!!"

But at the same time, Lilian let out a startling scream. She widened her mouth and yelled as though she were being slaughtered. Her eyes had rolled to the back completely. The immense pain made her lose control of her muscles as saliva flowed down the corners of her mouth. At that moment, Lilian was no longer that childish, innocent little girl. She was like an injured and frantic beast instead.

"Lilian, hang in there!"

Rhode was startled to witness Lilian's reaction. He raised his right arm hurriedly and along with this movement, Lilian's mouth was as though blocked up by something and her screams were muffled. This was meant to prevent her biting off her tongue from the uncontrollable torment. But now, Rhode had no time to waste. The longer the delay, the more pain Lilian would be in. What made matters worse was that since this ritual was conducted on her spiritual essence, Lilian couldn't avoid the agony by letting her body go unconscious. All she could do was to accept and tolerate everything passively.

"Get ready to rinse her spirit!"

Along with Rhode's order, the young lady standing opposite him closed her eyes. Shortly after, a bright, dazzling magical ritual expanded from the rune hovering above Lilian, enfolding the little girl completely. Then, Lilian's spirit gradually became indistinct.

"———! ———!"

At that moment, Lilian's eyes rolled to the back of her head like a dying fish. Her limbs convulsed and her body palpated at the intense and stimulating pain. Pale yellow liquid escaped from between her legs. In this extreme torture, no one could avoid revealing their most hideous side. Fortunately, Marlene had led the rest away from the room. If not, it was unimaginable how they would properly face Lilian in the future after witnessing this unsightly scene.

The pure white spirit faded away gradually like snow melting under the sun. At that moment, Lilian had lost all her strength. Her petite body was arched over, while her legs thrashed. They couldn't see her usual appearance from that now twisted and painful expression. Although Rhode blocked off her mouth to stop her from screaming, the little girl continued to let out deep growls in her throat like a wounded beast.

"Argh———! Argh—! Argh———!"

We need to hurry!

Gazing at Lilian's expression that was turning ashen, Rhode became increasingly anxious. There was a limit to all tolerance. If Lilian's body couldn't handle the pain, she would collapse entirely. Despite Rhode's distress, he continued to carry out the ritual accordingly with his hands. Under the power of Rhode and his younger sister, Lilian's spirit and body were rinsed completely. The black spots and thin silks were all gone, leaving behind a white, sacred spirit emanating a gentle and bright glow.

"Phew..."

Looking at this scene, Rhode heaved a long sigh of relief. It seemed like despite the pain Lilian was in, she managed to hold on and protect her spiritual essence. If her spiritual essence crumbled thoroughly, her spirit could never fuse into its original state. Rhode and his younger sister exchanged looks with each other and withdrew their hands. Along with this motion, the spirit hovering above descended and entered Lilian's body slowly. In just a few moments, it fused with the body perfectly. Lilian also stopped wrestling and fell into a deep sleep.

Rhode nodded in satisfaction.

Seems like it's over.

Chapter 1180: Unpeaceful Night

"Mr. Rhode, how is Lilian?"

The moment Rhode and Marybelle exited the residence, Marlene and the rest who were pacing up and down in the plaza scuttled toward them and asked hurriedly. Anne looked at Rhode with an ashen expression. They clearly heard Lilian's screams earlier, which was why they were so concerned. Although Rhode informed them that the spiritual rinsing would bring tremendous suffering to Lilian, her spine-chilling and anguished screams were more terrifying than they had imagined, making their hairs stand upright, albeit them waiting in the plaza. Even though they didn't witness the ritual, it was imaginable how painful the torment was. The always-confident Anne had even turned laden and revealed a hesitant expression for the first time upon hearing Lilian's blood-curdling screams.

"She's fine."

Upon hearing Marlene's concerns, Rhode let out a long sigh of relief. He was also worried about Lilian's mental condition. But after his younger sister examined her, he finally felt assured. Although the immense pain exhausted Lilian, her mental health wasn't impacted to a great extent. Of course, this was the current situation and it was an entirely different topic whether this incident would leave behind any aftereffects. At least for now, the worst scenario didn't happen, which was a relief for Rhode.

Rhode remembered feeling hesitant and anxious when he tried waking Lilian up after the ritual ended. Upon hearing his calls, Lilian opened her eyes and didn't seem as dazed and frightened as he had imagined. On the contrary, upon detecting his gaze, Lilian forced a proud smile. In that instant, Rhode realized he had underestimated Lilian's tolerance. But now, this incident had ended and this was the most perfect ending he could ask for.

"As Lilian was under tremendous pressure and pain, she needs a long rest now. During this period, don't wake her up; let her have a good rest." Rhode instructed and nodded at the anxious Sonia. "Sonia, go take a look at her. Remember, don't startle her. After experiencing extreme pain, she is highly sensitive right now. Any slight movement will terrify her, so you'd better be careful."

"Yes, Your Majesty Rhode. I'll go and look after Her Majesty Lilian now."

After listening to Rhode's warning, Sonia bit her lip, nodded slightly, and headed toward the imperial residence. Although Anne and Lize also wished to visit Lilian, they eventually heeded Rhode's advice. Shortly after, the group of young ladies went off to handle other matters in the Void Territory. Since Lilian didn't require their help for the time being, they were better off handling their own affairs for now.

"Ahem..."

After Marlene and the rest left, Rhode let out a cough, turned around, and gazed hesitantly at his younger sister. Upon detecting his gaze, the younger sister winked, cocked her head to the side, and looked at him with a crafty gaze. In fact, Rhode didn't say anything wrong. After returning to Grandia, they were immediately faced with Lilian's issue. Rhode handed Lilian over to the younger sister and discussed the happenings in the Void Territory and Dragon Soul Continent with Marlene and the others for an entire day. Due to that reason, Rhode didn't arrange lodging for his younger sister. As his younger sister needed to look after and examine Lilian's condition on the first day they returned to the Void Territory, she spent the night in the imperial residence. Of course, he couldn't possibly make it a permanent place for her to live in. But in fact, he also knew that this was a tough problem, especially for the other young ladies...

"Is anything the matter, Big Brother?"

"Yes... regarding that, I've been busy ever since I'm back, so I didn't have the time to arrange lodging for you. But... Cough, cough... those elves should have prepared your room already. By the way, where do you want your room to be?"

"Huhuhu..."

Upon hearing Rhode's rather awkward question, the younger sister chuckled, placed her hands behind her back, and took two steps back.

"Big Brother, you should be clearly aware of my answer. I thought it would be fine for me to sleep in the same room as you? That shouldn't be an issue, right?"

"Ugh..."

Upon hearing the younger sister's answer, Rhode couldn't help but twitch the corner of his eye and force a smile. He wasn't a fool. He clearly witnessed the craftiness and wit in his younger sister's eyes. However, this wasn't anything for him. After all, he wouldn't change the decisions he made in the past. Besides, it was his biggest consolation for his younger sister to be back by his side. Even though this would cause major displeasure for the other young ladies... since Rhode had already decided to establish this harem, it was his duty and obligation to appease these inevitable sparks, wasn't it?

Only in dreams was it possible to count on them to take no account of being by his side.

The love he received from Marlene and the rest was unquestionable. But they weren't masochists who were willing to sacrifice themselves without asking for anything in return. If Rhode were to favor one and discriminate against the other, it was imaginable what would happen to him in future. In the past, there was no main mistress in his harem, with Canary being in charge. And now, with the return of his younger sister, Canary would have to pass her responsibility over. Perhaps Canary might not be too bothered by it, but it was tough to speak for the rest.

