"Right now?"
Even the great Karoon widened his eyes in surprise at the news that the war had already begun.
"Are we departing immediately without any preparation?"
He let out a sigh of disbelief.
"Isn't this too rushed?"
Serena, the Void Sword Division Leader, raised her hand while exhaling deeply.
"As the Central Martial Palace Master said, we haven't prepared to fight at sea."
She shook her head, saying that while they had undergone various training, they hadn't practiced wielding swords underwater.
"I share the same concern."
Latein, the Leader of the Vanguard Sword Squad, nodded in agreement with Serena's words.
"If we move too hastily, we might jeopardize the entire operation!"
He pressed his lips together, stating that they needed time to prepare for sea combat.
"What preparation? Nonsense!"
Balder stomped his foot, as if to say they were talking rubbish.
"Fighting is the same whether it's on land or sea! Why are you all making such a fuss when we can move out right away?"
He and the True Martial Palace shook their massive fists, insisting they could move out immediately.
"You ignorant fool! It's completely different!"
Alice frowned as she smacked the back of Balder's head.
"Even a master swordsman will struggle if they fight in water for the first time!"
She shook her head, saying that without adapting to the water, they wouldn't be able to use their full abilities.
"Th-then what should we do..."
Balder lowered his voice, rubbing the back of his head where he'd been hit.
"That's why I should go! My crew and I are perfectly adapted to the sea!"
Alice pounded her chest, declaring that she and the Azure Wind's crew would participate in the war.
"..."
Denier gazed at Glenn with a calm expression, as if he had known about this war in advance.
"It's good that we're fighting the White Blood Religion, but why are you telling us only now?"
"That's right. If we had known we'd be fighting the White Blood Religion, we would have trained with our lives on the line."
"The same goes for the sea. If we had known earlier, we would have trained to fight in water."
"If we had even a month, no, even a week of sea adaptation training..."
The swordsmen lined up in the great training ground sighed, as if disappointed that such crucial information had been shared so late.
"It was my directive."
As Glenn stepped to the center of the platform, the murmurs throughout the great training ground instantly subsided.
"There are currently spies within Zieghart. If news had spread that we'd found the location of the White Blood Religion's headquarters, they would have either fled to another location or prepared a trap to catch us instead."
He lowered his chin gravely, saying that he had no choice but to announce the news on the day of the war due to the risk of counterattack from the White Blood Religion.
"You need not worry about combat at sea."
Raon stood straight beside Glenn.
"Once the magic prepared by the Archmages is activated, you'll be able to strike at the White Blood Religion's headquarters as if you were on land."
Chamber and Larian nodded, urging them to trust the magic they had been preparing for over two months.
"And we, the Light Wind Palace, will take responsibility for the sea battle, so please focus on the fight before you."
Raon explained that the Light Wind Palace had undergone intense training to fight at sea. The Light Wind Palace swordsmen released a terrifying aura that overwhelmed all the swordsmen in the great training ground, as if to reinforce his words.
"Ugh!"
"How can these young ones have such power..."
"Was the Light Wind Palace always this strong?"
The swordsmen swallowed hard, seemingly shocked by the might of the Light Wind Palace swordsmen.
"Hmm!"
Glenn curled his lips in satisfaction at the spirit shown by Raon and the Light Wind Palace.
"So..."
As Raon was about to continue, looking at Glenn, the Dimensional Gate open in the sky began to shake violently. Chamber, wearing a red witch's hat, and Evelyn, draped in a purple robe, appeared.
"What's this! Why aren't they coming even though we opened the gate!"
Chamber frowned, asking why they were so slow.
"Oh, come on! Grandfather must have his reasons! Let's wait!"
Evelyn called Glenn 'Grandfather' even in the center of Zieghart, surrounded by numerous swordsmen.
"G-Grandfather? Did she say Grandfather?"
"What does this mean?"
"N-No way..."
The swordsmen who had been steeling themselves for the war against the White Blood Religion now stared blankly at Evelyn and Glenn.
"Ugh..."
Raon, unable to bear the embarrassment, raised his hand to his forehead.
-That madwoman is on a completely different level.
Wrath sighed as if exhausted.
-Neither you nor that Sword Fanatic can match her level of insanity.
He shook his head, saying Evelyn's madness was in a league of its own.
"Q-Quiet!"
Even Glenn seemed unable to hide his embarrassment, stumbling slightly over his words.
"I will now announce the forces that will be deployed for the war against the White Blood Religion."
As he raised his hand, silence fell over the bustling great training ground, and tension appeared on everyone's faces.
"The vanguard will, of course, be the Light Wind Palace, which has made the greatest contribution to this mission."
"Light Wind Palace. We receive the Head of House's command!"
At Raon's cry, all the Light Wind Palace swordsmen knelt.
