Infiltrating Black Wolf Clan operatives into various barracks and key government departments was one thing. But using one’s position as a council member to invite senior officials from the City Guard Headquarters to a drinking party, getting them all dead drunk, forging orders to temporarily take over the City Guard, and then ordering a full stand-down—leaving only the most basic, automated functions operational...

  Surely...

  something like this would be discovered before long tomorrow?

  But it didn’t matter.

  Because by tomorrow, everything would change.

  Beneath the cover of night, several figures stood quietly atop the rooftop of a tall building, gazing out at the sprawling, prosperous city of Haelinx.

  "Deputy Commander, all preparations are complete!"

  An armed man approached from behind and bowed respectfully.

  "Hmm."

  The figure at the front didn’t turn around, responding only with a faint, indifferent voice:

  "Is he still cooperating?"

  "Reporting, sir—Abak Lali is cooperating fully. It seems they’ve finally come to terms with reality."

  "I see......"

  "Spare his life, then."

  "Yes, sir!"

  The robed man saluted and departed.

  Shortly after, another robed figure arrived, bowing respectfully behind them:

  "Deputy Commander, Lady Ice General has arrived!"

  "Oh, she made it......"

  Crackle! Crackle! Crackle......

  In an instant, a layer of ice spread rapidly across the rooftop floor.

  The figures who had been standing there silently turned around.

  A woman dressed in a white mage’s robe had appeared behind them without a sound.

  "Deputy Commander."

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

  She bowed slightly to the leading figure.

  "Thank you for coming on such short notice. Tomorrow, I leave that 'Starmaker' to you."

  "Understood. I will not let him pass."

  The Deputy Commander nodded faintly, turning back to face Haelinx.

  "......What a magnificent city. It’s a shame how little of it will remain after tomorrow......"

  ......

  On a street in Haelinx, a disheveled human man stumbled along, drunk off his feet, clutching a cheap wine bottle in his hand.

  "Hic! Damn it...... Why am I so unlucky! Hic!"

  "That Luigi guy! Hic! Why didn’t he tell me he had no money earlier? Now I had to pawn my sword! Hic!"

  "What am I gonna do now...... Hic! If Master finds out I couldn’t pay for my meal and pawned my sword......"

  The man stopped in his tracks, his drunken eyes clearing slightly.

  "......He’ll beat me to death, won’t he?"

  "Shiver me timbers!"

  He shuddered violently.

  "Wait, why’s it so cold all of a sudden? Is the weather in Haelinx always this terrible?"

  He quickly took a swig of cheap wine to steady his nerves.

  "No way...... Once I win the prize money, I’m deducting this meal cost from Luigi’s share for sure!"

  Having made up his mind, he stumbled onward, shouting at the top of his lungs.

  "Ah! My sword~!"

  "Hic!"

  "Wait for me! I’ll redeem you tomorrow, I promise!"

  "Hic!"

  "Ugh——"

  Leaning against a street wall, the man proceeded to empty the contents of his stomach.

  ......

  At dawn,

  the city of Haelinx came alive once more with boundless energy.

  A huge crowd of spectators poured out of their homes, heading excitedly toward the Grand Arena.

  Today would be the final match of the Royal Martial Tournament—the climax of the entire festival. Everyone eagerly anticipated the most thrilling showdown of all.

  Rank A Adventurer "Starmaker" Snoke left his inn and made his way to the Grand Arena. As he walked down a quiet, secluded road, a figure suddenly stepped out to block his path.

  Seeing the woman in the white robe standing before him, a hint of caution rose in Snoke’s heart.

  "Who are you?"

  "'Starmaker' Snoke?"

  Instead of answering his question, the woman in white asked one of her own.

  "I am. What do you want?"

  "Nothing much. I just need you to stay here for a while."

  "Stay here?"

  Snoke narrowed his eyes, trying to read her intentions from her expression.

  But the woman’s face was completely emotionless.

  "And if I refuse?"

  "Hmm...... Then things will get complicated."

  The woman replied in a flat, unchanging tone.

  "......"

  Tension instantly filled the air between them.

  "It seems......"

  Snoke’s voice turned cold as he placed his hands on the switches of his weapons.

  "You’ve come to pick a fight."

  The woman watched his movements calmly, her tone still indifferent:

  "Don’t misunderstand. I just need you to do nothing. If you stay here quietly, I won’t harm you."

  "......"

  Snoke stared at her intently.

  "Who are you?"

  "Very well." The woman met his gaze directly. "If you insist on talking, I suppose I don’t mind. Let’s see... Shall I start from when I was five years old? Back then, I......"

  Snoke stood frozen in place, dumbfounded. As the woman rambled on about trivial little childhood memories, he had no idea how to respond.

  ......

  Meanwhile,

  at the Federal Council Headquarters,

  every council member was present.

  "Gentlemen, since we’re all gathered here, shall we discuss some matters before the ceremony?"

  Leonagnus, the Lion King, who occupied the first seat of the Upper Chamber, proposed.

  "Certainly. We still have plenty of time before we need to make our appearance. A short meeting won’t hurt."

  "I agree."

  "No objections."

  "......"

  Most council members voiced no opposition to Leonagnus’s suggestion. And so, an impromptu short meeting began.