But this was also Rhode's responsibility.

It seemed like Rhode would need to stress over the issues of his harem in future... Perhaps he should make Lapis concoct a potion that could tonify his body in order to prevent over exhausting himself...?

But as a Void Dragon, this method of death would be truly amazing.

"No problem, I'll get someone to make arrangements now."

Even though several thoughts cropped up in his mind, Rhode eventually nodded. This had always been his instinctive habit. No matter what his younger sister demanded, he would always nod in agreement. This was the same in the past, present, and perhaps future...

At that moment, Rhode heard an extremely familiar voice.

"Ah, Leader! I knew you two would be here. How is Lilian doing?"

Upon hearing this voice, Rhode turned around and saw Mini Bubble Gum and Canary walking toward him. Following closely behind them were the original Mini Bubble Gum and Canary. Just like Rhode had been when he first arrived in the Dragon Soul Continent, Mini Bubble Gum and Canary were flabbergasted as they witnessed the floating city of Grandia. Bubble No. 2 volunteered to be their tour guide, bringing them around Grandia and only returning now. Of course, their rooms were already selected. As 'sisters', Bubble chose to live with her projection who 'shared vile habits' to experience for herself the life of living in a 'dormitory'. On the other hand, Canary chose a relatively remote and quiet room. It seemed like even though she walked out of the shadows, the experiences she had couldn't be forgotten that easily. But just like Mini Bubble Gum, Canary had her projection by her side, so at least Rhode wasn't that concerned about her.

"Lilian is fine now. But she is exhausted and needs to rest. Don't disturb her if you've nothing important."

"Alright, I got it."

After listening to Rhode's words, Mini Bubble Gum nodded in agreement. Even though she was worried about Lilian, they seldom interacted, after all. Due to that reason, Mini Bubble Gum thoughtlessly led the rest for a fun tour in Grandia while Lilian was undergoing her treatment. Upon hearing that Lilian was no longer in danger, the little fellow naturally had nothing more to worry about. She blinked and gazed at Rhode's younger sister who stood beside him, before shifting her gaze back to Rhode and narrowing her eyes. Judging from Mini Bubble Gum's expression, Rhode's heart sank. He understood this little fella's dirty tricks better than anyone. Whenever she revealed this expression, he knew that she was definitely plotting something crafty. And indeed, Mini Bubble Gum let out a mischievous laughter and said to Rhode.

"By the way, Leader. You are free tonight, right?"

"What about it?"

Upon hearing her question, Rhode couldn't help but twitch his brow. He wasn't a fool. Judging from her tone of voice, the words 'bad intentions' were written all over her face. But before he responded, Mini Bubble Gum continued.

"Since you have nothing on, why don't you come over and have fun with everyone? Big Sister Canary will be around too. They finally came to this new world, so don't you think you have the duty to help them 'familiarize' with the environment, such as checking to see if the bed springs squeak loudly or not? After all, there aren't Simmons mattresses here."

"..."

Even though Rhode expected this from her, he couldn't help but hold his forehead upon hearing it for himself. He turned to his younger sister, who brought upon a gentle smile as though she had no opinion of it. Mini Bubble Gum followed his gaze and clapped her hands gently.

"Oh, how about you join us too? I guarantee it will be fine."

"Sure."

Facing Bubble's invitation, the young lady standing beside Rhode nodded with a grin. Then, she looked at Rhode who stood blankly on the spot.

"No problem, I accept your invitation," she said.

Chapter 1181: News from the Dark Sky

The final rays of sunlight fell underneath the horizon, allowing gentle, silver-whitish rays of moonlight and the night sky to take over the world. The sky darkened gradually. Even though the Dragon Soul Continent wasn't as peaceful as before, Grandia in the Void Territory continued to exude a calm and tranquil atmosphere. The earlier ambushes from Chaos beings didn't cause too much disorder in Grandia, and people continued to lead their ordinary lives as per usual.

Meanwhile, in the well-lit palace located in the middle of Grandia, there was a totally different scenery...

"Argh... ah... ah..."

Moans of young ladies resounded in the room, leaving one's heart palpitating.

"Right there, Leader, thrust with all your strength! Hurry, hurry! You're almost there! Ah!! Wait! No, not there...!"

Mini Bubble Gum screamed and let out a high-pitched squeal. Then, everything returned to its peace.

"Ah..."

A young lady covered in sweat plopped onto the bed, before rolling around boringly.

"Leader, your skills suck. Even Big Sister is better than you. You were so great in the game during PK, so how is it possible that you're so bad in another game? This isn't logical!"

"Do you think I have as much time as you to play such a weird and shameless fighting game?"

Facing Mini Bubble Gum's grumbles, Rhode threw the game controller aside and gazed oddly at the holographic image hovering in midair, where three flushed, beautiful young ladies confronted one another. Their clothes were completely tattered, revealing their fair, tender skin underneath. The other three young ladies laying on the ground were dazed as their clothes were torn apart in utter humiliation. Rhode couldn't think of anything weirder than the fact that one would buy a ridiculous game like this with such a weird setting. Come to think of it, what was weirder was that these electronics could be operated by magical powers. Just this fact alone was enough to bewilder Rhode.

"Anne thinks this game is fun. Even though Anne gets a kick out of fighting in real life, it is quite interesting to play something like this once in a while."

On the other side, Anne sprawled out on the bed and rocked her head, wishing to continue playing the game. However, Lize who sat beside her had already lowered her head in embarrassment, staring at the ground and not speaking a word. The character she chose was one of the three beautiful young ladies who were defeated. Witnessing the character she controlled panting and falling after having her clothes ripped was too thrilling for an innocent young lady like her. On the contrary, Lapis was excited. It seemed like she was highly amused with this new gadget from the other world. Meanwhile, Canary sat by the side with her usual, gentle smile, speaking to her projection and Rhode's younger sister about something. As winners of the game, this was the first time Rhode realized his younger sister was equally skilled at games as him.

Even though the plot development wasn't what Rhode expected, he still heaved a sigh of relief. That's right, this night wasn't some crazy orgy, but a 'New World—Game Battle Tour', came up by Mini Bubble Gum, instead. According to that little fellow, it was simply too thrilling to be playing modern games in a different world with a medieval setting!

After Mini Bubble Gum dragged Rhode into the room, he discovered that not only was his younger sister invited, but Lize, Anne, and Lapis were also involved. He had to admit that an immature young lady would always remain an immature young lady. Even though Rhode had an intimate encounter with Mini Bubble Gum in the past, it was unlikely for her to come up with anything crazier than that. Rhode was certain that Mini Bubble Gum purposely spoke in such an ambiguous way earlier to cheat him into this!

"Heh, heh..."

Facing Rhode's remarks, Mini Bubble Gum stuck out her tongue, let out a mischievous laughter, and raised up the game controller high.

"Alright, on to the next game! I swear it will be fun! Call of Duty!"

"Oh-oh-oh, yay! Anne wants to play it too!"

Surely this little fella isn't thinking of turning my harem into a bunch of gaming geeks, right?

