Nicholas gasped. He never expected Ethan to propose something like that. The demand that Nicholas hand over the City Authority Token was not a simple request.

Nicholas understood better than anyone what that token represented. It was not just an item or a symbol of control.

It was the very heart of Silver Town, the proof of ownership, authority, and legitimacy over everything within the city's borders.

For a brief moment, Nicholas felt his thoughts spiral.

He turned his head slowly and looked behind him, carefully observing his remaining members. Their conditions were clear even without status panels or system notifications.

They were exhausted. Many were injured, their armor cracked or stained with blood. Their faces were pale, their breathing uneven.

More than their physical wounds, their mental and psychological states were far worse. Fear, despair, and trauma were written plainly in their eyes.

It was obvious they could no longer continue fighting Ethan.

Not only the core members of Silver Star were in such a condition. The affiliated guilds that fought under Silver Star's banner were in an even worse state.

Many of them had been placed on the front lines by Silver Star's officers, forced to confront Ethan directly.

As a result, their losses were devastating, and their morale had completely collapsed.

Ethan remained standing in the middle of the silent battlefield. The air around him felt heavy and suffocating.

His gaze was fixed forward, sharp and unblinking, focused on Nicholas. He watched every twitch of anxiety and hesitation that appeared on the guild leader's face.

Nicholas had not given his answer yet. He was still weighing the consequences, calculating the gains and losses of each possible decision.

Yet deep in his heart, one truth remained unshaken.

He did not want to give Silver Town to Ethan.

Silver Town was not something Nicholas obtained easily. It was the result of his hard work over a long period of time.

He remembered the countless hours he spent planning its development, coordinating with members, gathering resources, defending it from early threats.

Sweat, tears, joy, frustration, pride, sorrow, and countless other emotions had shaped the city alongside him.

Silver Town was his achievement. It was the pride of Silver Star.

Now, because of his own fatal mistake, that proud city had been reduced to ruins in a single day.

The rumors about Ethan being able to destroy an entire city were no longer myths whispered among players. They had become a brutal reality.

Silver Star knew this better than anyone.

After all, they were the ones suffering under EthanArk's cruelty.

"I won't hand over this city," Nicholas said bitterly. His voice trembled, but his resolve was clear.

"I would rather die with these ruins than watch my city become yours."

Ethan narrowed his eyes. His focus sharpened, his gaze locked firmly onto Nicholas.

His right hand tightened around the hilt of his sword, the muscles in his arm tense and ready.

If Nicholas refused, Ethan was prepared to strike him down along with every Silver Star member hiding behind him.

The killing intent in the air intensified.

Just as Ethan was about to move, Ashley acted swiftly.

She stepped in front of Ethan without hesitation, turning her back toward him.

Both of her arms stretched out to her sides, clearly blocking him from advancing further. Her posture was firm, leaving no room for argument.

"Have you forgotten why we attacked their city in the first place?" Ashley asked.

Her eyes sharpened as she looked back at Ethan, her presence intimidating despite her calm tone.

Ethan turned his head toward her. A crimson red light flickered in his eyes, pulsing faintly. Slowly, clarity returned to his expression. He realized what was wrong.

He had gone too far.

His original intention was to destroy Silver Town enough to force Nicholas to withdraw Silver Star's forces from Mavelard.

That was the purpose of the invasion. Nothing more.

However, the influence of Bloodblade Ashura had corrupted his thoughts.

The violent aura and bloodlust from the weapon had significantly affected his mental state. It pushed him toward excess, blurring the line between strategy and slaughter.

Because of that influence, Ethan had proposed a condition that had nothing to do with their original goal.

Ethan took a long, deep breath, then slowly released it. He focused on calming the turbulent emotions within his body, forcing himself to regain control and suppress the lingering agitation.

"All right," Ethan said quietly.

In a short moment, Ethan stored Bloodblade Ashura away. As the weapon was dismissed, his condition gradually returned to normal. The oppressive aura surrounding him faded.

He looked up at the sky and silently signaled Seraphelis to return and remain on standby nearby while the negotiation between the two guild leaders took place.

Ashley stepped forward, positioning herself in front of Nicholas at a safe distance.

