Chapter 33: [Destruction] Is Watching You
You stood on the massive warship, gazing down at the planet's surface.
The gray-brown ground was densely packed with Cloud Knights; there were Flight Officers piloting star skiffs and infantry soldiers marching in formation.
The infantry were like a tide, and the flight officers like a swarm of locusts.
You pieced together the scraps of faint information you had overheard…
This was an encirclement operation against the Followers of Abundance; victory meant the complete annihilation of the Borisin who had fled to this place.
You felt indifferent; it had nothing to do with you. Your current behavior was exactly as the general perceived it.
A fragile scholar…
You observed the entire battlefield with curiosity.
On the ground, the Cloud Knights' infantry formed battle formations, cooperating seamlessly, while the Flight Officers hovered above, making their advance look effortless.
By contrast, the Borisin warriors—though individually powerful—fell one after another under this methodical assault…
At this pace, completing the encirclement was only a matter of time.
Of course…
That was assuming no unexpected events occurred.
All the Cloud Knights surrounding the area wore expressions of joy.
After all, this battle seemed to be heading steadily toward victory.
The general was in excellent spirits; he even personally beat a war drum for the soldiers fighting below.
"Boom, boom…"
The dull drumbeat sounded an inspiring rhythm, and the Cloud Knights below advanced even faster.
The Borisin fled even more frantically.
Some people aboard the warship even began to cheer; victory was within reach, and perhaps they would soon return home in glory…
A bright moon suddenly emerged from the gray-white horizon, and a faint blood-red glow abruptly covered the gray-brown land.
This was…
Your spirit stirred—this was the blood-red moon from your dream.
It…
Had come…
You felt a little eager to act, but for now…
It seemed the moment had not yet arrived, as only a small part of it was visible before your eyes.
However, it was rising little by little, and it would not be long before it fully emerged from the horizon.
The blood-red moonlight fell upon the land, upon the Cloud Knights, and upon the Followers of Abundance…
Like a thin, blood-soaked veil, the Yunqi Army showed no change under this moonlight.
However, a faint red glow suddenly appeared in the eyes of the Borisin warriors, and their combat power increased significantly…
Moon Frenzy…
"Awoo—"
On the battlefield, wolf howls rose and fell, echoing across the land.
As far as the eye could see, some of the Borisin who had been fleeing on the ground even launched counterattacks.
However, this was certainly not the first time such a moon had appeared before the Cloud Knights.
They did not panic; their cooperation became even tighter, and the general's orders were conveyed in an even more methodical manner.
This was not a significant variable.
Amid these changes…
The full moon finally revealed itself completely, appearing as—
Like a gigantic pancake stained with crimson blood, hanging over the heads of the people.
"No, tonight's moon is disturbingly large…"
"This is bad—the moon is close to the ground. The Great Tide is coming…"
Someone shouted. You looked outward and saw a black tide surging in from the horizon, vast and majestic, destroying everything in its path.
Star skiffs that failed to fly high enough would also be swallowed by that tide…
Later, the Yunqi Army would call this tide the "Demon Tide."
Your heart understood it instantly.
This was your strange dream. So, while everyone around you was wondering, "Why is the moon so big…?"
You once again piloted your rented star skiff, heading toward the blood moon.
You carried the curved bow and the long spear on your back.
You did not know why, but as you drew closer, a feeling of anxiety and revulsion gradually grew in your heart.
That feeling became more and more pronounced as time passed…
Could it be that this moonlight, which caused "Moon Frenzy" in the Borisin, was also affecting you?
You did not know. You only knew that this anxiety fanned the destructive impulses that had accumulated during your recent training.
An urge ignited in your heart: destroy it…
To forcibly bring down that so-called "moon" that made you uncomfortable and hung above you, and shatter it into pieces…
You yielded to the destructive impulse awakened by the moonlight, drawing your bow and preparing an arrow—
No, more precisely, drawing the bow and readying the spear…
With a faint red glow in your eyes, you aimed at the moon.
The bow drawn like a full moon…
The spear about to be released like a meteor…
No—
You discovered that even when drawn to its limit, the bow—made of unknown precious materials—could not fully release the destructive impulse in your heart.
You shook your head, put away the curved bow, and grasped the long spear instead.
Gathering all your strength, from your feet, through your waist, and into your arm…
In an instant, you felt that what you held was no longer a mere long spear, but a great weapon capable of destroying heaven and earth—like a laser fired from a star destroyer, no, with even greater destructive power than such a beam.
You used all your strength, imbuing the long spear with an exaggerated amount of power.
You were just about to let it fly from your hand…
When suddenly you felt the scene change, as if you had entered another space.
The mysterious blood moon ahead, the dark land below—
Everything disappeared, leaving only a deep starry sky.
Given your recent actions, Destruction had taken notice of you…
In that region of the starry sky, His figure appeared.
Nanook.
This was the Aeon who governed the Path of Destruction. He had noticed you.
His colossal figure seemed to link heaven and earth, His body completely filling the vast starry sky.
You looked into those enormous, star-like eyes, and within them there was no trace of human emotion.
This Aeon had no expression, yet from the moment He appeared, you felt a guidance emerge from the far end of the starry sky.
[Worlds, stars, and the universe will march toward destruction, and must march toward destruction…]
[The meaning of all existence is Destruction.]
The descent of the Aeon felt as long as a century, yet as brief as an instant. You felt the strength and power within your body rise to another level.
You still held the spear, ready to strike. Your will seemed able to connect with the starry sky, which responded with a faint golden light. The light descended, merged with your body, and then, obeying your will, fused into the spear.
The long spear hummed.
As if overwhelmed, yet also eager to be unleashed.
You threw it with all your might…
The long spear transformed into a meteor that soared toward the heavens, emitting a dazzling golden radiance beneath the blood-red moonlight.
Golden light pierced the moon…
The star skiff beneath your feet shattered instantly from the recoil, but you did not fall.
The gaze of Destruction granted you the ability to wield a small portion of the Path's power. A faint golden energy supported your body.
You hovered in the air, watching as the long spear flew forth and struck the blood moon.
Calling it a moon, it was merely a near-planetary asteroid, reflecting the light of a star blessed by Abundance…