“W-What happened, sis…?”  
Namgung Jin did not pay any attention to the angry departure of Neungdo-gun, instead addressing her.  
“Hm? Ah….”  
Her every reaction was utterly fascinating.  
To be completely honest, when he had seen her before, she had always seemed like a walking corpse, or perhaps a walking disaster.  
Of course, that didn’t mean he had any negative feelings towards her as his mentor.  
But when he saw the lively expression on her face as she slightly furrowed her brows, he was at a loss for words.  
“Hmm? Could it be a transformation? Is that it?”  
What? Transformation?  
But doesn’t transformation only change the body?  
“Hmm, yeah. It definitely feels like something’s different.”  
“Uh….”  
“What should I say…? It feels like shedding the shell of the soul? No, it’s hard to explain with words.”  
He didn’t really understand what she meant…  
But seeing Birdel’s figure, which seemed to emanate a human-like presence, made Namgung Jin’s eyes waver.  
“Ah, anyway, sis.”  
“?”  
Ah, what is this? I can’t get used to this!  
Namgung Jin tried to calm himself down.  
He would not make a mistake!  
“So, what happened with the war…?”  
“Ah, well…”  
Her lively expression suddenly turned serious.  
“There’s something I’ve been assigned to do by him.”  
“Assigned? By him?”  
What could it be that she was entrusted with… a war?  
*Gulp*  
“Seems like I’m far from enough to follow him.”  
If she’s insufficient, then what about me…?  
Of course, I haven’t spoken with him directly, but…!  
“I didn’t know much about warfare, but luckily, a good opportunity came up.”  
An opportunity?  
It was the moment when the royal army of a million was about to be reduced to mere training fodder.  
“Anyway, I’ll probably be busy for a while, so there’s no need for you to come by.”  
“…!”  
He suddenly felt a sense of being left out.  
Well, that’s understandable.  
Unlike himself, who was covered in expensive gear, she was the real deal.  
“...Alright. But if I hear anything from the officials, I’ll come see you again.”  
“Do as you wish.”  
She gave a light response and quickly disappeared.  
What’s going on here?  
Namgung Jin swallowed his frustration silently.  
Still…  
*‘I guess there’s no need to worry about the results.’*  
He was simply curious about what it was that he had been assigned to do by him.  

---

*****

“Minister Do, it’s been a while since we last met, hasn’t it?”  
“Haha. It feels like it’s been since the last banquet.”  
They sat with courtesans on either side, casually drinking as they exchanged words.  
“It seems the Prime Minister is planning to push the martial world aside using this as an opportunity...”  
“Indeed. We can’t keep turning a blind eye to the unruly rabble forever, can we?”  
“Only the martial sects of Chosan will end up suffering. It’s their own fault for being so noticeable.”  
“He plans to eliminate those bandits who are disturbing the country with their rumors. He’s decided to clean up the mess once and for all.”  
“I’ve heard rumors about that. Apparently, the leader of the Demon Sect is a stunning beauty.”  
They had heard the rumor. A beauty, so breathtaking that it was said to rival the country’s top beauties, now ruling the Demon Sect.  
Some joked that it was her beauty that got her the position.  
“Hmm... I think I’ve heard that one too. They say anyone who sees her can’t help but lose themselves in awe, forgetting even to breathe.”  
“Haha. It’s probably exaggerated, but with the rumors reaching us, she must be quite the beauty, don’t you think?”  
“And considering the Emperor’s love for beautiful women, those under him must see it as an unmissable opportunity.”  
“Exactly. If they capture the new leader of the Demon Sect and offer her to the Emperor, they’ll gain both public merit and the Emperor’s favor, won’t they?”  
“Though I doubt the Emperor’s favor will trickle down to us.”  
“Haha. That’s something for the elders to worry about. Our job is to gain merit in this war and make a name for ourselves.”  
“Well, there’s no denying that this opportunity is rare.”  
The best chance for a military officer to gain merit was in war. And this time, the risk was low.  
“Still, we can’t underestimate the martial world’s fighters.”  
“Haha. A small number of strong warriors can have limitless strategies at their disposal.”  
“Yet, they have no idea what our army is capable of.”  
“Hahaha. True.”  
“After all, martial artists are just a small group who praise themselves as the strongest in their own little world.”  
“Just loud-mouthed fools. They think that just because they practice martial arts, they can disregard everything else.”  
“The misconception that martial arts belong only to them is what caused all this.”  
Those who were already aware of this truth nodded.  
“Do they even imagine a unit trained specifically for martial arts? Haha.”  
“Exactly. The army is a group that will do anything to kill people.”  
“I’ve heard that the Demon Sect plans to use foreign powers during the war, so the government is taking it seriously.”  
“Haha. They’ve even prepared large quantities of Thunder Cannons.”  
“They say that the Golden Army will even join in this time.”  
“I wonder if the competition will be too fierce. Isn’t it getting a bit too intense?”  
They actually hoped the situation would escalate. If the martial alliance joined the fight, it would give them more opportunities for public merit and recognition.  
“Have you heard about the royal hounds?”  
“Ah… I heard they were sent as envoys this time?”  
The royal hounds.  
It was a term of derision, but the people discussing it showed no particular emotion.  
If they feared something as insignificant as a leashed dog, how could they survive in the cutthroat central government?  
“I heard His Majesty was furious because of that.”  
“Even after they insulted the Emperor, they let them go. That’s why they’re called royal hounds.”  
“Well, at least thanks to them, a feast to honor the heroes will be set up, so we can’t hate them too much.”  
“That’s only natural! Hahaha.”  
“Ah… This time, Lord Hong is going out as the general...”  
As they discussed the war, there was not a hint of tension on their faces. To them, it was just another banquet.  
“Haha. It’s really something to look forward to.”  

