Chapter 468: Situation Out of Control, a Warlord's Downfall (Part 2)

Chapter 468: Chapter 411: Situation Out of Control, a Warlord’s Downfall (Part 2)

Ostensibly, it was to protect their trade routes, but in reality, it was an attempt to use the opportunity to establish a bridgehead for an attack on the Imperial Administrative Region.

Furthermore, once the agreement was reached, Grand Lord Kles’s influence would spread through the Tania World to every corner of the Imperial Administrative Region.

As it stood, Claudius was still one of the de facto Governors of the Imperial Administrative Region. As long as he signed the agreement, regardless of whether the Administrative Region approved, Grand Lord Kles would gain a tangible pretext to attack the Administrative Region.

If the Administrative Region agreed, it would have to stand by and watch as the Bator World drove a stake into its heart.

If they disagreed, war between the two sides would be inevitable. Winning would be one thing, but if they lost… the consequences would be far more severe than merely having troops stationed on the Tania World.

With the Administrative Region’s current strength, trying to defeat Grand Lord Kles while fighting a war on two fronts was a complete pipe dream.

Everyone knew that the intent behind Claudius’s desperate, scorched-earth counterattack was malicious to the extreme.

「Meanwhile.」

In a corridor two kilometers from the bridge.

Bullets slammed into steel and transformed into deadly ricochets, zinging at high speed down the narrow corridor.

A defensive line formed by three Clan Knights and thirty veteran soldiers, a force that could put up a desperate fight even against a great enemy from the Void Realm, was laughably feeble in its defense and counterattack against the boarding Vengeful Angels.

After Reinhardt led his men aboard, Matthias, as the vanguard, had slaughtered a path thirty kilometers long, right up to the officers’ quarters near the bridge.

Three Official Knights of Five-star Official Military Rank were a formidable force on any battlefield, but against Matthias, they couldn’t even survive for ten seconds.

The Power Sword cut through metal as if it were mud.

Wherever it swung, the bodies of Mortal Soldiers were either bisected or exploded on the spot from the immense energy impact, becoming sprays of pulped flesh and shattered bone that splattered across the walls and ceiling.

By now, more than an hour had passed since the Vengeful Angels boarded. According to Koller’s report, the rebel forces gathered on Cyrenaica were still taking a wait-and-see approach, with no one leading troops back to provide reinforcements.

The six frigates had dispatched support teams, but in the close-quarters combat of the ship’s narrow interior, where individual martial prowess was amplified, their support was a drop in the bucket.

After executing the defenders in the corridor, Koller remotely provided them with their next direction of advance.

Spiritual Energy communication.

“Your judgment was correct. Once we successfully boarded, the rebels became divided due to internal conflicts. I have already reported to the Military Affairs Department, and the Grand Governor’s people are also secretly negotiating with the rebels’ Local Lords.

The only thing we need to worry about now is Claudius getting desperate and doing something crazy.

I have already planned the fastest attack route to the bridge for you…”

With Cyrenaica no longer shielded by the Spiritual Tide, the terrifying power of Koller’s Spiritual Talent was on full display.

RAT-A-TAT-TAT—!

The deafening noise of gunfire echoed through the narrow corridor.

Nelom stopped in front of the sole surviving defender. He looked down at the soldier, who, with only his upper body remaining, was still putting up a futile resistance, raising his gun to fire.

He lifted his right leg and stomped, crushing the soldier’s head.

As the group advanced, Nelom walked beside Reinhardt and said in a low voice, “I know Claudius’s Guard Captain. He is an Imperial Knight worthy of respect.

If a conflict breaks out… Sir, I want to be the one to finish him.”

Reinhardt did not respond to Nelom’s request.

「Ten minutes later.」

The bridge.

The hundred or so aides hiding inside heard the screams from outside drawing closer. Even though they had once held high positions, they lost all their former composure when truly faced with the threat of death.

Some were drenched in sweat, their bodies trembling like leaves in the wind.

