Chapter 89

The Emperor couldn’t hide his bewildered expression as he watched the people kneeling in the grand hall.

The ministers of the empire and the leaders of the temple faction, who had been in a meeting upon hearing the news, also rushed to the scene, unable to conceal their shock.

The Emperor’s mere frown was enough to make his subjects nervous. For him to be unable to hide his expression meant this was no ordinary event. Those kneeling before him were individuals who, under normal circumstances, would slip away like eels even if the Emperor requested a meeting. They were the elite of the Citadel Republic.

So, was this satisfying? Not at all. A person in power wouldn’t do something like this without reason.

Why had they all come to the capital and knelt before him? The Emperor, as well as the ministers present, were utterly baffled. Why were these nobles from another country kneeling before them?

“Where is Chancellor Adolf? Has he not come?”

The Emperor scanned the room, looking for a familiar face. The leader of the Citadel Republic, the only person here who could be considered the Emperor’s equal, was the only one qualified to speak.

“Your Majesty, the Chancellor has remained in the Republic. He has chosen to meet his end there. We tried to persuade him, but he remained stubborn.”

An old man finally stood up, bowing as he answered. This old man was someone even the Emperor recognized. He was one of the highest elders of the Citadel Republic, Jayden Motavil. The Emperor’s expression changed upon seeing his face.

This man was one of the most prominent figures who had argued that money need not be the handmaiden of power. Yet now, he was kneeling before power.

No one had demanded he kneel, yet his stubborn knees had suddenly given way.

And what did he mean by “meeting his end”? What kind of end was he talking about? The nobles in the hall, despite being in the Emperor’s presence, began to murmur, unable to hide their unease. The Citadel Republic, though small in territory, was undeniably a powerful nation in terms of wealth and military strength.

Its population was small, so it had fewer superhumans and transcendent beings, and thus couldn’t make its voice heard on the international stage. But in terms of naval power alone, the Citadel Republic was considered the best on the continent.

And now, such a nation was facing destruction? The expressions of the three Archbishops showed clear distress. Could this be the work of the Demon Race?

“Is this a full-scale attack by Harmail?”

“But for the Citadel Republic to collapse like a rotten straw bundle…”

“Perhaps we overestimated the Republic’s strength.”

Duke Valder stood up and spoke.

“Councilor Motavil, may I ask you something?”

“Please, Duke.”

“Why are you taking such a humble stance? Why is the Republic facing its end? If it’s the work of the Demon Race, doesn’t the Citadel Republic have the Aldehir Church? Has Harmail personally led an attack?”

“The Caldera Mountain Range is on the verge of eruption.”

At those words, everyone’s gaze turned to the continental map hanging on the grand hall’s wall.

Those who saw the size of the Caldera Mountain Range gasped and held their breath. The map, created by the priests of the Aldehir Church through aerial surveys, was highly accurate.

Even if the mountain range’s size was only 80% accurate, this was no ordinary matter.

A serious event? No, this was an unprecedented disaster. Everyone immediately understood why the Citadel Republic, at the height of its power, was already worrying about its demise.

“Then, could the tremors and vibrations we’ve been feeling be…”

“Most likely, the epicenter is where you think, Duke. What’s happening now is just the precursor, yet the entire Republic is already covered in ash, making it hard to see.”

Gilead Ranvolt, the chairman of the Merchant Union, spoke with a grave expression. The tremors from the distant Caldera Mountain Range could be felt even here. But what must it be like near the epicenter?

The earthquake had swept away what was once a glorious city, and the mountain range looked as if it were ablaze.

Now, it seemed no one could save the Republic from destruction. Lava was spewing forth, and ash covered the world. Yet, all of this was merely the precursor to the main eruption. That was the truly terrifying part.

All the damage so far was just a fraction of the chaos caused by the Undead Creature stirring within. Once the pressure exceeded the threshold and the dormant Caldera Supervolcano erupted, the Citadel Republic would be plunged into hell, and no one would be spared.

The scale and impact of such an event were beyond imagination. Upon hearing that the Undead Creature, the Phoenix, had triggered a massive volcanic eruption, everyone in the hall was horrified.

The three Archbishops could only stare at each other in shock, and Gilead, seeing their expressions, was at a loss for words.

“Your Eminences, there is still one last resort. If we can kill the Phoenix before the full eruption begins, we can avert the worst and delay the explosion.”

The Citadel Republic was truly on the brink. The Republic’s councilors were almost begging. They were willing to offer anything—money, power, beauty—to anyone who could help. Yet, every time they met the desperate gazes of these people, the Emperor and the Archbishops averted their eyes.

Archbishop Armata whispered softly.

“Halonen, can your Goddess’s power overcome this calamity?”

Archbishop Halonen remained silent. Could the power of the Goddess of the Earth, Nemi, suppress the eruption of the Caldera Supervolcano? Even if it were possible, the amount of divine power required would be immense.

Even if suppressed, would it mean anything? Suppressing what needs to erupt would only compress the pressure further, not eliminate the explosive force. It would merely wait, compressed, to erupt somewhere else.

Could Nemi’s power completely seal such a force?

Even if possible, the divine power consumed would far exceed what the believers of Nemi in the Citadel Republic could provide. It would be a losing proposition.

‘It’s like trying to hold down the lid of a boiling pot. As long as the fire burns, you’ll just keep losing strength.’

Moreover, the root cause of this disaster, the Undead Creature, was the real problem. Defeating it could save the Republic, but the issue was timing.

