Episode 1080
Chapter 254: The Selves of the Sun God (4)
Everyone in the imperial capital was staring up at the sky.
The heavens were dyed as if flowing with molten gold, and amidst that radiance stood a figure—human-like, gripping a sword.
That was Kragos.
“Ahhh, no…!”
“My eyes! My eyes!”
“Arrgh!”
The citizens who looked up screamed in agony. It was as if they were staring directly into the sun itself; their eyeballs burned with unbearable pain, forcing them to collapse.
But it wasn’t just pain.
Those who gazed even briefly upon Kragos and the golden sky he had forged were actually going blind. Within three minutes of the golden sky’s opening, over 40% of the capital’s population had lost their sight.
Only those who were asleep, those dwelling underground, and the highly trained knights of Hyran managed to avoid blindness.
[I am your creator, Kragos. Mortals, listen well. The true end has begun. You have no right to even enjoy this filthy land I have made…]
Suddenly, the number of blinded people was overwhelming. Anywhere in the capital where people gathered instantly descended into chaos.
Amidst the screams, Kragos’s voice echoed as if ringing inside their very ears.
A pure, absolute evil they had never encountered in their lives.
Merely facing that malice caused the untrained to freeze in place. Their instincts to flee or hide failed entirely.
[All of you, hasten toward death.]
Shuuuaaaah…!
As Kragos’s words trailed off, raindrops began to fall from the golden sky.
They were thick and viscous, like old blood, and round like human skulls. These golden droplets melted everything they touched.
Once the horrific rain began, the sounds of agony in the capital quickly ceased, as if the gates of a festival had slammed shut.
Stone, metal, earth, and people—
Everything was melting away. The golden droplets turned into liquid gold upon contact, pooling on the ground and already forming a rushing current flowing somewhere.
Kragos, seemingly pleased, settled into the sky as if perched, smiling.
Even those who had endured blindness could not withstand the golden rain. The capital’s guards melted helplessly, swept away by the torrent.
[Your king has come to make a meaningless struggle.]
Kragos’s gaze fixed forward.
The Golden Fleet of Hyran was cutting through the solar light, approaching. Without their powerful protective shields, they would have sunk long before reaching this point.
Dante Hyran.
He calmly took in the horrific scene before his eyes, unable to believe it despite seeing it firsthand. From the founding Sword Emperor Ron Hyran to himself, the duty and pride of protecting this city and empire had always been theirs.
But now, a cruelty more brutal than the tragedies of the Sword Emperor’s Holy War or the atrocities of the Fiend was unfolding.
“…Everyone, calm your anger. You cannot fight properly if you drown in hatred.”
The moment he or his knights lost their composure, the few survivors left would perish without exception.
Dante held onto that resolve, maintaining his composure.
“Commander, communication is still down. Spatial jumps are impossible as well.”
Kragos’s solar light was concentrated over the capital but spread across the entire empire. This pervasive solar light was blocking all communication and spatial jumps.
“There’s no choice. Still, Jin and the Alliance must have grasped the situation by now since they can’t reach us. We’ll hold out until reinforcements arrive.”
“…You mean you intend to go out and fight?”
Dante was silent for a few seconds after the knight’s question.
If honor was everything, then yes, he would have to fight. Even if it meant dying in defeat. That would be easier to bear. As the Sword Emperor, standing idly by was unbearable.
“If I were weaker, I might have done so. But not now. We must hold until the Alliance’s support arrives. We’ve assessed the situation—begin retreat flight. We cannot afford to lose troops needlessly…!”
He spoke with a heart as if cutting his own tongue.
Blood tears streamed from Dante’s eyes, reddened and swollen from suppressing his hatred. Yet, it was undoubtedly the wise choice.
[Huh? Turning your ship around? Afraid to face me? Even as the mortals who depended on you die so pointlessly, your own life is all that matters?]
Kragos’s mocking shout spread beyond the capital, echoing throughout the empire. Even those outside the capital, where the golden rain of destruction had yet to fall, could hear it.
[But you cannot run from me, Dante Hyran.]
Shaaak…!
