Chapter: 46. Ignite the Bonfire! (4K)
After such a significant event, the audience on site should have scattered and fled.
However… they stubbornly remained seated, with no intention of running away!
Whether they could escape or not was one thing.
On the other hand, these spectators were not commoners.
They were nobles from various countries.
They knew very well that even in times of upheaval, regardless of who won or lost, nobody would dare harm them, after all, no one wanted to offend so many countries at once, right?
Of course, there was one more important reason — the audience from the Demon Race was waiting to see the Human Race make a fool of themselves.
Hahahaha, aren’t you humans proud of “political stability” and “benevolence towards the people”? How come when we come over to take a look, a coup breaks out immediately?
Hearing such taunts, the human nobles naturally burned with anger, and their unreasonable stubbornness made them choose to stick it out to the end.
So you’re not leaving, huh? If you’re not leaving, then we won’t leave either!
That said.
At this moment, every noble from Aulus was probably feeling a tightening in their hearts.
Especially the big nobles.
If a coup were to truly happen, then the outcome of this struggle would closely relate to each of their futures and even their lives…
………………………………..
“Mi Erhe, you are foolish… to make such a ridiculous decision, it’s still not too late to back down now.”
“Oh? Could it be that Father King cannot see the situation clearly, becoming senile?”
“……”
The kingdom’s Second Prince, Mi Erhe, usually obedient and cautious, would always think thrice before speaking to the king or anyone else.
Yet looking at his second son, who appeared arrogant and excited, the King Celtic inwardly sighed.
In all things, it’s truly easy to know a person’s face but hard to know their heart…
Mi Erhe quickly exchanged a brief glance with Philex — this fleeting connection seemed to indicate they were waiting for something.
Livra noticed this detail and quietly shifted over to an empty seat nearby…
In fact, when Mi Erhe walked over to Philex, his siblings were all in a daze, unable to believe that the usually quiet Mi Erhe actually harbored rebellious thoughts.
And when they heard him speak disrespectfully to the King, confirming this point…
As royal siblings, they naturally felt urgent and rushed to advise him!
“Brother, you are truly confused! How could you possibly have a good end by colluding with that dog of the Church State? Hurry and stop, it’s still not too late to apologize to Father!”
“Yes, brother, what are you doing? Disrupting the kingdom, who benefits in the end? It’s still that Church State!! You’ve been tricked!”
Tricked?
Ha…
Mi Erhe cast a disdainful glance at these siblings.
Finally resting his gaze on the silent Livra.
Mi Erhe’s already contemptuous look became even more loathsome.
Everyone was advising him, yet only you remained silent.
Why is it that you are always different…
Why are you always the most special…
Livra blinked her emerald eyes, looking very innocent.
Wuwu… she didn’t advise them because she knew it wouldn’t help.
The Second Prince had already backed himself into a corner; once he stood up and went to Philex’s side, it was already doomed for him to think he could get forgiveness just by apologizing.
Since he couldn’t be forgiven, and he was prepared, it indicated that no matter what was said now, he would not come to his senses.
And indeed, that was the truth.
Mi Erhe pushed back the golden locks from his forehead, slightly raised his head to gaze at the endless, deep night, laughing coldly.
“Ha… Haha… Yes, Father, you say I am foolish… that I am wrong, but are you really so correct…? If you were truly so great… shouldn’t you have led the human race to drive the Demon Race back… ? You think we don’t know… they say the war has ended, but the Demon Race’s army is still stationed at Aulus’s borders, the threat has never been lifted.”
His tone grew increasingly fierce, but Celtic’s state of mind was already different from his, and he would not easily fly into a rage.
Moreover… he needed to buy some time for the army stationed in the capital to come and help the Light Family break out.
“Mi Erhe… you are still young; you don’t understand that the way of war cannot be resolved in a day. Today’s match… is an effort made for peace.”
“Father, you also know I’m still young…?”
“What do you mean?”
“My brother is also young, filled with hot blood, numerous kills, and you have quietly determined to send him to the borders to fight for a lifetime, haven’t you…? My third brother is even younger; haven’t you already decided to let him manage the royal library? I am young too… but you have never looked at me properly.”
Mi Erhe had held these words for too long.
As a prince, he shouldn’t have to participate in gladiatorial arena matches through cheating to establish merit, but it was because you have never given me other means to prove myself.
I offered advice on the situation, but you never allowed me to speak a proper word in the palace.
You say I have plenty of chances left?
But I am nearing thirty.
You say I am one of the heirs? Yet all the officials in the court and even the common folk know the next king’s name will certainly be Livra!
The more he spoke, the more his eyes revealed a frenzied emotion, escalating uncontrollably.
Pointing at Livra, his gritted teeth already hinted at some murderous intent.
