Episode 756
— A small flower blooming beyond despair—that is hope.

The people of Toorun huddled together, poring over their sacred texts.

Their country was on the brink of ruin. The city walls had crumbled, the imperial forces pressed in relentlessly, and the royal palace remained eerily silent.

Had the king abandoned them? If so, what could they do? They could only barricade their doors, press their foreheads against their family’s, and weep in silence.

It was a bitter truth that their fate did not rest in their own hands, but in those of a distant emperor they had never seen. The future, which had seemed endless, was nothing but an illusion.

“Let us pray.”

And so they clung to that hope, crying out to the gods to open a path for them. From tens of thousands of homes came the soft murmur of scripture being read.

Kugugugu—!

Kraaaang!

A deafening roar shook the world, and at last, the moment had come. Surely it was the power of the Bariel mages—those fiends intent on wiping Toorun from the map. The people trembled.

“…Mother.”

“Come here! Get away from the window!”

“L-look at that.”

“…Oh.”

No way.

Their eyes widened as something black rose from the palace, taking shape into a human form. They didn’t realize this was the god who had answered their prayers—they just stared, stunned.

“The mages are attacking!”

“It’s a god! A god!”

But only for a moment. They quickly realized the shadow was on Toorun’s side. The flower of hope, long withering in their hearts, suddenly blossomed in an instant.

“Let’s fight back! We’ll drive out the Bariel army!”

“Grab any weapon you can!”

Clang!

Those who had hidden to save their lives now poured into the streets. They swung swords at the armored Bariel soldiers, some charging barehanded to bite ears off. Blood mixed—first theirs, then the enemy’s—staining the ground.

Ah! So it is!

“Gods do exist.”

“They haven’t abandoned us!”

Whooping cheers rose.

The dying looked up at the sky with smiles. The black shadow was so vast it could be seen from anywhere—a truly honorable and satisfying death.

“Drive them out! We’ll protect our home!”

“Waaaaah!”

The determined rallied together, throwing themselves into the fray. The soldiers, distracted by the mages’ struggle, were caught off guard and fell. Once down, it was hard to rise again.

The streets filled with Toorun’s people. No matter how many swords swung or spears thrust, those who risked death pushed forward, bodies colliding in a relentless tide.

“Kill them! Kill! Kill the Bariel!”

“Eek!”

Bwooo—!

Bwoo—!

Then, from somewhere, the sound of a water buffalo horn echoed.

The excited crowd didn’t hear it, but the Bariel soldiers recognized it instantly. It was a signal—their allies’ counterattack was beginning.

Swoosh!

A resident about to finish off a fallen soldier had their throat cut instead. Blood sprayed, blurring their vision, but the tip of a dignified sword remained clear. Then, a silver-haired man reached out his hand.

“Y-Your Majesty?”

“Rise.”

It was Jin Verosion, Emperor of the Bariel Empire. The scar across his face and the golden thread on his robe made him unmistakable.

The emperor personally helped the soldier to his feet, then without hesitation charged into the chaos.

“Kill everyone but the infants! Anyone who prays will be utterly exterminated!”

His sword moved without mercy. Each time tearful women and children looked up at him, his breath caught—but he did not stop. If he failed to kill them, Bariel would die. If he failed to annihilate them, Bariel would be annihilated.

“Your Majesty!”

“Your Majesty? I-it’s the Emperor! The Emperor has appeared!”

“There! The silver-haired man!”

“Kill him! If we kill him—!”

The emperor’s very presence here was an opportunity. Those who recognized Jin swarmed him.

Thud!

But the leader’s neck was instantly torn apart. Tweller’s axe struck swiftly and true, cutting down the attackers.

“Set fire! Kill anyone hiding inside the buildings!”

At the minister’s command, flames erupted nearby. The resisting residents clung to soldiers’ pant legs, cursing.

“How can you go this far?”

“Please, spare the children!”

“You beasts! Even if you’re cruel, there are lines humans don’t cross! Emperor, are you listening? You’re a merciless tyrant! You may be a shining figure in Bariel’s history, but in ours—”

“You’ve abandoned your humanity!”

Sharp cries and screams pierced the air, shaking Jin’s heart. Tweller glanced at him, but his expression was unreadable.

Jin was drenched in blood, slaughtering those barely worthy of the name enemy as he pressed forward.

“Look closely! See who stands beside you!”

I, Jin Verosion, will be a recorded emperor. A hundred years from now, Ian will exist to tell this tale. Bariel will not fall here. We will not stop here. We all witnessed it together in Burgos—so why fear?

“I, Jin Verosion, command in the name of the emperor! Do not hesitate—cut them down! The gods are with us!”

To rally the confused soldiers, he had to lead by example. The emperor did not retreat. The war raged on, and victory was assured.

The soldiers, shaken but inspired, gripped their weapons tighter and followed the emperor.

“Waaaaah!”

“Push them! Drive them to one side!”

They sharpened their focus with battle cries, swinging swords. Reforming their lines, they alternated attack and defense under their commanders’ orders, pushing the crowd back.

