[The Devil's Law Fanfiction] (17) Summer Festival (Part 2)

Author: xiaoyanglaolang
Posted on the forum on 2016/10/25
Word Count: 21448
Foreword
This chapter is still one where the protagonist has little presence, and the previous chapter should have a significant presence.
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Main Character Introduction
Omitted.
*********************************************************** Main Text The
divine
artifact, the Spear of Longchinus.
Legend has it that this is the strongest divine artifact blessed by the goddess. In the ancient holy war ten thousand years ago, it helped humanity defeat all
the evil alien races, driving them out of the continent of Roland. From then on, humanity became the masters of this continent, serving
their only god.
This is the well-known story of the Spear of Longchinus, the true legend. But as time has passed, now
almost no one knows whether this actually happened. Even the existence of the goddess
is ambiguous to most people, except for the followers of the Church of Light.
Until today, when this divine artifact, which had been worshipped as a keepsake for a thousand years, reappeared before the world in its awakened form
, all those who witnessed this moment were suddenly struck by the realization that the legends passed down orally and in writing by their ancestors were
so close to them.
The golden light emanating from Deron was blinding, his entire body bathed in the golden
divine power of the Holy Lance. His aura surged, his dazzling radiance even brighter than the sun, faintly possessing
a holy aura akin to divine magic, visible from almost any corner of the capital.
Gandalf remained motionless, not even casting a magical protective barrier, seemingly waiting for something. His
bright, clear eyes, somewhat incongruous with his aged appearance, revealed an increasingly intense interest, and
his thumb, adorned with an emerald magic ring, slowly rubbed his wand.
Deron, his face grim, held the Holy Lance level. He seemed to take a light breath.
Almost everyone in the square and inside the imperial city craned their necks, their eyes fixed on the sky. A profound silence fell,
broken only by the resounding thuds of the city gates pounding against the walls, like drums urging battle, each strike striking the hearts of all.
Suddenly, however, Deron, the focus of everyone's attention, and the Holy Lance in his hand vanished as if evaporated. Before
the astonished gasps could even escape the lips of the onlookers, Gandalf, clad in green robes and with his white beard billowing, erupted in
a burst of multicolored magical light, instantly casting over a dozen defensive spells upon him.
Almost simultaneously, a spatial rift opened beside him, and unparalleled holy light enveloped the green-
robed Gandalf. The sharp spear tip pierced through seemingly effortlessly,
without even the crisp sound of a magical shield shattering. It was as if it had pierced through soft tofu, penetrating layer upon layer
of protection, effortlessly striking Gandalf's chest.
"Hmph!!"
A muffled snort rang out, and the green flames on Gandalf's body flickered as he vanished from his spot. Immediately afterward,
the same green light appeared not far away, and the old mage teleported to the other side in the blink of an eye.
A figure enveloped in dazzling golden light appeared where Gandalf had been standing.
Deron raised the holy spear, a drop of blood dripping from its tip.
"Very good, very good. Let me think. How many years has it been since I've been injured? A divine artifact, ha, truly a
divine artifact."
Green-robed Gandalf gasped for breath and suddenly laughed, slowly covering his chest with his hand. Blood seeped from between his fingers
, only stopping after a moment. When he removed his hand, everyone saw that the old mage
's clothes had a small hole in them, leaving a scar that looked like it had been pierced and burned.
"Still want to fight, old man? Even with your Saint-level strength, you absolutely cannot stop the
'sharpness' of the Holy Lance."
After his successful attack, Delon did not rush to pursue. He calmly stopped in place, lovingly stroking
the Holy Lance in his hand, and said lightly. Green-robed Gandalf's protection was completely useless against the Lance of Longchinus
. Its indestructible power was enough to kill any enemy in its path.
"Stop? Why should I stop? I'm a magician, not a target."
Gandalf the Green Scoffed, raising his wand. Instantly, lightning flashed and thunder roared, a fierce wind arose. The prelude alone
was like the end of the world. Several storms interspersed with lightning materialized around him, the wind so strong that
those below couldn't even open their eyes. Their robes fluttered wildly, and amidst screams and neighing horses, countless lighter debris
and pieces of wood were swept into the storms and instantly pulverized.
The magicians in the First Prince's camp, witnessing this astonishing magical spectacle, all showed expressions of awe and admiration.
Only a legendary master like Gandalf could cast such powerful magic instantly. If it were an ordinary
magician, they would probably spend half a day just chanting a spell and gathering magic power. How could they do it as
easily as Gandalf? If they had attacked with such lightning speed from the start when dealing with the Magicians' Guild, DuPont
and his companions probably wouldn't have lasted a single exchange.
"It's useless, old man. As long as you're still mortal, you can't fight against 'gods.'"
Delon didn't hinder Gandalf's spellcasting at all. Even with the terrifying thunderstorm so close
, he remained unmoved. The golden divine power of the holy spear formed an invisible barrier around him, like
creating a small, independent world, isolating him from the omnipresent storm.
Lightning crackled in Gandalf's eyes as well. He seemed to have become one with the storm, his entire body
crackling with lightning. The surrounding tornadoes grew increasingly powerful, like roaring dragons soaring through the air, carrying
countless electric snakes.
Several people who were close enough were blown away, screaming as they were swept into the storm and turned to
dust. The others paled and scattered like a tide, instantly clearing a large open space below
.
"Go!"
With a soft shout, the green-robed Gandalf stretched out his hand, and the several formed giant storm tornadoes immediately
swept towards Deron, rapidly spinning and creating countless sharp wind blades that collided with the golden divine power barrier
, producing a piercing friction sound. The terrifyingly powerful tornadoes, like the gaping maw of a monster, instantly
swallowed Deron completely.
Within the storm, the golden radiance of divine power was gradually submerged, finally
completely obscured by the storm, seemingly swallowed up by it.
Seeing this, everyone in the palace felt a chill, while the nobles of the First Prince's faction in the square showed
joy. Who could survive such a powerful storm? Even from a distance, everyone could
deeply feel the terror of the storm. Some weaker individuals were swept away by the aftershocks, desperately grabbing onto whatever was nearby
to barely stand. Many knights had already used their battle aura to resist the intense tearing force, let alone
Deron, who was at the center of its power.
As Deron and the Spear of Longchinus vanished into the storm, Gandalf the Green's expression grew increasingly
solemn, devoid of any joy at the successful spell. He once again raised his wand high, the emerald crystal at its tip
radiating brilliant light. The raging storm intensified, countless lightning bolts exploding, the powerful force
whipping up the surrounding rooftops and the solid bluestone slabs of the ground, swirling and converging to form a massive stone cage at the center of the storm
, slowly compressing inwards.
"I told you, it's useless."
Just as the stone cage reached its limit, a cold voice echoed from the center of the storm,
colder than the wind and fiercer than the thunder.
In an instant, two golden arcs of light flashed across the sky, dimmed by the dust stirred up by the storm, and the storm
seemed to be sliced into three pieces, tilting downwards.
A terrifying divine power spread from the eye of the storm. Deron, leaning on his holy lance, emerged step by step from the shattered stone cage
. The tip of the lance swirled with the storm's currents. He suddenly twirled the lance above his head, and the raging storm,
as if guided, rapidly gathered around him.
Gandalf, the green-robed man, was pale. His lips moved, and he finally began to chant an incantation.
