Pausing for a breath, Sophia continued, her voice now lower, imbued with an unsettling gravity. "Returning to the characteristic methods of a Necromancer."

  "Once they have summoned an Undead legion, they will almost certainly use them immediately to invade small, poorly defended villages and towns."

  Sophia's golden eyes swept across the group, her gaze sharp as a honed blade. "After each bloody massacre, their numbers will only increase. The fresh blood and flesh of living creatures are the finest materials for creating higher-level, more powerful Undead." She paused for a moment, as if to emphasize the importance of what she had just said. "I believe Captain Jacobs already has specific contingency plans for this worst-case scenario."

  Jacobs nodded, his face resolute. His voice was as steady as stone. "When any signs indicate the emergence of an Undead army, all related missions will be executed according to four standard steps that you have all been thoroughly trained in."

  He raised four fingers, counting each step slowly and deliberately.

  "First, accurately determine the strength and Rank of the Necromancer leading the army."

  He lowered one finger. "Second, intercept and minimize the advance of the Undead army into populated areas, ensuring the safety of innocent civilians."

  The third finger descended. "Third, fully prepare specialized magical items and dedicated equipment to effectively eliminate the Undead."

  The fourth finger slowly closed into a fist. "Finally, mobilize a sufficiently powerful military force to defeat the entire Undead army in a single decisive battle. Under no circumstances must the battle be prolonged, for every minute that passes grants the Necromancer more time to summon new Undead."

  The group listened in silence, no one daring to interrupt their captain. Jacobs continued, his unwavering gaze meeting each member's eyes. "We have already completed steps one and two. Intelligence has confirmed the location of the Necromancer's lair, and the civilians in the surrounding area have been evacuated to safety."

  He glanced at the documents in his hand before continuing, "For the next three days, I will focus on stabilizing my strength after my recent Rank advancement. During that time, everyone will proceed to gather the necessary magical items according to the detailed list I have prepared." His voice was firm, without a trace of hesitation.

  "Finally, the extermination force will consist of our twelve-person squad and one hundred and twenty regular soldiers from the neighboring districts. With this force, based on the current intelligence, I assess that it is sufficient to eliminate the Necromancer and his entire Undead army in one decisive engagement."

  Jacobs surveyed the room, his eyes scrutinizing the expressions on each member's face. "That is the complete plan for this mission. Does anyone have any questions or concerns?"

  "No, Captain!" they all replied in unison, their voices resolute and filled with determination.

  Henry clenched his fist. In three days, a true mission with the new squad would begin.

  This was the first significant step since he had acquired the Sanctuary Seal. And he wasn't just fighting for himself, but also for the woman beside him - the one who always silently supported him, and who carried within her the knowledge to potentially turn the tide of the entire battle.

  "Good. Everyone prepare for the mission." Jacobs nodded in satisfaction.

  He stood up and left the meeting room, leaving behind a noticeably lighter atmosphere. The remaining members began to disperse, taking the opportunity to get to know each other better and discuss their thoughts and concerns about the upcoming mission.

  At this moment, Melly, the youngest member of the squad, approached Sophia with eager and admiring eyes. "Sister Sophia, could you spare me a moment? I have a few questions about Necromancers and the Undead legions, things I don't quite understand yet."

  Sophia offered a gentle smile, responding to Melly's enthusiasm. "Of course, Melly. What would you like to know? I'll do my best to explain it to you."

  Torsan, another member of the squad, interjected with a curious expression, "Why didn't you just ask when the Captain was here? He probably has more detailed information."

  "The Captain is busy preparing important matters for the mission." Melly replied, her face thoughtful. "I didn't want to bother him right now."

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  Daniel chuckled softly, patting Melly's shoulder lightly. "Look at you, all grown up, kid."

  Melly turned back to Sophia, her large eyes shining with curiosity.

  "Why do Necromancers often summon Undead in desolate graveyards or dead lands, but their targets are usually the surrounding villages? Wouldn't that make it very easy for the military to detect and intervene?"

  Sophia began to explain, her voice steady and clear like a professor lecturing students.

  "That is part of the practical process of accumulating experience and enhancing their Necromancy spellcasting abilities. The more successfully a spell is cast with a high degree of complexity, the easier and more effective it becomes in subsequent castings."

  She paused briefly, then continued, her voice deepening. "Ancient texts record that some Necromancers, seeking to accelerate their training and increase their power, did not hesitate to massacre entire innocent villages, gathering over two thousand corpses in a single night and summoning an army of two thousand Undead. This is an unavoidable step for those who wish to quickly become powerful Necromancers. For them, creating a formidable Undead army is mandatory to achieve their dark goals."

