Chapter 154: The Honorable Warriors - "If He's Not Human, Then Don't Blame Me!"

A silver-haired "human" woman, clad in ringed armor and a black hooded cloak, wielded a massive sword and was the first to charge into the rear of the city's defense forces.

Despite her slim figure, the silver-haired woman seemed to possess extraordinary strength.

With every swing of her sword, the city guards were either cut in half at the waist or vertically sliced in two.

However, when a squad of heavily armored infantry, also wielding large swords, arrived to block her path, they managed to halt her momentum.

With the clash of weapons, the sharp sounds of metal striking metal rang out rhythmically.

But with a powerful crouch and leap, the woman propelled herself into the air, twisting her body gracefully and swinging her sword, swiftly decapitating several heavily armored soldiers.

As soon as she landed back on the ground, the remaining soldiers formed a circle, preparing to surround and overwhelm her.

At that moment:

"For the Sovereign! For humanity!"

"You're nothing but a disgrace to humanity, with no honor! Prepare to die!"

Over a hundred mercenaries and adventurers, dressed in various outfits, charged into the rear of the city guards, shouting battle cries.

Though they weren't as agile as the silver-haired woman, their strength and speed were still overwhelming to the city's defenders. The surprise attack left the guards unprepared.

The chaos caused by the mercenaries gave the silver-haired woman an opening. She crouched low and swung her sword, slicing through the knees and legs of the heavily armored soldiers.

"Ahhh!"

"My legs!"

In an instant, screams of agony filled the air.

The heavily armored soldiers, unable to move, collapsed to the ground in pain.

Despite her stunning beauty, the silver-haired woman showed no mercy. She continued to swing her sword, severing necks and stabbing through the hearts of the incapacitated soldiers.

This silver-haired woman, along with her hundred companions, were actually Nightwalkers (vampires) and werewolves, a special operations unit (ASOU) from the Prime Universe. They had somehow infiltrated the capital, acting under the command of the owner of Atlas.

They usually preferred to call themselves "Honorable Warriors."

Half of them were once members of the Honorable Legion and had endured over six centuries of both physical and mental torment to defend their principles and uphold their honor. Many had even lost the ability to speak.

However, thanks to Atlas's unique nanotechnology and rehabilitation programs, they had been restored to their former selves.

Additionally, the Atlas biology department invested heavily in extra "treatments" for the Nightwalker members of the Honorable Warriors. A layer of nanopolyester was implanted on their skin and in their corneas to shield them from ultraviolet rays.

This allowed them to operate during daylight, execute infiltration missions, and no longer suffer from the effects of sunlight.

As for the identity of the silver-haired woman, she was Leroja, a hybrid of human, vampire, and werewolf blood, and the strongest single combatant among the Honorable Warriors.

Facing the assault of a hundred Honorable Warriors, the city's defense force of three thousand was unable to mount an effective defense. They quickly found themselves on the losing end.

Meanwhile, Dorne, Volgan, Thorion, and several dozen dwarves, acting like a sharp spear, pierced through the first line of defense.

In comparison, the combat prowess and morale-shattering abilities of the two young Primarchs far surpassed even that of Leroja and the Honorable Warriors.

At the center of the battlefield:

"Hold the line! Infantry units two through six, block the sides! Musketeers and crossbowmen, prepare to focus fire on those two monstrous boys!" the baron commanding the city guards shouted.

As one of the confidants of the Prime Minister, the baron was dressed in extravagant fashion.

In the sunlight, his scaled armor reflected a dazzling golden light, with intricate patterns and a shining surface that caught the eye. His deep purple robe, embroidered with gold, emphasized his noble status.

The cost of his outfit alone was enough to cover the garrison's expenses in the town of Sahai for three years.

It was no wonder that the baron, or rather, the nobles supporting the Prime Minister, were determined to protect their wealth, resources, and political monopoly.

Even if the new emperor were to arrive in the capital, the nobility would never willingly relinquish their power. Political assassinations and armed conflicts were inevitable; it was only a matter of time.

The uprising triggered early by Dorne and Volgan had, in fact, spared their father a lot of trouble.

At this moment, the infantry units were powerless to stop the Primarchs.

The city guards who tried to block them were either smashed along with their armor or cleaved in half by giant swords.

The most terrifying part was that no one could clearly see Dorne and Volgan's movements. Aside from the whooshing sounds of their giant hammer and sword, their actions were a blur.

Even the combined volleys from the musketeers and crossbowmen, who fired without concern for friendly fire, could not harm the Primarchs.

Human wave tactics were useless?!

Standing at the center of the formation, the baron realized that the Primarchs were charging straight for his head, and nothing could stop them. He understood that unless a mage intervened to bombard the entire area with magic, killing the Primarchs was impossible.

Clang!

Nevertheless, the baron, proud of his noble status, drew his sword, determined to make a stand. His eyes were fixed on the approaching enemies.

As Dorne and Volgan broke through the line in front of him, the baron's sword began to glow with a dim purple light. With a forceful swing—

A high-pitched wail echoed through the battlefield!

The blade released a searingly hot, dimly glowing purple flame, engulfing everything in its path. The flame consumed the nearby city guards and enveloped Dorne and Volgan.

"Ahh…!!"

"Why…"

"Help! Save me…!"

In mere moments, agonized screams rang out from the flames.

The city guards, abandoned by their commander, tried to flee and call for help, but the magical flames had a powerful corrosive effect.

Within seconds, their clothes, skin, and flesh were burned away, leaving only their skeletal remains in armor and helmets.

