Meanwhile, Yorichi and Jian Yi were heading toward the governor's palace in the city of Yusbikers as fast as they could, all the while observing the jubilant townspeople.
Yorichi's expression was unusually calm as he recalled a conversation he'd had with his father, Reinhardt, the previous night.
"I'd like to ask you something, if you don't mind."
A look of confusion crossed Jian Yi's face as he glanced at Yorichi, who appeared both perplexed and sorrowful.
*What's going on with him? He's not his usual self.*
Jian Yi mused to himself, trying to fathom what was happening.
"Go ahead."
Yorichi held his gaze on Jian Yi for several seconds before speaking.
"I'll be frank with you. What does it feel like to have a family that loves you—truly and purely?"
"I know it might sound strange or even ridiculous, but I've never experienced that kind of genuine affection. I've never even seen my own mother. What about you?"
Shock washed over Jian Yi's face as he looked at Yorichi; he came to a sudden halt, his eyes losing their usual luster.
"My answer is that I don't know. And yet, what you, I, and the sons of the great duchies—like Armin and Tom—all have in common is a painful void that makes one want to weep and grieve. We never received love from our parents; instead, we were merely pawns they used to elevate their own status. So, my answer remains: I don't know." "Because I have never experienced that feeling in the first place."
"But why are you asking me such a ridiculous question?"
Jian Yi's tone was a mixture of surprise and bewilderment.
Yorichi cast his gaze toward the palace of the ruler of Yospikers City, then set off directly toward it.
"Never mind; it was just a question that has been on my mind for a long time."
A look of suspicion crossed Jian Yi's face, but he chose to follow Yorichi. Now was not the time to delve into personal or family matters—especially since he had yet to resolve his own issues.
A few minutes later, Yorichi and Jian Yi arrived at the office of the ruler of Yospikers City, where they waited for his arrival.
Jian Yi's expression betrayed deep annoyance, and he tapped his foot against the floor, signaling his growing impatience.
"Isn't he taking far too long?! Does Count Stanislav August Poniatowski think he's actually someone of importance? Setting aside his rude behavior, we are about to face the Beast Rulers—beings capable of effortlessly destroying infinite universes! Yospikers City could be wiped out in a fraction of a second!"
Yorichi rubbed his temples as he listened to Jian Yi, equally irritated by the indifferent attitude of the city's ruler. He took a deep breath before speaking.
"You're right. The ruler of Yospikers City, Stanislav August Poniatowski, is acting quite absurdly." Yorichi spoke sharply, his gaze fixed on the door, as he penned a letter to Duke Shin Akater William, the ruler of the Kingdom of Etherias.
Minutes ticked by, and both Yorichi and Jian Yi reached the boiling point of their fury; the city stood on the brink of being wiped off the map, yet its ruler was nowhere to be found.
To make matters worse, his absence felt like a personal affront—both Yorichi and Jian Yi were the sons of prominent, well-known figures—while thousands of lives hung in the balance. It was a display of both profound disrespect and an utter unfitness to rule.
"Enough, Yorichi! Nearly an hour has passed, and he still hasn't shown up. If he doesn't appear within three minutes, I'm going to drag his face across the ground—and I mean that literally; his face will become a smear of paint upon the earth!"
Jian Yi's voice dripped with murderous intent, and a pink plum blossom mark manifested where his pupil should have been.
Yorichi took a deep breath, then rose from his seat and walked toward the desk of Stanislaw August Poniatowski.
He stood before the desk for several seconds before turning his gaze toward Jian Yi.
His expression was cold as he slid his sword back into its scabbard.
"Jian Yi—didn't you say you wanted to kill Stanislaw August Poniatowski?"
A look of surprise crossed Jian Yi's face as he glanced back and forth between Stanislaw August Poniatowski's desk and Yorichi.
"Yes, I did—but why do you ask?" A strange smile, blending coldness with mockery, appeared on Yorichi's face as he sheathed his sword—a gesture that betrayed his frustration.
