Hans sat at his now-patched-up dining table, a sandwich halfway to his mouth, as he stared at the three wax-sealed envelopes sitting in front of him.
One red. One blue. One gold.
Each bore the seal of a major guild: Crimson Blades, Ironwood Assembly, and Stormborn Corps.
"I guess I'm popular now," Hans muttered, mouth full.
He was about to open one when his system suddenly interrupted:
[NEW EMERGENCY MISSION – CLASSIFIED: "NECROTREE"]A powerful Lich has been sighted deep in the restricted zone of the Forest Beyond.All units that entered have been silenced.Mission: Eliminate the Threat.Reward: Rank Advancement (Conditional).Warning: This enemy is beyond Officer Class clearance.
Hans choked on his sandwich.
"A what? A Lich?? This isn't even an RPG, it's Earth!"
Briefing at the NTG
At the National Training Grounds, most guild representatives and solo hunters were turning down the quest.
"Liches don't show up this early in the Cycle," a Stormborn hunter said.
"Whoever goes in there is going to die," muttered a Crimson Blades captain.
But Hans stepped forward.
"I'll go."
Everyone turned to stare.
"You serious?" someone asked. "You're barely a Rank 1 Officer. You'll get dusted."
Hans smiled awkwardly. "I brought lunch."
Then 10 soldiers materialized behind him in perfect formation. No one spoke.
"...Well, crap," the Stormborn guy said. "He might actually pull it off."
The Forest Beyond
The trees here weren't like before. They whispered. Moved. Twisted.
Hans and his soldiers crept through the mist as they followed a trail of half-rotted corpses and shattered guild banners. The deeper they went, the more the air stank of magic and decay.
"Sir," one soldier whispered. "Unnatural silence. No birds. No movement."
Then they saw it.
A clearing filled with bones.And at the center—hovering, in a shredded cloak—was a Lich.
Its skull glowed with green fire.Chains of magic swirled around it, binding tormented souls.In its hand, it held a scythe forged from bone.
It turned.
And spoke directly into Hans's mind:
"Your rank is not recognized. You are a trespasser."
"Cool. I hate paperwork," Hans said, raising his Luger.
Hans ordered his troops to spread out. The Lich began summoning undead—twisted versions of old-world soldiers and beasts.
But Hans's units fought back hard. They adapted fast, flanking the undead and firing in sync.
Still, the Lich was relentless.
It summoned a Spectral Warden—a six-armed ghost knight with a burning halberd that knocked one of Hans's soldiers 10 meters into a tree.
Hans opened his Officer Panel and saw a flashing prompt:
"Bloodline Surge Detected. Promotion Path Available: INITIATE RANK-UP?"
YES.
Hans slammed the button.
[RANK-UP INITIATED]
OFFICER ➤ FIELD COMMANDER— You now control up to 25 elite soldiers.— New Ability: "War Cry" – all allies gain +50% attack speed and morale for 30 seconds.— New Passive: "Undying Resolve" – first death of a soldier in each battle is negated once.— Unlock: Veteran Unit Templates (Snipers, Heavy Infantry, Medics, Engineers).
As the system exploded with light, 15 new soldiers appeared behind Hans—heavier gear, scarred faces, upgraded rifles, launchers, and tactical armor.
One of them saluted. "Commander on field. Orders, sir?"
Hans grinned.
"Let's bury this bone freak."
The Lich roared as its minions collapsed.
Hans raised his Luger and yelled, "War Cry!"
His units surged forward, bullets blazing, flames lighting the trees, and smoke choking the sky.
The Lich's shield cracked.
Hans leapt onto a rock and pulled out a flare grenade—a reward from a past mission.
He tossed it into the Lich's ribcage and shouted, "FIRE EVERYTHING!"
A dozen rifles, two grenades, and one rail-shot later…
BOOM.
The Lich exploded into green flames, its soul howling as it got dragged into a tear in space.
Silence returned.
[MISSION COMPLETE – RANK-UP FINALIZED]Congratulations: You Are Now a FIELD COMMANDER.Reward: Legacy Medal – Tier II Access Unlocked.
News of the Lich's defeat spread fast.
Photos of Hans's soldiers lined up around the crater went viral on hunter networks.
Three different guilds sent envoys to his house within hours.
One even brought a contract worth $1 million — and a military jeep as a gift.
Hans took the jeep.
He still hadn't signed anything.
Meanwhile, Reinhardt—the old ancestor—stood at a spectral war table, watching from the ether.
"Field Commander, huh? The boy's catching up."
But behind him, new shadows stirred.
Other ancestors. Other forgotten Officers.
Watching.
Waiting.
"He woke the path. The Dynasty might rise again…"