Red Wolf

In the days when Neonidas set out on his journey to the Imperial Academy, a fierce battle was raging in the north, where the last remaining monster army was clashing with the coalition forces. This army was the last one standing, but it was also been the strongest and undefeated monster army since the beginning of the war. Even now, it was still managing to push back the coalition forces. While some monsters had a humanoid appearance, the majority were vastly different from humans, and some were colossal beings, their massive bodies sweeping across the battlefield like a hurricane.

This is why the coalition forces, especially the empire, were losing human soldiers day by day. Even though they had achieved an unprecedented victory in history, it did not mean that they would win without losses. Undoubtedly, the coalition forces were now half as strong as they had been at the start of the war. This war, still a catastrophe for humanity and other species, was far from over.

But eventually, the war was nearing its end, and only one monster army remained. However, despite everything, the coalition forces were on the verge of defeat, and the soldiers had already begun to retreat in disarray. The battlefield was in chaos. Amid the fighting, a bloody struggle was unfolding between the massive monsters and the human soldiers. The ground trembled beneath the giants' feet, dust clouds and rising smoke blocked out the sun. The air was filled with the scent of burning metal and rot; the constant explosions of weapons and the roars of the monsters mingled with the screams of soldiers.

As the coalition forces began to retreat, the battlefield was transforming into a graveyard. The sharp smell of burning metal, blood, and exhaustion hung in the air. Soldiers, showing their last resistance, were getting injured with every step, becoming more isolated against the enemy. Weakened morale had completely drained their courage; while some continued to fight with weapons in hand. For most, it was only a struggle to delay their inevitable death.

The monster army was fighting for one ultimate victory, and every creature was beginning to sense the scent of triumph. Towering, terrifying figures moved forward, leaving destruction in their wake. thousands, perhaps tens of thousands , of monsters fought loudly, while the retreating coalition forces seemed to be overwhelmed by the tide. Soldiers crawling on the ground, injured and dead, were lost in the chaos. Some desperately awaited help, but no one could reach them.

A few thousands groups of soldiers, trying to defend the coalition's lines, showed their last resistance, but the monsters advancing from the scattered forests and piles of rocks behind them were quickly ending their lives. The massive, ruthless claws of the monsters shattered the flags and shields the soldiers had once carried proudly. The monsters' eyes followed every soldier on the battlefield, and fear hovered over them like a shadow.

Amid all this, there was still a glimmer of hope. Although everyone had buried that hope deep within their hearts, a few soldiers were still looking forward. Because, from far away, a name was being whispered in the wind: Princess Allea!

Just when hope seemed lost, movement appeared on the horizon. At the weak rear of the monster army, a large cavalry force was charging towards them. And at that moment, the coalition army, on the brink of losing and mostly retreating, could clearly see the giant flag waving at the front.

The flag, under the sunlight, unmistakably revealed whose army it was. The flag depicted a majestic red wolf on a white background, and the wolf's green eyes looked forward as if they were godlike. This was the banner of Princess Allea, no doubt!

"Princess Allea! The princess's army has come! The princess's army is here to help!!!"

*HURRAH!

"Do not give up, my soldiers! God is with us, and God has sent us Princess Allea, the Sword of God!!!"

"Get up, my brothers! As the sun sets, victory will be ours!"

The voices of soldiers shouting "The princess's army has arrived!" echoed across the battlefield, reigniting hope in the hearts of the coalition soldiers in dire straits. Eyes, struggling to see through the darkness, turned toward this new force, while the monsters watched in disbelief. The massive flag, with its green eyes watching the battle, drew the fearful gazes of every creature. Now, it wasn't only humans who felt fear; the monsters, too, were beginning to feel it. For a moment, it seemed as though the tide of the war was about to change.

"Forward!" commanded the leader of the fifth coalition army, his face wearing a wild smile as he gazed at Allea. The commander stood on a high hill, on his horse, his eyes shining with determination. "Today, there will only be one ruler left in this land! And that ruler will symbolize humanity's victory!"

