Kairos would not mind if they had to drag longer than the six months they were given to complete the mission. However, if they did, the Devilheart family will surely want to view their activated Soul Slips, and it will cause a series of problems.

In the worst scenario, the Snowdrifts and their affiliated group might need to declare war upon the Devilheart family’s faction prematurely.

The cost they must pay will be increased when it could be avoided in the first place.

In any form of war, the unprepared are the ones actively campaigning for defeat.

Fortunately, the Snowdrifts group can only be judged as overly prepared.

A day after they arrived at the designated place to ready for the siege of Ku Kang Camp, the scouts finally finished surveying their target when Tommy arrived.

His timing was calculated, and impeccable.

When he left, he had the Purple Ghost together with Biyo and his men. His return, however, was exceedingly glamourous.

He approached them atop of a giant’s back. The great beast had the intelligence of a common ape, but the strength of a dozen men.

It was dressed from head to toe in shining armour that begs attention.

Behind him are rows of royal guards, complementary from the award ceremony he had just participated.

These men are all top-level practitioners in the service of the throne. They have a certain level of prestige and fame that comes with earning their position and the majority of them are self-made nobles or the sons or daughters of one.

With Galahad’s disappearance, many of the royal guards had displayed their unwillingness to obey anyone but the actual ruler of Saint Empire.

Because the Devilheart family are unable to remove them without incurring public resentment, they instead resort to awarding these royal guards to anyone who had done a great service to the empire.

Expectedly, those rewarded are all people who are tightly controlled by the Devilheart so that in this manner the royal guards may be rendered harmless or at least monitored.

To send them with Tommy is not just a reward.

When Tommy entered the war tent, the other leaders are still arriving.

Esley looked at Kairos knowingly, “As expected. Each and every of your member are elites amongst elites.”

To reach here even half a day later will cause them a delay in assaulting the Ku Kang as the barbarians will refuse orders without their superior, Tommy.

With Kairos’ immaculate planning, it is easy to arrange for their timing to coincide. Of course, the main cause is the Dark Hall’s efficiency.

“You overestimate us,” Kairos smiled wryly.

Esley shook his head and said solemnly, “There is no better way to judge the talent of a leader than by the trust his men has for him.

Lord Tommy’s timely return is not coincidental but a show of trust in your abilities.”

Kairos laughed awkwardly.

He felt like an open book before Esley.

The Martial King, though young, had his own methods to judge people. He had carefully observed the Earl and is certain besides the Earl’s close friends, everyone else had underestimated how powerful this person’s strategic mind is.

Seeing Kairos’ unease, he smiled triumphantly as though he had uncovered a great secret.

Esley: “Ha ha ha! Lord Kairos, you are far more excellent than reputed. The bards did not do you justice.”

Kairos: “You jest. How can man determine the future? The timing of Tommy’s return is coincidental.”

Tommy: “Except, it went exactly according to your plans. Wahahaha!”

Kairos gave his brother a mock expression of being betrayed.

Esley guffawed gleefully, “Hahaha!”

Kairos wanted to stay low-key but Esley wanted a poster boy for the army.

However, according to the current situation, his fate in becoming the morale booster of the frontlines seemed sealed.

Esley then turned to Kairos with more praises but Kairos only felt a cold wind blow down his spine, “Not only that. Your group has the most impressive teamwork - solid like a steel plate. I cannot fathom how you acquire this level of loyalty. Your men will willingly sit in a giant oven if you wish to bake them for lunch.”

Kairos: “…..”

Tommy: “…..”

Everyone else: “…..”

“Commander! You are exposing your true inner self! This is definitely revenge for Kairos shoving him into a deep-freeze cooker previously.”

Esley: “Worry not, Lord Kairos. I will take it upon myself to ensure your fame befits your brilliance, lest there be those who may not behold your brilliance.”

Kairos decided it was the absolute best time to go into a coughing fit – to Esley’s delight.

The commander’s gleaming eyes was openly saying that vengeance is nigh.

“Soon, many will travel north after they heard Lord Kairos has a way to stave off the cold,” Esley said, then he mumbled softly to himself, “And then, everyone can suffer together.”

Kairos: “…..”

Tommy: “…..”

Jim: “…..”

