Northern Territory, Great Northern Forest.

A team dressed as members of a Northern Territory Tribe made their way through the forest blanketed in snow. They were of all ages, their steps deep and uneven as they struggled to move forward through the wooded terrain.

The howling northern wind cut through them, the bitter cold wind carrying snowflakes that quickly covered their tracks. They leaned on long swords and magic wands, supporting each other, their weary forms and vigilant expressions making it clear they'd been under severe stress for many days.

At the head of the group, an older-looking Astrid glanced back at the snowy forest with a worried look:

"Father, have they... caught up with us?"

Beside the girl, Balder, the leader of the Free Tribe Alliance, closed his eyes to sense their surroundings and said,

"We should have shaken them off for now. This blizzard is enough to completely conceal our scent."

Hearing her father's words, Astrid let out a slight sigh of relief.

She turned her head, looking at the tribe members whose faces were pale from the cold, her expression one of concern.

Noticing her look, Balder sighed and said,

"Just hold on a little longer. Once we get past this forest, we'll be back in the tribe."

"Thank goodness for this heavy snow, even though it's delayed our journey, it's at least closed off the main roads to the strait. If the Duke plans to attack, he'll have to wait until the weather clears. The tribe has at least a month to prepare for the war now..."

After hearing her father's words, Astrid fell silent.

After a long while, she couldn't help but say,

"Father, was it my... mistake?"

"Did my actions in Winter Castle anger the Duke, so that they are now chasing us so relentlessly?"

Balder looked at his daughter with a complex expression and shook his head:

"No, Astrid, you did nothing wrong."

"Having the Savior's favor again is your fortune, as well as the fortune of our Free Tribe Alliance."

"It's well-known that the Duke wants to unite the Northern Territory under one faith. The harder they chase us, the more it shows that the power of my Lord is indeed recovering."

"They... are afraid."

After Balder spoke, Astrid's expression didn't clear.

She glanced at the dense forest behind her and, after a long time, let out a sigh:

"I wonder... how Lord Sebastian is doing now."

Balder paused for a moment.

After a brief silence, he sighed,

"After all, Lord Sebastian is Count Castel's envoy. The Duke probably wouldn't kill him."

"Recovered to the Blazing Sun, he could leave if he truly wished. Unless the Legendary intervenes, nobody in the Northern Territory could stop him."

Hearing her father's words, Astrid breathed a little easier.

After the father and daughter's conversation ended, one of the Northern Territory warriors traveling with them couldn't help but ask:

"Lord Balder, I've heard... wasn't Sebastian's Spiritual Force Field shattered years ago, permanently causing him to fall from his rank?"

"A Transcendent who has fallen below the Blazing Sun... can he become a Blazing Sun again?"

Balder shook his head:

"I'm not sure about that. After all, I am not a Blazing Sun either. However... it's very possible that Lord Sebastian has something to do with my Lord. Maybe... he has received my Lord's favor too."

"But isn't he a follower of Castel? Count Castel is the Saintess of the Holy Royal Court."

Someone else asked.

Balder sighed:

"Who knows, rumors are just rumors. There are also rumors that she is the heir to the throne of the Falling Star Kingdom. Compared to that, I find Lord Sebastian's words more credible––Count Castel might truly be a follower of my Lord."

"Anyway... we don't need to think about unnecessary things. All we need to know is that my Lord may truly have awakened. The Duke's reaction is proof of that. What we need to do is get back to the tribe as soon as possible and have Astrid try to pray to my Lord again."

"Gods can do anything. Only with my Lord's response can we have the strength to contend with the Grand Duchy!"

After speaking, Balder looked up at the drifting snowflakes in the sky and sighed:

"Let's hope... everything goes smoothly."

...

Time rewinds to a month earlier.

After realizing that his daughter might indeed have awakened the Totem power, Balder decisively ordered the return to the tribe.

Although this sudden move was questioned by other chieftains of the Free Tribe, they were convinced by the testimonies of the young men and women who had witnessed the "Divine Miracle."

Then... they fled.

Just as Balder had predicted, the decision to pull out of the "amnesty" quickly brought down the Grand Duchy's pursuit upon the chiefs of the Free Tribe Alliance.

The Northern Territory Duke, Stefan II, dispatched as many as three thousand Transcendent Isaac warriors to capture these Tribal Alliance chiefs.

Only their habitual adventuring and ability to evade pursuers allowed them to circle around the pursuers in the dense forest of the Northern Land.

Nevertheless, their group faced danger many times. If not for the intervention of the envoy from Castel's delegation, the Flame Elf, Sebastian Flameheart, they would have likely been captured long ago.

Although they were puzzled by the help from Castel's envoy, after Sebastian revealed his true faith in front of everyone, they understood why he had offered his aid.

After discussions, Balder also accepted Sebastian's proposal to go to the tribe together and help them establish contact with the deity.

However, even with the presence of Castel's envoy, the Northern Territory Grand Duchy did not give up their pursuit.

Sebastian had no choice but to convince everyone to leave first, while he stayed behind to hold off and delay the pursuers.

Then came this decade's biggest snowstorm.

The snow in the Northern Territory is already fierce, but the blizzard completely blocked the roads, delaying the group's escape and also hindering the pursuers.

