The Sovereign System.

"Kayson, now!" Luke bellowed, pointing toward the enemy troops.

Kayson didn't reply. Instead, he hefted his spear, took a few quick steps, and launched his javelin toward the sea of enemies ahead. The shaft cut through the air with a deadly hum, drawing the attention of all who heard it.

The spear flew so fast it nearly vanished into the night sky. Its tip gleamed coldly in the moonlight as it streaked toward its target, unimpeded.

A heartbeat later, the weapon struck home. The enemy general was sent flying from atop his mount, his body twisting violently before crashing to the ground. Silence fell across the battlefield—a stunned pause as thousands processed the gruesome sight.

Luke had no doubt the man was dead. If he wasn't, he was taking his final breaths. No human could survive such an attack.

It took only a single soldier to turn before the remnants of the Qin army scattered like ants. Some threw their weapons to the ground, abandoning the fight, while others sprinted north, desperate to escape.

A mighty roar erupted from the ramparts, quickly spreading through the Marxx forces. Luke felt the tension leave his body. Watching the enemy break and flee was both exhilarating and a relief.

With just ten thousand men, he had managed to outmaneuver the thinly spread forces of the Qin Empire. The battle had proven that their enemies never expected reinforcements from the Marxx Kingdom. Now, in less than an hour, their invasion had collapsed.

"Nice throw," Luke said, clapping Kayson on the shoulder.

Kayson let out a peal of laughter. "Never thought I'd skewer an enemy general from almost two hundred yards away. I guess you were right—my strength really is out of this world now."

He paused, expression turning serious. "Shouldn't we send men to chase down the fleeing army? If they regroup in Pu Dong City, we might have to endure another siege."

Luke shook his head. "Stoddard and Gerard will be here soon. They won't let an opportunity like this slip by."

As if on cue, the thunder of hooves filled the air. Moments later, Stoddard rode past, his riding saber held high as he led a cavalry charge against the retreating enemy. On the other side of the fortress, another force of a thousand riders surged forward, pursuing the scattered Qin soldiers.

"You were right again," Kayson muttered with a sigh. "It's been a long couple of weeks. What do you say we round up Brian and Arthur for that drink we talked about?" He flashed a sly grin.

"I doubt we'll have time tonight, my friend. General Hart will probably want to see us, and I still need to return the jade seal to Deputy General Tryst," Luke said with some regret. A few pints of ale wouldn't go astray right now, but duty came first.

Together, they walked toward the north gates and waited for them to open. The heavy groaning of wood echoed through the air as the gate slowly swung inward, revealing a towering sixty-foot tunnel that had withstood both sieges, untouched.

A lone figure emerged, waving a fan in his left hand. Flanked by a hundred soldiers, he moved with an air of ease, his usual carefree smile in place. Yet despite his relaxed demeanor, his piercing blue eyes locked onto Luke, sending a chill down his spine.

No matter how many times Luke interacted with Hayden, that unsettling sensation never faded. It wasn't fear—he knew he had done nothing wrong—yet standing before the man always felt like walking a razor's edge.

"You have done well, young Commander," Hayden said smoothly. "And you, Kayson. I had no idea you possessed such skill with a spear."

Kayson grinned sheepishly, while Luke fought to maintain his composure.

"Thank you, General. The supply wagons are stationed beyond the western forest. Shall I have them brought to the fortress?"

Hayden nodded. "Arrange for one of your men to escort them in. For now, I'd love to discuss your… peculiar choice of fashion." He gestured toward Luke's face.

'Oh, fuck. I completely forgot about my disguise…' Luke cursed inwardly.

Clearing his throat, he straightened his posture. "Of course, General. You see, whenever I'm exposed to Cassia, my skin reacts badly. The charcoal helps keep it dry and prevents me from scratching and irritating the affected area."

He spoke clearly, surprising even himself—his excuse had been entirely made up on the spot.

Hayden studied him for a moment before giving a slight nod. "I see. Well, let us retreat to the fortress. I'd like to hear about your experience with the new City Lord." He then wrinkled his nose slightly. "But first, you can bathe. Meet me in my quarters afterward."

With that, he turned on his heel and strode through the open gates, his soldiers following in perfect formation.

Luke exhaled slowly, the tension visibly leaving his body.

"Did the General just say you stink?" Kayson asked, amusement lacing his tone.

"Aye, and he's not wrong," Luke admitted with a grin. "Though compared to you, I smell like a bed of roses." He pinched his nose dramatically.

"Fuck off," Kayson laughed.

Feeling lighter, Luke relayed Hayden's orders, sending a few men to retrieve the supply wagons before heading inside with Kayson. He wasn't looking forward to the meeting with the General, but the thought of a bath and clean clothes after days on the road was almost enough to make up for it.

The soldiers led them to what had once been the Qin army barracks. There, they found maids who quickly filled basins with warm water and prepared their baths.

Stripping down in front of another man still felt strange to Luke, but after facing death together on the battlefield, such modesty seemed trivial.

Dunking his head into the water, he scrubbed away the charcoal with fervor. The clear water darkened as the grime melted away, swirling into black clouds before dissipating.

As he lifted his head, the cool air kissed his freshly cleaned skin, sending a shiver of relief through him.

"Feels damn good to get that filth off my face," Luke murmured, sighing contentedly.

In the basin beside him, Kayson turned his head and smirked. "Gods, I'd forgotten how ugly you were without that disguise."

Luke didn't bother responding. Instead, he grabbed the closest object within reach—a wooden brush—and hurled it at his friend. The brush struck the top of Kayson's head with a loud thud, causing Luke to burst into laughter.

"I always knew your head was thick, brother," he said between gasps.

