Chapter 1223  Booming Laughter

In their meeting days before, when Arthur and Lucian finally shed all pretense, they agreed on one conclusion for the Yalen Kingdom. The people must accept the new king as their own instead of a usurper with his reasons for killing the previous king.

Thus, their plan to make Lucian appear as the hero went underway. Arthur would have loved to expose the king for who he was, just like he did with the Light Emperor, but that required too much time and effort.

Instead, he decided to play the villain here in Yalen. Although the kingdom brainwashed these people into thinking that he was a terrorist, Arthur did not mind this at the moment.

Their perception of him could change later, but he needed to avoid the chaotic mayhem after the king"s death. And now, he has achieved this ending as the people raised their weapons at him.

But there was something that Arthur and Lucian failed to consider, which was why the people loved Lucian. Initially, they decided their need for a hero would be born out of despair. But something else.

A woman from the crowd said they promised the queen to take care of her son. At that time, Lucian must have been no older than ten. But that did not make sense for Arthur.

In his battle against Sier in Runera, the two of them entered the memories of the seer and how his mother mistreated him. She was h.e.l.lbent on making him awaken, making her experiment with his body.

But from what the crowd was calling her, that did not fit her character. And as he stood there, Arthur understood what was happening.

At that time, Lucian was not himself. He was the seer guardian, the same man who killed Grandmaster Casca in Runera. The memories that the two witnessed did not belong to Lucian himself. Arthur remembers what Lucian told him at that time.

"My mother thought she was doing me kindness. I don"t remember most of the memories we witnessed, but somehow, they weren"t new to me. I guess that is why I didn"t want to be used by someone else."

The guardian was the one who instilled those memories into him, fueling his hatred and making him easier to control. That was just his speculation because he didn"t know the reality.

But the current reality told him that these people were not desperate. They were protecting someone that they wanted to protect.

"Ah, now I look like the villain," sighed Arthur inwardly as he watched hundreds turn into thousands until what separated him from Lucian was rows of people willing to risk their lives.

The sky rumbled as the wrathful wraiths turned into golden souls. Arthur looked back toward them and listened to their grat.i.tude as they disappeared.

"Your previous king has committed terrible misdeeds to kill me, and the souls behind me are proof that justice has been served. I will not continue the cycle of hatred because this king... looks loved."

At that time, a figure crawled out from the crater on the hill. Lucian rose with blood covering his head, dripping over his eyes as he looked at Arthur.

"I might have kicked him too hard."

Although his stats were lower than Lucian"s, the Release golden rune made his body break through his limits. Thus, Arthur decided to apologize later.

Lucian was shaken, too, when he saw how many stood to protect him. These people benefited nothing from protecting their new king from imminent death because no one here could match up to Arthur.

"These people are not moving out of fear," said Arthur to the seer"s mind, making him look at him with confusion. "A memory of a beloved queen moves them. One that we did not see in the illusion in Runera."

No more needed to be said for the seer to connect the dots. Arthur could see his trembling hand that quickly hid behind him. He smiled, knowing that the seer still needed to overcome the manipulation of the Seer Guardian.

But this battle was not over. It was far from it. Arthur could run away from this place, since Mistletoe has already transferred the Agard Family to safety. But the Empyreans in the sky still threatened his seer friend.

"Your turn is here," said Arthur to the four Empyreans that could each topple nations and flatten mountains. "You can all attack together. No one will think you are cowards, even though you are."

The words were poisonous, allowing the guardians no room to retreat. His insult laid bare between them, a clear challenge to the world"s infrastructure.

"Two families have fallen," said the Lord of Beasts, the Empyrean of Thiria, as he looked at the rest. "This is no longer a threat we can ignore."

"And might not be a threat we can handle," said the Lord of Force, Empyrean of Sourna. "Arthur Netherborne must be recognized."

"I concur," said the Lord of Elements, Empyrean of Orlan. "But a condition must be met."

Everyone nodded at his words and turned toward Arthur, who was on the ground. Then, they descended from the sky, revealing their ident.i.ties at last. They landed around Arthur, surrounding him within the plains.

"Pleasure to meet you at last, ladies and gentlemen."

"We already know who you are, Arthur Netherborne," said the Empyrean of Thiria with pride. "But we must first make an introduction before discussing the fate of this world. I am Kael Firebrand."

The rest followed suit and introduced themselves.

Kael Firebrand, Empyrean of Thiria, was a fiery force. His robust build and scarred skin spoke of a life among dragons. His crimson hair and burning yellow eyes marked him as a man of pa.s.sion. He wore bold reds and golds, reflecting his lineage and fiery bond with beasts.

Saphir the Sage, Empyrean of the Sourna, exuded the weathered wisdom of a desert leader. His lean form and sunbaked robes blended with the sands, but his keen brown eyes betrayed a sharp, calculating mind —a worn satchel hinted at his knowledge.

Elysia Tanera, Empyrean of Tanera, possessed an ethereal beauty. Her slender form and flowing silver hair shimmered with otherworldly grace. Blue eyes held ancient wisdom, reflecting her deep connection to the mystical. She wore flowing gowns of blue and silver and carried a staff of ancient wood.

Marius Argento, Empyrean of the Orlan Republic, radiated intelligence and innovation. His una.s.suming build was offset by bright blue eyes filled with restless curiosity. He wore neatly tailored clothes with geometric designs, hinting at his mastery of science and arcane arts.

These were the four forces of nature, people who climbed to stand on the summit. And they gathered around Arthur from every side, sealing all exists.

"I never knew it was necessary to introduce yourselves before a fight," said Arthur as black lightning crackled around him. "Brandish your strongest weapons, ladies and gentlemen. This battle will be one the world cannot forget."

As they heard his open challenge, the Empyreans seemed offended that he thought he could handle all of them. But his overflowing confidence was more reason for them to reach an agreement.

"If we fight, the heaven and earth will collapse. The world will be no more, and order will be shattered. We don"t wish for the world to lose its backbone," declared Kael Firebrand.

"You are its disease."

"Who do you think protected the world all this time?" asked the Lord of Force, Saphir, with ancient wisdom dripping from his voice. "A time when you did not exist yet."

"Are you trying to sell me the idea that the seven families protect this world?"

"We might not be the kindest to others, but we are not the worst. Underworld organizations roam this world and threaten it every day, sometimes with Empyreans of their own," answered Elysia.

Arthur was silent. If an underworld organization had someone of that strength, they would threaten the entire world.

"In the uncharted lands south of my nation," began Marius of Orlan. "Calamities have appeared but are hiding in the dark mist that covers the land. Even as we speak, they are building armies to conquer our world."

"What are you asking of me?" demanded Arthur as his golden eyes studied the four. They stood motionless before the Empyrean of Thiria spoke.

"We are not afraid of you, Arthur Netherborne. But at the same time, we acknowledge you as a man who stands at our level. The sole thing we ask of you is... not to defy Devaheim."

A booming laughter echoed from Arthur as he heard his demands. The notion was so absurd that he did not even think they would ask him.

"If you know what the Returning King of Wrath is, then you should know the impossibility of this request," said Arthur as his laughter died. "I will destroy Devaheim."

"That is impossible," said Saphir with a shake. "Our records doc.u.ment countless worlds destroyed by a single G.o.d. Our world survived until now because of our ancestors" agreement with the kingdom of G.o.ds."