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[Commander! The Shadow fairy is wiping us all out! We need assistance here- ahh! Stay away! Damn it! Don't come near me!]

[Commander! This is Captain Kaspog, we are currently fighting against Leo the Invincible! I am requesting immediate assistance!]

[Commander! We are currently under attack! We need assistance! Wait... is that a giant minotaur?]

[Commander! Commander! This is one of the members of Captain Illan's troop! I don't know why! But they are attacking each other! We need immediate assistance! Commander!]

"Damn it! Captain Brennan! Captain Teivel? Do you hear me? Answer me!" All Commander Einar could do was click his and shake his head while staring at the forest around them with disbelief in his eyes. "What is going on? How could this happen?"

"Commander?" The knight beside him asked.

Behind them was a swarm of knights prepared for any incoming battle.

Commander Einar exhaled. "Get ready, Captain Joran. We are going to charge in the middle of the battle now. Let's leave the Shadow fairy and the Infernal destroyer alone for now and help our main forces." He clenched his fist while frowning. "I can't believe it's happening. Our entire forces are being overwhelmed by the mere underlings while our main targets are disrupting our formation on the sidelines as if they are fully aware of our plan and decided to use the exact same tactic we came up with against us."

"Commander!" One of the knights ran toward him while expressing great terror on his face. "The Marionette corps! They are finally here! Our Captain was slain! They are wiping out our entire troop!"

Commander Einar rushed in the direction where the knight came from and raised his sword. Behind him was the entire army. "They are already here, but why can't I see their mana manifestation?"

With his Extreme speed, he immediately reached the location where the screams of the knights were audible. Upon seeing one of the knights screaming while crawling and about to get attacked by one of the Marionettes, he jumped in and waved his sword. His raw sword slash was so devastating it created a wind torrent that even disrupted the trees all around them, forcing his target to jump out to escape from his destructive pure physical attack.

Commander Einar grabbed the knight and jumped away while his eyes were still on his target.

"Commander!" A smile of utmost relief emerged on the knight's face upon seeing him.

After a few moments, the entire swarm of the army arrived.

"Captain Joran, leave this one to me. And help the other troops."

Captain Joran bowed his head. "Yes, Commander."

All at once, the entire army proceeded to scatter towards the other troops around the area.

Upon confirming that the army following him was no longer around, Commander Einar exhaled and raised his sword. The only thing left in it was its handle, the other part of the sword eroded and was slowly reaching the part where his hand was. "What a terrifying skill. No wonder why not even a corpse was left from Captain Sakim's entire troop."

Commander Einar threw his sword to the ground before it completely disappeared and turned into ashes.

The one he was talking to dropped her broken gauntlet and just stared at him with her sharp gazing jet-black eyes.

Dimensional storage appeared next to Commander Einar. He pulled another sword while expressing a gentle smile on his face. "Based on what I learned about you, you are dangerous enough for me to conclude to personally deal with you." Commander Einar raised his sword. "The Puppet master's right hand, Bonecrusher, Kuro of the Marionette corps."

"I would greatly appreciate it if you don't call me such a disturbing nickname," Kuro answered while looking directly at Commander Einar's eyes.

Commander Einar chuckled. "I see. Pardon my discourtesy. With that said, now that you are already here- where are you going?"

The entire group of Marionettes jumped away from the scene, leaving only Kuro.

Kuro, who was about to jump towards the thickness of the forest, stared at him with indifference in her eyes. "Far away from you. I have no business with the strongest individual of this legion."

Commander Einar furrowed his eyebrows. "Are you saying that you are just going to escape like that? You already have me fired up for this battle!"

Kuro nodded. "I have no reason to fight you." And turned her back at him.

"Reason to fight, huh?" Commander Einar put his hand on his forehead and laughed.

"Farewell." Kuro squatted to jump out.

"The Shadow fairy, Tanya Latora." Commander Einar stabbed his sword to the ground and stared at Kuro with a subtle smirk on his expression. "Perhaps you and the Shadow fairy get along pretty well. Both of you have the same fate, right? Outcasts from your own home."

Kuro paused and remained unmoved for a few seconds before shifting her gaze to Commander Einar.

Upon seeing Kuro's reaction, Commander Einar's smirk became wider as he rotated his gauntlet. "What does it feel like? Being hated by your own people I mean. That must be hard, no? Living your entire life being despised by your own race, having no one to be considered as a family or even a friend. Although, if I must say, Tanya lived a far tougher life than you have. She lived most of her life being treated that way with no one to lean on to and managed to become what she is now, one of the most powerful individuals in the entire Ulterra. Quite respectable, right?" He shrugged. "And here you are, dragging innocent Leal into your fate and forcing him to abandon everything just to protect you." A mocking smile emerged on his face. "Forgive me, I should not have asked you such a controversial question... because the person who I should be asking that question is Tanya who managed to live on her own without dragging anyone with her despite the hardships she faced... and of course, Leal. The naive boy who decided to throw his perfect life away just to be with you... a curse."

Kuro's entire body veered and her gaze turned into an intimidating glare. "This life... Is it hard, you asked? Perhaps? But Not as painful as ending up as a failed hero."

However, what she received was a long loud laughter. Commander Einar continued laughing for a few seconds before pulling his sword out.

He raised his sword and pointed it in Kuro's direction. "It seems... both of us finally have a good reason to fight each other now. Shall we begin? Kuro?"