Kayson let out a mock laugh before grabbing the same brush and launching it back at him. The object sailed past Luke's head, cutting through the air with terrifying force before embedding itself deep into the stone wall.

Luke froze. Slowly, he turned his head, eyes widening at the damage. A jagged hole remained where the brush had lodged itself, cracks spiderwebbing outward.

The two maids in the room let out startled screams and retreated to the corner, their hands clutched to their chests in fear.

Luke swallowed hard before turning back to his supposed friend. "Are you trying to kill me, brother?" His face had gone pale.

"Ah, shit… I forgot about my strength," Kayson admitted, rubbing the back of his head. "My bad."

Luke let out a long breath, trying to ignore the lingering thought that he had just narrowly avoided actual death. Eventually, the tension eased, and he managed to relax in the warm water. Now that the fighting was over, he longed to return to Clayton City, a sentiment he shared with Kayson.

Despite their temporary rank as commanders, they were still officers-in-training. While many believed real battlefield experience far outweighed theory, Luke had no desire to continue participating in war longer than necessary.

He'd have plenty of time for that after graduating.

"You'd better get ready to meet the General," Kayson said, standing up from his basin.

Luke glanced over and felt a twinge of envy. Kayson's body was lean and sculpted, every muscle defined without an ounce of excess fat. It was as if the best sculptors in the world had a hand in his creation.

Suppressing his rising jealousy, Luke stood as well, letting the water cascade from his body. He had gained some muscle from their relentless training, but compared to Kayson, he still looked skinny.

One of the maids hurried forward, offering Luke a silk towel. He dried himself off before slipping into the robe that had been prepared for him. It fit snugly but was surprisingly comfortable. Most importantly—it was clean.

"Get some rest, brother," Luke said, holding out his hand. "We'll drink tomorrow night with the others."

Kayson looked down at the offered hand before slapping it away. Instead, he stepped forward and pulled Luke into a crushing embrace, clapping him hard on the back.

Luke's ribs rattled.

By the time he pried himself free, his breathing was ragged. Being hugged by Kayson was bad enough before his upgrade in strength—now it was a battle for survival.

After parting ways, Luke was led to the General's quarters, where Hayden awaited him.

His whole body ached with exhaustion, and as if to mock him, his stomach grumbled loudly, reminding him that he hadn't eaten in what felt like days.

The maid knocked on the door. Once granted permission, she opened it and gestured for Luke to step inside.

He entered, taking in the office's lavish interior. It felt excessively opulent for a workspace.

Luxurious lounges and finely crafted chairs lined the room, surrounding a long wooden table laden with enough food for ten people. The flickering light from ceramic oil lamps cast warm shadows, painting an almost romantic scene.

At the head of the table sat General Hayden. His robe was slightly open, revealing a small tuft of chest hair. He waved his fan idly before motioning for Luke to take a seat.

An uneasy feeling crept up Luke's spine, but he had no reason to refuse the hospitality. He stepped forward and took the offered chair.

Hayden's voice broke the silence.

"You have impressed me on this campaign, Luke. And I am not easily impressed," he said, his tone casual yet measured. "Not only did you predict the enemy's arrival with uncanny accuracy, but you also managed our reinforcements brilliantly."

Luke inclined his head. "Thank you, General. But if not for your cooperation, none of this would have been possible." He meant every word. Had Hayden ignored his warnings or refused him access to the fortress, they would have been the ones forced to flee.

Hayden let out a soft laugh. "One of the many perks of being a General is accepting credit for brilliance in the eyes of the King." He snapped his fan shut. "Of course, the opposite is also true—any failures would fall squarely upon my head."

His smile faded as he leaned forward, his gaze sharpening.

"It's just you and me, Luke Drakon. Let's drop the pretenses."

His voice carried no amusement, though his eyes glimmered with something unreadable.

Luke tensed. 'He's unpredictable… I need to tread carefully.'

"As you wish, General." He kept his expression neutral, though his guard was fully up now.

Hayden's smile returned, as if satisfied. "Tell me about the new City Lord. Securing ten thousand troops must have been no easy feat, especially after the change in leadership."

Luke carefully relayed his thoughts on William and detailed what had transpired during his visit. Of course, he omitted any mention of Victoria, as well as his suspicions regarding Lhair's influence over the city. Hayden was not someone he could trust—not yet.

By the time he finished, his throat was dry from talking, and his stomach protested with an audible growl. The feast before him was tempting, but without the General's permission, he refrained from indulging.

If Hayden noticed his discomfort, he gave no indication. He simply placed his fan against his chin, appearing lost in thought.

At last, he leaned back in his chair, stretching leisurely. "Alright. I'm satisfied."

He exhaled deeply before continuing. "With the successful capture of Xiu Fortress, my graduation is secured. I'll receive my official commission and be sworn in as a General."

Luke had suspected as much, but he wasn't sure why Hayden was telling him this. After all, he was still in his first year at the academy and eager to return to Clayton City.

Still, he nodded. "Congratulations, General."

Hayden's gaze locked onto his, unwavering, almost as if he could see straight through him. Luke stiffened under the scrutiny.

"With my newfound authority, I will recommend you and Viscount Diego's son for enrollment into the Royal Military Academy in the capital."

Luke's composure cracked. "Sorry?"

Hayden chuckled at his reaction, leaning forward. His voice dropped to a near whisper.

"The Kingdom is riddled with corruption, Luke. You'll see it more clearly in the capital. Or were your words back then just a ploy to make me believe you?"

Luke opened his mouth to respond, but Hayden wasn't finished.

Leaning back again, he resumed his leisurely posture and waved a hand dismissively.

"You're a smart man. Use that intelligence to root out the traitor and save the Kingdom…" He trailed off briefly before offering a careless shrug.

"Or don't. I don't particularly care either way."