Ten minutes earlier...
The army has finally reached the outside of the gates of Soaring Cloud City.
The army was twenty thousand men strong! It was enough to subjugate a beast wave that would occasionally invade the city!
They were all riding special warhorses.
The horses were black in color but were at least three meters tall! Their muscles were designed for long distance travel and they had the endurance and durability to endure arduous battles. They were called Black Stallions with a speed capable of traversing two hundred kilometers in an hour.
The soldiers were a bit afraid as they continued to march on the place of battle. They will soon be fighting a Malevolent Magnate that is at the peak of Mortal Severing! Such an expert could bring about ruin for a city like Soaring Cloud City!
"We're up against a Malevolent Magnate! It scares me to think we'll be battling with individuals referred to as disasters!"
"It is said that one can massacre a thousand cultivators!"
"I heard that a small group led by Malevolent Magnate once invaded the city about a decade ago. It caused the north and east side of the city to suffer catastrophic damage. Some villages were even annihilated in the process."
"I heard of that too! But they were still defeated, right?"
Brandon, who was supervising his soldiers, overheard his soldier's anxiety.
He thought this would be an opportune time to build his bond with them, "Of course, the great Soaring Cloud Army was able to fend off the invaders after arduously defending the city! That is why we must do our best to do the same! We shall replicate such a feat and defend our beloved city! For Soaring Cloud!"
Now, more than fear, they were feeling excited.
They realized they were on a subjugation raid against a Malevolent Magnate!
It would be a great accomplishment for anyone to be part of such a noble cause since Malevolent Magnates are feared by almost everyone in the cultivation world.
The soldier looked at Brandon with bright eyes as they shouted in unison, "FOR SOARING CLOUD!"
"As expected of a young master, he has inherited his father's resolve and valor!"
"Long live, young master!"
"Long live, General Schwer!"
"Long Live, Soaring Cloud!"
'Hahaha, such easily manipulated peasants! Not only will I gain great prestige in the army but I will also gain popularity later in the city! Just thinking about the amount of beauties that will fall into my lap... HAHAHA' Brandon maintained a proud smile of a leader in front of his men while harboring malicious thoughts in his mind.
The morale caused by Brandon's speech was like an infection. It reached one person after another! Then, one group onto the other.
Until, it affected the whole Purging Army! Now, the army has reached peak morale with its soldiers overflowing with anticipation and pride as they marched.
They were looking forward as only around several kilometers of distance remained in their march!
On the frontlines, a humongous soldier over 3 and a half meters tall with a vertical scar on his left eye sighed as he looked back at the cheering soldiers, "Ignorance is bliss..."
A man with a helmet on appeared beside him. He waved his hands around them and created a transparent cloak of Innate Energy.
Strangely, they could not hear the clamor of the soldiers anymore.
======
This was General Brad Schwer who participated in this raid while wearing a disguise.
Of course, the officials who were assigned to lead the raid knew of this which was why they were confident that they would succeed due to the presence of General Brad Schwer!
Although he could have assumed command of the army, he opted not to because he did not want to attract too much attention since he only participated in this raid due to his selfish reasons which was in hopes of witnessing his master in battle.
He thought, 'If I were to witness a master in battle, I would be able to gain insights that will greatly help my cultivation.'
But his soldiers thought otherwise. All of them were acting rigidly and seriously because they thought that General Brad Schwer was here on official business.
The thought, 'He must have followed as covertly because he wants to evaluate our skills as generals. Given his strict personality, he would surely be assessing us since this is the first battle of the Purging Army for years now! That's surely it!'
======
The general patted the large man's soldier and said, "Indeed, we do not have to tell them the horrible reality that happened during that day..."
The man who towered even General Brad Schwer could not help but say, "But, still, to live by such a lie... it's something that violates my code to live an upright life..."
"General Armstrong, you should know that we had no choice over that incident. That person's power was too overwhelming. We could only concede... Fortunately, he promised that he will not shed light on what happened as long as we handed over the item..."
Considering the tone of their conversation, it seemed like General Armstrong and General Brad Schwer are closely acquainted with each other, "But that item is the treasure of Soaring Cloud City! It is the heritage left by the legendary hero...."
