Night, several months later.
Heavy clouds pressed down over the sky of the Holy City.
Not a single star could be seen.
The wind slid along the towering walls,
like someone holding their breath while moving through the dark.
Hong Chen and the Ten Attendants,
like shadows formed from the night itself,
silently climbed the high wall.
There was no command, no hesitation.
Hong Chen stood upon the edge of the battlement.
His gaze passed beyond the cliff outside the city
and fell downward—
upon an old tree with twisted branches.
Beneath it stood an inconspicuous grave marker.
His steps stopped.
He did not kneel.
He said nothing.
He only inclined his head slightly.
As if greeting an old acquaintance,
or quietly informing them:
I have returned.
As he turned away, his voice was calm,
yet carried a weight heavier than any military order.
"Wound them… do not kill."
In the next instant—
blue flames ignited.
Not an explosive roar,
but a silent burning.
It tore a crack through the night of the Holy City.
The alarm suddenly shattered the darkness.
Bells.
War horns.
Hurried footsteps exploding all at once—
yet it was already too late.
The first streak of blue fire swept across the wall.
The guards were blasted backward,
yet their bodies remained intact.
The second impact struck.
Armor shattered violently,
but the men still breathed.
This was clearly deliberate.
The Ten Attendants spread out.
Like ten blades honed to icy sharpness,
they struck with precision—
knocking down, sealing, dismantling.
No lives were taken,
yet none who were struck could rise again.
"Hong Chen!!"
Hong Lei's roar crashed like thunder as he charged into the battlefield.
His battle axe rose high,
carrying the terrifying authority he had held for years.
It came crashing down.
Hong Chen shifted slightly aside.
The blade barely brushed past his cloak.
The second strike.
The third.
Hong Lei swung faster and faster,
his breathing growing increasingly disordered.
Only then did he realize—
Hong Chen was not dodging.
He was yielding ground.
"You—!!"
Blue flames suddenly exploded.
BOOM!
The shockwave thundered across the battlefield.
The heavy armor on Hong Lei's chest shattered.
His entire body was hurled backward,
slamming violently into the city wall.
Stone fragments burst like rain.
When he fell to the ground, blood spilled from the corner of his mouth.
Yet he still struggled to rise.
Hong Chen had already turned his gaze away.
Farr arrived in haste.
Runes ignited around him as intricate magic circles unfolded instantly.
Wind blades.
Light bindings.
Sealing barriers.
Everything was deployed with speed and precision.
Hong Chen raised his hand—
and struck outward with a single motion.
…Disperse.
Like scraps of paper crushed by an invisible giant hand,
the magic shattered instantly.
Farr was thrown back several steps
and collapsed heavily onto the ground.
Looking at Hong Chen's back,
he realized something clearly for the first time:
that was no longer a power he could understand.
The Holy City was collapsing.
Generals fell one after another.
Soldiers lost the will to fight.
Not because of death—
but because of a helplessness that seeped into their bones.
Deputy commander Kari crouched in the shadows of the palace,
his eyes fixed ahead.
He knew Hong Chen's target—
the royal palace.
Hong Chen and the Ten Attendants arrived before it.
"Here."
"Yes."
The Ten bowed their heads and continued onward.
Hong Chen stepped into the palace alone.
From the shadows—
Kari erupted forward in a sudden ambush.
His spear pierced through the air with fierce force.
Hong Chen raised his hand.
His fingers closed instantly around Kari's throat.
He looked at him once.
There was no hostility.
No anger.
Only a calm gaze that seemed to see him completely.
Then—
with a casual motion, he threw him aside.
Kari's body slammed heavily into the wall
and he immediately lost consciousness.
Guards surged forward—
only to be struck down and thrown aside one after another.
Hong Chen stood before the palace doors.
He reached out—
and pushed them open.
The smell of wine rushed out.
Kai crouched beside the bed,
his robes disheveled.
The blade in his hand trembled uncontrollably.
Hong Chen walked forward step by step.
He did not draw a weapon.
Smack!
The first slap landed.
Kai staggered backward.
Smack!
The second followed immediately.
Hong Chen's voice was cold as ice.
"Useless."
The third.
The fourth.
"The entire Holy City…"
"…has become…"
"…a city of fools."
Because of you.
Kai collapsed onto the ground.
Like a terrified child,
he could no longer lift his head.
Hong Chen finally stopped.
