Volume 2, Chapter 0 – Prologue

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Year 1995 of the Crimson Sovereign’s Calendar,

Eight years have passed since the tragic events of 1987 in Breitzel.

In a solemn cemetery located in the Breitzel region of the Westivian Covenant’s eastern border, the sky was overcast, casting a heavy and somber atmosphere over the surroundings.

A towering memorial monument stood at the center of the cemetery. In front of the monument, the annual ceremony to honor the fallen was underway.

Hundreds of ceremonial soldiers stood in neat rows, dressed in black formal attire, holding their military caps as a sign of respect. They stood motionless, heads bowed, their expressions solemn and their gazes sharp, like statues carved from stone. At the base of the monument, countless family members of the deceased, also dressed in black mourning attire, stood in silence amidst the solemn procession.

Even though eight years had passed since the tragedy, and this ceremony had been held multiple times, the grief and sorrow still overwhelmed the families as they returned to this place of mourning. The oppressive atmosphere made it almost impossible to breathe.

Amidst this heavy atmosphere,

High-ranking officials of the Covenant, dressed in tailored black suits, approached the monument one by one with grave expressions. Each person would bend down, hold a bouquet of flowers in both hands, and place it solemnly in front of the monument. They would then close their eyes and offer a brief but heartfelt prayer.

The cemetery was silent, save for the rustling of the wind against the flags and white flowers. The sound seemed to whisper a lament for the departed souls. Everyone’s heart was weighed down by the solemnity of the moment, standing silently on this land filled with memories of tragedy, bearing the pain in silence.

On a hillside not far away,

After observing the scene through a telescope, a purple-haired man named “Reger” couldn’t help but show a hint of surprise.

“Lord Vincent, General Enqibulan… Huh? And that one, I forgot his name, but isn’t he the Minister of Defense? So many important figures are here,” Reger remarked with a sigh.

As Reger sighed, a melodious yet deeply sorrowful voice reached his ears.

“Isn’t that normal? The memorial ceremony for the victims of the Breitzel tragedy is a significant event for the Covenant. These important figures come almost every year. They come to honor the soldiers killed by the Myriadface Avian, as well as… the 170,000 civilians slaughtered by the Malevolences…”

As the voice spoke, Reger slowly turned his head to look at the young girl behind him.

She was a girl around eighteen years old, with a beautiful face and long, radiant golden hair that cascaded down to her waist, shimmering faintly in the breeze. Her eyes were heterochromatic, with a deep, fiery gold in her left eye and a dark red in her right.

Dressed in a tailored black mourning dress, she appeared even more solemn and cold under the gloomy sunlight.

The moment Reger saw her, his heart instinctively raced.

At the same time, Reger habitually raised his index finger and corrected her:

“No, no, Miss Yuehuai. Those people weren’t slaughtered by the Malevolences, okay? The Malevolences didn’t specifically go out to kill them. They were just unlucky, caught in the crossfire of the Malevolences’ battle. Besides, the government issued evacuation orders at the time. It was their own fault for not…”

As he spoke, noticing Yuehuai’s increasingly icy expression, Reger quickly stopped himself.

Although he truly felt no sympathy for the ordinary people caught in the Malevolences’ power, calling them “unlucky” was indeed inappropriate.

Moreover, among those people,

Was the father of the girl standing before him…

Realizing he had once again spoken carelessly, Reger felt a wave of regret.

Her mother was killed by the Myriadface Avian… her father was devoured by the Malevolences’ attack…

And here I am, making light of it?

Ahhhh!! I’m such an idiot!

In an attempt to make amends, Reger quickly approached Yuehuai and shyly took her hand.

“Come with me. I’ll show you something.”

“Wh-what?” Yuehuai frowned, clearly confused and resistant.

Reger hurriedly explained:

“Sorry, that was my mistake earlier. I know you’re not in a good mood right now, but trust me, come with me… After seeing this, you’ll definitely feel much better!” Reger said confidently.

“……”

Though still skeptical, Yuehuai reluctantly followed him.

And so,

Reger took the girl’s hand and hurriedly led her into a pre-prepared teleportation array behind them.

The runes inscribed on the array glowed with a faint blue light, enveloping the two figures. With a low hum, the center of the array lit up with a dazzling light, and the space around them twisted.

In the next moment, the light faded, and the sensation of weightlessness disappeared.

When they regained their senses, the soft grass beneath their feet had been replaced by cold, hard stone, and their surroundings had completely changed.

“Huh?”

Yuehuai steadied herself and looked around in shock.

The girl realized they were now in a dark tunnel. The walls on either side were covered in moss and cracks, with occasional droplets of water falling from above, creating a dripping sound. The air was damp and cold, carrying an indescribable musty smell.

“What is this place?”

In response to her question, Reger, standing beside her, spoke with a meaningful tone.

“This~ is the tunnel beneath Infernus Vale~”

“Infernus Vale?!!”

Hearing this, Yuehuai’s expression changed drastically.

“Are you insane?! Why did you teleport us to such a place?!”

