Chapter 847: Loren's Resurrection Match (Part 1)

Chapter 847: Loren's Resurrection Match (Part 1)



Night—

The full moon had risen high, and the starry sky was resplendent with twinkling stars.

The lights in the second floor of the Brillada Opera House came on once again.

Located in the Manhot Central District of Brillada City, on Broadway 33rd Street, the opera house was surrounded by renowned artistic institutions such as the Brillada Voices Orchestra and the Brillada Royal Ballet.

This historic theater was purchased and taken over by Abigail using a large sum of money, and it was also thanks to her unique noble status that she was able to reside in the upper floors of the theater.

"What's going on here?"

A group of people sat wearily on sofas or tall stools at the art bar counter.

The interior of the second floor of the Brillada Opera House covered an area roughly equivalent to the entire performance hall of the opera house, combining the space of the Divine Age Sanctuary and the Modern Library. It had almost become their regular gathering place for the Silver Moon Reform Society.

After Lance successfully repelled Rahal, they took some time to defeat the remaining Ninth Ancestor, Marquis Bernhard, and the Tenth Ancestor, Marquis Ulysses. Then, they brought the Marquises to the Blood King Palace and joined up with Lance, sealing them into temporary magic cards one by one. Finally, they all returned to the western assault team's camp, where the Nuclear Fusion Wolf swallowed them.

At the moment Talia ignited the Nuclear Fusion Wolf, they all gathered at the western camp of Blood Moon City, using the evacuation route constructed by Abigail, and returned directly to their base on the second floor of the Brillada Opera House, immediately closing the spatial gateway.

This process took less than an hour.

However, as soon as they returned to the surface, they found that the imperial situation had become somewhat incomprehensible to them.

"I'm feeling completely disoriented right now."

Abigail covered her forehead, her pure silver-gray hair resting on the back of her hand, as she leaned against the sofa, seemingly suffering from a severe headache.

Today, during the Blood Moon City assault, her mind had been working non-stop, coordinating the overall situation while also controlling her mechanical assistants to construct the western assault team's camp. Now, she was almost exhausted.

"Have something to eat, Abigail."

Talia paused with a flower-shaped pastry almost at her lips and offered it to Abigail, who was sitting next to her.

The brain is an organ that consumes a lot of energy.

Even if the sky were to fall, one still needs to eat.

"Tata, you're the most optimistic girl I've ever met."

Abigail hesitated for a moment but eventually accepted the pastry from Talia.

Although her heart was racing with anxiety, seeing Tata's mental fortitude, she was able to calm down a bit.

At this moment, Lance and the others were frowning as they watched the news broadcast on the projection screen.

The mana crystal screen on the wall flickered, displaying an emergency news report from Kreitania National Broadcasting.

The news anchor's expression was solemn, but his voice remained steady.

"We interrupt this program with breaking news. At 5:58 pm tonight, an earthquake occurred in Brillada. According to data from the Kreitania Geological Research Institute, the earthquake measured 5.2 on the scale, with a depth of approximately 8 kilometers. It was located underground in the Brillada urban area. So far, there have been no reports of significant casualties or property damage due to the earthquake."

The screen switched to the Kreitania Geological Research Institute, where a geologist in a white lab coat appeared on camera.

"According to our analysis, this earthquake was a tectonic earthquake. Brillada is located at the junction of the Southern Continent Continental Empire Plate and the Serania Plate, an area with relatively active crustal movements. This earthquake may have been caused by energy release due to plate movement. We will continue to monitor aftershocks and provide timely information to the public."

The screen switched back to the studio, and the anchor continued the report.

"Citizens, there is no need for excessive panic. Our city's buildings have been strictly designed to be earthquake-resistant and have received magical protection. However, we still advise everyone to remain vigilant and pay attention to the latest notifications from the government. If you discover any dangerous situations, please call the emergency contact number displayed on our screen immediately."

But soon, the anchor's expression became even more somber.

It seemed that the earthquake in the capital was not worth mentioning.

"Next, we will continue to follow up on the major event that occurred tonight at Kreitania Memorial Square. According to eyewitnesses at the scene, during the climax of the National Day celebration, five War Gods suddenly lost their senses and launched an attack on Emperor Saint Baldor. The other War Gods engaged in a fierce battle with the War Gods controlled by psychic techniques. The battle caused severe damage to Kreitania Memorial Square and Saint Asteria Palace, and unfortunately, Emperor Saint Baldor perished."

