NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 11: The Capital Under Attack
"Uwaaaaah!!!"
"The remaining soldiers of the Third and Sixteenth Armies! Circle around the western alley and flank the enemy!"
"Hurry! Deploy all the fully automated elbow-strike robots to defend against the enemy!"
Blood, wails, and smoke — these usually distant horrors were now filling every corner of the royal city.
A near-death civilian, face disfigured by repeated stabbing; a one-armed general, desperately rallying his battered troops; a high-ranking merchant, frantically shoving his hired staff — all these scenes clashed chaotically amidst the raging inferno.
"What... is going on...?"
"Stay focused! The enemy's here!"
The horrific scene around them left Shavonne stunned, and had it not been for Avik's timely block against three enemy soldiers trying to kill the imperial commander, her head would have been lopped off by now.
It had only been around six hours since the three set out on their mission.
The sudden devastation was hard for Shavonne to believe, her mind replaying the once-peaceful scenes of the Empire.
"Tch... How did things change so suddenly..."
Avik, who had only joined the Empire two days before Dazney, struggled to accept the downfall of the country he had barely settled into.
Although not yet fully healed, Avik's sense of duty to his newfound home drove him to face the enemy head-on.
Shavonne, frozen on the spot, and Avik, fighting valiantly — the stark contrast between them was pronounced in this critical moment.
As for the third member of their group, Dazney, who seemed to have sensed something, had already broken away, sprinting toward the Royal City.
Meanwhile, in the heart of the Empire, within the King's Citadel.
Unlike the chaos raging outside, the central hall was eerily quiet.
It was the scheduled hour for the court assembly, yet only a single figure remained in the normally crowded hall.
The meaning of this was not lost on Emperor Gabriel Silva, who sat unperturbed on his scorpion throne.
"Enough with the hiding, assassins here to kill your Emperor."
Realizing their cover had been blown, the assassins stepped out of the shadows. Cloaked fully in black, their faces were impossible for the Emperor to see.
"Five of you... do you underestimate me?"
The assassins gave no reply, answering his question only with five pale flashes of silver.
"Do you intend to assassinate me with mere blades? Very well, let's hope you provide me with some enjoyment."
There was no fear in his voice — only indignation at their perceived insolence. Even when facing life and death, the Emperor exuded an aura of defiance.
As he rose, several massive halos materialized in the air above the hall, releasing a mist of pale green dust that quickly formed into azure dragons, which lunged at the assassins. In response, each assassin summoned their own magical weapons to fend off the attack.
One assassin struggled under the Emperor's relentless assault, managing a few desperate blocks before being crushed between two of the dragons.
The death of their companion did not deter the remaining four, who continued deflecting attacks while searching for an opening to approach the Emperor.
"Futile struggle!"
A smirk appeared on the Emperor's face as an idea crossed his mind.
In an instant, all the dragons reversed course, charging upward through the recently restored hall ceiling. Seizing this apparent lapse in defense, the assassins lunged at the Emperor.
Not even the heavy falling debris could deter their resolve to complete the mission. In a coordinated strike, the four assassins surrounded him, each sword poised to strike from a different angle.
"Scarlet Bird of the Emperor"
The moment the three assassins thought they'd seized this golden opportunity, their fates were sealed.
Before they even realized what happened, three shadows were incinerated by scorching embers descending from above.
The last assassin, reacting quicker, managed to escape with only a singed arm.
"Do you still wish to resist?"
Believing his victory assured, the Emperor strode toward his final opponent. The assassin didn't retreat, instead raising his pale sword, its tip now level with the Emperor's golden hair.
His gaze fell from the Emperor's face to the blood-splattered marble floor, and as he tried to move his limbs, he realized he couldn't — the Emperor had already severed his head with lightning speed.
"To maintain consciousness even after decapitation... the Immortal Clan indeed lives up to its name."
The Emperor removed the assassin's hood, allowing him a full view of the face usually hidden.
"Why did you attempt to assassinate me? Why did you attack my kingdom? Your answer will determine your final fate."
The assassin's skin trembled, his bloodshot eyes glaring up at the arrogant Emperor.
Clearly, he had no intention of answering; his gaze was filled with fury.
The Emperor had seen this look many times before, and none who dared to look at him this way had ever met a pleasant end.
This time would be no different.
Annoyed with his silent adversary, the Emperor raised two fingers, aiming to incinerate those detestable eyes.
In theory, the next event should have been the complete annihilation of the assassin's vision, followed by his imprisonment in the dungeons by the Imperial Guard — at least, that was the Emperor's plan.
However, he had been too complacent.
"Emperor of the Heavenly裁 Empire, you will now raise your sword and die a gruesome death by your own hand."
The assassin's skill went beyond mere physical prowess — he possessed the powerful ability of 'Word Spirit.'
"Oh…?"
As the battle suddenly shifted, the Emperor realized the gravity of the situation — but it was too late.
The once-defiant Emperor, now unable to resist, picked up the sword from the ground. Despite his efforts to fight the compulsion, it was useless. With a flash, silver streaked across his pale neck, and blood erupted from the wound.
The Emperor fell to his knees, completely still.
"My body will be restored to its original state."
With the Emperor's grip loosened, the assassin's severed head returned to its body, his previous decapitation now fully healed.
"A victory in the resurrection match, I suppose."
The assassin heaved a sigh of relief as he glanced at the now lifeless Emperor.
The blood loss from the throat wound, combined with the curse's absolute coercive force, left the Emperor with no chance of survival.
Just as the assassin retrieved his blade and prepared to leave—
"Oh… so something serious happened here after all."
Startled by the sudden voice, the assassin spun around.
A young man, holding a sword radiating a sinister aura, approached him at a measured pace.
"If Krizz was right, this should be the Emperor's main hall… though it seems I arrived a bit late."
Even though the Emperor lay dead, no enemy should be left alive.
So, the young man raised his sword.
"My name is Dazney Enox, a name known only to those on the verge of death."