Dancing on the golden ashes-Chapter 107: Destroying the Arcadia city

Four of the five kings were now dead.

The surge of energy flowed through me as I reached level 32, faster than I had anticipated. Perhaps it was too quick—unnatural, even—but I wasn’t about to complain.

Park Seo-Jin’s lifeless body hung limply from my scythe, skewered like a piece of meat. The sight was macabre, yet mesmerizing, as his blood dripped down in slow, crimson streaks. The crowd below gazed up in stunned silence, their expressions twisted with disbelief and despair.

Their last hope was gone.

With their ruler absent, they had no one left to protect them. Their gazes shifted from the fallen king to me, and I could see the fear etched into their faces. They didn’t see a warrior or a challenger—they saw a demon god.

And I couldn’t deny that I liked it.

The weight of my aura pressed down on them like a suffocating blanket, and one by one, the people dropped to their knees. A sea of trembling bodies filled the ruined city, their collective despair palpable. They couldn’t believe what they were witnessing.

I hovered in the air, golden fire swirling faintly around me, and I smiled.

They would remember this day.

"Choose. Submit to me, Lee Gaon, the Empress of the Empire of the Eternal Flame, or die along with these people."

My voice boomed across the city, carried by the weight of my King’s Aura. The power in my words made the air itself tremble, a visible force that pressed down on everyone present.

At first, there was silence. Then, like a dam breaking, chaos erupted.

Crowds of people began to flee, scattering like ants, their terrified cries filling the air. They abandoned their homes, their stalls, their livelihoods—everything—in their desperate bid to escape.

Only about a thousand remained, their weapons raised defiantly. Their faces were a mix of fear and determination, but I could feel their hesitation. Their hands trembled, and their stances were shaky. Still, they didn’t back down.

What am I even saying?

The thought gnawed at me, a moment of clarity cutting through the haze of power.

If I do this... if I force them to bow to me... I’d be no better than a murderer.

But my eyes scanned the crowd, and I saw their blades pointed at me, their hostility burning bright despite their fear.

But... they have their weapons raised... ready to kill me.

The conflict within me churned like a storm. Is it truly wrong to crush those who stand against me? To ensure they never rise again to threaten me?

I tightened my grip on my scythe, the black and gold blade gleaming ominously. No one is innocent here. Not anymore.

Read lat𝙚st chapters at fɾeewebnoveℓ.co๓ Only.

I scanned the crowd, my gaze sharp and unforgiving, but then my eyes landed on them—the original five who had led me into this city.

They stood apart from the others, their weapons pointed at me, their expressions unreadable.

So... did I save her only to kill her now?

The thought hit me like a dagger to the chest, twisting painfully. Am I really prepared to take the lives of the innocent just because I can’t stand this city?

My fingers tightened around the handle of my scythe, the weight of it suddenly feeling unbearable. But my eyes flickered back to the city itself—the city built by that bastard.

No, it’s not just that.

It wasn’t just hatred for what this city stood for.

I envy it.

Its beauty, its magic, its people—it all stood as a stark reminder of what I had failed to achieve. Compared to my capital city, this place was better in every way, and that envy burned within me like an unquenchable fire.

So it must cease to exist!

Suddenly, a voice rang out in my mind, low and taunting, dripping with mockery.

"Are you finally coming to your senses?" The eerie voice chuckled. "Even I’m wondering if you need my influence anymore. Hahaha... You’re becoming a true killing machine, Gaon."

Its laughter echoed, each word slicing through my thoughts like a blade.

"But that’s good. The more you kill, the easier it will be for you to lead an empire. You know that yourself, don’t you? There are no good emperors—not to those who stand in opposition to their rule."

Its words slithered through my mind, wrapping around my resolve like chains. The truth in them was undeniable, yet it made me sick.

What kind of ruler do I want to be?

I gritted my teeth, the storm within me threatening to tear me apart. Was I truly so far gone? Or was this simply the cost of power?

I’m an empress.

The words echoed in my mind, steadying my wavering resolve.