"According to a public statement by the temporary military spokesperson, Fourth War God Jasper, the mastermind behind this incident is a Vampire Ancestor from ancient times. Over the past two years or even longer, he has controlled five War Gods, intending to overthrow the Kreitania Empire. However, thanks to the tireless investigation and tracking efforts of Sixth War God Violet and the valiant resistance of First War God Hestinos, Rahal has been successfully defeated, and the Kreitania Empire has been spared a catastrophe."

Subsequently, the screen showed a replay of the battle that took place at Kreitania Memorial Square earlier that evening.

Hestinos raised the legendary Seros Spirit Sword, creating a miracle at the moment the building was about to collapse, shocking all the citizens of the empire. What surprised them even more was that this War God, who did not have royal blood, had gained the recognition of the Spirit Sword and the ancestral spirits.

"Looking to the future, we are filled with anticipation. Under the leadership of Hestinos, the Kreitania Empire will undoubtedly emerge from this crisis and embrace an even brighter tomorrow. Even the allied nations of the north will find it difficult to shake the foundations of our great empire. Let us all wish for the prosperity of the Kreitania Empire and the eternal glory of Hestinos!"

As soon as the anchor finished speaking, Lance lowered the volume with the remote control.

He seemed to need some quiet time to think about what had happened.

In the short time they had spent destroying Blood Moon City, the world above seemed to have changed when they returned to the surface.

They couldn't understand why the situation had become so different.

"Something felt off from the moment I realized Violet had lost contact. I initially thought she was engaged in a fierce battle with Rahal and didn't have the spare mental capacity to respond to my call. But later, when I tried to contact her again, I couldn't reach her at all."

Abigail recounted the events to the group.

On this special day of action, Violet had temporarily taken over Nera Secretary's eighth Sacred Communication Magic Link, and Commander Abigail had informed her after Rahal's escape.

Violet successfully intercepted Rahal, and a great battle erupted in the Divine Lineage Hall.

The communication link was cut off at that moment.

"What should we have done to prevent this situation?"

Antanas still couldn't understand where they had gone wrong.

"Was there anyone available to support Violet on the ground?"

"We were already short-handed, and today, Blood Moon City had two more Bishop-level forces than us."

"Even if someone could have made it in time, it's likely they would've been too late. Everything happened too fast, and if anything went wrong, we wouldn't have been able to dismantle Blood Moon City. Dismantling it was the right choice."

Despite the ongoing discussion about Blood Moon City, the focus had shifted.

The dust had settled, and they couldn't change anything.

After tonight, the entire Kreitania Empire, and even the entire Southern Continent, would never be the same.

This minor earthquake was just a small tremor as the wheel of the world's fate began to turn.

The real turmoil was the unrest on the ground and the future it would bring.

On the screen, the Kreitania National Broadcasting logo slowly appeared, accompanied by a solemn Seros melody, imprinting this extraordinary night in the hearts of every Kreitanian.

Inside the mansion, the post-operation review continued.

Everyone was processing the shocking news, their hearts filled with complex emotions.

But one thing was certain.

From their perspective, this heroic poem didn't make sense.

Rahal and the vampires were the ones they had defeated, not Hestinos.

"Alright, let's stop discussing Blood Moon City. We did well there, and what we should review is what happened on the ground during the time after Blood Moon City fell."

Lance finally stood up, clapped his hands, signaling everyone to stop and look at him.

He appeared calm, but his eyes held no hint of relaxation.

He was both exhausted and certain that the empire's situation was worse than they had imagined.

Through the half-open curtains, his gaze fell upon the spacious terrace of the mansion.

Even the Venus Free Memorial Building on Broadway Square, which he and Talia had visited, was unusually dim and closed early on this National Day, which should have been bustling.

"First, from the signs of the War Gods' afternoon daze, it's clear they were briefly isolated from psychic control."

Lance ensured everyone was paying attention to him, then used the remote to rewind the news footage.

He paused at the scene of the War Gods in Kreitania Memorial Square shortly after five o'clock, showing it to the others in the mansion's living room.

"This aligns with Violet's timeline of engaging Rahal in battle."

Pranai calculated the time in his mind and explained.

He remembered every critical moment of the Blood Moon City assault.

"This proves that Violet's Moon Goddess Pureland took effect, and at that time, the sky was still the Dusk Sun. There's no way she couldn't defeat Rahal."

Lance nodded in agreement, zooming in on the sky in the footage, explaining to the others.

The power gap between the two was immense.

Violet was a solid Bishop-level, while Rahal, who had escaped from Blood Moon City in a sorry state, was at most a Tata-level under the sun.

