"Where's the reinforcement from Athen's Champion?" Souta asked.
"They departed already. I think they are heading toward the Mountain of Demise." Alice answered.
"If that's the case then let's move our forces. Call everyone available." Souta said before he turned around with a cold look on his face.
The final battle would occur in that place. All forces within the Hall Plains would gather to stop the impending doom. They were on their own there was no way that they could rely on outsiders to save them.
...
Souta and Alice returned to Ekatoe City. Alice quickly assembled all the available forces that the Astros could muster. The witches and the other departments could feel the tension in the air. Especially, the witches since one of their elders had died.
Eilish was still in the other city fighting the tribes from the Earthen Woods. She wasn't alone, she was fighting along with the other heads of the Dragon Council. Plus, she already reached Second Shackles so her chances of survival were high compared to Elder Guan.
Isabella, Gragas, Torkez, Alice, Eztein, and Doranjan gathered all of their troops around the plaza of the city. Souta was sitting on the highest chair while looking down at them. Even the Shimpan Family and the other strong family who swore their allegiance to Souta were present.
Everyone could feel the seriousness of this situation. Souta's aura was oozing out of his body to the point that it could harm normal people. In regard to this, Alice took Aina and Anzu away for safety purposes.
Souta looked at the troops for a while before he turned his attention to the huge green dragon, Doranjan. He slowly opened his mouth and said, "Where's the Devouring Alligator? I thought that I gave you a task to bring that monster to me."
"My Lord, She said that she will visit us later," Doranjan said respectfully. He couldn't call Souta's name in this situation.
"Hmm... I don't care about her. I will give you one more chance. Go to her territory and say that if she does not come under my wing, then I will treat her as a threat. I will attack and demolish everything that she possessed." Souta's voice brought pressure on everyone in the plaza.
Everyone realized that Souta had grown stronger once again. The pressure that he brought was far stronger than before.
"I understand, My Lord. I will complete this task as soon as possible." Doranjan said.
Souta removed his eyes from Doranjan and glanced at the Red Dragon beside him. After a while, he looked at Gragas.
"Gragas, you will stay here to protect the city. I will leave one hundred troops in your care." Souta said. Then, he turned to the Shimpan Family and the rest, "You too will stay here. Follow Gragas' commands while I'm not here."
"I understand, My Lord." Gragas and the others said at the same time.
After saying what he wanted, Souta quickly went to the main topic.
"First Head of the Dragon Council, Governor Ray, brought his troops and marched towards the Spring Land. He is planning to expand the influence of the Mine Valley while heading to the Mountain of Demise." Souta paused for a moment before he continued, "And I have the same plan as him. We will go to the Mountain of Demise but on a different route. We will traverse through the boundary between the Spring Land and Earthen Woods. It will be easy."
The big forces of the Spring Land were mostly gone so Governor Ray would have an easy time there. The tribes in the Earthen Woods were busy dealing with the other heads of the Dragon Council so they wouldn't have enough people to stop Souta.
"I will bring you there to conquer. Don't show anyone who disobeyed mercy. We will fight and kill." Souta narrowed his eyes. "And I will... grab the whole Hall Plains."
He then proceeded to tell them his plan. Alice and Isabella would separate from them after they traverse the boundary of the two regions. They would go to the northern part of the Mountain of Demise. Eztein and Torkez would be in the same group as their task was to enter the eastern side of the mountain. Souta and the main group would head to the western part. They would pave a road and demolish everything in their path.
...
After a few days, Souta and the rest departed from Ekatoe City. Souta recovered his stamina and energy too so he could fight with all of his strength.
He led hundreds of troops to advance toward the Mountain of Demise. The troops went to the boundary between Spring Land and Earthen Woods unbridled. There were some people from the other forces in that area but they were no match for Souta's troops.
They annihilated everything that got in their path. It was a swift operation that shook the other regions but they had no time to respond to Souta since they were also facing their own problems.
While Souta was marching forward, a piece of news spread out that shook the whole Hall Plains.
The Murder Society had fallen.
At the same time, the name of the Hall of Power appeared and stories about them were heard in every corner of the Hall Plains. Various regions responded to this and sent their most powerful forces to the Mountain of Demise.
Then, the Hall of Power declared that everyone would die soon. Everyone in the Hall Plains would become a sacrifice. They set up a huge sacrificial ritual that covered everything within the scope of the crimson energy net. There's no way out except to defeat the Hall of Power.
Even if they didn't want to announce this, all large forces would spread it so they took an initiative. At the same time, they also told everyone that those who joined their cause will be spared by their emperor.
In the Mountain of Demise, a group of people gathered at the peak of the mountain. They were setting up a ritual, a ritual different from the Blood Sacrifice. This ritual was for the return of their emperor.
"Soon! Our emperor will return!"
Draymond laughed as he raised both of his hands and looked at the dark sky. Behind him were various top members of the Hall of Power. They already crossed out the greatest threat in their plan so there's nothing in the Hall Plains that could stop them.
They were that confident.
"The time has come! Those gods will pay greatly once our emperor has returned!"
Draymond's voice echoed throughout the whole mountain.
He smiled as he turned around and looked at the members of the Hall of Power.
"Let's start the ritual!"
...
Outside of the Hall Plains.
A man appeared above the sky looking down at the crimson energy net that covered the whole region like a dome. He was wearing a black robe with red fur on its collar. Underneath his robe was a white shirt and black pants which were covered in various runes. He had sharp features and his pair of brown eyes were glistening with energy. His hair was messy and its color was chestnut.
This man was famous throughout the Imperium. His name was Esquin Georagnisus. The man who ruled the Sin of Gluttony.
Just a mention of his name would shake various gods from different factions. Today, he visited a barren land because of the event that happened here a thousand years ago.
"To think that you're secretly planning all this time. I wonder if you will be able to succeed this time." Esquin muttered to himself.
The crimson energy net had fused with the Mountain of Demise. It means that once a god shattered it, it would also break the Mountain of Demise that sealed the No God Emperor.
Well, shattering the crimson energy net was extremely hard since it already fused with the Mountain of Demise that could seal No God Emperor.
"I'm sure that this alerted various gods. I wonder how they would react to this." Esquin smiled.
No God Emperor was the only creature that was born free. A creature born without shackles. Someone at the Freedom Realm at birth. It scared various gods and they were forced to commit this crime that they wouldn't be able to forget.
"But why haven't I heard anything about it? It seems that the remains of the Hall of Power hid quite well. After they discovered it, it was already too late. The crimson net has fused with the Mountain of Demise so they couldn't do anything."
After all, high-level factions were dealing with different things. It was hard to monitor everything outside of their territory and they were also wary of the other factions.
There's also the case that the Hall of Power didn't really move since they haven't found the perfect one yet. They walked around the Hall Plains, taking different identities. They only started moving after they confirmed the appearance of the perfect one. So the Large Countries and Holy Land reacted too late since they were dealing with problems regarding demons too. Also, the Ruin Battlefield affairs and the other organizations under Gluttony were moving too.
It means that everyone was caught off guard when the Hall of Power moved. They lacked manpower.
Esquin suddenly turned his head and raised his eyebrows with interest.
"They are finally here."
