The Sovereign System.

Luke swallowed as he began the march toward the western gate. The first unit carrying the heavy battering ram was closing in on the gate, now under assault by the enemy archers atop the wall, who sought to prevent their advance.

The sound of arrows thudding against shields and the frantic shouts of the enemy filled his ears, gnawing away at his nerves. Despite donning the Steady Heart skill, it could not completely eradicate his fear or anxiety; it merely drowned them out.

As a result, other emotions—like happiness, pleasure, or pride—were also muted, creating a cold, almost numb sensation within Luke as he marched toward the imposing thirty-foot fortress walls.

"HEAVE!"

The first unit shouted, thrusting the heavy battering ram into the damaged gate. The entire wall seemingly shuddered under the impact, eliciting signs of panic from the soldiers manning the walls.

Luke activated his Eagle Eye skill and saw the enemy scrambling atop the walls. With the threat of being breached at the western gate, more and more soldiers were funneled to the west wall to confront his army.

This was not unexpected. But with limited troops to man the walls, concentrating forces in one area would create vulnerabilities elsewhere.

Luke's eyes shifted to the south, where Deputy General Tryst waited patiently for the right moment to strike. Even from a high vantage point, his calm, unmoving figure filled Luke with confidence.

'It's about time,' Luke thought. The big man did not disappoint. Tryst raised his right arm in the air and brought it down in a swift motion, eliciting a thunderous roar from the soldiers.

The ground shook as the once-passive attackers launched a full-scale assault on the walls. Men scaled the siege ladders in droves, racing as if to see who could reach the top first.

A similar sight unfolded on the east wall, accompanied by the relentless thundering of war drums. The rhythmic beats seemed to synchronize with the army's collective heartbeat, pumping morale through their ranks and driving their spirits higher.

On the north wall, arrows and projectiles rained down, keeping the enemy soldiers at bay. But that wasn't all. Luke had ordered a psychological attack, instructing his troops to hurl insults and threats alongside their arrows, further wearing down the already stretched enemy defenders.

By now, Luke could see the utter panic and confusion atop the walls as the enemy was assaulted on all sides. The drums, the soldiers' roars, and the jeers hurled their way overwhelmed the defenders.

'Now we just need to break through,' Luke thought, his vision returning to normal. His gaze shifted to the men continuing their assault on the gate with the battering ram. Progress was evident, and it seemed that only a few more strikes would bring the gate down.

Nervous energy churned within him, but there was no turning back now—not when they were so close to victory. He turned to the soldiers behind him, scanning their faces and noting their varied expressions. The most common among them was determination.

Satisfied they would not falter, he turned to the long-faced man beside him. "Lieutenant Commander, it has been an honor to serve alongside you," he said, seemingly out of the blue.

Stoddard's expression shifted to one of shock and confusion, but a small smile crept onto his face a moment later. "I would disagree. The sooner you return to the Academy—or die a gruesome death—the sooner I will be at peace."

Luke laughed in good humor, finding the remark amusing. He had given this man and his unit a hard time, but only to ensure they would follow his commands without question. Personally, he quite liked the long-faced Lieutenant Commander.

"Well, don't get your hopes up for a good night's rest any time soon," he replied with a grin.

Before Stoddard could respond, the sound of wood splintering echoed across the battlefield. Luke's gaze snapped to the gate just as the colossal structure began to tilt and, with a thunderous crash, fell backward.

"CHARGE!" Luke unsheathed his sword and thrust it into the air, shouting at the top of his lungs.

A roar erupted behind him, carrying over the battlefield, followed swiftly by the pounding of soldiers' boots as they surged toward the toppled city gate. Those at the front held long shields, bracing themselves to meet the enemy head-on—a grim yet necessary task.

They blitzed through the gate's opening, only to be met by a group of archers standing ready. Tower shields were raised to block the first volley, but a few arrows found their marks.

Luke's stomach churned as he witnessed a young man pierced through the eye. The soldier's scream was raw and visceral, echoing across the battlefield. Though the arrow hadn't killed him instantly, he was soon trampled underfoot by the advancing troops.

With only one side of the gate pried open, Luke's soldiers were funneled into a narrow choke point. Were it not for the enemy's limited manpower behind the western gate—spread thin due to the assaults on other fronts—his troops would have been sitting ducks.

The archers managed two more volleys before panic overtook them. Dropping their bows and quivers, they turned and fled, retreating up the stairs toward the ramparts. Another triumphant roar came from the advancing soldiers, who pursued them with unrelenting ferocity.

Now inside the fortress, Luke's eyes darted around, scanning for any signs of a hidden ambush. Satisfied that the area was clear, he turned to Stoddard and issued the next set of orders.

"Send a third of the men along the ramparts toward the southern wall and leave a third here to defend. The rest will come with me to open the south gate."

"Yes, Commander."

Stoddard quickly relayed the orders to the supporting officers, and soon enough, Luke found himself with around a thousand soldiers. He turned to face them, noticing a subtle but unmistakable change in their demeanor.

If before they had feared him because of his Domineering Air skill, now their expressions held something different—respect, perhaps even trust. It was a shift he couldn't quite put into words, but he felt it nonetheless.