"..."

Talia glanced at Lance from the sofa.

She felt that Lance wasn't being intentional at this moment. Given the gravity of the situation, she sensed that Lance had no mood for jokes, and his habits had become instinctual.

But she didn't want to interrupt Lance at this point.

"We don't know exactly what happened in the Divine Lineage Hall at that time, but look at the strangest part."

Lance rewound a bit more of the Kreitania Memorial Square National Day Parade footage, zooming in on a specific shot to show his companions in the mansion.

After Violet left, Hestinos apologized to Emperor Saint Baldor and headed in the direction Violet had left.

"So, Hestinos must have participated in the battle with Violet in the Divine Lineage Hall?"

Antanas asked, pointing at the screen.

"That's right. The logic is clear. From Hestinos' conversation with Rahal during their battle in the palace under the night sky, it's evident that Hestinos and Rahal described a situation that Brillada residents and even the entire Kreitania Empire could understand—Rahal successfully defeated Violet and Hestinos using his peak ninth-tier power under the cover of night."

Lance put down the remote for a moment.

Even the cat boss seemed to have an epiphany.

According to the timeline they had from the assault team, Violet's engagement with Rahal happened at dusk.

It was impossible for Rahal to have ninth-tier power when he truly confronted Violet and Hestinos.

"Do you think it's possible?"

Lance asked again.

The others didn't know.

But they did know that Rahal had been broken through twice by Lance when he escaped Blood Moon City.

It was as if Tata had single-handedly defeated Violet and Hestinos.

"..."

Whether it was the companions who had already inferred the cause and effect or those who had just understood, they all fully grasped Lance's meaning.

"Lance, that's enough!"

Talia, seeing everyone deep in thought, grew anxious, tapping her feet on the sofa, her mood affecting her enjoyment of the flower cookies.

She knew that with Lance's analogy, everyone was using her as a standard unit of power, and they were all pondering how she could have defeated Violet and Hestinos.

But she couldn't refute Lance's analogy, which was too easy to understand!

Hestinos' perfect script might seem like a seamless heroic epic to Brillada residents and even the entire Kreitania Empire, but to the Silver Moon Reform Society, with their information advantage, there was undoubtedly a massive loophole.

Rahal didn't need to risk his life to kill Emperor Saint Baldor; the person he wanted to kill the most was undoubtedly Lance.

"In other words, the only reasonable explanation is that Hestinos backstabbed Violet, right?"

Huberian asked timidly from her embrace.

From Hestinos' perspective, his sudden betrayal was chilling.

Violet had the upper hand, but at the critical moment, she suffered the betrayal of Hestinos, the one she trusted the most.

As a result, Violet lost and her fate became uncertain.

Hestinos seized the opportunity to control the weakened Rahal, allowing him to recover to the ninth rank by nightfall. He then orchestrated a suicide attack on Emperor Saint Baldor, only to finish off the already weakened Rahal, thus becoming the empire's hero.

"This is the only way. Everything was just a stage set for the birth of a hero."

The Ice Witch looked at the Cat Boss nestled in Hiberian's arms.

Hiberian was still weak at the moment, so the Cat Boss was concerned for her and went to her side.

However, Hiberian didn't seem to be suffering as much from the backlash of Melogarth's poison.

Her father, Migaya, and her mother, Iftia, were now by her side.

From initially wishing for a mother's presence to now, Hiberian seemed to have too many mothers, all surrounding and smothering her with maternal love.

"The grand scheme of the world, a balance of black and white, can be manipulated by a single person on the chessboard. If the chess player creates chaos, then Hestinos will be the one to bring order, but not through conflict, rather through a performance without the need for rehearsals."

The Ice Witch spoke with a worried expression, her voice carrying a deep chill.

Hestinos' actions were undoubtedly for the benefit of the world, selflessly devoting himself to the people.

He had indeed deceived the world and succeeded in stealing the limelight, becoming the undisputed strongest in the present.

"How do you know so much, Almis?"

Sinora suddenly asked.

In her impression, Almis, an anti-war faction member, was a demon official who had no interest in manipulating power.

Although they had come to the same conclusion, the Ice Witch had articulated it more clearly in an instant.

"I..."

The Ice Witch's cheeks turned slightly red.

She was embarrassed to admit that she had always been imagining Loren in this way.

In reality, Loren was a true gentleman, but there was another person behind the scenes orchestrating this grand drama.

