Synopsis

This chapter depicts the Hektor Kingdom's swift invasion of the Southern Front, exploiting Kairo's political dysfunction and divided command to capture the warp gate and isolate the front. Hektor demands gold as compensation, threatening to absorb the territory otherwise. Meanwhile, Kairo's forces are demoralized and a 'monster' named Roman Dmitri is mentioned, who apparently single-handedly decimated some units and forced Kairo's soldiers to retreat, while the Hektor forces now prepare to negotiate from a position of strength.