"You said the Lair of the Sword Gods?" asked Darius. There was no trace left of the euphoria he'd displayed just moments earlier.

"Well, yes, my brother. Is there a problem?" Selphia replied, her tone light and cheerful.

"We're talking about the Supreme Shield, right?"

The Supreme Shield was the name given to the castle of the Sword Gods, located at the far western edge of the continent.

"I told you, yes… Oh, wait… Don't tell me you're scared?" she teased, feigning disappointment.

"No, it's just…" Despite being a fervent admirer of the Grandmasters, Darius looked genuinely shocked.

Among men, the Sword Gods were quite literally regarded as demigods. This belief was even stronger when it came to Ragnar, the First Sword of Humanity, whom many revered almost as a true deity—especially after the incident ten years earlier.

On that day, during a banquet crucial for the continent's future—an event attended by both Ingrid and Ragnar—the former head of the druids, Riku, had plotted to humiliate the Sword God.

Riku harbored open contempt for the sword, a sentiment rather common among mages who had attained high levels of magical mastery. He ranked just a step below Angela Noir, who was considered the absolute pinnacle of magic.

Blinded by his arrogance, Riku believed Ragnar's reputation to be wildly exaggerated. After all, for that generation who'd grown up in a relatively peaceful era, Ragnar seemed more like a good-humored, affable man than a living legend.

To martial artists, however, Ragnar remained an enigma, for not the slightest hint of aura could be sensed from him.

Yet it was during that banquet that Ragnar manifested his aura before the new generation for the first time. The sky reacted instantly, unleashing a storm of such ferocity that it spanned the entire continent. The event was forever etched in history as the International Day of Aura, a day when knights everywhere competed in feats of prowess to impress the masses.

From that day on, the whole world understood that the Sword Gods were gods not merely in name.

Darius, as the brother of the Third Sword Goddess, Selene Voldreck, had witnessed firsthand his sister's first manifestation of aura when she ascended to the rank of demigod. Selene's aura had produced an effect similar to Ragnar's, though confined to the northern regions of the continent. And even that had been merely a fragment of their martial prowess.

So how could Darius possibly imagine simply waltzing into the Supreme Shield?

Above all, he knew perfectly well they weren't going there to have tea.

"Don't worry, my darling. Even the Sword Gods are nothing compared to the Grandmasters," said Selphia, a slightly wild gleam in her eyes.

"That's… true… My sister's right…" Darius agreed weakly.

Yet he still felt no reassurance. He knew all too well that the Grandmasters wielded monstrous power… just as the Sword Gods did.

But to him—who didn't even possess one percent of their strength—these beings were all equally terrifying. He couldn't fathom the true scope of their power, nor where their limits lay. To him, it was all the same.

"If you're afraid, you can still back out now… but you'll regret it," Selphia said, slowly stepping closer to him.

"…"

If the Lair of the Sword Gods is being used for a baptism, then surely the Sword Gods aren't considered a threat… Darius thought, desperately trying to convince himself.

"Wait, Sister… I'll do it!" he finally declared.

"Good choice, you stupid little brother… Now come here so I can explain the plan."

The brother and sister continued talking as they stepped through the portal together.

---

In the uninhabited territory of the First Empire

"Halt!" shouted the lead rider at the head of the Tenth Empire's delegation.

At his command, all the wagons and mounted escorts came to an immediate stop. This man was no ordinary soldier; he was the head of security for Boris Zand's delegation.

The reason for his cry was obvious: an utterly unknown territory stretched out before them… It was quite literally as if they were crossing from one world into another.

Where the delegation still stood, bright sunlight bathed the land. But the expanse before them formed a stark and terrifying contrast.

Beyond, not a single ray of light pierced the dense layer of black clouds that blanketed the sky. The air was charged with the threat of a storm. Lightning occasionally ripped through the dark mass overhead, and a sharp, acrid stench drifted toward their nostrils.

"Ugh… It's exactly like the reports said," muttered one nervous rider.

"Oh my God… How can a place like this even exist?"

"I knew this job wouldn't be a walk in the park…" grumbled another.

"I just hope I don't catch a cold…" joked one last man, despite the tension crackling through the group.

