All of Tantras descended into chaos.
Ordinary citizens locked their doors and windows, watching the troops assembling outside in terror. Fortunately, Trano's men were reasonably disciplined, and none took the opportunity to loot the civilians.
Rumble.
The dull roar of cannon fire rang out, making Knox's heart skip a beat. He demanded angrily, "Why do I hear cannons? Has Trano taken the arsenal too?"
"No," a man stammered. "He must have found a way to bring them in from outside."
The City Lord's Guard quickly assembled, then encountered Trano's men on the streets. Knox took one look and curled his lip. The army before him was clearly a motley collection of adventurers and mercenaries, nowhere near a match for the Lion Family's personal guard. Events proved him right. Trano's men collapsed almost immediately upon contact. They could only hold their own against the corrupt City Defense Force; against a noble's private guard, they stood no chance.
But!
Just as Knox thought he could swiftly quell the rebellion,
a force flying a black flag appeared before him. The instant he saw those troops, his heart lurched and sank.
He had been on battlefields.
He had also seen real armies, and the troops advancing silently before him were unquestionably one of them.
"The Black Flag?!"
"Port Nyanzaru's banner!"
As though something had occurred to him, Knox's expression became terrifying.
Reality soon gave him an answer.
At that very moment, in the Laboratory near Port Nyanzaru's Arcane Tower, a cold mechanical voice had just sounded:
"Spatial Beacon locked!"
"Target: Tantras! ... Opening temporary portal No. 1! ... Deploying steel golems! ..."
"Spatial Beacon locked!"
"Target: Tantras! ... Opening temporary portal No. 2! ... Deploying Port Nyanzaru's Third Guard! ..."
A series of mechanical announcements rang out.
Accompanied by white teleportation light, units