The room turned into a riot. Walik and Tairen summoned counteracting spells on their palms. Renga took scrap metal from his magic bag and firmly held it with both hands. It was a weapon he inherited from his late father, the former head of Nanila. It was said to be able to injure a core formation expert. The man was prepared to sacrifice his sacred weapon for this day.

Amid the situation, Sulat was grinning slyly. He had already reported the hideout to Biyakis. It was time for the Commander to realize his mistake of favoring Renga over him. He wondered about the person attacking Yunusu. His face was obscured by a white light. It must be a hidden powerhouse sent by Biyakis. Such people were eccentric and they wouldn't want to be looked at by low-level cultivators.

As he looked on excitedly, his attention was drawn to another sound from the other end of the room. Everyone in the room turned to stare at the bed Commander lay on.

Abdin sat up. He raised his hand slowly and took a long look at it. Despite his weakened state, he could finish them all without leaving his bed.

Silently, ten golems surfaced in the room and surrounded them. Yunusu was shoved to Abdin's feet.

Abdin stared at him, taking in his features and realizing that he looked nothing like Yunusu. "Where did you come from?"

The young man had already wetted his pants and his body was shivering with a cold only he could feel.

Renga raised a hand to speak but the golem behind him pushed him back to his seat.

The room was silent for a long moment before Abdin nodded and Renga was released. The man cleared his throat awkwardly and said, "W... welcome back, Commander."

Abdin nodded slightly. After what happened just now, the man had earned the right to be in the council and even speak his mind.

Renga pointed at the young man and said, "That is Yunusu. He is from Nanila and also the one that brought you back to us after your battle at the entrance."

Abdin frowned. Yes, he fainted after his last battle. But why did it have to be Yunusu of all people to find him and brought him back?

"Commander, after the fall of the gate and some parts of the wall, people from all over the continent have invaded the castle. It's now been a month and I am afraid... the castle is no longer in our control." Renga's voice shook as he said this.

As he listened, Abdin's eyes were still glued to Yunusu, waiting for the smallest excuse to kill him. He could never be at peace with such a name lurking around him, especially in this situation.

One of the golems came forward and updated Abdin on everything that had happened earlier.

Munniq had cut off his right foot and left hand, but she stayed in the castle for three days before taking her men away. It was after they left that Yunusu had the chance to carry Abdin back to the castle.

Meanwhile, all the councilmen had been caught and imprisoned by Munniq. Yunusu was the one who rescued them. Biyakis arrived shortly after. It took everything they had to rally their men and took control of some parts of the castle.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

Dadiyan, the closest empire to Biyakis, arrived at the gates of the castle shortly after. It was the fight for supremacy between the two empires that saved Leader San and the others from being annihilated.

Abdin absorbed all these with rapt attention, but something didn't feel right. There must be something that the golems weren't aware of. For instance, why did Munniq spend three days before leaving? And why did the news of the castle reach Dadiyan on such short notice?

"What's your name?" Abdin asked.

"Yu...Yunusu Uba." The young man stammered. He didn't possess the will to lie.

Now that he was certain of Yunusu's presence, Abdin felt that it wasn't a coincidence that someone called Yunusu was the one to find him. This was the handiwork of Yunusu in a bid to initiate something sinister. Perhaps it was even the real Yunusu he was looking at. The easiest thing to do was to kill him right here and now.

He waved a hand and the golem squeezed the man's neck about to break it.

Renga knelt before him and begged. "Yunusu has a good relationship with my household. I have already promised him my daughter's hand. Please forgive him if possible."

Abdin looked into the man's eyes. His eyes had teared up when Abdin woke up. He was the only one that stood firmly against giving him up. But, then, Yunusu wasn't a name that Abdin wanted to hear each passing day.

He waved. "I will spare him for your sake. However, I don't want to hear his name in my presence again."

The golem finally released his hold on Yunusu, whose face was full of surprise and confusion. He had the expression of someone who received scorn instead of gratitude.

Renga was also surprised. What happened? Did someone with a similar name offend Commander? It wasn't such an archaic or offensive name for Abdin to react that way.

"And you." Abdin turned to the others. "Sulat."

The town head was already cowering behind Walik. He never thought Commander would wake up now. He would have held his tongue even at the cost of his life.

"Forgive me, Commander," he said, kneeling. "Pardon me, your highness. I am in the wrong. I know my mistake and I will not repeat it."

Abdin waved and the golem behind Sulat trampled his head. The foot of the golem transformed into a rectangular block just before it connected with the man's head. Sulat wasn't given the chance to even scream before he died.

Abdin turned his gaze to the rest. He had discovered all his enemies today and was lucky that they were in one place. He wasn't going to let this chance go.

"Walik." He called in a dangerously low voice.

The man had witnessed Abdin's might firsthand and he knew that nothing could save him if he wanted to kill him. Plus, his abandonment of Abdin on the battlefield was a major sin. Yes, he would have died if he had stayed, but fleeing wasn't acceptable.

The old man stooped to his knees. "I have made so many wrongs. I abandoned Commander in battle and then came here to negotiate his surrender to the enemy. There is nothing to right my wrongdoings except blood."

The man knew that there wasn't an escape route for him. He was brought up in a cultivation world and was aware of how things work. Still, he wanted Tairen and Will of San to escape unscathed. So he quickly gave up his life before Commander realized his relationship with the former.

Abdin didn't want to see the old man's face again, so he waved his hand and the golem closed in ready to throttle the old man's head.

At that moment, Tairen came forward and knelt, saying, "We deserve to be killed. Walik did many wrongs and deserves to be punished. But I am pleading with you to forgive him. If you do, I promise to serve you forever, and Will of San shall be at your beck and call."

Abdin frowned but didn't give any orders to the golem to stop. By now, Tairen was sure his father's life was about to end if he didn't do anything. He ran toward Abdin and bowed deeply, hitting his forehead on the ground at Abdin's feet.

"Walik is my father, Commander," Tairen said in desperation. "He is Leader San of Will of San. The entire Will of San shall serve you forever if you forgive him. Please forgive us."

Abdin's eyes widened in surprise. Leader San? The man who was said to be in secluded meditation.