Chapter 12: Sword Emperor

In a radius of a 100 kilometres.

Every single living being stopped moving.

Whether it be a human, a monster, a fish, an insect or even a plant.

They all stopped moving.

Their bodies weren't controlled by anyone.

Neither were they under some sort of curse or power.

It was an instinctive reaction.

An instinct from deep inside their bodies, an ancient encryption from their very dna itself seem to be telling them something.

Shouting at them even.

And it's meaning was very simple and clear.

An Emperor.

A being standing at the absolute peak of mortal existence.

Was making his move.

And they were not allowed to miss it.

---

Inside the underground dungeon of Antares.

The adventurer's of Artemis familia as well as the monster Antares were standing in place, almost as if stuck.

Thay couldn't move.

More like they didn't dare to move.

How could they?

When the Emperor has yet to allow it.

*Clank*

The swords carried by all the adventurer's shook violently at the same time.

Unable to move their bodies, they desperately used their eyes to find the source of this anomaly.

And then they saw it.

A figure clad in black slowly rising from the rubbles.

Familiar, yet so unfamiliar.

Not minding the dust covering his coat, he turned around and started walking at a leisurely pace.

His footsteps, although light, seem to resonate with their heartbeats.

As if allowing their hearts to beet.

Stopping before the Giant monster Antares, he gazed up at it.

The beast trembled.

Because the monster felt it.

It was unworthy.

It was unworthy of being looked up upon by this being.

But before it could kneel down, it saw William take his eyes away from it and pull out the short sword hanging by his side.

Lightly holding the dull blade, William carefully slid his finger across the blade making the sword tremble in great excitement.

Then he said in a small voice.

"There is no longer a path ahead..."

His voice sounded indifferent, but the listeners couldn't help but feel a deep heart wrenching pain assault thei hearts.

The regret.

The pain.

They felt it.

Raising the sword, William positioned it in front of his face.

"My will is eternal and my sword everlasting....."

They all looked at him in anticipation.

"Monster Antares."

Hearing it's name, the monster's eyes trembled.

"This is everything I have....."

Releasing a deep breath of condensed air, he took a slashing stance.

"Take it."

As the monster Antares saw the ordinary looking attack being coming down at him.

It didn't feel any hatred.

In fact.

It felt delightful.

It felt delightful to have been given the opportunity.

To have been given the chance to die at the hands of such a being.

And so he embraced it.

Spreading it's claws wide apart, as if asking for a hug, it embraced the attack.

Because it understood.

That this was not death.

It was a blessing.

From the Emperor himself.

As the attack made by William fell on the monster Antares, it's body scattered, destroyed at the very moment it touches William's sword will.

But that was not the end.

The sword will escaped the dungeon, tearing a path right through the very earth as it reached for the skies above.

The clouds parted, they were pushed aside, making a scene which shall be remembered for centuries.

-------

[Dungeon City Orario.]

"Y-You have got to be kidding me....", Goddess Loki said in a speechless tone as she fell on her back and stared at the sky above.

But she wasn't the only one.

On this day, every citizen of the dungeon City stared dumbly at the sky.

Those who saw it will tell it's tales with a reverse expression.

And those who missed it, while in the dungeon will regret it for the rest of their lives.

------

"S-scary!", Goddess Hestia shouted in a panicked voice as she hurriedly packed up her stall and ran away.

It was too scary.

She decided to take this day off.

------

God Soma looked at the parted sky in silence, he would tilt his head from time to time as if contemplating about something.

The more he looked at the sky, the more perplexed he became.

It felt familiar, very familiar but he just couldn't put his finger on what it.

-------

Back at the dungeon of Antares.

Goddess Artemis's unconscious body trembled, a drop of tear slipped down her cheek while her hands moved as if trying to embrace something.

"Orion....."

Her voice was filled with sadness.

Right now, having given William her blessing, she was experiencing each and every single moment of his journey from the very start.

His struggles.

His efforts.

His every adventure.

She was seeing it all.

First hand.

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TL: Don't tell me you're going to leave before showing your respect for the emperor? plebeians!

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