"The legendary hero will understand our decision today. Is one item worth the lives of tens of millions of people?"
"I..."
"Sometimes, lies can be better than the truth..." Brad Schwer contemplated.
But as he did, he noticed that something bizarre happened! It was not only him that noticed that General Armstrong and the other high-ranking officers were alarmed!
"WHAT?!" They sensed an overwhelmingly berserk energy coming from the direction of their destination!
Not only that, shortly after, the power of the Malevolent Magnate has also greatly strengthened.
"Army Commander Michael Paulson, what happened?" Brad Schwer disabled the cloak of Innate Energy around him and General Armstrong as he approached the man who he designated to manage the army.
Michael Paulson. This man is known as great talent in the military in terms of strategy and tactics. He is known as a powerful soldier with strict discipline ever since his early days. He reported, "Chief of General Staff, as we were monitoring the battle over the disciple of Cross Clan and the Malevolent Magnate, the male escort had already performed a berserk skill approximately ten minutes ago. When he was pressured into a corner by the Malevolent Magnate, he once again used another berserk skill!"
"What kind of person can use two berserk skills? That should be impossible!" Brad Schwer said in shock!
"Indeed, an ordinary person should have already died by the mere attempt of that stunt. However, he used a peculiar berserk technique for his first berserk attempt. It was a technique that burnt the soul! I never heard of such berserk techniques in the country. Then, the second was a Bloodline Ignition Technique..." Michael Paulson recounted the method.
"Are you implying that this technique is a secret technique from a foreign nation?" Brad Schwer noticed Paulson's choice of words.
"Indeed. But there could also be another possibility." Michael Paulson said with a grim expression.
"Another possibility?"
"Maybe it is due to experience that I am unable to identify this method. But a berserk ability that relates to the soul? Something that can also be used in conjunction with another berserk technique? This concept of easily attaining unbelievable strength through unorthodox means is something that Evil Cultivators would have!" Michael Paulson deduced.
"This..." General Brad Schwer and the other officials were speechless.
Michael Paulson's assumption might sound a little bit far-fetched but considering that they were already in an unusually complex situation such as this one, this way of thinking could not be entirely wrong.
"How certain are you about this, Army Commander?" General Armstrong stepped forward and asked.
"About 55%...."
"It's only a little above fifty percent?" Another general said in surprise.
"Considering that he is from the Cross Clan which is patriotic in nature, this made me reduce the possibility, General Smith. However, from my knowledge of reading through the books of the library in our city and those in the Capital's library during my youth, I have not found any berserk techniques relating to another berserk technique of the Cross Clan..."
The experienced generals also thought of the same thing since they were fully aware of the peak powerhouses of the country. T
hey were not only veterans in fighting but most of them were scholars due to the upbringing of their noble backgrounds.
"But shouldn't the percentage be higher, then?" A general with a long white beard said.
"General Kwang, the reason I reduced the possibility is because I have never fought an elite from the Cross Clan nor am I a member of it. I am considering the possibility that the technique may be part of the heritage of the Cross Clan."
General Kwang replied, "If that is so, then the likelihood that he is an evil cultivator is nigh zero..."
However, Paulson has prepared another possibility, "But, if we were to assume that it is part of the heritage of the Cross Clan, typically such power is bestowed upon those of the direct line. Those of the direct line all have brown hair regardless of gender but this young man has black hair. This made me increase the possibility of him being an enemy back to fifty percent."
This led to another change of perspective among the General.
General Brad Schwer understood the situation based on the possibilities Michael Paulson presented them. He took the initiative to summarize the possibilities that were being considered, "So, it is highly likely that this man is a traitor of the Cross Clan? In the end, you are saying that he may either be a spy sent by another country or a spy from an Evil Cultivator Sect?"
"It is as General Schwer has said." Michael Paulson nodded.
"Although I believe that thinking of such possibilities is plausible, your argument has a flaw." General Brad Schwer said.
"A flaw?" It was not only Michael Paulson but also the other generals were shocked when they heard of this.
