Whoosh!
In a flash of lightning, the longsword shot forth with explosive force.
The blade's extreme speed pierced through the very air, creating a thunderous boom in the void.
Bud's expression twisted in alarm as he lunged forward, but it was already too late.
With a swift arc, the longsword circled the Little Emperor's neck before he could even react.
Death!
So fast! The blade moved with unimaginable speed, exceeding all expectations.
Even Bud, the Grand General and highest-ranking commander of the Empire, couldn't react in time.
After the arc, the blade's tip swung around, pointing menacingly at Bud.
Starlight shimmered along the razor-sharp edge, casting a mesmerizing glow, but Bud felt only bone-chilling coldness.
"Who is it?!" he roared, his face hardening with grim determination.
A hidden assailant capable of wielding such an Imperial Arm with this level of stealth and lethality was both terrifying and utterly detestable!
But no answer came. Without the slightest hesitation, the blade plunged toward him.
Whoosh!
The void shattered again as the blade reached him in an instant.
"So fast!"
Even after witnessing two previous attacks, Bud's pupils constricted in shock.
His arms instinctively snapped up to shield his face.
Bang!
The blade's tip slammed into his forearms, erupting in a dazzling shower of electric sparks. The immense force instantly sent him hurtling backward, smashing through the wall beside Palace Hall. He tumbled across the ground for hundreds of meters before finally skidding to a halt.
Huff... huff...
Gasping for breath, Bud lay sprawled on the ground, blood streaming down his face, his eyes wide with shock.
'Who is this?!'
How could a mere floating blade unleash such devastating power? Fear mingled with awe as he realized he had been injured with a single strike.
He surged to his feet, flicking his arm to unleash a bolt of blue lightning that streaked toward the blade, which was already hurtling back toward him.
Crack!
The lightning struck the blade, causing it to shudder violently and its starlight to dim slightly.
'It's working!'
Bud's eyes lit up. He noticed that after three attacks, the starlight on the blade was noticeably fainter, suggesting its power was dissipating.
'Again!'
He flicked his arm, unleashing another bolt of lightning.
The lightning struck again, causing the starlight to fade further.
Abruptly, the blade ceased its assault. With a final tremor and a humming sound, it grazed past his ear and soared away into the distant sky.
'They're over there!'
"The city gate!"
Bud's eyes narrowed as he watched the long blade streak toward its destination, his heart sinking with dread.
The city gate seemed to be the very direction from which Night Raid had breached the capital.
'Could such a formidable presence truly exist among these rebels?'
He exhaled sharply, shaking his still-numb and bloodied arm, his expression grim.
Two seconds later, Bud's face twisted in alarm.
"Damn it! Esdeath has already gone there!"
Before entering the Palace Hall, Esdeath had already deployed an ambush to encircle and annihilate Night Raid. Initially, he hadn't given it much thought. But now, with the enemy having slain the young Emperor and Minister Honest without even showing their faces, this terrifying, supernatural ability was undeniably overwhelming.
Yet Bud refused to panic. After a moment of solemn contemplation, he resolved:
"The Empire cannot fall!"
"Protecting the Empire is my duty!"
With a swift turn, Bud rushed back into the Palace Hall. First, he tore off strips of cloth to bind the gashes inflicted by the razor-sharp blade energy. Then, he approached the corpses of the Little Emperor and Honest.
"The enemy is too powerful. I must borrow your strength!"
Muttering to himself, Bud bent down.
From Honest's embrace, Bud yanked out the jewel-encrusted headdress, Honest's Imperial Arm, possessing the ability to shatter gems and destroy enemy Imperial Arms. Gripping it tightly, Bud's eyes hardened with unwavering resolve.
"For the Empire!"
Against the enemy's bizarre abilities, his own Imperial Arm alone might not be enough. The only way to gain overwhelming power quickly was to acquire more Imperial Arms! Though mastering additional Imperial Arms would require immense effort, to Bud, eliminating the enemy was all that mattered.
He pivoted again, setting his sights on the Little Emperor.
"National Defense Automaton, Supreme Throne!"
Seizing this Imperial Arm, reputed to be the strongest, from the Emperor's body, Bud bowed deeply to the fallen ruler.
"Please forgive me!"
Then, he carefully collected the Little Emperor's blood in a vial.
The Supreme Throne required the Emperor's bloodline to activate. He had to do this to master this Imperial Arm. The procedure was risky; Bud wasn't certain it would work, but he had to take the chance.
Once everything was prepared, Bud turned and strode out of the Palace Hall.
The deaths of the Emperor and Honest made it clear to Bud that the millennium-strong Empire would soon face its greatest storm.
Whether it could weather the tempest remained unknown, even to him. All he could do was fight to the death.
At the same moment, at the city gates, Qin Yi raised his hand and grasped Murasame, his eyes flashing with amusement as a smile played on his lips.
"Intriguing! That Grand General Bud actually managed to block my strike!"
His words startled Najenda.
"Grand General Bud? He's the supreme commander of the Imperial Army, the Empire's other strongest warrior, renowned alongside Esdeath!"
"After slaying the Little Emperor and Minister Honest with this blade, I had little strength left, and surprisingly, failed to kill Bud," Qin Yi remarked, his gaze drifting towards the towering Palace Hall in the distance. A hint of admiration tinged his voice.
'Even in a world like this, there are still true experts, he mused. To withstand even a weakened strike from me, that's comparable to a Starlight-level expert!'
A Starlight-level expert wields energy capable of destroying a city and annihilating a hundred thousand ordinary soldiers. In a Minor World, they represent the pinnacle of martial prowess! Moreover, judging by his performance, Bud might be even stronger than Qin Yi had initially estimated.
Against such a foe, Night Raid would struggle to stand a chance.
As he spoke, the thunder of hooves erupted ahead, a cavalry unit rapidly closing in.
Qin Yi's eyes narrowed, his gaze instantly sweeping over the approaching force.
"Esdeath!" Mine exclaimed in shock.
At that moment, the members of Night Raid tensed, bracing themselves. They hadn't expected Esdeath to arrive so soon. As the Empire's youngest General and its strongest woman, she exuded immense pressure.
"So, you're the one who's been stirring up trouble in the Imperial Capital these past few days?" Esdeath drew her longsword from its sheath, pointing it directly at Qin Yi with a regal air, her gaze sweeping down upon him like that of an all-powerful queen.
Qin Yi's eyes flickered, but a smile crept across his face.
'This sadistic dominatrix certainly exudes a formidable aura, he thought, but it has no effect on me whatsoever.'
"So, you're the legendary S?" he asked, tilting his head. "I wonder, do you wear black stockings?"
(End of Chapter)
You can read ahead up to 15 chapters on my Patreon https://www.patreon.com/darkshadow6395