The Tristan Kingdom was known across the human domain as the Jewel of Commerce, a land where gold flowed more freely than blood. A nation of merchants, scholars, and diplomats, it had built its prosperity on trade, not war. Unlike the neighboring Vermilion Kingdom—renowned for its formidable military and warrior culture—Tristan had long abandoned the sword, choosing to master negotiation, diplomacy, and wealth accumulation instead. At its height, Tristan controlled the largest trade routes in the region. Its merchant fleets dominated the seas, ferrying rare spices, enchanted gemstones, and luxury goods between nations. Its cities bustled with traders from every corner of the world, eager to exchange wares in markets famed for their variety and opulence. But where gold thrived, steel rusted. For generations, Tristan’s military had withered into little more than a ceremonial force, clad in polished armor but untested in battle. Rather than training elite soldiers, the kingdom had relied on mercenary groups and adventurers to defend its borders—a system that had worked well. Until now. A Level Six portal break in the northern regions had unleashed a horde of monstrous creatures into the land. At first, the attacks were dismissed as minor skirmishes. But soon, entire towns were wiped from existence overnight. The king had tried to lure mercenary companies with mountains of gold. They answered the call. They fell like ants. Tristan’s greatest weakness had been exposed. Gold could not buy survival. Inside the royal palace, tension filled the air. Lavish chandeliers cast dim golden light over the grand hall, their glow failing to warm the cold atmosphere. High-ranking officials, military commanders, and court mages stood in a semicircle before the long table, awaiting their king’s response. At the head of the room, King Darius Tristan sat, his piercing green eyes fixed on the aged parchment in his hands. His thick, graying beard twitched slightly as he frowned. A vein throbbed at his temple. His fingers tightened around the paper. "A shift in battle… The monster horde pushed back?" His voice, though calm, sent chills through the room. For days, the kingdom had been in turmoil. The monster waves had been an unstoppable tide, swallowing entire settlements. Many feared the capital itself would be next. And yet—against all expectations—the front lines had not only held. They had advanced. Darius lifted his gaze, his eyes sharp as steel. "Explain." Commander Luthair, a veteran warrior draped in a crimson cape, stepped forward and saluted. "Your Majesty, the latest reports confirm a significant decrease in enemy numbers. The monster horde has been reduced to a fraction of its former strength." The king’s fingers tapped against the armrest of his throne. "And what caused this… sudden shift?" Luthair hesitated. "A group of elite students from the Vermilion Kingdom’s Academy played a crucial role in turning the tide." Murmurs erupted among the court. "The Vermilion Kingdom?" one noble scoffed. "So those arrogant fools finally decided to help us?" Darius raised a hand, silencing the room with a single glance. His voice dropped to a dangerous calm. "Continue, Commander." Luthair’s face was grave. "According to our scouts, the Vermilion students were led by one individual—Nox Aegis Cromwell." A hush fell over the court. Luthair pressed on. "He called himself a Beast Tamer, Your Majesty. And his strength…" He paused, choosing his words carefully. "It seems he commands creatures of immense power. When he entered the battlefield, the tide shifted instantly. His beasts tore through the horde, and the monsters—" He hesitated before adding, "scattered. As if afraid." Shock rippled through the room. Darius leaned forward, eyes gleaming with interest. "Tell me more about this Nox Aegis Cromwell." Luthair cleared his throat. "He’s a student from the Vermilion Academy’s special class and also happens to be the kingdom’s duke after winning a bet." A low murmur spread through the room when they heard this. Luthair then continued to reveal more information. Darius’s expression darkened with thought. This Nox Cromwell could be the key to turning the war around. But there were too many unknowns. Continue reading stories on freewebnovel Darius exhaled sharply. The Vermilion Kingdom had never seen Tristan as an equal. To them, this was a kingdom of merchants, not warriors. Would they truly send help out of goodwill? Or was this merely the prelude to a greater play for power? One of the court mages swallowed hard. "Should we attempt to form an alliance with him? His strength could be invaluable—" Darius cut him off with a raised