Ethan walked through the darkness, with Lindong and Kane following closely behind. It was a novel experience, surrounded by silence, treading upon the void as if walking outside this world.

Hours seemed to pass when sounds gradually emerged at the end of the darkness.

Lightning and thunder mixed with the sound of objects shattering, Ethan approached the source of the sound, and soon he could vaguely hear voices conversing rapidly.

The green-haired girl beside him raised her hand, and another "scar" visibly formed before the three of them, with the cracked parts spreading into a door. As light shone from the other side, they finally saw the source of the commotion, accompanied by intense vibrations.

The world shook violently under the falling fireball, the ground was struck into a deep pit, and the terrifying wave of fire instantly swallowed the advancing troops, leaving a giant crater ten meters deep on the ground, as dark clouds covered the sky and lightning occasionally struck the barren land.

This was not a natural phenomenon but elemental shaper magic.

To invoke such celestial phenomena must surely be an exceptionally powerful Elemental Shaper.

Ethan was on the second floor of a building, witnessing through the glass the changes on the battlefield brought by the arrival of elemental magic.

"What are you standing there for? The Warlord wants everyone to the command room for a meeting!"

An officer passing by interrupted Ethan's thoughts.

This officer bore a strong resemblance to humans, yet differences were evident at a glance, such as his towering height of nearly four meters, his muscular outline silently exhibiting his strength. He had only one eye across his forehead, with red sclera resembling a snake's pupil.

The interior space was far too cramped for his size, forcing the officer to walk hunched over.

He wore no shirt, with his bronze skin covered in grotesque scars, seemingly a symbol of honor, while on his chest was the red rune Ethan had seen in the dungeon.

He was a follower of Kaisaros.

The officer had a peculiar accent, with pauses suggesting... his own understanding of language. Fortunately, this statement was not difficult to comprehend.

"Alright, we'll be right there."

Ethan responded.

"Quick, speed it up!"

The resolute officer urged before leaving.

Ethan soon realized their current situation; this was an ongoing war. Flor had mentioned the content of the trial of courage, emerging in a war that had once taken place after traversing realms. However, they were unlikely to find any hints in history, as these wars occurred before the First Epoch.

Humans habitually referred to those long years as the Dark Age, with almost all history of that era lost.

Although they achieved victory under the lead of a Middle-Level God and another higher deity, the cost was undoubtedly devastating. The world's surface was almost entirely destroyed, the population sharply reduced, most participants perishing on the battlefield, with only a few survivors gathering together to establish an academy in seclusion.

Ethan then discovered a problem.

He looked around.

The second floor seemed busy, with officers hastily heading to the command center where the Warlord awaited them. Most officers passed by were primarily sub-humans, though humanoid, their appearances varied wildly; some were hybrids of humans and certain animals, others were races from fantasy novels, like two-headed ogres, or stone figures covered in black grease.

Their only commonality was the same red insignia marking their identity.

They were followers of Kaisaros.

Ethan and his two companions were evidently mistaken for allies by these officers, even though they bore no runes of Kaisaros, it did not prevent recognition.

In other words, they had joined the camp of Father of War, Kaisaros, aligned with these sub-humans against human troops led by gods. For humans of this era, they were engaging in a struggle for freedom from the servitude of the Old Gods.

Thinking of this, Ethan suddenly understood.

Reflecting on history and considering the war's final outcome...

Are the three of them not war criminals?

Moreover, the trio appeared as pure-blooded humans, incongruent with the bizarre-looking sub-humans around them. If their names were really left in history, they might bear the stigma of "traitors."

Having previously experienced Wolf Fang Castle, Ethan became particularly cautious when dealing with "past illusions." He once changed Mary's destiny in a city plagued by the Scarlet Plague, transforming her from a suffering fallen priestess to a Life Divine Teachings Saint who fought against Old Ba all her life.

This was an outcome visible in history books, yet Mary was not the only one changed.

The healing methods she devised must have altered many people's fates; those once afflicted by the Scarlet Plague, doomed to metamorphose into flesh creatures, may have lived relatively peaceful lives under the Life Divine Teachings, though their names didn't reach history like Mary's.

But Flor was clear, to pass the trial of courage, victory in a certain war was necessary.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.