Chapter 1210: The Adamant Thunder Annihilation Campaign (1)

[The Legion, Deadrise, which began in Vulcan and expanded across the continent, has now achieved its current glory.]

[This Command Headquarters, commemorating the upcoming Legion Parade, hereby declares its return to Vulcan and the relocation of its Command Headquarters.]

[The outlying district of Vulcan, formerly occupied by the Legion, is currently being used as a Domain by the Adamant Tower.]

[If the Magic Tower’s Domain is not deactivated and it does not depart Vulcan within fifteen days, the Legion’s main force, currently returning, will move.]

[If our Command Headquarters’ request is not answered, within three days…]

Crack, s-s-static!!! Beyond the screen, the spokesperson’s face, reading the official document, was distorted and covered in static.

District 49. The top floor of the skyscraper that housed the Magic Tower’s administrative duties.

The spacious meeting room, almost like an auditorium, was steeped in a chilly silence.

Lennok had not yet arrived, and no one dared to speak first, silently maintaining the quiet.

Everyone just eyed each other, as if unsure how to react to the situation, when suddenly.

“I was a little late, so I didn’t quite catch the beginning.”

Jutiya, sipping a fruit smoothie, asked nonchalantly.

“So, Deadrise is coming to flatten Vulcan?”

“…”

At Jutiya’s blunt, almost nakedly direct words, the others’ expressions shifted uncomfortably.

“Rather, I’d say it’s a process of building justification before an all-out war.”

Drei answered calmly amidst the silence.

Having operated a mercenary office and previously served as a war mercenary, he understood well what such official documents signified.

“They claim occupancy rights to the outlying district and offer a reason, but the truth is, Van’s Magic Tower is their real target. No matter how we respond, nothing will change.”

“So they’re just traversing the Eastern Continent, using a convenient excuse to mobilize the Legion.”

Other mercenaries naturally picked up the conversation.

“More than that, I’m curious why the Legion is moving now. Do we have more information on that?”

“According to our information, there was a major clash during the Legion Parade, at the same time the Marshal returned.”

Jenny replied.

Sitting at the lower end of the conference table, she fiddled with her laptop, bringing up photos and video footage, then turned her gaze.

“Cheonbeon Evan Martinez. The notorious Apostle-Slayer had a change of heart immediately after rising to the Captain position in Deadrise. He reportedly engaged in combat with two Legions under the Command Headquarters.”

“…”

“Known casualties alone include the complete incineration of the Command Headquarters. Production facilities, including the munitions factory, largely destroyed. Two or more Legions annihilated, and one or more Legion Commanders killed…”

“Insane…”

“He’s out of his mind. To do something like that right in the middle of the Legion’s encampment?”

As they listened to Jenny’s words, everyone’s faces grew progressively paler.

While some were simply horrified by Cheonbeon’s actions, most of those gathered here had personally experienced something similar.

No one could forget the pyromancer who had torn through Vulcan’s underworld district to rescue the Lighthouse Keeper.

“It’s no different from when he burned down Vulcan’s outlying districts fighting Van.”

“Because of that man, the entire District 49 area was incinerated, forcing an unintentional redevelopment…”

“What, was that young Lighthouse Keeper involved again this time?”

“The Central Authority suspects there was some kind of deal between Cheonbeon and the Marshal.”

Jenny tapped the screen.

“The Legion Parade itself was a ceremony commemorating the Marshal’s return, and at the same time, a procedure to gather the forces needed for the Annihilation Campaign.”

“So Cheonbeon received the Captain position in the Legion for that reason? Then the reason for the clash with the Legion was…”

“Either the terms of the deal changed, or the Legion’s plans didn’t align with his convictions.”

Felix, arms crossed, spoke in a heavy, low voice.

“We only talked for a short while, but he was a terrifyingly staunch man. For a man like that, it wouldn’t be strange if his ideals didn’t align with the Legion’s… Hmm?”

“…”

Before Felix could even finish his sentence, everyone in the meeting room was staring intently at him.

Felix, belatedly sensing the atmosphere, flinched his shoulders.

“Felix. What are you talking about right now?”

“Everything’s fine, but don’t say things like that in front of Van.”

“No, I certainly wasn’t trying to side with Cheonbeon, but…”

At Mila’s reprimand, Felix belatedly began to stammer, trying to salvage his words.

The mercenaries, including Dylan and Belber, pounced on Felix as if they’d been waiting for it.

“Felix is just the type to casually forget both favors and grudges.”

“Felix Magart. Caused controversy by stating he prefers Cheonbeon over Adamant Thunder… Suspicions spreading about whether he’s an ungrateful beast…”

[As expected, they say you shouldn’t take in a bird-brained beast because it won’t recognize its master.]

