Halvor had become king not long ago after returning from the punishment imposed on him by the previous king. The main reason the war had paused was due to two factors. The first was his return. The second was the death of the king, which meant Halvor, as the only son and rightful heir, had to take the throne—even at an older age. The previous king had lived for more than a hundred years, something surprising for humans, and had ruled for over eighty years.
"Which ones are causing the most trouble?"
That was why he began with a simple question. To decide how to proceed in the war, he needed to understand the enemies causing the greatest problems. From what he knew, rank eight and nine mages were already significant threats, considering that ranks went up to eleven or twelve, which defined power in this world. Halvor himself was rank eleven—not the absolute peak, but already among the strongest. In addition, it had been over a hundred years since the last rank twelve had appeared.
"The most problematic would be five, my lord"
'Five? Just them were enough to counter the large number of rank nines we have?'
From what he remembered, Virellyn was the kingdom that produced the most rank nine and ten mages on the continent. They had thirteen rank ten mages—more than enough to win wars against other nations. According to Caelum, on the enemy side there were five mages who began to stand out as the war progressed. They were not a formal group and did not fight together by choice, but they had earned titles due to their impact on the battlefield.
"Each controls a main element, and each has become a major problem"
The first was Kae Volthar. Kae was responsible for rapid changes on the battlefield. His magic allowed instant attacks that struck multiple targets before any reaction was possible. He was deployed to break formations and create openings for advancement. In several battles, his arrival resulted in entire units being destroyed within seconds. Unlike the others, he didn't hold positions—he appeared, attacked, and disappeared. His attacks were difficult to predict and even harder to block. When his name appeared in reports, it meant that area would suffer rapid losses.
"Like the other four, he is rank ten"
"From what I see, they must be stronger than our rank ten soldiers"
"…I can defeat them if you give me the chance to fight them one-on-one"
"Then it's better if they're just empty wind"
The next to be presented was Darius Grom. Darius was used as a fixed point on the battlefield. His presence defined territory, because as long as he held position, enemy advancement nearly stopped. He endured continuous attacks from multiple mages without retreating, creating defensive structures that blocked both direct and indirect attacks. In one battle, he held a passage alone against superior forces until reinforcements arrived. His role was not rapid offense, but to prevent any enemy progress. Wherever he stood, the battle slowed, and breaking through his defense required disproportionate effort.
The next was Aeron Lyskar. He did not participate in direct confrontations. His role was to eliminate specific targets. He infiltrated formations without being detected, bypassing most defenses and striking blind spots. Officers, messengers, and support mages were his primary targets. Many operations failed after his interference, as chains of command were quickly broken. His speed made it difficult even to confirm his presence. Survivors often reported only a cut, with no sign of his approach. He did not cause large-scale destruction, but weakened the enemy silently.
'Impressive abilities, I admit'
Honestly, Halvor was surprised by the level of the three presented so far. As they said, war kills many soldiers, but it creates powerful warriors for those who survive long enough. In fact, wars can even give rise to legends—though most disappear quickly. The fact that these five had survived this long meant they were not that kind of fleeting legend.
'The more time passes, the stronger they will become'
"The next is Lyren Vael"
Lyren was responsible for preventing large-scale collapses. In battles where entire lines should have broken, she held position alone long enough for reorganization. Her mana control allowed her to create continuous barriers and redirect attacks without waste. Unlike other mages, she showed no urgency or aggression—she simply maintained the line. There were records of coordinated attacks from multiple high-rank mages being neutralized by her. Her presence ensured stability, and as long as she remained active, advancing against that sector became slow and costly.
"And the last is Leon Solfyr—the one who assassinated your father in a cowardly manner"
Halvor raised an eyebrow upon seeing Caelum clench his teeth. He was the most loyal to the crown and the one who had cared the most for the previous king. Caelum had always been protective of the crown and loyal to Halvor even before his punishment. Now that Halvor had returned to the throne, it was surprising to see the constant irritation in his eyes, even with his usual cold expression.
"So he is the strongest among them?"
"The strongest? If he were the strongest, he wouldn't need to be a coward"
Leon was not the strongest among them, but he was the hardest to deal with. His style completely disrupted the flow of battle, appearing in unexpected places and eliminating key targets before any response was possible. On several occasions, he broke through protected lines and killed commanders without warning. His body had been shaped by war and his own methods, allowing him to fight for long periods without collapsing. Many reports stated that controlled battles became unstable after his arrival—not due to raw power, but because of how he disorganized everything around him.
"He is someone who destabilized our operations—poisoning the river at our western base and burning our supplies"
"I see… so he's that kind. In that case, it's best we eliminate him first, don't you think?"
Hearing those words, Caelum grew more serious, his mind already forming possible plans to eliminate Leon. That man had to die for killing the former king—and his death had to be by his own hands.
"I completely agree, my lord. I will begin his elimination within a few days."