"Look," said Ned, pointing in a certain direction.

Several groups of nagas were marching there from their camp. Their sharp weapons aimed into the skies and the earth trembled, raising the dust as hundreds of nagas moved.

They were the enemy reinforcements sent to the front lines.

Right now, Theo, Leonardo, and others were laying near the bushes and watching in the enemy's direction. They were already a significant distance away from the center of the swamps, inside the enemy territory. Yesterday, they easily sneaked into their territory, using the ongoing chaos that suddenly appeared among nagas on their outposts. Those nagas were too busy preparing their retreat and totally forgot about their duty. Ned and his group didn't even need to kill anyone in such chaos.

So, right now, they were already near the right side of the swamps, totally under the nagas' control.

"Looks like something big happened at the front lines. Yesterday, our army started its attack, and by the reaction of those nagas at that outpost, they most likely captured a fort and moved the front line further to the center. What we see now is naga's reaction to that thing." said Ned.

"There are even shamans among them," added Robert, touching his chin.

"Indeed, around a thousand nagas and several shamans in total. Besides, we don't know about others who took a different route," said Ainz.

Scouts wanted to talk about something more when Leonardo's voice interrupted them.

"Hey! What is happening there?" said Leonardo, pointing in a certain direction among the nagas where something was happening.

Right now, around a hundred nagas gathered inside the temporary camp, circling something.

Ned and other scouts turned and moved their glances in that direction, and instantly their faces darkened when they saw what was happening with their special scout technique, imprinting battle energy at their eyes.

"Bastards!" said Raimund, clenching his fists.

"Indeed, monsters," added Ainz.

Robert said nothing and just turned away.

Of course, Nora and others saw their reaction and also wanted to know what was happening.

"What's happening in there?" asked Leonardo. But Ned wasn't able to answer when Robin used the same technique as they used and spoke first.

"They are pinning down, captured scouts on the tridents alive, making a show to boost their morale," said Robin with a distorted expression on his face.

"What! How many people are there?" asked Leonardo, unable to believe his words.

"Five are already dead and five have their last minutes to enjoy." Leonardo and Ryan widened their eyes, unable to believe him, and turned at Ned and others only to see that Robin was telling the truth. Even Nora distorted a bit when she heard him. Only Theo and Bell kept their posture and continued to look at the passing enemies.

"We should help them!" exclaimed Leonardo, only to end up with Raimund's hand above his mouth.

"Shut up, 'Monk'. Can't you see we can't help them? There are over a thousand enemies and you really expect us, scouts to have any chances against such a horde of physically muscular warriors?" said Raimund, pinning Leonardo to the ground. Of course, Leonardo tried to struggle, but he was weaker than Raimund, and when Theo, who was the only one who tried to approach them, Robert raised his bow aiming at him, making him stop.

"Listen, boy. This is the war! Death is inevitable here! Do you really think we would risk our asses for those we have never seen before, are you serious?" asked Raimund in a very irritated and angered manner. Leonardo just continued to look at him with widened eyes when Ned arrived to help him.

"Calm down boys, Raimund, leave him, it's not good to let off your steam at him. He is still a rookie. Control yourself. Robert, easy." said Ned quickly, relaxing the atmosphere before turning and looking at Nora. "Keep your subordinates in check, Nora, right now Monk would have made a fatal mistake if we were closer to nagas and explain what will happen to us if they catch us. They need to know the real things that would happen with us if we end up in the enemy's hands." She nodded and quickly landed her glance at Theo, Leonardo, and others.

"You have 5 minutes to do that," said Ned, returning his glance at the enemy.

...

..

.

Nora released a tired sigh as she looked at Leonardo, who was angrily clenching his fists.

Theo knew his personality and knew that Raimund's nickname fitted his friend well, so that's why he supported him back then and now even though he knew his friend was wrong. Leonardo's idea to help those scouts was indeed stupid in such a situation.

So, Theo patted his friend to support him.

"You weren't incorrect in your desire to help them, but failed to look at our current situation, Leonardo. Right now, we are deep in enemy territory without many resources or help. We should be cautious." Nora and other elite water porters nodded to his words.

"He is right, Leonardo. We don't like this situation ourselves, but we can't do anything to save them. This is the reality of war. If they catch us, the same thing will happen with us." said Nora when Leonardo raised his glance at her.

"You better stay cool-headed, Leonardo, or I will kill you myself if you put us at risk. I don't want to end up at the trident because of your mistakes," said Robin, narrowing his eyes.

Theo said nothing while Bell smiled as he looked at the distorted Leonardo's face that was seething with anger and fury.

"You think I don't know that?" asked Leonardo, standing from his seat and looking at Robin. "Don't worry, archer, I won't give you a chance for that."

Other water porters followed his back with their glances when Nora stood up and followed him.

A short time later, only Theo and Bell were left behind them.

Bell also stood and followed them, stopping for a moment.

