Chapter 452: Rebellion In Velmora

Buzz!

A pillar of crimson light suddenly erupted from somewhere deep within the capital, shooting into the heavens before spreading outward. Within seconds, an enormous red square formed above the district, its translucent walls extending from the ground into the sky and enclosing everything within its boundaries.

The strange light illuminated nearby buildings and streets, turning the entire section of the capital an ominous shade of red. The sudden appearance was so conspicuous that even people several districts away could see it.

Hazel, Ruby and Racheal immediately turned toward the disturbance, while Rah and Mary followed their gazes. Their expressions changed almost simultaneously as they recognized the location.

Damian’s eyes narrowed.

"Isn’t that in the direction of the Kosak family residence?" Damian asked in a strangely calm voice.

Buzz!

A puff of purple smoke appeared beside his head, and Rin materialized comfortably on his shoulder. His seven tails swayed slowly behind him, but even his usually playful expression had disappeared. He stared toward the crimson barrier with obvious concern before nodding.

"It is."

Racheal’s eyes widened as realization struck her.

"It’s the demonic spell, Lock Down."

Damian didn’t need an explanation. A system window had already appeared before his eyes, providing him with the information he needed.

[Name: Lock Down]

[Type: Seal]

[Description: Lock Down is a complicated array that seals whatever is caught within it for one hour. Requires extended preparations.]

Damian’s gaze remained fixed on the distant barrier.

Buzz!

Another pillar of crimson light erupted somewhere else.

Within moments, the capital began lighting up with enormous red squares as multiple Lock Down formations activated almost simultaneously. One appeared around a noble residence, another around a military barracks, and another around a major administrative district.

The expressions of the people surrounding Damian grew increasingly grim. Yet Damian remained completely still as his eyes shifted toward the Violet Palace.

A crimson shell suddenly rose around the entire palace and for the first time, a trace of anger appeared on Damian’s face.

It lasted only a moment before disappearing beneath his usual calm.

"They are sealing off the noble residences, military barracks and palace to cut you off from reinforcement." Hazel spoke slowly, disbelief evident in her voice.

She understood what that meant.

The Lock Down spell was not something a demon could simply cast at will like an ordinary demonic technique. It required extensive preparation. Runes had to be carved throughout the target area, formations had to be established and the entire arrangement needed to remain hidden until the moment of activation.

Preparing one formation would already be difficult.

Preparing several throughout the capital without anyone discovering them was something else entirely.

"The capital is full of traitors." Mary finally said what everyone else was thinking.

Damian said nothing. His gaze slowly swept across the city.

The civilians had begun pouring out of their homes, confused by the sudden appearance of the barriers and the explosions that continued erupting throughout the capital. Some were running toward relatives while others simply stood in the streets trying to understand what was happening.

But Damian was listening to something else.

Steel.

The sound was faint beneath the panic of the civilians, but his enhanced senses picked it up immediately.

Weapons being drawn and armors being equipped. Rebels were moving amongst civilians.

His expression became colder.

Damian slowly raised his hand and flicked his wrist. A black ring appeared around his index finger. The ring looked completely ordinary for a moment, then an eye slowly opened across its surface.

Buzz!

The eye rotated slightly while Damian’s brows narrowed. He could finally feel them.

Damain began counting, his eyes moving across different sections of the capital as his perception located each hostile presence.

"One... Two... Three... Four... Five... Six."

The people around him immediately turned toward him and Damian’s expression gradually changed. Certainty replaced suspicion and a aint smile appeared at the corner of his lips.

"Six plus you... that’s seven hostile Demigods and a few hundred nobodies."

His smile widened slightly.

"Interesting."

Hazel’s expression became serious while Ruby and Racheal immediately began scanning the surrounding city. Even Mary looked toward Kanda with renewed caution.

Kanda, however, remained where he was and Damian tilted his head.

"What I’m curious about are the dead weights. Where did you get so many?"

His curiosity was genuine.

He had spent barely more than a week concious in the capital, yet somehow the Order had managed to position hundreds of people throughout the city without his officials discovering anything.

That was the part that bothered him. The capital was supposed to belong to him.

Every noble, military officer and administrator working within it was supposed to serve the Crown yet hundreds of people had apparently been recruited directly beneath their noses.

Kanda released a low chuckle.

"This would not have been possible without your decade of absence. We only took what you and your predecessor abandoned and made them ours."

Damian’s eyes narrowed.

"So you are saying these are civilians of Velmora?"

He looked down again.

The people flooding into the streets didn’t look like trained soldiers. Most were ordinary demons, many of whom appeared to have only recently begun learning how to manipulate demonic force. Some were barely stronger than ordinary mortals.

