Chapter 38: Shock After Shock

Chapter 38

“Does any one of you have any idea what brought about this phenomenon. And more importantly, what its purpose is to begin with.”

The emperor asked casually.

Too casually.

His tone did not match the weight of the situation. It was as if the Crimson Night was nothing more than an inconvenience. As if the world trembling beneath it was someone else’s problem. Then again, what else should they expect from an emperor who preferred wandering the world to actually ruling his own kingdom.

If any of them had the power, they would have tried to strip him of his throne long ago.

But they did not.

The gap between them was so vast it crushed even the thought of rebellion. If any of them dared act, they would not even know how they died.

Silence ruled the hall.

The emperor glanced at the council, unimpressed, and was about to speak again when one figure rose from his seat.

A massive man.

His face was framed by a thick, wild beard clinging to his jagged jaw. He wore black robes threaded with intricate crimson linings that seemed to pulse faintly, like veins filled with fire. The moment he stood, the temperature in the hall spiked. Waves of scorching fire qi rolled off his body, distorting the air itself.

He quickly suppressed it.

Not out of habit.

Out of fear.

If cultivators across the kingdom knew that this man restrained himself to avoid being scolded, their worlds would shatter.

This was the Fiery Mammoth.

One of the most infamous and powerful figures the kingdom had ever produced.

His name was not a title given lightly. His temper was legendary. His power, absolute. One of his most recorded feats was the destruction of an entire small kingdom and every force that stood with it, all reduced to ash. Their crime was attempting to cut his thick, rugged beard, rumored to be the source of his power.

When questioned afterward, he did not mention the beard.

He said only one word.

“They were annoying.”

Hundreds died because of that.

And yet, no one dared condemn him. His contributions to the empire were too vast. His strength, influence, and connections placed him among the very few who held near absolute authority.

And still, here he stood, cautious not to irritate the emperor.

His voice boomed across the hall, rough and heavy enough to shake stone.

“The Crimson Night phenomenon is still not fully understood. However, from what we have gathered, it did not simply vanish after fading. The energy condensed and coalesced into the Crimson Moon.”

Murmurs rippled through the council.

“The Crimson Moon only shone brightly over one region. A small kingdom.”

His eyes narrowed.

“Based on the events and the energy traces recorded, I believe the root cause originates from that kingdom. I suggest we summon their king for questioning. Or better yet, search the kingdom itself and uncover the source directly.”

He paused, lips curling slightly.

“Do not worry, my lord. If the king of that small kingdom dares act tough, leave him to me. I will handle him.”

“No need.”

The emperor cut him off calmly.

The Fiery Mammoth raised an eyebrow, confusion flickering across his fierce features.

“No need to bother with the small kingdom. Or its king.”

The emperor leaned back, utterly relaxed.

“They are all dead now.”

The hall froze.

“The entire small kingdom. Every inhabitant. Every secret it held.”

His eyes gleamed faintly.

“All burned to a crisp.”

No survivors.

The Fiery Mammoth, along with the rest of the council, froze for a brief moment.

An entire kingdom erased within hours.

Even when Mammoth had razed that small kingdom over the beard incident, it had taken him days. And it was not as effortless as people liked to pretend. Difficult , no. But not instant either.

That was not the point.

The point was this.

A kingdom, small or not, had been wiped out without defense, without resistance, without time. And it was done in an absurdly short span.

That was terrifying.

Among everyone present, only the emperor and perhaps a handful of regional overlords could replicate such a feat.

But that was not the worst part.

“Based on Ragnar’s report, and the residual aura left behind by the destroyed kingdom…”

The emperor spoke again. This time, his casual tone was gone. What replaced it was cold seriousness.

“I have reached a very grave conclusion.”

The hall grew deathly still.

“Whoever attacked and destroyed that kingdom is far from simple. At the very least, they would need to be at my level of power to accomplish such a thing.”

The council members froze once more.

They were not weak. They were not easily shaken. And yet, this meeting had struck them with shock after shock.

Someone at the emperor’s level.

Someone who wielded power within the same realm.

Someone hostile to the Ardentia Kingdom.

Almost simultaneously, a single name surfaced in every mind.

Essos.

“Could it be him.”

