Reborn As Noble-Chapter 462: Falling Walls, Rising Hope ( )

They were hard as stone but clear.

He looked around, locking eyes with every general present.

"Reinforce the outer regions," he said sharply.

"Triple the defenses on the mountain routes. Strengthen the supply lines."

He slowly stood, towering over the map, casting a long shadow.

"And above all—"

"Fight."

His voice echoed like a drumbeat.

"Fight for our people."

"Fight for our land."

Meanwhile, deep in the Dwarven mountain passes—

A whip cracked through the forested ridge.

Blood soaked into the soil beneath old pines.

A dwarven messenger was chained tight, face bruised and bloody, one eye swollen shut.

He screamed as another blow landed on his back—then another.

"Arghh!!"

A human soldier pulled his blade from the dwarf's side, blood dripping from the tip.

The young dwarf trembled, clenched his teeth, slumpin forward—lifeless.

One of the officers sneered.

"Did you see their faces?"

He looked at the other captives, forced to watch their comrade die.

Some wept quietly.

Others trembled with fury.

"They all pissed themselves when he got stabbed."

Another soldier nudged the corpse with his boot.

"Yeah! Tie the next one to the tree! Let's see how tough he is when we start cutting fingers."

"No one's gonna save them."

"Their kingdom's already falling apart."

The captured dwarves, gagged and bound, were dragged roughly toward the trees, eyes fixed on their fallen kin.

There was no mercy here.

Not from this army.

Deep in the shattered valleys of the Dwarven borderlands—

The ground was scorched.

Blackened trees looked like skeletons.

The air was thick with the smell of blood and corruption.

Krike, one of the hundred dwarven messengers sent by Chieftain Gumarak, was the last of his squad still standing.

"Haaah... Haaah..."

His ragged breaths tore from his lungs as he dashed through the forest, boots pounding into mud and ash.

Behind him—

The screams of his comrades had gone silent.

He dared not look back.

He didn't want to see their melting armor, their flesh devoured by dark, shrieking monsters born of corrupted mana.

He still heard the crunching.

The sobs.

His own mind screaming in terror.

His legs ached. His lungs burned.

But he clenched his short sword tightly, white-knuckled.

"Please... please... let me reach… the border..."

He whispered desperately, voice trembling.

He didn't know if anyone else had survived.

He didn't know if help would arrive.

He didn't even know what kingdom he was running toward.

But he had one job.

One mission.

Deliver the message...

"Chieftain... I'll get the message through..."

A dark screech echoed behind him—another beast picking up his scent.

Krike didn't stop.

He ran faster.

Just outside the Beastkin Kingdom's capital checkpoint, the normally serious atmosphere was starting to unravel.

"OI! BIG BIRD!!"

A gruff tiger beastkin guard bellowed, flicking his striped tail in irritation as he marched toward Javier's oversized feathered mount.

"You shouldn't run that fast on the main road! What if you crashed into someone?!"

Buddy, Javier's proud and chaotic Pekko, turned his head slowly.

"Cuquawked?"

The tiger's eye twitched.

"Don't 'cuquawked' me!!" he shouted, stomping once. His tail flicked more aggressively.

"Oi, do you even hear me!?"

Buddy blinked.

"Cuquawked." ("No idea what you're yelling about.")

"Ugh! Does this bird even understand us?" the guard grumbled.

Just then, an old beastkin auntie with silver-streaked fur approached, arms crossed.

"Ah! There you are!" she scolded, poking Buddy's belly with a stick.

"Scaring people with your speed! Acting like a thunderbolt with feathers! Have you no manners!?"

Buddy turned his head dramatically, casually plopping down next to Javier, who was still going through paperwork with the guards.

"Cuquawked." ("I didn't do anything wrong.")

Javier glanced sideways, watching his overly big mount get a second round of scolding—this time from an auntie.

He sighed, signing another form without reacting.

"Don't look at me," he muttered. "I told you to slow down."

Buddy chirped proudly.

"Cuquawked!"

"That's not a defense."

"Cuquawked!" Buddy chirped innocently, tilting his head with wide eyes.

The old auntie wasn't having it.

"Don't you dare try to dash into town again with that speed!" she snapped, waving her stick like a sword.

Buddy shuffled awkwardly, fluffing his feathers as if confused.

"Cuquawked!"

"Don't 'Cuquawked' me!!" she yelled.

"If I catch you doing that again—I swear, I'll roast you!! Feathers and all!!"

Buddy froze.

Slowly, he moved behind Javier, using his master like a shield.

"Cu…quawked…" ("She's scary.")

Javier didn't flinch, still scribbling on a scroll while mumbling.

"You brought this on yourself."

Buddy huffed, giving a little pitiful chirp.

"...Cuquawk."

"And stop trying to be cute! You're not getting any sympathy!" the auntie barked.

Even the tiger guard stepped back, arms crossed, wisely deciding he wanted no part of this feathery chaos.

Just as the paperwork was nearly finished and the tension eased...

Buddy's head suddenly snapped to the side.

His eyes locked onto a wooden cart being slowly pushed through the border gate by a pair of merchant beastkin.

Inside was...

Glowing, exotic fruit—bright orange with shimmering skins. Mana-charged, royal quality.

"Cuquawked!!"

Before anyone could react—

WOOOSH!!

Buddy shot forward like a rocket, feathers flying, wind rushing behind him. He dashed past guards, old aunties, and stunned merchants.

"WHA—!!"

The cart jolted to a stop as Buddy slid sideways into it, wings flared, head snapping forward like a hawk.

CHOMP!

One fruit—gone.

"HEY!!"

CHOMP!

Another bite taken.

Buddy looked up, beak coated in glowing juice.

"Cuquawked!!" ("This is heaven!")

Javier turned slowly, already sighing before he even saw what was happening.

"...Buddy."

He approached the chaos as the merchants scrambled to stop Buddy from eating a third fruit.

"That's not for you."

He crossed his arms.

"Cu...quawked...?"

Javier pointed at the cart.

"Those fruits are part of Giddie's special supply route. You're gonna get us both in trouble."

Buddy slowly tried to lean over the cart, wings covering the half-eaten fruit like a kid hiding stolen snacks.

"Cuquawked." ("Too late now.")

( End Of Chapter )