Level Up Legacy

All knights turned and took a step forward, aiming their spears toward the newcomer. The emperor stared at her finger, which pointed at his head but didn’t allow rage to appear on his face. Instead, he smiled and raised a hand, summoning a hundred light swords from the sky.

“I knew a new era would meet resistance, but I assumed it would be a greater attempt than this. Rain is a beautiful name, so let this light rain on you.”

“I already said that I am one of the rebellion’s leaders, so that means there is more,” said Rain with a smile. “A leader never attacks alone, dear Light Emperor. But, as a strategist, you should know that the most unlikely scenario… can become likely.”

As soon as her words fell on the crowd’s ears, the prisoners awaiting their execution erupted with mana. Cladded with rage and power, those set for execution became the executioners. They grabbed the executioners’ weapons and attacked their throats, ending their lives instantly.

“AAAAH!”

“A HEAD IS ROLLING THIS WAY!”

“THE PRISONERS HAVE BEEN RELEASED!”

Screams echoed throughout the square, and the citizens backed away from the execution platform. Many fell and were stomped, causing grave injuries to those unable to stand. In a single instant, chaos took over the plaza.

Rain stood there with a grin on her face, befitting the role of an anarchist. Knights rushed toward her, but she seemed unconcerned about it. Instead, she raised her lips to her flute and played a different melody.

It echoed throughout the plaza, causing the citizens to stop running. The knights froze in place, with their spears aimed at the woman. Rain finished her melody and stared at them with seductive eyes.

“…are you going to hurt me?”

Rain fired the words like arrows, piercing the hearts of the knights. They stared with confused, enchanted eyes at the beauty before them. Then, one by one, they lowered their weapons.

“No…”

“We wouldn’t dare do such a thing….”

As if put in a trance, the knights started lowering their weapons. Their fighting wills disappeared, and not even Duke Delano’s shouts could make them see reality.

“It seems those bad men want to harm me, so can you lend me a hand?” Rain asked the knights while sending a kiss their way, and the hypnotized knights gulped down. Then, in an instant, they turned their spears toward the emperor, surrounding Rain.

“We will protect our queen!”

“Death to the impudent!”

“Defend our princess!”

p All kinds of names left the knights’ mouths as if they didn’t know who they were defending. However, no one can dissuade their undying passion for protecting Rain, who was standing behind them like a whispering devil.

“I shall take these knights that you’ve trained,” said Rain toward the emperor before raising her arm toward the sky. “This is the beginning of a new era, Joseph the Failure.”

“KILL HER!” roared the Light Emperor as he lost his composure as if that mocking nickname was his last straw. Duke Delano yelled in affirmation before jumping down the platform, raising his Warhammer, and striking the ground.

Boom!

The ground rose like a tidal wave, and the pavement broke under the impact. Meeting such an attack, the knights crumbled like sand and fell. As for Rain, who lost her footing, she didn’t seem fazed. Instead, a giant smile appeared on her face.

“This is our rebellion!” yelled Rain as she clenched her fist, and light exploded from the plaza’s gates as they burst open. The citizens backed away as giants stormed into the square, with countless soldiers following them. “Kill the fake Light Emperor!”

“Kill the fake Light Emperor!”

“Kill the fake Light Emperor!”

“Kill the fake Light Emperor!”

The rebels chanted while advancing. Thousands of people stormed into the plaza, armed to the teeth. Among them were famous explorers, previous knights, bandits, and even citizens. Their chanting was the same: to kill the fake emperor.

“The fake emperor? What are they talking about?” asked the citizens with confusion. “Are they lying to dethrone the imperial family?”

“All these people… has Arthur Silvera tricked them?”

Such conversations were bound to occur among the people, and Rain didn’t mind. The three rebels knew that this would happen, and Ai was introduced into the picture for that purpose. And, true to her role, she stepped forward.

A gale of wind gathered beneath her feet as the young beauty rose from the crowd. Her presence instantly drew the attention of the people, who were still horrified by the current events.

