Chapter 484: Stairs to Oblivion (2)

"Lord Starlight. I didn’t take you for someone who sleeps in."

Upon returning to the deck, I was greeted by none other than the former Temple Master, Bloodmader .. the old man still standing exactly where he’d been since the war began.

"My apologies," I replied. "I suppose the last battle finally caught up to me."

He nodded.

"No blame from me. Who am I to criticize the hero who saved all our asses?"

With a dry chuckle, I joined him at the ship’s prow, where he led what remained of the fleet.

Bloodmader had changed the way he looked at me ever since the previous battle .. that much was obvious.

"I haven’t saved anyone yet," I said. "Any one of us could lose our head at any moment. That was just one battle. The war is far from over."

"True."

He answered simply, and both our gazes shifted toward the horizon.

It felt like he wanted to continue the pleasant conversation .. there was a genuine curiosity in his eyes ..but something ahead quickly stole our full attention.

"We’ve finally arrived..."

For the first time in days, dry land came into view.

Something other than the endless blue sea that had surrounded us day and night.

That land ..was the enemy’s.

The land of the Ultras.

And now, I was returning to it once more.

"Time for round two," Bloodmader said.

I nodded. "It’s going to be a brutal one."

Our numbers were small, and the enemy would be fighting on their own soil.

By the numbers, our chances looked bleak.

But numbers didn’t matter in the face of overwhelming strength.

Here and now, I was ready to flip the land on their heads .. bury them if I had to.

I exchanged a meaningful glance with Bloodmader, and we both nodded.

He might’ve been the official commander of this fleet ..but we both knew who truly held command now.

So, clearing my throat and charging it with aura, I let my voice ring out ..an order that fell like thunder upon the troops.

"Attention!"

As if heaven itself had spoken, every Imperial soldier snapped to readiness, abandoning whatever they’d been doing.

"Brothers and sisters in arms, prepare for battle.. we have reached the enemy’s land!"

With both of my swords drawn, I stood at the vanguard.

"Follow me .. and let’s make the earth quake beneath their feet."

There was no need for a long speech this time.

Those few words were enough to make every soldier shout as one, ignited with fervor.

They were ready to push themselves to the last breath.

Just as I wanted them to be.

"Now then... let’s see what the enemy has prepared for us this time."

The shores of the Ultras were still dozens of kilometers away—but that distance was more than enough for me to deploy my domain.

With eyes glowing a fierce, violet light, I focused my aura and senses to their limit—casting them out across the cursed land.

And as I sensed what waited on the other side... my face instinctively darkened.

The land that first gazed upon the Demonic Sea, the land that had been declared as the battlefield for the second round...

Had ended up being—unexpectedly—empty.

"They didn’t even bother to station a single soldier..."

The place that was supposed to be the enemy’s most vital military stronghold... was completely deserted.

What I had just said was clearly heard by everyone nearby .. and none of them had expected such a thing.

"Are you certain about that? Perhaps the enemy is simply hiding,"

Saintess Yorasha interjected, clearly doubting my judgment. Even she, who had reached SS+ rank, lacked the means to sense enemies from such a distance.

"Don’t underestimate my senses, Saintess. There isn’t a single creature below SS+ that can escape my domain."

This body, forged through iron and fire, would never lie to me.

"We can’t risk moving in at full force. The possibility that the witch has set a trap still stands."

Taking the first step, I ignited my aura, preparing to move.

"I’ll scout the area myself. Those with the strength to follow ..do so."

With a simple command, my body flared one final time before I vanished from their sight.

The very next second, I was already standing on enemy ground.

My teleportation always functioned as long as the target location lay within my domain, which meant appearing on the enemy’s land was no challenge for me.

The moment my feet touched that barren wasteland, I began scanning my surroundings.

No matter how much I probed with my aura, I couldn’t detect a thing—not even a single trace of energy.

"They really abandoned this place..."

Would the Ultras truly allow us to set foot on their territory this easily?

I didn’t expect that. Not after seeing the way they fought us off in the Battle of Shezklar Bay...

They seemed ready to unleash every ounce of their strength to keep us from invading their lands. And now you’re telling me they just gave all that up?

Something felt completely off.

"It seems the second round is going to be... unexpectedly delayed."

From behind me, those words rang out as shadows deepened beneath my feet—and Sansa calmly stepped out to stand by my side.

She had finally arrived.

"Knowing their leader, Beatrice would never do something meaningless... There’s definitely a scheme of some sort."

I said plainly, eyes fixed on the horizon.

"But there’s no point in trying to figure it out now."

It wasn’t like I could uncover Beatrice’s plan that easily. So, I had no choice but to ride the current for now.

As the ships breached the shores of the Ultras continent one after another, that was the true signal...

"The vanguard’s mission was a success."

We had reached enemy territory. Now there was only one task left.

The moment they arrived, the soldiers spread out across the land while Bloodmader issued his orders immediately:

"Prepare the Warp Gate at full speed! We must ready the battlefield for the main army as quickly as possible!"

In response to his command, the mages immediately began preparations for the massive teleportation ritual that would soon take place.

They had taken it upon themselves to construct the gate that would receive the true Imperial army...

The army that would fight the real war against the Ultras.

Yes, the vanguard’s mission had been successful so far, but that didn’t mean the Ultras wouldn’t retaliate.

There was still a chance they might appear before the gate was completed. That’s why we had no choice but to form a defensive perimeter around the area .. to protect it from any sudden threat.

But no matter how long we waited... our fears never came to pass.

"It seems the enemy thinks in a way completely different from ours..."

Staring off into the distance, Phoenix spoke in a fiery tone, remaining on alert.

He was right. Our enemy was utterly unpredictable.

"We have no choice but to rely on our assassin friend to show us the path."

I replied as we both stood at the very front of our forces.

At the mention of Ghost, Phoenix couldn’t help but frown.

"You’re still convinced sending him was the right move, Frey?"

I nodded firmly in response.

"Don’t underestimate Ghost. He has more hidden under his belt than anyone else .. and what he’s doing right now is precisely his area of expertise."

"...I hope you’re right."

Yes...

It happened at the end of the first battle against the Ultras. Ghost, who had been hiding within my shadow the entire time, took advantage of the chaos that erupted during the fight... and infiltrated the enemy’s ranks without anyone noticing.

It was a bold move he proposed himself .. to uncover what secrets the enemy might be hiding and I had approved it.

Ghost was now fighting his own battle, far away from us, having taken on a perilous mission that could very well lead to his death at any moment.

But because it was Ghost, of all people... I believed he would pull it off.

Tracking him through the third-person player perspective, I continued observing my assassin friend.

"Alright then... Even if you fail, my friend, I’ll come rushing to save you. So don’t hesitate .. show them what you’re truly made of."