Chapter 211 : A Declaration to the Usurpers (1)
Chapter 211: A Declaration to the Usurpers (1)
The reddish-brown pillar that towered over the center of the plaza in the capital, Arfe, was so ominous that merely looking at it discouraged people from approaching it.
That was the right decision for their own sake.
For the fate of those who ignored the warning their bodies gave them and approached the pillar was nothing short of horrific.
“Ur... urgh...”
“Kyaaaaaah!”
“A, a Beast! There are Beasts in the middle of the plaza!”
“You there! What are you standing around for?! Run!”
The spikes that erupted within a twenty-meter radius of the pillar pierced straight through the people who had carelessly approached it, killing them instantly. Even those who barely managed to block the spikes were all slaughtered by the Beasts that emerged from within the pillar.
For those living near the border or inside Beast Habitat Zones, Beasts were enemies they had no choice but to confront.
Even if their individual strength was nowhere near enough to fight them, they joined forces and fought the Beasts together, winning nearly half of those battles.
For nearly half a century, they had proven that only those with professional education and training were capable of fighting Beasts.
But that only applied to the border regions and those living near Benamaur.
The residents of Arfe, the imperial capital, had believed that Beasts had nothing to do with them—and had in fact lived that way all their lives. Faced with merely two or three C-Rank Beasts, they could only flee in utter panic.
Even so, this was still the capital of the Ribenia Empire.
Arfe, the city closest to the Imperial Palace.
As soon as news spread that an unknown pillar and numerous Beasts had appeared in the capital's central plaza, the Imperial Special Task Force and the Imperial Guards mobilized simultaneously.
“Commander, will only half our forces really be enough?”
“Of course it won't. But it's the best we can do. We don't have the luxury of waiting for the members who'll arrive later.”
Special Task Force Commander Alvin Caldwell hurried his pace while fastening his beloved black musket, the highest-grade Artifact, 'Gratia of Ebony,' at his side.
“Complete preparations for deployment within three hours.”
“But, Commander! A large portion of our troops are currently preparing for the Karbenna training exercise...”
“Then stop it immediately. Do you think training is what's important right now, Adjutant?”
Alvin paused and shot his adjutant a fierce glare.
“I don't know how much they've prepared before setting this in motion... but if the enemy has chosen to start the fight, there's no reason for us to refuse.”
“......”
“This is a war upon which the Empire's fate depends. Hurry.”
.
.
.
Meanwhile...
Standing alone atop the tallest building in District Five, the area farthest from the center of Arfe, Charlotte Platina quietly gazed at the fully bloomed Erosion Pillar.
She had eagerly awaited the arrival of this day.
Yet somehow...
She felt strangely empty.
‘...Is it because it's finally time for me to die?’
No matter how much of her mind had been devoured by the Beast, she was still human.
There was no human who did not fear death.
If that were the case, fear should have come before emptiness.
Then where did this feeling come from?
Could it be...
That she wasn't pleased by the Empire's collapse?
No.
Absolutely not.
These were the same people who had once shouted together about saving the nation...
Only to immediately betray them and feign ignorance the moment their positions changed.
And despite that, her foolish older brother had placed the nation before himself, protecting even those who would become his enemies until he died.
Leaving behind his only sister.
She had been miserable.
Heartbroken.
Wronged.
Even so, respecting her brother's choice, she had chosen cooperation instead of rebellion.
She honored his sacrifice and hoped the Empire would remember him.
But those bastards had not only claimed every one of her brother's achievements as their own...
They had even denied the very existence of the Divine Archer.
Even though they knew perfectly well...
...how much he had sacrificed for their sake.
That day, darkness bloomed within Charlotte's heart.
And someone who treated that darkness like an old friend spoke to her.
The most dreadful Beast ever defeated by the Kingdom of Rubea.
The King of Beasts.
Mastema of Hatred.
“Young girl who has lost everything, what do you hate?”
“Everything. I hate everyone who destroyed my brother and me.”
“What fate do you wish upon them?”
“I want them torn apart so completely that no one remembers they ever existed. Body and soul alike.”
“Very well. Let us make a bargain, young girl. Offer me your body and your hatred. In return, in the name of Mastema, I shall ensure that all those you despise are brought to ruin.”
“...And when exactly will that happen?”
“It will take time. A very long time, for both humans and Beasts alike.”
“If I die, I won't get to see them destroyed.”
“Do not worry. Through our bargain, you shall become immortal. Your body will belong to me. Until the day I resurrect, you shall never be able to die.”
“And that's all? I don't think the Empire will collapse if I simply do nothing.”
“If you nurture the Empire's darkness according to my guidance, that day may come much sooner.”
“...I don't have that kind of power. Unlike my brother, I was only ever a supporting figure.”
“That was the past. No one shall ever treat you that way again. Though only a fraction, you shall wield the power of this Mastema.”
“So if there's a destination, I have to walk at least half the way there myself... something like that?”
“You understand correctly.”
“...Fine. My soul already died with my brother. Then I'll burn the rest of my life... for his revenge.”
“Will you accept, young girl?”
“......I accept, Beast. Please grant me the power to destroy them.”
The Beast truly granted her power.
And immortality.
More than two hundred years passed.
And finally...
This moment had arrived.
“Go ahead and try to stop me, Eugene Carter... Edel Ribenia.”
You think sealing off the capital alone will solve everything?
Not a chance.
It's unfortunate I couldn't make one bloom inside the Imperial Palace, but every major city in the remaining regions has already bloomed.
You probably spread your forces in preparation for Beast Nests.
But the situation has changed now.
With that flimsy formation and those insufficient forces, the best you'll manage is minimizing the damage.
