Void Vanguard

The Kagu family, one of the East's mightiest pillars, struggled to maintain its hold over the northern front. With their matriarch, Selene Kagu, locked in a deadly battle against the Red Chalice Cult Leader, the responsibility of leading the family had fallen to Kem Kagu, Ren's father. Yet even his leadership was strained, as the vampires and cultists continued their relentless assault.

In the war room, Kem stood rigid, his hands clasped behind his back as he glared at the holographic displays. Each flickering image told the same grim tale—another loss, another step back. His jaw tightened as he observed the markers indicating yet another wiped-out troop of the Void Vanguard, the Kagu family's elite forces.

"Selene is locked in combat, and we are expected to hold this front as if nothing has changed," Kem growled, his voice tinged with frustration. "It's madness."

Ren Kagu stood a few paces behind his father, his God's Eyes glowing faintly as they absorbed the unfolding scene. He could see the fatigue etched into Kem's face, though his father would never admit to it. His eyes flicked downward to the side of Kem's torso, where the unhealed wound inflicted by Cassius von Noctis still lingered—a brutal testament to the vampire prince's monstrous power. Despite all their best attempts, the injury resisted even the most potent healing magic.

The room's tense silence was broken by Ren's great-aunt, an Immortal-ranker herself, who spoke with a calm that belied the dire circumstances. "We cannot retreat forever, Kem. Selene will prevail. That child is strong. Once her battle is over, the tide will turn."

Kem slammed his fist against the edge of the table, the holograms flickering briefly from the impact. "You think I'm not aware of that? But the vampires don't wait! Cassius himself is out there, tearing through our forces. Even if Selene wins, what will be left of our family by then?"

Ren's gaze drifted to his father's wound again before returning to the holograms. He spoke quietly but with a tone that carried weight. "We're losing ground every day. Waiting for Aunt Selene isn't a strategy—it's surrender."

Kem turned sharply toward his son, his dark eyes flashing. "And what would you have us do, Ren? March our weakened forces straight into the jaws of the enemy?"

"Yes," Ren said, his God's Eyes glowing brighter as he stepped forward. "That's exactly what we need to do."

Kem's brows furrowed, his voice low and dangerous. "Don't be reckless, boy."

"I'm not being reckless," Ren countered, his voice steady. "I'm being realistic. We can't keep retreating. Every step back gives them more ground, more resources, and more confidence. If we don't act now, we'll lose the north entirely."

The Immortal-ranked great-aunt nodded slowly, her gaze thoughtful. "He's not wrong, Kem. The longer we delay, the stronger their foothold becomes."

Kem's jaw clenched, his frustration evident. "And what would you suggest, Ren? That we throw our forces into a hopeless assault?"

"Not hopeless," Ren said. "Targeted. Cassius is their linchpin here. He's the one tearing us apart. If we can draw him out and take him down, the rest will crumble."

Kem snorted, though the doubt in his eyes betrayed his hesitation. "And who do you propose will fight him? You?"

"If it comes to that," Ren said, his gaze unwavering. "I'll face him."

The room fell silent, the weight of Ren's words sinking in. His God's Eyes gleamed with determination, the faint glow casting an almost ethereal light across his face. He wasn't suggesting a suicide mission—he was declaring his resolve.

Kem let out a long breath, his shoulders slumping slightly. "You're too much like your aunt," he muttered. Then, after a moment, he straightened, his voice regaining its edge. "Fine. We move. But don't think for a second that this will be easy."

"It won't be," Ren agreed. "But it's better than sitting here and waiting to die."

Orders were given, and the room came alive with activity. The Kagu family forces began to mobilize, shifting from their defensive positions to prepare for a bold assault on the enemy's northern citadel. Ren stood beside his father, his God's Eyes already scanning the horizon, calculating the risks and possibilities.

As the troops marched toward their uncertain future, the first rays of dawn broke over the battlefield. For the Kagu family, the fight was far from over. But for the first time in weeks, there was a glimmer of hope—a chance to reclaim the north and turn the tide of war.

