Ch.215215. High Elf War

Time passed, and it was now a century since the founding of the Dawn Empire.

It had been nearly 100 years since Emperor Bjorn Wolfson of the Dawn Empire had declared the beginning of the Age of Dark.

The Empire continued to sail smoothly without major issues.

While all sorts of disturbances were occurring outside the Dawn Empire’s territory, there was no need to concern themselves with evil gods fighting among themselves.

Thus, the Dawn Empire, experiencing no significant internal problems, was recording dazzling growth and prosperity day by day… but…

As always, the beginning of trouble originated from outside.

In the 98th year of the Age of Darkness.

The “Immortal Lord” who had ruled the High Elf nation until then passed away, and a High Elf named El’draf Faltepiris newly ascended to the position.

Originally the governor of a High Elf colony in India, he was recognized for his outstanding military achievements there and was elected Immortal Lord by the Council of Elders.

The “Immortal Lord,” ruler of the High Elf nation, was an elected position rather than one inherited through bloodline, which made this possible.

In any case, being an elected position meant that the individual’s abilities were scrutinized more thoroughly, and indeed, El’draf Faltepiris’s achievements were truly remarkable.

She had performed heroic military feats in the war against the Dark Elves of the southern continent, and after being appointed to the Indian colony, she expanded its territory by as much as threefold.

Recognized for her exceptional abilities as both a conqueror and a general, she was enthroned as the “Immortal Lord” following the Council of Elders’ opinion that the High Elves needed a strong leader in these dark and chaotic times.

Her military achievements were extraordinarily brilliant and exceptional, and her bold personality was received as a charming contrast among the High Elves.

Most decisively, El’draf possessed a truly “High Elven” appearance. Combined with High Elven supremacism, this resulted in her enthronement.

Amid cheers echoing throughout the Albion island, immediately after the coronation ceremony came the Immortal Lord’s speech.

In this venue where dignitaries from friendly neighboring nations had gathered to hear her aspirations—arguably the most diplomatically important event—

[High Elves are the noble race chosen by the gods of the Elven pantheon! To such an extent that no other race can compare!!]

El’draf Faltepiris boldly delivered a speech heavily laced with Elven supremacist rhetoric.

Well, even up to this point, it was enough to be considered a diplomatic discourtesy, but El’draf went a step further with her madness.

[The Elven race, to which High Elves belong, is the most superior, as proven through our history!

Humans, who swarm all over the world, are the trash of mankind as a whole,

The short-legged Dwarves are pathetic, low-quality beings who live by digging in the ground!

Naturally, Orcs are the most inferior creatures, too shameful to even mention.

But among all races existing in this world, the most vicious are those who worship evil gods,

Killing them all and eradicating their seed from this world is what promises our bright tomorrow!]

Saying such things in the presence of Dwarven diplomatic envoys and Dawn Empire diplomats, they naturally erupted in furious protests.

Even among Elves who shared similar ideologies, saying such things openly was considered foolish. Amid the chaos of mounting opposition—

“What are you going to do about it? Inferior beings. You should be grateful just to be in my presence, how dare you protest?”

Unlike her past when she at least pretended to be normal, she revealed her true colors and immediately insulted the protesting diplomatic envoys.

“Hahaha!! Your bald head seems to shine!!”

For the Dwarven diplomats, El’draf went so far as to shave off all their beards.

Shaving the beards of Dwarves, who take pride in their luxuriantly grown facial hair as a matter of honor, was equivalent to socially burying them alive.

Therefore, this went beyond the level of diplomatic discourtesy that could warrant an immediate declaration of war—it was essentially picking a fight outright.

Meanwhile, what El’draf did to the Dawn Empire’s diplomats was even worse than what she did to the Dwarven envoys.

Basic insults about their primitiveness were just the beginning; after testing their patience with all sorts of offensive language and behavior, she finally caused an incident.

“As expected of humans… making such a fuss over some petty god. Hey, kill him.”

“…Yes.”

—Slash!

