Count Solar and Count Maximian stood against each other, both clad in different yet equally noble and magnificent full-body armor.

"Pathetic human, you'd better have a good excuse for invading neutral lands."

"Filthy creatures of darkness, it is better to cleanse you than to listen to your words!"

"So, it seems only blood shall be spilled!"

"And the blood spilled shall be avenged!"

Both then turned back to their respective armies. Maximian, somewhat bewildered, gestured toward the nearest viscount.

"Was he talking about the blood spilled in the Great War?"

The viscount, whose armor was similar but slightly less grand, glanced toward the imperial army.

"I'm not sure, but it seems to be about the twenty-thousand-man human army that recently vanished overnight at the border."

Maximian simply smirked and then roared at his army, composed of vampires, demons, werewolves, and many other dark creatures.

"The usurpers dream of plundering our lands! They seek war under the ridiculous pretense of blaming us! Children of darkness, tell me! Will you flee from war?"

"No!"

"Tell me! Will you surrender your land to your enemies?"

"No!"

"Then, are you ready to seize their lands instead?"

"Yes!"

"Do you wish to repay their invasion of our lands with the blood of their children?"

"Yes!"

"Will you enslave their women and dedicate their lands to the Prince of Darkness?"

"Yes!!"

"Then show no mercy!!!!!"

"Huah! Huah! Huah!"

Count Solar, standing two kilometers away, trembled from the deafening war cries of the dark creatures and the pounding of weapons against shields, the rhythmic thuds of spear butts against the ground. His soldiers were shaken even more.

"Priests, activate the reinforcements!"

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"Soldiers of the Empire, know this: today, we shall avenge the twenty thousand souls of our people, the plundering of four villages, and the massacre of all their men, women, and children! Know that when we fall, Mother Earth shall guide our spirits to heaven, and the angels themselves shall bear witness to your courage on this day! Send the filthy souls of these creatures to hell!"

The imperial soldiers raised their swords and weapons toward the sky.

"For the Empire!"

Count Solar drew his gleaming sword and, mounted on his armored steed, pointed it toward the opposing army.

"For the Empire!"

Hazard, watching from afar, felt the only thing missing was popcorn.

It was a sight to behold—knights charging atop their armored warhorses, lances and swords clashing against the hellhounds. Blood spurted like fountains in every direction.

But the battle was far from over. An hour in, the shrieks of colossal bats filled the air. Some swooped down, snatching knights from the ground and dropping them from great heights onto the imperial forces below. Others tore their prey apart mid-air, and some even hurled themselves suicidally into the imperial army like living missiles.

The Empire did not stand idle. Numerous knights mounted on pegasi and griffins took to the skies to hunt down the bats. But soon, fiery imps from the dark faction joined the fray, overwhelming the imperial knights with their sheer numbers.

Count Solar, overwhelmed by the chaos, ordered his mages and archers to eliminate the airborne threats.

Meanwhile, Maximian, sipping the blood of a captured knightess, commanded his Blood and Shadow Knights to flank the enemy while ordering his foot soldiers to advance.

The battlefield was a whirlwind of destruction, and even from kilometers away, Hazard could feel the waves of magical energy surging through the air. He observed with keen interest, analyzing the troops and their tactics.

Hours passed, and by midnight, the human army had retreated to its nearby encampment, while the dark faction did the same.

Hazard, seeing the battle had reached a standstill, mounted his dragon and soared toward his fortress, scanning the surrounding regions on his way back to ensure no enemy forces lurked near his mines or territory.

Five hours later, he arrived at his castle and found fifty witches surrounded by undead demonic knights and undead sorceresses.

As he landed before them, he saw Hegena approaching him. Her action could have cost her life, but Hazard ordered his knights and dragon not to interfere.

She handed over a blood magic contract, and Hazard smirked.

"I see you all have agreed."

Hegena lowered her head in shame, regretting that she had led her coven to this fate.

Hazard then sliced open a golden vein on his arm, allowing the thick, tar-like golden fluid to drip onto the contract. The contract shimmered into tiny lights and was absorbed into both Hazard and the living witches.

"You will patrol within a hundred-kilometer radius of the castle. Each of you will be accompanied by an undead sorceress. If necessary, you will prioritize your own survival above all else. Your mission is to protect the sanctum and monitor the surrounding regions."

Hegena fell to her knees, her sisters following suit.

"We will comply."

With that, Hazard turned away, for it was time to summon Abyssal beings, and he intended to wager a thousand mana from his ten-thousand-mana reserve.

Portals to the Abyss cracked open, and nearly a thousand small, ball-sized creatures with a single eye and two wings emerged.

Hazard watched them with amusement, though their weak stats couldn't even match a common undead. He simply needed to siphon a little mana from a nearby Lich, who proudly offered it to his master.

As a surge of mana was released, the eyeball creatures fell to the ground, and Hazard instructed the Liches:

[Control them for reconnaissance. Assign them their duties.]

Seeing the Liches get to work, Hazard flew toward his castle's terrace. Upon entering, he was greeted by thirty mares, who eagerly surrounded him.

After a long day, Hazard retired to his bed, allowing the mares to lull him into the best dreams he had become addicted to.