[Rank 1 King Guard Level 50]


    This was the man who would lead us should the emperor be unable to do so.


    Well, he''d lead the emperor''s army, as I and my teammates were given the freedom to do whatever we wanted.


    My team and I were merely external help, but that didn''t mean we nned on causing trouble because of it.


    If our help was needed and we were in a position to offer it, then we would. Freedom was just a bonus for us in this war.


    As I thought about this, I turned to look at my surroundings. The air was tense—very tense—but this tension was only apparent on our side.


    Our side remained very quiet, while the ogres on the other side were roaring, shouting, and doing everything they could to make noise.


    It seemed the ogres were rtively more excited about this war than our side was.


    This didn''t mean the emperor''s party was scared of providing a fight. It was just that, unlike the other side, who seemed to consider whatever happened next as potentially fun, the emperor''s army was fighting for more crucial reasons.


    Shifting my attention back to the ogre army, I spotted another massive figure among their ranks making his way to the front.


    This particr ogre had a formidable build that surpassed the others in their race but was still inferior to the ogre king who had left with the emperor to another location.


    This might be their second inmand I mused as the ogre reached the front and fixed its gaze on our side.


    Unlike the other ogres, this one wore a rtively serious expression and stared intently at the emperor''s army.


    I couldn''t see the face of our own second inmand, but his posture indicated he wasn''t backing down from the stare-off.


    But that wasn''t all.


    Simultaneously, the two second-inmands of both opposing armies raised a hand into the air.


    Momentster, everything immediately quieted down as everyone adopted a more serious stance. Even the ogres on the other side started warming up.


    What are they doing? I wondered.


    It seemed like both sides were waiting for something, but for what?


    Just as this thought crossed my mind, a loud explosion echoed in the surroundings.


    It wasn''t from here; it seemed to be in a far-off location, yet the sound carried to us. Before most people could react, another explosion followed suit.


    What''s that?!


    Reacting swiftly, I turned to stare in the direction of the explosion.


    I couldn''t see anything there, but a sudden realisation struck me. That direction was where the emperor and the ogre king had departed.


    They must be the cause of all this I thought as the situation in my location suddenly changed.


    The ogre''s second-inmand roared, and our emperor''s second-inmand echoed the shout.


    "Charge!" he bellowed, and both armies started advancing toward each other.


    Initially, it was a jog before it escted into a sprint.


    Both sides appeared to be in some form of berserk state but created enough space around their second-inmands to avoid getting caught in the powerful aftermath of their sh.


    Meanwhile, Blue and I had already taken to the sky.


    The moment themand to charge was given, we ascended.


    The emperor''s army, on the other hand, was about to engage with the ogre army.


    As for my teammates, they were nowhere to be found; they had another assignment to take care of as soon as the war began.


    "We should make a move as well," I muttered, conveying my intention to Blue, who responded with a screech, propelling us toward the direction of the ogre army.


    However, before we could even draw close, a colossal boulder suddenly materialised in our path.


    Luckily, we had been on guard since our first encounter with the ogres and even before that.


    Executing a mid-air turn, we narrowly evaded the boulder.


    But before we could catch our breath, more projectiles began hurtling our way, thrusting Blue and me into a relentless evasion, lest we be brought down from the skies.


    Rocks of varying sizes materialised out of thin air, catapulting toward us with rming speed and precision.


    Blue''s keen reflexes matched my own, dodging each projectile with a graceful dance in the sky. We twisted and weaved through the storm of rocks, each movement calcted and executed in perfect synchrony. The rush of wind, the frantic beating of Blue''s wings, and the whistle of the projectiles created an intense, chaotic symphony in the air.


    While the situation wasn''t overly dire for us, it did catch us off guard.


    After a tense few moments, we managed to evade the onught.


    "Who threw those boulders at us?" I muttered, certain it was the ogres, but I was more intrigued by their method.


    Their motivation seemed to be centred around driving us out of the sky.


    Turning my attention to the ogre army, I finally spotted the source of the barrage and couldn''t help but be taken aback.


    It was a human, an elderly one.


    Observing the wand in his hand and the massive rocks hovering around him, it wasn''t hard to deduce that he was a mage.


    Yet, I was curious about something else—why was a human assisting the ogres?


    *******


    Dear cherished readers,


    I want to take a moment to express my heartfelt appreciation for your continued support and for choosing to apany me on this thrilling literary journey. Your presence here today is not taken for granted, and it''s a source of immense inspiration for me as a writer.


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    I value your input immensely.


    Remember, your support is the lifeblood of this novel, and I am deeply grateful for your continued presence. I''m eagerly looking forward to seeing you all again tomorrow for the next chapter, as we continue this epic adventure together.