The day the necklace glowed after meeting Julien... Ghislain had a dream. It was the first in a very long time. "...You understand, don’t you?" A voice whispered softly, tickling his ears. The dreamscape was hazy and unstable. Ghislain could barely make out indistinct figures moving in front of him. The shapes seemed busy, engaged in tasks he couldn’t decipher. Ghislain observed them silently, like a detached bystander. Yet everything was so vague that he couldn’t identify who they were or what they were doing. In the gray-tinted world, the only thing he could discern was fleeting, blurry movements passing by. Among the crowd, one figure stood out. It carried faint traces of color, unlike the others. Ghislain recognized her immediately. ‘Ereneth?’ Ereneth was smiling—a rare sight. Her usual stoic, reserved demeanor was replaced with vibrant energy. Could she really smile so brightly? Her face also seemed younger, more innocent. It wasn’t something Ghislain could confirm outright, given the long lifespans of elves, but her aura lacked the maturity she now exuded. Still, like most dreams, Ghislain failed to realize he was dreaming. To him, this scene felt entirely natural, unquestionable. Ghislain found himself staring at the laughing Ereneth and the gray figures surrounding her. He felt... happy. For reasons he couldn’t explain, it seemed as if everyone there was a dear friend. Among the crowd, one gray figure turned its attention to him. Though its form remained indistinct, he could sense the presence of a smile. Ghislain instinctively smiled back. As soon as he did, the surroundings started to sharpen, the hazy forms slowly becoming clearer. He thought that, in just a moment, he might finally be able to make them out. "Master!!! Wake up!!!" Flash! Ghislain’s eyes flew open. Dark was yelling, his tone frantic. “Master! You’re awake, right?! Tell me you’re awake!” “Yes... I’m awake. What’s going on?” “Damn it, I don’t know! Something was trying to invade your mind! It was trying to overwrite your memories, but I couldn’t even see what it was!” Ghislain frowned but stayed silent. Something had tried to enter his mind? A transcendent being like Ghislain, whose soul had been tempered through death and regression, was immune to mental intrusion. The mind of such an individual couldn’t be breached so easily. Moreover, it wasn’t as though anyone had cast a spell directly at him. The explanation could only be one thing. Dark shouted again, his panic evident. “It’s that weird necklace! Get rid of it! That thing’s the culprit! I can feel it—it’s messing with me too!” “Messing with you as well?” Ghislain asked, his brow furrowing. “Yes! It’s making me feel... wrong. I can’t explain it, but I don’t like it!” Ghislain rubbed his temples, deliberating. Ever since reaching a certain stage in his cultivation, he hadn’t dreamed at all. Sleep itself was almost unnecessary, reduced to brief moments focused purely on bodily recovery. For him, closing his eyes for a second felt like hours of restful slumber. But he had dreamed this time—a vague, inexplicable dream. It wasn’t caused by any internal anomaly. Something external had influenced him. “It’s the necklace, isn’t it?” he muttered. Nothing like this had happened before, even while wearing it. But after meeting Julien and triggering the necklace’s reaction, things had changed. Dark, ever impatient, interrupted his thoughts. “Throw it away! Just toss that creepy thing! Why are you still carrying it around?” Ghislain briefly considered it. A disturbing dream could be overlooked, but an unknown force trying to infiltrate his mind was a much graver issue. However, Erenheart’s words echoed in his memory. "After I realized my ‘purpose,’ I began to dream. A vivid, continuous dream that felt more real than anything else." ‘If this dream is something like that...’ What if the dream was a revelation, guiding him toward something important? What if it held clues about the Salvation Order’s true intentions? “I’m not throwing it away. I’ll keep it for now. If something like this happens again, don’t wake me. Just observe.” “What? Observe? Are you serious? Something unknown is invading your mind! If I leave it unchecked, I might not be able to stop it next time!” Dark protested vehemently. Dark had likely deflected the mental intrusion with his unique ability to nullify such attacks. That would also explain why the dream had remained blurry. But Ghislain dismissed Dark’s concerns lightly. “It’s fine. As long as it’s not a direct attack, I can handle it. If something dangerous does get through, I’ll deal with it myself.” His spirit had been forged through countless cycles of death and regression. He was confident in its resilience. Dark clicked his tongue in frustration. “Why take such a risk? Why throw yourself into danger like this?” “Because I’m curious,” Ghislain replied with a faint smirk. “If something doesn’t make sense, you have to face it head-on.” Ghislain had always been like this—a man who treated life-and-death challenges as his personal playground. Dark, knowing this about him, held his tongue. He silently resolved to be ready for the worst-case scenario. He couldn’t deny that he was also intrigued by the strange sensation surrounding the necklace. After the commotion, Ghislain lay down again, slipping back into sleep. But this time, no dreams came. It seemed the phenomenon wasn’t guaranteed to repeat itself. All Ghislain could do was wait until the dream returned. *** Rutania and Turian had decided to center the allied forces in Sardina Kingdom. Sardina had no say in the matter. Rutania and Turian had helped resolve its civil war and suppress its Rifts, and Sardina’s forces were no match for their combined might. Thanks to Ghislain and Julien, several kingdoms had swiftly ended their internal conflicts. The remnants of the Salvation Order and rebel forces that fled made things even easier. The kingdoms that had resolved their wars contributed troops to the allied army. Now, the allied force numbered around 200,000. Including the troops still fighting in other regions, the total exceeded 300,000. The leaders of the allied forces, gathered from various kingdoms, finally felt they could breathe a little easier. “Ha-ha, with this strength, even the Salvation Order won’t stand a chance.” “The rebel forces are retreating across the board, aren’t they?” “This is all thanks to Rutania and the Duke of Fenris! Ha-ha-ha.” The nobles cast sidelong glances at Ghislain, offering praise. After all, the diminishing influence of the Salvation Order was