***

The next day.

The total number of core crystals obtained by the Eastern Alliance during the Eastern Lion War reached 509, a figure far greater than anything they had imagined at the beginning of the campaign.

Even those who had been optimistic about their progress had not expected such an overwhelming result.

The number alone was enough to silence any lingering doubts about whether their efforts had been worth the cost.

Ethan arrived at the city command tent, where the commanders of the Eastern Alliance units had already gathered.

There were fourteen Guild Cities under the Eastern Alliance banner, and everyone present inside the tent represented one of the thirteen member guilds.

The atmosphere was heavy with anticipation, mixed with fatigue from days of continuous fighting.

Leny stepped closer to Ethan as he took his position behind the long wooden table at the center of the tent. Ethan stood straight, his posture firm despite the exhaustion that lingered in his body.

Leny was at his right side, while Yuna stood quietly to his left, her expression calm but observant.

Ethan gave a short nod toward Leny, signaling her to inform everyone of the final tally of core crystals.

Leny understood immediately and nodded back.

The woman opened her message record and began to explain the numbers in a clear, composed voice.

As the words left her mouth, murmurs spread throughout the tent.

Shock was written plainly on the faces of the commanders as they absorbed the magnitude of the result. It was, by any standard, an impressive haul.

"There are a total of 509 core crystals," Leny announced. "If we divide them equally among the fourteen alliance members, then each guild will receive thirty six core crystals."

The commanders representing the Eastern Alliance guilds exchanged glances. One by one, they smiled, their expressions filled with satisfaction.

They looked at each other as if silently confirming that everyone agreed with the proposed distribution.

Not long after, they nodded almost in unison. If that was the total number and the distribution had already been decided, then as unit commanders, they had no reason and no authority to object.

Ethan agreed without hesitation. He took out all 509 core crystals and distributed them evenly to each unit commander.

LionArk received its share as well, no more and no less than the others.

A familiar panel appeared before Ethan’s eyes the moment the transfer was completed.

[Congratulations, you have obtained a Core Crystal!]

[Total Core Crystals: 64] [-473]

[City Ranking: 1st]

Ethan was not the only one who saw such a panel. Every unit commander from each guild received a similar notification when they obtained their share of core crystals.

Some of them had totals identical to others, while some differed based on what they already possessed before this event.

What was certain was that LionArk’s number of core crystals had changed drastically, leaving only sixty four remaining.

That alone was enough to place LionArk at the top of the city rankings for this event.

However, Ethan still did not know how many core crystals Peter from Sword Legend had managed to collect.

If this amount puts me in first place, then there is a good chance Sword Legend obtained fewer core crystals than we did.

Ethan allowed himself a small smile. He thanked his unit commanders sincerely for fighting alongside him throughout the event.

Their dedication and coordination had been the backbone of this victory, and it made him genuinely proud.

"We will return to the desert plains after resting today," Ethan announced. "Tomorrow, we move out."

"Yes, Sir Ethan," the commanders replied in unison.

As soon as the unit commanders left the tent, Yuna leaned closer and whispered softly to Ethan.

"Ethan, why don’t we just attack the city in the island territory?"

Ethan was clearly startled. He turned sharply toward Yuna, his eyes narrowing in confusion and disbelief.

"What do you mean?" he asked. "Neither I nor the Eastern Alliance will start a war against them."

"It’s nothing," Yuna replied lightly. "I was just curious about your reaction after seeing your core crystal count drop so drastically."

She paused for a moment before continuing, her tone confident. "With your core crystals, I’m sure you can still end up in first place."

Yuna summoned her own core crystals, revealing a total of twenty one. That amount alone could significantly increase Ethan’s and LionArk’s overall count.

"You’re going to give them to me, right?" Ethan asked.

Yuna fell silent. She stored her core crystals again without saying a word. Ethan turned his head when he realized she had not answered.

Suddenly, Yuna slammed into Ethan’s body with force. The impact sent Ethan falling backward onto the wooden table, and Yuna ended up on top of him.

"Hey," Yuna said softly, her breath close to his face. "Aren’t you tired?"

Her slender fingers moved to open the LionArk uniform Ethan was wearing. The closeness, the heat, and the suddenness of the moment made his heart race.

Ethan snapped back to his senses and grabbed Yuna’s hand, stopping her. Yuna gasped, her eyes widening in surprise as she stared at him.

"Stop, Yuna."

"Why?" she demanded, frustration creeping into her voice. "I’ve been with you this entire event. Why can’t you touch me?"

"You have a husband," Ethan replied firmly. "And I have a wife. We cannot betray our partners."

Ethan pushed Yuna away gently but decisively. He stood up and straightened his clothes, fastening the buttons of his uniform once more.

Yuna nodded slowly, taking a deep breath as if steadying herself.

"I understand," Yuna said quietly.

Ethan glanced briefly at her, unsure of what was going through her mind. In the end, he chose not to dwell on it.

He needed to prepare to head south, now that the war in the north had ended.

And above all else, Ethan had no intention of starting a conflict with the Island Territory. To him, it simply was not worth the cost.

***

The next day.

"Thank you for your help, Sir Ethan."

"Without the Eastern Alliance, it would have been difficult for us to survive against the Redemption Sword Alliance."

Peter smiled warmly as he continued shaking Ethan’s hand. Around them, alliance troops were boarding the sailing ships one by one.

A total of six ships had been provided by the city and the Island Territory alliance. 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

Ethan felt genuinely grateful that he had been able to form an agreement with the Island Territory.

Without their ships, it would have been nearly impossible for him to defeat Redemption Sword or Scavenger. Land routes alone would not have been enough.

Their farewell was filled with emotion. There were embraces, firm handshakes, and waves exchanged across the docks.

Once all the troops were ready, the fleet finally set sail toward the coastal region.

Ethan was aboard the sixth ship, the last vessel in the fleet. Yuna stood beside him, the awkwardness from the previous day lingering between them like an unspoken barrier.

"Ethan," Yuna called softly.

He turned to look at her. Yuna kept her head lowered, avoiding his gaze out of embarrassment.

"Yes, Yuna?"

"About yesterday... I..." she hesitated.

"There’s no need to talk about it," Ethan interrupted calmly. "What happened, happened. I’m not dwelling on it either."

Yuna smiled and let out a slow breath. A sense of relief washed over her upon hearing his words.

"Is that so? I’m glad to hear that."

She paused before asking another question. "So, what will we do during the journey back?"

Ethan shook his head. There were no enemy cities in the tropical region, only the ruins of fallen cities and dense forests filled with towering trees.

He had no intention of doing anything there other than passing through.

"We’re going home," Ethan said simply. "That’s all."