“You gave all the future opportunities to this dead girl! On what basis? Just because she can cause trouble? Just because she doesn’t follow the rules and climbs over the city walls every day to do whatever ‘punishing evil and promoting good’? Just because during those years she was born, she couldn’t even speak properly? If Father King thinks that this alone can deprive me of my future, then you are completely mistaken!”
“Brother, I…!” Livra tried to say something.
“Shut up!”
“……”
See?
When Livra doesn’t want to speak, he refuses.
Now that Livra wants to speak, he won’t let her.
“None of you are speaking, but you actually think like me, don’t you…” Mi Erhe was almost going mad, glancing around at the nobles present, questioning, “You all clearly share my thoughts… why hold back from speaking! Come, join me! Once I become king… I will definitely give you all better treatment! After all, we’re blood-related, right? Come on… why don’t you come?!”
These royal members remained silent, but in a way, they could somewhat understand Mi Erhe’s words.
Yes… Father King has indeed gone a bit too far in this regard, his appreciation for Livra is laid bare, even as king, this behavior is similar to ordinary parents favoring one child.
But…
What Mi Erhe didn’t understand was that even if his siblings shared similar thoughts, they all had a bottom line in their hearts.
— As royals, they ultimately differ from ordinary families.
In ordinary families, when a favored child stirs up conflict and gets into fights, they might apologize and make up; that’s just how it is.
But for the royals… if we don’t suppress that rebellious anger, once we start fighting, countless families will be harmed, or even the entire country could be overturned.
Moreover, to put it bluntly.
Livra is simply stronger than us.
“You scoundrel…” the hot-tempered First Prince, Yasen, could no longer sit still, “If you really are so capable… why didn’t you step up to negotiate with the Demon Princess in the beginning? Now coming out to act the hero… I’ll beat you to death!”
“Yasen!”
The king tried to intervene, but Yasen’s anger had reached its peak.
He swung his fist directly towards Mi Erhe’s face; a fifth-tier strength delivered head-on might not just ruin his looks, his teeth might be knocked out too.
Mi Erhe’s expression showed panic; he didn’t expect his brother would really come to hit him!
However…
“Uh!”
“Oh dear… I’m so sorry, but there’s just no room for my leg.”
Philex’s strange voice fell, and Yasen had already face-planted heavily onto the ground, unresponsive amidst the worried shouts from royal members.
— After all, in the moment he fell, he was struck on the neck and fell into a faint.
Philex stroked his long beard, retracting the leg that had tripped Yasen, arrogantly looking at the king with squinted eyes and smiling.
“Actually, I’ve even trained a bit in martial arts and magic, not too much~ just eighth-tier, Your Majesty should have seen this coming, right?”
“You are truly deeply hidden…”
People like Philex were the most terrifying opponents.
He usually pretended to be mediocre and fragile, as if he would fall over while walking. In reality, he had made preparations for everything.
Mi Erhe, still horrified, looked at his fallen brother, a cold smile gradually returning to his face.
“Phew… very good, Philex, I indeed did not choose the wrong partner; you did well.”
“Haha, Prince Mi Erhe, thank you for your praise. However… since you know about ‘cooperation’, it just so happens that His Majesty the King is also here, I need to confirm your sincerity of cooperation.”
There was an inscrutable glint in the depths of Philex’s eyes, yet he faced Mi Erhe directly, his surface emotions still respectful.
“Once the grand event is completed, I will call upon the great nobles of the nation to consolidate all their armies under your command.”
“Can it be done?”
“Of course, as long as the old king dies and the new king is established, I will summon the great nobles with the name of the Church State, and they will make wise judgments. What you need to do, Your Highness…”
Philex’s gaze sharpened, bringing up the matter they had confirmed countless times.
“Once you become the new king, do you remember what words will be in your oath?”
“Hahahaha! Of course! I will announce to the nation! Today’s matter is my personal act, and all the forces coming to aid today are ones I personally invited, having nothing to do with the Corea Church State!”
“Truly remarkable, Your Highness, what a great memory. Ah… but I believe this is indeed the truth; it was originally your achievement, and the Corea Church State wouldn’t dare take credit from you.”
“Tsk.”
Mi Erhe was no fool; he could see Philex’s condition was to have the Church State distance itself, classifying this turmoil purely as an “internal conflict” of Aulus.
After all, if the Corea Church State became involved, they would be caught with an excuse for interfering in another country’s internal affairs by the Demon Race, giving them a reason to incite war; even high-level races would not stand idly by.
Even knowing this.
Mi Erhe still wanted to take a gamble.
No matter…
Once I grasp the kingdom, everything will be easy to discuss.
By now, even the usually calm King Celtic widened his eyes in disbelief.
“Mi Erhe, you are so foolish…! Do you think the Church State helps you selflessly? They want to make you a puppet! They want to completely control the kingdom! You…!”
The king spoke, but behind him, two knights fell to the ground in response.
