One hour ago.
After listening to today’s intelligence in the Sealed Land and bidding farewell to the Pink-haired Dalei Girl from the Human Race,
Elder Isadora returned to her wooden hut.
She grabbed the small travel bag she had prepared long ago, casually tossed the remaining glowing grass seeds out the window, and stepped outside.
Facing her few subordinates, she asked, “Where are the positions at the very edge of the forest?”
The puzzled elves looked at each other, then answered one by one:
“To the north is the Northern Border, where the Demon Race invaded recently.”
“To the south, if I remember correctly, is the Wasteland Forest, with only some weeds.”
“To the east lies the Borderland Forest, the area adjoining the Human Race.”
“To the west are the Saline Hills.”
Isadora nodded with satisfaction, her expression softening into a kind smile.
“Good. I need you all to head to these places for at least one week of reconnaissance. You are not to return until the task is complete.”
Several subordinates scratched their heads, clearly uneasy.
“One week without returning? But Elder…”
“Don’t rush, children, listen to me.”
She straightened her face.
“You should all know that in a few days, something big will happen here. Staying here will be very dangerous. You have followed me for a long time; I want you to survive. The future of the Elven race depends on you.”
Her heartfelt words stunned her subordinates completely.
“Elder, you… we…”
“We will do everything for the future of the Elves!”
They were no longer children like Tereka, only a few hundred years old.
They didn’t speak of dying alongside the Elder but choked back tears and agreed silently.
“Go, children. Be careful on the way.”
After watching them leave, Isadora’s smile instantly vanished, leaving her expressionless.
She turned, took her own luggage, and walked off in a direction different from everyone else’s.
She had lied to her subordinates.
Leaving here and going to the borderlands wouldn’t save them.
During this week, only one person in the Elven race cannot die—not them, and not even herself.
***
“I can’t find her, nor her subordinates. I don’t know where they went, especially at such a critical moment!”
Elder Cuiniya’s face trembled with anxiety.
“Don’t be anxious yet.”
Ayla comforted her.
“Since they’ve left, there’s no use worrying. It’s better to think about how to deploy troops. After all, even without her, the work has to be done.”
Leah glanced at the girl.
“Is that how you comfort someone?”
Celes thought the words were harsh but practical—efficiency above all.
Elder Cuiniya actually took the advice and turned to leave.
The logic was clear: without Isadora, she had to finish the job herself.
As soon as the group left, Ayla closed the door of the treehouse and said to her companions, “Isadora is that person.”
Leah didn’t understand.
“Which person?”
“The Survivor.”
Ayla didn’t tell Elder Cuiniya. She had realized that Isadora intended to hide alone to buy time, first concealing her identity, then her location.
If she could endure for three days, Westsa’s Sacrifice would completely fail.
Some things are better known by fewer people—that must be the meaning.
Celes understood and asked, “Aren’t we going to look for her?”
“We are outsiders.”
Even if they wanted to find her, they didn’t have the ability.
No matter what, days passed one by one.
On the second day, Elder Cuiniya confirmed Isadora and her subordinates were missing.
She sent people to search but found nothing.
Now, there was no time for searching because the half-month period was up, and Westsa could awaken from the seal at any moment.
Without Isadora, Ayla couldn’t listen to new voices in the Sealed Land during the last two days.
She could only ask the guards there.
The second-to-last day’s voice said, “I will kill her. Please wait.”
On the last day, there was no clear message—only insane laughter.
Hahahahahahahahaha!
“Why are you laughing so wickedly?”
Leah playfully bumped Ayla’s arm.
“Behave yourself. Don’t mess around. Everyone is so tense.”
“All right…”
In truth, that was exactly how Westsa laughed.
Ayla felt that as the opponent competing on the same stage, she couldn’t lose in spirit, so she chuckled quietly along, not expecting Saintess Leah to overhear—because Leah was always so close.
She really liked sticking close.
At this moment, the girls stood on a forest path about a thousand meters in a straight line from the Sealed Land.
The view wasn’t great from here, but it was impossible to go closer.
The path ahead was packed with people.
The Elven race had gathered several thousand elite troops.
Heavy Infantry stood at the very front, each holding a square shield, forming living walls.
Archers lined up behind them, and behind the archers were the Magicians.
These two units were collectively called the Firepower Division, numbering less than a thousand, while the Heavy Infantry numbered about fifteen hundred.
Several hundred Deerhorn Cavalry flanked the sides, ready to charge and support.
In the sky, dozens of Dragonhawks circled, firmly controlling the airspace.
The girls had originally wanted to ride Dragonhawks to get a better view from above, but Ayla shivered inexplicably and persuaded the others to abandon the plan.
“Even though the view is good from the sky, what if we crash? Then we wouldn’t be able to escape.”
“What do you mean ‘crash’?”
“When the flying units get shot down.”
So the girls had to stand quietly about a thousand meters away from the target, waiting for the moment.
Ayla gave Zero a look.
The two slipped away from the group and entered a small grove nearby.
“Help me check the wind.”
Saying this, Ayla summoned the Necromantic Sword and stabbed it into the ground, closing her eyes to recite that evil spell.
She would never have dared to do this before, but now that the Necromantic Sword was enhanced, she could draw it out and put it away without delay, so it was worth the risk.
“Necromantic Spell: New Slaughter of the Dead, No Way in the Netherworld, Resentment Breeds Spirits, Restless in Death.”
After reciting it, she froze for a moment, then opened her eyes.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing much. I just felt a bit foolish. It’s been a long time since I used it, a little rusty.”
The meaning of the spell was: those who have just died but haven’t found the direction to the River of the Underworld, whose resentment still lingers and can’t close their eyes, use their eyes to help me see.
The last time she used it was in Lilburg, when intercepting Wolfshead Feng Lie.
This time it failed because no one had died yet!
At the frontline command post, Elder Cuiniya glanced over, noting the angle of sunlight through the trees.
It seemed about time.
“Have those at the front report the situation.”
The order reached the front line.
The Heavy Infantry slightly lowered their square shields and looked toward the Wasteland about a hundred meters ahead.
“Nothing yet… wait, what’s that?”
Suddenly, the soil broke open, and a grayish, dried hand stretched out.