In the heart of the Imperial Capital, where the palace spires touched the clouds, the Imperial Sorcerer walked through the corridor leading to the Emperor's chambers. The rhythmic tapping of his magical staff echoed, and the rustle of his cloak against the floor sounded like the hissing of snakes. Yet, his right sleeve hung empty, swaying with every step—a living memory of an ancient defeat.
The Imperial Sorcerer reached the door of the Emperor's chamber and was about to knock to ask permission to enter. But a voice from within preceded him: "Enter, Marcus."
Marcus entered the room, which was filled with an aura of mana so dense it made the air heavy and difficult to breathe.
Marcus (Bowing while trembling): "Your Majesty, I have received a report from Argeus. Prince Eric's royal ship has begun its voyage. But more importantly... we have found the desired vessel."
The Emperor did not move, but his deep voice filled the room: "Speak, Marcus. Is he of the quality we hope for?"
Marcus: "Y-yes, Your Majesty. He is a young mercenary, wearing an eye patch, possessing the 'Soul Signature' and 'Black Mana.' Argeus confirms that his raw power shattered the testing matrix with a single strike."
A heavy silence fell before a faint, cold laugh emanated from the Emperor's side.
The Emperor: "A mercenary with an eye patch? Possessing a Soul Signature? Hahaha... what irony. The description reminds me of someone, doesn't it, Marcus?"
Marcus's face contorted, and he looked at his empty sleeve bitterly: "Unfortunately, Your Majesty, this vessel resembles that 'pest' exactly."
The Emperor: "Calm yourself, Marcus. Are you still angry because he took your right hand? You should feel pride, not shame; surviving a fight against a monster like him is an achievement in itself. Even I, at full strength, would have struggled slightly against him."
Marcus (In a sharp tone): "Your Majesty, I am not angry about what he did to me. My anger stems from the fact that he dared to harm your current vessel back then, causing a long delay in our plan."
The Emperor: "Well, you are right. It was a mistake on our part to think no one could stand in our way in this era. And my mistake was thinking no one would be able to complete that sword art if I wrote it in an ancient language and then gradually erased that language until it vanished and was forgotten. It is disappointing that he did not cooperate with us."
The Emperor continued: "But in the end, we got rid of that problem before it became a hindrance in our path. However..."
The Emperor paused for a moment, then leaned his head forward, revealing eyes glowing with terrifying power, looking at Marcus like a tiger eyeing its prey before the kill.
The Emperor (With fury): "Marcus, did we not erase all records of the 'Soul Signature'?"
Marcus: "Yes, Your Majesty, exactly as you ordered. We erased all records of the Soul Signature, the Forbidden Mana, the curses, and anything related to the world from five thousand years ago. For this era, those powers are merely mythical legends that do not exist."
The Emperor: "Then where did this boy come from? And how does he carry those powers? It seems the history we wrote with our own hands has begun to rebel against us. Ensure Argeus does not kill him; I want that vessel alive. I want to see if he is truly good, or if he will burn like those before him. Also, after Argeus completes his assigned task, make sure to dispose of him—he knows too much."
Marcus: "Do not worry, Your Majesty. After he completes the mission, I will possess his body. If it weren't for that cursed Barrier, I would have possessed his body long ago, gone alone, reclaimed the Kingmaker, and destroyed that 'thing.' But the Barrier is designed to specifically prevent us from entering; it targets our souls and tries to destroy them. As for anyone else, the Barrier attacks their minds, showing them illusions of a completely different level. Even I cannot create anything quite like it; what I made was just a pathetic imitation. But I have created a magical tool to help protect Prince Eric's mind specifically. It may not stop the Barrier's effect entirely, but it will weaken it slightly."