After meeting the Dominant Church again in Brillada, Brillada, Southern Continent, at the time of Loren's death, Almis frankly asked Sigred about the mysterious comings and goings of Loren between the two continents, and she learned that it was all fake intelligence created by Lance and Talia.

She was ashamed beyond words.

Whenever she recalled how she had guarded against Loren in Echter, while he had always treated her with kindness and sincerity, she felt guilty and wanted to cry.

Now that Loren had sacrificed himself, even if she wanted to apologize to him, she had no chance.

Human life was as fleeting as candlelight, yet she had never truly understood her kind colleague with her heart.

Now, she could only pray to the Goddess of Fate every day, hoping for a miracle, and for the Goddess to protect her High Priest.

She would never persecute Loren again.

"In summary, someone has stolen our victory, and the greatest hidden danger in the empire has been lurking all along—the First War God, Hestinos... He appears to be a good person on the surface, but in reality, he is a madman who can harm Violet at any time, enjoying deception, killing, and trampling on trust."

Hiberian seemed to understand Almis' embarrassment and continued the conversation.

"This is the most reasonable inference."

Pranai nodded in agreement.

In the world line predicted by the Goddess of Fate, if Lance had done nothing, Hiberian's early death would have allowed the vampires' plan to proceed smoothly, and Hestinos might have continued to bide his time until he found a miracle and then turned against the powerful vampires, becoming the empire's hero in the future.

Hestinos had always been the empire's greatest hidden danger.

Now, because of Lance's success in defeating the vampires, Hestinos seized a rare opportunity and took control of the grand drama, using the vampires as a stepping stone to ascend to the pinnacle of heroism.

Throughout the mansion, the companions sitting around the sofa fell silent.

Hestinos had already seized the reputation and power of the Krete Empire and obtained strength beyond their reach.

The ninth-ranked Hestinos was not an auxiliary type like Rahal, who could be defeated by special attacks, but a genuine combat-type, with even more specialized attacks than the Holy Soul Lant Pope. He had almost no weaknesses or blind spots, and the only way to defeat him was through a direct confrontation.

"What are our chances of successfully assassinating Hestinos? Let's take advantage of his weakness and strike!"

Antanas looked at the group, who were either exhausted or despondent, and clenched his fist as he made the suggestion with a fierce expression.

"If he has any means of self-preservation, we will surely be annihilated, and we don't know how he changed Rahal's will."

Pranai glanced at Antanas and spoke on Lance's behalf.

Since Hestinos dared to stage this drama, even inflicting injuries upon himself, he must have calculated his own state. As a warrior, he likely possessed powerful recovery abilities, and his situation might not be as dire as it seemed.

The reason Hestinos was considered an absolute powerhouse was that his endurance was never an issue; he had no such weakness.

Even the usually aggressive Lance hadn't considered an assassination plan, indicating its infeasibility.

The strength of the ninth-ranked Hestinos exceeded their understanding, and he now possessed the legendary red divine sword. Additionally, ten war gods, influenced by his performance, would stand by his side.

Even the Silver Moon Reform Society, after their intense battle, would find it challenging to overcome the war gods.

"Four bishops and six sub-bishops, this is much more difficult than Blood Moon City."

Migaya estimated with his fingers.

During the war god civil war that night, the conscious war gods had held back, avoiding a full-scale battle, resulting in less severe injuries compared to the Brillada assault.

If they didn't have time to recover, their injuries would be more severe than the war gods.

"Can we take a break and find a way to defeat Hestinos before he takes control of the empire?"

Iftia asked, hugging Migaya's left arm.

Rest was indeed essential for them.

Migaya shook her head.

"We can't win, there's no hope."

Tolia leaned against a bookshelf, his expression frank as he spoke.

Both Migaya and Tolia were Cardinal Bishops with keen instincts for sensing power. Having reached this stage, they understood all too well how terrifying those above them were.

Antanas saw the exhausted faces of the people in the mansion.

Even Tolia, who was never afraid of death, couldn't find a shred of hope for victory at this moment.

Lance remained silent, deep in thought.

Everyone could tell from Lance's expression that he had probably figured it out.

Lance was the type of person who would be unwavering if there was even a glimmer of hope, always doing what was right.

But now, he was silent.

This was the first time he felt completely hopeless.

In the hall of the mansion.

The hope of the group seemed to fade away like the last rays of the setting sun, about to sink into the dark night.

Time passed, and no one spoke.

Suddenly, Abigail's sacred communication magic rang out.

She took it out, puzzled.

On the screen was a private message.

"Open the door, I'm at the Brillada Opera House."

It was a message from Number Nine.

