The battle did not last very long.
To be precise, aside from the time Roy spent entangled with the two hundred thousand Qin soldiers, the actual confrontation with the First Emperor ended in an instant.
A mortal who had obtained the power of ancient immortals through cunning means—even if that mortal was called the First Emperor—could never stand against a Campione who had been tempered through countless trials and tribulations.
The outcome had been decided from the very beginning.
The battle concluded so swiftly that the others barely had time to react.
Xu Fu, Yu Ji, Tamamo-no-Mae, and Daji all stood frozen in place, staring dumbfounded as the First Emperor fell from the sky, witnessing the phoenix that once soared through the heavens finally return to the earth.
Seizing the opportunity, Daji swiftly activated her special ability, vanishing in an instant without giving Tamamo-no-Mae any chance to react.
"You damn vixen!"
Tamamo-no-Mae was a step too late. Her curses blasted the spot where Daji had disappeared, shaking the earth, but as the sand and mist dispersed, all that remained were massive craters—Daji was long gone.
"Miguu…"
Tamamo-no-Mae bit her lip, letting out a fox's mournful cry. She stomped her delicate foot in frustration, but no matter how she vented her anger, Daji would not reappear.
"Alright, Tamamo, don't be so upset. If that fox ran away, then so be it."
Seeing Tamamo-no-Mae's furious expression, Roy instead spoke up to console her.
Tamamo-no-Mae's fox ears drooped as she lowered her beautiful face, her slender legs kicking idly at the yellow sand beneath her feet. She spoke apologetically, "...Sorry, Roy. That bitch of a fox inherited this ability, and there's nothing I can do about it. But look, even though we didn't catch her, I still managed to fulfill your request!"
She wagged her eight tails like a proud treasure, raising her delicate hand in a flattering gesture. Resting in her palm was what appeared to be a gem-like tree seed.
Roy's heart stirred as he took the "Phantasy Tree Seed," sensing the powerful, vibrant life force within it along with the faint traces of emerging consciousness. After a brief moment of contemplation, he decisively activated his authority with his own will and magic, utterly crushing the nascent consciousness within the seed.
This inexplicable, alien consciousness was undoubtedly nothing good—best to eliminate it entirely.
Now devoid of any consciousness, the Phantasy Tree Seed lay quietly in Roy's palm, its vigorous life force still intact. In other words, the seed hadn't lost its utility.
Roy pocketed the seed without hesitation. There might come a time when it would prove useful, though he had no intention of using it in this world. The Human Order here had already been corrected, and Roy saw no reason to burden it further.
"Oh, by the way, that bitch of a fox mentioned she was searching for 'Lostbelts.' She said no more could emerge here, so she was heading elsewhere to look~."
Tamamo-no-Mae fawned over Roy as she relayed everything she had learned from Daji, sparing no detail. Though some of it was confusing, one thing Roy could be certain of was that Daji had likely left this world to seek the Lostbelts she desired elsewhere. As long as that troublesome fox wouldn't be causing any more chaos here, it was the best outcome Roy could ask for.
Roy turned his gaze toward Yu Ji. The Beauty Yu had already sheathed her blood-red sword, her earlier ferocity replaced by a serene gentleness. When she noticed Roy looking at her, she stood there demurely, like a bashful young bride, her cheeks faintly flushed.
Had it not been for Xu Fu's disheveled appearance and the numerous wounds crisscrossing his body nearby, no one would have guessed how fearsome this delicate beauty had been just moments ago.
Xu Fu watched Yu Ji with a bitter smile, muttering under his breath—likely lamenting the stark contrast between her current docility and her earlier murderous intent. His gloomy, uneasy expression made it clear that his mind was in turmoil.
The First Emperor had fallen too quickly, and Xu Fu's ambitions might now be beyond reach.
After a brief glance at Xu Fu, Roy strode toward the First Emperor under the watchful eyes of the others.
The First Emperor had already risen from the ground, leaning against the massive alchemy furnace's base as he forcefully pulled the sword from his chest and tossed it aside. Seeing Roy approach, he smiled calmly and said, "...In all my years, I have never known such pain."