“It’s fine. Van will generously understand. Though he won’t exactly forget it.”

“Ah, no… that’s not it…”

Felix stammered, flustered by the mudslinging pouring in from all sides.

Beneath his dignified eyebrows, his eyes had already lost focus and were spinning.

Aris, watching him with an amused expression, turned her head and whispered to Mila.

“The Tower’s atmosphere is wonderfully informal in many ways.”

“…That’s a compliment, right?”

As Mila scratched her cheek, Jenny, who had been watching with a pathetic expression, tapped the screen.

“Alright, enough. Focus, you idiots. Do you really have to relieve your tension like that?”

Only then did the colleagues, who had been teasing Felix and lightening the mood, clear their throats and back away.

“Ahem, I wasn’t really joking though.”

“It’s important to ferret out traitors before a war, isn’t it?”

“Should we just ask Felix to step out of the meeting room for a bit?”

“…”

It was true that the tense atmosphere of the meeting room had softened somewhat after teasing Felix.

Jenny sighed and flipped to the next projector slide, speaking again.

“In any case, it’s clear that Cheonbeon inflicted immense damage on the Command Headquarters. It’s highly probable that the Legion Command moved up the war schedule because of that.”

“I see. So they deliberately started a war to compensate for the Command Headquarters’ losses?”

“Because it’s always been the best way to unify internal chaos, both then and now.”

Jenny’s expression turned cold.

“From the Legion’s perspective, it wouldn’t have been a difficult decision. It would also be the best way to fill the now-vacant Legion Commander positions with even more powerful superhumans.”

“I don’t quite understand. You’re saying starting a war is the best way to reinforce the Legion’s strength?”

“It’s a bit awkward to say, but there aren’t just one or two factions or cities across the continent that clashed with Van, are there?”

Jenny said, glancing around warily.

“Among them, it wouldn’t be strange for a Transcendent who holds a grudge against Van to join the Legion, using this Annihilation Campaign as a pretext.”

“…That’s.”

The others in the meeting room inadvertently agreed with those words and fell silent.

To deny them would be to ignore the countless incidents across the continent that had been carried out in Adamant Thunder’s name, now flashing through their minds.

“It’s a rational reason, but that doesn’t make it any less reckless.”

Purity, Krod Azlan, who was adjusting his robe at the far end of the meeting room, said.

“Despite a Grand Mage like Cheonbeon inflicting severe damage on the Legion Command, forcing a war at this point is bound to bring about many problems.”

“I think it’s because the Legion Command isn’t solely planning the Annihilation Campaign with their own forces.”

Jenny explained.

“The Command acknowledged the commotion of the Legion Parade, but conversely, they publicly announced that they had joined forces with external powers for this Annihilation Campaign.”

“External powers, you mean the Ability Awakening Warband?”

“The problem isn’t just the Warband’s involvement.”

Tatiana replied, speaking for Jenny.

“The Ability Awakening Warband, the Blaiver Magic Tower, and the Mechanized Legion expelled from Machina have already joined the Legion. The Guido Cult is even considering dispatching military chaplains.”

“…That’s.”

“Moreover, factions among Kundara’s Long-lived Beings who are hostile to Adamant Thunder are considering joining, and there’s intelligence that they’re trying to draw in general-level individuals from the Headro Warlords.”

Before Tatiana could finish, the air in the meeting room froze solid.

While their Tower colleagues had gathered their own information, this meeting was the first time they were hearing the true scale of the Annihilation Campaign.

Weian muttered with a grim expression.

“It’s… far larger than expected. Are they thinking of wiping Vulcan off the map?”

“They must believe opportunities to balance against Van, like this one, are rare.”

Felix muttered deeply.

“Because they know Adamant Thunder’s power better than we do.”

“…”

“If a major player like the Legion leads the Annihilation Campaign, there’s no chance of the objective being misaligned. Knowing that, these various factions must have decided to participate.”

The record and notoriety accumulated in Adamant Thunder’s name in Vulcan had already exceeded a critical threshold.

Regardless of how many adversaries Adamant Thunder had created, everyone knew how mighty a wizard he was.

Therefore, even the most powerful factions hesitated to antagonize the Adamant Tower alone.

The item business had flourished, centered around District 49, and that atmosphere seemed to solidify, but with the Legion’s movement, the situation changed.

An unprecedented situation: an enormous Legion, occupying a corner of the Central Front, was leading its main force back to Vulcan.

At that point, factions trying to bolster their strength around the Legion to establish a balance must have emerged.

The Blaiver Magic Tower and the Machine City, Machina. The Headro Warlords or Druids.

None of these organizations would be out of place being discussed here.