The emerald crystal at the tip of his wand flickered, and the storm, drawn away by the holy lance, paused, seemingly returning to the old sorcerer's control
. But with a shout from Deron, the holy lance erupted with divine light. The storm 　　surged towards Deron
like a flood, and then, with a flick of his lance, radiant light burst forth. The storm that had swept across the sky 　　dissipated at lightning speed under the golden light of divine power. 　　With a crisp "crack," several cracks appeared on the emerald crystal at the tip of Gandalf's staff, 　　as if it could no longer bear the weight, and the once crystal-clear crystal became dull and lifeless. 　　"It's over." 　　Before the words had even finished, Deron's figure vanished from his spot again. Gandalf turned around without hesitation and retreated 　　rapidly upwards. A spatial rift appeared out of thin air in front of him, and the Spear of Longchinus emerged from it. 　　Gandalf's defensive magic was pierced like paper. He instinctively raised his staff to block, and 　　the golden spear tip pierced the staff lightly and accurately, cutting it in two. 　　"Hmph!" 　　Deron's figure also appeared from the rift, and the holy spear thrust towards Gandalf's throat with unstoppable force. Suddenly, 　　Gandalf revealed a sinister smile, and his body shifted to the side in an eerie manner, 　　barely dodging the attack of the Spear of Longchinus. 　　He slightly spread his fingers, and five faint green threads shot out simultaneously— 　　the puppet technique he had used against Raphael and Glenshire. Once these threads touched a body, control would be immediately taken away. 　　At such close range, Delon seemed unable to react in time. Although he swung his spear, forcing the green-robed Gandoff far away, the 　　green threads seemed to extend infinitely, like five nimble little snakes darting from various tricky angles onto Delon's 　　body, instantly merging into him. 　　The crowd below, holding their breath as they watched this epic battle, erupted in gasps . 　　The combined forces of the Mage's Guild and the court mages had just been humiliated by this attack, losing face and being 　　carried back like statues by the Royal Guard. Now, Delon was caught in this trap; he wasn't a mage, making it even harder for him to escape the spell's control. 　　Some people in the palace suddenly realized that if Delon, wielding the divine weapon, were controlled by the enemy and turned against their own people, 　　the palace might immediately fall. 　　"Oh dear, this is bad." 　　Prince Chen sighed. He had clearly witnessed the scene from the imperial city. 　　"Your Highness, you must have other trump cards," 　　Dewey said casually, seemingly unconcerned about victory or defeat 　　. 　　"You misunderstand, my friend. I mean, I'm afraid everyone here is in trouble." 　　Prince Chen gave a wry smile. Just then, the green threads clinging to Delon's body 　　were suddenly dyed gold by the reversed golden light, rushing towards the green-robed Gandoff at the other end. Gandoff's expression 　　changed. He instantly severed the green threads, using several flashes of azure flame to teleport to 　　a distant location. 　　Delon erupted with an extremely brilliant golden light. At the moment of the attack by the green threads, something seemed 　　to be enraged. Divine power surged on the golden spear, almost transforming into pure golden light. At its foremost 　　tip, an ever-growing sacred golden cross appeared. 　　"This is really bad. Hey, you, what's-his-name, Knight Guild Master, you're not going to unleash that divine power here , are you 　　?" 　　The Green-Robed Gandalf's body became ethereal, and a dozen or so Green-Robed 　　Gandalfs seemed to appear and disappear in mid-air, indistinguishable from the real ones. He stroked his beard and called out to Deron in an unprecedentedly urgent tone, as if 　　something terrifying was about to happen. The dozen or so voices overlapped, sounding incredibly strange. 　　Deron didn't speak, not because he didn't want to respond to the Green-Robed Gandalf, but because he was now powerless to care about anything else; 　　maintaining the stability of that ever-expanding divine power had already exhausted all his energy.

The divine power that had been steadily under his control suddenly went berserk 　　the moment Gandalf's green silk merged into his body, as if boiling oil had been poured on a flame. The surging divine power nearly
burst his body, forcing him to concentrate the uncontrollable power at the tip of the spear.
Now, the tip of the Spear of Longchinus was condensed with extremely powerful divine power, forming a huge holy
cross. If Deron relaxed even slightly, this holy cross would immediately shoot out, causing destruction that
even Deron, who had been familiar with the power of the holy spear for some time, could not imagine.
It had reached its limit. The holy cross stopped changing size, but the divine power condensed within it had reached
a terrifying level. The holy spear trembled slightly, as if eager to release this power.
Deron gritted his teeth, cold sweat pouring down his face. He glanced at the dense crowd below, roared, and with a sudden burst of strength, pointed the spear tip upwards, 　　releasing
the huge holy cross towards the huge magical light screen in the sky . 　　The sacred cross slammed into the magical light barrier. The vast images on the barrier shifted rapidly, countless 　　magical runes appearing at the point of impact, as if encountering a millennia-old nemesis. They roared, releasing 　　powerful magical fluctuations, relentlessly resisting the sacred cross's power. 　　A deafening roar shook the earth; the entire capital trembled under the clash of these two immense forces. Countless houses collapsed 　　, streets caved in, and countless people were buried under the rubble, their 　　cries of agony and despair echoing everywhere. 　　Those in the square and within the palace watched in horror as the sacred cross struck the magical light barrier. 　　Powerful shockwaves rippled outwards, scattering the imperial guards on the city walls and the First Prince's troops in the square 　　. This was merely the aftershock of the divine power; if the sacred cross had been released directly below, 　　who knows if the capital city and the central square would still exist. 　　"What a pity. If Chairman Delong had been just a little more precise with His Highness Yavin's troops 　　, you would have already won." 　　"Chairman Delong wouldn't do that. He's a true knight. Only a true knight can 　　earn the 'Knight's Lance's' approval, which is why I can entrust this divine weapon to him with peace of mind." 　　Dewey said with some regret for Prince Chen, but Prince Chen didn't seem surprised. Regardless of 　　whether the other side was a rebel or not, Delong would never be so ruthless as to annihilate tens of thousands of people in one fell swoop. 　　Only a true demon could do such a heinous act. 　　"The Knight's Lance... that cross always reminds me of the temple's emblem." 　　"That's not surprising, after all, this divine artifact is blessed by the Goddess of Light. 　　Perhaps its divine power is the goddess's power." 　　Dewey, watching the rebel army regrouping below the capital and the First 　　Prince, finally showing a hint of panic under Count Raymond's support, remarked casually. Prince Chen smiled slightly and answered with complete composure. 　　The fact that the holy lance, blessed by the goddess, wasn't enshrined in the temple but passed down through generations of the royal family was 　　already quite strange upon closer inspection. Now that the temple had joined the First Prince's rebellion, perhaps this holy lance 　　would next be used to fight the goddess's followers with the goddess's power. 　　"Good! Good! Good!" 　　Green-robed Gandalf exclaimed three times. His own strength was immense; the aftershocks of the divine power 　　had no effect on him. He casually tossed the broken wand aside, and a spatial ring on his thumb flashed, 　　producing an identical wand. 　　Having released that immense divine power, Deron, slightly exhausted, panted. The overwhelming, out-of-control 　　power of the Holy Lance had put tremendous pressure on his body, and his condition had actually dropped a level compared to before. 　　However, thanks to the Holy Lance's divine power replenishing him, he would soon regain his fighting strength. 　　"As expected of the Spear of Longchinus, I absolutely couldn't have withstood that blow. You win this round." 　　Green Gandalf, seeing Deron's fatigue, didn't take advantage of his weakness, but simply sighed with a hint of 　　helplessness. 　　"Master Gandalf, what are you doing?! Have you forgotten our agreement?" 　　The First Prince, surrounded by his knights, saw that Green Gandalf seemed unwilling to fight anymore, and in his anxiety, he 　　shouted loudly. At this moment, Deron's weakened state was obvious to everyone, and if Green Gandalf seized 　　this opportunity to attack, he would have a very high chance of winning. 　　"Your Highness, I haven't forgotten our agreement, but alas, I've already lost. The rest of the battle is up to 　　your paladin and your friends in the temple. However, since I couldn't help you advance triumphantly, 　　I can't shamelessly ask for the promised rewards. Farewell, and may we meet again someday." 　　Green-robed Gandalf chuckled, his intentions unclear. He showed neither the 　　melancholy of Rossi facing overwhelming power, nor the unwavering resolve of DuPont to uphold his dignity. 　　His earlier words about breaking promises and betraying his principles seemed completely forgotten as he drifted away 　　, ready to leave this dangerous place at will. 　　"Trying to leave now? Don't you think it's a bit too late, Gandalf?" 　　A cold voice, like a sharp steel blade, seemed to come from afar, yet also omnipresent 　　. A thunderous clatter of hooves approached from afar, as a large contingent of knights in silver armor galloped in, each 　　radiating a unique, holy aura of the Church of Light. 　　The Holy Knights of the Temple had mobilized. 　　As everyone's attention was drawn to the Holy Knights, those who occasionally glanced up at the sky 　　noticed that two figures had appeared on either side of Gandalf, their dark golden eyes 　　fixed on the departing old wizard, as if an invisible aura had sealed off the surrounding space 　　. 　　One wore the standard armor of a Holy Knight, wielding a longsword as thin as a needle, his 　　handsome, doll-like face bearing an innocent, amiable smile. The other was a tall, thin young man, his face cold 　　and slightly pale, his entire body shrouded in a large black robe.

