Lord Shadow

The situation was tense as even the sight of the Death Monarch on the sky invites dread to the hearts of his enemy.

His heart keep beating erratically. The cold wind of the clouds did not help to disperse the sweat that is running on his back

Tyrone look down and he saw his soldiers. All of them looked like they were confused. The disciplined army he trained look no more different than a rabble of a ragtag group.

He knew right then what he has to do. Even as his sweat drips from his back, even though his heart keep beating like a drum because of fear, he steel himself.

He could die….but he could not humiliate himself. This is the privilege of the strong. And what is the privilege of the strong?

Pride. The weak do not need pride. They could endure humiliation. But the stronger one became, they also become prideful.

They would rather die than be humiliated. Looking at his soldiers he knows he need to keep the morale.

They could not falter even before the battle started.

Tyrone knew an army that has lost its morale is like a tiger that has lost its teeth. They would easily be destroyed.

Then with his bravest expression he said

‘What do you want Death Monarch? Let us talk.’ Tyrone said adopting a negotiating manner as the thunder on the clouds kept thundering like someone keep hammering the sky and the dark red lightning ravaged the skies.

The wind howls like a world destroying wolf and the space around the Death Monarch kept distorting like they collided with something very powerful bouncing off Death Monarch body.

Tyrone knew that the Death Monarch is a swift commander in war. People always forget that fact about the Death Monarch and has always emphasize his personal prowess.

But Tyrone as a general himself, knew that Azief fast response is in accordance to war stratagem.

When the enemy is unprepared hit them with all your power until they have no space to even make a move.

They know that the Death Monarch had destroyed the Duke Mansion and captured the Duke without much resistance.

It was swift and decisive.

The Duke was then executed for his crime of exploiting and torturing many Poland people to secure his rule.

Frederick who followed the Death Monarch also release the captured Resistance movement against King Artur.

This move put Azief at the higher moral ground. And with it he gain the will of the people.

‘You want to talk? Let’s talk’ Azief said coldly as he crossed his hand together, his black robe fluttered as the wind blows on it, dark mist coils around his feet and thunder element emanated with each tiny movements.

Azief has already restrained his power.

One must not forget when he finished his transformation from the Purifying Fire, each movement creates wind break and space distortion.

Tyrone released a relieved breath.

As long as the Death Monarch ask for something, regardless whatever it is, Tyrone would not hesitate to acquiesce.

This is not yet the time to attack the Death Monarch.

He at least have to delay until the big guns from headquarters could come.

Seeing that there is no manifestation of Disk, Tyrone believes as long as the headquarters deploy Raymond, or Hikigaya, the Death Monarch could be subdued.

Azief saw the way Tyrone look at him, looking at signs of Disk. He wanted to scoff but he decided not to bother.

Then immediately he list his conditions.

‘My conditions are simple. I want the head of King of Poland for the many crimes he has done to Poland. His crime including to conspire against Rafał, the hero Of Poland, killing people indiscriminately and plunged Poland into the servitude of the World Government. I have given my word to Frederick, a village chief that has shelter me. This condition is non-negotiable’ Azief said.

To be honest, these high sounding word were only meant to legitimize his reason for attacking. And this was not his reason.

This is Frederick reasons.

Frederick believes that Poland should remain independent and neutral.

But this could not be achieve simply because they lost too many people that in the Fall and so lost the chance to have a great protector for their country.

While people like Azief did not care about nationality after the Fall and divide people only to friends and enemies, Frederick still love his Poland.

This is new Poland.

A new Poland has been created after the Fall.

There is many people that of many different race that lives here now either to find a safe place to live or escape their repressive new regime that sprouted after the Fall, there is plenty of person from every background and race.

But still, the people here are still being exploited.

Frederick did not want the country he loves, this new Poland to be always under the manipulations of someone else.

He wanted independence from the meddling hands of the World Government and the influence of the Republic.

He wanted Poland to be independent.

And Azief did not hesitate to give Frederick this. Azief believes doing this much would settle whatever entanglements he have with Frederick.

And it is not hard for him to do it

Tyrone was about to agree with the condition when Azief added.

‘I also want every single person from the world government to pack up and leave. Do that, and we have no beef’

Hearing this Tyrone words stuck on his mouth.

His face turns ugly.

He look at the person not far away from him, looking at him intently because he could not see the expression the Death Monarch makes under that black hood.

He contemplated. He thought and thought. What should he do? He could agree with the first condition since Artur is not that important for the World Government.

But Poland?

It is a strategic place to check in the ambition of the Republic of creating a European power base.

Artur who hears the condition that Azief has proposed suddenly shouted

‘We need to fight these invaders! Don’t let them enter!’ He release a frenzy roar.

Now that he hears the proposition that Azief has put forth, he knows he has no other chance than to rely on the World Government.

If he even manage to escape from here, the Death Monarch will surely hunt him to the ends of the world.

Tyrone looking down at the shameful behavior of Artur could only sigh. He could not agree to Azief condition.

