Chapter 212

Chapter 212
## Chapter 212

Jeron’s Ordeal (1)

Jeron, the prominent capital of the Azeria Empire.

Though the grand city had suffered a massive catastrophe during the Immortal King’s assault a mere few months prior, it now stood impeccably restored, as if striving to obliterate any recollection of that grim day.

Structures had been reconstructed, thoroughfares re-laid, and defensive battalions bolstered.

The Empire had thrown immense resources and funding into washing away the remnants of that tragedy, leaving Jeron looking far more pristine and systematically arranged than it had prior to the devastation.

Even so, despite the reality that the onslaught was akin to an unavoidable act of nature given the Immortal King’s direct involvement,

the truth that the royal heirs had been abducted from the very heart of the imperial capital remained a deeply embarrassing scar.

Furthermore, the Crown Prince who had been seized remained entirely unaccounted for.

“Greetings, Your Highness. Your efforts on behalf of the Empire are deeply appreciated. Allow us to conduct you to the imperial palace from this point onward.”

Given that the previous tragedy had unfolded on the very day of their return from the inaugural conclave, it was only logical that the protective detail assembled for this arrival was exceedingly robust.

“I am quite astounded to see Sir Staub greeting us in person. We are still well within the safer boundaries of Jeron, quite some distance from the imperial palace itself.”

Riley’s gaze widened with astonishment as she observed the seasoned warrior standing at the vanguard of the reception unit positioned by the primary entrance of the Jeron Cathedral.

She had anticipated a formidable escort, but encountering this specific figure here was entirely unexpected.

“Our previous complacency resulted in utter ruin. Failing to implement rigid precautions after such a lesson would be a display of pure incompetence.”

He was, after all, counted among the master-tier combatants garrisoned within the heart of the Empire.

This was Staub, the commander of the Imperial Guard, entrusted with the absolute safety of the sovereign’s residence.

While the Royal Knights dedicated their entire focus to safeguarding the Emperor, the protection of the imperial palace—the state’s paramount stronghold—rested squarely on the shoulders of the Imperial Guard.

Now, their highest-ranking officer was waiting for her in person, at a location that required over an hour of travel by horse-drawn coach to reach the palace grounds.

“Should the Immortal King launch another assault, we have established every essential measure to guarantee your secure retreat, Your Highness.”

Staub offered a terse assurance and gave a brief, respectful inclination of his head.

He had been among the defenders who engaged the Immortal King directly, and his absolute poise suggested that their defensive strategies were flawless.

‘Come to think of it, he is the very warrior who stood alongside that incredibly powerful elder to combat Hans. He appeared gravely wounded back then, but has he achieved a total recovery?’

Hesperon, observing the exchange from a short distance behind, gave a quiet nod of understanding.

Months had slipped by since that encounter, making it entirely reasonable that a combatant of his caliber would have fully mended by now.

“Viscount Pristine? That is his assessment. Therefore, put your mind at ease.”

Catching Staub’s self-assured words, Riley shifted her gaze slightly toward Isea, who maintained a position just behind her.

“…Very well. Intervening alongside a detachment of this scale would simply be redundant.”

Isea offered a hesitant nod of agreement.

Under normal circumstances, she would be traveling alongside the champion’s fellowship, but she had requested their indulgence to delay her departure for a brief period.

Naturally, every passing moment she spent away diminished their collective tactical strength, given her immense strategic importance.

‘Spatial transit is restricted within the capital, meaning a round trip between this location and the imperial palace would consume three to four hours. I have already expended far too much time… ’

It felt improper to delay further when her allies were placing their reliance on her and waiting elsewhere.

“I shall take my leave now, Your Highness.”

“The Empire is grateful for your dedication, Viscount Pristine. Travel safely.”

Isea offered a gentle parting expression as Riley grasped her hand in farewell.

She carefully evaluated the sentries tasked with shielding the princess, giving a subtle sign of acknowledgment to Hesperon.

Though his combat capabilities were minimal, he remained the individual Riley placed her utmost confidence in aside from herself, making his continued presence alongside her invaluable.

Naturally, his characteristically playful grin did little to soothe her lingering wariness.

“Now, Your Highness, we shall proceed to the imperial palace. Please step inside the carriage.”

As she departed toward the cathedral to make use of the transit portal once more,

the sentinels and the rest of the entourage mounted their steeds and boarded their transports to begin the journey.

‘Well, this is exactly what I anticipated.’

Seated in a transport positioned a considerable distance behind the princess’s personal coach, Hesperon idly rubbed his scalp.

It was completely expected that someone of his low social standing would be barred from sharing a private cabin with royalty.

