Chapter Fifty-Four: The Beginning

On the spacious grounds, the king gazed down with a peculiar expression; something seemed to cross his mind, and a cruel smile slowly curled upon his lips.

He looked over the crowd below, his features touched by a hint of madness, yet still smiling. “In truth, the reason I summoned you all here today is not only to reward your valor in battle. There is one more matter I wish to discuss with you.”

His countenance was tinged with a manic edge as he surveyed the people below, his smile laced with mockery.

“Oh? And what might that be?” A stir rippled through the assembly, and amidst the commotion, a stern-faced middle-aged man rose, his gaze locked unflinchingly upon the king as he spoke.

At the sight of this man taking the lead, the unrest subsided. Clearly, he commanded considerable respect in this place.

He was the only earl present, and apart from the Adis father and son, one of the few Earth Knights. He had always been at odds with the king.

“Why, it is simply this: I ask that each of you surrender your lands to me!” The king’s lips twisted into a sinister grin as he met the thunderstruck gazes below.

At these words, the hall erupted in shock.

The lords leapt to their feet, staring in disbelief at the king’s aged face as if they were confronting a madman. Amid the uproar, the chilling sound of swords being drawn could be heard, faint currents of battle energy flickering in the air.

At the front, the earl narrowed his eyes, gazing at the king’s withered frame, a dangerous light glinting in his eyes. “If Your Majesty retracts those words now, I can pretend I heard nothing.”

The king burst into wild laughter, his once placid face now twisted and terrifying. “Did you think I brought you all here for a celebration?”

As he spoke, it was as if a hidden barrier fell away. The faint sounds of slaughter drifted closer, and then, one after another, shadowy figures became visible.

Panic seized the assembly.

“You’ve gone mad!” the middle-aged man shouted, disbelief etched across his face as he stared at the king.

And as his words faded, blood-drenched figures began emerging from outside.

A handful of black-clad guards entered, their faces expressionless, eyes void of light. Without a word, they hurled several round objects before the assembly.

As these objects hit the ground, a faint crimson stained the earth. A closer look revealed them to be severed heads, their faces twisted in agony.

The middle-aged earl recoiled in horror. “Karl!”

A chain reaction of terror swept through the crowd.

“Rafael!”
“Jack!”

One by one, the lords looked down at the heads with ashen faces, a chill gripping their hearts. These were the commanders they had left to oversee their armies—every one a formidable knight, stationed to guard their forces—now all dead.

It was clear to all that there would be no peaceful resolution today. Grim-faced, the lords drew their weapons, the hall echoing with the ring of steel.

Opposite them, the black-robed guards stood in silence before the king, indifferent to the chaos, nearly lifeless, confronting the lords in a tense standoff.

After a moment, the king at the front looked at the assembly and suddenly smiled. “Aren’t you curious, Annio?”

“Curious why I dare stand before you all like this…”

He fixed the middle-aged earl with a twisted grin as he spoke.

“What!” Annio’s heart clenched with dread, a premonition of disaster rising within him.

Without hesitation, he summoned a surge of battle energy, which coiled around him, forcing those nearby to step back.

This was the power of an Earth Knight. Feeling the strength coursing through his body, he cast aside his doubts, seized the sword at his side, and charged forward.

A dazzling arc of energy, sharp and immense as a mountain, cleaved toward the king.

Had that blow landed, not even steel and stone, let alone flesh and bone, could have withstood it.

Yet the king’s expression did not change; he smiled, calmly watching Annio’s assault.

Then, a black figure appeared before his eyes. To the horror of those present, a black-robed guard silently interposed himself before the king, his face blank as he faced the incoming blade.

“Courting death!” flashed through everyone’s mind—only to witness a shocking scene.

The sword’s energy struck the guard head-on, sending him flying. Yet moments later, the black-clad guard rose again, as indifferent as before, apparently unscathed.

He stared back at Annio, and dark vapors coiled around him as he launched himself at the earl. Before the stunned crowd, he fought the Earth Knight with his bare body, shattering the ground around them, even gaining the upper hand.

Below, Bagel frowned deeply at the sight, glancing at Adis, his body tensing as if he wished to join the fray.

But beside him, Ariel shook his head, sweat beading on his brow, signaling him not to act rashly.

Meanwhile, the situation above changed abruptly.

In Annio’s stunned gaze, a sword pierced him from behind. The king, his face contorted with ferocity, loomed behind him, a surge of battle energy breaking past the second threshold emanating from him.

“You!” Annio growled in defiance, trying to resist, but the king bared his teeth in a savage grin and bit into Annio’s neck, tearing away a chunk of flesh.

At the sight, retching could be heard from the audience. The assembly stared at the platform, their faces ashen, gripping their weapons tightly, but none dared make a move.

The king laughed madly, casting aside the corpse at his feet, his expression deranged. “Well? Does anyone else dare approach?”

From Adis’s perspective, the demonic aura above the king's head deepened, burrowing ever further into his soul, eroding his sanity.

Adis sneered. Under Ariel’s astonished gaze, he abruptly stood, facing the king.

The king paused, looking at Adis. “You… You’re the heir of the Nalba family?”

“Indeed!” Adis shouted, lunging forward.

Before the shocked assembly, a brilliant surge of battle energy burst forth, fierce and heavy, fusing into a single stream and thrusting ahead.

With a muffled grunt, the king staggered back several steps, caught off guard.

But he quickly recovered. With a low roar, he swung a jewel-encrusted sword, pouring immense power into the strike as if reaching some ultimate limit.

“Impossible!”
“A Sky Knight!”

Sensing the overwhelming energy, the crowd cried out in disbelief, staring at the king as if their doom was sealed.

“Adis!” Bagel shouted, seeing the king’s energy bearing down, gritting his teeth and preparing to rush to his aid.

But at that moment, a pale green glow of divine power flared, dispelling the murderous energy.

As prayers rose in the hall, several gray-robed attendants stepped forward, their priestly vestments faintly aglow with divine power.

“Priests of the God of Nature?” someone murmured in the crowd, recognizing them, but then pausing in confusion at their robes.

There, several elders in yellow robes stood, and at their head, a high priest in ceremonial blue-gold vestments gazed forward.

The sight drew a collective gasp from the assembly.