Night had truly fallen.
And with it—the siege began.
Outside the Rodieck family estate, the heavy march of synchronized footsteps echoed. The Noble Council's army stood in tight formation, forming an unbroken circle. Shields raised. Spears pointed forward. Their eyes were cold—without hesitation.
They had not come to negotiate.
They had come to finish it.
At the main gate, a man stepped forward. His robe was dark, bearing the emblem of the Council engraved upon his chest. In his hand—a scroll of command.
Meanwhile, inside—
A man rushed into the main hall.
"Leo… the Council's forces have arrived," he said.
Veil Basten.
His breathing was steady, but his eyes reflected the gravity of the situation.
Leo stood still, his hand resting near the hilt of his sword.
"I'm sorry, my brother," Leo said quietly. "You've been dragged into my problem."
Veil let out a soft scoff, then smiled faintly.
"What are you saying, Leo? Ever since you saved me… I swore I'd always stand by your side."
A brief silence.
Then—
"Thank you," Leo replied.
Short. But full of meaning.
He turned.
His gaze swept across the Rodieck forces gathered in the main hall.
Faces he knew.
People who had stood beside him through countless battles.
"My brothers…" Leo's voice was low, yet clear. "Tonight… we may not come out whole."
No one spoke.
No one stepped back.
"But if this is the end—then we will make it an end worth remembering."
Several soldiers tightened their grip on their weapons.
Their gazes hardened.
"Not for honor," Leo continued. "Not for a great name…"
He paused.
"But for family."
Silence.
Then—
"For Rodieck!" one soldier shouted.
"For Rodieck!" others followed.
Their voices echoed.
Loud.
Unshakable.
—
Meanwhile—
At the royal palace of Almenia.
The throne room doors burst open.
A soldier dropped to his knees before the throne.
"Your Majesty! The Noble Council's forces have surrounded Grand Duke Rodieck's estate!"
The atmosphere in the room shifted.
The King stood.
His eyes burned with fury.
"They dare…?" His voice was heavy with pressure.
Without hesitation, he stepped down from the throne.
"Prepare my personal guard. We leave immediately."
But—
His steps halted.
The air in front of him trembled.
And—
Someone appeared.
Without sound.
Without warning.
As if they had always been there.
"My apologies, Your Majesty…" the voice was calm. "You cannot go anywhere tonight."
The King's eyes narrowed.
Magical pressure began to spread from his body.
"You dare… block me?" His voice turned cold. "I will kill you, rebels."
The figure merely smiled faintly.
Unfazed.
Unmoving.
As if—everything had already been calculated.
—
Elsewhere—
The dark forest surrounding the Rodieck territory bore witness to another movement.
A shadow organization had arrived.
Their movements were irregular.
Unstructured.
And that was precisely what made them dangerous.
They were not soldiers.
They were assassins.
But—
They stopped.
Before them—
A man stood.
Alone.
Calm.
"Who are you… to dare block our path?" one of them asked.
No immediate answer.
Only—
A smile.
"You are not allowed to pass."
Simple.
Yet—
The pressure emanating from him made the air feel heavy.
Several members of the shadow organization exchanged glances.
Their instincts—
Were screaming.
Danger.
But—
Their conviction was stronger.
Without command—
"Attack!"
They moved at once.
Fast.
Lethal.
But the man—
Did not move.
—
Back at the Rodieck estate.
The main gate slowly opened.
The Council's forces did not enter.
They didn't need to.
Because they knew—
Their prey was already trapped.
The robed man stepped forward.
He opened the scroll in his hand.
"By decree of the Noble Council," his voice echoed, "the Rodieck family is ordered to surrender—Khan Rodieck."
Silence enveloped the area.
"Refusal…" he continued, "…will be considered an act of rebellion."
He closed the scroll.
And looked directly at Leo.
"The consequence is—annihilation."
Silence.
But only for a moment.
Because—
Aura began to rise.
Slowly.
But surely.
Leo stepped forward.
Anna stood beside him.
And—
Without a word—
They unleashed their power.
BOOOM—
Pressure slammed into the air.
The ground trembled.
The wind spiraled wildly.
The aura of a Sword Master—
Revealed.
And not just one.
Two.
The Council's forces immediately braced.
Their formation shifted.
Shields raised.
But—
It was too late to retreat.
Leo raised his sword.
His gaze was cold.
"If you want him…" his voice was low.
"…then take him by force."
One step forward.
And—
"Attack."
An explosion erupted.
The battle began.
—
Inside—
Khan stood still.
His eyes were fixed toward the outside.
He was not panicked.
Not afraid.
Only—
Observing.
And understanding.
"So… this is their choice."
Outside—
Auras clashed.
Blades met blades.
Magic struck the ground.
Screams began to rise.
But—
That was not what drew his attention most.
His eyes shifted slightly.
Toward another direction.
Toward—
Something unseen.
"Still there…"
That presence.
The one that had been watching from the beginning.
Khan did not move.
But his mind—
Moved fast.
Faster than anyone on that battlefield.
—
Outside—
Leo moved like a storm.
One swing—
Three enemies fell.
One step—
A formation shattered.
Anna beside him was no less deadly.
Her movements were graceful.
But every strike—
Lethal.
The Council's forces began to falter.
But—
They did not collapse.
Because they—
Were not the main force.
And then—
Another figure stepped forward from the rear.
An aura heavier.
Darker.
Deeper.
"Enough," he said softly.
And the pressure on the battlefield—
Changed.
Leo paused for a moment.
His gaze sharpened.
"So you finally step in…"
The man did not respond.
But his aura—
Was answer enough.
—
In the forest—
The shadow organization's attacks reached their target.
But—
None of them touched the man.
Every strike—
Missed.
Every movement—
Was read.
And in a single moment—
The man finally moved.
One step.
And—
The world seemed to stop.
"Slow," he whispered.
The next instant—
Several bodies fell to the ground.
Without sound.
Without resistance.
The remaining members froze.
Not from command.
But from—
Fear.
For the first time.
—
Back at the estate—
Flames began to consume parts of the grounds.
Blood started to stain the earth.
And the war—
Had only just begun.
Khan closed his eyes briefly.
Then opened them again.
His gaze had changed.
Deeper.
Colder.
"If this is what you want…"
He stepped forward.
Slowly.
But surely.
"…then don't blame me."
And on that night—
Something that should have remained asleep—
Began to awaken.