The Day I Erased Them Entirely
The triumphant air that had filled the air earlier had vanished without a trace.
Anna's expression had twisted in a way that made her look like she had aged ten years in an instant. Her eyes darted left and right, flickering with pure, unfiltered panic after she realized they had been playing her like a fiddle in the palm of my hand.
strongGT>"That's exactly the kind of face I wanted. When someone commits a crime, they should feel guilty. Don't you think the one pulling the strings has every right to be proud?"LT>/strongGT>
I asked.
She nodded like a puppet, her voice flat and obedient, just as I had expected.
Had Anna been this pathetic all along? The woman who had been tearing her hair out trying to devour me?
I lost interest in her entirely and hurled her to the floor like trash.
The hand clamped over her mouth slipped away. Freedom of speech had returned, but in that same heartbeat she realized what she had almost done. Her lips trembled, bitten raw, as she grappled with whether she should still issue the order to purge intruders from the floating fortress.
strongGT>"The security grid on the Skyfortress was an absolute nightmare to maintain. Thank goodness it worked out. Now I can finally get started on what I actually want."LT>/strongGT>
"I don't know what you're planning, but calming down would be wise. We all seem to have gotten a little… excited."
The person who had almost blown the lordship to smithereens was right there in front of me.
I gave a cold laugh and told Arsia to drag Cedric over.
strongGT>"Oh, Adrian. Why are you doing this? We're brothers, aren't we?"LT>/strongGT>
strongGT>"Brothers? What a joke."LT>/strongGT>
I slammed them both into a dimensional barrier and sealed it tight.
**div style="text-align:center__SEMI__border:3px solid #00219b__SEMI__padding:25px__SEMI__box-shadow:0 0 20px #00219b,inset 0 0 20px rgba(0,33,155,0.2)__SEMI__background:linear-gradient(135deg,#000 0%,#0a0a1a 50%,#000 100%)__SEMI__border-radius:8px__SEMI__margin-bottom:20px__SEMI__"GT__**
**div style="color:#4d9fff__SEMI__font-size:26px__SEMI__font-weight:bold__SEMI__text-transform:uppercase__SEMI__margin-bottom:15px__SEMI__text-shadow:0 0 15px #00219b__SEMI__letter-spacing:3px__SEMI__"GT__⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙LT__/divGT__**
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Great Shield activated (7th Circle Arcane Barrier)LT__ /divGT__ div style="color:#4d9fff__SEMI__font-size:16px__SEMI__margin-top:15px__SEMI__border-top:1px solid #00219b__SEMI__padding-top:15px__SEMI__"GT__Anyone below 8th Circle cannot break through.LT__/divGT__
"What should we do with these knights?"LT>/strongGT>
Arsia knelt and pointed at the three armored soldiers waiting for judgment.
I flicked my fingers. Three knights shot forward like magnets.
strongGT__"M-Master Lordship!LT>/strongGT__ strongGT__Please spare us!LT>/strongGT__ strongGT__We truly committed a grave sin!"LT>/strongGT__
I studied them for a moment, then passed judgment on the spot.
strongGT__"You all seem to be dyed through and through in the Raven Marquis's colors. Consider yourselves sent home."LT>/strongGT__
strongGT__"Eh?"LT>/strongGT__
I snapped my fingers. Their artifacts and scrolls shattered into dust.
Then I teleported the entire trio into the heart of Raven Marquis territory.
In this situation, I was the most benevolent man alive for fulfilling exactly what they would have wanted.
Still.
They would drop from fifty kilometers up. Even knights would struggle to survive.
Sending them to die on the doorstep of Raven Manor was no less than a noble act, in my opinion.
Then shall we begin?"LT>/strongGT__
I ignored the screaming prisoners inside the barrier and dove into the floating fortress's fully unlocked management menu.
After a long while I found exactly what I wanted and curled my lip into a satisfied smile.
strongGT__"Ah, right. I should upload the video too. Arsia, do the editing."LT>/strongGT__
strongGT__"Shall I keep uploading videos?"LT>/strongGT__
strongGT__"Yeah. Turns out it's not bad at all. From now on I'm going to use video platforms for political purposes."LT>/strongGT__
On one side chaos and rage, on the other ordinary conversation as if nothing had happened. The contrast was exquisite.
I waved at Anna and Cedric one last time, then left the floating fortress together with Arsia and returned to the lordship.