hand. "We cannot afford to act blindly." His voice was steady, his years of rule evident in every syllable. "But neither can we let this opportunity slip by." His gaze sharpened. "We need to know everything about Nox Aegis Cromwell—his goals, his allegiances… and most importantly, his strength." Luthair gave a curt nod. "Understood, Your Majesty. I’ll send scouts for more intelligence. And I’ll instruct our diplomatic envoy to contact the Vermilion Kingdom, though they may be wary of an informal approach." Darius’s jaw tightened. "Ensure our current alliances remain intact. Our gold and resources have kept us afloat this long—we cannot afford to lose what few allies remain." The nobles exchanged uneasy glances. The treasury was stretched thin. Their wealth had bought swords, but it had not won battles. Darius turned to Luthair, his voice carrying the weight of finality. "I want you to personally lead an envoy to meet with Nox Cromwell and hire him. I figure if we give more gold and resources, he will work even harder." Luthair straightened. "And if he refuses to cooperate?" Darius sighed. "Then we let him be. You can’t force true alliances." A heavy silence settled over the court. The king stood, walking to the grand window overlooking the capital. Below, the capital city of Tristan Kingdom sprawled beneath him. "If this Nox Cromwell is as powerful as they say… then he will not come cheaply." He exhaled slowly, his gaze fixed on the horizon. "But his strength may be what finally allows us to break free from our reliance on wealth… and take back our kingdom’s future." In war, one either adapted—or perished. And King Darius Tristan had no intention of being remembered as the ruler who let his kingdom fall. Back in the northern region of the Tristan Kingdom. The next day, the Tristan Kingdom soldiers and the special-class students had barely rested before they were forced into battle again. A second wave of monstrous beasts had arrived—stronger, more ferocious than before. In this wave, the weakest beast was at the Emperor Tier! Even with the aid of Nox’s pets, several soldiers had fallen. The only way they had a chance against these beasts was in a two-on-one format. "Hold the line!" the scarred battalion leader roared, swinging his greatsword with all his might, cutting through a three-headed serpent. "They just keep coming!" Kali let out a deep breath, his giant sledgehammer crashing down onto the ground, sending several beasts flying. "This is insane," he muttered. "How many of these things are there?" Blake fought beside him, his blade slicing through a monstrous wolf with precision. "No idea, but we don’t stop fighting until we win!" Shing! Shing! Unlike the two, Theo didn’t complain and instead worked in silence. He moved gracefully through the horde of monsters, his blade flashing through the air and cutting down any that crossed his path. Blood pooled everywhere. However, despite this, not even a speck of blood could be spotted on his armor. "Damn, these students are something else!" the soldiers couldn’t help but be amazed when they saw this sight. Meanwhile, in the distance... The Granite Colossus roared as it swung its massive arm, knocking down a group of large, mutated ogres that had been charging toward the students. The creature’s immense size made it nearly unstoppable, and each blow it landed sent shockwaves through the battlefield. One of the soldiers, a young man with short black hair, looked up in awe as he saw the golem tear through the enemy lines with ease. Just beside the golem, Zara was already freezing the ground around her, creating barriers of ice to trap the monsters in place. Her elemental magic was a perfect counter to the beasts that relied on speed and brute force. Ice shards rained down, piercing the hides of mutated beasts and freezing them where they stood. Then there was Nyx. The holy paladin swung her radiant sword with precision, cleaving through monsters in a series of deadly strikes. Each blow she delivered was a death sentence for whatever creature dared to get too close. Although this was a mission meant for the special-class students, Wendy didn’t stand idly by and joined the fight. The only one who had yet to join the battle was Brandon. The blue-haired youth stared into the distance, his arms crossed and his eyes narrowed as he glared at Nox, who was currently fighting two Emperor-Tier monsters at once. He was skillfully dancing between their attacks and countering with his Wicked Oblivion Edge. Brandon’s eyes flashed sharply, and he looked around as if making sure no one was paying attention. Then, he suddenly took a step forward and... vanished.