Kragos’s sword, spinning and gaining speed, struck the rear of the Sword Emperor’s ship. The shield that had withstood the golden rain tore like paper, though the outer armor prevented serious damage.
But it was only a single strike. Kragos licked his lips with interest and fired the same sword energy again at the same spot. With short-range spatial jumps blocked, evasion was impossible.
“Do not use any power for attacks. All power, fleet-wide, is to be devoted solely to escape and defense.”
Even minimal retaliation was pointless now.
As Orgal had predicted, Kragos displayed combat power far beyond that of the other Selves of the Sun God the Alliance had encountered.
Unlike the earlier Selves, he had not awakened weakened or constrained. In fact, having received Malugia’s power, he was even stronger than before. Facing him with only the empire’s forces was like throwing stones into a lake.
Only a massive force united could inflict meaningful damage.
At the very least, all the Alliance’s Changsung combined would be necessary. Though Dante had yet to reach the Changsung, he could estimate that much.
[Pitiful, Jin Runkandel. You seem to be waiting for that mortal… but he cannot come here. Blocking mortals’ paths is no difficult task for me. And since Malugia herself has sealed the way, how could you possibly defy her?]
Dante did not know the full extent of Malugia’s power.
But the Selves allied with them trembled in fear whenever she was mentioned, and even Kragos—who should never be opposed alone—showed reverence toward her.
[Well, it matters little. Whether you die clinging to vain hope or resigned to your fate, the fact remains: you will all return to nothing. If you wish, curse me all you want, my ugly creations.]
As Kragos finished speaking,
The Hyran fleet witnessed another enemy appear directly opposite Kragos—right in front of them.
“…Jiple!?”
A vast, endless white disc stretched like a horizon, the Tower of Stories blocking the fleeing Hyran fleet.
[Ah, I almost forgot the mortals granted a brief life by Malugia. You must want to enjoy the end of this world as well. For her sake, I will leave enough for you to savor. Dante Hyran and the mortals who follow him.]
“Damn it… it was the empire…”
Jin gritted his teeth and shouted.
He had just been informed that Kragos had awakened in the empire. The Alliance was immediately preparing to dispatch all forces.
The empire was the most populous land in this world.
If a destructive Self awakened there, especially empowered by Malugia’s strength, the casualties would be beyond reckoning.
And Dante was there.
Though the Golden Fleet, Hyran, and countless knights were present, the only true superhuman elite of the Alliance was Dante himself.
He could not hold out alone.
In truth, this crisis had been somewhat anticipated. The Alliance had deployed superhuman personnel across many regions to prepare for Jiple’s indiscriminate slaughter.
When fighting Jiple, such deployment allowed for immediate support, so it was not a major problem. But this time was different.
Spatial jumps were blocked as expected, and communication was cut off. No one knew how long it would take to reach the empire’s aid.
“Flagship Sara, ready for deployment!”
“I’ll go ahead with a small team to clear a path. The rest of the troops, finish preparing and wait for my orders.”
Though calm in voice, Jin’s heart was anything but.
As soon as Jin boarded the flagship Sara, spatial jumps began. After several attempts, they found a jump coordinate at the southern edge of the empire’s territorial waters.
From there, they would have to fly all the way to the capital. But before the Sara lay a vast golden wall, completely blocking the sky and sea.
Valeria immediately began tracking Dante’s records, while the Changsung covered her outside the bridge, issuing bombardment orders.
“Sir Dante is still alive, Jin! But… after Kragos, even the Tower of Stories is attacking him…?”
Kraaaah!
As Valeria finished speaking, the Sara’s main guns struck the golden wall, but not even a crack appeared.
[This is a shield created by Malugia… Jin, to break it, even the entire Alliance fleet rushing in—including you—would need days… no, it’s inevitable.]
[Even if Ban were to unleash the final chapter of the Pluto Reign Sword, it would still take at least a full day. And even Ban couldn’t maintain that sword all day without becoming unable to fight.]
Nepdol and Bligiet stepped closer to Jin and spoke.
Jin’s eyes trembled, wavering with uncertainty.