What exactly happened in the Great War?

Apart from the knowledge offered in the history books, there was a side to it that only Emma knows as of now on this mortal plain. Some of the facts that soon Kevin and a few others would come to know.

A thousand years ago, when disagreements between two sides escalated beyond reconciliation, a massive war came into existence. It was a war of ideologies, a conflict of perceptions that soon descended into a full-scale massacre.

Millions of humans and devils perished during that time. Death became a daily occurrence, so common that people lived in constant fear, wondering if any given night would be their last.

Streets were soaked in crimson. Children were taught to grip a weapon before they ever held a spoon. Women were expected to stand as the vanguard of their households, while nearly every man was sent to fight the adversaries, regardless of whether he was awakened or not.

Balance was everything in those days. Neither side gained a clear advantage, and the death toll continued to rise with every passing hour.

Then, entities emerged that threatened to shatter the balance of the world itself.

The Monarchs.

They were not born through natural means, but manifested from thought itself, living phenomena. As the supreme rulers of the underworld, they wielded power far beyond what humanity could rival.

Terrains were flattened, skies turned blood-red, rivers were polluted, and the planet itself seemed to edge toward destruction under their wrath.

And then, they appeared.

Those who possessed the strength to stand against the Monarchs and restore the world's shattered state. Individuals blessed by the higher angels, unbound by limits, and capable of turning the tide of a war that had consumed the world.

They were known by several names. Justice, Golden Front, Light Hero, and many more.

Regardless, from all Emma knew, those individuals were immensely strong. Their presence alone could seal a Grade IV Death Sink. It was power far too overwhelming for a low-ranking devil, or even a ranked demon, to withstand.

If, back then, the Monarchs could bring those heroes into existence, then could things be reversed this time? Was there something Emma had overlooked? Had someone actually awakened their true angelic core without being noticed, drawing the attention of the Monarchs?

There were not many possibilities, yet Emma felt that none of them were the right answer.

"I need to do something about this… somehow restore the balance."

If things continued like this, the chaos would soon leave William and Emma with no choice but to remain on the front lines at all times.

And she knew exactly how to prevent that.

The death of a few generals.

If her guess was correct, then these Death Sinks were appearing on the surface by the Generals, while the power enabling them flowed from the Monarchs themselves.

If her guess is right then slaughtering a few Generals would be enough to at least slow down the rate of Death Sinks.

But forget about a General-ranked one, she still could not fight a ranked devil as of now.

"I feel disappointed in myself," Emma muttered under her breath while standing before the mirror.

With a sigh, she stepped out of the bathroom, a towel wrapped around her.

"Ah!" she yelped in surprise as someone suddenly grabbed her waist and pulled her closer.

"Geez, don't surprise me like this." Emma slapped his chest in protest when she saw her lover grinning at her.

William's smile faded slightly as he asked, "You good?"

Emma looked up at him, her body leaning against his. "Do I not look well?"

William stayed silent for a moment. He gently gathered her slightly wet strands of hair and tucked them behind her ear. "You look troubled. Still thinking about what Lancelot said?"

Emma sighed. "Well, even if we don't think about it, nothing changes the fact that this plague is spreading faster with each passing day. And sooner or later, we'll be forced to get regularly involved with it."

It wasn't as if William hadn't been thinking about it. Still, he said, "Can we change what's inevitable?" His voice remained calm. "Emma, we can't change what's beyond our control. But there is one thing we can do, and that's protect each other and those we care about. That's something we can control with our own hands."

Emma lowered her gaze. "But what if I say I have a way to control what you believe is beyond our reach?"

William frowned slightly. "What do you mean?"

Emma didn't lift her gaze as she replied, "There is a way, Will… to slow the rate of the Death Sinks. And that is by luring Devil Generals into the mortal lands and killing them."

She finally looked up and confessed, "My blood can do that. It's like a honey trap for them. The moment I make my presence known, they'll rush toward me. And when that happens, we'll have a chance to reclaim, at least partially, what we once called normal."

Emma never hesitated when sharing her secrets with her beloved. That was because she didn't see him as another person. He was a part of her, just as she was a part of him. And people do not doubt themselves.

William remained silent for a few moments before asking, "You're going to be their bait…" he breathed, his heart growing heavy.

Emma cupped his cheeks and said, "Will, I'm not going to do that anytime soon, so don't wor—"

"Not 'anytime soon,' Emma. You're never going to do that." William cut in, his voice firm. "This is such a stupid method that I can't believe it's coming from you."

Emma lowered her gaze, her arms falling to her sides, as she heard him add, "If I had told you the same thing, would you have allowed me to become the bait? Would you have agreed to it?"

She didn't answer. She didn't need to. He already knew what she would have said.

William held her face and made her look up at him. "Emma… I know this situation feels completely messed up, but we aren't going to risk our lives for the sake of this world. You hear me?"

Emma nodded slowly, her eyes glassy. "I understand… I'm sorry."

William let out a long breath before wrapping his arms around her. "That's why I always tell you to keep your mind clear. Overthinking leads to nothing but bad decisions."

Emma hummed, her face pressed against his chest. "I'll focus on my growth and prepare myself to face any adversary that might try to harm you or Nana."

William chuckled. "That's more like it." He gently rubbed her back before adding, "Come on now, get changed before my body starts to react in a weird way."

Emma giggled at his words, then parted from him and walked toward the wardrobe.

…

Brutus leaned against a tree, his eyes closed, as he waited with another team member, Bardy, for the third member to arrive.

Bardy was Brutus's classmate from the academy and someone who had fought alongside him a few times in the past.

As the clock kept ticking, the muscular boy with a shaved head clicked his tongue. "Just what does she think of herself, making you wait like this?"

Brutus sighed and replied calmly, "You need to be patient with girls, especially beautiful ones."

Those words made Bardy grin. "I've noticed it recently… Brutus, are you actually interested in this healer?"

Brutus hummed. "I am, but not in the way you think."

Bardy laughed. "Yeah, I've heard you admire her, but you can't deny that you find her attractive too."

Brutus didn't respond, but his silence was enough.

Bardy's grin widened. "Why not try getting close to her during the mission? I mean, if it's you, I think she'd even leave her current man to be with you."

Brutus hummed. "Well, that's the intention… to get to know her better."

This trip was meant to show Emma what she could attain if she was willing to sacrifice a few things.

She was meant to rise to greatness, to become the new hope of humanity.

And Brutus would be her first devotee.

Just then, Bardy said, "Here she comes… huh?" His brows knitted together.

Brutus turned as well, ready to greet the lady. But the moment his eyes landed on the man walking beside her, his mood soured.

William wore a grin as he spoke. "You don't look too happy to see me."

Bardy glanced at Brutus, and sure enough, his expression was filled with displeasure.

Quickly, Bardy asked, "Are you here to escort Miss Emma to the gate, perhaps?"

William chuckled. "Not at all. I'm here as the fourth member of your team."

Bardy stiffened, while Brutus clenched his fist at his side.

William's grin widened at the reaction before he drew closer to Brutus and said, "I hope we can get along, team captain~"

°°°°°°°°°°

A/N:- Thanks for reading. If you have been enjoying the story so far, please drop a comment. It really helps.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.