Chapter 7: The Night of Infiltration and an Unexpected Demise

On the very first night of Xiamiya’s return from the Holy Land, the capital of Ophelia Theocracy plunged into an unusual clamor, filled with turmoil and tension.

The Holy Royal Palace, an edifice symbolizing Ophelia’s power and sanctity, faced an unprecedented threat that night. Under a pale moon and dim starlight, a group of figures clad in black, like specters of the night, silently infiltrated every corner of the palace.

These invaders wore uniform black combat attire and masks, revealing only their cold, piercing eyes. Like wraiths, they swiftly moved through the palace. However, despite their stealth, the Holy Royal Palace’s stringent security eventually detected their presence. Instantly, alarms blared throughout the palace.

“All units, be on alert! Intruders! Intruders!”

“Protect His Majesty!”

“Gather at the northwest gate! The assassins are over there!”

“No, these assassins… they’ve breached the inner city barrier?! Quick, call for reinforcements!”

“Where are the reinforcements?! Why has no one arrived?! Where have all the Holy Knights gone?!”

“We… we can’t hold them! What kind of monsters are these?! Help, help us!”

“No, no! Don’t!”

****

In an instant, amidst flashing blades and clashing swords, fierce combat erupted.

Far from showing fear, the invaders’ faces beneath their hoods twisted into bloodthirsty grins as they confronted the Holy Royal Palace guards. They brandished eerie, crescent-shaped katanas, their blades gleaming with a cold, deathly luminescence like moonlight in a winter sky. Their movements were swift and lethal, reminiscent of predators who had meticulously planned their hunt, intimately familiar with the defense forces’ fighting styles.

Though the guards resisted valiantly, their individual strength and insufficient preparation placed them at a distinct disadvantage. Amidst the flashing sword light, wails of anguish and the din of battle filled the grand palace.

As blood splattered, the palace guards fell one after another, collapsing into pools of their own gore.

With each successive burst of flame magic, roaring infernos ignited throughout the palace.

Amidst the chaos, the palace corridors and courtyards were littered with signs of battle and fallen soldiers. Blood-stained flagstones and shattered decorations bore witness to the raid’s brutality. High-hanging palace lanterns swayed, casting weak light upon the tragic scene of the melee.

****

Meanwhile, in the mountainous forests on the outskirts of the capital’s Truth District, another group of figures in black lay silently in ambush within the quiet wilderness, awaiting notification from their comrades inside the Holy Royal Palace.

As more and more information flowed from within the Holy Royal Palace, Weidel, leaning against a colossal tree, couldn’t help but let a faint smile play on his lips.

‘Yes, exactly like this.’

‘Wreak havoc, and assault the Sun Crown Palace where the Holy King resides. Draw as much of the defending army’s attention as possible.’

‘Then… eliminate that Third Holy Royal Princess.’

—”Eliminate Xiamiya, but ensure it doesn’t appear as if you’re deliberately targeting her.”—

‘Hmph, what a troublesome demand.’

With a cold sneer, Weidel glanced at the real-time updated magic scroll in his hand, then gazed meaningfully towards the distant, smoke-shrouded Holy Royal Palace.

Noticing his leader’s chuckle, Lazard, who was crouching beside Weidel, asked inquisitively:

“Big Brother, is the plan proceeding smoothly?”

“Of course. Holy King Superion is gravely ill, First Holy Royal Princess Helibea is on a diplomatic mission abroad, and the Holy Knights are either away or in seclusion within the Holy Sanctuary. With that individual’s assistance, the barrier is practically useless. Under such circumstances, how could it not go smoothly?”

“But, haven’t we heard that the Theocracy’s elite Star Cross Knights are guarding the Holy Royal Palace in place of the First Holy Royal Princess? Those individuals are not to be trifled with. Our kin suffered greatly at their hands on the border previously.”

Although Weidel exuded confidence, Lazard still couldn’t help but feel a pang of worry.

In response, Weidel shook his head dismissively.

“You’re still lacking in experience, Lazard.”

“What do you mean, sir?”

“Why do you think I had them feign an attack on the Sun Crown Palace, the Holy King’s residence? The Holy King is the very heart of the entire Theocracy, so the Star Cross Knights are bound to fall back and defend him. We don’t need to engage those individuals directly; merely tying them down will suffice. This will grant the others ample time to deal with Xiamiya. That person is merely an odious Child of Curse, so the defenses of the Snow Lotus Palace are surely weak.”

“I see… But, Big Brother, is Xiamiya truly that easy to kill? I heard that many previous operations targeting them failed, with not a single person returning.”

Lazard muttered, a hint of worry in his voice, as if recalling something.

Weidel responded with a disdainful snort.

“Those fools failed because they were utterly incompetent. For the entire past year, Xiamiya was undergoing training in the Holy Sanctuary according to the Theocracy’s traditions. That place is managed by the High Priests and serves as a gathering point for Holy Knights. With their level of skill? How could they possibly infiltrate it? They were likely discovered by the Holy Knights and summarily cut down.”

“Oh? Is that so?”

“Nonsense. Otherwise, how do you think Xiamiya, that destitute princess devoid of power or influence, could have survived for so long?”

‘Ah, no, calling her a Holy Royal Princess doesn’t quite fit either. She’s merely a bastard child the Holy King brought back from Sabuyel’s slums. Hmm, “bastard child” might not even be right; it seems there’s no blood relation at all. She’s just a mongrel…’

‘Hmph, a mongrel, granted the title of princess? The Holy King must be senile. It serves the nation right for its decline.’

