In the Name of Empress-Chapter 560 - 339: Slay! (Part 4)

But he endured.

As the only male in the entire team, Roland stood like an iron wall in front, creating a stage for the perfect bloom of the Flower Sea Elves.

The victory was theirs, but also his.

Roland raised his shield and scepter, spat out a mouthful of bloody froth, and teased with a feigned nonchalance:

"We are..."

"Champions!"

Sif picked up where Roland left off, her mind drifting to the stage play of the Elf Empress returning home, and further back to encounters from the beginning of the prose competition.

The battle on the outskirts continued, but that was the bronze division and had nothing to do with them.

Christine and others beckoned the Transcendents from their camp into the Flower Sea, waiting for the results to be tallied.

She didn’t rush out to kill some lucky Transcendents to boost her ranking.

It’s better to leave a line behind, rather than make enemies of the whole world.

No matter how many she kills, she couldn’t secure a spot in the top eleven for others in her camp, so why bother?

The battle on the outskirts raged on, but no one dared to intrude into the Flower Sea.

Both the second and third-ranked super-powerful individuals had perished in the Flower Sea; any small fry coming in was a waste.

When the midnight bell tolled, there were still seventy-five Transcendents on the battlefield.

Transcendents ranked 61-75 fought desperately, seizing their last moments.

Time was up.

The Hawkeye Referee and Judges descended from the sky.

Most of them couldn’t fly independently and could only slowly descend, playing it cool.

Hawkeye raised both hands, smiling as he said, "Everyone, stop."

"Thank you all for letting me witness a spectacular performance."

He read out the names of those ranked 61-75, bowed slightly, his expression solemn, "Your hard-fought battle showed me the unique courage of humanity. I salute you."

The fifteen Transcendents outside the decimation line were initially in despair, but hearing Hawkeye’s words, a flicker of hope ignited within them.

Could it be...

Hawkeye lifted his hands, his voice deepening, "Rest in peace now, I will remember your names and your final performance."

"No!"

"Bastard!"

"***!"

Some wailed, some raged, and others just cursed; at the brink of death, isn’t it permissible to shout a few curses?

Hawkeye observed with clarity the anger, unwillingness, and despair of the disqualified, but he nonetheless rendered his cold verdict.

Elimination!

The bodies of the fifteen disqualified slumped down softly, no miracle unfolded.

Just at rank 60, a Transcendent clutched his still-bleeding wound, gasping heavily, his legs giving out as he knelt to the ground.

He had narrowly eliminated the previous holder of the 60th position, hitting the mark just in time.

He created a miracle, at least it was a miracle to him.

The battle concluded, the awarding began.

Hawkeye first presented the bronze medals.

Those who received medals soon broke through to Tier Six, achieving a transformation. Some were excited, others calm, while some had mixed feelings.

This time they passed by luck, what about the next return day? But their disappointment didn’t last long; as long as they were alive, who could say they wouldn’t continue to create miracles?

The bronze medals awarded, next came the silver medals.

The five-member team all passed, with Roland prominently ranked second, becoming the overall runner-up beneath Sofia, surpassing the four other contract partners.

After awarding the medals, Hawkeye glanced at Roland, waved his large hand, and said calmly:

"The side effects of this Soul Blood Link are too severe; it’s better not to use it."

Roland’s complexion changed slightly, swallowing the expletives he was about to utter.

This was his trump card; to be told not to use it, just like that? 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

Yet, he quickly came to terms.

If not using it, then so be it. The Soul Blood Link, where one death meant a meal for the whole family, was indeed risk-ridden. With the battle over, it was better to let it go.

With the runner-up medal in hand, Roland closed his eyes slightly, an influx of knowledge pouring into his mind. When he opened his eyes again, he skipped Tier Six [Iron Guard], advancing to Tier Five [Vanguard of the March].

The promotions of these two tiers stemmed from the auxiliary profession of Holy Knight.

