It seems no one has noticed an interesting detail - the Chelon Canticle Brigade was reported to have 33 members, but only 32 entered the town. The question is, who is the remaining 1 person and where are they?
The answer is revealed - the missing 1 person is the Brigade Commander, Death, whose real name is Shinji Matou. He is currently positioned above the town, at a vantage point overlooking the entire area.
Even before the Brigade entered the town, Shinji had quietly separated from the group and found this excellent observation point. Using the effects of the Hades Cloak, he is covertly monitoring the entire town.
There are two main reasons he did this:
Shinji harbored doubts, as this mission felt like a trap from the beginning.
Shinji sensed something off about the attitude of the Bartholomeloi family.
He realized there was trickery afoot, and the centuries-old Bartholomeloi family must have seen through it as well. However, due to their long-standing grudge against the White Wing Lord, they had no choice but to go through with the mission, aiming to minimize their losses.
In their eyes, the losses of the newly formed Brigade were acceptable - they were relatively inexperienced compared to other veteran combat groups, so their sacrifice as bait or cannon fodder was deemed tolerable, if regrettable.
Shinji was not fully satisfied, but he also understood the Bartholomeloi family's strategic reasoning. If he were in their position, he likely would have done the same. The Chelon Canticle Brigade simply lacked the weight and experience to be entrusted with the main mission.
However, Shinji could not just stand by and watch his subordinates be sacrificed. Before the mission, he had made various preparations, such as obtaining advanced single-soldier equipment from the British Royal Special Forces through the Barthomeloi family's connections and resources.
For example, he specifically consulted experts on spiritual particles, Justeaze, who speculated that one of the possible effects of the Night of Wallachia residue could be interference with long-range spiritual techniques, including communication and reconnaissance.
Another example is surveying the situation from a high vantage point, making it convenient to quickly grasp the enemy's plots and respond accordingly.
By the time Brigade launched their final assault, the first two preparatory steps had already been utilized with very good effect, but the last one still hadn't been used. Shinji fervently hoped this final step wouldn't be needed.
Regrettably, this wonderful wish did not come true.
Just as the Brigade was nearly wiping out the low-rank dead apostles and gradually closing in on the hiding place of the White feather, a thunderous explosion came from the horizon, growing louder and closer.
This sound is very familiar to many aviation enthusiasts and residents near airports - the sonic boom generated by an aircraft flying at high speed, parting the air.
Shinji instinctively looked up, just in time to see a small private jet fly overhead, shedding flecks of white as it went.
Through his visual enhancement magecraft, Shinji caught the true nature of those white specks - they were feathers, white feathers.
"A plane isn't an angel or a birdman, how could it be molting feathers?" Shinji muttered to himself, but then a realization struck him.
"Wait, birdman? The White Wings...oh no."
As soon as this thought crossed his mind, a brilliant white pillar of light descended from the sky, plunging vertically into the center of the town. Without needing any other evidence, just the sheer power emanating from that light column, Shinji knew the identity of the arrival.
"Emergency order, all forces immediately cease the attack and withdraw! I repeat, all forces immediately cease the attack and withdraw!"
The communications channel erupted in confused objections from the squad and Chariot, who had already rushed to the frontlines but not yet engaged.
"Shut up, the White Wing Lord is here. If you don't want to die, get out of there now!"
Hearing this earth-shattering news, the entire communications channel exploded in panic.
"F@ck! How did that immortal geezer get here? Run, run fast!"
"Dump everything you can. Don't be precious about it, just get rid of it. Equipment can be replaced, but not your life."
"Everyone, start running, do you hear me? Run!"
"Use speed and reinforcement magecraft, don't hold back on mana."
Not only the members of the Chelon Canticle Brigade, but even Shinji himself, was cursing up a storm.
You @#$%...&*! We younger generations are just fighting and killing each other, why are you, the oldest monster, getting involved? If you have the guts, go bother the jewel old man who is also an ancestor, go bother the current Lord Barthomeloi, a max-level big boss coming to the newbie village to bully the low-level players, do you have any shame at all?
Yes, no one would have expected that Trhvmn Ortenrosse, who was supposed to meet with Van-Fem in the gambling city of Las Vegas, would show up here. Even more unexpected is that this old monster, who hasn't acted in a long time, would personally take on a group of still immature young people.
However, no matter how much Shinji curses, it doesn't change the reality that the White Wing Lord has arrived, and Chelon Canticle Brigade is facing an unprecedented major crisis.
Shinji gritted his teeth and rushed towards the pillar of light.
◇◇◇
A pure white pillar of light descended from the sky, directly destroying a street below.
The white-robed youth holding a white feather, providing the positioning, knelt in the ruins and humbly bowed his proud head:
"Father Lord!"
Behind the white-robed youth, the surviving dead apostles prostrated on the ground, trembling:
"Revered Ancestor."
This is the title used by all the collateral descendants, except for the direct second-generation relatives, to address the supreme ancestor.
"Kin" refers to blood relatives; "Ancestor" is the ancestor of the ancestors, as well as the ancestor of the twenty-seven ancestors.
"Are there only a few of you left?"
The authoritative male voice came from the pillar of light. The destructive white light did not dissipate after landing, nor did it continue to cause damage, it was just silently constrained next to Ortenrosse.
"Your subordinate is ashamed." White Feather became even more humble, "We underestimated the enemy, resulting in such losses, please punish your son."
"Now is not the time to discuss this, you all stand up and take me to find those magus - anyone who killed my kin must pay the price."
"Yes, Father Lord/Revered Ancestor!"
The surviving dead apostles were filled with renewed vigor.