Ascent of Hero on the Dragon Throne

Rocky quickly realized that his worries were unfounded. Inside the commander's quarters, in addition to Marin, were two deputy commanders and the leaders of several spirit manipulator squads.

"Did I disturb your meeting? I apologize! I will return after your meeting!" Rocky said bowing as he walked towards the door.

"We were waiting for you," Marin replied in her usual calm and lack of emotion. It was as if nothing happened between them a few days back."

"W-Waiting for me?" Rocky replied, obviously surprised. The commander and the deputy commanders with all the spirit manipulator squad leaders were waiting for him. Since when did he suddenly become so important to them?

But still, Rocky knew that there was nothing for him to cheer about.

"The Crimson Dragon Group suffered a lot after three months of fighting against the Timber Deity Empire. We never expected that the commander of the Timber Deity Empire was a military tactical genius, comparable to our Deputy Commander in Chief. And because we underestimated the capability of the Timber Deity Empire at the start of the confrontation, we lost three powerful Frontline Commanders and many spirit manipulators. We have recovered from these losses under the leadership of the Deputy Commander in Chief. But the losses that we suffered are irreparable. So the Commander in Chief decided to take advantage of this brief truce to train a few talented individuals selected from the strong and capable pool of spirit manipulators to serve as general commanders. And so the Commander in Chief ordered that we hold a military camp contest. Each of the six military camps of the Crimson Dragon Group will select five spirit manipulators from among their group to participate. All spirit manipulators, except for the commander of the camp, are allowed to participate," Marin explained to Rocky in detail.

"Oh. Soooo, why are you waiting for me?" Rocky asked puzzled.

"After much discussion, the two deputy commanders as well as the squad leaders of the second and fourth spirit manipulator squads will participate in the contest to represent the northeast military camp. The two squad leaders have all reached the first grade of the Earthly Stage, and they are also the most powerful among the different spirit manipulator squads. In addition to the two deputy commanders and the two squad leaders that I have mentioned, there is another who has reached the first grade of the Earthly Stage within our entire camp. This person, therefore, has no choice but to participate in this contest to represent the northeast military camp," Marin said as she stared straight at Rocky. There was something unca

y camp in the contest and do your very best!"

"You're wasting the favor that I promised just to get me to join the contest? Are you sure you want to do that?" Rocky asked in a serious tone.

Marin nodded slowly. In truth, what she did was for Rocky. Nothing good would come from defying the Commander in Chief.

"Anyway, considering your strength, I don't expect you to make an amazing performance in the contest. It would be a miracle for you to win even one game. Just have fun! And I promise that I won't be so embarrassed if you agree to go." Marin said trying to soften the importance of Rocky's participation and its possible impact on Rocky's future.

"I see. I will not put you in an inconvenient position." Rocky took one last look at Marin and thought that Marin was a commander who only obeyed what she was commanded to do. If he refused the request further, he would likely place Marin in a perilous situation. She even decided to use the favor that he promised her. There was no other reason for him to refuse now. So he gave her his promise and then left.

Marin stared at Rocky's back as he left the commander's quarters. As soon as she was alone, Marin's calm burned away quickly. Her eyes turned red and her legs trembled. Each time she saw Rocky, her mind immediately emptied itself and then it got filled with the scene of her and Rocky kissing. And the one thing that really got her was that she didn't hate the feeling. She could not understand what it was that she felt. She seemed to have lost her sanity for she now felt like her heart was filled with a yearning that she could not understand. And this feeling was making her feel like butterflies fluttered endlessly in her stomach and she found it hard to breathe whenever she was around Rocky.