Riley certainly possessed the influence to demand it, but with her formal elevation to Crown Princess looming, it was wisest to prevent any basis for scandalous rumors.

‘Still, things should be fine. Hans has no intentions of launching an ambush. Even if an emergency arises, we are backed by a master-tier warrior, dozens of elite combatants, spellcasters from the palace’s arcane sanctuary, and an array of enchanted artifacts.’

Besides, his presence in her immediate vicinity would change very little.

Though his advancement was progressing at an incredible pace—having advanced past the novice threshold to firmly establish himself at the intermediate tier—he was still only capable of matching a single standard warrior in this place.

‘And even that modest feat is strictly due to my specialized traits and core attributes.’

Leaning back against the frame of the window in the transport he shared with the auxiliary staff of the embassy, he stared out at the unfolding terrain, deep in contemplation.

Prior to slipping into unconsciousness, his primary entity had chosen to bolster his baseline attributes rather than enhancing a singular trait, rendering him significantly more potent across the board.

‘Furthermore, that specific allocation unlocked an entirely new set of capabilities.’

“Super Strength” had manifested as a direct consequence of augmenting his physical might.

“Hypersensitivity” had emerged from refining his physical perception, drastically elevating his reflexes and motion awareness.

“Insight” had developed following the elevation of his cognitive attributes, including his analytical skills and deductive reasoning.

In contrast to his acquisition of “Super Regeneration,” which had been achieved by funneling everything into his mending speed, these newly unlocked traits derived from an all-around enhancement of his metrics, meaning their foundational values far outstripped his older healing trait.

‘For the independent manifestations who are already masters of their distinct domains, these traits are merely minor conveniences, but they are incredibly potent for someone like me who is still starting out.’

His already impressive attributes paired perfectly with these traits, generating a massive compounding effect.

Because of this, feats that were once entirely out of reach had suddenly become attainable…

The primary demonstration of this was his foundational capability, “Bond of Unity.”

‘It remains a disappointment that I never mastered invocation arts to utilize this to its full potential.’

The trait, which provided compounding enhancements when sealing Pacts, had seen limited utility since it was entirely occupied with anchoring his link to Princess Riley.

Yet, with his mental faculties vastly heightened and “Insight” now active, entirely new pathways had emerged.

He redirected his focus toward the “Bond of Unity,” partly to test his limits and partly to see if it could function under these current parameters.

Through their subtle tether, he could distinctly perceive Riley’s exact position in the lead coach.

‘With deeper concentration, I could likely discern her physical state and emotional fluctuations… ’

He reined in his focus, however, wishing to avoid feeling like a voyeur.

Yet that restraint was instantly shattered as the princess’s sharp anxieties began to ripple across their shared link.

Doubt. Inquisitiveness. And a distinct undercurrent of apprehension.

‘Out of nowhere?’

He pulled his brows together, deeply perplexed.

Such dark misgivings seemed entirely out of place on this tranquil journey home.

Yet she was not the type to experience such vivid dread without cause.

Reflecting quickly, he rallied his mental focus to pull in greater details.

At that very instant,

Boom—!

A deafening detonation shattered the peace nearby.

“Form a perimeter!”

Staub’s booming directive cut through the air, and…

Clang—!

Clang, clang!

Drawing their blades in a synchronized flash, the sentries instantly encircled the transports, locked into a defensive wall while radiating a lethal intensity as they scanned the terrain.

“Sir Staub? Inform me of the situation!”

“The source remains unknown, Your Highness. The exterior is highly volatile, so please secure your partition and remain within the safety of the cabin.”

From his vantage point, he could only view the rear of the royal transport, but the voices undeniably belonged to Riley and Staub.

Brushing past the surrounding panic, he focused entirely on the “Bond of Unity.”

He could feel her internal conviction of an impending threat sharpening by the second.

Then, in a sudden shift, the nature of the sensations he intercepted transformed completely.

Disorientation. Astonishment. And a sudden wave of relief.

Moreover, the focus of those intense feelings was none other than…

Hesperon himself.

‘…It appears she has become cognizant of my awareness as well.’

It was a logical progression; the trait was designed to forge a tighter tether between souls rather than serving as passive thought-reading.

When the link was weak, only he, as the initiator, could catch faint impressions, but as the bond deepened, the discrepancy between them was fading.

‘This might actually allow for direct mental dialogue.’

But such considerations had to wait.

Though clearly shaken by the unfolding crisis, she was straining with all her might to transmit a vital realization through their link.

‘Distrust… the exterior…? Is she referencing the detonations?… No, that isn’t it. She lacks certainty as well.’

