[AZ: Seris-Chan…]

[Nihaku: Master, good luck!]

Seemed like every kind of viewer was watching.

I hated being a spectacle, but there was no helping it.

A beam of light from the mirror soon engulfed my entire body.

‘That familiar feeling of levitation.’

It felt like I was being pulled into the depths of the ocean.

Time passed, and I opened my eyes.

The bright midday sky came into view.

But there was something different…

[Current Progress – 99%]

[When it reaches 100%, ‘Descent’ will begin.]

[Master, prepare for battle!]

A fissure appeared in the sky, as if processed with CG.

Beyond the crack, countless eel-like shapes writhed.

I looked down.

The golden rooftops of the palace glittered in the sunlight.

Below them, Pria, Yoshua, and the commanders of the imperial guard were assembled.

<To your positions!>

As soon as we arrived on the field, the heroes dispersed in perfect unison.

They moved to the eastern, western, southern, and northern gates of the capital, forming a defensive line to repel any advancing enemies. The guards raised their weapons and stood ready.

<I leave the main strategy to you. Handle it well.>

Roderick’s transmission cut out.

I walked to the palace entrance.

Yoshua approached me with hurried steps and bowed.

“You’ve arrived, brother. We’ve been waiting.”

“What’s the current situation?”

“The traitor still barricades himself within the palace. We plan to launch an assault today, but….”

“Today?”

“Yes, by royal command.”

I quickened my pace.

Before long, I met Pria, who was dressed in a command uniform.

“Han.”

Pria spoke without turning to me.

“Have you made your decision?”

“Of course.”

Pria’s tone was grave.

She grasped the ceremonial sword at her waist.

There was no need for further words.

“You came just in time. In one hour, we will commence the assault with the elites. The goal is to subdue and capture the prince. This must end before the situation worsens.”

Pria looked up.

The crack in the sky was invisible to the ordinary NPCs. The mercenaries standing guard around us had no idea what was about to unfold.

“I’ll join you. Han, help us. If we act preemptively, we can minimize the….”

「There is no need for that.」

Crash!

A tremendous sound rang out as shards of glass and stone scattered everywhere.

“Get down!”

“Ugh!”

“Your Majesty!”

I ducked down.

A piece of marble grazed past my head.

A cloud of dust, accompanied by wind, swept over us.

I opened my eyes wide.

Beyond the shattered palace wall, the prince, Phraios, sat on the throne.

Beside him stood a young boy and girl, both upright.

“You finally show that detestable face!”

Yoshua sprang up from the rubble.

The blade of his sword pointed at the prince’s face.

“Do you think such atrocities will be forgiven just because you share the royal bloodline? Millions have shed tears of blood under your tyranny. No more….”

“Not forgive?”

“That’s right.”

Yoshua growled.

Phraios spoke with a disinterested tone.

“And what will you do if you don’t forgive?”

“I’ll personally hang you from the gallows! Let all watch your end….”

“All?”

“Look around you, Phraios!”

Phraios turned his head.

The entrance to the palace and the streets beyond were filled with mercenaries.

Their eyes burned with hostility as they stared at the prince, weapons drawn.

“All I see are specks of dust in need of sweeping.”

Phraios stood, letting his cloak billow.

<At last, it ends.>

<Fulfill the contract, Phraios!>

The boy and girl chattered in clear, resonant voices.

The prince smirked and raised his fist to the sky.

Crack! The fissure in the sky grew sharper.

[Current Progress – 99%]

[When it reaches 100%, ‘Descent’ will begin.]

The deep, unsettling sound drilled into my brain.

The sky looked ready to fall apart.

“Not on my watch…!”

Pria raised her sword high.

A golden aura wrapped around her body.

[Dimensional Sword ‘Lusrada’ awakens!]

A brilliant glow radiated from Pria’s blade.

I remembered it well. The fusion of the three keys that had shattered the Egg of Chaos in an instant back on the 50th floor. Pria clenched her teeth and swung the Dimensional Sword with force.

Flash!

The light emanating from her sword sealed the crack.

“Do you see, traitor? This is the power of the rightful heir!”

“A Dimensional Sword.”

“The first emperor bestowed this upon the rightful ruler! With this, we will bring peace to all of Townia….”

“Bring peace?”

Phraios chuckled.

Yoshua scowled.

“What’s so funny?”

“Three pieces: the essence of the sky, the vessel of the earth, and the cup of the sea. That’s how it was, right? Yes, Lusrada was Townia’s secret weapon. Without it, you wouldn’t have lasted a month.”

Jenna whispered beside me.

“Are we supposed to just watch?”

“What choice do we have? It’s how this mission goes.”

I let out a frustrated sigh.

Even if we wanted to make a move, we couldn’t.

Until the event ended, we were stuck as spectators.

‘Was the secret weapon?’

Phraios spoke in the past tense.

As if he’d wielded it before.

<Ha ha ha! Peace? What a worm-like statement.>

The boy, Lantia, smiled.

Simultaneously, Phraios extended his hand.

「A mere Dimensional Sword.」

Woooong.

A blinding light gathered in his right hand.

「I’ve passed through seventeen worlds….」

The light in his hand outshone what Pria held by dozens of times.

A resplendent glow, as if the entire sky had turned gold.

[Dimensional Sword ‘Lusrada’ awakens!]

[Dimensional Sword ‘Lusrada’ awakens!]

[Dimensional Sword ‘Lusrada’ awakens!]

[Dimensional Sword ‘Lusrada’ awakens!]

[Dimensional Sword ‘Lusrada’ awakens….]

Phraios lightly swung what he held.

「And forged it more than ten times over.」

Crack!

[Current Progress – 100%]

The eerie wail resonated through the shattered sky.

[Fragments of Chaos Lv.113] X 795

[Fragments of Despair Lv.108] X 931

[Fragments of Resentment Lv.121] X 674

‘Here they come.’

I tightened my grip on my weapon.