Chapter 28: The Specialization Scroll and the Letter

Inside the Moon God River encampment, Mo Xuanyu opened the Contribution Shop. Without a moment’s hesitation, he exchanged his points for the most expensive, extravagant item available: a Skill Mastery Scroll priced at 9,999.

[You have utilized your 30% discount.]
[Your remaining contribution points: 1.7.]

A pure white parchment scroll materialized in the palm of his hand. Its craftsmanship was exquisite, but when unfurled, it was blank; it required the God-Chosen to select a specialization to be inscribed.

[You have obtained a Skill Mastery Scroll (Choice).]
[Note: It is recommended to use this scroll in conjunction with an auxiliary chamber within Sacred Geometry. Direct usage will place an immense burden on the body, with a mortality rate of approximately 99.99%.]

"Huh?" Mo Xuanyu froze, his expression blank and slightly bewildered. He had intended to use the scroll’s amplification to improve his completion rate for upcoming missions. It seemed that plan had just fallen through. How could Sacred Geometry fail to mention something so important? This had to be false advertising, right?

Mo Xuanyu gripped the scroll, his azure eyes fixed on the Sacred Geometry pop-up, as if condemning the system’s irresponsibility with his gaze. The window flickered twice before fading away. Well... Mo Xuanyu had to admit he was partially to blame; his own ignorance was at fault. Perhaps for most God-Chosen, this was common knowledge, and Sacred Geometry had no obligation to inform him.

Composing his scattered thoughts, Mo Xuanyu tucked the scroll into the deepest part of his storage space. He had spent all his points on it; it was far too valuable to lose.

In the early hours of the next day, a light snow began to fall over the camp.

"Commander Mora! General Carmen has arrived with reinforcements!" a guard rushed over to report.

Mo Xuanyu, who had just woken up and was warming himself with a cup of tea, stood up and headed outside to greet Carmen. Behind him, Mo Xiao stepped forward with practiced ease, draping a heavy coat over his shoulders.

On the grassy field outside the camp, Carmen arrived with the 3,000 survivors of the battle in the El region. They were stained with blood and riddled with injuries—a tattered band of defeated men. It was clear how brutal that ambush had been; their breakout was due entirely to Carmen’s leadership.

Carmen entered the tent, removed his helmet, and offered an immediate apology. "I am sorry, Mora. I only brought 3,000 men out of the 50,000 we expected."

"It is fortunate that you were here to hold the Moon God River defense line, or I would not know how to answer to the Sun King."

Carmen’s eyes were weary. The defeat in the El region had clearly dealt a heavy blow to his confidence. Mo Xuanyu poured him a cup of hot tea and consoled him, "I believe the Sun King will understand. After all, the enemy you faced was Peter Manchester, the man capable of leading the entire Free Commune."

Throughout the history of the continent, Peter Manchester was undeniably a titan—a man of both pen and sword, equally adept at military command and political maneuvering. Wherever his armies went, the populace welcomed them with open arms. Before Peter, no one had dared to challenge the authority of the Sun King. While Carmen was formidable in personal combat, he lacked Peter’s political acumen and strategic foresight. His defeat was no surprise.

"Thank you for your comfort, Mora." Carmen finished the tea in one gulp, then began writing a letter to truthfully report his defeat to the Sun King and accept the blame. He even suggested that he was no longer fit to serve as the commander-in-chief of the Moon God River campaign, requesting that Mo Xuanyu take his place.

Mo Xuanyu was taken aback. He had to admit, Carmen was an honest man—he took responsibility for his failures. Had it been any other commander, they would have deflected the blame long ago.

Meanwhile, at the coalition camp, Peter Manchester had united his forces with those of Eric. As the victor, Peter was welcomed by all the officers, and a celebration was held that very day. This titan, who stood on equal footing with the Sun King, was not an ostentatious man. He wore a brown trench coat patched with age, his face kind and weathered, nearing fifty. His speech was gentle and disarming.