  Melly swallowed hard, feeling a chill run down her spine at Sophia's grim words.

  Lumos, a quiet member of the squad, added, "But wise and cunning Necromancers will often choose war zones or isolated, remote locations to conduct their evil rituals, like the desolate graveyard in the Danit region this time. That place used to be a bandit battlefield and has been abandoned for a long time, with very few people visiting. The fact that this Necromancer was discovered so quickly… perhaps he was just incredibly unlucky or made a mistake."

  Henry crossed his arms over his chest, lost in thought. He felt an unsettling feeling, an indescribable anomaly, but he couldn't yet pinpoint exactly what it was.

  "Sister Sophia." Mia, a quick-witted and curious girl, leaned forward on the table, propping her chin on her hand, her eyes fixed on Sophia. "Have there been any truly famous Necromancers in the past who spread terror everywhere?"

  Sophia nodded slightly, then began to recount, her voice lowering, carrying a hint of gloom. "There have been many. Most of them spread disaster and death everywhere, which is why Necromancy magic is strictly forbidden in most countries around the world. The most notorious in recent times was Beleth - a terrifying Rank 6, with the moniker Necrofear, the dread of the living."

  The entire group immediately focused their attention, the atmosphere becoming more tense. Sophia continued, her eyes darkening slightly as she recalled horrific events from the past.

  "Fifteen years ago, the Birtoraz border region - the boundary between the three great powers of Zephyros, Loren, and Moduff - was a fierce battlefield, where blood flowed like rivers and corpses piled up like mountains. Beleth exploited the chaos and suffering there to summon an army of five thousand Undead."

  She paused for a moment, her gaze sweeping over everyone in the room, her voice dropping to a warning whisper. "He used that massive Undead army to raze over ten innocent villages and towns along the border. By the time the intelligence agencies of the three nations discovered his existence, Beleth possessed an army of twelve thousand Undead, many of whom were high-level Undead - a force capable of attacking any major city nearby."

  Melly's eyes widened in disbelief at what she had just heard. "Then why didn't anyone stand up to destroy him? He was clearly a massive threat to all three nations!"

  Sophia shook her head, a bitter smile fleeting across her lips. "The biggest problem lay with us humans ourselves. If one of the three nations unilaterally attacked Beleth, they would suffer devastating military losses. The other two nations could seize that opportunity to attack and invade the territory of the weakened power."

  Henry continued Sophia's explanation, his voice serious and thoughtful. "Assuming the three nations wanted to join forces to deal with Beleth… Who would command the entire operation? Who would ensure that each nation's interests were not violated after the common threat was eliminated? No one dared to fully trust their neighbors in such a large-scale military campaign."

  Daniel murmured, seemingly trying to imagine the difficult situation at the time. "Beleth possessed both terrifying power and a cunning mind. No one could reach Rank 6 and be a simpleton."

  Torsan asked eagerly, unable to hide his curiosity. "So, what was his end? Was he defeated?"

  Sophia sighed, her eyes filled with sorrow as she recalled the information she had read. "No. Beleth succeeded in establishing a peace treaty with all three nations."

  The entire group was astonished, unable to believe what they had just heard. Melly almost shouted, her voice filled with indignation. "What? Killed over seven thousand innocent people and was still forgiven?"

  Daniel speculated, trying to find a logical explanation. "He must have chosen a strategic location, standing in neutral territory, not belonging to any of the nations. If one country attacked him unilaterally without the alliance of the other two, they would immediately become the target of retaliation. By agreeing to a peace treaty, he promised not to wage war and even offered to provide support if conflicts arose between the three nations."

  Sophia nodded, confirming Daniel's conjectures. "All three nations accepted those conditions. The Birtoraz region enjoyed peace for two years after five consecutive years of war and suffering… A land of death achieved tranquility thanks to a Necromancer. The irony was profound."

  She raised her head, her eyes filled with a deep sadness. "During those two years, Beleth built a strange black tower called Death Rising. His Undead forces grew to over twenty thousand, including many exceptionally powerful individuals such as Black Curse Skeletons, Soul Crawlers, and Flesh Bursters - each possessing strength comparable to a seasoned Rank 4 adventurer."

  Sophia concluded her story, her voice even and cold like a grim prophecy. "After that, the entire Birtoraz region was shrouded in a thick fog, carrying deadly plagues. Anyone who came into contact with that fog was infected with various horrific diseases. Since then, there has been almost no news of Beleth or the Death Rising tower."