It’s all for the sake of the people I must protect, right?

If I let them live, they would only grow to threaten me later. But if I killed them, my level would rise, my power would grow, and I’d become strong enough to defend the people I cared about.

This is what it means to rule.

Without realizing it, my vision darkened, and when I blinked, I saw that my eyes had turned completely black. A surge of powerful soul energy erupted from within me, crackling like lightning in the air.

"Hahaha! That’s right, Gaon! Enough being a weakling! Let me help you! Together, we’ll spread fear into the hearts of people and make them bow before you!"

The voice inside me roared, its laughter infectious, and I could feel its power flooding into every fiber of my being.

I raised my scythe high, the flames around it burning darker than ever before. This is for them. For the people I must protect.

"Five Paths of Fire: Second Path... Power!"

Our voices intertwined, my own merging with the sinister presence within me. The words came unbidden, as if etched into my very soul.

"The Reappearance of the Demoness!"

Something deep within me cracked, a resounding fracture that echoed through my core. A new path was unlocked—one that felt foreign, shadowed by darkness.

Was this truly the same scripture?

For a fleeting moment, doubt flickered in my mind. But it was drowned out by the intoxicating rush of power.

Before I fully understood what was happening, a massive black beam of fire erupted from my scythe, crashing into the crowd below. The destruction was instantaneous—an obliteration so absolute that not even their bones remained.

The ground trembled beneath me, and then, like a silent storm, a slowly expanding orb of fire began to consume the city. Its flames were unnatural, devouring everything in their path—buildings, streets, and lives—all reduced to ash.

I hovered above it all, my wings spread wide, watching as the once-vibrant city was annihilated from existence. The power it once held was now nothing but smoldering ruins.

For a moment, I felt nothing but cold detachment.

Then the laughter returned, echoing in my mind.

"This is the path of an empress, Gaon. This is the respect you’ve earned."

But deep down, as the flames continued to spread, a single thought crept in: What have I done?

"Soul Reaver!"

An extreme number of souls shot toward me all at once, overwhelming me with their sheer power. The air itself felt heavy, dense with energy that seemed to press into every fiber of my being. My body trembled, struggling to contain the sudden influx.

And then, it happened.

A massive system message flooded into my mind, the words rushing past faster than I could process:

[.....]

[Error!]

[Too many souls have been consumed at once. Evaluating...]

[You shall be transported to a trial area to secure you from death as a one-time bonus.]

[The requirement for Memento Vivere has been met: 1451/1000. Proceeding with the second evolution.]

Before I could even react, I felt my body being wrapped in an unfamiliar yet comforting white energy. It was soft, almost like a cocoon, shielding me from the chaos within.

And then I was gone.

The city, the destruction, the screams—all of it disappeared. I was transported far, far away.

When I opened my eyes, I found myself in a place of indescribable beauty. It was like Earth, yet not. The air was fresher, the colors more vivid, the sound of a majestic waterfall cascading nearby. It felt peaceful, serene... and completely at odds with the turmoil raging inside me.

But before I could take it all in, a sudden wave of dizziness hit me like a freight train. My body felt weak, fragile. The world began to blur and spin.

I knew this feeling.

Continue your journey with novelbuddy

I was dying.

Again.

It struck me like a blade to the heart—I had forgotten about this skill. Memento Vivere. The eerie entity inside me had forced me to harvest those souls, leading me to this very moment.

Ah... I’m so pathetic.

As my vision dimmed, I felt my body collapse into the water below. The cool sensation enveloped me, dragging me into its embrace.

[You have died.]

[Time until revival: nine days.]

And then his voice returned.

"[Hahaha! Good job, Lee Gaon. I’m proud of you. You will definitely be able to help me in the future!]"

That disgusting voice. The voice of the Creator.

I wanted to scream, but I couldn’t. I wanted to fight back, but I was powerless.

He had been watching all along.

And in that moment, as the world faded into black, I knew one thing with absolute certainty:

I was just a pawn in his grand design.