At the break of dawn, Nacho returned to the Lionheart Association with his group.

Behind him followed Will.

Judging by the smug grin on the rogue’s face, it was clear they had succeeded.

“Walker, take this kid around to familiarize him with the place.”

“Understood.”

Walker left with the curious Will in tow.

Nacho immediately sought out Leon, who at that moment was studying the map of the Empire’s five regions.

“It’s all settled,” Nacho reported. “We’ve placed Recording Stones on all the paper lanterns in the warehouse. Also, we’ve mapped out where they’ll be released during the Lantern Festival: the Imperial City, the Upper District, and the Middle District.”

“Nothing for the Lower District and the Slums?” Leon asked.

Nacho shook his head. “Those two areas are probably not worthy of special paper lanterns in the eyes of the royals.”

At this, Leon let out a derisive laugh.

Though absurd, it made perfect sense—it was the Empire, after all.

“No matter. The paper lanterns we gathered through other means should be sufficient to cover the Lower District and the Slums,” Leon said. “Now, we just need to wait for the Lantern Festival. Once our people are in place and release the paper lanterns at designated spots, we’ll expose the Empire’s ugliness to everyone.”

“There’s been no movement from Martin’s side. This suggests the Empire likely hasn’t caught wind of our plans yet,” Nacho analyzed. “For now, the biggest unknown is what cards the Empire might play if they’re driven into a corner.”

Leon had discussed this concern with his mentor before.

The possibilities included fusion beasts, dangerous creatures, and more.

It was precisely because of these possibilities that Leon had recruited three allies, including Roswitha, for this operation.

With three Dragon King-level teammates, the Lionheart Association’s chances of victory would be vastly improved.

“No worries. The Empire has their trump cards, and we have ours,” Leon said. “This battle will undoubtedly come down to a face-to-face confrontation, and everyone has mentally prepared for it.”

Nacho nodded and was about to say something when he abruptly noticed the members in the hall buzzing with excitement.

They were fervently discussing something with great enthusiasm.

Nacho blinked and asked, “What’s gotten into everyone? Too nervous to sleep?”

Leon chuckled as he glanced at their companions in the hall.

“Nervous, maybe a little. But mostly, they’re excited.”

“Excited?”

“Yes.”

The twin-tailed girl strolled over and patted Nacho’s arm. “Half an hour ago, the Captain gave everyone a pre-battle rallying speech. Wow, it seriously fired us all up.”

“Was it really that dramatic?”

Nacho, as someone of royal background, had little faith in pre-battle speeches or motivational talks.

He knew such things were essentially meant to brainwash the troops, pushing them to risk their lives without hesitation.

“Oh, absolutely,” Rebecca said. “Back in the Dragon Slayer Army, the Captain would always give us long pep talks before a battle—stuff about not being afraid, not giving in to fear, and how the only way to conquer fear is to face it, accompanied by phrases like ‘offer up your heart’ and so on.”

“Though it sounds a bit cringey, honestly, it worked wonders!”

“And this time, the speech was even better than a few years ago. After hearing him, I felt like… the Captain wasn’t just a captain anymore—he seemed like a true leader.”

After hearing Rebecca’s words, Nacho turned to look at Leon.

For a fleeting moment, Nacho thought he finally understood why he had never won in his past confrontations with Leon.

Leon, it seemed, always carried a flame within him, no matter the circumstances.

Whether in despair or in a slump, he could always find the faintest glimmer of light amidst the darkness and pursue it, unrelenting.

At the same time, he had an incredible ability to inspire others, passing on his unwavering hope to everyone who followed him.

Even someone as exalted as Roswitha, a Dragon Queen, willingly chose to stand by his side—a testament to Leon’s charisma.

Meanwhile, the Empire’s forces, though seemingly vast, were fundamentally disjointed, relying on brainwashing and coercion for motivation.

Such reliance would ultimately lead to rebellion.

In terms of winning hearts, the Empire could never surpass Leon.

“Tell everyone to rest early. Tomorrow’s the day we start setting up,” Leon said.

“Got it, Captain.”

“Nacho, you’ve done well. Get some rest too.”

“Yeah.”