"Grand Knight Commander Randall, how is the situation at the Mage's Guild?"
The Holy Knights, rapidly approaching the central square, formed a charging formation led by their captain and arrived
beside the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince, seeing reinforcements arrive, beamed with joy and, without further ado, inquired
about the matter of utmost concern.
"Rest assured, Your Highness, although those foolish fellows are still putting up a stubborn resistance,
under the light of the Goddess, they won't hold out for long,"
Grand Knight Commander Randall said confidently, sword in one hand and spear in the other. Neither he nor his knights showed signs of battle, indicating that the fight at the Mage's Guild headquarters 　　was already under control
thanks to the divine mages and the temple elders . 　　"Where's Chairman Yagodog? Hasn't he made a move yet?" 　　"Indeed, not yet. After all, even His Holiness the Pope and those two lords personally came this time 　　. Perhaps he knew he was no match and ran away long ago. The Mage's Guild is nothing special." 　　"Those two lords?" 　　"You'd better watch carefully, Prince Aven. This is a miracle of the Goddess. Goddess, be with you and me." 　　The First Prince subconsciously looked at the two people who suddenly appeared in mid-air and asked in confusion. Randall smiled mysteriously and 　　slowly said with supreme piety, making the sign of the Holy Cross on his chest. 　　"Ah, it's you two birdmen. What brings you out for a stroll today?" 　　Green-robed Gandoff chuckled, his eyes darting around, his gaze sweeping over the black-clad youth, 　　seemingly plotting something. 　　"I heard you're dead." 　　A cold and ruthless voice came from the black-clad youth, as if 　　speaking to an old friend he hadn't seen in a long time. 　　"Haha, Opus, even you have moments of confusion? I am dead, but I am not dead." 　　Green-robed Gandalf laughed wildly, gesturing wildly, his face full of cynicism, increasingly unlike the 　　dignified image of Master Gandalf that people had originally imagined, instead carrying a hint of sinister air. 　　"Whatever, whether you were dead or not before, today we'll settle that score." 　　The black-clad youth said coldly, expressionless, his dark golden eyes fixed on Green-robed Gandalf, never 　　leaving him for a moment. 　　"Ha, that matter? That matter concerns me, yet it doesn't concern me. You're looking for me, not 　　me." 　　Green-robed Gandalf said with a smile, but his words sounded like the ramblings of a senile old man. 　　"Hmph, what nonsense! Did you think we'd let you go just because you're playing dumb, old man? I only 　　came here because I sensed the goddess's divine power, but I ran into you instead. It seems this was all 　　the goddess's guidance after all." 　　The baby-faced young man sneered, his body surging with golden divine power. Just then, 　　the Spear of Longchinus in Deron's hand seemed to sense something and suddenly erupted with 　　the same divine aura as the baby-faced man's power. 　　"Forget it, Sphinx. If you were alone with me, you'd probably be long gone by now. 　　Incompetent fools, step aside and stop spouting nonsense." 　　Green-robed Gandalf mocked rudely. He was wary of the black-robed youth, but he 　　didn't take the baby-faced young man seriously at all. 　　"You despicable old man who blasphemed the sacred ritual, do you think you can leave here alive today?" 　　The baby-faced young man's expression darkened, and he hissed, his aura growing increasingly powerful— 　　an aura similar to divine magic, yet purer and stronger. 　　"If I want to leave, you two birdmen probably can't stop me. But I'm not pretending to be crazy; 　　everything I said is true. I did it, not me," 　　the green-robed Gandalf said nonchalantly, even deliberately yawning. 　　"He's yours, Sphinx." 　　The black-clad youth finally shifted his gaze from Gandalf to 　　the Spear of Longinus in Deron's hand, his eyes colder than a human's. 　　"Are you from the temple?" 　　The black-clad youth's icy gaze was like a bucket of ice water poured over Deron's head. His knuckles gripping the holy spear 　　turned white as he intensified his absorption of its divine power, meeting the black-clad youth's gaze without fear. 　　"The temple... you're wrong. Everything in this world belongs to the goddess. Mortal, your filthy soul 　　is unworthy to touch the holy lance blessed by the goddess." 　　The black-clad youth said calmly, though he stared straight ahead, his dark golden eyes showed no 　　sign of Delon. 　　"Mortal? As expected, the people of the temple love to spout arrogant words. Aren't you mortals too? I've 　　wanted to say this for a long time: you lot who give nothing, yet abuse your power in the name of the gods. 　　Don't you feel any remorse?" 　　Delon sneered coldly, but his expression was anything but relaxed. Although he was merely floating calmly, 　　the black-clad youth gave him the feeling of a bottomless black hole, making him inexplicably 　　feel as if he was about to be swallowed up. 　　"Only ignorant mortals are arrogant." 　　A cold voice, like a chilling wind, suddenly rang in Delon's ears. He then realized with a start that 　　the black figure he saw was merely a visual residual; he had no idea how the person moved, nor even felt any spatial ripples 　　. The young man in black vanished in one place and reappeared in another, like a ghost. 　　Behind Deron, the shadow had already enveloped him. An intense, dangerous instinct told him that a mere movement would allow him to dodge, 　　but time seemed to stand still. He could feel his connection to the Holy Lance being completely severed in an instant. In that 　　instant, it was as if he had been abandoned by this very spacetime. Deron's thoughts raced, considering no fewer than a hundred 　　ways to retaliate, but one thing remained constant: he couldn't move. 　　Blood splattered as a pale, smooth hand ripped from Deron's chest, a still-beating 　　heart within its palm. 　　Deron's body plummeted like a stone, without even a final scream, his life force extinguished.