However, anyone who mistook his kindness for weakness was mistaken. To grow the Free Commune from a loose group into its current strength required more than just kindness; it required strategy and ruthlessness. That very evening, during the coalition officers' meeting, Peter spent only ten minutes forcing Eric to relinquish his command and bow his head, all without shedding a drop of blood. A vote was held, and Peter Manchester was appointed commander-in-chief by unanimous consent.

As reinforcements arrived on both sides, the Moon God River region fell into an eerie calm. Only a few minor skirmishes over villages broke out the next day, mostly involving bored God-Chosen from both factions.

As the snow continued to fall, Carmen finally received a reply from the Sun King. The King forgave his defeat but kept him in his post, though he elevated Mo Xuanyu’s authority to match Carmen’s, intending for them to consult each other. Mo Xuanyu was not surprised; it was within his calculations.

After a day and night of rest, reinforcements from across the kingdom arrived, bringing their total to nearly 100,000. The coalition’s numbers were even more staggering, with 250,000 troops stationed across the river, ready to launch an all-out assault. Peter had actually limited the scale of the offensive to ensure their supply lines could hold. In his vision, if the coalition could seize the Moon God River main city within two days, they could utilize the railway for logistics, and the Sun King’s rule would end.

A man of meticulous planning, Peter wrote a letter and handed it to his trusted scout. "Deliver this to Mora Venas."

"Understood." The scout tucked the letter away and vanished into the night.

...

"How are your wounds healing?" Mo Xuanyu asked as he unwound the bandages from Mo Xiao’s arm.

Mo Xiao clenched his fist. "Fully recovered. I apologize for making you worry, Teacher."

"There is nothing to apologize for," Mo Xuanyu smiled softly, reaching out to touch Mo Xiao’s forehead. A faint blue ripple of spiritual energy traced through Mo Xiao’s body, confirming his recovery, before flowing back into Mo Xuanyu.

Mo Xuanyu pulled his hand back and picked up his kerosene lamp. "It seems you have healed quite well. We shall meet again tomorrow. Sleep well."

"Goodnight, Teacher." Mo Xiao watched him leave the tent with lingering reluctance.

Back in his own tent, Mo Xuanyu had just set down the lamp when he noticed a letter resting on his bedside. He opened it; the contents were brief, instructing him to meet a Free Commune contact at a classified coordinate in the Moon God River region.

"Perhaps another side quest," Mo Xuanyu mused. He lit a match, burned the letter to ash, and slipped out of his tent. With his high attributes, he went entirely undetected.

The meeting point was a complex, densely wooded area at the intersection of the Moon God River region and other territories. Upon arriving, Mo Xuanyu found the area shrouded in darkness. Suddenly, his right hand fell to the hilt of his blade, *Nightmare Moon*, as his eyes sharpened. He sensed killing intent.

"Apologies, Mora."

A tall figure stepped from behind a tree, gripping a heavy sword. Mo Xuanyu tilted his head, silent for a moment, before asking, "General Carmen, why are you here?"

"I do not know..." The reply left Mo Xuanyu speechless. He met the man's gaze. "So, is this an order from the Sun King?"

In the dark of night, Mo Xuanyu’s eyes shimmered with a faint azure light, clear as a lake and brilliant as a gemstone. Carmen Lance nodded slowly, the killing intent in his eyes solidifying. "According to the Sun King’s command, if you arrived here tonight, I am to execute you for treason."

He raised his heavy sword, a flicker of reluctance and conflict in his gaze. "Mora, you have betrayed the Sun King’s trust." He held great respect for Mora, but the Sun King was his sovereign; his orders were absolute.

Mo Xuanyu slowly drew *Nightmare Moon*, his eyes meeting Carmen’s with calm detachment. His voice was cold. "It seems only one of us will walk away from this tonight."

The clouds above parted, scattering cold moonlight upon their shoulders. A battle between a heavy sword and a long blade began in silence. Mo Xuanyu did not yet know how his identity had been exposed, but he knew he was about to face a brutal fight.

[Sacred Geometry: You have triggered a World-Class Boss battle side quest.]
[Because you have garnered the attention of this world's will, you will receive the attributes and data of your opponent when initiating a challenge against a powerhouse.]

Name: Carmen Lance
Level: Peak level of this world!