"It's a pity he's already dead. The ruler of the city of Yusbekers, Stanislav August Poniatowski, died in his office an hour ago."
A flicker of shock crossed Jian Yi's face as he listened to Yorichi, and he turned toward him immediately.
"You're joking, right?"
Yorichi pointed toward a concealment stone—split clean in two—and then toward the body of Stanislav August Poniatowski, which lay on the floor, warm, crimson blood staining the marble tiles.
Jian Yi took a deep breath, then, in a fit of rage, unleashed a force that shattered the room they were standing in.
"Let me guess... an assassination carried out by one of the duchies, and the culprit is Guther MacTire—is that it?"
Yorichi looked at Jian Yi in astonishment, taken aback by how quickly he had deduced the killer's identity. His surprise, however, was short-lived; Jian Yi handed him a letter from Guther, in which he confessed to the assassination.
"So, that's how you knew who the killer was."
Yorichi's tone carried a hint of frustration as he opened the letter.
[Listen closely to what I have to say.
The Count of the city of Yusbekers, Stanislav August Poniatowski, was involved with an organization dedicated to the enslavement of Elves, Demons, and various other sentient races and species. Moreover, he was a double agent for the demons—which is why he was assassinated by the Prince of Assassins, Gothar MacTire.
We request that Mr. Yorichi, Jian Yi, and the rest of the students and professors hold back the Beast Rulers until the leaders of the Grand Duchies arrive.
Thank you.]
Yorichi stared at the letter with clear annoyance; it struck him as utterly absurd—as if it had been written solely to shift the subject and concoct a pretext for the assassination.
Killing Stanislav August Poniatowski at this particular moment was both logical and illogical. While he had been dealing with the demons—and could have betrayed them at any given second—he was also, as a regional ruler, in a position to muster troops.
Yorichi tucked the letter away into his spatial dimension, his gaze fixed with deep suspicion upon the portrait of Count Stanislav August Poniatowski.
He then slowly removed the image, careful not to trigger any potential traps.
"Just as I suspected—that despicable scoundrel, Stanislav August Poniatowski, is hiding something!"
Yorichi held a dragon egg, roughly the size of a car wheel and adorned with crimson-red markings. Upon examining it closely, he was overcome with such intense rage that his face flushed deep red.
"That wretch! Does he intend to annihilate the human realm by dragging us into a war with the Dragon Realm?! Where on earth did he get an egg belonging to a royal heir of the dragons?!"
"No, no, no... this is not good."
Yorichi's voice wavered slightly. With the Beast Rulers already at their doorstep, a war against the Dragon Realm would mean their lives would come to an end before they could even mount a defense.
Yorichi's eyes widened in shock; the egg was no longer in his hands. In its place was an image bearing the crest of the Dragon Realm's royal family.
"It seems they've retrieved their offspring. What a fool I've been! I completely forgot—they place an automatic teleportation spell on the egg, triggered the moment its true nature is discovered."
Jian Yi rested a hand on his chin, attempting to process the situation.
Given the presence of several formidable figures in the city of Yuspeakers—including the presiding masters Kaito Ishikawa Yusoper and Catherine Soliver, along with his deputy, Carter Bligers—the likelihood of the city being destroyed remained relatively low.
Nevertheless, that did not guarantee its survival; there was still a very real possibility that the city—and indeed the entire world—could be wiped off the map. "It seems Stanisław August Poniatowski didn't know its origin. Regardless, for now, we should head toward our companions."
Yurichi nodded in agreement, and the two set off, leaving behind the pits created by Jian Yi during his fit of rage.
Three seconds later, Yuta appeared, seated in Stanisław August Poniatowski's chair, staring at the egg with a twisted smile.
"This is rather amusing. The murder of some scum who had no business holding such a position of leadership! Humans often elect people who are entirely undeserving of their roles. Not everyone who sits upon a royal throne is born to be a ruler—isn't that right, Count Stanisław August Poniatowski?"
