"This..." Han gasped as he grabbed the scroll, and his expression darkened while his eyes moved quickly across the contents. His hand tightened slightly as he finished reading, and then he let out a frustrated breath.

"Damn... Those assassins from the Church of Darkness have already acted, and alongside them there are other people we don’t even know about."

His jaw clenched as anger surfaced.

"And that idiot Lucien... How can he fall into a trap so easily..." he added, and his tone carried clear irritation.

Lucien had been the one overseeing that section, but now he had disappeared without a trace after the defeat and the entire responsibility had shifted onto Han, Hale, and Ethan.

The pressure increased instantly.

Now their task had been pushed forward without delay, and they were ordered to take over the Valley of Raves.

Hale stepped closer and spoke with a worried expression, "Have you informed the Church? It seems we will need their help soon, or we might be in very deep trouble."

Han nodded slightly, although his expression remained tense. "They have already sent a reinforcement plea, so they might reach here quickly."

He then straightened himself and gave the order.

"Now... go and attack."

The human army began to move.

Rows of soldiers advanced in formation, and the sound of their steps echoed across the valley while banners waved and war drums beat in a steady rhythm. Commanders shouted instructions, and units adjusted their positions as they pushed forward with discipline.

At first, everything went smoothly, and the situation seemed under control.

The demon forces stationed in the Valley of Raves were not large, and their numbers were only in the range of a few hundred thousand, which was significantly smaller compared to the advancing human army.

Under the fierce and organized assault, the demon defenses began to collapse quickly, as arrows rained down, magic attacks struck in waves, and siege units broke through the outer lines with force.

"Advance!" voices echoed across the battlefield.

The human army pushed forward without hesitation, and within a short time, the valley was taken. The remaining demon forces were either killed or forced to retreat, and the city inside the valley was successfully plundered, with resources and supplies being seized.

For a brief moment, morale rose.

It felt like a clean and decisive victory.

Without wasting time, the human army reorganized and continued their march forward from the valley, pressing deeper into enemy territory.

However, not long after the march resumed, something began to feel off.

The surroundings grew unnaturally quiet, and the air felt heavier than before, as if something unseen was watching.

Then everything changed.

Countless figures suddenly appeared from all directions, emerging from the void itself, and within seconds, the human army found itself completely surrounded.

"Kill the humans!!" a loud roar echoed across the battlefield.

"Warriors, charge with me! Kill all these damn humans!" another voice followed.

"Remember, if we don’t harvest their lives, our kids will die!" someone shouted, and their voice carried desperation.

Before the human army could react properly, the demons rushed forward like a tidal wave, and the clash erupted instantly.

Formations broke under the sudden pressure, and chaos spread across the battlefield.

In just the first hour, the human army suffered heavy losses, as soldiers were cut down before proper coordination could be restored, and magic collided violently in all directions.

There was no time to think or analyze.

If they hesitated, they would be wiped out.

Although Arcadia was a powerful empire, it did not have the same depth of forces as the Demon Land, which was vast and capable of sustaining such large-scale losses.

Ethan stood at the rear, observing everything with sharp focus, and he was about to move forward when Marvrick suddenly appeared beside him.

"Sir, you have an urgent message," Marvrick said quickly.

Ethan frowned slightly and took the message, and as his eyes moved across it, his expression shifted.

It was from Kassandra.

A warning.

To be careful of the secret weapons of the Church of Darkness.

Ethan took a slow breath, and his gaze turned colder.

"...So they are involved too," he muttered.

He steadied himself, and then he moved forward.

Han, Hale, and Ethan rose together, and three rays of light shot into the sky as they stepped into the battlefield at a higher level. The moment they appeared, the space itself seemed to react, and the pressure in the air shifted noticeably.

Then bright flashes erupted in front of them.

SWIISSHHH!

Several figures appeared instantly.

Two Mythic realm demons stepped forward, their presence heavy and oppressive, and beside them stood two cloaked figures whose identities were hidden, while a tanned dark figure stood slightly behind, radiating a strange and unfamiliar aura.

Ethan’s eyes narrowed slightly as he took in the scene, and then he glanced at Han and Hale.

Their expressions had turned completely dark.

They had not expected this.

Five Mythic rank opponents standing against just three of them.

The balance of the battlefield had been completely overturned, and the situation had suddenly become far more dangerous than before.

The battlefield grew tense as both sides stood facing each other, and the air itself felt heavy as if it could collapse at any moment. The pressure coming from the opposing side was not something ordinary soldiers could withstand easily, and even the ground beneath their feet seemed to sink slightly under that weight.

Amidst this silence, one of the cloaked figures stepped forward slowly, and although his face remained hidden, his presence alone made people uneasy. His gaze moved across the group before settling ahead, and then he spoke in a calm but cold tone. 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

"Who among you is Ethan?"

The question fell directly into the tense atmosphere, and without thinking, both Han and Hale turned their heads toward Ethan at the same time. That single movement was enough to expose him.

Ethan’s expression stiffened, and a trace of irritation appeared in his eyes as he clicked his tongue slightly.

"Fuck... Are you stupid or what..." he muttered under his breath, while glancing at both of them with annoyance.