Nicholas focused his attention on her now, curiosity and confusion mixing in his expression. He wanted to know what Ashley intended to say.

"Let me negotiate with you," Ashley said.

Nicholas nodded. "Fine."

"According to our original agreement," Ashley continued, "withdraw all of your forces from the eastern lands, and we will end this invasion."

Nicholas was startled. The negotiation option Ashley offered was completely different from the one Ethan had proposed earlier.

He turned his head and looked at Ethan. There was no sign of disappointment on Ethan's face.

Instead, he appeared fully agreeable to Ashley's terms, as if he had already accepted them without hesitation.

"Is that all?" Nicholas asked, still suspicious.

"Yes. That's all," Ashley replied calmly.

Nicholas nodded. Without wasting any more time, he opened his message panel and sent orders to the officers responsible for the invasion, instructing them to cancel the operation immediately.

The message was read and understood.

Slowly, Silver Star's forces began to retreat from Mavelard. Their movements were cautious, but clearly organized.

As they withdrew, cheers erupted throughout Mavelard. The residents and defenders celebrated, relief washing over them like a wave.

Hanss, however, felt differently.

Something about Silver Star's sudden withdrawal felt strange.

The day was not over yet, and the invasion had only lasted for about five hours. Ending it so abruptly did not make sense to him.

Hanss and Sherly climbed to the top of the city wall, their attention fixed on the retreating enemy forces. Their expressions clearly showed curiosity and confusion.

"The city walls are tough," Sherly said.

"Could that be the reason they gave up?"

"I don't know," Hanss replied. "They had more members. They should have been confident they could break the city gates quickly."

"If that's not the reason, then what is?" Sherly asked.

Hanss shook his head. He turned around and ordered everyone to begin recovery procedures, prioritizing those who were injured during the earlier battles.

Not long after, Ethan arrived in Mavelard using a Portable Teleportation Device.

He appeared inside his office at the LionArk headquarters. Ashley, meanwhile, remained behind in Asgard.

Ethan came back early to assist with repairs, especially the teleportation crystals installed at each city gate. Those crystals were vital for the city's defense and logistics.

He opened the city management system panel and activated the repair process.

Throughout the city, mysterious green light appeared, surprising everyone. The sudden glow caused residents and guards alike to tense up and go on alert, unsure of what was happening.

Hanss noticed the panel as well. It felt familiar, as if he had seen it before, but he could not remember exactly where or when.

"Officer Hanss! The teleportation crystal has been repaired!" one of LionArk's members shouted from atop the western gate.

Hanss was curious. He climbed up to the gate and confirmed it with his own eyes. The teleportation crystal was indeed fully restored.

Hanss broke into a wide smile. If the teleportation crystal and the city walls were repaired, then there was no doubt about it.

Ethan was already in the city.

Before long, the teleportation crystal shone brightly with blue light. Hanss narrowed his eyes, watching closely as someone emerged from the crystal.

Ashley arrived alone. Her clothes were clean, and she held her staff firmly in her hand. Hanss felt a surge of relief.

He quickly went down and ordered the city gates to be opened, informing everyone that Ashley had returned.

"You're back. Thank goodness," Hanss said.

Jill heard the news and pushed through the crowd. She wrapped her arms tightly around Ashley, burying her face against Ashley's chest.

"I'm so glad you're back, Miss Ashley."

"I'm glad to see you and everyone else safe," Ashley replied softly.

"Thank you for protecting Mavelard," Ashley added gently.

Hanss smiled and nodded. Then he immediately asked about Silver Star's sudden retreat. He clearly wanted to know the reason behind it.

"Ethan and I decided to invade Silver Town," Ashley said.

Hanss gasped in shock. Instinctively, he checked the status above Ashley's head. What she said was true. Ashley had killed many players. Her username had turned red, just like Ethan's.

"So you invaded their city and forced Silver Star to negotiate?" Hanss asked. "Am I right?"

"Yes," Ashley replied.

"With Ethan and his soul servant, Silver Town suffered eighty-seven percent damage from him alone," Ashley continued.

"Silver Star won't bother us again anytime soon."

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