In Ark Simulator, why do I always get a tough start?

Chapter 68 Conquering Victoria and Unifying the Western Continent!

"Everyone, line up! We respectfully welcome His Majesty's visit!"

"Congratulations, Your Majesty!"

This war of annihilation against Victoria lasted only two hours, ending with the complete annihilation of the Victorian army, totaling 100,000 men.

Yes, completely annihilated. Not a single one of the 100,000 Victoria soldiers left the battlefield alive.

Whether they were Letanians, Sarkaz, Tara, or Gauls, everyone here had been humiliated and oppressed by the Victorian Empire.

Everyone here hates Victoria to the core.

Driven by a thirst for revenge, they could not forgive any of the Victorian soldiers present.

Only by allowing them to carry out this "revenge" themselves can they forget their hatred for Letania.

Only then can they truly submit to your rule from the bottom of their hearts.

As you slowly emerge from the "Victory" warship as it lands, you are greeted not only by rows of Leitanian Army soldiers and tanks.

[And then there were the horrifying sights of Victorian soldiers' corpses scattered everywhere.]

Behind you, the captured Fif and Duke Windermere witnessed the destruction of their former country, with the bodies of loyal soldiers strewn across the battlefield.

Faced with this horrific scene, both dukes, seasoned by life and death, were overcome with grief and shed heart-wrenching tears.

Even Hazak and Liselotte showed expressions of reluctance in their eyes.

But all of this has become commonplace for you.

You understand that only when these loyal soldiers die here will you truly break Victoria's backbone and establish your rule over this land.

Moreover, the deaths of these soldiers were not meaningless.

Their deaths released the pent-up hatred in the hearts of everyone present who harbored deep resentment towards Victoria.

You can finally restrain their behavior and prevent this atrocity from spreading to the common people of Victoria.

"His Majesty!"

Duke Glaufeld, who was in charge of Army Group A and held the highest rank and title among the generals of Letania, saluted Chen Qi with a solemn yet excited heart.

Not far behind him stood a row of equally distinguished individuals who had participated in this "feast" that destroyed Victoria.

The Gallic commander, who led the Gallic rebels to complete his revenge, had eyes filled with excitement and reverence.

Standing beside the Duke of Wellington was Abrahina, the leader of the "Deep Pool," whose end burned with an eerie purple flame, and whose gaze was filled with curiosity and awe.

His armor and face were stained red with blood, and Theresis regained his usual cold and aloof demeanor.

Even the Blood Demon Lord and the Carrion King, these two royal courts, looked at him with complicated expressions.

"Everyone!"

At this moment, Duke Glaufeld, who had not turned around, shouted in a loud voice loud enough for everyone to hear:
"To our great Emperor of Letania! Conqueror of the Western Continent!"

"salute--!"

"Victory!" XN
[Hundreds of thousands of hands were raised high in unison at the Duke of Glaufeld's command!]

This time, however, the fervent salutes offered to you are no longer limited to the Letanians.

Countless Gauls and Tara people, having achieved their long-awaited revenge and overwhelmed with gratitude after the battle, began to imitate the gestures of the Letanian soldiers.

They raised their hands in salute to you, who led them to their revenge, with a frenzy no less than that of the people of Letania.

Even some of the Sarkaz, overwhelmed with emotion after achieving their revenge, raised their hands in excitement.

Although their movements were not standard, and many of them even raised their hands incorrectly.

But without a doubt, their respect, admiration, and respect for you are genuine.

[And Theresis and his group of meritorious officials, having witnessed firsthand your unprecedented and likely unparalleled terrifying prestige, were each filled with mixed emotions.]

Some admire you, some remain silent, some fear you, and some even harbor a hidden murderous intent towards you out of apprehension.

[And faced with the overwhelming adoration of thousands of people, you, who had long taken it for granted, remained calm and composed.]

All you gave everyone was a simple gesture of raising your hand.

[The hundreds of thousands of Leitanian soldiers who received your response instantly lowered their hands.]

Even the untrained Gauls, Tara, and Sarkaz were stunned by the atmosphere, quickly withdrawing their hands and instinctively standing ramrod straight!

[Just a simple response.]

You single-handedly intimidated an army of hundreds of thousands before you.

It was just that one action.

You then let a host of nobles and kings witness your terrifying power of rule, completely extinguishing any nascent evil thoughts that might have arisen in their hearts.

They all know that no one on this land can stop your overwhelming power.

They all know that if you are not killed at this moment, the entire continent of Terra will likely fall under your rule.

But would they dare to kill you here?

Would they dare risk being torn to pieces by your thousands of fanatical admirers, risking the massacre of their homeland and the extinction of their race, to kill you here?

They dare not.

Therefore, faced with such overwhelming circumstances, they have no choice but to either accept their fate or reluctantly bow their heads to you.

"—Regent of the Sarkaz, Theresis, with my thousands of kin."

"Congratulations, Your Majesty!"

"boom!"

