Reincarnated into Another World With Chat GTP-Chapter 26: Three Lands, One War

Chapter 26: Three Lands, One War

It didn't take long.

The ancient temple had actual walls, traps, and magical defenses—the decision was obvious.

Everyone moved in.

All the applicants that had joined under Serenia and me relocated inside the ruin. T

he outer walls were repurposed into watch towers. Trap rooms turned into training arenas.

The mana-rich core chamber was locked tight, a perfect treasure vault.

It wasn't just a hideout anymore.

It was a fortress.

"This place is insane..." I muttered, walking across the newly swept stone courtyard.

Mira dropped down from a second-floor walkway.

She landed beside me with a grin and her usual sass.

"You missed a whole war, y'know."

"Yeah yeah..." I rubbed my neck. "I heard."

We walked across the courtyard together, people greeting me left and right. The place was bustling—organized chaos.

"So... anything new?" I asked.

Serenia appeared beside us, arms folded.

"Yes. We received contact from the Ice faction," she said. "One of their scouts made it through the jungle and found us."

My eyebrows rose. "That fast?"

"They seem to be unified already," Serenia said. "A single group. Well-organized."

That's... a problem. One less group we could pick off.

"And us?" I asked.

Mira shrugged. "Jungle's mostly ours now. Still a few scattered survivor teams, but we've got the biggest crew by far."

[Estimated jungle deployment: 300 initial applicants.]

[Current confirmed under Avencroft-Serenia alliance: approximately 293.]

[Others: scattered, missing, or eliminated.]

Good enough.

"Oh—right," Mira said, pulling something from her back.

She held it out with both hands.

"The Scythe of Hades."

My eyes widened slightly.

The weapon was massive—jet-black, inscribed with faint crimson runes that shimmered faintly. The blade curved wickedly, humming with quiet power.

"I was told you were the only one insane enough to use it," she said, grinning.

I took it in both hands.

The weight settled like a living thing in my grip. Heavy. Perfectly balanced. Hungry.

"...Yeah," I said, eyes gleaming.

"I'll use it."

* * *

It had been three days.

Three long, quiet, surprisingly peaceful days since we secured the temple.

No enemy attacks. No inner drama. Not even a goblin skirmish.

I laid flat on the edge of a stone balcony, staring at clouds through a hole in the temple ceiling.

GTP...

[Yes?]

I'm bored.

[Then may I suggest initiating diplomatic contact with the Ice Faction?]

[They are organized, tactically stable, and may be open to an alliance against the Desert army.]

I blinked.

"...Actually not a bad idea."

Within the hour, I found Serenia going over a strategy map in the command room.

"I'm heading out," I said.

She glanced up. "To...?"

"Ice territory. I want to talk to them."

She studied me for a moment, then nodded.

"Take someone with you."

"Already planning on it."

"Did someone say mission?"

Mira popped in from the corridor, spinning a knife around her finger.

"I'm in."

The journey began like the rest.

Green canopies. Buzzing insects. Mana-rich roots and vines underfoot.

But then the air grew sharp.

And the leaves turned white.

The jungle didn't fade—it froze.

We stepped into a realm where the trees were coated in frost, and even the sunlight looked cold.

"...We're here," I muttered, glancing around.

Breath puffed from Mira's lips like mist. She wrapped her arms tightly around herself.

"H-Holy crap, it's freezing!"

I looked over.

...Sigh.

Without a word, I took off my coat and tossed it around her shoulders.

"H-Hey—wait, you'll freeze."

"I'll manage."

She blinked. Her face turned just a bit pinker than the chill alone could explain.

"...Thanks," she mumbled, pulling it tighter.

We kept walking—our boots crunching against frosted moss.

The cold bit at my skin, but I didn't say anything.

Mira looked over once or twice but didn't speak either.

It was quiet.

But not the bad kind.

Just the two of us, walking through a land of snow and silence.

* * *

The ice cleared—revealing the fortress.

A massive castle of steel and frost, nestled into the edge of the frozen cliffs.

Thick walls. Guard towers. Dozens of soldiers in white and silver armor, spears at the ready.

"...Now that's a cool base," I muttered.

Literally.

Mira, still in my coat, hugged it tighter. "Still freezing."

We approached the gate.

I stepped forward, voice steady. "We're from the Jungle faction. Here to propose a deal."

The soldiers stiffened.

For a moment, no one responded.

Then—

Updated from freewёbnoνel.com.

A voice echoed from beyond the walls.

"...Enter."

The heavy metal gates groaned open.

We stepped inside.

Warmth instantly washed over us—like walking into a heated bath after a blizzard.

"...Magic insulation," I whispered.

The inside of the fortress was stunning. Marble floors. Ice crystal chandeliers. Clean white halls pulsing with mana.

