Western border of the Empire.
The setting sun was like blood, and the deafening roar of artillery and the clash of blades had finally ceased.
Across the battlefield, now a desolate wasteland, large-scale fighting had subsided.
Amidst layers upon layers of corpses, faint cries and wails could still be heard. The air was thick with the stench of blood. The land was silent, dyed red.
"Move it!"
Squad after squad of disarmed and broken Western Kingdom soldiers were rounded up by the Imperial Army.
Each of them was covered in blood and grime, staggering forward with disheveled hair. Their battered armor, soaked in blood, dripped steadily onto the dirt, leaving behind a long trail of crimson.
By contrast, the Imperial soldiers under Esdeath's command brimmed with morale. Though their armor was also dented, dirtied, and bloodstained, the savage aura radiating from them could not be concealed.
At the sound of harsh shouts and rough kicks, the captured Western Kingdom soldiers trembled. Their filthy faces reflected panic and despair. In their bloodshot eyes flickered the fear of defeat—and a glimmer of hopelessness toward their future.
"Faster!"
Those who moved too slowly were met with punches and kicks from the Imperial troops. The short-tempered among them didn't hesitate to behead captives on the spot.
Watching the sluggish pace, an officer clad in the armor of a squad leader frowned deeply. "No good! Too slow! At this rate, how long will it take to gather all the prisoners?!"
"Separate the wounded! Anyone unable to walk—kill them. The Great General has no use for crippled laborers."
Soon, cries for mercy filled the air as swords were drawn. Cold light flashed.
Slash—!
This was only a small corner of the battlefield, yet it was enough to show the result of the war: Esdeath's overwhelming victory, and the Western Kingdom's crushing defeat.
Even after a long march that had drained the Imperial Army's stamina, Esdeath still launched the offensive first.
Her main forces rested in the rear while she personally led the Three Beasts and local garrison troops across the border. Relying on her terrifying power, she continuously wore down the enemy's strength and morale.
When the main army finally recovered, the Empire struck like thunder—and the Western Kingdom collapsed.
Originally, Esdeath had intended to execute all prisoners. However, Selene had already issued an order in advance: all able-bodied captives were to be spared. She wanted every single one of them.
Standing atop a low hill, Esdeath looked out over the triumphant soldiers cheering her name. Yet, despite the victory, her expression showed little joy.
"Is there truly no equal opponent in this world who can satisfy me...?" Esdeath murmured to herself.
Selene didn't count—Esdeath wasn't a masochist. She was the ultimate sadist, not a masochistic queen.
"To subjugate the Western Kingdom so swiftly... truly worthy of your title, General Esdeath!" said Daidara, his expression full of reverence.
"It's still far from enough..."
Suddenly, the shadow beneath Esdeath's feet rippled, and a black-clad ninja emerged, kneeling and presenting a sealed military order with both hands.
"Najenda has rebelled. Effective immediately, she is stripped of all ranks and positions—execution on sight... and preparations for a full-scale war against the northern tribes are underway?"
After reading the document swiftly, Esdeath's brows furrowed slightly. To avenge her father and her people—she would naturally go north herself. But Najenda was a rare, worthy adversary. How could she not cross blades with her at least once? Otherwise, wouldn't that make Najenda's rebellion feel meaningless?
"Ah... both sound so appealing! Why must I choose only one...? What a pity..."
After a brief moment of thought, Esdeath made her decision—she would go north to avenge her father and her tribe.
There would always be new opponents, but the chance to avenge her kin came only once.
Moreover, Esdeath had fought alongside Najenda before. She believed Najenda wouldn't die so easily. If she did, then she wasn't worthy to be Esdeath's rival.
"Order the troops—clean the battlefield at once. Our next destination: the North."
...
Meanwhile, beyond the Great Northern Wall, another battle was about to begin.
The far northern sky was gray and heavy. Snow continued to fall endlessly, blanketing the land as far as the eye could see. On the pure white horizon, two fully armed armies faced each other, their tension so palpable it felt like the calm before a storm.
The contrast between them was striking. If the northern tribes' formation was loud and chaotic, then the Imperial Army's ranks were silent and precise.
Behind the Imperial lines, Selene sat atop a snow-white Danger Beast with a long spiral horn, calmly flipping through the Complete Book of the World, completely unfazed by the killing intent that hung in the air.
"Great General... you're not planning to personally take the field, are you?" Kinshasa asked cautiously.
Hearing this, Selene closed the Complete Book of the World and cast an expressionless glance toward Kinshasa, whose hands were rubbing together nervously like a fly. "What's wrong? Afraid that if I act, you'll lose your chance to earn any credit?"
"Heh... Great General, you know how it is. Those security skirmishes had no challenge at all. The brothers' bodies are getting rusty from lack of real exercise..."
"This time, we've finally met some tough bones—and there's plenty of spoils to go around. So please, don't wipe them all out with a single God's Wrath..." Kinshasa said, choosing his words carefully.
"I'm not that bloodthirsty. There are plenty of strong laborers over there. I'd have to be insane to use large-scale attacks!"
Patting the unicorn-like beast beneath her, Selene chuckled. "If this creature you offered me hadn't suited my taste, I'd have thrown you out already!"
The beast Selene rode was indeed a pleasant surprise. Although no trace of the Super-class Danger Beast Tyrant had been found within the Great Northern Wall, they had discovered plenty of other rare and magnificent creatures.
"Relax... as long as nothing unexpected happens, I'll merely oversee the battle. This one's yours to fight."
Upon hearing Selene's confirmation, Kinshasa's face lit up with joy. "Thank you, Great General! I'll do everything I can to win this war."
"Don't celebrate too soon..." Selene tugged the reins, and the unicorn pawed at the snow in response. "With all your advantages in equipment and training, if you can't achieve a complete victory... you'll be the one to answer for it."
"Yes, Great General! If we fail to win completely, I'll offer my head in apology!" Kinshasa declared resolutely.
"Good... oh, and where's Hak Foo?" Selene asked, her gaze stretching across several thousand steps toward a young commander standing at the front of the northern tribes' formation.
"Hak Foo is leading the vanguard in this campaign."
"Mm. Send word to Hak Foo—I want to see how much he's improved these past few years. That northern chieftain, Numa Seika—he's Esdeath's enemy. Capture him alive."
"Yes, Milady!"