After returning from his secret meeting with Lyon, Leon immediately gathered his companions to begin a strategy meeting.

Every minute mattered. The situation was a deadlock, yet at last, there was a possible breakthrough.

Adela nodded after hearing the full explanation.

“A small, elite infiltration team, huh? Not a bad idea. Would’ve been better if we could bring more people, though.”

If there really was a limit to how many could enter, then targeting the barrier’s core was their only choice. Naturally, that infiltration team had to be made up of the strongest each faction could offer, which were their Masters. They would need to cut through the barrier magic, imperial guards, and whatever other monsters awaited inside the White Peak Palace.

Even Valter, who harbored ill feelings toward Lyon, couldn’t refuse. The Ferma army was already contributing the fewest members—just himself—and if he made excuses now, he’d not only lose face but bury it in the mud.

Elahan expressed her concern. “But are we sure seven people will be enough? The White Peak Palace is said to be the most impregnable fortress on the continent. Even if only half those rumors are true, you’d need at least ten Masters.”

With Leon, Lyon had shared everything about the White Peak Palace’s defense systems. Though he did not trust Valter, he trusted his old Academy classmate.

The defense system consisted of magic circles that tracked intruders in real time, weakening spells that drained the target’s physical strength and Aura, spatial magic that freely altered the size and layout of the interior, and, last but not least, charging circles that supplied the guards and golems with Aura.

When he listed off dozens of such enchantments, Adela was the first to explode in discontent.

“Fuck, that’s insane! Maintaining all those formations would consume nearly seventy percent of the Empire’s annual mana crystal output!”

“Apparently, that’s true. Most of the mana crystals sent as tribute from the Kingdom of Ferma go straight into the White Peak Palace,” Leon confirmed her thought.

“Unbelievable! They’re wasting enough resources to feed millions of people just to power enchantments they’ve never even needed to use?!”

It must have cost a fortune beyond imagination. If that wealth had been used for the right reasons, it could’ve enriched an entire nation. Instead, it was wasted maintaining a fortress that had never once been breached.

While the Cardinals ground their teeth at such waste, Karen tilted her head with an unreadable expression.

“Hmm... Yeah, it might work. It actually could.”

Noticing her, Leon called, “Karen?”

“Ah, sorry, Mr. Hero. Something just came to mind. If it works, it could really help with this mission.”

After quietly asking Leon for permission to continue her brainstorming, Karen fell deep back into thought while the others continued their discussion.

Anna spoke next, her tone cautious.

“Hero, if what you said is true, then the assault on the White Peak Palace might be impossible.”

“If all of its defenses are active, yes,” Leon nodded.

“Meaning...?”

Growing impatient with the slow pace, Adela cut in. “Just spit it out already! You know I hate waiting!”

Leon chuckled faintly before answering.

“Most of the Palace’s security spells only target ‘intruders.’ If we enter as Lyon’s guests, the weakening and restraint spells won’t harm us.”

“So we can’t disable them completely?” Elahan asked.

“No. We can’t prevent the ones that empower the guards or manipulate the structure of the palace. We won’t be teleported around or anything, but that’s about it.”

Even the Emperor didn’t have the authority to directly tamper with the inner workings of the Palace. The best he could do was restrict teleportation zones or adjust command priorities.

That was why Lyon had chosen the barrier’s core as the primary target. If they destroyed the central defense barrier that protected the White Peak Palace itself, they could then bring in the army from outside and launch a full assault. However, with his limited access, he couldn’t deactivate the barrier directly, which was why they had to infiltrate the adjacent area and destroy its power source manually.

“Still gonna be rough,” Adela spat to the side after glancing toward the palace in the distance. “Morse would’ve predicted this move, too. This is the bastard who broke the Mad Emperor. He’s probably studied every inch of the White Peak Palace and its weaknesses.”

“You’re saying he must have laid traps,” Leon muttered, understanding what Adela was implying.

“Most traps can be broken through with brute force, but Morse wouldn’t rely on something that simple.”

“What are the chances he summons another one of those monsters you fought?”

“I can’t say zero, but I doubt he still has the power to summon another transcendent being. If he did, he’d have used it already to kill Irexana and me for sure.”

“That’s true.”

It was a precarious balance. The Evil Order, entrenched in the White Peak Palace, held the positional advantage. Outside of that, however, the coalition forces still had overwhelming strength. If Lyon’s infiltration succeeded, the scales would tip instantly.

