Their time together in the Royal Capital, coupled with the experience of fighting side-by-side in the Land of Mist, had long convinced Reggie to trust Roland’s judgment implicitly.

However...

After hearing Roland’s plan, Reggie shattered the small Magical Guide Structures around him with a casual blow. His gaze couldn’t help but drift toward the core battlefield raging in the distance.

The fighting there was far more intense and terrifying than where he stood.

The brilliance of Combat Skills, the ripples of Secret Techniques, and the dazzling light of various Magic spells flared one after another, weaving a tapestry of Destruction.

Amid the deafening roars, the once-solid plain continuously sank and buckled, forming a massive crater as if it had been struck by a meteorite.

Yet even so, the handful of Extraordinary Professionals who had come from the River Domain as reinforcements still couldn’t take down the Witch Demon.

Worse still, as time wore on, Reggie keenly sensed the scales of victory slowly tipping in the Witch Demon’s favor.

Fortunately...

Reggie squinted, trying to make out a shining golden figure on the battlefield.

Although he didn’t understand what kind of Power the dean of the Knight Academy had used to assume such a terrifying form, the man clearly retained a final shred of sanity. He was still coordinating with the other Transcendents to attack the Witch Demon.

It was only because of him that the Transcendents from the River Domain had managed to fight the Witch Demon to a standstill, pinning it down in that land of Destruction.

However, a stalemate also meant they had no strength to spare for any other front.

"Roland!"

At that thought, Reggie took a deep breath. He pulled his gaze away from the distant spire and roared in Roland’s direction.

"You stay here! I will lead an elite unit to destroy that High Tower!"

"No! Master Reggie!"

Roland, who had also been watching the fierce battle between the Transcendents and the Witch Demon, knew there was no time to lose.

’If we don’t destroy the High Tower while the Transcendents can still hold back the Witch Demon, we’ll all be dead once they lose.’

’He highly doubted that a Caster capable of turning themself into an Undead and launching a war on this scale would be merciful enough to spare him.’

’Destroying the High Tower with all their might was their only path to survival.’

With that in mind, he began shouting to his scattered companions while calling back to Reggie.

"I’m going with you!"

"But..."

Reggie looked at the resolute young man before him, his eyes filled with deep admiration.

’So young, yet his potential is astounding and his character decisive.’

’Roland was without a doubt the most outstanding student he had seen in his decades of teaching at the Knight Academy.’

’To let such a talent perish here would be an immeasurable loss to the River Domain.’

At this thought, his brow furrowed, and his sharp gaze swept over the path leading to the spire.

The path to the towering spire was a layered, endless tide of metal and rotting flesh—Magical Guide Structures and shrieking, reanimated corpses.

The only reason they could even discuss a plan was because they were under the protection of the main army.

’If I lead a small elite force to break through, we’ll be instantly swallowed by the torrent of death swarming from all sides.’

’And leading the entire army in a slow advance?’

’It wasn’t that I underestimate our own forces, but I have no confidence that the Transcendents struggling against the Witch Demon can hold out that long.’

Seeing the hesitation in Reggie’s eyes, Roland immediately understood that the master was worried about his safety.

So he simply shook his head and spoke again.

"Master Reggie! If the Witch Demon wins that battle, then even if I’m surrounded by the entire army, there’s no way I’ll survive! That Witch Demon will show no mercy!"

"The kid’s right!"

Several sharp glints of silver light flashed. The Magical Guide Structures that had just surged forward to fill the gap instantly shattered, exploding into a shower of metallic shards.

Jia Xiu coughed hard, dragging an injured arm as he joined the two of them.

"Reggie! Hand over command here to your junior officers."

He spoke quickly, his tone leaving no room for argument.

"Go assemble an elite squad now. I’m going with you."

"Th- Yes, Lord Jia Xiu!"

Reggie hesitated no longer, turning and hurrying away.

"Kid..."

The Short Blade at Jia Xiu’s waist became a flash of deadly light once more, precisely nailing several reanimated corpses that were diving from the sky.

The Assassin frowned in disgust at their twitching remains on the ground before turning to Roland.

"You were born in the wrong era..."

Perhaps it was the heat of this grand battle, but the normally taciturn Jia Xiu had grown talkative.

"If you were born a few decades earlier..."

He glanced at Reggie’s retreating figure and snorted with dissatisfaction.

"You’re the one who should have been his master! I don’t know what Lord Derek was thinking, letting someone so... lacking in nerve command an army."

After his complaint, he got back to the matter at hand.

"Go gather your companions."

"Yes, Lord Jia Xiu!"

Roland paid no mind to Jia Xiu’s judgment of Reggie, quickly locating his companions amidst the Chaos of the battlefield.

He explained the plan briefly. No one objected, except for Galvis...

"Ooh! A hero’s moment has arrived!"

The Minstrel wiped the sweat from his brow and swept his fingers across his lute strings.

The next moment, his clear voice rose in song, accompanied by a stirring, powerful melody that cut through the clamor of the battlefield.

"Plunge into the great war, where steel roars and war drums crack the sky!

"In the vortex of horn blasts, blood, and fire, become victory’s edge, the weight upon the scales! March across the scorched earth and fallen banners, to return in triumph from the hill of corpses!"

"This... is the path on which heroes are forged!"

"Wait, Galvis..."

Roland frowned, cutting off his song.

"These lyrics... did you write them yourself?"

"Not exactly."

Galvis shook his head.

"My master once used it when singing the praises of a hero from an ancient text. What do you think, Roland? Incredibly fitting, isn’t it?"

"It is... somewhat fitting."

Roland mulled over the words, which sounded remarkably similar to the requirements for the [Knight] Extraordinary Profession, and gently shook his head.

’This isn’t the time to think about that.’

Soon, Reggie returned with a squad of elite soldiers.

"Alright, everyone!"

Roland tightened his grip on his Secret Silver Longsword. His gaze swept over the endless, tide-like wave of enemies before them. He took a deep breath and shouted.

"Stay sharp! Don’t you dare die a pathetic death here!"

"When we get back to the Royal Capital, it’s on me! I’ll treat everyone to seven days and nights of celebration at the best establishment in the city!"

Before he’d even finished speaking, Teresa raised a hand to brush back her silver hair, a faint smile gracing her usually impassive face.

"In that case, I’ll have enough food for twenty."

Avril straightened her posture, as serious as if reporting to a superior, but then she gave a playful wink.

"I want the absolute most luxurious suite! A huge bed, a bathtub, hot water... Ahh, just thinking about it is heavenly..."

Beastman Freddy scratched the back of his head with a large, coarse hand and laughed heartily.

"In that case, I won’t hold back, Mr. Roland."

"Roland, I don’t need to be so extravagant!"

Galvis sidled up with a grin.

"When the time comes, all I need is for you to tell me everything that happened after Wailing Gorge, in complete and utter detail!"

"Oh, come on..."

Roland sighed helplessly.

"Galvis, I seriously recommend you choose some kind of material reward instead..."

After a glance at the silent Purple-haired Witch, he raised his Longsword high.

"Alright, everyone, move out!"

"RAH!"