He tightened his concentration further, striving to piece together her fragmented impressions.

His extraordinary rate of development proved invaluable in this crisis; with both individuals consciously striving to bridge the gap, the “Bond of Unity” rapidly locked into a stable connection.

Boom—! Boom—!

Subsequent blasts continued to rip through the surrounding sectors.

Distant shrieks of panic drifted through the air, confirming that an organized assault was underway.

“Maintain your positions and do not break ranks! An ambush in this specific location confirms the princess is the primary objective! Treat any approaching presence as hostile!”

With his weapon bared, Staub stepped directly into the defensive ring, taking up a protective stance right before the royal transport and the cluster of imperial spellcasters.

‘Hold on, could it be that her suspicion lies with… ’

Piecing together a handful of concepts, Hesperon’s thoughts raced frantically.

With his perceptions pushed to the absolute limit under the influence of “Hypersensitivity,” he cataloged the surrounding data in a fraction of a second.

Though classified merely as a mid-tier caster, his actual capabilities could not be measured by a simple rank.

Through this flood of data, “Insight” suddenly isolated a glaring anomaly.

‘This is… deeply wrong.’

A subtle misalignment.

A fundamental disharmony among the sentinels that would have slipped past him entirely had he not been primed for suspicion.

Granted, such a lack of cohesion could occur if a unit had never trained together.

‘But these men are supposed to be the absolute pinnacle of the Empire’s military.’

Alarm bells blared in Hesperon’s consciousness, triggering an intense instinct of impending doom.

Yet before he could formulate a countermeasure,

the crisis exploded into violence.

Swoosh—

In a world seemingly brought to a grinding halt, a singular, pristine arc of concentrated energy cut through the air with terrifying elegance.

Even as he marveled at its sheer velocity…

Crack! Crack!

Whoosh—!

Crimson torrents erupted along the path of the traveling energy.

With that single movement,

every single spellcaster positioned around Staub was instantly wiped out.

‘Ah, curse it all! Why must my worst apprehensions always prove correct?!’

The defensive wards and protective charms permanently maintained by the spellcasters offered zero protection against a treacherous strike from a master-tier warrior… particularly one possessed of Staub’s immense power.

The horror did not halt there.

A split second later, a barrage of secondary energy slashes tore through the bodies of his remaining allies…

No, those who had merely posed as allies until now.

Thud—

“Gah!”

Whoosh—!

“Ugh, what is the betrayal…!”

A few managed to withstand the treacherous opening salvo, showcasing the resilience expected of elite warriors, while others attempted swift evasive maneuvers… but it did nothing to alter the grim reality.

The count of those left standing was instantly dwarfed by the number of turncoats, as a vast portion of the loyal guard perished on the spot.

“Ugh! Commander, for what reason…!”

“You ought to have aligned with my faction much sooner.”

Standing at the epicenter of the slaughter was the commander of the Imperial Guard himself, Staub.

He finished off the remaining spellcasters who weren’t part of the conspiracy, then turned his weapon upon his own loyal subordinates without a shred of remorse.

-Hannibal Strauss: The situation is dire. Losing an independent manifestation would be a catastrophic setback. You must withdraw immediately. “In the Hero’s Footsteps” should possess enough efficacy to bypass the containment boundary of Jeron.

-Hesperon: What becomes of Riley? Is there truly no alternative? If only the Immortal King chose this exact moment to strike…!

-Hannibal Strauss: Pure fantasy. Are you oblivious to your current location? I require a minimum of an hour to orchestrate any form of intervention.

Hesperon desperately weighed his options as his cognitive processing fired at maximum speed.

With his primary entity locked in a state of unconsciousness, he was entirely blocked from summoning aid via transit arrays or vanishing through forced dismissal.

Time was rapidly evaporating, and the localized containment boundary completely isolated this sector, cutting off any possibility of intervention from his counterpart manifestations.

‘There is no viable path.’

Abandoning Riley to save himself using “In the Hero’s Footsteps” was an unthinkable choice…

Crack—!

…yet the destructive energy radiating from Staub as he shattered the protective enchantments surrounding the royal coach alongside his treacherous spellcasters was overwhelmingly suffocating.

“P-please, mercy! I shall submit to your terms!”

“Hiik! I observed absolutely nothing! I beg of you…”

Simultaneously, the rogue warriors advancing upon his own transport bore expressions devoid of mercy.

Their objective was unmistakably lethal.

-Hannibal Strauss: Your current strength is insufficient to alter this outcome. I repeat my directive: leave the princess behind and retreat.

‘Curse it…! That completely worthless individual…!’

It appeared they had reached a total dead end.