Morse might still have a few cards left, but he shouldn’t have anything decisive. But if we charge in blindly and get countered even once, the whole operation could collapse, Leon thought.

This was going to be the turning point. Whoever triumphed in this next battle would decide the flow of the war entirely.

Leon’s infiltration team had to break through the palace’s barrier, no matter the cost. The Evil Order, on the other hand, didn’t even need to kill them—just repelling the infiltration team would cement their victory. A contest between a small unit of elite Masters and the might of the continent’s most impregnable fortress, the White Peak Palace, was a true clash of spear and shield.

“I understand why you’d want to keep me under cover in case something goes wrong, but are you sure about this? If it’s just about commanding the Holy Iron Inquisitors, leaving Anna should be enough. I’m stronger than the Sword Demon or Valter. This isn’t exactly the time to be holding back our forces, you know,” Adela said.

“The barrier core’s destruction won’t bring down the palace’s defenses completely,” Leon replied. “To break through quickly, we’ll need you.”

“Well, if that’s what the Hero decided, I’ll oblige. Fine! Leave that part to me!”

When Leon praised her without hesitation, Adela puffed up proudly, thumping her chest with both fists. If she’d been a burly warrior like Irexana, it would have looked formidable—but seeing a girl who barely looked ten years old do it was simply endearing.

That night’s strategy meeting ended there. Only Karen remained crouched in the corner, lost in thought. No one knew what she was thinking, and she offered no explanation.

***

The next day, as soon as the night fell, Lyon’s summons arrived. He had somehow already contacted the Ferma army as well. Surrounded by those assembled before him, Lyon spoke clearly.

“Thank you all for coming. You already know the outline of this operation, so I’ll skip the details and move straight to the point.”

From his coat, he took out several pendants, each set with a red gemstone, and had Gilbert distribute one to everyone. Leon examined his pendant closely and immediately realized the truth. The “gemstone” wasn’t a gem at all—it was blood sealed inside a transparent crystal.

There was no need to ask whose blood it was. The others reached the same conclusion.

“As you’ve likely guessed,” Lyon explained. “The blood inside each pendant is mine. You don’t need to wear it around your neck—keeping it on you will suffice. Just make sure you don’t lose it once we’re inside the White Peak Palace.”

Valter interjected with a sour expression. “And what happens if someone does lose it? Is that such a big deal?”

“The palace’s defense system will immediately identify the intruder, and dozens of spells will be unleashed upon them,” Lyon replied calmly. “If you wish to experience that firsthand, I have nothing more to say.”

“Tch.”

The warning was sharp enough to silence even Valter. Once Lyon confirmed everyone understood, he turned toward the palace. Before them stood the White Peak Palace, once a place he had freely entered and left as a prince of the Empire.

I always thought I’d return one day, he thought bitterly, but I never imagined it would be as an invader.

He forced a faint smile at the irony before erasing all emotion from his face. This was it—the decisive moment of his life. There was no room left for hesitation or sentiment.

“Now, we enter the White Peak Palace.”

With a single sentence, Lyon gave the order to advance and led the infiltration team forward. Even as they stepped into the archers’ range, no arrows were loosed. Against six Masters, even a thousand volleys would be meaningless. Thus, the seven of them reached the front gate unopposed.

The White Peak Palace’s doors were larger and grander than even those of Portroi’s fortress. Breaking through by force would have required every ounce of their combined strength, but passing through them was another matter.

With a light clink, Lyon raised a golden emblem high, the insignia of the Imperial House gleaming brightly. Responding to that light, the palace’s barrier awakened with a low hum. The snow-white walls shimmered as blue mana circuits flared to life, revealing the vast, pulsating flow of power within.

Despite having been inscribed centuries ago, the barrier showed not a trace of wear. It was a testament to the Clyde Empire’s golden age, when no expense was spared. Even Cedric, who had never cared for magic in the slightest, stared in awe, and Valter’s hostility momentarily faded into reverence.

“White Peak Palace, reveal the path! By the command of Cailum, rightful prince of Clyde—show us the way!”

The moment Lyon invoked the name Cailum, a name passed down only to the direct heirs of the royal bloodline, the barrier responded.

Brilliant light scattered outward, forming a glowing map in midair. It was a detailed layout of the labyrinthine palace interior.

“What’s this?” Cedric muttered.