We were led into a grand throne room—massive, open, with a single throne atop a frozen staircase.

And there, sitting like she owned the cold itself, was a girl.

White hair flowed down her back like snow.

Eyes—icy blue, sharp and composed—watched us descend the hall.

She wore a long robe lined with fur, with a crystal staff resting at her side.

"...I'm guessing you're the leader?" I asked.

"I am," she said, her voice soft but unwavering.

"I'm Sam Avencroft," I said. "From the Jungle side. I'm sure you've heard of the Desert faction."

"I have," she replied, expression dimming. "One of the scouts I sent out never returned."

So they weren't just expanding.

They were sending messages.

"I assume you know what that means," I said.

"That they'll come for us next?" she said calmly. "Yes."

"But not yet," she added. "In this cold, my magic gives us an overwhelming advantage. They'd lose too many trying to take this fortress."

"But in the desert..." she trailed off, closing her eyes for a moment.

"I'd be useless."

I stepped forward.

"Then how about this."

She looked at me again.

"We team up. Ice and Jungle. We deal with the Desert—together."

"You mean... an alliance?" the girl on the throne asked.

I nodded. "Exactly. Jungle and Ice. Working together against the Desert faction."

A pause.

For a moment, nothing moved.

Then—

She smiled.

"Interesting."

The sound of her boots echoed down the stairs as she descended from her throne.

The silver-blue robes trailing behind her shimmered faintly in the torchlight, her mana subtly chilling the air with each step.

She stopped in front of me.

"My name is Veldena Asteris," she said. "Second daughter of the Asteris family, and the one keeping this faction alive."

Her tone was formal, precise.

"I've heard of you, Sam Avencroft," she added, tilting her head slightly. "You are the one who wrote the Titanheart Chronicles?"

"...Word gets around, huh."

Mira snorted beside me.

"I accept your proposal," Veldena said, extending her gloved hand. "We'll join forces."

I took her hand, firm and cool.

"Our enemies are already organized. The Desert faction is ruthless—and far larger. If we don't move now, they'll pick us off one by one."

She nodded. "They already killed one of my scouts. And they'll keep pushing."

"Exactly," I said. "That's why we need to consolidate at our jungle base. Temporarily."

Veldena raised an eyebrow. "Relocate our entire faction?"

"The jungle's more defensible than open ice. Our temple has mana defenses, layered traps, and enough space to station everyone. If we're united under one banner, we can face whatever comes next."

A few of her knights murmured uncertainly.

She silenced them with a glance.

"...Logical," she said. "Cold only helps when the terrain favors us. But in a drawn-out test, position matters more."

She turned to her troops.

"Pack lightly. We're moving."

The guards saluted at once.

I looked at Mira.

She gave me a thumbs up. "Nice diplomacy, boss."

I glanced back at Veldena as she gave out swift, clean orders.

One more piece on the board.

One more step toward winning this insane exam.

* * *

The temple should've been alive.

Guards patrolling. Mages training. Murmurs, footsteps, laughter.

Instead—

"...What the hell..."

Everything was in ruins.

Walls scorched. Tents shredded. The ground—stained with streaks of dried blood.

No corpses. Only the signs they had been here.

The bracelets had auto-activated. Which meant...

I rushed forward.

Mira and Veldena behind me, silent.

We passed injured applicants slumped against crumbled stone. Some missing limbs. Others shaking in shock. Healers moving frantically between them.

"Sam!!" a voice cried.

Serenia stumbled out from the main hall—her cloak torn, blood trailing from her shoulder.

I ran to her.

"What the fuck happened here?!"

Her face was pale.

"The Desert," she whispered. "They struck last night. Hit us with everything they had. A full-force raid."

I gritted my teeth, looking around.

Scorch marks. Mana burns. Blast craters.

But one trace...

One particular mana signature among them all...

My heart skipped.

Familiar. Raw. Ferocious.

"...Noel?"

I froze.

It was her mana.

Twisting with something darker—but it was hers.

"She was here..." I muttered.

Serenia's eyes widened slightly. "You know someone on their side?"

I didn't answer.

Behind me, Veldena stepped forward, her gaze cold as ever.

"Then we retaliate," she said. "At dawn."

Her knights behind her shouted in agreement.

Mira drew her blade. "We'll make them pay."

I clenched my fists.

"...Noel..."

The wind blew through the shattered walls of the temple.

I stared into the broken horizon.

"...The fuck are you doing...?"

* * *

The desert winds howled in the distance, but the inside of the fortress was loud with cheers.

Celebration.

Swords clashed in the air in mock duels. Bonfires crackled. Dozens of applicants laughed, bragged, shared food.