"Alice Zieghart. You will participate as well. Your subordinates should be waiting outside the Dimensional Gate."
Glenn's gaze turned to Alice, who stood at the far left.
"I'll kill them all and return!"
Alice clenched her fist, as if telling him to expect great things.
"The Second Division, Central Martial Palace, will be responsible for protecting the family. The Third Division, Wise Martial Palace, will stand by here. The Fourth Division, True Martial Palace, will deploy with the Light Wind division."
Glenn gave instructions, looking in turn at Karoon, Denier, and Balder, as if he had already made the decision.
"...I receive your command."
Karoon accepted the order, biting his lip, knowing that someone needed to stay behind to protect the family. (E/N: And we wouldn't want to trust Denier or Balder with that important task)
"Hahaha! You've chosen well! I'll rip out the throats of those Blood Demons with my own hands!"
Balder clashed his fists in front of his chest, as if telling them to wait with confidence.
"I receive the Head of House's command!"
Denier bowed calmly, as if simply following orders without hesitation.
"Hmm..."
Raon narrowed his eyes, observing Denier's indifferent reaction.
'He doesn't say a word even in this situation?'
Unlike Karoon, who received the task of protecting the family, Denier was given the standby mission, unable to leave the great training ground. If he were a spy of the Five Demons, he would be in the worst situation, yet he accepted the instructions calmly without any objection, which was puzzling.
'Was I wrong about him?'
Seeing such a reaction, Raon wondered if he had been needlessly suspicious of Denier.
'No, I shouldn't let go of my suspicions. We never know what might happen.'
Raon placed his hand on the hilt of the Heavenly Drive to refocus his mind. As the most familiar sensation spread from his fingertips, his heart felt lighter.
"The Heavenly Blade Division will stand by here. The Void Sword division and Vanguard Sword Squad will support the Light Wind Palace from behind. The String Orchestra and Central Music Squad will..."
Glenn assigned tasks to each of the forces lined up in the great training ground, examining them one by one.
"...Lastly, I too will remain here on standby."
He lowered his gaze, saying he would stay in Zieghart. The swordsmen nodded, understanding why Glenn had to remain at the family compound.
"Then, I leave it to you."
Glenn stepped back and nodded towards Chamber.
"Old man, no need for such formalities!"
Chamber smirked and raised her hand, causing Dimensional Gates to descend in front of the swordsmen set to depart.
"Think of it as stepping through your own front door and pass through comfortably."
She tilted her chin, saying they would arrive at their destination the moment they crossed the Dimensional Gate.
"We will..."
Glenn raised his tense jaw as he looked at the swordsmen standing before the Dimensional Gates.
"...be waiting here."
His words of waiting, neither telling them not to die nor to fight and win, resonated more deeply in their hearts than any encouragement or advice could have.
"Yes!"
"We will definitely return!"
"Please wait for us!"
It seemed he wasn't the only one moved; all the swordsmen looked at Glenn with eyes full of emotion.
"Deploy!"
With Raon's rough cry, the Zieghart swordsmen entered the blue Dimensional Gates with lighter steps.
"We'll be back."
Raon bowed to the smiling Glenn before entering the Dimensional Gate last. Chamber must have improved the teleportation magic again, because the moment they blinked after entering the blue dimension, a new landscape unfolded before them.
The sound of crashing blue waves could be heard. A familiar beach. It was the coast where he had been diving every night to find the White Blood Religion's headquarters.
They had arrived at their destination before they could even take a proper breath.
"Whoa..."
"Th-this quickly?"
"Is this a different magic from the Dimensional Gate? Impressive..."
The swordsmen also seemed to have experienced the same sensation, looking around and letting out gasps of surprise.
"Prepare for battle."
After instructing the swordsmen to get ready for combat, Raon walked towards the beach front. Hundreds of magicians were on the sandy beach, carefully drawing three different magic circles.
"Oh, you're here...?"
Larian, who was personally inspecting the central magic circle, waved a trembling hand at him. Judging by her lifeless eyes, she seemed to be in her reclusive magician state.
"Is it safe to operate magic here?"
Raon frowned as he looked at the sea with its rough, crashing waves.
"H-Here..."
"Don't worry. We've meticulously set up barriers to conceal our presence and mana."
As Larian was about to speak, Evelyn walked up from behind and answered instead.
"Right?"
She smiled brightly as she hugged Larian from behind. They seemed to have grown close while researching magic together for two months.
"Uh? Uhhh!"
Larian nodded with a deathly pale face. He might have been mistaken. It seemed the closeness was only in Evelyn's mind.
"It's fine for now, but they'll notice immediately once we activate our magic."
Chamber licked her lips, saying that the Leader of the White Blood Religion and the Blood Demons weren't fools.
"So we only have one chance. We absolutely cannot make a mistake."
