The weapons I forge are absolutely flawless.

However, after the mission was completed, the recall order never came.

Just as Jeremy was waiting, the Rafner family launched a rebellion, and he was temporarily transferred to the Second Army Corps to garrison the Gosa Gorge fortress.

Jeremy is eager to distinguish himself in the suppression of the rebellion, not only to prove his worth, but also to use this opportunity to return to the capital and regain Adele's trust.

However, it now appears that problems had already emerged in the capital when the princess ascended the throne.

"Then why aren't you by His Majesty's side? What are you doing here?" Jeremy asked in an unfriendly tone.

Vena calmly watched him, "Because what you saw today was just a puppet that Lucien put on. The real Edel has long since left the capital."

"What?!" Jeremy stood frozen in place as if struck by lightning, then a surge of rage welled up within him. "How dare they?! They dared to replace His Majesty with an imposter!"

After venting his emotions, another question immediately came to mind: "What about the real Emperor—"

“They’re among the rebels you’re talking about,” Viner replied.

Jeremy stared blankly at Viner, all his confusion now coming together.

He claimed to be loyal to the royal family, but his actions were completely opposed to His Majesty's.

"In this light, my current predicament is entirely my own fault..."

Jeremy felt as if all his strength had been drained away, and he collapsed to the ground.

"Yes and no," Viner said calmly. "In my opinion, you still have a chance to make amends."

"Make amends? In my current state?" Jeremy mocked himself.

“You’re not the first guy Lucien throws in jail, but you’ll be the last,” Viner replied.

"What do you mean?" Jeremy looked up, a hint of doubt and confusion flashing in his eyes.

“Lucien keeps imprisoning nobles loyal to the royal family, not just to eliminate dissidents.” Vena pointed to the other empty cells. “His real purpose is your emblem power.”

Those noble heralds who are allowed to remain in the capital are, regardless of their strength, the heralds they inherit are of the highest quality in terms of both their abilities and completeness.

This is why Lucien will not let these people go.

After hearing Wiener's explanation, Jeremy finally realized what had probably happened to those vanished nobles. "Tell me what to do."

"Once you're sure you've found Lucien, try to open it."

Wiener stepped forward and slipped the pocket watch into Jeremy's pocket.

This pocket watch, having been modified by Escudé, will immediately sense its movement once released.

"I can't guarantee I can save you, but I will make him pay the price."

"That's good." Jeremy closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and his expression returned to normal. "Let's go. It's not safe here. Someone might come at any time."

"Then I'll have to trouble you, sir."

Venere nodded, and his figure vanished from the cell in an instant, as if he had never been there.

-----------------

Beneath the palace lies a massive tomb, the existence of which even Edel was unaware.

This place was once the final resting place of emperors and ministers who made outstanding contributions to the empire, but now it is filled with piles of white bones and has been desecrated beyond recognition.

Lucien stood there, watching the nobles who had been brought here.

Some of these people were his political enemies, while others were those who failed to complete a task that was impossible from the start. But what they had in common was that they all possessed extremely rare emblems.

Their blood slowly flowed from their stiff corpses, flowing into a complex and massive magic circle.

The blood containing the essence of the emblem's power was reduced to less than one-tenth after being transformed by a demonic blood soul within the formation.

The slow refining process made Lucien frown, and he coldly uttered, "All show and no substance," before waving his hand to signal his men to drag away the now worthless corpses.

He originally intended to perfect the magic circle, directly transcending the realm of emblem users and stealing the authority of the gods.

Unfortunately, Adele didn't give him that chance.

The rebel army advanced with unstoppable momentum, and was only thirty miles away from the city gates.

In contrast, the reinforcements that should have rushed to the capital have all halted their advance.

Now that things have come to this, no one cares anymore whether the hero behind the rebels or the empress on the throne is real or fake; only the winner can write history.

"Prepare the last batch of offerings," Lucien coldly ordered.

As soon as he finished speaking, his subordinates around him instantly turned into black shadows and disappeared, leaving him alone standing in front of the magic circle.

Lucien's gaze swept over the complex and eerie runes, a cruel smile playing on his lips.

"I just don't know if this blood of a hero can help me complete this final transformation."

Just as his subordinates, having received orders, raised their knives to slaughter the remaining nobles in the city, countless teleportation arrays suddenly lit up outside the capital.

What emerged from the formation were not imperial troops, but demons of various shapes and fierce auras.

They roared and surged into the capital, but the guards who were supposed to be watching over the capital's gates turned a blind eye and let them in.

"Vina, the demons have appeared, so many of them!" Escudo's voice rang out urgently.

Having waited at his private residence for several days, Venus slowly opened his eyes and gazed toward the palace.

"This Grand Duke has finally lost his temper."

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Chapter 654 Help Me, Mr. Killer

After entering the city, the demons had a clear objective: to reach the imperial palace.

The sounds of clashing swords and shouts of battle quickly reached the main hall.

The ministers, who had been discussing how to repel the rebels outside the city, stopped arguing and focused their attention on the chaos outside the palace.

"What's the noise?"

"Could it be that the rebels have broken in?"

"Weren't we just about to discuss this? How could they be here so quickly!"

They would soon no longer need to guess.

With a loud bang, the heavy palace doors were smashed open, and a tall, ferocious demon rushed into the palace.

It raised its mace-like weapon and, without being picky, swung it down at whatever it saw.

The minister, still in a daze, didn't even have time to react before his brains were smashed open.

This is just the beginning.

