The Commander slowly opened his eyes.0

This was a sacred ceremony, a blood offering to the late emperor. No one was permitted to disturb it. And yet, someone had arrived to disrupt this solemn ritual. He was able to sense it even without venturing up to the first basement floor.0

"Who dares..." he muttered, his voice heavy with malice.0

He picked up the staff resting by his side and turned toward the thick iron door. It was a double-layered barrier that, to the untrained eye, appeared plain. But it served a deadly purpose—at the first sign of intruders, the magic woven into the door would activate, shattering it into lethal fragments that would tear any foolish intruder to shreds.0

"Incompetent fools," he growled.0

The first basement floor was laced with traps and guarded by knights of at least the 5-Star level. The very fact that someone had reached this depth meant every defensive measure had been breached. Their hideout had been compromised. The Commander wondered who could be responsible.0

To break through so swiftly would require at least two full Imperial Guard squads. Considering the overwhelming speed of the breach, it seemed likely that a guard commander-level warrior had personally intervened.0

"I suppose the mission at the Academy failed," the Commander said to himself. He thought there could be no other explanation. And that idiot Bail had no doubt spilled everything under...0