Chapter 243

After the Age of Abilities began, the military reorganized its forces into specialized combat units, assigning soldiers according to the unique characteristics of their individual abilities.

Typically, they operated in four-person squads: two attackers, one defender, and one support. Their primary objective was hunting the monsters lurking within the Aberrant Realms.

Thanks to Sela’s unique ability, the “Saints” had become the first rebellion to reach any meaningful scale in five hundred years. Her power to nullify abilities was a devastating counter against ability users, and that was before considering her capacity to command monsters. Facing someone like her could be even more terrifying than confronting the monsters of an Aberrant Realm head-on.

Beyond the gates of the Southern District lay an endless wasteland. Far in the distance, dark and oppressive mountain ranges rose and fell beneath the horizon.

The key to this battle was capturing Sela. If she died or surrendered, her followers and the monsters under her command would crumble along with her.

Pei Xi had been assigned to the rear of the formation while the elite squads took the lead at the front. He watched as someone mounted a magnificent giant bird and soared into the sky. At some point, the heavens had quietly grown darker, and the sun had disappeared entirely.

A faint sense of foreboding settled over him. He turned, intending to speak with his teammates, only to find Roy already glancing back over his shoulder.

Following Roy’s line of sight, Pei Xi spotted one cumbersome machine after another mounted atop the towering city walls. They resembled neither cannons nor any other kind of weapon.

“Aren’t those projectors?” Kyle blurted out. “Wait, don’t tell me they’re planning to broadcast our battle for the entire country to watch? That sounds a little strange.”

Kyle scratched his head. “Nobody told us about this part.”

Roy nudged him with an elbow, his tone casual. “Remember to put on a good show. Your family might be watching.”

“Roy, aren’t you the one who hates having your privacy invaded the most?”

“Even so, from this far away there's no way they could see us clearly. Unless we were as massive as the Demonic Dragon, we'd look like nothing more than a tiny ant on the projector.”

Pei Xi remained silent. His gaze lingered on the machines lining the city wall, his expression thoughtful. Then, at Kyle’s muttering, his eyelids twitched almost imperceptibly.

Projectors were sophisticated, cumbersome, and costly. There was no way this could have been a decision made solely by the Southern District. Moreover, a battle of this nature involved imperial secrets. It could only have proceeded with the Emperor’s approval.

Ordinarily, the empire synchronized public projections only during major festivals or when announcing events of historic significance. One notable exception had been the previous Holy Verdict, when Ye Zheng became the first person in history to pass the Holy Verdict before the eyes of the entire nation.

Why broadcast today’s operation live to the public? Was it to let the people witness a victory and raise morale?

No. Once those Dragonic monsters were revealed, panic would inevitably spread. People already living under the shadow of the Demonic Dragon and the doomsday prophecy would be driven into even greater fear. If they were to lose against Sela, the consequences would be beyond imagining.

What exactly was the Emperor planning?

He glanced toward Roy.

Pei Xi’s expression grew taut. General Bai Yi had told him only that he hoped to witness Pei Xi reveal the Divine Sword’s true brilliance and power. Beyond that, he hadn't said another word.

Only now did Pei Xi begin to realize that this operation didn't appear to be directed solely at Sela.

The Emperor was this nation's ruler and protector, the only person capable of standing against Ye Zheng head-on. As a warrior, the only thing Pei Xi could do was tighten his grip on the sword in his hand and win the battle unfolding before him.

The fine, misting rain gradually intensified. Fortunately, visibility remained reasonably clear. Pei Xi kept his eyes fixed on the figure riding the giant bird as it circled overhead. Then, without warning, the bird disappeared, leaving only a lone black silhouette drifting gently downward through the sky.

Those who witnessed the scene seemed to hear a piercing scream.

Wind-driven raindrops hammered against light armor. Heavy black clouds emerged along the horizon, forming a dense mass that pressed low over the mountain ranges before drifting slowly and almost leisurely toward the city district.

Pei Xi narrowed his eyes. Those weren't clouds at all. They were countless black dragons!

“Prepare!”

The force of more than a thousand dispersed, shifting into their assigned formations according to plan as they stood ready in full battle array.

