Chapter 716: Day of Corruption

"Buzz—"

Within thousands of miles, every living creature felt a heavy weight settle on their heart, and a piercing, shrill buzzing filled their ears.

The sound wept and pleaded like a newborn’s cry, making their scalps prickle and bodies shiver.

Above, in the swirling sulfurous vortex, a pitch-black sun slowly rose, devouring light like a black hole!

At the very moment they saw it, almost everyone froze in place, their gazes blank, heads tilted upward as if their souls were being drawn into it.

As the black sun rose, crimson light spread across the heavens, staining half the sky red, pulsating like flowing magma.

For a time, that black sun rivaled Cassius’s [Holy Day]—and faintly surpassed it.

[Day of Corruption]

The black sun hung high, bleeding light—that was Zariel’s ritual to drag August City into hell!

"By the name of the Nine Hells, the contract is the shackle, the soul is the currency—your desire shall be granted, your fear fulfilled."

Zariel flared her burning wings and soared skyward, chains of flame bursting from the ground, connecting heaven and earth, imprisoning all of August City.

"Boom!"

With a heavy rumble, the ground quaked, buildings cracked, and lava seeped from the cathedral’s broken walls.

Beneath August, hellsteel chains wrapped the earth, each etched with twisted runes.

As they contracted, the entire city sank by several feet, dragged downward. Lava surged from fractures, birthing horrors within.

The spire of the High Hall snapped and crashed into fleeing crowds—among the dust rose the blurred shadows of devils.

"No—"

"Dear heavens, the earth is splitting!"

"Amanata above..."

"Your Majesty Cassius, please save us!"

Their cries of prayer turned to desperate shrieks. Shadows twisted beneath them, like invisible chains dragging them down.

Sigil circles appeared underfoot; hell tattoos crawled up their skin—signs that they’d soon become Zariel’s soul-coins or demonic cannon fodder.

A chilling hellsong echoed above. Burning devil sigils surfaced on the black sun.

The material plane itself crumbled and buckled, falling rapidly toward Baator. Within half a day, August might be lost to hell, just another soul farm of Avernus.

Cassius could not allow such a fate to unfold before him.

August—and all of Thrace—was an irreplaceable part of the Ember Empire!

"Roar—"

The sixty-meter-long red dragon roared. His bellow shattered scorched pillars as his wings stirred blazing hurricanes.

Zariel looked upon the incoming dragon with cold rage. "Arrogant, meddling wyrm—stop him!"

"Aaargh—"

At her command, the three Inferno Ancients howled and launched into the sky, flanked by hundreds of chained hell-dragons.

"Block him! That soul domain shall be ours!"

"Glory to Avernus!"

Twelve mighty Deep Infernal Forgemasters emerged—Zariel’s most loyal lieutenants, all at least of legendary tier.

Wielding steel whips and molten hammers, they exhaled sulfurous smoke as their elite troops surged behind them.

The devil army flowed like a corrupt tide, encircling Zariel like a living barrier.

Cassius gazed at the vast demonic horde with no fear—only amusement.

"Trying to mob me? Don’t you know the red dragon template loves a crowd?"

With a thought, his sheer draconic might exploded outward like a hurricane—that was the unleashed [Primordial Dragon’s Majesty].

"Buzz—"

Within moments, demons and hell-dragons within a hundred meters froze midair, their eyes rolled back, limbs rigid.

Some heads exploded outright under the pressure—even the ancient Inferno Ancients staggered as if thunderstruck.

Cassius dove down, unleashing molten flame breath from deep within, incinerating all in its path.

"Boom—"

Thousands of devils and even one Deep Forgemaster were turned to cinders—no trace remained.

By sheer power alone, Cassius ripped through the devil army, carving a flaming chasm in their ranks.

None dared block him. None could.

These devils weren’t fanatics like Zariel—they valued survival, and none wished to be annihilated by a dragon.

Zariel was livid. She cracked her hellsteel chains, the sound echoing like thunder. "Useless wretches! All of you—attack! Stop that red dragon!"

Zariel, seething with rage, cracked her hellsteel chains, the sharp clattering echoing. "You worthless trash—get up there! Stop that red dragon!"

"Roar—"

The three Inferno Ancients let out low, thunderous growls. Bound by hellsteel chains, their souls shackled, they could not disobey Zariel’s orders—even if it meant death.

Hundreds of chained hell-dragons followed, howling as they surged toward Cassius like moths to a flame.

Just then, a clear female voice rang across the battlefield.

"Cassius, don’t worry about those hell dragons—we’ll handle them!"

A lithe, elegant silver dragon soared high, unleashing freezing breath—Olivia’s true form.

Behind her, space shimmered and the Weave rippled. Dozens of silver dragons emerged from portals, roaring one after another.

Their gleaming, shield-like wings shimmered; their silver scales were dazzling and regal, a brilliant sight on the chaotic battlefield.

"Good day, Your Majesty Cassius. We sensed hell’s incursion into the material plane—Melward Clan, reporting for aid."

A colossal, ancient silver dragoness held a scepter in her claw and gave a respectful nod toward Cassius—dignified, but unyielding.

