First Legendary Dragon: Starting With The Limitless System-Chapter 321: War

Orion briefly considered approaching them, but their distant, wary gazes clearly indicated no desire for interaction.

Shaking off this mild disappointment, Orion turned back toward his friends inside the carriage. His expression was calm yet serious as he spoke, his voice steady. "We’re leaving six days early to ensure we arrive at the tower’s location with ample time. The moment it opens, we must be ready."

Elias, leaning back against the cushioned seat, quietly nodded his agreement. His normally relaxed demeanor was unusually grave, his eyes clouded with contemplation as he gazed toward the distant Lionkin forces gathering on the opposite horizon.

A frown deepened upon his brow as he murmured softly, his voice filled with unease, "But still... millions of Lionkin soldiers? I never expected they’d amass such an enormous force."

Orion released a slow, quiet sigh, his expression tinged with subtle sadness. "Indeed. But most of those soldiers are simply common Lionkin who haven’t even awakened or formed their Affinity Runes. Yet their battles will likely be among the fiercest."

His words hung heavily in the air, their weight palpable. Arya, seated beside Orion, turned her gentle gaze toward the vast armies outside, her violet eyes shimmering softly with sorrow.

Her voice carried a tender note of compassion as she murmured, "So many innocent people will lose their lives in this needless battle."

The atmosphere within the carriage grew heavier, everyone silently understanding Arya’s sentiment but unable to respond with comforting platitudes or empty assurances.

The truth was clear and harsh: it was war, and war meant death. Without absolute, overwhelming strength, there would be casualties. None among them possessed the power to prevent such tragedies completely.

Sylvia, ever composed, closed her eyes and softly murmured, almost to herself, "This war could have ended peacefully if pride and ambition had not blinded them."

Felira and Emilia exchanged quiet glances, their soft features expressing shared concern and empathy for those caught in the impending violence. Kale remained silent, his usual calm expression tinged with grim acceptance, clearly aware of the reality they faced.

Nyss, quiet as ever, gazed thoughtfully at Orion, recognizing the determination in his eyes mingled with a subtle shadow of regret. She understood him well, knowing that Orion was neither naïve nor overly sentimental; yet, the loss of innocent lives deeply troubled him.

[Master, are you sad for the lives that will be lost? (｡•́︿•̀｡)]

Orion inwardly exhaled a breath, ’Yes, this is my first war, and the mere implications... are enough to make me realize how grim this world’s situation is.’

[Master, I was going through your inventory before and I realized that I missed something very important. (๑•̀ㅂ•́)و✧]

Orion raised an eyebrow at her clear attempt to distract him. With a soft smile he asked, ’What is it?’

Instead of saying anything, she showed him the system screen: 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

[World Tree Seed (Supreme Grade)]

Orion looked at it for a while and asked, ’What about it? Didn’t I have this before?’

[Hehe, you are missing something very important, Master. (｡•̀ᴗ-)✧]

Orion raised an eyebrow and looked at it again before his eyes widened, ’Impossible, it’s not damaged anymore? How? When did this happen?’

[Uh, about that... (.-ω-.)ゞ I don’t know when this happened as well. I don’t check your inventory daily, I was just going through the stuff to see what can be helpful for us in the battlefield and I came across this.]

Orion went silent as he stared at the seed for a while before saying, ’Hmm, it’s useless for now. I’ll look into it more later.’

[Umu!]

He closed his eyes to rest for a while, until finally, Elias attempted to break the oppressive silence in the carriage which persisted for a while. "If we were only stronger... strong enough to just crush the anomaly instantly, perhaps none of this would need to happen."

Orion opened his eyes and met Elias’s gaze, a subtle yet resolute confidence returning to his expression. "We’re already doing what we can. Regrets and wishful thinking won’t change the reality. Our job is clear: defeat this anomaly, end the threat, and hope that the Lionkin and Tigerkin kingdoms finally see reason afterward."

Arya offered a gentle, reassuring smile toward Orion, her soft voice carrying quiet conviction, "Brother Orion is right. We must remain focused. If we can defeat this threat quickly, perhaps fewer innocents will suffer."

Their solemn discussion was abruptly interrupted as the carriage gently jolted forward, signaling the beginning of their departure.

Orion drew aside the curtain again, watching as their carriage slowly joined the column of troops and carriages heading toward the distant horizon, where the tower would soon appear.

Outside, soldiers marched in disciplined lines, their faces set in determination or masked in uncertainty. Each bore their own thoughts and burdens, but all moved inexorably toward a shared destiny, a battle that none could avoid.

Orion silently leaned back into the plush seat, releasing another quiet sigh, fully aware that the next few weeks would drastically shape the fate of this troubled world.

***

The march toward the ancient battlefield stretched onward, the vast army advancing methodically beneath heavy skies.

At intervals, the massive column paused, allowing soldiers to rest their weary limbs and consume their rations—hard bread and dried meats distributed swiftly by the logistics officers.

Each break was brief, barely sufficient to recover from fatigue, yet no soldier uttered complaints. Grim resolve was etched into every face, their eyes bearing the dull glint of resignation to a bloody fate.

Inside the carriage, Orion remained silently reflective. His companions also spoke little, their thoughts inwardly focused on the impending battle.

As they crossed into the open flatlands, Orion gently lifted the heavy curtain again, his eyes scanning the landscape beyond.

Immediately, his senses were assaulted by a powerful, overwhelming stench—metallic, bitter, and oppressive.

The air itself seemed saturated with centuries of spilled blood, an ominous crimson haze lingering stubbornly on the horizon, mixing with faint, dark wisps of shadowy energy.

A sudden, ethereal whisper filled Orion’s mind, tinged with excitement and anticipation. ’Orion,’ Asteraxa’s familiar voice softly echoed, vibrant with intrigue.

’This place is perfect for comprehending the Blood Element. The Blood Energy permeating this land is incredibly dense. You could easily master its intricacies here.’

Orion’s eyes narrowed slightly as he considered her words, his gaze fixed upon the dark, reddish-black earth.

It was evident the blood of countless warriors had soaked deeply into the soil, crystallizing into a near-tangible essence of death and vitality combined.

Yet despite the tempting opportunity, Orion’s expression remained resolute as he inwardly replied, ’Indeed, it would be an ideal place to learn. But there’s simply no time. I won’t leave my friends behind, nor will I sacrifice the chance of reaching that tower first.’

Asteraxa fell quiet, clearly understanding Orion’s unwavering determination. Though intrigued, she respected his choice, receding softly into silence.

Days passed steadily as the army moved closer, their surroundings becoming increasingly desolate.

Vegetation had long since perished, unable to thrive in such tainted earth. Instead, scattered across the wasteland were rusted remnants of broken weaponry, shattered armor pieces, and weathered bones—a direct result of the countless battles fought here.

The entire group became silent as they wore heavy expressions. Breaking the heavy silence, Elias murmured softly, almost reverently, "So this... this is the cost of centuries of war?"