The Emperor: "Well done, Marcus. It is true that Eric is useless, but he is essential to our plan to control Archduke Luc Diamond Mind. He is more of a hindrance to us than that Barrier right now. He has exploited his strong ties with Greenford, the Sage of a Thousand, to call for a Continental Summit in response to me sending his grandson to the Fog Islands as a threat. Much has changed over five thousand years, except for the cunning of the Diamond Minds... and the strength of the—"
The Emperor concluded: "Fine, Marcus. You may go and prepare for the Continental Summit."
Marcus: "Yes, Your Majesty."
After Marcus left, the Emperor rose from his desk and looked out the window behind him, which overlooked the entire Empire. A look of mixed sadness and anger appeared on his face. He closed his eyes, hearing whispers from the distant past:
"Brother, brother! Look, I succeeded! I finally managed to create the Barrier!"
"Oh, as expected of my younger brother. See? I told you, if you don't give up, you can do it."
"Really? But what about our eldest brother, Raymond?"
The Emperor opened his eyes with raging fury: "Raymond!" But his right eye was tearing up.
The Emperor: "Ha... are these tears? Hahaha! Are you crying, 'Emperor'? Over what exactly? Over your body that I have possessed? Over the state of your sons? Or over my killing of your eldest brother using your own body? What was his name again? Hmm... ah, right. Gale! Hahaha! But this misery of yours will end soon along with this world, when Argeus brings my new vessel."
In a locked room fortified with the strongest mental spells, Archduke Luc Diamond Mind stood before a giant crystal ball emitting faint lights. Inside the sphere appeared the face of the Sage of a Thousand, "Greenford," whose voice sounded as if it came from another age.
Luc: "Greetings, Sage. What has happened regarding the matter I spoke to you about last time?"
Sage Greenford (Sighing deeply): "Hmm... do you mean the Continental Summit? Well, the Giants and the Beasts have agreed to join, but the Dwarves have not yet replied, and the Vampires remain silent. In any case, Diamond Mind, are you sure you truly want to do this? This decision could lead to two things: first, the complete destruction of your family, just as happened to that family twenty years ago. The second, which I hope does not happen, is a total continental war. Do you realize who you want to fight? He is someone whom, even if the guardians of the six continents gathered together, they would not be able to defeat!"
The Sage bowed his head in sorrow: "He proved that six years ago in that incident that shook the world, when he killed Gale... Gale, who alone was equal to the strength of the six guardians combined. Although he was a pirate, he is someone everyone respected, and you most of all, given what you are doing to everyone involved in that incident; from Kelan, whom you made a globally wanted criminal, to the entity that possesses Emperor Cassius... But why move now, specifically? Wouldn't it have been better to move six years ago, immediately after the incident?"
Luc Diamond Mind (Calmly and firmly): "Well... that is because I was waiting for someone."
Sage Greenford (Astonished): "Waiting for someone? And who is this person worthy of delaying a plan of this magnitude? Well, who is he—"
A Mysterious Voice: "It's me... old man."
The crystal ball shook from the effect of the voice that invaded the room. Sage Greenford recoiled in shock within the sphere, his voice seemingly trapped.
The Sage: "T-that voice! You?! Didn't you die? Why are you here?!"
A mocking laugh erupted from the shadows before a man appeared in tattered clothes, covered in old wounds, but his eyes shone with an invincible power.
The Mysterious Person: "Hahaha! Old man, did you really think I would die from a few wounds I got from fighting you?"
The Sage: "You young brat!.."
Luc Diamond Mind: "Alright, alright... stop it now. Since you are here, it means you have completed the mission, right?"
The mysterious person nodded, his laughter fading into a deadly seriousness.
Luc: "And what is the result?"
The Mysterious Person: "Well, in my entire life, I have faced death three times: once in my fight against Gale, once against Archduke Claude, and the last when I went to the Fog Islands. But what happened in this last mission was worse than anything before. Do you understand what I mean, Luc?"
Silence fell as the mysterious man completed his words, his voice filled with dread: "What we have released into the world now is a monster in human form. And what he experiences from now on is what will determine the fate of the entire world."