Ravenna could feel it—her body was reaching its absolute limit. Each movement sent sharp pains through her arms and legs, but she forced herself forward.

  "I can’t stop now."

  Ahead, she saw Duke Morgen hacking through a thick-skinned ogre, the massive beast groaning as it colpsed. The nobles rushed past him, following the clear path to the left statue.

  But they weren’t safe yet. From the farthest entrance, a new wave of magical beasts poured in—serpent-like creatures with glowing eyes, their bodies slithering over the blood-soaked marble, their tongues flicking in anticipation.

  Ravenna pushed herself harder.

  "Our counterattack is just beginning."

  She couldn’t afford to stop. Not yet. Not until they began the pn and turned the tides around.

  Ravenna leapt through the air, twisting her body mid-fall before nding beside the towering Left Statue of Solious. Her heels skidded slightly against the blood-slicked marble, but she remained steady.

  Behind her, a monstrous dire wolf lunged—its blood-drenched fangs gleaming in the dim light.

  SHINK!

  Before it could even touch her, Duke Morgen’s bde tore through its throat. A sickening gurgle followed as the beast colpsed in a heap, its lifeless eyes still locked onto Ravenna.

  “Quick now! Fortify the barricade!” Duke Morgen roared.

  The nobles, their fear still evident but their desperation driving them forward, scrambled to obey. Tables, chairs, even broken pews—anything they could lift was thrown together to reinforce the makeshift barricade.

  “Stack them higher!” he barked, sshing through another goblin that attempted to slip through.

  One by one, the high-ranking nobles stumbled behind the barricade, some dragging wounded allies, others clutching their own bleeding injuries. The air was thick with the stench of blood, sweat, and death, yet no one dared to stop moving.

  Ravenna’s body betrayed her.

  As soon as she had reached the statue, her legs buckled, and she fell against the cold marble base. Her breath came in ragged gasps, her limbs screaming from overuse.

  “Those who can stand—fight!” she commanded through sheer will, her voice hoarse but unwavering.

  Some nobles hesitated, but others clutched their weapons tighter, stepping forward to hold the fragile defense. A noblewoman with a rapier lunged at a goblin, piercing its chest, while an aging marquis swung his cane like a club, knocking a beast away from a wounded comrade.

  Even in their terror, they fought. Duke Morgen gnced at Ravenna before kneeling beside her. He handed her a water fsk, his expression unreadable.

  “Drink.”

  She took it, gulping down the cool liquid. The momentary relief coursed through her, soothing the burning in her throat. She wiped her lips and handed the fsk back.

  Duke Morgen leaned in, his voice low and firm. “Get up. We can’t afford for you to colpse now.”

  She exhaled sharply, clenching her fists. He was right. If she wanted to cim her right in the imperial succession, if she wanted her family name restored, then she had to be the one to lead this counterattack.

  She pushed herself to her feet, muscles trembling. “We need more survivors gathered here,” she said, steadying herself. “Once we have them, we end this.”

  Duke Morgen’s eyes flickered with determination. “Are you certain all the preparations are in pce?”

  Ravenna exhaled, gripping her daggers. “I can’t be sure. We have to trust our knights.”

  She turned her gaze back to the battlefield. The hall was still chaos—beasts running rampant, nobles and knights fighting for their lives, screams echoing like a song of ruin.

  With a deep breath, she strode back into the madness, ready to turn the tide.

  "There’s no room for doubt now. It’s time to end this."

  Few hours ago during the Wedding Ceremony

  Ravenna, seated among the high-ranking nobles, discreetly checked her Reputation System interface. Another scan revealed the movements of the magical beasts beneath the capital, confirming that they have begun to move.

  Her fingers drummed lightly against the armrest of her chair before she turned to Duke Morgen, seated beside her. Their eyes met, and with a barely perceptible nod, she gave the signal.

  Duke Morgen, understanding the unspoken command, subtly gestured to his knight captain, who, along with his elite knights, silently excused themselves from the cathedral hall. At the same time, John took all of her personal knights and exited as well.

  One by one, they excused themselves discreetly, slipping out of the grand cathedral hall without drawing attention.

  John sprinted through the empty streets of the Imperial District, his team moving swiftly behind him. The grand avenues, once bustling with nobles, merchants, and knights, now y eerily silent. The city had been fully emptied thanks to the Hilon Pox warning.

  As they arrived at the marked locations, John’s eyes darted across the dimly lit streets, committing the yout to memory.

  “Move quickly! Get the spikes in position—no mistakes!” he commanded, voice sharp and urgent.

  His knights responded without hesitation, working with military precision as they unfurled belts of long, jagged spikes, each spike dipped in Camellia flower liquid.

  Dame Aisha, adjusted her gauntlets before hammering a spike into the cobblestone ground. She gnced around the eerily silent streets before speaking.

  “Vice-Captain, it’s a strange sight, isn’t it?” she mused, keeping her voice low. “The Imperial District—so empty, so quiet. Almost feels unnatural.”

  John, tightening the final row of spikes, let out a dry chuckle. “Yeah. Never thought I’d see the capital like this. Feels like the world’s holding its breath.”

  Aisha’s lips pressed into a thin line. “If we fail today, this city will drown in blood.”

  John exhaled sharply, his grip tightening on his crossbow as he climbed onto the rooftop of a nearby building, surveying their work. From his vantage point, he could see the three other squads mirroring their actions at the predetermined locations, completing their defensive setup.

  The preparations were done.

  As he adjusted the scope of his rapid-fire crossbow, his eyes locked onto the underground access point—the very spot from where the magical beasts would burst forth into the capital like a pgue.

  "Come then," he murmured under his breath, his fingers flexing around the trigger.

  "We're ready for you."

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