“The gates of the White Peak Palace open and close only for official imperial ceremonies,” Lyon explained. “Under normal circumstances, entry and exit are handled through spatial transfer within the barrier itself.”

Then, he pointed to the map and added, “As expected, most of the core sections are sealed. If even I can’t access them, then the Emperor must have designated those areas as forbidden zones. We’ll have to reach them manually.”

“And the chamber with the barrier core?” Leon asked.

“It’s blocked. The fastest route would be this way—through these three halls along the main corridor.”

Leon followed his finger and frowned. “Can’t we just break through the walls instead?”

“The inner structure is heavily reinforced,” Lyon replied. “If we hit the wrong mana line, it’ll trigger an explosion. With the amount of energy stored in that barrier, even a Master wouldn’t survive.”

So brute force wasn’t an option. It was no surprise—the continent’s greatest fortress wouldn’t overlook such a loophole.

Even Karen, an expert in infiltration and sabotage, couldn’t find any hidden entry point on the map. She frowned, rubbing her earlobe in frustration.

The projected distance was roughly three kilometers. However, given that the palace’s interior could be altered at will through spatial magic, what they saw couldn’t be trusted as reality.

Lyon turned to face the others behind him and asked, “Is everyone ready?”

In response, six distinct presences surged so powerfully that the immense magic of the White Peak Palace itself seemed to recoil for an instant. Some stood there driven by fighting spirit, others by conviction, and still others simply by curiosity.

To bring down the hated Empire. To crush the Evil Order’s schemes. To reclaim a throne long lost.

Masters from different nations and ideologies—each with their own cause—stood side by side, united against a single enemy.

“Cailum commands!” Turning back toward the gate, Lyon spoke the incantation that only the direct heirs of the royal bloodline could utter. “White Peak, open your doors!”

The moment his words fell, light erupted from the mana circuits and engulfed them all. Resonating with the pendants each of them carried, the light twisted space itself and pulled them toward a single point inside the White Peak Palace.

Their senses distorted. Sight vanished, sound was lost, and even the perception of time collapsed. They couldn’t tell if seconds or minutes had passed. And then—

“Hah.”

A low chuckle slipped from someone’s mouth before they could stop it. It was only natural. Cedric, already holding his unsheathed sword, grinned as he spoke.

“What a grand welcome. I like it.”

The infiltration team had materialized in the center of an enormous corridor.

Its width alone exceeded a hundred meters, and the ceiling stretched nearly as high. Even for a palace famed for excess, this level of wasted space was absurd. It was clear that spatial magic was distorting the dimensions.

Why make a single hallway this large? As if answering that question, the metallic walls rippled.

What followed was the Imperial Guard, warriors whose loyalty to the Clyde Empire bordered on fanaticism. Before the infiltration party were men willing to throw away their lives without hesitation. Their faces were hidden behind helmets, their eyes dull and unfocused through the slits in their visors.

Just like the soldiers who had guarded Calelum’s walls, they too were ensnared by exolaw. However, unlike those soldiers, their power was on a completely different level.

“Absurd. To give men who aren’t even Experts the strength of Masters?” Valter muttered.

And he was right. Power flowed from the palace’s mana circuits into the armor of every guard, amplifying their physical strength and Aura far beyond human limits. The energy flaring around their weapons and armor ignited like fire as they activated Aura Fire.

These knights were sustaining a phenomenon that even many Experts couldn’t achieve. It was an incredibly wasteful technique that drained vast amounts of energy to maintain, but the buff of their loyalty seemed to be solving that issue.

“I get that it only works within the palace, but still... this is cheating,” Karen said.

“They’re more like golems than men. Even with artifacts lessening the strain, they won’t last long. But they’ve already abandoned the way of the warrior—they’re soldiers who’ve traded everything for obedience,” Adela said.

“Annoying,” Cedric added. “They’re tough and hit hard. This’ll take a while.”

The group exchanged only a few words before taking formation. Leon and Elahan took the front line, the vanguard with the greatest breakthrough power. Valter and Cedric flanked them to cover both sides, serving as the formation’s blades.

“Let’s go!”

Leon took the first step toward the enemy ranks crouched like an iron wall. In that instant, a pair of golden wings burst from his back. The explosive pressure of Icarus Wing launched him forward, accelerating past the speed of sound. With the Holy Sword leveled like a lance, Leon charged straight ahead.

“Sun Sword, Crimson Lotus, First Form.”

A dragon of flame roared forth and crashed into the formation of the Imperial Guard.