While the Sovereign's shadow loomed large, his presence was absent in the battlefield—by design.
Zairon stood atop the mountain that overlooked their domain, arms folded, wind whipping through his cloak. He wasn't resting. No. The real war was waged in the mind—and his was grinding at full speed.
The Army Moves Without the Sovereign
Under the newly established chain of command, squads had formed into lethal units. Led by rising officers—selected from past raids—each team had one mission: Expand the Legion.
Objective: Eliminate the remaining small trafficking gangs and liberate potential recruits.
Maruna and Gareth coordinated with Lena for field healing teams, while Zareth led the strike force—swift, ruthless, and surgical.
Three raids. Twelve hours. Two hundred criminals eliminated. Four hundred captives freed.
Among the freed were:
18 F-rank Hunters
9 E-rank potentials
Over 30 combat-fit civilians
Multiple blacksmiths, healers, engineers, and spirit cultivators with passive abilities.
Each new recruit was categorized, screened, and tested. Those with talent were placed under squad leaders; others trained in support divisions.
And most importantly—loyalty rituals were conducted, binding them under the Sovereign Pact. A sacred vow that tied their spirit to the Legion.
Zairon's Isolation: The Birth of a Greater Technique
Far from the blood and screams, Zairon sat cross-legged in a spirit-sealed cave, glowing runes pulsing across the floor.
"Sovereign Slash… isn't enough." His eyes flickered with annoyance. "If I want to lead an empire of monsters… I need a weapon worthy of a god."
He reviewed his current slash technique—an area-cleaving strike infused with Spiritual Energy.
But it lacked absolute control… it lacked layered devastation… and it lacked evolution.
He called it: Sovereign Slash v1.0
Now, he would forge a new system of attack. Not a single strike, but a technique suite usable by the Legion and scalable based on power.
Birth of the Sovereign Style: Draft Phase
Sovereign Slash – Core Slash Technique
Sovereign Pulse – A burst wave to paralyze enemies
Sovereign Storm – Successive AoE attacks controlled by mental projection
Sovereign March – A buff aura to enhance his army's speed and strength in combat
These would be tested, refined, and eventually distributed to key members of the Legion who could master them.
But Zairon wasn't done.
"If I cannot give my army strength, I am nothing more than a tyrant with puppets."
He began working on a Power-Sharing Technique—one that would temporarily channel his overflowing energy to his allies in moments of crisis.
Back in the city, Lena reported that the number of recruits had crossed 600.
Zareth, having trained a group of new D-rank prospects, sent word:
"We now have five fully combat-ready squads. Give us a target, and we'll erase it."
Zairon smirked.
"Soon. But first… let's make gods out of mortals."