Philex used magic to knock them out, giving the king a sort of “warning.”
“Oh dear… luckily I didn’t miss. I say, Your Majesty, please don’t speak carelessly… His Holiness the Pope has never held such thoughts; your comments critically affect our two nations’ friendly relations.”
“You…!”
“Time is almost up.”
Philex pulled out a loudspeaker crystal from his pocket and handed it to Mi Erhe.
“Your Highness, the time has come, the grandest segment of this event should begin.”
“Alright.”
Mi Erhe took the fist-sized loudspeaker crystal, yet it felt as heavy as a thousand pounds.
He closed his eyes and contemplated for a moment.
Mi Erhe held the crystal, turned around, facing the gladiatorial arena and the audience, speaking before the nobles of various countries.
Amidst the flashing blades and cold lights, his voice resonated throughout the venue.
“I am Mi Erhe Aulus, the Second Prince of the Aulus Kingdom.”
“I regret to inform everyone that the reigning king of Aulus, my father, Celtic Aulus, is weak and incompetent; he has not only predetermined the Demon Princess as the champion of the competition, but even the Demon King, who just left, was able to come uninvited to our territory.”
“This cannot continue… The era where the kingdom can be bullied by anyone must end!”
Yes… just like this.
Nobles of the Demon Race and Human Race, go ahead and argue… let’s hear it.
A peaceful atmosphere is unsuitable for you.
Don’t forget you are sworn enemies… don’t be swayed into seeing some so-called “hope” just because of a “Peace Ambassador.”
That kind of thing Livra proposed…
Does not exist at all.
“I am willing to take on this great responsibility in times of danger; when I succeed the fourteenth generation of the Aulus Kingdom, I will unite with the Corea Church State to launch a desperate counteroffensive against the Demon Territory! A nation’s power is limited, but two nations working together will create a new era for the Human Race!”
“We will strive for the support of high-level races; the Demon Race has been rampant for too long… it’s time to make them pay the price!”
After finishing, Mi Erhe glanced back behind him.
The former king, and those siblings.
“Before that… to thoroughly sever ties with the past weakness, let us witness the passing of the old era and celebrate the arrival of a new generation!”
As Mi Erhe’s echo faded away.
The ground in the center of the gladiatorial arena actually began to crack open towards both sides.
This unusual movement caused those engaged in battle on the field to instinctively sense a dangerous aura and leap towards the periphery of the arena.
And everyone in the audience stood to look at the fissures in the ground.
Because it seemed something… was rising from the cracks.
When that thing revealed its full appearance.
All those present couldn’t help but draw in a breath of cold air.
It was gleaming with the luster of magic crystals.
Surrounded by magical patterns, the base was nearly several meters high.
Beneath the gladiatorial arena, there actually hid such a magical crystal cannon of strategic level!
This was a magical device developed by humans during the war, powered by magic stones, with enough power to rival the Four-Winged Demon Race.
That refers to ordinary magic crystal cannons.
And this enormous magic crystal cannon… even the human nobles present were seeing it for the first time.
And the direction the magic crystal cannon was aimed at — was precisely where the king stood on the high platform.
Philex casually waved his hand, and a barrier enveloped the royal family members.
Even if they rammed into it with their bodies, they could not escape from within.
“Your Majesty, it seems we might be saying goodbye soon? This magic crystal cannon… was buried underground by me to send you off; isn’t it quite a spectacular arrangement?”
“The venue’s defense barrier is still active… the magic crystal cannon cannot hit this side.”
“Hahaha… Hahahahaha! Whether it can hit or not, you will know when you see the flash of fire!”
Your Majesty, this is not an ordinary magic crystal cannon…
This is a fusion of the kingdom’s magical technology and the Church State’s magical techniques.
— It can absorb part of the magical power that appears near it within a certain time frame.
The gladiatorial arena has been conducting battles for so long.
One powerful warrior after another has released astonishing magic in this arena.
The magic crystal cannon has been continuously nourished by it…
Especially the magic from the Fire Dragon Clan just now, which directly elevated the cannon’s power to a critical point.
Ah, it’s a pity that the Demon Princess has yet to reveal her full strength; thus, the magic crystal cannon could not be further enhanced.
But that doesn’t matter.
The current power of the magic crystal cannon is probably enough to pierce the heavens…
A mere defense barrier is nothing in comparison.
Not only is it meant to slaughter the Aulus royal family.
But it serves to ensure that this attack permanently etches the Human Race’s newfound power into the sky, forming a deterrent.
Even if you come under siege by the Six-Wings in the future… you should reconsider whether you can withstand this cannon fire.
His Holiness the Pope truly calculated well; this double-edged strategy is genuinely far-sighted.
Philex grabbed Mi Erhe by the collar and leapt down from the high platform while instructing him to give the command.
“Prince Mi Erhe, it’s time! Ignite the bonfire for your coronation!”
