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Only fifty thousand clones would join the expedition to Mur, along with every flying thaid they turned into undead.

A contingent would stay at Law Gate to protect it and aid ongoing operations in Mannard.

The undead would be the cannon fodders, the scouts, and the lures.

The undead soldiers would play an important role during the sea journey. They would scout ahead to spot dangers that could attack from the ocean or the sky. This way, the main army could prepare for or avoid any threats they might face.

Supply carts rolled through the streets below, their wheels clattering against the pavement. The clones had spent the past days gathering provisions, knowing that an army of this size required extensive logistical support.

Erik’s gaze drifted to the building he appointed as incubation chambers where new clone eggs were developing. In the three days since the battle for Law Gate ended, he had only created 1,500 new Chimaeric Demons.

The number seemed small compared to the forces assembled below, but these newest clones were going to be stronger than their predecessors, and each one had the barrier masters’ powers, meaning that Erik was going to have an easier time.

"Master, all preparations are complete. The provisions have been distributed, and everyone is in position. We are waiting for your command."

Erik nodded. His throat was tight with unspoken concerns, and his mind filled with concerns he had no way to dismiss, and that were common among those that were going to head to Mur with him.

<Here we are,> Erik said to himself.

Crossing the ocean to Mur would be more than dangerous—it was practically suicidal. The memories of the Cerulean bird’s casual display of power and the memories of the Leviathan Serpent generating tsunamis by moving haunted his thoughts, hunted his thoughts, and only intensified his dread.

"Start the shapeshifting," Erik said. The clone nodded, and after having relayed the order, a scene straight out of an apocalypse movie took place.

Fifty thousand bodies started transforming like the best, or worst, of the horror movies.

The sound of cracking bones echoed across the plain like breaking timber, as limbs elongated and spines twisted into new configurations. Human forms warped and expanded, flesh rippling as internal structures reorganized themselves.

Black scales burst through skin in waves, spreading like oil across water until they covered massive, lizard-like bodies.

They were sharp enough to slice through everything and were powerful enough to defend from the most dreadful but known attacks.

Wings exploded from shoulders in sprays of blood that evaporated before touching the ground, membranes stretching between elongated fingers until each span reached twenty meters or more.

Where his army had stood, now rose a sea of black wyverns. The clones had to start flying because their shapeshifted body was so huge, it quickly took most of the land below.

Faces contorted as jaws extended, teeth lengthening into fangs while eyes shifted from rounded to slitted.

Sharp claws grew from their hands and feet, cutting deep marks into the stone ground as they tried to keep their balance during the transformation.

The beasts’ bodies were so massive that the ground could no longer contain them all. So, whenever a clone shapeshifted, he grabbed the crates assigned to him, filled with equipment and provisions, and took to the sky.

Their powerful muscles moved under their armored skin as they adjusted to their new bodies. Their long necks swayed back and forth, while their tails whipped through the air to help them stay balanced.

The sight was terrifying. While Erik remained unfazed, anyone witnessing this scene would have been paralyzed with fear.

Thousands upon thousands of the most feared predators in the world packed wing to wing across the Law Gate.

Luckily for everyone, only Erik, Mira, Amber, Emily, and the clones were there, so no one saw the apocalyptic image.

The more the clones took to the sky, the more their massive forms blocked out the sun, casting the entire area into darkness and bathing the sky in the same color. Black.

The sound of fifty thousand pairs of wings beating at once made a deafening roar that echoed across the land.

A single wyvern was enough to terrorize entire regions—an army of them would feature in nightmares for generations. Yet this wasn’t a display of power. There was no one there seeing what was happening.

The best that could be seen was a dark cloud in the distance. Erik had no doubt Hin had looked over what happened to the Law Gate, but with the Chimaeric Demons infiltrating their government and blocking reinforcements, there was nothing anyone on the Blackguards’ side could do. @@novelbin@@

Besides, now that they had been eradicated from Mannard, all the countries on the human-controlled continent were left without the organization’s support.

There were sure some of them infiltrated in the various organizations, but they were bound to be few and could be easily found. In Erik’s opinion, most of them likely hid.

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The destruction of the Law Gate also had other effects. As soon as words of Erik destroying this place spread, all the armies in Frant started retreating.

Caiden delivered the news that morning. While it was certainly good, whether things would actually improve remained uncertain—Erik had no information to judge either way.

Criminal activity remained widespread. Though Shade’s death initially caused chaos, the blackguards had a lot of time to install new leadership across their criminal organizations before retreating to Mur.

Yet their disappearance from Mannard meant most of their support disappeared, and that was another problem in itself, since it left everything unchecked. The governments had been in collusion with most of these organizations under the blackguards’ banners, and those ties were bound to be present and maybe strengthened now that the organization left for Mur.

Erik had no doubt his clones would be able to find and root them out, especially considering how weak they were compared to his clones, but it would still require time. Honestly, Erik was unsure if he had to meddle like that in these people’s affairs.

Not only did he not know them, but he didn’t even care that much. He was contemplating intervening just because of his own moral rules, but nothing forced him. Besides, he was tired of the Mannard continent; no, he was tired of the people inhabiting it.

Aside from criminal activities, there were also diplomatic problems. Many countries attacked Frant and the only thing that prevented them from continuing their attack was Erik’s presence, who had been a huge deterrent even with the blackguards present.

But now he was going to Mur. Sure, leaving the Chimaeric Demons behind, but that might not have been enough, and the clones he sent to the other countries didn’t completely take over their government, so controlling them was still not going to be easy.

Anyway, the wyverns were going to be seen by all those interested in what Erik did.

The decision to use the forms hadn’t been made just for the sake of carrying more provisions to Mur, but also to show everyone his power.

Beyond intimidation, Erik had another reason: he hoped their presence would deter the flying thaids that hunted along the ocean passage between Hin and Mur from approaching them.

Even the most aggressive predators had to think twice before attacking what appeared to be the largest gathering of apex predators in history. Of course, that was if they were the apex predator on Mur. He did not have enough information and was sure they would be attacked regardless of what Erik did.

But the choice went beyond intimidation. Each clone’s body could carry significantly more provisions than they would have if they took a Galewing’s form.

Extra space meant extra supplies, and on Mur, every bit of food could mean the difference between survival and starvation.

Erik still carried many kinds of seeds with him, so that, if anything happened, he would still be able to survive.

The problem was that the seeds would just be a pitiful insurance policy.

Yet Erik’s hand instinctively tightened around the pouch containing various seeds—fruit trees, vegetables, and grains.

<This is it… We are going to take the biggest step we had ever taken.>

The undead thaids continued their circular flight pattern, and so did the Chimaeric Demons. Together, they represented Erik’s full military might, yet after witnessing the Cerulean bird’s power, he knew it wasn’t going to be enough.

Erik took one last look at the Law Gate, the fortress that had represented the pinnacle of blackguard power on this continent, then jumped on a black wyvern.

A salty breeze blew in from the ocean. While looking at it, everyone tried to imagine the horrors hidden beneath that blue and black surface.

The crossing of the sea would need several days, and they’d be open to attacks from both sea creatures below and sky monsters above.

Based on his estimation, assuming everything went bad, he would get to Mur just with a couple of hundred clones.

"Get in Delta Formation. And let’s hope luck is on our side."