"Men," Luke began, his voice firm yet commanding, "keep an eye out for ambushes in the city streets. If you see any civilians, ignore them. Our goal is to open the south gate as quickly as possible to allow reinforcements. The faster we do this, the more of our brothers we save. Are you with me?!"

"YEAH!"

Luke nodded, a determined gleam in his eyes. "Forward!"

The troops encountered no resistance in the streets, a testament to how thinly the enemy forces were spread. The sound of fighting above the ramparts followed them, desperate screams and death cries echoing within the fortress walls—an unpleasant and deeply unsettling symphony.

At last, they arrived at the south gate. Waiting for them were no more than fifty enemy soldiers. Their exhaustion was palpable in their weary faces, and when they saw Luke's forces, they dropped their weapons without protest, seemingly resigned to their fate.

"Take them prisoner," Luke ordered, his tone firm but devoid of malice. He then turned his attention to the gate, inspecting its structure before tasking a group of soldiers with releasing the locks to allow their reinforcements inside.

"A hundred of you stay here. The rest of you, head to the ramparts and ambush the enemy soldiers," he commanded. "Offer them the chance to surrender if they throw down their weapons. If they don't... kill them."

His voice was steady, but a cold edge underpinned his words.

Luke watched as the soldiers carried out his orders, a storm of mixed emotions brewing within him. Giving the order to kill so readily surprised and saddened him in equal measure.

While he liked to think of himself as a pragmatic leader, the weight of human lives hanging in the balance gnawed at his conscience. Surrender was their choice, but the possibility of bloodshed still left a bitter taste in his mouth.

'Perhaps I'm overthinking it,' he thought, trying to quell his doubts.

He reasoned that securing the enemy's surrender would ultimately save more lives on both sides. One could argue it was the lesser of two evils, but the moral compromise still unsettled him.

'Maybe one day I'll look back on this and laugh at my naivety,' he mused. 'But for now, I want to hold on to a shred of my morality.'

The first gate creaked open, followed shortly by the second. A roar erupted from the Kingdom's soldiers outside, and within moments, thousands streamed into the fortress, cheering and whooping in victory.

"Commander, the forces on the south wall have surrendered," a voice called from the stairs. Relief washed over Luke at the report, and he gave a small nod before turning to the soldiers pouring in through the south gate.

"You two," he said, pointing at nearby soldiers. "Head to the east and tell the drummers to cease. Spread the word: the fortress has been breached. There's no need to continue the assault."

The pair of soldiers hesitated, glancing at each other uncertainly, before freezing as a deep voice rang out.

"Execute the Commander's orders."

The unexpected command sent a jolt through the two men, and they cupped their fists before rushing off to carry out Luke's instructions.

Luke turned toward the source of the voice and found himself face to face with the towering figure of Deputy General Tryst. The man's flat features betrayed little emotion, but Luke thought he detected the faintest hint of a smile.

"It seems I underestimated you," Tryst said, his deep voice tinged with approval as he placed a massive hand on Luke's shoulder. The sudden weight nearly made Luke cry out in surprise, but he managed to keep his composure.

"We still need to secure the surrender of the remaining forces," Luke replied respectfully, ignoring the ache in his shoulder. "But it shouldn't take long. Should we send word to the General?"

"Already done," Tryst said, removing his hand. "You've done well. Take a rest. If what you've said is true, we have a long week ahead of us."

Luke nodded, letting out a small sigh of relief. He watched as the large man strode out of the fortress, likely heading to meet with General Hart.

The battle had all but concluded, so Luke decided to deactivate the Steady Heart skill—a decision he regretted almost instantly. The overwhelming fear and anxiety he had suppressed flooded back, causing his legs to buckle. He stumbled backward, landing heavily on the ground.

"C-Commander! Are you okay?" Several soldiers called out, concern etched on their faces.

"I'm fine. It's just been a long few days," Luke replied, forcing himself to his feet. Before the siege, such a display might have elicited laughter or jeers from these men. But now, after earning their respect, their reactions were purely concerned.

While it felt good to be acknowledged, Luke couldn't relish the moment. The remnants of fear and anxiety still clung to him, making it difficult to regain his composure.

'I can't keep relying on this skill,' Luke thought.

The Steady Heart skill had proven invaluable, but he knew he needed to overcome his fears without it. 'If I'm not afraid, how can I prove courageous?' he reasoned.

What if the skill failed him at a critical moment? If fear paralyzed him, he'd be as good as dead—and worse, his failure could lead to the deaths of the soldiers under his command. The thought of losing someone like Sebastian or Kayson because he was too afraid to act was unbearable. Luke clenched his fists. He wouldn't allow that to happen.

His pounding heart gradually settled, and by the time General Hart arrived, Luke had regained his composure. The General no longer wore the serious expression he had earlier. Instead, his usual smile returned, and he waved his fan lazily as he approached.

General Hart strolled past Luke without a word, heading to the center of the fortress, where the surrendered enemy soldiers were being gathered. They numbered just over a thousand—less than half their original force before the siege.

Hayden smiled, his eyes gleaming with what looked like amusement as he took in the sight of so many prisoners. It was as if having so many lives at his mercy was a source of entertainment.