Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
After a while since the white Mecha took off, several figures arrived at the place where it had just departed from.
There were six to seven rugged, battle-hardened men and women.
But the overwhelming aura they carried made the very ground tremble beneath their feet.
Some rode on flying beasts, while others mounted ground-bound creatures.
All of them landed with serious expressions etched into their faces, their eyes locked onto the small hut where Igaris's family lived.
Flap! Flap!
Suddenly, a massive eagle radiating intense fire energy flapped its wings—and without hesitation, began incinerating the straw house below.
Crackle! Crackle!
Almost instantly flames consumed everything, turning the humble home into a raging inferno.
Their cold, ruthless eyes reflected the fire, but there were no screams.
As the dry straws turned to ashes, still no trace of life inside.
"I swear I just sensed a Mecha here. A powerful one at that," a woman with sharp features tried to explain, her voice filled with frustration.
A middle-aged man raised his hand, silencing her.
"No need to explain, Maya. We know you're never wrong. That coward must've escaped already," he said, fuming.
"Yeah," added a bulky man standing beside a massive, lizard-like beast. "Judging by the speed, your assumption about it being a high-grade Mecha seems spot-on."
"Should I chase after it?" a younger man asked with a smirk, his legs astride on a proud, battle-hardened Griffin.
"No use. They're likely long gone," the middle-aged man replied coldly.
"But Drago… isn't this an insult to us Summoners? A Mecha dared to act so brazenly in our territory. People will mock our incompetence."
"Hmph… I'd like to see who dares." Drago narrowed his eyes dangerously.
"Now...Let's leave. And Mystic.... don't forget to investigate who used to live here."
"Yes, Leader," the young man replied with a confident smirk, his eyes turned to slit like a predator.
---
On the other hand…
Just like the previous day, Igaris walked ln the familiar path toward the Ruined Citadel.
But this time, he was alone, and slightly earlier than Blaze's group or anyone else scheduled to arrive.
To avoid drawing attention, he moved cautiously, making sure no one saw him.
But in the open, barren desert, there was hardly any cover to hide his presence, except for the occasional sand dune to shield him momentarily.
Like usual, the searing heat made the very water in his body feel like it might boil.
Sweat poured from his forehead, soaking into his clothes as the merciless sun blazed above.
There wasn't even a single cloud in sight to offer any shade.
Like yesterday, the trek should have been torture, especially on his feet, given the rough leather of his makeshift boots.
But surprisingly, Igaris felt no discomfort.
There was a reason for that.
He had used Acquisition on the boots and Named them, causing them to evolve and gain improved properties.
Now, they were far sturdier, lighter, more comfortable, and tough enough to withstand the scorching heat of the sand.
As for the boots' names, it was better they remained unknown.
They didn't provide any special abilities either.
After nearly an hour of continuous travel, the crumbling silhouette of the Ruined Citadel emerged in the distance.
Once an unbreachable fortress during the Summoners' Age, the citadel now stood weathered by time, war, and destruction—reduced to little more than skeletal remains of its former glory.
As Igaris neared a broken section of the outer wall, he crouched low, careful not to draw the attention of the Death Knights.
With his newly upgraded blade was in hand, his expression sharp and alert for any sign of traps or ambushes.
He didn't underestimate the Death Knights for even a second.
He was alone, and could be overwhelmed by their numbers at any moment.
Swoosh, Swoosh, Swoosh!
Just as he thought his preparations had been enough, his ears caught a faint whistling sound slicing through the air.
Poof, poof, poof!
Before he could react, several arrows pierced him in an instant. One went through his heart, another in his lung, and another deep in his abdomen.
Cough! Cough!
Igaris coughed up blood.
The pain was also excruciating, like tearing through flesh and bone, but he only groaned in return, refusing to scream.
He could endure this much.
After all, he had once been crippled, surviving with multiple fractures across his whole skeletal frame. That experience had earned him a high threshold for pain.
As he went on his knees, he instinctively reached for the arrows embedded in his body.
Even now, he didn't lose consciousness.
His steady gaze turned to the approaching skeletal figures ahead.
Several Death Knights stood in formation, their hollow sockets glowing faintly as they raised their bows once more, drawing closer slowly.
Igaris ruthlessly pulled out the arrows with a squelching sound of blood and flesh.
In the next moment, blood spilled uncontrollably, staining the sandy ground with red.
Poof, poof, poof!
Then again, more arrows were shot once again, not giving him even a chance to breathe.
"Cough!"
"Bas*tards!"
Igaris growled like a cornered beast.
Although [Undead Recovery] kept him alive, his breathing was getting weaker, and his body felt weak because of the rapid blood loss.
Without hesitation, he spoke:
"Assemble!"
Dred came out of his shadow instantly, kneeling before Igaris on one knee.
"Cough! Go... subdue them! Don't kill!"
Igaris said with ragged breaths as he pulled the arrows out once again.
As soon as he ordered, Dred stood up domineeringly, his hollow eyes targeted on the Undead Archers.
Without any delay, Dred unsheathed his sword and charged into their midst like a valiant knight.
Igaris watched the fight calmly while his wounds were closing almost at a near-impossible speed.
And while Dred was busy subduing them with his exceptional Swordmastery, Igaris rested for a while to recover his lost energy.
As such, for the next few moments, he just watched Dred fight, maybe trying to learn something.