"Let them tear each other apart." Asher commanded, "We will sit in the cracks of their war and wait for the Abyss."
As he spoke, Webster's shadow-incarnation manifested at the gates of the Great Aetherium, a lone figure of darkness seeking mercy from the Divine Emperor. Though a ruler of a vast empire himself, Webster stood before the capital's barrier with a humility born of pure survival instinct.
He did not attempt to breach the shield. He knew that Celestia, the Eighteen-Winged Angel, had woven it so tightly that even his true body would struggle to leave a scratch on it. Instead, he released a pulse of his own divine aura, a symbolic knock at the door.
As he waited, he let his senses drift past the barrier and what he felt chilled his immortal blood.
Webster counted the auras within the city walls, his disbelief growing with every heartbeat. There were two Peak Supreme God Tier auras. Haru and Celestia. Their auras akin to twin suns.
Apart from them, he also sensed two Intermediate-stage Supreme God Tier auras. One from the Angel of Creation Nova and another unknown one.
Thus, including the four Supreme Gods currently reaping souls on the distant battlefield, the Great Aetherium possessed a total of eight Supreme Gods.
"Eight..." Webster's shadow-form flickered, "It's no wonder the Titan Lord Varkath swallowed his pride after losing an arm and his Natal Artifact. Eight Supreme Gods could turn the entire Obrys into rubble, if we only take into account the public strength displayed by the Titans."
Even the Abyss only had the Demon Emperor and the twelve Demon Monarchs as their public strength. The Great Aetherium wasn't just a rising power; it was a global apex predator. Webster felt a sudden, sharp pang of regret. If he hadn't been so eager to scavenge the Light Empire's remains, his people wouldn't be in this throat-closing trap.
…
A shimmering teleportation portal opened before him. Webster stepped through, finding himself in the grand hall of a palace.
The power dynamic was immediate and suffocating. Haru sat upon the highest throne, gazing down with the calm indifference of a gardener watching a beetle. Webster, a sovereign in his own land, was forced to stand below and look up.
"His Majesty Webster has come a long way." Haru said, his voice echoing with a slight, playful edge, "To what do I owe the honor?"
Webster wasted no time. He laid out the truth: the Light Empire's "Angel" assassins, the fake heart, and the manipulated grief that led to the Dark Empire's declaration of war.
"It is a misunderstanding, Your Majesty Kazehaya." Webster urged, "I ask that you order your forces to cease. The Dark Empire is a victim in this. We are prepared to compensate you fully for any losses caused by our error."
Haru's expression shifted into one of mild surprise. It was a performance that, in any other context, might have earned him a standing ovation.
"Oh, is that so?" Haru mused, "I wasn't aware that our armies had even engaged. You see, I've been in retreat, contemplating the origins of my Divine Laws. As you know, I have quite a few of them to work on. I haven't checked the frontline reports in quite some time."
Webster's jaw tightened. He knew Haru was a Space-Time Lord. The idea that a world-shaking war had escaped his notice was an insult to the collective intelligence of all the ministers and officials of the Dark Empire.
"Your Majesty surely likes to jest." Webster pressed, "The war is massive. Even your Angel Army might suffer massive losses if we conti—"
"I have given the full authority to command my Imperial Army to General Lysandra. You should know her, right? She is the Supreme Commander of my Imperial Army when Celestia is busy." Haru interrupted smoothly, "If there is a misunderstanding, she would be the one to judge it. My role is to be the God of their faith, not to micromanage every little skirmish."
"I am willing to offer 100 million Divine Crystals as an immediate gesture of peace." Webster countered, throwing a massive sum onto the table, "Please, just order the retreat."
Haru shook his head slowly. 100 million was a king's ransom to most, but Haru was about to dismantle the Light Empire's Capital. He didn't need Webster's charity.
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Will Haru accept the deal? Will the war between the Dark Empire and the Great Aetherium end? Stay tuned to find out!
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