Glancing into the distance, Weidel’s brown eyes narrowed slightly, brimming with contempt.

‘Still, I’d thought that Child of Curse would have been purged directly by the High Priests and Holy Knights… To think they’ve survived until now? And even successfully completed their training? Passed the Goddess of Creation’s trial?’

‘Truly unexpected.’

‘Never mind. It makes no difference if they live another year…’

As this thought crossed his mind, Weidel’s lips curled into a chilling, cruel smile.

Just then, Lazard’s slightly panicked voice suddenly reached Weidel’s ears, causing his brow to furrow instantly.

“Big Brother?”

“What is it?”

“Our… our brothers’ signals, they’re… they’re disappearing one by one?”

“What?”

Upon hearing this, Weidel’s brow furrowed. He urgently looked at the flat map in Lazard’s hand, which displayed strategic auxiliary magic. As he watched the red dots symbolizing his subordinates on the Holy Royal Palace map vanish one after another, Weidel’s expression instantly turned solemn.

‘Hm?! How are they all disappearing one by one?! And in the direction of the Snow Lotus Palace? Is that Child of Curse being protected by a master?! Could the Star Cross Knights have gone to protect her?’

All at once, the once-confident Weidel was seized by a wave of unease. Lazard, beside him, questioned anxiously:

“Big Brother, what do we do now? Should we send support?”

“Nonsense! If we don’t eliminate that Holy Royal Princess, we’ll be the ones eliminated when we return!”

Weidel stated coldly. However, the brown-haired man quickly regained his composure.

“There’s no need to worry. They were just a few expendable fanatics… We still have our trump card.”

As he spoke, Weidel confidently turned his head to look behind him. There, a colossal metallic monster was perched atop a giant tree.

This metallic monster, spider-like in form, was far more massive and terrifying than any arachnid. Its body was constructed of rigid metal, etched with various runes, and its black metallic hide shimmered with a cold gleam in the night. Most terrifying of all, however, were its spider legs. These were not mere limbs but colossal, incomparably sharp blades, each step leaving deep gouges in the ground around it.

The Heavy Combat Puppet – Stalker.

One of the puppets personally crafted by the First Holy King.

In this world, the strength of ordinary individuals typically ranged from the first to the third tier. Powerful warriors of the Star Cross Knights likely possessed strength between the fourth and fifth tiers, with only a select few elites reaching the sixth tier.

Yet, this activated Heavy Combat Puppet alone commanded a pure burst of power capable of reaching the peak of the seventh tier!

The peak of the seventh tier! That was a force capable of effortlessly annihilating an entire city, one that even ten sixth-tier experts could not withstand.

With a puppet of Saint-tier power, even if Xiamiya were protected by the Star Cross Knights, her demise would be certain.

Gazing at his ultimate trump card, Weidel harbored no doubts that his plan would unfold flawlessly. All that remained was to teleport the Heavy Combat Puppet to its destination. As a puppeteer, he could simply remain hidden in these dense woods, remotely controlling the Stalker to wreak havoc.

Within the Holy Royal Palace now, no one could possibly resist it.

As he stared at the immense and domineering Heavy Combat Puppet, Weidel’s smile grew increasingly manic.

Yet, in the very next instant, just as Weidel prepared to activate the Heavy Combat Puppet, his expression froze. Not only Weidel, but Lazard and the other black-clad figures also stiffened in place.

What?!

“Huh??”

The next moment, under everyone’s bewildered gaze, strange cracks spread rapidly across the Stalker’s seemingly indestructible armor at a visible pace, gradually emitting a horrifying red glow.

Immediately afterward, this Heavy Combat Puppet, which had once helped Weidel devastate all in his path, shattered with a thunderous roar before it could even unleash its full might. Piece by piece, it crashed to the ground.

What?!

“What?! What… what’s going on here??”

Staring dumbfounded at the Heavy Combat Puppet shattered across the ground, Weidel stood rooted to the spot, his mind reeling with confusion.

‘What… what the hell is this?! This is a Heavy Combat Puppet! The masterpiece of the First Holy King! The very foundation of Ophelia Theocracy! How the hell did it just shatter like this?! Are you kidding me?!’

After a moment of stunned silence, a hysterical roar erupted within Weidel. Yet, he also realized a gravely serious problem: the Heavy Combat Puppet would not have shattered without reason. Someone must have been responsible.

Upon this realization, Weidel’s brow sharply contracted, and he eyed the thicket behind the fragments as if facing a formidable foe.

“Who?! Who’s there?!”

Instinctively, Weidel drew his moonblade and roared a wary challenge. Simultaneously, the leader of these black-clad fanatics glanced down at his wrist.

As his gaze fell upon the bracelet, which was now radiating an incessant red glow, a sense of dread surged within Weidel. Cold sweat began to drip uncontrollably from his forehead, and his hands, clutching the moonblade, trembled involuntarily.

This bracelet, crafted from Luminous Stone, only ever emitted such a chilling red light under one specific circumstance.

That was a situation Weidel absolutely wished to avoid. No… it was a situation almost all humans dreaded facing. No one desired contact with such a monster.

The next moment, Weidel took a sharp, deep breath. All the magic within his body erupted without reservation, and he let out a hysterical roar:

“All units, full alert! It’s a Calamity Demon!”