The Invincible Full-Moon System Chapter 1781: Cornering the Princess

"Grr... It’s the end of the line."

Fenrik halted at the precipice of a cliff, gazing out at the panorama stretching before him.

From this elevated position, he could survey the vast canyon that had been transformed into a city. Long ago, he had visited this place for a celebration, but the current circumstances were a grim reversal of that memory.

"Verrathen Canyon," Valkis remarked, coming to a stop beside Fenrik.

He observed the gorge with a matching sense of melancholy, mourning the fact that events had culminated in this tragedy.

Just as Evelyn had predicted, the route into the heart of the Scarlet Banes Kingdom was becoming suspiciously effortless. She had already cautioned the primary commanders of the Great Army that Princess Selene was likely steering them toward a death trap.

Given her accuracy regarding the war's intensity thus far, her intuition on this matter was undoubtedly correct.

"There was an era where we werewolves knelt before the Demons and Angels," Fenrik murmured, his eyes scanning the silent canyon. "To ensure our survival, our forebears chose temporary submission to wait for a better dawn. Why does she persist in this futile resistance?"

"Pride," Valkis croaked. "She refused to bow to one she deems a false werewolf."

"Whether he is false or not isn't for us to determine."

"Regardless, the fact that Emperor Rex was designated as a Prince despite lacking the bloodline of the Origin makes him a pretender in their sight. The Emperor never even claimed to be a werewolf, yet she still clings to her arrogance."

Both warriors stiffened as they detected a presence approaching from the rear.

Even without glancing back, the pair recognized the newcomer immediately.

"Your Majesty..."

Valkis and Fenrik turned slightly as Evelyn walked toward them.

They stepped apart, creating a space for Evelyn to stand between them at the edge.

"This is Verrathen Canyon," Valkis noted, looking back at the vista. "We have backed her into a corner..."

Following the world’s awakening—which had flooded the realm with intense Qi, elevating its power level and violently reshaping the geography—the progress of the Great Army had been hindered. The very land had turned into an unrecognizable wilderness.

Despite the lack of enemy resistance, the army had lost its way several times.

They struggled to align their outdated maps with a terrain that no longer resembled their records.

As the leaders of the Great Army, Valkis, Fenrik, and Mavok continuously deployed scouts to find the way.

Yet, despite the obstacles, they had finally reached their destination.

"What kind of defenses do you expect her to have readied?" Evelyn inquired, her voice possessing a soothing quality.

Her piercing red eyes turned toward Valkis first.

"If she is indeed baiting us into a kill zone, she will have stationed multiple packs along the perimeter," Valkis said, gesturing toward the jagged cliffs and hills encircling Verrathen Canyon. "She would attempt to deplete our ranks there, utilizing the heavy fog for cover."

Beyond the sheer scale of the city, it was currently swallowed by a dense mist.

Visibility was severely restricted, comparable to the conditions of a blinding snowstorm.

In such a harsh environment, detecting an ambush would be nearly impossible—only those with supernatural senses could hope to breach the border and reach the city proper. Werewolves would naturally excel here, but the Great Army was a multi-racial force.

Elves possessed the keenest senses after the werewolves.

Conversely, the Tigermen, Orcs, and Dwarves would be vulnerable to total annihilation in this terrain.

Even the Elves would find their effectiveness dampened; within the fog, combat would inevitably devolve into a chaotic, close-range slaughter. They might sense a hidden foe, but only at the moment the strike landed.

A melee in such conditions would put them at a lethal disadvantage.

It was a particularly dangerous scenario when facing werewolves.

"What is our counter-move?" Evelyn asked. "How do we bypass this?"

"We must integrate the Great Army," Valkis replied. "Embed Elves within the heart of every legion and place our heavy melee units at the rear. Simultaneously, we should deploy bait scouts to trigger their traps, while sending a high-tier scouting party through the dried riverbed."

Evelyn nodded, tilting her head as a signal for him to implement these structural changes to the Great Army.

Until now, the Great Army had been organized by race to maximize the synergy of soldiers fighting alongside their own kind. However, as Valkis noted, that strategy had to be abandoned for this specific environment.

The scout maneuver was also a brilliant tactical choice.

Forcing the enemy to reveal their hand before the main force entered the canyon was vital for minimizing casualties.

Furthermore, a powerful reconnaissance team moving along the dry river could map the enemy’s positions and anticipate their rotations. It was clear that seeking their counsel was the right decision.

Evelyn admitted to herself that she wouldn't have devised such a specific plan.

"And you?" She looked at Fenrik. "What are your thoughts?"

"While we have neutralized many Alpha Primes, the elite inner circle serving Princess Selene is still unaccounted for," Fenrik stated, looking away from the gorge. "Some of their domains are distant, so we might have outpaced them. However, to prevent being flanked, we must patrol the outer perimeter and establish protective wards."

"Frequently, in these scenarios, simply stepping into the territory can signal a loss," he added grimly. "I have a lingering sense of dread about this."

Evelyn listened with focus.

Fenrik and Valkis were far more seasoned in the art of war than she was.

Beyond their tactical knowledge, their instincts were priceless.

Valkis offered strategy, while Fenrik provided the intuition sharpened by millennia of life.

"Proceed," Evelyn said with a wave of her hand.