The Void Vanguard, the pride of the Kagu family, assembled with a grim efficiency that sent shivers down Ren's spine. They were the elite among elites, a force comprised of warriors who had honed their strength to the razor's edge. High Integration-rankers and above made up their ranks, each member an indomitable pillar in their own right. For Ren, it was both awe-inspiring and intimidating.

He swallowed hard, trying to suppress the flutter of nerves in his chest. He had fought and won against opponents stronger than himself before, but standing here, amidst a force that dwarfed him in sheer mana rank, he felt the weight of his relative inexperience. In real combat, his techniques and Gifts might give him an edge over some of these warriors, but in terms of raw mana rank and battlefield-tested resilience, he was outmatched by nearly all of them.

The East, the bastion of humanity's strength, boasted nearly forty Immortal-rankers in total. Ten of them belonged to the Kagu family alone, a testament to its unparalleled might. Their forces were rivaled only by the Mount Hua sect, which also fielded ten Immortal-rankers. The remaining eighteen were divided among the four other great families and the two powerful sects of the East.

Of these Immortal-rankers, all but one had been deployed to the warfront, the solitary exception tasked with safeguarding the family's ancestral home. Now, as the war drums sounded, seven Immortal-rankers of the Kagu family prepared to march alongside two hundred Ascendant-rankers and thousands of high and peak Integration-rankers. It was an army so elite that even a low Radiant-ranker would hesitate to engage them, knowing that a misstep could lead to their death.

This was the power of the Kagu family, an entity that, alongside the Mount Hua sect, stood as an unyielding overlord of the East.

Ren could feel the presence of the seven Immortal-rankers like an oppressive storm cloud. Their power rippled through the air, each of them radiating an aura that resonated with the sharpness of forged steel. The Ascendant-rankers stood behind them, their focus unwavering, while the Integration-rankers formed the backbone of the formation.

"March!" The command rang out, crisp and unyielding, reverberating through the air like the tolling of a bell.

The force began to move, their footsteps creating a unified rumble that seemed to shake the very earth. Ren walked among them, his God's Eyes scanning the terrain ahead, alert to every shadow and movement. Despite his nerves, he clenched his fists, reminding himself why he was here.

This was no ordinary mission. This was a targeted strike, a calculated assault designed to crush the cultists and vampires who had taken root in the northern territories. The Void Vanguard, with its unmatched speed and precision, would spearhead the operation, relying on guerrilla tactics and overwhelming power to dismantle the enemy's forces piece by piece.

As they moved deeper into enemy territory, Ren couldn't help but notice the stark difference in their current strategy. The Kagu family had always prided itself on swift, decisive action. Now, it was more than a point of pride—it was a necessity. The war had forced even the most unshakable families to adapt, to evolve, to fight smarter.

Ren's father, Kem Kagu, led the force with an iron will, his presence a beacon for the troops. Ren followed closely behind, keeping pace with the seasoned warriors around him. His own power might not match theirs yet, but his resolve burned just as fiercely.

As the vanguard approached the first of their objectives—a critical choke point leading to the cult's supply lines—Ren could feel the tension in the air. The Immortal-rankers at the front radiated a calm confidence, their auras steady and unyielding, while the Integration-rankers behind them gripped their weapons tightly, their faces a mixture of determination and anticipation.

"Ready yourselves," Kem commanded, his voice carrying the weight of decades of experience.

The warriors snapped to attention, their weapons gleaming in the moonlight. Ren's God's Eyes flaring to life as he prepared for the battle ahead. He felt the familiar hum of energy coursing through him, his enhanced aura resonating with his weapon.

Kem stepped forward, his fist glowing with a faint light as he prepared to unleash the first movement of the Kagu family's Grade 6 art, Void Fist. The air around him shifted, charged with an almost tangible energy as the spear's aura extended outward like a rising storm.

"Follow my lead," Kem said, his voice calm but commanding.

The battle that awaited them would not be easy. But Ren knew one thing for certain—the Void Vanguard was ready. And so was he.