Chapter 1007

"....!!!"

The men all wore a chaotic tapestry of expressions, ranging from paralyzing shock to blatant fear and skepticism.

Most of them were finding it impossible to believe the harrowing tales Grey and Thalos were weaving about the Otherworlders.

To their minds, there was simply no way an organization of such terrifying magnitude could truly exist in the shadows.

Seeing the waves of disbelief, Leo stepped forward to reinforce the gravity of the situation.

"Orion—and the entire Midnight Sun Clan—were part of these Otherworlders, just in case you weren’t aware."

"...?!"

Gasps rippled through the crowd as the original core members of the faction felt their gazes sharpen in horror.

Everyone knew Orion, but to hear that their former leader was merely a puppet for this mysterious organization was a bitter pill to swallow.

"Yes!" Thalos nodded, his voice booming with conviction.

"And that is why Grey took it upon himself to eliminate Orion, which he did. Though, we still don’t know who officially wiped the Midnight Sun Clan from the map...."

’I do,’ Grey mused inwardly, a fleeting image of the past crossing his mind.

’Ah. Damn. I completely forgot to consult Yami about this specific issue.’

"... Orion was a high-ranking member of the Otherworlders, and you all surely remember the sheer magnitude of the strength he wielded, don’t you?" Thalos questioned the assembly.

Several men nodded solemnly.

No one could forget the power of the man who had been whispered to be closest to godhood in their realm.

Leo smiled grimly.

"What if I told you all that within the hierarchy of the Otherworlders, he isn’t even the apex? He was ranked only third among the twelve Zodiacs. Above him are two others, and then their Leader—whose power scaling remains a complete mystery."

Grey had updated the leaders of the warrior world on everything he had uncovered: the twelve Zodiac rankings, the realization that they commanded legions of beasts, and the scope of their inter-dimensional reach.

Gunther stepped forward, his massive frame casting a long shadow.

"They command warriors, mages—people with abilities like Grey here—beasts, and immense elemental power. We don’t even know the total number of soldiers they have at their beck and call, yet we know they possess detailed intel on every single one of us."

Sera sauntered over as well, her eyes narrowing.

"They have been embedded within our society for years—watching, adapting, learning, and researching our strengths and vulnerabilities. They have studied us from the inside out, and they are coming fully prepared to dismantle us."

Grey lifted his gaze, looking the men directly in the eyes. "I am not of this world."

"...."

"It’s true. I am not a native of Vayun. In the world where I originated, the Otherworlders took everything from me. Friends, family, and people I cherished. The same tragedy followed me to this world. I have lost too much at their hands."

Grey took a steadying breath.

"As the head of this faction, I have the authority to rally you against your wills and hurl you into this war without explaining a single thing.

Despite the fact that the majority of the Dawn faction’s army consists of former Behemoth Clan members—knowing I killed your leaders with my own hands—I could simply demand your service. But I won’t do that."

The men glanced at one another, surprised by the sudden show of respect.

"... Which is why I chose to tell you the truth about the enemy we face. If they attacked Vayun right now, neither the Umbrafell faction nor the Noxarian faction would stand a chance, because the enemy comes with knowledge we don’t yet have."

"...."

"The enemy is powerful. To be honest, I’m not even certain I can win against them. But I have resolved within myself that I will not let any more people, or any more worlds, suffer the agony I have endured at their hands."

His jaws clenched tightly, and his hands curled into white-knuckled fists at his sides.

"I lost my mother, my father, and my closest friends to them. I have decided that no one else should have to go through that again."

Exhaling sharply, his gaze steeled with a legendary intensity.

"In three months, a full-scale assault from the Otherworlders will strike my home world. Their leaders, their Zodiacs, and their full might are heading our way. I want to eliminate them that day once and for all. But..."

— But what?

Thalos exhaled a heavy, weary breath.

"We cannot do it alone. We are strong, yes; but the enemy is stronger. We need your help to win this war."

Gasp—!

The soldiers were stunned.

Was this legendary gargoyle actually admitting to weakness?

The same warrior who had decapitated a Primordial-ranked beast in one fluid strike?

The same monster who had effortlessly dismantled Ortiz and Pluck?

Forget the gargoyle for a moment.

Even the Supreme Magus, whose strength and prowess had struck terror across the entire world, admitted to being unable to win this war alone?

Was that how powerful the Otherworlders truly were?

"... Your lives, our lives, the lives of your loved ones, your world, and our world are all at stake. We need to uproot this plague that has haunted us for decades so our children and future generations won’t have to endure what we have," Leo chimed in, his voice calm yet heavy with the weight of reality.

Grey sighed, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

"I won’t force anyone to come along. I cannot guarantee your safety in this conflict. However, what I can guarantee is that we will give our absolute best to stop them in three months’ time so our families remain safe.

Because of this, if you are willing to join us in this battle to protect the universe, meet with Leo to sign up for the war. In two months, I will be transporting those who are interested to another world where you will be camped, waiting for the call to arms."

"....."

"I know not everyone will participate in—"

Thud—! Thud—! Thud—!

One by one, the men began dropping to their knees.

They were lowering themselves to the ground, much to the disbelief of Grey and the others.

One by one, until after a few seconds, all two hundred thousand men were kneeling in the dirt.

No one was left out. No one remained standing.

— We pledged our loyalty to the Dawn faction the day our lives were spared by the Supreme Magus!

— Though we did it initially out of fear, we realize now that we did not make the wrong choice!

— Our previous leader never cared for our lives or our feelings. If he were in your position, we would have been shipped out to war against our volition!

— The same way we were shipped out to wage war against you!

— But you considered our feelings. You gave us a choice to accept or decline!

— Because of this, you have gained our respect as warriors. You didn’t think of us as mere tools, but as humans with feelings and families!

— So yes, Supreme Magus; we will join you in this fight!

— Not just for you, but for the faction that took us in and did not discriminate against us!

— For the world that gave us life, shelter, strength, and food!

— And most especially, for our families!

— So yes, Supreme Magus; we all accept to join this war, and we will make sure to clutch victory no matter what!

— Even at the cost of our lives!

Leo, Gunther, and Sera looked at Grey, genuine smiles gracing their faces. 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

The Supreme Magus remained stoic for a few seconds, absorbing the raw loyalty radiating from the army, before finally nodding at them.

"Thank you."

Lifting his gaze, he added:

"Kindly spread the word to the others who aren’t here today; let them make their choice as well. Meet Leo and Gunther to sign up. Prepare yourselves and say your goodbyes to your families, because in a month’s time, I will begin transporting all those who are interested to the other world for camp."

— YES!