One month later, Year 1032 of the Empire.
Imperial Capital, Palace—
"What? Another surrender without a fight!"
"Damn it! One after another, they're all so disloyal!"
"The Path of Peace and the Revolutionary Army, the two biggest threats to the Empire, have suddenly united to launch a rebellion. What on earth is going on…?"
…
Inside the war room, generals and civil officials anxiously stared at the military dispatches just rushed in, banging the tables and shouting.
"The border governors were originally demoted for opposing His Majesty, so their betrayal is only natural."
Unlike the other officials, the minister remained calm as if the sky was falling, eating meat with a nonchalant expression.
"But if this continues, the rebels will reach the capital!"
Others did not have the minister's composure and were as anxious as ants on a hot pan.
Though they often engaged in corruption and oppression, when the country is on the brink of collapse, anyone would be worried!
"Report! Bad news, Minister, Lords! General Sora and General Esdeath, along with their demon guards, are attacking the palace!"
At that moment, a soldier burst in, disheveled and terrified, reporting to the ministers and officers inside.
"What? Even General Sora and General Esdeath have rebelled!!!"
"It's over, it's over! This empire is finished. Everyone, run for your lives!"
"Run! If those demon guards catch you, you're dead for sure!"
…
Hearing the soldier's report, the officials and generals were shocked, their faces turning pale. The last glimmer of hope they held turned into utter despair. They no longer cared about the imperial palace and scrambled to escape.
At this point, surviving was the greatest fortune they could hope for!
"Yare yare, I expected those two generals would rebel someday. Dragging it out this long is already quite good."
Rarely putting down his meat, the minister stood up, seemingly unsurprised by the news.
"Hehehe… Although I admit you are all strong, even beyond human limits, as long as His Majesty with the royal bloodline is in my hands, this empire will always be mine! Hahaha…"
Unlike the other officials who fled in panic and feared Sora and Esdeath, the minister's fox-like eyes gleamed with brilliance as he laughed heartily, rubbing his fat belly…
…
"Oh my god, it's General Sora and General Esdeath, and those demon women!"
"They're no match, run quickly!"
"General Sora, General Esdeath, spare us! We surrender! We surrender!"
…
Najenda, with the red-eyed women, commanded the Revolutionary Army and Path of Peace followers against the imperial forces, while Sora and Esdeath led Martha and the guard girls into the palace. Wherever they went, anyone who dared to block them was mercilessly slaughtered by the fierce girls. Those who surrendered and dropped their weapons were spared.
There was almost no resistance along the way. At first, some tried to fight back, but after witnessing the cold-blooded terror of the guard girls, the palace guards completely collapsed—some fled, others surrendered.
"Yo, General Budo, is it really wise to block us here instead of protecting His Majesty the Emperor?"
Before entering the palace's Mine hall, Sora stopped and smiled slyly at the tall, armored, and burly General Budo who stood in their way.
"General Sora, General Esdeath, I have always regarded you as the sharpest swords and the strongest shields of the Empire, but this time you have disappointed me."
With a complicated expression, General Budo ignored Sora's teasing and spoke in a deep voice.
"Hehehe, sorry, General Budo. Although others say you're a stubborn old fool, you're the only one in this world I truly respect."
"My goal is this empire, this continent, this entire world! So, General Budo, I'm sorry to offend you!"
With the smile on his face withdrawn, Sora spoke seriously, without a hint of falsehood. He truly respected and admired this old man who had loyally guarded the empire all his life.
Sora didn't say anything to ask Budo to step aside. As mentioned earlier, Budo was a thoroughly stubborn old man, and Sora knew very well that such words would be impossible to hear from him, whether spoken or not.
"Martha, take the guard girls and clear the entire palace. Immediately expel any who surrender, and kill on the spot anyone who dares to resist!"
Sora sharply ordered Martha behind him.
"Hehe, leave it to us, my adorable naughty little brother."
With a coquettish and charming smile, Martha planted a fierce kiss on Sora's cheek, then dispersed with the other girls to begin clearing the palace.
Besides Esdeath and the Three Witches, as well as Sora's personal maids and guards Sayo and Spear, others including Taeko, Leone, and Cornelia also joined the team to clear the palace.
Watching Sora issue orders to the women to clear the palace he had guarded all his life, General Budo frowned deeply but did not stop them. It wasn't that he didn't want to, but he knew that with Sora and Esdeath present, he simply could not intervene!
"Esdeath, General Budo is in your and the Three Witches' hands. I want him alive—do not kill him."
Sora gave Esdeath a final instruction, then wrapped his arms around Sayo and Spear's waists and vanished in a flash from the spot.
"Hey… General Budo, I wonder how much skill you still have left compared to before…"
A strange gleam flashed in Esdeath's icy blue eyes. She licked her lips and gave Budo a wicked smile…
…
Meanwhile, in a chaotic street of the imperial capital—
"Ieyasu, slow down!"
Two figures were leaping rapidly across rooftops, one behind the other. The boy carrying a giant pair of scissors shouted to his companion wielding a huge axe ahead.
"Damn it! We're about to rescue Sayo. How can you expect me to slow down?! Hurry up, Tatsumi!"
The boy with the giant axe shouted back anxiously.
Indeed, these two boys were Ieyasu and Tatsumi, who had secretly left the main force to rescue their companion Sayo!
"Ieyasu, the opponent is the legendary strongest of the empire. We should first come up with a battle strategy…"
Though Tatsumi was eager to fly to Sayo's side and rescue her immediately, he was much calmer than Ieyasu and still thinking about making a plan.
"Hmph! Tatsumi, don't you believe in your own strength? We've been reborn and are no longer the weaklings we once were. We don't need any strategy. We can rescue Sayo with our own power!"
"Enough dawdling behind me. If you don't hurry, I'll leave you behind!"
Carefree Ieyasu didn't care about any strategy. All he wanted now was to chop down the hateful guy who had taken their companion Sayo, to vent the humiliation they had suffered that day!
"Ieyasu, you…"
Not fearing a godlike opponent, but fearing a pig-like teammate—though he had never heard this saying before, Tatsumi deeply understood its meaning now. Seeing Ieyasu rushing ahead without listening to him, he could only quicken his pace and follow…