‘I am from the World Government, Death Monarch Azief. My name is Tyrone. You will know our wrath!’ Tyrone said as he floated own as he orders to his troop

‘Tiger Entrapping the Demon formation!’ He yelled the moment he landed on the ground, his shout possess a special power as it disturbs the death energy for a moment

The soldiers of the World Government quickly positions themselves according to the formation.

Looking from the sky they appear to look like a paw of Tiger that has three claws. Then a Formation Master put his hand together and shouted

‘Activate formation.’

It was then an energy link was established between each of the soldiers, the combined energy of forty thousand soldiers manifested into a large purple Tiger that was as tall as six storied building.

‘Tyrone is a decisive person’ Azief assess the enemy general.

Katarina heard it and nodded. Tyrone knew that to continue speaking with the Death Monarch would be useless.

One thing that Tyrone knew about The Death Monarch is that he would never be wavered once he decides on something.

He thought to delay more, but he also knows that was futile. Because he knows that the Death Monarch would surely find out and would rush to kill without hesitation.

So Tyrone…. made his choice.

Because he knows exactly the decision that Azief would choose. A powerful person like Azief had no reason to turn back on his word.

A person like Azief has more important thing to protect.

And what is the thing to protect for someone as powerful as Death Monarch.

Only one thing.

His reputation.

He has given his word that he would take the head of Artur and make the World Government lose their footing here.

So, he would surely do that.

And Artur also understand that. Azief only smile coldly looking at the gigantic manifestation of the tiger.

He looked at the soldier formation.

They were packed together and stretched into the distance, the power coming out of them now resembles a Disk Forming Low Realm as it even cause changes on the aura and energy on the surrounding region.

Azief look at this kind of display and his eyebrows jump up, clearly amused.

‘In the two years since we have been gone it seems people have found a way to deal with people like us’ Azief casually said toward Katarina.

Katarina smiles, beneath her feet, snows falls down and frigid airs emanated from her, freezing the winds and the air around him.

Then she shakes her head.

‘It is not enough’

Azief also smiles and he nodded

‘True, it is still not enough.’

The power that is coming off from the activation of that formation is tremendous as it forces the wind to changes direction and suppress the thundering skies.

It caused people to feel weak and powerless. But…it is unfortunate that they met Azief. This kind of pressure did not do anything to him.

How could they know that Azief has formed four disk?

Even Hikigaya has only formed three disk. If they knew, the only thing that people would see in the eyes of the soldiers would be despair and not this determination to fight to the end

Azief was calm as he look upon his enemies.

On the city, the civilians and any nobles that did not want to be dragged in on this conflict all hide in their homes, and closed their doors and windows.

Some of those who are formation master even created barrier on their doors and windows fearing that the battle would spread out into the main city.

Magicians erect protection barriers, builders dig out tunnels while Elementalist created a barrier wall of twenty feet formed from the earth, and then baked it with fire to hold back any residual energy that would probably come out when Azief started fighting with the people in the Palace.

All over the Center Krakow, people did their best to protect themselves.

On the area above the palace, Azief is still standing there, floating and looking down on the people below him.

Azief then nodded as he decided what to do.

‘You are starting?’ Katarina asked.

Azief just nodded.

Katarina also nodded as she retreated behind. But she stopped a moment before she said

‘Be careful’

Azief was shocked before a playful smile appeared on his face. He take a step towards her and touch her forehead.

‘Lose the frown. I will be fine’ he said. Katarina white pale face blushed like she was a little girl and she immediately retreated

Then as he saw Azief retrain back to his position, she could not help but sigh as she knows there is still a long way to go.

While she is powerful, she still is far from her previous level.

This is not a battle she could participate as leisurely like Azief. Katarina determination to become stronger seems to be ignited once again.

She has a powerful technique that absorb people energy. It was a manual she found in the Fake World.

It was why she could even rival Azief in terms of cultivating speed.

The only drawback, is that there is one day of the year where she needs to reconcile all the different energy inside her body.

On that one day, Katarina is as weak as people before the Fall. Of course, nobody knows about this….except two people

Boris and Azief.

Boris knew this from the beginning. Azief knew it from the day they spent together on that three days and three night stuck in that abyss.

That is why Katarina is one of the fastest people in the world in terms of leveling before.

Now with Azief beside her, her chance of entering Perfection in Energy Disperse Stage might not be impossible.

But it will still take at least two years.

The question was whether Katarina could bear waiting a few years or will she break through when she reached Eternal Spring.

Katarina retreated a few hundred meters away. Azief who was only one meter away from the barrier step forward.

With one step his feet step on the protection barrier.

This barrier could withstand a full powered Seed Forming High realm prowess attack for an hour.

But the moment Azief step on the barrier, this powerful barrier….dissipated into nothingness.

There is no explosion. No breaking or cracking. It simply disappears.

The four energy source that supplied this barrier is the Energy Vein of four mines that was concentrated into one focal point.

That focal point was the epicenter of Center Krakow, a glowing stone underneath the city sewers

When Azief stepped on the protection barrier, the stone glow disappears like it was depleted out of all energy.

Suddenly the thick energy of the world that surrounded Center Krakow dipped almost drastically

‘This is impossible’ Tyrone who is at the head of the formation of his army remark inside his heart