The shouts and cries of battle gradually faded, though swarms of soldiers continued pouring into the city. Their numbers seemed off somehow. Standing atop the city wall, I looked out over the plains—more troops were still marching toward us.
With a thunderous crash, a large section of the houses behind the city gate was destroyed. A shard of ice streaked toward us, slamming into the wall with a bang. In the distance, a pillar of fire shot skyward.
A nimble figure leapt out of the fire pillar and landed on the ground—it was General Red Plume. General Bullhorn followed, hefting his broadsword as he strode out from the flames.
"Surrender, Red Plume. You have no chance of winning."
General Red Plume burst into hearty laughter, then raised her staff high.
"If I kill every last one of you, that'll be enough."
General Bullhorn let out a booming laugh.
"The generals of your Empire truly are formidable—so strong they strike fear into all of us, even now. It's time to stand down."
As Bullhorn spoke, General Red Plume suddenly sprang forward, though her speed had waned. The fighting had raged for nearly an hour. General Frostbite rose to his feet again, commanding the troops to fortify their defenses and prepare for the enemy.
A great number of soldiers had already passed through the Resurrection Pit to the east, all in hopes of capturing this fortress.
With a resounding crash, Bullhorn blocked Red Plume’s attack. Their duel was now pure brutality—no technique, no words, just savage combat. I began to understand what Yuna Ji must have been thinking.
Some soldiers readied their bows, but at that moment, Frostbite shouted.
"No one is allowed to interfere."
Red Plume’s movements were growing sluggish. Frostbite raised his sword, green light flaring in the hollow of his eyes, and rushed forward to join the fray.
With a whoosh, Frostbite’s sword swept past Red Plume, instantly freezing the ground. Red Plume dodged, quickly widening the gap between herself and the two generals.
There was no cheering from the crowd; the tension remained palpable.
Several generals approached, thanking me repeatedly. I shook my head, feeling my strength slowly returning.
Crimson Plume Fortress had already fallen. Yuna Ji was leading the remnants of her forces toward us.
Meanwhile, the rebel forces to the west had abandoned their strongholds, most of their troops heading south, with some moving to the recruitment stations.
The battle seemed nearly over. Red Plume was showing signs of exhaustion, but facing Frostbite and Bullhorn, she still hadn’t lost her edge—like a machine built solely for war, she kept swinging her staff relentlessly.
I widened my eyes, staring out past the city gates. Several green lights shot toward us—it was the Blue Wraiths. I swallowed hard, suddenly sensing Scarlet Howe’s presence.
The soldiers didn’t seem to find it strange. With a few swift movements, Scarlet Howe, Roy Lau, and three more Blue Wraiths landed beside me.
"Still fighting—those skeletons must be out of their minds. I’ll go lend a hand."
Roy Lau chuckled as he floated up, appearing behind General Red Plume in an instant, palms raised. But just then, Red Plume’s black staff suddenly jabbed backward—Roy Lau’s eyes went wide.
With a sickening thud, the staff pierced his body. He screamed, and Scarlet Howe, along with the other three Blue Wraiths, rushed over.
General Red Plume roared, unleashing a flurry of black staff shadows. Surrounded by four Blue Wraiths, she bellowed and swung her weapon, sending all five flying as they were struck.
Red Plume hunched over, gripping her black staff with both hands, mouth agape. She was wounded, her jaw working as if she’d reached her limit.
"There’s no point in continuing."
Bullhorn’s voice softened as he spoke, but Red Plume straightened up and burst out laughing.
"The losers die, the victors live. Don’t you get it? This is war."
Bullhorn raised his broadsword as the five Blue Wraiths climbed to their feet. The old one pressed down on Roy Lau’s body.
"You fool. Even a cornered dog will leap over a wall. See? You nearly scattered your soul."
"This is no business of yours."
Frostbite shouted, and the five Blue Wraiths returned to the city wall. Scarlet Howe began walking toward me, step by step.
"Well? Have you thought it over, Ethan Zhang?"
I gave a cold, mirthless laugh. Roy Lau glared at me, clearly dissatisfied.
"Only if Yuna Ji leaves this place for good will the restrictions be lifted, and the war can finally end."
I didn’t answer Scarlet Howe. My body was recovering; I stood up and shook my head.
