Chapter 121
Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 121
Chapter Title: Solaris's Weakness
Emperor Aurelius of the Andras Empire paced restlessly around the audience chamber, anxious for any news, no matter how small.
'They said the plan would be complete today... When the hell are they coming with an update! What about my immortality?!'
Not long after he had ascended the throne, a group of suspicious figures had slipped into his bedroom without a sound.
He had called for the guards in a panic, but his voice hadn't carried outside. The intruders introduced themselves as 'those who would usher in a new era' and began making demands of the emperor.
They wanted one of their own placed in the imperial palace for easy access to him at any time, the military mobilized immediately upon their request to act as they desired, and in necessary cases, conflicts staged with external forces to spill blood.
"Ridiculous! How dare you spew such nonsense at the emperor of the empire! You won't leave this room alive!"
The emperor had tried to cut them down with his sword, but when he glimpsed their true forms—jet-black torsos sprouting multiple eyes, mouths, and arms—he froze in terror and dropped his blade.
They weren't just hideous in appearance; their power overwhelmed the emperor with ease. Only then did he realize his head was still attached to his shoulders solely because they hadn't decided to kill him yet.
"Wh-what is it you want?"
"Of course, we're not so brazen as to just shove our demands down your throat, Emperor. You give, we give. Cooperate with us obediently, and we'll offer you a gift like this."
The intruder, disguised as an old man leaning on a staff, conjured a mass of pitch-black energy above his hand.
It was obviously impure at a glance, but the emperor had no choice.
The moment the energy sank into his body, a surge of vitality coursed through him.
His vision sharpened dramatically, strength flooded his limbs, and a euphoric high made him feel like he could accomplish anything.
"Wh-what is this..."
"The foundation of our power. Cooperate well, and we'll share more bit by bit. Once you've absorbed enough and your body adapts, you, Emperor, will achieve immortality and sit upon the throne forever."
Immortality—the dream of rulers from ancient times to now.
It had long been dismissed as myth, and the emperor himself had thought it a fantasy. But tasting this power convinced him otherwise.
"It's your choice to accept or refuse. But know this: refuse, and we'll assassinate you and install a new emperor. There have been predecessors who rejected us and met untimely ends. The emperor seven generations back, for instance?"
"What... Our predecessor seven generations ago clearly died of a sudden illness... Was that your doing?!"
"Indeed. We've been at it since time immemorial, far beyond your imagination. So, Emperor Aurelius, what say you? Ally with us, cooperate, and claim immortality? Or reject us and meet a noble death here and now?"
"This power is impressive, but... if immortality is possible, why didn't the previous emperors who cooperated with you achieve it?!"
"Because back then, we didn't have the means to grant it to just anyone. But now..."
"As you can see, things are different."
A deep, low voice echoed as space tore open in the bedroom, revealing a man with hair, eyes, and even clothes as black as night—save for a few white strands.
"Wh-who are you... Gasp..."
The emperor clutched his throat, choking on the overwhelming mana radiating from the newcomer. It was so immense he could barely breathe.
"Our plan ends with your generation. Cooperate fully and aid us, and immortality is yours. Your answer needs only be yes or no: ally with us, or defy us?"
"I..."
The emperor hesitated, mouth agape, before replying.
"I... will cooperate."
A memory from long ago.
That power hadn't been an illusion. Even now, past sixty, the emperor looked far younger than his years and enjoyed robust health without a single ailment.
Having fully committed to mobilizing the entire empire for the Underground Vermin, he bit his nails in impatience.
They had said sacrificing the shelter's inhabitants as offerings would summon the one bearing the true goddess's power, and slaying that individual would complete the plan.
That moment would grant the emperor immortality.
Though he appeared ageless and healthy, his lifespan was finite. He yearned for the plan's completion and fresh news.
He paced anxiously for dozens of minutes.
Suddenly, space ripped open in the audience chamber, and three figures emerged.
The black-haired man exuding the strongest presence was missing an entire arm, and the other two looked equally battered.
The emperor rushed forward upon seeing them.
"What happened? The plan? My immortality? Is the goddess's apostle dead?!"
The black-haired man, bleeding profusely from his missing arm, replied through gritted teeth, suppressing his rage.
