Today was another reminder to Abyssals that their race was on the brink of extinction.
Fairy Emperor seemed to have grown stronger than the last time and he bypassed the great barrier of the capital Reka and was about to wipe out millions of lives.
Abyss Emperor was quick to respond this time.
Previously, Haedon was suffering from the aftermath of creating a clone. So his strength declined considerably.
But this time, he was at his peak. Despite that, the distance between them actually shrunk by a bit.
Even though there was still a great gap between their strength, Haedon was alarmed.
He crushed the Fairy Emperor but not so severe that Zion Envoy got involved.
After a humiliating defeat, Fairy Emperor left with a smug smile.
He knew his life was safe.
Zions were using him as a dog to harass Abyssals and he was more than happy to be one.
"Dad, are you alright?" Eva asked him with red eyes.
'Who made my daughter cry?' Haedon was about to yell at the guards before realizing she was gazing outside.
Reka, the city of beauty and prosperity. Reka, home to countless Abyssals.
A district, albeit small was destroyed in the battle.
Despite Haedon taking extra care to distance their fight from the masses, at least a hundred thousand Abyssals breathed their last.
Eva, his kind hearted daughter couldn't stand such grievous scene.
But—
"It's alright. Things will get better." Haedon raised his hand to pat her head before drawing them back.
His hands were stained with blood. He didn't want them to blaspheme her pureness.
"Really, daddy?" Eva asked him with bright eyes.
Haedon forced himself to smile. "I promise you. There will be peace."
"Yay!" Eva cheered and regardless of his current condition, kissed him.
"I trust daddy. You are the strongest! I will tell Julie. She fears she will lose her dad." Eva said, but quickly shook her head.
"I'll go cheer them up. You always say my smile wipes out their worries. Even if it's just a little, I am willing to help." Eva turned into a white bird and rushed towards the devastated area.
Haedon's smiled at her receding back before he forced himself to his office.
As he sat in his chair, he glanced at the tall altar at a corner.
Sacred Altar.
Every Abyss had one.
Enigma broke one, so now there were only seven of them.
"I hope I never have to use it." Haedon looked at the huge altar and prayed with closed eyes.
'There will be peace.' His own promise resounded in his mind.
Haedon's eyes turned cold and he opened the reports.
The first report was enough to make him tremble in rage.
[All the hideouts in low dungeons were wiped out. The last one was gone 3 hours ago.]
Bang!
Haedon smashed the table and gritted his teeth.
"Humans…you never cease to amaze me. Where did you get the key?" He couldn't help but ask.
"Other than Ruins, I don't know of any other possibility." Beatrice entered the room and answered with an exhausted face.
She was also following the case.
The mission 'Purge' caused them huge losses.
The original plan was to weaken humans by killing the geniuses. After thirty or forty years, it would create a situation where there would be far less Level 8 and Level 9.
By then, they'd have killed the Eight Sovereigns of humanity.
So without any Sovereigns and with far few Level 9 and Level 8s, Human Federation would pose no resistance to the Eight Abysses.
Even though humans had great defense thanks to their ever advancing technology, nothing could replace a Level 9.
But the plan falling apart so thoroughly forced Haedon to rethink.
What if…humanity was a much bigger threat than it appeared to be?
What if…one of them find the secret of S+ legacy?
Even though the possibility of that was zero, Haedon preferred to be cautious.
More importantly, Enigma's display of strength was unsettling.
He was sure she could grow to be a Sovereign soon.
Her potential didn't stop just there.
She…might even reach the Celestial Rank. If that happens, then their plan would fall apart.
Not only that, they'd also lose the eight abysses.
The urgency was never higher.
He tapped on the blue crystal attached to his desk and ordered. "Kill Uranus's Sovereign the time you find a chance. Go with full strength. Take help of the Human Sovereign."
Beatrice walked up to him and cupped his cheeks. Since he was injured by the Envoy, her work burden increased.
"There is a report I want you to see." She bit her lip and tapped on her bracelet.
[Varian. Level 5. Earth Defense Academy. First Year.
According to academy records, he passed through a space crack and survived. He also found an immature ambrosia and went from Level 2 to Level 5.
Now he is the strongest first year.]
Haedon squinted his eyes. Normally, a level 5 was nothing to him. But his intuition told him this one was different.
After a slight recollection, he asked. "There was a federation wide announcement…it was for him, right?"
"Yes. Evander, Steel heart and Albert were involved. Recently, Varian is announced to be the disciple of Evander. He seems to have a close relationship with Sarah." Beatrice said with a frown.
She too knew where this was going.
The whole fiasco of him surviving the space crack was crap.
"Albert is a sly guy. Raising a genius secretly and now using such absurd reasons to deceive everyone." Haedon shook his head.
Every power had geniuses in the open, but they would also nurture a few in the dark.
But usually, the ones in the bright were the strongest and the ones in the dark were back up.
Who knew Albert was packing a little monster.
Haedon thought for a while and ordered. "When he goes out on a mission, end him."
After looking at Beatrice's exhausted yet determined face, Haedon sighed. "I thought we could take it slow and with least losses."
Beatrice smiled wryly.
Haedon's eyes sharpened. "Once the Uranus's Sovereign falls, humans cannot defend themselves without a Sovereign. We'll capture Uranus. All supply chains to neptune will be cut off. An isolated Neptune will soon fall into our hands. With two planets gone, it's game over for Humans."
Beatrice's eyes brightened.
In the past, Haedon wanted to minimize the losses and skipped this plan.
But this time, he was willing.
Haedon closed his eyes and sighed. "Many lives of my people will be lost. But if this is the cost for the survival of our race, so be it. I will be the sinner."
Beatrice quickly hugged him and said softly. "You are our saviour. Not the sinner."
Haedon still felt the pang of guilt. He was a commoner by birth, not even a noble. So he knew what it was like for a normal family to loose their source of support.
He knew the sufferings of a lone mother. The pain of a lone child.
That was why he tried to win without war…but he failed.
This was the best he could do. Even though capturing Uranus would cost a great number of lives, the number would be far less than what an all out war with Human Federation would cost.
Beatrice whispered softly, soothing his heart.
"An Emperor who does not value life and kill indiscriminately are tyrants.
The Emperor who values life so much that they fail to sacrifice it for the greater good are cowards.
But you, my Emperor, my husband is a person of compassion and ruthlessness. You save lives as much as you can, but you do not hesitate when you need to sacrifice them for the greater good." Beatrice whispered as she embraced him with love and respect.
She uttered the words she didn't know were said to a human by his tutor.
Those same words.
The words filled with conviction.
"You are the One."
