Translator: CinderTL
Boom!!
The buildings shook violently as a massive breach was blasted through the Heavenly Wall of the Niduo Kingdom's Capital's Upper City.
The midday sun's scorching rays poured through the gap, transforming into a pillar of light that plunged into the Lower City.
Giant chunks of rock, wooden planks, and steel fragments rained down, crushing streetlights and elevated bridges.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Dull, consecutive thuds echoed as seven or eight cars were instantly flattened, splattering blood across the ground.
The dark, damp concrete structures fell into a brief silence. The Niduo commoners lining the Lower City streets froze, their expressions stunned.
"What... what's happening?" someone whispered, their gaze shifting from the crushed cars and pools of blood to the gaping hole in the Upper City.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The initial explosion was just the beginning, like a chain of detonating gunpowder barrels.
One after another, massive, luminous breaches tore through the Heavenly Wall, flames erupting skyward as if the Upper City's surface were being pulverized by artillery fire.
The entire sequence unfolded in less than half a minute.
The scorching midday sun transformed into over a dozen pillars of light, piercing the Lower City's damp earth, each accompanied by the thunderous crash of falling debris.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
Traffic lights and utility poles snapped, and sections of several concrete buildings crumbled.
Shattered glass shards scattered wildly, while severed cables sparked and crackled.
"Ah!!"
In an instant, they snapped back to reality.
A piercing scream echoed endlessly through the air.
The Lower City's civilians scattered in panic. Cars careened out of control, causing a chain reaction of collisions that erupted in plumes of black smoke.
Eyes filled with terror and dread darted wildly as people fled. Some even recalled the events of two months prior, when the Upper City had suffered a similar attack, with invaders storming the Royal Palace and leaving indelible scars on their memories.
How little time had passed since then?
Whirrr! Whirrr! Whirrr!
As if confirming their worst fears, the droning of helicopter propellers grew louder. Civilians huddled inside concrete buildings couldn't resist peeking out windows, craning their necks to look up.
What they saw were several helicopters engulfed in flames, trailing thick black smoke as they spiraled out of control and crashed to earth with thunderous explosions.
Fiery craters erupted across the landscape, instantly transforming the once-peaceful Lower City into a chaotic scene of pandemonium.
In the distance, red and blue lights flashed urgently, signaling support units rushing toward the Royal Palace to protect its vital occupants.
Before anyone could fully process the chaos, an even more earth-shattering Boom!! reverberated through the air.
Boom!!
Armored vehicles plummeted from the sky, while tanks crashed through the Upper City's surface, their twisted, mangled metal hulls raining down like twisted debris.
Explosions, fire, and deafening roars shook the Lower City of the royal capital. The tremors grew closer with each passing moment.
Countless eyes turned toward the heart of the Lower City, toward the Royal Palace, following the tiered staircases that connected the upper and lower districts.
Armed soldiers lay in pools of blood, staining the steps crimson.
As their pupils contracted in horror, they realized that several halls of the magnificent palace had been destroyed.
Walls had collapsed, tiles had shattered.
The massive ion light shield flickered with breaches. Through the billowing smoke and dust, figures surged forward in waves toward the hall of affairs, throwing themselves in front of the young prince draped in golden silk.
Boom!!
Flesh exploded, blood splattering.
The suit jacket bearing the Royal Family crest tore into shreds, scattering like confetti.
Under the scorching sun, Princess Eleanor, her face pale and trembling, watched in horror as a loyal Guard security personnel's body was pulverized by a single punch.
"How weak," a cold, contemptuous voice echoed.
It came from a cyborg hovering in mid-air, flames erupting from the jets in his boots.
Over two meters tall, with fair skin, his massive frame and bulging muscles strained against his black jacket. Piercing blue eyes, like chips of ice, glared down at the palace defenders. His right hand gripped the head of a Royal Guard security personnel, his steel-like fingers clamping down like a vise as the man's face flushed crimson, his legs kicking wildly in futile struggle.
"Your defense system is nothing more than obsolete Federation scrap. You actually thought it could stop us?"
"How pathetic."
The white man gazed down coldly, his eyes piercing Princess Eleanor's shocked and furious stare.
High above, he clenched his fist with brutal force.
Boom!!
The security guard's head exploded like a watermelon, killing him instantly.
Splattered blood rained down, staining the shattered ground.
The cyborg remained suspended in mid-air, an ion shield protecting him from the gore and debris. He stood immaculate, like a noble deity untouched by the carnage.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the palace...
General Walker's furious roars echoed endlessly. Even after regrouping and unleashing his full power in a silver blur, he was forcibly blocked by another Flying General-level white Modified Human.
The entire Royal Palace was instantly engulfed in chaos and flames. Reinforcements from the garrison were also delayed, intercepted by other forces and unable to reach the palace.
"Your Highness, communications have been cut off."
"The royal capital's forces are under attack, and clashes have erupted between the allied nations."
Colonel Modo, the loyal Security Captain, reported through gritted teeth, his suit already bloodstained.