It vanished silently.
"Mortals without hearts can't live, can they?"
The black-clad youth said indifferently, looking at the slowly weakening heart in his hand. The golden holy
lance floated before him, spinning and emitting a faint golden light.
Behind him, his black robe shattered, revealing two pairs of crystal-clear wings with a holy luster,
shining brightly and sacredly under the golden light of the holy lance.
...
A humanoid creature with wings on its back.
That sight made everyone who witnessed it think of that legendary creature,
the creation of the goddess, her servant, the messenger who came to earth to spread her teachings.
"An angel..."
The eldest prince almost gritted his teeth as he uttered the word. He stared intently at Randall beside him,
his face filled with disbelief. Not only him, but everyone else shared the same look of astonishment,
even ignoring the gruesome death of Deron.
Almost everyone here had seen this creature in the murals of the Cathedral of the Temple of Light, and
knew the story of its arrival on earth as a messenger of the goddess. But weren't these all just legends?
What if the legends became reality?
"Aren't you happy, Your Highness? You are the chosen one blessed by the goddess! With
the help of two high-ranking angels, you will surely ascend the throne you've always dreamed of!"
Randall said with boundless joy. He had already jumped off his horse, clasped his hands, and knelt on the ground.
The entire Holy Knights behind him followed suit, but they weren't kneeling before the Crown Prince; instead, they were
praying to the goddess's messenger with the purest faith.
"How is this possible? This thing... a goddess?"
The Crown Prince seemed still reeling from the shock. He rubbed his eyes, widened them, and stared at the sky.
The figure with holy four wings, bathed in light, was still vividly present before him. Even the usually composed Earl
Raymond gaped in astonishment, and the others thought they were dreaming.
"They've finally arrived."
The people within the imperial city were equally stunned, speechless. Prince Chen sighed, then laughed. No one
knew why he laughed. Not only had the creature, originally only existing in legends, appeared in the enemy's camp, but
even their only reliance, the Spear of Longchinus, had been taken away. Why could he still laugh under such circumstances?
No one asked, no one dared to ask, because the people within the imperial city feared the answer was that His Highness the Prince had gone
mad. They could only silently pray to their unknown gods, praying for a miracle to occur.
"Kill him quickly, Sphinx!"
The black-clad youth gripped the holy spear hovering before him,
urging the baby-faced young man, Sphinx.
The Sphinx's armor and clothes suddenly shattered, and two pairs of pure white wings, almost identical to the black-clad youth's,
unfurled, flying towards the green-robed Gandalf.
"Want to kill me? Capture me first!"
Gandalf, clad in green robes, sneered. A ball of emerald flame erupted from his body, and he instantly appeared hundreds of meters away. He
made a face and vanished again. Sphinx seemed annoyed, flapping its four wings and
giving chase like lightning.
"Your Highness Chen."
The black-clad youth suddenly turned around, flapping his wings and flying above the imperial city. He looked down at Prince Chen
, his cold gaze inadvertently sweeping over Dewey.
"Is there something you need, Angel... Your Excellency?"
Prince Chen asked with a smile, looking directly into the angel's cold, dark golden eyes.
"I've been observing you for some time, Your Highness. You are quite good. By the standards of talent, you are
the most suitable person to govern this country for the Goddess."
The black-clad youth said slowly.
"Oh, is that so? Thank you, I am truly honored."
Although the angel's words seemed somewhat abrupt, Prince Chen didn't seem to find it
strange and responded with utmost politeness.
"But you are not a believer of the Goddess. Those without faith cannot exist in the Goddess's kingdom.
Therefore, we chose Prince Yavin,"
the black-clad youth said coldly, devoid of emotion.
"Wait, what did you say?"
"I said we chose Prince Yavin, that's all."
"No, you said... the Goddess's kingdom?"
Prince Chen's smile suddenly froze.
"Everything in this world is the Goddess's creation, and this country is naturally the Goddess's country. Everything
belongs to the Goddess."
A strong fanaticism shone in the black-clad youth's eyes, as if simply mentioning the Goddess filled him with immense
glory.
"What a joke! This is... my country!!"
His face turned completely cold, a ferocious roar erupting from him. For the first time, intense anger and hatred appeared on his face
. Everyone around Prince Chen was startled. No one had ever imagined that
Prince Chen, who always presented himself as gentle and refined, would suddenly reveal such a vicious side; it was as if he had become a completely different person. He quickly regained
his composure, but the smile on his face had vanished completely.
"The arrogance of a mortal, I initially thought you were quite clever, Your Highness,"
the black-clad youth said calmly, finding the prince's sudden, intense reaction laughable.
"Who is truly arrogant? Want to seize my country? Then try, you birdman,"
the prince said coldly, his nails digging into his palms.
"Your soul has fallen into the abyss, Your Highness. Let me purify it completely."
The black-clad youth showed no anger, his gaze towards the ant-like prince tinged with pity. He raised
the holy spear, its tip radiating golden light, instantly forming a golden holy cross, which he then unleashed towards the imperial city
.
The enormous golden cross grew larger and larger in the eyes of those within the imperial city, its overwhelming holy light
enveloping the entire city walls. The warm light, however, now chilled everyone to the bone.
In the earth-shattering explosion, a large section of the outer wall of the imperial city collapsed, leaving a
massive, deeply sunken cross in the ground. All the ordinary people enveloped in the holy light were vaporized before they could even scream.
Thick smoke billowed and flames erupted in many places. The soldiers who had been attacking the city with giant logs watched
helplessly as the previously impenetrable city gates instantly became a gaping hole.
"Alright, Prince Yavin, go and seize the throne that belongs to you,"
the black-clad youth said leisurely, gently touching the prince's forehead with his fingertip as if offering a revelation
.
The prince watched as the heavily fortified imperial city was breached by the black-clad youth's holy spear in a single strike, and even Prince Chen
might perish in that blow. His face was filled with conflicting emotions, and suddenly a look of extreme struggle appeared on his face.
"What's wrong, Your Highness? Isn't this what you've always longed for? As long as you follow the goddess's guidance, nothing
is impossible."
The young man in black smiled faintly, floating above the Crown Prince's head, admiring his masterpiece.
"Your Highness?"
"Raymond, pass on my order: all troops, charge!"
Earl Raymond suddenly shouted. The Crown Prince jolted, as if coming back to his senses, looking at the breach in front of him
, and gritted his teeth, coldly saying. Four infantry formations plus thousands of knights immediately
rushed towards the breach in the imperial city, engaging the remaining Imperial Guards inside.
"You all go too."
The young man in black said to Randall. The Grand Knight Commander bowed to him extremely respectfully before remounting his horse and leading
his hundreds of Holy Knights in the charge. In an instant, the sounds of battle shook the heavens, and countless people mingled together
.
"Still not dead?"
Suddenly, the black-clad youth sensed something. Without any visible movement, he instantly appeared in
the center of the imperial city. Countless troops were engaged in battle all around, the scene chaotic, but his gaze quickly locked onto
two figures beneath the white tower.
"Ah, this birdman really came fast. What should we do, Dewey?"