Gazing at the elated Mini Bubble Gum and Anne who cheered and joined in the excitement despite not knowing what the game was, Rhode couldn't help but twitch the corner of his eye. But eventually, he didn't comment a word. He was aware of Mini Bubble Gum's true intention. The reason why she organized this party was so that the original Bubble and Canary could blend in with the family. No matter what, this was the Dragon Soul Continent, the home of Marlene and the others. It was just like an orientation for graduates who entered society in Rhode's world. Perhaps this couldn't instantly improve their relationship, but they could at least use this opportunity to familiarize with one another, albeit this method from that little fella being somewhat childish... But maybe this was a decent choice too. After all, Rhode couldn't possibly gather his harem for a party just for the sake of them getting along in harmony. He felt like it was much better having Mini Bubble Gum getting everyone together, which was why he didn't stop the activities and stood on the side instead to observe how Mini Bubble Gum briefed everyone on the new strategies.

At that moment, he heard someone knocking on the door.

"Is anything the matter?"

Rhode turned around and saw Agatha pushing the door open and entering the room. She saw the bustling crowd, shifted her gaze away, and extended her arms. Along with this action of hers, she dexterously delivered a pitch-black envelope to Rhode.

"Your Majesty, sorry to interrupt you. This is an urgent encrypted envelope from the Country of Darkness."

"Oh?"

Upon hearing her words, Rhode was taken aback. He glanced at the crowd before walking out to the corridor outside quickly. After scanning the pitch-black envelope in his hand, he discovered an emblem that surprised him.

"Where did this envelope come from?"

Rhode didn't open up the envelope immediately, but turned and asked Agatha instead. Upon hearing his question, Agatha pondered for a while and answered calmly.

"It was delivered to the Void Territory by the Mage Association in the Country of Darkness. Then, the Mage Tower in the Void Territory sent it over."

"I see."

After hearing her reply, Rhode knitted his brows and nodded. He thought this was an envelope from Erin, but after recognizing the emblem, he knew immediately that he was wrong. It was apparent from the emblem printed in the middle of the envelope that it came from the legendary generals, which explained why he was bewildered. After all, his relationship with the legendary generals wasn't favorable to the extent where they exchanged letters with one another. He felt strange receiving this envelope. But even so, he extended and waved his hand.

Swish!

Along with his action, the envelope flew out of his hand and floated in midair. He squinted, held his right fingers close together, and made a downward sliding motion. Shortly after, the envelope quietly opened on its own. An invisible force shook the white letter as it fell out from the inside, expanding in front of Rhode to display its content.

"Hmm?"

After reading the letter, Rhode puckered his brows instantly. He didn't expect this letter to be sent by Garcia, one of the four legendary generals, under Erin's command. In the letter, Garcia introduced the situation in the Country of Darkness to a certain degree and mentioned the issues surrounding Ion, as well as the predicament of their living creatures.

"That really happened?"

Rhode didn't believe in Garcia's words at first because no matter what, he was one of the four legendary generals of the Country of Darkness. Not only was passing on information about the Country of Darkness a major crime of treason, but it also wasn't beneficial for him. Even though Garcia was also a human, did he really believe that Rhode would send his troops to go against Ion just to rescue him? Rhode didn't have such an intention and as a matter of fact, it was still too earlier for that. But this didn't mean that Rhode had the intention of letting Ion off. Ever since Ion went to the Country of Law to snatch his dragon essence, Rhode had already decided to wipe out the entire Country of Darkness and slaughter the Dark Dragon. However, this wasn't something he could achieve with the swing of his arm, after all. The current population of the Void Territory wasn't sufficient for him to mobilize a large-enough army, which was why Rhode's only choice was to join forces with the Country of Light and Country of Law to go against the Dark Dragon. And all of this required some time.

But regarding the issues about Erin mentioned in the letter...

Rhode stared at the letter. After a few moments, he let out a snort, retracted his right arm, and clenched his fist. Along with this action, the floating letter and envelope were devoured in a puff of flames, turning into ashes that disappeared in sight in just a few seconds.

"Is everything alright, Your Majesty?"

Upon realizing his reaction, Agatha blinked curiously at her master. Rhode pondered in silence and shrugged.

"Yes. It's just regarding some insignificant matter."

Chapter 1182: Start of an Alliance

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Even though Rhode said it was an insignificant matter, he didn't delay in taking actions. According to the intelligence from the front line, the Country of Darkness was expanding and gathering their armies. This time, Ion didn't seem to be concealing his intention anymore. He was clearly showing his aggression to the Country of Light, Country of Law, and the Void Territory. If it were in the past, Rhode could still ridicule Ion for bringing about his own destruction. But now, he had no choice but to take him seriously. If the intelligence from Garcia was accurate—no, even if it were only 50 percent right, Rhode could be considered to have understood what was going on in the Country of Darkness now. It was apparent that the Dark Dragon had been eroded by Chaos completely. He also injected the power of Chaos into the undead creatures. Perhaps this was the reason why Marlene and Cassidy reported that the strength of the skeleton soldiers had increased greatly. This also corresponded to the history in Marybelle's memories that Rhode saw on Earth. The mutated beings of Chaos could easily manipulate undead creatures and devour their spirits. If that was the case, perhaps the undead creatures on the front line had already turned into the claws of Chaos. As soon as they proliferated, maybe the Country of Light, Country of Law, and the Void Territory wouldn't be able to escape the fate of being eroded by Chaos. Therefore, Rhode struck first to gain the initiative, forming an alliance to launch attacks on the Country of Darkness and wiping them out before they became too powerful. As for Erin, even though Rhode felt rather regretful for allowing her to return to the Country of Darkness so soon, there was no use in crying over the spilt milk. The moon princess could only rely upon herself now. But no matter what, all the thousands of words added up to mean only one statement.

Ion has to die.

It was a pity that forming an alliance sounded easy, but it wasn't that successful in reality.

"I understand what you mean, Your Majesty Rhode. But..."

Siena knitted her brows with a hesitant expression, gazing at Rhode who sat opposite her.

"Of course, we also received information about the Country of Darkness's army's next move. But I think this isn't enough to conclude that the Dark Dragon has been eroded by Chaos. Besides, to tell you the truth, ever since the Dragon Soul Continent was born, there has been no precedent of dragon soul heirs joining forces to punish a particular dragon soul heir."

"That is why we need to fill up this historical gap of the Dragon Soul Continent, Your Majesty Siena."

Rhode laid down the teacup, crossed his arms, and stared at the two young ladies opposite him.

"Your Majesty Nalea fought hand to hand with Ion, so I think it is sufficient to prove his attitude. Besides, just as I said, this time we aren't facing the usual Chaos, but a mutant from another world instead. Not only does it possess a certain trait of Order, but even a dragon soul heir was also eroded by them—Lilian, who is still bedridden. If it weren't for her fortune, perhaps you would meet an insane Light Dragon soon."

Rhode said, staring at Nalea who munched an elf biscuit. Upon detecting his gaze, Nalea put down her hand awkwardly and waved.

"Erm... His Majesty Ion was indeed acting a little weird, so it isn't impossible that he is under the influence of Chaos. But... we still need to make sure of that first..."

"We don't have the time to be prudent. We need to strike first or everything will be too late as soon as the Country of Darkness attacks. They are still gathering troops, so this is an opportunity for us. If you don't believe me, you can head to their camp to capture some mutated undead creatures to see it for yourself. I believe you will be able to find traces of Chaos inside them. By brazenly spreading of Chaos and infiltrating the people of Order, I believe just these two points alone are enough for us to punish him righteously."

"But Your Majesty Rhode..."

"I've said my piece."

Just as Siena was about to speak, Rhode stood up and extended his right hand to stop her.