Rebecca and Nacho departed, and the members of the Lionheart Association gradually dispersed, retreating to their respective quarters.

Leon, however, stayed seated at the long table in the hall, poring over the massive district map.

Most of the lantern-release points had been finalized.

Leon was now working on planning the evacuation routes.

Only by preparing every contingency could he minimize accidents and casualties.

The coolness of the night crept in.

He wasn’t sure how much time had passed when a soft, alabaster hand rested on his shoulder.

“It’s late. Get some sleep,” came a cool voice from behind him.

“Mm, soon,” Leon replied.

Roswitha sat next to him, glancing at the map on the table, whose surface marked with circles and lines.

As the leader of the Silver Dragon Clan, Roswitha naturally understood a thing or two about strategy and tactics.

She could tell Leon was working on evacuation routes but seemed to have hit a snag.

Without a word, she quietly studied the map.

After a long while, she extended her hand, pointing to an unmarked area.

“How about starting the evacuation point at the Middle District here? To the left is a river, and just ahead is the eastern entrance to the Lower District. If I recall, there’s an abandoned garbage depot there—it’s ideal for both rendezvous and ambushes.”

Her suggestion was a revelation.

Leon’s eyes lit up. “Impressive, Your Majesty.”

“You’re just sleep-deprived and not thinking straight,” Roswitha teased, lifting her elegant chin. “How many more routes are left to plan?”

“That was the last one.”

Leon rolled up the map and stood. “Come on, time for bed.”

“Alright.”

Roswitha extinguished the candle on the table.

Under the faint moonlight streaming through the clocktower, she hooked her arm through Leon’s and walked with him toward the resting quarters.

...

The Lantern Festival—a grand annual celebration in the Empire.

Tonight, all five districts of the nation, from the wealthy to the impoverished, were immersed in the festive atmosphere.

Colorful paper lanterns adorned every street, alongside food stalls selling rare and delectable treats.

Children clutched paper lanterns in their hands, chasing and playing with one another.

Fireworks burst forth continuously in the night sky, forming stunning patterns.

For a brief moment, the beauty of the festival seemed to mask the Empire’s hidden corruption and decay.

Rebecca stood atop a low building in the Upper District. She wore a pair of shorts, her thighs equipped with holstered pistols on each side.

On her back was an assembled sniper rifle.

Of course, an ADC never goes solo—Leon had paired her with Nacho and Martin as her supports.

“Wow! I never got this kind of treatment in the Dragon Slayer Army, but now I have two spotters!” she exclaimed excitedly.

Martin and Nacho, each holding binoculars, were lying on the building’s edge to monitor the scene below.

“Save the excitement for after the mission,” Nacho suggested, peering through his binoculars toward the boundary between the Upper District and the Imperial City. Any moment now, Leon would initiate the signal for their operation.

“You’re the best shooter in the Lionheart Association, which is why Leon entrusted you with something as crucial as being our sniper,” Nacho continued. “When the time comes, it might even be your job to take out that damned emperor with a single shot.”

“Don’t worry—I’ve been practicing for this day for a long time. My shooting targets all had King Kant’s face on them,” Rebecca replied confidently.

“The Empire’s number one gunslinger!” Martin chimed in enthusiastically.

Rebecca smirked, scrunching her nose in pride. “Keep it low-key, keep it low-key.”

“Alright, chit-chat’s over,” Nacho cut in. “Leon’s in my sights. Get ready for his signal.”

“Understood!”

At street level, amidst the lively and bustling crowd, Leon walked calmly in the opposite direction of the cheers and revelry. He was cloaked in a black hooded cape, making his way toward the boundary between the Upper District and the Imperial City.

Leon climbed the stone steps, and each step forward felt like bringing him closer to the goal he’d been relentlessly pursuing for years.

The sounds of joy and celebration surrounded him, intensifying the festival’s atmosphere.

At the top of the steps, only a few hundred meters stood between him and the gates of the Imperial City.

Reaching into the pocket of his cloak, Leon pulled out a paper lantern, whose surface was covered with the names of the children and staff from the Casmode Orphanage.

“Let’s settle everything tonight,” he murmured.