Beyond the battlefield, countless residents who had received word of the operation rushed to the public squares throughout the city districts, holding their breath as they stared at the enormous projection screens.

The limited viewing angles and immense distance rendered the projections extremely blurry. The elite ability users appeared as densely packed black specks beneath the city walls, and only the broadest outline of the battle could be distinguished. Even so, the gathered crowds remained filled with excitement.

Ordinarily, because of the Aberrant Realms, people were already accustomed to seeing monsters and ability users. Yet as they gazed up at the projections of the mighty imperial army, a powerful sense of shared pride welled within them, as though they themselves were taking part in this awe-inspiring punitive campaign, crushing the rebels in defense of imperial order.

But when flocks of black dragons erupted across the projections, the terrifying pressure remained undiminished despite the immense distance. In that instant, the excited crowds fell silent as one.

They'd heard that Sela could command monsters. Some had even caught wind of the rumors that surfaced after the Western District incident. Yet seeing them with their own eyes—even if only as blurred dragon silhouettes—was enough to awaken the deeply ingrained fear of the Demonic Dragon that slumbered within the hearts of the empire's people.

Faith in the God of Hope had always been intertwined with fear of the Demonic Dragon. It was precisely because that terror existed that the divine seemed all the more magnificent.

The Demonic Dragon had never truly vanished. It had been defeated in the legends of the God of Hope, yet within the prophecies of the apocalypse, it continued to haunt one generation after another.

A child suddenly burst into loud sobs. No one nearby had the heart to comfort him. Their own hearts tightened with dread as each black silhouette descended onto the ground within the projections.

At this very moment, the Western District—the region closest to the storm—was, paradoxically, the calmest place in the entire empire.

“Lu Qi! Where are you running off to this time?”

A short, plump middle-aged woman carried two buckets of water into the house with effortless ease and nearly bumped into Lu Qi as she hurried toward the door. Her brows immediately knitted together.

“I heard from the neighbors that they're broadcasting the battle to suppress Se... the leader of the Saints, Sela, in the public square.”

“I want to go see it.”

The middle-aged woman looked at her with obvious disapproval. “Silly girl, do you know how far the public square is from here? By the time you get there, Sela might've already run off.”

“Didn't you win a radio in that competition or whatever it was? Listening to it is good enough.”

Lu Qi puffed out her cheeks in dissatisfaction, but she had to admit her mother was right.

After Sela left this region, the Saints who'd been pursuing her had disappeared as well. Lu Qi had finally relaxed enough to return home. Her mother had long since grown accustomed to her constantly running around and hardly paid any attention to when she came or went.

Even though her mother had never said a word, Lu Qi couldn't shake the guilt and frustration weighing on her heart.

Before leaving home, she'd proudly declared that she would become one of the empire's greatest celebrities. One day, so many customers would flock to her mother's mutton stall because of her reputation that her mother would be far too busy to keep an eye on her.

Yet after returning home, the quiet days slipped by in the blink of an eye. She did feel more at ease, but the anxiety and frustration hadn't disappeared. They'd merely sunk to the depths of her heart, where they continued to grow in silence.

She'd heard that Pei Xi and the others were participating as well. A faint wave of emotion stirred within her. If she were still a member of the Cloud Soarers, she might've been able to take part in an operation of such overwhelming scale.

But she didn't regret her decision. She simply felt a quiet sadness. In the end, she truly was just an ordinary person, someone destined to live an ordinary life.

Lu Qi rummaged through boxes and chests until she finally unearthed a rectangular machine: the prize she'd won during the Ability Tournament. The moment it came into view, her emotions grew even more tangled.

She fiddled with it for a while, but not a single sound emerged.

The Upper District enjoyed far richer forms of entertainment. Devices like this were more common among the affluent residents of the Middle District and in certain taverns throughout the Lower District. Under normal circumstances, they were used to play old songs or broadcast the audio from major occasions, such as the Emperor's or the Pope's accession speeches.

“There's no sound at all.” Lu Qi muttered, disappointment plain on her face as the corners of her mouth drooped.

The place she lived was simply too remote. She couldn't even share in the excitement.