Everyone knew the eruption was imminent.

If they could defeat the Undead Creature in time, the eruption might be delayed. But if luck wasn’t on their side, they could face the volcanic explosion head-on while trying to defeat the monster. The power of nature was on a completely different scale from human power. Even a Master wouldn’t survive, and their bones would be buried in the volcano.

‘This is a gamble. A gamble not worth taking.’

Even if it were possible, was the Phoenix such an easy foe? The King of Monsters, who had defeated three of the Church’s most elite Saints and all the Holy Knights, was not to be underestimated.

Countless monsters had fallen before it, earning it the title of King of Monsters. Its strength was immeasurable.

“I understand there are three Masters residing in the Republic. Where are they now?”

The Emperor coughed, breaking everyone’s thoughts. The councilors hesitated but eventually confessed. The Republic’s last strategy had failed. The three Masters had gone to defeat the monster and were annihilated.

“Hammer Warrior Dullen, Frost Lord Eorin, and Farmer Paradain. These three fell to the Phoenix.”

Hearing this, people were even more reluctant to face the monster. The Phoenix, just hearing its name, was terrifying enough. To think it could defeat three Masters simultaneously.

The news alone made their knees weak. To them, this wasn’t even worth considering.

It was another country’s problem, happening in a distant land.

How could the Empire help with what was happening at the Caldera Volcano? They understood the situation, but sending a large army to the Caldera Volcano? Or perhaps the Emperor’s secret forces, Leyman and Geher?

Even if there were a guarantee that defeating the Phoenix could delay the eruption, life was inherently uncertain. Danger lurked in the unknown.

Whether Leyman and Geher, who had defeated even Grimudo’s pet, would join such a mission was another question.

And even if they volunteered, the Emperor had no intention of sending them. If they were caught in the volcanic eruption or stranded due to a destroyed teleportation gate, things would get very serious. It wasn’t worth the risk.

“I understand your feelings, but the living must survive.”

Even Archbishop Arice of the Elysia Church, the most radical of the Three God Faith, offered only a few words of comfort and didn’t suggest sending Holy Knights through the gate.

To the Church Country, this matter wasn’t worth the effort. Sensing the cold reaction from the hall, Councilor Motavil sighed. He had expected this.

People know people best. Would everyone join in just because someone suggested hunting a monster? If a merchant thought that way, any business they ran would fail. These people understood human selfishness all too well.

So, the current proposal was merely a foundation for a high-stakes strategy. Honestly, asking for help in defeating the monster wasn’t the goal. It was about starting with a big demand and then negotiating down.

“Very well. It seems the day has come for the Republic to lay down its name.”

Half-acting, half-sincere, the old man wept as he spoke.

“But even if the nation dies, shouldn’t the people live? The Aldehir Church is using airships to evacuate people, but it’s far from enough. Could we use this teleportation gate to evacuate the Republic’s citizens to the Empire?”

“Your Majesty, please don’t begrudge us this mercy! If the volcano erupts, who knows how many will die.”

If it were just a few thousand, they might have turned a blind eye.

But the number was at least a hundred thousand, possibly more. Who could tell them to let all these people die? The Archbishop of the Three God Faith, who had to maintain an image of nobility? Or the Emperor?

No one spoke, and the silence grew. Ardein, standing to the side, bit her lip with a complicated expression. Her father’s words now rang true.

What could an army of superhumans, even a million or ten million strong, do against the current situation brought about by the Phoenix? A volcanic eruption couldn’t be stopped by numbers alone.

‘Father was right.’

The Emperor’s theory about why the God of Hope had bestowed the Phylogenetic Seedling was becoming more real. Grimudo had truly acted, bringing the Citadel Republic to ruin. What if the Empire was next?

Wasn’t the God of Hope’s will to defeat Grimudo before that happened? The thought sent shivers down her spine. Everyone had known, deep down, how powerful the being in the Arctic was.

But except for a few, not many had truly feared him. Grimudo didn’t react unless provoked, so few had truly understood his power or seen him as a threat.

To many, Grimudo was the world’s strongest background character.

But now, the Demon King’s power had finally shown its face across the continent.

The temple faction, the Emperor’s faction, and other factions all fell silent. While they had been fighting for power in the shadows, Grimudo had sent a single bird to bring an unavoidable disaster to the Republic.

Wasn’t that truly terrifying?

Everyone instantly understood why the being in the Arctic was called the Demon King. What else could you call someone capable of such deeds?

Now, everyone was lost in thought, trying to predict Grimudo’s next move. If the Empire was his next target, then the struggle for the throne or rebellion would become meaningless. What’s the point of fighting over the bedroom when the house is on fire?

“Your Eminences, may I have a word with you?”

“Of course. We’ve been hoping for this.”

The Emperor stood up, and the three Archbishops followed.

They had sensed that now was not the time for internal conflict. As the Emperor left the grand hall, he called for the Minister of Finance, Valens, to handle the remaining matters.

“Please discuss the remaining matters with the Minister of Finance.”

With the possibility that Grimudo’s next target might be the Empire, the Emperor had no time to worry about the Republic. He pressed his aching head and muttered.

‘What a mess. The world doesn’t go according to plan, but why did this have to happen now? Why would the Demon King act in such times…’

In truth, it was nothing major. A bird had simply left its nest, found a place it liked, and enjoyed a lava bath. But because that bird was the Phoenix, disaster struck, and people’s hearts grew heavy.

The fear born of ignorance was one thing, but knowing and still being powerless—that was truly terrifying.