The next day.
The sacred oath began.
The Empress stood on the high platform, with the four fragments of Tribbie standing side by side next to her, two on each side.
On the "Decree" wrapped in mithril threads, Cerydra and the four fragments joined hands and put down their pens.
"People of Okhema."
"I, the 'Crown-Burner', the 'Dictator', the 'Empress', the 'Commander-in-Chief', the 'Caesar'... the titles the world has given me are many and varied."
"But, it doesn't matter!"
"Since the 'Fate Lord' Tribios spread the prophecy of salvation, more than a hundred years have passed."
"During this time, the Golden War has been continuous, city-states have collapsed, bones have piled into mountains, and blood has soaked the fertile soil."
"The shadow of the Titans looms over the land, and humans struggle like ants."
As she spoke, Cerydra suddenly raised her finger to point at the sky and shouted loudly.
"But the Sun-Thunder Knight Seliose, with a mortal body and a sword, split open the divine body, showing the world—Titans can be slain!"
"Today!"
"I have made the various states bow their heads, made the Hanging Blade sign a peace treaty, and ended the Golden War."
"In the name of 'Caesar', I declare to Okhema, to Ladon, to Handak, to every city-state that still draws breath—from today, the 'Journey of Flame-Chase' officially begins!"
As she spoke, Cerydra held the decree high, her voice like a great bell.
By coincidence, the sunlight spilled through the gaps in the morning clouds, plating the Empress in a layer of golden-red, making her look like a deity.
"I will lead you to form a massive army to crusade against the Black Tide, hunt the Titans, seize the Embers, and achieve the 'Re-Genesis' in the Kefale prophecy!"
As her voice fell, the crowd erupted like a surging tide.
"Long live Her Majesty the Empress!"
"Caesar!"
"Crusade against the Titans, Re-Genesis!"
"Roar roar!"
The shouts were deafening.
Only Tribbie stood silently in place, her fingertips trembling slightly.
Looking at Cerydra's awe-inspiring figure like a deity, her heart felt as heavy as a thousand pounds.
After all, the prophecy was fake, and Re-Genesis was a lie, but for the future of Amphoreus, she could only try her best to keep acting.
As the cheers subsided slightly, Cerydra's gaze swept sternly over the crowd, her voice suddenly turning cold and serious.
"Duke of Broken Blades, Duke of Winter Rain, Duke of Whispering Wind, Duke of Dragging Stone, Duke of Golden Weave, Duke of Withering—from today, prepare weapons, grain, and all combat supplies without fail!"
With each name called, a figure below accepted the order.
Armor clanked, and killing intent vaguely appeared.
"Also!"
"Dispatch Flame-Chase Heralds, in the name of 'Caesar', to Ladon, to Handak, to every city-state."
"Declare to them: the Journey of Flame-Chase has begun!"
Cerydra suddenly raised her hand and shouted.
"Roar roar!"
The number one lackey, the "Duke of Broken Blades," pounded his chest on the spot, his voice like a great bell as he swore the oath: "I will follow Caesar to the death! Until blood is spent and bones are dry, I will not retreat a single step!"
The other Dukes echoed in response, the sound waves sweeping in all directions like a tide.
...
What?
Who is the "Duke of Withering"?
Ryuga muttered to himself, blinking blankly.
Uh, Castorice.
The oath-taking ceremony ended, and soon, the Flame-Chase Heralds passed through the gates opened by Tribbie to go to the various city-states to read the Empress's decree.
In the crowd, Logus stroked his chin with one hand, a smile on his face as he nodded slightly.
Ryuga's peripheral vision swept over; as expected, nothing happened.
Logus didn't notice anything unusual beside him; Vill-V, Sakura, Himeko, and... Elysia were not seen through.
Vill-V and the others were one thing, but Elysia was different.
After all, she had Xilian's face.
This was the "13th Titan" hidden under the secrets of Amphoreus.
Once he saw Elysia's "true face," he definitely couldn't be this calm.