Of course, what Balder and the others didn't know was that even though Sebastian had boasted with confidence about stalling for time when they went their separate ways, in reality... his actions were not so smooth.

Or to put it more precisely, the Northern Territory Grand Duchy's persistence toward the Free Tribe Alliance even exceeded Sebastian's own expectations...

"Lord Sebastian, you have nowhere to run. You are a follower of the Divine Favored Queen, and we do not wish to enter into too intense a conflict with you, but that is contingent on you also not crossing our bottom line," said a voice.

"Regaining strength is not easy, and it's almost a miracle to recover to the Blazing Sun rank after a fall. I think… you wouldn't want to lose the power of the Blazing Sun again for those barbaric tribesmen, would you?"

In the Great Northern Forest, Marquis Vladimir looked at Sebastian, who was surrounded by the Isaac warriors, and spoke calmly.

Sebastian's condition was not good.

Although his clothes were still elegant and neat, his complexion was quite pale and he looked lethargic, his breath somewhat erratic.

That was a sign of overuse of the Spiritual Force Field.

However, his eyes were still bright, and it seemed he didn't take his dire condition to heart:

"Marquis, I was able to recover to Blazing Sun once, and naturally, I can do it a second time. If you intended to persuade me with threat of falling in rank, I'm afraid you're going to be disappointed," Sebastian said.

"It's unfortunate, but aiding the Free Tribe Alliance isn't a whimsical decision of mine. In fact, it's the will of my lord."

"Marquis, the Duke... surely doesn't want to become enemies with the deity behind Castel, right?"

Hearing Sebastian's words, Marquis Vladimir's expression darkened slightly.

After a moment, he chuckled coldly and said:

"Hmph, what deity. This is the Northern Territory, not the Falling Star Kingdom or Castel."

"I don't know which deity you all worship, be it a Divine Lord or a sub-god of a Divine Lord, or even an Evil God attempting to snatch the Divine Lord's power... it doesn't matter..."

"This is not Yonette, and other deities' reach... can't extend to the Northern Territory!"

Sebastian raised an eyebrow slightly:

"Oh? Is that so... Then does the Duke really have a mysterious deity behind him?"

"Let me guess... the Duke seems very close with the Harcos clan of the Bloodline, could it be... the deity behind the Duke is the Crimson Queen of the Harcos Clan?"

Upon hearing Sebastian's words, Marquis Vladimir narrowed his eyes slightly.

He looked deeply at Sebastian and said with a light laugh:

"Lord Sebastian, you are indeed very dangerous."

"My mind has changed. Although becoming enemies with the Divine Favored Queen is not something we wished for, you... know a bit too much."

With that, he gestured to the surrounding Isaac warriors:

"Kill him! His power is exhausted, there's no way for him to resist anymore!"

Hearing the words of Marquis Vladimir, the Isaac warriors surrounding Sebastian raised their enchanted crossbows.

The bolts shone brightly, obviously enchanted, emanating a disturbing aura.

Looking at the crossbows aimed at him, Sebastian gave a wry smile and sighed helplessly.

It must be said, his situation was indeed quite embarrassing.

Having just regained his strength thanks to the favor of the True Ancestor, he had now found himself in such an awkward predicament, yet for the sake of accomplishing his mission, he had no other choice.

He had no choice, considering the isolation power shrouding over the Northern Territory was getting stronger, and now even he couldn't call upon the power of the Blood Contract.

Without the power of the contract, he could only rely on himself.

After battling Marquis Vladimir, also a Blazing Sun, for a long time, and being blocked by the Transcendent Isaac military forces of the Northern Territory, his own magic power was exhausted, and his spirit had become weak from trying to bide his time.

Now facing these Transcendent crossbows, he no longer had the ability to resist.

But...

"I am now a believer of the True Ancestor, as well as Blood Favored by the True Ancestor. Even if I were to die here, the True Ancestor should be able to call back my spirit, right?"

"With the power of the True Ancestor... should he be able to reshape my body?"

"But... even if I'm reshaped, would I become a true member of the Bloodline?"

"I... should be able to, right? The True Ancestor... wouldn't just stand by and watch me die, right?"

Sebastian thought apprehensively to himself.

There are few who can remain entirely fearless in the face of death, and Sebastian was no exception.

However, as a Favored of a God, one always has certain "privileges."

Looking at the crossbow arrows aimed at him, Sebastian whistled softly, suppressing the anxiety in his heart.

Marquis Vladimir squinted his eyes.

He raised his hand, ready to give the order to his soldiers, but... just as he was about to act, the loud voice of a messenger suddenly came from the back of the group:

"Lord Marquis! Lord Marquis! Urgent royal command! Urgent royal command from the Duke!"

"His Majesty commands that all military operations be ceased, the pursuit of the Free City State Alliance be abandoned, and the mission be terminated!"

Terminate... the mission?

Sebastian and Marquis Vladimir were both startled.

...

Winter Castle, Winter Palace.

Northern Territory Duke Stefan Sobieski sat high on his throne.

He looked at the girl sitting on another throne beside him, smiling:

"I never thought that the Divine Favored Queen would personally come to the Northern Land after her coronation. As the Duke of the Northern Territory, it is indeed the highest honor."

"Your Majesty Castel, as you wished, I have already sent a Magic Communication to halt the operations below."

"Now... can we have a proper chat?"