All the workers had disembarked from the wagons to stare at the scene unfolding before them. It was terrifying, to be sure… yet there was something strangely mesmerizing about the spectacle.

In any case, everyone awaited Boris Zand's next orders.

Zand himself simply stared at the area before him, hands clasped behind his back, lost deep in thought.

It's even more violent than I imagined… Now I understand why they surrendered. With the limited resources they had, there was likely no way to withstand such a natural catastrophe.

No matter. The goal was never to build anything here, but rather to extract the minerals from this rich soil.

Good thing I brought magicians with us, on Clerc's recommendation… Seems he was somewhat useful, in his own way.

Finally, Boris Zand spoke in a calm voice, loud enough for all to hear:

"We will establish a large camp here, outside the storm zone. Then, we will explore the area on our first day."

"At your orders!" they all replied in unison before busily setting about their tasks.

---

"Rats coming to disrupt our training, huh…"

Selene sat cross-legged atop a massive boulder, nearly the size of a tree. A strange, colorless energy swirled around the rock. The problem was, the boulder rested… on Adeline's back, who was held in a push-up position.

That demon… thought Adeline, panting.

A devoted fan of the Third Human Sword, she now felt her admiration turn into visceral fear in the presence of the monster that was Selene.

She had been proud to reach Rank 7 in fencing. But barely had she regained consciousness when Selene smiled like a crescent moon and said:

"To contain the energy of nature, one must have an extreme body."

Since then, an endless nightmare had descended upon Adeline. Though it did not shake her determination, she couldn't help but view Selene as a monster.

As if responding to Selene's words, an elegantly dressed man suddenly appeared behind the goddess. Of course, Selene had already noticed him. There was no need to wonder who he was.

"Madam, sorry… That rat had no choice but to follow the Emperor's orders."

Without even turning her head, Selene replied in a calm voice:

"Always so loyal to the family, huh… Sorry, Chris. I wasn't talking about you, but the rats from another empire."

"Oh, understood, Lady Voldreck."

It was Chris Hartner, impeccably dressed as always. Like Selene, a strange energy swirled around him, forming an invisible barrier that kept every drop of rain from reaching him.

Of course, he knew perfectly well that the "rats" Selene referred to were none other than Boris Zand and his gang.

When Adeline realized it was Chris, her push-ups—until then executed flawlessly—suddenly faltered.

"If you make such a mistake again, you know what awaits you," Selene said calmly.

Ah...

Selene immediately resumed her training, moving through the storm with the boulder still resting on Adeline's back.

I'm so ashamed... Adeline thought.

She knew Chris well. He had been the only one to stand by her fiancé's side, even when everyone—herself included—mocked him.

"What does my dear little brother want now? Is he really eager to die?" Selene asked, a radiant smile on her lips that belied the underlying threat in her words.

"That's something Miss Clerc mustn't hear," Chris replied, briefly glancing at the young woman suffering beneath the rock.

Adeline was unrecognizable. Her hair no longer bore the silver hue typical of their family, and her figure was far from the frail girl she once was.

She now looked more like a monster struggling to survive under the pouring rain... but that could not deceive the senses of a dragon.

"Speak! This young girl is now my disciple for quite some time. It's only right she be made aware of certain matters."

Even under the heavy rain, one could tell Adeline was blushing furiously.

Of course, the real reason Selene insisted was that she intended to delegate some tedious tasks to Adeline. After all, even demigods were not exempt from paperwork...

And what could that little one have so urgent to come bother me? Selene wondered, shrugging.

"As you wish, Lady Selene..." Chris sighed. "It's actually a message for Ragnar."

"Ragnar?" Selene repeated, incredulous.

Ragnar? Adeline too froze, stunned.

A message for Ragnar, from a child... what else could it be but a simple fan letter?

"Yes. Emperor Lucian tasked me with delivering this to you, quote: There is still a way to save humanity without human sacrifice. Give me the chance to meet Ragnar so I can explain it to you in detail."

The two women's thoughts stopped dead in their tracks.

But Chris continued, unfazed:

"Originally, I was to send an official letter to the Supreme Shield... but given Emperor Lucian's reputation, I preferred to seek your help directly."

What could Lucian be thinking... Chris wondered silently.

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