Because to them?

Last night was a victory.

The jungle faction had been hit hard. Half their numbers scattered, many injured. The rest... weakened.

Noel sat on a low stone step near the center of the camp, her hands resting in her lap.

She didn't say anything.

Didn't drink. Didn't cheer.

She just watched the fire.

"Yo."

Leon's voice.

She didn't react.

A second later, his arm wrapped loosely around her shoulders.

"You did well today," he said with a low chuckle. "That magic of yours... absolutely crushed their front line."

Noel stayed silent.

Her red eyes didn't even blink.

"You just keep this up," he said smoothly. "And by the end of this test, we'll be the only ones left standing."

His grip tightened slightly, as if to make a point.

es.

But Noel didn't answer.

She just sat there, staring into the flames.

She remembered the mana clash—the battlefield from last night. The broken walls. The cries. The blood.

Sam...

Her fingers curled slightly.

No one noticed.

Not even Leon.

"...Yeah," Leon grinned, squeezing her shoulder again. "Just stick with me, Noel. I'll lead us right to the top."

* * *

Thousands marched across the dunes—silent shadows beneath a dying moon.

No cheers.

No battle cries.

Only the sound of boots sinking into sand, weapons clutched tight, and hearts burning with vengeance.

We traveled through the night.

Ahead of us, glowing faintly in the distance beneath the starlight—

A towering sandstone fortress.

"Their base," I said.

[Confirmed. Structure matches previous desert scouting data. Defenses: minimal. They're not expecting this.]

Veldena stepped beside me, her white cloak fluttering slightly in the breeze.

"There's no point hiding anymore."

I raised my scythe—the blade glinting with dark violet mana.

"...Then we charge."

"CHARGE!!!"

"WAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH—!!!"

The night erupted.

Thousands of boots thundered against the sand.

Mana flared across the battlefield—blue, red, gold—like fireworks painted in rage.

The desert faction barely had time to react.

Still hungover from their self-proclaimed victory, half their forces were disarmed—some still asleep.

Explosion. Screams. Sand was flung into the air with every impact.

Their front lines shattered instantly.

Veldena froze the right flank—entire squads buried under glacial walls.

Serenia led a charge through the left—rapier piercing through barriers like lightning.

And I—

I leapt forward.

[Overclock Motor Sync: 50%. Scythe handling enabled. Initiating sweep protocol.]

The Scythe of Hades hummed in my grip.

A single slash cleaved through three enemies—clean, glowing strikes.

Their bodies flared with light and vanished midair—the academy's teleportation system kicking in.

More came.

More fell.

Spin. Cut. Parry. Disarm. Strike.

Every motion was clean. Efficient. Terrifying.

The battlefield became a storm.

Magic clashed with steel.

Air was thick with the smell of burning sand and searing energy.

Cries of panic echoed from the crumbling walls of the Desert fortress.

Applicants were being thrown from the battlefield in bursts of light, flung into the sky as safety triggers activated before true death.

But not before pain.

Not before terror.

I raised my scythe again, blood—mana-rich and brilliant—dripping from its curved edge.

"Push forward!" I roared.

We surged deeper into the enemy lines.

They were breaking.

We were winning.

And yet...

Somewhere in the chaos, I could feel it.

Her mana.

Noel.

She was here.

* * *

"—What the HELL is going on?!"

Leon's voice cracked through the command post like a whip.

He shoved open the tent flaps, stepping into chaos—guards shouting, weapons flying off racks, applicants scrambling to mount a defense.

"Someone tell me!!"

A scout, panting, stumbled in from the front line.

"It's—It's the jungle!! And Ice!! They've merged—they're attacking together!!"

Leon's jaw clenched.

His hands balled into fists.

"They merged...?!"

He turned instantly, eyes locking on her.

Noel stood near the back of the tent, quiet as always, her long silver-blue hair drifting slightly from the desert wind filtering in.

Her red eyes met his.

"You," he growled. "Noel. Get out there."

She didn't flinch.

Didn't blink.

Just nodded.

No argument. No hesitation.

She stepped past him, calm.

But inside?

Her heart was trembling.

She felt it.

Cutting through the chaos.

That mana.

That presence.

That soul that had reached into hers, just weeks ago—through mining dust, torn bread, and a simple line:

"Just because it's you."

He's here.

Sam.

Noel stepped into the battlefield.

Eyes sharp.

Aura rising.

If you're here...

Then I won't hold back.

* * *

The battlefield burned around me.

Desert soldiers running. Ice mages launching volleys from the ridge. Jungle forces cutting through chaos like blades through silk.

I was in the eye of it all.

And then—I saw them.

Standing atop the sandstone fortress.

Leon.

And beside him...

Noel.