The words slipped out, heavy with panic.

Essos and his army from the Hwanna Kingdom were their sworn enemies. Their greatest threat. For years, both sides had clashed without either gaining a decisive advantage. Essos himself was rumored to stand on the same level as the emperor, though that had never been confirmed.

But what if it was true.

What if Essos had acted.

Their faces tightened, worry replacing the composure they had worn moments earlier. If Essos had attacked after the loss of several Ardentia experts, and if he had somehow advanced…

The Crimson Night had blanketed the entire world.

Who was to say Hwanna had not benefited from it as well.

Unlike their emperor, who was notoriously lazy, Essos was ruthless and driven. If he had grown even slightly stronger, it could tip the scales.

It could decide the war.

“You worry too much.”

The emperor scoffed lightly.

“Believe me, I do not think that old bastard has grown any stronger. Though I cannot say that with absolute certainty.”

A pause.

“But I am certain of one thing. He was not the one who attacked that small kingdom where the Crimson Night originated.”

The tension did not ease.

“If that is the case…”

A golden haired man spoke up, his voice calm despite the pressure.

“Does that not mean there is another expert, on the same level as you, my lord, hiding within the kingdom.”

The emperor waved his hand dismissively.

“Unlikely. My detection skills are top notch. No one on my level could escape my radar.”

Then his eyes narrowed slightly.

“Unless…”

The word alone froze the room.

“Unless that figure is stronger than me.”

The council went silent.

Some might have thought their reaction exaggerated. But they alone understood what the emperor truly represented. They knew his strength. They knew that if he chose to fight, there would be no survivors.

And now he was suggesting the possibility of someone above him.

It was unthinkable.

The emperor snorted, brushing the thought aside almost immediately.

“Nah. I highly doubt that.”

He leaned forward, resting his chin on his hand.

“The more likely explanation is that the king of the small kingdom obtained a powerful treasure. Something that triggered the Crimson Night phenomenon.”

His eyes glinted faintly.

“It is possible that during their experiments, the energy gathered and condensed into the Crimson Moon. And whatever foolish thing they were doing eventually backfired, resulting in the complete destruction of the kingdom.”

He fell silent, deep in contemplation.

Despite being mere speculation, not a single person in the hall doubted him.

When someone reached the emperor’s level, instinct mattered more than proof.

And more often than not, his instincts were more accurate than most divinations.

Since everything discussed was still speculation and nothing had been confirmed, the emperor issued his orders.

“Investigate the region where the small kingdom once stood. I want everything. Traces of war. Residual energy. Any hint of a treasure capable of causing such devastation and triggering the Crimson Night phenomenon.”

His gaze swept across the council.

“Anyone who provides valuable intelligence will receive an increase in star rating.”

Every council member’s eyes gleamed.

That reward alone was enough to ignite obsession. Their interest was no longer passive curiosity. It was hunger. Whatever answers existed, they would dig them out, no matter the cost.

The meeting concluded after a few more details were discussed.

The emperor vanished.

When he reappeared, he stood within another grand hall, far quieter than the one he had left. This hall was deeper. Older. Heavier. The air itself felt wrong.

He frowned slightly.

No one could see it. His face was still concealed beneath layered spells and seals.

His hand clenched subtly.

All around the hall lay bodies.

Diviners.

High class diviners. The best the empire had to offer. Figures whose names alone inspired reverence. They were sprawled across the floor, eyes hollow, faces twisted, as if their souls had been torn out and discarded.

This was the result of the task he had given them.

To divine the truth behind the Crimson Night.

They had failed.

Not because they were incompetent.

But because whatever they had seen shattered them.

Before collapsing into this state, the only thing they had managed to utter was a single fragmented word.

Before the emperor could complete his thought, a sudden shriek pierced the hall.

He turned.

One remaining diviner thrashed violently, fingers digging into his own hair as if trying to rip it out. His screams echoed wildly, raw and broken.

“Hell. Hell. Hell.”

He screamed it three times.

Then his body went limp.

His eyes turned hollow.

Just like the rest.

The emperor clenched his fist.

Because it was the same word again and again.

The accursed word they all shouted.

The word they all screamed loudly before becoming hollow.

“Hell.”

To be continued.

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