After all, his shining moments in this Battle of the Flower Sea were all attributed to the Holy Knight profession, with not much relation to his main profession as a Scholar.

The advancement to Vanguard of the March endowed the Holy Knight with offensive capabilities equal to his defense.

Roland’s lips curled into a slight smile.

This progression profession isn’t bad; in future battles, he wouldn’t just be a pure tank.

The final award was for Sofia.

She accepted the gold medal, her eyes flickering open and shut, now a Tier Four [Tyrant].

This progressed profession furrowed her brow.

Compared to these judges who dismissively wiped out the life’s efforts of fifteen transcendents between jokes, how was she the one labeled tyrannical?

Just as she intended to protest, a flood of memories surged into her mind, her face turned particularly pale.

She remembered everything. So that’s why, no wonder she attained this progression.

Seeing the Judges about to leave, she suddenly spoke up, "Please wait."

Roland looked at Sofia in astonishment, continuously giving her signaling glances, urging her not to act rashly.

But would Sofia listen to reason?

As she faced the few judges who turned around, she softly inquired, "There’s something I’d like to ask, what were you thinking when you killed those fifteen people just now?"

Though her words were gentle, their content was somewhat aggressive.

Hawkeye frowned, coldly saying, "Sofia, are you questioning me?"

He snorted coldly, lightly clenched his fist, causing the air to erupt in a blast, the sound roaring like a volcanic eruption over the entire White Mountain.

"Since you want to know, I can tell you. Crushing a few ants, do you still need to consider the ants’ feelings? Sofia, you are just like them, also an ant."

After finishing his words, Hawkeye stomped his foot with force, causing the whole White Mountain to tremble.

With this earth-shaking stomp, he turned and prepared to leave.

Sofia remained silent, eyes closed. Memories of the past surged in; she saw the backs of three deserters and realized why she was called a tyrant.

She disliked these past events, desiring a complete separation from the past.

Even if the cost was permanently losing the power she once possessed.

The path she walked wasn’t necessarily wrong, but it couldn’t be tread again. If she retraced her old steps, those three deserters would definitely come back to end her.

She understood them too well.

Sofia instantly made her decision: without destruction, there can be no construction; without bidding farewell to the past, how could there be rebirth?

Seeing Sofia close her eyes, Roland breathed a sigh of relief.

Thankfully, Sofia was arrogant but not foolish. The strength of the Hawkeye Referee was at least at Tier Two if not Tier Three; a conflict with him would mean certain death.

Just when Roland thought Sofia had submitted, she opened her eyes.

Roland’s blood froze.

Her eyes were devoid of any human emotion.

Void, cold, as if leading straight into the vortex at the universe’s deep end.

Roland’s soul trembled.

Hawkeye turned back in horror, witnessing a scene he could never forget.

The midnight sky instantly turned black, the crimson accompanying satellite in the sky also turned dark brown.

In this hopeless darkness, a bright blue sword light shining like sunlight illuminated the night sky.

Bright Blue Fury transformed into a blue glow, disappearing into the air.

The sword’s energy crossed space, gently striking Hawkeye and his companions, as soft as a caress.

However, the moment the sword energy struck, Hawkeye’s life and soul simultaneously shattered.

The Judges, annihilated.

The world returned to darkness, stars twinkling, the accompanying satellite gradually rising into the sky, returning to its original place.

Tides receded, mountains and rivers calmed.

Only a crevice, hundreds of meters deep, stretched from the Peak of White Mountain reaching all the way to the Rodinia Riverbank.

All were stunned.

Is this a power humans can possess?

The bodies of the Judges slumped down softly, the Elemental Heart scattering on the ground, and a crystal-clear Divine Artifact Crystal Ball rolled, spinning towards Sofia.

She tapped it with her toe, grabbing the Crystal Ball in her hand, her sweet voice resounding through the sky.

"I don’t like Annihilation. From now on, the name of the New Era is..."

After a pause, she softly said, "Rebirth."

(End of Volume Three)