Chapter 256: Siege on the Azarin Empire’s capital (III)
As the forces of the Xaos Kingdom methodically set up their encampment, the sense of urgency within the Azarin Empire’s capital reached a fever pitch. From atop the white walls, His Holiness Jerom’s panic only deepened with each passing moment, the dread evident in his eyes.
’This distance is more than enough for that man to unleash that energy beam and strike the capital!’ The sight of the enemy so close was enough to stoke the flames of his fear, as the trauma from the Strong Hammer Military Base still haunted him. However, soon that fear turned into a blazing inferno of frustration and rage.
Jerom’s eyes burned with fury as he turned to the generals, who had yet to obey his command and refused to mobilize the soldiers, making them march outside the capital. The anger that simmered beneath the surface began to boil over, and without warning, Jerom raised his energy in a surge of raw power.
A crushing pressure radiated from Jerom, sweeping over the assembled generals like an invisible storm. The sheer force of his divine aura was suffocating, and many of the men staggered under the weight, their faces contorted in pain. Even if he was an old, traumatized, and petty man, he was still a High Champion with control over Divine Force, so his power was immense.
Richard felt his knees buckle slightly as he tried to resist the overwhelming pressure. He was a Level 6 Champion, but the full might of the High Champion Priest was far beyond anything he could endure. A sense of helplessness washed over him and the rest of the generals, their years of battle experience rendered insignificant in the face of the Pope’s divine power.
Jerom’s voice boomed across the wall, his fury manifested in every word. "You dare defy me? You incompetent fools! I am the head of the Church of Glory, and the voice of Goddess Lucia!" His voice grew louder, and his divine aura intensified, looming over the generals like a guillotine. "If you cannot follow my orders, I will see to it that new generals are brought to replace you—ones who understand their place!"
The generals exchanged desperate, pained glances, knowing that disobedience would mean their death. Yet, they also knew that sending soldiers out of the city would be a suicide mission. They were torn between their own survival and the safety of the capital.
And then, in the midst of this chaos, another voice cut through the air. It was not loud, but its authority was absolute, and its arrival sent a ripple of silence through the entire battlement.
"That will be enough, Jerom."