"Human emperor, issue a proclamation immediately. Gather the capital's citizens in the central plaza—the more, the better. Overflow goes anywhere nearby; cram them together. Bastol, Dantalion, we need to regenerate. I'll threaten from above. You spread the proclamation across the capital and prepare the ritual where they gather."
"Yes, Great One."
"Wait—what is this?! You said killing the goddess's apostle at the Agusta Shelter would end it! Why do you all look like this? I need to know what happened—"
"An unforeseen interference. Regeneration won't take long. Issue the proclamation and gather the citizens now."
At Solaris's words, the emperor exploded.
"This breaks our deal! I cooperated all this time believing you'd grant me immortality! You said just kill the apostle at the shelter—what now?! What do you want with gathering citizens? I need a pretext to—Guhk!"
Solaris's remaining arm seized the emperor's throat and hoisted him up.
"When did I break my promise?"
"Kek... Cough..."
"The apostle's death is the final stroke of my plan. Once it's done, you'll get immortality. The plan isn't finished because the apostle lives. Did I say I wouldn't make you immortal after?"
"...!"
Squeeze—
As the grip tightened, the emperor's face turned blue.
Solaris abruptly dropped the thrashing, terrified emperor and snarled.
"You've already chosen to ally with us for your own eternal life over nation and people. Drop the noble emperor act. You humans abandoned everything for desire—stick to it. The proclamation's excuse doesn't matter. Make one up and gather them now!"
Flung aside, the emperor nodded, humiliation and fear churning within.
"...I'll order the garrison to issue a proclamation feigning defense against aerial assaults, directing citizens to evacuate to the plaza."
"Do it swiftly."
Solaris vanished via teleportation, soon manifesting as a colossal black dragon overhead.
Dantalion departed to prepare the ritual. Bastol, remaining in the chamber, helped the emperor up with a grin.
"Now, Your Majesty. I'll amplify your voice for all to hear, so proclaim away. The Great One is furious—we're terrified of the fallout. No room for error."
Cursing inwardly about where it all went wrong, the emperor headed to the palace's grand balcony.
"I see. You inherited Mother's power... She must have been desperate to make that choice. At least you're different from the humans I've seen so far."
Lunarin, in spirit form, listened to our tales while traveling with us.
Elfin and Lenis, handed back their bow and ring, gazed at them in awe.
"To think these held such secrets... Unimaginable."
"But Lunarin, why didn't you tell Linian? Aren't you allies?"
"I couldn't. My body was as good as dead by then, and when Linian came, I was at my limit."
"You could have told me at least."
Linian sulked over Lunarin hiding the means for her temporary revival as a spirit.
"Well... Honestly, even for you, I couldn't risk sharing after learning Solaris went that far. Couldn't trust whose side you'd be on."
"You suspected me too?!"
"Haha, sorry. But it was the best choice then."
Luna's face soured, watching Lunarin's translucent form fly alongside.
"I'm sorry, Lunarin. My folly led to this fate for you too..."
"Don't say that, Mother. The betrayers are the humans and Solaris, not you who wished to bestow love upon your creations. You were too naive, I'll grant..."
"Ugh..."
"Anyway, Alvis, was it? Can you defeat Solaris?"
I checked my status.
The power now dwarfed before, but...
"Odds look slim. Even drained and absorbed by me, the gap's too vast."
"You can do it. Not baseless optimism—it's possible. Solaris has a weakness."
"That arm reverted to human form?"
Lunarin shook her head.
"That spot's no longer a weakness now that Solaris is aware. He'll guard it fiercely. But there's one he hasn't noticed."
"Where?"
"Right here."
Lunarin extended her arm, touching a spot near my chest.
"My heart?"
"Before escaping Solaris, his power was nearly complete. 'Nearly' means one unfinished part—the exact size of the power you extracted. I scoured his insides and pinpointed the flaw: here."
The spot was just below the heart.
We exchanged glances; Lunarin smiled and withdrew her hand.
"Yes. Lucky for us—his vital weakness couldn't revert to dragon form, and it's so small he hasn't noticed. Alvis, strike true here... and Solaris dies."