As the imperial guards outside the palace were gradually suppressed, more and more demons broke through the defenses and poured into the palace, where they carried out a wanton massacre.

The threat of death forced those ministers, who had almost forgotten how to fight, to muster some fighting spirit and launch a hasty counterattack in order to survive.

The problem is that weapons are not allowed to be brought into the palace.

How could the noble ministers, who could only fight back with their bare hands, possibly withstand the ever-increasing number of demon soldiers?

"Lucien! This isn't what we agreed on!" The Grand Justice whirled around, glaring at the Imperial Grand Duke beside him. "You said these demons would only fight the rebels!"

"I did say that, and then what?" Lucien continued to look indifferently at the chaos in the hall. "The rebels, taking advantage of the demons' power, slaughtered the capital. From Her Majesty the Empress down, all the high-ranking officials fought to the death and died heroically. This news will spread throughout the continent after today."

"You!" Maiyanna could no longer contain herself and rushed forward to grab Lucien, but she missed.

Lucien had been preparing for this day long before he used an illusion to attend council meetings in his place.

The blood that kept spilling inside the hall seeped into the ground at an eerie speed through the thick stone bricks.

All the nobles in the palace were his pre-arranged nourishment.

"You can stay here and make your last desperate struggle."

Lucien's figure vanished, leaving behind only a cold, mocking remark.

But this voice was quickly drowned out by the noisy shouts of battle inside the hall.

After Lucien had completely left, the demon soldiers who had stormed into the hall no longer had any scruples. They could clearly distinguish who was of higher status, and after dealing with the nearest enemies, they headed for the two people on the higher ground.

"Humph!"

Maiyan snorted coldly, and a blinding burst of lightning suddenly erupted from his hands, killing two demon soldiers who rushed up in succession.

With his strength, even unarmed, he would be far beyond the capabilities of ordinary demons.

However, facing an undiminished number of demon soldiers, it is not an easy task to retreat unscathed.

Maiyanna's gaze swept over Sylph behind the curtain, a hint of regret flashing across her face.

He waved his hand and removed the restraints on Sylph, saying in a low voice, "Your Highness Sylph, I do not ask for your forgiveness, but I hope you will take good care of yourself in today's events."

Without waiting for a response, Maiyana jumped into the crowd and joined the melee.

Countless bolts of lightning erupted from Mayana's body, sweeping out like a raging thunderstorm. Each bolt struck its enemy with pinpoint accuracy.

Under his fierce offensive, he temporarily overwhelmed the demon soldiers in terms of momentum.

"Let's fight our way out!"

Maiyana roared loudly, trying to boost morale and urge his ministers to fight their way out.

But before he could finish speaking, a dark figure suddenly darted out from the demon army and pounced on Maiyanna, its sharp claws piercing his chest without warning.

Blood splattered, and Maiyana's eyes widened as she met that cruel gaze.

"Just you?"

Deborah sneered and abruptly pulled her hand out; the heart she pulled out was still beating.

Without hesitation, she put it in her mouth, chewed it carefully, and bright red blood spilled from the corner of her mouth.

Even for a demon apostle, the organs of an eighth-tier emblem wielder are a rare and highly nourishing substance.

Deborah ignored the people fighting and instead focused her gaze on Sylph, climbing the steps one by one.

"I haven't tasted the Empress's flavor yet." Deborah licked the blood from the corner of her mouth, a dangerous glint in her crimson eyes.

Faced with an enemy like Mayona who posed a significant threat, she did not hesitate to launch a sneak attack.

Facing the defenseless Sylph, she adopted a cat-and-mouse mentality, slowly enjoying the hunt.

Deborah deliberately slowed down, applying pressure little by little.

“I heard you’re just an imposter, sitting here in someone else’s place,” Deborah lowered her voice, her eyes full of mockery. “Don’t you regret not sitting in this position, so you wouldn’t have died at my hands?”

“I’m not planning to die here.” Sylph shook her head.

Under the oppressive aura of the apostles, even the slightest movement was difficult.

But her gaze remained firm as she silently clutched the eagle crown ring on her chest.

"Really? Then I'll do it anyway—"

Deborah suddenly raised her hand, her sharp claws aimed at Sylph's chest, her killing intent erupting instantly.

"Help me, Mr. Killer!" Sylph clutched the ring in her bosom, silently pleading.

A spatial fluctuation suddenly appeared between the two. Deborah became wary and hurriedly tried to create distance, but Venere's sword was faster than her.

A golden light flashed, and the Ninja Temple had pierced Deborah's chest from the front.

Through the constant nurturing of the Holy Sword, the power of the Zhīdiān Zhāna to restrain the demon race has reached an extremely terrifying level. If this solid sword strikes, not to mention a mere apostle, even a demon would suffer a severe beating.

Deborah didn't even have time to scream before she was reduced to ashes under the majestic light of the Temple of the Ninja.

"If you don't call for help soon, I'm going to come to you directly."

Viner sheathed her sword and glanced helplessly at Sylph, as if asking why she had put herself in such a dangerous situation.

Ever since the demons entered the city, he had been keeping a close eye on the location of Sylph and Jeremy.

Jeremy, who should have been imprisoned, started moving around early on, while Sylph remained motionless, much to Vina's concern.

If anything were to happen to Sylph, he wouldn't be able to explain it to Adele.

"How are we going to leave?" Sylph asked, looking at Vina's profile.

If she had previously worried that the endless demon race would pose a danger to Vina...

But after he killed the demon apostle who had killed the Grand Judge with a single sword strike, Sylph gained full confidence in Vina.