Chapter 296

Killian ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Eurasia, who had been stripped of his position as commander of the Extermination Squad, had gone missing.

It ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍was the news Serena heard after waking in the temple.

‘It ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍is my fault.’

She ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍believed that his disappearance was due to her own inadequacy.

Originally, ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍it had been a burden everyone should have carried.

Even ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍if every responsibility rested with the commander of the Extermination Squad, the person with final authority, he had not needed to bear the debt he felt toward Yulian alone.

But it seemed that he had never intended to do otherwise.

Before he was the commander of the Extermination Squad, Killian Eurasia had been a prince of Eurasia.

He had ties with many organizations, and every one of them was the leader of a race or an organization.

Before heading to Isaac Heinrich, Killian used those connections.

It seemed excessive for the sake of giving peace to someone who had already died.

She asked him.

Why he went so far.

“If I don’t do even that much, those guys will tease me.”

She did not know who the people Killian called “those guys” were.

She had merely thought it was an excuse he had made up to lighten her burden.

As a result, Killian himself lit the fuse for the war against the Empire.

The fact left her unbearably frustrated.

If she had been more capable, it might have been dismissed as the unilateral rampage of a single Eurasian knight.

Even if all the blame were placed upon her, she would have endured it willingly.

But she had not even been given the right to do so.

Every member of the Extermination Squad who woke in the temple and was told the situation could not hide their gloom.

It was the same as several years ago, when they had suffered near-annihilation at the hands of Mainz Kimbel.

Their time lost in grief was not long.

Before the continental conquest, Simon Eurasia summoned the Extermination Squad.

As the First Sword, Serena represented them and met Simon.

Escar, who was now serving only as the Commander of the Knights, and Head Apothecary Roen Favre were there as well.

Before the kingdom’s Superhumans, Simon appointed her commander of the Extermination Squad.

“The sword you carry will become the sword that symbolizes the commander of the Extermination Squad.”

It was the sword that symbolized the Extermination Squad, and Aether had now absorbed countless quantities of blood and mana.

Her sword was more than worthy of symbolizing the Extermination Squad.

“Just as Bastian did, become a pillar of Eurasia.”

The King reminded her that he had not forgotten her dead father.

After Eurasia became a kingdom, a new building had been erected in Brussels, its capital.

No name had been given to it, but it held the memorial stones of Bastian and the other fallen members of the Extermination Squad.

Simon remembered those who had died in his own way.

Even if she died during a mission, her name would be recorded in Eurasia’s history.

It was treatment far beyond what someone walking the path of a sword in the shadows deserved.

But her interest was not there.

“What about Captain Killian?”

After pausing briefly, she met Simon’s eyes.

“What will become of the Fourth Prince?”

She deliberately called him the Fourth Prince to remind Simon once more that Killian carried royal blood.

She feared that the King might be disappointed in Captain Killian and use him as a card to be discarded.

Knowing King Simon’s character, which placed importance on the greater cause, she needed to confirm what he thought of Killian Eurasia.

But.

“I do not know.”

The words that left his mouth were far beyond her expectation.

“That child is a sword.”

“....”

“A sword that can cut anything, but one that could not decide its own direction.”

Though he spoke in a relaxed, unrestrained manner.

“He only ever made choices for Eurasia.”

Simon’s voice was even.

“I realized that Eurasia is binding that child’s potential.”

It was unlike him.

“Does that answer your question?”

It was not difficult to understand the true intent within his dry voice.

Serena, kneeling on one knee, bowed her head.

“Please give me your orders.”

“Find the abandoned temples identified by the Mayer Family and destroy them completely.”

The abandoned temples were places Killian had discovered during the previous war.

Ancient formulas that neither Cornelia nor the Holy See could decipher were operating there, making research difficult.

“If the formulas cannot be deciphered, then break them.”

As long as the abandoned temples remained, Eurasia’s war would be unstable.

“Serena Constantine accepts Your Majesty’s command.”

They used Hennessy and Absinthe for their information network.

They too were people indebted to Killian.

Information poured in continuously from the Mayer Family and the two guilds.

For the first time in a long while, the Extermination Squad only had to serve as the secret sword.

They first raided the abandoned temples in the east and west.

As the King had feared, Superhuman-level opponents waited in the abandoned temples, preparing to activate the formulas.

They decommissioned fifteen abandoned temples.

High Priest-level officials from the allied Holy See were dispatched directly to manage the temples they had disabled.

And when they made their way to the abandoned temple in the north of the continent.

“Captain.”

They encountered Killian Eurasia, who had been reported missing.

***

“You spent two years doing nothing but looking for abandoned temples?”

“We have decommissioned fifteen temples. In the process, we hunted nearly twenty Superhumans.”

Serena spoke evenly, emphasizing the numbers.

“The Extermination Squad has certainly lived up to its name.”

Killian chuckled, his shoulders shaking.

He knew that she had already stabilized 7-Star and was no less capable than an ordinary Master.

Carpe Illusion: Elvenheim.

The moment she adapted to that new space, which symbolized the kingdom of the Elves, she would reach the very end of 7-Star.

It felt vivid that she had only recently been trying to adapt to 7-Star, yet much time had already passed after his brief journey to the Makeshift Boundary.

‘Did time turn back only about one year?’

Styx had said that time would turn back by the amount of Cronis’s power he had taken.

Since Yulian had died two years ago, it meant that time had not turned back as far as he had expected.

‘In the memories, Serena died at the hands of the Monster Lord.’

It had taken only one year from the Monster Lord’s appearance to Eurasia’s fall.

