The Vermilion Bird Empire descended into chaos as large armies amassed along their border, pressing them on all sides. It felt as if eight sharp blades were pointed at their gates, a signal that war was about to break out.

For the commoners of the Vermilion Bird Empire, who had not experienced any war in hundreds of thousands of years, this was utterly terrifying.

As fear gripped them, countless people began to flee the cities, and all kinds of wild rumors were flying about. Some cunning propagandists, taking advantage of the situation, deliberately stoked the waves of hearsay, ensuring that these alarming tales spread far and wide.

The rumors ran rampant, claiming that war had already started and that the empire’s army lay in ruins. Some even said that the capital would quickly become a sea of...