Alan: “Se…senior , you’re turning dark…”

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Edward: “That’s actually a wonderful idea.”

Alan: “Oh no, we lost Edward too…”

Esley: “Heh heh.”

With great wisdom, Jim decided to save the situation, “Senior, it’s alright. If you just go through the elemental resistance honing process a couple more times, you’ll get used to it.”

Esley turned to Jim and said – rather than laughed, “Heh heh.”

Jim shivered, and tried harder, “But you’ll be able to shrug off even this winter, just like us. It’s worth it!”

Alan: “We’re losing another one!!”

Esley: “Ahhh … Jim, my boy, you’re right.”

Jim: “Really?”

Alan: “Don’t answer him! Damn… Jim, why don’t you understand, if you don’t jump off a cliff you won’t break a leg?”

Jim: “What did I say?”

Esley: “Heh heh heh… Jim, I’m sure that Lord Kairos here is more than willing to help you hone your resistances further, am I right?”

Kairos: “..., I… I’ll prepare the furnace.”

Jim: “No… noooo!”

Edward: “Don’t worry senior, I’m make sure Jim is nice and tan before he comes back out.”

In his final attempt, Jim protested weakly, “But… we still have to go through the reconnaissance report first and discuss our attack plans.”

Esley: “Heh heh.”

Two minutes later, all the leaders with some rank has entered the War Tent for their briefing.

Right beside the table, at a place where no one’s vision will be obstructed, Jim sits in a mini mud house. Every few seconds, a different element ravaged him inside of the hut accompanied by many types of strange cries.

The generals, veteran as they are, conveniently overlooked Jim’s presence and concentrated on the map.

Esley started the ball rolling, “We will be following the discussed attack plans. My adjutants will assist in today’s operations.

Great General Diao and Great General Avgust will lead the charge with twenty thousand of our strongest vanguards and ten thousand barbarians in the first wave to probe the enemy’s response as Lord Kairos level our playing field. Diao Ling, Avgust Artur, please introduce yourselves.”

A young man bearing black hair, fair skin, and sky-blue eyes that glows stepped forward first. Yes, those eyes, they are glowing, the sparkle wasn’t a reflection of light but a twinkling that generated from his irises.

No one could feel his presence had he not approached the war table, and that is with the Origin Users present.

A few eyes shot at Kairos looking for an answer, if the one with the most affinity to the Origin Manuscript could discover anything that they couldn’t.

But, Kairos merely shook his head.

This person was undetectable even with Soul Perception. However, when he stands before the others, he gave them a strange feeling, as if… the lord of the night had arrived.

This Great General is clearly one of the few with affinity to the transcendent element, Darkness.

Those that saw him had one thought.

This man is strong.

“I am Diao Ling, but actually, my name is Alucard Angelheart…”

Speaking halfway, the Great General’s words roused great reactions from the Snowdrifts’ side and was cut short.

Alucard smiled wryly and shook his head to reject the barrage of questions suddenly thrown at him, then he looked pointedly at the one by the war table as if to tell the others to listen further.

Diao Ling looked at Alucard and nodded thankfully, then continued, “Your guesses are right. We are related. Our family has a tradition that passes down the name ‘Alucard Angelheart’ to each generation’s successor, and when one was chosen, the previous will take on an alias instead. And, Diao Ling () is mine.”

A few whispered amongst themselves in the Snowdrifts. The alias is in the ancient language, and the meaning is of great importance to be chosen.

To wither.

This is a fitting alias for him who dwells in the darkness and thus the one he picked. Of course, darkness and evil are two very different things, and so is ‘withering’ a process that is neither good nor evil.

However, there is no question in the power the one who picked such an alias has.

Diao Ling looked carefully at each of the members of Snowdrifts with open gratitude on his face then he said, “I see Alucard has greatly benefited from being with great friends like you. As the head of the Angelheart family, I wish to extend my thanks, and as his grandfather, I implore you to continue walking side by side for as long as it is possible.”

As he said, he lowered his head towards them.

The youths were overwhelmed.

Here stands one of the Great Generals, beings that are considered not only at the peak of their martial prowess, but also a top-level leader of men. Yet, he easily bowed his head for one of his own.

As expected, everyone returned his bow with one of their own, while the rest of the war tent were respectfully quiet.

