The next morning, outside the gates of the Paralar Empire.
The grand army of the Holy Paladins had assembled outside the city gates, clad in their shining silver armor, each warrior gripping a silver sword and shield. To the Paladins, silver weapons were sacred and divine, capable of slaying creatures that did not belong to this world. At the front of the army stood Mr. Leon, donned in a magnificent suit of golden armor, riding atop a pure white steed.
"Mr. Leon, Will and the others have arrived," Eddie called, approaching Leon's side.
"Mm." Leon nodded.
"Ah, Will, Lisa, please walk at the rear of the troops," Leon instructed.
"Of course," Lisa replied.
"Very well," Leon said.
"Paladins, take up your weapons! Prepare to march!" Leon shouted loudly.
"Ugh!" The Paladins behind Leon echoed his command in a unified, thunderous roar.
With that, the Holy Paladins began their slow march toward the combined forces of Arus and the United Nations.
...
Meanwhile, in the camp of the Arus and United Nations alliance, a soldier hurried into the command tent.
"General Lei, our scouts have spotted the Paralar Empire's forces; they are marching toward our camp."
"Hmm... it seems they intend to strike first," replied General Lei, his towering figure exuding power. His skin was dark, and his long, unruly black hair framed his rugged face. Wearing light armor, a thick beard and piercing eyes, he gazed intensely at the soldier standing before him.
"Hehehehe. This is perfect. We can annihilate them and then storm the city," a figure standing to the left suddenly chimed in. Wearing a purple robe and hood, with a pentagram pendant hanging from his chest, he spoke in a mocking tone.
"Do you think you can defeat those Paladins, Merlin?" General Lei snapped, eyeing the man called Merlin with impatience.
"Hehehehe, of course not with just my own power. But you still have your forces, don't you, General Lei?" Merlin grinned slyly.
"Tch, you filthy mages! You're using our soldiers as cannon fodder!" General Lei bellowed, his eyes burning with fury.
As soon as those words left his mouth, the atmosphere in the tent shifted; the earlier discussions had turned into an awkward silence.
"To the victor goes the spoils, General Lei. The Arus Empire has already fallen. You should be grateful that we haven't wiped you out completely," Merlin continued, his tone dripping with contempt.
Hearing these words, General Lei fell silent, grinding his teeth. It was true; the Arus Empire had been defeated by the United Nations, and their king, in order to preserve the lives of his people, had reluctantly agreed to become their vassal.
"General Lei, I advise you to obey my instructions. Otherwise, your family, your soldiers, your king, and your nation will all be obliterated by the United Nations," Merlin said, his voice turning menacing.
General Lei clenched his fists, seething with rage. Though he hated Merlin with every fiber of his being and wished to kill him, he knew he was no match for the mage.
"Enough. Soldier, report the rest of the details," Merlin suddenly turned to the soldier, but the soldier hesitated, glancing nervously at General Lei. Understanding the unspoken plea, General Lei nodded, giving the soldier permission to continue.
"Er... The Paralar Empire's forces consist of about five hundred men, led by the Paladin general, Leon."
"Only five hundred? Are you sure?" General Lei asked incredulously.
"Yes. We've observed them carefully. Our scouts have followed them and found no additional Paladins."
"Five hundred? And they're marching on foot? We, the combined forces of Arus and the United Nations, have four thousand men, along with siege engines and catapults. What could they possibly want with so few soldiers?" General Lei muttered, confused.
"If there are no reinforcements, I could easily destroy them alone. Hehehe," Merlin chuckled wickedly.
"Fine, if you're so confident, go ahead," General Lei said dismissively.
"Hehehe, General Lei, you're coming with me. You're a smart man, so you must know why I followed you here. How could I let you out of my sight?" Merlin grinned.
"Tch! Wretched mage," General Lei muttered under his breath.
"Very well, General Lei. Bring your men and follow me to 'greet' them," Merlin said, turning toward the tent entrance.
"Curse that mage," General Lei grumbled, as Merlin led the way.
...
"Lisa, I have a question," Will said quietly, walking at the rear of the army.
"What is it?" she asked, turning to him.
"Who is Merlin?"
"How do you know that name?" Lisa asked, her expression one of surprise.
"I overheard your conversation with the black-clad man yesterday."
"Merlin... he's the one I mentioned earlier—Codename M."
"Do you know him?"
"He is a high-ranking figure in the United Nations, once called the 'Star of the Magicians.' He was an incredibly powerful mage, but for some reason, he became very cruel. I believe he's involved in this assassination attempt."
"If this M refers to Merlin, then he must have been involved in many terrible deeds. I encountered an underground organization that also had ties to him. They seem to want to summon some ancient god."
"An ancient god... Cthulhu," Lisa murmured to herself.
"What? Lisa, you know?"
"I thought Cthulhu was just a legend. I didn't realize they were actually trying to summon it."
"What kind of legend is it?"
"The legend says that Cthulhu is one of the oldest evil gods in existence. Its entire body is covered in tentacles, and it is far more terrifying than all other evil in this world combined. It specializes in manipulating minds and controlling others. The legend goes that its malevolent power alarmed the gods in Heaven, who sought to punish it. However, since Cthulhu is also a god, the heavenly beings couldn't destroy it. Instead, they imprisoned it, and that prison... is here, in the world we live in."
"Is it here, in our world?" Will asked, his voice filled with disbelief.
Lisa did not answer immediately. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and nodded gently.