"Isn't this something you should be considering, Your Highness?"
Dewey and Prince Chen seemed to have escaped the range of the Holy Cross's attack in time,
without a single injury. Seeing the black-clad youth suddenly appear in the arena, they both showed expressions of helplessness.
Just then, the rebels still outside the imperial city suddenly erupted in terrified shouts. Suddenly, a golden-red
pillar of light shot straight into the sky, striking the magical light screen in mid-air, creating ripples. A
fireball as hot and dazzling as the sun slowly rose with the pillar of light, the flames burning with divine power instantly engulfing countless rebels
.
"The Eternal Sun Wheel...you certainly have quite a few divine artifacts, Your Highness."
The young man in black frowned.
"If you like them, then go and snatch some more."
Prince Chen laughed, revealing his signature amiable smile.
"Knight Commander Randall, it's yours."
The young man in black shouted, casually tossing the holy lance to Grand Knight Commander Randall, who was not far away.
As soon as Randall caught the holy lance, he immediately felt a powerful divine force flow into his body. He let out a
high-pitched cry of extreme comfort, his whole body bursting with golden light, and he instantly flew into the air, heading towards the Sun Wheel outside the imperial city.
"You're quite generous, Birdman, giving away such a precious artifact so casually."
"It all belongs to the Goddess. We don't have such petty selfishness as you. Alright, you can come out
now, you who've been spying all this time."
Ignoring Prince Chen's mockery, the black-clad youth spoke with a hint of smugness, but his
eyes instantly turned icy. With a casual wave of his hand, a massive longsword made purely of divine power appeared from his sleeve
, whistling as it flew towards the heads of Dewey and Prince Chen.
The massive divine sword seemed to miss nothing as it flew past, but ripples immediately appeared in
the void, and a graceful, ethereal figure gradually became clear. Blue, wavy hair flowed down her back, and
clear, sapphire-like eyes silently observed everything. Her exquisitely beautiful face held endless indifference, and her ethereal
aura seemed to exist outside this world.
"So it's you. We meet again. It was a mistake not to capture you back then."
The young man in black paused, seemingly surprised, but soon, a previously unseen smile of relief
appeared on his rock-cold face.
The sounds of battle were deafening, the smell of burning and blood filled the air. As the outer walls of the imperial city
collapsed, almost all the royalist nobles watching from the walls were reduced to nothingness by the Holy Cross.
The rebels had already stormed in, and the situation was beginning to spiral out of control.
The instant the Holy Cross erupted, Dewey sensed the magical fluctuations of Qianlixue, who not only
rescued him but also Prince Chen. Everything was so natural; Prince Chen didn't even ask a question, as if
he had known this would happen all along, as if everything was already part of his plan.
"So you brought those guys, Your Highness. No wonder you're still so fearless even at this point."
The angel's face turned cold again, his indifferent expression almost identical to Qianlixue's.
"So I still advise you to hurry up and find a way to kill me, otherwise there might be even more surprises waiting for
you, Lord Birdman,"
Prince Chen laughed, his gaze remaining calm as he looked at the angel, seemingly unaffected by Qianlixue's appearance
.
"You're right, Your Highness."
The angel's voice lingered, but his figure had already appeared beside Qianlixue, his hand forming a blade, and
with lightning speed, he severed her head.
Suddenly, Qianlixue's entire body transformed into countless shimmering blue light spots, and
a strange expression appeared on the angel's face. He struggled to flap his arms, like a
bird falling into water, slowly circling in mid-air.
Qianlixue landed beside Dewey, lightly tapping her wand, and a vast expanse of blue light spread across the sky like a net.
Enveloped entirely in the azure light, a sizzling sound like meat on a hot plate filled the air. The angel let out a deep 　　groan
, white smoke rising from his body. His broad wings flashed, leaving a trail of afterimages as he instantly disappeared from the blue glow. This time, however, it wasn't as elusive as teleportation; though still incredibly fast, 　　it was barely visible to the naked eye. 　　"Not bad at all. Last time I saw you, you were just a little girl who needed protection. In just a few years 　　, you've already mastered the power of a Saint." 　　The angel chuckled softly. Horrifying burn marks appeared on his face and body, 　　and his black robe had been melted, riddled with holes. Even the edges of his wings seemed dried out, a truly gruesome sight 　　. But instantly, golden divine light surged from his body, and all his injuries 　　vanished without a trace. 　　"This time... I won't run away again..." 　　Qianlixue finally spoke, her cold voice as devoid of emotion as ever. 　　"Oh, that's truly...exciting. It's been a long time since anyone has piqued my interest like this. Perhaps the Sphinx 　　is right; I really should find some fun." 　　The angel laughed, seemingly having not been so happy in a long time. With a slight flap of his wings, he 　　sent Dewey flying and pierced through Prince Chen's heart with an incredible speed. But the two men, just like before, turned into countless 　　blue specks of light, densely covering the angel's body, and his speed immediately decreased sharply. 　　The angel turned around, and suddenly, Qianlixue had vanished without a trace. Not only her, but Dewey, Prince Chen 　　, and the constantly fighting Imperial Guards and rebels had all disappeared from his sight. Under the dim sky, all was 　　silent. In the dilapidated imperial city, he was all alone. 　　"Domain... Very well, let me begin my complete purification from within your domain, you rebel!" 　　The black robe shrouding the angel crumbled into fragments, revealing a well-proportioned and athletic physique. 　　Solid muscles were perfectly distributed throughout his body, brimming with explosive power. Rings 　　of golden light emanated from him, spreading outwards and gradually bathing the entire world in a radiant golden 　　glow. 　　... 　　In an instant, Qianlixue and the angel vanished from Du Wei and Prince Chen's sight, 　　disappearing abruptly as if they had never been there. 　　A violent explosion echoed in the distance. A golden beam pierced through the crimson flames, 　　colliding violently with the sun wheel. The aftershocks of divine power instantly destroyed everything around them. Both the Imperial Guards and the rebels 　　fled in terror towards that spot; a moment's hesitation would mean being 　　swallowed by the uncontrollable divine power. 　　The eldest prince, watching his scattered and routed subordinates and the two divine artifacts locked in a fierce battle in the heavens, 　　looked utterly ashen-faced. He finally understood what the Prince Chen meant by the "awe-inspiring" power of the divine artifacts. 　　Before such devastating power, what was the point of an ordinary army? 　　First the Spear of Longchinus, and now a divine artifact resembling the sun had appeared. The eldest prince was unsure 　　how many trump cards his ever-smiling brother still held. The 　　angel who had killed Delon in a single strike was nowhere to be seen. Although he had stormed the capital and was within reach of the throne he craved 　　, the eldest prince suddenly felt as if everything had slipped out of his control. 　　"Your Highness, are you alright?" 　　Count Raymond asked cautiously, noticing the prince's pale expression. 　　"I'm fine, keep going, Earl Raymond, I must get... my country!" 　　The First Prince gritted his teeth, pointing his longsword and rallying his troops, continuing their 　　charge into the palace where the Emperor was. 　　"I feel like you're hiding a lot, Your Highness." 　　"Likewise, Dewey. Everyone has their secrets, don't they?" 　　Hearing Dewey's words, Prince Chen replied without hesitation. The two watched from afar as the First Prince led his troops, 　　crushing the Imperial Guards step by step, but neither showed any anxiety. 　　"Who exactly are you, Your Highness? I thought I knew you, but it seems you're not 　　the person I knew." 　　"Is that so? I don't know what you think I am. Now, just understand, I am not 　　your enemy." 　　"Then how do you know I'm not your enemy either? You trust me that much, Your Highness?" 　　"No, I never trusted you from the beginning, and I still don't, Dewey." 　　"I see. Then why did you choose me, Your Highness?" 　　"Because... I trust Cecilia, wholeheartedly." 　　Prince Chen said slowly, a slight smile playing on his lips, as if lost in some memory for a moment. 　　"Cecilia?" 　　"What's wrong? Why that strange expression? Didn't she tell you her real name?" 　　"She said her name is Qianlixue." 　　"Oh, I see. She didn't lie to you. That's another name she has, given to her by an elf 　　." 　　Seeing Dewey's somewhat bewildered expression, Prince Chen suddenly laughed heartily, seemingly finding it extremely 　　amusing. 　　Another deafening explosion shook the entire capital. Beneath the two dazzling orbs of light in the sky, 　　all surrounding buildings were razed to the ground. The golden-red light of the Eternal Sun Wheel gradually suppressed 　　the golden radiance of the Spear of Longchinus, slowly engulfing it until it was completely invisible. Finally, only a massive fireball remained 　　, burning fiercely in the air. After circling once, it plummeted towards the White Tower. 　　The overwhelming divine flames reduced both the rebel army and the Imperial Guard near the White Tower to 　　ashes in an instant. The massive fireball crashed heavily to the ground, countless cracks spreading outwards. A violent 　　firestorm instantly swept across the entire area. Had Dewey and Prince Chen not reacted quickly and unleashed two spells...

