Flame Rabbit!

Oarburgh.

These four words are what the world calls the Shinigami, symbolizing absolute fairness and justice, meaning that no matter whether one is a man, woman, old or young, regardless of status or position, everyone will eventually face death.

At the same time.

It is also the name of the Imperial Assassination Force, which was established and named by the 'Sacred Emperor' six hundred years ago and only accepts orders from the reigning emperor.

Furthermore, they possess the power to assassinate anyone except members of the royal family.

Even imperial nobles, high-ranking officials, and generals, regardless of whether there was solid and legal evidence, would be killed without hesitation as long as the emperor's order came down.

It can be described as the most terrifying weapon in the hands of emperors throughout history!

At last.

Oarburgh was an honorary title bestowed by the emperor upon the strongest members of the assassination squad. Those who held the title could use it as their surname and had the privilege of freely entering and leaving the palace to meet the emperor.

Their secret headquarters, training grounds, and breeding base for insect-type Danger Beasts are all located within the 'Gifu Nora Great Forest,' separated from the Imperial Capital by a mountain range and designated as an 'ultra-dangerous region' by the empire for hundreds of years.

Anyone who trespasses into the forest, regardless of who they are, has the right to be dealt with directly without reporting it!

At this time.

A 'village' composed of various treehouses or wooden cabins is hidden somewhere in this sea of trees, where many are hundreds of years old.

"Lord Melard, this is a letter that just arrived from the Secret Service. It should contain intelligence on Modai's location."

A white-haired man, about 1.75 meters tall, with a slender and strong build, a red-sheathed longsword at his waist, and exuding the air of a handsome middle-aged man, gently placed the envelope in his hand on the desk.

It was none other than Gozuki, the vice-commander of 'Oarburgh' and the user of the Teigu Murasame!

His attitude was indifferent, as if he had no interest in the alluring woman in front of him, dressed in a revealing black dress that almost completely exposed her chest and thighs, showcasing the word 'sexy' to the fullest.

Because she is the current leader here, the holder of the title Oarburgh, Melard Oarburgh.

A dangerous and strange woman with stunningly beautiful features, purple hair and eyes, and a black mole on the lower left corner of her eye!

"Oh my, as expected of Najenda- chan, you're really efficient~~"

After leisurely reading the letter, Melard rested her chin on her hand, licked her soft pink lips with her alluring red tongue, and murmured seductively to herself.

"It's been a long time since we've been intimate. When was the last time we had a wet kiss?"

Gozuki naturally heard it, but he was already used to the other man's strange sexual orientation. Since Lord Melard became the leader, there had only been two men in the entire 'Oarburgh'.

The rest were all beautiful girls, and it seemed that none of them escaped the other's clutches.

"Ahem, sir, may I take a look?"

"Yes~"

Melard casually tossed the letter over; the speed was so fast that an ordinary person would not only be unable to catch it, but if they were to accidentally have their throat slit, they would most likely die from it.

But Gozuki precisely held it between two fingers, then naturally opened the letter and quickly began to read it.

"So that's how it is. By combining the abilities of 'Hexagram Tortoiseshell to Avoid Misfortune, Seek Good Fortune' with 'Thousand-Mile Heavenly Eye to gain High Insight, Keen Perception,' you've already located the gate of light?"

He saw that the Hexagram Tortoiseshell for Modai was "regret," which meant that the other party was only imprisoned and was not in immediate danger of death.

However, Gozuki only glanced at it, as he was more interested in the information about the portal.

The letter also mentions this.

A group of black warriors riding strange mechanical vehicles kept pouring out of a white building, followed by another group, possibly engineers, building camps and fortifications around the snowy valley.

Meanwhile, the opposing team contains several espers who appear to be users of Teigu.

Finally, it also included two maps drawn by Captain Sabatini of the Imperial Intelligence Corps, based on his own observations.

One is a large map of the northern snowy landscape, marked with the location of the portal; the other is a layout map of the valley, marked with every building, cannon, and personnel post.

"Well done!"

Gozuki greatly admired the two maps and laughed, "I've heard that Sabatini's Teigu 'Thousand-Mile Heavenly Eye' can see a thousand kilometers without obstruction. It truly lives up to its reputation!"

"If it doesn't even have this ability, it doesn't deserve to be called Teigu."

Melard stood up and stretched, completely unconcerned that her private parts had been exposed in front of a man.

"So what are your thoughts going forward?"

Gozuki put down the letter, looked straight ahead, and asked in a deep voice.

Well...

Melard smiled slightly, "I haven't corrected Mordai's 'sexual orientation' onto the right track yet, so let's go and bring her back."

"You're planning to take action yourself?!"

Gozuki looked at him in surprise. Melard nodded and smiled, "Since the mission is to infiltrate and rescue people, I think there's no one more suitable than me. Besides, I'm also very curious about these people and that portal."

"Indeed, the letter says the other party is a force called the Sea Ninja Village, but even the 'World Encyclopedia' can't find their background. Also, Captain Sabatini said he didn't see Modai in their camp, so it's very likely that she was taken to the other side of the Light Gate."

Gozuki looked thoughtful, then looked up and asked, "So, are you planning to go alone, or bring a few people with you?"

"Hmm, the journey is quite long. I'll just take the butler and two maids with me."

"Understood, I will go and ask His Majesty immediately!"

Gozuki acted swiftly and decisively, immediately turning and leaving the office, because any action taken by 'Oarburgh' required the Emperor's permission first, which was one of his main duties.

At this moment, Melard had vanished without a trace.

At the same time.

Brand, who was leading the Army in battle against the Alchemy Kingdom near Tianshui on the western border of the empire, also received the emperor's decree.

Inside the central command tent.

Brand, the current Army General, wearing a black general's coat, took the imperial edict from the Angel with surprise, and then checked its contents again.

"A mysterious force that appeared in the northern part of the empire through some kind of spatial means?"

Like General Budo, he also suspected that the Alchemy Kingdom in the west was behind the trouble. But regardless, the most important thing right now was to obey the emperor's order and send a Vice Admiral to garrison Mount Famu, north of the Imperial Capital.

He then raised his head, his gaze slowly sweeping over each of the fierce generals.

Nahashu, Leone, Guy, Izo, Daidara, Cosmina, Nyau, Bonney. Each of them is a powerful Teigu user.

Ultimately, Brand made his decision.

"With Nahashu as commander-in-chief Izo as deputy commander, lead your legions to Mount Famu immediately to establish a defensive line!"

"Yes!"

An hour later, nearly 50,000 fully armed Army troops, riding in wagons pulled by 'Flame Rabbit' and escorted by cavalry, marched eastward in a grand procession.

Flame Rabbit.

A superhuman rabbit, standing 3.5 meters tall and over 4 meters long, with flames burning on its ears and tail, is known for its speed, endurance, and ability to breathe fire.

As early as 600 years ago, they were widely used as animal power or mounts in the Army.