In Logus's eyes, they were just a few local maids with outstanding looks bestowed upon him by Cerydra, of no importance.
The Curios "Jak'Sho, the Protean" and "Universal Pass" scored big.
All-star MVPs.
After the oath-taking, Logus turned and left without looking back, nor did he speak to him.
Clearly, he still regarded himself as a "Spectator of Divine Rites."
After watching Cerydra's brilliant performance, Elysia also went back to the "Three-Honkai" world.
The horn of the "Journey of Flame-Chase" sounded, and the land would never be peaceful again.
The reactions of the various city-states were all different.
Some Amphoreus people thought Cerydra was a "mad Empress," using salvation as a name to pursue her ambitions.
Some smiled indifferently, closed their doors, and continued to drink and make merry; it had nothing to do with them.
But more people were already boiling with blood.
They celebrated and shouted Caesar's name.
The long-lasting Golden War had already left them exhausted.
Now someone had finally stood up, carrying the banner of crusading against the Titans and running toward the future of Re-Genesis.
Even if the road ahead was an abyss, they were willing to follow the Empress's flame.
Even if they were smashed to pieces, they had to fight for a future.
...
In the group chat.
Elysia had been back for a long time, but there was still no movement.
With no other choice, Ryuga @-ed her.
After a while, Elysia responded.
Customer Service Miss Pink Elf: "Hee hee~, I just wanted to see if you'd get anxious. Dear, Elf Elysia has returned safely."
Desert Reaper: "Love you~, by the way, how's home?"
Customer Service Miss Pink Elf: "I love you too (blows a kiss). I checked the time; two months have passed."
Ryuga was silent for a moment.
Actually, he didn't know what the time in the group chat meant either.
Supposedly, in the blink of an eye outside, several years had passed inside Amphoreus.
He couldn't figure it out and was too lazy to think about it.
Desert Reaper: "How's the Honkai situation?"
Customer Service Miss Pink Elf: "It's okay~, only some small Honkai. Hua is progressing rapidly under Hen's guidance, having suppressed five small Honkai by herself. She's now the ace of the MOTHs; I'm about to be pushed aside like an old wave."
Director Furina: "Is Amphoreus fun?"
Customer Service Miss Pink Elf: "It's fun~, Fufu, it would be even more fun if you went there to play Cerydra."
Director Furina: "Don't."
I, Fufu, spent the first half of my life playing the Hydro Archon; am I going to spend the second half faking being a monarch?
My heart is so tired.
13th Generation Sect Master of Mt. Yunkuo: "Ryuga, do you have time now? I'm preparing to go down the mountain to take Fufu for a trial, and I'll bring along the Void Hunter of the Hoshimi family. When the old capital fell, her mother perished that night; I think... she will be like me."
Yixuan had wanted to go down the mountain earlier.
But just as she was about to set off, Shiye disappeared.
So it took a long time to find her, and then another mess was made, delaying it until now.
Who!?
Ryuga was directly stunned.
The Void Hunter of the Hoshimi family—isn't that Miyabi Hoshimi?
He was a bit excited.
Desert Reaper: "A Titan trial is currently underway; @ me once you've made the arrangements."
13th Generation Sect Master of Mt. Yunkuo: "Okay."
Anyway, she had just taken Fufu down the mountain, and the training would take a while; convincing Miyabi Hoshimi would also take time.
After chatting for a bit and giving Elysia some instructions, Ryuga closed the group chat.
...
"Hysilens."
"Mm?"
"A gift for you."
Ryuga took out a crystal earring and handed it to Hysilens.
The earring was a mermaid, with a slightly curled tail fin and arms folded over her chest, as if humming an ancient song that no one understood.
He had someone make it while he was on the Luofu, imitating Hysilens's posture when she guarded the Vortex Path.
Only it was changed to a mermaid.
The most interesting thing was that the mermaid's belly, like Hysilens's, had water slowly flowing and bubbles gurgling.