---

*****

Birdel looked down at her hand and tilted her head.  
Before her, the air shimmered, cracking like glass.  
Meanwhile, Je-gal Hyun, watching from the side, swallowed nervously, his body trembling.  
W-What is this presence?  
When the Sect Leader waved her hand to split the air,  
He almost screamed, his legs nearly giving out. The pressure she exuded when she cut through the air was not something human.  
W-What is that?  
It looked like cracks in the air, as if the reality itself was shattering. The illusionary cracks slowly started to heal.  
Reality? Am I not dreaming?  
The world he inhabited seemed to be breaking apart like shattered glass.  
It felt alien.  
It felt unsettling.  
Even though he was witnessing it firsthand, Je-gal Hyun, being a reasonably sensible person, couldn’t bring himself to accept that this was reality.  
*Pinch.*  
He pinched his cheek, but nothing changed.  
Je-gal Hyun struggled to calm himself down, taking deep breaths.  
“S-Sect Leader, everything is ready.”  
And what about her beauty? The Sect Leader had always covered her face with a helmet. Even when she wasn’t wearing it, her messy hair and dark aura made it impossible to think anything of her appearance.  
What exactly did she do…?  
Her radiant skin, red gemstone-like eyes, and hair that shimmered and reflected light—her beauty didn’t feel human anymore.  
Je-gal Hyun forcibly shook off the feeling of being in a dream and calmed himself.  
He was the Vice Sect Leader of the Galactic Church.  
With a war with the government on the horizon, now wasn’t the time to be distracted.  
“Sect Leader, I’ve heard you won’t be personally involved…”  
“Ah.”  
She nonchalantly examined her body as she spoke with an indifferent tone.  
“Vice Leader.”  
“Y-Yes!!”  
Je-gal Hyun, his spirit lifted by her clear voice like a jade bead rolling, responded sharply.  
“Are you feeling uneasy?”  
“Pardon?”  
Well, she was someone who could single-handedly annihilate an army of a million.  
“But currently, the Church’s forces are limited. Plus…”  
When the Sect Leader ascended, most of the top martial artists of the Demon Sect lost their lives.  
And not just anyone—the current Sect Leader herself.  
“We

’re too short on skilled fighters. In a war, the number of troops is absolutely vital, right?”  
Birdel lightly smiled as she looked at Je-gal Hyun.  
“Ah… That’s why I’m counting on you, Vice Leader. They say you have a talent for managing troops?”  
“W-What?”  
“That’s why I’m looking forward to it. I’m sure you’ll show me the right strategy during the war.”  
“B-But…”  
“I’ve excluded the elite units for special preparations, but I don’t think we’ll be lacking.”  
Her words left Je-gal Hyun speechless.  
It wasn’t wrong, but…  
War was about putting everything on the line and fighting for survival.  
However, the Sect Leader had forbidden the use of most of the mass destruction weapons, excluding the elite units.  
Even with the forces available, there were only about 500.  
Five hundred versus a million?  
And those 500 weren’t even true experts.  
They were barely skilled warriors who were just getting used to their equipment.  
They promised to provide reinforcements as needed, but…  
The crazy ones who flew around and struck with powerful energies were already pulled out for special training.  
What should I do…?  
“Do you think you can do it?”  
Her clear voice broke Je-gal Hyun’s thoughts.  
“…Yes! I won’t disappoint you!”  
Je-gal Hyun had no choice but to reluctantly agree.