"Take these traitors away and interrogate them thoroughly," General Leon ordered coldly, narrowing his ocean-blue eyes.
From his tone, it was clear that the interrogation would be far from gentle. The traitors would likely endure nothing short of hellish torture.
"No, no! Please, forgive us, General!" Commander Kyle and the other three begged in despair.
Seeing no reaction from the generals, they turned to their longtime companions.
"Rollin, help us!"
"Aurelian, save me!"
Their so-called friends scoffed, looking at them with utter disdain, as if they were no better than dogs.
"Go suffer in the cold prison for eternity, you vile traitors," they sneered, spitting in their faces.
The traitors were quickly drenched in spit, their humiliation evident as the Marshal looked at them with disgust.
"Go, seal their powers quickly!" the Marshal ordered some of his men.
They swiftly secured the traitors with Mana-Sealing belts and shackles to restrain them.
"Bastards, let us go! You're all dead! Our Emperor will execute every last one of you soon enough! You're all going to lose, you motherf*ckers!"
One of the traitors cursed violently, struggling against the restraints Aengus had cast over them. His vulgar words hung in the air as he spat insults at everyone present.
General Leon narrowed his eyes, lifting a finger. Instantly, he froze the man solid. The traitor transformed into an ice statue, which slowly crumbled to particles and drifted away in the wind.
Commander Kyle and the other two felt a chill run down their spines, witnessing such a deadly execution before their eyes. Their hearts leapt into their throats, and they fell silent as they were violently dragged away.
General Leon turned to Aengus, who stood calmly amidst the chaos.
"Ethan, I'm sorry you had to witness such an unsightly display. Are there any other traitors here?" Leon asked, his gaze scanning the remaining officials.
Aengus surveyed the group slowly, his eyes glowing blue as he scrutinized their information flowing through his mind. He had already checked everyone but wanted to confirm he hadn't missed anyone.
"General, I think we should go for a preemptive strike, before they have a chance to launch their own attack. Such an assault could take out a significant number of their forces in one move," she suggested earnestly.
The generals found the idea feasible but saw a few challenges.
"What's your name again?" General Leon asked the female commander.
She replied with an enthusiastic smile. "General, my name is Raya. I'm in charge of the 34th Battalion," she announced proudly.
"Alright, Raya," General Leon continued, "do you have a plan for breaching their defenses? They have strict surveillance barriers with guards on constant alert. Any idea on how to overcome them? The Transcendentals among us could enter, of course, but their Transcendentals will be on high alert as well."
Raya scratched her head, clearly troubled by the challenge.
As the others furrowed their brows in thought, Aengus raised his hand slightly. "General, I'd like to take on the task of infiltrating the enemy's ranks."
Everyone looked at him, surprised.
"You?" General Leon asked with interest. "What exactly do you plan to accomplish alone, Ethan? Or do you have something more to share?"
Aengus was about to respond, but an unexpected voice interrupted the conversation.
"Haha... what nonsense is this? Why are you all entertaining the words of a mere child? Have the men here all traded their courage for bangles?" The mocking tone echoed through the hall.
Aengus turned, along with the others, to see the newcomers who had intruded so boldly. Leading them was a man wearing a large white hat adorned with six stars on his military uniform—a rank just one step below the King's, which made Aengus curious about the identity of this arrogant man.
Beside him were Prince Mikail, the Crown Prince, and two other royal princes, who all seemed somewhat amused by the unfolding scene.
"Oh my God, it's the Northern Duke Milroy!"
"The Northern Duke is here? That's great! We finally have another Transcendental among us!" Some officials cheered, their excitement rising as if their savior had arrived.
The Northern Duke, dressed in thick animal skins that concealed his powerful muscles, exuded an aura as strong as the generals—perhaps even surpassing them. His presence commanded attention and respect from everyone in the room.
""Welcome, Duke Milroy!""
""Long Live The Crown Prince!""
"So, tell me, boy, how would you infiltrate the Imperial forces? With your measly S-Rank power?" he sneered, leaning in close to gaze intently into Aengus's eyes, as if searching for any hidden secrets within him.