Ch.189189. Age of Darkness

As the senior members appeared one by one, the cheers grew louder, reaching their peak when the most popular Lisa Raeldottir made her appearance.

But when Bjorn appeared, not a single person could utter a cheer.

This was not only because the people gathered here were overwhelmed by Bjorn’s presence, but also because they were filled with such profound reverence for him that they couldn’t even manage to cheer.

Thud, thud, thud, thud.

The gleaming shine catches the eye. The sound of Bjorn’s adamantium boots, decorated with orichalcum, deliberately stepping on the carpet, seeps into people’s minds.

His red adamantium cloak, woven from red thread drawn from adamantium ingots dyed red through alchemy—sturdy enough to serve as armor—flutters behind him.

The smooth pauldrons covering his shoulders are engraved with a red cross featuring a white sphere in the center. This emblem is etched not only on the pauldrons but throughout his armor, including the breastplate.

The adamantium plates decorated with orichalcum are connected by sacred power, completely sealing the interior while providing perfect comfort.

Literally god-like in his armor, Bjorn’s helmet was, for some reason, missing the crown-shaped orichalcum decoration he had been wearing until now.

But… only a very few could notice this detail.

The vast majority of the crowd was completely intimidated and captivated by Bjorn’s transcendent charisma. They could only stare at him in a daze.

Some with weaker constitutions than the average person fainted. Even well-trained soldiers couldn’t withstand Bjorn’s presence.

Those who had reached the intermediate level by awakening their aura or mastering 3LV magic weren’t intimidated by Bjorn’s presence, but…

Instead, they were so captivated by the charisma Bjorn radiated like a halo that they couldn’t tear their eyes away from him.

This was partly due to his Charisma stat, which had explosively increased after reaching Grade 0—the level of a transcendent who had halfway escaped the framework of mortality.

At the same time, the power, authority, and imagery that Bjorn had built up throughout his journey to reach this level had unconsciously blended into his aura.

So, as everyone focused all their attention on Bjorn, he felt somewhat uncomfortable under their gaze and quickened his pace slightly to ascend the central platform.

Boom!!

Standing directly in front of the throne at the center of the platform, Bjorn took an invisible breath and began to speak.

[Listen! I am Bjorn Wolfson, apostle chosen by the Bleeding God of Vengeance!]

The voice flowing from Bjorn’s mouth was deep and resolute, conveying a sense of powerful will and emotion.

Moreover, despite not using any particular magical means, his voice reached people throughout the entire city.

Unconsciously displaying his transcendent nature, he raised his “voice” even more and boldly declared to the gathered people:

《The Roman Empire, the false empire, no longer exists. The empire built solely to nurture the power of gods, with the purpose of cultivating and absorbing souls, has been destroyed by my hand according to His will.》

《The false empire was filled with deception. The Senate was nothing but puppets, and the Emperor reigned but paid no attention to the mortal world. The gods, who were the true rulers of the false empire, killed and mummified their king, then satisfied their desires by devouring the souls of their subjects.》

Bjorn willingly revealed all the truth.

Naturally, the crowd was tremendously shocked by these “truths” and was overcome with the urge to deny what must certainly be true.

But regrettably, every word was nothing but the truth.

《The gods used soldiers who called out their names as tools. They devoured the souls of their believers, claiming they had no value, and focused only on satisfying their lustful and disgusting desires by violating those with exceptional beauty.》

Even the greatest secret to maintaining one’s sanity—escaping reality—was impossible in the face of the tremendous presence emanating before their eyes.

So as people received the shock as if hit by a cannonball, gradually building up questions, hatred, and anger within themselves—

《Yes, I can only say this. The Roman Empire was—a farm! A human farm where the gods of the pantheon raised and devoured human souls!!》

With sincere vengeance toward the pantheon gods, Bjorn thus proclaimed all the truths before the crowd.

Throwing the reputation and authority of the pantheon gods into the gutter was also part of his revenge, casting everything about them into the abyss.

Therefore, the crowd now stopped being silent in the face of shock. Instead, they hurled all manner of curses at the pantheon gods who had deceived them all this time.

For Bjorn, it seemed necessary to calm this atmosphere a bit.

《But! Because of this, the great God of Vengeance could not simply stand by and watch!》

Thus, the card Bjorn played was related to religious faith.

Creating a specific target worthy of hatred to inflame public opinion, then converting that hatred into support for the opponent of that target—it was a simple method, but…

《He bled and sacrificed for us, and dedicated Himself to us! Therefore, He became the Bleeding God of Vengeance, and the time for vengeance had come!》

Sometimes, simplicity works better than unnecessary complexity.

《By my hand, the Roman Empire has fallen, and everything has been razed to the ground by the evil gods. With this, the Age of Darkness has come upon the world.》

Thus, Bjorn finally declared the beginning of the “Age of Darkness.”

《Abandon your hopes and expectations of happiness. In the darkest age to come, the Age of Darkness ruled by gods of darkness, all such things are powerless. In this Age of Darkness where no one can sing of the future, humanity will be attacked and perhaps ruled by gods who proclaim eternal vice.》

The words from Bjorn’s mouth contained only a view that saw the future as hopeless.

And as Bjorn began to speak of the Age of Darkness, the clear sky gradually darkened, becoming tinged with darkness.

Anyone could see that this symbolized the future Age of Darkness.

Therefore, people looked at Bjorn, with his magnificent power, with anxious and desperate eyes, clinging to him as the pillar of strength that had barely sustained them…

Judging deep in his heart that this was a necessary procedure, he continued speaking solemnly and calmly without the slightest hesitation—

《But even in such a gloomy Age of Darkness, one ray of light still remains.》

For an even more dramatic effect, Bjorn reversed the topic like a first-class orator.

《The great Bleeding God of Vengeance has become that ray of light in this age, the only remaining hope. As a token of the sun that will rise anew in the distant future, beyond this Age of Darkness, He has made Himself a symbol of hope.》

As Bjorn spoke, light began to shine from somewhere.

《Therefore, I declare to all gathered here listening to my words!》

In the darkness, Bjorn’s figure gradually begins to shine, and the sky slowly turns red.

《We are the only hope remaining in this Age of Darkness, the dawn that proves the light of the future!》

And at that very moment—when the sky glows softly with the reddish hue of dawn, the color before the sun fully rises—

《Therefore, I hereby declare the founding of the Dawn Empire!!》

As Bjorn powerfully proclaims the founding of the Dawn Empire, the crowd erupts in cheers and excitement, filled with hope.

An ideal that could overthrow almost all irrationality and injustice.

The only shining paradise in this dark and gloomy Age of Darkness.

The declaration of the founding of the Dawn Empire—a paradise filled with hope and expectation.

As a flood of emotion triggered by this sweeps over everyone present.

Suddenly the sky turns blood-red—space splits open—and from between the rift, an endless red luminous body appears—

《Dawn, shine forth.》

After something like a soul-trembling vibration passes through the hearts of everyone present.

Their gaze turns to Bjorn, who radiates an intense presence.

More precisely, to the new red and gold imperial crown that had appeared atop his helmet.

It was the moment when Bjorn Wolfson, the one and only Emperor of the Dawn Empire, ascended to the throne.