Gran finished scanning the documents with a satisfied nod, admiring the thoroughness of the report.

Every detail had been meticulously recorded, from the atrocities committed by the Pamela Family to the failures of the Silver Empire City Headquarters.

"They will pay for what they have done."

Gran whispered his eyes, showing boundless fury towards the Pamela family.

Different from Sylas, he was all there while the Sylind family was getting butchered and taken down by the Pamela family.

With the Sylind Family's emblem stamped prominently at the bottom, the documents demanded accountability and justice on a scale that could no longer be ignored.

“These should shake the Empire’s foundations.”

Gran whispered to himself, setting the pile down with a mix of pride and anticipation.

The agreement with the Third Circle Magic Organization was also detailed, underscoring Sylind’s newfound alliances and growing influence.

The Third Circle’s vow to protect Sylas and assist him with rare magical materials only emphasized the power the Sylind Family now commanded.

Sylas had managed to forge alliances even in the darkest times, and now they had a shield as well as a sword.

Gran took a deep breath, thinking of the implications. If the Empire acknowledged these charges, it could lead to an investigation into the City Headquarters, perhaps even a shake-up in their ranks.

Moreover, with the weight of the Third Circle behind them, any move the Sylind Family made now carried more significance, and the Empire would be forced to tread carefully.

Setting the documents into a secure case, Gran prepared to have them sent.

"This is a declaration," he murmured. "No more looking the other way."

He knew the Empire would soon respond, and whatever they decided would shape the future of the Sylind Family and the power balance in the realm.

----------------------------------------

The team of mages scanned the battlefield remnants in tense silence.

Shattered ice shards and scorched patches of earth littered the area, evidence of a fierce clash. The mage who had spoken, a man with sharp eyes and a tightly held staff, glanced anxiously toward the woman leading them.

“The battle is not something ordinary men are capable of causing,” he reported, his voice hushed. “Far beyond what we’re used to seeing out here. This level of destruction... only mages above the level three have it.”

The woman clenched her fists. The silver lining on her cloak glimmered under the morning light.

"I am one of the team captains of the Empire Magic Regiment, as you know..."

"We only have seventeen different teams, each commanding seven mages."

The man listened, not saying anything or interrupting.

"But I am only at the level of three."

"If mages at level four around here, the empire may be in danger."

The man listened and took a deep breath. He did not know what to say to answer his leader.

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She bit her lip, thoughts racing.

"It is strange.. level four mages, especially ones able to cause such devastation, rarely traveled through their remote borders."

"Their presence here could mean anything—from a personal vendetta to a hidden threat inching toward their city."

She thought, and then, placing her hands on her hips, turned to her underling and said.

“If they’re fighting like this, then they’re not the usual travelers,” her voice low and trembling ever so slightly.

“We’re far from the major continents; powerful mages shouldn’t be here at all.”

A tall mage beside her, sensing her concern, stepped forward.

“Captain, should we send word back to Blueice? This isn’t the kind of disturbance we can handle without more backup. If they’re still in the area...

She nodded, taking a deep breath to steady herself, and also smiled helplessly.

"It is not like we can handle it even if we have all the power of the empire," she thought, but not told what she was thinking about the subject.

She then smiled again and answered.

“We’ll notify the city. This power surge could mean trouble we aren’t prepared for, and if they come closer... we may not be able to stop them.”

She turned the rest of the team and spoke with a confident voice.

“Stay sharp and prepare to retreat if necessary. We’re not here to face whoever did this, only to report.”

As they continued surveying the battlefield, the tension in the air thickened. Each mage exchanged uneasy glances, murmuring amongst themselves.

"Why do we always get the strange ones?" one mage muttered, trying to break the seriousness with a hint of humor, though his hands still shook.

Another mage chuckled nervously.

"Just our luck, I guess. Who needs normal assignments?"

They laughed, though the sound was hollow, swallowed by the desolate silence around them.

The team leader noticed that one of her team members, a young, inexperienced mage, was looking particularly terrified.

She moved to his side, steeling herself as she saw the cause of his fear.

Her expression grew grim as she kneeled beside him, her fingers grazing the fragments scattered on the ground.

She felt a faint, chilling resonance emanate from the pieces, unmistakable to any experienced mage who had encountered foreign energies.

Her brows knitted as she focused on the crackling remnants, energy still lingering as if frozen in time.

“This... is dimensional stone,” she murmured, glancing back at the team.

“Not many know how to use it, and even fewer would risk bringing something like this to the outskirts. Whoever did this was desperate to bypass the conventional realm gates.”

The young mage beside her swallowed, eyes wide as he looked between her and the fragments.

“You mean... they forced their way through, Captain?”

She nodded, her gaze narrowing.

“Dimensional stones like these allow for entry without permission—a dangerous, expensive shortcut, even for those with vast resources. And judging by the energy left behind, it’s not just any realm either.”

She inhaled sharply, tasting the icy chill still faintly present in the air.

“This is from the frozen realm.”

A hush fell over the group. The frozen realm, notorious for its powerful magicians and ruthless factions, was not a place known for diplomacy. A portal forced open from there meant only one thing: someone intended to bring power across boundaries and with hostile intent.

One of the mages stepped forward, his face pale.

“Captain, if beings from the frozen realm were here... we should consider alerting the council immediately. This is no small matter.”

The captain straightened, her fingers brushing clean as she calculated their next steps.

“You’re right. This was a forced entry—someone intentionally came here to bypass our borders undetected. But they didn’t make it subtle. We’ll report back, but I need everyone on high alert.”

Her gaze sharpened, a spark of urgency lighting her eyes.

“If traces like these remain, there may be more than one portal, and we can’t afford to be unprepared if they try this again.”

One of the mages tried to inject a bit of humor into the tense moment.

“Well, if they come again, we’ll just ask them nicely to, you know, keep the explosions to a minimum, right?”

Another mage, a seasoned veteran, rolled his eyes but smiled grimly.

“Sure, and maybe they’ll bring us a cup of frozen realm tea while they’re at it.”

The captain’s lips twitched at their attempts to lighten the mood.

“Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that,” she replied, voice laced with both determination and a touch of humor.

“If beings of that level are lurking here, Blueice City could be at risk. Let’s move.”