After Gardinaal's one hundred and fourth consecutive plea for peace, Nareth finally agreed to negotiations.
Gardinaal Prime, the capital city. There were no roads within the city.
The city's transportation system consisted of a network of broad-gauge rails for bullet-shaped trains, and narrow pedestrian skybridges connecting transport substations to buildings.
Maria Kurnikova wore a suit of black Dominum Armor.
The Forge Lord and Malevolus had provided Maria with two design schemes: the Markaton and Yeld patterns as bases for her choice.
Between the two, she chose the Markaton pattern, capable of spraying flexible silk threads.
Purple patterns were engraved on the black armor. The raised, sharp claws gleamed with a cold light.
Maria emerged from the shadows, standing on a pedestrian skybridge.
Bald, pale-skinned lower-caste individuals moved numbly. Their gazes lingered slightly on the suddenly appearing beautiful woman but did not halt their steps.
After over two hundred generations of evolution, the lower castes' pursuit of beauty had long been eliminated by more efficient selection.
"You haven't eaten in two days, have you?" The "Witch's" voice was magnetic, complementing her words, causing the lower castes to stop.
For these lower-caste individuals, food held more attraction than alluring appearance.
Deliberately guided to lose most desires, their craving for food was prioritized only beneath the absolute belief in devout service to the higher castes.
The "Witch" watched as many people stopped, a faint, almost imperceptible glint flashing in the corner of her eye.
Her three hundred and eighty "Assassins" and five hundred and twenty "Apprentices" launched attacks on food factories and water plants in surrounding areas. Dozens of factories were reduced to rubble in explosions.
Normally, the Consuls would promptly manage production capacity. Gardinaal's immense output would swiftly compensate for any issues.
But after losing most of the fleet and even more aircraft, all of Gardinaal Prime was affected. Remaining capacity was allocated for war preparations and maintaining the higher castes' dignified lifestyles without decline.
Maria spoke, "instigating":
"I can tell you why. Because those factory castes deliver food that should belong to you to the Consular castes."
"The Consular castes are merely the High Lords' servants. They should not wield such power."
The "Witch" surveyed the crowd, seeing suppressed anger on their faces.
The lower castes were not entirely devoid of rebellious consciousness; they were bound by bio-chemical shackles.
But bio-chemical shackles also required maintenance. Currently, there weren't enough enforcers to maintain them. She could find plenty of opportunities to "Instigate."
"Follow me. See for yourselves."
After speaking, Maria turned and walked towards her target.
The lower castes silently followed behind her.
Maria led the group to a bullet-shaped train station, encountering the first squad of enforcers.
Maria activated the built-in grapnel launcher, leaping into the shadows above.
The lower castes stared blankly at the ceiling. The arachnoid-web fang gun sprayed strands of flexible silk.
Upon contact with air, the silk rapidly hardened to the strength of steel wire, firmly trapping over a dozen enforcers.
"Vile slaves, you-" the Enforcer Captain began to berate. All the lower castes' bodies seemed frozen, unable to move.
His words were cut off by the descending shadow, the cold glint of blades on her forearms.
The Enforcer Captain's excellent reflexes, honed over a hundred generations of evolution, allowed him to roll quickly, taking cover behind other enforcers.
Maria charged forward swiftly, swinging her claws, shredding enforcers.
Simultaneously, a transparent ice spear materialized, stabbing towards the Enforcer Captain's position.
White frost created by the "Witch" spread, entrapping the Enforcer Captain.
Then, claws tore through the Enforcer Captain's body.
With the captain dead, the lower castes regained mobility.
Maria surveyed the crowd, a slight smile curling her lips. She saw a glimmer of light in the eyes of the lower castes.
'Instigate has begun to take effect. Rebellious belief is awakening.'
'Compared to the legendary High Lords and Consuls, enforcers are the most powerful, highest-caste individuals they can see. My easy killing of an enforcer will shatter their entire worldview.'
The lower castes boarded the train. Simultaneously, beyond their sight, numerous "Assassins" sprinted onto the bullet-shaped metal train.
Several "Assassins" skilled in driving pushed the control levers. The bullet train rumbled into motion, heading towards the target.
The lower castes were no longer as numb. They crowded against the observation windows, looking outside.
On Gardinaal trains, the observation function was secondary to many other purposes.
The lower castes curiously gazed out the windows. At first, there was little difference: transport trains, stations, and towering buildings.
Then, differences appeared. The number of building floors decreased.
Steel towers rapidly transformed into estates filled with greenery.
Ignoring warnings, the train continued, crashing into the Transport Consul's mansion.
This was the only Consul's mansion accessible by train.
"Follow me."
Maria led the lower castes off the train. She saw guards assembled, ready for battle.
The "Witch" raised her right hand, sweeping it before her face. Instantly, her features and Dominum Armor became blurred and indistinct.
The "Witch" chanted incantations in Dunnic, simultaneously sprinkling a handful of glowing powder over herself.
The "Witch's" form began to fade bit by bit, her outline seemingly erased by an eraser.
Moments later, the lower castes saw a burst of black flames land among the guards.
The "Witch," using "Invisibility," appeared behind the guards. Her claws swung, tearing through them.
The lower castes watched in astonishment as the tall, powerful woman swiftly killed the formidable guards.
Maria's form vanished from sight again, entering the Transport Consul's mansion.
The "Witch" charged into the mansion. She saw bronze mirrors hanging on the walls.
A torrent of molten fire surged towards Maria. The granite floor exploded, sending debri fying.
The Psyker-Caste raised a flame shield, glancing around warily.
He suddenly looked behind, seeing a black-armored woman leaping from a mirror.
The "Witch's" claws were wreathed in black flames. A burst of frost erupted around the Psyker-Caste.
Frost and flame collided. The fire rapidly receded.
The "Witch's" claws struck the Psyker-Caste. Black flames blew up his right arm.
At that moment, a cold command echoed from loudspeakers.
"Self-destruct!"
The Psyker-Caste unhesitatingly executed the Transport Consul's command. His psychic power detonated the psychic charges on his person.
BOOM!
In the explosion, the "Witch's" form leapt from a mirror at the hall's edge.
The shockwave struck the Dominum Armor. The "Witch" tumbled, avoiding the shockwave, then vanished within the hall once more.
Moments later, when the lower castes entered the mansion, they saw the tall woman in black armor holding a figure in ornate robes.
Merely seeing the person in her grasp, they instinctively felt fear.
Maria threw the Transport Consul down, announcing loudly.
"This is your Transport Consul."
With a swing of her claws, she tore the Transport Consul into pieces.
A gleam appeared in the eyes of the lower castes. They surged towards the dining area, grabbing weapons.
Maria felt a sense of melting within her.