After a grueling journey through three brutal rounds of selection to uncover talents for the nation, the twelve most outstanding warriors were finally chosen from among hundreds of candidates.
The clash with the High Demon and his demon army had come to an end, and fortunately, everything concluded in peace.
"Before you officially join the Legion…"
Killan's voice rang out with authority.
"I would like to introduce a very special individual, the great military strategist of Lumerious, the brilliant master of tactics of this stronghold."
He stepped aside slightly, his tone solemn and dignified.
"Allow me to present… Lord Lucien Kastalias, the supreme military advisor of Lumerious."
From behind him, a young man stepped forward.
He was tall, draped in a pristine white cloak. Every step he took exuded both dignity and effortless confidence.
His face was so beautiful it seemed unreal sharp features sculpted as if from pure light, carrying both gentleness and cold detachment.
The entire hall fell silent at once.
Lucien offered a courteous smile.
His calm voice resonated clearly, rich with an irresistible charm.
"Greetings, young warriors. It is an honor to meet all of you."
"Allow me to formally introduce myself… Lucien Kastalias."
At once, the twelve warriors bowed deeply, one hand pressed to their chests in solemn respect toward the kingdom's greatest tactician.
Lucien nodded slightly, his keen gaze sweeping across each of them.
"First, I would like to commend you, young souls brave enough to march onto the battlefield and face such a savage enemy. A High Demon possesses power capable of annihilating an entire nation… and yet, you survived and emerged victorious. That is truly admirable."
The atmosphere in the hall suddenly grew heavy. Several swallowed nervously, sweat forming on their brows.
Lucien smiled faintly and continued in a deep, steady voice.
"Sixteen years ago, our country was engulfed in a maelstrom of hundreds of demons, from the lowest ranks to the highest. Among them, the most terrifying was the High Demon, a calamity-class entity."
He paused briefly, chuckled softly, then went on.
"At that time, the former leader of the Seven Holy Knights fought alongside his comrades and ultimately destroyed it. But the price was immeasurable countless lives were lost. It was a blood-drenched war, a memory this nation will never forget."
The hall held its breath, every soul listening intently.
"And now…"
Lucien's eyes darkened slightly.
"The High Demon has appeared once more, plotting to defile the sacred land of Lumerious. Yet unexpectedly… someone dared to challenge it with a single strike of the sword."
His finger lifted slowly and pointed straight at Kyran.
"And that young warrior is none other than him."
Lucien's lips curled into a satisfied smile.
"That brave act is worthy of great praise… am I wrong, Warrior Kyran?"
All eyes immediately turned toward Kyran.
He stiffened, flustered.
"At that moment… I did intend to slay it, but… my blade hadn't even…"
Lucien suddenly cut in, his voice playful yet overwhelmingly authoritative.
"Oh, oh, no need for such modesty, young warrior full of boundless potential. I believe your future will stretch farther than you can imagine. Walk forward without fear. With such talent, you are destined to become an exceptional warrior."
He raised his hand high in declaration.
"Everyone, let us give a grand round of applause to Warrior Kyran!"
Thunderous applause echoed throughout the great hall.
Yet, among the crowd, a few cold gazes lingered eyes filled with envy and irritation.
Some clenched their jaws tightly, others clapped half-heartedly, but no one dared utter a word.
Lucien then spoke again, his tone turning sharp.
"Now that you have officially joined the Legion, you are to obey the command of your unit captains without exception. Any violation of regulations will result in the stripping of both rank and merit."
His warning froze the air in the training grounds like solid ice.
When the ceremony ended, Lucien and Killan departed, leaving the twelve new warriors behind amid the rising chatter.
Soren spoke softly, still unable to contain his amazement.
"He looked so young… and yet he's already a military advisor?"
Kyran nodded.
"Yeah. If he hadn't been introduced, I would've thought he was only a few years older than us."
Aria joined in calmly.
"That's not surprising. I heard Lord Lucien has already reached Saint Rank, and was granted eternal youth along with an additional hundred years of lifespan by the Supreme Guardian Deity."
The group froze in shock.
To live an entire extra century while retaining such youthful appearance, it truly sounded unreal.
Soren exclaimed in disbelief.
"Saint Rank… that means eleven stars, right?! That's insane!"
Aria smiled.
"Yes. Once one reaches Saint Rank, they receive a divine blessing from the Guardian Deity they worship."
Kyran pondered for a moment before asking quietly,
"Then what if the god one believes in… isn't one of the Twelve Guardian Deities, but the Creator God, the one who created all of them? What would happen then?"
Aria blinked in surprise and answered softly,
"Oh… in that case, there are only two possibilities. One… you receive blessings from all twelve guardian gods. Or two… you receive nothing at all, even if you reach Saint Rank."
Kyran and Soren both stiffened.
"What…?"
Aria's expression turned serious.
"You may not know this, but the ancient holy scriptures state that the Supreme God is not a benevolent deity. He despises deception and betrayal. Once you choose Him, absolute loyalty is required."
She hesitated slightly, then continued:
"If that faith ever wavers, not only will all blessings be taken away… but even after death, the soul will be cast into the abyss to be devoured by demons for all eternity."