Having recognized the situation, Therese chose to set aside all her pride in the face of the prevailing trend.

He pressed his fist to the ground, lowered his head, and knelt on one knee before the arrogant emperor before him.

With Theresis bowing his head, both Abrahina and the Duke of Wellington understood and knelt down to pay their respects to Chen Qi in the most devout manner.

Even those as xenophobic as the Blood Demon Lord and as proud as the Carrion King.

Faced with this monarch who unified the western continent, they all had to lower their proud heads and bow to you.

Chen Qi paid no heed to the greetings from the others. He simply walked a few paces faster than usual to Therese, who was kneeling on one knee.

The next second, Theresis felt her armor on her shoulders being pressed down heavily by two hands.

"……His Majesty?"

"—No need for formalities, Your Highness Theresis."

As Chen Qi gently helped Theresis up, a long-lost smile finally appeared on his face as he looked at the greatest contributor to this war.

"Without you and the help of the Sarkaz, Letania would have had to shed far more blood and pay a far greater price to conquer this empire."

“Your Highness Theresis, you are the greatest hero of this war because you were willing to lead the Sarkaz to risk your lives.”

"...Your Majesty, your praise is too much for me."

Chen Qi's words touched Therese's heart, which was originally as cold as iron.

But the cautious regent's rationality caused him to lower his head even further, answering with feigned trepidation:

"Without His Majesty and the valiant Letanian army, even if the Sarkaz occupy Londinium, they will still face the fate of being captured."

"This victory belongs to His Majesty, and it belongs to Letania."

"We, and indeed the entire Sarkaz clan, owe our success to His Majesty."

"—But you shouldered the most crucial mission, you were fearless, and you fought to the very last moment."

The voice of Chen Qin, which touched Therese's heart, continued to echo.

“Theresis, you should be proud of yourself, and proud of the Sarkaz who are willing to entrust their lives to you.”

"You have all proven that you are heroes who deserve dignity, freedom, and glory."

"And you, Theresis."

Chen Qi turned his gaze to Theresis, who was slowly raising her head, and said solemnly with a slight smile:
"You have also proven that you are a king worthy of their entrustment and to lead them to a bright future."

"This is the praise bestowed upon you by the most powerful emperor of this land."

"...Thank you, Your Majesty."

Once again, Therese, her tone now complicated, bowed her head deeply to Chen Qi.

However, the sharp-eyed Blood Demon Lord and the Carrion King both noticed a single tear sliding down the corner of their Regent's eye as he lowered his head.

The Regent Prince, is he crying?

For a moment, even the Blood Demon Lord and the Carrion King, who had always regarded tears as a sign of weakness, felt a pang of emotion upon seeing their king shed tears.

Although not all royal courts support Theresis, at least all the rulers of the royal courts are aware of Theresis' efforts to revive the Sarkaz race.

And to see this iron-blooded king, who had never shown fear or hesitation in any dire situation, actually shed tears because of a single word of approval.

The two elderly and proud rulers of the royal court rarely showed any signs of understanding and pity.

However, Chen Qi had no time to care about Therese's current mood.

After praising Theresis, Chen Qi quickly regained the arrogance and indifference befitting an emperor, and said indifferently:

"Have you captured any valuable prisoners for me?"

"Your Majesty, yes!"

Duke Glaufeld, who was rapidly approaching, immediately called out:
"Quickly, bring up that guy who's still alive and claims to be a duke!" [Soon, you'll see several soldiers dragging a man and a woman, both limp and dressed in filthy, tattered clothes, though still clearly of luxurious craftsmanship.]

You recognized them.

[The man is the Duke of Normandy, the one who fired his gun at your warship, thus igniting this annihilation battle.]

[And the other one, unsurprisingly, is the Duchess of Cactus, one of only two duchesses besides Windermere.]

"Only them?"

Chen Qi looked at the two dukes, who were covered in dust and had lost all their temper, and asked with a slight frown.

"Your Majesty, they are the only ones left."

"The Duke of Stafford was seriously ill and died of excessive excitement the moment the war broke out."

"Duke Godottin led his personal guards to fight us and died under the gunfire; his body was beyond repair."

"...Alright, we've captured four dukes, that's enough."

Having said that, Chen Qi, looking down at the two kneeling dukes, already knowing how to deal with them, simply said:
"Raise your head and look at me."

Christ and the Duke of Normandy mechanically raised their heads.

The king before them, who seemed like a cold, machine-like figure, spoke in a commanding tone:
"Lead the way for me."

"I am going to the place where the kings rest."

[The final resting place of all the kings.]

In Victoria, this represents more than just the location of a royal tomb complex.

All eight dukes knew that there stood a national sword, a symbol of Victoria's glory.

[The rest of the kings.]

This is no ordinary national sword.

Legend has it that when this national sword merged with its pedestal, it was not only capable of withstanding natural disasters, but could even dispel all the surrounding source stones.

This sword represents Victoria's glory, power, and protection...

