The Sovereign System.

Hayden took his seat at the head of the table, still wearing a small smile. Despite this, his piercing blue eyes seemed to evaluate those present, as if staring into their souls.

"The King wishes to reclaim Xiu Fortress, returning it to its rightful place under our dominion," Minister Chao said, his high-pitched, whiny voice matching his outward appearance.

"Thank you, Minister Chao. I believe this much is evident," Hayden replied respectfully. It seemed even he did not dare to show disrespect when addressing the King's proxy.

He continued, "We have twenty-five thousand men and access to another five thousand from the mercenary guild. This should be enough to impregnate the fortress, as long as we are able to safely transport the siege weapons."

"Commander Tryst—or perhaps I should call you Deputy General from this point onwards: how long will it take to transport our weapons to Xiu Fortress?" Hayden asked, almost casually.

"It's a three-day march on foot, so I'd say five days, provided there are no hiccups along the way," the man answered promptly, his voice deep and commanding.

Hayden nodded, as if expecting the answer. "Speaking of hiccups, our young friend made a great point the other night. Would you care to share it?" he asked, sending a smile to Luke, who stood behind Master Boyd.

Luke felt the attention of the powerful people in the room fall on him, causing his body to almost seize under the pressure. Not only was an experienced and battle-hardened commander present, but also the King's proxy.

While the former's expression was unreadable, the Minister's eyes held a hint of disdain. It was clear from his gaze that he believed anything Luke said would be folly.

'Calm down, Luke. You've thought this through,' he told himself before bowing slightly. "As you wish, General. It is my belief that the Qin Empire will not allow us to lay siege to Xiu Fortress, at least not without a fight," he stated matter-of-factly.

"What an excellent observation. However could we have come up with it ourselves?" Minister Chao said, his words dripping with sarcasm.

Luke felt his heart pounding in his throat, but he pressed on. "The nearest city to Xiu Fortress is Pu Dong City, located ten days' march north, making it quite isolated. Provided they know about our plans, they will likely try to meet us in the open field and delay us from laying siege to the fortress, giving them time to both stock up and fortify their defenses."

Minister Chao's face morphed slightly, his earlier cutting words now falling on deaf ears. Hayden covered his mouth with his fan, as if to hide a laugh. He gestured toward the sand table and motioned for Luke to continue.

Luke obliged. By now, his tone had firmed up, no longer shaking. He moved toward the table and placed a marker on several points between Clayton City and Xiu Fortress.

"These are the most likely places we could be attacked while in transit," he stated confidently.

All those around the table leaned forward with interest. The two Masters, Commander Tryst, and Hayden all nodded. However, Minister Chao remained unconvinced, his eyes fixed on Luke, as if waiting for further explanation.

Luke considered ignoring the Minister's expression, allowing the man to look like a fool in front of the others. However, this man was currently acting as the King's proxy. 'It wouldn't hurt to humor him,' Luke thought.

''Best not to get on his bad side,' Luke thought.

"The first point here is the mouth of the Tien Forest. It is only wide enough to fit five people side by side along the path. This will leave us vulnerable to ambushes and attacks once we emerge on the other side," Luke explained.

Seeing the look of comprehension on the sickly man's face, he continued, pointing out the other spots he'd indicated as well. By the end of his explanation, Luke stepped back and resumed his position behind Master Boyd.

"Well said, young man. Would you care to introduce yourself?" Hayden praised him with a nod.

"I am Luke Drakon, General. First-year student at the Military Academy," Luke answered respectfully, cupping his hands.

"Hmm, Drakon?" Minister Chao crossed his thin legs and tapped a finger on his chin, his head tilted in thought. "I don't think I know of any noble house with that name."

"Luke is a commoner, Minister Chao," Master Gale interjected simply, though surprisingly without disdain in his tone.

"A commoner?!" The sickly man looked shocked. His eyes focused on Luke once more, the earlier disdain now far more pronounced.

"I can assure you that he is our top first-year student," Master Boyd said, his deep voice rumbling. "Both in martial arts and tactics."

"Bah! How embarrassing." Minister Chao scowled. "Have our noble lineages fallen so far that they would lose to a mere commoner?" he asked impetuously, his gaze landing on Kayson.

"Ahem…" Commander Tryst cleared his throat, his face darkening to a deep shade of red. "Minister Chao, did you forget that I also come from a commoner background? Yet here I am at this table after thirty years on the battlefield."

The sickly man's demeanor faltered for a brief moment before he shut his mouth. Despite his status as the King's proxy, it seemed he wasn't eager to burn bridges.

"Regardless of his status, he is absolutely right," Hayden said, steering the conversation back. "The Empire will likely choose a hit-and-run strategy at these points, whittling down our army before facing us on the plains."

"I agree," Commander Tryst added. "Or at least, this is what I would do if I were in their position. As long as they buy enough time, Xiu Fortress will be nigh impregnable by the time we arrive."

"What do you suggest, General Hart?" Minister Chao asked, his voice sharper now. "I need not remind you that His Majesty will not tolerate failure."

Luke felt the atmosphere intensify as Hayden's sharp eyes snapped toward the Minister. The latter shrank back slightly, as if afraid.

However, Hayden's wide smile returned a moment later, easing the tension. "You need not worry, Minister Chao. We will return Xiu Fortress to its rightful owner," he said confidently.

"Luke mentioned earlier that Pu Dong City is a ten-day march from the fortress. However, supplies transported by the adjacent river would take at most a week. Our goal should be to cut off the supply chain, forcing the fortress to survive on their food stocks."

