Ch.224Chapter 224: Age of Chaos (8)

# Chapter 224: Age of Chaos (8)

Deep within the great forest of the Western Continent, at the ominous center where crimson mana shot skyward like a spear piercing the heavens, stood the massive city of the Dark Assembly.

In the darkest yet most opulent conference room at the highest level of this fortress-like city that had sprung up overnight, the core members of the Dark Assembly had gathered.

Faint red mana filled the space, and strange patterns glowed ominously on the walls.

The one called the Assembly Leader reclined on his throne made of bone and black steel, wearing a satisfied smile.

Beside him stood a military commander with cold, sharp eyes, while high-ranking officials of the Dark Assembly, including the Obscurants, were lined up like shadows around them.

The massive mana device enveloping the entire city emitted a low, threatening noise as it resonated with the chaotic energy spreading throughout the continent.

“It has been a long journey… to reach this point…”

The Assembly Leader murmured in a low voice.

His voice carried a strange resonance along with a sense of accomplishment.

“The continent has fallen into chaos, and we’ve secured all the necessary artifacts. Even the Life Water Storage Core from Geruntia has been successfully retrieved. Commander, is the final inspection complete?”

The commander answered with a trembling voice.

“I am grateful, Assembly Leader.”

His gaze remained fixed on the Assembly Leader.

“The artifacts stolen from various locations, the mana amplification devices, and… the final results of the purification work. All preparations are complete. We can now begin the ritual.”

A chilling gleam flashed in the Assembly Leader’s eyes.

He rose from his seat and gazed at the massive magical map hanging in the center of the conference room, showing the major cities of the continent and the locations where artifacts were stored.

Red dots blinked ominously on the map, marking the locations of successfully stolen artifacts and the epicenters of simultaneous rebellions.

“Purification… yes, purification. The most noble and… necessary work.”

The Assembly Leader muttered. His hand brushed over the slums and poverty-stricken areas on the map where the most red dots were concentrated.

And in their conversation, the true horror of the Dark Assembly was revealed.

The “purification work” they spoke of referred to the horrific human sacrifices secretly carried out over decades in slums and impoverished areas across the continent.

The Dark Assembly was not merely a kidnapping organization.

They had deeply infiltrated social systems throughout the continent, using poverty relief agencies, charities, employment offices, and even hospitals and orphanages as disguised bases.

Their targets were the poorest and most marginalized people—those whose disappearance would go largely unnoticed by society, those without clear household registrations.

They approached those suffering from poverty and despair with honeyed words, threatened them using debt as bait, or simply abducted them.

In some cases, they even concealed human sacrifices by collaborating with certain leaders under the pretext of “cleaning up slums to improve urban aesthetics and establish order,” disposing of people disguised as criminals or vagrants.

Over decades, hundreds of thousands, even millions of people were “purified” in this manner.

Their bodies were twisted and transformed to serve as physical mediums for demon summoning rituals, used as sinister altars or sacrificial tools, or became part of portals to open dimensional gates.

Their life force and souls were distorted and refined, converted into ominous energy to bring demons into this world.

Their pain and screams formed rivers of mana flowing deep beneath the Dark Assembly’s city.

The Assembly Leader murmured as if reflecting on something ephemeral.

“The world… never noticed their disappearance.”

The commander coldly added. His eyes held contempt for the world.

“Rather, the leaders of various nations celebrated that slum problems were being naturally resolved. They deluded themselves that their governance was successful. They believed the reduction in slums and crime rates was due to their policies. Their ignorance and arrogance… perfectly concealed our work. The darkest truth… was hidden within the brightest delusion.”

The Assembly Leader cackled.

The laughter was bone-chilling, like nails scraping against bone.

“Kukukuk, indeed. We used those deemed most worthless… for the most noble and grand purpose. What could be more perfect purification than this? By cutting away the continent’s rotting flesh… we’ve prepared the foundation to welcome a new being.”

He smiled with satisfaction.

“Decades of effort are finally bearing fruit.”

“With the components secured, the ritual’s efficiency has exceeded our expectations. The commotion in Geruntia was… unexpected, but the outcome was optimal. There were unnecessary sacrifices, but… no disruption to the plan.”

The commander reported.

“Now… we can open the gate… and bring demons to this land in their complete form.”

The Dark Assembly officials bowed their heads at the Assembly Leader’s words, showing fanatical loyalty.

Their eyes were filled with zealous belief and malice.

They seemed to believe this purification work was a necessary evil to save humanity, or an essential process to sweep away the corrupt world and establish a new order.

“Good.”

The Assembly Leader rose from his seat. The mana shrouding the Dark Assembly’s massive city rippled with his movement.

“There is no reason to delay any longer. Now… it is time for the descent. All forces are to complete ritual preparations and make final coordination with rebellion units and artifact collection teams across the continent. Open the gate… and welcome them.”

With the Assembly Leader’s command, the entire massive city of the Dark Assembly began to be covered in ominous mana.

Strange patterns engraved throughout the city glowed crimson-black, and terrible rumbling echoed from deep underground.

A demon summoning ritual of unimaginable scale was about to begin, targeting the heart of the continent.

The Dark Assembly’s victory seemed to be right at hand. Their meticulous and cruel plan appeared… to have succeeded perfectly.

Along with the terrifying truth.

***

The Imperial Palace of the Halkin Empire.

The sole sun of the mighty empire.

Emperor ‘Gehrt von Halkin’

As dozens of magical communication devices rang incessantly with urgent reports, the Emperor sat on his throne.