"Time is pressing. I don't have time to waste with you. If you want evidence, you can look for Lilian and Lydia. One of them is a victim, while the other followed me to the other world. If you think my opinion isn't objective and fair, you can have a chat with them. I don't have time to wait for you to investigate, have a hearing and final jury discussion, start a meeting to do up the report, and finally make your decision. This is why I am here to explain the situation in advance. In two days, I will launch an all-out attack on the Country of Darkness alongside the Munn Kingdom. When that happens, your investigation results will have nothing to do with me. If you're willing to send out your troops, you can join us. If you aren't willing, then at least evacuate your people from the borders. I don't wish to face a bunch of Chaos-influenced elf rangers when dealing with a sea of undead creatures. Alright, my apologies for taking my leave, as I need to head to the Munn Kingdom to negotiate the arrangements. Lastly, I need to warn you that it is an indisputable fact that Ion was eroded by Chaos. So I hope you don't make the wrong choice, such as stopping me from sending out troops. If not, for self-defense, I can't guarantee what I will do in response."

Rhode said, nodding to the sisters before turning around to leave straight away. Siena knitted her brows and watched as Rhode went out the door. Then, she shifted her gaze to Nalea who narrowed her eyes, held up the teacup with both hands, and sipped the tea.

"Big Sister, what do you think?"

"Hmm..."

Upon hearing Siena's question, Nalea narrowed her eyes and twitched slightly like a cat under sunshine. Then, she responded.

"Since His Majesty Rhode has already said so, there shouldn't be any issue believing in him. Anyway, His Majesty Rhode isn't wrong. Since His Majesty Ion openly attacked us, it is enough to show the severity of the situation. Even though it is our duty to judge and rule, preventing the occurrence of a catastrophe is our most crucial responsibility, after all. It will be too late to make up for it after everything has ended."

"But if we judge the situation based on this one-sided statement from His Majesty Rhode..."

"He said we can look for Her Highness Lydia and Her Majesty Lilian for proof, so it isn't really that one-sided anymore. No matter what, I think the emergence of mutated Chaos is a huge threat to the Dragon Soul Continent. Besides, you have also sensed their dangers, haven't you, Siena?"

"Yes... Big Sister."

Upon hearing Nalea's words, Siena couldn't help but put up a stern look. As a matter of fact, she didn't need Nalea to remind her of it as Siena recalled the mysterious beings who failed their ambush and self-destructed to spread Chaos. Back then, the speed of erosion from Chaos was far quicker than she had imagined. They were in the Country of Law, where Order held the most supreme authority. Therefore, even if Chaos were to erode their land, the pace wouldn't be that fast. However, the exploded Chaos proliferated quicker than Siena had expected, catching her off guard, and the Country of Law missed the opportunity to deal with Chaos. In the end, Siena had no choice but to take actions personally, cleaning up the entire region. Even though the disaster didn't cause too many deaths, such damage was extremely rare in the history of the Country of Law. Siena went on to investigate the source of Chaos. But it was due to this that she didn't expect the mutated Chaos to be essentially different from Chaos that she faced in the past, which explained why she couldn't manage to imprison it. The original sample of Chaos also perished in Siena's earlier battles, not leaving behind any useful remnants. But after hearing Rhode's words, she had to admit that even though it sounded outrageous, his statements were understandable and acceptable.

If a mutant of Chaos that couldn't be restrained by Order showed up, eliminating it was naturally their top priority. But... Rhode's method was just too... forceful.

"They have their methods and we have ours, okay, Siena?"

Upon hearing Nalea's voice again, Siena turned around dubiously, gazing at her big sister who sat beside her with a cheeky smile.

"Since His Majesty Rhode said we can verify his information, you should go ahead and do it. No matter what, we are the protectors of law. His Majesty Rhode always follows his heart's desire, but we can only act according to rules. This is why we have our own methods. You should look for Her Majesty Lilian and Her Highness Lydia and leave the Country of Law to me. Of course, for safety's sake, we need to evacuate the civilians by the borders too."

"..."

After listening to Nalea's words, Siena pondered for a few moments and nodded.

"I understand, Big Sister. Leave it to me."

"Alright, I shall leave it to you then, my adorable little sister."

Facing Siena's answer, Nalea reached out for another piece of biscuit, put it into her mouth, and answered with a smile.

Chapter 1183: Bugle of Assault

Rhode was always swift and decisive in his decisions. As a matter of fact, when he announced the alliance agreement solemnly to the twin dragons, his army had already arrived at the border for battle preparations. If Rhode had a choice, he wouldn't have wanted to start a war just days after his return to this world. But he knew how dangerous this mutant of Chaos was—it was like a lethal and highly-contagious plague that currently had no effective control and treatment. If they didn't eliminate the plague in the shortest time possible, the consequences would be disastrous.

What made matters worse was that this 'plague' wasn't only spreading 'passively', but was capable of launching dangerous attacks 'actively'. Facing such an enemy, one had to eradicate it resolutely using overwhelming strength. But it was a pity that apart from the few top fighters on his side, the rest couldn't be considered to be advantageous against the undead army of the Country of Darkness.

"Are the preparations ready, Lapis?"

Standing at the top of the city wall, Rhode gazed at the country enveloped in eternal darkness in the distance. Upon hearing his question, Lapis, who stood beside him, nodded hurriedly.

"Even though it was a little rushed, the preparations are still complete, Sir Rhode. But... as manufacturing the cavalrymen's equipment requires special materials that need refinement, it took up a lot of time. Although we tried our best to hasten the process, we only managed to create enough for three armies...

"Three is enough for now. Order the production team to go all-out. We can forgo the mounts, and it will also be fine even if they go on foot as infantries. I want to see at least five armies fully equipped with magic armor in 20 days," Rhode said, overlooking the rows of soldiers by the foot of the tower. They were elites of the Void Territory. Most of them were mercenaries who opened up the land of Chaos and went through fire and water with him in the past. The soldiers under them came from the Land of Atonement and were experienced in battling against undead creatures. They were seasoned warriors, but despite that, it still wasn't enough.

The most eye-catching thing about them was their standardized suit of pitch-black armor that protected every part of their body. At a glance, the magic armor looked like some kind of oval beetle with a glossy appearance. Engraved on them were runes that emanated faint magical lights, which guaranteed their excellent quality. As a matter of fact, the magic armor was more complicated than it appeared. Although it was almost 220 pounds, the 'light-weight' rune ensured it was as light as a feather. The 'mega-power' rune allowed the wearer to unleash strength as powerful as a giant's. In addition to the 'hardening' and 'defensive enchanted field' runes, it was enough to guarantee that the soldiers could march ahead fearlessly even under the double oppression from an arrow storm and magica; bombardment. However, good horses matched good saddles, after all. The production of armors cost a whole lot of resources and it could also be said that their value in gold coins was enough to support a group of 10 heavy cavalrymen! Even with the prowesses of Lapis and Marlene, they weren't able to reduce the materials consumption. Putting aside the effort and cost required to create high-end magic runes, the number of magic crystals needed to maintain the flow of magic in the armor was also high. Moreover, refining of the armors demanded ores and metals, where the total cost of everything would be enough to purchase an entire city.

Of course, the armors weren't made immediately after Rhode's return. In fact, the upgrading of armor for the Void Territory's armies was already in progress before Rhode left the Dragon Soul Continent. Back then, Rhode had already made preparations to go to war with the Country of Darkness. Even though he had the support of revival spells now, it didn't mean that he could act rashly. The reason why Rhode created these magic armors was to resist the insidious and cunning tricks of the Country of Darkness and drastically strengthen the soldiers' offense and defense. After all, he clearly knew that apart from undead spells, the Country of Darkness was also adept in plagues and curses. Although these 'debuffs' weren't strong enough to seize lives, it was enough to lower the soldiers' battle strength. That was why Rhode needed an army of bold elites who were fearless against the 'debuffs' to take on the Country of Darkness head-on. And now, it seemed like their preparations were enough to take on Chaos.

