Just then, soft footsteps approached from behind.
Ace turned.
Elder Xi Chun stood there, dressed in her formal robes, her expression sharp and composed but the urgency in her eyes betrayed the calm facade.
"Master," she said, voice crisp and clear, "the army of the Tharz Kingdom has begun marching. They're heading straight for us."
The words hung heavy in the air.
They were coming.
Ace's hand instinctively touched the edge of his new cloak, feeling its weight.
He nodded once, the light in his eyes shifting from playful to resolute.
"…Understood."
He turned towards Xi Chun.
"Lead the way."
Xi Chun bowed her head slightly and turned. Ace followed her without another word, his cloak trailing like a shadow behind him.
The moment Ace arrived at the sect training ground where everyone has been gathered, the entire atmosphere felt different.
