Enraged by this, Grand Emperor Herbio planned a surprise nighttime assault on Long Yan's Duchies.
That fateful night, the attack commenced. Long Yan and her allies were alerted, and Duke Vekem immediately ordered his butler to dispatch his knights. The knights defended the realms while the cavalry and infantry forces launched a counteroffensive.
Long Yan seized a sword hanging on the wall and rushed to the top of the fortress. From there, she saw Grand Emperor Herbio leading the attack. At that moment, the lavaliere appeared around her neck and glowed. Channeling its mana, she summoned the Dragon Knights and the Dragon Queen.
Mounting the Dragon Queen, she descended into battle, slicing through enemy knights and barbarians as she fought her way toward Emperor Herbio.
Meanwhile, Duke Vekem also joined the fray, engaging the enemy forces. However, a group of priests suddenly surrounded him, forming a massive sacred pentagon. The High Priest emerged and began chanting, transforming the pentagon into a dark, ominous one. From its lines, undead warriors rose and attacked him with barbaric weapons.
The Grand Emperor proved to be a formidable opponent. Though Long Yan and the dragons relentlessly assaulted him, his immense sorcery made him nearly invincible. The battlefield was chaotic. Maroon, unable to intervene, watched helplessly from a distance. She muttered, "This is the War of Reincarnators… A war for the Dragon's Precious."
Amidst the chaos, Long Yan's eyes fell upon Duke Vekem. Exhausted and defenseless, he collapsed. The High Priest struck him down with his own hands. Maroon, witnessing the tragedy, rushed forward impulsively. But Long Yan was too occupied battling the Grand Emperor to help. Enraged by Vekem's death, she slashed her sword with unmatched fury, cutting deep into the Grand Emperor's abdomen. Without hesitation, she turned her bloodied blade on the High Priest, severing his head in one swift stroke.
The remaining mages, furious at the priest's death, began chanting powerful spells. Before they could unleash their magic, the dragons merged into a bio-elemental force, conjuring a dark portal to the underworld. The portal's pull was immense, sucking in everything around it, including the mages. Despite their desperate attempts to escape using mana, they were ultimately dragged into the abyss, and the portal sealed shut.
Maroon rushed toward Duke Vekem and anxiously asked if he was alright. Long Yan grasped his lifeless hand, grief washing over her face. Shaking her head in despair, she silently conveyed the inevitable. Overcome with sorrow, she wept.