‘He cannot be faced unless one is a complete 9-Star.’

That was why the previous subjugation party had been annihilated.

The fortunate thing was that he had reached 9-Star, and his memories had not been damaged.

“Where in the world have you been? I heard that you left to subjugate the mountain ranges.”

“I did.”

“Then you vanished without joining Prince Damian.”

Serena looked at him as though expecting an explanation.

“Hmm.”

Killian gave the matter some thought.

He had been so happy simply to have returned that he had not prepared an excuse.

‘I cannot explain everything.’

In the end, he had no choice but to give a vague excuse.

“There were some circumstances.”

“I see. There were circumstances.”

Serena gave her characteristic cold response.

Even that was welcome to Killian, but.

“If there are circumstances twice, I will destroy a country myself.”

Unable to endure her mercilessly cold gaze, he merely stroked the scabbard at his waist.

“First, let us proceed with shutting this place down.”

Tap.

When Killian stamped his foot, Serena’s domain was released.

He immediately entered Philip’s Carpe Illusion.

‘Philip’s Carpe Illusion was a domain type as well.’

For someone who had not reached 7-Star to use Carpe Illusion, synchronization of mana with those receiving help was important.

That was why it had similarities to Serena’s Green Zone and Yulian’s Red Prison.

Carpe Illusion: Knight of Shadows.

Those who failed to synchronize their mana with him in this place had their mana and vitality consumed by Aether’s influence.

Those who synchronized their mana with him had their bodies strengthened by the mana absorbed.

It was the perfect Carpe Illusion for the Extermination Squad.

CLAAANG. CLAAANG.

Inside the domain, the Extermination Squad held the advantage against the Lancer Master.

‘A fake.’

Even if their opponent had been a Superhuman at Serena’s level—or even one level below her—they would not have been so evenly matched.

‘Is only the force of his mana powerful?’

He did not look like someone who had crossed a wall.

Killian looked at Serena, who stood quietly at his side.

“It seems you have no intention of helping?”

“The battle was already over from the moment I caught two of them.”

They needed prey through which to grow as well.

“The Extermination Squad’s mission is not something the captain can resolve alone.”

“You have become a true commander.”

“Did you not know? I am the official captain now.”

“Did you not know? I am the Second Sword of the Extermination Squad.”

Her words reminded him of the one who had died.

‘She is right.’

Just as he had driven her into deadly situations to make her grow, she likely felt the same way.

The passing of time struck him anew.

The countless hours he had spent within unconsciousness were hours the people here had endured and lived through.

‘Serena saw Yulian off in his final moments.’

She was the one suited to be commander of the Extermination Squad.

He was pleased by that sight, and a smile came to his face.

“You have grown well.”

“....”

At Killian’s words, Serena subtly averted her gaze.

Meanwhile, the battle was nearing its end.

The hidden Raven cut a Superhuman’s side, Id’s arrow struck his leg, and the others each drove their blades into him once.

SHNK.

Finally, Philip cleanly severed the Superhuman’s neck.

They had completely hunted the three Superhumans, seventeen knights, and mages who had been at the abandoned temple.

And the first to recognize Killian was a dwarf warrior.

“Brother Killian....?”

Those who noticed Killian a moment later reacted in bewilderment.

“Captain?!!”

“How....”

“Captain....!!”

Late greetings burst forth.

“It has been a long time, everyone.”

***

While they waited for the priests dispatched by the Holy See, they spent time talking about what had happened in the interim.

“Brother, I am 6-Star without a magic tool. If I use a magic tool, I will be a 6-Star Master, right?”

Almadin boasted freely about his achievement.

“Not bad.”

“Ha ha ha. Brother praised me. That feels good.”

“Almadin. Watch how you speak to the captain.”

“What does it matter? Serena is the official captain now.”

Almadin replied to Aron’s rebuke.

“We thought that you had to conceal yourself because of us.”

Aron blamed himself for not fully carrying out the previous mission.

“You are still young. You should live longer than I do.”

It was Portran who brought up age.

“I am sorry.”

Gala was the one who apologized.

“Queen Ashirian was also wondering about your whereabouts, Captain.”

Id was the one who told him about the Elves’ circumstances.

“You are not truly the captain anymore, are you?”

Raven was the one grumbling.

“It seemed that they were short on hands, so I returned to the Extermination Squad. If Commander Babato learns that you have returned, Captain, he will get his heavy backside moving as well.”

It was Miller, who had been back from Babato’s Lion’s Mane Mercenary Corps for quite some time.

“Welcome back.”

Philip, who had risen to become the First Sword, smiled brightly as he quietly welcomed him.

Come to think of it, one place was empty.

“Where is Hazard?”

“Hazard is with Princess Charles.”

Serena told him.

“With Charles?”

“She said that he was needed for the war.”

“I see.”

If Charles had said so, she would have a valid reason.

‘She has the pendant, so she can call him in at any time.’

“Captain, are you returning to the Extermination Squad?”

“If you wish, I will yield the captain’s position to you.”

Killian shook his head at Philip and Serena’s words.

“No.”

“Before long, the Monster Lord will raise a Wave.”

“....”

Tension appeared on the Extermination Squad’s faces at the words Monster Lord.

The Monster Lord was a being who could not be faced except by a 9-Star knight, and if they could not stop his Wave.

“The Kingdom Alliance will lose its war against the Empire. Eurasia will perish before it can last even a year.”

Silence fell at the shocking statement.

“Of course, I do not intend to let that happen.”

He had used the Authority of Time to change the future.

Killian smiled at the rigid Extermination Squad.

“We will kill the Monster Lord.”