The forest was alive with tension. Dawn's first light struggled through the thick canopy, casting mottled shadows that danced across the undergrowth. The smell of smoke and iron lingered from yesterday's assault, and the distant sound of movement told us that the stronghold was aware of our presence.
I crouched on a moss-covered rock, observing the approach of the reinforcements through a shimmering mana lens. Thirty cultivators were moving toward our temporary base: fifteen True Spirit Realm, ten Mystic Realm, and five Purple Blood Realm fighters. Their formation was tight, disciplined, and deadly. They thought they could intercept us before we struck the main stronghold.
Alex whispered beside me, his eyes narrowed. "They're trying to draw us out. If we engage now, it'll be messy."
I nodded, feeling the familiar coil of dual-path mana in my veins. "Messy is fine. We finish this fast, or we lose the element of surprise for the stronghold."
I signaled the squad. "Positions!"
The twenty-eight soldiers moved with the precision of shadows, taking strategic vantage points behind trees, rocks, and talisman wards. Eight heavy talismans hovered above the front line, ready to disrupt enemy mana flows.
The reinforcements appeared on a ridge, unaware that the forest itself had become our weapon. The first wave, a group of ten True Spirit Realm cultivators, advanced cautiously. I let my gaze linger on them, analyzing weaknesses, anticipating movements.
"Now!" I commanded.
The ambush erupted. Ethereal threads of mana surged through the forest as talismans ignited, releasing blinding bursts of light and concussive force. Arrows laced with sedative toxins struck from hidden angles, felling enemies before they could react.
I leapt from the rock, dual-path mana flaring, and struck the first True Spirit cultivator. My hand met his chest, a shockwave of qi and mana sending him crashing into a tree. Two Mystic Realm fighters tried to flank me, but Alex intercepted them in a blur of movement, his mana slicing through the air like a living blade.
The rest of the squad moved seamlessly, herding enemies into pre-set traps — concealed pits lined with sharpened stakes and explosive runes. Ten soldiers coordinated the traps while others suppressed the frontline.
A Mystic Realm cultivator hurled a fireball; I absorbed its force with my dual-path barrier, the air around me vibrating from the impact. Flames roared toward our men, but Alex redirected the energy with a precise counterspell, saving three soldiers from severe burns.
The battle intensified as more cultivators joined, thirty in total now. The clash of mana, steel, and talismans filled the forest with sparks and echoes. My body moved instinctively, striking, deflecting, and countering, while Alex carved a path through the enemy ranks.
Even so, the fight came at a cost. Five soldiers were heavily injured — two from direct mana strikes, three from physical blows — and three sustained mild wounds. Despite their injuries, they continued to fight, their resolve unbroken.
I shouted commands through the mental link, weaving the squad like threads of steel:
"Alpha team, secure left flank! Beta, push forward through the creek! Charlie, suppress archers on the ridge!"
The enemy struggled under our coordinated assault. Mystic Realm cultivators fell one by one, True Spirit Realm fighters were subdued, and the Purple Blood Realm cultivators realized too late that they were outmatched by strategy and coordination.
Finally, after what felt like hours compressed into minutes, the last wave of reinforcements collapsed. The forest fell silent except for the labored breathing of my squad and the faint rustle of leaves.
I exhaled, checking the squad. The wounded were being treated with healing talismans and medicinal pills, their groans muted by the forest. The men were exhausted but alive, their faces streaked with sweat, dirt, and faint blood.
Alex approached, holding several scrolls and maps looted from the defeated cultivators. "Stronghold defenses are tighter than expected," he said, his voice calm despite the chaos. "Sacred Lord and peak Cosmos Lord are here, and they've fortified the inner valley. We'll need precision and power for the next stage."
I knelt, examining the maps under the morning light. The stronghold's layout was labyrinthine — multiple gates, trap zones, and hidden vantage points. Every path was guarded by layers of cultivators, each strategically positioned to maximize defense.
My gaze shifted to the squad. Despite fatigue, they were alert, ready. Their trust in us, in each other, had solidified through this battle. They had survived the first waves without our direct intervention, proving their growing strength.
Alex stepped beside me, placing a hand on my shoulder. "We've shown them what we're capable of. Now we prepare for the heart of the storm."
I nodded, letting the weight of leadership settle over me. The Redstone Forest had tested us, and we had emerged victorious, but the true challenge awaited at the stronghold.
The mist rolled across the forest floor, curling around trees like living serpents. Somewhere deep within that haze, the Sacred Lord waited. The peak Cosmos Lord awaited. And the main stronghold loomed — a fortress of blood, strategy, and death.
Tomorrow, we would strike.
And we would show them the Vardar brothers do not tread lightly.