Left alone, she stood on the cliff's edge, her gaze fixed on the fortress and the grand cathedrals near the city's central plaza. This confrontation would determine if the Scarlet Banes Kingdom would be absorbed by the Clarentium Empire.

Given their string of victories, one might expect her to be brimming with confidence.

She was not.

She remained vigilant; caution was a virtue, even when one held the upper hand.

"This has been her domain for a thousand years," Gistella noted as she approached and stood by her side. "I overheard several werewolves discussing it earlier. Your wariness is justified, even if our strength is superior."

"Can you read my thoughts now?" Evelyn laughed softly.

"It isn't difficult when your face betrays them so clearly."

"I am less concerned with Selene’s troops and more worried that Rex could return at any moment."

"His return will take some time yet," Gistella answered with a quiet, warm chuckle. It was a comforting thought—they had assisted Rex in the Spirit Realm, and if they triumphed here, he would return to find one less burden. "We urged him not to hurry. By the time he is ready, the princess will be defeated and the capital will be ours."

"Yes, I like the sound of that," Evelyn said, closing her eyes and lifting her face.

She soaked in the lunar glow.

Her thoughts drifted to the Spirit Realm, pleased that her advice had been useful to Rex.

‘But he is facing an Archangel there,’ Evelyn mused, thinking of Richard, the spy who had tried so desperately to pit the empire against the Angels. ‘I hoped he would see that the Angels, not the Fourthborn, are the true threat, but this complicates things.’

After hearing the prophecy from Madam Qonvale, her fear of the Angels had intensified.

The description had been so vivid it remained burned into Evelyn’s mind.

Now that Rex had made contact with the Angels—and a hostile one at that—she feared he might be manipulated into the very war Richard desired. She could not allow that, especially while Richard’s true agenda remained a mystery.

‘Hah... I must focus on the task at hand first,’ Evelyn thought.

Opening her eyes, her brow creased into a deep scowl.

"Gistella..." she called out, her eyes still locked on the sky. "Rex has an issue with the Blood Moon, doesn't he?"

"Yes, I believe so. Is something the matter?" Gistella inquired.

"That..." Evelyn pointed toward the moon, which was shifting from a pale hue to a deep crimson. "We still have a window before the Blood Moon fully arrives, right? Since the Blood Moon is a hostile force, I don't want to be in the middle of a war when it rises."

"No, I don't think it's tonight. It should be a day or two before it fully blooms. I will consult Sintra for the exact timing."

"Very well, I shall wait here."

Gistella headed back to the main body of the Great Army to find Sintra, who was currently preparing a War Spell.

As the Shaman appointed by Prince Alaric to assist the conquest, this was her primary duty.

"A God would not concern themselves with someone like me," Evelyn whispered, turning her eyes away from the gathering Blood Moon. "Rex is the one who poses a threat to them. Besides, Rex wouldn't have left us if he didn't think it was safe."

For the next hour, the Great Army held its ground.

Tigermen engaged in calisthenics and light sparring to stay warm as they awaited the signal.

Elves offered prayers to Mother Nature, performed archery drills, and organized their offensive lines.

Dwarves honed the edges of their blades, tended to their armored war bears, and etched defensive runes into their shields.

Orcs engaged in rowdy brawls to vent their aggressive excitement for the coming slaughter.

As for the Werewolves, many who knew the hidden trails of Verrathen Canyon were dispatched to patrol the borders, ensuring no enemies were lying in wait. A few specialized packs were sufficient to secure a mile radius thanks to their heightened perception.

Meanwhile, Valkis and a handpicked squad moved forward to reconnoiter the path to the central plaza.

Fenrik led several groups to survey the outer rim of the canyon, bringing Elves along to establish wards and set traps where the ground permitted. Mavok stayed at the command center, instructing the other officers on the new integrated strategy Valkis had proposed.

Though Evelyn was eager to strike, she refused to be impulsive.

Thorough preparation was required before sieging a fortified stronghold.

Furthermore, there was one specific individual the Great Army was waiting for before commencing the assault.

Finally, that person arrived.

Crack—!

Evelyn’s ears twitched at the sound of a thunderous explosion.

She glanced toward the source and saw a massive plume of dust erupting. Soldiers immediately rushed to shield Evelyn, forming a perimeter around the settling smoke. They were on high alert, reaching their combat positions in mere seconds.

"Stand down," Evelyn ordered, her eyes narrowing as she looked forward. "She is not a foe."

"I thought you would have toppled this kingdom by now," a voice echoed from within the haze. A pair of glowing white eyes pierced through the dust, radiating a pressure that felt like a physical weight on the surrounding soldiers. "I suppose I expected too much."

"Welcome back, Adhara," Evelyn replied, shaking her head and dismissing the barb.

As the dust settled, a figure became visible.

Adhara remained in her werewolf form—a slim, deadly silhouette that appeared terrifying despite her moderate size. Her lean body was covered in fresh, unhealed scars from her brutal encounter with Sven.

She was carrying an Elf over her shoulder like a sack of grain—the very scout Evelyn had dispatched to find her.

Of the entire group sent out, this Elf was the sole survivor.

Recognizing Adhara, the soldiers immediately lowered their weapons and paved a path for her.

Her violent arrival had momentarily convinced them an enemy was attacking, but thankfully, that wasn't the case.

"Now, are you going to explain exactly what happened to Kyran?" she demanded, her gaze narrowing with intensity.