"Would you please stop interfering?"
I spoke, a trace of anger in my voice. Scarlet Howe shrugged helplessly.
"We’re not interfering—just observing. This boring fight has lost all suspense, so we plan to wrap it up quickly and get on with things."
With a bang, my eyes widened as General Red Plume was sent flying. The moment she hit the ground, Frostbite pressed a glowing pale blue hand down on her.
A rush of cold swept out—Red Plume rolled away, dodging Frostbite. The ground froze instantly, icy air swirling toward Red Plume, ice forming around her knees. Bullhorn was already upon her, swinging his flaming broadsword down.
Suddenly, Red Plume roared, thrusting her black staff upward. With a crack, it smashed into Bullhorn’s head—his mouth hung open as his broadsword split Red Plume in two. She laughed, her body fading, and Bullhorn’s body began to dissolve as well.
"I lost, it seems! Red Plume, who knows what the next battlefield will be like?"
"I’ll slaughter you all."
Just before Red Plume vanished, her chilling voice echoed. With a thud, Bullhorn collapsed to the ground.
"It’s up to you now, Frostbite."
[Irrelevant system message; skip translation.]
The war was over. I watched the cheering soldiers in silence. At the eastern gate, revived troops kept emerging—this place was now an impregnable fortress for the rebels.
The north was blocked by mountains; only the plains or narrow mountain paths led to the center. Now, the rebel stronghold in the west had been utterly destroyed under the Empire’s iron heel.
Yuna Ji hadn’t warned Bullhorn or Frostbite in advance. After hearing news from Crimson Plume Fortress, the two led large forces here, moving before the Imperial Army reached the city walls.
Both generals had the same destination: Red Plume Fortress. They saw it as their last chance. If they failed, the only place left would be the recruitment station, where the Imperial Army would slowly devour them, piece by piece.
The central and northern armies were nearly wiped out. This Imperial offensive was total—unlike before, when they only hid behind fortress walls.
"Ethan Zhang, it’s settled now—the rebels hold the advantage. You should think carefully. Even if you win, as long as Yuna Ji is here, the war won’t end."
"Heh, you just want the power of this massive army. Why should I cooperate with you?"
"What about our deal?"
I stood up and looked at Scarlet Howe.
"If this puts my friends at risk, I won’t do it. What you think is your business. Whatever I owe you, I’ll repay someday."
Scarlet Howe covered her mouth, laughing. Instantly, the five Blue Wraiths glared at me, eyes fierce.
"You said it yourself, Ethan Zhang. Remember this—I’ll collect on that debt someday."
I gave a noncommittal grunt as the five Blue Wraiths floated up and quickly left the city wall.
As the cheering faded, the soldiers inside the city grew busy, hauling newly delivered weapons and gear up to the ramparts. Now, attention turned to the western plains and the southern White Plume Fortress, less than fifty kilometers from Red Plume Fortress.
A chill ran through me—I turned to see Frostbite approaching, bowing deeply.
"Thank you, Ethan Zhang. Without you, we couldn’t have breached the gates so easily."
I shook my head, then looked off into the distance—the plains were still crowded with soldiers.
"General Frostbite, if possible, would you want to reconcile with the Imperial Army?"
I asked, and Frostbite sat down beside me, bursting out in laughter.
"When I was alive, it was a time of national crisis—rebellion everywhere. My duty was to safeguard the country. Even after death, the war dragged on here for so long, I’ve grown numb to it all."
Frostbite raised his hands and laughed.
"It’s all pointless. War leaves nothing behind but bones. If Yuna Ji is willing, we can resolve everything peacefully."
"Is that so!"
I smiled, stood up, and lifted my head.
"It will end—this endless war."
The next war might be even bigger. For Yuna Ji, victory won’t come easily. After seeing her generals, I was more certain than ever—they would never compromise.
"Defend the nation!"
I swept my gaze around and continued.
"But there’s nothing left here worth defending—not country, not people, not even the throne."
The soldiers had all entered the city. I still sat atop the gate, waiting for Yuna Ji. She was circling in from the plains and should be on her way. I felt I should tell her about General Red Plume.
At that moment, a group appeared at the bend in the distant mountains. I stood, watching quietly—it was Yuna Ji. She was coming.