Preparation For War

The Antarctica campaign had begun.

The mission: evacuate eight hundred million souls from that icy hell before it was overrun by Abominations from the Dream Realm.

Chains of Nightmares had officially started.

Klaus didn't join the frontlines—but his people did.

Diego, Isaac, Rachel, and Noah led five thousand operatives into the heart of war.

Diego was a natural-born leader, able to raise morale as effortlessly as he breathed. His charisma, strength, and unshakable courage gave people hope—even in the face of impossible odds.

Rachel, with her vast knowledge, advanced tech, and unique abilities, was perhaps the most valuable asset in the entire campaign. Countless strategies, defense systems, and survival plans hinged on her success.

Isaac, on the other hand, wasn't needed for fighting. But his role was arguably more important than anyone else's. There was almost no chance this mission would go smoothly. In fact, the likelihood of complete failure—total extinction—was terrifyingly high. That's why they brought Isaac.

But what troubled Isaac wasn't the odds.

It was Fate.

Because Fate doesn't like being rewritten. Its course is fixed, immutable. And Isaac's power… wasn't tied to Fate at all.

His abilities were closer to the domain of destiny that belonged to the Nether.

Still, even that was only a resemblance. A surface-level similarity. Destiny was governed by the Nether. Isaac, on the other hand, ruled only over luck which was something far more chaotic, unpredictable, and fragile.

And then there was Noah.

In battle, he became a one-man army. Every Abomination he felled would rise again—reborn into his growing legion of the undead. But his creations weren't just for war. The undead would assist with rescue operations, carry wounded civilians, serve as bait, and handle any task too dangerous for the living.

Tatiana stayed by Klaus's side, but they didn't remain at NQSC. Instead, they set off for South America.

And Klaus had a good reason for that.

Fighting in Antarctica was valuable—not just for protecting people, but for his own growth as well.

Klaus had gained enlightenment and grown stronger through the life-and-death struggles against powerful enemies.

But right now, he needed to be in South America. He had no choice.

No matter how brave those soldiers fighting Abominations in Antarctica were—no matter how powerful, smart, or resourceful—they still needed one thing to survive: food.

And it wasn't just hundreds of thousands of soldiers who needed feeding—there were also eight hundred million civilians relying on daily rations.

You can't fight a war on an empty stomach.

You can't evacuate the millions if everyone starves to death before they make it out.

That's why South America had become a critical, strategic stronghold—one that had to be protected at all costs. Nearly all the food sustaining both the troops and evacuees in Antarctica came from there.

Though much of South America had been abandoned due to its proximity to the Category Five Gate, a few settlements remained in its southernmost regions. And it was there, in the heart of the continent's last agricultural stronghold, that Klaus had claimed his territory and taken up its defense.

But what worried Klaus wasn't just the nightmare Creatures that would soon flood in from the south, creeping up from Antarctica.

No, the greater threat loomed in the north.

Gaia.

She was still out there, somewhere in the dense, unforgiving sprawl of the Amazon rainforest.

Which meant Klaus now found himself in a precarious position, facing the very real possibility of being attacked from both directions. North and south.

A war on two fronts. With no guarantee of survival.

But right now, Klaus wasn't busy fighting a war on two fronts.

He was farming.

Shovel in hand, sleeves rolled up, ankle-deep in dirt. Agriculture, apparently, was his current battlefield.

Standing in the middle of vast crop fields with a shovel in hand, he muttered dryly,

"Hey, Lich. How are the barriers holding up?"

Lich was finishing a set of runic inscriptions along the perimeter, reinforcing the protective layers surrounding the settlement. The ancient skeleton had been busier than usual lately—though, as Klaus often noted, still not as frantic as during the darker days.

"They're fine," Lich replied, his voice crackling like dry parchment. "No mistakes. The barriers are absorbing solar energy naturally and redistributing it—just enough for photosynthesis without burning the plants. Same as before."

He paused, glancing toward the shimmering horizon.

"I think we'll be able to support the eight hundred million civilians… but not for long. Thanks to your storage, at least the crops we've preserved won't spoil. That place where time is frozen for non-living matter is invaluable. But still—our resources aren't infinite."

He turned, flames flickering behind his eye sockets.

"They won't rot. But they will run out. Feeding millions every day adds up. I estimate three years. That's how long we can keep the Antarctica campaign supplied before the storage runs dry."

Klaus frowned, eyes scanning the endless crop fields stretching beyond the horizon. Then he sighed, grabbed Lich by the shoulder, and vanished—teleporting them both back to his office.