The scroll then quickly fled backward, determined to be swept into the terrifying firestorm.
As the firestorm reached the white tower, a seven-colored light curtain immediately enveloped it,
completely isolating it from the raging flames and leaving it unharmed.
The divine flames gradually weakened, and a figure emerged from the very center of the fire. The sun above him
radiated boundless light and heat. The figure stood in the light, holding a gleaming golden cross-shaped
spear.
"You chose a very good time to strike, DuPont."
"Hmph, I've been patiently waiting for you, Your Highness."
Beneath the eternal sun, DuPont wore a half-smile as he walked towards Prince Chen.
Wherever he went, the flames parted to make way for him.
"Very good, the time is almost up. It's up to you now,"
Prince Chen laughed. Suddenly, a strange magical energy surged
from within the white tower beside him, an aura of destruction erupting from it. In an instant, a deep black light shot from the top of the tower into the sky, striking
the light screen above. The unfathomable darkness rapidly spread.
All the magical runes were shrouded in a black shadow. The vibrant, colorful light screen instantly became
gloomy and lifeless. All the flashing patterns vanished, leaving only lifeless characters that seemed like
terrifying eyes, mercilessly watching everything below.
The sun's light was blocked outside the light screen, the earth shrouded in shadow. This darkness seemed intent on
swallowing heaven and earth, the heavy atmosphere making it hard to breathe.
"Finally...this is wonderful, Your Highness. This festival is about to come to an end, hehehe."
The light of the Eternal Sun Dispelled the surrounding darkness, burning fiercely in the air. Even
the Spear of Longchinus, which was originally filled with sacred aura, was ignited with a blazing flame. Dupont watched the changes on the light screen and
said with a gleam in his eyes.
...
The setting sun cast its last rays, and the plains were littered with corpses.
On some unknown plain, it seemed that a great battle had just taken place, with corpses and various broken weapons
and armor piled up. The air was filled with the stench of iron and blood.
Opudis walked barefoot through the mountain of corpses on the plain, stepping over a corpse lying on its head
. The corpse wore armor with a cross symbol in the center. A large axe had been brutally hacked into its chest
, and the silver cross sword in its hand was deeply embedded in the body of a huge non-human creature next to it
.
The inhuman creature had the head and hooves of a bull, its thick, sharp horns adorned with bits of flesh. Its body
was far taller and more robust than a normal person's, its thick leather armor stained with blood. A ring of human
knights' corpses lay around it, its eyes wide open in death, filled with a brutal, bloodshot gaze.
Not only were there such inhuman creatures, but the plains were also
littered with the corpses of many other races. Some had heads resembling those of various wild beasts, similar to the minotaur, each exuding ferocity; even
in death, one could sense the savagery and bloodlust these ferocious beings must have possessed in life.
Others were remarkably similar to humans, but all had pointed ears, and were all exceptionally handsome, clad in
exquisitely crafted armor, their rapiers and longbows gripped tightly, having pierced countless human bodies with
bloody holes.
There were also some very short, alien races, with long beards, wearing heavy steel armor, their hammers and axes
stained with brains and blood. Beside them were rows of powerful cannons, now all
broken into piles of scrap metal.
Countless corpses piled up, exuding a putrid aura of death. Ophelia did not fly; she simply
walked expressionlessly across this hellish mountain of corpses and sea of blood, heading towards the gray sun in the sky
.
The scene suddenly changed.
Towering flames, shouts of the crowd, agonizing screams, the smell of burning flesh.
Under the hazy moonlight, bonfires blazed in the temple square. Sinners were bound to stakes
, consumed and evolved by the holy flames. Countless fanatics surrounded them, torches in hand,
listening to the sinners' painful howls in the flames, singing hymns, and devoutly praising the greatness of the goddess.
Soon, the sinners' wails ceased, vanishing into ashes in the flames that purified their sins. Then, a dozen more
sinners were brought up and bound to the charred stake, old and young, men and women, but
at this moment, they were nothing more than sinners about to pay the price for their unforgivable crimes.
Those nearby threw their torches onto the dry hay, and instantly,
the flames that had illuminated the entire square as if it were daytime blazed again. The sinners' impure souls
were thoroughly purified in the rising firelight and the hymns of blessing.
Ophdis walked through the crowd, but it seemed no one noticed him. He didn't even look at
the frenzied crowd around him, simply continuing forward, stepping over the blazing flames, and ascending the long
stone steps leading to the temple.
At the end of the steps, Qianlixue coldly watched the angel approaching her, as if waiting for him to come up
.
"Enough already. As long as you know these are all illusions you created, they won't affect me at all
. Only mortals without faith would be deceived by such falsehoods."
Opdis stopped, looked up at Qianlixue, and said slowly. Walking through mountains of corpses and seas of fire
was like a leisurely stroll for him.
"This is...your world..."
Qianlixue asked indifferently, her lifeless starry eyes reflecting the flames burning in the plaza below.
"My world? No, don't you understand? Everything belongs to the goddess, and I belong to the goddess too. Therefore, there is no '
my world,' only the goddess's world."
Opdis replied calmly, without the slightest hesitation.
"Goddess...you said...this is the goddess's world..."
"That's natural. All things were created by the goddess, so everything naturally belongs to her. But ignorant
mortals always think they are the masters of this world, betraying their faith in the goddess and allowing their souls to fall. This
world is already filthy and must be purified."
Opdis's cold face revealed a fanatical expression again, and even his body trembled slightly.
"Purification..."
"You really are... becoming more and more like 'us'. Having witnessed the 'truth' of this world, you
should also have the same 'desire' as 'us'."
"..."
Qianlixue remained silent. The clamor of the trial of sinners in the square came from above. The fanaticism in Opdis's eyes grew
stronger and stronger. He slowly took a big step forward, and then another big step forward.