The news sent a chill through Princess Eleanor's heart. The light shield that had been enveloping the palace began to flicker and fade, as if sabotaged and deliberately weakened.
"Why?" Princess Eleanor asked, her voice trembling as she stared fixedly at the white man hovering in mid-air.
She had already guessed the worst, yet her heart still refused to accept it.
Though the security personnel around her were on high alert, their faces pale with fear and grim determination, none chose to flee. Instead, they continued to shield her at the center.
"Why?"
The Flying General-level white man sneered, his arm slowly lowering.
"Since you've accepted aid from our federation, you must forever abide by the rules we set. This applies to the Lion King and all other members of the Royal Family."
The words struck Princess Eleanor like a physical blow, draining the color from her face.
She never imagined her plan to seek refuge with the Red Nation would be exposed so soon. During the recent Consortium conflicts, she had exercised utmost restraint, showing the federation every respect.
Thud!
A paper document landed before her before she could react.
"Niduo Country needs a leader with greater cooperative consciousness."
"Sign it."
The near-commanding tone enraged Captain Modo and the others, who clearly saw the document's contents.
It was a declaration of Princess Eleanor's voluntary surrender of all governing power, designating it to be transferred to an extremely timid and young member of the Royal Family.
"No!!"
Captain Modo roared, stepping in front of Princess Eleanor and glaring angrily at the white man.
"You're interfering in Niduo's affairs! You're violating the Earth Federation Charter!"
"Don't forget, the Red Nation's forces are also in the royal capital!"
"Heh."
The white man descended slowly, a contemptuous sneer on his face.
"The Red Nation? Why would you think they could possibly arrive in time?"
Boom!!
Explosions continued to rock the Royal Palace grounds, sounding like intense armed combat.
Missiles streaked through the sky, and beams from Energy Cannons tore through the cloud layer.
Faint shouts echoed in the distance, weighing heavily on Modo and his men.
It was clear the Platinum Federation had meticulously planned this armed assassination.
At this very moment, the Red Nation's forces and those of other nations were undoubtedly being held back by other means.
Modo's face paled slightly, as did those of the Guard and Security Personnel.
Under their horrified and powerless gazes, the Flying General-level white man landed completely and strode closer.
"You have ten seconds."
His voice was cold and indifferent as he ignored Modo, his gaze passing over the crowd to fix on the pale-faced Eleanor.
"If you can't decide, I won't hesitate to kill a few more people to help you calm down."
Boom!!!
As the words left his lips, a Guard Security Personnel's head exploded.
A fleeting micro-energy beam, glowing with blue light, splattered several streaks of blood across the ion light shield in front of Eleanor.
"You—!" Captain Modo roared, sending four Flying Shuttles tearing through the air toward their attacker.
A piercing sonic wave erupted, and he barked a warning to his subordinates: "Get the Princess out of here!"
Boom!
The Flying Shuttles struck the white-haired man like high-energy explosives. Simultaneously, a Fifth-Tier peak Security Personnel hidden in the shadows fired a Sniper Cannon.
The blue beam devoured everything in its path. The well-coordinated Guard Security Personnel gritted their teeth and prepared to escort Eleanor to safety.
But in the next instant...
Whirr!
A violent gust of wind swept across the earth, clearing the ground.
The four Flying Shuttles were hurled back at even greater speed, their sonic booms shattering the air as they pierced through the body of the Fifth-Tier peak Security Personnel who had launched the hidden attack.
Splat!
Blood sprayed as the man's stunned expression froze in place.
At the same moment, Modo's ion shield shattered under a single punch. His chest caved inward, and he slowly sank to his knees.
Gasping for breath, he coughed up blood, his life hanging by a thread as he collapsed before Eleanor, his bloodshot eyes wide with shock.
"You think a bunch of Pseudo Sixth-Tiers could stop me?" the white-haired man sneered, taking an unscathed step forward.
The ion shield before him stood like an impenetrable barrier, the four small dents left by the Flying Shuttle projectiles continuously repairing themselves.
Tap... tap...
His heavy footsteps echoed like thunder, each step pressing down on the hearts of the onlookers.
One by one, the Guard and Security Personnel trembled, their eyes wide with terror as fear gripped their hearts.
At the center of the group, Eleanor's face was deathly pale, her gaze reflecting the towering flames and the blood-soaked figure of Captain Modo lying before her.
His breathing grew increasingly shallow, hovering on the brink of death. Blood streamed from his sunken chest and gaping mouth, staining the ground crimson. Yet even in this state, he stubbornly suppressed the pain and fear of death, muttering to himself as if urging her not to give up.
"Five seconds left."
Tap!
Another footstep shattered the silent exchange between master and guard.
The white man in the black jacket planted his foot firmly on Modo's head. His emotionless eyes turned coldly to Princess Eleanor as he activated his Force Field Device. With a wave of his hand, the device focused its energy, lifting the documents from the ground and suspending them before her.
"No!!"
"You federation scum!!"
