The Broken Halo

Korran’s final words settled over the hall.

Some recruits looked around with uneasy expressions. Others straightened in their seats, their eyes bright with excitement rather than fear.

Simon and Akaza’s expressions remained indifferent while Sonya cracked her knuckles with a smile.

Korran allowed the silence to last for a few breaths before continuing.

”The assignment will not begin today.”

A few shoulders relaxed.

”In four days, a military convoy will enter Velmora through the southern road. It will remain inside the city for one night to replace its beasts, inspect its cargo, and gather additional guards.”

Korran turned slightly and pointed toward the large map behind him.

A red line appeared near the bottom of the map. It moved north through Velmora, left the city through the northern gate, then continued across the region controlled by the city.

”The convoy will leave Velmora the following morning. Its destination is the rift site.”

The turning red crack beside the map flashed once.

”The journey will take three days if there are no delays, but there would be delays.”

A few recruits exchanged glances.

Korran tapped one point along the route.

”The northern road passes through cracked ground left behind by old underground fires. Some sections collapse without warning. Beyond that is a flooded basin where poisonous mist gathers after sunset.”

His finger moved farther.

”The final stretch cuts through a forest occupied by demonic beasts. Most are Dread Beasts, but you might encounter Calamity Beasts if you’re unfortunate. Some hunt in packs, and the scent of the materials inside the convoy may draw the Calamity Beasts from deeper within the region.”

The expressions of many changed at Korran’s words.

A Calamity Beast... some had never encountered one in their lives, especially the Fiends.

”The convoy is carrying spatial materials, stabilisation cores, formation resources, medicine, and other supplies required to hasten the opening of the rift,” Korran said.

Simon’s eyes narrowed slightly.

’Spatial materials.’

’Stabilisation cores.’

The phrase from the Crownless Dawn letter returned to him immediately.

’These are the materials the eastern faction has been waiting for.’

Now, Black Horn was placing them inside one convoy and announcing its movement to hundreds of recruits.

Simon’s eyes flashed with a calculating glint as he looked at Korran.

’A move by Korran to lure out the rebels?’

Korran continued speaking.

”Officially, this assignment is a live combat assessment. It will test your discipline, your ability to protect moving targets, and how well different cores cooperate outside your comfort zones and controlled grounds.”

A faint smile appeared on the face of one of the Black Horn officials behind him.

”It will also provide the convoy with additional protection against Black Banner and any other force foolish enough to attack it.”

Simon looked at Korran.

The Vice Commander’s expression had not changed, but the purpose was obvious.

Black Horn had spent the last two days raiding known rebel contacts, hanging bodies, and closing their routes. Any surviving cells would become desperate to prove they were still useful, would want revenge, or would want to strike back.

And if the convoy truly carried what the eastern faction needed, they could not simply ignore it.

Korran’s plan was not only for them to guard the cargo. He was also throwing meat into the waters and waiting to see what rose to bite it.

The other recruits did not appear to come to this realization. Most were focused on the promised resources of being a recruit or the danger of the journey.

”You will not all be joining the convoy,” Korran said.

That caused a louder reaction.

Seven hundred and eighty-six recruits filled the hall. Sending all of them would turn the assessment into a small army movement and make it difficult to judge anyone properly.

”We require one hundred and forty recruits,” Korran continued. ”The rest will remain in Velmora and begin their normal campaign training.”

The sections on the floor glowed faintly.

”For the next three days, you will be trained and tested according to your divisions. Assault candidates will be judged on combat strength, endurance, and their ability to follow formation changes. Defence will be trained and tested on holding ground and protecting assigned targets.”

His gaze moved toward the reconnaissance and support sections.

”Reconnaissance candidates will be trained and tested on tracking, concealment, distance judgement, and communication. Support candidates will be trained and tested according to their duties.”

A demon near the front raised his hand.

Korran looked at him.

”Will the recruits who fail be removed from the Earth campaign?”

”No,” Korran answered. ”Failing this selection only removes you from the convoy assignment. Your place in the campaign remains unless you give us another reason to take it away.”

The tension in the hall immediately eased.

”However,” Korran added, ”some of you will not participate in the tests.”

Before anyone could ask why, several War Tags began to glow.

A crimson light spread across Simon’s chest.

He lowered his gaze.

His tag had awakened on its own, and the metal became slightly warm. The same light came from Sonya and Akaza beside him.

Across the hall, other tags also glowed crimson. Ammor’s was among them. So was Virella’s, Rovan’s, and those belonging to several recruits Simon recognised and did not recognise.

”If your War Tag is glowing,” Korran said, ”your place in the convoy has already been confirmed. Your performance during the recruitment tests, or your previous service, or your ability has made further testing unnecessary.”

Sonya leaned back with a pleased smile.

”As expected. This Honourable deserves special treatment.”

Akaza glanced at her.

”Or maybe they chose you so that you won’t cause chaos and destroy things during the training and tests.”

Sonya’s lips could not help but twitch.

Simon ignored them and studied the map.

Korran’s plan was sensible, but there was something else.

The route shown behind him ended at the marked rift site. Yet the line avoided the shortest northern approach and curved toward a stretch of empty hills before reaching it.

’A trap, perhaps?’

Simon could not be certain, but he doubted Korran would place valuable cargo in the open without preparing more than mere recruits who were exposed.

What none of the recruits knew was that the convoy would not reach the true rift site during this assignment.

Its first destination was a false camp built among those empty hills. The camp carried a copied spatial disturbance strong enough to resemble work being done on the rift, while hidden Black Horn units waited beneath and around the surrounding ground.

The route was real, but the destination was false.

Korran let the crimson light on the selected tags fade.

”Those already chosen will spend the next three days training with their cores. The rest of you will receive your test and training schedules before leaving this hall.”

He paused and looked over the recruits once more.

”As for the rewards...”

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I’m currently doing a super gift exchange.

A magic castle is for a bonus Chapter. A spacecraft is for two bonus Chapter. A golden gachapon is for three bonus Chapters