Chapter 1321: Preparing for War

Lisa couldn’t help but feel excited about the confrontation that was approaching. It had been a while since anything in the Valor Realm had given her a reason to look forward to a real challenge.

Unlike the other two organizations, however, the Silver Veil Society was not primarily a military force. Its members included scholars, researchers, high-ranking Sorcerers, and experts in ancient artifacts and supernatural phenomena.

That made them particularly interesting to Lisa.

Their leader, Irina Chernov, had apparently recognized similarities between the Dark Arts Tower and an ancient structure known as the Arcane Tower, which was mentioned in a manuscript dating back thousands of years.

Lisa’s interest immediately grew.

These were precisely the kinds of people she needed. Their knowledge of ancient civilizations, forgotten artifacts, and supernatural phenomena could prove far more valuable than their combat abilities.

Of course, she had another way of making use of their talents.

She could turn them into Vampires and bring their knowledge under her control.

’This is perfect... I wonder where they find records of another Arcane Tower? If something like this existed in the Valor Realm, then our previous understanding of this world might be completely overturned.’

That was an important discovery. She had not expected anyone in this realm to recognize the nature of the structure so quickly.

According to the report, Irina had warned that structures of that kind were rarely built as ordinary residences. They were generally constructed as strongholds.

Lisa glanced toward the chamber’s distant walls, as though she could see through them and observe the countless floors of the tower beyond.

’She’s not entirely wrong.’

The Dark Arts Tower was far more than a building. It possessed its own energy system, ancient formations, valuable resources, and an army of Shadow Sentinels. Its functions extended well beyond what most people in the Valor Realm could comprehend.

If the Silver Veil Society’s scholars managed to uncover more information about its origins, they might eventually realize just how dangerous it could be.

That would make them either useful sources of knowledge or troublesome enemies.

Lisa had not yet decided which possibility she preferred.

She continued reading until she reached the final section of the report.

Then her smile faded.

The scouts had discovered that the three organizations were no longer content with observing the situation from a distance. Their preparations were advancing, and elite personnel had begun moving toward Atrium City.

Their stated objective was to investigate the Dark Arts Tower, but their movements suggested something more aggressive.

They were preparing to surround it.

Lisa tapped one finger against the desk.

"I guess, they intend to test the tower’s defenses."

She was not surprised that they wanted to investigate. What caught her attention was how quickly their intentions appeared to be shifting from observation to confrontation.

Perhaps Arthur had convinced them that the tower was too dangerous to leave alone. Perhaps Irina’s discovery had made them believe that the structure contained ancient secrets that could not be allowed to fall into the hands of an unknown power.

Or perhaps they simply wanted to eliminate a potential threat before it became too powerful.

Whatever their reasons, the result was the same.

The elite forces of several nations were preparing to converge on Atrium City, and the Dark Arts Tower would be their primary target.

Lisa slowly stood up and walked toward the balcony.

Below her, the streets of Atrium City remained as lively as ever.

Lisa rested one hand against the balcony railing.

"Come faster, or I’ll get bored and come for you."

She had deliberately erected the Dark Arts Tower outside Atrium City because she wanted people to notice it. She had expected adventurers, nobles, churches, and perhaps even the royal family to investigate.

She had not expected several foreign military organizations to begin coordinating their forces so soon.

Still, she had no intention of making aggressive moves...

Doing so would only encourage her enemies to believe that she was afraid of them.

Besides, the Dark Arts Tower was not defenseless.

Thousands of Shadow Sentinels stood ready to obey her commands. The tower’s formations remained stable, and its energy reserves were sufficient to support its defensive systems. Even if the enemy forces possessed weapons or techniques capable of threatening Vampires, that did not mean they could easily overcome the tower itself.

"Mhmm... All Vampires stationed throughout Atrium City... Keep the network quiet, but increase surveillance around the city’s gates and the main roads leading toward the tower. I want to know when these forces arrive, how many soldiers they bring, and who commands them."

The shadow bowed before disappearing.

Lisa then turned her attention toward the tower’s interior.

"Have the Shadow Sentinels prepare for defensive deployment. Don’t mobilize the entire army yet, and don’t let the visitors know that we’ve noticed their movements."

She paused for a moment as a faint smile returned to her lips.

"If they only want to investigate, we can entertain them. But if they intend to lay siege to my tower..."

Her voice grew colder.

"...then they will have to accept the consequences."

***

In the meantime, the Dawnblades headquarters was filled with excitement as its leaders gathered to celebrate a remarkable milestone. Their adventurers’ organization now had a total of four hundred people studying the Arcane Arts under its banner.

For the Valor Realm, this was an extraordinary achievement.

For generations, Knights, warriors, and swordsmen had dominated the realm. They relied on martial techniques and Will to strengthen their bodies and surpass the limits of ordinary humans. Sorcerers existed, but they were exceedingly rare, and their methods of manipulating mana were far less developed than the Arcane Arts introduced by the Dawnblades.

Now, the organization was teaching people twelve different Arcane Paths, opening possibilities that many had never imagined.

"Four hundred Arcanists, and a hundred of them were already Third-Class..." Jericho remarked, leaning back in his chair.

"If someone had told me this would happen a few months ago, I wouldn’t have believed them."

"Most people in this realm have never had the opportunity to learn anything beyond conventional combat techniques," Ruth replied.

As the Dawnblades’ leader and bearer of the Mantle of Authority, Ruth understood how significant their achievement was.

"But four hundred is only the beginning. We still need to improve their skills and make sure they receive proper training."

Cecilia gave a wry smile before reminding everyone of the latest news.

"We just received a report from Miss Immortal Lisa. Enemies are coming, so we should prepare for a full-blown war against the Knights within the next month."