In the two days following the battle and the liberation of the captives, Cain sat in deep silence, immersed in his anger and solitude. His thoughts swirled endlessly, reviewing the events of the recent battle and feeling the weight of the evil that had spread across the land because of House Frans, the slave traders who had ruined the lives of the innocent and corrupted the land with their crimes. A fire of rage burned in his heart, and he decided that the time had come to launch a true war—a war to cleanse the land of these traitors and make an example of anyone daring to commit unforgivable sins.
Cain called upon Leon, the loyal guard who had been keeping watch over the area, and Duan, the clever organizer who had helped protect and coordinate the villagers, and asked Duan for his opinion on the next step.
Duan said firmly, "I want to start a war against them and crush those scoundrels. What they do is a shame upon every knight and every human."
Leon nodded strongly in agreement, fully supporting the war.
Duan continued, "But we need a stronger army. Six thousand soldiers are far too few to face their power."
Cain paused for a moment, then replied confidently, "Then we will declare war once our army is complete."
Duan responded calmly, "Yes, that is correct. The next step will be decisive."
Cain smiled and said with conviction, "Then it will be a siege on their fortress, not just a passing strike."
Duan smiled in return and added, "We will construct a catapult powered by dark energy—a weapon no one has dared to use for centuries."
Cain's eyes widened in astonishment. "Is that even possible?"
Duan answered calmly, "There are many things that make people fear dark mana users… and this is one of them."
Cain asked curiously, "Then why didn't you tell me before?"
Duan replied with a faint smile, "Everything comes in its time. You will learn more as your experience and strength grow."
Cain decided to return the villagers to the nearest village for their safety, taking Aram's head with him as a reminder of the justice that would be served.
Upon arriving at the previous village, the villagers gathered, grateful and thankful. A child with wide, shining eyes asked to see Cain's face, hoping he would remove his helmet to give proper thanks. This startled everyone, who paused for a moment, fearing for the child and wondering how Cain would react.
Cain gently patted the child's head and said,
"There is no need to know who I am."
Then he gathered the villagers and shouted in a commanding voice,
"I have cleansed the shame of the knight called Aram!"
He raised Aram's head high, and the villagers cheered in joy and excitement.
Cain added with determination, "I have learned that those supporting Aram are House Frans. Therefore… spread my words across the world! I am the Black Knight from the Purged Land of Death. I declare war upon the oath-breaking, cruel House Frans! Their punishment will be swift and deserved!"
After finishing his speech, Cain summoned his horse. Everyone gasped at its beauty and power, appearing suddenly from nowhere. He then called forth the rest of his soldiers, preparing to depart, saying:
"Wait… news of House Frans' fall will come soon."
Three days into their march, Cain reached the walls of Frans City under the cover of a dark night. He decided to place Aram's head on a pike and display it publicly, accompanied by a large banner that read:
"I am the Black Knight. I declare war on the wicked House Frans, traders of slaves and tormentors of the innocent. Await my vengeance!"
By dawn, all the citizens had seen the message. Rumors spread rapidly about the truth of the news, who this knight was, and the strength he wielded. After two weeks, the rumors intensified, speaking of the Black Knight and his dark mana army, and of his unwavering justice. Cain's name became widely known, with opinions divided: some viewed him as a monster, others as a brave and noble hero, and some as merely a troublemaker.
During these two weeks, Cain worked tirelessly to gather and prepare his army for the coming battle. He also decided to visit two important locations:
The Land of the Brave and Noble (Land of the Honored) :
Filled with the graves of heroes who had sacrificed their lives for their homeland and people, Cain stood among them and proclaimed in a loud voice:
"Answer me, noble guardians of the land! You who honor your vows and stand for justice! Your homeland needs you, for goodness has faded. I am Cain. I swear to protect this land and purge it of evil. I need your strength and your loyalty!"
Although this land had been abandoned for years, more than eleven thousand knights rose before him, kneeling and pledging their allegiance to Cain. He smiled and said,
"Thank you… glory shall be our ally."
The Grave of the North:
The site of one of the worst battles in the history of the kingdoms, littered with corpses from the northern tribes' invasions three centuries ago. After the kingdoms united against them, seven million soldiers fought, but the losses were immense: around a million perished, four million returned unharmed, and two million were wounded.
When Cain arrived, he felt an immense surge of energy. Though centuries had passed, the power remained dormant, trapped beneath the snow. He drove his sword into the ground, absorbing the energy completely, realizing he was on the brink of entering the second stage of mastery.
He then summoned all the dead in the area and shouted in a commanding voice,
"By my oath! You who died for your homeland and your people, those without graves or buried beneath snow and darkness, answer me! The land needs you to live again! Give me your loyalty!"
The ground trembled, and thousands—then tens of thousands—of soldiers rose, eventually numbering 43,000. Cain thanked them and said with a smile,
"I apologize for disturbing your rest; I will reward you with glory and honor in the days to come. Await my command, and let us move."
Duan approached Cain and said,
"You have created an incredible army. Our forces now number fifty thousand, knights and soldiers, each nearly equal in strength to an average warrior, thanks to dark mana."
Cain replied firmly,
"We will prepare for war, and we shall crush the wicked House Frans."
Thus, Cain marched, followed by his dark army of fifty thousand, moving as a single, disciplined force, ready for the battles ahead, while the night shrouded their path and darkness filled every corner, awe and fear rising in the hearts of those who witnessed them from afar.