“Fall back! Retreat!”

“Damn it! They’re breaking through!”

“Hold the line! Please!”

“Aaaargh!”

Thud! Thud! Thud!

The Bariel soldiers marched forward in rhythm. Behind them lay bodies strewn about, and the retreating crowd stepped back in time with the soldiers’ advance.

“Your Majesty, are you alright?”

Xiaosi called out, and Jin stopped. The emperor gasped for breath, watching the soldiers’ advance. The troops, now composed, passed by him and pressed onward.

“Hah, hah—”

Jin looked down at his clothes—damp and stained. The original color was unrecognizable.

He watched blood drip from his sword and closed his eyes briefly. Not now. There was no time for human feelings.

“Sniff, sob…”

A cry came from somewhere. Jin slowly turned his head. A child, cornered in an alley, collapsed forward, tears streaming. Xiaosi followed his gaze.

“Please, save me… save me…”

“…”

“Mom…”

How could he not pity a child fighting desperately for life? But Jin gripped his sword and had no choice but to approach.

“Gods, please save us. Look upon us, please, we are here…”

The child prayed to the underground deity.

As Jin stepped forward, Xiaosi moved faster, stepping ahead and swinging his sword.

Swoosh!

Xiaosi ended the child’s breath, then looked back at Jin with calm eyes.

Jin met Xiaosi’s gaze. He hated killing, yet the only thing he knew was the sword. He had stepped forward willingly to ease the emperor’s burden.

“Do not hold it inside, Your Majesty. It will weigh you down.”

Jin nodded at Xiaosi’s advice. It was true. If he carried this burden, he would never move forward.

The emperor pushed through the bodies toward the camp.

“I will entrust the shadow god’s followers to Minister Tweller.”

The designation had changed—from the people of Toorun to the shadow god’s devotees.

Jin knew the power of a name. The essence remained the same, but changing the name would change much.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“And search for any underground shelters. I expect there must be some.”

Boom! Bang!

Explosions continued near the palace. The mages and magic swordsmen had not given up—they were still trying something.

Tap tap tap!

Hiiing!

There was no time. Jin spurred his horse and dashed to the front lines. Bariel banners fluttered everywhere—though all were soaked in blood and dust, tattered and worn.

“Soldiers, listen!”

Grasping a magical device that amplified his voice, Jin shouted.

The soldiers looked somewhat taken aback by the emperor’s appearance. Always composed, dignified, and flawless, now he looked like one of them—a warrior rolling in the mud of battle.

“Do you see the black shadow?”

They did. Clear as day.

The soldiers swallowed hard.

“I don’t see anything!”

But Jin shook his head firmly, as if reading their thoughts.

“There is only one thing to see: the future of Bariel!”

The future emperor, Ian Verosion, has descended by divine will to block the shadow. Remember—Ian’s existence is proof that the gods are real. Focus on the golden wings hidden in the shadow.

“My fate is your fate. Here, we will not falter. Prove it with faith. When we walk in the light, the shadows can never outrun us.”

No matter what happens. No matter what.

The emperor gripped his sword tightly and swore with unwavering resolve. He vowed to show them—show them just how powerful their faith truly was.

“Follow me. Follow me with nothing but truth.”

When the emperor stepped forward, the soldiers hesitated. But only for a moment. Jin slowly urged his horse forward, approaching the royal palace. Behind him, Xiao Xi and the Imperial Defense officers followed, while the commanders waved their banners, signaling the advance.

“Forward—!”

Whoooosh!

Whoooosh!

One by one, the hesitant soldiers began to move. With the emperor leading, a deep-rooted belief started to take hold in their hearts.

As the march continued, the sound of their footsteps fell into rhythm—a steady beat, a self-imposed drum to overcome their fear.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Explosions echoed from the palace, shaking the ground beneath them. It was faint, but unmistakable—a sign of change. They advanced not as mere warriors heading into battle, but as if performing a solemn ritual, majestic and grave.

And then, someone began to chant.

*    *    *

Thud. Thud-thud. Thud.

Ian’s closed eyelids fluttered slightly. His consciousness was still distant, but strangely, he was responding to the vibrations in the earth.

His fingertips twitched, following an unfamiliar resonance. His whole body ached, pain so sharp that even a groan was difficult.

“…”

A wall. Ian had hit a wall. A barrier he could neither cross nor break down.

His heart pounded uncomfortably, and blood kept trickling from the corner of his mouth. He gasped for breath again and again.

If only someone…

…El!

…If only someone would wake me.

Thud! Thud!

If only someone would lift me up.

…El!

Through the frozen folds of time, a faint song drifted in. It hummed, unintelligible at first, but gradually the melody took shape.

Ba-ri-el!

The beginning of the glory held by the gods—

The heart of Gaia, turning golden when the rain falls—

Lift your head high, and you shall see—

The light above, the beacon of Bariel—

Flash!

Ian’s eyes snapped open in an instant.