Schwer explained, "It is natural to be surprised because of what I have said. Unlike all of you, I have been monitoring this battle since the beginning and I was able to see the loyalty of the young man you accuse of being a traitor. If he were truly a traitor, then he would not have gone through such lengths of risking his life and using a twofold berserk to protect the princess. He would have abandoned her and given her to the enemy which would vastly affect the cross clan. He could have returned to the Cross Clan alone and acted as if he had fought with his life but was not able to protect the princess. The rest you could speculate what would follow..."
" For the technique, I have observed him using the Cross Clan techniques. I vaguely remember that the Third Clan Chief of Cross Clan used several swords than just their usual twin swords. I am assuming that since he's using four blades right now, he has inherited this art. The Lord Third was known as a reclusive cultivator who pursued only the pinnacle of his swords which is why there are almost no records about him. From this, we can also say that the unique berserk technique might have been part of the inheritance. The Cross Clan values the talent of the sword more than anything, that's why they sometimes allow talented males to marry into their clan."
"..." The others forgot this significant detail and immediately discarded their previous notions about Kaiden because what Brad Schwer just said almost has no loopholes to it.
"That being said, I commend everyone for their conjectures because we should learn to practice intellectual doubt in the army in order to not fall into enemy's schemes or ploys. Although, we should keep it in moderation since thinking too deeply in battle will also result in your downfall. This also why it is important for us generals to be decisive without commands because we influence the outcome of the battle!"
"Understood, sir!" Everyone responded in kind as they looked at Brad Schwer in admiration.
'He truly is fitting to be the Chief of General Staff.'
Then, General Schwer told them a shocking strategy, "But we will address him as an Evil Cultivator upon our arrival!"
"What?!" Everyone was dumbfounded by this declaration!
Michael Paulson was able to quickly understand the purpose of such a plan. He explained the reasons for such an approach, "This must have slipped from everyone's mind but the person we are trying to pressure here is the Malevolent Magnate! This very person has revealed the power of her Soul Avatar! It is also a power which has presented disastrous might, Necromancy!"
"What?! Soul Avatar which means essence-soul unity?! Necromancy?!?!" General Smith was dumbfounded upon hearing this.
"So, General Schwer, has also noticed her powers." Michael Paulson looked at General Schwer as he spoke.
"I was a bit distracted with my conversation with General Armstrong. But as soon as I heard the situation from you, I refocused my senses to the battle and witnessed her true strength! I was also unable to input it since everyone was too immersed about the male escort's possible identity. Hahaha." Brad Schwer nodded.
The generals were a bit embarrassed because they seemed like gossiping housewives from General Schwer's words. Well, they too inwardly admitted that they got too caught up with the male escort's identity since he could have been possibly a foreign spy or an Evil Cultivator.
Paulson nodded and continued discussing the strategy, "We will use these diversionary tactics to make her think that both of them are in the same position. We will divide our forces in the ratio of 30 to 70 and attack them both at the same time. The smaller part will head for the male escort while we of the 70 will attack the Malevolent Magnate. But this is only on the surface because we are trying to secure the safety of the young lady and the male escort."
"Once she realizes that we have tricked her, she will be confused as we attack her from two sides! Then, we will force her to concede and flee!"
The generals nodded at this strategy. They felt that it had effectively secured the mission objectives and the situation of the battlefield. Thus, they rallied their men as they hastened their approach!
======
This was what led to the development of the current situation:
"I am Micheal Paulson, the army commander of the Soaring Cloud Guards' Purging Army. We ask the Necromancer and the Evil Cultivator to halt your fight, surrender the female you are taking hostage, and leave the territory of Soaring Cloud. If you do so, we shall peacefully resolve the matter. We will only present you a single opportunity for you to comply with this order. If not, then our blades shall be pointed to your throats!"
After the declaration, the army charged! The plan was now enfolding. But they made a severe miscalculation...
They never would have thought that Yumi would also try to protect Kaiden, his enemy, from their attack!
Yumi furiously shouted, "Time and time again... Everything is getting in my way of getting my prince... my knight... I have had enough! My undead knights! Kill them!!"
It was then that Yumi's undead army also split into two and defended both Yumi and Kaiden!