"What about the device placements for the Order-strengthening enchanted fields?"

"It is still on-going and everything should be fine. But Sir Rhode, they are only experimental products, so we need Miss Marlene and the rest to provide the output..."

"It doesn't matter, since it is only for the time being."

Upon hearing Lapis's concerned reminder, Rhode waved her aside with airy gesture. Then, he turned around and caressed her hair.

"I'll leave the production to you then. It is manageable for you, right?"

"Ah... Yes! Sir Rhode, please leave it to me!"

Upon sensing his gentle touch, Lapis blushed. She extended her hand to pull down the hood, took two steps back, and responded softly. The corners of Rhode's lips perked up upon seeing her reaction. He picked up a magic crystal and tossed it into the air. Shortly after, that magic crystal emanated a dazzling brilliance as it hovered in midair. Rhode gazed at it, let out a cough to clear his throat, and lowered his gaze to the soldiers.

"Everyone, I'm sure you're aware that we're about to head into an unprecedented war."

Rhode said. Even though his voice wasn't resounding, it reverberated in every soldiers' ears clearly. Upon hearing his voice, the soldiers lifted their heads one after another, turning to the figure standing at the top of the city wall. He didn't seem muscular at all, and looked even somewhat thin.

"The undead creatures have not stopped attacking us. Many of you have experienced fighting against them. Not long ago, they attempted to invade our territory. Many of our people were forced to leave their homes under death threats. You've personally witnessed houses perishing in flames and the slaughtering of your loved ones, which eventually turned them into puppets of the undead. But it is apparent now that the enemies aren't satisfied and will never be."

Rhode said, lowering his voice. Upon hearing his words, the soldiers lowered their heads, clenched their fists in wrath, and their eyes burned in unprecedented rage. Indeed, just as Rhode mentioned, attacks from the undead creatures infuriated the soldiers. Even though the soldiers repelled the undead creatures again and again, their indignation didn't fade away as a result. They knew what the undead creatures were up to and it was apparent that the undead creatures had no intention of giving up. If it was possible, the soldiers wished to end this once and for all. But it was a pity that they were only soldiers and not army generals.

"But now... everything will change!"

Rhode raised his voice abruptly.

"We have had enough of their invasions. And now, it is time for our retaliation. We shall penetrate the Country of Darkness, destroy the Darkness Capital, and eradicate that Dark Dragon who has sunken into madness! He went against his duty as a ruler of Order and fell into the abyss of Chaos. He is attempting to spread Chaos to every part of this world and is essentially destroying the entire continent. As people of Order, we need to stop his foolish acts..."

Rhode declared and went silent all of a sudden. The soldiers below exchanged looks with one another, unsure of the cause of that sudden silence from the Void Dragon. However, as they were doubtful, Rhode's voice sounded once again.

"Despite all this that I have said, I've to say that it is all bullsh*t! What's most important for us is revenge! We need to annihilate the shameless undead creatures and teach those brainless bast*rds that the graveyard is their resting place! Tooth for tooth, and blood for blood! However they treated us in the past, we will make them pay tenfold! The era of weeping and fleeing in trembling fear when facing undead creatures is long gone. Now is the era for the undead creatures to shiver and beg for mercy under our iron hooves, and we shall trample them to death like worthless weeds! There is only one command: kill on sight! We will dig those bast*rds out from their graves and burn their corpses into ashes without sparing any single one of them! Get ready to move out———! Our target: the Country of Darkness. This is our retaliation! Our invasion! We shall conquer the territories of the Country of Darkness! Drive the lackeys of Chaos away to the other side of destruction! And put them to their demise!"

"..."

Along with Rhode's snarls, the place was in a strange silence with no one speaking. They stood on the spot without moving an inch. Looking at this scene, Lapis couldn't help but gaze at Rhode worriedly. But when she was about to break the silence, cheers and screams as loud as a volcano eruption exploded, rising from the ground and bursting into the clouds.

"Your Majesty Void Dragon! Your Majesty Void Dragon!"

"Revenge! We want revenge!"

"Kill those undead creatures! It's payback time!"

The sky was filled with clamors and bellows and screams consisting of joy, anger, and excitement. The soldiers raised their arms, wielded their weapons, and vented their frustrations. Looking at this view, the corners of Rhode's lips perked up into a smile as he raised his right arm high. Along with this action, a dazzling radiance rushed into the sky and the starry sky trembled shortly after.

The everlasting night sky warped like deformed mud being smashed. In the blink of an eye, the dark sky connecting the Void Territory and Country of Darkness shattered into fragments. But before the fragments disappeared into thin air, they were mercilessly devoured by the surreal sea of stars.

At the next moment, the warm, gentle, and dazzling rays of the sun rose from the other side of the horizon, bringing light to the land that was originally enfolded in eternal darkness. Like a stage play, the deep, dark curtains withdrew, suggesting the commencement of a brand new show.

It also represented the beginning of an all-out war.

Chapter 1184: Advance

The bright, beautiful rays of sunlight shone from above, illuminating the vast, pitch-black land. The night sky gave way quickly as the glaring brilliance penetrated the darkness like a ruthless, razor-sharp blade. Facing this ambush, the undead creatures raised their heads in confusion and stared blankly at the dazzling golden light. Perhaps due to them living in darkness for too long, they couldn't react instantly upon witnessing the blinding radiance... But it didn't matter too much.

Because it was the end for them.

The golden brilliance metamorphosed into a powerful force, converging into spurts of surging tide that devoured the surface completely. A massive and glaring energy beam dazzled across their eyes. Long-overdue, explosive shockwaves erupted out of the abyssal gullies like an invisible, enormous palm reaching out and digging a tunnel in the sand, while continuous streams of airwaves blasted from within. After a few moments, deafening, resounding, and terrifying rumbles echoed. Gales that broke the sound barrier blustered in all directions, while the solid ground cracked, fissured, and collapsed entirely.

At this moment, the undead creatures who were under attack finally returned to their senses. They bellowed and fought back with lichs brandishing their magic staff and chanting profane runes and words. Shortly after, a dark, gloomy, and sturdy magical barrier appeared out of thin air, bringing along a foul-smelling, pitch-black cloud into the sky to conceal the sun. Death knights rode on warhorses as they galloped ahead. On the vast land, skeleton soldiers wielded their weapons. Their scarlet eyes glinted in flickering madness. They stormed forward, attempting to smash everything in their path into bits.

Until the brilliance descended.

"———!"

The crisscrossed, enormous, magical brilliance swept across the land. Its unparalleled force was indefensible by ordinary creatures. The magical barrier that the lichs went through great pains to cast shattered into powder in less than a second like a fragile, boulder-crushed egg. The pure energy devoured and dismantled everything in its path, scorching the land into charcoal-black with no survivors, and even plants and trees were gone in sight. Be it the living or undead, there were no more traces of them. In this vast land, the only existence was nothingness.

"The second round of the Delusion Rainbow has been fired, Your Majesty Rhode."

"Give 'em the third!"

Standing in the command room of the magic warship, Rhode stared at the land that was burnt entirely. However, he didn't seem to have the intention of letting down his guard yet.