“Citizens of Helios,” called Ai while hovering in midair. “Many of you have already met me, and most of them have been healed with my hands. However, I come here with heartbreaking news.”

Rain watched with a smile as Ai told the citizens about the fraud known as the Light Emperor and that it has always been through the use of artifacts and arrays. But, as they listened to her words, most citizens refused to believe it.

“Why should we believe you?!” shouted a muscular man with tattoos covering his body. However, before Ai could answer, the woman beside him pulled him aside to whisper something in his ear. “This is the woman who treated you?” muttered the man in disbelief.

Soon, the crowd realized this was the woman who had been touring the lower districts to cure its citizens. Although not everyone has met her, many recognize her robes and pure face. Thus, doubts spread among the crowd.

Rain was amazed at how far Arthur Silvera had planned. Then, realizing the same, the knights pushed to strike Ai down. Attacks rained on her, but that only proved that she was the true Elemental Saint.

As fire and ice attacks rushed toward Ai, she waved both hands to create walls of opposing natures: water blocked the fire attack, and a fire wall blocked the ice. The two abilities diffused as if they didn’t exist, and the wind carried Ai’s voice farther.

“The legend of the first emperor says that he could use every element, so why would the current one only use light? Have the stories of our ancestors carried any truths about Holy Light? If the emperor is the true descendant of element, he should be able to use the elements as freely as I can!”

As she said so, Ai raised her hands to manifest the four essential elements above her. First, the crowd was dumbfounded as their eyes twinkled with awe and conviction. Then, those turned to doubt and cynicism as the eyes stared at the ‘Light Emperor.’

Faced with such accusations, the Light Emperor was silent. Instead, he stood from his crystal throne, and his hands reached forward as elements began to conjugate: fire, earth, and wind. The people cheered with relief at the revelation, but Ai smiled instead of being defeated.

“I see you have used your runemasters properly, Light Emperor,” said Ai. “However, I’m afraid we have already seen through your tricks. Let me reveal your truth!”

Ai raised her hand toward the sky, making the clouds twirl. Although the sun had risen, the clouds soon blocked it, which sent their shadows over the plaza. Then, they rumbled.

The citizens raised their heads with fear as dark clouds threatened the approaching storm. Then, a bright light exploded from the sky as lightning flashed to strike the runic platform upon which the Light Emperor stood. The wood exploded and burned as the lightning traveled down the framework.

The Light Emperor’s elements disappeared like smoke, revealing the truth behind his little show. Although the descending lightning brought fear to the citizens, it didn’t prevent them from realizing the truth.

“What happened to your elements, dear Light Emperor?” asked Ai as she raised her hands higher. “If the holy light is what you chose to fool the people, then let this lightning be the punishment for sins!”

As she finished her words, lightning started crackling in the sky and around her body. Ai raised her hands and brought them down, summoning lightning to strike the emperor. All it took was a flash of light for the attack to hit its target, and the emperor turned into a light bulb.

The crowd gasped with shock as they saw their emperor get struck by lightning with a force that could tear apart gods. It was stronger than before, melting the ground beneath him under the searing heat.

“Enough!” roared the Light Emperor as he struck the space beside him with his fist, sending a shockwave that negated the lightning and turned it into nothingness. His aura was menacing, and his hair floated behind him like a cloak. “You have pushed things too far, rebels.”

“Oh, ho? How did you diffuse that lightning?” said Ai with a grin as she raised her hands in surrender. “That sounds like… something like the Stealer of Elements would do.”

Her words made silence descend on the crowd, as no one dared to say a thing. They all stared at the Light Emperor, whose eyes had turned bloodshot. Then, he snorted and started laughing heartily.

“Hahaha,” laughed Joseph the Strategic as his aura receded into his body. “I cannot believe that a little girl has pushed me. Plans never go as expected, indeed. However, it matters not. After all, no one is leaving this place alive.”