Duke Laurence's army was ready.

  Aleph Douglas, his most trusted general, stood before him to report that every battalion was prepared. Laurence assessed the situation with a steady gaze and gave the order for immediate mobilization. The march toward the Denisse territory would take nearly two weeks, and every soldier was to remain alert for any eventuality.

  While the troops made their preparations, in the city of Vayllencity, Edward, Richard, and Keitaro watched in horror as men in black robes piled up corpses and incinerated them with fire magic. Children, women, and men disappeared within minutes. Survivors confirmed what rumor had already suggested: demons appeared after each death.

  "This isn't just an epidemic," Edward said, his face drawn tight. "They're sacrificing people to summon demons."

  Using Keitaro's teleportation magic, the trio relocated to a forest where the Erkham maintained a secret base, planning how to stop the massacre without exposing themselves.

  Meanwhile, at the academy, the mages' final had begun. Roxy Briggs and Isabella Armett faced one another in a duel of extraordinary skill.

  Roxy summoned a sea of flames that surged forward like a burning river. Isabella answered by raising a tornado of wind that swallowed and scattered the fire, creating an awe-inspiring spectacle in the sky above the arena.

  Isabella launched four wind spears with surgical precision. Roxy erected a wall of fire to block them, but the tornado held the spears steady and razor-sharp. The heat and force of the wind forced Roxy to channel her own fire mana defensively. In the end, both mages were left exhausted. With her final reserves, Roxy hurled desperate fireballs—but Master Clara intervened, declaring Roxy the victor.

  From the stands, Emily watched the battle, feeling a flicker of intimidation.

  Lusian approached and gently ruffled her hair.

  "Do you always come to watch my matches?" Emily asked, surprised.

  "I just want to make sure you don't get hurt," Lusian replied. "I care about my teammates' well-being."

  Emily felt reassured, unaware of Lusian's deeper motives.

  Back at the front, Duke Laurence's soldiers advanced into Denisse territory. Every step was heavy with tension; rumors of demons and cults were confirmed by each corpse discovered and each trembling survivor encountered. Richard and Edward guided Keitaro as they gathered intelligence.

  In a forest clearing, the first clash with demons erupted. Sparks of magic and streaks of fire tore through the air. Keitaro transported soldiers in precise spatial jumps, evading attacks while the Erkham held the defensive line. Each battle was a test of endurance and strategy, and the sense of urgency intensified with every passing hour.

  While Lusian accompanied Emily, another fight began in the academy arena: Conwick Briggs versus Kasper Bourlance, a duel steeped in pride and rivalry.

  Conwick unveiled his advanced metallic form, amplifying both strength and defense. Kasper, drawing on his recent training, blocked effortlessly and struck repeatedly.

  With a decisive attack, Kasper pierced Conwick's metal defenses and knocked him out of combat. The crowd erupted in cheers, but Lusian and Emily barely reacted, both aware that outside the arena, war was rapidly approaching.

  At the end of the week, Richard stood before the king to deliver his report on the Denisse. He confirmed the alliance between Count Tomás and a demonic cult, as well as the mass sacrifice of citizens to summon demons. Faced with such a threat, the king summoned every noble to form an alliance.

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  "Are we finished?" Keitaro asked, uneasy.

  "For now," Richard replied. "What's the rush?"

  "Iris is pregnant. She wants me by her side," Keitaro said, his expression serious.

  Richard nodded. "Then run to her, boy. You never know when it might be the last time you see her while you're still a soldier."

  As Duke Laurence's army pushed deeper into Denisse lands, the academy tournament reached its final stages. Lusian, Andrew, and Jean The Mondring waited eagerly in the arena to see who would claim the last semifinal spot.

  Kara stepped onto the platform, her eyes gleaming with arrogance as she assessed Alejandro.

  "I hope you won't surrender so quickly this time," she said mockingly, recalling his previous defeat.

  Alejandro inhaled deeply, gripping his sword. He remembered the humiliation clearly—but he had improved, and he would not allow Kara to underestimate him again.

  "Don't underestimate what I can do," he replied firmly, though his heart pounded.

  The battle exploded into motion.

  Kara unleashed a series of rapid, direct strikes, each flickering with mana, making her movements nearly impossible to predict. Alejandro blocked with a blade wreathed in fire, feeling the heat scorch his wrists and race along his arms. Every clash rang like a hammer blow in his bones, and the platform trembled beneath them.

  Kara moved like a gust of wind, evading with precision while Alejandro desperately searched for an opening. Sweat ran down his brow. For a fleeting instant, doubt crept in—would his strength be enough to overcome her brutal speed? The memory of his previous loss drove him forward.

  The decisive moment came.

  Kara gathered her mana and unleashed a sweeping shockwave that shook the platform and sent up a blinding cloud of dust. Instinctively, Alejandro channeled his mana into a flaming slash. The two forces collided in a blinding explosion. Both were forced back several steps, breathing hard as cracks splintered across the platform.

  Alejandro's arm trembled. He was burning through mana far faster than Kara. He needed a final move.

  Summoning his remaining strength, he lunged for her blind side.

  But Kara was ready.

  With a swift pivot, she blocked and used the momentum to hurl him off the platform. Alejandro struck the edge with a sharp crack—his right arm fractured on impact. The pain stole his breath, and he struggled to rise, every fiber of his body screaming.

  The crowd held its breath as the judges raised Kara's hand in victory.

  Sweat clung to her face as she turned toward Lusian with a mix of challenge and amusement.

  "You're next."

  "It's damn annoying that she won't get over it," Lusian muttered, frowning and clenching his fists.

  Emily tilted her head slightly and placed a gentle hand on his arm.

  "You know you can't refuse, right? It's academy policy."

  "Yes, I know!" Lusian exhaled heavily. "But that doesn't make it any less irritating. Just when I think I can relax, there she is with another challenge."

  Emily smiled softly. "At least she keeps you sharp. And… soon you'll be able to rest for a few months."

  He blinked in surprise. "You're right. With all the noble houses returning to their territories, I won't see her for a while."

  "About eight months," Emily said quietly. "When you return to the Douglas territory… will you visit me?"

  Lusian closed his eyes briefly, then nodded. "Of course. I'll visit as soon as I can."

  But even as he spoke, his thoughts drifted to the looming catastrophe that threatened to change the world forever.

  The focus shifted to the first mages' semifinal: Elizabeth versus Katerine The Mondring.

  Elizabeth advanced confidently, fists crackling faintly with electric mana. Katerine, palms open as water swirled around her, attempted to control the tempo—but Elizabeth's lightning strikes pierced through her defenses with precision. After a fierce exchange, Elizabeth claimed victory, chest rising and falling as she regained her breath, satisfaction flashing across her face.

  Next came Emily versus Roxy.

  Emily steadied her breathing despite the nerves coursing through her. Narrowing her eyes, she invoked Lucidium. A radiant shield of light formed around her, reflecting and returning Roxy's attacks. Frustrated, Roxy launched one final desperate assault—but Emily's barrier held, rebounding the energy directly back at her.

  With a sigh of relief, Emily was declared the winner.

  Lusian approached, pride and relief evident in his expression. He placed a firm hand on her shoulder.

  "Get some rest," he advised softly. "You used too much mana—but you did very well."

  The sun set over Denisse territory, bathing the land in an unsettling golden glow.

  As Laurence and the Douglas troops established camp, the army's mages erected magical surveillance barriers and analyzed the mana currents in the soil. Sofía patrolled the perimeter atop her magical beast, scanning for disturbances in the flow of energy and potential ambushes.

  War was no longer a distant rumor.

  It was at their doorstep.