"Is Frey looking for you?"

Lance asked Abigail.

The person who could contact Abigail through sacred communication magic at this moment must be a core member of the Silver Moon Reform Society.

Among those not present, there were only three possibilities: Number Nine Frey, Number Five Alix, and the unknown Number Four.

Without Abigail's permission, even if they reached the second floor of the Brillada Opera House, they wouldn't be able to enter the alternate spatial plane where they were currently located. Instead, they would enter an empty second-floor mansion.

"It's Frey."

Abigail nodded.

After Frey rescued Migaya and went to face the Tenth Progenitor Ulysses, he had informed Abigail that he was returning to the surface to rescue the Third Princess Alix.

By then, Blood Moon City no longer needed him as a frontline fighter, but Princess Alix was still in constant danger.

"Frey, I've found your coordinates. Just walk through any door on the first floor of the opera house, and you'll enter the alternate spatial plane on the second floor."

Abigail spoke to the other end of the communication.

Soon after she finished speaking, transparent ripples like water waves appeared on the door of the second-floor mansion.

Two figures then appeared inside the door.

Frey concentrated, sensing the complexity of the space.

It far exceeded the complexity of any mechanical barrier he had ever seen.

The dome-shaped ceiling was about fifty meters high, designed in a style similar to the performance hall of the opera house. However, the walls were surrounded by dark brown solid wood bookshelves that extended all the way to the ceiling, filled with countless antique collections. In the center of the room, a group of ancient Venus Free Federation-style sofas and coffee tables were arranged for the gathered crowd.

The entire space was bathed in a warm brass-colored light, offering a panoramic view of the entire Broadway Central Square.

However, it wasn't as simple as it seemed.

Under every section of the walls were intricate space barrier runes carved by Abigail and Tolia.

"I rescued the princess early, but in the news, it's probably more accurate to say I 'abducted' her."

Frey had transformed, but his purple eyes remained as sharp as ever.

After reaching the spatial barrier on the second floor of the opera house, he and the woman beside him removed the disguise spell crafted by Lance.

When everyone saw the woman beside Frey, they stood up out of courtesy.

"There's no need for that, everyone," Princess Alix said, waving her hand to signal everyone to sit down.

There were many unfamiliar faces in the group, but she was certain that they had all just experienced a fierce battle, and she owed her escape to them.

"Alix, it's been a long time," Hyperion greeted Princess Alix.

Even though they hadn't seen each other in almost two years, he recognized Princess Alix.

The young princess before him carried herself with humility, her satin-like brown hair intricately braided, and her blue eyes shone like gems.

But she seemed a bit nervous, perhaps still shaken from her recent escape from turmoil.

Over a year ago, at the Cathedral of the Wicked Banquet, Hyperion, Lance, and Frey had met Princess Alix.

"I'm sorry I'm late," Princess Alix bowed to Hyperion, also greeting everyone present.

Ever since the Water Jade Seat Violet, the guardian of the capital, had left for Lake Staberg in the neighboring Botswana Province, the vampires had tightened their control over Brillada, even placing her under intense surveillance.

Fortunately, the leader of the vampires had been thoroughly defeated by the Silver Moon Reform Society, and their influence had waned, allowing Princess Alix to regain her freedom.

"It's a blessing that Frey rescued you at the first opportunity. Otherwise, with Hestinos around, you might have faced even more surveillance in the coming days," Lance said, relieved to see Princess Alix safe and sound.

The identity of the late emperor's heir was too sensitive.

Even if Hestinos wanted to maintain a benevolent image and not seek revenge on the late emperor's orphans, he wouldn't grant Princess Alix freedom. Eventually, he would either control or eliminate her, or even torture her to the point of misery.

"Thank you, all of you, for saving me," Princess Alix said sincerely, moved by their actions.

At first, she hadn't thought that these three mysterious Echters could truly reach this stage and fulfill their promise made in Lichtens Castle.

"It's alright, our fates have been intertwined for a long time," Hyperion reassured Princess Alix.

"The promise I made to Alix is the same as yours. I vowed to rescue her, so after the fall of Blood Moon City, I feared that the vampire viscounts and their controlled subjects might act recklessly and harm Alix. That's why I rushed to the surface from the city and infiltrated the royal palace under the cover of darkness to rescue Alix. Now, it seems that this abduction was the right move."

Frey had just returned from outside, but from the expressions of the group and what he had heard, he had a rough understanding of the situation.

Princess Alix's "disappearance" was the best outcome, and her motive for escaping was understandable to the other citizens of the empire.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end