F/VoH Ch 132: Receiving the Report

Captain Ravis's thoughts briefly shifted to the option of calling for help. Additional troops from the city could arrive quickly, bringing reinforcements to turn the tide. However, Ravis quickly dismissed the idea.

Calling for help for something Ravis had previously deemed "trivial" would be a great shame, especially since they couldn't even confirm whether the mysterious figure was truly the Rebel Leader.

"If I call for help now," Ravis thought bitterly, "I will be branded a coward... and that... must not happen."

However, that thought stemmed from Ravis's pride and ego as a leader. Ravis preferred to maintain his reputation rather than admit that the situation had exceeded his capabilities.

Then, an eerie silence enveloped the battlefield once more. A brief moment without arrows flying or the sound of shattering ice made Ravis hold his breath, hoping this was the end of the assault.

However, Ravis's hope vanished in an instant. Ravis's body suddenly began to feel heavy. His legs became immobile. "N-no way..." Ravis whispered, his eyes widening as he realized his body was starting to freeze. Ice slowly crept from his feet throughout his body until Ravis could no longer move.

Ravis's eyes stared blankly at the last arrow that came with terrifying speed. The arrow struck Ravis's chest, piercing through his thick armor, and the shards of ice enveloping Ravis exploded along with his own body.

After the death of the Army Leader, the atmosphere turned silent. No more arrows flew, no more bodies froze. All that remained was a suffocating emptiness, leaving the ten remaining soldiers silent and confused.

They were still shocked by the speed and power of the attack that had decimated their forces. However, this sudden calm was even more terrifying. A biting cold feeling began to fill the air.

Without a sound, two figures emerged from the darkness of the night—Ryan and Arash. Their steps felt heavy, as if each movement they made gathered pressure that increasingly weighed down the souls of the remaining soldiers.

Ryan looked at them one by one with cold, emotionless eyes. There was a thick tension, as if every second felt like centuries. Arash stood beside Ryan, his face hardened, relishing the fear that haunted the soldiers.

Ryan opened his mouth; his voice sounded calm but deadly. "I will give you a choice. Answer all that you know, or... I can wait for you all to tell me what I want to know, with a little violence here and there. What will it be? What will you choose?"

Those words seemed to pierce their hearts. Every remaining soldier knew they were on the edge of a precipice. Fear gripped them. They could feel the cold enveloping them, not from the ice, but from the unspoken threat in Ryan's tone.

They could only bow their heads, silent in fear. One of them, a young soldier with a pale face, finally spoke up, his body trembling. "We... we made a mistake following the orders of the Army Leader," the man whispered.

Ryan nodded slowly, as if understanding. "So... let's start with the first question. Who is that big man?" Ryan asked the first question in a tone that showed no emotion, but behind Ryan's words was a very strong sense of pressure.

An older soldier, with trembling hands, finally answered, "That man... that man is our army leader, his name is... Revis."

Ryan raised an eyebrow, then stepped closer, his eyes still sharp as he stared at them. "Hmm... So, what brought you all here?"

The soldier who had answered earlier now swallowed hard. "We... we received a report that someone suspicious had entered the Cursed Territory. We thought... we thought that person was the Leader of the Rebel Army. That's why we were all ordered to come here."