Chapter 372: 372

If Kael was asked about supporting Martina, he really had no interest. The battle of the Royal was brutal, and no one could say who would win. For him, it was just a hassle. Still, he had come here for three reasons.

The first was to let his men gain experience in real combat. The second was a favor he owed Martina, for she had once saved Lyria which he couldn’t refute.Also it’s better to use the favour now then later.

The third and most crucial reason was Adele. He wanted to face her, to beat her down. Who knew when another opportunity would come if he let this pass? That was his true motive.

Yet fate had brought him something unexpected.

"So you all are here."

The voice cut through the air. Everyone turned their eyes toward the golden-haired man. He walked forward with steady steps, his presence calm but heavy.

His sharp gaze swept across the group, assessing them in silence. He paused for a moment, then spoke again.

"Two S-rank... and one A-rank who might reach S-rank soon."

His tone was cold and deliberate. He pulled out a long cigar, lit it with ease, and let the smoke drift upward. His eyes narrowed slightly as he exhaled, his face set in sharp lines that carried both authority and weight.

"That’s very good firepower."

He stepped closer, his boots striking the ground in a rhythm that carried quiet pressure. His presence was enough to make the air feel heavier.

"I am Hans Cobblestone...Lieutenant General of the Minor Western Front of the Human Alliance. And you all?"

Martina stepped forward, her back straight, voice steady. "I am Cassandra De Luther, the one chosen by history to help the people."

Hans’s cold eyes shifted. They fell on Sol for a moment, then lingered longer on Kael. His brow furrowed, and his gaze became sharp piercing as though trying to cut into him.

"What’s your name?"

Kael’s body stiffened. His throat felt dry, and for a moment, his words stumbled. "I am Le..." He bit his tongue, then forced the words again.

"Kael Veydrin."

Hans studied him without a word. The silence dragged, heavy enough for Martina to feel uneasy. His stare carried the weight of memory and suspicion. Finally, Hans leaned back slightly, breaking the moment.

"Is there a problem?" Martina asked cautiously.

Hans shook his head once. "No. I just remembered someone. His expression is quite similar to his."

Martina gave a slow nod and didn’t press further.

"For now, you can rest and understand the basics of the current situation. You may be needed very soon."

"Someone will fetch you outside and relay you the details

She saluted, then turned and walked away.

....

"Come on, Gare, you can’t be so stiff. You literally look like a wolf right now," Herion said with a pat on Gare’s shoulder.

"He’s been like this since he lost his eye," Handle explained quietly. "Don’t mind him."

"They are here," Vic said, drawing everyone’s attention.

Herion noticed Sol’s expression and frowned. "Sol, why do you look like that?"

Sol lowered his head.There was sadness in his face. His voice cracked with disbelief. "I... that... that person didn’t ask for my name. He ignored me."

"Hey, buddy, it happens. It’s just me and Her Highness are so awesome that you looked ordinary," Kael said, trying to ease the mood.

Freya and Lina laughed softly at his words. "That’s quite a way to cheer him up," one of them said.

But Sol’s expression only darkened further. His lips parted, ready to speak, when a sudden voice cut through the air.

"Hello, Miss!"

A sharp-eyed man appeared at their side. His steps were quick and precise, his back straight as he gave Martina a crisp salute. "I am Gen. I will be your guide in this place." He lifted his arm, pointing toward the barracks. "Your quarters have been prepared. Please follow me. I will give you the brief."

Gen walked ahead, leading them through the dim corridors of the fortress.

His steps were steady, echoing on the stone floor. They were led to a large tent.It was different from ordinary tents used by soldiers.

It was spacious with all support but not as grand Hans.There was heater,firewoods,comfy beds and a table at the centre.

Fire torches lit up the place.

The air carried a stale, metallic scent of blood and iron, as if the walls themselves remembered war. After a moment, he stopped in front of a large table spread with maps. His sharp eyes studied the group before he spoke.

"The frontlines against the demons are in ruins. Our armies have been beaten back time and again. The Western fields... we lost them. The Southern ridges are also gone. The cities once filled with life are now ashes and graves. Everywhere the demons march, they leave nothing but death."

His voice was calm, but the weight of his words pressed down on everyone. The fire in the torches flickered, shadows stretching long across the room.

"WOAHH!How did you manage to mess up so much?"Vic asked in shock causing everyone to glare at him.

"Sorry,I didn’t mean that way.I just wondered why we are in such a bad situation."

Gen looked at him for a moment and sighed,"It’s because the alliance came late."

"The Kingdoms and Empire tried to fend everything off themselves without asking for help until things went so bad that they formed an alliance.... However the situation had become quite worse..It’s the same for other races so we are aiming to form a United front."

Gen raised a hand and traced the map, pointing at broken lines drawn across the paper.

"Once, we had ten strongholds in this region. Now only three remain. The demons do not fight like us human.Tbey swarm, and they tear through flesh and walls with the same hunger. Even when we cut them down, their numbers never seem to end. Every battle costs us lives."

The silence in the room grew heavy. No one laughed, no one spoke. They simply listened as his words sank deeper into their minds.

"The Human Alliance is scattered. The central command grows weaker each day. Some generals lost faith and abandoned their posts. Others tried to strike back, only to be crushed. The demons move faster than we can recover. If nothing changes soon, the Western Front will collapse completely. And once it falls, the rest will follow."

Kael closed his eyes for a brief moment.He could almost see the fields covered in corpses, and hear the screams buried under the earth.

His chest tightened with a sick heaviness. To him, it felt as though he had stepped into the foulest pit imaginable.

It was like stepping into something rotten, a piece of filth so disgusting that every breath felt poisoned. His fingers curled into fists, veins pressing against his skin as he looked at Gen.

"What is the current year of the fourth Aeon?" Kael asked, his voice low, strained, almost trembling with the weight of dread.

Gen’s eyes shifted toward him. He tilted his head slightly, as if studying Kael’s expression, then answered in a steady tone. "It’s the Fourth Aeon.Year 870."

The words fell like stone into Kael’s chest. His body stiffened.

He pressed his palm against his lips, and took heavy breaths. His eyes widened, darting around the room as if the air itself was choking him.

He tried to look calm but inside, his mind was screaming. The sound roared, shaking his soul until his thoughts burned with rage and despair.

’FUCKKKKKKKK!’

’Fuck..Fuckk......Doesn’t mean that I might have a chance to encounter myself if they managed the past records.’