Near Blomberg, the newly formed Expeditionary Force slipped into position, moving swiftly and covertly without leaving a trace.
"Farn, Halvica, Slanna, Shanae..."
Deep within the fortress, in a great hall that had become a paradise for magical creatures, entrails and severed limbs lay strewn through pools of blood, mingled with rotting bones.
The greater devil Shank ignored the stench filling the chamber. Seated on a stone chair at its head, he murmured their names.
"Your Majesty, these are the heroes reported by our spies in the Academy. Their overall strength is around level 18, and a group of High Mages is supporting them..."
A voluptuous Lust Devil delivered the report respectfully.
"With that kind of strength, they certainly pose a threat to me.
Those useless fools failed to stop them in time!"
Shank snorted in displeasure.
"Do they expect me to fight them head-on?"
Panic appeared on the Lust Devil's face, and she hurriedly explained, "They did everything they could to promote retreat, and even succeeded in passing the Exile Resolution.
Farn and the others acted entirely on his own initiative..."
"There's no use telling me that now," Shank said. "They must have infiltrated the place already. Recall our strongest fighters to protect me immediately!"
The more experienced a long-lived being was, the better he understood the importance of staying alive.
Why risk his own life when he could risk his subordinates' instead?
He certainly wasn't foolish enough to walk out and face those people in open combat.
"This bastard really knows how to hide!"
"This is going to be difficult!"
Inside a concealed passage within the fortress, Farn and the others frowned.
After all, this fortress was a human stronghold that Sinvira had painstakingly maintained for years. Even occupied by magical creatures, it still had plenty of secret