Episode 9: Shackles of Judgment / Chapter 158: Awl (2)
TL: emptycube / ED: Oer
Flame-Rain didn"t remember her father.
She had been too young when Flame-Sky died in battle.
What she remembered was the moment the universe united, using Flame-Sky"s sacrifice as an opportunity, a few years later. She remembered how the Flame Wing Alliance had been established with cheers and how all intelligent lifeforms in the universe united under the ident.i.ty "karmalings" as they strode down the streets together. "For life and freedom, love for all." She spent her childhood wading amidst these heated cheers that swept the streets.
In other words, she was a part of the alliance generation.
While she was the symbol of monarchy and the very person who stimulated the nostalgia of those who grew up in the previous generation, the world she loved and only one she knew was the alliance.
She grew up receiving the best education. As she was no longer a princess, she was no different from a lonely orphan. However, everyone in the Flame Wing Tribe treated her like their child, and back then, even Flame-h.e.l.l treated her well.
This was why she had no reason to wish for the restoration of the monarchy.
What she hoped for was to become an outstanding warrior who could contribute and return the alliance"s favor.
So, in one word, she was happy.
"But… How did things become like this?"
Everything became a mess after she began completing missions as a warrior, having gone through childhood and youthhood.
This was because the true appearance of the alliance and the war were very different from what she had thought.
The cheer "Love for all" had completely disappeared at some point.
She would scoff whenever she heard the alliance"s salute "For life and freedom".
The alliance"s cause had changed from being victorious in the war against the monsters to safeguarding the key tribes.
If they could reduce the losses of the key tribes, then they could bear the extinction of species living on the outskirts. They even began slaughtering, calling it "mining", and they justified this by saying they weren"t going to give the monsters resources.
Flame-Rain couldn"t adapt to this.
When she endured once, she would soon face a more severe instance. She became more and more unhappy as time pa.s.sed.
From then on, her crimes increased one by one.
Insubordination.
Mutiny.
Overstepping authority.
If it were others, they would have been executed multiple times for this. However, she was released after receiving punishments on the level of probation or serving in the common ranks every time. Only then did she realize the influence she possessed.
The Flame Wing Tribe members always loved her.
Although the number of people who didn"t agree with her cause gradually grew, she was still loved.
"Why does our princess worry about other species more than her own?"
"I like the princess. However, I think it"s best to leave politics to Flame-h.e.l.l."
"My older brother died last time! Because the princess ignored the order to retreat…"
The younger the generation, the greater the number of people who were saddened by Flame-Rain, which in return, strengthened Flame-h.e.l.l"s position, but that was all.
The older generation showed their unwavering support for Flame-Rain.
"Hey! No matter what, you cannot show dissatisfaction at the princess"s actions!"
"Even if the royal family has disappeared, the uniqueness in her veins hasn"t disappeared. You will know soon enough."
"She"s the princess. We"re not at the level where we can judge her actions as right or wrong."
They had agreed to the abolition of the monarchy only because they were swept up by the whirlpool-like situation after Flame-Sky"s death. If Flame-Rain became sufficiently strong and desired it, they were always willing to stand for the restoration of the monarchy. This was factor Flame-h.e.l.l was most nervous about.
In fact, even Flame-Rain and Flame-h.e.l.l"s political aims were largely different.
"The Flame Wing Tribe is the most exalted species in the entire universe! Why don"t you understand that the life of one of ours is more important than the entirety of another species? If everyone else survives but our tribe becomes extinct, then we have lost that war. But if everyone else dies and even one of our race survives, then that"s victory."
Flame-h.e.l.l attempted to persuade Flame-Rain multiple times, but she didn"t budge. In the end, Flame-h.e.l.l resolved himself.
"I won"t say any more."
He believed that if Flame-Rain came to power, then their species would go extinct. He couldn"t back down.
Disciplinary actions and appeals continued, and the more he confirmed the influence Flame-Rain possessed and her true intentions, the frostier Flame-h.e.l.l"s expression became - a dangerous omen.
As she knew this, Flame-Rain resolved herself to be alone.
The fact that there were many people who would die for her because she was Flame-Sky"s daughter. The fact that she thought to oppose the alliance"s policies. These could be the troublesome seeds that could incite a civil war within the alliance.
If a civil war did break out, Flame-Rain"s side would lose. Since this would result in a huge loss in the alliance"s forces, this wasn"t good for both Flame-Rain herself and the alliance.
From then on, Flame-Rain didn"t return to her homeland. She only traveled from one battlefield to another. She went to wars Consumables were partic.i.p.ating in and became friends with lowest-ranked warriors. She also saved those who might have died in vain. That was how she minimized her influence within her tribe and followed her own beliefs.
Then Flame-h.e.l.l began suggesting her more and more difficult missions, using her warm-heartedness so that she couldn"t refuse but also as if telling her to die there.
Flame-Rain endured everything. She believed that Flame-h.e.l.l would one day understand her sincerity. She grew stronger silently and persistently so that she could gain Flame-h.e.l.l"s acknowledgment and become an Exalted Wing. So that she could change the alliance even a little. That was her dream.
"However, I won"t live like this any longer."
During the previous expedition, she realized that Flame-h.e.l.l wouldn"t change.
Even if she tried to be by herself, she couldn"t, and those who followed her kept dying. Her method had been wrong. If she wanted to prevent them from dying, she shouldn"t lower her head to Flame-h.e.l.l, but instead, she needed to display enough strength to prevent him from using her as he wished.
"I need to burn everything blocking my path."
Resolving herself to this, Flame-Rain"s body trembled subtly.
The monsters" universe was filled with remains from ruined dimensions.
