A heavy silence settled over the command hall.
No one spoke.
The scout's report lingered in the air like a dark cloud.
Another Base...
Destroyed.
Not by monsters.
By another Commander.
Sam slowly looked toward the large map spread across the table.
"Show me."
The scout stepped forward and pointed to a location east of Base 101.
"Here, Commander."
"Roughly fifteen kilometers."
Leon studied the map.
"If we leave now..."
"We can reach it before sunset."
Ben folded his arms.
"It could be a trap."
Kael nodded.
"Or the Commander responsible could still be there."
Inside Sam's mind...
Rex spoke.
Commander.
I recommend an investigation.
Information is one of the greatest weapons during the Trial.
Sam nodded slightly.
"I was thinking the same thing."
He looked toward his officers.
"Leon."
"You'll lead the scouts."
Leon stood.
"Understood."
"Ben."
"You'll accompany us."
A grin spread across Ben's face.
"I was hoping you'd say that."
"Kael."
"You too."
The Spear Captain placed a fist over his chest.
"It'll be done."
Sam looked toward the remaining officers.
"George... Doran..."
"Continue reinforcing the walls."
Both men nodded.
"Mira."
"Prepare for casualties."
"I hope we won't need your skills."
Mira smiled gently.
"I'll be ready."
"Zora."
"If anything attacks while we're away..."
"The defense of Base 101 is yours."
Zora raised her staff.
"You can count on me."
Finally...
Sam turned toward Runa.
"You'll come with us."
She smiled.
"My arrows won't miss."
Within minutes...
The expedition was ready.
Outside the gates...
Twenty scouts mounted swift Dire Wolves.
Ben led twenty Vanguard soldiers.
Kael brought ten elite spearmen.
Runa carried her bow across her back.
Behind Sam...
Walked two silent figures.
The Goblin Chief.
The Goblin Mage.
Several new recruits watched them with uneasy expressions.
Even after yesterday's battle...
The undead remained intimidating.
Sam climbed onto his mount.
"Move out."
The gates slowly opened.
Base 101 disappeared behind them.
Hours passed.
The forest grew unnaturally quiet.
No birds sang.
No monsters appeared.
Only broken trees...
And strange black scorch marks covered the ground.
Leon knelt beside a trail.
He brushed his fingers across the dirt.
"This wasn't caused by Corruption Beasts."
"What do you see?" Sam asked.
"Sword marks."
"And wagon tracks."
"They were chased."
Another hour later...
The smell reached them.
Smoke.
Blood.
Death.
The trees opened into a wide clearing.
Everyone stopped.
The Base stood before them.
Or rather...
What remained of it.
The walls had collapsed.
Watchtowers had burned to the ground.
Homes had been reduced to blackened ruins.
Weapons...
Broken shields...
And shattered armor...
Were scattered everywhere.
Ben lowered his head.
"...We were too late."
Sam dismounted.
The Goblin Chief and Goblin Mage followed silently behind him.
Inside his mind...
Rex spoke.
Commander...
Multiple human signatures detected.
No living survivors.
Sam slowly walked through the ruined streets.
Children's toys lay abandoned in the dirt.
Cooking pots still rested over cold fire pits.
The battle had ended...
Only hours ago.
Kael crouched beside a fallen soldier.
His jaw tightened.
"He wasn't killed by a monster."
Sam knelt beside the body.
A single clean spear wound pierced the man's chest.
Professional.
Precise.
Ben looked around.
"No monster leaves wounds like that."
Runa suddenly called out.
"Commander."
Everyone hurried toward her.
She pointed at a shattered stone near the center of the Base.
Someone had carved words into it.
Deep enough that even fire couldn't erase them.
Sam read them aloud.
The weak have no right to lead humanity.
Below the message...
Another symbol had been carved.
A wolf's head.
Ben frowned.
"What does that mean?"
Inside Sam's mind...
Rex answered immediately.
Commander...
Cross-referencing regional records...
A brief pause followed.
Then...
Confirmed.
Sam's expression hardened.
"Who is it?"
Commander Bjorn.
The air itself seemed to grow colder.
Ben's grip tightened around his shield.
"So..."
"The man ranked first..."
"He conquered another human Base."
Suddenly...
Leon raised a hand.
"Quiet."
Everyone froze.
A weak cough echoed from beneath a collapsed building.
Ben rushed forward.
Together with Kael, he lifted the broken beams.
Hidden underneath...
Was a young woman.
Her armor was cracked.
Blood covered one side of her face.
But she was alive.
Barely.
Mira wasn't there.
There wasn't time to wait.
Sam knelt beside her.
He placed a hand over the wound.
Skill Activated
Heal
A warm golden light flowed into her body.
The bleeding slowed.
Her breathing steadied.
Her eyes slowly opened.
She looked at Sam...
Then at the banner of Base 101.
Tears filled her eyes.
"...You..."
"...came..."
Sam nodded.
"We're taking you home."
The woman grabbed his wrist with surprising strength.
Her voice trembled.
"...He's..."
"...coming..."
"...again..."
Before anyone could ask another question...
A deafening howl echoed across the distant mountains.
The sound rolled across the valley like thunder.
Inside Sam's mind...
Rex's voice became unusually serious.
Commander...
Multiple high-level lifeforms have entered the region.
Prepare for combat.
Sam slowly stood.
He drew his sword.
Whatever was coming...
It wasn't over yet.