Chapter 270: Speechless

[: 3rd POV ;]

Silence.

An indescribable silence blanketed the entire Kingdom of Yemia.

There were no cheers, cries or screams.

Every single person simply stood frozen, unable to process what had just happened before their eyes.

The battlefield, which only moments ago had been nothing more than a sea of corpses, had transformed into a place overflowing with life.

One after another, people slowly opened their eyes.

A young knight blinked several times before looking down at the hole that had pierced through his chest only moments earlier.

"...I..."

"My wound...it disappeared...?"

He touched his chest repeatedly.

There was no blood or scar.

Nothing remained.

Nearby, an elderly woman who had died protecting her granddaughter slowly sat upright.

She stared blankly at her trembling hands.

"I..."

"I was dead..."

Her granddaughter, who had survived by hiding beneath the rubble, suddenly saw her grandmother.

"Grandma...?"

The old woman slowly turned.

The little girl's eyes widened before tears immediately flooded her face.

"GRANDMA!"

She ran with everything she had before throwing herself into the old woman's embrace.

The elderly woman instinctively caught her.

"My little flower..."

"You..."

"You survived..."

The child cried uncontrollably.

"No..."

"You survived..."

"I watched you die..."

Around them...

The same scene repeated countless times.

A husband reunited with his wife.

Children embraced parents they thought they had lost forever.

Brothers reunited with sisters.

Friends cried in each other's arms.

Entire families that had been erased from existence only moments earlier now stood together once again.

The battlefield was filled not with despair...

But with endless tears of joy.

...

King Reja remained completely motionless.

His breathing had become uneven.

His entire body trembled violently.

His eyes desperately searched through the crowd.

"No..."

"It can't..."

"It couldn't possibly..."

Then...

Someone gently called his name.

"...Reja."

That familiar voice.

One he had believed he would never hear again.

His pupils contracted.

Slowly...and almost fearfully...

He turned around.

Standing only several steps behind him...

Was the woman he had mourned.

His wife, the Queen of Yemia.

She wore the same elegant royal dress she had worn before the kingdom fell.

Not a single wound remained.

Her gentle smile had returned.

"...You've become thinner."

She said softly while trying to hide the tears gathering in her own eyes.

King Reja stood frozen.

His lips trembled uncontrollably.

"...N...No..."

"This..."

"This isn't possible..."

The Queen slowly walked toward him.

"I'm sorry..."

"I left you alone."

The moment those words reached him...

Every ounce of composure he had maintained completely shattered.

He rushed forward.

Without caring about dignity.

Without caring that every ruler was watching.

He embraced her with every bit of strength he possessed.

His entire body shook violently.

"I thought..."

"I thought I lost you forever..."

"I couldn't protect you..."

"I'm sorry..."

The Queen gently stroked his back.

"You protected everyone."

"You did enough."

"No..."

"I failed..."

"I failed all of you..."

"You didn't."

"We're here."

"We're all here."

The King buried his face into her shoulder.

For the first time in decades...the King cried openly.

Not from despair but from overwhelming happiness.

...

The other rulers were no different.

The Elven Queen suddenly saw the former Elven King walking toward her.

She covered her mouth.

"Father..."

The old Elf smiled warmly.

"You've become a wonderful Queen."

She immediately embraced him.

Nearby...the Dwarf King froze after seeing countless master blacksmiths, legendary warriors, and elders who had died years ago walking through the restored streets.

One elderly dwarf laughed loudly.

"You still look ugly, boy."

The Dwarf King burst into laughter before hugging the old man.

"I missed hearing that..."

The Giant King fell onto one knee after seeing his younger brother, who had sacrificed himself during the first invasion.

"You idiot..."

"You promised we'd drink together again..."

His brother grinned.

"Looks like I kept my promise."

Even the Dragon Queen looked toward the sky in disbelief.

Ancient Dragons that had disappeared centuries ago were flying once more.

Their magnificent roars echoed throughout the heavens.

The Fairy Queen cried as countless Fairy Elders surrounded her with joyful smiles.

The Merfolk King watched ancient heroes emerge from restored oceans.