Slumping into his chair, Klaus dragged a hand down his face and stared at the mountain of paperwork.

"Bloody hell… So storage food is all we've got?"

Lich nodded and seated himself across from him, crossing his fleshless legs. The azure flames in his eye sockets burned quietly.

"More or less. Up until now, we've managed to preserve about five percent of each harvest—stored over the course of several years. That's how we've filled your vault with enough crops to sustain nearly a billion people for three years. But that stockpile didn't appear overnight."

He leaned back, tone turning grim.

"We don't have that kind of time anymore. We can't build up another reserve. And the rest of the world still needs to eat. If we divert more resources to Antarctica, the global food balance collapses."

Klaus leaned back with a sigh, his eyes drifting upward, unfocused. His expression was calm—thoughtful, even.

"What do you think about Gaia?"

Lich snorted, shaking his skull in open disgust.

"She's lying, of course. Peace? Hah. No way she'd pass up a golden opportunity like this. While we're busy fighting Nightmare Creatures in the south, she'll strike from the north. Count on it—she'll try to annihilate us."

Klaus chuckled softly, tilting his head with a wistful smile.

"Well, I don't like hurting nature… but maybe nature isn't giving me much of a choice."

Lich gave a half-hearted shrug, seemingly unbothered by the precarious situation they were in.

"So? What are you going to do?"

Klaus blinked. Slowly, his scar stretched across his face, twisting his smile into something terrifying.

"Well… you'll see when the time comes. I'm a pacifist, you know? I don't like war. All that pain and suffering… so I'm holding back. For now."

Lich stared at him silently, his eye sockets glowing with suspicion.

Knowing his master…

Only the dead gods could guess what kind of disaster he was about to unleash.

"Anyway," Lich continued, "the barriers will hold back both the Abominations and Gaia—but not for long."

He tapped a bony finger against the desk.

"I've added a few new enchantments. First, I've strengthened the inner barriers—they're more resistant now. Second, I'll be immediately notified if anyone crosses the outer perimeter. There's a new layer enveloping the settlements too. They're not dungeons, obviously, but I've woven in some dungeon-like traits, which allows me to add a battlefield enchantment through my ability—one that'll enhance the strength of our allies within."

He paused, then added matter-of-factly, "I've also set up a lot of traps in the outer zones—designed to stall the Abominations. And I placed Misty Ways across key entry points. Illusions should buy us time if it comes to that."

Lich's skull tilted slightly, the blue flames in his sockets flaring.

"I'd say… we're as prepared as we can be."

Klaus smiled in quiet appreciation. Lich might not be a powerhouse in battle, but when it came to defending a location, he was invaluable. There was no one more well-versed in barriers than him.

Overall, Klaus was satisfied with his spirit's work.

But then a thought struck him.

Wait… how does he—

"Hold on a second," Klaus said, narrowing his eyes. "How did you know where to place those barriers and traps? I mean, there are countless ways into the settlements—you couldn't possibly cover every path. So how did you know which entry points were the key ones?"

Lich blinked—or at least, Klaus thought he did. The azure flames in his eye sockets vanished for a second before reappearing.

"Hm? Cassie told me everything. When the Abominations will begin their advance, where they'll strike, which entry points they'll use, and some effective strategies to hold them back. She didn't know every detail, of course, but what she gave me was more than enough to get started."

Klaus froze for a moment, then burst into loud laughter, his mouth twitching into a grin.

"That's my girl. As expected. Still... would've been nice if she just told me the future directly."

Lich shook his head slowly.

"Don't be greedy. She has her own plans. If you knew too much, you'd mess everything up. Besides, oracles are always secretive—doesn't matter what era you're in."

Klaus was reluctant, but he still nodded in agreement.

He couldn't force her to talk if she didn't want to.

Some things were better left unsaid—unknown—for your own good.

"…By the way, where is she now?" he asked casually.

Lich leaned back, pulling out his old, weathered tome and flipping it open. His interest had already shifted to his sorcery, but he still replied with a dismissive wave.

"I don't know. Last I saw her, she was with Tatiana. Let the girls have some fun. Stop being clingy."

Klaus sneered in irritation.

Clingy? Me? Come on, there's no way. It's just been… what, a week since we had sex—

Since I saw her! Yes, that's it! I just miss my lover. That's perfectly normal...

Why am I even denying it? There's nothing embarrassing about it!

Hmph… when she wants it, I have no choice but to jump into bed like a good little soldier. But when I want it? Suddenly I have to wait?

Where's the justice in that?!