I tread my way toward my room, the stale air of the barracks heavy and thick. My muscles ache, but it's the acid of Noctharion's speech that truly sours my mood. The words linger, a venomous aftertaste I can't wash away.
And the worst part? Deep down, I know he is right.
When I first slammed into this world, one promise was etched into my consciousness: My survival comes first.
If things ever turn truly dangerous, I will run.
No hesitation. No shame.
Staying alive matters more than pride. It is the only rule I still own.
But that is a decision for another day.
Right now, I need to steady the frantic drum of my pulse, calm the dizzying rush of my thoughts, and wait. The Commander returns soon from his investigation. Only then—only when he steps through that door—will we uncover the real, festering reason behind all of this.
I reach the training grounds and stumble upon a peculiar sight.
The knights gather in formation, standing shoulder to shoulder as if waiting for a sovereign or a judge. The air vibrates with unease; conversations reduce to hushed, nervous whispers. Frowns line many faces, and I can almost feel the tension rolling off the crowd like smoke from a dying fire.
At the front, Gareth and the other A-rank knights stand rigid, like statues of steel. Their sharp eyes scan the grounds as they speak quietly among themselves, maintaining a strained control over the restless group.
I change course from my room and make my way toward the gathering. Among the sea of armor and glinting steel, I spot a cluster of familiar faces—Daren, John, Nicholas, and several others from their unit, huddled together in uneasy conversation.
As I draw closer, John notices me. He raises a hand in a stiff, forced smile of greeting. I return the gesture, close the distance, and slip into their circle.
"So, what's this all about?" I ask as I join the group.
The others exchange puzzled looks, as if I've just walked in from another world. Cedric, who has a plain, unremarkable face, an average build, and brown hair that matches the dullness of his eyes, finally speaks up.
"You really don't know?" he asks, his tone carrying both genuine surprise and a hint of disbelief.
I shake my head. "No. I was training in the commander's private grounds. Haven't heard a thing."
John scoffs. "No need to brag about that." His words drip with scorn, but I ignore him. The rest simply shake their heads, muttering under their breath.
Cedric leans a little closer. "The commander's back. He returned from the Dark Forest after finishing his investigation. He's the one who called us here."
"So the commander has returned?" I raise an eyebrow.
"Yes," Cedric confirms. "And we're waiting for him now."
I give a short nod and let my gaze wander across the grounds. The A-rank knights stand at the front, their faces hard and grim. Whatever the commander discovered, they already know it. Judging by their expressions, the news is not good.
Ten agonizing minutes crawl by. Then, the Commander finally arrives in front of us.
He is dressed in his usual, impeccably sharp uniform, his expression as unreadable as ever—as if the looming doom doesn't matter to him in the slightest.
The training ground goes silent. Every knight holds their breath, a thousand-pound weight of dread pressing down on the air. We brace ourselves for the news.
The Commander's cold gaze sweeps over the crowd before he finally speaks.
"As you all already know, the monsters have been acting strangely this past week. Stronger beasts are appearing near the fortress walls."
The silence grows heavier, thick enough to choke on.
"And it will only continue to increase from this day forward. I entered the forest myself to investigate the matter, and I discovered the reason."
He pauses, his eyes resting on me for the briefest of moments before moving on. Every knight stands tense, clinging to a desperate prayer that it isn't what they fear most.
But our prayers are meaningless.
"The reason for all this," the Commander says, his voice like iron slamming against rock, "is a monster stampede."
A hush sweeps across the ground, heavier than any silence before it. Jaws clench. Teeth grind together. Many knights struggle to steady their breathing, the air driven from their lungs.
"You all know what a monster stampede means," the Commander continues. "It destroys everything in its path. For the horde, nothing matters. Adults, the elderly, even children—all are mercilessly crushed. And now we stand between those innocent lives and the monsters. If we fail, thousands will die. Thousands more will follow them."
His tone sharpens, growing stronger with each word.
"We are the first line of defense for humanity. This is our chance to show our power. To show our resolve."
The Commander's voice thunders, striking into the hearts of the knights, beating in rhythm with their own.
"So I ask you—Knights of Thorne—fight these monsters! Defeat them! Protect the innocent! That is our resolve!"
The moment his speech ends, the training ground erupts. Every knight screams with everything they have, voices raw with determination and a sudden, furious courage.
Gareth and the other instructors rush forward to calm them, but the Commander stops them with a single, sharp wave of his hand.
His words have already transformed the atmosphere. The fear that weighed on the knights before is gone.
Now, with blood boiling in their veins, every knight stands ready to fight.
Every knight is ready to fight now, their eyes wide with a desperate zeal. They are ready to throw their lives away for others.
Even John, Daren, and Nicholas are screaming with all their might, their faces flushed, their voices raw.
I, too, feel my blood boil from the Commander's rousing speech—a primal surge of courage I haven't earned.
But then, Noctharion's voice slithers through my mind, a sliver of ice against the heat. The sudden chill instantly dampens the fire.
"This is the most pathetic thing I've ever heard," the voice sneers. "To give your life for others? Tell me, Kael… you're not thinking the same, are you?"
"Shut up, will you," I mutter under my breath, hoping the raw sound is lost in the surrounding cheers.
I force my gaze back to the front. The Commander is speaking quietly now with Gareth and the other A-rank knights, the main speech over.
The excitement still lingers in the air, thick and contagious, but my own mind is already settling. And once the heat of the moment fades, the chilling truth is clear.
The most important piece of information has not been revealed.
The Commander hasn't told the knights what caused the monster stampede. He hasn't said if an S-rank monster is behind it, or if we are marching toward a slaughter.
I clench my fist, my knuckles white.
"I need to talk to the Commander after this," I whisper to myself, the resolve settling deep in my chest.