As soon as the soldiers heard their commander's voice, they gripped their shields and spears tightly and charged forward. Each one, like a brave spirit, fearlessly moved towards the monsters. Archers quickly drew their arrows, raining death upon the monsters. Behind them, cavalrymen, armed with Princess Allea's sword, swept through the creatures like a hurricane of death.

Under Princess Allea's leadership, the coalition soldiers and her cavalry continued to advance against the monster army. With every step, the fate of the war was changing. The monsters, sensing that they were about to lose the land they once ruled with fear, fought back with one last resistance. However, the determination of the princess and the courage of her soldiers turned them into an overwhelming force.

Princess Allea, with each strike of her sword, directed it towards the monsters, her entire body trembling with the desire for victory. Every swing of her blade lit up the battlefield like a light fighting against the darkness. "This is not just our victory, it will be a victory for all humanity!" she cried out as she swung her sword once again.

The coalition soldiers behind her were kindling a new flame of resistance with every movement. As the monsters left fear and destruction in their wake, the coalition forces were growing stronger with each passing minute. "Show the target!" shouted an officer as archers pulled their arrows back and aimed at a massive monster. The arrows sped towards their target, and the creature collapsed to the ground.

The princess's cavalry literally cut down the monster army that day, and the victory cries rising from the battlefield seemed to elevate the new titles the princess had earned throughout the war.

"LONG LIVE GOD'S HOLY SWORD ALLEA! LONG LIVE THE RED PRINCESS ALLEA! LONG LIVE THE RED WOLF ALLEA...!"

Victory suddenly breathed life into the weary and wounded soldiers of the coalition. Everyone, leaving behind their shields and swords, took a moment to savor the tremendous victory they had achieved over the monsters. Princess Allea's name echoed in every village and every city, becoming a legend as her courage and leadership spread from mouth to mouth.

---

Meanwhile, Neonidas had arrived at the Imperial Academy. There was only one person who truly loved Neonidas, or rather the original Neonidas, and valued him above all else. As expected, that person was none other than Neonidas' older sister, Zalira. Unlike her brother, Zalira was a highly successful, strong, and intelligent woman. Her magical abilities were so exceptional that the late Duke Leonardo had intended for her to take his place after his death.

However, this world could be considered a matriarchal one, or rather, men had more rights, at least in certain matters. One of these rights was that the lands of a noble family would always pass to a male heir. Of course, if there were no male heirs, the inheritance could go to a woman. This is precisely why the late Duke Leonardo came up with a cruel but clever plan. As Neonidas grew older, he was clearly showing, albeit unwillingly, how worthless and unsuccessful he was.

Duke Leonardo, Neonidas's father, gradually began to despise his son. The constant failures of his son in every area were driving Duke Leonardo to madness. By the time Neonidas turned sixteen, he had made up his mind. Neonidas could never take the title of Duke. Therefore, he secretly decided to have Neonidas killed. With his death, Zalira would inherit the dukedom, and with her abilities, the dukedom would not fall.

But Zalira had learned of her father's plan, and that's why she gave up her inheritance rights and left home to become an academic. Her only reason for doing so was to save her beloved younger brother's life.

As a result, the late Duke was forced to pass the dukedom to Neonidas. However, before his death, he had tried many times to father children with other women, but all his attempts failed. The late Duke realized that this was part of a conspiracy by the other dukes, who desperately wanted Neonidas to take over the dukedom. When the late Duke Leonardo fell ill, there was a deep sense of regret and anger on his face. Yet, before his death, his last wish was for Zalira to keep the ancient ring that had been passed down through generations of the dukedom, ensuring it was not lost.

For this reason, Zalira had secretly stolen the dukedom ring and taken it with her. The original Neonidas, however, didn't make much of the news that the ring had gone missing. After all, he truly saw it as nothing more than a worthless trinket, and he wasn't even aware of its true value. That ring was undoubtedly one of the most precious items in this entire story, and the current Neonidas was determined to retrieve it at all costs....