Ch.198Light of Fury (1)

“Ah… really… this pricks my conscience.”

I was currently buying decommissioned weapons that the Zirconia Defense Force could no longer operate.

And at an insanely cheap price compared to their original value.

The ammunition was practically free, and the 155mm field guns, .460 caliber submachine guns, 23mm shotguns, 120mm mortars, and even military trucks that could travel from airships to open fields that we needed…

And even with plenty of fuel and spare parts purchased, it only cost 30 gold coins.

This is no joke.

Literally, I had acquired enough firepower to raze a small city within a week, yet I had spent only 30 gold coins.

“Is this… is this even a reasonable price?”

I stared blankly at the military cargo heading toward the Sky Warden.

Even I, who had never served in the military, knew that military equipment was much more expensive than civilian counterparts… but to sell them this cheaply, even if they were difficult to operate…?

Of course, I understood that after the massive casualties, they couldn’t operate all this equipment, and the maintenance costs would be too burdensome.

But they could have mothballed them and stored them somewhere… I was very curious about the reason for this radical sale that wouldn’t even recover their costs.

“Tsk… all kinds of schemes at work.”

As I was thinking this, Simon clicked his tongue and came to my side.

“Schemes?”

“Look at their expressions. Do they look like they want to sell this equipment?”

At Simon’s words, I looked at the Zirconia soldiers watching their equipment being sold off with devastated faces.

“It’s over… over in just one night…”

“NO!!! These are the things we cleaned, tightened, and oiled!!! Selling them for just a few dozen silver coins, not even gold!!! Karil will never forgive this!!!”

“Lieutenant… please!”

“There are many watching! Please come to your senses!”

“Kill me, you fools…!!! Just kill me instead!!!”

An old man with a branch chief insignia had tears in his eyes, and a non-commissioned officer with a lieutenant’s insignia was wailing and rolling on the ground.

“Other cities have been applying pressure. To completely cut off Zirconia’s future. Without military power, they’ll collapse under the slightest pressure.”

“To commit such a vile act despite being part of the same Coastal Domain!”

When I expressed outrage, Simon pointed with his staff at the grieving soldiers and citizens watching them with sorrowful eyes.

“Look at them! Their pain and sorrow! When a country lacks strength… when leaders lack ability, it’s ultimately the citizens who suffer!”

I gritted my teeth.

“Someday you too will lead your own people! Would you inflict such pain on your subjects?”

“No…! I would never allow that…”

I muttered those words while watching the fading military units.

Why did they have to pull out their own thorns of protection with their own hands?

And how greedy were those who tried to devour a country so shamelessly despite belonging to the same domain?

These thoughts kept turning over in my mind, and soon they became a storm.

*

“Berkman! Hawkman!”

“Hey, boss.”

I called out to the dwarf brothers while breathing heavily beneath the mooring tower.

My body was hot.

No, my soul was hot.

A flame to burn the injustice rooted in greed, yet still too cold a heat to set ablaze.

“Can you modify the Sky Warden to accommodate over 10,000 people?”

“Huh?”

“Answer me!”

“Well… with enough money and time, it’s possible.”

“Take the money from inside the airship. Prepare for the modification work.”

I left the mooring tower again with my face flushed red.

The heat enveloping my body was now burning so fiercely that even my aura couldn’t contain it.

My wife, not understanding what was happening, tilted her head along with the dwarf brothers, while Simon followed me with a serious expression.

“Viktor… Viktor…!”

Damn it… so hot!

Click!

Hissss!

“Gasp!”

When I removed my helmet, I was startled by the steam erupting from inside and threw the helmet to the ground.

The inside of the helmet was glowing red like freshly extracted pig iron, and steam was rising from it.

“Viktor! Why suddenly remove your helmet… Ah! It’s hot!”

When Lucia, who was nearby, picked up the helmet with curiosity, her hand instantly blackened and suffered fourth-degree burns.

