The Skies above the Capital

Shirogane has been waiting for this moment for decades. He’s set up every little detail. Done everything he can do. And it’s all come down to this.

Over the course of his years on this planet, he’s made use of every connection he has. Set up trade routes between Silverfall and dozens of other nations that had things Silverfall needed. Had new Gates constructed to worlds the emperor was wishing Silverfall could be connected to. And done everything he could to ensure this final confrontation goes exactly how he desires it to go.

He instigated all of the leaders of the many attacking nations to perform a major assault at the same time against the capital, having spread word that the emperor was weakened, and his strongest forces were far away dealing with other worlds. Having faked turning traitor to lure the other nations in.

Even having set up the very portals their leaders used to get here.

All for this one moment as Shirogane flies high into the sky while small droplets of liquid silver emerge in the skies around him. The dome blocking out any possible sun, and the frequency he’s having the dome vibrate at blocking any sort of connection.

He even sets off a powerful EMP in the capital to disable all sorts of visual capturing devices while having one of his connections – one under a binding body contract – use a particularly rare ability to suppress any and all powers that would be able to capture evidence of what Shirogane is doing.

Everything is set for him to join the fray.

And so he does. Without any hesitation.

Under the confused, shocked, and betrayed gazes of the many enemy leaders, the liquid silver all around Shirogane bursts out into long spikes that pierce straight through each and every one of the leaders. And while several of the leaders do manage to avoid the attacks, they, too, end up being pierced when more spikes follow.

Only three of the enemy leaders manage to do anything beyond simply dodging. They successfully block his attacks with their defenses or attacks of their own. Then they follow up by attacking Shirogane in return or attempting to flee.

But Shirogane doesn’t let them. Instead he pulls out a device from his pocket and activates it.

Sending a dimensional stabilizing field throughout the dome.

One that blocks any form of gates from opening or teleportation from happening.

He couldn’t do this until he had already destroyed all of the current portals in the area and disabled the Gates down in the capital with the help of the Rex Dynasty, so this particular part of the plan was one of the hardest for him to complete perfectly.

Stranding the attempted escapees to the point of no escape.

Shirogane apathetically ignores the pleas of the remaining leaders, the man not allowing anything to ruin his plans. Not even when he senses a couple of the Council of Darkness members turning their attention from the emperor to him.

He just wipes out every last one of the leaders.

Leaving the enemy nations leaderless.

First part of the plan is complete. He should be arriving any minute now.

Shirogane turns towards the approaching Council of Darkness members. Two of them in particular.

One of them is covered in shadows and the other in lightning. Both shrouded so that their real appearances can’t be seen.

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“Silver Merchant, shall we take this as a sign of the Eternal Dynasty’s breaking away from their neutrality?” the one shrouded in shadows asks, his deep voice resonating throughout the dome.

But Shirogane simply wipes his hands with a handkerchief while emotionlessly stating, “I have no idea what you are talking about.”

Silence passes for a few seconds before the lightning Council member says, “You won’t be leaving here alive.”

Shirogane ignores the woman’s threat as he focuses on both their levels. Levels that are below his own, but only by a few hundred levels.

With Shirogane’s level being over seven thousand.

Before their battle can commence, Shirogane presses a button on another device within his other pocket. And immediately after that, a bottle appears floating in the air in front of the emperor all the way down in the castle.

Shirogane makes eye contact with the emperor, seeing the man letting out a sigh before he grabs the bottle and downs it.

Then the emperor’s eyes flare with a golden light and all of the wounds across his body, both internal and external ones, vanish soon after. The medicine Shirogane gave him being one of the best in the universe.

Something many people don’t realize is that the higher someone’s level is, the harder it is to find potions and medicine that actually works on them. Their own natural resistance winning out over more basic potions and medicine, even if the potions aren’t doing anything bad to their bodies.

One of the biggest problems in the universe.

And for one of the Nine Grands, the only people who can create the potions that work on them belong to either the Crimson Empire or the Eternal Dynasty. With the Rex Empire of the Dead not needing healing supplies, and the Grand Silvanian Empire having the best healers in the universe.

But no healer is capable of quickly healing one of the Nine Grands, as healing magic is the same as potions.

So another way for Shirogane to aid the empire was to gift him a potion that could heal the man.

An act that Shirogane believes just won the emperor over, even if only grudgingly. Going simply by the resigned look on the emperor’s face.

And with all of the cards lined up, Shirogane begins fighting with the Council of Darkness members attacking him. The man feeling slightly more motivated by the fact that it’s the first time he can show off to Aria.

But only slightly.

Meanwhile the emperor faces off against the leader of the Council of Darkness who appears amidst the other council members’ shadows after no doubt sensing Leopold’s recovery.

Marking the real start of the final battle of the war.

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Aria

I kind of wish I had popcorn right now. Because this is getting interesting.

Setting aside the potion the emperor just used, I still find it hard to merge the image I have of Shirogane in my head as a boy who has a crush on me with the man easily slaughtering people who could rip me to shreds with ease right now. Not that I’d stay in those shreds.

And it’s even harder to think of him as Shirogane when he’s fighting members of the Council of Darkness.

Makes me wonder just how powerful Shirogane is. Considering the fact that he’s never actually told me his level.

Seeing him fight like this kind of puts him in a new light for me at the very least.

Now instead of a penny pinching boy with a crush he’s a powerful penny pinching boy with a crush.

I nod my head at that conclusion before glancing at Asher, who seems to be mesmerized by the flashing lights from the battle. So I reach down to pick him up, then I glance up at the battle again while casually petting the cat in my arms.

Wonder how long this fighting will last? It’s clearly going to be the last battle of the war. And judging by the look on Arthur’s face as he battles, he doesn’t really care much about how it turns out.

Which makes some sense. Considering how he’s gotten his primary goal. Or what I assume to be his primary goal.

The goal of making the Crimson Empire reenter society again by force.

This was most likely just a secondary goal. To hurt the Grand Silvanian Empire.

Not something that’s absolutely necessary.

And at this point there’s nothing he can really do to salvage this war. What with Shirogane having slaughtered the enemy leaders like they were cattle, and having healed the emperor.

I watch the battle for a little while, uncaring even when some stray attacks blast me to smithereens before I reemerge from a wave of crimson energy rebuilding my body. Along with the cat in my arms.

This battle feels rather dull to watch when I already know what the outcome is gonna be. Especially given Arthur’s look. One of someone who is close to resigning himself to losing.

Which, I have to admit, is hard to tell. Considering how Arthur’s face is covered.

But I feel like I’ve grown better at reading how he feels over the period of time he’s spent stalking me.

Whether that’s a good thing or not is something I won’t bother thinking about.

Eventually I turn around and begin walking deeper into the castle, heading towards the room that was reserved for me when I’m here. Deciding that I don’t really care about the battle anymore. Not when Shirogane looks like he’s handling himself well and won’t be killed.

So it’s time to start that new book I was wanting to read.