Not only did El’draf openly insult and mock the Dawn Empire’s patron deity, but she also had her royal guards kill one of the diplomats sent as an envoy.

This was, by anyone’s standards, tantamount to a declaration of war.

The remaining envoys, barely managing to recover the deceased, reported every detail of what had happened—

As a result, this became the catalyst for both the Dwarven Kingdom and the Dawn Empire to declare war.

※ ※ ※

Immediately after news of the declaration of war arrived, the High Elf nation was in utter chaos.

“W-what are we going to do about this?”

“What do you mean what? We just kill them.”

El’draf, either empty-headed or swollen with arrogance, spouted irresponsible words, while the Council of Elders was completely paralyzed by mutual blame-shifting.

Some argued that El’draf’s head should be offered immediately, while her followers appeared to forcibly cover for her, intensifying the confusion.

Yet even in this situation, El’draf Faltepiris displayed a confident demeanor, because she knew about the High Elves’ ultimate military strength: the Immortal Heroes.

The souls of ancient Elven heroes who had reached superior levels and decided to continue serving the Elves even after death—56 in total.

The authority to control these souls by placing them into artificially created bodies using all of Elven magical technology belonged solely to El’draf, the legitimate ruler of all High Elves.

So, there was no need to hesitate.

El’draf, who had confidently declared war against them, went to bed with a happy heart—

The next morning, at the High Elven court.

KWAAAAAAANG—!!!!

Just as the sun began to rise, something flew from the reddening sky at a speed too fast for anyone to react, and crashed directly into the center of the palace.

“W-what is this?!!”

“Guards, call the guards!! Protect the Immortal Lord!”

After destroying all the countless coastal batteries installed along the shore.

It had broken through dozens of layers of tactical shields protecting the High Elven capital before landing.

Naturally, all Elves fell into panic, unable to react properly.

The figure that created a crater in the ground upon landing displayed majestic dignity—

“I-it’s the Emperor!!”

“It’s the Transcendent! The Transcendent has appeared!!”

As anyone might expect, it was the Emperor, his eyes rolled back in extreme anger.

The only Transcendent active in the material world and the strongest sentient being on the planet.

Believed capable of destroying the world single-handedly, he had now unleashed his “true self.”

The unimaginable amount of energy latent within his body was released in the form of an aura that burst forth in all directions—

—KWAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGANG!!!

In the next moment, the High Elven palace collapsed entirely.

Bjorn’s aura had pulverized almost all matter forming the lower structure of the palace.

The land withered, the earth split, and the space that had been fluctuating finally began to crack.

Naturally, everyone exposed within the range of his attack had their souls instantly collapsed and absorbed, and this included El’draf and the Immortal Heroes.

Even the souls of intermediate Elves that were being stored in the same manner in the underground of the High Elven palace were all destroyed, becoming a delicious meal for Bjorn.

After all High Elven ambitions evaporated in an instant.

Bjorn destroyed all teleportation defense devices in the area.

As the finishing touch, 30,000 Avenger Legion troops arrived through teleportation portals.

With this, the war was concluded in just one day with the High Elves’ defeat.

※ ※ ※

Afterward, to the Elves who were dumbfounded by the instantaneous evaporation of all their accumulated souls, Bjorn and the Dwarves who arrived on airships presented a bill.

From enormous reparations to the transfer of magical artillery technology, and the handover of El’draf’s followers as hostages.

The Elves, who signed a humiliating yet undeniable treaty, tried to rationalize by saying they were fortunate not to have to surrender their national treasures.

Meanwhile, the Dwarves, impressed by the Dawn Empire’s retaliation on their behalf, transferred most of the reparations to the Empire, saying they wouldn’t have received them anyway.

Furthermore, they declared they would transfer all sorts of cutting-edge technologies.

The Dawn Empire was filled with confidence that it would develop infinitely as good fortune continued… but…

This flow was interrupted by tragic news.

In the 105th year of the Dawn Empire calendar.

Emperor Bjorn “The Chosen” Wolfson of the Empire suddenly disappeared.