He looked at him once.
It was not pity—
but deep disappointment.
"Listen."
"The next time I return…"
"I won't be this gentle."
He turned and left.
Without looking back.
Outside the palace,
the Ten had already withdrawn to the wall.
Hong Chen stepped onto the battlement.
The blue flames slowly faded.
The Holy City trembled with alarms and groans.
And with ten companions beside him,
he once again vanished into the night.
There was no declaration of war.
No seizure of power.
Only one clear message remained:
Your city is still alive.
But you are unworthy to rule it.
After Hong Chen left,
the Holy City did not greet victory.
Only endless panic.
The walls were broken.
The palace gates shattered.
Physicians rushed back and forth.
The smell of blood and herbs twisted together in the night wind.
There were no mountains of corpses.
Yet it was more unsettling than any battlefield.
Everyone understood:
he had held back.
Inside the council hall,
Hong Lei sat against a stone pillar.
His chest armor had not yet been fully removed.
Dark blood already seeped through the bandages.
He slammed his fist into the ground.
"Farr… he's too strong."
"Far too ridiculous."
It was not anger.
It was crushing defeat.
Farr stood nearby.
His robe was torn.
His hands were still trembling.
After a long silence he finally spoke softly.
"Yes… it truly is absurd."
He looked up at the shattered dome.
"That power can't be explained by training, talent, or will."
"It's more like…"
The word reached his lips—
but he never spoke it.
Fate.
Kari sat in the corner.
His back against the wall.
The spear lay across his knees.
He said nothing.
Yet whenever footsteps sounded outside,
his fingers tightened unconsciously.
It was fear.
Not fear of an enemy—
but the instinctive reaction toward something incomprehensible.
Meanwhile,
deep within the palace,
the chamber of the little princess Ning remained as calm as ever.
Candlelight flickered quietly.
Curtains hung softly.
Maids carefully gathered the fragments scattered from the shattered window,
not daring to make the slightest sound.
Ning sat upon the bed.
Her eyes were empty,
as if still lost in some distant night.
Suddenly—
she spoke.
Her voice was as light as the wind.
"…Have you come back again?"
The maids froze instantly.
One dropped a jade plate.
Clack!
The shattering sound echoed sharply in the quiet chamber.
Everyone turned in shock, staring at the little princess on the bed.
"Y-Your Highness…?"
Ning did not look at them.
She simply gazed out the window,
as if that person still stood in the night.
Her voice remained gentle—
yet no longer empty.
"This time…"
"…you seem very angry."
The candle flame flickered slightly.
At that moment,
the Holy City finally understood—
what Hong Chen left behind
was not only panic.
But also a past
that no one could avoid.
数月后的夜.
圣城的天空压着浓云,连半颗星辰都不见.风声贴着高耸的城墙游走,像谁在暗处屏息潜行.
红辰与十待,如夜色凝成的影子,悄无声息攀上高墙.
没有号令,也无迟疑.红辰立在城垛边缘,目光越过城外断崖,落向下方…
一棵虬枝盘结的老树,树下立着块不起眼的墓碑.
他脚步顿住.
未跪,未语,只是微微颔首.像是与旧人问好,又像是轻声告知:我回来了.
转身之际,他声音平静,却带着比军令更沉的重量:"只伤…不杀."
下一瞬,蓝炎燃起.
不是爆裂的轰鸣,是静默的灼烧,硬生生将圣城的夜撕出一道裂口.
警报声骤然刺破黑暗,钟声,号角,仓促的奔跑声同时炸开…却终究太迟了.
第一道蓝焰掠过城墙,守军倒飞而出,身形却仍完整;第二道冲击落下,铠甲轰然崩裂,人却还留着气息…这分明是刻意为之.
十待分散开来,如十把淬了寒芒的利刃,精准地击倒,封锁,瓦解.不夺性命,却叫每个被击中的人,再也无法站起.
"红辰!!"
洪雷的怒吼如惊雷炸响,当先冲入战场.战斧高举,带着多年未变的慑人威势,狠狠劈落!
红辰侧身让过,斧刃堪堪擦着披风掠过.
第二斧,第三斧...洪雷越砍越急,呼吸渐渐紊乱…他终于发现,红辰根本不是在闪避,而是在让步.
"你!!"
