Chapter 493
by post_apiChapter 493: Gathering
Tatsumi City.
In the leafy kingdom, inside the grand hall of the Leaf King’s mansion, an eerie silence prevailed.
The Leaf King was renowned across the Air Alliance, not just for his power but also for his eccentricity. With over a hundred wives, his household was a topic of fascination. Yet, few found it unusual—after all, Ms. Peggie, the legendary figure, boasted an even larger harem, unconstrained by gender.
The mansion, normally bustling with servants, stood uncharacteristically empty. The grand hall, dimly lit and shrouded in a foreboding atmosphere, felt devoid of life.
Suddenly, the air warped, and a figure appeared—a tall, elderly man with snow-white hair. He wore a perfectly tailored black suit, and his posture was impeccably straight, exuding an aura of unwavering strength and authority.
This was Austin, the legendary “Blade Master,” the admired hero of the Night Watchers and director of the Demon Hunt General Agency.
Standing silently in the empty hall, Austin gazed through the large windows at the darkening sky. His eyes, bright and resolute, betrayed no emotion, yet his presence alone commanded the room.
Rain began to fall.
Thunder echoed across the city as heavy drops cascaded, forming shimmering puddles on the ground.
A voice broke the silence, lighthearted yet carrying an undercurrent of intrigue.
“Someone arrived before me.”
The speaker stepped out from the shadows behind Austin—a tall, strikingly handsome young man with an undeniable charm. His mere presence could sway hearts, yet his words carried the weight of a sharp blade.
This was Amicio, the Son of God and a historical figure both revered and feared.
“I must admit,” Amicio began with a faint smile, “your invitation was… unexpected. To think someone like you would harbor such thoughts.”
Austin’s response was cold and sharp. “He is not my master. Do not misunderstand. I act of my own will.”
Amicio chuckled softly. “Ah, yes. Free will. A concept so many cling to, yet they rarely understand how external forces shape and distort it.”
His gaze shifted to the quiet figure standing beside him. Noa, a serene woman with sapphire eyes, remained silent, her posture stiff. Though she carried herself with dignity, the oppressive atmosphere in the hall weighed heavily on her.
A sudden ripple of darkness filled the room.
The shadows deepened, twisting unnaturally, as a towering black silhouette materialized. Its presence was suffocating, radiating an ominous aura that made even the brave falter.
Noa trembled, fear evident in her wide eyes. Yet, with a gentle touch from Amicio, her trembling ceased.
The shadow spoke, its voice a grating rasp that seemed to scrape against the very air.
“Amicio… why haven’t you died
yet?”
This was Nullify, a being of
immense power and malice.
Amicio met the creature’s
hostility with a faint smile. “A
wedding between a cat and a
mouse, is it? Such an
unexpected alliance.”
Austin remained silent, his
face an unreadable mask.
“Do not misunderstand,” Nullify
rasped. “This is a temporary
truce. I have seen countless
enemies become allies over
the millennia. It means
nothing.”
Another figure stepped into the
hall.
She was petite, clad in a
pristine white robe, and moved
with an air of detachment.
“Silence,” Amicio said,
addressing her with a
bemused smile. “I hadn’t
expected you to still be alive.”
Silence, one of the most
enigmatic figures in the realm,
had been presumed dead
after a series of devastating
battles. Yet here she stood,
alive, though visibly scarred by
her ordeals.
She joined the gathering
without a word, her head
bowed, her presence a quiet
testament to her resilience.
The hall grew tenser as the
silence deepened.
Amicio broke it with his
characteristic humor. “It’s
remarkable, isn’t it? A
gathering of such disparate
forces—each one a legend in
their own right. But I must
wonder… where is the one who
orchestrated this meeting?”
As if on cue, a new voice rang
out, calm yet commanding.
“The person who brought you
all here wasn’t me.”
All eyes turned to the source of
the voice.
A man stood at the entrance of
the hall, his deep, piercing
gaze sweeping across the
room.
This was Xia.
He moved with quiet authority,
his presence akin to that of a
lion surveying its domain. The
very air seemed to bend
around him, heavy with an
unseen power.
“You are here because of the
Babel Tower,” Xia began, his
tone steady. “You all
understand that, alone, none of
you stand a chance against it.
The Babel Tower grows
stronger with each passing
day, its influence spreading like
an inescapable shadow.”
His words resonated, even
with the prideful Nullify and the
reserved Silence.
“Babel Tower is not just a
threat to you—it is a threat to
everything you hold dear. And
so, we stand here today, not as
allies, but as a coalition of
necessity.”
Amicio raised an eyebrow, his
curiosity piqued. “And what of
you, Xia? I recall a time when
you stood alongside the Babel
Tower. What changed?”
Xia turned, walking towards
the entrance. He raised a hand,
and the storm clouds above
Tatsumi City vanished, leaving
the sky clear and serene.
His voice was calm but carried
an undeniable weight.
“You will understand soon
enough. From the very
beginning, Babel Tower and I
were destined to be enemies.”
A dense black mist began to
swirl around him—a mist so
dark and malevolent that even
Nullify took a step back.
Amicio’s smile widened, a
glimmer of understanding
lighting his eyes.
“So that’s how it is,” he
murmured. “Fascinating.”
The mist coalesced into a
mirror-like relic in Xia’s hand,
its surface shimmering with an
eerie light.
“The time has come,” Xia
declared, his voice steady.
“The Babel Tower is distracted,
its forces spread thin. Now is
the perfect moment to strike.”
He turned to face the group,
his eyes burning with
determination.
“Our plan is simple: we begin
with the Giant Hive. Destroy it.
Slaughter those who seek
refuge there. Force the Babel
Tower to confront us on our
terms.”
The hall fell silent once more,
the weight of Xia’s words
sinking in.
For better or worse, the battle
against the Babel Tower was
about to begin.