Chapter 358

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

The solemn sound of drums reverberated throughout the imperial palace.

The booming signaled the commencement of the funeral preceding the coronation.

Seated in the upper rows were vassals and influential families residing in the capital. Representing Ragnar, Theo sat watchfully, his senses on high alert.

Creeeeak.

Amidst the heavy atmosphere, the grand palace gates slowly opened.

At the entrance, Cassandra stepped forward, dressed in a black gown and holding the sacred flame.

At that moment, silence enveloped the assembly as everyone held their breath, watching her procession.

Click. Click.

The sound of her heels echoed crisply, and the atmosphere surrounding her felt almost mystical.

‘The imperial bloodline truly is unique.’

While her blindness played a part in creating such a perception, the air about her carried an innate dignity mixed with an ethereal gentleness.

All eyes were fixed on Cassandra—not just because of her striking appearance, but also the poise with which she walked forward, unwavering despite her blindness.

At the end of her path lay a symbolic coffin resting atop a large pile of wood.

Though the body of the late Emperor was not present, the coffin, crafted from fragrant cedarwood, gleamed in the sunlight, representing his memory.

Finally, Cassandra stopped before the pyre.

「Sir Felix.」

Theo sent a telepathic message to Felix.

Judging from past attacks, Theo anticipated that the Sacred Demon Cult would strike during the ceremony.

「Yes, we are prepared on this end.」

Felix, sharing Theo’s concerns, had covertly deployed the knights around the venue, securing the area without drawing attention.

‘Where will they strike?’

As the funeral progressed, Theo expanded his senses, stretching his perception beyond the city walls to detect any unusual presence.

“First, I want to express my gratitude to the esteemed vassals and citizens gathered here today.”

Cassandra’s clear, resonant voice rang out, carrying an unshakable resolve.

Her poise remained steady, even as she spoke. It was evident she had not let her guard down for even a moment.

‘Although I warned them about a potential invasion by the Sacred Demon Cult…’

While Cassandra was surrounded by Ragnar and the Imperial Knights, Theo couldn’t shake his unease.

The unpredictability of the Sacred Demon Cult’s methods weighed heavily on him.

He refocused on his surroundings, prioritizing vigilance over listening to Cassandra’s speech.

Cassandra, guarded by Black Dragon and the Plum Blossom Sovereign, continued her address. Above her, the White Armored Dragon Knights patrolled the skies.

Despite these precautions, a faint anxiety lingered in Theo’s mind.

“We will now hold a moment of silence for His Majesty, Emperor Horik.”

The crowd bowed their heads in quiet reverence for the late Emperor.

Only the sound of breathing and the crackling sacred flame remained in the world.

“And now, I shall ignite the pyre.”

With these words, Cassandra touched the sacred flame to the woodpile, setting it ablaze.

Fwoosh!

The oil-soaked wood caught fire instantly, the flames rising high into the sky.

Ashes scattered into the air, darkening the heavens.

As the mourners wept, a sharp crack echoed through the air.

At first, it seemed like the wood splitting in the fire.

But it wasn’t.

The sound came from above. Theo instantly recognized it.

“Loddy!”

“Partner!”

Both Theo and Lodbrok stood up simultaneously, calling out to each other.

“What… What’s happening?”

“The sky is splitting…?”

Confused murmurs spread through the crowd as they watched the sky fracture, unable to comprehend the strange phenomenon. Mesmerized, no one thought to flee.

“Sir Felix! Evacuate the crowd!”

Though Theo didn’t need to shout, Felix had already begun directing the crowd to safety.

‘They’re breaking through directly above the barrier magic… I didn’t think they’d tear through space itself.’

Shing!

Theo drew Caliburn, while Black Dragon and the Plum Blossom Sovereign moved to Cassandra’s side.

“Let’s go, Your Majesty.”

Black Dragon cradled Cassandra and swiftly retreated using Shadow Lightning Flash.

Whoosh!

As the spatial rift widened, torrents of fire poured through, clashing violently with the city’s defensive magic.

Boom!

The fiery storm roared as if intent on reducing the capital to ashes, its ferocity unabated.

“Court Magicians!”

Felix’s commanding voice echoed as the Court Mage Corps poured their mana into reinforcing the city’s defenses.