**SECTION DIVIDER**
div style="text-align:center__SEMI__padding:30px 0__SEMI__margin:20px 0__SEMI__"GT__ div style="color:#4d9fff__SEMI__font-size:24px__SEMI__text-shadow:0 0 15px rgba(77,159,255,0.6)__SEMI__letter-spacing:8px__SEMI__"GT__◇◇◇◆◇◇◇LT__/divGT__ div style="background:linear-gradient(135deg,#1a1a1a 0%,#0f0f0f 100%)__SEMI__border-left:4px solid #00ff88__SEMI__padding:15px 20px__SEMI__margin-bottom:15px__SEMI__"GT__ div style="background:linear-gradient(135deg,#1a1a1a 0%,#0f0f0f 100%)__SEMI__border-left:4px solid #00ff88__SEMI__padding:15px 20px__SEMI__margin-bottom:15px__SEMI__"GT__ div style="background:linear-gradient(135deg,#1a1a1a 0%,#0f0f0f 100%)__SEMI__border-left:4px solid #00ff88__SEMI__padding:15px 20px__SEMI__margin-bottom:15px__SEMI__"GT__ div style="background:linear-gradient(135deg,#1a1a1a 0%,#0f0f0f 100%)__SEMI__border-left:4px solid #00ff88__SEMI__padding:15px 20px__SEMI__margin-bottom:15px__SEMI__"GT__ div style="background:linear-gradient(135deg,#1a1a1a 0%,#0f0f0f 100%)__SEMI__border-left:4px solid #00ff88__SEMI__padding:15px 20px__SEMI__margin-bottom:15px__SEMI__"GT__ div style="background:linear-gradient(135deg,#1a1a1a 0%,#0f0f0f 100%)__SEMI__border-left:4px solid #00ff88__SEMI__padding:15px 20px__SEMI__margin-bottom:15px__SEMI__"GT__ div style="background:linear-gradient(135deg,#1a1a1a 0%,#0f0f0f 100%)__SEMI__border-left:4px solid #00ff88__SEMI__padding:15px 20px__SEMI__margin-bottom:15px__SEMI__"GT__ div style="background:linear-gradient(135deg,#1a1a1a 0%,#0f0f0f 100%)__SEMI__border-left:4px solid #00ff88__SEMI__padding:15px 20px__SEMI__margin-bottom:15px__SEMI__"GT__ strongGT__"Are you serious?"LT>/strongGT__
From now on, things were going to be controversial.
That's why I had prepared in advance.
strongGT__"If we stop here, we'll suffer a huge loss."LT>/strongGT__ strongGT__"Still…"LT>/strongGT__
In the Lawrence lordship's study.
After a day filled with too many events, my father looked ten years older. His hand pressed against his forehead as if it weighed a thousand pounds.
The moment he heard my plan, his expression had frozen solid. He knew, deep down, that without my plan he would not be able to stop the Raven Marquis.
strongGT__"Even if I block it, you'll still try to move forward, won't you?"LT>/strongGT__
strongGT__"Of course."LT>/strongGT__
The reason he hesitated was because survival and conscience were still fighting for dominance.
I silenced his doubts with a firm, commanding tone.
strongGT__"Since childhood I've sensed you were different… but you've always loved breaking rules."LT>/strongGT__
When he threw up his hands in surrender, I used a 7th Circle Recovery Spell on his worried mother beside him to ease her pain.
strongGT__"So what exactly do I need to do? You have some request, don't you?"LT>/strongGT__
No matter how defeated he looked, as the man who had ruled a kingdom for over thirty years, he still had sharp instincts.
I asked him for one thing.
strongGT__"For safety, I need the villagers evacuated. Please arrange safe transport for everyone in the territory. However…."LT>/strongGT__
strongGT__"However?"LT>/strongGT__
strongGT__"All communications must be jammed before we move. Nothing can leave this place."LT>/strongGT__
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Real-time surveillance active.LT__ strongGT__"So now you're openly calling me out."LT>/strongGT__
But the real reason he was furious wasn't the failure. It was that the video had revealed he had sold the used Skyfortress to the Lawrence heir without informing his own daughter, giving her command rights instead.
Anyone looking at the footage would see the true culprit was clearly the Raven Marquis.
div style="background:linear-gradient(135deg,#1a1a1a 0%,#0f0f0f 100%)__SEMI__border-left:4px solid #00ff88__SEMI__padding:15px 20px__SEMI__margin-bottom:15px__SEMI__"GT__ strongGT__"Your Excellency, deployment is complete."LT>/strongGT__
His army had already surrounded the Lawrence territory and was waiting for his final order.
One invasion and Adrian's head would be mine.
He turned to his secretary.
strongGT__"The royal response?"LT>/strongGT__
strongGT__"A royal decree wouldn't be out of place."LT>/strongGT__
strongGT__"Good. No more delay."LT>/strongGT__
What they feared most was the king issuing a protection order in his own name.
