Would there be salvation? No one knew.
At this moment, Ethan Hayes descended upon the capital, surveying the scene below. Smoke billowed into the air, fires raged, and chaos reigned. The outer district was entirely overrun, while the inner city teetered on the brink of collapse.
"How is this possible? How could they move so quickly? Where is the Golden Dawn?" Ethan muttered, his brows furrowed in disbelief.
From his vantage, he saw no trace of the Golden Dawn magic knights, save for a handful of scattered guards vainly attempting to hold back the tide.
"Could it be that the entire Golden Dawn was wiped out? No… more likely, Vangeance sent them away under some pretense," Ethan surmised grimly.
The thought wasn't far-fetched—William Vangeance, the traitorous leader of the Golden Dawn, had orchestrated this invasion in the original timeline. A convenient excuse to redeploy his squad elsewhere would ensure minimal resistance in the capital.
"Tch… So, it's just me holding the line until reinforcements arrive?"
Descending into the fray, Ethan landed amidst the chaos. His inner conflict flared briefly—after all, what were these people to him? He wasn't a hero willing to throw himself into the fire for strangers.
Yet, the Clover Kingdom had become his home, his sanctuary. It was a mutually beneficial relationship, but a necessary one. If the kingdom fell, so too would the stability he relied upon.
"Wind Creation Magic—Storm Spire!"
Ethan's grimoire glowed with a vibrant green light as a swirling tornado erupted around him. Within seconds, the undead creatures nearest him were torn to shreds, their remains scattered into the wind.
The sudden display of power caught the attention of the panicked citizens. Hope flickered in their eyes as they beheld the lone knight standing against the tide.
"A magic knight! We're saved!"
"Thank goodness! Someone's here to help us!"
"Which squad are you with? Where are the others?"
Ethan paused, surveying the desperate faces. "Dawn of the Tenth Squad."
The crowd fell silent. Confusion spread among them.
"The Tenth Squad?"
"Dawn of the Tenth? Isn't that the newly established squad for commoners?"
Realization dawned, and with it, despair.
"We're doomed! It's just the commoner squad!"
"They can't possibly save us! Where are the real knights?"
The panic quickly reignited, and Ethan's lips curled into a sardonic smile. Before he could respond, a sinister voice interrupted.
"Running won't save you now."
A figure emerged from the shadows—a man with an eyepatch and a cruel grin. His tattered cloak billowed as he casually advanced, summoning undead thralls with every step.
Ethan turned his gaze to the fleeing nobles, watching as they cowered behind him despite their earlier derision.
"Interesting. You looked down on me moments ago. Now you're hiding behind me?" he remarked coldly.
"Aren't magic knights supposed to protect us?" one noble stammered.
"Yeah, it's your duty!"
"If you save us, I'll reward you handsomely!" another added, their desperation dripping with entitlement.
Ethan's expression hardened. Without a word, he stepped aside, leaving the nobles exposed to the advancing undead.
"What are you doing?!" they shrieked.
"Why?!"
"Why?" Ethan sneered. "Because I don't take orders from those who don't respect me. Protect yourselves if you think you're so superior."
The eyepatched man, Rades, burst into laughter. "You're an interesting one! A magic knight who lets his own people die. Why don't you join us? This kingdom clearly doesn't deserve you."
Ethan smirked. "You're mistaken. While I find their arrogance infuriating, this kingdom is still my territory. And I don't let intruders run rampant in my domain."
Raising his hand, Ethan prepared to unleash another spell. His green aura intensified, signaling to Rades that this fight had only just begun.
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