He had already received news of continent-wide chaos and mana reports from the Academy, but the report now in the Emperor’s hand delivered a shock of a different magnitude.

It was the truth about the Dark Assembly’s purification work, finally uncovered by elite agents of the Imperial Intelligence after decades of tracking and piecing together clues revealed by the Dark Assembly’s simultaneous operations.

The Emperor’s eyes moved fiercely across the report.

At first, he frowned in disbelief, but specific testimonies and physical evidence pointed to an undeniable truth.

Purification… the purification they spoke of… was a horrific human sacrifice using the continent’s poor as materials for demon summoning.

For decades, the most impoverished and marginalized citizens throughout the empire and across the continent had been… secretly offered alive to the Dark Assembly!

The color drained from the Emperor’s face.

His body, which had been reclining on the throne, leaned forward.

Along with extreme shock came an unimaginable sense of guilt and self-reproach.

‘I… I was too ignorant…!’

The Emperor’s heart swallowed a scream.

It was not successful governance that had reduced the slums.

‘My people… under my ignorance… were being slaughtered like animals… offered to demons!’

Hot droplets fell from the Emperor’s eyes.

The tears of the continent’s most powerful ruler were not simply sadness but self-reproach for the countless tragedies he had failed to prevent.

He had been angry when the Imperial Chancellor and high nobles attempted rebellion, revealing the existence of the Dark Assembly, but that anger felt trivial in the face of this truth.

The Dark Assembly was not simply a rebel group. They were enemies of all humanity.

The Emperor clutched the report with trembling hands.

When he finally raised his head, his eyes no longer dwelled in sorrow or self-reproach.

They burned with raging anger and iron-like resolve.

‘That vicious Dark Assembly… must be stopped. This is… my atonement.’

“Hear me, all armies!”

He immediately issued a full military mobilization order.

All legions began to gather at an unprecedented speed in imperial history.

Kingdoms and duchies across the continent that had quelled internal conflicts also responded to the empire’s movement by gathering their forces.

Everyone had one goal: the Dark Assembly.

The Emperor wanted not just victory.

He would uproot the evil called the Dark Assembly.

It was the only way to atone for his ignorance and avenge the sacrificed citizens.

At the massive parade ground outside the Imperial Palace, the empire’s strongest legions stood in formation with their banners flying.

Hundreds of thousands of soldiers, knights, and mages waited only for the Emperor’s command.

Nobles and citizens also gathered to witness the historic departure ceremony. In a solemn and majestic atmosphere, the Emperor ascended the platform.

His armor shone golden, but his face was grave.

The Emperor’s voice, magically amplified, resonated throughout the parade ground.

[Soldiers of the Empire! Warriors of the continent! Today, we have gathered here… to face an unprecedented evil!]

He clearly named the Dark Assembly.

And without hesitation, he spoke of their cruel purification work.

Though he did not directly use words like human sacrifice or demon summoning, he made it clear that for decades, the Dark Assembly had targeted the continent’s weakest citizens, committing atrocities, and that their disappearance was not a natural phenomenon.

With a voice full of remorse, he confessed that as the empire’s ruler, he had not known this truth.

[I… as your Emperor… while my people suffered such torment… did not know the truth! Due to my ignorance… countless citizens… were sacrificed in darkness!]

The Emperor’s voice trembled, but it was not weakness—it was the trembling of bone-deep self-reproach and resolve.

[But… now I know the truth! The Dark Assembly… they are an unforgivable evil! They have slaughtered our people… and now seek to plunge the entire continent into chaos and destruction!]

The Emperor drew his sword and raised it high.

His aura, reaching the ninth level, made his voice resound majestically.

[My people… hear me…]

The beginning of the Emperor’s speech was low and heavy.

[We face an unprecedented age of chaos. Twisted, killed, mocked!

Our ignorant past has begun to bind us.]

Only the Emperor’s voice echoed throughout the vast square.

[But… now, we are no longer ignorant!

We have seen the truth, heard the pain, and remembered the blood.]

[For justice!

For the future of the continent!

And above all,

For my people who live under the name of this Halkin Empire!]

[I no longer hesitate.

I will take up my sword and advance!

What say you! My people, I, Gehrt von Halkin!

The conqueror of the Empire and its sun!

Will you take up your swords with me to drive away the darkness, bearing my name on your backs!]

In response to the Emperor’s near-scream and resolute speech, hundreds of thousands of soldiers raised their weapons in unison and roared.

“Waaaaaaaaaaa!!!”

“Long live Emperor!”

“May the Halkin Empire be eternal!!”

The roar shook not just the parade ground but the entire Imperial Palace.

The Emperor’s sincere self-reproach and burning resolve penetrated the hearts of those gripped by fear and confusion, transforming into courage and anger.

The eyes of the soldiers, now clearly recognizing the evil of the enemy called the Dark Assembly, began to shine with fervor.

This was not a simple war. It was a holy war against evil.

The Emperor nodded amid the roars.

He now understood how deeply rooted the evil called the Dark Assembly was, how meticulously they had prepared.

But knowing this, he would not stop.

With the Emperor’s command, the empire’s mightiest forces finally began their majestic march toward the western great forest.

Massive aerial fleets covered the sky, while an endless wave of ground forces stretched below.

It was an overwhelming sight announcing the beginning of the continent’s direct confrontation.

They advanced to stop the evil called the Dark Assembly and reclaim lost justice.

“This fight is no longer the empire’s war. Dark Assembly, this is humanity’s war to correct the price of ignorance.”

A deeper gravity than ever before settled in the Emperor’s gaze.