THE SYSTEM IS NOT MINE

The capital of Noir, Ebonreach, was a fortress of black stone. It was surrounded by massive black walls, and the main gate bore the Leaf symbol.

Soldiers stood atop the walls. Beside some of them, giant flags bearing the Leaf insignia fluttered in the wind.

A soldier on the wall noticed a shadow pass over him, he looked up.

An arm-sized black bird with three long tails flew overhead, each tail ending in a golden orb. It flew over rooftops,When it reached the castle... it circled around and then glanced at the top.

It immediately flew up vertically along the walls of the castle, dashed through the clouds and vanished.

Then it reappeared above the clouds.

In front of it lay a giant black leaf. It glanced down toward the city walls of the city which looked three times smaller.

Then it opened its mouth and cried out.

Wind waves formed within its mouth and shot downwards. These moved towards a tiny wooden house.

When the wind arrived at the wooden house, a white colored bird sitting on the top of the house opened its mouth and screamed back.

Another set of wind waves formed and met with the incoming waves.

A windstorm spread around.

Instinctively, Chen Yu, who was beside the house, ducked.

"Don't worry, nothing is going to happen"

Chen Yu still glanced at the speaker, Luma stood there as the wind from the storm met him.

But it did not do any damage except quite the breeze

And when Chen Yu looked up at the house, he saw the white bird, it closed its eyes.

"It's just his majesty's pets playing around" Luma said.

Chen Yu looked at them, "They don't look ordinary"

"They are not, they are spiritual beasts" Luma said..

Chen Yu wanted to ask about them, but again when he looked up at the white bird, he trembled a little and did not ask further.

Then Commander Luma led the way as Chen Yu continued to follow behind while secretly watching the white bird as it faded away from the view.

Soon they halted.

They entered the courtyard of a sprawling private residence made of white marble, the home Han Defu maintained for his stays in the capital.

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Luma pushed open a heavy wooden door and gestured for Chen Yu to enter. “Lord Han Defu is waiting for you inside"

The room was dominated by a long table buried under maps and scrolls, Han Defu stood opposite to the table.

When Chen Yu entered the room, He glared at Chen Yu with red eyes.

The silence stretched, thick and suffocating, until the noble finally lifted his eyes.

“You disappointed me,” Han Defu said. The words were quiet, but they carried the edge of a sharpened blade.

Chen Yu remained perfectly still.

Han Defu’s palm struck the table, “I gave you the command of my troops! I gave you my banner, hoping you would bring it back in glory!” He stepped around the table, his face flushed with a cold, vibrating rage. “And what did you bring me instead? Dead men. You lost nearly my entire private army, Chen Yu.”

Chen Yu lowered his head, his voice tight. “I am sorry"

“Sorry?” Han Defu snorted. “If the Royal Prince hadn't recalled me to the capital, I would be back on that field right now, salvaging the wreckage you left behind.” He leaned forward, his eyes narrowing. “You know the war ended in a truce, do you have any idea why?”

“The Berserkers?” Chen Yu ventured.

“No, those small fries were not worth his majesty to stop the war,” Han Defu spat. He began to pace, his boots clicking rhythmically. “It started the day you burned the enemy supply convoy. That was a good stroke. It forced the Shin army to scramble for new supplies. But that damn Merchant intervened"

Chen Yu frowned. “The merchant?”

“That damned merchant,” Han Defu laughed, a bitter, jagged sound. “He didn't just intercept the replacement convoy sent by Shin, he bought it. He offered the Shin soldiers a fortune in gold. The first traitors killed their own officers and sold the grain to him on the spot"

"He took it all"

The room went quiet. Chen Yu watched the noble, trying to piece together the map. “If the Shin army had no food, it was our victory, why would our King accept a truce instead of a surrender?”

“Because of Chu Feng’s second act,” Han Defu said, walking to the window to stare out at the city. “He didn't just hoard the grain, he distributed it for free. He fed the villages, the commoners, the very people our war was crushing"

"Then they started calling him a hero and a saint.”

"And one day, he declared to unite against the Royal army to stop the war"

Han Defu turned back, his expression twisted with contempt. “Then the protests started, crowds in our own streets demanding the war to stop, city by city, the protests grew"

"The King had no choice, he signed the truce to keep his own throne from shaking.”

The noble walked back to the table, his gaze returning to Chen Yu. “And then there’s you.”

“I am not capable, I don’t want the command,” Chen Yu said suddenly, the words hanging heavy in the air. “Give the position back to Luma. I’m a soldier, not a commander”

Han Defu sighed heavily, a sound of genuine exhaustion. “It’s too late for that. You don’t know what they call you out there, do you? The Saviour of the Kingdom. The man whose daring raid forced the truce. Your reputation is no longer yours to give away.”

He leaned in, his voice dropping to a whisper. “And today, it wasn't even me who summoned you. It was the Royal Prince himself, and if I strip you of your rank now, my own reputation collapses with yours. You will remain Commander because the politics demand a hero.”

Han Defu gestured dismissively toward the door. “Luma and the veterans stay here in Ebonreach. You will take what's left of the army and continue to hold the line.”

Chen Yu bowed, his heart heavy with a rank that felt more like a shackle than an honour.

"You are dismissed. Make sure to live up to your reputation next time", Han Defu said.

As soon as he was ordered to leave, Chen Yu stepped out.

As the door clicked shut, Han Defu stood alone by the maps. Outside, the capital continued its restless, plotting movement.

Far to the west, Yan was already a speck on the long road to Trade Miller City, his boots kicking up the dust of a world that was being reshaped by silver and grain. And somewhere in the dark spaces between kingdoms, Chu Feng was already reaching for his next piece.