Four of the five kings were now dead.
The surge of energy flowed through as I reached level 32, faster than I had anticipated. Perhaps it was too quick—unnatural, even—but I wasn't about to complain.
Park Seo-Jin's lifeless body hung limply from my scythe, skewered like a piece of at. The sight was macabre, yet srizing, as his blood dripped down in slow, crimson streaks. The crowd below gazed up in stunned silence, their expressions twisted with disbelief and despair.
Their last hope was gone.
With their ruler absent, they had no one left to protect them. Their gazes shifted from the fallen king to , and I could see the fear etched into their faces. They didn't see a warrior or a challenger—they saw a demon god.
And I couldn't deny that I liked it.
The weight of my aura pressed down on them like a suffocating blanket, and one by one, the people dropped to their knees. A sea of trembling bodies filled the ruined city, their collective despair palpable. They couldn't believe what they were witnessing.
I hovered in the air, golden fire swirling faintly around , and I smiled.
They would rember this day.
"Choose. Submit to , Lee Gaon, the Empress of the Empire of the Eternal Fla, or die along with these people."
My voice bood across the city, carried by the weight of my King's Aura. The power in my words made the air itself tremble, a visible force that pressed down on everyone present.
At first, there was silence. Then, like a dam breaking, chaos erupted.
Crowds of people began to flee, scattering like ants, their terrified cries filling the air. They abandoned their hos, their stalls, their livelihoods—everything—in their desperate bid to escape.
Only about a thousand remained, their weapons raised defiantly. Their faces were a mix of fear and determination, but I could feel their hesitation. Their hands trembled, and their stances were shaky. Still, they didn't back down.
What am I even saying?
The thought gnawed at , a mont of clarity cutting through the haze of power.
If I do this... if I force them to bow to ... I'd be no better than a murderer.
But my eyes scanned the crowd, and I saw their blades pointed at , their hostility burning bright despite their fear.
But... they have their weapons raised... ready to kill .
The conflict within churned like a storm. Is it truly wrong to crush those who stand against ? To ensure they never rise again to threaten ?
I tightened my grip on my scythe, the black and gold blade gleaming ominously. No one is innocent here. Not anymore.
I scanned the crowd, my gaze sharp and unforgiving, but then my eyes landed on them—the original five who had led into this city.
They stood apart from the others, their weapons pointed at , their expressions unreadable.
So... did I save her only to kill her now?
The thought hit like a dagger to the chest, twisting painfully. Am I really prepared to take the lives of the innocent just because I can't stand this city?
My fingers tightened around the handle of my scythe, the weight of it suddenly feeling unbearable. But my eyes flickered back to the city itself—the city built by that bastard.
No, it's not just that.
It wasn't just hatred for what this city stood for.
I envy it.
Its beauty, its magic, its people—it all stood as a stark reminder of what I had failed to achieve. Compared to my capital city, this place was better in every way, and that envy burned within like an unquenchable fire.
So it must cease to exist!
Suddenly, a voice rang out in my mind, low and taunting, dripping with mockery.
"Are you finally coming to your senses?" The eerie voice chuckled. "Even I'm wondering if you need my influence anymore. Hahaha... You're becoming a true killing machine, Gaon."
Its laughter echoed, each word slicing through my thoughts like a blade.
"But that's good. The more you kill, the easier it will be for you to lead an empire. You know that yourself, don't you? There are no good emperors—not to those who stand in opposition to their rule."
Its words slithered through my mind, wrapping around my resolve like chains. The truth in them was undeniable, yet it made sick.
What kind of ruler do I want to be?
I gritted my teeth, the storm within threatening to tear apart. Was I truly so far gone? Or was this simply the cost of power?
I'm an empress.
The words echoed in my mind, steadying my wavering resolve.
It's all for the sake of the people I must protect, right?
If I let them live, they would only grow to threaten later. But if I killed them, my level would rise, my power would grow, and I'd beco strong enough to defend the people I cared about.
This is what it ans to rule.
Without realizing it, my vision darkened, and when I blinked, I saw that my eyes had turned completely black. A surge of powerful soul energy erupted from within , crackling like lightning in the air.
"Hahaha! That's right, Gaon! Enough being a weakling! Let help you! Together, we'll spread fear into the hearts of people and make them bow before you!"
The voice inside roared, its laughter infectious, and I could feel its power flooding into every fiber of my being.
I raised my scythe high, the flas around it burning darker than ever before. This is for them. For the people I must protect.
"Five Paths of Fire: Second Path... Power!"
Our voices intertwined, my own rging with the sinister presence within . The words ca unbidden, as if etched into my very soul.
"The Reappearance of the Demoness!"
Sothing deep within cracked, a resounding fracture that echoed through my core. A new path was unlocked—one that felt foreign, shadowed by darkness.
Was this truly the sa scripture?
For a fleeting mont, doubt flickered in my mind. But it was drowned out by the intoxicating rush of power.
Before I fully understood what was happening, a massive black beam of fire erupted from my scythe, crashing into the crowd below. The destruction was instantaneous—an obliteration so absolute that not even their bones remained.
The ground trembled beneath , and then, like a silent storm, a slowly expanding orb of fire began to consu the city. Its flas were unnatural, devouring everything in their path—buildings, streets, and lives—all reduced to ash.
I hovered above it all, my wings spread wide, watching as the once-vibrant city was annihilated from existence. The power it once held was now nothing but smoldering ruins.
For a mont, I felt nothing but cold detachnt.
Then the laughter returned, echoing in my mind.
"This is the path of an empress, Gaon. This is the respect you've earned."
But deep down, as the flas continued to spread, a single thought crept in: What have I done?
"Soul Reaver!"
An extre number of souls shot toward all at once, overwhelming with their sheer power. The air itself felt heavy, dense with energy that seed to press into every fiber of my being. My body trembled, struggling to contain the sudden influx.
And then, it happened.
A massive system ssage flooded into my mind, the words rushing past faster than I could process:
[.....]
[Error!]
[Too many souls have been consud at once. Evaluating...]
[You shall be transported to a trial area to secure you from death as a one-ti bonus.]
[The requirent for nto Vivere has been t: 1451/1000. Proceeding with the second evolution.]
Before I could even react, I felt my body being wrapped in an unfamiliar yet comforting white energy. It was soft, almost like a cocoon, shielding from the chaos within.
And then I was gone.
The city, the destruction, the screams—all of it disappeared. I was transported far, far away.
When I opened my eyes, I found myself in a place of indescribable beauty. It was like Earth, yet not. The air was fresher, the colors more vivid, the sound of a majestic waterfall cascading nearby. It felt peaceful, serene... and completely at odds with the turmoil raging inside .
But before I could take it all in, a sudden wave of dizziness hit like a freight train. My body felt weak, fragile. The world began to blur and spin.
I knew this feeling.
Continue your journey with empire
I was dying.
Again.
It struck like a blade to the heart—I had forgotten about this skill. nto Vivere. The eerie entity inside had forced to harvest those souls, leading to this very mont.
Ah... I'm so pathetic.
As my vision dimd, I felt my body collapse into the water below. The cool sensation enveloped , dragging into its embrace.
[You have died.]
[Ti until revival: nine days.]
And then his voice returned.
"[Hahaha! Good job, Lee Gaon. I'm proud of you. You will definitely be able to help in the future!]"
That disgusting voice. The voice of the Creator.
I wanted to scream, but I couldn't. I wanted to fight back, but I was powerless.
He had been watching all along.
And in that mont, as the world faded into black, I knew one thing with absolute certainty:
I was just a pawn in his grand design.
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