My breath caught.

Her silver-blue hair danced in the wind. Her red eyes glowed faintly.

She looked... calm. Distant. Controlled.

Leon had one arm lazily wrapped around her shoulders.

He leaned forward, speaking into the open air like a stage actor.

"Well, well... if it isn't the famous Sam Avencroft."

He chuckled.

"Your girlfriend's mine now," he said smugly. "She listens to me. Fights for me. You really thought she'd wait for someone like you?"

I stood silent, just watching.

"But what are you gonna do?" he mocked. "Scream? 'No! Noel! Come back!'?"

He held his arms wide.

"C'mon—give me that face."

I lowered my head.

"...No."

My voice came out quiet.

"...Nooooooo..."

Leon grinned wide.

"THERE it is—"

I looked up.

And smiled.

"—Is what you were expecting, right?"

Leon blinked.

"...What?"

"You shithead," I said.

SHINK—

A flash of movement.

A clean slice.

THUMP.

Leon's right hand hit the rooftop floor.

His braclet glowed—activating the emergency teleport system.

FWOOOOSH—

Only the hand vanished in a blink of light.

The rest of Leon?

Still here.

Still screaming.

"AAAAAGGHHH!!! WHAT THE FUCK?!"

He fell to his knees, clutching his wrist, blood spurting through his fingers.

Noel lowered her blade, red eyes glowing with cold fury.

"You idiot," she said flatly. "Did you really think you could control me?"

Leon didn't answer—he was too busy crying.

She turned, stepped to the edge, and dropped down with one clean motion—landing beside me.

Her mana pulsed gently.

I stared at her.

She looked back.

"The only person I take orders from," she said quietly, voice just loud enough for me to hear—

"...is Sam."

* * *

[Two days ago – outside the Jungle Temple]

The wind rustled through the trees.I stood near the outer wall of our fort, looking out toward the treetops, arms crossed.

Footsteps behind me.

"You're here," I said.

Noel walked up beside me, red eyes calm as always.

"How's the situation over there?" I asked without turning.

"There's this one guy," she muttered. "Golden hair. Always smiling. Keeps putting his arm around me like he owns me."

My eye twitched.

I clenched my jaw.

"...He touched you?"

She didn't answer.

Didn't need to.

I took a long breath... and then smirked.

"Good."

She blinked. "Huh?"

"Let him keep doing it."

She looked at me, confused.

I turned to her fully, eyes narrowed.

"Follow his commands. Act like he's in charge. Make him think he's got you in the palm of his hand."

Then my expression darkened.

"Because when this is over—""—I'm going to kill him myself."

* * *

Leon was still on his knees, screaming.Blood pooled beneath him.His severed wrist sparked with broken mana.

I stepped toward him slowly, dragging the Scythe of Hades through the sand.

He looked up—eyes wide, tears mixing with grit and sweat.

"W-Wait—wait please—!!"

"No bracelet," I said, stopping in front of him. "That means you don't get to run."

He shook his head rapidly, his voice cracking. "I-I didn't mean to—I was just—!!"

"You put your hands on my girl," I said coldly.

"N-No—please—I was just—"

I slammed my foot into his chest, pinning him down.

He coughed, wheezing.

"I told her to pretend," I muttered. "Told her to let you think you were winning."

He whimpered.

"You really thought someone like her would fall for trash like you?"

"P-Please... Sam—Sam, I didn't mean—!!"

"You called me 'Mr. Boyfriend,' right?" I leaned down, my voice ice. "Now I'm gonna show you what a real one does."

I raised the scythe.

"P-please..." he whimpered. "I didn't mean anything by it—I didn't know—!!"

I didn't reply.

My boot slammed down on his broken wrist.

CRACK—!!

"AGHHHHHHHHH—!!!"

I crouched beside him.

His eyes trembled.

I leaned closer, eyes inches from his.

He tried to crawl away.

I swung the scythe into his thigh.

SHRIIIP—!!

His leg split open from hip to knee—tendon snapping, blood exploding.

Leon screamed like an animal, rolling in the sand.

Noel said nothing.

She just stood there. Watching.

Loyal.

Beautiful.

I raised the scythe again.

Leon sobbed. "No—NO—WAIT—!! I'LL DO ANYTHING—!!"

I tilted my head.

"...Die."

SHHLNK—!!

The blade plunged through his chest—slowly. Deliberately.

He choked.

Blood poured from his mouth.

He looked up at me—eyes wide, body twitching.

Then he went still.

No light.

No teleport.

Just a corpse.

Just silence.

I pulled the scythe free.

Blood sizzled against the hot sand.

I stood, exhaling slowly.

Noel stepped to my side.

Neither of us spoke.

Because this?

This was always the plan.