Lu Qi set the radio on the table and was about to leave when, all at once, she heard a faint “zzzt.”

She froze, turned back, leaned over the radio once again, and pressed her ear against it.

This time, she heard it clearly. A voice, gentle yet unwavering, flowed from within.

“Good morning, everyone.”

That reassuring voice echoed through the streets and alleys of the empire. Even those standing vigil before the enormous projections found themselves momentarily pulled free from their fear and anxiety.

✧✧✧✧✧

One after another, colossal dragons stood upon the open plain like black mountains. They craned their necks skyward and unleashed long, resonant roars that sent waves of trembling through the earth. Behind them, a tide of people surged forward, launching a desperate assault against the formation in the distance.

No one knew what was happening beyond the battlefield, nor did anyone have the spare strength to think about anything except the fight before them. Blades flashed, abilities blazed in dazzling succession, and the battlefield became a blur of brilliance. A single lapse in concentration was enough to send blood spraying through the air.

Pei Xi gave a curt nod to his teammates, signaling them to follow.

The mission Bai Yi had entrusted to him was simple. Take down Sela.

More accurately, Sela's ability didn't nullify abilities themselves. It nullified damage. Any ability used to attack her would simply fail to inflict harm.

His 【Metal Aberration】 would almost certainly be rendered useless against Sela, but the same wasn't necessarily true of his 【Death Regression】.

On top of that, he still possessed the Divine Sword.

Shielded by his two teammates, Pei Xi dashed across the chaotic battlefield, narrowly avoiding being struck by black dragons on more than one occasion.

Kyle's barrier slammed a Saint aside when they attempted to intercept them. Roy conjured flames to drive back a giant dragon that had been stalking them with predatory intent. As he ran, Pei Xi swept his gaze across the battlefield, searching for the golden-haired, red-eyed youth.

Everywhere around them came the chaotic thunder of footsteps. Screams and shrieks rose one after another without end. Compared to the clashes between black dragons and humans, the battles between humans themselves were even more savage.

Every imaginable variety of bizarre ability was unleashed upon human bodies. Some were dragged beneath the earth and buried alive. Others were crushed into mangled pulp beneath grotesquely enlarged fists.

This was the first time Pei Xi had stood amid the horrifying spectacle of humans slaughtering one another. It felt nothing like watching monsters fight people. A powerful wave of nausea rose within him, and he suddenly wanted to vomit.

Yet he didn't stop.

Only by killing Sela could this battle be brought to an end as quickly as possible.

The wind howled past his ears as Pei Xi devoted every ounce of his focus to charging deeper into the battlefield. A faint sense that something was wrong lingered at the edge of his mind, but there was no longer any time to dwell on it.

Roy, trailing behind, saw the unfolding disaster with perfect clarity. The punitive force was collapsing. Large numbers of soldiers were already fleeing toward the rear, desperately trying to retreat to the city district, while the Saints and the giant dragons relentlessly drove them forward, advancing in unison toward the city.

Roy wasn't surprised in the slightest. They were all trash. Whether it was the Emperor or the Pope, both had seemingly come to the same conclusion and sent nothing but trash.

No one truly wanted to wipe out the Saints. The Emperor sought to reveal the existence of the Dragonic people, but as for what Ye Zheng truly intended... perhaps only she herself knew.

Roy shook his head, forcing the distracting thoughts from his mind. Whatever Ye Zheng was planning, the Emperor's objective would undoubtedly be fulfilled. At this very moment, the eyes of the entire nation were surely fixed upon this chaotic battlefield.

In a certain sense, they had already won!

If Pei Xi succeeded in bringing Sela down, it would simply make that victory all the more glorious. There was no reason for them to lose.

Pei Xi's pace became faster, his movements lighter and more precise. He couldn't tell whether it was merely his imagination, but pushing deeper into enemy territory felt far easier than he'd expected.

Slipping past one colossal dragon after another, Pei Xi finally emerged from beneath their immense shadows. Breathing hard, he lifted his head and looked toward Sela, seated far above.

She sat atop an enormous, undulating skeleton, gently swinging her legs.