Then, Diao Ling straightened his back and continued, “I am the leader of the Assault Bear, and we shall gain the time you require.”

He said specifically to Kairos, then he nodded to Great General Avgust.

A man who looked more like a beast strolled over and patted Diao Ling on his shoulder.

His features were heavy-set, sharp, and pronounced. A look at him gave off the feeling of a super model mixed with a bodybuilder.

Brown eyes, sharp nose, and red hair. Powerful shoulders and a height that towers above everyone else in this place. Even if one was completely unfocused, this person will still be noticed immediately.

In fact, even Red Blade – who is present with the rest of the leaders of the barbarians – felt that this person is even more of a barbarian than they are.

At the very least, if Avgust is born in a Frosthral village, countless women – because of their different views of beauty - would swoon over him.

Which strong and healthy female warrior would not go straight into their fertility period if a man could lift her up with one arm?

And there is such a person here, whose hand looked wide enough to support a lady’s slender waist and carry her effortlessly.

Of course, the emphasis here is the singular term ‘hand’. Any man who could do the same with two hands, or resort to using their arms, are just midgets or beanpoles.

Avgust spoke… no, he is speaking with his usual volume but it was sounded like a gentle whisper.

“I am the Avgust Artur, leader of the Wispy Willows.”

When he told them the name of his group, everyone were stunned.

The man that looked like a bear had a team with such refined and poetic name, while the one with an alias that meant ‘To wither’ didn’t choose a tree’s name for his team.

They looked at the two Great General with a single thought on their minds, these two are such close buddies that they exchanged suitable team names to honour each other. Is that why Diao Ling hoped that his grandson’s friends will continue to be together?

Avgust nodded at their apparent understanding, then said, “We are the vanguards. We are the shield and the spear, the Wispy Willows and the Assault Bear. We will do our jobs properly, so make sure you do not flounder about, younglings.”

“Yes Great General,” the Snowdrifts replied to a satisfied Avgust. The Snowdrifts are not directly under Esley’s command, but facing such domineering authority, many responded instinctively.

This is the aura of one who had brought countless soldiers in and out of the battlefield.

The captains of Snowdrifts took one look at the situation and almost all of them developed the same goal: to become a leader no lesser than Avgust.

The two Great Generals stepped back and returned the speaking rights to Esley’s hands. They might be experienced leaders, but in Saint Empire, talent takes precedence and the Martial King is not just a prodigy by empty fame but a commander that receives the trust of his men.

Seeing the two powerful Great Generals behaving so deferentially to him, Esley’s figure instantly grew larger in everyone’s eyes.

However.

Esley: “Jim, do you have any questions?”

Jim: “Arlalalalalala.”

Esley: “Very well. We shall continue as you suggest.”

Everyone: “…..”

Right now, electricity is coursing through Jim like an endless torrent. He could literally feel his flesh and blood becoming tougher by the seconds, but in exchange, he couldn’t control his body. Of course, this includes his ability to speak.

“Therefore, how the heck did Esley understand me?!”

Esley looked around and everyone else nodded earnestly, their concentration redoubled.

No one dared to lose focus right now; there is still plenty of space around for more mud huts to be made.

Esley: “It will take some time for Lord Kairos to create a bridge that will bring us right up the cliff. In that time, he will need fire support.

Adjutant, Great General Lorelai, please introduce yourself for the sake of our young friends.”

An attractive woman in gleaming black armour stepped forward from the crowd.

She stood as tall as the other men; her figure lithe but powerful.

As she was standing far behind, no one noticed her before but there was a crazy amount of bloodlust surrounding her the moment she appeared. Her demeanour, on the other hand, is quiet and calm like a tranquil lake.

If one had not seen her, they wouldn’t noticed anything amiss, but a single glance will freeze the person in fear. The Snowdrifts who are meeting this Great General for the first time were no exception. It was as if they were dropped into cold water.

She bowed stiffly then spoke in feminine yet strong voice, a warrior’s voice, “I am Lorelai Baixue, Great General of the Flame Cloud group. My crew and I specialise in long ranged attacks and we will give you all the fire support you require.

And, I am Luciette’s aunt.”

The Great General stared deathly at Edward Alfonso.