"I want to uplift the entire Country of Darkness! This isn't a metaphor, exaggeration, or delusion! I want everything to disappear from the Country of Darkness! Kill on sight—anything that stops you! Blast off any mountain and flatten all rivers ahead! Raze the Country of Darkness to the ground! When I step into the land of the Country of Darkness, I want to see no obstacles until the end of the horizon! Keep bombarding them! After the third round of blasts, send out the magician knights and carry out a raid. I don't want to see any enemies alive!"

Along with Rhode's snarls, the massive magic warship that blended into the starry sky sailed forward. The gigantic steel cannons on both sides of the lower hull rotated constantly, spurting strings of white, hot steam like clouds. At the next moment, magical radiances that were coalesced to the extreme emanated from the opening of the steel cannons. Then, spinning magical rituals took shape in front of the steel cannons that were at least three humans tall. At the next moment, the magical beams fired, streaking across the horizon and aiming for the land in the distance. In thunderous booms, the flat ground bulged instantly like a balloon and the energy contained in the magical beams reached its peak, exploding abruptly. In an instant, terrifying, scarlet fireballs blew up, while pitch-black mushroom clouds rose from the ground, blasting forward along the airwaves. Before the brave undead creatures reacted, they turned into fluttering ashes, spiraling in the air with flying sand and sparkling stars, before landing on the ground. The explosions brought upon a somewhat mechanical and regular rhythm of beauty, like a pipe organ used to perform in sacred palaces. The deep sound of the pipe organ astounded one's spirit and entirety as it vibrated in wonderful melodies, releasing dazzling flashes, flames, and thunder rolls like a grand symphony of destruction.

"———! Leader, you're amazing!"

Looking at this scene, Mini Bubble Gum couldn't help but blow a whistle.

"That's the way it should be! Air strikes, followed by advancements from armored vehicles on land!"

This time, Rhode didn't lead the magic fleet to slaughter his way into the Darkness Capital like he mentioned earlier. If it were in the past, perhaps it would still be effective. But it was different now. Chaos consisting of Order had to be cleaned up progressively. It was like how one had to wipe every single tile cleanly and not clean up only the filthiest one. Even though this might take some time, it was definitely better than letting Chaos take advantage of a lapse.

"This is an adventure; a long journey."

Canary held the railing and gazed at the burnt land below. There was nothing. Be it the living or undead, what remained was only the land itself. Rhode's plan was relatively risky and insane. With the coordination of 15 magic warships, he requested all soldiers from the Munn Kingdom and Void Territory to advance side by side, crushing any enemies before them in the shortest time possible, with the mightiest strength. This way, they could eliminate the Chaos that was spread by the Dark Dragon. If Rhode chose the 'decapitation tactic', he wouldn't be able to stop the proliferation of Chaos even if he killed the Dark Dragon. Not only that, but it might also cause him to sink into deeper and more dangerous trouble. On the other hand, by going hand in hand, even though he wasn't able to kill the Dark Dragon in the shortest time possible, he was able to restrict the living space of Chaos, restraining them from wreaking havoc.

The booms of cannon blasts filled the sky as billows of smoke rose from the surface. The hue of red, scorching heat took over as the main melody of the battlefield. At a glance, the undead army was seemingly completely destroyed by the series of bombardments. But Rhode was aware that the undead creatures weren't that weak. If more than a dozen magic warships were enough to demolish them, the Country of Light and Munn Kingdom wouldn't have been at the mercy of the Country of Darkness for so many years.

"Gaaaa——!"

As expected. All of a sudden, everyone heard an ear-piercing call. They witnessed a large 'cloud' rising from the horizon far ahead, concealing the entire sky as it came flying toward the magic warships.

"Reporting, Your Majesty Rhode. Soul griffins spotted ahead!"

"Hmph."

Upon hearing the report, Rhode let out a snort, before reaching for his sword hilt.

"Go all-out! No holding back! Crush those damn birds! Activate the Order defensive enchanted field and Holy Maiden Statues!"

A pure, holy radiance flickered in the air. Even though the omnipresent darkness obscured the blistering sun, the holy radiance was like a lighthouse in the darkness. The Holy Maiden Statues erected ahead of the magic warships raised their arms. Circles of clear, dazzling halos

diffused like ripples with the statues in the middle. At a glance, the lined-up magic warships glittered in white, sacred brilliance one after another. The spreading waves of energy linked up to form a crystal barrier that was as thin as a cicada's wings. They looked so thin that one couldn't help but worry if the hurl of a stone would smash it into bits. But shortly after, the thin barrier proved the value of its existence.

"Gaaaa——!"

Tens of thousands of soul griffins beat their wings and dove head first into the crystal barrier like an inclined flood. But at the next moment, they let out bursts of anguished screeches. Their rock-hard claws failed to leave any slashes on the thin crystal barrier. On the contrary, the instant the soul griffins came in contact with the crystal barrier, they were devoured by holy, white flames immediately, before burning into ashes without leaving behind any remnants. In an instant, one saw countless white flames flaring up in the sky like glittering stars. The soul griffins were like moths to a flame. Even though they were gravely hurt, they had no intention of stopping. The next waves of soul griffins chiseled away at the crystal barrier above the magic warships, only to be forcefully separated by hundreds of blinding magical cannon beams. But shortly after, the emptied openings in the sea of darkness were quickly filled up as though they didn't exist.

The flashes of magical power, cannon blasts, and death merged as one in the sky, turning into a unique scenery. All of a sudden, the soul griffins that were ramming into the crystal barrier frantically came to a halt. Then, they turned around instantly like a school of fish swimming in the ocean, retreating to where they came from. Looking at this scene, Rhode twitched his brows.

At that moment, he witnessed hundreds of warships that soared toward him in the air. They were tattered and the holes at the bottom weren't even repaired fully. Dense spiritual mist lifted the hulls like ocean waves pushing them forward. These warships that appeared indistinctly in the mist appeared in front of his eyes.

They were the strongest air weapons of the Country of Darkness: the Ghost Fleet.

Chapter 1185: Air Combat

Every country had their own trump card in the air. For instance, the Munn Kingdom owned floating magic warships that sailed in strong gales and the Country of Darkness possessed a massive ghost fleet. However, there was a necessary restriction for these trump cards—they would never be dispatched unless their country was invaded. Of course, this wasn't a restriction based solely on contracts and official documents, but also involved problems of their own instead. It was just like how floating magic warships in the Munn Kingdom had to rely on the power of the strong gales in order to hover and sail in the air. The Country of Darkness's ghost fleet also needed the presence of a thick death aura in order to remain afloat in midair. If the death aura wasn't dense enough, the massive ghost fleet couldn't be sent out at all, which was also the second reason that limited the mobilization of the ghost fleet.

Something worthy of a mention was that the Country of Light also had their very own air units, the Holy Arks. However, as the Holy Arks required angels to operate and couldn't sail under the command of humans, they were thoroughly banned and demolished after the parliament gained authority. This was because the parliament was more afraid of the Holy Arks being used against them than against the enemies...

One by one, in the dense fog, the run-down warships sailed forward in an undulating motion as though they were riding on the rough waves of the sea. They spread out in a scattered formation, positioning their hulls and aiming their black cannon barrels at the magic warships ahead, which were several times taller. In terms of size, even though the difference between both parties was like fishing boats taking on cruisers, no one was able to ignore the mighty energy contained in these tattered warships that could seemingly collapse to a breeze.

