The battlefield stank of smoke and iron.
Ren stood at the edge of the northern ridge, his boots sinking into churned soil that was dark with blood. Below, the clash of steel echoed in relentless rhythm — the beat of war drums made manifest by screaming men and shattering shields.
His System interface shimmered in the corner of his vision, crisp and merciless:
[Faction War: Phase II] Objective: Defend the Northern Ridge. Status: Enemy Reinforcements Imminent. Time Until Arrival: 01:22:46
A timer. A countdown. And no mercy.
“Hold the line!” Ren’s voice cut through the chaos like a whip. His command carried now — no longer the uncertain shout of a miner-turned-rebel, but the steel-edged tone of a man who had already tasted victory and blood.
Around him, the motley force he had cobbled t
