> Enchanting and Merging are two Soul-based processes. If humans wish to enhance their weapons and armor without magical properties, they can bring their belongings to mechanics and/or blacksmiths to Upgrade them. However, these manual processes can only enhance Base Attack, Base Armor, and (occasionally) Primary Attributes.

Excerpt from "Weapon Enhancement: A Comprehensive Guide"

Azra Kolkov

We return to the Training Ground and find nobody. Nobody who's alive, at least. There are five men laying dead on a corner, blood drenched behind their backs into pools. I can't recognize any of them. They're neither our men nor Northern Pomelos. However, there are also broken Socenian armor in another corner, and the practice weapons are now just scrap pieces. There's a gaping hole through the bottom right of the machine in the corner, and crimson drops spill all over it.

Eugene inspects the blood trails on the ground leading towards the main camp. "What do you think has happened here, Cap? This place looks like Leviathan cutting himself a million times while shaving and dancing."

"We head to the barrack," I reply.

"Why the barrack?"

"The vehicles are there."

"Why the vehicles?"

I run towards the back gate without answering. If I keep answering Eugene's question, it just leads to him asking more questions, each one dumber than the last.

Outside, the lava wall slowly grows higher and broader. It changes the color of the forest to a fiery orange, as if this place has been eclipsed by a mini sun. This wall might enclose the Likimi in another half an hour, and I'd very much prefer to not get trapped inside.

Indeed, when we get to the barrack, we find Melodi already on her wheelbike, heading for the gate, her SC floating behind her.

"Kolkov! It's about time you show up. They overran the Training Ground, but we pushed them back to the forest."

"How many men did you encounter?" I ask.

"At least twenty of them against four of us. I'm sure they'll be setting up ambushes. They're not itching for a fight, but rather just want to buy time. But they won't catch up to this sweet ride."

"Have you established contact with Erik and Sovvan?"

"Melodi tried to contact them, but they wouldn't pick up. I'm afraid the worst has happened to them. What about Carlo and—"

"Dead. On the plains."

Nneke winces. "Not the best time to mourn them. How many men did you face?" She asks.

"A dozen, led by Azir. They aren't too much of a threat, and Leviathan is fending them off. Also, you and Eugene need to get your wheelbikes now. The General has ordered a retreat up North."

"So we'll finally leave the forest?" Eugene queries.

"We will."

"Where's Melodi?" I ask.

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Nneke looks around. "I told her to get her bike and meet me at the gate. She should be—"

A clanking noise resounds from the backdoor, followed by the crunchy rumble of bike engine. I ask, "Is that her? If she went by the backdoor, she might be heading towards the lava wall."

"That stubborn dolt!" Nneke throws her hand in the air. "I've advised her to not go to the General!"

Eugene rolls his eyes and unseaths his sword. "Guess I'm rescuing her once again."

"You should've ordered her, not advising her. You aren't a consultant," I grunt.

Nneke tightens her grip on her bike's handle. "Don't tell me how I should act to my junior when you can't even bother to train the youth because you're too big and important for that shit."

She knows that she's criticizing me for not doing something that isn't my responsibility per assignment, but she does it anyway. Everytime. I don't want to get into yet another argument that would be filled with snarky comments which would end up meaningless with Nneke, so I decide to not reply. She also drops the matter. "We have more important things to do," she says.

We follow where we assume Melodi is heading and ride up a hill looking out at Mount Mirai. Along the way, Eugene notices that the lava wall has stopped expanding. Towards the far West and far East of Likimi, diamond towers pierce through the air and erect even higher than the lava wall, stopping it on its track. The lava crawls its way around the towers, but more towers rise to block its path.

"It's never a good sign when a giant lava wall suddenly emerges to be stopped by a diamond tower," Eugene remarks.

On the other side of the hill is Melodi, standing behind the General, who's doing a very high level Greater Rhinestone Conjuring. The technique isn't hard to learn, but without Reserves maximization, each cubic meter of Diamond can cost 16,000 Reserves to form and maintain. So theoretically, that tower alone would've cost 250,000 Reserves. In comparison, I only have 250,000 Reserves.