largely due to his efforts. If things continued like this, the Salvation Order would be eradicated, and the allied forces would emerge victorious. The glimmer of hope brightened the atmosphere. “But... how do we close the Rifts?” “Hmm, wouldn’t a solution reveal itself once the Salvation Order is destroyed?” The Rifts that had been contained by magic circles were no longer expanding. They had been sealed off from absorbing the surrounding energy. However, the mere presence of the Rifts remained a source of unease. Nothing could be built near them, and they required constant monitoring. The leaders wanted to deal with the Rifts, but no one knew how, so the best they could do was leave them be. Ghislain remained silent on the matter. He, too, did not yet know of a safe way to close them. “Once we deal with the Salvation Order, we’ll find a solution.” For now, it was enough to prevent the emergence of Rift °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° Lords or massive creatures from within. Once the war ended, the mages would undoubtedly discover a method. He remembered that research on the matter had made significant progress in his previous life. For that to happen, the Salvation Order needed to be eradicated quickly. Finding Erenheart, who had gone into hiding, was also crucial, but the immediate priority was the Order. As the strategy meeting commenced, Marquis of Gideon unfolded a large map on the table. Alongside Claude, he had assumed the role of strategist for the allied forces. “As the Duke of Fenris suggested, the Salvation Order is gathering in Atrodé Kingdom,” Gideon began. “How is the civil war in Atrodé progressing?” “The Duke of Reinster has emerged victorious. Rebel forces from surrounding kingdoms are converging on Atrodé Kingdom.” “Hm...” “It seems likely they’re regrouping to consolidate their strength for a counteroffensive.” Ghislain, listening quietly, finally spoke. “What is the staff’s recommendation?” “Expanding the front line would be disadvantageous for us. It would lead to a prolonged stalemate of gains and losses. If we’re to strike, it’s best to crush them decisively while they’re gathered.” Ghislain nodded. The drawn-out conflict had been caused by the Salvation Order’s widespread rebellion. If the enemy regrouped and scattered again, the allied forces would have to split their own army to hunt them down. It was better to end things while the enemy was still concentrated. One noble voiced a concern. “Ahem, while a quick, decisive battle sounds ideal, wouldn’t it also be incredibly risky?” The Salvation Order’s greatest threat was their ability to mass-produce transcendent individuals—albeit half-baked ones. Even so, transcendent warriors were rare. While most kingdoms could boast only one or two, the Salvation Order seemed to field them in doubles and triples. This overwhelming strength was why so many kingdoms had fallen to the rebel forces. Atrodé Kingdom was sure to house a massive army bolstered by numerous transcendent warriors. If they lost the battle, it would be catastrophic. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂 Marquis Gideon straightened his shoulders and spoke confidently. “Then we’ll simply have to win.” “...” He glanced at Ghislain, then at Julien, who stood nearby. With those two present, defeat seemed almost unthinkable. Ghislain chuckled. “Well, I don’t think we’ll lose.” The allied forces included three of the Seven Strongest from Ghislain’s previous life. If Ereneth joined them, they would have four. In addition, each kingdom had brought its own skilled transcendent warriors and knights. “And there’s still one more who should be joining soon.” Ghislain thought of an old comrade from his past life. It was about time for that friend to make a name for himself. If he caught wind of the allied forces, he’d surely join them, just as he had in the past. With such strength, defeat was a remote possibility. In fact, things were shaping up to be even better than in his previous life. Back then, much of their effort had been consumed fighting Rift creatures, leaving little time to deal with the Salvation Order. Turning to Julien, Ghislain asked with a grin, “What do you think about smashing Duke Reinster in Atrodé Kingdom?” “Not a bad idea.” There were still kingdoms struggling with Rifts and rebel forces, but if the Salvation Order’s base was destroyed, they could be rescued soon enough. Julien saw no reason to refuse any plan that would hasten the end of the war. Fear wasn’t in his nature; the enemy’s strength didn’t concern him. Ghislain chuckled at Julien’s stoic response. “There’s no better ally in war than someone like him.” The more Julien fought, the stronger he grew. While already astonishing, he had yet to reach the peak of his abilities from Ghislain’s previous life. Likewise, Ghislain was also different. He had ascended faster and was becoming even stronger. “When this war is over, we’ll spar properly. This time, I’m not handing over the title of the strongest swordsman on the continent.” The strategy meeting concluded. Ultimately, no one else had the authority to oppose the decisions made by Ghislain and Julien. The allied forces’ preparations advanced smoothly. Some kingdoms joined midway, but the core army of 200,000 remained the primary force. The remaining troops were dispatched to support struggling kingdoms or defend against potential ambushes. Routes for supply and reinforcements were finalized. All that remained was to set out. Just then, a dust-covered messenger arrived in a panic. “P-Parsali Kingdom has been invaded! The Parsali army is being pushed back on all fronts!” “What?” Ghislain frowned. Parsali Kingdom had been gaining the upper hand against the rebels and had even recently contacted the allied forces about contributing troops. “What’s going on? Explain,” Ghislain demanded. “A force of 200,000 launched a surprise attack. The army assembled in Atrodé Kingdom moved swiftly.” A force of 200,000 would indeed be hard for Parsali to withstand. The Salvation Order had used their numbers strategically. Still, Ghislain found it odd that Parsali was already in retreat. Large armies naturally moved slowly due to logistics, yet Parsali had been overrun in mere days. Before he could question further, the messenger added nervously, “An enormous army of undead is advancing. No matter how many they kill, they keep multiplying.” Ghislain froze briefly before a crooked smile spread across his face. “That bastard joined the Salvation Order, didn’t he?” He had a good idea of who was responsible.