But as everyone’s attention remained fixed on the sky…

‘No, it’s the southern gate.’

Theo’s heightened senses screamed danger, and he turned sharply.

Boom!

A thunderous explosion rocked the southern gate, shaking the ground beneath their feet.

Screams!

“Help us!”

“Somebody, please!”

The once impenetrable walls of the Empire lay shattered, crumbling like tofu.

The defensive enchantments around the gate had briefly failed before swiftly reactivating.

Though the thick smoke obscured visibility, Theo didn’t need to see to know what had breached the gate.

‘To think they’d launch such a blatant assault…’

Even Theo hadn’t anticipated the fortress-like defenses of the capital to collapse so easily.

From within the smoke, a sinister presence emerged—a vast wellspring of mana.

“Hahaha!”

A bone-chilling laugh echoed.

Emerging from the smoke were a pair of elongated ears and glowing, malevolent eyes fixed directly on Theo.

「My lord! The Mage Tower’s airship has appeared.」

Julius’s telepathic report came through.

‘So, that’s how they did it.’

Theo clenched his teeth in anger. The involvement of the Mage Tower explained the catastrophic breach.

The Tower had spearheaded the construction of the barrier and walls, giving them the knowledge to dismantle their own work.

‘I thought they were missing, but they’ve aligned with the Sacred Demon Cult.’

Theo’s fury grew. The so-called wise men had abandoned their principles to consort with such vile forces.

The memory of the betrayal in the Naga Forest burned in Theo’s mind.

“We’re going out there.”

Theo spoke firmly to Lodbrok, gathering power in his legs.

With a mighty leap, Theo launched himself toward the gate.

Boom!

The ground shattered beneath him as he soared across the city, landing at the devastated gate in mere moments.

The gust of wind from his landing cleared the smoke, revealing the full extent of the destruction.

“Well, well,” came a mocking voice.

Standing amidst the rubble were the Second Apostle and Kralres Monte, the Mage Tower Master, both staring at Theo with amused expressions.

‘!’

Theo’s eyes narrowed. The Second Apostle’s aura had drastically changed.

Gone was the trace of the dark elf he once knew. In its place was something evolved, exuding an overwhelming presence.

‘He’s advanced to a level nearing the First Apostle…?’

Although not yet equal, it was clear the Second Apostle had touched upon that threshold.

“You kept humans as pets? Fascinating. We recently used one of our own dogs quite effectively,” Theo sneered, directing his mockery toward Kralres.

The Mage Tower Master’s face contorted with rage.

“Or perhaps you lacked the strength to break a wall yourself and needed a human’s help? The name of the Second Apostle must be scraping the bottom of the barrel.”

The Second Apostle’s eyebrow twitched, but his calm demeanor remained unshaken.

“Kralres, do your job.”

“…Yes, my lord.”

Theo wasted no time, closing the distance in a flash and swinging Caliburn downward.

The attack was so swift that Kralres didn’t even realize Theo had moved until the moment their eyes met.

But...

Clang!

The sound of metal clashing rang out as the Second Apostle intercepted the strike with a blade of condensed mana extending from his left arm.

“Leave now, Kralres,” the Apostle ordered.

“…Y-Yes.”

Kralres vanished using teleportation, leaving Theo and the Apostle facing each other.

“You didn’t think I could handle that, did you?” the Apostle taunted.

“Honestly? No,” Theo admitted, backing away to reassess.

“Let me show you the true worth of the Second Apostle.”

The Apostle raised his right hand skyward.

Zzzzzzzz!

Massive layers of magic circles formed above him, their energy feeding into the fiery storm still raging in the sky.

The inferno coiled tighter, growing into a massive dragon of fire that prepared to descend upon the city.

But as the Apostle grinned, he noticed something odd.

Theo’s expression didn’t change.

Instead of fear or resignation, his face remained completely blank.

“Let’s see you burn in your arrogance,” the Apostle sneered.

The fiery dragon roared, hurtling toward the city with destructive intent.

But just before it struck...

Shing!

A blinding flash of light erupted.

‘A sword aura?’

Before the Apostle could process what he saw, the dragon disintegrated, shattered by Theo’s strike.

“What? You didn’t think I could handle that?” Theo smirked, his voice cutting through the stunned silence.