But there were hundreds of them and they were mixed among genuine civilians.

That was what made the situation dangerous. The Order hadn’t simply recruited soldiers, they had infiltrated the population.

Who would have thought they had spent years turning ordinary citizens into potential weapons while the people responsible for governing Velmora apparently failed to notice.

Damian’s expression gradually darkened.

What exactly had his officials been doing while he was gone?

His voice suddenly spread across the entire capital.

"TO ALL WELL MEANING MEMBERS OF VELMORA. RETURN TO YOUR HOMES. ANYONE FOUND OUTSIDE WILL BE ASSUMED A PARTICIPANT OF THIS REBELLION AND WILL BE PUT DOWN ALONGSIDE THESE SCOUNDRELS."

The sound rolled across the city like thunder.

People froze.

Those who had been standing in the streets looked upward in confusion while others immediately recognized the voice of their Prince.

"YOU HAVE TEN SECONDS!"

Buzz!

Panic erupted.

Doors slammed open as civilians rushed back toward their homes. Families dragged children behind them while shopkeepers ran into their stores and people stumbled over one another in their desperation to get indoors. Some fell against the streets and were immediately helped up by relatives, while others were trampled in the confusion before scrambling toward safety.

The capital descended into chaos. But Damian simply watched. His eyes followed the crowds as they gradually thinned.

Thousands became hundreds.

Eventually, most of the streets were empty of real civilians and then the people who remained became painfully obvious.

They were a part of the Order’s forces.

The few hundred figures scattered throughout the streets stood exposed now, weapons in their hands and demonic force beginning to rise around their bodies. Everyone who remained had effectively declared themselves enemies of the Crown.

Those watching Damian from nearby slowly turned their attention toward him and they froze.

His eyes were no longer purple.

They were pitch black, with narrow crimson slits resembling the eyes of a serpent. Black cracks had spread beyond his eyelids and crawled down his cheeks, giving his face an unnatural and terrifying appearance.

The pressure surrounding him had changed as well. Even Mary, who stood closest to him, instinctively took half a step backward.

Rin’s seven tails lowered slightly while Hazel, Ruby and Racheal exchanged brief glances.

They had seen Damian angry before but this was different.

Damian slowly looked toward the streets. Then he spoke without turning toward the women.

"Girls... please go ahead and murder every living thing you see on the streets. I’ll handle these scoundrels."

His voice remained remarkably calm. That calmness made the command even more disturbing.

Racheal’s murderous smile slowly appeared. They understood exactly what Damian wanted.

The enemies had chosen to turn the capital into a battlefield.

Now they would learn what happened when they brought that battlefield directly beneath the feet of the Crown.

Damian finally turned his head toward Kor.

The Royal Guard commander was already watching him carefully.

"There are six other Demigods present." Damian said, his voice cold and measured. "I believe you and my girls can handle this until I’m done with this swine?"

Kor immediately bowed.

"Yes, Sire!"

The Royal Guards behind him followed his movement, their weapons already prepared.

"Now leave."

Damian’s eyes shifted toward Rah.

"Except you, Rah. It’s not too dangerous. Stay by my side at all times."

Rah blinked. She clearly hadn’t expected that.

Before she could argue, Rin suddenly jumped from Damian’s shoulder and landed comfortably on hers. He settled himself against her neck, his seven tails curling around her back.

"Just sit back and enjoy the show. Being a spectator isn’t that bad. It’s not like it’s going to take long."

Rah stared at him for several seconds before releasing a defeated sigh.

She understood Damian’s reasoning.

She wasn’t a Demigod. If one of the Order’s powerful fighters managed to reach her, she could be killed before Damian had the opportunity to intervene.

"I understand." She finally said.

Swoosh!

The moment she finished speaking, everyone around Damian disappeared.

Hazel shot toward one section of the capital while Ruby and Racheal separated in different directions. Mary followed another path, and Kor led the Royal Guards toward the remaining hostile forces. Their movements were so fast that the air cracked behind them as they disappeared into the distance.

Within seconds, Damian was alone with Rah and Rin.

And Kanda. The Dreg remained suspended several dozen meters away. He hadn’t moved or attempted to flee. He simply watched Damian with that same disturbing smile.

Damian slowly turned his entire body toward him.

The black cracks across his face seemed to deepen as his crimson eyes locked onto Kanda.

The capital was now sealed and civilians had been removed from the battlefield. His wives and Royal Guards were dealing with the remaining forces.

Damian slowly raised his chin.

"This will be over, in an instant." He declared softly.