蓝炎陡然炸开,轰的一声震彻四野!洪雷胸前重甲爆裂,整个人被狠狠掀飞,重重撞进城墙,石屑飞溅如雨.他落地时,血从唇角涌出,却仍挣扎着想要撑起身体.
红辰却已移开目光.
法尔匆匆赶到,周身符文亮起,繁复的魔法阵顷刻间展开.风刃,光索,束缚结界…一切布置得精密而迅疾.
红辰抬手,反手用力一拍.
…散.
如同一团碎纸被无形巨手揉捻,魔法瞬间崩解.法尔被震退数步,重重摔倒在地.他抬头望着红辰的背影,第一次清晰意识到:那已不是他所能理解的"力量".
圣城,正在崩塌.
将领接连倒下,士兵失去战意…不是因死亡的威慑,而是源于深入骨髓的无力.
副将卡里伏在宫内阴影里,目光紧锁前方…他知道红辰的目标,是王宫.
红辰与十待抵达宫前.
"在这里."
"继续."
十待低头应声,红辰则独自踏入王宫.
阴影中,卡里暴起突袭,长枪挟着劲风直刺而来!
红辰抬手,五指骤然收紧,精准捏住他的咽喉.他看了卡里一眼,没有敌视,没有愤怒,只是...将眼前人彻底看清.
下一瞬,他随手一甩…卡里整个人狠狠砸进墙垣,随即昏死过去.
护卫们蜂拥而上,却接连被击倒,震飞.红辰站在王宫门前,伸手推门…
酒气扑面而来.凯缩在床边,披着凌乱的袍子,手里攥着的刀止不住发抖.
红辰一步步走近,没有拔刀.
啪!
第一记巴掌落下,凯踉跄着后退.
啪!
第二记紧随其后,红辰的声音冷得像冰,不带一丝温度:"废物."
第三掌,第四掌...
"整个圣城"
"都因为你变成了"
"废物城."
凯瘫坐在地,像个被吓坏的孩子,再也抬不起头.
红辰终于停下,看他一眼...不是怜悯,是深深的失望.
"听着."
"下次我再来..."
"就没这么温柔了."
说完,他转身离去,没有回头.
宫外,十待早已撤至墙边.红辰踏上高墙,蓝炎缓缓熄灭.圣城在警报与呻吟中震颤,而他带着十个人,再度隐没在夜色里.
没有宣战,没有夺权,只留下一个清晰的信息
你们的城,还活着.只是你们,不配掌控它.
红辰离开后,圣城没有迎来胜利,只有漫无边际的恐慌.
城墙破损,宫门残裂,医官们奔走穿梭,血腥味与药草味在夜风中纠缠.没有尸山血海,却比任何惨烈战局更令人不安...所有人都清楚,他留手了.
议事殿内,洪雷靠着石柱坐下,胸甲还未完全卸下,绷带上已渗出殷红血迹.他一拳砸在地上,声音沙哑:"法尔...他强得…太离谱了."
不是愤怒,是彻骨的挫败.
法尔站在一旁,法袍破损不堪,手还在微微发颤.沉默许久,他才低声应道:"是的...真的很离谱."他抬头望向被击碎的穹顶,"那已经不是训练,天赋或意志能解释的力量,那像是…"
话到嘴边,终究没有说出"命运"二字.
卡里坐在角落,背靠墙壁,长枪横在膝上,始终一言不发.可每当外头传来脚步声,他的手指就会下意识收紧…那是恐惧,并非对敌人的畏惧,而是对无法理解之物的本能反应.
与此同时,王宫深处,小公主宁的寝宫却依旧如常.烛火安静跳动,帷幔轻轻低垂,宫女们正轻声收拾着因窗口爆裂散落的碎片,不敢发出半点声响.
宁坐在床上,目光空洞,仿佛仍沉浸在某个遥远的夜晚.
突然,她开口了,声音轻得像风,几乎不似真实存在:"...你又回来了吗?"
宫女们的动作猛地僵住,有人失手将玉盘摔落在地…
啪!
碎裂声在静谧的房内格外刺耳,所有人都怔怔转身,不敢置信地望向床上的小公主:"殿,殿下...?"
宁没有看她们,只是凝望着窗外,仿佛那个人还站在夜色里.她的声音依旧轻柔,却已不再空洞:"这次...你看起来,好像很生气."
烛火微微一晃.
这一刻,圣城终于明白…红辰留下的,不只是恐慌,还有一段所有人都无法回避的过去.