At the next moment, a dazzling light erupted.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

A string of flares exploded from the enormous ghost fleet in the distance. Their artillery shells whizzed and revolved as they dragged long trails of blue spiritual flames as though ominous comets that fell from the sky and crashed onto the magic warships' barrier. Compared to the soul griffins that were like moths to a flame, the artillery shells seemed much more effective. As they bombarded the barrier, the barrier began to flicker. This continuous, storm-like attack started overwhelming the barrier upheld by strong magical powers. What gave one a bigger headache was that the ghost fleet didn't seem to have any physical presence. After the magic warships on Rhode's side retaliated by firing off their cannons, vivid colors of red, yellow, orange, white, and blue magical brilliance from the blasts struck the fog and were seemingly absorbed into nothingness. Meanwhile, the massive ghost fleet also vanished in sight, before secretly reappearing on the other side of the fog.

"Hmph, dirty little tricks."

Looking at this scene, Rhode snorted in contempt at this group of idiots from the Country of Darkness.

As the player and guild leader who demolished your entire country in the game, do you think I'm unaware of the strength of your hidden trump card?

At this thought, Rhode swept a glance at the battlefield and raised his right arm.

The time had arrived.

"———!"

All of a sudden, a violent hurricane erupted from the rear of the magic warships and pounced forward at the enemies ahead. Dust and sand fluttered wherever the gales raged, rolling and spinning as they surged forward in air waves. At that moment, even the huge magic warships couldn't help but rock to this mighty force. If it were only an ordinary hurricane, it definitely wouldn't affect these magic warships that were protected by the barrier. However, these winds were extraordinary. They contained strong magical powers and pure elemental powers—the wind elemental power, that was.

"What is going on?"

The sudden emergence of the roaring hurricane raised doubts across the ghost fleet. The captain, whose entire body had rotted where only bones remained, strode onto the deck and arrived at the bow with large strides, looking ahead with a pair of binoculars. Then, he put down the binoculars. The spiritual flames in his empty eye sockets surged for the first time.

"This is...!"

The green radiance visible to the naked eye was as though a huge river rushing from the back to the front, opening up a new watercourse in the sky. A gigantic sky whale appeared under the clear, starry sky. As it swayed its body gently over its absolute dominance of the wind, the strong gales changed their course and headed straight toward the pitch-black Country of Darkness. At the same time, it brought along a new enemy.

"Reporting, Your Highness. We've discovered the ghost fleet. There are a total of 350 warships!"

Lydia sat on the silver-whitish chair located in the middle of the luxuriously decorated and exquisite command room. Upon hearing the battle angel's report, Lydia revealed a delightful smile. She turned her finger gently, narrowing her eyes at the 'ocean of death' ahead filled with dense fog, as well as the indistinct ghost fleet.

"I never expect this day, when I get to go head to head with the ghost fleet. Seems like this errand isn't too bad at all... Gaya, I shall leave it to you. Please don't make a fool of ourselves in front of His Majesty Rhode, okay?"

"Yes, Your Highness!"

The black-haired young lady who stood opposite Lydia nodded slightly in response. She wrapped her arms around the harp, turned around, and sauntered toward the podium. At that moment, she wasn't clad in her usual, court-lady dress, but wore a well-ironed and gorgeous black uniform instead. Her pitch-black eyes revealed a state of calmness and indifference like icebergs of a thousand years.

"Advance and go all-out! Our target—the Ghost Fleet!"

Almost 100 floating magic warships sailed downstream along the strong gales. They gathered and pierced through the ocean of death like a razor-sharp knife in the location of the ghost fleet. Strong waves of wind collided heavily on the fog of death that had coalesced into a barrier. At the next moment, the floating magic warships flickering in a magical radiance penetrated the barrier. White, dazzling halos erupted from the warships, eradicating the ice-cold fog that could kill any mortal who came close. But this wasn't the end. It had just started.

"Starboard—third to fifth cannons, get ready. Lock on the targets and fire!"

A holy white brilliance punctured the dense fog, aiming straight at the ghost fleet. Almost simultaneously, meteor-like, spiritual artillery shells whizzed in retaliation. The blinding cannon blasts clashed among the thick clouds, splashing sparks and flares in all directions. Be it the floating magic warships or ghost fleet, both sides rocked in violent explosions. Even though the ghost fleet tried to continue its battle strategy by firing once and repositioning after, Lydia's floating magic warships followed them closely, forcing them into a head-on battle instead.

"The Munn Kingdom's floating magic warships sure are tough."

Ear-deafening rumbles and explosions shrouded everything. Standing on the bow and gazing at the artillery fire ahead, the ghost fleet's commander, Rolan, let out a deep sigh. Rolan admitted this was his mistake. He didn't expect the enemies to find a way to alter the course of the winds and launch their attack from there, catching the ghost fleet unprepared and causing them to sink into a chaotic situation. But...

Although the Munn Kingdom's floating magic warships are powerful, the Country of Darkness's ghost fleet isn't good-for-nothing either!

At this thought, Rolan lifted his head. His illusory body was faintly discernible in the fog. As the ghost fleet commander who dominated rivals in the air, this was the first time Rolan felt an unparalleled thrill and strong will to fight.

An enemy worthy of me is right ahead. This time, I will crush them completely! I will use victory to prove that the ghost fleet is entirely worthy of being known as the strongest air troop!

"Pass down the order! First, third, fifth, and sixth warships, retreat from the front line. Second and fourth warships are in charge of covering. Seventh warship, get ready to attack!"

Along with Rolan's command, changes happened across the ghost fleet immediately.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The ghost warships on the left and right unleashed unprecedented firepower, containing the Munn Kingdom's floating magic warships that were advancing triumphantly. The ghost warships in the middle seized the opportunity and retreated. Looking at this scene, the corners of Gaya's eyes twitched. She lowered her head and gazed at the battlefield map flickering in a magical radiance. The black-haired harpist lifted her head.

"Second and fifth warships! Advance and crash head-on! The other warships, turn to your 3 o'clock. Cannons by the port, aim at the targets! Fire!"

Along with Gaya's order, the floating magic warships repositioned and changed their directions. The two warships that bore the brunt of the overwhelming artillery fire didn't come to a halt, but opened up a magical barrier instead, before smashing forward without any hesitation. At the same time, neat rows of magical beams blasted from the void sky, intercepting the seventh ghost warship that intervened from the side.

"Damn it!"

Looking at this scene, Rolan couldn't help but gnash his teeth. The smoking pipe held in his mouth 'squeaked' under the pressure. Rolan thought he could lure the enemy in by pretending to withdraw from the battle and use the seventh warship as a lure, before launching a counterattack. However, he didn't expect the commander on the other side to be smart enough to figure his intention out instantly, beating him at his own game and abandoning the idea of chasing after his main warship to eliminate the seventh ghost warship instead. If Rolan weren't lucky, perhaps the second and fourth warships would also suffer heavy losses.

At that moment, two floating magic warships enveloped in a magical barrier penetrated the ghost fleet like two razor-sharp knives.

Chapter 1186: Stalemate

The thick fog rolled and surged as though attempting to form a barrier to stop the strong ambush. But in the blink of an eye, the two floating magic warships slashed through their defense like slicing a soft cake. The floating magic warships charged at the ghost fleet ahead relentlessly. The ghost warship couldn't evade in time and in a loud bang, it was crushed squarely in the middle, scattering debris everywhere. The ghost warship that was already heavily damaged over the span of time couldn't withstand the impact at all. In a piercing squeak, it inclined and deformed. But in just a few seconds, the seemingly flattened ghost warship twisted and restored its original shape like a strong spring. At that moment, a new round of battle began along with the collision of warships.

