Chapter 243-The Manga Pariah's Guide to Self-Salvation

Since the dawn of the Ability Era, the military had divided its soldiers into combat units based on their different ability types.

A standard unit was four people: two offensive types, one defensive type, and one support type. Their primary targets were the monsters inside Demonic Domains.

Thanks to Sierra's unique power, The Disciples were the first rebellion of any real scale in five hundred years. Ability nullification was an outright death sentence for ability users, and on top of that she could control monsters. Facing an opponent like her might be even more terrifying than confronting Demonic Domain creatures head-on.

Beyond the South District's city gates stretched an endless expanse of barren land, with dark, undulating mountain ridges in the distance.

The key to this battle was taking down Sierra. Once she was dead or surrendered, her followers and monsters would collapse with her.

Percy had been assigned to the rear of the column. Elite squads led the vanguard. He watched someone mount a magnificent giant bird and soar into the sky. Overhead, the clouds had grown heavier without anyone noticing, and the sun had vanished completely.

He had a bad feeling. He turned to say something to his teammates—and found Roy staring up at the rear.

Following Roy's gaze, Percy spotted row after row of bulky machines mounted atop the tall city wall. They didn't look like cannons or any kind of weapon.

"Aren't those Projectors?" Keller exclaimed. "Wait—are they going to broadcast our battle to the whole country? That seems kind of weird."

Keller scratched his head. "Nobody told us about this."

Roy elbowed him lightly, his tone casual. "Make sure you look good out there—your family might be watching."

"Roy, aren't you the one who hates people invading your privacy?"

"Besides, at this distance there's no way they could see us. Unless I were as big as the demon dragon, I'd just be a tiny ant on the screen."

Percy said nothing. He kept studying the machines on the wall, deep in thought. Hearing Keller's grumbling, something clicked, and his eyelid twitched.

Projectors were complex, cumbersome, and expensive. The South District wouldn't have set them up on its own initiative, and a battle involving state secrets couldn't be broadcast without the Emperor's explicit approval.

Normally, the Empire only broadcast live Projections for major celebrations or monumental news events. The most notable exception was Ye Zheng's Divine Judgment—witnessed by the entire nation as she became the first person in history to pass.

Why broadcast today's operation to the public? To let them witness a victory and boost morale?

No—once those dragon-like monsters were exposed, it would incite panic. People already terrified by the demon dragon and the doomsday prophecy would become even more frightened. And if they lost to Sierra, the consequences would be unimaginable.

What was the Emperor trying to do?

He glanced at Roy.

Percy's expression tightened. General Bai Yi had told him he hoped to see the Divine Sword's true brilliance and power—nothing more.

Now, he was beginning to realize this operation might not be aimed at Sierra at all.

The Emperor was this nation's leader and guardian—the only person who could stand against Ye Zheng on equal footing. And as a soldier, all Percy could do was grip the sword in his hand and win the battle in front of him.

The fine drizzle gradually intensified. Fortunately, visibility remained decent. Percy watched the person on the giant bird circling overhead. Suddenly, the bird vanished, and a dot-like figure drifted down from midair.

Those who witnessed the scene seemed to hear a scream.

Wind-driven rain pelted their light armor. On the horizon, pitch-black clouds appeared—a vast, oppressive mass that dwarfed the mountains—creeping steadily toward the city.

Percy strained his eyes. Those weren't storm clouds. They were countless black dragons.

"Ready!"

The column of over a thousand spread out, shifting into formation as planned, bracing themselves.

Beyond the battlefield, residents who had heard the news flocked to public squares across the city, holding their breath as they stared at the enormous projected screens.

The viewing angle was limited and the distance vast, making the projection blurry at best. The elite ability users looked like a dense cluster of black dots at the foot of a wall; only a rough sense of the situation was discernible. Even so, the gathered crowds buzzed with excitement.

Normally, Demonic Domains meant people were accustomed to monsters and ability users. Yet watching the mighty Imperial army through the Projection stirred an unexpected sense of shared pride—as though they, too, were part of this grand campaign to crush the insurgents and uphold the Empire's order.

But when swarms of black dragons burst into the frame, their terrifying pressure was not diminished one bit by the distance. The excited crowd fell silent as one.

They had heard that Sierra could control monsters. Some had caught wind of rumors after the West District incident. But seeing them with their own eyes—even as blurry dragon silhouettes—was enough to awaken the deep-seated fear of the demon dragon ingrained in every citizen of the Empire.

Faith in the God of Hope walked hand in hand with fear of the demon dragon. It was precisely because the dragon was so terrifying that the god's existence shone all the greater.

The demon dragon had never truly gone away. It was destroyed in the legends of the God of Hope, yet it loomed eternally in the doomsday prophecy, menacing generation after generation.

A child burst into tears. No one nearby had the heart to comfort them; their own hearts clenched with every dark shape that touched down on the projected ground.

At this very moment, the West District—right next door to the storm—was ironically the calmest place in the entire Empire.

"Lucy! Where do you think you're running off to now?"

A stout, middle-aged woman hauled two buckets of water inside with no effort at all, only to catch Lucy heading for the door. Her brows pinched together.

