Chapter 867 Retribution

It was an awe-inspiring sight that made Rae's blood boil. The black-armored knight created a thousand steel swords in the sky before sending them flying at the emperor. Despite being almighty at the moment, not even the emperor could ignore this attack.

The Light Emperor was absorbing the mana in the plaza to strengthen his body, but this meant this his ability had only two advantages: hindering others and strengthening himself. Moreover, this strengthening came in the simple form of physical amplification.

As a thousand swords rained from the sky on him, all the Light Emperor could do was soar higher. Rae could see that he was using artifacts to fly, making it clear that he had no other abilities. However, as the Light Emperor, his artifacts aren't artificial.

Whoosh!

A thousand swords chased after him, and Joseph flew in between them like a fish in water. Then, as the swords surrounded him and he had no escape, he simply punched one of them to destroy it before breaking through and flying toward the black knight.

"Is this all you have, brat?" roared the emperor with laughter as he dove toward her, but she was unafraid. Instead, she raised her sword, and her aura slightly shifted before she swung her sword.

Joseph struck his fist at her, and a force exploded from his body. The knight was pushed downward, but her sword traveled unhindered as if belonging to a world different than theirs. The Light Emperor raised his other hand and caught the blade with his fingers.

"You are all… too weak."

"Kill the emperor!" roared Vruckrus while rushing at the emperor. Rae watched as the war broke out, and soldiers fell left and right. Finally, it was clear that the rebels had no chance against the fallen beings.

"Save me!" shouted one of the rebels as a fallen being latched onto him and started devouring him whole, eroding his body alive. "AAAA!"

"Julius!" shouted another while stabbing the creature with the spear, but it sank into his body. Then, after he pulled out his weapon with a pale face, he found the tar substance was eating it.

"Is this the power of nothingness?" muttered Rae with fear. She has seen many of these creatures but never in real life. Furthermore, lenses and artifacts could not record their horrifying appearance because these creatures were nothingness itself.

"This war will be one-sided," said High Cardinal Hugh with a monotonic voice, but when Rae turned toward him, she saw a smile. It was a thirst for power in the eyes of a man who believed he was right, even if he used evil powers.

'I… hate this life,' realized Rae as she saw the soldiers dying in an attempt to save their people. The citizens watched with horror as the soldiers were eaten and pushed back while those touching the barrier lost their lives.

As she tried to rise, the two cardinals watched her every movement. But, of course, she didn't care but wanted to beat this damn emperor into oblivion. Then, however, the sky suddenly burst with colors, making her raise her head at the sky.

Rae could see two vessels hovering above the barrier through the blinding light. One was a ship with a goat figurehead, and the other was a giant dome thrice the ship's size. Arrays and mana cannons were the sources of the blinding light, and all of them aimed at the plaza.

"Reinforcements are here!" shouted the giant to rally the troops, making them cheer. Rae realized that these two vessels belonged to the rebels, making her relieved. "Get away from the monsters!"

All of the rebels got back, and the arrays fired. A thousand blinding lights tore through the sky to descend on the ground like pillars from the heavens. They struck the barrier and passed through it, and as expected, it started absorbing the attacks.

Cheers echoed throughout the plaza as the pillar of lights, mana, and elements descended on the monster. However, the Emperor seemed ecstatic, as his domain absorbed every attack that landed inside to make him stronger.

"Foolish rebels! These attacks will only serve to strengthen me further! You have brought about your demise! Live in despair!"

The emperor roared, laughing as the attacks started disappearing and turning into mana that strengthened him. His body expanded further as more mana got sucked into it, like a black hole that devoured everything.

Hopes ignited were crushed as the last of the attacks was absorbed before they reached the ground. Fumes left the emperor's mouth as his newfound strength caused space to wrap around him.

"This strength… will eradicate my enemies!" shouted the emperor before he fisted his hands and struck at the flying swords, destroying most and sending the rest flying.

Boom!

The world shook under his strike, sending a shockwave through the sky that pushed the soldiers back. His stature grew bigger too, and he descended on the platform, leaving deep grooves for footsteps.

"The fallen beings will take care of you," said the emperor with disinterest. "I will wait for your other leaders here, atop a million of your corpses."

As the emperor sat on his throne, with a disdainful on his face, countless objects started landing around his platform. They fell in the same route the attacks came from, and each was shaped like a metallic sphere as big as a basketball.

The crowd was confused, and so was the emperor. However, those closest to the metallic spheres were the creatures of nothingness, and they hurried to attack them. As soon as they did, blinding light exploded from the sphere as an unprecedented amount of mana burst out.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The execution platform started shaking as countless explosions struck the monsters. The Rebel Army knew this, so they retreated, letting the attack hit the knights and the fallen beings.

"How did these escape the barrier?" muttered Erin Voldor as he stood from his seat. "Father, is there something wrong?"

"These spheres have been created from Doom Owls' Feathers, giving them the property of repelling abilities," the emperor frowned. "I never thought these rebels have such rare materials."

***

Helios was quiet as if it was a ghost town. The barricades around the city, the shut gates, and the emperor's decree that no one set foot inside deterred anyone from entering the capital on this day. Finally, however, a pair of men arrived at its gates, one carried by another.

"We have yet to see anyone," said Casper, who was carried by Lyle's winds. "The gates are close shut, so are we going to fly over the city?"

"There is no other choice, but it might be safer for you to hide in the outside district," said Lyle with a frown. "The emperor is known for his cunning plans, and I assume there would be a no-mana zone given their abilities. Even I would be weakened."

"I know all about the emperor's abilities from your mother," said Casper with a pondering expression. "He needs a medium to absorb the elements, so he must have set arrays beforehand that could stabilize his powers."

"What are you talking about?"

"The Light Emperor could use strings to turn elements into mana. However, if so, then how does his ability work exactly? It has to use mana in some sort, right?"

"Indeed."

"As a researcher in one of his facilities, I have understood the reason for this project by understanding his ability. He uses his mana to draw more mana, amplifying his physical ability thousands of folds instead of the normal augmentation."

"Cut to the chase, old man. I can hear sounds of battle."

"The moment his mana runs out, he will start losing his strength. Thus, the arrays are there to help him regenerate his mana, letting him create barriers without worry. You could tire him out if I could find and disable them."

"I doubt such a thing would be easy, but it might prove useful," said Lyle with a frown. "I will take you near the plaza, but how can you walk?"

"A cane will do me fine."

Lyle nodded and allowed the wind to carry them near the plaza before letting the old man do his thing. As he reached the barrier, he heard the sounds of battle. Lyle paused before taking out his armor and sword to use them.

His armor was one he invested most of his fortune into, created from the rare Doom's Owl Feathers that allowed him to counteract magic. Although it wouldn't prevent the loss of mana, he wouldn't be helpless.

It was black armor lined with green engravings. Lyle wore it before taking out his sword, which was given to him by his father. It was the Mantra Sword, said to be the strongest sword in Ilios.

Ivory wanted this once, but Lyle lied and said he didn't have it. However, his father has given it to him before the arrest, so it has always waited for its moment to take revenge on the imperials.

"The day arrived when I take my revenge. It has been… ten years since I started training for this day. I studied every book I could find and trained every hour available. Watch me, Yurirl, Anna."

Oren Silvera did not erase his revenge, but the rage around it. It has turned into a conviction that could not waver or miss its path. Instead, it has solidified into something far greater.

"This will be… retribution."