Supreme Spouse System.

Chapter 535: Chapter

Chapter

Then Black set the document down and looked up—really looked up.

His eyes sharpened, catching the torchlight like two pieces of obsidian turning toward battle. His focus snapped into place, the air around him tightening. Everything about him shifted in that instant: his posture, his breath, his presence. A soldier ready to become something more—something colder, calculating, necessary.

He inhaled slowly.

The kind of breath commanders took before breaking the night open.

His voice dropped into a steady, deliberate the tone.

"So now—"

But he didn’t continue.

He paused, gaze sliding toward the two officers seated further down the table.

"You two," he said a quietly. "You’re the only ones left in the ranking chain now, aren’t you?"

The two men stiffened instinctively. Their shoulders rose, eyes flickering toward each other before they both nodded.

"Yes, Commander," one said, voice a little dry. "We’re the remaining ranking officers under Lady Alina, but... since Lady Alina has been promoted to Prime Minister, her seat in the military is empty now. So it’s just the two of us."

Halcka—the sturdier of the two—added a small nod. "We’re aware of the gap, sir."

Black studied them in silence for a beat.

Then his gaze sharpened further.

"By any chance," he asked, "do the two of you know the exact size of the former Vallore army? And their structure?"

The men exchanged another glance—hesitation clear, but so was the answer.

"Yes," the leaner one said. "We do."

"Then give me the number," Black ordered.

The officer swallowed, then spoke clearly.

"About one hundred fifty thousand soldiers total."

Black didn’t react with surprise.

He merely nodded once—slow, heavy.

"I read that here too," he said, tapping one of the many documents spread across the table. The paper rustled under his fingers, covered in records from the former kingdom.

Halcka cleared his throat. "And now, sir... the number left in place is around twenty thousand. Maybe slightly more."

Black nodded again—but this time the muscles in his jaw shifted.

He wasn’t simply accepting the information.

He was calculating.

That horrific battle flashed through his mind—the clash between Leon and King Gary’s forces. He remembered reading the figures: Gary marched with one hundred thousand. Returned with fifty thousand. Leon and his companions slaughtered thirty thousand in a single sweep before forcing the surrender of twenty thousand.

A kingdom crushed in a night.

A king erased.

And the land still carried the scorch marks.

Black exhaled through his nose, slow and tense.

"To be honest," he murmured, "twenty thousand soldiers... it’s not enough. Not for guarding the kingdom. Not for what’s coming."

The room went quiet.

Black leaned back slightly, his armor creaking under the motion. He stared at the ceiling for a moment, then back at the two officers.

"We need more military power," he said. "A lot more."

Both officers tensed, brows furrowing. The question came immediately.

"How, sir? King Leon... right now he’s still building trust. The people follow him, yes, but recruiting enough men to rebuild the army this quickly—"

"I know." Black cut him off with a curt nod. "I’m not blind to the situation."

His eyes softened for half a second—just a sliver.

"But I believe in him. My king will do what needs to be done. And so will we."

Black reached beside him and pushed a thick stack of documents toward them. Papers spilled slightly, edges fluttering from the movement.

"These," Black said, "are the applications from the men who once tried to join the army... but were rejected because the previous regime didn’t deem them ’suitable.’"

The officers froze.

Black continued, voice low but unwavering.

"Send summons to all of them. Every name on that list. Military re-evaluation is activated. They’re to report back and join the army."

Both men stared at him—truly stared—like he’d just ordered them to resurrect the dead.

"You want... all of them?"

"There’s no guarantee they’ll accept—"

"They will." Black’s answer came immediately.

He leaned forward, eyes narrowing.

"Not everyone, maybe. But enough will. People see the world changing. They feel it. Some will think this is their one chance. And I’ll take every man who steps forward."

His voice deepened, something fierce threading through the words.

"Do what I said. And then leave."

The two officers looked at each other again—one anxious, the other already strategizing—but both understanding the weight of the order.

They stood, gathering the documents carefully. As they stepped toward the door, one paused and turned back.

"Commander... how many soldiers are we planning to recruit, exactly?"

Black didn’t blink.

"How many applied for the army before?" he asked.

"About—"

"All of them," Black said, cutting him off. "Every application. Every man willing to serve."

Silence.

Then both officers’ mouths opened slightly in shock.

"You’re serious?"

"You want that many—"

Black’s eyes hardened.

"I’m not asking," he said quietly. "I’m stating what’s necessary."

He lifted his chin slightly, the torchlight catching the golden naga emblazoned across his chest.

"We need numbers. We need strength. Leon isn’t stopping here. He will conquer land after land, and when he moves... we are his sword and shield. If we fail to prepare, we fail him."

The officers swallowed. Hard.

One whispered, "Understood... commander."

"Good," Black said. "Send word to every city by dawn. The announcement must spread fast."

They nodded sharply, opened the heavy door, and stepped out into the hallway. Their footsteps faded, swallowed by the long corridor’s gloom.

And then the room fell into a deep, tense silence.

Only two figures remained.

Commander Black.

Vice Commander Johny.

Johny let out a slow whistle, leaning back in his chair, arms crossing over his chestplate.

"You really are trying to kill yourself with work," he said softly.

Black didn’t respond.

Not yet.

Johny tilted his head, studying his friend.

"...This the path you choose, huh?" he murmured. "No turning back now."

Black looked down at the papers, then at the empty chairs, then finally at the door where the officers had disappeared.