Raven Marquis walked up to the commander of the 2nd Strategic Knight Division.
strongGT__"Fail, and I won't forgive you."LT>/strongGT__
strongGT__"Understood."LT>/strongGT__
Then he roared like a declaration.
strongGT__"Move out!"LT>/strongGT__
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**div style="color:#4d9fff__SEMI__font-size:26px__SEMI__font-weight:bold__SEMI__text-transform:uppercase__SEMI__margin-bottom:15px__SEMI__text-shadow:0 0 15px #00219b__SEMI__letter-spacing:3px__SEMI__"GT__⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙LT__/divGT__**
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Deployment Order issued.LT__ strongGT__"I should have gone myself."LT>/strongGT__
He had no intention of losing.
**SECTION DIVIDER**
Anna Lawrence watched the external video feed and screamed until her throat bled.
strongGT__"No! Don't come!"LT>/strongGT__
Blue light began gathering in the air above them.
It was the signature of spatial translocation.
She had already figured out Adrian's plan. Her scream turned into raw panic.
strongGT__"Adrian! Can you hear me!? I was wrong! Please forgive me!"LT>/strongGT__
Cedric, who had let go of the reins, dropped to his knees and wept, cursing every past mistake.
But their voices were swallowed by the barrier I had raised.
No one outside could hear a thing.
**SECTION DIVIDER**
strongGT__"It's here!"LT>/strongGT__
Through the Black Eagle's eyes I saw the massive space-time circle ignite. I shot to my feet.
The Skyfortress above the lordship gleamed with brilliant blue light.
Arsia and I sat together on the lordship balcony, sipping wine and snacks, when I slammed the table with a cheerful grin.
strongGT__"Power surge commencing!"LT>/strongGT__
Even though every communication line had been jammed, my commands alone reached the Skyfortress.
Yellow sparks danced across the fortress walls. Arcane energy swirled like mist.
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Power Surge ActivatedLT__ div style="text-align:center__SEMI__border:4px solid #ff3333__SEMI__padding:25px__SEMI__box-shadow:0 0 30px rgba(255,51,51,0.8),inset 0 0 30px rgba(255,51,51,0.2)__SEMI__background:linear-gradient(135deg,#000 0%,#000 50%,#000 100%)__SEMI__border-radius:8px__SEMI__margin-bottom:20px__SEMI__"GT__**
**div style="color:#ff3333__SEMI__font-size:30px__SEMI__font-weight:bold__SEMI__text-transform:uppercase__SEMI__margin-bottom:15px__SEMI__text-shadow:0 0 25px #ff3333__SEMI__letter-spacing:4px__SEMI__"GT__💥 CRITICAL HIT! 💥LT__/divGT__**
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-Energy Shield OverloadLT__ div style="text-align:center__SEMI__border:3px solid #9333ea__SEMI__padding:25px__SEMI__box-shadow:0 0 25px rgba(147,51,234,0.6),inset 0 0 25px rgba(147,51,234,0.15)__SEMI__background:linear-gradient(135deg,#1a0010 0%,#000 50%,#1a0010 100%)__SEMI__border-radius:8px__SEMI__margin-bottom:20px__SEMI__"GT__**
**div style="color:#9333ea__SEMI__font-size:24px__SEMI__font-weight:bold__SEMI__text-transform:uppercase__SEMI__margin-bottom:15px__SEMI__text-shadow:0 0 40px rgba(147,51,234,0.5)__SEMI__letter-spacing:3px__SEMI__"GT__☠ CURSE ACTIVATED ☠LT__/divGT__**
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Self-Destruct Protocol initiated.LT__ strongGT__"Farewell, Great-Auntie. Cedric-brother."LT>/strongGT__
I downed the entire glass in one go.
Some say revenge is empty.
I had never believed that.
Not when the wine tasted this sweet for the first time in years.
strongGT__"Arsia, make a wish."LT>/strongGT__
strongGT__"What should I wish for?"LT>/strongGT__
strongGT__"Just watch the fireworks and make a wish."LT>/strongGT__
I looked up at the sky as metal shrapnel rained down with the aftershock and teased her.
**SECTION DIVIDER**
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**div style="color:#c9a84c__SEMI__font-size:14px__SEMI__text-transform:uppercase__SEMI__letter-spacing:3px__SEMI__margin-bottom:15px__SEMI__text-align:center__SEMI__"GT__— Ancient Prophecy —LT__/divGT__**
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August 15th, 2019 in the Magic Century.LT__ blocks with inline CSS from the templates. Never output them as plain
text with emojis.**