With the formation of Aetherion, the Eastern Continent had achieved unity for the first time in history. But a new empire also meant new threats. Hana was still reeling from her coronation, overwhelmed with diplomatic responsibilities and imperial affairs,

  Aetherion was young.

  Too young to stand against an empire.

  Too fragile to survive its first true war.

  The ink on its imperial decree had barely dried, the foundations of its rule still fresh, untested. It was a newborn among giants. And yet, the world had no patience for the weak.

  Just a few weeks after Hana’s coronation. Zephyros had come. They came not with negotiations. Not with treaties. But with war.

  Their banners stretched across the horizon like a storm of crimson and gold. Their armies marched with the weight of history, of conquests that had shattered lesser kingdoms. They had crushed countless nations beneath their boots, believing Aetherion would be no different.

  But Aetherion was different. It had been forged in war, in struggle, in defiance.

  It was not a kingdom waiting to be conquered. It was a nation that refused to kneel.

  And at its head stood Hana Satō—the Empress of the Impossible.

  This war would decide everything.

  Either Aetherion would rise as an empire to be feared and respected—or it would be buried before it ever had a chance to stand.

  There was no middle ground.

  No retreat.

  Only victory or ruin.And in the fires of battle, Aetherion would either be reforged in steel or turned to ash.

  —

  The grand halls of Aetherion’s imperial palace had never been more tense. The soft glow of lanterns barely illuminated the massive war table at the center of the council chamber, where maps, battle reports, and troop formations were sprawled in a chaotic mess.

  Every ruler, general, and strategist within the empire had gathered.

  And all of them were staring at Hana. She sat at the head of the table, her imperial robes draped loosely around her shoulders, exhaustion heavy on her face.

  To her left, Hime sat in perfect composure, her golden eyes calm but calculating.

  To her right, Haruka leaned forward, fingers drumming impatiently against her sword’s hilt, already itching for battle.

  The air was thick with tension.

  The war had begun. And Hana was the one expected to lead it.

  Aetherion’s chief intelligence officer, General Rei Nakamura, cleared her throat, her expression grim.

  “Our westernmost defenses have been breached.”

  A murmur spread across the room as she continued.

  “Zephyros’ Iron Phalanx and Skyborne Cavalry have taken three outposts along the Iskandar Pass. Their Magitek Artillery Corps has begun a siege against our border fortresses, attempting to establish permanent footholds.”

  Lord Aldric Frostbane of Vintergard grunted, arms crossed. “The moment we declared Aetherion, they moved like wolves. They were waiting for this.”

  Lady Seraphina Dawnlight of Solmaria, her radiant golden robes gleaming, sighed softly. “This war is not just about land. It is about dominance. Cassius seeks to erase Aetherion before it can take root.”

  Grand Magister Lucius Altharion of Eldoria adjusted his spectacles. “More concerning are the reports of the Zankoku remnants.”

  At the mention of the name, the room fell into an uneasy silence.

  Hime spoke for the first time. “We need confirmation on their movements.”

  Rei nodded. “They’ve already infiltrated Aikyo and several key cities. We suspect they plan to destabilize the empire from within, assassinating key figures and causing civil unrest before a full invasion.”

  Hana clenched her jaw. “So we’re fighting a war on two fronts.”

  Rei nodded gravely.

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  Haruka leaned forward, a gleam of excitement in her eyes. “So let’s stop playing defense.”

  She gestured at the map, pointing at the western front.

  “We reinforce Iskandar Keep and push back hard. If we can hold the mountain pass, they’ll be forced to reroute their forces, delaying their advance.”

  She then traced a second line, pointing toward the Vintergard border.

  “They want the Frozen Wastes because it gives them control of the northern trade routes. If we cut them off there, we cripple their supply lines.”

  Aldric grunted approvingly. “Vintergard will hold the North.”

  Seraphina’s golden eyes narrowed. “And what of the Zankoku remnants?”

  Hime tapped her fingers against the table, her expression unreadable.

  “Their goal is not just sabotage—it’s to destroy us from within.”

  She turned her gaze toward Rei. “Increase security in Aikyo. Strengthen the imperial guards. Set up false targets to lure the assassins into traps.”

  Rei nodded. “We’ll begin immediately.”

  Hime then turned to Hana. “First, You need to remain here.”

  Hana stiffened. “I can fight,” she said, a hint of defiance in her voice.

  Hime’s gaze hardened. “You are the heart of Aetherion. If you fall, this empire falls with you.”

  Silence.

  Haruka, for once, did not argue. Aetherion was still new. If Hana died, the empire would collapse before it had even begun.

  Hana exhaled slowly. “…Fine. But I won’t just sit and wait.”

  Hime’s lips curled slightly. “I expected no less.”

  The council spent the next hours drafting battle strategies, troop movements, and defensive countermeasures. Haruka would lead the Aetherion Army, personally commanding the defense at Iskandar Keep. Aldric would fortify the North, ensuring Vintergard held against Zephyros’ siege attempts.

