There was no time for Ethan to speak further with Sister Lily.
After giving a few quick instructions to stay safe, he extended his hand and conjured a spatial portal.
With one step through, he reappeared at the entrance of Cachi Village.
Truth be told, it was a little shameful—he hadn't returned even once since leaving for the royal capital over a year ago.
But that didn't mean he didn't care about Cachi Village.
Humans are not emotionless grass or trees—who can live without feelings?
If it weren't for the villagers of Cachi Village taking him in back then, his grave would've long since become overgrown with weeds.
"Huh?"
But as Ethan looked ahead, a terrible sense of wrongness crept over him.
This wasn't like the previously raided Hage Village.
Cachi Village was deathly silent.
Apart from the crackling flames consuming the houses, not a single sound could be heard.
A heavy feeling welled up in Ethan's chest as he slowly stepped into the village.
He didn't walk fast—his feet moved slowly, almost one second at a time.
Because the scene before him made his mind tremble.
His pupils constricted. His face twitched. His hands clenched involuntarily into fists.
"AHHHHH!"
A thunderous roar erupted from his chest.
An immense surge of magic burst from him, extinguishing all flames in the village in an instant.
By the wall, leaning against it, was an elderly woman with snow-white hair.
Everyone in the village used to call her "Saint Mother."
She was the one who'd found him by the shore all those years ago.
But now, her lifeless body lay still, a pool of blood beneath her, clearly pierced through by some form of magic.
Around her, countless other villagers lay in similar states.
Not one of them showed signs of life.
The once-vibrant Vachi Village had become a village of the dead.
No one survived—no elders, no children, no one.
"Diamond Kingdom!!!"
The words escaped Ethan through clenched teeth, drenched in rage.
He had never been this furious before—not even when he nearly died at the hands of Ethan.
This time, it felt as if everything had been stolen from him.
He wanted to destroy everything in retaliation.
"Heh... I think I finally understand how Ethan and the others felt..."
He took a deep breath and gave a bitter laugh.
You can't truly understand someone's emotions just by simulating them.
But now—he understood.
This kind of anger left no room for compromise. No explanations could ease it.
Only vengeance—by his own hands—could settle the turmoil in his heart.
"Diamond Kingdom, huh..."
Repeating the name once more, Ethan's figure vanished.
Silence once again returned to the ruins of Cachi Village.
But then—the earth began to tremble.
Mountains shifted. The land cracked.
In less than a minute, a monumental memorial rose from the ruins of the village.
At its center, a tall stone stele pierced the sky, its aura solemn and resolute.
On it were engraved the names of every villager of Cachi Village.
And beneath that, one bold inscription:
"For the slaughter of a village, vengeance shall not rest until repaid."
— In the Year 761 of the Clover Calendar, April. Inscribed by Ethan.
Day 8.
Only two days remained until the agreed-upon date with the Eye of the Midnight Sun.
But these past few days had already plunged the entire Clover Kingdom into shock.
Four days ago, the Diamond Kingdom launched a full-scale invasion.
Mobilizing its entire nation's might, it attacked the Clover Kingdom from all sides.
In the beginning, they achieved sweeping victories—the entire border was overrun in a rapid and frenzied assault.
The Outer Realm, Middle Realm, and Noble Realm—the kingdom's three lines of defense—had collapsed down to just the Middle and Noble Realms.
Nearly one-third of Clover Kingdom's territory had fallen.
Panic and despair gripped the nation.
Rumors spread, whispering that the Clover Kingdom's fall was imminent.
But within the upper echelons of the kingdom—
The Magic Knights Captains, and even the Wizard King himself, remained calm and collected.
The enemy's early victories were due to catching them off guard.
No one had expected the Diamond Kingdom to strike like a rabid dog.
After all, despite past skirmishes, no war had ever escalated to this scale for decades.
Why? Because neither side had ever had absolute confidence of victory.
Such a war would be a gamble with the fate of the nation.
"What do you all think?"
"Something feels... off about the Diamond Kingdom's timing," the Wizard King mused.
"It does seem odd. But maybe they've finally reached their limit? Their nation's resources are nearly dried up, after all..."
"Sounds like a desperate last stand to me. A dying beast's final struggle."
Around the meeting table, leaders exchanged views.
Most were in agreement:
Regardless of the enemy's motives—they had already reached the kingdom's doorstep.
Retaliation was not a choice. It was a necessity.
"Here's the plan—each of you will lead your squads to your respective fronts and hold the lines," the Wizard King concluded.
"As for the meeting with the Eye of the Midnight Sun in two days—I'll go alone. After that, I'll return to coordinate the counterattack."
"By the way... where's Ethan?"
Only now did the Wizard King realize that the seat of the Tenth Squad's Captain was empty.
"Hel, where is your captain? Where did he run off to at a time like this?"
"I... I don't know, sir," Hel responded with an awkward smile.
"He hasn't been around these past few days. We've been looking for him too..."
This captain was great in every way—except one.
He just never liked staying home.
Even at a time like this, no one knew where he'd vanished to.
"Alright, then. For now, you'll take over his duties and mobilize your squad."
"As for Ethan... leave him be."
The Wizard King finally said after a long pause.
He wasn't worried something had happened to Ethan.
With his current strength, unless he was seeking death, there were few who could kill him.
The priority now was clear—prepare for counterattack.
If the Diamond Kingdom wanted war—then war they would get.
The Clover Kingdom is no paper tiger.
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