Death... and me

Author's Note: I said that the attacks on other regions couldn't start before at least five years had gone by. That was a mistake. I already fixed that in the rules' explaining chapter. It was supposed to be ten years. Sorry for the mistake.

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Too bad, though. A few hours later, while Xanmica was starting to prepare for the war, a cultivator entered his room in a flash. "R-Reporting!"

Xanmica narrowed his eyes in response. "What is it? Don't you know I'm busy at the moment? The war against Butiva will start in a week, so I have to prepare everything. You better have a good reason to stop me."

The subordinate nodded, saying, "S-Sir, we're losing all of the army commanders heading towards Butiva!"

"What?!" Xanmica was taken aback. "That's impossible! I sent Grumol to keep an eye on our armies. Didn't he stop the assailant?"

"That's not it," the subordinate continued. "Senior Grumol is looking for the one responsible for the commanders' disappearance. However, he simply can't find anyone at all. That's why he sent me back to ask for orders. If things continue like this, we will lose all the personnel capable of giving orders."

"Shit!" Xanmica immediately understood that he had fallen for the enemy's trap. "Go inform Young Master Himisve to head to the front lines as soon as possible. Since Grumol can't find out who's doing the attacks, it means that Luina is most likely the one taking the initiative. Only Young Master Himisve will be able to contend against a Space Bending Realm enemy!"

"Yes, sir!" The guy received the order.

After that, Xanmica prepared to leave as well. 'Then again, isn't it way too fast? Grumol had just found out about the armies close to our borders. There was no way for them to know that we would counterattack straight away.'

"R-Report!" Suddenly, another subordinate came rushing into Xanmica's room before he could even pass through the door.

"What is it now?!" Xanmica had a bad premonition.

"Our scouts have found out that the size of Butiva's army is several times bigger than we first expected," said the new guy. "It seems like Butiva is bringing out at least half of their country's forces for this war."

"What?!" Xanmica couldn't believe it. "Are they crazy?! If they move so many of their soldiers to attack us, their own country will become vulnerable to the other countries around them! What are they trying to do? Bring both of us down together?!"

"That... I don't know," answered the cultivator.

Unfortunately, Xanmica didn't know the answer either. The problem was that he would have to answer the enemy's movements quickly. "Send the message out. The armies at the borders of the other countries must stay on high alert and take the defensive positions that were designed during the first month. As for the rest, send them all to meet Butiva's army! We'll meet them with full force and hope that the other countries don't react too fast."

"Yes, sir!"

Meanwhile, Luina looked at Roan as he continued to pass orders to the armies moving in Tramara's direction. "Are you sure you want to send this many people, demon beasts, and spirits? Won't we become vulnerable against the other countries instead?"

Roan faintly smiled in response, telling her, "Vulnerable? We have tens of Transition Realm cultivators, demon beasts, and spirits hiding within the armies we left to defend. I can guarantee that none of the disciples of the Jamai Sect will join the attack at first, so those guys are more than enough to destroy them. By the time they notice that we have way more than just two Transition Realms fighting, everything will be over already."

Rean laughed after hearing that. "Hahaha! Use everything you have at your disposal, right? Well then, I wonder how our assassins are doing. By now, those armies from Tramara probably lost quite a lot of their commanders."

Roan shook his head, replying, "That's not correct. I told them not to kill the commanders. Instead, to kidnap as many of them as possible. Only kill if absolutely necessary."

"Hmm?!" Rean was surprised to hear that. "Why?"

"Because I will need them once the war against the other regions starts. Do you think all the other regions will have internal fights as we do? That's definitely not the case. They will have intact armies with a proper chain of command. I will need the same thing when the time comes. After all, I'm not sure if the other regions won't develop copies of their badges like you did."

"I see..." Luina and Rean understood after hearing that. "That makes sense."

Roan's communication badge continued to shine as he passed more orders. In fact, Rean's one was pretty much the same. In Rean's case, he was more in the logistics department, working with Jessica to have all the necessary resources move behind the attacking lines uninterrupted.

Luina couldn't help but sigh after some time. "Now that I think about it, how many of our soldiers will die during the first clash?"

Roan looked back at Luina as if he looked at an idiot. "How many? Not a single one, obviously."

"What?!" Luina didn't understand. "How come not a single one?"

Rean explained in Roan's place, telling her, "Luina, you forgot that the rule of not attacking with the two Transition Realm subordinates and the disciples only applies to regional wars. For this internal conflict, the subordinates and disciples of the Jamai Sect can head to the front lines straight away. Before the two armies even clash, Roan, you, and I will attack their defense lines. Do you think their Nascent Soul Realm subordinates can do anything against us?"

"They obviously can't," answered Luina. "I see... you intend to lure out Himisve and his two subordinates into direct combat, right?"

Roan nodded. "Yes. I believe that only a few noticed this gap in the rule. Himisve and his subordinates are definitely waiting for the war between low-level soldiers to reach a critical point before coming out. I wonder how the look on their faces will be when we suddenly appear above their army and start attacking everyone below."

Luina found it strange, though. "In that case, was there even a need to move our army? Couldn't we simply join forces with Leticia and attack Himisve in the capital, forcing him to submit?"

Rean and Roan shook their heads after hearing that. "Only an idiot would attack the enemy on their turf."