When the First Emperor was young, he served as a hostage in the State of Zhao. It was through the mediation of the extraordinary merchant Lü Buwei that he returned to Qin to achieve his great ambitions. Yet throughout his life, he faced few true crises—let alone the agony of being stabbed like this, as even injuries were rare for him.
The most perilous moment in the First Emperor's life was likely the terror he felt during Jing Ke's assassination attempt.
Ying Zheng coughed twice, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, while the wound over his heart slowly healed.
Though Roy's Sword of Judgment had gained the ability to sever immortality after slaying Susano'o, the First Emperor now existed as a True Ancestor, his immortality surpassing even that of ancient earth goddesses. While the sword embedded in his heart suppressed his regenerative abilities, once removed, his immortality inevitably reasserted itself.
Yet the healing was painfully slow, unbefitting of a True Ancestor.
"Hmm… In the end, I have failed, unable to escape this fate-like conclusion… But I despise the word 'fate.' I still believe my vision was correct—I am Human Order itself! Only… this Human Order is so fleeting."
Gradually, the First Emperor caught his breath. He rose from where he had been slumped against the furnace, swaying unsteadily, yet the indomitable majesty that once commanded the world remained etched upon his face. Even in defeat, even facing ruin, he would never lower his proud head.
"Though Chu had but three clans, it was Chu that would destroy Qin! Heh… My great Qin has indeed fallen to the hands of Chu's people!"
The First Emperor showed no trace of despair. His expression was serene, his laughter free and unrestrained.
"Your Majesty, do you have any regrets?"
"I have none!"
"Your Majesty, is there anything you lament?"
"Nor do I lament anything!"
After a pause, the First Emperor chuckled wryly. "...No, that's not entirely true. There is one regret—that after finally returning to this world, I never once laid eyes upon Qin's homeland."
"Even if Your Majesty left this mausoleum, you would not see your homeland… for Great Qin has long perished."
Roy spoke softly.
The First Emperor froze for a moment before bursting into laughter. "...Hahaha! Well said, King of Chu! My heart is at ease—my Great Qin has indeed fallen!"
"...I no longer belong to this world. Best not to return."
"The King of Qin swept the six states, his might like a tiger's gaze.
With a swing of his sword, he parted the floating clouds,
And the lords of the land all came west in submission.
His wisdom shone from heaven's decree,
His grand strategy outshone all talents.
He gathered arms to cast golden statues,
And opened Hangu Pass to the east."
Roy gazed at the greatest emperor in Chinese history, murmuring these famous lines by the later poet Li Bai.
The First Emperor listened with interest. "...Is this praise for my achievements? Did you compose this, King of Chu?"
Roy shook his head. "...It was written by a man of later ages. I lack such talent."
"A man of later ages…"
A strange light flickered in the First Emperor's eyes, as though he had suddenly grasped where Roy truly came from—where that land beyond the heavens lay.
Delighted, he asked, "...How does the world of later ages compare to the blueprint of my dreams?"
Without hesitation, Roy replied, "...It falls far short. War persists, plagues spread, and the conflicts of race and religion remain humanity's unsolved burdens."
"Then why, King of Chu, did you stand in my way?"
"Personally, I do not wish for my beloved wife to be pruned away. For the greater good, while Your Majesty's utopia is indeed alluring, humanity would become stagnant, losing its vitality. If Your Majesty truly accomplishes this grand ambition, it would be equivalent to the extinction of mankind! Humanity has never been a perfect species. It is precisely our imperfect human order and uncertain future that kindles hope within us, granting infinite possibilities and endless unknowns to explore!"
"...Your Majesty, you must not deprive humanity of its hope!"
"Hope... the hope of mankind..."
The First Emperor gazed up at the artificial starry sky of the Reality Marble, momentarily lost in thought.
After a long pause, he finally regained his composure and smiled at Roy. "...Very well. I shall entrust the future of this compilation to you, the King of Chu!"
Roy relaxed his expression and shook his head with a smile. "...Your Majesty, I lack such capability. The authority over this compilation should be left to human history itself, to humanity as a whole—to be chosen by every individual among the people!"
"For as one man once said—"
"—Every man and woman is a star!"