The Invincible Full-Moon System Chapter 1912: Damage and Casualty

Word spread rapidly throughout the city, chilling the blood of its inhabitants as they learned of the night's events.

As on many preceding days, an enemy of the empire had launched an assault, their battle cries echoing through the city walls. Most citizens paid little heed, believing the emperor's victory was a foregone conclusion.

This disturbance, like countless others before, was dismissed as a minor inconvenience.

A close call, nothing more.

Fear flickered in some hearts, but it was quickly suppressed, a familiar reaction to the ongoing conflicts.

From the outset, the emperor had declared his unwavering pursuit of global peace.

Yet, he understood that such an ambition required navigating treacherous and perilous paths.

He had explicitly warned the citizens that residing in Dargena City meant accepting perpetual danger and absolute loyalty to him. The emperor, Rex, had consistently deployed formidable entities such as high-ranking Supernatural races and Executors as trials to gauge their resolve.

However, the recent incident transcended all previous challenges.

It was not merely a powerful entity that had attacked.

It was a God. No, multiple Gods.

Even the Silverstar Pack, accustomed to the opulence of the castle and holding significant power, had never entertained the notion of confronting a God. Yet, an assault from these higher beings had indeed occurred.

Astonishingly, they had repelled it.

Despite the seemingly insurmountable odds, the empire had successfully defended against an invasion from a celestial realm.

This revelation alone solidified the populace's faith in the empire's might.

"You have rendered an invaluable service today."

"You should rest now, Lord Kyran, and leave the cleanup to us. Tend to your wounds."

"Long live the emperor, who wisely chose you as his shadow!"

Applause and hushed praises followed Kyran as he patrolled the streets, the murmurs of passersby acknowledging his heroism. He offered a slight smile, his gaze sweeping over those diligently clearing the debris from the previous night's chaos, yet his eyes remained vigilant.

His attention never ceased, continuously scanning rooftops, alleyways, and windows with ingrained alertness.

Kyran perceived countless locations where lurking dangers could still be concealed.

His exceptional senses were a monumental asset, further honed by Edward's rigorous reconnaissance training.

Identifying potential hiding spots for threats was a skill he had diligently acquired.

After all, he had witnessed firsthand the previous night how that Godling had infiltrated the royal bedchamber.

Kyran was determined to prevent any recurrence of such surprises.

Therefore, he resolved to leverage his remarkably keen senses to detect any trace of anomaly.

Fortunately, his search yielded no suspicious findings.

As dawn broke, the immediate danger seemed to have subsided. It should have been a moment of relief, but Kyran found no respite. The tension in his chest remained palpable. Pressing his palm flat against the cold stone wall, he stifled a cough that reverberated painfully within his chest.

"What is wrong with me?" Kyran questioned himself inwardly. "What am I dwelling on?"

The memory of his heated exchange with Naela caused him to cover his face in a wave of shame.

Although the outcome had been somewhat favorable—he had received a King Mark, and Calidora had achieved a breakthrough in her blood energy—a sense of unease persisted. "Evelyn and Gistella, where could they be? I can't locate them."

Last night, Kyran was quite certain that those two were not with Adhara.

And just minutes earlier, he had already investigated Caraptaros, fearing they might have been casualties.

However, there was no sign of them.

Kyran wasn't concerned about their demise, as his connection to them remained intact, but his greater fear was Rex's potential return to this realm to retrieve them. If that were the case, Rex would have noticed Kyran's absence.

His absence during the pack's efforts to repel the Blood Moon's forces.

Frankly, the mere thought of it plunged him into a profound shame.

He was not the Female Alpha, but as the Beta Enforcer, his primary duty was to confront every threat that emerged within the empire's boundaries. Yet, he had failed to protect Evelyn. Kyran pressed his forehead against the cold stone, grinding it as if this minor discomfort could somehow erase his shame.

In that moment, he wished the ground would swallow him whole.

He longed for the earth to conceal him until this overwhelming shame subsided.

But he knew such an escape was impossible.

"What will I even say to Naela?" Kyran tugged at his hair with both hands, a muttered curse escaping his lips.

Moments later.

Kyran had attended to all pressing matters. He had checked on Calidora, finding her peacefully asleep in bed, a contented smile gracing her features. Rex's original body had been reinstated in the training chamber, exactly as it was before the previous night's events. He had also conferred with Gelmar, Vivian, and Jarvald, obtaining a preliminary assessment of the damage and casualties incurred during the night.

Within the city, five lives were lost, and over two hundred individuals sustained injuries.

All the casualties were non-combatants.

Considering the magnitude of the previous night's destructive blast, the numbers were not excessively high, and Kai expressed no complaints.

Outside, the casualties were staggering, with approximately three hundred soldiers dead following the fierce hunt for mutated beasts and the suppression of several Order Beasts. A grim reality for the Dark Elves, with ten thousand fallen.

Madan Qonvale and King Jorik had intentionally exposed their soldiers to the brunt of the hunt, a strategic move to placate the empire, naturally leading to higher losses. Yet, close to half of these deaths weren't from the hunt itself.

These devastating casualties stemmed from the wave of madness the Blood Moon unleashed, tearing through their lands and igniting bloody conflicts within their own territories. Nearly twenty villages turned on each other, consumed by the madness.

However, Kyran's focus wasn't on these reports.