She exhaled heavily, saying they needed to activate all three spells while the Leader of the White Blood Religion was off guard.
"So the three of you are each in charge of one spell, I see."
Raon nodded as he noticed that the centers of the three magic circles were empty.
"That's right. Only those at the Transcendence level can draw magic over the head of the White Blood Religion's leader hidden in the invisible sea."
Evelyn smiled, saying that she, Chamber, and Larian had no choice but to be at the core of the magic circles.
"By the way, where is King Lecross?"
The ones who were supposed to face the Leader of the White Blood Religion today were the Silent Sword Master and the Mage Tower Master. Chamber had to step back after summoning the White Blood Religion to manage the teleportation magic, but Raon was confused as he couldn't see Lecross and Owen's knights.
"They'll be a bit late. They have some preparations to make."
Chamber waved her hand, as if telling him not to worry.
"Now, we need to confirm the location of the White Blood Religion's headquarters one last time. Can you do it?"
She looked at him, saying they needed a final check before operating the magic.
"Understood."
Raon nodded and put his hand in the sea. As he spread a very faint mana, a sea spirit leaped out from the surface.
"Kyaung!"
The sea spirit wagged its tail vigorously and rubbed its head against his hand, as if it had been a year since they last met, even though it had only been a week.
"Is this the spirit you saved?"
Chamber stroked the sea spirit's back, as if finding it cute.
"A-A spirit! Sea spirits are extremely rare!"
Larian's eyes reddened with research enthusiasm as she scanned the sea spirit from head to toe.
"Is the white city we saw still in the same place?"
"Kyaong!"
The sea spirit answered affirmatively, bumping its head against Raon's forehead. Along with a cool sensation as if he had entered the sea, the image of the White Blood Religion's headquarters still submerged in the same location he had seen a week ago flashed in his mind.
"Yes. It's still at the coordinates I mentioned."
Raon nodded, saying that the White Blood Religion's location hadn't changed.
"Good. Nothing to get in our way."
Chamber clapped her hands as if saying it was time to begin.
"Get ready!"
At her cry, the eyes of the magicians standing in the magic circles changed. Even the Zieghart swordsmen swallowed hard at the desperate aura filled with determination to succeed in the magic at all costs. Chamber opened a blue window in front of the sea, showing a real-time view of the distant ocean.
It seemed to be the airspace above the sea where the White Blood Religion's headquarters was submerged.
"Evelyn!"
Chamber nodded to Evelyn, who had been taking a deep breath while looking only at Raon.
"You start. Don't make any mistakes."
"I know."
Evelyn waved her hand as if telling her not to worry and stood at the center of the first magic circle.
"Watch closely."
She winked at him and brought her hands together. Her mana burst out as if going berserk, seeping into the circular magic circle and causing a massive purple wave.
"I did it!"
As they heard Evelyn's words and looked at the screen Chamber had opened, they saw an enormous jar as large as a city falling onto the blue sea.
"Larian!"
Chamber extended her hand towards Larian, as if telling her to start immediately.
"I know that!"
Larian threw off the robe covering her entire body and formed a magic formula with both hands. Her personality seemed to have changed from a reclusive magician to the Mage Tower Master in an instant.
"Let's go, you lot!"
With her angry cry, the Mage Tower magicians composing the second magic circle closed their eyes and began chanting spells. As Larian poured mana over the magic formulas formed by the magicians, a massive hexagram magic circle unfolded next to the sea where the jar had fallen.
Its size was also majestic enough to encompass an entire city and more.
"Now we just have to wait."
Chamber brought her hands together after confirming the success of Evelyn and Larian's magic.
"For the octopus to enter the trap."
She bit her lip deeply and drew a chilling smile.
***
"Mana? No, is it magic?"
The 10th Apostle raised his head, sensing the massive wave of mana that had erupted above the headquarters.
"Who on earth..."
He trembled his eyeballs, unable to comprehend the sudden situation.
"It's not magic directed at us. Something massive is falling to our right."
The 12th Apostle furrowed his brow with his eyes closed.
"No, that's not all. Some unknown magic is also descending above our heads."
He twisted his lips upward, saying it seemed to be an attack.
"Your words were right."
The Leader of the White Blood Religion lowered her pipe and exhaled smoke.
"It seems our location has been discovered, just as you thought."
She turned to look at the 10th Apostle, muttering that he was reliable.
"Hmm..."
The 12th Apostle looked at the 10th Apostle and the Leader of the White Blood Religion with lowered eyebrows, as if displeased.
"I apologize. I should have confirmed more thoroughly..."
The 10th Apostle bowed his head apologetically, despite receiving praise.
"I'll prepare countermeasures as quickly as possible."
"It's fine. We've already prepared."
The Leader of the White Blood Religion drew a faint smile as she looked at the approaching magic circle.