The girl lost her previous composure and let out an anxious roar, her crimson spiritual energy surging out of her body like a protective shield.

Yuehuai knew all too well about Infernus Vale.

Eight years ago, during the fierce battle between Celestial Blight Ulutiel and Terran Malevolence Gaia Lobir, a beam of cursed energy erupted from the Veiled Domain and struck deep into the Westivian Covenant.

This beam of death obliterated several towns, turning 170,000 civilians to ash, while also drastically altering the terrain of the Breitzel region.

The plains were torn apart, forming a massive chasm…

This chasm became known as “Infernus Vale.”

To this day, Infernus Vale remains saturated with the powerful cursed energy of the Malevolences, as well as the terrifying miasma it breeds. Because of this miasma and cursed energy, Infernus Vale has been declared a forbidden zone for humans, where no life can survive.

Not only is entering Infernus Vale forbidden, but even those daring adventurers who ventured close to it… none returned alive.

Therefore,

Being suddenly brought to this forbidden zone, Yuehuai naturally showed a look of terror.

Seeing Yuehuai’s expression, Reger chuckled with amusement.

“Haha, calm down, Yuehuai. It’s fine, no need to worry so much.”

As he spoke,

Reger playfully spread his arms:

“See, I’m only at the fourth tier, and I’m fine. You’re a Divine Martial Realm expert, what’s there to be afraid of?”

“Huh?”

Seeing this, Yuehuai’s beautiful face showed clear displeasure.

“This isn’t Infernus Vale?! Are you messing with me?”

“No, no, I’m not messing with you. This really is Infernus Vale,” Reger said, waving his hands innocently.

“If this is Infernus Vale, why can’t I feel any cursed energy?”

“Well, you’ll understand if you follow me.”

With a slight smile, Reger walked toward the end of the tunnel, where a white light emanated. The golden-haired girl, though reluctant, had no choice but to follow the son of the scientist.

As they walked, Reger slowly began to explain:

“You know, my father and his team have been researching a weapon to combat Corrupted Beasts for decades. Unfortunately, his research hasn’t been very successful.”

“……”

“But starting eight years ago, things changed.”

“Changed?” Yuehuai asked, puzzled.

“Yes, in a way, we have to thank Gaia Lobir. If she and Ulutiel hadn’t fought to a stalemate, the Vassals of Sky wouldn’t have stopped their assault on the Covenant. After the war with the Vassals of Sky ended, my father and his team received more manpower and funding, allowing them to focus entirely on developing this weapon. And now, the weapon has been successfully developed.”

As he finished speaking, Reger led Yuehuai out of the tunnel and into an open area at the bottom of Infernus Vale.

The moment they entered, Yuehuai’s expression turned to one of astonishment, because here… there was not a trace of cursed energy. Instead, there was only a soft white light.

And that white light?

Came from a massive white energy prism floating in mid-air.

“Yes.”

“This… is this the new weapon you’ve been developing?”

“……”

Crossing his arms, Reger gazed at the white energy prism with a proud smile.

“Reshil,” the name of the weapon. This thing is a killer that can decompose cursed energy and purify filth. The reason there’s no cursed energy in Infernus Vale is because it’s been purified by this! By the way, such a large-scale purification only used 20% of its power.”

“This… this is incredible?!” Yuehuai covered her mouth, her eyes filled with disbelief.

“Right? With this thing… we won’t be so passive anymore. Not only can we eliminate Vassal-tier Corrupted Beasts, but we can even stand a chance against the Trinity of Malevolence.”

“Even the Malevolences?”

“Exactly!”

Reger nodded confidently.

“With this weapon, your dream of avenging the Malevolences is no longer just a pipe dream. Feeling better now?”

“Yes.” The golden-haired girl’s eyes moistened slightly as she nodded.

After nodding, she looked at Reger with some confusion:

“But… I’m just a lowly lieutenant. Isn’t it inappropriate to reveal such important secrets to me? Although I appreciate your comfort, this…”

“Haha, don’t worry about it.”

Reger laughed without hesitation.

“You’re the daughter of the former Covenant Marshal, Xestila, a hero’s descendant. You easily passed the military’s political review earlier. Bringing you here won’t upset my father. Besides… the military has already chosen you as one of the first pilots to wield ‘Reshil.’ So, telling you in advance is no big deal, haha!”

“Me?”

“Yes, happy?”

“Yes, thank you, Reger.”

Looking at the purple-haired man before her, Yuehuai showed a sweet, grateful smile.

This smile made Reger’s face flush slightly, and he awkwardly scratched his head:

“No need to thank me. I’m just glad you’re happy.”

At the same time, Yuehuai placed her hands behind her back and walked step by step toward the floating prism.

“Reshil,” a weapon named after the Arbiter Goddess?”

The girl murmured thoughtfully.

As she spoke, the golden pupil of her left eye contracted in an unusual manner. Faint, almost imperceptible sounds, reminiscent of a camera shutter, echoed in the air.

—”Lady Yelena, I’ve found the weapon you mentioned.”—