A chill swept through the group.
Kyran and Soren both trembled, hearts pounding in fear.
Still, Kyran clenched his fist over his chest, silently vowing that his unwavering faith would never disappear though deep down, a strange unease lingered.
Just then, Lyra approached from afar, noticing the tense expressions on their faces.
"What is everyone talking about? You all look so serious."
After hearing their discussion of the Supreme God, Lyra nodded and shared something she had heard before.
"That reminds me of a story my father once told me."
Everyone instantly leaned in, curiosity flaring.
Lyra began her tale in a calm yet chilling voice.
"Long ago, when my father was still young, he once told me about a man known as the Hero. He single-handedly defeated a High Demon. At that time, his power had reached the twelve-star Legendary Rank."
Everyone gasped.
"Twelve stars?! Legendary?!"
Lyra nodded.
"Yes. He was regarded as the strongest being in the world. But his arrogance and vanity led him to betray his own faith. The god he once worshipped was the Supreme God. And so… the Supreme God stripped him of his life and cast his sinful soul into hell, where demons tore him apart for eternity."
No one spoke.
The story plunged the group into dead silence, the terror of divine authority weighing heavily on them.
Lyra concluded slowly.
"The Supreme God truly is the ruler of the universe, an omnipotent being. But to forge a bond with Him, one must sacrifice everything. Even the slightest trace of falsehood in one's heart… will doom not only oneself, but generations to come."
The group nodded, unease crawling along their spines.
They now understood, at least in part, the terrifying nature of the legendary deity.
However, at that moment…
"Mira! Everyone! Why aren't you heading back to your units for training?!"
Mira came running toward them in a hurry.
Kyran turned and laughed.
"Oho, Mira! You look lively. Did you manage to fit in with your unit?"
Mira tilted her head and frowned.
"Not at all. I'm actually really annoyed right now!"
Everyone exchanged confused looks.
Suddenly, from behind her, a tall figure approached.
The man casually slung an arm around Mira's shoulders, pulling her close, and greeted Kyran's group cheerfully.
"Hey! I'm Kaelino, Mira's teammate."
Before them stood Kaelino formerly a member of the Radiant Star Unit, a dangerous warrior who wielded ninth-star fire-element demonic power.
Lyra, Aria, and Kyran greeted him politely.
Only Soren remained silent, his gaze locked coldly on the arm draped so casually over Mira's shoulders.
Noticing his reaction, Mira asked worriedly.
"Are you feeling unwell, Soren?"
"It has nothing to do with you."
He snapped curtly and turned away, leaving everyone stunned.
Mira exploded in anger, elbowing Kaelino hard in the side.
"You lunatic! Take your hand off me!"
Kaelino smirked lazily.
"What's wrong? You hate me that much? But… I quite like you."
"…Huh?!"
Mira blurted out in shock, causing the entire group to burst into uproar.
"Whoa, another admirer for our Mira?!"
"Of course! She's beautiful… anyone would fall for her!"
Before the chatter could die down… BANG!
The sound of a shot rang through the air, signaling the end of the break.
Everyone immediately dispersed back to their respective units.
"Take care, everyone! See you later!"
Kyran and Soren returned to the Second Legion, where they finally met their commander, Camesis, the Fourth Holy Knight of the Seven Holy Knights of Lumerious.
It was said he could control the wind itself, capable of taking on a hundred men alone and wiping out Nightmare-class monsters without breaking a sweat.
Standing before the overwhelming pressure of his mana, Kyran became tense beyond measure.
Even before anything happened, a fierce warning rang within his mind.
This man… is on a completely different level.
Meanwhile, on the other side, the Seventh Legion, considered the weakest unit.
Mira and Kaelino gathered with the rest of their squad.
The last row was reserved for the new recruits. Standing before them was the vice-commander, temporarily filling in for the absent captain.
"Listen up!" The vice-commander barked.
"As previously announced, you will now be assigned individual missions. Each of you handles your own task. Understood?"
"Understood!" they shouted in unison.
Once the rest of the warriors had departed, only the four rookies remained Mira, Kaelino, Everen, and Damian.
The officer approached and handed each of them a sealed scroll.
"You're all newcomers. These contain your mission details. Read carefully and proceed to the dungeon below. Your first task is to interrogate and torture the prisoners who sold their souls to demons. Understood?"
"Understood!"
On the other side, within the Second Legion, under the command of Captain Camesis, the Fourth Holy Knight of Lumerious.
The legion received a high-risk assignment to escort a royal envoy to the Empire of Kumeroa.
It was a perilous mission, as there was a strong possibility that the empire would attempt to assassinate the envoy. Absolute vigilance was required.
As for Kyran…
After the meeting, he was summoned by Advisor Lucien for a private audience.
Stepping into Lucien's chamber, Kyran was struck speechless.
The entire room felt like another world bathed in wondrous light.
Tiny spirits drifted through the air, radiating pure, ethereal energy.
He sat down quietly and waited.
A moment later…
The door opened.
Lucien entered, still bearing the same imposing presence and noble aura as before.
Only now, his once stern expression had softened into a calm, gentle smile.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, Kyran. Have you been here long?"