"Water without a trace of impurity."
"This is?"
Hysilens stared blankly, her heart suddenly trembling.
"This is the ocean where the Dragon-kin from outside lived."
Ryuga said.
"Dragon-kin?"
Hysilens looked up at the giant dragon Phainon perched at the highest point of Okhema, a ripple rising in her heart.
Now she already knew the nobility of the Dragon-kin.
"From the first moment I saw you, I saw the emptiness in your eyes."
Ryuga said, gently patting Hysilens's shoulder.
"Thinking of that ancient dragon-bone city, I can probably understand, so I brought this drop of water."
"It comes from the Sea-Heart Spring in the deepest part of the Vidyadhara Dragon-kin's forbidden zone; it hasn't been stained by the world's impurities for ten thousand years. Use this pure water to express a bit of sustenance for now; I hope it can find a clear stream for your soul temporarily."
"One day, Hysilens, I will personally take you to see the real ocean."
"..."
Hysilens was stunned.
She seemed to hear the sound of the tides of Styxia again, as well as the songs of old.
The coastal city-state once surrounded by rainbows and ocean currents, where people enjoyed continuously refilled honey-mead, without any pain or regret.
Now, it had become a fallen kingdom of the dead, the ancient dragon-bone city "Styxia."
The banquets and honey-mead of the past could never be returned to.
Hysilens's face turned a bit red.
Her originally empty heart seemed to be filled in one corner by Ryuga's gentle smile, like a fine rain moistening things.
Her cheeks were burning hot.
"Thank you, Demon God."
Hysilens performed a salute, a faint blush appearing on the tips of her ears.
Ryuga's act of gifting "water" warmed her void heart. In the instant of mixed emotions of shyness and gratitude, she couldn't help but tighten her grip on that "mermaid earring."
"By the way, can you still turn into a mermaid?"
Ryuga suddenly whispered.
"Ah? I can."
Although she didn't understand why, Hysilens still nodded.
Actually, Ryuga felt that when Hysilens guarded the last path, her form should have been a mermaid, but they were just too lazy to model it.
Cough cough~
Thinking of the mermaid form and looking at Hysilens's gurgling belly, he suddenly had a bold idea.
I wonder if you can see the "head" when doing that?
A light sound of footsteps came.
"Demon God, have you even snatched away my promise?"
Cerydra walked up slowly and handed the ancient parchment map to Ryuga.
When she was recruiting Hysilens, she had personally promised to open up a brand new sea area for Hysilens that wasn't stained by impurities.
Unfortunately, in the end, it couldn't be realized.
She only gave the memory of the Ancient Sea of Rippling Moon to Hysilens.
It was considered fulfilling the promise before death.
...
Phainon broke through the air, speeding toward Styxia, the wind whistling in their ears.
"Ooh ooh~"
"So—exciting—!"
On the dragon's back, Vill-V was slumped in Ryuga's arms, her cheeks flushed with excitement.
She looked up, her eyes amazingly bright.
She waved her arms around wildly in the air.
Although she had seen countless Honkai Beasts, before the giant dragon Phainon, they were but ants.
"..."
Ryuga gritted his teeth, the veins on his forehead twitching slightly.
He was feeling a bit uncomfortable from holding it in.
Vill-V was sitting in his arms, and that soft and elastic butt was swaying and rubbing back and forth... every bump was like a gentle, fatal provocation to him.
Rubbing...
That wave of amazing fullness and exaggerated pressure came in waves like a tide, almost crashing through his reason.
(Is this girl doing it on purpose?)
Ryuga's eyes twitched slightly.
Looking at Vill-V again?
She had an innocent smile, as if she hadn't noticed at all that she was sitting on a powder keg on the verge of exploding.
(Miss Vill-V is quite bold.)
Looking at Ryuga, whose face was flushed from holding it in, Castorice seemed to have thought of something, a faint blush appearing on her small face.
The corners of her mouth curled up slightly, a mischievous smile flashing in her eyes.