  Seraphina would lead Solmaria’s divine warriors, countering Zephyros’ dark magics. Lucius would oversee arcane defenses, ensuring Eldoria’s magic protected Aikyo from sabotage. Hime would remain in Aikyo, managing strategy and diplomacy while coordinating the war effort. Hana, despite her protests, would stay in Aikyo’s Imperial Palace, ensuring the empire remained stable while her forces fought.

  The meeting ended with one final declaration. Hana stood, her golden eyes burning with resolve.

  “We did not ask for this war.” Her voice carried across the room, steady and strong.

  “But if they think we’ll crumble—they are gravely mistaken.”

  The war had begun. And Aetherion would not fall.

  —

  The Shadow War Begins - Night of Bloods

  Aikyo capital of Aetherion – The Heart of the Empire

  While the battlefield raged at Iskandar Keep, a different kind of war was brewing within Aikyo’s walls. The Zankoku Remnants had slipped past Aetherion’s defenses, their shadow warriors already infiltrating the capital. Unlike the Zephyrian legions, they did not march in formations, nor did they announce their arrival with banners and trumpets.

  They were silent. Unseen. And they were hunting. Their mission was clear?

  Eliminate key Aetherion figures to cause chaos.

  Weaken public trust in the empire’s leadership.

  Strike fear into the people, forcing them to doubt their new rulers.

  And at the very top of their target list… Empress Hana.

  The attack came without warning.

  At midnight, the palace’s inner halls were breached. The first guards died without making a sound, throats slit in the darkness. Hime had already predicted an assassination attempt—but even she had underestimated the sheer audacity of the Zankoku forces.

  They didn’t strike from outside. They appeared within the palace itself. By the time the alarm bells rang, ten royal guards were already dead. The assassins moved like ghosts, slipping through the corridors in fluid, unnatural movements, their blades coated with poison.

  And they were heading straight for Hana’s chambers.

  The moment the first whisper of a blade was heard, Hime was already in motion. She had been waiting. The would-be assassins never saw her coming. In the blink of an eye, two of them collapsed, gurgling as Hime’s sword pierced their throats in one swift, fluid strike. The remaining shadows barely had time to react.

  Hime moved like a phantom, her sword singing as it sliced through the darkness, her every movement precise and calculated. One assassin lunged at her—she twisted, dodging the strike by a hair’s breadth before planting a dagger straight into his heart.

  Another attempted to retreat— but Hime was faster. With a single flick of her wrist, she sent a throwing knife spinning through the air with a strong wind gust— lodging itself directly between the assassin’s eyes.

  The last survivor hesitated—and made a fatal mistake. Hime locked eyes with him. And in that single, fleeting second—he knew.He would not leave this palace alive.

  Hana had been asleep. She had spent the entire day dealing with imperial affairs, stabilizing the war effort, and preventing the nobles from completely losing their minds.

  She had collapsed into bed, thinking — Just one night of rest. That’s all I need.

  And then she woke up to the sound of a sword fight in her room. She blinked groggily as an assassin lunged at her— Only for Kurohazan to manifest at her bedside, snarling.

  The assassin had half a second to regret his decisions before he was launched across the room, slamming into the wall with a sickening crack.

  Hana groaned, sitting up. “…What the hell?”

  A second assassin tried to strike—and this time, Hana was awake enough to react. With a flick of her wrist she commanded

  “Tomare.” (Stop.).

  Reality warped, the assassin froze mid-air, his body suspended unnaturally, his limbs refusing to move. Hana’s golden eyes glowed dangerously.

  “Wrong target.”

  With a simple gesture, she flung him out the balcony window.

  By dawn, the assassination attempt had failed. Hime stood among the bodies of the fallen assassins, her expression unreadable as she wiped the blood from her sword.

  Hana, now fully awake, pinched the bridge of her nose. “How many got inside?”

  Rei Nakamura, the head of intelligence, bowed. “At least fifteen. All are accounted for.”

  Hana frowned. “And our own casualties?”

  Rei’s expression darkened. “Thirty dead. Another twenty wounded.”

  A heavy silence filled the air. Hana exhaled slowly. “This isn’t just an attack,” she murmured. “It’s a declaration.”

  Hime nodded, her voice steady. “Zankoku will not stop here.”

  Haruka, who had stormed into the palace the moment she heard about the attack, cracked her knuckles. “Then let’s stop playing defense.”

  Hana’s gaze hardened. “Agreed.”

  It was time to hunt the hunters.

  With Hime leading the intelligence division, Aetherion began a systematic crackdown on Zankoku’s underground networks. False rumors were planted. Traps were set. Informants were captured, and one by one, the assassins began to fall.

  Within two weeks, the Zankoku remnants within the capital were completely eradicated. But Hana knew this was only the beginning. Zankoku was still out there—and they were waiting for their next opportunity. And if history had proven anything— They would not stop until Aetherion was ashes.

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