It was the casualty figures from the Dwarves and Tigermen that truly captured his attention. Both kingdoms had made substantial contributions and, consequently, bore the most significant losses.

"I'm concerned about our current situation, Lord Kyran," Vivian voiced, her gaze sweeping over the people diligently working to repair the city. "The Blood Moon's assault wasn't exactly subtle. I've heard from those beyond the affected area that a crimson glow has enveloped our lands."

"I'm aware," Kyran responded, his brows knitting together in a deep frown.

Vivian's observation was accurate. To those outside the Blood Moon's brutal incursion, their territory was indeed obscured by a pervasive red haze, stretching from Dargena City across the lands of the Elves and Orcs, and finally reaching the Scarlet Banes Kingdom. Communication and travel into or out of their territory were effectively severed.

Nevertheless, Kyran understood that other powers must have surely noticed the turmoil within the Clarentium Empire. He anticipated it wouldn't be long before their scouts uncovered the truth: the empire's forces were depleted, presenting a prime opportunity for attack.

Of course, Kyran held little concern for the capital city itself. He had serious doubts that anyone would dare challenge it after witnessing Rex's display of overwhelming power. The outskirts, however, presented a different scenario entirely – vulnerable targets and exposed settlements, ripe for a tempting strike by any enemy lurking in the shadows.

"Inform Jarvald and Gelmar to muster a few hundred soldiers – and conduct a sweep of the perimeter," Kyran commanded, his voice steady as he naturally assumed leadership, being the sole Silverstar present. "Keep a vigilant watch for Angels... We have at least one within our territory right now."

The Blood Moon's influence had prevented any exit from their territory. This meant the Angel who had assaulted Naela was still trapped somewhere within the empire's borders. Kyran was certain the Angel couldn't have escaped in such a short span of time, and he was confident it was still in hiding.

He was determined to locate that elusive Angel.

"Lord Kyran!"

A city guard, his breath ragged, approached and stopped before him.

"What news do you bring?" Kyran inquired.

"An unknown werewolf stands just outside the city walls. She claims to be the Princess of Ice and Snow."

Kyran’s frown deepened as he moved towards the wall. Just as the soldier had reported, the Princess of Ice and Snow hovered motionlessly at the edge of the forest, her eyes closed, awaiting Kyran's arrival. As he drew near, she slowly opened her eyes, her gaze locking onto his.

"Shadow Prince..."

"What is it you desire? Compensation?" Kyran asked.

Kyran owed the Princess of Ice and Snow his gratitude for reaching the city in time and for protecting Calidora. Had she not intervened, had the Lunirich Goddess of Ice and Snow, Iseldra, not lent him her power, he wouldn't be standing here now. He likely would have been just another fallen soul beneath a blood-red sky, perhaps already knocking on Hell's door.

Therefore, Kyran was not so ungrateful as to dismiss her contribution due recognition. This was especially true considering he had earned a King Mark.

"Accepting the King Mark of Ice and Snow is already sufficient acknowledgment of your gratitude," the Princess of Ice and Snow drifted closer, her presence both silent and immense, dwarfing Kyran as she loomed over him—a figure seemingly sculpted from the very essence of winter. "I am here to deliver a warning. A heads-up, if you will."

"You will understand soon enough. However, I advise you to accelerate your efforts. You, the Silverstar Pack, and the entire empire – all of you." She paused, her expression unreadable. "Although I am also being kept in the dark, the Goddess appeared to me in a dream. She informed me that your Alpha, Rex Silverstar, is intrinsically linked to the impending events."

Having delivered her message, the Princess of Ice and Snow turned and ascended into the sky.

Kyran called out to stop her.

"Where are you headed? Are you going into seclusion once more?"

"No, I am returning to my homeland. As my kingdom is now an ally of your empire, we shall inevitably meet again in the near future."

This outcome was precisely what Kyran desired.

Given that he had been instructed to prepare, he reasoned that he could achieve this by gaining more knowledge from her.

After all, she held the esteemed title of Princess of Ice and Snow and possessed experience in wielding the King Mark that vastly surpassed Kyran’s, accumulated over countless lifetimes. If he were to seek guidance from anyone other than Rex, who was currently absent, she would undoubtedly be the prime candidate.

Kyran made his way back to the city, only to be met by a squad of soldiers making a direct beeline towards him.

Even from a considerable distance, he could discern the evidence of their exertion and the evident distress etched upon their countenances.

No, it wasn't mere worry, but utter devastation that he sensed.

As the leading squad approached, Kyran recognized them – they were the same soldiers he had dispatched to solicit a report from the Dwarven Kingdom. They halted before him, and before any words could be exchanged, a second squad appeared, emerging from around a bend and closing in with equal haste.

This group was the one he had sent to ascertain the situation in the Tigerman Kingdom.

An immediate sense of foreboding began to permeate Kyran’s heart.

The leaders of both squads hesitated, seemingly unsure of how to convey the grim tidings to Kyran.

However, when the news finally broke, Kyran gasped, drawing in a sharp, cold breath.

He immediately proceeded to the teleportation formation and activated it, transporting himself to the Dwarven Kingdom.

The moment he arrived, an intensely cold wind assailed his body, yet Kyran remained unmoved.

A blast of frigid air struck him the instant he materialized, but Kyran remained unfazed. The biting cold signified nothing to him. His gaze remained fixed forward, his pupils dilated, and his fists were clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned a stark white. "Who is responsible for this atrocity...?"