Ancient Imperial Calendar, Year 1813
Ricardo and his soldiers advanced with cautious steps.
Every soldier in the army was channeling their mana and aura to the fullest.
They enhanced their senses, calculating each step with precision — for in the Kerbel Forest, a single misstep could mean certain death.
Ricardo marched at the front lines, leading his troops. As the heir to the Kislavein Dynasty, he had to guide his people by example.
"Take defensive positions — they're close!"
At his command, the entire army locked their shields together and held their swords at the ready.
Seconds later, a massive pack of Yezdik Hounds surrounded them.
"Hold your positions!" Ricardo shouted.
The Yezdik Hounds lunged to attack — but Ricardo raised his hand, conjuring a massive fireball that illuminated the battlefield.
Blinded by the searing brilliance of the flame, the hounds staggered, shielding their eyes with their forelimbs.
"Attack!" Ricardo commanded.
In perfect formation, the soldiers charged. Each had been meticulously trained by Ricardo himself.
Without giving the hounds a chance to retaliate or regroup, they cleaved through flesh with blades cloaked in blood-red aura.
In just ten minutes, more than a hundred Yezdik Hounds were slain — without a single loss.
"My lord, all Yezdik Hounds have been eliminated," Marco reported.
In response, Ricardo said,
"Good. Gather the corpses — not even the smallest piece shall go to waste."
The bodies were collected and sealed within a magic quarantine zone for preservation.
Once the field was cleared, Ricardo issued a new command.
"FORM UP. MARCH!"
The 3,500-strong army resumed their advance, moving slowly and carefully.
For several kilometers, they encountered nothing but insects and shattered black trees.
Sensing his troops' growing fatigue, Ricardo raised his sword and addressed them all:
"TWO-HOUR REST!"
The soldiers were relieved, though positions had to be maintained. While half rested, the other half remained alert for any incoming threat.
Each group rested for an hour in rotation, then the march continued.
One stressed soldier whispered to his companion:
"Kerbel Forest is divided into seven zones... and if the first is like this, I can't even imagine the others."
His friend replied,
"Nor can I. And once the heir ascends the throne, we'll have to do this every month."
As whispers spread among the troops, Ricardo suddenly swung his blade skyward — his aura took the form of a massive crescent and tore apart a group of ambushing Naraq-Zel spiders.
The corpses of the Naraq-Zel spiders began to rain down onto the soldiers.
"CAST MAGIC BARRIERS — THEIR BLOOD MUST NOT TOUCH YOUR SKIN!"
The soldiers activated protective spells. As the final spider hit the ground, a poisonous gas began to spread.
"PROTECT YOUR AIRWAYS WITH MANA — DO NOT INHALE!"
Following Ricardo's command, they circulated mana through their lungs, reducing their need for oxygen temporarily.
"DOUBLE TIME! MARCH! GET OUT OF THIS AREA!"
Obeying his order, the army withdrew rapidly. Even the nearby monsters and insects fled from the poisonous miasma.
Hours later, the gas dispersed, and the troops returned to collect loot.
"Harvest all parts — fill the enchanted flasks with their blood. Leave nothing behind!"
The venom of the Naraq-Zel spiders could melt skin and metal within seconds. During the Second Great Kislavein–Ashbrum War, it had become the nightmare of Ashbrum's warriors.
Because of its potency, the venom could only be stored in enchanted flasks — a magical technique invented by Rodrigo Kislavein, the true founder of the dynasty.
Once the loot was secured, the army advanced again — but soon, Ricardo sensed a small insect trying to pierce his aura.
"What is this...?"
As he laid eyes on the creature, Ricardo was horrified. He screamed at the top of his lungs:
"ZERANTH ANTS! DEPLOY MAGIC BARRIERS IMMEDIATELY!"
The army did not panic — but tension rose.
The Zeranth ants were nearly microscopic, invisible to the naked eye.
They fed on aura, and even a single bite could kill the mightiest warrior.
Quickly abandoning aura shields, the soldiers and mages erected magical barriers.
Ricardo flew into the air, spread his arms wide, and cast a spell — careful but swift.
Flames surged from his fingertips, skimming harmlessly over his allies' shields, and scorched the ground, burning the ants alive.
"Haah... haah... Zeranth ants are weak to fire. If I'd noticed a moment later, we'd have suffered heavy losses..."
He descended, and the soldiers looked at him with awe.
Among them, Osiris Isman fell into deep thought:
"He used such a powerful spell... just to kill ants. His mastery over magic is truly fascinating."
But the heat had drawn other threats.
"MONSTER SWARM!"
The voice belonged to Benjen, who had sensed the tremors of charging beasts.
"TAKE DEFENSIVE POSITIONS!"
The soldiers braced themselves. The ground trembled as the creatures neared.
"STAND READY!" Ricardo ordered.
He channeled mana into his eyes and ears, estimating the enemy numbers.
"340 Yezdik Hounds... 236 Leaping Deathclaws... 542 Mist Howlers... 83 Mud Giants... 103 Bone-Weaving Siege Serpents... Around 1,304 monsters in total — and countless insects. This will be tough."
Ricardo sheathed his sword and began casting.
"KISLAVEIN SOLDIERS! A MASSIVE BEAST SWARM APPROACHES — 1,304 MONSTERS FROM FIVE DIFFERENT SPECIES, ALONG WITH DANGEROUS INSECTS LIKE THE ZERANTH. BURN THEM ALL BEFORE THEY GET CLOSE. UNLEASH YOUR FIRE MAGIC!"
Following his command, the mages prepared their most powerful fire spells. As the monsters neared, Ricardo gave the order:
"NOW!"
Fireballs, spears, arrows — and even blazing meteors — rained down.
Ricardo himself unleashed a spectacular spell — a colossal wave of flame engulfed the monsters.
The beasts screamed, scorched and weakened.
"Now's our chance!"
Realizing this, Ricardo ordered the final strike.
"KISLAVEIN WARRIORS — MAINTAIN FORMATION AND CHARGE!"
With discipline, they surrounded and crushed the burning monsters. What could have been a bloody battle ended swiftly, thanks to their mages.
"Heir of the Dynasty, the battle is over — zero casualties," reported Jack Johanson.
Ricardo was pleased.
"Wait... this is the border of the first zone?"
He was both surprised and relieved — they had reached the end of the first zone before nightfall.
The soldiers, realizing they had completed the first region, broke formation momentarily and cheered in celebration — a grave mistake.
"Aaaaagh!"
A Kislavein warrior screamed in agony and collapsed.
Ricardo channeled mana to his legs and teleported to the fallen soldier.
By the time he arrived, the man was already dead.
Crawling over the corpse were Zeranth ants, draining the body's remaining aura.
Furious, Ricardo used telekinesis to lift the ants and crushed them into dust — not a single trace remained.
"My lord, we must burn the body before it transforms into a beast," said Heinricht Fraus.
Ricardo nodded and incinerated the corpse himself. The warrior burned to ash in righteous fire.
In the cursed aura of Kerbel Forest, human corpses would fester and mutate into monsters — this was why the dead were never buried, but burned.
"KISLAVEIN SOLDIERS — WITH ONE LOSS, WE HAVE CLAIMED THE FIRST REGION OF THE KERBEL FOREST. WE WILL ADVANCE — WE WILL NOT STOP UNTIL EVERY REGION IS OURS!"
Under Ricardo's command, the remaining 3,499 soldiers of Kislavein marched deeper into the heart of the Kerbel Forest.