CH415 Divine Heist

***

After Baron Leland Helton fell, the fighting across the fortress dwindled into scattered pockets of resistance.

Nothing the Fury soldiers couldn't handle on their own.

Alex walked toward the Baron's corpse.

At any other time, perhaps he might have entertained the idea of a formal duel. But pride aside, there was no value in fighting a man already pushed to the edge—one staring directly into death's embrace

Hee had no reason to humour him.

Still… the Baron's final stand earned a measure of Alex's respect.

Even in death, the man's expression stubbornly resisted defeat. His body may have failed him, but his will—his refusal to yield—lingered even after his heart stopped.

"A respectable adversary," Alex muttered.

He reached out and gently closed the fallen commander's eyes. He allowed the image of this man—the first major figure he had taken from, in the name of interplanar conquest—to etch itself into his memory.

The hypocrisy of it all was not lost on him.

Despite knowing it was necessary, Alex genuinely regretted having to kill so many people. Yet, even with that regret colouring his thoughts, he also knew one undeniable truth:

If time reversed, he would make the same choice again.

This was war.

He was behind enemy lines.

And had he hesitated—had he chosen mercy—the very people he mourned would have gladly slit his throat in the name of their Navi.

Such was the twisted nature of war.

'Indeed, this is a jungle where only the strong survive,' Alex reflected.

'I can stand here and lament the hundreds who died only because my side was stronger. If we weren't… someone else would be standing over my corpse doing the lamenting.'

He exhaled quietly.

'And if lamenting is inevitable either way… I would rather be the one doing the lamenting than the one being lamented for.'

A soft sigh escaped him as he murmured,

"War is indeed a nasty business… and power is its highest currency."

He shook his head to clear his thoughts.

Suddenly, shadows fell across him.

Still crouched beside the Baron, Alex turned slightly—

Kavakan and Mogal stood behind him, silent, looking down.

The looks Kavakan and Mogal gave him hadn't exactly changed—they still held respect.

But now, that respect felt different. It was deeper and more genuine.

Before this battle, what they felt toward Alex was respect mixed with fear… or perhaps caution. They respected the power he had displayed back at the Enclave—respect for the individual... the combatant.

But now?

Now they respected him as the leader of their expedition.

In just a couple days, they had already fought three battles, each one giving Alex the opportunity to demonstrate his leadership. Not only did he lead them to victory, he did so in a way that left each member deeply satisfied.

He played to their strengths, compensated for their weaknesses, and—most impressively—did so in ways that aligned perfectly with the needs and quirks of each individual.

Mogal received the thrill of battle and the worthy opponent he craved.

Kavakan basked in the euphoria of blood, carnage, and unrestrained slaughter.

Alex also showed them that even as a noble, he was willing to throw himself into danger—leading from the front when needed, and from the rear when strategy demanded. He was neither blindly chivalrous nor devoid of honour.

Beyond simply managing his followers, he showed flashes of the adaptable instincts of a commander who could get the job done no matter the battlefield.

These two juggernauts trembled, not in fear but in excitement, for what the future held.

If these first few days on Verdantis were any indication, there would be much more chaos and many more battles ahead.

Alex shifted his gaze from the two hulks to Baron Helton's lifeless body.

"He was a respectable adversary," Alex said quietly. "Ensure he and his men are given proper burials according to their customs. And do not loot him. His family may choose what becomes of his belongings."

"He deserved that much respect."

"Yes, master," Udara replied.¹

Alex rose and dusted off some debris.

"Alright," he said to the hulking pair behind him. "Go ahead."

Kavakan's face lit up and he dashed off instantly, while Mogal maintained his stoic composure and followed at a steadier pace.

After a major battle—especially one involving the capture of a fortress—there was only one thing left to do…

Loot!

One of the major driving reasons Alex decided to assault both Upper and Lower Barnsil was, undeniably, the prospect of loot.

"Belloc, Sugud. How's it going? Did you find them?" Alex asked over comms.

"Yes, leader. We found them," Sugud replied. "There's an underground shelter network running beneath the fortress."

Belloc and Sugud had been absent from the battle because Alex had assigned them a different task entirely—locating the civilians' emergency shelters.

The Barnsil Fortress wasn't only a military bastion; it also served as Baron Helton's seat of power. Even if it hadn't, no fortress could function without civilians and critical non-combatants. And once battle broke out, those civilians needed somewhere to hide.

Belloc—being a native Verdantian aristocrat—and Sugud—an arcane-equivalent of a mechanical engineer—were the best suited to track down such shelters.

Whether as bargaining chips in the event of an unfavourable outcome, or as labour, or for some other uses, Alex had determined before the battle that securing the fortress's civilians held strategic value.

"Alright. Wait for the soldiers. They'll come round them up," Alex said.

He turned to Udara.

"Have the troops regroup with Belloc and Sugud. They're allowed to loot and pillage the fortress, but no unnecessary harm is to be done to the civilians." His gaze hardened. "Any case of rape will be met with swift execution. No exceptions. Understood?"

"Understood, Master," Udara replied solemnly.

"Eleanor will appraise the loot. Zora has authority to decide what we keep and what we leave behind," Alex continued.

Udara blinked. "Are you not going to check the loot yourself, Master?"

"There's something else I need to do, so I might not have the time." Alex shrugged lightly.

Udara tilted her head, confusion still colouring her expression.

Alex didn't elaborate. Instead, he simply winked, let out a mischievous chuckle, and walked past her.

His path took him back toward the half-collapsed Juror temple.

***

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