Like the universe karmalings inhabited, there were planets and stars. However, there could be a planet floating on an endless stream of water, perhaps a dead turtle below that water, or even a thin two-dimensional universe hanging over it like a rag. Ripped s.p.a.ces and objects from various universes were mixed together creating a surreal image.
Flame-Rain collected her breath alone in this s.p.a.ce.
Flame-h.e.l.l a.s.signed her two missions: checking a possible location of the queen and destroying the unborn demise-ranked monster.
Between the two, she completed searching the queen"s potential location first. There wasn"t anything there. The enormous power she had felt previously had seemingly been washed away. Although it felt somewhat ominous, she had no choice but to move on.
In front of her was the Kahur Kabkun in which the demise-ranked monster was located. There were no subordinates who came with her. It was because she came alone to covertly search the queen"s possible location.
Flame-Rain counted the time as it pa.s.sed. It was almost time for her subordinates to arrive. Her plan was to launch a surprise attack against the demise-ranked monster when her subordinates arrived and gathered the monsters" attention.
"I wonder how many gathered."
As it came closer to the time of the operation, Flame-Rain"s body constantly trembled due to nervousness.
"I"m past the proficiency stage of the transcendent level. I"m at the peak of the transcendent level. I won"t lose out too much against the Exalted Wings."
At the "Brain" last time, her flames turned white and her power increased by another level. Still, she was scared.
Even though she resolved herself to no longer avoid things and to face everything with all her strength, she was scared that she would collapse here and that it would end in the deaths of all those who believed in her.
"I have to win no matter what."
Flame-Rain got a grip on her trembling body. Then, a strand of excitement permeated her fear.
"I can win. If I win this time, then I can use this victory as a foothold to change everything."
Flame-Rain took a deep breath. The light emitting from her body dispersed, leaving only heat behind. In this state, she infiltrated into the mouth of a gigantic, coiled snake that was floating amongst the remains of various universes. This place was the Kahur Kabkun where the demise-ranked monster was growing.
"Kuaaah!"
{Kiyeeeeh-!}
It was utter chaos within the Kahur Kabkun. Warriors and monsters tangled amongst each other as they fought intensely.
Seeing this, Flame-Rain was surprised.
"Wow… There is a lot."
The number of warriors gathered in the Kahur Kabkun greatly exceeded her expectations. They didn"t lose out to the black swarm of monsters.
"So many…"
She felt moved and burdened at the same time.
This plan was different from before in many ways. She, who had always gone around on her own with a pa.s.sive heart, personally requested for help this time. Flame-h.e.l.l? Political position? She decided to ignore them.
She had sent messages to the Flame Wing Tribe households who still followed her and to those whose thoughts aligned with her and whom she was close with, mainly from the top four tribes. She said,
"Help me. To end this tedious war, I will create a new force."
And they replied.
With numbers larger than she expected.
The time she spent on her own at the lowest places doing the most dangerous missions wasn"t for naught. She obtained friends. Those who saw her fight and those who received a favor, they all gathered here.
All Flame-Rain had to do now was win. A great victory where she could preserve her allies.
She saw a black hole in the distance and the large lumps of flesh next to it. In order to face the advancing warriors, the number of guards near them was low.
Blaze!
Still not emitting light, Flame-Rain was hiding in her heat-only state, but her temperature kept rising.
Drip.
Due to the extreme heat, the s.p.a.ce around her melted like ice cream. She penetrated into the melting s.p.a.ce.
When she reappeared, she was right in front of the lumps.
{Ahh?}
{Something approached.}
{Annihilate.}
While the number of monsters guarding the lumps was low, they were all elites. There were three highest-ranked monsters and numerous high-ranked ones.
However, Flame-Rain felt something was strange.
"Is this all?"
Flame-Rain revealed herself. In her hand was the Weapon of Conclusion "Flame-Rain"s Glory". A Weapon of Conclusion was the symbol of warriors in the late stages of the transcendent level. It was a weapon that became a fate on its own. A supreme weapon, the most powerful amongst karma weapons.
Blaaaze!
She had only revealed the sword"s appearance, yet white flames shot out everywhere like a sudden shower where one couldn"t see in front of them.
{Kaaaack!}
A highest-ranked monster melted instantly and disappeared while the other two fled with half-burnt bodies. While their duty was to protect the lumps of flesh, they didn"t dare approach the flames pouring out like a waterfall.
"Let"s end this quickly and leave."
She took aim and swung "Flame-Rain"s Glory" at the lumps of flesh, making a great arc. The sliced area burned as white flames rushed out. The enormous lumps of flesh were ripped apart by the flames and turned into ash.
Even the vicious vigor of the demise-ranked monster disappeared as if it was washed away.
"…Huh?"
But Flame-Rain felt something was odd.
"Is this really the end?"
Even though she had broken up the enemy forces with a feint operation, it was still too easy.
Just as she tilted her head-
Pshhh…
The white flames that covered her surroundings suddenly went out. A reddish-brown miasma rose out from the place the lumps of flesh had been and completely surrounded Flame-Rain.
She felt like she could faintly hear a voice.
{… Everything… Will… End… Even… Your fate of glory…}
Then the monster"s vigor that had disappeared occupied her surroundings and tensed sharply.
Only then did Flame-Rain realize why the great power she had felt from the queen"s potential location had disappeared.
"With that power, they forcefully completed the monster… It has already awakened."
All she saw was the reddish-brown miasma surrounding her. Flame-Rain couldn"t measure her opponent.
The tips of her fingers trembled. She asked herself, "Flame-Sky, who was known as the strongest warrior in history, died killing a demise-ranked monster. Can I handle a monster like that?"
There was only one answer.
"I have to. Believing in my fate."
There wasn"t anyone who could help her anyways. She bit her lips, and "Flame-Rain"s Glory" erupted in white flames once again.
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