While the Imperial Family's and the capital's main forces are concentrated around the Erosion Pillar in the plaza...
The full military strength of the Platinum Dawn Society will storm the Imperial Palace.
The moment they seize it, an impregnable fortress that even the regular army cannot overcome will be completed.
The barrier protecting the Imperial Palace was personally constructed by Archmage Barion Orb.
Unless Duel Headquarters itself came to alter it, Edel Ribenia alone could never rewrite that barrier.
Even if she somehow miraculously changed its structure...
By then, no human would be able to enter the palace.
Anyone...
Except this body that exists somewhere between Beast and human.
“From the very beginning...
...your Ribenia never had a chance of winning.”
The growing commotion had thrown the entire plaza into complete chaos.
To escape the horde of nearly a hundred Beasts, people sacrificed whoever happened to be beside them.
“Ghh?!”
“I-I'm sorry, Father!”
“Y-You... how could you do this to your own father...!”
“Aaaaaaaagh!”
“Move! Move! If you don't get out of the way, I'll cut every one of you down!”
“Then use that sword to cut the Beasts instead!”
“You idiot! Even the sharpest blade can't leave a scratch on those bastards! Running is the only answer!”
Before the greatest terror of all—death—
They abandoned law.
Morality.
Humanity itself.
Children abandoned their parents.
Friends abandoned their friends.
Those farther away from the Beasts willingly abandoned those who were closer.
Had they stood and fought together, so many people would never have lost their lives.
Instead, in their desperate struggle to save themselves...
The death toll had already surpassed one hundred.
It was a sight she had longed to see.
And because she had longed for it so dearly...
It was all the more satisfying.
“Yes...
This is the true face of the Ribenia Empire.
Only now...
Do you truly look like citizens of the Ribenia Empire.”
Vermin who would do anything for their own survival and gain.
It felt good while you were taking everything away, didn't it?
You never cared about those who lost everything.
You were simply happy because it all became yours.
Future generations would surely say,
“It wasn't our generation that caused those losses. We're innocent.”
And that's why you'll lose everything.
Because no one admits their mistakes.
Because no one takes responsibility.
Because no one mourns those who lost everything.
“In the end...
You will destroy yourselves through your own choices...
Ribenia.”
And then—
As if denying those words head-on...
A tremendous explosion erupted in the distance.
KWAAAAAANG!!
The man who annihilated a portion of the Beasts advancing from the southern side of the plaza with a single attack casually waved his hand and smirked.
“Well now.
A commander really shouldn't be charging ahead alone.”
It was the arrival of one of the Empire's only two Marksmen of Magic Bullets—
Alvin Caldwell.
Immediately afterward, from the north, a gigantic azure slash hurtled toward the pillar.
Kiiiiing...!
The slash failed to break through the pillar's protective barrier and soon dispersed.
Even so, its lingering aftershock alone was enough to draw the attention of every Beast in the area.
“To think something like this would happen in the very heart of the capital...”
The Empire's legendary Standard Bearer and Captain of the Imperial Guards, the Holy Swordmaster Rugier Rosberg, lowered the sword he had just swung to the ground and let out a sigh.
“Hoo...
Could that bizarre pillar really be the same 'Erosion Pillar' that appeared during the previous joint war?”
I had always known it would happen eventually.
It was only a matter of timing.
I had even expected them to make their move before the next emperor was chosen.
But...
I never imagined I'd run into one at a time like this.
“Talk about a bolt from the blue... damn it.”
Looking at the towering Erosion Pillar rising from the plaza near Centre Central Train Station, I aimed Lukezax at it and let out a bitter smile.
Originally, I'd planned to leave Parsel, pass through Centre Station, and return to Karbenna.
‘Of all places... they had to make it bloom in the very center of Centre.’
Centre was the second most important city in the Ribenia Empire after Arfe.
The moment it fell into the Beasts' hands, every supply headed for Arfe and the Imperial Palace would become their prey.
As the transportation hub connecting all the other regions, the remaining seven regions outside the capital would also suffer severe losses.
‘Their objective is obviously the Imperial Palace.’
Given how meticulous the enemy was...
There was no way Erosion Pillars had appeared only in Centre and Arfe.
Since their objective was what it was, they had naturally concentrated more of their forces in Arfe...
But the same disaster had probably unfolded across all nine regions.
The Special Task Force and Karbenna's forces had likely been deployed to Arfe.
Flock could safely be left in Dellowell's hands.
But Centre...
Despite its importance, it had no dedicated military force.
Which meant...
I had no choice but to handle it myself.
‘...Looks like I'll be testing it sooner than I expected.’
As I charged toward the Erosion Pillar, I quickly scanned my surroundings.
The faces of those running in the opposite direction were filled with terror.
“......”
Yesterday, all the way to Parsel, I'd been met with nothing but contemptuous stares.
Now...
None of them even looked my way.
Naturally.
With the very real threat of death looming over them, who had time to care about something like the Vladia Bloodline?
That was the nature of the masses.
When a loud minority shouted loudly enough...
The silent majority simply nodded along.
There were many reasons.
Some genuinely agreed.
Others simply assumed, “There must be a good reason.”
And followed along out of habit.
Some had merely remained silent because they didn't care...
Yet still ended up being counted among the supporters.
That was the very nature of the majority.
— ...Even people like them... you still intend to save them?
‘Precisely because they're people like them... I want to save them.’
Because they didn't truly hate me from the bottom of their hearts.
Their opinions could change at any time.
If I could persuade the loud minority through results...
The majority would completely reverse their stance.
And so, I retraced the path those people had fled along.
As the horde of Beasts came into view...
A grin spread across my face.
“Alright, let's turn this whole battlefield upside down.”