General Walker's furious roar echoed from afar, the Energy Cannon charging with a thunderous hum. He transformed into a silver streak of light, desperately trying to intervene.
But fate had other plans. Another Flying General-level Modified Human, exceptionally powerful and seemingly aware of every weakness, blocked her path without leaving a single opening.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
The ear-splitting sonic booms echoed as blue Flying Shuttles materialized into countless forms—a rain of arrows, impenetrable shields—annihilating every energy blast.
The white-skinned Flying General-level Modified Human stood before Walker, his trench coat billowing in the wind.
His mocking gaze pierced Eleanor's heart, shattering the last vestiges of hope in her mind.
"Three seconds," a cold voice hissed. The white-skinned man pressed his foot down, crushing Captain Modo's bloodstained head inch by inch.
Crack! Crack! Crack! The ground splintered under the relentless pressure, the air thickening into a suffocating stillness. Only the relentless explosions continued to reverberate around the Royal Palace.
Waves of exhaustion and despair washed over Eleanor. She heard General Walker's furious roar from afar and saw Captain Modo's bloodshot eyes, unwavering even in the face of death.
These were her most loyal supporters, now suffering because of her.
Her gaze shifted to the Guard Security Personnel beside her, who were trembling but still resolutely shielding her. Then, she looked at the bodies strewn around the palace, the valiant sacrifices of her people.
Princess Eleanor took two deep breaths.
Thud!
She caught the suspended document and gripped the floating black steel pen tightly.
"At least you know your place."
A cold smile played on the lips of the white man in the black jacket as he watched impassively.
The other Guard and Security Personnel reacted with shock and grief, opening their mouths to plead for mercy.
But then a Force Field Device activated, instantly enveloping a hundred-meter radius.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
One by one, the Guard members dropped to their knees, their voices forcibly silenced.
The air around Princess Eleanor trembled.
The sky was a clear, azure blue, despite it being the hottest hour of noon.
Yet she felt a bone-chilling cold.
"I beg you, spare them," Princess Eleanor pleaded, her voice trembling, her face pale with desperation.
The white man met her gaze coldly, his eyes conveying a clear message: You have no right to negotiate terms.
A shudder ran through Eleanor, and all hope drained away.
Her fingers brushed against a raised point on the black pen. She knew that even if she signed, it might not save these loyal warriors.
"Then take my life instead," she said with a bitter smile as she signed the document.
Her touch activated the pen, and a black, needle-sharp spike extended from its tip.
"Looks like you finally understand," the white man said coldly, his voice utterly devoid of emotion.
Beneath his feet, Modo writhed and struggled, while the surrounding Guard and Security Personnel knelt in humiliation, their eyes bloodshot with despair and resentment.
Not only had they failed to protect their leader, but their weakness was now forcing her to choose voluntary death.
A deathly silence enveloped everything. Eleanor took a deep breath, suppressing the trembling in her hand.
The black pen's sharp tip slowly approached her neck. She offered a pale smile to all the Guards and Security Personnel, then lifted her gaze for one last, lingering look at the sky.
So, this is it. I'm really going to die.
Memories flashed through her mind like a slideshow, her vision blurring as she seemed to hallucinate.
In the azure sky, a silver speck had appeared in the cloud layer, as if passing through or rushing toward them.
It grew larger, closer, expanding rapidly.
Sensing something, the Sixth-Tier Mech Warrior who was holding Walker back frowned and looked up. The white man standing three meters from Eleanor also turned his gaze upward.
"A Red Nation aircraft?"
His eyes narrowed as he instantly recognized the red maple leaf emblem on the aircraft's surface.
His expression darkened, a cold glint appearing in his eyes.
Seeing Eleanor's dazed state and her incomplete suicide attempt, he abandoned any pretense of a perfect ending. He immediately raised his hand, intending to forcibly end everything and then stage the scene afterward.
But—
Buzz!!
A hazy blue light suddenly appeared in the azure sky, enveloping the entire Niduo Royal Palace.
It was as if a new firmament had descended, pressing down upon the world and replacing the original sky.
Everyone froze, then a tsunami-like pressure, as heavy as mountains, crashed down upon them.
Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack!
The earth trembled, and space itself vibrated.
The invisible pressure thickened the air, making it impossible to breathe.
Cracks spiderwebbed across the walls of the Niduo Royal Palace, and everyone within a kilometer radius felt their vision distort and their movements freeze.
This included the towering flames of the explosion, the wildly colliding missiles, and the Flying General-level white man in his black jacket.
"You've certainly put on quite a show," a calm voice echoed. The white man and the Sixth-Tier Mech Warrior beside him widened their eyes.
Their frozen bodies couldn't move an inch, and their hearts pounded so violently they felt like they would burst from their chests.
A tremor ran through them as their Scanning Modules frantically activated, desperately trying to capture the scene above.
A fierce wind howled through the drifting cloud layer.
The silver aircraft had silently opened its hatch, revealing a figure in a black trench coat fluttering high in the sky.
An icy gaze swept down, like that of an apex predator surveying its domain.
(End of the Chapter)
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