Only a monarch recognized by "Victoria" has the right to possess and wield this national sword.

Now, led by four captured dukes, you descend upon this royal mausoleum, the final resting place of generations of Victorian monarchs, as an invincible conqueror.

You walked with your head held high, surrounded by a huge crowd, past the tombs of these Victorian monarchs who now sleep forever.

[You noticed the "Breath of Kings" stuck in the sword holder.]

You too have ascended the royal staircase, a staircase only the monarchs of Victoria could tread.

You stand before the tomb of the Victorian monarchs, under the gaze of the last remaining highest nobility of Victoria, before the "Breath of Kings."

"—Stop, Emperor of Letania."

"You cannot pull out that sword. You are not the emperor recognized by 'Victoria'!"

[At the foot of the steps, watching that hand about to grasp the "Breath of Kings," you transformed the last shred of dignity and struggle of a duke into courage.]

The Duke of Cactus, possessing legitimate royal blood, clearly knew more than the other dukes, and spoke to you with a mocking expression.

"Throughout history, only emperors who were recognized could expel the 'breath of the kings'."

"Those who are not recognized, when they dare to touch the 'Breath of Kings,' will only suffer the pain of having their hands severed!"

"It's not too late to back down now, Emperor of Letania."

"You are nothing but a butcher, an executioner. You will never gain the approval of the 'Breath of Kings'!"

"……oh?"

Hearing the Duke of Caesar's sarcasm, you couldn't help but laugh.

[You know that the Duke of Caesar's so-called "approval" is nothing more than the "beast master" hidden in Victoria.]

[A beast owner named "Gawain," whose prototype is a lion.]

It secretly protects Victoria, guards this land, and hopes that Victoria will have a wise king to inherit the high throne.

But you, who have conquered the beast lord before, understand Victoria's "trump card."

Now, this beast lord can no longer protect Victoria.

It has been conquered by you.

Just like Victoria, you conquered her too!

You didn't need to heed the Duke of Cactus's foolish words. The sword never represents power; you don't need any "approval" to dominate Victoria.

But you changed your mind.

You want everyone in Victoria to witness this moment, to witness the instant their last hope and faith are shattered!

"Are you saying that Victoria still possesses something that can stop me from conquering this country?"

Chen Qi's tone was nonchalant, even tinged with mockery.

His hand, under the watchful eyes of the four dukes, was already gripping the hilt of the sword "Breath of Kings".

"—Then let them come!"

"Those scoundrels lurking in the shadows, the kings of Victoria, keep a close eye on them!"

"I will conquer your country!"

"If you want to hate me, stop me, or kill me, then come at me!"

"Even if it happens a thousand or ten thousand times, I will still conquer you!"

"Crack!"

The next second, something that plunged the four captured dukes into despair finally happened!

[You, with your own hands, abruptly pulled the "Breath of Kings" sword from its thru!]

You raise the national sword high in your hand, a symbol of Victoria's power, honor, and protection, letting it gleam with its own light.

But nothing happened.

No one came to stop them, and no danger dared to approach.

The "lifeline of the princes" thus fell into the hands of this emperor.

As if it were only natural, as if it were destiny.

"Do you see them? The kings of Victoria!"

"I have conquered Victoria!"

Holding the national sword symbolizing Victoria, you issued a decree to all the monarchs of Victoria with a clear voice echoing throughout the royal tombs.

At this moment, nothing dares to stop you.

There is no longer any being that dares to oppose you, no one who dares to challenge you.

[You wield "Breath of Kings," slowly descending from the throne, pointing your sword at the four defeated and captured dukes.]

"Now, four defeated dukes."

“Answer me before these tombs of the Victorian kings, before this ‘Breath of Kings’.”

"Victoria, will you choose death or submission?"

This scene would be the greatest humiliation for any Victorian.

To utter words of submission before the spirits of the Victorian monarchs was an unbearable humiliation, enough to drive any Victorian to death with shame and indignation.

But, faced with facts that cannot be changed, and a reality where miracles are no longer possible.

[In this royal tomb, the four conquered dukes utterly destroyed the last vestiges of their dignity that sustained them.]

It was as if they had broken Victoria's spine with their own hands.

"We represent the millions of citizens of Victoria."

"To the great Emperor of Letania, the sole ruler of the West, I hereby declare..."

"surrender."

……

Just a second before the four dukes bowed down and Victoria completely succumbed.

A blonde Aslan (lion) girl of about fifteen or sixteen years old has already led her group of companions in an attempt to escape the conquered Victoria.

Before leaving, she couldn't help but turn back and take one last look at her former hometown.

"—Vina, let's go quickly."

Seeing their leader stop, one of their companions spoke up anxiously:

"It would be bad if the Leitanian army discovered your identity. We need to leave quickly!"

“…Yes, I understand.”

Looking at her conquered homeland, the girl named "Vina" made a silent vow in her heart.

I will definitely come back.

Victoria's story will not end here.

(End of this chapter)