"Don't you think so, you rebel? Why make this futile struggle? Don't you
want a world full of light and happiness? After experiencing the despair of endless hell, haven't you seen enough
of the evil that exists in this world now? Only by purifying all sins can the good people
live happily in the light of the goddess. Why do you help those depraved and filthy sinners? Those
trash who once deeply hurt you shouldn't exist in this world,
in this world that should be beautiful and bright!"
Ophdis roared, his veins bulging, his suppressed emotions suddenly bursting forth.
His eyes instantly turned blood red, and with a flap of his wings, he pounced towards Qianlixue, but she
vanished from her spot in the blink of an eye.
A punch flashing with divine golden light slammed out, and the entire space collapsed instantly, turning everything around
into a chaotic void. Ophdis floated effortlessly in the void, facing Qianlixue who appeared not far away
.
The angel's heaving chest gradually subsided, but suddenly, he clutched his chest in pain
, spitting out a mouthful of dark golden blood.
"You're really something. I underestimated you. Even if I thought I wasn't fooled by your illusions,
it seems I've already fallen for them. That punch I gave myself really hurt."
Slightly panting, Opdis spat out a mouthful of blood, speaking with a self-deprecating tone.
"..."
Qianlixue still didn't respond. Her lonely, slender figure floated silently, her exquisite face cold to the extreme
, as if she were an observer from outside this world, so close yet seemingly separated by two worlds
.
"What do you want? I really don't understand why you're unwilling to accept such a
beautiful world that's about to arrive?"
Opdis wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, muttering in bewilderment. He stared intently at Qianlixue's
face, seemingly trying to glean something from her unchanging, indifferent expression.
"What shouldn't exist... already exists... what to do..."
A cold voice echoed eerily in the chaotic, deathly silence. Qianlixue stared at the angel, but her empty eyes
seemed unfocused.
"Could it be that you..."
The angel gazed into those blue eyes, suddenly seeming to catch something within them. A sudden shock
made him feel suffocated. Just then, darkness surged in from nowhere, engulfing him and Qianlixue,
along with the entire space.
Countless screams rang in his ears, and panicked crowds scattered in all directions. The next moment, Opudis found himself
back in the imperial city. He looked at the light curtain in the sky; countless magical characters glowed with an eerie black light, and
the entire sky above the imperial city was shrouded in darkness.
The angel straightened up, but immediately sensed something was wrong. Although he was still
in the imperial city he had just been in, it was no longer the same world. This was a completely unfamiliar world, where all the rules
seemed to be in chaos.
Not far away, a massive sun disc emitted a blinding light, illuminating everything around it. A figure, bathed in
the sun's glow, wielded a holy lance and approached him.
"Finally appeared. Aren't you going to offer a final prayer to the goddess, Archangel?"
Dupont raised the Spear of Longchinus at the angel, grinning smugly.
"What...what have you done?"
Opus coldly demanded, his previous air of absolute control gone.
"You really shouldn't have so casually handed over the divine artifact to someone else, Archangel. Hmph, in
His Majesty Aragorn's 'domain,' you're nothing more than a mortal now."
"Aragorn's domain? How could that be..."
The angel finally understood the source of this jarring sense of unease. Beneath the dark, eerie curtain of light, the entire capital had fallen into
a terrifying domain. Completely unfamiliar rules rendered the power of a Saint-level being utterly meaningless.
What meaning did a Saint-level being have without Saint-level power?
"How does it feel to lose your power, Archangel? Hmph, legends should remain legends.
Gods should simply be worshipped. Don't you think that's the right way?"
Dupont approached Opdis step by step, radiating an incomparably powerful divine aura.
"So this is your trump card, Your Highness?"
Opdis's face was somewhat ugly. He gritted his teeth and said to the Prince of Chen below the White Tower. Without
the power of a Saint-level being, how could he possibly contend with Dupont, who possessed two divine artifacts?
"That's why I said if you don't kill me sooner, the surprises will keep coming. Your Highness,
it's time for you guys to go back and properly serve your goddess. Stop harassing my people."
Prince Chen said with a faint smile, his eyes cold.
"Hahaha, what a clever scheme, Your Highness. But do you think killing us will end everything
?"
Opdis suddenly burst into laughter, seemingly no longer concerned about losing his Saint-level power.
"I only know that if I don't do it, it will never end,"
Prince Chen said softly, his face calm, as if he had expected this question.
"How ridiculous. You borrowed the power of those guys, but do you even know what her 'wish' is?"
Opus chuckled mockingly, a strange expression on his face.
"Of course I know, because her 'wish' is also my 'wish',"
Prince Chen chuckled, a hint of madness in his eyes.
"You won't succeed. How could such an absurd 'wish' possibly come true?"
"It will come true, won't it, Dewey?"
Ignoring the angel who seemed to have suddenly wavered, Prince Chen turned to Dewey and smiled, asking
with apparent seriousness. Dewey nodded casually, seemingly not understanding, lost in thought
.
"Enough nonsense. Now you can give up. I still have many questions for you,"
Prince Chen sighed, a hint of helplessness in his voice.
"It won't end like this, Your Highness,"
Opdis said in a low voice, suddenly spreading his wings and transforming into a golden light as he fled into the distance.
The messenger of the gods, who had always held himself in such high esteem, had so easily abandoned his dignity and fled before mortals.
But before he had even disappeared from sight, a terrifying surge of divine power suddenly appeared, and a silver arrow pierced the sky
, shooting towards the angel with lightning speed.
The fleeing angel seemed unprepared for this sudden attack, and before he could even dodge,
he was struck by the silver arrow. The immense force carried him into the mansion of some unknown nobleman. Immediately afterward ,
a burst of silver light erupted, blasting everything within a radius of several dozen meters to smithereens.
At the same time, the previously steadily burning flames suddenly flared up, connecting to form a massive
ring of fire that surrounded the three of them, its undisguised killing intent locking onto Prince Chen.
"This doesn't seem to be part of our plan, DuPont."
Watching Opus disappear in a flash of silver light, Prince Chen didn't smile as usual
. Instead, he spoke slowly with a strange expression.
"Hmph, of course it's not part of our plan, because...this is my plan, Your Highness,
hahaha! Hahahahaha!!"
His body trembled as if in spasms, as if suppressing a long-awaited burst of laughter. DuPont clutched his stomach, looking at Prince Chen's
somewhat surprised expression, laughing until tears streamed down his face.
"Is it that funny?"
Prince Chen stared intently at DuPont, who was laughing so hard he could barely breathe.
"Of course it's hilarious! You actually made that kind of face, Your Highness! There's nothing
more amusing in this world. I've dreamt of this scene countless times, but seeing it with my own eyes is
the most satisfying! Hehehehehehe!!"
Pointing at Prince Chen's nose and laughing unrestrainedly, DuPont suddenly seemed like a different person, wobbling
and using the Holy Lance for support, barely able to stand.
"You said you'd always be on my side."
"Really? I don't remember, Your Highness. Did I say that? Hehehe, I really don't remember, hahahahaha
!"
DuPont deliberately scratched his head as if thinking carefully, giving a pitiful, innocent look, then immediately
slapped his thigh and burst into laughter.
"You're not my brother's man, nor are you from the temple, nor even from the Mage's Guild. For the
sake of our friendship, can you tell me who you really are?"