"Oh, I forgot—you're already dead, aren't you?"
Yuta remarked with a sneer, glancing down at the corpse of Stanisław August Poniatowski.
He raised his right hand toward the body, and a cold, violet energy began to permeate the air. Within seconds, the corpse withered away, becoming as dry and desiccated as a mummy.
Yuta's gaze remained cold as he stared at his own hand, but suddenly, blood began to gush profusely from his eyes, nose, mouth, and ears.
He collapsed to the ground, his body seized by violent, dangerous convulsions, while warm, crimson blood poured from him—the flow intensifying with every passing second. "Cough... cough... cough... cough... It seems this body is still unable to wield any of my wings or my holy scripture."
After several minutes of intense convulsions, Yuta managed to stand up. His skin had turned deathly pale from the significant amount of blood he had lost.
However, thanks to his immortality and regenerative abilities, he was able to recover the lost blood; otherwise, he would have surely perished from such a massive hemorrhage.
"It appears that the power of a third-tier wing exceeds what this body can withstand. It will take quite some time before I am capable of utilizing both the power of the Holy Scripture and the wing of the Great Creator."
"It has been two months since I used them to save Lucy, and I still cannot wield them—how frustrating! I need another year, or at the very least, I must strengthen this vessel until it can endure 46% or more of my full power."
Lost in thought, Yuta placed the egg into a chamber within his palace—located inside his own spiritual realm—before vanishing without a trace, having first wiped away every drop and scent of blood from his body and clothing.
---
Elsewhere, in the operations room of the city of Yuspeakers, the presiding professors, the director, and his deputy were meticulously reviewing a dispatch from the Duchy of MacIntyre.
"It seems we are facing a grave danger this time. Five beast sovereigns are lying in wait for us, and the arrival time of our reinforcements remains unknown. Still... at least we have Reinhardt on our side." Soliver's tone was calm as he gazed at a three-dimensional map of the city of Yuspeakers and its surrounding areas.
The professors and supervisors watched with composed expressions, scrutinizing the 3D map, which was marked with various colors.
Standard red indicated the residents of Yuspeakers who were unable to fight.
Light red denoted residents with physical or mental disabilities.
Maroon represented visitors to the city capable of combat—including mercenaries, adventurers, and travelers from other cities.
Blood-red signified the soldiers tasked with protecting Yuspeakers, who were currently gathered outside its walls.
Standard black represented the remaining students from the Regular Class of Versalkin Academy.
Dark black indicated the remaining students from the Elite Class, while a deep, coal-black was reserved for students of the Legendary Class.
Finally, blue represented the monsters advancing toward Yuspeakers at an alarmingly rapid pace.
The situation heightened the tension within the operations room. Yoshika Kyotowa spoke calmly, her eyes fixed on a file she held in her hand.
"Following several meetings with the professors in charge of the three classes—including Kaitowa Ishikawa Yusoper, Catherine, Bao Xin Yi, and Grand Professor Tao Xin Bei—we have reached a number of conclusions." "It appears that the first-year students in the elite class—some of whom hail from the families of Grand Duchies—comprise exceptional individuals from various social strata: there are nobles, such as Gray, Yorichi, Lucy, Beatrice, and Yuta; students from the middle class, such as Christian, Nicholas, Kazuhiro, Leon, and Inuyasha; and commoners, such as Seok, Armin, and Tom."
"Therefore, with the help of the remaining students, they could potentially delay one of the monster lords for an hour—at least, according to current data. We will divide our forces into groups: one for the soldiers of Yusbikers City, one for the faculty in charge, one for the principal and his deputy, and one for the students."
Silence descended upon the operations room following Yoshika Kiyotwa's proposal; those present recognized that it placed the lives of the students, faculty, and local residents at significant risk.
*Thud... thud... thud...*
Principal Soliver struck the table several times, shattering the silence, his gaze calm as he looked at them.