"For the glory of the holy light!"

Along with this crisp war cry, dazzling radiances erupted from the deck of the floating magic warships, one after another. The battle angels enfolded in holy brilliance raised their swords, expanded their wings, and soared toward the ghost warship ahead. Meanwhile, along with the ice-cold, rolling death fog, banshees appeared on the deck, one by one. They had pale skin and translucent bodies and were clad in tattered long dresses that fluttered in the strong winds. These banshees used to be the most beautiful elves in the world, but fear of death and hatred distorted their spirits, turning them into completely different, terrifying beings. Their only purpose living in this world now was to kill the enemies here and shred their spirits into bits. Gazing at the battle angels illuminated by the holy light, the banshees weren't as afraid as the other undead creatures. On the contrary, they took a few steps back and snapped their jaws open.

"————!"

Ear-piercing screams erupted from their mouths. The biting-cold and sinister breath of curse metamorphosed into a deadly weapon that enveloped the battle angels ahead. Facing their howls of malice, the battle angels gripped their swords and a bright, holy brilliance burst from their blades, turning into a shield that resisted the threats of death. But even so, the battle angels couldn't help but stagnate, crumbling heavily to the deck. The instant they fell on the deck, the banshees brandished their sharp claws and pounced on their prey.

"Attack!"

Even though the battle angels were dazed by the bawls, they gnashed their teeth and flourished their swords at the banshees. The dazzling, sacred glow from their blades swept across the sky, slashing the banshees in a critical hit. If it were any other weapon, this attack would be meaningless against almost-transparent spirits like the banshees. However, the battle angels' blades were blessed by holy power, which ensured that they were able to deal damage to the banshees' essence.

"———"

The instant the banshees were struck by the blades, the sound of evaporation when drops of water hit soldering iron sounded. White steam spurted from the point of collision between the blade and the banshees. The sacred radiance surged along the blade and erupted, penetrating the banshees entirely.

"Ah———!"

家を建てるなら/ERABERU - [公式]アエラホーム

The banshees let out blood-curdling wails, brandishing their razor-sharp claws and grabbing at the battle angels' widely-expanded wings. Their pitch-black eyes burned in murderous intent and wrath as though they were eager to shred the battle angels into bits. Facing this retaliation from the banshees, the battle angels flicked their wrists around and pierced their blades straight into the enemies' bodies.

The chaotic battle on the deck continued. On the other side, the roaring artillery barrage didn't seem to be diminishing anytime soon. At Gaya's command, the floating magic warships of the Munn Kingdom gave up on chasing the main ghost warship, but focused their attention on bombarding the seventh ghost warship instead. The seventh ghost warship that intercepted from the side to disrupt the situation had now become entirely powerless. This situation was as though a group of cavalrymen who tried to catch the enemy off guard from the side, only to realize that the enemy was already anticipating this move and was waiting for them to take the bait. But even if it was a mountain of daggers or sea of flames ahead, their only option was to rush forward now.

But it was a pity that the seventh ghost warship had fallen so deep into trouble that it could no longer rescue itself. The crisscrossed, blinding magical beams left spheres of flames blazing on the ghost warships. As though in the howls of bruised monsters, the ghost warships shattered and descended from the sky one after another.

"Damn it!"

Gazing through the binoculars with a panoramic view, Rolan clutched the smoking pipe and swung his fist fumingly. Rolan had been dubious about the battle situation earlier, but was completely aware of the enemy's strategy now. Rolan thought the Void Territory and Munn Kingdom would definitely deploy a blitzkrieg strategy since they had joined forces, which was why he was confident and brave enough to sacrifice three ghost warships as bait to lure the enemies in. However, he didn't expect the enemies to be preparing for a raid. Apart from the ambush at the start of the war, the enemies went steadily and struck hard for the rest of the time. This was also why the floating magic warships of the Munn Kingdom failed to take his bait.

It didn't matter even if the other ghost warships escaped in succession because to the Munn Kingdom, they still had several chances to eliminate the Country of Darkness's ghost fleet in the future. Due to that reason, not only was the Munn Kingdom not flustered at all, but they also seemed exceedingly calm. This, in turn, made Rolan's action seem as though he were sacrificing his ghost warships for nothing. If Rolan had chosen to retreat entirely back then, perhaps the Munn Kingdom would have pursued him closely. But due to his foolish decision, the Munn Kingdom now had a target to annihilate and wouldn't care less about the so-called 'main ghost warship' that was fleeing.

Perhaps there isn't enough time to turn back and gather reinforcements now.

At this thought, Rolan couldn't help but sweep a glance ahead. Through the dense fog, he vaguely saw ridiculously massive magic warships and the holy rays of light they emanated. The rays were so pure that even Rolan felt his head aching. Even though Rolan learned from the reports that the Void Territory owned powerful magic warships, where they only deployed three magic warships to raze Casabianca to the ground, he finally realized how terrifying they were after experiencing it for himself. Right now, he was only relying on the special characteristics of the ghost fleet to deal with the Munn Kingdom. If he were to take the initiative to attack the Munn Kingdom's warships now, perhaps he wouldn't be able to get away from them at all.

"Everyone, retreat immediately!"

At that moment, apart from confirming his mistake and failure, there was no other choice.

"Reporting, Your Majesty. We've confirmed that the ghost fleet is retreating!"

The fog dissipated gradually. Along with the disappearance of the ghost fleet, the omnipresent soul griffins also vanished from sight.

"Seems like the enemy figured out our strategy."

Looking at this scene, Rhode shrugged and turned to the young lady beside him. Upon sensing his gaze, the younger sister smiled and nodded.

"If it is possible, I hope to take this further. But I'm surprised they reacted so quickly."

Just as Rolan expected, the reason why Rhode deployed an ambush wasn't because he had decided to copy the Country of Darkness in breaking through defenses and swooping down. Instead, it was indeed a genuine ambush. In addition to being able to gain an advantage in the early stages of the war, it also gave the enemy the illusion that Rhode was determined to win by speed. If the Country of Darkness was fooled, they would gather a huge army as quickly as possible to stop Rhode's ambush in order to prevent their defensive line from being penetrated. This way, Rhode could take on the enemy easily and consume the many forces of the Country of Darkness.

But it was a pity that the Country of Darkness didn't seem to be as foolish as Rhode had expected. Not only did they not gather troops to form a blockade, but they also retreated decisively. Judging from this point, it was apparent that they also realized something wasn't right with the situation, which also meant that...

"We may need to storm them next."

"That's right. This is exactly what we want."

Upon hearing his younger sister's answer, the corners of Rhode's lips perked up into a proud smile. If the Country of Darkness were to defend themselves to the death, it would be the best for Rhode. Because this way, he could ensure that he wiped out all undead creatures stained by Chaos at once and didn't need to worry about fish that slipped the net. Rhode was initially concerned that the enemies wouldn't act according to his expectations. But as the ghost fleet retreated, the heavy burden in his mind was finally put down, leaving another problem deep down in his mind.

Is Ion really gonna use this strategy against me?

This was the only thing that Rhode couldn't predict.

"Reporting, Your Majesty!"

At that moment, some hurried footsteps disrupted Rhode's thoughts. He turned around and gazed at the soldier.

"What's wrong? What happened?"

"We received news from the northern defensive line. The Country of Darkness has dispatched their undead army and launched an all-out attack on the Country of Law!"

Rhode's heart sank immediately.

Seems like the inevitable has arrived.