Prince Chen rubbed his forehead and sighed.
"You've probably already guessed, Your Highness. But I must say, there's one thing you've been wrong about all along
."
"Oh?"
"There has never been 'your country,' and there never will be. After all, a country can only have one
emperor."
Dupont sighed, looking at Prince Chen with a disdainful gaze, his eyes seemingly filled with more pity than mockery.
...
The road from the central square to the imperial palace was piled high with corpses—the corpses of rebels and even more of the Imperial Guards
. Blood dripped from the First Prince's longsword. He gazed at the magnificent palace before him, his tightly clenched hands
trembling uncontrollably.
The sky above the capital was incredibly dark, and the eerie palace, shrouded in darkness, resembled a monster's gaping maw,
ready to devour anyone who entered. The First Prince took a deep breath, dismounted, and, with his numerous guards, resolutely
stepped inside.
The clanging of armor against armor echoed clearly in the empty hall. The hall was unlit
, barely revealing its interior, but for the Crown Prince, every part of its structure was
intimately familiar. He dreamt every day of sitting on the highest
throne at the very front.
But now, that throne sat a man, an old man nearing the end of his life.
"You're really slow, Yawen. You always like to procrastinate, which is
one of the reasons I don't like you,"
a weary, bored voice came from the man on the throne. The old emperor, propping his head up, spoke slowly
, as if he might breathe his last at any moment. He had no guards, not even attendants,
sitting alone on his throne.
"Father, do you still want to reprimand me at this point? I've wiped out your Imperial Guards,
and Chen is being harassed by the Temple. Who do you think can protect you now?"
The First Prince swallowed hard and said coldly, gripping his longsword even tighter, staring intently at
the old man on the throne. Count Raymond waved his hand, and his men immediately surrounded the old emperor with spears.
"What do you want to do, Yavin? Kill me?"
The old emperor sat up with some difficulty and said calmly, then suddenly coughed loudly as if he had choked
, the sound of his cough echoing in the hall.
"Kill you? No, how could that be? After all, you are my father. Just announce your abdication to the world and give it to me
, and that's enough. It's time for you to rest."
The First Prince sneered. Seeing the old man's weak posture, he breathed a sigh of relief. The situation was under his control.
Years of meticulous preparation had finally paid off at this moment.
"Ha! Hahaha! Alvin, my child, why are you still so
naive even though you've grown so much?"
The old emperor laughed, and with his laughter, the coughs mixed in grew increasingly chaotic.
"Naive indeed, Father. If you don't want to leave that throne yourself, I'll give you a
handy one."
The eldest prince's heart was pounding, and he took a step forward. Now, if he could simply move this old man
off the throne, he could sit in the position he had always dreamed of.
"Your Highness..."
Count Raymond suddenly called out, his face showing hesitation and unease. He didn't know why he
couldn't help but call out to the eldest prince, but he had a very bad feeling. The old emperor, Augustine VI, was
far too calm, not at all like someone struggling in the death throes. His disdainful gaze was like that of
a cat toying with a mouse.
"What are you doing, Raymond? We still have over ten thousand men under our command, and there are hundreds in the hall right now. Do
you think he can pull any tricks now?"
the eldest prince roared impatiently, completely ignoring Earl Raymond. His eyes were now fixed solely on
the throne before him.
"Avan, although you are my son, it seems Raymond understands me better."
Finally stopping his cough, the old emperor chuckled strangely in a low voice. Suddenly, with a loud bang, the hall doors
slammed shut by a mysterious force before the rebels could react. After a brief darkness, all
the candles in the hall simultaneously lit up, illuminating the hall.
"If you want my throne, then take it by force, Avan, my child."
The old emperor slowly and shakily rose to his feet, supporting himself on the armrests of the throne.
"Father, it's always been you who forced me to this."
The eldest prince gritted his teeth, forcing out these words. He gave a signal, and
the archers on both sides, who had been waiting, immediately fired their drawn arrows at the old emperor. Each arrow was enough to pierce the old man's frail body
.
Time seemed to slow down, as the sharp arrows approached the old emperor inch by inch. The eldest prince felt pain
, but at the same time, a kind of madness arose within him. Everything should be settled now.
He thought this, but the moment all the arrows were about to reach the old emperor, tiny cracks
appeared on the arrows. When they hit the old man, they disintegrated and scattered on the ground like sand. A powerful magical
fluctuation emanated from the depths of the hall.
"How is this possible? How could you be here?"
The eldest prince suddenly exclaimed, his face full of disbelief.
"I should say I've been here from the very beginning, Your Highness Yavin."
An aged yet dignified voice, a golden silk mage's robe shimmering in the candlelight, black hair
and black eyes—Yagodog emerged from the shadows with a smile, standing beside the old emperor.
"How could this be? The temple is attacking your stronghold! How could you have time to be here?"
The eldest prince, still seemingly unwilling to believe it, roared with a ferocious expression. Those around him stared in utter astonishment
at the suddenly appearing mage.
"So what? The Mage's Guild can be rebuilt anytime I'm alive. For me
, His Majesty's safety is paramount,"
Yaagodog said calmly, a strange light gleaming in his wise eyes.
"You are...my father's man?"
"Ah, that's right. That was decades ago, before you were even born, Your Highness.
I was just a magic apprentice then, sent to the Mage's Guild by His Majesty. I never imagined I'd become the guild
's president. Even I was surprised."
Yagodog said calmly, the candlelight flickering on his face. His expression seemed to be leisurely reminiscing
about the past, yet it inexplicably sent chills down one's spine.
"President Yagodog...Father...did you all foresee me making a move today?"
Cold sweat dripped from the eldest prince's forehead as he spoke in a hoarse voice.
"His Majesty and I knew, Prince Chen knew, and His Holiness the Pope, who is allied with you, certainly knew as well
. We've all been waiting for you, Your Highness."
Yagodog laughed.
"Damn it, in the end you still want to give the throne to Chen, Father? What am I to you
?"
The eldest prince suddenly raised his head and roared in despair.
"Of course you are my dear child, Yawen, and Chen is too. But there's only one thing you
must understand: I am the emperor, and this country belongs to me, never and never will be yours."
The old emperor chuckled, his cold and ruthless tone sending chills down one's spine.
"What?! You mean... even Chen..."
"Yawen, if you and Chen could have lived peacefully as princes, nothing
would have happened. Unfortunately, you were too foolish, insisting on taking what doesn't belong to you."
The old emperor touched his chest, seemingly exhausted, and slumped back onto his throne, waving to Yagodog
.
"Come on, Your Highness, things have come to this. You are His Majesty's child, and you should inherit his domineering spirit
. His Majesty doesn't want you to give up halfway here. You still have quite a few mages under your command, right? Call them
in too."
Yagodog stood before the old emperor, not even drawing his wand, but simply looking down
arrogantly at the rebel army below with his hands behind his back. Four more mages quickly appeared on either side of him, all dressed in white robes, and a squad of fully armed
court warriors emerged from behind the curtain at the back of the hall, drawing their swords and forming a protective formation around the throne.
"No matter who it is, no one can stop me today."
His chest heaved rapidly, the eldest prince's face contorted as he spoke each word with difficulty.
"Very good, very good, that's more like it, Your Highness. Let me see just how much skill and resolve these guys who want to seize His Majesty's throne
have."
Yagodog smiled nonchalantly, a cold glint in his eyes.
(To be continued)

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