That same day, the Sky Squad members took their formal leave of King Yomura at the Hanusan royal palace. Nagada offered a respectful farewell, urging his father to look after his health and remain vigilant against any remaining dark influences within the realm.

King Yomura stood watching his son's departing figure as Nagada rode out beside his comrades. A soft, proud smile touched the King's lips.

You have grown into a fine man, my son! Fight without hesitation to halt Lord Demon Shura's forces. You are the pride of the Hanusan Kingdom. In a few short years, I have no doubt you will surpass me completely.

Turning back toward the palace entrance, Yomura addressed the remaining loyalist advisors standing behind him.

"Come! Let us repair the damage done to our kingdom. You know the situation better than anyone!"

"At once, Your Majesty!" the advisors replied, placing their right hands over their hearts in a formal pledge.

They turned and set to work immediately, determined to undo the years of misrule and corruption wrought by Yomura's younger brother, Toda—a tragedy born from Toda falling under the corrupting influence of the Demon Lord.

The journey from the Hanusan Kingdom back to Prisma City was relatively short for Nagada, Sanjo, and Yara. Spurring their mounts, they maintained a rapid pace, arriving in Prisma City by midday and heading straight to the Sky Squad headquarters.

They passed through the city gates without delay; the insignia and formal attire of the Sky Squad were instantly recognized and respected by guards across every continent.

Upon entering the Sky Squad compound, they found the rest of the squad assembled at the training field. Operatives were scattered across the grounds—some seated in quiet conversation, others leaning against the stone walls.

Both Aji and Barsha were present, signaling that all field sub-teams had concluded their respective missions. Nagada's group was the final team to return. Though Warrior Jiro was absent, the squad had fulfilled every directive assigned to them. Yet an undeniable air of quiet somberness hung over the gathered operatives.

Nagada’s team stepped forward to greet their comrades. The quiet atmosphere was understandable; like Nagada's team, the rest of the squad had witnessed firsthand how deeply the dark army had infiltrated society, planting seeds of corruption inside influential souls to convert them into willing puppets.

The gravity of the situation had clearly set in. For the first time, these young operatives fully grasped the massive weight resting upon their shoulders as the Sky Squad. They were navigating complex political intrigue against an ancient, terrifying force—and as young warriors, they formed the absolute front line against an enemy capable of plunging entire continents into ruin.

"Everyone is present! To the briefing room!" Barsha called out, her firm voice cutting through the heavy silence. She turned and led the way inside.

The operatives followed Barsha into the main hall, with Aji bringing up the rear. Pausing briefly at the threshold, Aji cast a quiet glance up at the sky. Everything was about to shift. The coming conflict against the dark army would require meticulous, absolute preparation.

This war would not be a repeat of the catastrophe twenty years ago. Aji offered a faint smile; today, the realm was finally awakening to the sheer scale and danger of the dark forces. Two decades prior, no one had recognized the impending threat, each faction consumed entirely by their own petty squabbles.

Inside, Barsha took her place at the head of the long rectangular conference table. Across from her, Aji and Lao sat at the far end, with the remaining operatives seated along both sides.

"We have reviewed the field reports from every team dispatched to investigate Mondu activity," Barsha began, her tone measured yet firm. "The findings are unanimous across all sectors—and I am certain Nagada’s team encountered the exact same pattern."

Barsha put heavy emphasis on her words, signaling to everyone present that open war was drawning near—a global conflict between the righteous martial sects and the dark army.

"The Leader is correct!" Nora spoke up from his seat. "Dark operatives have compromised every tier of government and regional administration. While we have dismantled several major networks, countless Mondu sleeper cells remain hidden in the shadows."

The operatives recognized that the intelligence ledger secured from Nasura had proven invaluable. It contained the complete registry of buyers who had ordered mass-produced armaments intended for distribution to Mondu cells across the continents.

Judging by the sheer volume of weapons seized by regional authorities, the total number of embedded Mondu operatives was staggering.

Furthermore, those armaments had been manufactured to serve as the vanguard's arsenal for the Demon Lord Shura's main invasion force.

"What is our next course of action?" Sanjo asked from the left side of the table.

"That is precisely what we are here to discuss," Barsha replied smoothly. "We must formulate a clear strategy, because in a few months, a monumental event will occur on the Frost Line continent. Vice Commander Aji will brief us on the specifics shortly. For now, our immediate focus remains maintaining momentum in hunting down Mondu cells and stripping away their influence."

A monumental event on the Frost Line continent? Whispers rippled through the room. The event in question was the revelation Advisor Alex had disclosed to Barsha, Aji, and Nora: the blooming of the Moon Flower—a legendary botanical phenomenon occurring only once every century.

"Very well! Let us proceed with our reports," Barsha said, turning her attention down the table. "Alicia, do you have something to report from your deployment?"

Alicia flinched slightly as her name was called, having just returned from a high-stakes mission. She had been deployed to Godam, the capital city of the Phosphite continent, accompanied by three team members hailing from that region: Namud, Rosa, and Arion.

Their team had encountered severe opposition upon confronting the governor of Godam City. The primary Mondu operative embedded in the city administration was none other than Sonta—the governor's younger brother.

During official interrogation, Sonta had lost his composure under pressure from both the Sky Squad and Governor Nexus, unleashing his suppressed dark aura.

Governor Nexus had been completely blind to his brother's allegiance to the dark army. A fierce, bloody clash had broken out inside the estate, as Sonta commanded a substantial network of armed cultists throughout Godam.

With dark magic consuming his vessel, Sonta had lost all restraint, his power multiplying exponentially as he overwhelmed Nexus in combat.

The Sky Squad had stepped in to relieve the governor. The intensive conditioning they had undergone under Warrior Jiro bore fruit; furthermore, Alicia—utilizing the legacy scroll inherited from her grandfather, Saint Yonan, provided to her by Aji—had executed high-tier magic combinations to subdue Sonta and his cultists.

Their combat performance had earned glowing praise from Governor Nexus. On behalf of Godam City and the Phosphite continent, Nexus had expressed deep gratitude to the Sky Squad. Though only a four-person strike team had been dispatched, their combined combat capability had equaled an entire garrison.

Across all continents, the Sky Squad’s reputation was firmly established. They were recognized as humanity's premier vanguard, fully worthy of their mandate to purge the Mondu threat.

"Our team recommends coordinating directly with regional defense forces and contacting Commander Yarko," Alicia proposed clearly. "Delegating regional purges will streamline our efforts to weaken Lord Demon Shura's network. Clearing out low-level Mondu sleeper cells through regular military channels will preserve our time and energy."

Alicia emphasized that the squad needed to conserve its resources, as every operative required intensive, uninterrupted training over the coming months to prepare for the grand war against the Demon Lord.

The operatives pondered Alicia's proposal. Barsha nodded in firm agreement; while the squad had grown formidable, their current combat parameters were still insufficient for an apocalyptic confrontation. They needed further, specialized instruction from Warrior Jiro. Barsha knew that the battle over the Moon Flower on the Frost Line continent would be catastrophic, requiring the Sky Squad to reach peak condition before deployment.

At the very least, surviving members of the Five Gates would undoubtedly manifest during the eclipse to secure the flower.

"Agreed," Barsha stated, sealing the decision. "We will hand over lower-tier Mondu enforcement to regional defense command to optimize our efficiency."

The Sky Squad had already eliminated the highest-tier Mondu networks and neutralized compromised officials occupying key government positions. The remaining targets listed in Nasura's ledger consisted mostly of minor regional figures and local cell leaders across smaller territories.

Regional defense forces and military intelligence were more than capable of mopping up the remaining sleeper cells.