“So, what should we do?”

Dylan said, his voice slightly more serious.

“We’ve made plans based on the information Jenny acquired, but if the Annihilation Campaign expands to this scale, we’ll have to redraw the battle lines.”

“This idiot is actually right. The weapons and supplies we moved to the satellite cities in advance might become useless.”

As Mila picked up on his words, the other colleagues in the meeting room began to put forward their agenda items one by one.

“No, more than that, Van started reconstructing the Magic Tower, and the terrain and location of District 49 have changed. We need to consider that on the map first, or else…”

“We’ve secured information from the Six-Sided Fortress that a Vulcan Senator attended the Legion Parade. We need to reconfirm the City Council’s position on this matter.”

“What about the item market still operating in District 49? Should we ask the item business to halt for a few days?”

“Impossible. To demand that level of cooperation from other businesses or research institutes at a time when we don’t know how long the Annihilation Campaign will last…”

“I can contact the Sinclair Magic Tower. I’ll send out official documents to seek cooperation from other Magic Towers, excluding Blaiver, through the elixir business.”

In an instant, the spacious meeting room became boisterous, and the sound of pens scribbling could be heard from all directions.

Mercenaries drew formations or erased and changed arrows on Vulcan’s map.

Wizards drafted official documents for the City Council and Magic Towers, revising their wording.

Others peered into the Deepweb, acquiring information, or contacting partner businesses.

Without anyone needing to issue orders, everyone gathered in the meeting room naturally split up, defined their tasks, and got to work.

As Jenny silently watched the bustling scene in the meeting room, a quiet, elderly voice spoke beside her.

“It brings back so many old memories.”

Jordan, an old man in a bartender’s uniform, gazed at the meeting room with a gentle smile.

“We used to stay up all night like this, debating and discussing the future.”

“…”

“So many things have changed, yet those memories always make me nostalgic.”

Jordan’s voice was subtly different from his usual calm and detached demeanor.

He, who had never said a single word to Jenny about the past, was now speaking of bygone days.

Jenny’s expression shifted slightly as she realized this, but before she could speak, Jordan closed his eyes.

“The young master is returning to this city.”

“…Grandpa.”

“Then this old man must also prepare.”

Jordan smiled at Jenny, then turned and walked away.

Jenny, unable to say anything, watched him go, biting her lip and shaking her head.

Coming down to the front of the platform, Jenny clapped her hands, gathering her colleagues’ attention.

“Alright, alright. Let’s finish up the agenda items that need discussing for now and come over here.”

“Ah, why?”

“What is it now?”

“Before we start, we need to hear from the most important party involved, you idiots.”

Jenny, scolding the grumbling mercenaries, glanced at her phone and said.

“Van just messaged that he’s arrived near the meeting room. Aren’t you going to listen to what Van has to say?”

“Jenny. Do you think we’re kids on a neighborhood playground?”

“More than that, you actually look stupid and thoughtless.”

“Shut your mouth?”

Bang!

While the mercenaries bickered, unable to wait any longer, Lennok opened the meeting room door and walked in.

His complexion was pale, but he looked the same as always. Other than holding an unlit cigarette, nothing had changed.

The moment Lennok appeared in the meeting room with an expressionless face, people from all sides raised their hands.

“Van!! Look over here for a second. They say we need your permission to start this operation!”

“Van. I regret this situation. For now, please calm yourself down and…”

“No, first, we need to properly explain the situation, you idiots!”

“Excuse me, but isn’t the atmosphere a bit too chaotic?”

Only after Jenny and Aris led the effort to tidy up the meeting room did Lennok take the head seat.

Lennok listened as his colleagues, approaching from all sides, relayed their stories one by one.

But even as explanations continued from every direction, Lennok was lost in deep thought.

“Van, first, I’ll explain the grand strategy we’ve devised in preparation for the Annihilation Campaign.”

As the mercenaries chattered, seated around Lennok, Jenny changed the projector slide.

“We have a few plans we’ve put together, collecting information that’s leaked from the Central Authority. Just listen and think about them for now.”

This operation overview was prepared separately for Lennok, not for the colleagues attending the meeting.

Jenny, who had laid out a map of Vulcan and its current situation, much better organized than before, immediately turned her gaze.

“First, we’re pulling all of the Tower’s main forces out and moving them to the outskirts of the satellite cities-”

“No.”

At that moment, Lennok spoke.

“Let’s start by touring the new Magic Tower first. There’s no need to arrange separate plans.”

“What?”

“I have no intention of putting others on the front lines first in this matter.”

Lennok stated calmly in the middle of the stiff, silent meeting room.

“I’m going to the Annihilation Campaign alone.”