Simon, who had been following me, rushed to Lucia and cast a healing spell, quickly restoring her hand to normal. But I was not alright.

“Huff… huff…”

Hissssss…

Drip… drip…

My armor… was melting.

Steam was billowing from my body, making it impossible to see ahead, and I collapsed on the spot, looking up at the sun.

[I can feel your anger.]

How can this be possible?

How should one deal with malice that seems intent only on exploiting others’ misfortunes?

[One person’s justice becomes another’s injustice.]

If a single justice cannot apply even to people within the same fence, why do cities and nations exist at all?

Just because they don’t want to live alone? To pass their responsibilities onto others?

That cannot be. What distinguishes humans from beasts is that we feel shame for evil deeds and pride for good ones.

How can I change this wretched reality where evil drives out good?

Just as you, who are one made of four, had to retreat, I too cannot stand against the entire world.

Despite coming such a long way, am I still just a boy?

Why do you say nothing? Why do you do nothing?

Didn’t you choose me and bestow your blessing to fill this world with radiance?

Or was it to watch the nearby world from afar while burning myself with pride and arrogance?

With those suffering and those causing suffering so close by, do you intend to constrain me with mere words about believing in humanity’s potential…

Hissssss…

“The ground is melting!”

“What the hell is this? A curse?”

“I don’t know, but let’s run! Stay close and you’ll burn to death!”

No.

I’m trying to help you.

Please…

Help me…

In the surging torrent of aura, I used my last strength to look at the sky.

The world was still bright, but the sun was not visible.

Clouds had obscured it.

“Clouds…”

How absurd.

The radiance of the sun that illuminates all creation is obscured by the water vapor that the sun itself evaporated.

“Now I understand.”

I said, gasping for breath.

“Why the Empire perished…”

And then I lost consciousness.

Between the boiling earth and the rising clouds.

*

And one day later.

“Are you alright? That divine possession seemed quite serious…”

“I’m fine… I just reached the limit of my faith for a moment.”

“I see.”

Simon nodded. And he didn’t ask further. The consideration of a sage.

“So… boss?”

“Hmm?”

“That… modification work… I mean, is the order you gave before losing consciousness still valid?”

I stroked my chin thoughtfully at Berkman’s question.

“Yes. Let’s do it thoroughly while we’re at it. Feel free to use all our spare funds to add gun turrets, workshops, and an armory. Expand the storage area significantly too.”

“Got it. We’ll need to hire workers… and gather materials, so it will take some time.”

“That’s fine. I can wait.”

After saying that, I stood up.

Perhaps due to sweating it all out? My physical condition was close to optimal.

I took my restless wife back into my arms and stroked her, then turned my head to look at Simon.

“How much did I… you know…”

Simon handed me a glass shard.

“It’s ceramic.”

“…”

“Congratulations on surpassing 2,400 degrees Celsius, Knight of the Sun.”

2,400 degrees Celsius…

The melting point of iron is around 1,500 degrees, and this was about 1,000 degrees higher.

I literally felt like a human power plant.

“Three more divine possessions and you’ll become the actual sun, right?”

“Don’t tease me, Lucia. Your face might get seared.”

Lucia closed her mouth.

I went outside and looked at the large crater in front of the mooring tower.

I had melted that crater entirely with my own heat. I increasingly felt like I was transforming into something other than human.

“Are you really alright?”

“You said it yourself. When leaders are incompetent, the citizens ultimately suffer. So I need at least some experience.

If I can’t control just 10,000 soldiers, how could I govern a million citizens?”

When I said that, Simon nodded and smiled.

“You’ll need new armor too. It all melted.”

“Indeed. I should have it made of ceramic material.”

I made this frivolous joke while looking out at the cityscape of Zirconia.

People living for survival rather than life due to plunder and extortion kept appearing in my mind.

I may not be able to save them…

But at least I can be their agent of vengeance.

Glory to the Sun!