"I don't get what you have you found in that idiot. Such people might put your life at risk with no significant reason for it," said Bell, turning and looking at Theo.

"I like you, you differ from others and have already killed and not even one person," He said with a sly smile on his lips as he looked into Theo's eyes.

"He is more like a burden to you. If I were in your shoes, I would have long ago left him, and looked for someone more capable to be my friend," said Bell, following the others. Theo just followed Bell's back with his glance before smiling.

"Even though he is naïve right now, I know who he will become when he grows up, and I am sure that he won't betray me unlike many like you who backstabbed me many times." He said, narrowing his eyes and following other water porters.

...

..

.

Astra moved through quite damaged walls, looking at the slowly arriving squads as her adjutant continued to report what was happening at the front lines.

This was the same fort where she was fighting, but now it was different. Knights and archers were patrolling at the walls as blacksmiths and enchanters repaired the breaches, strengthening and improving them.

"Commander, our forces have already captured several more forts, improving our foothold here at the center. Scouts are busy dealing with enemy outposts, letting many ravaging groups pass through enemy blockades. We have successfully pushed nagas to a three-thousand-meter distance away from our captured territory and continued to push them even further."

"What about our and enemy reinforcements?"

"Around 5.000 fresh knights have already joined the battlefields while we still had no reports about enemy reinforcements. Besides, headquarters have successfully opened a 2nd front on the swamps, distracting a significant portion of nagas."

Astra stopped her momentum when she heard that and looked at the passing armies.

"Tell our forces to stop our advance and improve our defenses. I am sure they are about to counter-attack with new fresh and morale-boosted troops, we can't lose what we have already conquered." her adjutant jotted her order and gave the message to the messenger that quickly saluted and moved out to complete his duty.

"Check our supplies and send a letter to headquarters, asking for backup." Adjutant made a confused expression on his face when he heard her.

"It's better to be over-cautious than dead and stupid. Make preparations for the potential sieges. By the way, did I get any letters from headquarters?" asked Astra, turning and looking at her adjutant.

"No, sir, no special curriers arrived yet."

"I see. You can go," said Astra, continuing her walk over damaged walls, boosting the morale of all forces who saw her. After finishing with his report, the adjutant saluted and quickly hurried to give extra orders to fulfill his duty while his commander started waving at the passing soldiers who have just arrived at the front lines.

Of course, they should have already heard about her and what she has accomplished. So, there was nothing strange that soldiers, knights, mages, and others were glad to see such a beauty, especially the brave and famous ones themselves.

"That's her!" cried one knight, pointing to the walls.

"Death storm!" added another knight.

"Commander who single-handedly killed all enemy shamans, opening the path for our army."

"Vanguard commander!"

Such scene continued for half an hour and those forces were cheering as they passed through the fort, moving further to the front lines.

Just her appearance alone improved their morale and battle spirit.

...

..

.

A shadow's apprentice was busy training with his daggers, practicing his movements, appearing and disappearing every second when two similar shadows appeared out of nowhere close to him.

A glance at them was enough for the apprentice to stop his doing and bow to his master and his elder comrade.

"Situation has changed, my apprentice." said the shadow, giving a sign for him to stand up.

"Your elder comrade has just informed me that our old friends will come to visit us." He said with something resembling a smile on his lips.

"You aren't ready yet to encounter them, my apprentice. So, I will give you another assignment to complete." The apprentice seemed reluctant to agree, but his master didn't give him a chance to talk.

"Your new mission will be important. You will continue your role as our representative and follow my plan in the city, but will also have to organize a meeting with a certain person. I don't care how you will do it, but use your knowledge and skills and keep it as a secret for potential spies." The shadow quickly took a certain letter from his space ring and gave it to his apprentice.

"I will do it my master." said the apprentice, bowing and disappearing from their sight.

Several moments later, only the master and the elder apprentice were left behind.

"So, what do you think about enemy moves?" asked the master, putting a map of the surrounding region and turning at his apprentice.

"Master, please, stop playing your games with me. We both know that you give a damn about the survival of those nagas and only those spies are your actual concern."

"Why do you think so?" asked the master curiously.

"Please, even if I know about the expedition fleet that has almost reached its destination, I don't doubt that my master has long ago learned about it. But, you didn't warn naga chief and instead asked me to return." A smile appeared on the master's lips as he looked at his apprentice.

"Good, you have improved since our last conversation. Keep it up, boy. You haven't disappointed me." said the shadow before pointing at a certain location on the map.

"We will ambush them here." Said the shadow, pointing at the location of the dense forest with tall trees where they too many shadows to hide at. The elder apprentice smiled as he looked at that location.

"Will we do that as usual, master?" He asked. But his master shook his head.

"They have some experience of fighting against people like us and know a bit about our tricks, so we will act differently and give them a big surprise this time, the last one they could see."

Both shadows wallowed in, laughing as soon as they realized what to do and how to meet such unwelcomed guests.