With a sweep of her scepter, a silver star of absolute cold plummeted from the sky, striking one of the Inferno Ancients, which let out a cry of agony.

She was Imelda, one of the "Three Pillars" of the Melward Clan, responsible for resisting hellish invasions, and destroyer of the Iron Duke Dispater’s schemes.

"For the material plane!"

"By Bahamut—drive these damned devils back to hell!"

Flame and frost collided. The silver dragons roared, beat their wings, and threw themselves into battle against the incoming infernal horde.

Unbeknownst to them, the Inferno Ancients secretly sighed in relief—fighting Melward silver dragons was preferable to facing that terrifying red death.

Cassius nodded from afar at the ancient silver dragoness, then flared his wings again, kicking up a wave of heat as he vanished toward Zariel.

The devil armies led by the Deep Infernal Forgemasters were cunning. They launched arrows and spells from afar—few dared block the red dragon directly.

Cassius sneered, sweeping his claws—blinding white fire columns erupted and swept the air, incinerating thousands of devils in a heartbeat.

Given more time, he could slaughter the entire devil host. But time was short—his real goal was to stop Zariel.

With that in mind, he reached through his soul link to summon his companions. Drawing in his wings, he dived toward Zariel.

Space warped and flames surged—"Dragonfire’s Daughter" Misha appeared behind Cassius, followed by dozens of red-gold-robed Draconic Warlocks.

"Crush them—clear the way for our master!"

She spread her dragon wings, raised her hand, and a torrent of dragonfire burst forth, consuming hundreds of devils.

But a Deep Forgemaster let out a roar, slashing down with a massive hellblade, warping space as it sped toward Misha’s head.

"Swish—"

The hellblade fell—but Misha transformed into blazing elemental flame and reappeared hundreds of meters away, re-forming.

"Roar—"

A mighty dragon roar split the skies. The pressure of dragon might stunned even the Deep Forgemaster, who froze on the spot.

From the distant skies, Alger dove with hundreds of Crimson Scaled Conquerors, their unified roar enough to make ancient dragons tremble.

"For His Majesty Cassius!"

"Charge!"

Seeing this opportunity, Misha raised a finger. A dark green ray shot forth, shredding the Forgemaster’s magical defenses, dimming his infernal armor.

"Ssskrrch—"

Alger’s sword cleaved down with charging momentum. A slash of light split the sky, dark red blood sprayed high, and a stunned devil head was severed.

The 27th Legion Commander under Zariel—newly promoted, immensely powerful—was slain on the spot!

"Order through iron will—Dragonlord above all!"

Battle cries rang across the wasteland. Heavily armored Dragon-Oath Paladins marched forward, imperial banners snapping in the sky.

Above them hovered a spectral red dragon, formed from their unified will, roaring with fury, ready to tear apart all who provoked their source of power.

With Mass Flight, the Dragon-Oath Paladins ascended, stepping skyward like an airborne fortress. Their gleaming plate armor reflected the firelight.

Now, all three of the Empire’s elite forces had gathered to face the infernal army.

In the distance, artillery boomed. Imperial airships and heavy cannons fired at Zariel’s troops—Melward silver dragons soared overhead.

With no more grunts to block him, Cassius streaked through the sky like a meteor, roaring, "Zariel! You’ll pay for your arrogance!"

The dragon crystal on his chest flared. A miniature sun formed in his throat—then erupted in a wave of dragonfire toward Zariel.

It was only a probe, yet it could kill an ancient dragon with steel-thick scales.

"Boom—"

"Foolish red dragon. I’ll show you Avernus’s might!"

Zariel sneered, unleashing her blazing wings and flying through the firestorm. Hell’s ruler was immune to flame.

She pierced the inferno like an arrow, greatsword blazing with hellfire, slicing toward Cassius’s neck—ripping through a dozen wards.

The attack, infused with hell’s law, tore space itself and slashed the fabric of the material plane—striking even the soul.

Zariel, bolstered by Avernus’s will, now wielded godlike power to drag August into hell.

"Cassius! Not just Thrace—your empire will feed Avernus! I’ll end this blood war here and now!" Zariel laughed maniacally.

"Clang—"

Cassius reeled, dodging—her blade scraped across his crimson-gold scales, carving off a bloody scale.

He turned—within his flame breath, a hidden silver-white beam shot forth. It radiated divine justice and the power of Balachael’s heaven.

"What?!"

Zariel’s pupils contracted. She never imagined a chaotic red dragon could wield heaven’s power.

Frantic, she beat her wings—but was still a moment too slow.

"Boom—"

Her left wing was pierced by Cassius’s breath. The forces of good and evil clashed, erupting in a violent explosion.

A hole burned through her wing. Silver-white flames spread, purging her body.

"What a delicious surprise. Red dragon, I’ll claim your head. Your corpse—your soul—shall feed this war!"

Zariel glared at the red dragon, her burning eyes brimming with twisted joy—the fallen angel had long gone mad.

Cassius met her gaze and grinned, golden eyes blazing with fervor. "Then let’s see if you’ve got what it takes."

"Zariel, you’d make a fine—imperial war trophy."

But on his shoulder, the hellblade wound oozed cursed energy, gnawing at his flesh without pause.