I've fought alongside the General long enough to know that he never really has the great of a reserve pool. Among the great four contemporary Socenian generals, General Baggardo had the smallest reserve pool, surpassed by even his underlings. But years of training has enabled him to master over how little reserves he has, how to use them with absurd efficiency, and how to gain them back in a blink of an eye.

The Soulbound Companion Alleria is floating behind Melodi and being uncharacteristically quiet. Judging from that, it seems like the father and the daughter are arguing again. I approach them to find out if there's been any changes to the original order.

We finally come close enough to hear General Rizeni speaking to his daughter in a determined voice, "Czezno and Pariah will fend off the bandits and Pyro's lackeys. I will challenge the Lord myself."

Melodi replies, her flail in her hands, "I will not leave your side, Father. Fleeing is not the way of a Socenian."

"Defying orders is not the way of a Socenian."

"You've seen what I can do! I know I can help. I can create distractions, I can—"

"Melodi!" The General stomps on the ground. A belt of diamond bristles up from where he's standing. "You are not ready. Nneke, it is good time you come. Please take her away."

"Melodi. It's time to go." Nneke tugs on Melodi's arm.

However, the young girl shakes the Groundskeeper away. "But—"

"The General has issued an order." I interfere. "If you're to act on your own accord again, you will obstruct our defensive effort, and will be punished correspondingly."

"I can help! Why don't you let me?" Melodi turns to her SC. "Alleria! Please tell them I'm ready. You know I would've passed the test if it wasn't for the emergency shutdown!"

"L-let's get out of here for now, honey," Alleria answers meekly.

Melodi even turns to Eugene, seeking for alliance. The boy's about to say something, but I glare him down into silence.

"Fine," the young girl says, biting her lips as she stomps toward her bike.

She looks incredibly frustrated as she walks past me, so I only give her a small piece of advice. "There's no reward for the valiant," I tell her. She doesn't reply, but I'm sure she's heard what I said.

Nneke takes Melodi and Eugene away to the other side of the hill. The destination is Kakwai desert, our prearranged retreat location. Soon, I'm the only one left with the General. With his back facing me, the General spots the smoldering sheen from beyond the woods, and remarks as he coughs, "Pyro is on his way."

"You can still join us, General."

"You might be fond of running away, Kolkov, but I'm tired of it. I'm an old man, and my time will soon pass. When I pass, I want the people to remember me as the proud defender of the kingdom, not a sickly pensioner rolling and coughing on his bed."

Rizeni's coughs interrupt his words, and it feels as though it takes him more effort to talk than to maintain the diamond towers. If it was ten years ago, the General would've put up a stern fight against one of the strongest men in the mainland. But now, he's falling to the inevitable curse of senility.

"The battle would be quite a restrictive one if both of you wish to maintain those enormous constructs near the edge of the forest."

"If he thinks he can win while keeping that wall standing, he'd be humiliated. Socen might be a fallen kingdom, but we were never one to snub." Rizeni snorts.

I don't reply. Even though this might be the last time I ever get to talk to the General, I know the last thing he wants to hear is me talking about the possibility of him losing a fight. He's far too proud for a runaway.

The smoldering spot from afar grows bigger, until we can make out its human shape. A battle is inevitable.

The General turns to me. Only then, I realize he's been holding the Legendary Armor Shōgun's Pride on his hand. He carves a X sign on the corner of the plate, then hands the armor to me. "Captain Kolkov. You're hereby promoted to Grand Commander of the Socenian Kingdom. Take care of my daughter. Protect Eugene. Fulfill your destiny."

I kneel on one leg and bow as I receive his gift. "I will not fail."

When I look up at the General, I can see his eyes shimmering. They look like they're filled with tears, but I can't tell if he's actually crying.

"I've always thought you would become the Admiral of our kingdom one day," the General says. "But not like this. It should've been the king who bestowed his grace upon you. Not me."

"Such a thing is unimportant, General. Whoever we are and whoever we might be, we will get things done."

"Then get this done. Get out of here."

We exchange one last glance, before I give him a nod and leave. As I ride off on my bike, I map potential scenarios for us to get out of the forest, and the possible courses of action after that. The Hundred Emirates beyond Kakwai desert is full of possibility, and it falls upon me to make the most of that, now that the General will perish.