"The neighbors said the public square is showing a Projection of the battle against Sierra… the leader of The Disciples."

"I'm curious. I want to go see."

The woman frowned in disapproval. "Silly girl, the public square is miles away. By the time you get there, Sierra will probably be back already."

"Didn't you win a radio from that competition of yours? Just listen to the audio—that's good enough."

Lucy puffed out her cheeks, indignant, yet had to admit her mother was right.

After Sierra had left this area, the Disciples who had been hunting Lucy vanished too. Relieved, she had come home. Her mother, long accustomed to her wandering, didn't make much fuss about her comings and goings.

Though her mother said nothing, Lucy couldn't shake a nagging sense of guilt and defeat.

Before leaving home, she had boasted to her mother that she would become a big name across the Empire—that one day the lamb stall would be lined with customers who had come just because of her fame, keeping her mother too busy to worry about her.

Back home now, the idle hours slipped by fast. Lucy did feel relaxed, but the anxiety and frustration hadn't disappeared—they had simply sunk to the bottom of her heart, quietly festering.

She'd heard that Percy and the others had joined the campaign. Lucy felt a pang of wistfulness. If she were still a member of Cloud-Soaring Squad, maybe she could have been part of something this impressive.

But she didn't regret it—she was just a little sad. It turned out she really was just an ordinary person, suited only for an ordinary life.

Lucy rummaged through her things and pulled out a rectangular device—her prize from the Ability Tournament. The sight of it stirred even more complicated feelings.

She tried fiddling with it. No sound came out.

The upper district had richer entertainment options; radios like these were more popular among the wealthier households in the Middle District, as well as certain taverns in the lower district, which used them to play old songs or broadcast the audio of major events—like an Emperor's or Pope's inaugural address.

"There's no sound at all." Lucy pouted, deflated.

She lived too far out in the middle of nowhere—couldn't even eavesdrop on the excitement.

Lucy set the radio on the table and was about to walk away when a faint crackle of static caught her ear.

She turned back and leaned in close, pressing her ear to the device.

This time, she truly heard a voice—calm yet full of quiet strength.

"Good morning, everyone."

That reassuring voice echoed through streets and alleys across the Empire, drawing even the people huddled before the massive Projections momentarily out of their fear and worry.

*

One by one, colossal dragons stood upon the open plain like black hills. They stretched their necks skyward and roared, sending tremors rippling through the ground. From behind them, a horde of people surged forward, charging madly at the nearby column.

No one on the battlefield knew what was happening beyond it. No one had the luxury of thinking about anything other than the fight. Flashing blades, gleaming swords, and dazzling spells assaulted the senses—one moment's lapse and blood would fly.

Percy nodded to his teammates, signaling them to follow.

The mission Bai Yi had given him was simple: take down Sierra.

To be precise, Sierra didn't nullify abilities—she nullified damage. Any ability used to attack her would be rendered harmless.

His [Metal Alienation] would most likely be neutralized by Sierra. But his [Death Retrospection] was a different story.

And beyond that, he had the Divine Sword.

Shielded by his two teammates, Percy sprinted across the chaotic battlefield, narrowly dodging black-dragon attacks several times.

Keller's barrier knocked aside a Disciple trying to block their path. Roy's flames held back a prowling dragon. Percy's eyes swept the surroundings, searching for the golden-haired, red-eyed youth.

Around him, footsteps clattered in disarray. Screams and shrieks rang out ceaselessly. Compared to the dragons, the fighting between humans was far more brutal.

All manner of abilities were unleashed on human bodies—one person sank into the earth and was buried alive; another was crushed into a pulp of flesh by an oversized fist.

It was Percy's first time witnessing the savagery of human-against-human combat. It was nothing like watching monsters fight people. He suddenly felt the urge to vomit.

But he didn't slow down. Only by killing Sierra could he end all of this as quickly as possible.

Wind howled past his ears. Percy pressed deeper into the battlefield with absolute focus. He vaguely sensed something was off, but there was no time to dwell on it.

Roy, lagging behind, saw the anomaly clearly. The task force was crumbling. Soldiers were fleeing toward the rear, trying to retreat to the city, while The Disciples and their dragons pressed forward in pursuit—the whole engagement drifting toward the district.

Roy wasn't surprised. They were all deadweight. Neither the Emperor nor the Pope had sent anyone of real value—both had, by silent agreement, dispatched expendables.

Nobody actually wanted to eliminate The Disciples. The Emperor wanted to expose the Dragon-Bodied Humans' existence. As for what Ye Zheng wanted… probably only she herself knew.

Roy shook his head, casting the stray thoughts aside. Whatever Ye Zheng was after, the Emperor's objective would be achieved. Right now, the entire nation's eyes were fixed on this chaotic battlefield.

In a sense, they had already won.

If Percy could take down Sierra, it would simply be a more spectacular victory. They had no reason to lose.

Percy's strides grew faster and more nimble. Whether it was his imagination or not, pushing deep into enemy territory seemed easier than expected.

Weaving past dragon after dragon, Percy finally emerged from their shadows. Panting, he looked up at Sierra perched high above.

She sat atop a vast, undulating skeletal frame, legs dangling and swinging.

*

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