Terry El had accomplished his mission and had no intention of lingering. Before the enemy could pursue, he vanished without a trace.
The Aerte King, upon learning of the devastating losses, wore a grim expression. Rage boiled within him, finding its sole outlet in Prince Shouk, who barely escaped being beaten to death. Had Shouk not interrupted Cameron's earlier warnings, the damage might not have been as catastrophic.
"Send word to gather all troops from surrounding cities into Aerte City," the king ordered through gritted teeth. "Have the remaining soldiers repair the walls overnight."
Obeying the royal decree, troops from the empire's outlying towns marched toward Aerte City under cover of darkness. However, neighboring kingdoms seized the opportunity, swiftly annexing these undefended territories. Without shedding a drop of blood, they gained entire cities.
One particularly audacious king even claimed to be "temporarily safeguarding" the lands on Aerte's behalf. The Aerte King, though seething, had no choice but to endure the humiliation in silence.
Back in the imperial capital of Leisa, Terry El wasn't faring much better. Despite days spent discreetly listening to rumors, he had yet to hear news of Aerte's downfall.
Gao Shun, on the other hand, had adjusted splendidly. Since their return, he'd refused to re-enter the summoning space, quickly discovering that staying outside for extended periods made him susceptible to hunger.
At Chris's insistence, a lavish dinner was prepared for him. From that day on, Gao Shun adamantly stayed, claiming it was his duty to protect Terry El.
Days passed without any meaningful updates, and Terry El eventually gave up, deciding instead to join Gao Shun in the summoning space for training. The summoning space proved to be a haven for cultivation. Three grueling years passed within its confines, though only three days elapsed in the outside world—a loophole that seemed almost too good to be true.
During those three years, Terry El mastered nearly all of Gao Shun's martial techniques. Though his skills weren't yet solidified, he was more than capable of handling common magical beasts.
When Terry El emerged from the summoning space, his transformation startled Chris so much she almost didn't recognize him. Though still a thirteen-year-old boy, his newfound muscular build seemed entirely at odds with his age.
"My goodness! Look at you! Can you at least try to look like a child?" Chris fussed as she adjusted his clothing, her tone full of exasperation.
Glancing at his robust arms, Terry El grinned. "I think I look great. This is what a man should be like, isn't it?"
Chris smacked his head lightly and shot him a glare. "A man? Maybe in two more years."
Realizing her words, Chris's face flushed red. She bit her lip, quickly turned, and walked away.
Gao Shun stifled a chuckle, but Terry El, equally embarrassed, cleared his throat and glared at him before heading out.
The two spent the afternoon at a local tavern, nursing drinks while listening for any news. Once again, they heard nothing.
"What's going on?" Terry El frowned. "Why is there still no word about Aerte after all this time?"
Gao Shun's face turned serious. "My lord, it seems Aerte hasn't been attacked by its neighbors. On the contrary, they've likely sealed off all information to keep the truth from spreading."
"That makes sense," Terry El mused. "Looks like we'll have to up the ante."
"Up the ante?" Gao Shun raised a brow, puzzled.
"We'll strike them again," Terry El declared. "I refuse to believe those neighboring kingdoms wouldn't want a piece of Aerte's land."
Gao Shun grew anxious. "My lord, could we perhaps wait a bit? Let my troops advance another rank before the next assault. At their current level, those… er… soldiers are hardly up to the task."
The mention of the ragtag band of bandits made Terry El sigh. While they had improved slightly compared to the untrained recruits of old, they were still a far cry from disciplined warriors. Even after three years, they couldn't form a proper formation, let alone charge into battle. If they couldn't advance to true soldiers, their potential would remain forever stunted.
"Fine," Terry El relented. "Tomorrow, we'll visit the Mercenary Guild and see if there are any suitable missions. With that, we'll gain intel on the magical beasts nearby."
Hearing Terry El's agreement, Gao Shun's spirits soared. "What are we waiting for? Let's go prepare now!"
As they strolled through the city gathering supplies, Terry El recalled something he hadn't used in a while—his spatial ring. Spending so much time in Aerte City, he had avoided drawing attention by keeping things low-key, carrying silver coins on his person instead. Over time, the ring had slipped his mind.
Once back home, Terry El opened the spatial ring and was stunned to find it had expanded to four square meters. The last time it had grown was in the Enchanted Forest, but now it was even larger. Could the ring actually grow over time?
The realization brought more questions than answers. Why would such a miraculous artifact fall into his hands? Who exactly was the mysterious old man who had given it to him, and what was his true purpose?
Meanwhile, Gao Shun's eyes were glued to the ring, his amazement uncontainable.
"You've been staring long enough," Terry El teased, waving a hand in front of his face.
Snapping out of his daze, Gao Shun stammered, "That… that's a spatial ring? It can store so many things? When will I get one?"
Terry El chuckled. "Once we've gained enough strength, you'll have one too."
"Really?" Gao Shun's eyes sparkled with excitement.
"Really."
"Then just watch, my lord. I'll whip those lazy brats into the best warriors you've ever seen. If anyone dares fall behind, I'll make them regret it!"