Others, unable to bear the unseen but clearly audible threat, rose and pathetically tried to find a place to hide on the bridge, which, though as luxurious as a palace, was essentially empty.

Some had even soaked the lower halves of their fine clothes, crying incessantly.

Claudius had taken these people in solely to satisfy his taste for flattery; of course he knew what kind of people they were.

But now that they were actually facing death, their disgraceful behavior only made him grow more disgusted.

“Enough—! If you don’t want to be here, then get out! Jens, drive them out!”

The moment Claudius, seated on the Governor’s throne like a king, finished speaking, a thunderous crash echoed from the heavy doors of the bridge.

BANG—!

A Black Armored Knight wielding a Power Sword took the lead, striding into the bridge.

The bloodstains and bits of flesh clinging to his Power Armor constantly gave off a pungent, foul stench of blood.

Seeing the enemy charge in, the aides who had been forced to stay on the bridge to save their own lives scattered like a flock of startled birds, screaming in terror.

Not until a colossal Imperial Knight, wielding a War Axe, became the last to step onto the Tania Flagship’s bridge.

A cold, ruthless voice suddenly rang out on the empty bridge.

“Execute these traitors.”

Matthias and the three Holy Fire Guards said nothing. Like silent Gods of Slaughter, they charged onto the bridge with their Power Swords and began a massacre, cutting down the aides as easily as plucking chickens!

This scene was just like when Claudius’s men had stormed the Avenger Bridge.

In an instant, horrified screams, a rain of severed limbs, and flying viscera wove together a hellish tableau.

But even so, Claudius remained seated on his throne, locking eyes with Reinhardt from a hundred meters away, showing no sign of retreat.

Nelom also looked up at the Guard Captain standing behind Claudius, a complicated expression on his face.

As the pungent smell of blood filled the air, Claudius rose. He strode over the river of blood and severed limbs at his feet, descending the steps one by one.

He glared fixedly at the man in the distance.

When everything fell silent, the great shadow of the planet Cyrenaica devoured the light of the star, plunging the entire bridge into darkness.

Claudius spread his arms and laughed in fury. “Reinhardt, I’ve been waiting for you for a long time. Honestly, I’ve had so many chances to get rid of you and your Vengeful Angels.

But because of the foolishness of certain people, you’ve managed to stay alive until now.

You should thank Great Sage Cassio, because he’s the one who gave you your life! If it weren’t for that damned ancient ship, how could you possibly have beaten me?!”

As he spoke, he looked at Nelom standing behind Reinhardt, lowered his arms, and snorted contemptuously. “And you, you brainless idiot. Did you really think Seth was trying to usurp your authority? Hahahaha—! Let me tell you, those Battle Brothers you cared so much about have been discontent with your rule for years.

How many people have died because of your stupidity? Don’t you feel even a shred of guilt?

And you still have the nerve to tell me you’re doing this for your ideals as a Knight, for the Emperor? Hmph! Did you really think I didn’t know you were just trying to use me?

This time you defected to the Vengeful Angels. So who are you planning to defect to next?”

Nelom’s eyes went wide. He ripped off his helmet, pointed at Claudius, and furiously retorted, “What kind of bullshit are you spewing? So what if I used you?

Do you think the National Church should declare you a saint for what you’ve done?

Just shut your mouth, you beaten dog!”

If there was one person Claudius truly wanted to kill, it would be Nelom.

He had originally wanted to die on the Tania Flagship, clothed in his former glory, with the dignity of a Governor. But the moment Nelom opened his mouth, the somber, murderous atmosphere of the battlefield vanished without a trace.

Veins bulged on Claudius’s forehead. He suppressed the rage in his heart, ignored the impossible-to-reason-with idiot Nelom, and turned to Reinhardt. He flashed a sinister smile, his expression one of hysterical glee, as if his plot had succeeded.

“Reinhardt, you should know that I am still one of the Governors of the Administrative Region. You want to execute me? You don’t have the authority!”