The Sovereign System.

The fleeing enemies were relentlessly pursued by the remnants of the five hundred cavalry units, who continued to cut them down like wheat in the fields. The sounds of screaming and fighting gradually faded as Luke remained still, watching from a distance.

By now, the adrenaline had worn off, and all he felt was fatigue. It was a mix of the battle and the events leading up to it that had drained him.

Just recalling the earlier bloodbath was enough to make him feel nauseous, yet there was something else pulling at his psyche. Was it pride? Or perhaps enjoyment?

Luke shook his head, trying to ignore the feeling. What kind of person would that make him if he took pleasure in cutting down men? He would be no better than a bloodthirsty animal.

'This is the most depressed I've been after a win…' Luke mused, stifling a humorless laugh. Even he knew that he was a sore winner, always ready to talk trash afterward.

The problem was that winning in this world essentially meant his opponent would be dead. Who would he even gloat to? The Emperor?

"No, thank you," he muttered under his breath.

Luke was now surrounded by a sea of soldiers. He scanned the area, finding a gap, and urged his mare through the ranks to avoid slowing them down. As he lifted his gaze, he spotted Deputy General Tryst and General Hart on horseback, positioned behind the army lines.

The latter waved enthusiastically at him, to which Luke awkwardly waved back before cantering in their direction.

'Is this guy normal?'

A few minutes later, he arrived and brought his mare alongside them.

"Greetings, General, Deputy General," he said, cupping his fist and bowing from atop his mount. Despite General Hart's casual demeanor, Luke wouldn't forgo this level of respect, especially not in front of the army.

"Commander Drakon, it's great to see you again," Hayden replied, his fan tapping his chin. The smile on his face was wide, as if he were in a particularly good mood.

The Deputy General only nodded in acknowledgment, a brief, silent gesture.

"L-Likewise, General. As I'm sure you're aware, the enemy commander has been slain, and our cavalry unit is currently chasing down the survivors," Luke reported succinctly.

"Oh yes, I saw that. Quite the shot from almost three hundred yards away," Hayden remarked.

'What? He saw that?' Luke flinched, his eyes widening in surprise. It was one thing for him to see that far, given his Eagle Eye skill, but Hayden didn't have anything like that.

"You praise me too much, General…" Luke responded modestly, composing himself.

Hayden covered his mouth with the fan, letting out a small, amused laugh. His gaze remained fixed on Luke, making him feel slightly uncomfortable.

"I trust the port was destroyed without any issues?" Hayden continued.

"Yes, General. We were also able to destroy at least three of the four granaries within the fortress before arriving here," Luke reported.

"You what?!" Commander Tryst exclaimed, his deep voice rising an octave.

Luke remained calm as he explained what had transpired the previous day, making sure not to embellish any details. He knew that reports had to be concise and accurate; otherwise, mistakes could arise.

"Hold on, let me get this straight." Commander Tryst straightened on his horse, his flat features stiffening. "You personally delivered a shipment of supplies into Xiu Fortress and sabotaged them... with flour? Tell me, why did you need to do this before setting it on fire?"

Hayden, too, was looking at Luke, his eyes gleaming with curiosity.

"Flour dust is both flammable and explosive, and it can remain in the air for up to two days. The idea was to ignite the granaries before the soldiers had a chance to draw water from the well and save the supplies," Luke explained patiently.

The two were silent for a few moments before Hayden spoke again. "And you confirmed that these granaries were destroyed?"

"I heard three explosions. I can't say with certainty that they were completely destroyed," Luke replied honestly. In theory, the wooden granaries should have caught fire, but it was possible that the explosion had sent the supplies flying, leaving some salvageable.

Hayden nodded, clicking his fan closed. "Well, I'd say that was a valiant effort, though I'm quite surprised by your boldness, Commander Drakon…" His words lingered briefly before his usual smile returned.

"We should reach the fortress by nightfall," Hayden said, turning his attention north. "We'll encircle them and wait until the siege weapons arrive. If they've truly lost their granaries, then our victory is all but assured."

"And if not?" Commander Tryst queried.

Hayden's smile shifted, turning from a relaxed and carefree expression into something more sinister. "Then we will slowly grind them down until their blood soaks into the earth."

Luke couldn't help but shudder in that moment, as if he had finally seen the true nature of the descendant of the infamous Blood General. It was only now that he could pinpoint what it was about the man that made him feel so uncomfortable.

'Bloodlust…'

It had been barely concealed under the surface, but once it reared its ugly head, Luke could sense it with every part of his being. It burrowed deep, evoking a sense of fear and trepidation.

'I need to stay on his good side,' Luke thought, quickly averting his gaze and turning his attention to the horizon.

The army marched forward without rest, even past dusk. The moon rose, casting an eerie glow over the field, illuminating the dead bodies that would become a feast for the carrion birds.

Judging by the number of bodies, Luke believed that most of the five thousand men who had fled hadn't survived. Surprisingly, this thought didn't bring him as much sadness as he had expected. A fact that was more alarming than reassuring.

When they reached the vicinity of the fortress, Hayden gave the order to encircle it. Camps were set up at strategic points opposite the four city gates, positioned far enough away that no ranged weapons could reach them.