"This is no time for silence! We are on the brink of death, and the lives of thousands of people hang in the balance. Do you understand what I am saying?"
They nodded in agreement, though they remained visibly shaken—their thoughts scattered, and caught off guard by the sudden, sharp volume of his voice.
"Very well! We shall proceed with Ms. Yoshika Kiyotwa's plan. Begin your preparations. Is that clear?"
The faculty members and the commanders responsible for the defense of Yusbikers City headed toward their assigned posts, offering no verbal response to Soliver's words.
---
Elsewhere, inside a private residence belonging to Jia, the companions gathered in the living room. Their eyes were fixed on Yorichi, who stood before a three-dimensional map displaying Yusbikers City and its surrounding territories.
The map was identical to the one found in the operations room in Yusbikers City. Yorichi, Jian Yi, Tom, and Gowther took a deep breath as they studied the map; each of them had studied the science of warfare and military strategy.
Yorichi scanned his companions and noticed that Yuta Caseral and Inuyasha were not present. He chose to overlook this, however—they would meet up on the battlefield soon enough.
He spoke in a calm tone:
"Very well. After careful consideration, we shall divide into several teams."
"The first team will consist of Nicholas, Christian, Kazuhiro, and Inuyasha, as they are already familiar with one another."
No one raised any objections. To them, these monsters posed no significant threat—especially given that they themselves were 'Tree Rulers,' beings who possessed a sacred presence.
"Wait a moment! While the idea of splitting into teams is sound, I must firmly disagree. There are five 'Monster Rulers' lying in wait for us."
"Therefore, we should focus on engaging just one of these Rulers, leaving the rest to the others. There is no need for unnecessary risk or recklessness. After all, there are mercenaries and independent fighters present—not to mention the Count's own army, as well as the forces from the Versalkin Academy and the Reinhardt faction. As I said, we should concentrate our efforts on a single Ruler."
Lucy spoke in a calm, steady voice, sipping her iced orange juice as she looked at them.
Yorichi closed his eyes for a few seconds before opening them once more.
"Yes, that sounds like a good plan. Does anyone have any other suggestions?" Seok cast his gaze toward the door of the guest room, where Jiya was observing everything in silence.
Her presence was truly terrifying—yet, why did it feel so reminiscent of... someone else?
Seok was lost in his own puzzled thoughts when Jian Yi interrupted, speaking in a calm, steady tone:
"Can you maintain control while in a state of chaos—for an extended period? Yes or no?"
"Yes, I can use it without losing control. However, the 'Absolute Dome' can only be sustained for about fifteen minutes. As for my innate abilities, I can use them for a maximum of eight hours."
A collective sigh of relief rippled through the group; if Seok were to lose control, the consequences would be catastrophic.
"By the way, did you kill the members of the 'Scorpion' organization back then?"
Prevka asked, looking at him with curiosity.
Seok's expression showed a hint of surprise—rumors had circulated claiming he had wiped out all 195 members of the organization.
"No, I didn't kill them; I relocated them. I was in an unstable state, and had I unleashed my destructive powers, I would have inadvertently killed several students and professors."
"Hmm, I see. Well, that makes sense. But where is Yuta? I haven't seen him since we left Jeju Island."
Prevka asked, her voice tinged with confusion as she looked around at the others.
Gauther answered her question:
"Yuta has a great deal of business to attend to regarding his tech companies, so he decided to head off on his own once we arrived in the city of Yuspeakers." Upon hearing Gowther's statement, everyone nodded in agreement—with the exception of Nicholas, Christian, Kazuhiro, and Inuyasha, who already knew the truth.
"Alright, let's go! The battle is upon us. The Beast Rulers will arrive in just ten minutes; we must head to the battlefield immediately!"
Without waiting for a response, Tom vanished from where he stood. The others followed suit, disappearing one by one without a word—time was slipping away too rapidly, and wasting it now would serve no purpose.
The battle is at hand, and in the end, only one side will remain: the Beast Rulers, or humanity?