Chapter 811: Chapter 35: Upheaval in the Royal Capital (3)_4
The Clock Tower Palace in Shadow Mist City hasn’t disappeared; all those bizarre scenes have been drawn away like mist, swirling majestically like tangible gas, absorbed into a small crystal ball, like a street-sold glass sphere house. Situ Yi casually tossed that small ball into the unfathomably dark sky, as if the unnecessary backdrop was being retracted by the stage apparatus.
Queen Annie’s Holy Kingdom still exists, yet it cannot unfold, solidified into stage-like paperboard scenery standing behind her and the old captain. On the surface, Queen Annie remains calm, but inwardly, she’s in turmoil.
This incredible method caused her to feel an implicit worry. Even when that black-clad child was close to her, she wasn’t the slightest bit panicked, as that person was strong in a straightforward manner, but Situ Yi was as eerie as a ghostly shadow. She looked at her knight, Old MacCulloch, who stood firm as a mountain, his steadiness providing reassurance.
“This is the power of the ‘theater,’ can it be so easily wielded without unfolding a world?” Macrow scratched his graying head, “You’re not yet forty, right? As expected of a student of the Imperial Academy. Every time I see young people like you, I truly feel old.”
Situ Yi laughed: “The young heroes are dashing, the elderly the pillars of society, why differentiate between high and low?”
“Older folks have too many concerns, they can’t be carefree.” Macrow said worriedly, “Remembering today’s schedule, thinking about this month’s social engagements, contemplating the future of the younger generation and my retirement, chaotic like an old fool, nothing like those carefree student days…”
“Reminiscing about the old romantic days?” Situ Yi flicked his fingers, manipulating the puppets. Unbeknownst to anyone, the puppets also changed, transforming from crude creations into black-armored knights. They rode out on warhorses, ready to challenge the old knight. Thirteen black-armored knights galloped with thunderous speed, their formation like an army.
Yet their weapons never clashed with the knight’s; they didn’t even approach the knight. They halted midway, freezing along with their mounts.
“Though student days were joyful, learning was still necessary. You learned the sage books and great principles of the Empire at the Imperial Academy. How come after leaving school, you’ve engaged in such unseemly activities?”
Knight Macrow sighed.
The slightest air disturbance caused the tip of the lead Black Knight’s spear to lift a piece of black dust, a color so dark, like ashes left by burnt wood. As if the first domino in an array was toppled, the insignificant change triggered a dramatic outcome, and in an instant, the thirteen knights along with their steeds vanished from existence, silently dispersing into ashes.
The cheers and applause abruptly halted, leaving the dueling ground in dead silence. Situ Yi raised his eyes and slowly said: “Just following my heart.”
“But while you follow your heart, innocent people suffer, how can one stand by and watch? I believe one must adhere to certain things in this world, such as law, morality, the chivalric spirit…”
The old knight raised his sword: “And justice.”
His sword was plain and unremarkable, the most common standard knight’s longsword, every member of the Knight Order has such a weapon, granted on the day of their induction as proof of their knighthood. At this moment, a golden light flashed across the sword’s edge, not the wonder of a magical sword, but the fire in the sword-bearer’s eyes.
Fire ignited, coming from within the scorched Holy Fire Armor, from the body of the sword-bearing knight. The radiant Holy Fire flowed into the sword along his arm, transforming into a vast sky of light and fire in an instant. Macrow put away his polite smile and slowly recited his vow, the promise to defend the righteous path.
“The long night is vast, wickedness rampant. Evil rampages, good devoid of hope.
Burn my body and soul, defend the true path. In the dark night, the Holy Fire shines!”
The knight swung his sword with a furious shout, and the brilliant golden flames swept across the sky, splitting the entire framed stage with a single strike. The theater was torn apart, the frame scorched, the elaborately crafted dueling ground instantly turned into a sea of fire. The old knight let his power burn freely, yet no scenery of an inner world was seen, only the golden light of fire born from within himself.
“Silent Phase · Breakthrough. Soul Burning Holy Fire!”
The old knight’s anger bristled, courage unparalleled as he stepped forward, wielding his sword towards evil with the determination to burn with everything. He was no longer the good-tempered old man, the occasionally muddled elder. He was the leader of all the Royal Knights, the guardian of the capital, the Kingdom’s sword that intimidated the world for half a century. He was “Radiant” Macrow, one of the only two Breakthrough Mages in the world, a just knight who becomes kindling with his own body!