NOVEL NEXT Chapter 133: What It Means To Be The Almighty
The wind was strong, and bolts of lightning rained down on Mour'arath—but even that was drowned under the deafening sounds of cannons firing sporadically.
I could hear their generals screaming instructions at the top of their lungs. Loud cries and screams of soldiers and civilians rang across the city, but the palace courtroom remained silent.
This meant the battle had begun, but it was not yet time for me to make my move.
The people of Mour'arath should be able to handle this much.
When they truly need my help—only then will I reveal myself.
Seated on the throne with my legs crossed and my chin resting on my palm, I took in all that sound.
I took in their screams and cries. I took in their resolve and fighting spirit.
This was part of the duty of an emperor and a god.
To understand the pain of the people, you must pay attention. That way, you won't forget it while acting.
"I apologize for failing to live up to your expectations," Fin's voice made me frown.
Slowly, I opened my eyes only to see my orc champion on his knees atop the elevated platform—just inches away from my throne. Behind him, all hundred orc warriors knelt as well, their heads bowed in shame.
"What is this?" I asked calmly.
"If we had succeeded in keeping that city and even taken more, we would have modern weapons to equip the entire empire and repel these demons. Because of our weakness, your empire and people suffer… Forgive us!" Fin screamed the last part.
"FORGIVE US!" the orc army behind him roared in unison.
Listening to them, my frown slowly shifted to indifference.
It was true that my reason for attacking the main realm was to gather military-grade aether-powered weapons, which would be brought back to this world and used by my people. If the people of Mour'arath had these weapons, surviving this cursed invasion would have been much easier. Our chances of success would have been higher.
Unfortunately, we couldn't keep Louisiana for long—talk less of spreading beyond it.
We were only able to cart away barely over 700 weapons, which isn't even enough to arm my royal army.
The plan was a failure. And to make matters worse, we lost hundreds of thousands of orcs in just a few months. Soldiers that would have been useful here.
"How is it your fault?" I asked calmly, and his head snapped up to meet my gaze.
"That is a peak realm. The last place the abyss would dare to attack. But we did it. We didn't only attack—we won and held a territory for months. We made away with some weapons that have greatly strengthened my royal army. And we also lost many of your brothers in battle."
I simply stated facts and watched their expressions twist and change with each word I spoke.
"In my opinion, if there is someone to blame, it should be me."
"Nooo, my lord!" Fin screamed, but I waved him off and shook my head.
"I sent you all there without understanding the strength of the enemy. When I realized the enemy was stronger than expected, I was too greedy. I chose to fight, when the best action would have been to withdraw," I continued. "But I will not sulk over my failures. This time, I won't stand aside and watch my people die anymore. I will step in and protect those who call me Emperor. I will protect those who worship my name!"
"Your Majesty!" Fin and his group screamed in reverence and bowed with their hulking figures.
BOOOM!
The palace was rattled by the explosion that most likely came from the city walls.
"It's time," I said as I rose to my feet.
My orcs rose as well and created a path for me to walk through.
Walking past them, I snapped my fingers, and a rift appeared at the door of the courtroom.
Heads were lowered in respect as they waited patiently for their god to step onto the battlefield first.
And so I did…
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— Mour'arath Eastern Wall —
Emerging from the rift, the first image that came to sight was a huge chunk of the city wall blown apart. Its rubble was scattered everywhere—some embedded in the mangled bodies of soldiers who failed to flee on time.
The sky was black, with no moon in sight, forcing the people to rely on aether crystal torches embedded on the walls and throughout the city. They cast an azure light on my pale skin.
Creatures shrouded in darkness poured in through the cracks like a swarm.
With the darkness, these creatures were shriveled thin and naked, but they had claws and moved in numbers.
"Dark Swarm," I muttered.
They were F-Class dark entities, extremely weak individually.
So they relied on numbers to overpower their foes.
"YOU SHALL NOT PASS!"
My eyes burned with gray light as I pulled out my cherry blossom hand fan and swung it forward.
> [Cherry God: Beautiful Day Activated!]
Millions of cherry blossom petals erupted into existence and surged forward like a tidal wave!
The raging dark beasts still attacking their prey were forced to turn their attention to me, but it was too late.
BOOOM!
My cherry petals rammed into them with great force, tearing them to shreds while pushing them back rapidly.
They kicked, squirmed, and cried out—but the dark swarm was nothing compared to the power of the Almighty!
Bam!
I spun through the air, brandishing my hand fan viciously, sending wave after wave of cherry blossom petals into the dark swarm still trying to force their way into the city!
They cried, kicked, and snarled, but my petals tore through their ranks, shoving them off the edge—into the bottomless darkness they crawled from.
"THIS CITY IS PROTECTED BY THE ALMIGHTY. WHO DARES INVADE?!"
I snarled, my body still hovering in the air.
RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!
Loud cheers hit the sky from my people below.
Be it the orcs, humans, dwarves, or goblins—all cheered for one man.
The man closest to reaching the heavens and taking the place of God.
I am the Almighty for a reason.
And not even the heavens can change what is to come.