"I've strengthened the mana resistance of the fog spread outside the headquarters, and the headquarters' own barrier is properly maintained. There won't be any problem even if 9th-class magic falls consecutively. Moreover..."
She flipped her pipe to tap out the ashes.
"Attack magic or aura doesn't work on the Kraken supporting us. There's nothing to worry about."
The Leader of the White Blood Religion said she had strengthened all defensive spells the moment she sensed external mana, and put the pipe back in her mouth.
"Still, there's no need to stay in a place where our location has been discovered. Tell the First Apostle to move the Kraken and return to the deep sea."
She sneered, saying that all the preparations made by the Five Kings would be in vain.
"Understood."
As the 10th and 12th Apostles nodded and were about to go to the First Apostle, it happened.
A massive sound was heard as something enormous fell next to the White Blood Religion's headquarters, causing the entire sea to shake.
"A jar...?"
The Leader of the White Blood Religion widened her eyes as she saw a jar almost as large as the headquarters.
'Why a jar?'
She let out a gasp, thinking it might be equipment capable of physical attacks, but not expecting them to simply drop a large jar.
'Wait...'
The Leader of the White Blood Religion urgently raised her gaze to examine the magic circle slowly descending.
'That's not an attack magic.'
If it had been attack magic, it should have been erased by the fog already, but this magic circle was gently passing through the fog as if it meant no harm, enveloping the headquarters and the Kraken beneath it.
"What is this..."
The Leader of the White Blood Religion swallowed hard as she looked at the intricately woven magic formula, as if it had been knitted. She couldn't tell what kind of magic it was, but an eerie uneasiness crept up her spine.
"Move the Kraken! Right now!"
She shouted to move the Kraken and retreat, putting everything else aside.
"Yes! I'll tell the First Apostle immediately..."
"No! I'll do it myself!"
Just as the Leader of the White Blood Religion was about to run to the control room where the First Apostle was staying, it happened.
Although the order shouldn't have arrived yet, the Kraken began to rise on its own and move towards the jar that had fallen to the right.
"What! Who just gave orders to the Kraken!"
The Leader of the White Blood Religion ground her teeth and stomped her foot, but of course, no one knew. The Kraken began to push its long and massive tentacles into the jar, not caring whether the White Blood Religion's headquarters tilted or collapsed.
"The jar...?"
"Why suddenly into the jar!"
The 10th and 12th Apostles also trembled their jaws in shock at the Kraken's sudden action.
"Aaargh!"
"The buildings are collapsing!"
"Save me!"
The lower-ranked Blood Demons were crushed or squashed to death by buildings in a situation akin to a violent earthquake.
"L-Leader!"
The First Apostle burst out of the control room, exhaling rough breaths.
"The Kraken has broken free of control! It's moving on its own even after injecting your blood, Leader!"
He trembled his jaw, saying the Kraken wasn't listening to commands.
"Ha..."
The Leader of the White Blood Religion lowered her trembling eyes to look at the magic circle enveloping the headquarters and the Kraken.
'Could it be magic that strengthens instincts?'
Octopuses, being cephalopods, have an instinct to insert their bodies into round objects. The Kraken supporting the headquarters was an ancient monster with instincts several times stronger than modern krakens. Thanks to that, they had comfortably used camouflage, but she never imagined it would be exploited like this.
"Release the spells set around the headquarters immediately and open a Dimensional Gate!"
They couldn't open a Dimensional Gate right away because they had strengthened the fog's defenses to protect the headquarters from the magic just moments ago. While the Leader of the White Blood Religion was giving instructions to the apostles, the Kraken had already inserted all eight of its tentacles into the jar.
"I'll kill the Kraken myself!"
Just as she gritted her teeth and was about to go out to sea, countless magic formulas sprouted above the jar where the Kraken had entered, emitting a blue light.
"Damn it!"
The Leader of the White Blood Religion bit her lip until it bled as she saw the jar flickering with Chamber's distinctive blue mana.
"We've been had..."
***
With a massive blue light flashing, an enormous jar and the white city atop it fell onto the beach. The earth shook as it crashed down with tremendous weight.
"Connect!"
At Larian's cry, the magicians operating the first and second magic circles chanted new spells and touched the ground. Chains of various colors sprang from the small magic circles drawn by the magicians and wrapped around the White Blood Religion's headquarters.
The jar that had contained the Kraken shattered, and the White Blood Religion's headquarters began to be dragged towards the beach by hundreds of chains.
"Combine!"
As Evelyn formed a magic formula with four fingers, a purple radiance fell, connecting the chains summoned by the magicians to create five bridges linking the beach and the White Blood Religion's headquarters. Evelyn turned to look at Raon, snapping her fingers. She curled her red lips upward as if their task was complete.
"White Blood Religion summoning complete!" (E/N: 10th level spell: White Blood Summon)