She quickly covered her lips and coughed twice.
"The current kingdom of the dead, 'Styxia', is already surrounded by the River Styx."
"The city-state that lost Phagina's blessing has long become a silent graveyard. Those trapped here are only wandering souls and twisted monsters."
She paused, her gaze falling on Vill-V.
"Demon God, it's better to let Miss Vill-V enter the Wallpaper House. Her living body can hardly withstand the washing of the wandering souls."
"Moreover, we have to cross the River Styx later."
"Eh!?"
Hearing this, Vill-V instantly bristled.
She sat up straight with her butt, causing Ryuga to let out a muffled groan, almost unable to catch his breath.
"I still want to see what wandering souls look like; I don't want to hide inside!"
As she spoke, she even deliberately twisted her waist, her butt grinding a full circle in Ryuga's arms.
Ryuga was screaming in his heart: (Should I find a hotel first?)
His eyes were empty and devoid of hope, as if his soul had been pulled out, leaving only a shell being double-executed by desire and torture.
Castorice covered her mouth and chuckled, her eyes flowing with light and full of smiles. (Demon God, Castorice can't help you this time.)
"Alright."
"But Miss Vill-V, before entering the River Styx, you must return to the Wallpaper House. Otherwise, once entangled by the spirits in the River Styx, they will drag you into the abyss."
"In addition, the whispers of death in the Underworld are sweet and peaceful; if your will slackens even slightly, your soul will sink into it and never be able to step back into the world of the living."
Castorice looked at Vill-V with concern, warning her solemnly.
Vill-V stuck out her tongue and stopped being willful: "Alright, alright, I'll go back as soon as I see the wandering souls; I promise I won't mess around."
She knew Castorice was worried about her and didn't continue to insist.
Phainon was extremely fast, and in less than an hour, the outline of Styxia was clearly visible.
What met their eyes was a gray, gloomy, and suffocating forgotten ancient city.
Hiss—
Vill-V took a sharp breath, her pupils contracting slightly.
Before her was endless silence.
Broken battle flags were stuck diagonally in the scorched earth, and broken arrows were scattered everywhere.
Only in that ghostly purple River Styx was there an ominous glow.
"Hiss... who's talking?"
Vill-V suddenly shivered; it felt as if some kind of whisper had quickly brushed past her ear, muttering something she couldn't understand.
Castorice: "Those are the whispers of the wandering souls."
"..."
Vill-V looked down, and sure enough.
In the River Styx, countless white-blue transparent spirits were wandering.
Inside the city and on the shallows, they were everywhere.
She quickly took out her phone and started filming.
"Is that... the moon? How strange."
In the sky hung a huge moon with red and white overlapping; two full moons were stacked together, looking exceptionally eerie.
And under that high tower...
"So big!"
"That... wouldn't be your sister, would it?"
Vill-V's voice suddenly rose, filled with incomparable shock.
Under the red and white double moons, on the high tower of Styxia, the dragon remains that had long since perished into white bones were quietly perched on the damaged walls.
The dragon bones were so massive it was suffocating.
Just the exposed tail was as towering as a mountain.
Castorice suddenly stood up, her eyes trembling violently: "Sister."
On the high tower was the skeletal remains of the dragon form transformed by Thanatos, the Titan of Death.
Of course, that was only the tailbone.
Her body was submerged in the depths of the River Styx.
The massive dragon body lay across the riverbed, forcibly blocking the River Styx.
The ever-rising water of the River Styx eventually washed over this ancient city.
"She really is here." Castorice murmured, turning to look at Ryuga. "Demon God, what should we do?"
Ryuga: "Collect the bones."
"Col... collect?"
Vill-V instantly froze, her phone almost falling into the River Styx.
So big?
Those dragon bones—any single piece was much larger than a building!
She couldn't even move a pinky bone, could she?
"I think I'll go back to the Wallpaper House."
Slacking off, huh?
To be continued…