Witnessing this horrific scene, the other guards instinctively stepped back in fear, looking at the one responsible—the baron—with terror and confusion.

The baron, unfazed by the sight of his soldiers' deaths, considered their sacrifice necessary. Still, he pretended to offer reassurance, declaring passionately, "They are heroes! Their sacrifice paves the way for our victory! After this rebellion is crushed, they will all be posthumously knighted!"

"What a load of crap, you bastard!" a voice suddenly rang out.

Dorne emerged from the flames, his voice filled with anger.

His white hair and eyebrows were singed, his robe mostly burned away, but he was otherwise unharmed.

Without hesitation, Dorne raised his massive sword and swung it at the baron with all his might.

His face, twisted with fury and blackened from the fire, gave him the appearance of a vengeful demon.

In that moment, the baron, finally able to see Dorne's movements clearly, abandoned any hope of standing his ground.

He had to flee!

Noble pride? Survival was the only thing that mattered now.

The baron quickly discarded his sword and pulled out a scroll from inside his armor, preparing to teleport away.

But just as he unfurled the scroll, there was a ripping sound.

His body had already been cleaved in two by Dorne's sword.

With a sickening thud, the baron's body split apart, falling to either side.

Suddenly, a blinding blue light burst from the scroll, carrying the baron's right side away.

Dorne stood there, speechless.

Although he harbored no sadistic intentions, he felt that killing the baron in one strike had been too merciful.

Oh well.

Dorne decided not to dwell on it. He raised his sword and scanned the area, shouting, "Your commander is dead! If you don't want to meet the same fate, drop your weapons and surrender immediately!"

At that moment, an icy gust of wind swept through, extinguishing the flames.

Volgan, completely unharmed, joined his brother, carrying a massive frost hammer on his shoulder. His imposing physique and nearly 6'3" height struck fear into the remaining soldiers.

The guards hesitated, torn between surrendering and the realization that it would mean abandoning their noble status.

But if they continued to fight, they would surely die.

Moreover, the baron's willingness to burn his own men alive to kill Dorne and Volgan had shaken their resolve.

Finally—

"Why should we continue serving Baron Sder? He's dead now… I surrender!" a captain, who had barely escaped the flames, threw down his weapon in frustration.

"Me too!"

"Don't kill me…"

Terrified by the carnage wrought by the Primarch brothers, the city guards began to throw down their weapons, choosing survival over loyalty.

"Hey, hey, hey!"

At this moment, Leroja, still at the back of the line, began to taunt them.

She picked up a large two-handed sword with one hand, easily lifted it in front of a heavily armored soldier, and smiled mischievously, "Come on, little brother. Weren't you all so brave earlier? Go ahead, pick up your weapon. I haven't killed enough yet."

"!!"

Though Leroja's intimidation wasn't quite as overwhelming as that of the Primarchs, her habit of laughing maniacally, shouting "Haha!" while swinging her sword wildly, gave her the aura of a crazed lunatic. For the inexperienced city guards, this left a deep psychological scar.

Her actions only accelerated the rate of surrender.

Soon, under the direction of Pietro and his growing army of civilians, the morale of the city guards completely collapsed, and they lost the will to resist.

Within minutes, the district was temporarily liberated.

Dorne, Volgan, Leroja, and the Honorable Warriors regrouped.

Dorne glanced up at Leroja, who stood about a foot taller than him and was a devout follower of his father. He asked, "Lady Vitalius, when did you infiltrate the Imperial capital?"

Leroja cheerfully replied, "Six days ago. Your father, the Sovereign Samuel Young, sent us to follow you the moment you set out on your trip.

After infiltrating the capital, we spent our time… scouting. Yes, scouting. At a tavern in the eastern part of the city, we monitored and protected you from the shadows.

As for this uprising..." 

Leroja paused to take in the chaotic surroundings and continued with a smile, "The Sovereign anticipated that you two might use the conflict between the privileged and the common folk to spark an armed rebellion, so he sent us as the most reliable and capable military unit to support you.

Oh, and the Sovereign said he knows your intentions... although I have no idea what he meant by that. Hopefully, you two can figure it out." 

With a puzzled wave of her hand, Leroja concluded.

Dorne and Volgan immediately understood the deeper meaning behind their father's words, realizing that he had foreseen their actions all along, possibly even "watching" them from afar.

Filled with renewed determination, the two brothers prepared to fully rely on Leroja, the Honorable Warriors, and the increasingly rebellious citizens to overthrow the Prime Minister, who was serving as the Empire's regent.

—

Meanwhile...

At the heart of the capital, far larger than any town, stood the Imperial Palace.

In the throne room on the upper levels of the palace, a flash of blue light suddenly appeared.

With a loud thud, half of the baron's corpse fell from mid-air, crashing onto the carpet. Blood, intestines, and organs spilled out, causing the gold-armored palace guards to instantly go on high alert.

"Sder?"

Seated on the throne, wearing a purple robe and a crown he had claimed for himself, Prime Minister Arandy Ortondeer immediately recognized the bisected body as one of his trusted commanders.

"Did the suppression fail? How... how is this possible?!" Arandy muttered in disbelief. He then turned to his guards and roared, "Leave the body! But send someone to investigate the situation in the east! Quickly! And summon Archmage Saru immediately to meet me in the throne room!"

The palace guards saluted and swiftly left to carry out his orders.

Before long, the heavy wooden doors slowly creaked open again, allowing a thin mage in pristine white robes to step into the throne room...

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