The soldiers of the Dawn Empire stood at the edge of the battlefield, their eyes locked on the chaotic slaughter ahead.
The xenos and those sudden monsters had started fighting each other, giving them a much-needed moment to catch their breath.
Elvin gripped his longbow tightly, his brow furrowed deeply. “Where did these monsters come from?”
“I don't know,” Novalia responded in a low voice, her gaze as sharp as a hawk's.
The arrival of these monsters was far too sudden, as if they had appeared out of thin air.
Suddenly, Novalia's eyes lit up. “Ning Busan—”
Ning Busan was still studying the various attribute values of the Evernight Beasts when he heard Novalia's call and instantly teleported to her side.
Novalia asked, “Are those monsters your subordinates?”
Ning Busan said without changing his expression, “You could consider them reinforcements.”
Novalia hesitated for a moment and asked, “Are you sure?”
The Evernight Beasts looked far more evil than the xenos.
Ning Busan said, “They are reinforcements for now, but they will be enemies in the future.”
“The thing on your head...” Novalia started to say but hesitated.
Ning Busan asked, “What about it?”
Although a crown was a symbol of status, it was essentially just an ornament.
However, the seven starstones embedded in the Crown of the Divine King were far too bright. Under the reflection of the sunlight, they nearly blinded Novalia.
Novalia rubbed her eyes. “It's a bit too gaudy. It doesn't really suit your temperament.”
The artifact spirit: “...”
Bah!
Ignorant, vulgar, unappreciative, shallow, and utterly common human!
Ning Busan said helplessly, “Why don't you focus on the battlefield instead?”
The battle had entered a fever pitch. The number of Evernight Beasts was rapidly dwindling, and the offensive of the xeno army was also beginning to weaken.
Both sides were at the end of their ropes. The army of the Dawn Empire only needed to wait for the perfect moment to reap the fruits of this war with minimal cost.
Novalia watched the developments on the battlefield and waved her hand, ordering, “Clean up the battlefield—”
Ning Busan said, “The God of Darkness drove all the demons of Hell into the human world. How is the Dawn Empire doing right now?”
At the mention of this, Novalia felt a massive headache coming on.
The demons had disguised themselves as mortals, hiding in the streets, courts, churches, and markets.
Pride, greed, wrath, envy, sloth, gluttony, and lust—the seven deadly sins spread like a plague under their temptation.
Pride swelled in the hearts of the rulers. Their commands became tyrannical and unreasonable, and the laws of the empire became tools to satisfy their personal desires.
Greed took root deep in the souls of the merchants. Transactions in the market were no longer fair, and the clinking of gold coins was laced with deceit and betrayal.
Wrath erupted in the streets and alleys. Neighborly harmony was replaced by hatred, and a single careless word could trigger a bloody conflict.
Envy spread through the courts. Brothers who had once fought side by side now harbored resentment due to the gap in power and status, making assassinations and conspiracies a daily occurrence.
Sloth grew among the laborers. Crops in the fields withered from lack of care, and the fires of the workshops died out because no one added firewood. People indulged in comfort, unwilling to put any effort toward the future.
Gluttony ran rampant at banquets. The nobles squandered wealth endlessly, their tables piled high with delicacies. They drank themselves to a stupor in luxury, yet they still could not fill their endless desires.
Lust sank into pleasure. The shackles of morality and ethics were shattered by desire, gradually rotting away in the mire of lust.
The seven deadly sins all originated from desire.
Desire would always exist in the human heart. The demons only needed to offer a little temptation to stimulate their darkest sides.
The Dawn Empire had become a breeding ground for darkness and chaos.
Novalia's brow furrowed slightly. “The demons are too cunning. They secretly tempt humans to fall, enjoying the sight of them being manipulated by their desires.”
In Ning Busan's mind, memories of Satan flashed by.
When Satan served as the Lord of Hell, he had also sent all the demons of Hell to the human world to create chaos, a period known as the Dark Era.
Ning Busan asked, “Do you think the Dark Era will repeat itself?”
“Absolutely not,” Novalia's tone was calm and firm. “The Dark Era occurred before the establishment of the Dawn Empire. Back then, humanity was fragmented, and there was no unity to speak of, which was why the demons could run so rampant.”
“But things are different now.”
“The Dawn Empire has risen. We are no longer scattered tribes or fragile city-states, but a whole—a powerful empire composed of countless citizens sharing the same blood and beliefs.”
“We share a common belief and possess an indestructible will. The temptation of the demons cannot shake the foundation of the empire.”
Novalia's chin lifted slightly, her well-defined profile looking exceptionally cold and resolute in the light and shadow. “The Dark Era will absolutely not repeat itself.”
Ning Busan's lips curved slightly, feeling both admiration and relief.
Novalia had fully acquired the qualities of a leader.
“Although those demons are detestable, the commotion caused by the fanatical believers of the God of Light is not small either,” Novalia said.
Ning Busan asked, “What's going on?”
“After the demons appeared in the Dawn Empire, the fanatical believers of the God of Light grew more numerous. They view any behavior, thought, or even group of people that doesn't conform to the teachings of the God of Light as heresy and organize large-scale trials,” Novalia said.
Ning Busan suddenly realized, “No wonder the God of Light didn't stop the God of Darkness's movements.”
The more chaotic the world became, the stronger Hecate's power grew.
And when darkness brewed, people instinctively sought light and hope. As the symbol of justice and order, the God of Light naturally became a beacon in people's hearts.
Thus, believing in the God of Light became a matter of course.
Ning Busan sneered. “The God of Darkness gains power, and the God of Light reaps faith. They don't have to do anything, and yet their goals are achieved.”
Novalia knew she could not interfere in the war between the gods, but she remained clear-headed. “Actually, no matter how the God of Darkness and the God of Light fight, it is an internal issue of the Landia Continent.”
“Even if the Dawn Empire becomes their battlefield, I'm not worried about them wiping out humanity, because they can derive benefits from humans.”
“My only worry is...”
Ning Busan interjected, “The xenos.”
Novalia nodded. “Yes, the xenos are humanity's true enemy.”
When the Black Sun becomes a daily occurrence, a continuous stream of xenos will descend upon the Landia Continent every day. Humanity might resist for a year, two years, three years...
But over time, humanity will ultimately be unable to escape the fate of extinction.
Ning Busan let out a soft sigh.
Thinking about it carefully, resolving the threat of the xenos should be the top priority for the Landia Continent!
If only the God of Light and the God of Darkness paid a little attention to this matter, humanity's pressure wouldn't be so immense.
However, those two True Gods were busy trying to kill each other, so Ning Busan could only brace himself and take on the task.
First, he had to figure out where the xenos actually came from.
Rate on N.U.