Luke nodded. 'This guy is sharp…'

"And how would we manage that? You said their armies will be hindering us along the way," the sickly man retorted.

Luke silently praised Hayden's patience. If it were him, he might have struggled to deal with the Minister's dull and slow grasp of warfare.

"Cavalry, Minister," Hayden explained, his tone even. "There's a route through the Xia Forest within our borders that would bypass the blockade entirely. With the mobility of the horses, we should be able to reach the docks in three days."

Luke silently praised Hayden's patience, relieved that the Minister refrained from asking why the entire army couldn't take the same route. That level of ignorance might have tested even his patience.

"I see. So who will lead this expedition?" the Minister probed.

The room grew still, the air heavy with anticipation. All eyes turned to Hayden, waiting for his answer. Luke, however, felt a creeping dread settle in, his instincts screaming at him.

'Surely he won't pick me, right?' Luke thought, trying to steady his nerves.

Hayden smiled, his gaze locking onto Luke. That wide grin only made Luke's unease worse.

"Of course, it should be Kayson Diego and Luke Drakon who will lead," Hayden declared.

Luke's mind went blank. His name echoed in his head like a death knell. Beside him, Kayson stiffened, but a quick nudge brought Luke out of his spiraling despair.

"Thank you for your considerations, General." Both Luke and Kayson cupped their fists and bowed, their voices steady despite the turmoil within.

"What?! Two students will lead such an important expedition? Surely you jest, General Hart!" Minister Chao's voice rose in protest, his tone shrill and incredulous.

'Yes! Listen to the King's proxy!' Luke shouted inwardly, though he kept his face composed.

"Minister Chao…" Hayden's voice dropped, his tone icy and sharp. His carefree demeanor vanished, replaced by an aura so menacing that the room seemed to shrink under the weight of it. The shift was palpable, sending a shiver down Luke's spine.

Luke paled, his body instinctively reacting to the overwhelming pressure emanating from Hayden.

"His Majesty tasked me with reclaiming Xiu Fortress," Hayden continued, his voice a cold blade. "Did he, perhaps, instruct you on the exact method of achieving this? Or are you overstepping your authority by questioning mine?"

The words were precise, respectful on the surface but laced with venom.

Luke hadn't thought it possible, but the sickly Minister's face paled even further, resembling a ghost as he sat in silence, contemplating his response.

"You are right, General," Minister Chao finally relented, his voice weak. "As long as the mission is a success, His Majesty will be pleased."

At this, Hayden's usual carefree smile returned, dispelling the oppressive atmosphere. "Great! Then it shall be as I said. Luke Drakon and Kayson Diego will lead the five hundred cavalry units to the port and destroy it."

"Yes, General," Luke and Kayson responded in unison, their voices steady despite the weight of the task.

"Masters," Hayden turned to the senior commanders, his tone lighter but still carrying authority. "Do you believe they are up to the task?"

Both Master Boyd and Master Gale nodded in agreement, their expressions resolute.

"Excellent." Hayden clapped his hands together. "Now, as for the main army, this is our plan of action."

Over an hour later, the meeting finally ended. In addition to Luke and Kayson's pivotal roles, Arthur and Brian were also assigned positions within the army, though their roles were less significant in comparison.

They were to set off at dawn—Luke and Kayson heading north, while Arthur and Brian marched east through foreign territory. The group walked back to their dormitories in heavy silence, weighed down by the enormity of their assignments.

Luke, however, was inwardly spiraling. I've never ridden a horse before… The thought sent waves of panic through him. Just recalling the three-day carriage ride from Valan City to Clayton City made his lower back ache uncomfortably.

Still, he consoled himself. He had read extensively about farming and knew the theories behind riding, breeding, and treating horses. But theory was far from practice, and he had no time to prepare before being forced to endure three full days on horseback.

Lost in thought, Luke barely noticed when they arrived at the door to their living quarters. Shaking himself free of his worries, he turned to see Kayson, Arthur, and Brian, all looking just as anxious as he felt.

Pushing his own fears aside, he addressed them. "Guys, do you remember our pact? We promised to return from this campaign alive and victorious so we could drink together again."

His words were steady, but they lacked the fiery enthusiasm of the original declaration.

"Aye, we remember," Brian replied, his massive frame hunched slightly.

"I wouldn't mind getting drunk right now if I'm honest," Arthur said with a hollow chuckle.

Kayson managed a laugh. "When we return, I'll bring us wine from my father's estate. I refuse to drink that horse piss again."

"As long as you're paying," Luke said with a faint smile.

The four fell silent again, but this time, there was a grim determination in their eyes. They were young and full of promise, yet this would be their first test on the battlefield—a test that could break them.

Luke suddenly raised his arm and placed it in the center of the group. The others looked at him quizzically.

"What are you doing?" Kayson asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Put your arm in," Luke urged.

Reluctantly, the others complied, their right arms touching in the middle.

"After I count to three, we'll all shout Victory, okay?"

"Huh? Why?"

"This seems stupid."

"Just do it, damn it!" Luke snapped, his patience wearing thin.

"Fine, fine."

"1, 2, 3…"

"VICTORY!"

Luke's shout rang loud and clear, but the others barely mumbled the word. The contrast left Luke's face burning with embarrassment.

"Oi, you bastards, let's do it again," he demanded.

"No way, that was far too embarrassing," Kayson said, waving him off.

"I can't even look at you the same now," Brian added, shaking his head.

They all laughed, the tension breaking at last. The camaraderie they shared eased the weight of their fears, if only for a moment.

With that, they parted ways, each returning to their rooms to rest before the journey that awaited them the next morning.