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The first rays of dawn illuminated the bustling Jade City. The rhythmic pounding of fists against doors echoed through the streets, as soldiers frantically sought entry into various establishments. Their hurried actions, animated shadows flickering under the glow of street lamps, painted a picture of urgency across the cityscape, extending from the inner to the outer districts.

With barely a pause following their knocks, the soldiers would storm inside and conduct a thorough search. This scene repeated itself throughout the entirety of Jade City, provoking the ire of its residents. Regardless of the rising discontent and rage, the soldiers maintained their relentless search. They had no choice; they were carrying out the Emperor’s command. Who would dare to resist it?

Meanwhile, within the grand hall of the Royal Palace, Richard brooded on his throne. His face was stoic, betraying none of the turmoil that roiled within him. As long as Alicia remained alive, peace would elude him. ‘Most likely, my foolish sister has already fled Jade City,’ he mused.

He had sensed a potent spatial energy surge at the time of his second attack, indicative of a teleportation to a far-off location. Now, he gambled on the off chance Alicia was still lurking nearby, perhaps covertly returning to the inner-city district. If she was concealed elsewhere, they were in for a prolonged hunt, necessitating an Empire-wide search.

“Such a nuisance!” Richard growled, clenching his fists. His disgruntlement was interrupted by a frantic courier.

“Your Majesty, the Sky Empire’s forces are advancing towards the Black Iron Fortress!” The middle-aged man, garbed in a military uniform, his hair a stark gray, was a high-ranking officer responsible for military intelligence.

The Black Iron Fortress sat on the Jade Empire’s northern border. The reason for the Sky Empire’s sudden southern march remained a mystery, yet regardless of the cause, it posed a serious threat to the Jade Empire. Upon hearing this news, Richard sprang from his throne, looming over the kneeling officer, “Is this certain?”

“Indeed, Your Majesty! There’s no room for doubt!” the officer confirmed, his voice laden with urgency. Richard fell silent, his complexion paling. Just when internal conflicts were beginning to simmer down, external threats started to bubble up. When it rains, it pours indeed.

Frustration and resentment intermingled within him, causing a throbbing headache. The approaching Sky Empire army necessitated a military response from the Jade Empire, yet doing so would drastically deplete the manpower available to hunt for Alicia.

This posed a significant quandary. But what truly unsettled Richard were the officer’s next words, “Your Majesty, it seems the Emperor of the Sky Empire is personally leading their army…”

“What?” Richard’s gaze sharpened at this revelation, a chill coursing through him. If the powerful Emperor of the Sky Empire was leading the charge, it signaled the Sky Empire’s deadly seriousness this time. Despite years of repeated concessions to the Sky Empire, it appeared Richard was still due to pay a heavy price.

“Can you confirm the veracity of this intelligence?” Richard’s voice was low, a hard edge of suspicion glinting in his squinted eyes. The stakes were astronomical; on the precipice was the imminent outbreak of war between two great empires.

A second officer burst into the room, hastily delivering a report. His account mirrored that of the first officer, with an added conviction – the Emperor of the Sky Empire was indeed personally commanding their forces. The gravity of the situation was all too real.

Richard felt his head spin. If not deftly navigated, war would inevitably erupt. Given the current state of the Jade Empire, any conflict with the might of the Sky Empire would spell disaster. He could already envision the surrender of Jade lands to the opposition!

“Curses!” Richard spat, fury simmering within. As troubles flanked him on all sides, a sense of flustered desperation seized him. “Why now?” he lamented. He speculated that the advancing army intended to either coerce resources or seize control over territory. The former could potentially be negotiated, while the latter was a surefire path to war.

The Alicia issue was already a thorny problem. Now with the added complication of the Sky Empire, Richard felt his mind straining to its limits. Nonetheless, he was required at the northern border. This was an Emperor’s duel, after all. If he failed to show, he feared the inevitable breach of the northern border. “Bring me Blei!” he commanded.

Soon, clad in his crimson and black armor, Blei strode into the grand hall. “Find Alicia within five days. Kill without hesitation. Spare none of her accomplices.” Richard commanded, before hastily departing to attend to military matters.

The outer district of the city was awash in its usual activity. Despite soldiers sweeping the area and the sealing of city gates, causing many players to disconnect, a handful remained, drawn in by the unfolding drama.

“S.K.Y., did you hear?” Taurus broke the silence, tucked away in a corner of Jadeleaf Plaza.

“About what?” S.K.Y. shifted his gaze to meet Taurus.

“The succubus who ventured into the maze earlier has caused quite the stir!” Taurus’ voice was laced with excitement.

“Oh? Do tell,” S.K.Y. replied, adjusting his imaginary gold-rimmed spectacles.

“The succubus allegedly killed and replaced the Empire’s Eldest Princess. The truth only surfaced recently, prompting all city soldiers to scour the city for her,” Taurus relayed.

“Interesting. So, the Emperor’s powerful attack on the maze was in retribution for his sister. He’s a man of principle,” S.K.Y. commented, admiration lacing his voice.

“That does make sense,” Taurus agreed, nodding.

“But against all odds, she survived,” S.K.Y.’s voice held a note of confusion.

“Indeed. Despite the Emperor’s severe attack, she managed to escape,” Taurus confirmed.

“With the citywide search for her, it’s uncertain if she’ll surface. Capturing her would certainly be quite the feather in our caps,” S.K.Y. remarked nonchalantly.

“Wish the bounty was still up for grabs.”

“Who knows. The search will likely continue till dawn. Why don’t we log off and rest? We’ve been on all night,” S.K.Y. suggested.

Taurus readily agreed, their fatigue meters reaching critical levels. Instead of risking involuntary ejection from the game, they opted to log off on their own terms. Taurus vanished in a glow of white light, S.K.Y. following suit. But just before his disappearance, a pair of bloodshot eyes flickered in the shadow behind him.

In the City of Chaos, Yaeger emerged, supporting a foam-vomiting Little Blue, who seemed barely conscious. Yunuen showed no reaction, evidently accustomed to the situation, while Little Fairy spared a moment to silently mourn the pitiful Artifact Soul.

Their loot inspection revealed notable spoils. Yunuen had garnered points, a Rare Equipment, an unidentified potion, and a plethora of Uncommon Equipment. Little Fairy acquired a Rare Equipment, an unknown potion, and a bounty of crafting materials.

Tossing the little creature to the ground, Yaeger surveyed the pair, eventually settling her gaze on Little Fairy. Without any preamble, she asked, “How about joining our Princess Alliance?”