The Vampire Queen stood speechless after seeing her entire royal bloodline revived.

Every race...

Every kingdom...

Every family...

Received back what history had stolen from them.

...

Then...something even more unbelievable happened.

The entire planet shook gently.

Everyone instinctively looked toward the horizon.

"What..."

King Reja whispered.

The ruined lands...were changing.

Mountains that had collapsed slowly restored themselves.

Burned forests regrew within seconds.

Flowers bloomed across plains that had remained barren for centuries.

Crystal clear rivers flowed once more.

The polluted lakes became transparent.

The poisoned soil regained its vitality.

Fields that had been lifeless suddenly became covered in endless green.

Even the sky itself became clearer.

The thick black clouds created by the Ututh vanished completely.

Warm sunlight illuminated the entire planet.

Birds that had long gone extinct returned to the skies.

Animals cautiously emerged from restored forests.

The air itself became easier to breathe.

Mika quietly smiled.

"He didn't just save the people..."

"He restored the entire planet."

Erika's eyes sparkled.

"Big Brother is amazing..."

No one disagreed.

...

King Reja slowly turned toward Daniel.

His breathing became heavier.

At first...he had viewed Daniel as an unimaginably powerful leader.

Now...

That perception no longer existed.

Because no leader...no king...or an emperor...could perform what Daniel had just done.

Even calling him a god felt insufficient.

Gods governed life.

Gods governed death.

Yet Daniel had ignored all of them.

Slowly...

King Reja walked forward.

Then...he knelt.

Not on one knee.

But both.

He lowered his forehead completely to the ground.

"I..."

"King Reja of Yemia..."

"...offer not merely my loyalty..."

"...but my entire existence."

"My life..."

"My soul..."

"My future..."

"Everything that belongs to me..."

"I dedicate all of it to you."

"If one day my life is required..."

"I shall offer it without hesitation."

"If one day my death becomes necessary..."

"I shall gladly embrace it."

"I swear this upon my very existence."

The surrounding rulers widened their eyes.

Then...

Without hesitation...

Every King and Queen followed.

One after another...

They lowered themselves completely.

"We swear the same."

"Our lives belong to you."

"Our kingdoms belong to you."

"Our races belong to you."

"Our futures belong to you."

"Even if death awaits us..."

"We shall never betray your name."

Their voices echoed together.

Filled with absolute conviction.

Daniel quietly looked at them.

Then...he smiled, a warm smile.

One completely different from the overwhelming authority he had displayed moments ago.

"Raise your heads."

No one moved.

"I said..."

"Raise your heads."

Slowly...the rulers obeyed.

Daniel looked at every single one of them.

Then he spoke.

"I reject your oath."

Every ruler froze.

"...W...What?"

King Reja looked utterly confused.

Daniel folded his arms behind his back.

"You offered me your deaths."

"I don't want them."

Silence filled the surroundings.

Daniel's voice remained calm.

"If you serve under me..."

"Then your lives belong to yourselves."

"I have no interest in throwing away those who choose to follow me."

He looked toward the countless resurrected citizens.

"Listen carefully."

"As long as I exist..."

"No death shall occur among those under my protection."

The rulers stared blankly.

Daniel continued.

"If you fall..."

"I will raise you again."

"If despair comes..."

"I will overcome it."

"If an enemy appears..."

"I will stand before you."

"So..."

He smiled gently.

"Do not promise me your deaths."

"Promise me that you will live."

"Live long enough..."

"To witness the future we build together."

The rulers could no longer control their emotions.

Many openly wept.

King Reja's eyes became red.

"So..."

"This..."

"This is what it truly means..."

"To join the faction..."

Daniel nodded.

"It means becoming family."

"It means no one fights alone."

"It means no one is abandoned."

"And it means..."

His golden eyes swept across every ruler and every citizen.

"No one under my banner will ever have to fear standing alone against despair again."

At that moment...

Every person present finally understood.

The opportunity before them was not merely joining a faction.

It was becoming part of something that transcended kingdoms, races, and even the laws of life and death themselves.

And from that day onward...

The name Vahl'Zareth was no longer remembered merely as a newly established faction.

It became the name of hope itself.