Meanwhile, Joshua, Olivia, Logan, Joe, Emma, and several of the Godmother’s mercenaries finally reached the meeting place.
Unfortunately…
They were too late.
The battle had already begun.
Gunfire echoed through the forest as the Godmother and her people took cover behind trees and overturned cargo crates.
They had come expecting a peaceful business meeting, not a full-scale ambush.
Many of them weren’t even carrying weapons.
They were badly outnumbered.
“We need cover!” Joe shouted.
His eyes scanned the battlefield before settling on the jeep.
“I’ve got an idea!”
Without waiting for permission, Joe climbed into the driver’s seat.
“What are you doing?” Logan yelled.
“If we leave the jeep where it is, they’ll destroy it anyway!”
The others quickly unloaded the medical supplies and equipment while Joe slammed the accelerator.
The jeep roared forward before crashing sideways between two large trees.
The vehicle became a solid wall of steel, giving everyone much-needed cover from the incoming gunfire.
“Move!” Joshua shouted.
The Godmother’s mercenaries quickly rushed behind the jeep.
For the first time since the battle had begun…
They finally had a chance to fight back.
Olivia immediately went to work.
She stayed behind the front lines, treating the wounded as quickly as she could.
“Bring him over here!”
Another injured mercenary was carried up the hillside.
Joshua stood guard beside her, firing at anyone who got too close.
Emma, despite rarely seeing combat, helped carry the wounded to safety.
It was the first time she had ever seen so much blood.
Her hands trembled, but she refused to stop helping.
Joe returned to the battle after positioning the jeep.
Unlike Levi, Joe preferred overwhelming strength.
His large frame made him difficult to move, allowing him to push forward while the others covered him.
Little by little…
The battle began to turn.
Working together, they slowly forced the enemy backward.
When the final merchant fell…
Silence returned to the forest.
They had won.
But victory came at a heavy cost.
Nearly half of the Godmother’s mercenaries had died.
Olivia had saved many lives that night, but even she couldn’t save everyone.
Some wounds were simply too severe.
The survivors quietly gathered the bodies of their fallen friends.
No one celebrated.
Not after losing so many people.
By sunrise, both groups had returned to the headquarters.
The wounded received proper treatment while the dead were carefully prepared for burial. This chapter was taken from g.com without permission.
The entire headquarters felt different.
The laughter that once filled the halls had disappeared.
Even the servants spoke in whispers.
The weight of loss hung over everyone.
Several days later, the Godmother held a memorial service.
Every member of the Black Ravens attended.
Levi stood near the back of the crowd.
He remained silent throughout the ceremony.
The Godmother did the same.
Although she spoke with strength…
Levi could see the pain hidden behind her eyes.
After the memorial, she disappeared into her office.
The following day, she declared war on the merchant organization responsible for the attack.
This time…
She wasn’t fighting to defend herself.
She was fighting for revenge.
Using the Black Ravens’ remaining forces, she hunted down every mercenary involved.
One by one…
Their strongholds fell.
By the end of the campaign, the merchant group had been completely destroyed.
The Godmother had not only avenged her people…
She had become one of the strongest mercenary leaders in the Dryland.
Levi chose not to join the campaign.
His body had finally reached its limit.
The Godmother ordered him to stay behind and rest.
For nearly an entire day…
Levi slept.
When he finally woke up, he felt better than he had in weeks.
As he stretched, something suddenly crossed his mind.
His father’s gifts.
And the mysterious chest.
He remembered the old woman’s final words.
“You should open the chest. You never know what might be valuable inside.”
Levi carried the chest into his room.
His father had been one of the greatest artifact makers in the Dryland.
Each year, he had left Levi another gift.
Some were rings.
Others were bracelets, necklaces, earrings, or hair accessories.
Each one had been crafted from rare monster cores and possessed unique abilities.
There were twenty artifacts in total.
Levi carefully placed each one across the table.
The room shimmered with brilliant colors as jewels reflected the afternoon sunlight.
Every piece was beautiful.
Others seemed almost alive.
Levi smiled.
“My old man really knew how to make beautiful things.”
He decided to split most of the artifacts between himself and his sisters.
As he sorted through them…
One necklace caught his attention.
Unlike the others, it was breathtaking.
A golden chain surrounded a deep ruby-red crystal that seemed to glow from within.
It was unlike anything he had ever seen.
He picked it up carefully.
The jewel sparkled brilliantly.
Levi found himself staring into its reflection.
It was almost hypnotic.
As he turned it over in his hands…
A sharp sting shot through his finger.
“Ow…”
A single drop of blood landed on the ruby.
Levi quickly looked around the necklace.
“There isn’t anything sharp…”
Confused, he wrapped his finger with a cloth.
When he looked back…
The blood had completely disappeared.
As though the necklace had absorbed it.
Levi frowned.
“That’s… strange.”
Almost immediately…
An overwhelming wave of exhaustion crashed over him.
His eyelids became heavy.
He tried to fight it.
But he couldn’t.
“It must be because I’m still tired…”
He carefully placed the necklace around his neck before lying down.
Within seconds…
He was asleep.
Deep in the silence of the night…
The ruby began to glow.
A soft crimson light filled the room.
The glow became brighter…
And brighter…
Until the entire room shimmered like a sky filled with stars.
Unaware of what was happening…
Levi continued sleeping peacefully.
He had no idea…
That with a single drop of blood…
His life had just changed forever.