Chapter 95: They are finally moving

"Somebody help me! Ackk!"

"Ahhh! I’m getting burned alive! HELP!"

The villagers ran desperately toward the forest, their faces filled with terror as smoke and flames covered the village behind them. Some stumbled across the ground while others desperately tried to carry their injured family members with them.

Behind them marched an army of strange individuals dressed in crimson.

They were roughly the same height as lizardmen, but their bodies were covered in thick scales that glowed with a deep crimson light. Blood covered parts of their bodies, yet their expressions remained completely emotionless as they advanced toward the village.

"The Antuans! The Antuans have emerged!"

"Run! Everybody, run!"

A soldier shouted at the top of his lungs as he watched the army approach. His voice echoed through the burning village as more villagers desperately fled into the forest.

Yet something about the Antuans was strange. Despite being fast enough to catch the fleeing villagers, they did not pursue them. Instead, the entire army continued forward in a perfectly straight line, moving together with unnatural discipline.

Not a single Antuan broke formation.

They simply marched through the village, destroying buildings and setting everything in their path ablaze. Their movements were almost mechanical, as though they had been given a single order that they would follow without question.

Once their objective was complete, they turned around and disappeared toward the forest without saying a single word.

The village was left in ruins.

---

In West Vinea, the leader of the elves sat inside his office with his head resting against one hand. His expression was filled with exhaustion as he stared at the reports scattered across his desk.

"The Antuans attacked one of our villages?"

He lifted his head, his tired expression turning serious. "Aren’t they supposed to be afraid of the surface? What happened?"

A nearby soldier stood straight and shook his head. "We don’t have any information yet, sir."

"Is that so?"

The elven leader rubbed his forehead before letting out a long sigh. The Antuans had remained hidden for so long that most believed they would never willingly emerge from their territory.

"Send a message to a griffons. Tell him to come here immediately."

His expression became serious. "This matter is just as serious as those demonic idiots."

---

"Sir, Sebastian Flyde."

A man dressed in black robes entered a dark room and immediately knelt before an old man sitting in a wooden chair. His head remained lowered as he delivered the information he had received.

"Recent intelligence reports that the Antuans have finally moved. They have slaughtered an elven village in West Vinea."

Sebastian’s expression suddenly changed.

He straightened his posture, his eyes filled with excitement.

"What wonderful news!"

He began laughing. "Those damn insects have finally moved! Hahahaha!"

Sebastian leaned back in his chair, his grin widening as he imagined what their emergence could mean.

"It’s only a matter of time before the world truly becomes ours."

After a while, he calmed himself and crossed his legs. His expression returned to its usual composure as he looked toward the man kneeling before him.

"Excuse my attitude. Has the payment for our information regarding Mubin Port finally arrived?"

"Yes. A ship carrying Bloodstones arrived, along with a message that was specifically addressed to you."

Sebastian raised an eyebrow. "A message? What does it say?"

The man reached into his robe and carefully pulled out a letter. He unfolded it and read the strange words written inside.

"If the surroundings become white, agree to its terms."

He paused for a moment.

"It was said by the Great Render."

Sebastian stared at him for several seconds. "White surroundings?"

He leaned back and tapped his finger against the armrest. The words were strange, but the Great Render was not someone who would send a meaningless message.

"It must mean something."

He waved his hand. "Very well. You may leave."

The man bowed before leaving the room, closing the door behind him.

Sebastian remained alone, staring through the window toward the night sky. His finger continued tapping against the wooden armrest as he calculated the forces that would soon collide.

"Ten thousand werewolves."

He raised another finger. "One hundred thousand demons."

Another finger. "The thousand Antuans."

He paused before looking toward the map spread across his desk.

"Against thirty thousand elves, thirty thousand lizardmen, forty thousand humans, ten thousand dwarfs, and ten thousand griffons."

Sebastian smiled. "Pretty even in numbers."

His smile slowly widened as he leaned back into his chair.

"However..."

"We are superior in every way possible."

The room fell silent.

Sebastian looked toward the dark sky outside his window, his smile remaining on his face.

"Let’s just wait for time to tell."

--

Akuma opened his eyes and immediately felt the comfort of finally returning after spending an entire century inside the white space. The familiar sensation of being inside his own body slowly returned to him, making him realize that he was finally back.

"I’m back," he said.

For a few minutes, Akuma simply remained where he was, trying to understand everything around him. Then, suddenly, the memories that he had forgotten over time began flooding into his mind all at once.

His breathing became heavier as countless memories rushed through his head. The things he had experienced, the people he had met, and everything that had happened before he entered the white space suddenly returned to him.

"Ah..."

Akuma grabbed his head as the overwhelming amount of information became unbearable. His knees eventually gave out, causing him to fall onto the floor before everything around him went dark.

Akuma woke up yet again.

His eyes slowly opened as he stared at the familiar ceiling above him. After looking around for a few seconds, he immediately recognized the room.

The nursery.

He had spent countless days in this room when he was younger, surrounded by people who took care of him. Yet after being gone for a century, even this simple place felt strangely unfamiliar.

Before he could think any further, the door opened.

A griffon lady walked toward him and noticed that his eyes were already open.

"Are you awake, Akuma? Well... it’s basically pointless to ask someone who is not mentally there."

She stopped when she noticed Akuma looking directly at her.

"Greetings, Lady Healer."

The griffon lady froze. "Akuma?"

"Yes?"

Her eyes widened as she stared at him.

"You responded..."

"I did."

Akuma slowly sat up from the bed. A bright smile appeared on his face as he looked around the nursery once again.

"I’m finally back."

His voice trembled slightly as the realization finally settled inside him. After an entire century of being trapped inside the white space, he was finally able to see the world again.

The griffon lady looked at him for a moment before walking closer. She gently offered him her shoulder.

"It must have been hard for you."