Soon enough, fires were lit, and food was cooked, giving off a delicious fragrance.

Luke was invited to the General's camp, alongside Kayson, Arthur, and Brian. Their meal was by far the most luxurious—a wild boar that had been killed earlier in the day. The fat drizzled off the beast, causing the flames to dance and flicker in the night.

If he hadn't been surviving on dry rations for the past four days, Luke might have felt bad for the other soldiers missing out on the meal. Instead, he pushed such useless sympathies to the back of his mind and feasted to his heart's content.

All he was missing was some ale to wash it down. Yet, in front of Hayden, he couldn't risk offending the man. After all, despite his temporary appointment, he was still just a commoner at the end of the day.

After eating, Luke wanted to track down his butler, Sebastian. The problem was that the mercenaries numbered five thousand, and finding him would be like searching for a needle in a haystack.

As the General and Commander retreated into their tent, the four students remained by the fire in silence for a while. "I heard your days have been far more exciting than ours," Brian spoke up, nudging Luke beside him, his tone playful.

Luke let out a hollow chuckle. "Well, unless you snuck your way into an enemy fortress and shot a flaming arrow from over six hundred feet away, I'd say I've got you beat."

"Try just marching forward behind twenty-five thousand people who have been surviving off legumes for four days straight," Arthur said, his face showing his horror. "In the mornings, you can barely breathe from all the gas in the air."

"Says you," Brian intoned with a hefty laugh. "I could've sworn you shit yourself at least three times on our trip."

"H-Hey, I told you that I had stomach issues!" Arthur retorted, his voice rising in panic.

Hearing the back-and-forth between the two, Luke laughed, his mirth briefly washing away some of the scenes from today's battle. Nearby, Kayson seemed unusually quiet.

His handsome face was brooding, giving him an edgy, teenage look that under different circumstances, Luke might have wanted to punch. Instead, he picked up a twig from the ground and lobbed it at Kayson, landing it right in his empty bowl.

Instead of the expected reaction of physical violence, Kayson stood up and placed his bowl down. "You got a moment, Luke?"

Surprised, Luke almost forgot to answer. He quickly mumbled something and stood up, following Kayson past the line of camps and into the plains. Kayson didn't stop until there was no one within earshot.

Kayson looked up into the sky, towards the bright moon, saying nothing. His handsome face was fully illuminated, and Luke could see that it was filled with fatigue.

'I can't blame him; it's been a long few days,' Luke thought inwardly.

The two stood in silence for a while before Kayson finally spoke. "I killed a lot of men today. They screamed and ran for their lives, some begging me for mercy as I chased them down atop my horse." His tone was husky, holding back a barely contained emotion.

Luke didn't reply. What could he say to such a statement?

"When I used to hear talk of the battlefield," Kayson started, his eyes still fixed on the distant moon, "the stories would stoke a fire within me. I wanted to be like those people—fight for my kingdom, slay my enemies with my brothers beside me."

He turned to Luke, his eyes haunted. "This isn't the battlefield I dreamed of, brother. I didn't do some heroic deed today... All I did was run down scared men and kill them as if they were a pack of wild dogs."

Luke could feel the guilt and self-loathing in his voice and was left speechless. How could he console his friend? What could he say to ease his pain now that he had learned the brutal truth of warfare?

For once, Luke shut off his logical thoughts and stepped forward, wrapping his arms around the man in front of him, embracing him. Though Kayson was taller and stronger, his body sagged against Luke's, his vulnerabilities on full display.

"I'm here, brother… I'll share your burden," Luke said softly.

Kayson stiffened for a moment before he began to sob. It was barely audible, but his body shook as he let out his emotions on Luke's shoulder.

A few minutes later, Kayson finally pulled himself together. He stepped back and wiped his eyes with the back of his sleeve, quickly fixing his appearance.

Though Luke wanted to tell his friend that things wouldn't always be like this, he couldn't. It would be counterproductive to lie now, so he settled on explaining it another way.

"Kayson, the stories of the battlefield you heard were all glorified by those who either chose to forget the harshness of war, or by those who never took part in it at all," Luke said, placing a hand on his friend's shoulder.

"What you experienced today was a result of us outmaneuvering the opponent. In short, our tactics led to the rout of the enemy. If I hadn't killed their commander, many more of our men would have died, dragged into hell by those same men who were begging for their lives as they fled the battle."

Luke let his words settle before continuing, "If you are merciful to your enemies, you are cruel to yourself and those you protect. Remember this while on the battlefield, Kayson. You must be decisive once you draw your sword, for it only takes one mistake, and your life will be forfeit."

Kayson's expression stiffened, his eyes clouded with doubt. "Is this truly how you think, brother?" he asked, his tone vulnerable.

Luke could feel the weight of his next words, so he took a deep breath and answered honestly. "No... I think there is room for compassion. But on the battlefield, it's already too late to turn back."

He saw Kayson's expression change, a small smile creeping onto his lips. "Mmm, it seems that I didn't misjudge you," he said, placing both hands on Luke's shoulders. "I will follow you to the ends of the world, brother."

[Kayson Diego has declared his loyalty. Do you accept?]

[Y/N]